Sunday Steeler 6-Pack

A new "feature" here on The Real DFG is the Sunday Steeler 6-Pack.  Each Sunday of the NFL season, I will feature 6 random cards from my Pittsburgh Steelers' PC.  There is no rhyme or reason for any of them, just 6 random cards I pull out of one of my many boxes or binders of black and gold (and there are MANY) and maybe a comment or two.

Here We Go!

1971 Topps Andy Russell

One of my favorite Steeler Nation story Russell tells is from a trip he made to Russia for his business.  While shopping at an outdoor mall in Moscow, he found a table of nesting dolls.  This was nothing out of the ordinary, of course, but one in particular caught his attention.  Among the traditional hand carved child toys was one with a familiar black and gold hue.  He had found a Pittsburgh Steelers nesting doll, all the way in Moscow, Russia.  The Steel Curtain...in the former Iron Curtain.  It started with Jack Lambert, then Joe Greene, Franco, Bradshaw, and finally had Lynn Swann.  He recalled,

"There weren't any other football teams or American figures displayed, just this one.  I know there are Steeler fans in every city, but Moscow?"  He laughed, "Swann will be ticked he was the smallest one."

 2001 Bowman Casey Hampton (RC)

"The way I see it, you never know when your last play is going to be.  So you should go hard all the time.  There's no reason to take a play off."   - - Casey Hampton quoted in the Daily Texan, 2000

1996 Donruss Greg Lloyd

One of my top five All-Time favorite Steelers.  Possibly even the top.  Intensity, Ferocity, Relentless Pursuit, Pure Nastiness...That was Greg Lloyd.

2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces Red Border Patch Limas Sweed

Worst draft pick in Steelers history.  There.  I said it. 

1986 Topps John Stallworth

I could have scanned a card in better shape.  But this card is important in my collection.  Not because it's valuable.  Not because it is some "Holy Grail" type card.  Not even because it is part of some sub-collection in my PC.  This is important because I got this card when I was 11 years old and I still have it today.  I have multiple copies of this now.  Maybe even dozens, all in better condition.  But this one, bent corners, scuff marks, worn edges and all, is by far my favorite of all my Stallworths.

1958 Topps Jack Butler

One of the latest Steeler editions to Canton (2012), Butler deservedly went in as a senior member, not only for his accomplishments on the field, but for what he did for football and the NFL.  Jack spent 46 years of his life after an injury forced early retirement in 1959, working as the director of the BLESTO Scouting Combine.  He is responsible for helping in the transition of over 75,000 college athletes over to the pros through the process now known simply as the NFL Combine.  

Random Steeler Monday

This week I realized that as I go through more and more cards of present and former players of my favorite teams, I tend to focus on the negative side of things.  I always have the memories of when a guy dropped a pass, or missed a check, or let in a goal from the blue line, or struck out, or missed a throw at home, or fumbled, or...well you get the idea.  Despite all the great memories I have had being a Pittsburgh sports fan, the negativity always trickles in to put a damper on things.  That's why I have decided that starting today, I am going to keep doing things the same way I always have.

Negativity breeds productivity; productivity breeds victory.  I don't know if I just made that up or not but it makes perfect sense.  The doom and gloom attitude has always been a source of motivation and success for me since it always seem to make me want more.  The more I want, the harder I work.  The harder I work, the better I get.  The better I get, the more I succeed.  You see the logic here?  Some would argue that all negativity leads to depression and defeat and that may be true for some.  But in sports, isn't it the team that lost always the one with that chip that motivates and pushes them to try harder so they can get over that hurdle?

Okay so now I am rambling.  Getting to the Random Steeler card for this week, we feature probably one of the biggest draft busts (so far) in the last 8 years for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  If not the worst ever, at least in my mind (and he will have to do circus-like feats of an inhuman proportions to prove me otherwise) he joins the ranks of Huey Richardson, Tim Worley, Troy Edwards and a host of other unmentionables. 

Of course I am talking about none other than Wide Receiver extrordinaire,

Limas Sweed.

The University of Texas star wide receiver was picked with the 22nd overall selection in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft.  After two full seasons in the NFL, Limas has caught a grand total of 7 passes for 69 yards.  Notice I said CAUGHT a total of...instead of "had thrown to him".  That list would be much larger but unfortunately most of those ended up on the turf or in the hands of the opposing team.  .

Sweed's career with the Steelers became an even bigger mystery when at one point last year, Sweed was placed on the IR with an undisclosed injury, and not heard from again.  Rumors spread about his focus and committment to football but the Steelers and for the most part, the fans, stuck by him.  Then Sweed tore his left Achilles' tendon during the team's minicamp earlier this month.  Not good for a player already skating that thin line.  He immediately had surgery to repair the tear and the team placed him on the reserved/injured list, subsequently ending his 2010 season even before training camp.

The killer part is the cash impact.  With an already strained salary cap, the Steelers now seemingly wasted $1.5 million in the rookie signing bonus and another $680,000 over the past two years in salary.  With his current pay for 2010 at $470,000, the Black & Gold will be on the hook for $2.66 million by the end of the season.  That's a ton of moolah for a guy with 7 catches. 

So as I sit here with baited anticipation for the 2010 season to begin, it looks like Sweed will be lost for the year and have no chance to prove he can live up to expectations.  I haven't given up on him completely yet but unfortunately for him, if he doesn't make an effort to train hard and rehab that injury, his days with the Steelers could be over.  His only chance of making a roster spot as a spectator is going to depend on his desire and drive to still play football.  If it were me, I would be everywhere the team is, studying the playbook, observing all the practices, and basically taking every possible opportunity I had to stay visible.

Another Mailday Triumph

It's been a long, long week. I was in a certification class for my job all week, no access to a PC, no access to emails, no access to blogs, no access....period. While nice to be out of the office, it was even nicer to turn in my final exam and walk out of that place. So I haven't posted since Saturday.

At any rate, when I returned home, I was pleasantly surprised by an envelope in my mailbox from a fellow trader. It was a trade I had forgotten about but was definitely one that I would have remembered quick. I just thought I would post it up.

2008 Upper Deck Rookie Jersey Limas Sweed

Reasons why I love this card:

1. It is a Steeler card I didn't have (duh, this is obvious)
2. It is a rookie card of Limas Sweed, who, if you don't know, is going to be Hines Ward's replacement someday; currently #3 on the depth chart (if he can hold onto the ball).
3. It is a jersey card. And not just any jersey...it is a gold swatch!! I have a bunch of Steeler jerseys (Parker, Ward, Big Ben, Bettis, etc.) but not one of them is gold. They are all either black or white.
4. I like the design. The swatch is unobtrusive to the photo and the design doesn't take anything away from the photography like most products these days. The focus of the card is still the player himself. Too bad it isn't an action shot.

This card makes me happy.