Tag Archives: Dallas Cowboys

NFL

Murray, DeMarco

Score 2017, #257

CARDS: Score 2017, Score 2012 Hot Card
ACQUIRED: TTM 2019, C/o Work
SENT: 3/4 RECEIVED: 4/1 (28 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played RB for the Oklahoma Sooners from 2007-10.
  • Shared backfield throughout most of his career with moments of stardom.
  • Had breakout year in 2010, rushing for 1200+ yards, 594 receiving yards and 20 total TDs.
  • In 40 college games had 759 carries for 3685 yards and 50 rushing TDs.
  • Selected in the 3rd round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.
  • Was 3rd on the depth chart behind Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, but due to injuries, eventually found himself gaining the lion’s share of carries.
  • Ran for 253 yards against the Rams that year, breaking multiple club records held by Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett.
  • In first full 16 game season during 2014, ran for a career high 1845 yards, on 392 carries, along with 13 TDs.
  • Signed with Eagles in 2015, but in a snakebitten season for both Murray and Philadelphia- only ran for 702 yards.
  • Rejuvenated career in 2016 playing for the Tennessee Titans, rushing for 1287 yards and 9 TDs.
  • Passed the torch splitting time with rookie Derrick Henry in 2017.
  • Injured near the end of the season, and retired in early 2018.
  • Has dabbled in broadcasting, quickly finding a home coaching RBs first at Arizona State and then later at Oklahoma.

ACCOLADES:

  • NFL Offensive Player of the Year 2014
  • NFL rushing yards leader 2014
  • NFL rushing attempts leader 2014
  • NFL rushing TDs leader 2014
2011 Score Hot Rookies, #11

NOTES:

I got these autographs now… sometime ago. DeMarco always reminded me of my once best friend from college. Murray had his breakout game against the Rams, and that day I was picking my best friend up from the airport. We were close then and her friendship meant the world to me.

Over the next few years, we grew apart. A lot of factors figured into it. Untapped resentment… distance… bowing under pressure from family to cultural superstition… new friends and boyfriends… A lot of things. I sensed we were losing touch. It went from near daily calls, to weekly calls, to monthly calls- to no calls at all. No more Left for Dead. No more Red Trolley Beer.

Our conversations became increasingly about just what was wrong in my life, and if she didn’t get that out of me- I felt like I had to talk about that because she was pressuring me to do so.

I was in a bad place. My father had died and I needed her council. I was under intense pressure all around. I believe that when you are stressed out- the worst of your personality emerges if you don’t keep it in check. The worst of me came to roost. Our last call was awkward. I talked about personal things, but she failed to tell me she had me on speaker phone.

The way the conversation went, I felt like… like it was goodbye- to me, my wife, my daughter, and our friendship. It was painful. I said stupid things.
A few months later, she deleted me from Facebook and then later my wife… I guess trying to wipe out those memories as well. I responded to her and she blocked me.

And that was it. That was it. I’ve tried hard not to deal with it, but I fully understand now if she blames me, or sees the ending of our friendship as my fault. Sometimes you pull the band-aid off and sometimes you yank it off.

She’s gotten married and moved on- and I am happy for her. In a way, I held her back. In a way she held me back from being a better husband and father.

I’ve given it my best to move on. Initially it was hard. I was angry and embarrassed. Over time, I’ve decided it best to just leave it alone. There’s nothing to go back to. No reason to fight for anything. Just like a vague, numb understanding- a resigned feeling of gulped blame and responsibility.

It’s helped me move on and let go myself as much as I’d like to reach back out and re-establish contact. It is… what it is.

RUSHYDSTDAVGLG
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College Football HoF, NFL, Pro Football HoF, Super Bowl MVP

Aikman, Troy (2)

Skybox Impact 1992, #232 Action Packed Rookies & Stars 1992, #72

CARDS: Action Packed Rookies & Stars 1992, Skybox 1992
ACQUIRED: In Person, 2022

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

It’s been a long 30 years plus since I got Troy Aikman on a card so to get him on not one- but two cards, left me quite elated. I had seen that he was in town promoting his new beer line, Eight, and was kicking myself that I missed out on a previous event that he was involved in. Serendipitous timing led Aikman back to the area again, and I pounced when I saw that he was appearing literally 5-10 miles from my house at a local strip of bars.

It was a great event, as I caught up with my cohorts Jeff and Mark. I hadn’t seen Jeff since before the pandemic, and this was his first in person event since then. We sat around and tried out Eight beer. It was actually pretty good!

Soon thereafter Troy appeared behind the bar and began tossing out beers and handing out pints. I narrowly missed catching one of them, and then he started signing memorabilia in earnest. After I pushed Jeff into the crowd, he signed a mini for Jeff and then my Action Packed card- a dire set need. We bit our nails until Mark got his- the very last person on the first bar he visited.

We decided to take a shot at the second bar for another autograph. and after the same set up, came away with the same results. I was scratching my head between 3 different cards, but in the end decided to go with the Impact card. As he was signing the card, he smiled and stared directly into my eyes. I took it as quite genuine, but also as a warning to not try to press for three.

NFL, WLAF

Maslo, Stephan

Pro Set World League 1991, #62

CARD: Pro Set World League 1991
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home
SENT: 9/26 RECEIVED: 10/21 (25 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Former soccer player who found later glory as the top kicker in the German Football League from 1986-1990.
  • Saw action at training camps for the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos in 1989.
  • Operation Discovery selectee of the Frankfurt Galaxy in 1991.
  • Split kicking duties with Tom Whelihan.
  • Kicked 43 yard field goal in 27-17 win over the New York-New Jersey Knights.

NOTES:

At approximately 5,296 miles, Stephan Maslo becomes my longest distance TTM. I had been collaborating with a friend who I’d met through Sportscollectors.net on World League autographs, and he so happened to get this one and pass the address back to me. In about a month Stephan responded with a nice note, the signed card, and this piece of memorabilia.