Tag Archives: Panini Elite 2018

NFL, University of Texas

Foreman, D’Onta (2)

Cards: Panini Contenders 2018, Panini Elite 2017 (08/35), Panini XR Jumbo Materials 2017 (20/49), Panini Prestige 2018, Panini Contenders 2018, Panini Luminance 2018 (018/225), Panini Prestige 2018, Score 2017, Donruss Rookie Phenom 2017, Panini Contenders 2017 Draft Picks
Acquired: EBay 2019, IP 2019, Coop Spring Game Kickoff, Chuck E Cheese, IP 2020, Reliable Automotive Grand Opening Kyle, Tx.
See Also: D’Onta Foreman

I had been dying to get D’onta on a few more cards because not only was he a Longhorn, he was a Houston Texan to boot- with quite a few nice cards. When I heard he was going to be in attendance at the Coop Spring Game Kickoff as part of a triple header with Lil Jordan Humphrey and Charles Omenihu, I knew I had to go. Foreman rarely appears in Austin. I mean why should he really when H-Town is his burg?

Anyway, Foreman has a beautiful signature. He was quite accommodating in person asking me about placement and color on the Jumbo Materials card. I told him to just ink it up. It didn’t matter to me if he got it all over the swatch. That to me made it more authentic. He looks really good. I mean he did get in and play last season despite his devastating injury his rookie season.

As the year wore on I had hoped the team would use him as a secret weapon to Lamar Miller, but D’onta saw limited reps, primarily against the Eagles. He did catch two passes for 28 yards and a TD however. With Alfred Blue finally shipped out to parts unknown (Jacksonville actually), it looked like D’onta would finally step up into the primary backup role behind Lamar Miller in 2019, but the Texans decided to completely reboot at the runningback position.

D’onta ended up getting cut, and eventually signed with the Indianapolis Colts, but later was placed on IR after he tore his biceps, and then subsequently received an injury settlement. Currently Foreman is a free agent.

I then got D’Onta later at a Chuck E Cheese of all places on his Panini Select and the Luminance cards. He was ‘fashionably late’ to the event and despite the decently sized line, he was more than happy to sign these two cards for me. I really like the framing of the Select card, and it has a really nice polish to it. The Luminance card has a slight metal tinge to it, reminiscent of those first few years of Playoff back in the early 90s. While I am not a fan of script typefaces, this one pulls it off nicely.

After not being able to attend an XFL game I really wanted to go to, I reloaded and decided to attend a signing in Kyle that featured Ricky Williams, D’Onta Foreman, Marcus Johnson, and Fozzy Whittaker. I got there plenty early. The crown jewel was this Panini Contenders dual card with Ricky and D’Onta that I got signed. Initially it was in doubt that Ricky would show up. Then it was in doubt that Foreman would show up because he was late. Still I managed to get all the cards signed I wanted to.

My friend Mark, who I meet at some of these events, tossed me a few extras he had of Foreman to get signed. I got scared off because D’Onta looked like he wasn’t in a great mood to sign. I had to badger him to sign the Score 17 card, but Mark sent his kids up and got the Panini cards signed for me to close out the lot.

We all got extremely lucky, as this is the last in person event happened, occurring the weekend before the COVID shutdown affected everybody statewide.

NFL

Williams, Ricky (5)

Cards: Playoff 1999 (6279), Leaf Rookies & Stars 2004 Slideshow, Panini Classics 2016 NL, Panini Classics 2016 Legends*, Panini Contenders 2018, Panini Elite 2018, Atomic 2002.
Acquired: In Person 2018, 43 and 34 Camp, Heisman House Tour
See Also: Ricky Williams, Little Earl (2), Ricky Williams (3), Ricky Williams (4)
* future considerations D-Rock

There is really no end to the plethora of cards I can find that I like for Ricky, so I just keep stacking them up- as long as he keeps signing of course. I’ve gotten Little Earl more times than any other player, and each time I meet him, each interaction is a unique experience. When I went to the 43 and 34 Camp, it was a blisteringly hot Texas day.  After the event ended, people swarmed him as he slowly made his way to his car. He knew if he didn’t start that way at that moment, he’d be here all night. Still Ricky practiced an immense amount of patience, realizing perhaps that he was stuck, he just stopped at the entrance to the stadium and started signing. His gatekeeper tried in vain to get people to line up, and although there were cutters I waited to get up to him. It’s like the world goes silent and nobody is there. Ricky has that effect, or I do- I am not sure. He was like, “Hey man! Long time no see.” I told him that having a kid will do that to you.

Ricky has a new line of cannabis/ natural herb  wellness products. I’m hoping to get some shipped to Texas to see if it can be of benefit to my father who suffers from lupus.

These cards are just flat out amazing. Every time I think I run out of cards, I find a few more that I really like. The Leaf 2004 Rookies & Stars Slideshow is translucent. The scan just doesn’t do it enough justice, but it is a well designed, exciting card. The Playoff 99 card is another gimmicky card. It’s translucent with the numbers in a velvet material.

Later I went to the Heisman House Tour that came to DKR before the Texas USC game. Knowing Ricky was there I packed quite a few cards for him to sign. The problem was they had a nasty gatekeeper. I got up to the stage and Ricky recognized me. We chatted for a few seconds while he signed a card. This woman came out from the door connected from the tent and shooed me away before I could get the rest. I just said to Ricky with a smile, “I’ll come back around again.” The line was not long at all for Ricky. The humidity or the weather prediction (of rain that never happened) kept people away. I got back in line, cruised back around, and got the rest of the cards signed. 

We had a good and quick chat this time. I asked him if he’d have a touchdown dance now- since the league had lifted the restrictions on the rules. He initially told me no, but then re-thought it when I suggested Arian Foster’s ‘namaste pose’. I then quickly suggested that he go on Arian’s intriguing podcast as they both had really interesting philosophical ideals. He said he’d be interested and consider it, but he and Arian hadn’t talked in a while. 

All in all again, some really nice cards I got signed at the Heisman House Tour. I really liked the NEXT LEVEL card the best- even if it is the same photograph from the Panini Elite card. The backside has him in a New Orleans Saints uniform, and could also be mistaken for the front as well if not for its lack of gloss on it. The Elite card is nice and flashy. I like where they have taken the design of this set over the years. Even the logo is a much needed improvement over the Donruss Elite logo. It’s a shield/chevron. That’s smart design. 

The Classics 2016 card is for D-Rock on Sportscollectors.net. He had previously helped me out by sending me a Eugene Chung autograph I needed. What was touching about it was that he was reaching out to me because he hadn’t seen me on the boards in a while.
 
I had been stung badly by another collector on Sportscollectors.net who offered to get me some autographs and then pulled the rug out from under me as soon as I agreed.  Anyway D-Rock’s kindness really struck me, so I offered to help him out when I had a chance. It took me a lot longer than I thought to get this autograph, but I can see why he wanted to get this one signed as the Classics card is not only a nice card, the autograph really sticks out on the canvas.