Tag Archives: score 2009

NFL

Casey, James (2)


Cards: Score 2009, Donruss Rookies and Stars 2009 (410/999)
Acquired: In person 4/26/2012, 1300 the Zone Texans Draft Party
See also: James Casey

These two cards of James are great examples of good design. They make an otherwise unexciting, in warm-ups and without pads photo shot of James look almost appealing. It certainly was enough for me to want to get them autographed. I met James at the Texans Draft Party in 2011 along with Danieal Manning.  When James autographed them he remarked that I must be a professional because I knew to put talcum powder on the card to dull the sheen on the card. I then told him that I was a big fan, and through Dave, had gotten a lot of autographs from the team in the past on cards I still had. Casey then took an otherwise awkward looking photo with me, and stuck to the book with his interaction. Casey’s autograph in my humble opinion needs some work. It’s a signature, and he needs to juice this one up.

James was moved around on the Texans offense. As a logger jam emerged at Tight End with Owen Daniels, Joel Dreessen, and newcomer Garrett Graham, the Texans liked what they had with Casey’s exceptional hands and straight on blocking. When Vontae Leach left for Baltimore to block for Ray Rice in 2011, the team made the decision to shift Casey to fullback. Casey provided immediate mismatches for teams that looked absolutely baffled when he shifted out of the backfield and out to the flat. He’d rip defenses with 18 receptions for 260 yards a 14.4 yard average including his first professional touchdown this last season in 2011, but he’d also rip his pectoral muscle against the Saints sidelining him for a good portion of the season.
In 2012, the team seems content utilizing him as an H-Back, as he creates many mismatches with his deceptive speed combined with his linebacker size. We didn’t see him much during the preseason, and the Texans with a full docket of weapons and a true fullback blocking up front, are keeping hush hush about how they will sneak Casey into the lineup later in the season for 2012.

NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Manning, Peyton ‘The Sheriff’

Card: Score 2009
Acquired: 2011, C/o The Peyback Foundation
Sent: 11/9    Recieved:  11/19 (10 days)

As of late, I have been writing a few current players for their autographs and while my dislike of the Colts has almost reached epic proportions on occasion, I still respect them immensely for the success they have had on the field- sans 2011. Case in point and de facto franchise MVP, I present to you: Peyton Manning.

Born into good bloodlines (his father Archie was a QB for the Saints and his younger brother Eli plays for the Giants,) Peyton Manning was a poised and professional grade quarterback coming out of college from the University of Tennessee in 1998. At the time of his graduation, Peyton held virtually all Volunteer passing records, and set an SEC mark for wins with 39.

A debate shortly raged over if the Colts would pick Manning or Ryan Leaf with the #1 in the draft, but in the end Manning was Indanapolis’ guy, replacing departed Jim Harbaugh at quarterback. His rookie season saw a multitude of records, including most touchdown passes and attempts for a rookie, however it would be punctuated by a 3-13 record and his league leading 28 interceptions. Manning responded with a brilliant Sophomore campaign, leading the Colts back into the playoffs and also posting his first 4,000 yard season of his career, – a milestone considering he’d repeat the feat for 5 straight seasons after 1999. In 2003, Peyton earned his first MVP honor, leading the NFL in attempts, completion percentage and yards. Manning threw for a then record 49 touchdown passes, in 2004 earning his second straight MVP title and a 121.1 passer rating.

It’d be finally in 2006, that Peyton garnered the elusive Super Bowl title he was after, as the Colts easily dispatched the Bears in 29-17 in SuperBowl XLI. Peyton earned the MVP honors with 28 of 35 passing for 247 yards and a touchdown. He’d pick up again where he left off with his 7th 4000 yard season, continuing his assault on the record books with 4000 yards in each of the next 4 seasons, winning MVP honors a 3rd time for his 2008 performance and a 4th time in 2009 where the team returned to the Super Bowl but lost to the New Orleans Saints.

