TTMCast This Week
We’re officially back on the air! My new co-host, Troy Rutter, joins me to talk about our latest TTM successes and all sorts of other hobby news. Next week, guest co-host Lee Alexander will join me and we’ll also talk Baseball Hall of Fame with Les Wolff.
You can listen to the show here.
Recent Returns
It’s rare that I get shut out, but here I am, empty-handed for the second week of January. So as I watched the Packers run all over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, I started cranking out a few requests, putting the pen to the paper for 28 mailings going out today. It’s a lot of vintage– some 1960s baseball and 1970s football in there, and even a couple from the curling world that appeared in the Allen & Ginter sets.
Wild Card Weekenders
I’m usually not a big fan of expanded playoffs in sports aside from college. When you’re approaching half the league getting into the postseason, you’ve gone too far. But I think 14 teams is a nice spot for the NFL because this is truly a league where anyone can beat anyone on any given Sunday and a moment of bad luck or a bad call can change a game in a big way.
So here are three solid TTM signers from each of the NFL’s playoff teams’ history to help you fill your mailbox. Addresses can be found at SportsCollectors.net and SportsCardForum.com.
BALTIMORE
It absolutely galls me to list a couple of these guys as Ravens when they were just about as significant as Browns players, but such is life with a recently-created team.
Antonio Langham – The defensive back out of Alabama routinely signs in three weeks or less through his home.
Matt Stover – “Stove Top” was an excellent signer when he lived in Maryland, hopefully it continues now that he has relocated to Texas.
Brandon Stokley – He made a name for himself as a third target for Peyton Manning behind Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, but started and ended his career as a Raven.
BUFFALO
I’m hopeful for Josh Allen every year; maybe this is finally the year for him to play in February?
Joe Delamielleure – The Hall of Fame tackle and leader of the Electric Company regularly signs for $10 in two weeks or less
Don Beebe – Who (besides Leon Lett) didn’t love Don’s full-field, never-say-die sprint in Super Bowl XXVII? He has been a consistent signer in a month or less.
Shane Conlan – A top-10 pick, three-time Pro Bowler, and defensive Rookie of the Year? Don’t mind if I do! Shane takes a couple months but gives a great sig.
KANSAS CITY
How spoiled have we gotten that a division championship and a 11-6 record is seen as “somewhat disappointing” for the Chiefs? Say what you will about some of their fans, but this team is always fun to watch.
Larry Johnson – Quick, name the only three players with 3500+ rushing yards and 35+ rushing TDs in a two-year span! This guy is one of them and he signs through his Ohio home in about three months.
Bill Maas – Another Defensive ROY and two-time Pro Bowler, Bill is a quick responder through his home address– sometimes under a week!
Dan Saleaumua – Let’s add in another big run-stuffer to the list! Dan has been a two-week responder through his home in Arizona.
HOUSTON
Much like the Missouri Tigers against my Buckeyes, I probably would have been pulling for this Texans team, but they went up against my Browns whose injury-laden squad and non-tackling secondary finally broke. This one is painful to research.
Mark Bruener – More remembered as a Steeler, the big tight end signs in about three weeks at home in Washington.
Connor Barwin – He was later a Pro Bowler in Philly, but had 11.5 sacks as a 2011 Texan. He signs via the Eagles’ front office in two weeks.
Brock Osweiler – You may be waiting close to a year for him, but Osweiler will sign via his home in Arizona.
CLEVELAND
Solid season Brownies; you didn’t have the second-half collapse that I predicted in August though the injuries said you should have. I may have to buy a Joe Flacco jersey despite the vomitous finish.
Ozzie Newsome – He’s a Hall of Famer and he signs quickly, he signs free. If you are a football TTMer and don’t have him, you’re either brand new or you’re not trying.
Clarence Scott – A great defensive back from the 1970s and 80s, he even wrote back with his phone number and told me to give him a call sometime.
Frank Stams – This linebacker and special teamer later coached at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School where they had a certain wide receiver named Lebron James. I hear he was decent at another sport.
MIAMI
Was this season good or disappointing for the Dolphins? Strong start, but another first-round exit.
Larry Little – A Hall of Famer on the offensive line, part of the undefeated 1972 squad, Little is a solid signer with only a $5 fee.
John Offerdahl – He’ll only sign one per request and refuses to sign his rookie card, but aside from that the five-time Pro Bowler is as good a signer as you’ll find.
Jake Long – Very few recent players are good signers by mail. Very few #1 overall picks are good signers by mail. But Long bucks both trends, often signing through home in three weeks or less.
PITTSBURGH
Thumper Rule.
Rocky Bleier – I truly believe Rocky was good enough to be a Hall of Famer if he was getting the carries instead of Franco Harris. Signs in under two weeks.
Harry Newsome – I make no effort to hide my love of special teamers so I have a decent collection of punters like Newsome, who typically signs in about three weeks.
Merril Hoge – Hold off on him since it looks like he may have moved, but he’s been a solid TTM signer for years in a month or less.
