Archive for 2009 NFL Rookies
2009 Offensive Rookie of the Year: Percy Harvin
Posted by: | CommentsPer NFL.com, Percy Harvin will be named offensive Rookie of the Year for the 2009 season. Much like yesterday’s announcement of Brian Cushing’s award, Harvin was also expected to walk away with top honors, so there were no surprises when the award was determined. He has truly been one of the more important additions to a team that desperately needed some receiver help, and thanks to Brett Favre’s tutelage, he has exceeded expectations to the fullest.
Without question, Harvin had some demons coming out of college, and was not expected to be a top pick once the draft rolled around. He tested positive for a banned substance at the combine, which led teams to drop him on their boards out of fear for repeat abuses. Vikings coach Brad Childress visited him in Florida before the draft, and became determined to have him on his team. The Vikings drafted him at number 22, and the rest is history.
This year, Harvin caught 60 passes for 750 yards with six touchdowns, including over 125 yards on the ground as well. He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, leading him to a season average of 27 yards per return that put him at number two all time for the Vikings. He was recently named to the Pro Bowl as the NFC’s kick returner, being the only offensive rookie to earn his way onto the team.
For Vikings collectors like me, it’s become tougher to collect Harvin’s stuff because his value has spiked so much due to his production. Considering that the Purple already have a large fan base, it also creates a lot of competition among people who want his cards. I have done pretty well, regardless of the other collectors, and here are a few of my favorites for the year.
When 2009 Upper Deck football came out early in the year, I was immediately excited for the chance to pull the Premier cards seeded at one per case. Harvin’s card is absolutely amazing, and still one of the most valuable cards of the year so far. It is also extremely rare at forty copies, which makes one of the rarest of the year as well. The card features an autograph, four swatches of player worn jersey, and a great design that fits well with the awesome picture.
I also love his National Chicle mini out of 2009 Philadelphia, as the painted look of the card is beyond awesome. If you are fortunate enough to get an autographed parallel, I envy you very much. The auto versions are hard signed by Percy on the card, and he has even included some creative inscriptions like “Wildcat” and “See you next year Tebow!” on a few selected ones.
Lastly, I would check out his rookie card out of 2009 Upper Deck, as it is one of the better pictures of the year. It is shot from an angle that you don’t usually see on a card, which is why this card looks so awesome. When the set was first released, I immediately jumped on this card, as I was enthralled by the way it looks. It may not feature an autograph or a jersey swatch, but it is still one of my favorite cards of the entire year.
If this year is any indication, Percy Harvin will be a star in the NFL for years to come. I was skeptical at first about him wearing a Vikings uniform, but he has earned my respect without a doubt. He plays each down with ferocious tenacity, punishing defenders who try to stop him at every turn. Teammate Adrian Peterson has already dubbed him “Little Phenom” for his ability on the field, though I don’t think Peterson is even prepared for the potential Harvin has. Peterson was named Rookie of the Year in 2007 himself, and I would think he has a pretty good grasp of what it takes to be successful. Fortunately for Vikings fans like me, we are going to get to see what he is talking about for many more seasons to come.
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!)
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2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year: Brian Cushing
Posted by: | CommentsPer a number of league sources, Brian Cushing has been named the defensive Rookie of the Year for the 2009 season (an award he was expected to win). He becomes the seventh linebacker in a row to win it, with Jerod Mayo winning last year and Patrick Willis in 2007. Cushing was absolutely ridiculous for the Texans this season, racking up an AFC leading 135 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions, proving he is definitely worthy of the honor.
He is also the second Texans player to win it since 2006, when DeMeco Ryans was the honoree after a similar season. Cushing has been flying around the ball all year, putting up stats usually reserved for players like Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher. He was also recently named to the AFC Pro Bowl team, something that doesn’t usually happen for rookies in this league. Aside from Jarius Byrd of the Buffalo Bills (also a Rookie of the Year contender), he was the only first year player to be named.
Although Cushing’s cards have not brought the same value as some of the quarterbacks and receivers this year, collectors have embraced his potential head on. His cards have been some of the most valuable from the defensive side of the ball, and should be for a long time to come. Cushing did not attend the NFL rookie premiere, but has many cards and autographs I would definitely take a look at regardless if you are a USC team collector, or a Texans fan.
