Archive for nfl
Gridiron Draft Picks: Fight Song City!
Posted by: | CommentsThis past weekend, a hard-working crew of gridiron fans/employees from Upper Deck attended the 2010 NFL Players Rookie Premiere Photo Shoot in Los Angeles. The actual photo shoot portion of the weekend’s festivities took place on Saturday, May 22, at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. A total of 35 sought-after college draft picks were on hand to participate, including No. 1 overall selection Sam Bradford of Oklahoma as well as other prized quarterbacks like Tim Tebow (Florida), Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame) and Colt McCoy (Texas). The Upper Deck crew had four items on its agenda for each of the rookies: 1.) Get your photo taken sporting your college team’s jersey; 2.) Sign hundreds of insert cards and sticker labels for upcoming CLC (Collegiate Licensing Company) football products from Upper Deck; 3.) Answer pointed questions on video about your college careers as well as the future plans of UD Spokesman LeBron James; and 4.) Give us your best rendition of your beloved Alma maters’ fight song!
The Upper Deck crew is ready to take on the college draft picks.
The picture-taking portion went off without incident, as did the autograph-signing station where the top-notch players signed more than 17,000 autographs inside of four hours! Believe it or not, close to 11,000 hard-signed Sweet Spot autographed cards were inked. That’s a lot of cards to carry home, folks!
Fresno State's Ryan Mathews was diligent about signing his Upper Deck cards.
But the most entertaining part of Saturday’s agenda was, without a doubt, the “College Football Fight Song” contest where more than 30 of the players gave it the old college try. Some of the players knew their respective fight songs by heart, while others scratched their heads and asked us to sing a few bars to get them going. Truth be told, both players from USC (wide receiver Damian Williams and running back Joe McKnight) nailed it right out of the gate on their first tries. Taylor Price (Ohio) and Rolando McClain (Alabama) needed a little help with cheat sheets, while QBs McCoy, Clausen and Tebow belted their songs out with gusto, each showing plenty of school spirit. The Citadel’s Andre Roberts, a wide receiver, chose not to sing at all, but instead busted out his best dance moves for the video crew to record, while fellow wideout Dexter McCluster (Ole Miss) sang, grooved and added some interesting arm maneuvers (as well as original lyrics) to his rendition for the Rebels faithful. And one player, Nebraska’s 300-pound defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska simply said: “Don’t ask me to sing.” So we didn’t!
Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) was a very efficient singer.
Keep your eyes peeled for a special “College Fight Song” viral video that yours truly is putting together to commemorate the draft picks and their best vocal efforts that will be debuting on YouTube and Upper Deck’s Diamond Vision site shortly. The overall winner will be announced just as soon as the video hits!
2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow out of Florida had his Gator Fight Song down pat.
Upper Deck’s first CLC-centric football product will be Sweet Spot Football, which is scheduled to hit store shelves in late August.
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2010 NFL Draft Preview: Jimmy Clausen
Posted by: | CommentsPlayer: Jimmy Clausen
Position: Quarterback
College: Notre Dame
Projected Draft Position: Top 15
Quarterbacks are always the focus of the draft, regardless of whether or not top talent is present. This year, there is an influx of QB talent; like many years previous, there are a lot of teams near the top of the first round that want them. Sam Bradford has largely been considered the top QB prospect ever since a dramatic improvement to his body structure, but previously it was all Jimmy Clausen, all the time.
Clausen was widely regarded as the best NFL ready QB at mid-season during 2009, with Jake Locker, Colt McCoy and Bradford all in the mix as well. Because he played in a pro-style offense, had vast improvement from his sophomore season to his junior, and had the body to do it, scouts were all over him. Once Locker decided to go back for his senior year and both Bradford and McCoy went down with injuries, Clausen stood alone at the top. After reviewing his stats for 2009, it’s quite easy to see why he is favored to go at the top of the first round, passing with a near 70% completion rate, 28 touchdowns and a miniscule 4 interceptions.
Of the teams drafting in the top ten, there are many likely landing spots for Clausen (though defensive and offensive line talent may prevent teams from taking a chance on a QB with other hugely talented prospects available). Seattle has a shot at taking him to play behind an aging Matt Hasselbeck who has struggled as of late. Despite their need, Seattle needs RB help more than anything, which could put the Bills on the clock with Clausen on the board at ninth. Buffalo may have Trent Edwards, but Edwards isn’t the kind of player you build your team around. Therefore, adding a player like Clausen could solve a lot of problems. Lastly, there is no way Clausen falls past Minnesota at 30, as Brett Favre is only one year away from retirement in a best case scenario. In all likelihood, I count ten picks out of 32 where Clausen can fit, and one team (Seattle) has two shots at him if necessary. Even Arizona at 26 has a need with Warner on the way out.
