Tag Archives: Seattle Seahawks

NFL

Bailey, Dion

Card: Sage 2014 (85/250)
Acquired: 2015, Box Breaker

Dion Bailey is an interesting type of tweener that some schemes call an ‘Elephant’.  He’s a linebacker/ defensive back hybrid that the USC Trojans used all over the field from 2011 to 2013. He earned the Pac-12 honor for being the Defensive Freshman of the Year when he had 81 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 pass deflections, and 1 forced fumble in 2011. He’d settle in at linebacker for 2012 with similar numbers (80 tackles, 1 sack) but have 4 interceptions, before bouncing over to safety in 2013, with 62 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 5 picks, and 6 pass deflections. Dion declared for the 2014 NFL Draft, but went unselected. 

He spent the next year on and off the Seahawks practice squad and injured reserve lists at strong safety. Dion started 1 game and had 3 total tackles for the Seahawks. He was signed by the New York Jets in 2015, and actually saw playing time in 5 games (1 start) with 18 combined tackles, .5 sacks, and 2 pass deflections backing up Calvin Pryor.  He was granted an injury release in 2016 and is for all points and purposes retired from the sport.

Dion spent some time working internships in political government over the last year or two. He studied public policy at USC and has dreams about running for Mayor of Los Angeles.

NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Rypien, Mark (2)

Card: Action Packed 1990
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Home
Sent: 12/12/16    Received:  1/3/17  (22  days)
See Also:  Mark Rypien

The first success I got in calendar 2017, Mark Rypien was kind enough to sign 1 of 3 cards I sent him. He inscribed the one card with Super Bowl XXVI MVP, which I thought was still cool.  Rypien’s family drips with athleticism.  His daughter has carried on in his footsteps and is a quarterback in the Lingerie Football League, while his Nephew, Brett is a starting quarterback for Boise St.

In 2014 the Washington Redskins inducted Mark into their Ring of Fame. Rypien spent eight seasons with the Redskins. From 1986 to 1993 he started 72 games for the Redskins, completing 1,244 passes for 15,928 yards and 101 touchdowns. Modestly, Rypien dedicated his enshrinement to his teammates and the 55,000 or so fans that showed up every week to cheer on the team during his magical 1991 Super Bowl and MVP run.

NFL, University of Texas, usfl

Millard, Bryan

Cards: ProSet 1989, Score Supplemental 1989, ProSet 1990, Topps Stadium Club 1992
Acquired: TTM 2018, C/o Work
Sent: 5/4   Received: 6/4  (30 days)
Failure: TTM 2017, C/o Home

Bryan Millard is regarded as one of the greatest Seahawks linemen ever, but it took him a while to get there, and still to this day he does not receive the respect and accolades he deserves.  He flies under the radar when it comes to great linemen, and even when retrospect sets come out, like the two University of Texas sets from both Upper Deck and Panini, Millard is conspicuously left out.

Bryan played college ball at the University of Texas from 1979-1982. While playing for the Longhorns, Millard honed his skills at both Guard and Tackle- winning All-SWC recognition for the latter in 1982. Surprisingly, he went undrafted in 1983 by the NFL, but the upstart USFL took a flyer on Bryan in the 12th round with the New Jersey Generals. He’d block upfront for the next two seasons for both Herschel Walker and Maurice Carthon helping pave the way for the Generals vaunted rushing attack.

With the league beginning to implode by 1984, Millard headed to the West Coast and joined the Seattle Seahawks, but did not join the starting lineup until midway through the 1985 season. Bryan saw action at both tackle positions before settling on the right guard spot- a position he’d anchor down for roughly the next 6 seasons. Durable, dependable, and strong (a weightlifting advocate who could bench press some 550 pounds), Millard somehow flew underthe radar while opening up holes for Curt Warner and John L Williams. Most notable about Bryan was that despite his size (6’5″, 282), he was nimble enough to trap on the off-side while also being able to take on the larger bull rushers of the era.  He earned one ProBowl nomination in 1988. Thanks in part to injuries, Bryan was forced to retire after the 1991 season.

Bryan lives in the Austin, Texas area. After dabbling in commercial real estate and pharmaceutical sales, he is now a full time real estate broker. I tried sending a few cards out last year, but they were RTS, so I attempted a new address and struck paydirt. Among Bryan’s other hobbies is actually collecting football cards, however I am not sure if he still partakes in the hobby since it has changed so much over the years from the 5 and dime, stick of gum.