Tag Archives: score 2011

NFL

Gerhart, Toby

CARDS: Topps 2011, Score 2012, Score 2011, Score 2010
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, C/o Home
SENT: 6/29 RECEIVED: 7/24 (25 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Toby Gerhart played RB at Stanford from 2006-2009.
  • He burst onto the national scene his Junior season rushing for 1136 yards and 15 TDs on 210 carries.
  • Then Gerhart took the FBS by storm leading all rushers with 343 carries for 1871 yards and 28 TDs on 354 plays in 2009.
  • He’d finish second in Heisman Voting behind Alabama RB Mark Ingram.
  • Reminding many of Touchdown Tommy Vardell, Gerhart was a second round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2010- replacing recently departed Chester Taylor.
  • He’d see snaps behind All Pro Adrian Peterson at RB over the next 4 years.
  • Gerhart’s best season came in 2011 when he rushed 109 times for 531 yards, while catching 23 passes.
  • Over his time in Minnesota, Gerhart was a decent threat out of the backfield, catching 77 passes for 600 yards and 7 TDs, along with his 1300 yards rushing and 5 TDs as a north south runner.
  • Expected to be the replacement for Maurice Jones-Drew, Toby signed with the Jaguars in 2014.
  • The Jaguars had many problems- the least of all being RB, as Gerhart finished second behind Denard Robinson with 101carries for 326 yards and 2 TDs.
  • He’d spend a good portion of 2015 on IR and retire after his release in 2016.

ACCOLADES:

  • Doak Walker Award 2009
  • College Football Hall of Fame
  • Archie Griffin Award 2009
  • Jim Brown Award 2009
  • PAC 10 Offensive Player of the Year 2009

NOTES:

I remember when Toby was drafted there was a lot of hype on him as the second coming of the ‘Great White Hope’- a questionable tag frequently given to white runningbacks, as they rarely led the NFL in rushing for a while there. (Peyton Hills most notably broke ‘the curse’ just going over 1,000 yards for Cleveland back in 2010.) Oddly before that the most notable name to hold that title was another Stanford back- Tommy Vardell, who also played for Cleveland.

NFL

Murray, DeMarco

Score 2017, #257

CARDS: Score 2017, Score 2012 Hot Card
ACQUIRED: TTM 2019, C/o Work
SENT: 3/4 RECEIVED: 4/1 (28 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Played RB for the Oklahoma Sooners from 2007-10.
  • Shared backfield throughout most of his career with moments of stardom.
  • Had breakout year in 2010, rushing for 1200+ yards, 594 receiving yards and 20 total TDs.
  • In 40 college games had 759 carries for 3685 yards and 50 rushing TDs.
  • Selected in the 3rd round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.
  • Was 3rd on the depth chart behind Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, but due to injuries, eventually found himself gaining the lion’s share of carries.
  • Ran for 253 yards against the Rams that year, breaking multiple club records held by Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett.
  • In first full 16 game season during 2014, ran for a career high 1845 yards, on 392 carries, along with 13 TDs.
  • Signed with Eagles in 2015, but in a snakebitten season for both Murray and Philadelphia- only ran for 702 yards.
  • Rejuvenated career in 2016 playing for the Tennessee Titans, rushing for 1287 yards and 9 TDs.
  • Passed the torch splitting time with rookie Derrick Henry in 2017.
  • Injured near the end of the season, and retired in early 2018.
  • Has dabbled in broadcasting, quickly finding a home coaching RBs first at Arizona State and then later at Oklahoma.

ACCOLADES:

  • NFL Offensive Player of the Year 2014
  • NFL rushing yards leader 2014
  • NFL rushing attempts leader 2014
  • NFL rushing TDs leader 2014
2011 Score Hot Rookies, #11

NOTES:

I got these autographs now… sometime ago. DeMarco always reminded me of my once best friend from college. Murray had his breakout game against the Rams, and that day I was picking my best friend up from the airport. We were close then and her friendship meant the world to me.

Over the next few years, we grew apart. A lot of factors figured into it. Untapped resentment… distance… bowing under pressure from family to cultural superstition… new friends and boyfriends… A lot of things. I sensed we were losing touch. It went from near daily calls, to weekly calls, to monthly calls- to no calls at all. No more Left for Dead. No more Red Trolley Beer.

Our conversations became increasingly about just what was wrong in my life, and if she didn’t get that out of me- I felt like I had to talk about that because she was pressuring me to do so.

I was in a bad place. My father had died and I needed her council. I was under intense pressure all around. I believe that when you are stressed out- the worst of your personality emerges if you don’t keep it in check. The worst of me came to roost. Our last call was awkward. I talked about personal things, but she failed to tell me she had me on speaker phone.

The way the conversation went, I felt like… like it was goodbye- to me, my wife, my daughter, and our friendship. It was painful. I said stupid things.
A few months later, she deleted me from Facebook and then later my wife… I guess trying to wipe out those memories as well. I responded to her and she blocked me.

And that was it. That was it. I’ve tried hard not to deal with it, but I fully understand now if she blames me, or sees the ending of our friendship as my fault. Sometimes you pull the band-aid off and sometimes you yank it off.

She’s gotten married and moved on- and I am happy for her. In a way, I held her back. In a way she held me back from being a better husband and father.

I’ve given it my best to move on. Initially it was hard. I was angry and embarrassed. Over time, I’ve decided it best to just leave it alone. There’s nothing to go back to. No reason to fight for anything. Just like a vague, numb understanding- a resigned feeling of gulped blame and responsibility.

It’s helped me move on and let go myself as much as I’d like to reach back out and re-establish contact. It is… what it is.

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NFL

Orakpo, Brian, (3)

Donruss Rookies & Stars 2009, #128

CARDS: Upper Deck First Edition 2009, Donruss Rookies and Stars 2009, Score 2012, Bowman 2009 Superlatives, Upper Deck 2009 Football Heroes, Adrenalyn 2009, Photo memorabilia
ACQUIRED: In Person, 2021

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

Photo memorabilia Upper Deck First Edition 2009, #184

NOTES:

Never in my wildest dreams after seeing Ricky Williams during Spring Break of 2020, would I believe that I wouldn’t see another in person signing until September of 2021, but that is exactly what happened due to COVID. My work (at the time) sent us home- telling us they’d see us in a week or two. Our stay was extended indefinitely, eventually to a point where I never stepped foot in the office again.

Orakpo was hosting an event for a new business he was working on, Restore Wellness. I decided to have some fun and got a treatment trying out cryotherapy. It completely got rid of my joints cracking for a few days.

Bowman 2009 Draft Picks Superlatives, #S2 Upper Deck 2009 Heroes. #184

Adrenalyn 2009, #389 Score 2011, #293

We watched the UT game against TCU, and I gave a pretty accurate score. Brian signed anything and everything. I grabbed a few signed photos on my way out the door, and gave them to a few friends. I am quickly running out of cards of his. A lot of these represented set needs and likes, as the Donruss Rookies & Stars 09, and the Adrenalyn always stuck out in my mind.