Buster Davis Autograph Card

Buster Davis was a star linebacker from his high school days at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach (Florida) all the way through his All-American residency with the Florida State University Seminoles.

He was drafted in the third round by the Arizona Cardinals, but was released just months later, only to be picked up by the Detroit Lions. He spent the 2007 season in Detroit, before hitting the waiver wire in August of 2008 and getting claimed by the Indianapolis Colts, even getting re-signed at the end of the 2008 campaign... only to get waived by them in March.

In 2009, the Houston Texans decided to play around with his psyche, signing him to a one-year deal on April 3rd, waiving him on September 5th, re-signing him to the practice squad on October 8th and releasing him again on October 13th.

After that, he toiled around in minor leagues with the Hartford Colonials (2010, UFL), Las Vegas Locomotives (2010, UFL) and Jacksonville Sharks (2011-2012, AFL), before calling it quits.

In 2012, he wa named head coach at Duval Charter of Jacksonville, but was let go after 7 games; in 2013, he took on the same job at St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut prior to spring practice but left that job four months later. 

In 2014, he was named head coach at McArthur High School, saying:

Some people only look to tomorrow. But some people like myself need to have a vision that goes past tomorrow, past two weeks from now. We really feel that in the next two to three years that our program is going to be one everyone talks about and players at other schools will want to come play for.

He resigned after going 0-10.

In 2015, he took on the head coaching position at Port Orange Atlantic... resigning in August, two days after the beginning of Fall training, without ever coaching a single game with the team.

I wouldn't hire him to renovate my home... or probably anything else, for that matter.

Here he is wearing the Cardinals' red (home) uniform, on card #X-BD from Upper Deck's 2009 SPX set and X Factor Signatures sub-set:

It features a blue-sharpied on-sticker autograph.

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Drew Stanton Rookie Jersey Card

As was the case with this Robert Meachum card, this one of Drew Stanton (from the same 2007 Bowman Sterling set and Authentic Player-Worn Jersey sub-set from Topps, card #BSRR-DS in the series) is a tad unclear as to when and where the jersey was worn:

As his de facto rookie card, it's fair to say chances are the swatch is from an event-worn jersey, seeing as Stanton hadn't played a single NFL game prior to the 2007 season.

He was, however, a star College quarterback - ranked second in the country - albeit one with a substantial injury history, as he'd suffered significant damage in 2005 and 2006, which probably explains why he fell to the second round and the Detroit Lions.

He suffered a season-ending injury at the Lions' 2007 training camp in August and missed the entire 2008 preseason with a sprained thumb. He did get his first start in Week 16 of the 2009 season, and in 2010, led the Lions to their first road win in over three years (yeah, Detroit was pretty bad at football for a while).

2012 saw him split his time between the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts, but upon losing the starting job to Andrew Luck, he chose to sign with the Arizona Cardinals in 2013, backing up the oft-injured Carson Palmer.

In 2014 alone, Stanton suffered a concussion, an MCL sprain and an infection. He didn't play much in 2015 and 2016, but was crowned the new starter three weeks ago when Palmer went down with another injury. Except Stanton himself sprained his knee and could miss a couple of games.

Football's a tough sport, after all.

Here's wishing him a speedy and complete recovery.

Anthony Thomas Jersey Card

Yes, I am one of those: I'm boycotting the NFL this year.

Not because players are kneeling, mind you, but for the opposite reason: because NFL owners colluded to blacklist the player who started the movement, Colin Kaepernick, while signing much lesser quarterbacks to expensive long-term contracts, leaving him unemployed.

Case in point:

Brian Hoyer, San Francisco 49ers (2 years, $12M). Currently sitting on the bench.

Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles (2 years, $11M). Backup with injury issues.

Josh McCown, New York Jets (one-year, $6M). Too good for a bad team, and tends to make costly mistakes.

Landry Jones, Pittsburgh Steelers (2 years, $4.4M). One of the better backups in the league.

Matt Barkley, 49ers (2 years, $4M). Didn't even make the team after training camp.

Mark Sanchez, Chicago Bears (one year, $2M). Third-string QB.

Geno Smith, New York Giants (one year, $1.2M). I can't believe this guy can still find work, he still believes he can start games.