Because Clausen is a top prospect and a QB, collectors will have no problem chasing him throughout the card year. QB’s naturally command higher value, and he will not be an exception to this rule. Factoring in that he attended Notre Dame adds another level to his collectability thanks to the number of fans the school has. He will also have the possibility of dropping further into the first round and allowing for a better team to select him, thus adding more potential to a typically rough development in the league. If he is drafted by a team like Arizona or Minnesota, expect a situation similar to Joe Flacco, who has shown amazing superstar potential due to being on a great team.
Upper Deck will make players like Jimmy Clausen a focus in the beginning of 2010, along with many of the other elite prospects for upcoming releases. 2010 Sweet Spot Football will be back with a new style and a new face, but will still feature elements collectors have loved for years. It will feature players like Clausen, Sam Bradford, Ndamukong Suh, Colt McCoy and others, all on hard signed custom helmet cards. Sweet Spot will also debut players like Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees in his Purdue garb, and Hall of Famer Dan Marino in his Pittsburgh uniform for all the collectors out there who follow their favorite schools.
Check back here at UpperDeckBlog.com for more draft profiles leading up to the 2010 NFL Draft on April 22!
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% [?]
McNabb Decision Looms Large for Eagles
Posted by: | CommentsWhat’s in store for Donovan McNabb? That seems to be the question that everyone wants to know the answer to. Recently, there has been much talk over the Philadelphia Eagles taking trade offers for star quarterback. This isn’t the first time the Eagles have had to consider the future of their QB: except this time, talks seem to be a lot more serious. Here are some reasons why the Eagles may trade McNabb:
Free Agency – At the end of the 2010 NFL season, all three of the Eagles’ quarterbacks will become free agents. The team cannot possibly satisfy the needs of all three: McNabb, Kevin Kolb, and Michael Vick. This poses a big threat to Kolb, a young quarterback who many Philadelphia fans see as the future of their franchise. The Eagles will have to make a decision between him and McNabb pretty soon.
Roster Bonus – Donovan McNabb’s contract certainly plays a role in talks of a trade. He only has one year left on his contract; like many teams who don’t have much of an interest in resigning their players, they’d like to trade them before the contract is up in order to receive something in return. Another huge factor is Donovan’s roster bonus of $6.2 million, which is due on May 5 if he is still an Eagle. In other words, if the Eagles can’t deal McNabb by May 5, 2010, they will owe him $3.5 million guaranteed from his contract, plus the $6.2 from his roster bonus. So if Philadelphia doesn’t find a way to trade him by Cinco de Mayo, we can be always assured that he will stay an Eagle, at least for another year.
Choking – Many Eagles fans, including myself, have severely criticized McNabb for not being able to win the big game. He has taken the Eagles to many winning seasons and playoff appearances, but in his 11-year career has not brought Philadelphia a Super Bowl victory. One of the turning points in this theory that he cannot and will not win the big game was when McNabb threw up in the huddle of Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005. McNabb threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns that game, but also threw three interceptions and the Eagles ended up losing to the New England Patriots, 24-21.
So now the question becomes: if McNabb is traded, when and where will he go?
Well, it is possible that we could see a deal for McNabb happen all the way into the end of April, at the 2010 NFL Draft. The Eagles have said they want a top 42 pick in the package for McNabb. No offers have been very serious at this point, but as May 5 approaches closer and closer, we should see even more details emerge.
Who is in the hunt for Donovan? Here’s a look at the main candidates.
Oakland Raiders – The Raiders, who seemed fixated with developing Jamarcus Russell into their star quarterback, may have had enough. Russell has not turned out to be the player that everyone hoped for, and Oakland’s passing game has been among the worst in the NFL over the past couple of years. As of today, they go into the 2010 NFL season with Russell, Charlie Frye, and Bruce Gradkowski as their three QBs. Those aren’t exactly the kind of guys you look for when trying to build your franchise back up. The Raiders also have two picks in the upcoming draft within the top 42 picks, and have even made it clear they are willing to part with cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha in the bid for McNabb.
St. Louis Rams – Back in February, the Rams were one of the first teams to talk to the Eagles regarding trades for their quarterbacks (including McNabb). The Rams also have the 1st pick in the upcoming draft, so they may look to draft Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. However, if they decide not to, they could make a run for McNabb because they too haven’t quite found their guy at QB.
