Tag Archives: Minnesota Vikings

Keenum, Case

Card: Bowman 2012
Acquired: 2017, Ebay
Failure: 2013, C/o Home

Case Keenum played for the University of Houston- a school dipped in record setting quarterbacks from Andre Ware and David Klingler
to Kevin Kolb. Case was no different except he had a much steeper road to climb to be accepted amongst his peers at the pro level. After leaving the NCAA behind as the career yardage leader with 19,217 yards and a bevy of other records- he went unselected in the 2012 NFL Draft. Teams had grown weary of products from UH and were not enthusiastic about Keenum’s size or injury history. After the draft he signed a free agent contract with the Houston Texans.  He spent the entire 2012 season on the team’s practice squad.

The Texans were on the verge of one of the most terrible years in the history of the franchise. In 2013, Houston came out of the gate firing on all cylinders at 2-0, then dropped the remaining 14 games in a row. During that period, QB Matt Schaub came apart and was benched for TJ Yates who was ineffective, opening the door for Keenum to show his stuff.  He was still really a rookie, but Case showed some promise, and had a cannon for an arm.  Despite his efforts, the Texans did not win a game with him at the helm. Case finished with 9 TDs to 6 INT, on 137 of 253 passes, and 1,760 yards. The Texans cleaned house after the season and Gary Kubiak‘s staff was disassembled. Case was released and signed by the Rams. Again Case bade his time on the practice squad, but as fate would have it, he’d take another turn as quarterback of the Texans.

He’d be resigned by the Texans late in the season and guide the team two two wins, over Baltimore and Jacksonville, helping the Texans finish with a 9-7 record in rookie head coach Bill O’Brien’s first year. Keenum was traded back to the Rams the next year and in mid-November replaced starter Nick Foles as starting quarterback of the Rams, and into the team’s transition back to Los Angeles in 2016.

During that off season the Rams were looking to make a splash in the NFL Draft to show fans in LA they were serious about winning. The team traded up and selected QB Jared Goff #1 overall. -The writing was on the wall for Case. He’d hold down the starting job through mid-November before being benched in favor of Goff.

Case signed a free agent contract with the Minnesota Vikings for 2017. Largely an afterthought in the QB derby that was the Vikings, Sam Bradford was holding down the job provided Teddy Bridgewater could return from a catastrophic injury. Case entered the 2017 season as Bradford’s backup. After Bradford was injured during the season opener, Case stepped up and led the team  the rest of the way through. As a passer he had the best season of his career throwing for 3547 yards on 325 completions (481 attempts), and 22 touchdowns to just 7 interceptions, while posting an 11-3 record as a starter and to the playoffs. The Vikings were impressed, but Case jumped ship to the Denver Broncos in 2018 where he is expected to bring stability to the position for the franchise. As Case continues to mature, he reminds me of a young Drew Brees coming into his prime- but maybe that is all hyperbole.

Case Keenum is another patient exercise in finding good value off of EBay. After failing on him inexplicably back in 2013, I had been spying his cards for quite a while trying to find a good value pickup. I always felt like Keenum had what it took, and when the Texans traded him away, I was particularly miffed.  When it appeared that the dust had settled after his stint in St. Louis I was able to get this card for like a buck or two off of EBay. Now this particular card is treading water at 6-9 bucks.

Griffin, Michael (2)


Card: Playoff Contenders 2007, Score 2008, Panini UT 2015
Acquired: 2016, EBay.  IP 2018, GiGi’s Cupcakes Soft Grand Opening
See Also: Michael Griffin

After Michael’s 9th season in the NFL, in which he recorded 101 tackles, an interception, and a sack, he was released in the off season by the Tennessee Titans.  With gas still left in the tank, Michael signed with the Minnesota Vikings for 2016. He’d be injured during the preseason and released. Rehabbing from his injury Griffin signed with the Carolina Panthers. He played in 10 games contributing 30 tackles.  In 2017, Michael joined Longhorn Legends TJ Ford and Cory Redding in finishing his bachelor’s degree with Griffin’s being in youth and community services.

