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...

Frank Corrado Autograph Card

Things are going well for Frank Corrado these days: he's already learned he will be counted upon as the Vancouver Canucks will look to him to replace the injured Kevin Bieksa, and now he'll also have the honor to serve as the first official entry in my Canucks Numbers Project, representing #26.

The 150th pick of the 2011 draft, Corrado is a speedy defenseman who can feel free to pinch in offensively because even if he loses the puck, he's fast enough to recover in time to break up the ensuing play. He's been impressive at the NHL level, coming pretty much straight from Juniors to help shut down the San Jose Sharks a year and a half ago (I know, it's the Sharks, but in order for them to choke, they still need to be stifled, and Corrado did just that).

He wasn't a point-per-game defenseman in the OHL nor the AHL, so I don't expect him to be one in the NHL either, but if the 21-year-old can develop into a steady presence and contribute to the tune of 20-30 points while staying in the plusses and eating some minutes on the second pairing, he'll be a very valuable player who might even take a page from Dan Hamhuis' book and play for Team Canada some day (perhaps more at the World Championships than the Olympics, though).

He has 2 goals in 22 NHL games so far, so perhaps borderline players such as fellow right-handed d-man Yannick Weber should watch their backs from now on.

Here he is sporting the Canucks' current/pseudo-retro blue (now-home) uniform, from Panini's 2013-14 Totally Certified set (card #TR-FC of the Rookie Signatures and Dual Rookie Class sub-sets), featuring a thin blue-sharpied on-sticker autograph:

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.