The first I would go after is his recent rookie autograph out of 2009 UD Black. The card is hard signed by the player and looks absolutely stunning. Cushing is pictured in his USC jersey, which should make this card even more attractive to the many people out there who chase players from the Linebacker factory in Southern California.
Secondly, his rookie card out of 2009 Upper Deck is a perfect one to go after if you are looking for Cushing in his Texans jersey. The picture is exactly what I would expect from a guy like him, mainly his look of focused and frightening execution.
Lastly, I would not hesitate to pick up his rookie autograph out of 2009 SPx, as it will surely be one of the more expensive ones as time moves on. SPx has long been known for its rookie card checklist, and Cushing’s card does not disappoint. It is both serial numbered and rare, and features him again in his Texans uniform. It won’t cost you more than the price of a DVD, which is why it is an affordable way to get in on the ground floor for a player with tremendous potential.
As a person who appreciates what the Linebackers bring to the team, I can assure you that Cushing has what it takes to be a star for years to come. Teams have already started directing the ball away from him, despite the fact that he was a rookie this year. His size and speed will make it difficult to accomplish that avoidance, and with DeMeco Ryans playing along side him, this will not be the only winning season for the Texans franchise.
Check back for further announcements on the NFL regular season awards, as unlike Major League Baseball, they are usually announced very quickly after the season is done. The MVP and Offensive Rookie of the Year should be tight races, especially with the way certain guys have stepped up or down in the last weeks of the season.
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!)
Popularity: 3% [?]
Rookie of the Week: Week 15 – Mike Wallace
Posted by: | CommentsIf winning free cards isn’t enough motivation to get you to enter the codes from the back of your 2009 Upper Deck rookie cards, there will be an added bonus each week for one participant who guesses the Rookie of the Week. As part of the Own the Rookies promotion, one lucky collector will take home an autographed football signed by all of the top 2009 rookies present at the Rookie Premiere. That means authentic signatures from Mark Sanchez, Matt Stafford, Percy Harvin, and all of the other rookies on one awesome football. To the collectors who picked Mike Wallace this week, you have the chance to win one ridiculously cool prize!
One of the most exciting reasons to collect NFL rookie cards is that you get to watch their values spike if the player performs well on the field. To help capture that excitement, Upper Deck launched a new website to help collectors not just track 2009 NFL rookie cards, but also to make predictions on which rookie would have the best week at OwnTheRookies.com.
Collectors who successfully guess Upper Deck’s “Rookie of the Week” will be entered into a drawing to win a box of 2009 NFL trading cards. For catching two touchdown passes, as well as the game winner as time expired, Mike Wallace has won this week’s top rookie honor. If you entered codes from Wallace’s cards last week, stay tuned to the website to see if you are a winner!
We have come to the end of another week, and yet again, we have another great performance by a rookie wide receiver. I love it. To have this many standout rookies in one season is great for the NFL, and even better for the people who collect sports cards. It only further solidifies that any rookie someone can pull in a pack has the chance to be a star on the field. If you don’t believe me, look back over the last 15 weeks for proof. There have been rookies from the first round, rookies from the later rounds, quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and others. Its been a great season so far, and I don’t see it letting up any time soon.
This week in the closing seconds of the Steelers’ win over the Packers, Mike Wallace became the second rookie to catch a game-winning TD pass. Wallace already caught a long touchdown earlier in the game, and his catch to end it was epic, to say the least. This isn’t the first time Wallace has had late game heroics either, as in week one, Wallace caught a key pass in overtime to set the Steelers up for a game-winning field goal. This time the heroics came in the last seconds, Wallace just barely getting his second foot down in the endzone before tumbling out of bounds. He left the Packers’ defense stunned, but after seeing Wallace play this year, it shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise.
Much like other Upper Deck rookie-of-the-week winners like Mohammed Massaquoi and Louis Murphy, Wallace was drafted later in the third round of the draft, behind almost ten other wide receivers. That hasn’t stopped him from performing at the top of his game, catching five TD passes over the course of the season and averaging 17.9 yards per catch. He has been a great addition as a number three guy behind Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes, playing mostly out of the slot. He was drafted for his speed and hands out of Ole Miss, and that has panned out completely for Pittsburgh. In fact, without his recent catch, Pittsburgh may have had a one-way ticket to sitting in front of the TV in January.