I’ve always liked the Playoff Contenders series, strictly because it follows a slow evolution rule, much like the Corvette. Every year, small tweaks in the design and look of the card. The 2007 entry was a nice set, but I really disliked the tiny Titans pinstripe type. It says baseball, not football with that typeface. It’s also just dangling out there distracting from the image of the player. It does not pass the thumb test. Basically if you put your thumb to the image over the Titans pinstripe the image looks better without the pinstripe. Still it was a pretty solid card and the certified autograph works well on this canvas.

Fellow Longhorn and Titan alum, Brian Orapko and Griff had been teasing the grand opening of their cupcake restaurant GiGi’s in Bee Cave.  After I heard they had a soft opening for their social media fans the previous day, I made the trip from East of Austin all the way to Bee Cave through the freezing rain. It paid off as both Brian and Orapko were there as well as Jamaal Charles (special random guest appearance)! Michael was kind enough to pen the Panini 2015 UT card as well as his Score 2008 card. The cupcakes were also really good too!

Brister, Bubby

Cards: ProSet 1989, Fleer 1990, Topps 1990
Acquired: TTM 2017, C/o Home
Sent: 12/23/17            Received: 1/2/18        (9 days)
Failure: TTM 2010, C/o Work

Bubby Brister is an interesting signer, as he only signs once at the end of the year. He’s been handling it this way for a few years now. If you are lucky you can get him in about 10 days flat. If you are not so lucky, you send in mid-January and wait until the end of the year. Still he is a reliable signer and he’s got some great cards out there in his Steelers uniform. Anything else feels a bit odd.

Bubby bounced around colleges before landing at NW Louisiana. This was thanks in part to committing to play baseball (Tigers) out of high school and not accepting a scholarship to Alabama (1981). He played 39 games in the Appalachian League for Bristol but decided to go back to college in 1982 to Tulane. He’d initiate the paperwork to transfer to NW Louisiana in 1983. Brister was the starter for one season in 1985.  He was 191 of 342 for 2,880 yards, and 17 TDs to 14 interceptions.

The Steelers felt that Brister was a good developmental prospect. He had the tools in order to make it at the pro level. Pittsburgh dropped a 3rd round pick on Bubby, and he’d play sparingly his first 2 seasons.  The Steelers had long suffered at the QB position after the retirement of Terry Bradshaw. This continued into the 1988 season, where Bubby finally showed signs of maturation. He threw for 11 TDs and 2,634 yards and showed some moves in the pocket rushing for an additional 6 more. I laughed at the Steelers at the beginning of the season, as Brister was inaccurate (47.5% completions and 14 interceptions), but he had the last laugh against the Houston Oilers in the playoffs. A gunslinger, Bubby had a strong arm and a penchant for the long bomb. He led the Steelers to an 8-6 mark and a 9-7 mark as a starter the following seasons.  During his 1990 season, Brister had a career high 2,725 yards and 20 TDs to only 14 interceptions.

Bubby was unable to completely duplicate his success in that 1990 season, as he’d be limited to only 8 games in 1991 due to a knee injury. He’d never start a full 16 game slate again. After playing for the Steelers through 1992-  Bill Cowher’s rookie head coaching season, Bubby was allowed to test the waters of free agency in 1993- as the team was comfortable with current starting quarterback Neil O’Donnell.  Thus began the journeyman phase of Brister’s career.

Bubby signed with the Eagles in 1993- where he’d back up oft injured Randall Cunningham. He’d post a 4-4 record in relief of Randall throwing 14 TDs to just 5 interceptions, and raising some eyebrows. Brister played one lone forgettable season for the Jets in 1995, and then hopped over to Broncos. In Denver, Bubby stayed for the next 4 seasons. Brister came on during the clutch posting a 4-0 record for the Broncos in relief of John Elway and helping the team win the Super Bowl in 1998. He’d retire after one final season in Minnesota (2000) and as of 2018 lives in his home state of Louisiana.

G/GS  99/75        ATT 2212         CPD 1207        YDS   14445
TD 81       INT 78       RAT 72.3

RUSH 191      YDS 546       AVG 2.9      TD 8       LG 38