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.