Buffalo Bills – The Bills are another team that fits the criteria of needing a great quarterback and having a couple of top 42 picks to give up for McNabb. They have expressed some interest in McNabb lately, however they are a little cautious about it because he is due $11 million in 2010, and is 33 years old. They aren’t sure about spending all that money for one season, and if they are going to give him a contract extension to a long-term deal, they don’t feel that would be the best since McNabb turns 34 this season.
Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings are most likely not a big candidate to land Donovan McNabb. Brett Favre has not officially stated whether or not he is coming back to play again in 2010, but if he decides to retire, that could open up the door. Donovan expressed interest in going to Minnesota earlier in the week, even though the Eagles have said that they don’t really care what McNabb wants.
This McNabb deal may be a little more complicated than people are shooting for it to be, but in my opinion, I think that the Eagles would be doing the right thing if they trade him. A lot of young quarterbacks have become stars in the NFL after taking over for a veteran QB who has been released, traded, or injured (i.e. Phillip Rivers, Tony Romo, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers). I think it’s time for Philadelphia to move on and try Kevin Kolb on the last year of his contract. At the end of the year, if the Eagles don’t see him as the player they hoped he would become, then they can move on again. Who knows, maybe that could mean Michael Vick’s time to return to being a starter.
Richie Sliwinski, 14, is a young card collector who enjoys playing, watching, and talking about sports, hanging out with friends, going on the computer . . . and of course, collecting cards! He has been featured in Beckett Sports Card Monthly, Sports Illustrated for Kids, and was a kid blogger for Upper Deck Kids.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Exquisite Football 2009 Hits Shelves Today!
Posted by: | CommentsYou’ve seen us recap the history.
You’ve seen us review the exciting rookie class for the product.
You’ve even seen us packout the cards live on Facebook and Twitter.
The only thing left to do? Go out there and get your hands on a pack of the legendary product!
Exquisite Football 2009 hits store shelves today, and we’re excited to see it finally get into the hands of collectors. It’s always a big day when the big product arrives in stores, and we’re sure this year’s edition will carry on the legacy of quality and collectibility that comes with the Exquisite brand.
Click here to find a hobby store near you, and call to see if they have Exquisite on their shelf. Once you start cracking these high-end packs, make sure you post your hits to our Facebook page to show us your big pulls!
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Overtime Rules Change For NFL Playoffs
Posted by: | CommentsI remember watching the NFL championship game at the end of last season, and being less than thrilled that the high powered offense of the Vikings never made it onto the field during overtime. After Favre threw the pick to end regulation, the Saints took the overtime kickoff and marched deep into Vikings territory to kick a field goal and end the game. One of the best offenses in the league didn’t even get a shot to secure themselves a trip to Miami, and a lot of fans were angry. Since the game highlighted a trend in overtime wins for teams that only manage a field goal, the NFL competition committee set out to change the rules for the upcoming year’s playoffs.
On Tuesday, the NFL announced that the new rules had been adopted, and I took it as a potential game-changer come playoff time. Basically, if a playoff game ends in a tie, the coin toss will happen as usual. If the receiving team scores a touchdown in any way, the game is over – sudden death style. If the receiving team only kicks a field goal, the other team will have a shot to get on the field and score. The rules are only in effect for the playoffs, and regular season games are still subject to similar rules.
Despite the fact that the Vikings could have benefitted from this rule, they were actually one of four teams to vote against the measure. As a reason for voting against the change, the teams cited equality of wins from teams who took the kickoff to start the extra frame. What many failed to see was that for all games, the 50/50 split of winners is correct, but not since the kickoffs were moved back. Since teams began kicking from the 30, more than 55% of winning teams took the overtime kickoff. This also may be a result of more accurate kickers and better players on offense, but the fact still remains that the overtime rules favored the team who gets the ball. Thanks to the new rule change, there is a failsafe.
Is it a sure thing that the Vikings would have gotten to Miami had the rules been different? Not at all, but they would have at least had a chance. I think the new rules should support more balanced ends to the games that count, although I believe they should have taken it much further. With such a short season, I think it should have been adopted league wide to prevent cheaper wins than the new rules allow. I also think they should eventually move closer to the way college football does it, to promote equal chances that are not based on a random flip of a coin.
Overall, rule changes are always polarizing, especially in some sports. This particular rule should not affect many games, but when it does, I have a feeling the fans will get exactly what they want.
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% [?]
