Category Archives: NFL

NFL, University of Texas

Redding, Cory “C-Red”

poff03 reddingleaf03r&s reddingCards: Score 2007, Bowman 2003, Leaf Rookies & Stars 2003, Playoff Prestige 2003
Acquired: In Person 2/15/13,  Redd’s Haircutz

An impact linebacker at the high school level, Cory Redding was the recruit that all the colleges wanted. In the end he became the linchpin to Mack Brown‘s 1999 recruiting class at the University of Texas.  He’d earn a mountain of accolades, including Big 12 rookie of the year, posting 26 tackles, 2 sacks, and 13 special teams stops. As each year progressed with the Longhorns, the awards and watch lists for Cory increased. In 2000, he was honorable mention All-Big 12, with 52 tackles, 17 TFL, and 6.5 sacks, starting at defensive end. In 2001, Cory was tabbed for 2nd Team All- American and first team Big 12 with 57 tackles, 5 sacks and 14 TFL. The 2002 season was the culmination of it all, when he was the first Texas Lombardi finalist since Tony DeGrate. He finished the season as 1st Team All-American with 76 tackles, 8.5 sacks and 24 TFL.

sco07 reddingSurprisingly, C-Red was not drafted until the 3rd round of the 2003 Draft by the Detroit Lions. He didn’t get into the starting lineup until the following season. Redding strung together 66 consecutive starts from defensive end, and then later kicked inside to tackle for the Lions. His best season came in 2006, when Cory recorded 39 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 8 sacks. He was rewarded with a generous contract by the Lions who made him team captain and the highest paid defensive tackle in the league.By 2008 injuries ended C-Red’s streak, as groin and knee injuries placed him on injured reserve in December of that season. Needing to free up some cap space and fix their team, the Lions traded Cory to the Seattle Seahawks in 2009 in exchange for LB Julian Peterson and a 5th round pick. Starting 3 games that season, Redding had 2 sacks, 18 tackles, and 2 FF. Left unprotected, he’d sign with the Baltimore Ravens and have some memorable situations showing up at the right time in big games, starting 22 games over the next two seasons and recording 7.5 sacks and 60 tackles. After the 2011 season, (much to my chagrin,) he’d play his final season for the Indianapolis Colts.

bow03 reddingI had gotten word on the radio of Cory’s new shop opening up in Austin off of 1300 the Zone. I then checked out his Twitter feed to confirm and then ordered the cards I needed since I hadn’t been able to find any the last time I visited the card shop. He apparently comes from a family that loves to cut hair, and he grew up around that environment, so going into the clipping business seems like quite a natural fit for the former defensive tackle. C-Red’s shop handles all the old fashioned trimmings and cuts, but also does the warm towel treatments and flat razor shaves- something I enjoyed immensely. Cory was really nice and engaging with fans. It did start off slowly, but as the 5 O’clock hour approached, things seemed to be extremely happening. I could tell he was very excited about the whole thing. He was more than happy to sign a few cards and take a photo with me.  When I asked him why he didn’t respond to my twitter question, he told me that “He doesn’t talk to people who wear masks.” He and I then shared a laugh about it since in my profile picture I do have a mask on. There were a few Longhorns who showed up including Rod Babers, Rodrique Wright, and Mark Henry “The Strongest Man in the World”. I briefly had a stare down with Mark- and quickly lost.

redd'sI later saw Cory again at the Austin Longhorn Youth Foundation’s Bowling tournament the next day. He smiled and told me I was looking dapper with my new haircut.  All in all a very good experience meeting Cory and well worth taking the small amount of time off from work to see him open his shop. You can visit his barber shop’s web portal at: http://www.reddshaircutz.com.

 

 

G/Gs  145/114       Tac  263    Sac  27.5    Fum 10      Int  1    Yds 0   Avg 0.0  Td 0  Lg 0

 

NFL

Reed, Jake

Cards: Score 1991, Score 1991 Supplemental, Star Pics 1991
Acquired: TTM 2012, C/o Home
Sent: 5/6      Recieved: 12/3   (206 days)

A third-round choice in the 1991 draft by the Minnesota Vikings, Jake Reed is considered a part of the Herschel Walker trade as he was part of the future picks that switched hands in order to get the deal done between the Cowboys and Vikings. Originally a ‘wingback’ from Grambling- there was a lot of intrigue surrounding Reed and how he’d fit into a Pro style offense. (A wingback lines up directly next to a down lineman and then moves in motion staying upright and a step back at the other end of the line, to make catches, block, or rush with the ball. Probably the most famous wingback was Jim Thorpe. It certainly is a throwback position and is rarely used these days.)  Jake had all the measurables and work ethic, but not the experience at receiver, playing there sparingly over his college career; However, with Cris Carter and Anthony Carter on the outside, the Vikings could afford to be patient.

