Card: 1972 Topps Football #240

Team/Position: Miami Dolphins / Guard

Cost: $2.00

With the Saints and the Indianapolis Colts recently losing, what better time than to feature a member of the 1972 Miami Dolphins.  The Dolphins remain the only team in the history of the NFL to complete a perfect season, although they only won fourteen regular season games as opposed to the current 16-game regular season schedule.

Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a single person that has any respect for the ’72 Dolphins squad.  Every year they celebrate by popping the cork on a fine bottle of Champagne when the final undefeated team loses and somehow, Mercury Morris finds his way onto ESPN. The Dolphins’ perfect season will always put them in the conversation for the greatest team ever, but for what it’s worth — they’re not even close.

Little arrived in Miami via trade after San Diego had signed him two years previous as an undrafted free-agent.  When the great Don Shula took over the helm, Larry Little’s life was about to change.

Don Shula replaced George Wilson as the Dolphin coach. When he first met Larry Little during the off-season, the new coach glared.

“How much do you weigh?” Shula asked.

“About 285 right now,” Little replied.

“I want you at 265,” Shula ordered.

Larry Little frowned. Growing up in downtown Miami, he recalls, “We were poor, but I never was hungry. We ate good. I ate more than anybody in the family. Any food anybody didn’t want, I was always around to get it.” He still takes many of his meals at his mother’s home. But when he trimmed himself to 265, he realized that his quickness had increased. When the Dolphins began to win, his reputation also increased. In each of his first three seasons under Shula, he was selected as the AFC’s outstanding offensive lineman in a NFL Players Association poll that determines the best player in various categories. (SPORT magazine — a great read if you get a chance)

Little became known for his quickness from the guard position and his ability to haul ass around the corner when Shula pulled him.  Little’s versatility in the ground-game allowed both Miami running-backs, Morris and Csonka, to eclipse 1,000 yards a piece in ’72 — the first teammates to accomplish such a feat.

Little’s ability as a pass-protector was also top-notch.  From 1970 to 1972, Little was named the top offensive lineman in the AFC by the NFLPA.  When Little finished his career, he had been selected All-NFL six different times and had been selected to play in the Pro Bowl on five different occasions.

As always, it’s tough to put an offensive lineman’s greatness into context without having seen him play.  Unlike many of the interior linemen of today, Little wasn’t a hulking beast that relied solely on his mass.  Little did everything well which allowed him to take on huge defensive tackles and quick defensive backs with equal effectiveness.

A week or so ago before Christmas, I grabbed a few packs of Gridiron Gear and was pleased to pull a Larry Little autograph.  While youur average collector would probably be pretty pissed off pulling Little over even the worst rookie, I was quite happy.  The cards are a bit cheesy especially if you love vintage, though.

Card: 1979 Topps Football Card #390

Team/Position: Houston Oilers / Runningback

Cost: $2.80

I knew this deal was too good to be true, I knew it.  I purchased this Earl Campbell with a Dan Fouts Rookie Card because the seller agreed to ship it via standard airmail.

Rant Ensues, Feel Free To Skip

I didn’t feel like spending 11 dollars on shipping for 5 dollars worth of cards and she agreed, yet every time that I requested an invoice she sent it back with shipping of 11 dollars.  In her messages, she said she was going to ship it via the two dollar option, but her invoices said differently.

I eventually just paid the 11 dollar option and politely asked for a refund of the difference if she decided to ship it via the $2.00 option.  Of course that was the wrong decision as she shipped it via the two dollar option before ignoring my refund requests for 3 weeks.

I eventually won the dispute because she didn’t bother responding to eBay either.  I like to reward people that ship to Canada, even if they don’t get it postmarked until 10 days after payment, but this is just a piss-off.

Rant Ends, Earl Campbell Worship Begins

Some folks enjoy watching highlights of Barry Sanders or Gale Sayers, but in my opinion, neither could hold a candle to Earl Campbell.

In ’77 Campbell won the Heisman with the Texas Longhorns after leading the nation in rushing.

Sanders and Sayers would make your jaw drop, but Earl Campbell would make you grimace.

