Category Archives: University of Texas

NFL, University of Texas

Metcalf, Eric (3)

Cards: Upper Deck 1991 Browns Checklist, GameDay 1993, University of Texas Upper Deck 2011 All-Time Alumni, ProSet 1992, SkyBox Premium 1993-1994, Upper Deck College Legends 2011
Acquired: TTM 2020, C/o Home
Sent: 1/6 Received: 1/14 (8 days)
See Also: Eric Metcalf, Eric Metcalf (2)

Eric Metcalf is one of my favorite players during the heyday of my childhood, so I was happy to make him my first success of 2020. With so many cards signed by him at this point, you’d think that I’d written him more than once (successfully) previously- but no- the last time he signed for me was way back in 2014. How time flies!

Eric had some stellar cards over the years, and with me still needing him on his All-Time Alumni card, and his College Legends card, I figured I could shoot out a stack to him and take a shot.

Eric is one of the few pros that actually follows me on Twitter- which is very humbling. I’ve always felt that YFS guys do not get the love from the HoF that they should, and although he has been nominated on a few occasions, Eric has not gotten in.

Eric’s cards from this lot no doubt are again, epic looking. They always seem to catch him slashing out of the backfield into the open field. I loved his Upper Deck Legends entry from 2011. In fact I am surprised that they didn’t use this as his main shot on his UT cards.

The Skybox Premium came out at a time when dropping a color across a background was novel. Unfortunately these cards commanded too high a sticker price for me as I was exiting the market. I have slowly picked up one or two here or there over the years.

ProSet was done in my mind after a few packs at Cowboys training camp in ’92. I did not like how they changed the card design midway through the set and found it confusing and disorganized. I liked this version of the set and how they moved the ProSet logo down by the player name, allowing the canvas to be more free to showcase the player.

Upper Deck was a late entry into the football card market. I didn’t really think too much of their initial NFL set, however I loved their artistic subsets- especially their checklists which focused on team MVPs. The design of this card is just superb, and in a sense very timeless. I love the circle behind Eric. What possessed this artist to put that back there? It blends nicely into his helmet, and then the horizontal lines across it lower on the canvas- It’s just so delicate and well thought out.

NFL, University of Texas

Thomas, David

Cards: Leaf Rookies & Stars 2006, Upper Deck Rookie Debut 2006, Fleer 2006, Sage Hit 2006
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 12/13 Received: 4/13 (101 days)

David Thomas played tight end at the University of Texas from 2002-2005. Over his 4 years at UT he caught 98 passes for 1367 yards and 15 TDs, quietly setting school marks for TEs at the school. He’d be selected in the 3rd round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.

Even then the Patriots were stacked at tight end, with stalwart Benjamin Watson leading the way his rookie year. In 2007, an injury sidelined Thomas the entire year. In 2009, David was traded to the New Orleans Saints and saw his greatest success with the squad posting 35 receptions for 356 yards and a TD, with 18 of those catches going for 1st downs, in a hybrid H-Back role. New Orleans went on to notch its first Super Bowl title that year. David had another solid season for the Saints in 2010 with 30 receptions for 219 yards and 2 TDs and 11 firsts. He continued to play for the Saints, retiring after the 2012 season.

My friend Mark gets full credit for finding this one. He got a success a few months ago and shot me the address. After a few months wait David signed these cards for me. I like the Upper Deck Rookie Debut and the Leaf Rookies & Stars cards, while the Sage and Fleer were spot good looking cards.

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NFL, University of Texas

Lowry, Alan

Cards: UT Upper Deck 2011, UT Upper Deck 2011 National Champs
Acquired: TTM 2019, C/o Home
Sent: 10/3/19 Received: 4/18/20 (196 days)

Alan Lowry played for the Longhorns from 1970 to 1972 as a quarterback, punter, and defensive back. Initially a defensive back and punter when he arrived, Lowry had 3 picks in 1970, and then followed it up in 1971 with 5 interceptions for 121 yards and 2 TDs (single season school record since tied) earning him All-SWC honors. As a punter in both years Alan had 53 punts for 2,032 yards (38.3) in 1970, and 49 punts for 1,878 yards (38.3)- respectively in 1970 and 1971. His 82 yard punt, still stands as a school record.

In 1972 Alan switched to quarterback, where at the time the Longhorns were using a modified version of the Houston Veer. He rushed for 661 yards on 168 yards scoring 11 times while passing for 766 yards and a TD on 46 completions (39.3 completion percentage). Again he’d be named to the All-SWC team- but at a second position, which is a rarity even in college football.

Alan was drafted in the 13th round of the 1973 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, but before he even played a down, he was diagnosed with blood clots from a strained tendon in his arm. The injury was serious enough to end his pro football career before it even began.

Lowry went right into coaching at Texas, with the Longhorns as a graduate assistant and then later, Wyoming and West Virginia, and later returning to Texas with the Dallas Cowboys organization. He has embarked on a long and storied career as a positional and special teams coach throughout the NFL since the early 80s, with the Cowboys, Buccaneers, 49ers, Oilers, and Titans. He is perhaps most quietly known as the architect behind the ‘Music City Miracle’ play. Lowry was with the Titans organization through 2013, and still resides in Tennessee to this day.