The Cardinals On The Trade Prowl

In what may be Matt Leinart’s final game in an Arizona Cardinal’s uniform, the team decided to take the field in their new alternative black jerseys. While Leinart looked good in the uniform his performance on the field was the culmination of his 4 years here in the desert. His game consisted of 2 series, a 3-and-out and then a drive that picked up 2 first downs but then died. His stats for the game: 3/5 for 14 yards. Ok, the question no longer is "Did we waste a draft pick?" but now "What can we get for him?"

Some of the teams mentioned in the rumor mill include New York Giants, Buffalo Bills and Oakland Raiders. I think Oakland would be a horrible fit, to much would be expected of him and if he can not produce he will fall in to line as another failed Raider project. Buffalo might not be bad because the QB situation is up for grabs, there are plenty of receivers and CJ Spiller will draw off the defense. New York would be a blessing and a curse for Leinart. He could fall quietly in to the backup position where nothing is expected of him, the problem is the NYC nightlife. To often we have seen Leinart in questionable positions. I put him in a class with Tony Romo, more interested in who they are doing off the field in comparison to how they are doing on the field.

Now tell me, what do you think of the Cards alternative jersey? I like it because it is classical but still modern in design. Here is a picture of Adrian Wilson modeling the jersey from when the Cards released the images back in April.

Come On!

Really? This is the best Topps could do? This is completely just another attempt by Topps to add another Strasburg autograph in to an over-saturated Stras market already. How close are we to seeing floating head cards again?

Once Again I Give You JaMarcus Russell

JaMarcus Russell has his name in the news again after getting arrested yesterday in Mobile, Alabama for possession of a controlled substance, supposedly codeine syrup without a prescription. When you consider some other professional athletes have returned to the field/court after making bigger mistakes and even doing prison time, this is not something that can be overcome. The problem is that Russell is known for his laziness and lack of commitment on the field. That is something that will not be overlooked by most teams not to mention collectors. It makes me wonder if any team will actually pick him up even as a 3rd stringer or practice squad.

Doing a quick search of the bay and you can find around 1,700 JaMarcus Russell cards, scan through the pages and you will find no more then 6-8 total bids out of all of those auctions. You can get rookie cards for under a buck and most jersey and autograph cards are realistically posted under $5 each. You almost feel sorry for the people that were dropping hundreds of dollars on his cards back in 2007, sadly enough there are people still posting his 2007 Finest and Exquisite autographs up for auction at prices that they were selling for 3 years ago.

A true tale of caution for collectors, ability will always work out better then draft position.

Ryan Leaf, Bust Or Busted?

RyanLeaf
Originally uploaded by Jumper48

Go back in time to April 17, 1998, the day before the NFL Draft was to begin. The Colts held the first pick and the Cardinals held the #2 pick with the Chargers at the #3 pick. Two Quarterbacks stood out among the draft and every NFL executive wondered how the draft was going to play out. Some evaluators had Leaf as the #1 pick, but in the end the Colts selected Peyton Manning with the first pick, which has panned out to an amazing career and an almost certain lock on the Hall of Fame.

My story follows the second pick, Ryan Leaf. The Chargers were so certain of Leaf’s greatness that they actually traded two First Round picks, a Second Round pick, a back-up Linebacker and Running Back Eric Metcalf, who had just played in the Pro-Bowl. How many collectors stocked up on Leaf rookie cards? Bought up Leaf autographs and stored them away for a rainy day? Sought out and paid big bucks for a dime sized jersey swatch jammed in to a horribly designed card.

April 14, 2010, almost 12 years to the day since Leaf was drafted with the #2 pick by the San Diego Chargers. He is not sitting at home in an easy chair remembering his heyday in the NFL, he is not sitting in a gym working out in anticipation for his 12th NFL season, instead he is sitting in a court room in Amarillo, Texas. Leaf just pleaded guilty to 8 felony drug charges and is waiting for his punishment to be decided. In the end he is sentenced to 10 years of probation and a $20,000 fine, a pretty big hit for someone who now sells time-shares and vacation packages.

You can find a couple of hundred Ryan Leaf cards up for auction, roughly 300 at the time that I am writing this, ranging from 1 penny to $73.50 and there are a only 2 bids for a grand total of $1.00 out of all of those auctions. What could have been a decent career has turned in to a blooper reel of immaturity and poor decisions.

As a Post Script, Brian Griese was selected in the 3rd Round and Matt Hasselbeck was selected in the 6th Round both would have given a better return for the Chargers.

Jake's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

I was watching the Cowboys vs. Bucs game this morning, and while I was wondering if Tony Romo will ever live up to the hype I caught a “highlight” of the Eagles vs. Panthers game.

What happened to Jake Delhomme today? If today is a sign of things to come, his better years are well behind him now. Delhomme went an abysmal 7/17; 73 yards and 4 interceptions plus 1 fumble lost. That equates to a 14.7 Passing Rating, a miserable outing on any level. Carolina may be in for a very long season if this keeps up and a sudden down turn in the value of his cards will surely follow.