Wallace was also selected to be a part of the 2009 Rookie Premiere, which is the reason he has been featured on a great selection of cards from the year. Wallace’s cards have attained some of the top values of the rookie class due to his production, and this past week should be quite helpful in raising that value past expectations. My favorite card of his so far is the Rookie Threads dual jersey card from this year’s SP Threads set. This one is beyond awesome due to the use of an acetate element in the card, as well as having two player worn swatches and low numbering. The photo of Wallace is extremely dynamic, and it complements the interesting composition of the acetate and swatch parts of the card.
I’m also a big fan of his SPX jersey auto, as it is always one of the more valuable cards of the year. Even with SP Authentic and Ultimate Collection on the horizon, this card will hold its own due to how much collectors embrace the SPX brand, and because the gold background works so well with the Steelers’ team colors. It also has an autograph and three player worn swatches, making this a display-worthy addition to your Wallace collection.
Lastly, for the Ole Miss fans out there, you can’t go wrong with his base autograph out of the recent UD Black release. The card features a hard-signed signature as well as a cool photo of Wallace in his Ole Miss uniform and has been fetching a pretty penny on eBay since its release. The card is pretty low numbered, and rarity almost always drives price more than one would expect. He also has some other amazing cards on the UD Black checklist, and I would not hesitate to check out some of the dual, triple and quadruple autos that feature him and some of the other wide receivers of the 2009 class.
When it comes to 2009, this is the year of the wide receiver, and if everything continues to shape up as it has, there will be one as the rookie of the year. Wallace definitely has a shot, and as a Pittsburgh Steelers, his fan base is huge. These two factors, along with his talent at the position make him a great investment for anyone looking for a late prospecting target. The Steelers may not make the playoffs when all is said and done, however due to Mike Wallace, they at least still have a shot.
Check in next week for the newest rookie to win “Rookie of the Week” honors, and don’t forget to enter in all your rookie card codes from the Upper Deck products you have collected so far. Not only can you win awesome prizes, but the site has some great features that allow you to track rookies and their cards this season!
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!)
Popularity: 4% [?]
2009 Rookie of the Year Candidates
Posted by: | CommentsThe NFL season is winding down, and the playoff picture is starting to come into focus. I have followed the rookies for the whole year on both my site and this one, keeping a close eye on those who stand out as top of the class. With the offensive and defensive Rookie of the Year award, there are a few contenders that are at the forefront of the discussion. Many of these rookies have won at least one of the Upper Deck Rookie of the Week awards, and there are still three weeks left for the others to jump on board.
First, I want to discuss my thoughts on the offensive side of the ball, as these are the players that usually receive the most attention. Each of these candidates has meant a great deal to their team (some of which have even won games single handedly). They’ve also had some of the better rookie seasons in recent memory, and the exclamation point will be on the way for two of them come February.
Percy Harvin
If there is one player that has redefined the word “electrifying” this year, Percy Harvin is him. In addition to catching six TD passes from Brett Favre, he also has run back two kicks for touchdowns as well. He leads all rookies in plays over twenty yards from scrimmage, and has been Favre’s favorite third down target for the whole year. He has also functioned as a running back in some cases, carrying the ball out of the Wildcat and motion formations (some of which went for good yardage). He is pretty much the complete package, but the problem of migraines late in the season may hamper his run for this award. He has already missed one game, and is on track to miss at least one more. Regardless, his odds are still pretty good to come home with the trophy.
Knowshon Moreno
Denver has always been famous for churning out great running backs, and Moreno is no exception. He leads rookie running backs in yards, attempts, yards per carry, touchdowns, and has put together a very nice rookie campaign. Denver started off as one of the three undefeated teams into the middle of the season, and Moreno was a factor in those wins. His five touchdowns are tops on the team, and he is primed for a 1,000 yard season with 837 yards and three weeks to go. Moreno also looks like he will be a force in the years to come, as the Broncos running game has drastically improved with his arrival. His drawbacks are few, but the ones that stick out in my mind are a few key fumbles in key situations. However, this shouldn’t hurt him too much: if Harvin falters and misses the last few games, Moreno is probably the favorite.
