Football Thursday: Mean Joe Greene auto

The NFL season officially kicks off tonight as the Steelers and their multiple suspended playmakers and injured roster will be taking on the New England Cheaters Patriots.  I don't have a very good feeling about this game, but there were times last year that I had figured the game was in the bag for victories (Tampa Bay and NY Jets come to mind) so who knows?

One thing I do know though is that I completed another of my 2015 goals by acquiring this Mean Joe Greene autograph earlier in the year for the cool price of $35.  I set out the year to acquire two autographs of Steelers in the Hall of Fame in addition to a Jerome Bettis autograph.  At the time of my goal planning, Bettis had not yet been selected to join the illustrious group in Canton. 

So far the only card I had shown from that goal was my dual autograph of 4x Super Bowl Winner Terry Bradshaw and 2x Super Bowl Winner Ben Roethlisberger.  I'm super excited to add an on card auto of one of the most legendary Steelers of all time.

The Steelers have one of the most storied histories in the NFL, but only 2 players have ever have their number retired by the Steelers.  They have not issued numbers once a "Steelers Legend" has retired, but the number has not officially been retired.

One player who received the honor of getting their number retired is Joe.  Look up his stats and you will see why Joe Greene was a Hall of Famer and Fan Favorite. 

There will be other Steelers HOFers displayed before the season is over and also some very nice Steelers Legends too.  Keep an eye out for my Sunday Football posts. 

Keep snowing!!!

Just a random LeSean McCoy 2014 Father's Day Elements card for another snowy day in New Jersey.

Stay safe!

Beats by Dri for $1.29, The Next Episode ALREADY

Last Sunday, I posted my reasons for not wanting to continue Football Sundays since my Steelers were eliminated, however....

2014 Bowman Inception Jumbo Patch 19/25

I came across this Dri (pronounced like Dray) Archer for $1.29 and instantly listened to a classic rap song, the Next Episode by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.  For the low price I couldn't ignore the massive jumbo patch and in the words of the original Dre "YOU KNOW WHO'S BACK UP IN THIS MUDDAFUCKAH"

The rookie special teams/back didn't do a lot for the Pittsburgh Steelers offense which set some NFL History records with Big Ben, Antonio Brown, and Le'Veon Bell.  I suspect that Dri will be used a little more in the 2015 season.

Football Sunday: The Final Chapter (for now)

Well, as far as I'm concerned football season is over and I have 44 days of watching hockey until pitchers and catchers report.  The Steelers lost in disappointing fashion yesterday at home to the Ravens eliminating them from further playoff appearances.

A lot of people I work with know that Le'veon Bell is my favorite current Steeler and his absence was greatly missed yesterday.  However, when I got asked if I thought Bell could have given the Steelers a win, I had to say "probably not".  There's no doubt that the Steelers offense would have been better suited against the Ravens with Bell in the lineup instead of being on the sidelines. However, the Ravens rushing defense was downright filthy this year limiting opponents to less than 4 yards per carry.  Bell wasn't the reason the Steelers lost yesterday.

The team made a lot of costly stupid penalties that Joe Flacco capitalized on.  That's the reality.

Above is my latest Le'Veon Bell purchase that cost me a winning bid of $4.99.  I considered making an all green month for March to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but didn't know if it would be as well received as my Save Second Base, Save the Boobies month.  Would you guys like to see me Go Green for St. Patty's Month?  I've got a lot of emerald/green type cards I can show off.

Football Sunday: Troy Polamalu dons the Pink

It's Sunday and that means....FOOTBALL!!!!

Since this will be my final Save Second Base Football post, I figured I should show off one of my favorite NFL players ever, Troy Polamalu.

I bought this pink parallel off COMC a long time ago for only around $1.50 if I remember correctly.  It's numbered to 399 unlike the baseball pink refractors.
And now to show off women with his hair and of course...boobs

Football Sunday: Landry Jones Breast Cancer Ribbon

I'm very short for words today so here's a quick Landry Jones Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon from 2013 Topps Platinum.

 And here's the boobs...

Football Sunday: Le'veon Bell Towel Relic

There is no single card that defines what I am trying to accomplish this month by making every card post PINK than this card right here.  NFL has really brought a lot of awareness towards breast cancer by fully allowing their players for the month of October to wear pink on their uniforms.  Panini decided to make relic cards of photoshoots wearing a pink Breast Cancer Awareness towel and randomly insert them into their products.

Numbered BCA7 and costing me $8 delivered is this really awesome Le'Veon Bell towel relic.

I drafted Le'veon Bell in the 2nd round of my fantasy football team this year and he has been an absolute stud for me so far.  Anybody else draft him?

Now for some Steelers boobs...

Football Sunday: Antonio Brown Topps Chrome Pink Parallel

Saving boobies isn't just for baseball cards, I am expanding my pink parallel Save Second Base charity event into my football card collection too.

Every year I join a Fantasy Football team with some family members and some of our close friends.  Last year, the winner got an autographed football of an active player of their choice.  I finished in second place losing the final week to the eventual champ by only 4 points.  Drew Brees had some monster weeks for me, but a large reason I was successful was because of my 7th round pick Antonio Brown.  Being a Steelers fan, I knew that he would be #1 on the depth chart for wideouts with Mike Wallace departing for Miami.  Week after week Brown was consistent grabbing me nearly 20 points a week.

Had I won the league, I would have chosen my autographed football to be of Antonio Brown.

2012 Topps Chrome Pink Parallel 217/399

Instead, I ended up with this 2012 Topps Chrome pink parallel I purchased for just under a buck and a half.

Football Sunday: Hines Ward 2011 Gridiron Gear

I don't know why, but Sundays are always rushed posts.  One guy who didn't rush a whole lot in his career was Hines Ward.  He finished his career with 428 rushing yards over 57 attempts (7.5/attempt), 1 touchdown, and 23 first downs.

But that's not what Ward was known for.  He was the Steelers primary receiver over a 14 year career.  Ward finished his career with 12,083 yards, 85 touchdowns, and 620 first down completions.  He averaged 12.1 yards per completion.  Ward will likely one day head to the Hall of Fame as he's only the 19th player in NFL history to have over 12,000 receiving yards.  In addition he became only the 8th player in NFL history to have 1,000 receptions.

Football Sunday: Rashard Mendenhall AUTO

I'm very short on time today because I'm going to one of those haunted house things with a bunch of friends.  Should be a good time.

Anyway, the Black and Yellow are going up against the Black and Silver in Oakland.  Here we go Steelers, here we go!

For all you fantasy football owners, it be best to sit former Steeler Rashard Mendenhall today as he's been scratched with his ongoing toe injury.  If you have Mendenhall on your fantasy team, you are likely terrible anyway because he's got nearly as many fumbles (2) as touchdowns for the year (1).  He's also below his career average in yards per rush this season.

2008 SAGE Rashard Mendenhall AUTO 45/200

Maybe that's why the above autograph of the former 1st round Steeler pick only cost me $2 shipped.

Football Sunday: Emmanuel Sanders Gameday AUTO

The Steelers took another tough loss today as they dropped to 0-4 to start the season.

2011 Topps Gameday AUTO Emmanuel Sanders

Good thing baseball is still going on....

Fortunately with the Steelers being as bad as they are, the player autographs have reached rock bottom.  I grabbed this Emmanuel Sanders auto for just under $5 shipped.

Football Sunday: Mike Wallace Patch

The Steelers are facing the Chicago Bears tonight as part of the Sunday Night Football lineup.  They're going up against a very strong defense and the Steelers offense has really been struggling this year.  Part of it is the lack of a running game, but another part is the plays that Mike Wallace was able to make.  Wallace is a speedster that helped change the offensive mindset when he was on the field.  Wallace was able to open up the field a lot as a target for Big Ben.  The Steelers are currently 0-2 to start the season which they haven't done in over a decade.  Let's hope they can turn things around today.

The above Mike Wallace patch was purchased on ebay over the summer for $6 shipped.  I couldn't pass it up because something about me just loves those throwback uniforms.

Football Sunday: He's Back!!!

The Pittsburgh Steelers are currently 0-1 after an embarassing home opener to the season against the Titans last week.  The offense didn't show up and Big Ben got sacked several times during the game.