The Houston Oilers selected Campbell with the first overall selection in the 1978 Draft.  Campbell won the Offensive Rookie Of The Year Award in 1978 and followed it up with an MVP award in ’79.

As you see on the front of the card, Campbell was awarded the first of his three-consecutive All-Pro selections in his rookie year.  Campbell also has a “RECORD BREAKER” rookie card in the ’79 set, but it’s far less valuable.

Time For Another Video

Campebll went onto five Pro Bowls over the course of his eight year career.  Unfortunately, Campbell’s career was cut far too short by his bruising running style.

After his epic 1980 season (373 Attempts, 1934 Yards, 13 TD, 5.2YPC,) it was essentially down-hill for Campbell.  While he received a full workload in 1981, Campbell failed to average four yards per carry.

Card: 1971 Topps Football Card #113

Team/Position: Houston Oilers, Washington Redskins / Safety, DB.

Cost: $2.00

Ken Houston doesn’t get much love outside of Washington, it seems.  I actually ended up with a couple of his rookie cards; If you’d like a free one, leave a comment with your email address and I’ll get it out to you.

Houston was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986, a tough achievement for a defensive back.  With the enshrinement of Rod Woodson, there are now 20 defensive backs in the Hall of Fame.  Modern linebackers trail behind with only 18 enshrined, but only two linebackers regularly played until the mid-50′s.

Considering that defensive backs were generally the best athletes on the field, it’s blasphemy that more aren’t recognized for their efforts.

Houston was born in Lufkin, Texas: A city of 32,000 people as of 2000.  Lufkin’s a city that knows how to churn out pro-football players, though.  A kid by the name of Dez Bryant called Lufkin home and was widely considered the best receiver in NCAA football (before the Dieon Sanders incident).  A total of thirteen other NFL players once played their high-school football in the city of Lufkin.

The Oilers drafted Houston in the ninth round of the 1967 AFL Draft out of Prarie State College — Guh? — where Houston was a football and track and field star.

After winning the starting gig just games into his rookie season, Houston’s skills were put on full display.  In 1971, Ken Houston set a then-record with 5 return touchdowns (4 INT, 1 FUM).

Houston’s athletic ability could probably still stand up to this day:  At 6’3″ and 197lbs, Houston was fast and rangy but could deliver punishing hits.

After six years with the Oilers, Houston was shipped off to the Washington Redskins for five veteran players.  Houston kept up his All-World play and was eventually named one of the 70 greatest Redskins of all time.

When all was said and done, Houston  intercepted 49 passes and scored 9 touchdowns which lead to 12 CONSECUTIVE PROBOWLS.

If you’re unfamiliar with Houston, just think of a player in the mold of Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu or Adrian Wilson.

Card: 1977 Topps Football Card #177

Team/Position: Seattle Seahawks / Wide Receiver

Cost: $3.75

Largent finished up his career at Tulsa as an All-American, yet slipped into the fourth round of the NFL Draft.  The Houston Oilers originally planned on cutting the great white hope, until the expansion Seahawks traded an 8th round pick for his rights.

Until a certain greatest wide-receiver of all-time and Dancing With The Stars Season Two runner-up came along, Steve Largent was arguably the best wide-receiver to have ever played the game.

When Largent retired from the Seahawks, he held every imaginable receiving record:  13,089 receiving yards, 819 career receptions, and 100 touchdown catches.

Largent didn’t display break-away speed, but caught everything that was thrown in his direction.  Throw in very crisp routes, and what seems like a veteran savvy from his first snap and you’ve a Hall of Famer: A 5’11″, 185lb, Hall of Famer.

Largent made seven Pro Bowls during his fourteen year career and was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1980′s.  Along with the ABSOLUTELY FREAKIN DESPICABLE Jim Zorn, Largent became the face of the Seattle Seahawks.  Steve Largent became the first Seattle Seahawk inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.

After his football career, Steve Largent entered the realm of politics. Largent served 4 terms as a member of congress for Oklahoma’s first district.  Largent never received less than 60% of the vote, but he was running in Tulsa, and he was a Republican.

I’m not particularly a fan of Largent as a politician, but he was one hell of a football player.  One of Largent’s most memorable political moments screamed, “I’m a effin’ idiot!”