SAN FRANCISCO
I don’t know how they lost to the Browns, but I see that as a mere hiccup in an otherwise great season so far. Anything short of a Super Bowl trip has to be disappointing for them.
Tom Rathman – The prototypical fullback of the 1980s. He’ll only sign one item per request but I’d gladly take that from a two-time Super Bowl champ.
Roger Craig – His rookie card is very affordable, and I bet he’ll add the 1000/1000 inscription for $5.
Matt Millen – Forget his GM career; as a player he was a Pro Bowler and four-time Super Bowl champ with three teams. He has been signing recently through his home address
DALLAS
I live about two miles from AT&T Stadium, and there’s a shroud over the city right now. It’ll be an interesting offseason for Dem Boyz after a collapse that has made the NFL forget about whatever the Browns did. Belichick ball incoming?
Cliff Harris – Much like a few others on this list, he’s a Hall of Famer, a fast responder, and a free signer. I grabbed his rookie card at a show, mailed it off, and had it back in a week while spending under $10 total.
D.D. Lewis – YES! I finally have a long snapper on this list! Okay, sure, he was a pretty good linebacker as well and one of eight players to appear in five Super Bowls. Signs in two weeks.
Joey Galloway – Okay Arron Littleton, this one’s for you. And I have had a remarkable lack of Buckeyes on this list too. Better known for the Bucs and Seahawks, he’ll sign in about two months on average.
DETROIT
I would run through a brick wall for Dan Campbell. They’re my bandwagon team for the next few weeks.
Eddie Murray – 21 years, six teams, mostly with the Lions: the Canadian kicker was a paragon of consistency in 1988 and 1989. He signs in a week or two.
Dick LeBeau – Hall of Famer and one of the best defensive coordinators ever. He’ll sign in a week or two, but do not send Goal Line art.
Billy Sims – Heisman winners are always a popular group for collectors. Though Sims didn’t quite match that hype in the NFL he was still a Rookie of the Year, three-time Pro Bowler, and had three 1000-yard seasons.
TAMPA BAY
I want to like the Bucs, I really do. I even have a Joe Jurevicius jersey in my closet. But I still have opinions on Baker Mayfield and have several close friends who are Eagles fans, so I just can’t do it.
Keenan McCardell – More games as a Jaguar, Charger, and Brown, but two of those teams didn’t make it so we’ll list him here. He usually signs at the start and end of the season via the Vikings, where he coaches wide receivers.
Paul Gruber – He deserved a Pro Bowl but somehow ever got to one in his 12 seasons. Solid signer though, taking a month or less.
Brad Johnson – I always forget that Johnson was the man under center when the Bucs won it all in the 2002-03 season. He lives in Georgia now and signs in a matter of months.
PHILADELPHIA
Of the two, I am greatly partial to that Jekyll fellow. My Hyde has overtaken the Eagles the last few weeks for a 1-5 stretch to finish things out. Their fans weren’t feeling very comfortable heading into the postseason.
Bill Bergey – Let’s add in another Defensive Rookie of the Year. Bergey also played in five Pro Bowls, and signs in about a month.
Carl Hairston – Big Daddy deserves much more attention than he got– never an award winner of Pro Bowler despite a 15.5 sack season in 1979. He signs typically in about two weeks.
Sean Landeta – The punter’s best seasons were as a Giant, but he spent five seasons in Philly, two past age 40 so he had serious longevity. He’s been signing in a month or less.
LOS ANGELES
The Rams started slow, finished fast and ultimately ended up as a round one exit. Their history is complicated but they’ve had some great players no matter where they hung their shingle.
Eric Dickerson – Any time you can get one of the greatest running backs of all time for only $5 an item, you’ve got to send off to him. Pretty sure it’s a rule of TTM.
Tom Mack – Any time you have a Hall of Famer who signs fast and for free, they deserve a spot in this article as well. Fun fact, he went to the same high school as the Kelce brothers.
Aeneas Williams – One more time on the affordable Hall of Famers! Williams signs for $5 and typically only takes a couple weeks.
GREEN BAY
My dad is a lifelong Packer Backer from Upper Michigan. Against all odds, he and the rest of Cheesehead Nation are watching a new generation make its mark in what looked to be a rebuilding year. The Pack’s long history offers plenty of players to chase but here are a few who are as reliable as good quarterback play in Green Bay.
James Lofton – $10 for a Hall of Famer is certainly acceptable, and he usually adds in an extra signed card as well! Takes two weeks or less.
Lynn Dickey – Might as well add in the guy who threw Lofton most of those passes, right? Dickey signs through his home in Kansas in around two weeks.
Mike McCoy – The defensive lineman just moved from Florida to Georgia, but is still signing in under three weeks.
Oh, and the other two players with a two-year span of 3500+ rushing yards and 35+ rushing TDs? Hall of Famer Terrell Davis and possible future Hall of Famer Shaun Alexander.
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