The Steelers running game was almost absent so they brought back Jonathan Dwyer who was cut on the final day before rosters had to be set.  In an interview, Dwyer said he's glad to be back.  Personally I am too as I think he could be the better of the other options the Steelers currently have.

2010 Rookies and Stars AUTO/JSY 68/100

For $4 I grabbed this sticker auto and jersey relic of the running back numbered to 100.  Hopefully Dwyer can help get this offense going against Cincinatti on nationally televised Monday Night Football.

Football Sunday: Troy Polamalu Jersey

Football is back so that means it's time to show off some Steelers jerseys and autographs each Sunday.

Troy Polamalu 2010 Certified Fabric of the Game 166/215

First up is a man that really needs no introduction or description of his accolades...Troy Polamalu.

The 2010 Panini Certified Fabric of the Game numbered 166/215 ran me $5 at a card show during the spring.  It's my first Troy jersey card.

Q is for Quarter. That's good enough for me...

I'm trying to build up my Steelers collection.  There's a few players that I really like that always seem to find their way into the quarter bins, Heath Miller and Hines Ward.  Despite having great careers, these guys always end up in the quarter bins.  That's fine with me.  Unfortunately this time around I only found one Jerome "The Bus" Bettis.

Goodbye Mr. Wallace

It was reported by Yahoo news that former Pro Bowl Wide Receiver Mike Wallace will be leaving the Steel City for sunny Florida in the 2013 football season.  I wish Mike the best, but feel that by sitting out during camp he damaged his performance last year and any hopes of staying with the Steelers beyond the 2012 season.  Best of luck to you though Mike. 

Here's 2/3 of the Mike Wallace Trifecta I was starting to complete.  Just need a basic rookie card to complete it and be done with this.

Football reflections

With all the hype of Spring Training going on and more baseball products being released, it's easy to forget that there's an offseason for football teams right now.  The Steelers did a sound business move by releasing one of the Steel City Legends Hines Ward last week.  While I'm very upset that Ward was released, it made good business sense.  It was strictly business to release a player who has been the true leader of the club house and face of the community.  I am however crushed thinking that we will not see Ward smiling from the sidelines wearing black and yellow for the Steelers as they attempt to become Super Bowl Champions in the 2012 season.

Thanks for the memories Hines.  It was fun while it lasted.

Who needs the Super Bowl, when you got football cards

I could honestly care less who wins this game! Tom Brady is my least favorite QB in football and the NY Giants are the most over rated team in football year after year.  Not to mention I work with an annoying fan of both teams and I want them both to be miserable.  This is a lose lose game for me.  LOL! 

In honor of Super Bowl, I'm going to highlight a nice autograph/4 jersey relic of one of my favorite players on the Steelers.  Emmanuel Sanders may not get the recognition of Hines Ward or have the break away speed of Mike Wallace, but he is a fun player to watch.  He's also one of the funniest personalities on the Steelers offense.

And since we're talking about the Postseason let down that this Super Bowl is for me, here's a card highlighting Big Ben as a Post Season Performers.  It's a nice design by Fleer Ultra from 2006

I really wish the Steelers didn't get Tebowed this year.  The playoffs would have been so much better.

How many more weeks until opening day in baseball?  I can't wait.

Football season for me is now over!

Thanks a lot Tim Tebow, the Steelers Super Bowl hopes are ruined.  It's official I don't care what happens with the rest of the football season now.  I have no intentions of throwing a Super Bowl party other than to watch my friends get drunk.  I can only look forward to the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

I decided to make a post about the Steel City Champion cards that I own that have not been previously highlighted on my blog.  I'm going to keep this short and just show off the cards.

Up first 2 time World Series Champion Willie Stargell

2010 Topps 1971 World Series Commemorative Patch

2010 Topps 1979 World Series Commemorative Patch

 2010 Topps Triple Threads 25/27

2010 Topps Triple Threads 15/27

2003 Topps World Series Relic Tributes 48/50


Now for a 2011 Topps Super Bowl Legend coin of Terry Bradshaw serially numbered 32/50

Now for the hockey cards

 a nice dual auto of 2008-09 Stanley Cup Champions Evgeni Malkin & Marc-Andre Fleury serially numbered 17/25

2009 UD Champs Threads Marc-Andre Fleury mini relic card