Matt Stafford
Before last year, rookie quarterbacks were never expected to put up good seasons due to the time needed to develop into an efficient playmaker. Stafford was drafted by the Lions to take over the reins as soon as possible and has done that effectively. He brought the first two wins in the last two years to the team, one coming on the last play of the game with a hurt shoulder. He also set the rookie record for touchdowns and passing yardage in a single game, making a good case for his winning the award. But the problem with Stafford all season has been injuries, as he missed a number of games with knee and shoulder problems. Stafford has done his best to make us forget those weeks, but at this point he will need some big numbers to convince us that he deserves consideration.
Mark Sanchez
This season has been about as big of a roller coaster as it could be for Sanchez, starting very high and going through some twists and turns. Right now, the roller coaster is probably at its lowest, with Sanchez having missed the last game, but the team record could do a lot more for him when compared to Stafford. Sanchez has also thrown a lot of interceptions, but those came on the back of some great performances early in the season. I’m not sure how much of a chance he has right now, but he still has some time to make his case.
Beanie Wells
Although he started off slow, Wells has slowly become the running man in Arizona, putting up touchdowns in the last few games. He has also performed above expectations with yards per carry average, and has done a very good job in getting the struggling Cardinals running game on track. It used to be that the Cardinals would come in and hit you with the gruesome wide receiver twosome, but now there is an added element with Wells carrying the ball. I like Wells’ potential in years to come . . . but as for Rookie of the Year, he is a longshot.
Hakeem Nicks
I think Hakeem Nicks has quietly put together an awesome rookie season. He leads the rookies in receiving yards and is tied for the lead in touchdown receptions, but hasn’t received the same kind of attention as someone like Harvin. He definitely has a shot if the Giants can put together a nice run to get into the playoffs, but it will take some major convincing to dethrone the people ahead of him.
When it comes to defensive Rookie of the Year, there are really only two names in the discussion, mainly because of how well they have performed in their team’s overall defensive arrangement.
Brian Cushing
Cushing is the only rookie to have put up 100 tackles, and has also had 2.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and a few interceptions. He has truly been a one man wrecking crew, and his credentials are top notch for Defensive ROY. I would say that Cushing is basically the end all and be all of this award, but the overall Texans defense has been less than stellar.
Clay Matthews
Matthews has been a freaking beast for the Packers in their 3-4 defense. He has 8.0 sacks and has put together an awesome season. He may only have 40 tackles, but he did rip away a touchdown from Adrian Peterson when the Packers played the Vikings early in the season. Its going to be him or Cushing, and that is a no doubter.
With that, my picks so far are going to be Percy Harvin and Brian Cushing, but there is still a chunk of season left to play. Many of the rookies are going to be playing on teams that are fighting for their lives, and that may lead to some changes in the rankings. Who knows: once the season comes to an end, we may have someone new altogether.
Also, be sure to continue to enter the codes from all of your favorite Upper Deck cards, as you still have the chance to win great prizes if your code matches the Rookie of the Week. Of course, it couldn’t hurt to bank on these guys, as they are mostly all past winners. You can also win an autographed football of all the rookies who attended the 2009 Rookie Premiere, giving you another reason to diligently follow the Own The Rookies site.
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Popularity: 7% [?]
Rookie of the Week #14: Michael Crabtree
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If winning free cards isn’t enough motivation to get you to enter the codes from the back of your 2009 Upper Deck rookie cards, there will be an added bonus each week for one participant who guesses the Rookie of the Week. As part of the Own the Rookies promotion, one lucky collector will take home an autographed football signed by all of the top 2009 rookies present at the Rookie Premiere. That means authentic signatures from Mark Sanchez, Matt Stafford, Percy Harvin, and all of the other rookies on one awesome football. To the collectors who picked Michael Crabtree this week, you have the chance to win one ridiculously cool prize!
One of the most exciting reasons to collect NFL rookie cards is that you get to watch their values spike if the player performs well on the field. To help capture that excitement, Upper Deck launched a new website to help collectors not just track 2009 NFL rookie cards, but also to make predictions on which rookie would have the best week at OwnTheRookies.com.