Unfortunately Peyton’s 2011 came to a thudding end before it even began, at 208 regular season starts (second only to Brett Favre), as it was revealed that Peyton was suffering from various debilitating neck and back injuries, which have put his career on hold. Manning holds virtually all the Colts passing records, and many NFL records.  An 11 time Pro Bowler, 5 time AP, 2005 Pro Bowl MVP, and member of the NFL 2000 All- Team team, Peyton becomes a shining jewel in my collection and his historical legacy, virtual shoe-in status for the HoF, and impact can not be overlooked in the annuls of NFL history. Although Manning’s team is considered a bitter rival, no opponent should have their career ended by injury, and thus I wish him a speedy recovery so that the Colts and the Texans may do battle again.

I had heard that Peyton was a difficult autograph to attain TTM prior to 2010, however Manning has been graciously signing this year for fans through his Peyback Foundation. I was astounded to get his autograph in the mail- free of charge and in roughly 10 days.  I am a big fan of Score 2009 and really like the design that they put into these cards. Although they lost some of that magic again by their 2011 set, 2009 stands as an inspirational and cutting edge look that really highlights how far the company has come in 20 years.

 

NFL

Foster, Arian

Card: Score 2009
Acquired: TTM 2009, Texans Blitz

First off, Score really made some great cards in 2009. This card is an excellent example of great design integrated with current trends. Furthermore Panini really had a nice look to this card and didn’t shirk on the player photo showcasing Arian in his college duds. So when I talked about getting player’s autographs, half of the charge of getting current ones is when it is a player who is a no-name rookie who has a ho-hum first season, (when I get their autograph) and then they crank it after that. Arian Foster is a great example of this.

Foster was near the top of draft boards as a junior, but elected to stay an additional season at Tennessee. Foster was billed as a runningback in the vein of Travis Henry but an injury plagued senior season complicated by an overall bad season for the team, sent Foster’s stock plummeting.  The 2009 draft went by and Foster’s name was not called. Undaunted he signed a free agent contract with the Texans over the Saints- theorizing the Texans, (under his girlfriend’s guidance), gave them the best chance for him to play. By the time the dust settled after training camp, Foster was released and resigned to the team’s practice squad. He’d remain there through most of the Texans’ 2009 season. In the meantime, the team struggled on the ground and especially in the redzone. The Texans attempted a variety of different players including Steve Slaton, Chris Brown and Ryan Moats, but were unable to really get the ground game going. But as Foster was going to the airport on Week 14, he heard on the radio that he was being promoted from the practice squad for the next game and would on special teams against the Titans. Arian would quickly move into the starting lineup as runningback helping the team establish more consistency in its ground game running for 100 yards in each of the contests he started to finish his rookie season.

While I was initially skeptical of his sophomore season in 2010, Foster proved me wrong by breaking the team record in rushing yards opening day cranking out 231 yards on the ground en route to the team’s victory over the Colts. (It would be the second highest rushing effort on opening day in NFL history behind OJ Simpson’s 250 yard effort.)  He continued his attack on the rushing books and has now the longest carry in team history with a 74 yard gallop. He also owns most other team records in the books including touchdowns in a season and rushing yards. At the conclusion of the 2010 season, Foster finished as the league’s leading rusher with 180 yards against the Jags, and was named to his first ProBowl.  Arian also shattered Priest Holmes record for most yards rushing by an undrafted free agent with 1616 yards rushing- and chipped in an additional 600 yards receiving.

Some call Foster eccentric. His middle name is Aquarian. Arian also likes to write poetry and when he scores a touchdown and puts the ball down bowing to the crowd. Admittedly Foster was amazed at how fast things changed for him when he took the starting job in 2010, however he has endured to remain humble about the whole experience.  Below are his stats through the 2010 season.

G 22    Rush 381      Yds  1873    Avg 4.9      Td  19     Lg  74t    |
Rec 74     Yds 697     Avg 9.4    Td  2   lg  50