It wasn’t until 1994, with the retirement of AC culminating with the team’s trade for Warren Moon that allowed Reed to finally take flight. He’d post 4 straight 1,100+ yard seasons for the Vikings, and Jake (85) paired alongside Cris Carter (122) set an NFL record for receiver duos with 207 catches. Reed became a dangerous verticle threat averaging a career high 18.3 yards per reception in  1996. Oddly over this period Reed never got the respect he deserved, and never was named to the Pro Bowl. In 1998, injuries and new receiver Randy Moss took their toll on Reed’s production. After the 1999 season, he’d sign with the New Orleans Saints. One and done with the Saints in 2000, Reed again returned to Minnesota, as a valued backup. He’d come off the bench and make 27 receptions for 309 yards and a touchdown. Oddly Jake then turned around and signed again with the New Orleans Saints in 2002, making 3 touchdowns on 21 receptions to call it a career.

Jake enjoys coaching, and was briefly the owner of the Frisco Thunder, an indoor football team of the Intense Football League in 2007.  In 2012 Reed was inducted into the Grambling Hall of Fame. Reed was a first-team All-SWAC honoree in 1989 (2nd team) and 1990, leading all Grambling receivers as a senior with 954 yards and a 20-yard average per catch. Jake was honored to be one a select few players from Grambling to be invited to the Senior Bowl in 1990 as well. Reed also is still a Vikings fan through and through.

I really liked the Score ’91 and the Star Pics of Reed in his Grambling uniform. The photo of him on the Score card makes Reed almost look like a superhero, the way he bursts off of the page. There was a ProSet card, that I completely forgot about, and it was a great card and photo of him, but ah well. Reed is another player that I had found through SotL (before it went to a news feed format,) that I had been trying to track down. It did take a while but I was happy to get these three back in a bit over 200 days.

G/Gs 155/90   Rec  450   Yds  6999   Avg  15.6    Td  36    Lg 82t

NFL

Kelso, Mark “The Great Gazoo”

Cards: ProSet 1989, Score 1990, Upper Deck 1993
Acquired: Canton Acquisition 2012

Mark Kelso always looked like a little kid out there playing football. As the first player to wear a ‘ProCap’ helmet, he was actually over 20 years ahead of the game and its current state in regards to concussions. Mark began wearing the helmet after his first concussion in 1989, when he was diagnosed with migrane syndrome and although it looked quite ridiculous, the helmet with its extra level of padding probably helped Kelso sustain his playing career another 5 years (primarily) for the Bills.  The helmet earned him the nickname ‘The Great Gazoo’, (after the alien from the “Flintstones” TV series, who wore a helmet similar in shape,) and constantly was pointed out and circled by TV commentators- only endearing him to Bills fans further.

Mark Kelso was a safety drafted in the 10th round by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1985 out of William & Mary. The Eagles were stacked at the position, so the smaller Kelso standing at 5’11”, 177 found himself in a numbers game and unable to crack the squad. The Bills picked Mark up and he soon became a fixture at free safety for the Bills by the 1987 season. A ball hawk, Kelso always happened to be at the right place, at the right time in the Bills defensive scheme. In 1987 he recorded 6 picks, and recorded 2 fumbles- one of which he returned for a touchdown. He quickly followed the season up in 1988, recording a career high 7 interceptions, for a league leading 180 yards and a touchdown. Mark wasn’t done as he bookended the two season in 1989 with another 6 picks and 2 fumble recoveries. Teams began to throw away from Mark by 1990, respecting his abilities. Over those next two years he’d have back to back 2 pick seasons, before returning to form one more season in 1992 with 7 more interceptions. Mark was truly unsung over his career with the Bills, and while he did post stellar numbers at Free Safety, he received no Pro Bowl nominations or attention for his numbers outside of the AFC East, outside of winning the Byron “Whizzer” White NFL Man of the Year award in 1993 for community development.  Sadly, the ProCap retired with Kelso. It did not catch on because either the perception it was unattractive and/or the helmet makers told players that it would void the warranty of the regular helmet since the ProCap was a ‘stick on’.

Mark has continued to be involved in serious discussions and development of helmet wear to reduce the risk of injuries in pro football and has made his home in Buffalo. He has also done radio color commentary  for Bills games, and is involved with coaching and management of youth sports teams. Oddly, this is the first autograph in the collection where a player inscribed “God Bless” on the card, as opposed to a bible verse.

Part of the ‘Canton Acquisition’, a small collection of autographed cards I acquired from a friend of mine who had fallen on hard times, I found it hard not to justify the purchase. A few of the cards were from players I already had, and after verifying the autographs, I went ahead and made a deal to preserve them from falling into the hands of somebody who might just resell them again. It is a tricky slope, because I am not fond of people who sell or buy autographs, but I felt in this extra ordinary case, the situation was justified. I was disappointed that when I asked the seller about these autographs, he didn’t have any fond memories of the players or why he wrote them- other than the fact that had been doing this in the hope of passing it down to his son.

G/Gs 99/95     Tac  N/a   Fum 8  Sac 0  Int 30    Yds 327    Avg 10.9     Td 1    Lg  78t