Tag Archives: donruss rookies & stars 2009

NFL

White, LenDale (2)

Cards: Donruss Rookies & Stars Longevity 2009, Score 2009
Acquired: In Person 2018, Heisman House Tour
See Also: LenDale White

Rumor swirled that maybe some former USC alumni would be in attendance for ‘Part III’ of the USC v Texas matchup and I figured the Heisman House would probably be the best place to catch some of them. This added up with the fact that Vince Young was already hosting a get together of sorts between the 2005 National Championship teams (USC v Texas) in Austin during this period. I pulled some cards from the 2005 USC team. I speculated Reggie Bush was too controversial to be there- since he had to forfeit the trophy he lost that VY later rejected. I thought well maybe Matt Leinart, or another USC Heisman winner. My friend Deadhorse suggested Charles White or Marcus Allen. I then thought, maybe LenDale White since he and Bo Scaife are good friend and have their own show called “The Players’ Lounge”- and packed them all in the infamous long box.

See the rule is- always plan as though anybody can be there. That’s how I got Harvey Martin and Roger Staubach. That’s also how I missed on Babe Laufenberg at the Spring League game in 2018. It’s also how I got a hit on Troy Polamalu and Hines Ward.

It was a terribly humid day with thunderstorms forecast for the entire day. I met up with a fellow collector- Jeff. He and I have many parallels in our life. We both had our first kid recently, and we both used to be denizens of autograph alley back when the Cowboys practiced at St. Edwards. I am always eager to network with other like-minded collectors and we make a pretty good fit. His wife and son also came and somehow managed to bare the humidity. (Not only does my wife deserve credit for allowing me to go to such things, Jeff’s wife should get a trooper badge for showing up to them with him.) We waited in line and got Ricky Williams– twice. In the meantime his wife got back in line for VY, so we joined her in that line after we got done with Ricky. Behind us a commotion occurred and I noticed that some USC players were taking photos with somebody with dreads. Before I could ask, he was already leaving to go inside. I found out then it was LenDale White. I pulled the extra cards that I brought of LenDale- numbering some 6, took two for myself and gave the other two to Jeff and then I vigilantly waited for him to appear. 

It turns out that LenDale and Vince Young are really good friends. They got to know each other better when they played on the Titans together, and apparently talk on the phone almost every day. During Vince’s interview about the 2005 National Championship Game, LenDale came out from the trailer connected to the tent and onto the stage and was hanging out in between sets.  It was then I was able to approach him and get him to sign two cards for me. 

LenDale was looking quite svelte. When I asked him what he had been doing with himself to look so cut- he laughed and said, he stopped working out. I always felt like he got a bad wrap coming out of college, and that he was a better back than he was given credit for.  He thanked me for the compliment, and we wished each other good luck for that evening.  A few minutes later Jeff came back with his signed in hand as well. It was a great experience, and we were able to make the weekend signing worthwhile. The initial goal was the clear the table with Ricky and a VY or two. Anything else was just gravy- and nabbing LenDale White was quite the treat.

NFL

Gonzalez, Anthony

sco09 agonzalez dor&s09 agonzalez l

Cards: Score 2009, Donruss Rookies & Stars 2009 Longevity
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o Home
Sent:  12/21    Received:  1/15  (25 days)

Anthony was a 1st round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2007 draft.  With a run on receivers early on, Anthony would be the 6th receiver taken off the board with the 32nd selection.  Gonzalez was thrown right into the starting lineup while injuries were taking their toll on future Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison.  Anthony saw 51 targets in 9 starts, catching 37 passes for 576 yards and 3 touchdowns in a solid debut.  In 2008 Gonzalez saw action in all 16 games, starting 2 and notching career highs in virtually every category with 57 receptions for 664 yards, 4 TDs, and a 58 yard long.  As the Colts were counting on Anthony for the 2009 season, he went down in the season opener against Jacksonville.  The worst part about it was a non contact play. He’d be lost for the entirety of the season with a  PCL injury in the right knee.

In 2010, Anthony suffered a high right ankle sprain in regular season opener vs. Houston and missed the next 5 games. He returned to action in Week 8 vs. the Texans, snagging four catches for 55 yards before suffering a torn PCL in his left knee on a hit by Texans safety Bernard Pollard, ending Anthony’s season.

As the Colts crumbled into chaos with a possible career ending injury to starting quarterback Peyton Manning in 2011, the team struggled mightily in his absence.  Anthony suffered from a myriad of injuries, suited up for 8 games, but made no catches. He’d sign as a free agent after the season with the New England Patriots, but didn’t make the team.

Gonzalez soon thereafter enrolled in the Stanford Graduate School of Business and officially moved on from the NFL.

G/GS 40/12     REC 99     YDS 1307       AVG 13.2     TD 7    LG 58

NFL

Barwin, Connor (2) ‘Kramer’

dor&s09 cbarwinCards: Donruss Rookies & Stars 2009, Donruss Gridiron 2009, Topps 2012
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o The Philadelphia Eagles
Sent:  9/22/15     Received: 2/5/16   (136 days)
See Also: Connor Barwin

A lesson in patience, Connor Barwin sports a near perfect response rate through Sportscollectors.net.  To get a better feel for when players respond, I always look at the date that they sign. Do they clump their signings around bye weeks? Do they sign after the season/ before the season? These are things to consider to properly understand your time frame for a response. I know Barwin is a stellar signer, and after a slightly longer than expected wait, the autographs rolled in.

do09 cbarwinWhile Barwin was playing in Houston in 2010, he blew out his ankle during the season opener against Indianapolis. He was in so much pain that it was really sad when they carted him from the field.  Later it was revealed that he was lost for the season. It struck me so deeply that I opened a Twitter account to wish him well and sent my first tweet to him. He recovered from his injury, and was converted to linebacker.

Connor had a banner year in 2011 under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, setting a personal best with 11.5 sacks.  Barwin frequently made a mess of the Jaguars, breaking the team record with 4 sacks in one game against Jacksonville.  2012 was a contract year for Barwin, and largely a down one if you consider only sacks.  The Texans hoped to resign him, but wanted to do so at a hometown discount.

to12 cbarwinUnderstanding his value, Barwin signed with the Eagles as a free agent in 2013. Ever gracious, Connor took out a legendary full page ad in the Houston Chronicle thanking the team, the fans, and even Blaine Gabbert (quarterback for Jacksonville at the time) for his time with the Texans.  Barwin has become a fixture in the Eagles defense.. He’d earn his first AP nomination in 2014 after recording 14.5 sacks, and followed that up in 2015 with another 7.

Considered the MVP of the defense, big things are expected of Barwin under new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz in 2016.