Category Archives: Uncategorized

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2022- Year in Review

With 2022 coming to a close, I set career highs in both attempts (251) and successes (141). I added 24 ‘retry/ replies’ -or players that I have tried previously and failed on in the past. I was probably most pumped about finally getting Garrison Hearst on his beautiful Classic 1993 card. In total the encyclopedia is sitting at 4,869 autographed cards- with 641 being added in calendar 2022. Troy Benson (LB) was the first response of the season.

Members of the World League continue to dominate the furthest distance list, with Victor X Ebubedike joining the top 5 just a few miles out of the top 3. (There are still a few players in Europe and Canada that I’m still after.)

Three late in the year additions came in clocking at over 1000 days each. Ernie Mills, a send out from 2017, jumped into the top 3. Then later on Tim Lewis, a 2019 send out showed up, pushing former Eagle Calvin Williams at 1227 days, out of the top 8. I got Mike Munchak on a retry reply at a shade over 1000 days, but he missed the top 8 by about 300 days. Still I hadn’t seen this much action in the top 8 in quite a few years. Typically I write requests off at about a year. It seems that there’s actually a steep decline in responses around that point. I doubt I’ll see anything older than 2016 come back, as my address changed and the forwarding is long gone/ expired.

Although COVID has left a mark on the hobby, the numbers indicate that I had already increased my workload in the year prior to the pandemic. 2022 was quietly a banner campaign in both attempts and successes- with about 56% responding to requests. That fits in just slightly below my career average of 58%.

The big movers this year as far as set needs are concerned:

  • Fleer 1990 +46
  • Action Packed 1990 +31
  • Gameday 1992 +26
  • Skybox Impact 1992 +16

These sets are close to being completed:

  • Upper Deck University of Texas 2011 – 3/100
  • Action Packed 1990 Rookies & Stars – 15/84
  • Pro Set WLAF – 20/150

On a side note I completed out my first set:

  • Topps AAF 2019 Certifed Autographs (104)
Uncategorized

Ryan, Zack

Card: Sage 2017
Acquired: 2017, Private Break

Zack Ryan played college ball at Ball State from 2012 to 2016. After walking onto the football team and redshirting for 2012. He’d start 42 games for Ball St at linebacker and middle linebacker, finishing his time there for the Cardinals with 319 career tackles, 24.5 tackles for losses, 6 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 6 forced fumbles. Considered undersized for the linebacker position (5’11”, 220) Ryan is a fast and athletic player, who is a freak in the weight room and digests a heavy amount of film.

Undrafted out of college, I’m not sure the NFL was ready yet for Zach, whose talents were something in between a linebacker, safety, and cornerback. He got a tryout with the Ravens but did not make the squad.

Uncategorized

Breneman, Adam

Card: Panini Contenders 2018
Acquired: 2018, Private Break

Way not to step up to the plate Panini. I don’t get it. I really like what they do, but when it comes to the intangibles of the market, Panini just falls flat on their face. Case in point: Serving me an autograph of a player who wasn’t drafted. OK. That’s not so bad… What’s bad is the fact that this guy retired a month BEFORE the draft due to lingering knee injuries. In fact he’d been retired so long that he’s had his PR team scrub his wikipedia entry, highlighting his accomplishments and billing him as a ‘political operative’, rather than a football player. I mean, Panini either didn’t care or didn’t have the time to remove all his cards/autographs from the set, but still Panini should’ve offered me a replacement, at least, instead of crickets on Twitter.
Since I got this initial card, I have pulled an additional 2 duplicates of this autograph which begged me to wonder how poor the sorting machine is at Panini.

Ok now- let’s talk about Adam Brenemen. A lifelong football fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, Adam was recognized and encouraged by his coaches while in high school for his athletic talent. He went to college initially at Penn State and in his true Freshman year caught 15 passes with 3 going for touchdowns; However an MRI in 2014 showed significant knee ligament damage- so much so that Adam had to leave the sport behind.

Still hearing the siren’s call, Adam decided to give it another shot after transferring to UMASS in 2016. He put up some great numbers playing for the Minutemen with 70 catches for 808 yards and 8 TDs in 2016, and 64 receptions for 764 yards and 4 TDs. Unfortunately his lingering knee injury worsened and he was forced to retire before draft day at the age of 22.