A Panini Redemption, and it’s a Bear!

One more Panini redemption down and one more to go.  Come on Panini America, you can do it!  Get it done!  Get those busy athletes that don’t care about sports cards to sign their autographs on a sheet filled with little 1 3/4″ x 5/8″ stickers.  They love it.  Tuned in to the latest Rick Ross song bumping through their beats by Dre headphones.  C’MON PANINI!

Initially when i pulled this redemption of Jeffery, I wasn’t too excited.  He a Gamecock and I’ve always been partial to the Clemson Tigers.  I was born in South Carolina and all of my family is from there, so I picked the Tigers at a young age and never looked back.  Now that Spurrier is coaching the cocks, i have even more dislike for them…Spurrier…yuck…Clowney is pretty awesome though.  And so was Jeffery this past season.

12 PC Alshon Jeffery Autograph Rookie Ticket

In hindsight, this is actually a pretty decent hit.  Unfortunately though, there isn’t a serial number on the card.  It’s just a regular ol’ autograph on a nice card.  Seeing the high quality of Jeffery’s auto, i can’t imagine it took him too long to get his pen on the sticker.

Quick stats.  This card was redeemed on February 23, 2013 and it was pulled from my mailbox on February 5, 2014.  Nearly a year, but not quite…348 days to be exact.  Way to go Panini, keep those customers happy.  Just for the record, i haven’t picked up any packs or boxes from Panini since last summer and I haven’t really missed it.

I apologize for sounding too negative, but the redemption thing in this hobby really needs to end.  Of all the frustration this hobby brings on its collectors with parallels, topps control of the mlb contract and high price ‘hits’, the redemption is the most annoying.  Waiting nearly a year to get one of your guaranteed hits from a box is simply ridiculous.

Top 12 All Time Redskins: Stephen Davis

Trying to get back on track with my Top 12’s.  It’s been a few months since i posted a new player…i guess i just wanted to sit on Santana Moss a little longer than most.  Next up at #7 is Mr. Stephen Davis.  I can’t believe i’m doing this, but i’m gonna post a video of Davis as a Panther.  I apologize for the music…nickelback…i am so so sorry.

This might possibly be the oddest top 12 Redskin on the list.  When most people think of Davis, they probably imagine him running behind Jake Delhomme and not Brad Johnson.  His Redskins career was shorter than it really should have been and if i recall correctly, this was due mostly to a contract dispute.  The Redskins thinking he was another replaceable guy at running back at the end of his career and Davis knowing he had some yards left…well, the Redskins were wrong on this one (and many others, i know) as he made a Super Bowl appearance with the Panthers in his first season with them.

96 SC Stephen Davis

One of the things that i loved about Davis was his powerful running and bulldozing style, very similar to the Diesel, but also a great way to shorten your career.  Davis’ pounding running style was a major force for the 1999 Redskin team that won the NFC East and were a bobbled snap from playing the Rams in the NFC championship game…

96 SB Stephen Davis

Another point of interest for me and Stephen Davis is that he is from Spartanburg, South Carolina!  My pops and all his family are from Spartanburg and with me being born in Myrtle Beach, I’m always drawn to football talent from SC.  Although i’m more of a Tigers fan than an Gamecocks fan, i can respect Clowney.  Good thing Davis went to Auburn.  As a side note, Auburn’s architectural design/build program, the Rural Studio is a fantastic group of young architects doing great things in rural Alabama and Mississippi.  Wish i could have been a part of that program when i was an undergrad.

96 PP Stephen Davis

Not much to add about Davis, other than i just loved the way he played.  Loved the mashers…kind of reminds me of Alfred Morris.  And the beat goes on!

00 UD Stephen Davis

if you are still reading…this music is so so much better.