Tag Archives: gunslinger

AFL, NFL, Pro Football HoF, Super Bowl MVP

Namath, Joe “Broadway Joe”

Card: ProSet 1990 SB
Acquired: In Person 1993, CGA Youth Golf Tournament

Okay, the CGA Youth Golf Tournament had the hugest names- and there were few bigger than Joe Namath there, well unless you include Maury Povich who people were mistaking him for. Joe was a really cool guy, but reminded me of my grandpa. He got off the golf cart and the only thing I could look at were his knees. It was obvious that the frequent surgeries had taken their toll on him, especially when he was going uphill. He told us he was unable to sign any Upper Deck cards, since he had a contract with those, and any others he could only sign if they were personalized and would only sign one per person- but he’d sign one for everybody. I was ecstatic with that deal. He signed mine “Lee, Good meeting ya’, Joe Namath”. I laughed because he ran out of room on the card and used an insert carat to write “ya'”. The ProSet 1990 SuperBowl card was a perfect card though, and the illustration was well worth the man who made the greatest guarantee in sports history.

One of the biggest names of the upstart AFL against the NFL, Joe Namath was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the AFL’s 1965 draft out of Alabama. (Bear Bryant would state later that signing Namath at Alabama would be one of the best decisions he ever made.) While the St. Louis Cardinals would also draft Namath, but with a huge salary at the time on the line, would elect to go to the Jets and at season’s end would be named rookie of the year. Namath over the next few seasons would transform the struggling Jets team into a contender, culminating in SuperBowl III where he brashly proclaimed before the game to reporters that the Jets would win over the heavily favored NFL Baltimore Colts. He’d come through on that bet, and the team would help usher the AFL into the NFL merger on a high note and a fair amount of respect and garner MVP honors for the game. Joe would earn the nickname “Broadway Joe” for his engaging personality, great smile and the media circus that would inevitably follow. He would have a few notable run ins with the commissioner as well, but by 1970 Namath’s knee injuries had caught up to him. His next few seasons would be injury plagued, and in 1975 he was waived. Joe Namath would finish his career playing his final season with the Los Angeles Rams. Namath has a lasting legacy in the annuls of NFL history, as the first 4,000 yard passer and the winner of the first overtime game in NFL history. On a side note he also played in the first Monday Night Football game. Joe Namath after retirement went right into acting, where he’s had a steady stream of guest appearances in TV, film and ironically- Broadway. He has also spent a great deal of time handling color commentary, finished college and is a speaker for the March of Dimes. Namath also remains an active non-official spokesperson for the New York Jets and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

G/Gs 140/130     Att 3762   Comp 1886   Yds 27663  Pct 50.1%    Td 173   Int 220   Rat 65.5    Lg 91

NFL

Favre, Brett

Cards:  Action Packed Rookies 1991
Acquired: TTM 1992, C/o The Green Bay Packers

Brett Favre is the definition of a gunslinger and has left a lasting legacy on the NFL with an inhuman 285 consecutive starts. He played his best statistical season (2009) with the Vikings almost returning to the Superbowl. Favre at the time of this post (2009 season) is #1 in wins (181), completions (6083), passing yards (69329), passing touchdowns (497), and also notably interceptions (317). He triumphed over injury (intestinal injury from car wreck) before being drafted in the second round by then Jerry Glanville of the Atlanta Falcons (-who actually thought Brett was crazy) from Southern Mississippi where he played with wide receiver Michael Jackson. After his rookie season in 1991, the Falcons traded him to the Packers (as Glanville claims) to sober him up. The change was good for him, as he quickly took over for local legend Don Majkowski, and never relinquished the starting role until he was traded to the Jets in 2007. In his career with the Packer faithful, Brett led them to two consecutive Superbowls (XXX, XXXI) winning Superbowl XXXI, being named NFL MVP 1995-1997, 9 Pro Bowl nominations and a variety of achievements along the way.  Brett has a cannon for an arm, (breaking 8 different fingers on receiver Antonio Freeman’s hands,) a love for the game, and an insatiable desire to win.

Favre however, battled inner demons most of his Packer career. Over his playing time, he was wracked by alcoholism, painkiller addictions, hurricane Katrina destroyed his family home, his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, and his father who had a strong influence on his life passed away during the 2003 season. His wife recovered and somehow he made it through all of these personal tragedies. Favre retired regrettably and prematurely in 2007, creating an uncomfortable rift between him and the Packers, when Brett returned to camp unexpectedly. Brett was traded to the Jets and played one subpar season with them in 2008 and then retired again, but was coaxed out of retirement for another run with the Minnesota Vikings, riling the Packer faithful. He played his best season in his career in 2009, having his best statistical season and leading the Vikings to the NFC championship game. Brett Favre announced his retirement again on August 3rd, 2010, (at the age of 40) possibly due to a lingering ankle injury that he felt had not fully healed. He promptly unretired after a visit from players at his home on the 17th of that month, ending his 4th and shortest retirement from football, but would retire finally once again after the 2010 season.

Brett is a character and has many memorable moments and interesting trivia about his career. Once he bet Jerry Glanville 100.00 that he could throw the football into the upper deck of Fulton County Stadium. (Brett won.) He missed the team photo in 1991 because as Brett claimed, “There was a car wreck.” Jerry Glanville responded,”You are a car wreck.”  When the Falcons traded him to the Packers, the Packers could have failed Brett’s physical, as he was diagnosed with the same hip condition as Bo Jackson, but Ron Wolf, (Packers GM) overruled. Brett completed his first career pass- to himself. The ball was deflected and he caught it for a -7 loss. He was actually booed by fans during first home contest who started chanting for Ty Detmer, (Favre’s backup) to come into the game. Favre has thrown an interception in his final attempt for every team he has played for (Vikings, Packers, Falcons, and Jets). Brett has a penchant for butt slapping- extremely hard- to motivate players.  Brett in early 2010, became the first ever grandfather in the NFL.

I sent off for Brett’s autograph after hearing Ron Wolf talking Brett up on the radio as the team’s QB of the future. The request represents the epitome of what methodology I used at the time of collecting autographs at the time- to draft my own future prospects. To show my friend Josh what a fiend I had become collecting autographs through the mail, I had Brett sign two cards, and return one to Josh TTM also. Favre is a great example of somebody who’s autograph has changed over the years, as his ‘B’ and ‘E’ have become more detached, looped, and more stylized.

Games 289    Att 9811      Comp 6083        Yds 69329
Td 497       Int 317         Rat 86.4