Have Every 2013 NFL Rookie....So Far

I received my first Dion Sims card in the mail today:

2013 Score

With this, I am now up to date with having every MSU  2013 NFL rookie that has cards released.  The list includes: Johnny Adams, Le'veon Bell and Sims.  I am hoping that will be a Will Gholston coming out this year.  Never a guarantee with him being a mid round defensive player.
Also, Sims is now my 202nd MSU football player that I have a card, 149 of them have played a game in the NFL.

Thanks Bro!

I received a package of MSU Spartan cards in the mail yesterday from my brother.  Here is some of the highlights:
A couple Kirk Cousins rookie cards:

2012 SP Authentic

2012 Topps Platinum

My first ever Le'veon Bell card (he will fit in nicely between Anthony Bell and Myron Bell in the binder):

2013 Press Pass

and for hoops, a Draymond Green Panini Past and Present rookie card. (I love the story of his first NBA points on the back)

Last Time vs Youngstown St

The last time MSU played Youngstown St was the 2011 season opener.   MSU won the game by the score of 28-6.  One of the stars of the game was senior wide receiver B.J. Cunningham.

2012 Upper Deck #59

He had nine receptions and 130 yards with a touchdown also.  By the end of the game, his nine receptions tied Matt Trannon for the all time lead in MSU for receptions at 148.   Cunningham is the current all time leader at MSU with 218 receptions and 3,086 receiving yards.

2007 Playoff Prestige #220

It gives me a chance to show you a B.J. Cunningham and Matt Trannon rookie card that I own.

2013 MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees

Today is the ceremonies for the inductions of the new members of MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. They are: former volleyball star Jenna Wrobel, football player and coach Hank Bullough,

2000 Press Pass Autograph

Morris Peterson(1995-2000): One of the Flintstones, an All-American and the leading scorer on the 2000 National Championship team.

2002-03 Bowman #118

Ryan Miller(1999-02): 2001 Hobey Baker winner and holds the NCAA record with 26 career shutouts. Finished his career with a 73-19-12 record and a goals against average of 1.54

1990 Collegiate Collection #144

Kip Miller(1987-1990) 1990 Hobey Baker winner. Led nation in scoring as a junior and senior. 

Domata Peko

Keeping up with the theme of current or future Spartans with family members who played at MSU prior. I will give you another.  Current offensive lineman Fou Fonoti is the cousin of former gridiron stars, Tupe and Domata Peko.

2011 Bengals Season Ticket renewal set

Domata Peko was a starting defensive lineman and one of the few bright spots on defense during John L. Smith's tenure at MSU.  Biggest highlight is his fumbe recovery for a touchdown against Michigan in 2005:

He, currently,  has been a fixture on the Cincinnati Bengal defensive line since being drafted by them in 2006.  Despite having his own bobblehead as a Bengal, he has no mainstream NFL card. His only card I could find is a six card set as a part of season ticket renewal package.
Domata's older brother, Tupe, was a starting offensive lineman for MSU in 1999-2000 and went on to play for Indianapolis Cots for three years.

Jim Morrissey

In my last post, I mentioned that Byron Bullough has verbally committed to play for MSU starting in the fall of 2014.  He is not the only son of a former Spartan star to announce his commitment to MSU.  Joining Bullough in the class is Matt Morrissey.  He is the son of former MSU linebacker Jim Morrissey

1991 Upper Deck

The elder Morrissey was a linebacker from 1981-84 and made an All-Big Ten team.   He went on to play for nine seasons in the NFL, mostly for the Chicago Bears.  He was a part of the Chicago Bears Super Bowl 1986 championship team.

Morrissey also is the last Chicago Bear to wear #51 before retiring it for good in honor of Dick Butkus.  Also of note, Matt's older sister, Anna, is a member of MSU's womens basketball team.

Bulloughs

This fall, the MSU football team is lead by captain Max Bullough on defense and will feature his brother, Riley, as a running back.  They are not the only Bulloughs to play football at MSU.