Because two gay men are bound to rape little girls that they adopt, Largent proposed the following bill,

“On July 29, by a vote of 213 to 215, the House, under heavy pressure from homosexual groups, rejected an amendment to the District of Columbia Appropriations Act (HR 2587) sponsored by Rep. Steve Largent (R.-Olda) that would have stopped the District of Columbia from using federal dollars to promote adoptions by couples not related by blood or marriage.”  ( Article Link )

Lovely.

Card: 1970 Topps Football Card #59

Team/Position: Minnesota Vikings / Defensive Tackle

Cost: $9.00

Alan Page might be the most interesting man to ever play the game of football.  As a member of the Vikings, Page was a key part of the Purple People Eaters that lead the Vikes to 4 Superbowl Appearances.

Page’s rookie card was released shortly after the Minnesota Vikings met the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl IV.  Topps put forth a solid effort in 1970, while the card wasn’t anything special, it was catchy and featured very beautiful close up photos.  Along with Alan Page, O.J. Simpson (haven’t bought it yet) and Lem Barney (on it’s way) were featured as rookies in this set.

If you’re hungry for an Alan Page RC, you can probably grab one off of ebay for 3 bucks or there are a couple over at CheckOutMyCards.com for under 6 bucks.

Page, my friends, is a very smart man.  In addition to playing football at Notre Dame, Page also went to class and if you’re observant you’ll realize Topps told us that Page was an outstanding student at Notre Dame.

“I’m Out…Standing!”

While playing for the Vikings, Page attended classes at the University of Minnesota where he eventually went on to get his J.D.

In 1992, Page was elected as an Associate Justice on the Minnesota State Supreme Court.  Page continues to sit, after being re-elected on two occasions (1998 & 2004)

As a member of the Vikings, Page was a dominant interior lineman.  In 1970, Page was named the NFL defensive player of the year, a feat he repeated in 1971 along with garnering the NFL MVP (the first time the award was given to a defensive player).

Other notable accomplishments include six first-team and three second-team All Pros, nine Pro Bowls, and induction into both the Pro and College Football Hall of Fames.

On his career, Page had 148.5 sacks split between the Vikings on the Bears. In 1976, Page notched 18 sacks and has been credited with 5 other seasons of at least 10 sacks.  Page also had 22 fumbles recovered and three safeties.

By the end of Page’s career, his weight had dropped from 260lbs in 1970 to 220lbs in 1979.  Page’s weight loss was attributed to his running routine of over 30 miles per week during the playing season.  Alan Page became the first professional football player to complete a marathon during his playing career.

Page did dabble in the typical career path for a retired player, working for TBS’ College Football broadcast, but for the most part, Alan Page has taken the road less traveled.

Card: 1973 Topps Card #77

Team/Position: Oakland Raiders / Tackle

Cost: 1 Buck

Once again, we’ve got an offensive lineman that doesn’t get a card until his 5th season.  As a player, Shell was as good as they came in Oakland.  Art Shell grinded it out as a Special Teamer for two seasons with the Raiders before stepping into the left tackle spot.

Art Shell’s left-side partner in crime was another Hall of Famer and former head of the NFLPA, Gene Upshaw.  Shell and Upshaw formed one of the best left-sides that the game has seen and were responsible for giving Ken Stabler and Jim Plunkett the time they needed.

Shell was your prototypical left tackle with the added bonus of being a ferocious run-blocker.  By the end of Art Shell’s career, he’d amassed eight Pro-Bowls, three first team and two second team All American Awards.  Shell was a member of three of the Oakland / LA Raiders Championship teams and his mild-mannered, humble, personality will forever remain a favorite of Raider fans.

As A Coach

When Shell was brought back to coach the Oakland Raiders in 2006, it essentially ruined his legacy for fans under 25 years old.  The entire year was a mess, and little-diva Jerry Porter and Shell had a year-long disagreement.  Shell lead the Raiders to 2 wins and 14 losses in what was probably the worst Raiders offense of all time.

Shell finished up with a 56-50 coaching record though, so prior to the 2006/7 massacre; Shell was 54-and-36.  For me, I can’t seem to get the goofy image of Art Shell wearing that Ice-Cube style Raiders cap during his first coaching stint.

