Innholdsfortegnelse for February 15, 2024 i Sports Collectors Digest

LEADING OFF Watching the NFL Playoffs and the remarkable quarterback play of stars Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Brock Purdy brought back memories of some of the great QBs of the glory days of the NFL. When Jackson or Allen tucked the ball under their arm and broke loose for another long run, I had flashbacks to the 1970s. When Mahomes, an improvisational maestro, repeatedly scrambled out of trouble, creating another clever play with his legs or an improbable pass, I thought I was watching Roger Staubach or Fran Tarkenton. When Purdy led the 49ers to a comeback victory over the Packers, it brought back memories of Joe Montana in the 1980s. Purdy and his assortment of offensive stars (Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel) reminds me of…

With all due respect to the Super Bowl heroics of touchdown-scoring running backs, acrobatic receivers, brick-wall offensive linemen and big-play defenders, it’s always been the quarterback who steals the show. The first two Super Bowls—played in 1967 and 1968—produced an MVP QB in Green Bay’s Bart Starr. The Hall of Famer led Vince Lombardi’s Packers to blowout wins over Kansas City and Oakland in 1967 and 1968. Significantly, Starr also won three earlier NFL titles, giving him five championships in a remarkable seven-year span. Super Bowl III, in January 1969, found Joe Namath dissecting the heavily favored Colts. Leading up to the game, Namath guaranteed his New York Jets would upset Baltimore. When he delivered, he helped boost the Super Bowl to new heights. Since then, the NFL’s big game…

NOTE: If you have a show listing, follow the style below and send to jowens@aimmedia.com. ALABAMA March 2 AL, Huntsville. The Flip Sports Card & Collectibles Trade Show, Von Braun Center, 700 Monroe St. SW, Huntsville, AL 35801. SH: 10am-5pm. T: 200+ ($80-$95). A: $7. Contact: Daniel TheFlipTradeShow@Gmail.com March 16 AL, Vestavia Hills Alabama. The Flip Sports Card & Collectibles Trade Show, Vestavia Civic Center, 1090 Montgomery Hwy., Vestavia Hills AL, 35216. SH: 10am-5pm. T: 200+ ($80-$95). A: $7. Contact: Daniel TheFlip-TradeShow@Gmail.com ARKANSAS March 9 AR, Conway. Conway Sports Cards Show, ELITE, 1400 Old Morrilton Hwy #3513, Conway, AR. SH: 9am-3pm. T: 70. A: Free. Contact: Clay Winn conwaycardshow@gmail.com ARIZONA March 2 AZ, Tempe (Phoenix). Collectibles on College — Tempe Monthly, University Presbertyrian Church, 139 E. Alameda Dr., Tempe, AZ…

THE HOBBY IS THE PEOPLE Paul Lesko’s hobby story isn't much different than many of ours, but his collecting interests probably doesn't mirror most collectors. Lesko became an attorney in 1999 after graduating from Tulane University, and he loves the legal field. If you follow the hobby to any extent you know the last few years have seen an increase in card shows, card stores, content creators, and also hobby-related court cases at both the federal and local levels. From trademark and copyright infringement, illegally producing product, theft of services or talent, etc., there is no shortage of hobby cases on the dockets. It's the stuff that bridges both worlds for Lesko. His passion for both the hobby and the law have made him the unofficial point man known as…

JOHNNY UNITAS The skinny: Appeared in two Super Bowls, the first in January 1969, when he relieved Earl Morrall in the fourth quarter and led the Colts to their first score of the day. However, Joe Namath’s Jets prevailed, 16-3. Two years later, in Super Bowl V, Unitas started and threw a 75-yard TD before leaving the game with injury. Morrall entered in relief to pull out a Colts win. However, Johnny U’s combined Super Bowl numbers weren’t pretty: He completed 14 of 33 passes for 198 yards with one TD and two interceptions. Even so, his stature as an all-time NFL great and hobby hero keeps him in this discussion. Choice rookie card: 1957 Topps Recent auction prices: $16,510 for a PSA 8 (Heritage, 2023) and $14,400 for a…

He was a five-time Pro Bowl receiver who had five NFL seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards, including four in a row from 1992-95. Anthony Miller spent 10 seasons in the NFL — with San Diego (1988-93), Denver (1994-96) and Dallas (1997) — catching a combined 595 passes and scoring 66 touchdowns (one rushing and two on kickoff returns), including a career-high 14 for Denver in 1995. He had three 1,000-yard seasons for San Diego and two for Denver. “If I had stayed with the Chargers, I probably would have been named to more Pro Bowl teams and probably made the Hall of Fame,” Miller said. Still, he added, “I have no complaints. I guess the only complaint is, I never made it [to a] Super Bowl.” Well, not…

The final four quarterbacks during the NFL’s 2023-24 playoff run featured a high-end hobby hero (Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes II), a second-year wonder (San Francisco’s Brock Purdy), an all-around threat in his prime (Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson) and a veteran signal-caller coming into his own (Detroit’s Jared Goff). This Fab Four’s highest-selling items on eBay in January included multiple on-the-rise cards. Check it out: • MAHOMES: A 2017 autographed Panini National Treasures Black card sold for $19,300 on 62 bids and made our “On the Outside Looking In” list below. So let’s skip to the next-highest Mahomes item: a 2017 signed Panini Contenders Rookie Ticket card graded BGS 9.5. This one inspired 51 bids and brought home $16,577. • PURDY: A 2022 Playoff Contenders signed Rookie Ticket “Cracked Ice” variation graded…