Collectors who successfully guess Upper Deck’s “Rookie of the Week” will be entered into a drawing to win a box of 2009 NFL trading cards. Thanks to his great game in a critical situation, Michael Crabtree is Upper Deck’s Rookie of the Week. If you entered codes from Crabtree’s cards last week, stay tuned to the website to see if you are a winner!
First off, I want to say how cool it is to be in week 14 and still have a new rookie to write about. I think that to have a season where close to a dozen or more different rookies have had great games each on different weeks has been a testament to how diverse and talented this class is, all the more reason to enter your codes to get in on the contest for the amazing autographed football mentioned above.
For Michael Crabtree, it has not been a dream season, and that has soured many of the great moments that a rookie will have. Coming into the draft, he was widely thought of as the top receiver available. Some draft boards even had him going as high as number two or three, as his talent was undeniable. However, when a fracture in his foot kept him out of the NFL rookie combine, his stock started to drop. Eventually, he was drafted at number ten by the 49ers, a team elated to have him fall into their laps. They were on cloud nine, but Crabtree wasn’t happy. His low draft spot led to one of the longest holdouts in NFL history, including a few threats that he may try to reenter the draft in 2010.
Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, Crabtree signed, and he has started almost every game since then. The talent that was the most coveted commodity when he came out of college has already started to come through on the field as well. This potential was most recently displayed in his great game against the Cardinals this past Monday, where Crabtree caught five passes for 67 yards and a key TD. Although the Cardinals game was one of the first times that Crabtree looked familiar with his team on the field, his production has been building towards a crescendo. Even with fewer games under his belt, Crabtree has already out-performed Darrius Heyward-Bey, the receiver drafted before him. Plus it is safe to say that if he had avoided the holdout, he would most likely have the best stats of any rookie receiver.
I am expecting that as the season comes to a close, Crabtree will definitely continue to grow in his role with the team. Due to a lack of options in the 49er receiving corps, he will need to play at an elite level for the team to be in the playoff hunt on a regular basis. They play in division where teams like the Cardinals will come into the picture each year, and as long as he plays as well as he did on Monday, the two teams will have a great game twice a year.
As part of the 2009 NFL Rookie Premiere, Crabtree has had lots of cards in Upper Deck products throughout the year. He was also one of the rookies to sign the rookie autographed football, which is great for the lucky person who wins that awesome rock. I have many favorites of him as I think he is a pretty dynamic subject for any card. In fact, his recent card from Upper Deck Black is one of my top ones from the year, as it features a hard-signed signature, as well as an awesome design. The card is also quite rare and valuable, which has led many collectors to chase it for their Crabtree collections.
Crabtree was also a part of the Same Day Signatures set, which features him in his 49ers uniform and is one of the most collectible rookie cards on the market. Also, the card is another hard-signed signature, featuring some very cool inscriptions for both his Texas Tech fans and his Niner fans. These cards were seeded at one per case out of Upper Deck football, and buying the packs could net you some sweet autographed memorabilia if you are playing along with Upper Deck’s holiday hunt!
Lastly, I am in love with his SP Threads future star, die-cut cards. Although the autographed parallels are numbered to only 15 copies, the card reminds me of my younger days of collecting the SP brand from the early nineties. It also features a great photo and is one of the better designs of the year. This card is a retro-style update to those early Upper Deck sets, and if you loved those cards in your childhood as much as I did, this card is for you.
From what I have seen with Crabtree in the limited exposure since week 7, I know that his cards will not be a bad investment at this point whatsoever. The guy, though he had his initial problems, is a complete animal on the field who should continue to be great in his future career with San Francisco. I also think that in terms of his attitude coming out of the hold out, there may not be a better coach to deal with him than “Mr. No-Nonsense” Mike Singletary. Singletary’s ability to wrangle him towards the path of an NFL star is documented over the last few games, and I think that after Monday night, Crabtree is starting to believe as well.
Check in next week for the newest rookie to win “Rookie of the Week” honors, and don’t forget to enter in all your rookie card codes from the Upper Deck products you have collected so far. Not only can you win awesome prizes, but the site has some great features that allow you to track rookies and their cards this season!
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Popularity: 3% [?]
