Tag Archives: ttm football autograph

Rozier, Mike (2)

Cards: Score 1990, Action Packed 1990, Upper Deck Legends 1997, Panini Contenders 2018
Acquired: 2012 Akron Acquisition, TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 1/15/19 Received: 1/22/19 (7 days)
See Also: Mike Rozier

Slowly I had been working my way back around to Mike after about a 9 year layoff or so. I had been sold the Score 1990 card as part of a big lot of cards from the Akron Acquisition- so I needed a few more to fill out the ranks. Mike is another one of these players I didn’t want to see in his other NFL uniform (Falcons in this case). He still had some great Oilers cards I wanted to get signed- and once I got the Upper Deck 1997 card -in 2018, I made the decision to write him again. To seal the deal I also pulled this Panini Contenders card of him and put it aside for send out since I’ve gotten a few autographs recently around that set.

High grades for his Legends card from Upper Deck. Love the sports photography and how its got that nice action blur in the background. Far too often I’ve noticed photos where the people in the background are clear as day and distract from the player. In this case- this photo feels like a training or mini camp shot. I think the bushy trees give it away. Still, it’s a nice piece.

Mike’s Action Packed 1990 card is okay. I think it’s typical of AP at that time with that distance of framing images, but in this case, I feel like the image should’ve been pulled back a bit. Was Mike diving for a TD? Reaching out from a pile? Struggling to get back to the line of scrimmage? The design like all AP from 90 was simple and elegant however.

The Score 1990 set was a letdown from 89. I mean nothing could top what they did in that first set. The design here is nice, but the bordering with the logo is a bit heavy. The neon green marquee feels a bit unnecessary and forced. I kept wondering, “What does purple have to do with the Oilers?” It’s a decent action shot but I question Mike’s sense of dress as his thermal shirt sleeves are quite dated.

No question the Panini Contenders Draft Picks set has grown on me over the last… year or so. While I find it a bit over designed it’s a set that has a good selection of names in it. This shot however of Mike is terrible. He just looks like he’s jogging off the field to the sidelines.

Warfield, Paul

Cards: Topps 1970, Upper Deck Legends 1997, Crown Royale 2010
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home*
Sent: 3/23 Received: 4/2 (10 days)
Failure: TTM 2018, C/o Home
* donation required/ Do not use this address

Hall of Fame WR Paul Warfield has been on my radar for sometime. I finally got these great cards together with the required donation sent his way in 2018- but was dismayed to find out that he was no longer signing TTM. I got a form letter informing me that I had to contact his agent who then had a fee schedule. After the agent never responded to me- I gave up on Paul until I saw a few responses come back from his home address again in early 2019. Annoyed, I went ahead and penned a new letter, enclosed the cards, and the signing fee/donation.

Roughly a month later I got a note from Paul with all my cards autographed, and a check reimbursement for the money order. In the note he indicated that he was between signing schedules with his agent, and he would honor my request, and refund my donation. I was pretty floored. It was very nice of him and I felt a bit odd having a check in my hand from a HoFer but there it was. Not only is his signature unique, Paul’s handwriting is wispy elegance.

By late April of 2019, Paul had gone ahead and signed with an agent again. I had gotten very lucky hitting him in that window as his fee/donation schedule had more than doubled. Warfield no longer accepts fan mail at his home address anymore. -Save your postage and contact his agent instead.

Paul Warfield played college ball at Ohio State from 1961 through 1963. He carried the ball 196 times for 1047 yards and 8 TDs, and contributed 39 receptions for 525 yards and 3 TDs over his time at Columbus.

Selected in the 1st round by the Cleveland Browns in 1964- Cleveland saw potential in Warfield initially as a defensive back, but later in camp converted him to wide receiver instead. Paul went on to put up some truly amazing numbers over his career with the Browns. In his first 6 seasons with the team, he finished 3 of those seasons averaging more than 21 yards a catch, lead the NFL in receiving TDs in 1968 (12), and was named to 3 Pro Bowls.
In a shocker Paul was traded on draft day 1970 to the Miami Dolphins for a first round pick.

Paul played the next 5 seasons for the ‘Fins. Undeterred Warfield was named the Pro Bowl every year he was with the team, and All-Pro in both 1971 and 1973. He’d average a career high 25.1 yards per catch in 1970, and then in 71 lead the NFL with 11 TDs. After the 1974 season concluded, Paul signed with the upstart WFL Memphis Southmen.

After limping through the 1975 season, the WFL folded, and Paul heard the siren’s call and returned to Cleveland. He played two final seasons there, retiring in 1978.

Paul was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983. He is also a member of the Dolphins Honor Roll and the Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor. He’s done a variety of things since then including sportscasting and working for the Browns in the front office, but is currently retired and enjoying life living in California.

NFL G/GPRECYDSAVGLGTD
157/152427856520.186T85
WFLRECYDSAVGTDLG
2542216.93N/A

George, Jeff (2)

Cards: Topps 1990, Score 1990, Fleer 1990, Gameday 1992, Skybox 1993-94 Colors
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 3/23 Received: 11/5 (227 days)
See Also: Jeff George

Ah Jeff George- One of the most reliable TTM respondents in the business. I had originally gotten him way back in 2011 on 3 cards- but over the years had stocked up on some absolutely beautifully designed canvases I wanted to see his autograph grace. Usually a very quick signer, I was surprised to wait some 220+ days for his autographs on these cards, however true to his ways, I just had to be patient and they showed up.

Probably my favorite among them is this Skybox 1993-94 card. I only discovered these cards right at the intersection of my dead cat bounce in collecting- and right as the industry really started going off the rails. At the time, something as over produced as this with the duotone background was still novel. Photoshop and current design standards we take for granted today were barely getting off the ground. I only got a few of these from packs at a Hollywood Video, but I’ve kicked the tires a few times about buying a box wholesale now.

Jeff’s 1992 Gameday card is solid. It’s obvious that I was at the bottom of his mailbag- as he dispensed with the formality of personalizing the cards, and his signature looks a bit rushed on these cards. The framing itself is a great example of when Gameday’s design decisions really paid off as this canvas is exciting and it looks as though he is launching off of it.

I did feel guilty asking for 5 but, I reasoned that I had held off sending back to him for 8 years or so- so that made me feel a bit better about breaking my own rule.

Of these three other college uniform cards, I didn’t have the Fleer one, and it was considered rare back in the day. I got a box of Fleer 90 a few months ago, and I had forgotten how simple and elegant these cards were- despite the floating helmet. I remember Josh laughing at the Score 90 card because George wasn’t even throwing in the shot. He was even less generous about the Topps 90 one, but myself I do appreciate it as you rarely see a well composed shot of a QB under center next to his hogs.

In 2019 Jeff was spotted taking his son Jayden- an accomplished pro-style quarterback on recruiting visits around the country. Although his response took a while, Jeff did take the time to read my letter and in response to my suggestion that he consider coaching in the XFL- he wrote on the letter, “Perhaps in the future.”