In 1990, Art Shell was named coach of the year after leading the Raiders to a 12-and-4 record.  Crazy lizard-man, Al Davis, fired Shell in 1994, which Davis later admitted to regretting.

Art Shell’s definitely proof that you can be unassuming and completely badass.

The Back of this Card is absolutely AMAZING, though:

If you ever wondered what Art Shell’s Yards Per Return was on punts after his first five seasons, you’ve got your answer.  While I understand that Shell played some Special Teams, this has to be the most useless statistic imprinted on the rear of a card ever.

Card: 1973 Topps Card #115

Team/Position: Pittsburgh Steelers / Outside Linebacker

Cost: About 3 Bucks (brutally off center)

When discussing the Steel Curtain of the seventies, where the hell to start is a great question.   The entire defense consisted of talents ranging from well above average to sure-fire Hall of Famer.  Neither Jack Lambert nor Jack Ham, were built like an NFL Linebackers.  Both were undersized, yet managed to dominate their positions for a decade. 

Jack Ham arrived from Linebacker U (Penn State) in 1971 after the Steelers took him with their second round pick.  Ham would go on to take over the Left Outside Linebacker spot as a rookie and hold onto it for his entire career.

Ham was a member of each of the Steelers’ 4 Superbowl victories during the 70′s.  Throw in 8 Pro Bowl appearances, 6 First Team All Pros, and 2 Second Team All Pros, and you’ve got yourself a football player.

Ham was an absolute monster, but was he the best outside linebacker of all time?   If you polled 100 football experts, odds are that they’d be split right down the middle — 50/50 — for Jack Ham and Lawrence Taylor.

What Made Jack Ham Special?

I find myself talking about the importance of a terrific power/speed combination far too often.  Jack Ham definitely wasn’t a power/speed guy, he possessed a combination much more rare:  Jack Ham was a Read-React-Accelerate player.

Ham’s ability to instantly accelerate probably would’ve landed him in the Hall of Fame, even if he weren’t skilled at sniffing the play out.  Ham did have one hell of a nose for the football though, and it took him no time at all to shed blockers on his way to the ball carrier.

When I think about the Ham vs. Taylor argument, it’s a no-brainer for me.  Jack Ham was infinitely more versatile than Taylor, and starting him at the Outside Linebacker spot would allow you ultimate defensive flexibility.  Taylor’s pure pass-rushing skills definitely put him in the conversation, but it’s Jack Ham I’d want in pursuit or back in coverage.  I’m somewhat partial to Ham because Taylor was an absolute freak of nature, whereas Ham could’ve easily been your next-door neighbor.

1973 Topps was such an awful looking year and we’ve still got quite a few more to go from that year.  The only redeeming feature is the large photo on the front.

Card: 1973 Topps Card #288

Team/Position: Oakland Raiders / Safety

Cost: $4.00

Continuing with the Ohio State trend, here we have Jack Tatum’s ’73 Rookie Card.  The Oakland Raiders selected Tatum in the first round of the 1971 Draft with the 19th overall pick.  Tatum quickly took over the starting free safety job and as they say, the rest is history.

Tatum was nicknamed the Assassin for good reason.  The hits he laid on receivers are legendary, and the only man to come close to the force that Jack hit with was Ronnie Lott, who often names Tatum as an idol.

In 1970 for the Buckeyes, Tatum was voted an unanimous All American and the National Defensive Player of the year.  When it comes to the best safeties in the history of college football, Jack Tatum is amongst the best.  Sports Illustrated named Jack Tatum as their starting free safety on the All-Century team in 1999. I’m not a huge fan of the card itself, but the photo of Jack Tatum is absolutely frightening.  I can’t help but think that Jack Tatum would be Vegas’ favourite in a prize-fight against a series of black bears, lions, and great white sharks.

As A Raider…

I guess there’s no place to start other than the Immaculate Reception. Jack Tatum’s the reason the ball flew upwards before eventually landing in Franco Harris’ hands.  Tatum was the one that separated John Fuqua from the football before Harris’ grab.  I always enjoy watching the former Raiders players question the call, saying the ball hit the ground or the ball hit Fuqua (illegal for the ball to be touched by two offensive players in succession back in the day).

Tatum was unfortunately also known for his pre-season hit on Darryl Stingley that left Stingley paralyzed from the chest down.  Tatum denied any responsibility for the hit, claiming it was well within the rules, but failed to immediately apologize.  Tatum claims that he’s attempted to apologize, and feels genuinely bad about the outcome of the play, but the people close to Stingley at the time refused to let it happen.

The Credentials

Tatum holds the record for the longest fumble recovery in the history of the game (t. 1) after returning a fumble for 104 yards against the Packers.

Tatum was a 3-time Pro Bowler, a 2-time 2nd team All Pro.  For some reason, Tatum has yet to be entered into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.

Tatum’s without a doubt one of the greatest safeties of all time and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why he’s being held out.  It’s apparent that there’s a chunk of sports-writers that aren’t all that fond of Jack “the Assassin” Tatum.

Tatum definitely looks like a Hall Of Famer and anyone who played with or against him would say he played like a Hall of Famer, so… What’s the problem?

Card: 1978 Topps Football Card #320

Team/Position: Pittsburgh Steelers / Wide Reciever

Cost: Purchased In Lot (About 2 Bucks)

Johnny Lee Stallworth didn’t get a card until 1978 after the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in the fourth round of 1974.  By the time Topps had produced him a card, Stallworth had already been to two Super Bowls.

Steelers’ Coach, Chuck Noll, added Stallworth from Alabama A&M to an already loaded draft.  In total, the 1974 draft churned out Stallworth, Swann, Lambert and Webster — That’s FOUR Hall of Famers in one draft class, folks.

Stallworth, like many of the Steelers, produced when it mattered the most.  In the 1978 Super Bowl (XIII) against the Dallas Cowboys, Stallworth went off in the first half for two touchdowns before missing most of the second half due to cramping.

Stallworth’s 75-yard gain against Dallas only served to set the stage for Stallworth’s game winning 73-yard follow up in Super Bowl XIV the next year.  I’m sure you’ve seen it, but here’s Stallworth’s catch through the eyes of Sports Illustrated:

What Makes Stallworth Special?

The Rings.  Just about every Steeler from the Chuck Noll-era seems to have made the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Throughout his career, Johnny Stallworth won four Super Bowls, but the other stats aren’t all that gaudy.

Personally, I tend to think that far too much emphasis is placed on Championships.  Both Lynn Swann and John Stallworth were very good receivers, but their statistics alone don’t put them into the Hall of Fame.

Stallworth finished up his career with 8723 receiving yards, 4 Pro Bowl selections, and a Come Back Player of the Year Award from 1984.

After Football…

As you can see, the back of the card says, “John is an Insurance Agent and is taking college courses in that field.”

Stallworth continued taking classes after 1978 and eventually earned a Bachelor of Sciences in Business at Alabama A & M.  In 1986, Stallworth founded MRC (Madison Research Corp.) which did engineering and information technology consulting for the government, here’s the wikipedia blurb:

In 1986, he founded Madison Research Corporation (MRC), which specialized in providing engineering and information technology services to government and commercial clients. Under Stallworth’s leadership, MRC grew to more than 650 employees and $69.5 million in revenues(FY03). MRC manages six regional offices: Huntsville, Alabama (headquarters); Warner Robins, Georgia; Orlando, Florida and Shalimar, Florida; Montgomery, Alabama; Houston, Texas; and Dayton, Ohio. In October 2006, the sale of MRC to Wireless Facilities Inc. was completed, and at that time it was announced that Stallworth would pursue other interests.

Those other interests?  Giving cash-money to Mr. Ed Rooney and becoming part-owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

John Stallworth’s success absolutely blows my mind, while simultaneously cracking me up.  After watching Stallworth on the gridiron where war analogies are often over-used, it’s quite enjoyable to think of him running an actual war-machine — presenting, and providing comprehensive information to the government on guns, and armored trucks, and stuff like that.

Panini got Stallworth to sit down last year and sign a bunch of stickers, but they also got him to sign for National Treasures.  I’m not a huge fan of these cards, but meh..

Card: 1978 Topps Football Card #314

Team/Position: Dallas Cowboys / Runningback

Cost: Purchased In Lot (about 3 bucks)

What a simply gorgeous football card!  Everything about this card, produced in Tony’s second year, is just beautiful.   The bright yellow border with black type just makes everything pop.  Of course, poor centering stands out like a bi-atch in these puppies, but everything else is perfect.

I think my favourite part of Topps’ 1978 set is the pink little football in the lower right corner displaying the player’s position.  There’s really no reason not to love it.

What Made Tony Dorsett Special?

This is going to be a tough one, but let’s start with something completely unrelated to Dorsett’s dominance at Pitt or in Big-D.  Let’s start with Tony Dorsett, the bringer of truth:

I don’t know why on God’s earth Tony Romo has been anointed a superstar in the National Football League, Tony is very young in his career. Not to say you can’t be young in your career and be a superstar because you’ve got one up there in Minnesota in Adrian Peterson.

But the thing is this: You have a guy who hasn’t done much, and quarterbacks in the NFL, most of them go through this growing curve. He hasn’t gone through that growing curve, but he was anointed this great player all of a sudden. Now he’s having to live up to that. And obviously Tony has some deficiencies.

“He’s a good player who’s still learning how to play in the NFL, and I think the media has given him too much credit for doing nothing. He hasn’t done anything really in the NFL to deserve all the recognition and visibility he’s gotten so far. (TSN)

Spot on, no?

First thing’s first, Tony Dorsett was an absolute machine for the Pitt Panthers. Until Ricky Williams did his thing, and Ron Dayne followed it up with the big-and-fat approach, Tony Dorsett was the all-time leading NCAA rusher.  Dorsett almost single-handedly transformed Pittsburgh into a powerhouse which in his senior season, culminated in a National Title victory.

In three of his four years at Pitt, Dorsett was named a First Team All-American. Dorsett finished as a Second Team All-American in 1974 behind a couple nobodies — Who’s heard of Archie Griffin, Walter Payton, Joe Washington and Anthony Davis anyways?

Dorsett weighed in at under 190lbs, but he managed to run hard on every play.  Dorsett had the uncanny ability to perfectly set up defenders before exploding past them.  I wouldn’t classify Dorsett as a tackle-breaker, but his swift cuts often put him in position to break one arm-tackle after the next.  The Cowboys had no problem running Dorsett between the tackles, which often resulted in Dorsett bursting out the back end never to be touched again.

Most people mention Dorsett’s Monday Night Football run as his defining moment.  Dorsett’s 99-yard run is still the longest run in league history, and it’s just a thing of beauty:

In 1994, Dorsett was elected to both the College and the National Football League Hall of Fame.  When Dorsett retired, only Walter Payton had more yards on the ground, but since then Emmitt’s bested them both.  Dorsett still ranks 7th overall behind Smith, Payton, Sanders, Martin, Bettis, and Dickerson.

Much like Barry Sanders, there’s a big “What If” surrounding Tony Dorsett.  Tom Landry made it quite clear that he had no intention on wearing Dorsett down saying, “If I wanted to risk Tony, I think he could gain as many yards as Payton and Campbell,” the Dallas coach explained. “But Tony is so much different than Earl, who is so big. Payton is probably the strongest little man I have ever seen. Then there is Wilbert Montgomery, who did get used a lot and got hurt. I don’t want that to happen to Tony.” (source)

Tony still looks terrific after retiring in the late 80′s as a member of the Denver Broncos.  Injuries eventually lead to Tony’s retirement, as is the case with most runningbacks.

The Cowboys gave up a lot to trade up to second overall in order to select Dorsett and it clearly paid off.  Dorsett often gets lost in the shuffle, despite being a member of America’s team.

For all of Tony’s greatness with the Cowboys though, he’ll still be remembered as a Pitt Panther.  ESPN listed Dorsett as the 7th best college football player of all time, which sits just fine with me.

Dorsett’s found his way into a few different products over the last couple of years.  Most recently, he’s popped up in Donruss Classics and Topps Magic as sticker autographs, but last year’s Mayo release numbered to 10 looks pretty sweet: