Tag Archives: ttm autograph

NFL

Rackers, Neil ‘Rickety’

Adrenalyn 2011, #129
Score 2008, #8

CARDS: Panini Adrenalyn 2011, Score 2008
ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 8/15 RECEIVED: 8/22 (7 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Neil Rackers was a kicker for the Fightin’ Illini from 1996-’99.
  • Over that period he was 96.3% on XP (77/80) and 68% (34/50) on FGs, scoring 179 points.
  • Selected in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL Draft.
  • After a rocky rookie season, he settled in kicking 17 FGs in 2001, and 15 in 2002.
  • He’d join the Arizona Cardinals in 2003.
  • In 2004, he hit 22/29 field goals, including a league long 55 yarder.
  • In that game against the Seahawks, he hit two other field goals of 50+ yards tying the single game NFL record held by Morten Anderson.
  • Then he went on to hit an improbable 31 straight field goals.
  • During the 2005 season, set the NFL record with 40 field goals in a season (42 attempts).
  • He again led the league in attempts in 2006 with 37 (28 FGM).
  • In 2010, Rackers was allowed to test free agency and decided to play for the Texans.
  • He’d provide great stability at the position after the departure of Kris Brown– who’d been with the team since its inception.
  • Rackers posted 27 FGs in 2010, and 32 in 2011.
  • Tied a franchise long 57 yard field goal in 2010 (since surpassed).

ACCOLADES:

  • All Pro 2005
  • Pro Bowl 2005
  • Golden Toe Award 2005

NOTES:

Incredibly underrated over his career, I must admit I was disappointed when the Texans opted not to sign him, in favor of drafting ‘Beercan’ Randy Bullock in 2012.

Rackers was also a head hunter- A rare trait among kickers. From time to time he was known to dish out some jarring hits. I seem to remember some odd fact that he’s the the NFL record holder for career special teams tackles by a kicker.

My old friend Erik, told me stories about chugging beers in the parking lot at NRG with Neil, saying he’s a real cool dude so I had to get him eventually. I was a bit disappointed. I think this Adrenalyn card was the only Texans card they made of Neil. I love how Rackers’ autograph incorporates the goal posts into it.

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NFL

Wright, Alexander (2)

Pro Set 1990, #695
Score Supplemental 1990, #58T
Score 1990, #621

CARDS: Pro Set 1990, Score Supplemental 1990, Score 1990
ACQUIRED: TTM 2023, C/o Home
SENT: 3/16/23 RECEIVED: 3/15/23 (364 Days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

Joe, sent me a pack of Score 1990. Inside was this rookie card of Alexander Wright. It was in such fresh condition, it still had some ‘printer’s artifact dust’ on the front of the card. It brought back some memories of going to Cowboys training camp and hustling for autographs.

It seemed serendipitous that I noticed that Wright was signing TTM around that time. He hadn’t done so for many years, so I fired these three out, and thought I’d have them back within a few weeks or something, but it appears I was at the bottom of the mailbag as he kept getting more and more, signing after 11-15 days, while mine languished for a year. Patience pays off however.

Wright had a penchant for signing ‘ACE’, his nickname on his card instead of his full name. I remember the horror fans had when he’d do this at training camp, and when he was asked, he’d rebuff the request. So to see him now sign his full name, I’m good for that on these cards.

NFL

Higgs, Mark

GameDay 1992, #247
Action Packed 1992, #148
Action Packed Rookies 1991, #75
Skybox Premium 1993, #27
Skybox 1992, #98

CARDS: Skybox Premium 1993, Skybox 1992, Action Packed Rookies 1991, Action Packed 1992, Gameday 1992
ACQUIRED: TTM 2020, 2024, C/o Home.
SENT: 9/24/20 RECEIVED: 10/3/20 (9 Days)
SENT: 3/21/24 RECEIVED: 4/5/24 (15 Days)
FAILURE: TTM 2017, C/o Home

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Mark Higgs played RB from 1984-’87 for the Kentucky Wildcats.
  • In his senior season he ran for 1,278 yards on 193 carries.
  • He finished his career at Owensboro with 2,892 rushing yards- good for second all-time on the school’s rushing list.
  • Originally a 8th round choice of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1988 NFL Draft.
  • Buried on the depth chart and relegated to special teams his first 3 years in the NFL playing for the Cowboys (’88), Eagles (’89), and Dolphins (’90).
  • His first TD was a blocked punt he returned 19 yards for a TD against the Patriots in 1990.
  • He’d finally get his shot starting at RB in 1991, in place of Sammie Smith, running for 146 yards in the season opener.
  • The following week Higgs ran for 111 yards, marking the first back to back 100 yard performance by a Dolphins RB since ’82.
  • He finished the season with 231 carries for 905 yards and 4 TDs- the highest season total by a Dolphin since… 1978.
  • Mark topped those numbers in 1992, running for 915 yards and 7 rushing TDs.
  • Starting in 8 contests in 1993, Mark ran for 693 yards and 3 TDs primarily in a backup role behind Terry Kirby.
  • During the 1994 season he’d be cut and sign with the Arizona Cardinals.
  • After spending the majority of the 1995 season on IR due to a back injury, Mark opted to retire.

ACCOLADES:

  • University of Kentucky Hall of Fame 2006

NOTES:

Mark missed out on Pro Set 1989, but he sure did make up for it with a bevvy of set needs in Skybox, Gameday, and Action Packed sets. He provided a nice shot in the arm along with the rejuvenation of the Dolphins offensive line to buy Dan Marino a few more injury free years.

I finally got Mark back in 2020, and then realized I didn’t ask him for his autograph on his Skybox card. Time flew by really quickly after that and I lost track of sending out to him again for it. In the meantime the premium set from the year afterwards became more interesting to me, so it made a lot of sense to send both of them out together.

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