2003 TK Legacy #7  #8  #6

Their father, Shane, was a star linebacker from 1983-86 and earned All-Big Ten and Academic All American honors.
Uncle Chuck was also a linebacker and starred from 1988-1991.  He also won All-Big Ten honors during his tenure at MSU.  Chuck played briefly in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins.
Grandfather, Hank, is the patriarch of the family tradition.  He played from 1952-54 as a guard. He helped lead MSU to their undefeated national championship season of 1952.  Later he would become MSU's defensive coordinator during 1965-66 national championship seasons at MSU.  He also became a defensive coordinator in the NFL and had a brief stint as a head coach for the Buffalo Bills.
Not pictured(because he doesn't have a card) is Bobby Morse. He is an uncle of Riley and Max.  He was a running back during the 80s.  Longtime Spartan fans will always remember his punt return touchdown at Michigan in 1984 that helped propel MSU to a victory.  Morse played several seasons in the NFL as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints.
One other note, Max and Riley's younger brother, Byron, has verbally committed to play for MSU beginning in 2014.

T.J. Turner 2001 Bowman

Through the first two games of MSU's 2013 football season, sophomore defensive end Shilique Calhoun has scored three touchdowns.  He is the first defensive player to score three touchdowns in one season since T.J. Turner in 1999.

2001 Bowman #263

During Turner's junior year of 1999, he scored two touchdowns on fumble recoveries and the other on a pass interception.   The interception was off of future Super Bowl MVP and Purdue quarterback Drew Brees and was ran back for 88 yards to the endzone.
Later, Turner was a seventh round pick of New England Patriots and played in two games for them during the 2001 season.

Kevin Vickerson 2005 Upper Deck Sweet Spot

Tonight is the opening of the NFL season. It matches up the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.  The only Spartan on the active roster between the two team is defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson of the Broncos.

05 UD Sweet Spot #145

He has been a starter for several years now for Denver after being originally drafted by Miami Dolphins. Mostly because former MSU coach Nick Saban was the Dolphins coach at the time. He was a member of Miami's practice squad and then worked on his craft in NFL Europe.  Vickerson made his NFL debut with the Tennessee Titans soon after before becoming a Bronco.
Couple other notes.  This is Vickerson's only trading card.  Also running back Edwin Baker is on Denver's practice squad currently.

My Super Spartan Collection

Before I go any farther with this blog, I probably should give you some background on how I started my MSU collection, some highlights of it and my main focus of it.
I grew up as a big baseball fan and baseball card collector. My younger brother focused more on football and still have each as own favorite.  All this time growing up, I was always a fan of Michigan State University and watched the teams almost on a religious basis.
As I was collecting baseball cards, I tried to complete sets and accumulate as much as I can of others. But the plentiful wax of the late 80s and early 90s turned more into limited edition/higher costs sets. I, then shifted my focus on MSU players. Trying to get as much different cards of all the different players who played at MSU in all four major sports.
Buddy of mine I met while at MSU did the same. Together we cross referenced media guides/set checklists, etc. and came up with a database of cards of MSU players. We search high and low, near and far for all Spartans.
My collection now includes 38 different baseball players 25 of which played in Majors. 57 different basketball players (32 NBA players), 202 different football including 149 NFLers, plus others from CFL, Arena League and NFL Europe and 92(69 NHLers) hockey players.  I have a trading card of every Spartan who played in NHL except for one( Jim Cunningham played for Flyers in one game in late 70s and has no cards).  All of this takes up nine full 3-D ring binders and have autographs and jersey cards among.
Other highights include:  Autographed mini football helmets of Kirk Gibson and Bubba Smith.  Tom Izzo's first two Big Ten Championship team signed schedule posters, Magic Johnson signed book and a NBA program signed by Terry Furlow from the 70s. Also have the program and ticket stub from the 2001 Cold War hockey game vs Michigan.
Today, with amount of different sets and high priced inserts, I stopped focusing on ALL MSU cards.  I try to get the new pros each year and look for guys who has been in the professional ranks who has yet to be on a trading card. I also like to get cards when they are on new teams and possibly, at least one per year.  Sorta like following their careers through trading cards.  Plus whatever else that tickles my fancy.

My Most Valued Spartan Card

I have been asked before what is my most valued Michigan State card.  It usually means more of a monetary value, but to me, it has more sentimental reasons.

1996 Pacific NFL Regime #32

Mill Coleman was a star wide receiver for MSU during the early 90s after playing quarterback in high school.  During his time at Farmington Hills Harrison, he won a state title and broke career state passing records. But before his days at Harrison High he was a classmate/friend/baseball teammate in Albion, Michigan of mine.  Yes, I have a professional trading card of a childhood friend. Pretty cool, isn't it?
While at MSU, Coleman caught over hundred passes over his career before a season ending knee injury midway through his senior season.
Professionally, he was a member of the Chicago Bears practice squad and later played for CFL's Montreal Alouettes.  Another knee injury ended his football playing days and now he helps run a football camp in the Detroit area.