Josh Johnson, Giants (two years, $1.02M). Failed to make the team.

E.J. Manuel, Oakland Raiders (one year, $800K). Interim starter after Derek Carr's injury.

Kellen Moore, Dallas Cowboys (one year, $775K). Now on practice squad.

Aaron Murray, Los Angeles Rams (one year, $615K). Released in the summer.

Chase Daniels, New Orleans Saints (one year, $900K paid by Saints, $4.1M paid by Eagles). Backup.

Case Keenum, Minnesota Vikings (one year, $2M, plus incentives). Getting the job done.

David Fales, Miami Dolphins. Apparently, a 27-year-old guy with two career complete passes is better than Kaepernick when your two starters (Ryan Tannehill and Jay Cutler) go down.

T.J. Yates, Buffalo Bills (one year). With too many QBs at the Bills' training camp, he became one of four when he was placed on injured reserve following a concussion. He reached a settlement with the team and has been released.

Matt McGloin, Eagles (one year). Failed to make the team.

Blaine Gabbert, Arizona Cardinals. Doing well.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (one year, $3M). Consistently inconsistent.

Austin Davis, Seattle Seahawks (one year, league minimum). A terrible quarterback.

And, of course, Mike Glendon, of Da Bears (3 years, $45M). Jesus.

That's not the worst decision the Bears ever took, though, but that's a story for another day. Today, I'll focus on a player who was fine with the team, terrible elsewhere, and could/should have been exceptional, Anthony Thomas.

Thomas was given the nickname "A-Train" when playing for the University of Michigan Wolverines, by sportscaster Brent Musburger, making his name as one of 1997's Big Ten Top Freshmen on an undefeated Wolverines team.

He followed that by leading the team in rushing for three consecutive years with 893 yards in 1998, 1297 yards in 1999, and 1733 yards in 2000, the latter of which remains the second-highest single-season total in Michigan history. That year, he had nine games in which he rushed for over 100 yards. His 4772 career rushing years set a school record (which has since been surpassed by Mike Hart).

He was therefore perhaps a steal when the Bears selected him in the second round (38th overall) in 2001, an impression he added to when he won the Offensive Rookie Of The Year award helping Chicago to an NFC Central championship.

He had two more decent seasons (721 rushing yards in 2002 and 1,024 rushing yards in 2003) before being surpassed by Thomas Jones, then made his way to the Cowboys, Saints and Bills, never truly finding a home or a role worthy of his past. Not everyone was a fan, though, even of his days in Chicago.

It's therefore fitting that I feature him wearing the Bears' classic black (home) uniform, with the jersey insert version of card #110 from Topps' 2001 Bowman's Best set:

It's a nice foil card that includes a matching jersey swatch from the NFL Rookie Premier event. It,s numbered 789/999.

Aaron Williams Autograph Card

Aaron Williams was a second-round pick of the Buffalo Bills (34th overall) in 2011, becoming a regular in his third season with the team, coinciding with a move from cornerback to (strong) safety.

However, two severe neck injuries forced him into missing 22 games in the past two years, and with the Bills changing coaches, they opted to release him last March, weeks before his 27th birthday.

His football future is now uncertain.

Here he is wearing Buffalo's white (away) uniform, on the signed insert version of card#143 from Panini's 2011 Absolute Memorabilia set and Spectrum and Rookie Class of 2011 sub-sets:

It features an on-sticker, blue-sharpied autograph.

Tandon Doss Autograph Card

The Baltimore Ravens selected Tandon Doss in the fourth round in 2011, but cut him loose twice in three seasons, first waiving him, then re-claiming him when the Green Bay Packers did the same, then letting him become a free agent and sign on with the Jacksonville Jaguars, with whom he spent an entire season on the injured list before getting cut prior to the start of 2015, never actually suiting up for a game.

Technically, he won a Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2013, but was released before the next season even started. Apart from the championship, his most remarkable individual feat was an 82-yard punt return touchdown on his 24th birthday.

The lowlight of his career was probably his arrest for disorderly conduct, although he was eventually released from that as well, without charges.

Here he is wearing the Ravens' #89 purple (home) uniform, on the signed insert version of his rookie card (#19+5 in the set) from Panini's 2011 Crown Royale collection:

It's numbered #491/499. I got it from a multi-sport repack box a couple of years ago. It features an on-sticker autograph in blue sharpie.

