Category Archives: Super Bowl MVP

AAF, NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Ward, Hines (2)

Pro Set 1990 Super Bowl MVP, #45 (HACK)
Topps AAF 2019, #84

CARDS: Atomic 2001, Pro Set 1990 Super Bowl MVP Hack, Topps AAF 2019
ACQUIRED: IP, 2022
FAILURE: TTM 2016, 2019, 2021 C/o Work

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

Well as you can see here, I racked up quite a few misses TTM on Hines. After his time in the AAF, I had wanted to get him on a few more cards- especially his Topps AAF card itself, but no such luck. When the XFL reemerged in 2022 (for its 3rd iteration) the league was quick to announce that Hines was going to be a coach in the league.

He’d become quite the hot coaching commodity clutching at coaching pearls with the Jets as an offensive assistant, and then to the college ranks with Florida Atlantic as a WRs coach. The Houston Texans even had Ward in for a head coaching interview in 2021. He’d later be one of the big splash names the XFL 2023 announced. When he was announced for the San Antonio franchise, I was very excited.

Atomic 2001, #116

I finally got an invite for the XFL Town House about a week before the event back in late October. I went ahead and invited a local collector and new friend of mine, Brandon, to the event. He got there a bit earlier than me, as I went to the wrong side of town, but eventually I got there about 15 minutes before it began. I was wearing my Greg Ward Commanders jersey.

We had a really good time. Hines once I told him that I had met him previously on the front row of the Commanders inaugural game, had a good chuckle with me. He signed 3 cards for me and posed for a photo. I got lots of love from not only the other fans there that recognized my jersey, but also from news and sports personalities that wanted to come over and talk to me about the Commanders. It was great and I felt like was back in my element.

This Pro Set Super Bowl MVP Hack I did looks great! I am so glad that he was kind enough to autograph it for me. I am looking forward to getting more of this set printed and signed.

NFL, Pro Football HoF, Super Bowl MVP

Manning, Peyton (2)

CARD: Panini Rookies & Stars 2010
ACQUIRED: TTM C/o Charity, 2020*
SENT: 6/29 RECEIVED: 7/27 (28 Days)
* Donation Enclosed

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

Well after a few years, I decided to try Peyton again. I got extremely lucky to get him a second time, on this card. Although I had two other cards I had preferred to get him on more (Score 2010, Donruss Rookies & Stars 2009) I could not locate them in time and rushed this one out the door with a donation to his foundation for $20.00.

Since then he’s pretty much gone cold. He’s signed a few photos produced by his charity TTM, but that’s about it. He’s had his due receiving numerous accolades in retirement, inducted into the Pro Football HoF in 2021, and also the Broncos and Colts Rings of Honor. While rumored to be in line to work for the Colts organization over the past few years in some capacity, Peyton remains focused on his endeavors, especially with his brother Eli working on the Manningcast .

NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Rypien, Mark (3)

CARD: Pro Set 1990 Super Bowl MVP Hack
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 9/14 RECEIVED: 9/24 (10 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

I am just beside myself with my greatest trading card accomplishment. It is fitting that the first player that I got an autograph of on my Pro Set 1990 Super Bowl Hack card would be the first player who didn’t receive the Merv Corning treatment, Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien.

Since I was a kid, I loved these cards and consider them one of the best subsets ever in the trading card industry. It disappointed me immensely that Pro Set didn’t continue making Merv Corning MVP works after Ottis Anderson (Super Bowl XXV) so I thought, if I ever had the chance, I’d do it myself. I was inspired.

Frankly it took me a long time to get to this point. A lot of personal pain, the humiliation and burn out from a previous design job, leaving the art field again, only to take this challenge upon myself finally to see this through- all over the last year.

The OJ Anderson MVP card was the final Merv Corning art card from this set (L), The Rypien and Aikman cards seamlessly transition to the additional set.

I painstakingly made sure that the design was as close as possible to the original. The typography, both front and back, the colors, matching the alignment, ensuring fidelity to the originals, and that’s without even doing the artwork and tinkering with the printer.

Eventually I posted them to the Facebook autograph group I am an admin of, and then started printing them out in early September of that year. I hadn’t been this excited in a while to get a return like this- except for the fact that Mark signed it on the back.