Monday, July 27, 2015

Cowboys Heads up Quad - A tale of four boys from Dallas

So I just watched North Dallas Forty the other day, and it was a pretty good flick - I didn't realize Nick Nolte had such acting chops back in the day before he became somewhat of a caricature.  It's fitting, as a result, that I post this Heads up Quad of the Cowboys that I picked up in my most recent COMC lot.  It's got on sweet patch, three plain ones, and four stories of NFL careers gone...something or other.

Here's the front:
Michael Wiley was an Ohio State kid, picked in the 5th round in 2000 by the Cowboys.  They thought about turning him into a slot wide receiver, but that didn't work, and he ended up a career third down back/special teamer with just over 500 career rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.  He was waived after the 2002 season and never played again.

Troy Hambrick had lower expectations placed on him at first, but rose to higher heights.  He was undrafted in 2000, and started slow, but did enough in 2001 and 2002 that the Cowboys used him as their replacement for Emmitt Smith when he moved on to Arizona.  Hambrick was okay, with 972 yards on 275 carries and 5 touchdowns, but the Cowboys let him go at the end of the season.  He was briefly a Raider, was then traded to the Cardinals for Peppi Zellner where he played his last NFL football, and then was basically done.  He had trouble with the law in the mid 2000's and ended up serving 5 years in prison for selling crack, but has since gotten out and semi-turned his life around, so this story has a somewhat happy ending.

Here's the back of the card, with that aforementioned patch:
Darren Wooson is a 5 time Pro Bowler and 3 time First Team All Pro - why he's on this card, I do not know.  He was a 2nd round pick in 1992, and proved well worth it, as he could play the run equally as well as the pass and helped the team win numerous championships.  He has been mentioned as a potential Hall of Famer off and on since 2008, and I wouldn't be surprised if he made it in some day.

Anthony Wright is a GSNHOF favorite, but obviously not anywhere close to Woodson's level.  The Steelers actually signed him as an undrafted free agent in 1999, but the Cowboys quickly signed him in 2000 to back up Quincy Carter.  He saw six starts in three years with the team, with mixed success.  Clint Stoerner (another GSNHOF fave, I loved the crappy early 00's Cowboy QBs) was a constant thorn in Wright's side and took his spot on the roster in 2003 when the Cowboys cut Wright.

Wright ended up in Baltimore in 2003, and had 14 starts in three years there, including a very solid 5-2 run in 2003.  He then kind of faded though, and spent two years as a backup in Cincy and with the Giants before retiring.

Who wins the cards?  Clearly Darren Woodson.  Then Anthony Wright, then Troy Hambrick, then Michael Wiley.  Rarely is a quad jersey card so easily placable from 1-4.

2 comments:

  1. I really, really, really dislike the Cowboys, but Woodson was pretty awesome. Glad you're one step closer to completing your set.

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    1. Thanks! I just always associate them with Thanksgiving, which is why I have such an affinity for crappy players on them and the Lions from my childhood.

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