Tim Brown Autographed Card

It's a done deal: the Oakland Raiders will move once more, this time to Las Vegas. With the NHL having approved of an expansion franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights, who will begin play next season, Las Vegas is definitely aiming to make its mark in the sports field. It remains a tourist town, with only 600,000 permanent residents in its core, but there are no other cities like it. It's an experiment, albeit one that has a better chance of working out than, say, hockey in Arizona or Atlanta.

It's the franchise's second move out of Oakland, as it spent 1982-1994 being known as the Los Angeles Raiders, before moving back into its original NFL home, Oakland-Alameida County Coliseum (1966-1981, 1995-2018). Prior to that, as a member of the AFL, the team played at the San Francisco 49ers' Kezar Stadium (1960), the San Francisco Giants' Candlestick Park (1961) and Frank Youell Field, a stadium named after a mortician that was later bulldozed to make additional parking space for Laney College.

Pretty unstable and bush-league for a franchise that holds an AFL championship and three Super Bowl championships, eh?

I don't know what the future holds for the team in Vegas; perhaps they'll move back to Oakland in 15 years. What I do know is the stadium they're building for them will be packed and will host at least one Super Bowl. It's revitalized the team's image and reshaped Vegas once more as a family-friendly spot.

Growing up in the 1980s, I was a fan of the Raiders and 49ers. Still am, always have been. My admiration for the Niners wavered when they sent Joe Montana to the Kansas City Chiefs, and I never took to Steve Young - but I stuck to the Raiders no matter what they did, even when they anointed Carson Palmer as their QB; I didn't believe they'd win with him, and I disapproved of the decision, but I kept wearing my cap, my windbreaker or my tuque, depending on the season.

The 1990s in L.A. were about Wayne Gretzky on the ice, Mike Scioscia behind the plate and Tim Brown on the field. Luckily, I got to meet Brown at a signing when I was in high school, probably circa 1993, and again upon his retirement in 2005; it was then that he signed this card for me in blue sharpie:

That's card #150 from Pro Set's 1990 Series 1 collection; the first series contained cards #1-377, the second one encompassed #378-769, and the Final Update portion went up to #800O and #800D, for the offensive (Emmitt Smith) and defensive (Mark Carrier) Pro Set Rookies Of The Year, which was originally supposed to be a single title. There were also five ridiculous inserts found in packs of the Series 2 set, of which I had two, Santa Claus and commissioner Paul Tagliabue; I was missing those of Miami Dolphins founder Joe Robbie, failed comic-book superhero SuperPro, and golfer Payne Stewart.

I seem to have lost the card I had Brown sign in '93, which pains me a bit. The 2015 Hall Of Famer was special from the start. He was the first wide receiver to ever receive the Heisman Trophy, back when he was with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He then set the NFL rookie yards records and proceeded to appear in nine Pro Bowls and make the NFL's All-Decade 1990s team - in a decade that included such receivers as Jerry Rice and Michael Irving. He spent his first sixteen seasons with the Raiders but played his final season, 2004, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after a falling out with management and ownership.

He had been eligible for the Hall in 2013, but was not admitted right away; that's too bad, because that's the year I went:

I'm in the middle, flanked by my current stepdad and brother. It was freezing; it felt like I hadn't left Montréal. I have a knack for that, as it was also the case when I went on a Vegas/Arizona trip in November 2015 and caught bronchitis (and a snowstorm). There are ways in which I would prefer avoiding feeling like home...

Shaun Alexander Jersey Card

Shaun Alexander was kind of a big deal.

2005 NFL MVP, which led him to sign the biggest running back contract in history up to that point. An NFL-record 28 touchdowns and a Seattle Seahawks-record 1,880 rushing yards. Three Pro Bowls. An NFL-record of rushing for over 100 yards in nine straight games against divisional opponents. He holds Seahawks records for career yards rushing (9.429), rushing touchdowns (100) and total touchdowns (112). He made the NFL's 2000 All-Decade Team. He was an impact player.

Then the injuries hit in 2006, and the fans started booing him. Then the Seahawks let him go, leading him to sign with the Washington Redskins in October of 2008, but they almost never used him. Then they let him go themselves.

Nowadays, he hosts a football-and-Christian podcast out of D.C., where he and his family have decided to settle, away from the pressure of being a full-time celebrity in Seattle. They have a farm... and nine children. Who are home-schooled. That's a lot of time in the family circle talking about Jesus, but whatever works to make good people is fine by me.

Here he is on card #IR-SA from Topps' 2008 Stadium Club set and Impact Relic sub-set, which I got in a multi-sport repack around 2010:

It shows him as a member of the Seahawks, wearing the white (away) uniform, with a blue game-worn jersey swatch right in the middle.

Tatum Bell Jersey Card

Tatum Bell was a running back who was good enough to rush for 921 yards in 2005 and 1025 in 2006 with the Denver Broncos, who drafted him 41st overall in 2004. He then spent some time with the Detroit Lions before getting re-signed by the Broncos, after spending three months working at a T-Mobile store. He averaged 5.7 yards per rush in his second stint in Denver, but because he was fourth on the depth chart, he was not offered a contract the following season.

He then made a move towards the UFL, signing with the Florida Tuskers, who later proceeded to release him.

Here he is wearing the team's blue (home) uniform, on card #SHS-TB from Fleer's 2006 Flair Showcase set and Showcase Stitches sub-set, manufactured by Upper Deck:

It features a white game-worn "piece of memorabilia".

D.J. Shockley Sweet Spot Signatures Card

As I mentioned before, my favourite insert sub-sets of all time belong to Upper Deck's Sweet Spot Football sets; here's one from the 2006 Sweet Spot Signatures series, card #SSS-DS in the collection, which contains a miniature helmet he signed in silver sharpie:

It features quarterback D.J. Shockley, a star for the University of Georgia Bulldogs, and winner of the SEC Championship Game MVP Award in 2005.

Drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, he spent four years with the team, usually in a third-string role. He may have had a chance to be a starter when Michael Vick was convicted of staging dog fights in 2007, but he tore his ACL, which sidelined him for the year; he was on the practice squad for the rest of his tenure in the NFL.

He finished off his career with a year and a half with the UFL's Omaha Nighthawks, behind another former NFLer, Jeff Garcia.

Marshall Faulk Jersey Card

Did you know the Los Angeles Rams haven't scored a point since 1994? Indeed, after spending 21 seasons in St. Louis, they were shut out 28-0 last week against the lowly San Francisco 49ers.

The Los Angeles Kings have won two Stanley Cups in the Rams' absence; heck, the St. Louis Rams won Super Bowl XXXIV in 1999, despite Offensive Player Of The Year Marshall Faulk being contained in the final.

Still, upon retiring, the Hall Of Famer was the only player to ever rush for 12,000 yards and catch for 6,000 more; as a matter of fact, only two can claim the combo of 10,000 and 5,000... Add that to 7 Pro Bowls (one Pro Bowl MVP title), 6 All-Pro nominations, 15 different trophies won, having his jersey number retired by the St. Louis Rams and ending his career as the tenth-leading rusher of all time and you have some idea of how exceptional he was.

Here he is on the beautiful card #JA-MF RIPPED card from Skybox's 2002 Fleer set and AuthenTix sub-set, featuring a game-worn jersey swatch:

I really like the concept of incorporating a fake ticket into the card to go with the swatch, and to have RIPPED (I may have cropped too much of that "rip" at the right of the scan) and REGULAR versions is just another hint that they put a lot of thought into it.

Blaine Gabbert Jersey Card

Who is Blaine Gabbert, really?

No longer just Colin Kaepernick's understudy, he will start in the San Francisco 49ers' preseason opener and try to play well enough to wrestle the starting position away from him to start the season, after doing so in November last year.

Originally a Jacksonville Jaguars prospect (they had drafted him 10th overall in 2011), injury troubles had him give sub-par performances where he showed promise at the same time as he kept getting sacked and intercepted. Plant foot and toe injuries, lacerated throwing hand, labrum tears, forearm injuries - you name it, he's probably had it.

And yet here he is, ready to steal the most important job in football away from a guy who led his team to the Super Bowl just over three years ago and ran a 90-yard touchdown seemingly the last time he was healthy (although that was in 2014, upon verification).

Then again, he had faced Kaepernick in 2009 when both were in College, and Gabbert totally stole the show, completing 25 of 40 attempts and throwing for 414 yards and three touchdowns (no interceptions) for a QB rating of 174.2 in a 31-21 win as Missouri beat Nevada.

Here he is wearing the Jags' teal (home) uniform with a matching "player-Worn" jersey swatch from the 2011 Rookie Premiere on card #ALR-BG from Topps' 2011 Gridiron Legends set and Aspiring Legacies sub-set, numbered 32/150:

This is exactly what multi-sport repacks are good for: inserts of players who might become great or will become great trivia matter.

B.J. Johnson Sweet Spot Helmet Autograph Card

Here's another card from my favourite insert set of all time, Upper Deck's 2004 Sweet Spot collection - in this case, card #238 from the Signatures Tier Two / Rookie Signatures sub-set, B.J. Johnson of the Denver Broncos, numbered 396/699:

It features an embedded tiny plastic helmet replica, which he signed in silver sharpie.

Johnson was a star player for the University of Texas Longhorns, but injuries started taking their toll in his draft-eligible year, but the Broncos took a chance on him nonetheless. After two injury-filled seasons, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, often falling to injury as well - and he promptly retired after just his third NFL season.

Now, with fellow UT alumnus Roy Williams, he owns a distillery where he primarily makes wheat-based vodka. Just the thing to make all matters of pain go away...

Perhaps the Super Bowl Champion Broncos could order a few cases from him...

Jason Taylor Jersey Card

Jason Taylor played in the NFL for 15 seasons, which included three stints with the Miami Dolphins and a season each with the Washington Redskins and New York Giants.

He may eventually make into the Hall Of Fame, located in Akron, Ohio, where he played College Ball. He currently ranks sixth of all time in sacks and holds the NFL record for most fumbles returned for touchdowns (6).

He was a force on defense, participating in the Pro Bow six times, getting named All-Pro four times, and was the Defensive Player Of The Year for the AFC twice.

He entered the top-10 in sacks by bringing none other than New England Patriots QB Tom Brady down. He now appears poised to have a career in broadcasting, having appeared on numerous game analysis shows to provide feedback.

Here he is from Topps' 2007 Bowman Sterling set (card #BSVR-JT of the Authentic Game-Worn Jersey sub-set, featuring a game-worn light teal uniform swatch):

He's seen sporting the Dolphins' white uniform, #99 (an impressive number to hockey fans); later on in his career, he wore the captain's ''C'' with Miami.

Robert Meachem Rookie Jersey Card

Oh, look, a player-worn (but unclear whether in-game or during an event) jersey card:

(spoiler alert: he hadn't yet played in an NFL game, so it's ''event-worn''...)

That's from this card of Robert Meachem's, from Topps' 2007 Bowman Sterling set (card #BSRR-RM of the Authentic Player-Worn Jersey sub-set, which also acts as his rookie card in the collection):

He's pictured wearing the New Orleans Saints' black and gold uniform, the same worn he's worn in six of his seven NFL seasons, having spent the 2012 season with the San Diego Chargers.

He would usually dress for all the games (usually 16 in the regular season and 1 to 3 in the playoffs), but it's been harder on him since his one season in San Diego. In 2014, he was actually cut from the Saints' training camp and only offered a role after rookie Khairi Fortt got injured; he did manage to play in 11 games, though, and average his usual 16 yards per catch.

He's still a free agent as of today, but I'm fairly confident he'll get an offer soon. Every team needs a reliable wide receiver who happens to also be a veteran leader, a Super Bowl champion and former first-round pick to help teach the kids what it takes to win.

Chad Jackson Jersey Card

Here's a card in honor of the New England Patriots' trouncing of the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, from Fleer's 2006 Flair Showcase set (card #SHS-CJ of the Showcase Stitches sub-set) by Upper Deck, featuring a white swatch from an event-worn uniform:

When I got it in a re-pack of cards from multiple sports a couple of years ago, I had to do a double-take, because I thought it was a Chad ''Ochocinco'' Johnson card at first... Alas, it featured Chad Jackson, a wide receiver from Alabama who held the Florida Gators' record for most receptions in a single season as a junior and whom the Patriots drafted in the second round in 2006 (36th overall).

Hamstring injuries and a deep team led to his being scratched for many games with the Pats, including Super Bowl XLII. In 2008, it was believed he'd made the 53-man roster, but he was cut the day after the team submitted its list.

The same thing happened the following year with the Denver Broncos, only this time it was two days later.

He was off the NFL grid in 2009, but signed with the Buffalo Bills in 2010, only to be released prior to playing a single game, and the same thing happened with the Oakland Raiders in 2011, a year where he played for the Omaha Nighthawks in the UFL before retiring at age 25.

Santonio Holmes Jersey Card

Not that I'm a huge fan of the Baltimore Ravens or anything, but I was rooting against the Pittsburgh Steelers - as I often do - yesterday as the NFL playoffs continued. At this point, there are three teams I wouldn't mind seeing get to the Super Bowl: the Denver Broncos, the New England Patriots, and the Dallas Cowboys; on the other hand, if any of these teams were to win, I don't care who they face off against, though my preference would be to see the Broncos beat the Cowboys (dominating offense, Peyton Manning coming up big, Tony Romo choking).

Speaking of the big game, Santonio Holmes was once named the Super Bowl MVP (XLIII, February 2009). In my opinion, losing WR Larry Fitzgerald played a much better game, and kicker Jeff Reed's points were more valuable than Holmes', but who am I to judge?

Still, no one can take the award nor the championship away from the now-free agent, who was waived by the Chicago Bears last November after pretty much getting screwed over by the New York Jets, who asked him to restructure his contract and released him six months later.

Injuries have taken their toll on the wide receiver, but for a while, he was as consistent as you could ask for, with 49 receptions in his rookie year in 2006, then five-straight seasons with over 50, with a high of 79 in 2009; his yardage was also pretty much always near or over 15 per carry, and he started his career with four seasons with over 800 receiving yards (with a high of 1248 in 2009), and had 746 in 2010 in his first year with the Jets.

He did have a lot of trouble with the law - mostly related to anger management issues - with domestic abuse accusations, assault (throwing a drink in a woman's face at a bar), and disrupting a flight being chief among them, but he had steered clear from controversy of late.

Like Jessie Hester, he's from Belle Glade, Florida.

The Steelers' loss last night combined with the blizzard outside my window made featuring this card an easy decision:

It's card #101 from the Donruss 2009 Rookies And Stars set (numbered 84/299) by Panini, which I got in a trade involving a half-dozen cards going each way (I mostly gave up cards of players from Southern teams, and got mostly cards from teams in the North-East in return). I'm not usually too fond of cards that are Photoshop-heavy, but this one's design blends in very nicely with the snowy conditions Holmes is facing.

Ernest Wilford Sweet Spot Autograph Card

I had mentioned how great I thought these 2004 Sweet Spot cards by Upper Deck (this one is #251 of the Signatures Tier Two / Rookie Signatures sub-set) were in a previous post, and here's proof:

This one isn't just signed in silver sharpie, and it's better than on-card - it's on-inserted mini-helmet! It could have been a card of commissioner Paul Tagliabue (1990s represent!) and I would've thought it was amazing, but to have a legitimate NFL prospect on it is that much better.

Ernest Wilford is 35 and not yet retired, though he hasn't played in the NFL since 2010, during his second stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who had drafted him 120th overall in the 4th round in 2004 after breaking all pass reception records with the Virginia Tech Hokies. He did get into legal troubles in January 2011, and had gone through tough times with the Miami Dolphins (who hadn't?) between his stints with the Jags, but I thought the fact the he could play both wide receiver and tight end might convince a team to sign him as an insurance policy eventually. I was wrong.

This card is about half an inch thick (room for the helmet), and is numbered 152/559.

Delone Carter Swatch Card

Delone Carter was considered a top running back prospect at the 2011 NFL Draft, and yet dropped to 119th place as the Indianapolis Colts took a chance on the diminutive (5'9'') and bulky (232 pounds) tough runner.

Carter ranks third of all time in rushing with the Syracuse Orange, with 3104 yeards, and played in the NFL with the Colts for two seasons, and a few games with the Jacksonville Jaguars last year. He had been a free agent until last week, when he signed with the CFL's Hamilton Tiger -Cats, who are in a playoff race with my hometown Montréal Alouettes at the moment.

If he stays out of trouble, he could make some serious damage on the field.

I didn't know much about him when I pulled this 2011 Certified card by Panini (#274 in the set, part of the Freshman Fabric sub-set, numbered 4/50) in a multi-sports re-pack last year, but it fit right in to start the weekend:

When a card mentions ''MVP'' twice in the same paragraph, you've got some skill. Also, notice in the fine print how while they mention the swatch is from an event (NFL Rookie Premiere), they specify the exact date it was worn; I really like that about football cards, they're specific and accurate.

Omar Jacobs & Charlie Whitehurst Jersey Card

This card comes from a pack of Upper Deck's 2006 Sweet Spot (#SPD-JW of the Sweet Pairings sub-set) football cards I must have bought in 2009 or 2010:

Granted, neither of these quarterbacks has become a superstar, but they aren't in jail either, which is a small victory for the NFL these days.

Omar Jacobs is the type of QB who is a superstar at lower levels (Arena Football MVP and playoff MVP titles) and in College (GMAC Bowl MVP), but just hasn't been able to move past the practice squad at the NFL level on three separate teams - the Pittsburgh Steelers (who drafted him 164th overall in the 5th round in 2006), Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.

He has moved from minor league to minor league, and played for the Wichita Falls Nighthawks of the Gridiron Development League (GDFL) in 2013... but the team folded mid-season. His longest tenure with the same team was with the AIFA's (Arena Football) Jacksonville Sharks, from 2010 to 2013.

Charlie Whitehurst, on the other hand, has been on active NFL rosters since he was drafted in the third round (81st overall), also in 2006. Being the son of a former NFL QB keeps a few doors open that way. His first game as a member of the San Diego Chargers, ironically, was against the Tennessee Titans, who now employ him. All told, he spent 6 seasons with the Chargers in two stint, and may have had his best games in his two seasons with the Seattle Seahawks (2010-2011).

He is nicknamed ''Clipboard Jesus'' because he is a career back-up and has long hair.

Jessie Hester Autographed Card

When I was a kid, and also during my teenage years, I spent a lot of time in Florida in the summer, at least a couple of weeks per year. I was mostly a baseball fan in the summer (I have always been all-hockey in winter) and took the opportunity to buy a lot of baseball cards, such as Topps, Score and Donruss, because in Canada at the time, all I had access to were from the O-Pee-Chee brand.

I knew a bit about (American) football, I watched the Super Bowl and was a huge Joe Montana and San Francisco 49ers fan, but didn't know much about the other teams. But because he always made it back to his native Belle Glade in the off-season and always had a soft spot for trying to help kids out of the ghetto, my path crossed that of Jessie Hester in 1993 or 1994, as he had come to a shopping mall near my usual quarters near Fort Lauderdale (an hour's drive south-east from Belle Glade) to give some sort of conference/clinic about the importance of education and not just escaping the 'hood, but trying to improve it from within by going back while successful and giving the rest of the community a sense of hope, and people to look up to other than gangs.

When you're 14 or 15, any public figure - and especially athletes and musicians, your heroes - can strike you with an important message; Hester may not have impressed me as much as Tom Draper, but he became one of my favourite wide receivers nonetheless because he showed us the Man behind the athlete that day.

Hester may not be Hall Of Fame material, but he was a first-round pick of the Los Angeles Raiders in 1985, with whom he had two 600-plus-yard seasons to begin his career in 1985 and 1986; he would have five more from 1990 to 1994, including a career-high 924 for the Indianapolis Colts in 1990, and would finish with 5830 in a 10-year career, along with 29 touchdowns, three in each of his final seasons as played for the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams (the team moved between his two seasons with them).

When he retired, he moved back to his home town on a permanent basis, and he coached his alma mater for three seasons before getting fired in 2010. You can read about the impact he had on the individual kids he coached in this excerpt from Bryan Mealer's Muck City: Winning and Losing in Football's Forgotten Town.

I didn't have a card on me when I attended Hester's speech, but one guy was selling them at a buck apiece, so I grabbed this one from Fleer's 1992 Fleer set (card #165), showing him in the Colts' white (away) uniform, which he signed in thick blue sharpie, with his uniform number (84) tagged at the end: