Jan. 10 Report: Former Dolphins and Colts DB Lyle Blackwood

A quick turnaround from the first new request I made in 2011. Former Miami Dolphions and Baltimore Colts defensive back Lyle Blackwood signed and returned all three cards I sent him. I offered him to keep the duplicate but he graciously sent all back signed and inscribed with different Bible verses.

Most of us know John 3:16, but the other two passages cited were 1 Peter 3:18:

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

and Ephesians 2: 8-9:

⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.

I'm probably one of a very few who take the time to look up the citings, but I think they tell you a lot about the person.

250: the number of different autographs I've gotten since starting this blog in January 2010

Jan. 5, 2011 Report: Olympic gold medalist Tracy Caulkins

So I start the year by adding a three-time Olympic gold medalist to my collection.

That, unto itself, is pretty cool.

Made even cooler by the fact that Tracy Caulkins is also a former University of Florida swimmer, so I add another Gator to that collection as well.

As I write this I also realize this is the first swimming autograph I have in my collection. So it's cool on a lot of levels.

Tracy spends a lot of her time in Australia these days, so it took almost a year for her to sign the photos I sent her here in the States and return them to me. Definitely worth the wait though.

249: the number of different autographs I've gotten since starting this blog in January 2010.

New Focus For The Blog

OK, my first active year back in the hobby didn't see me get average an autograph a day for the course of the year. It still got me jazzed about an old passion, and that's cool enough for me.

So rather than try to do the same thing as last year, I'll just continue to enjoy the hobby and report on recent additions to my collection.

Happy New Year to all those who read this and enjoy collecting. Best of luck in your collections in 2011.

Dec. 23 report: Former NFL Kicker and Golf Nut Al Del Greco

This turned out to be the final addition to my autograph collection in 2010. I was unable to send out many requests throughout the later half of the year, so I came up a bit short of my goal of having 365 new ones by the end of the year.

In all I tallied 248, which I am thrilled about.

I guess it is fitting that the final autograph is on a golf ball. Just so happens it is the signature of Al Del Greco, who made his name as being am excellent placekicker in the NFL for the Packers, Cardinals and Oilers/Titans.

He's a regular on the Celebrity Golf Tour and he is also a high school golf coach in Alabama.

Day of the Year: 353
Number of Autographs This Year: 248

Dec. 20 Report: Former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Bubby Brister

Chalk this one up to a surprise return. Nearly a year after I sent a pair of cards off to former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Bubby Brister I had figured them as gone.

But not to be. Not only did Brister sign and return the two cards I sent him, but he also added two other cards and signed them as well.

So I add four signed Brister cards to my collection.

Brister's career spanned from 1986-2000, spending time with the Steelers, Eagles, Jets, Broncos and Vikings. He passed for more than 14,000 yards and he owns two Super Bowl rings as part of the Broncos' championships teams in Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII.

Day of the Year: 350
Number of Autographs This Year: 247

Dec. 18 Report: Top High School Football Recruit Tony Steward

Definitely a first to report on this blog, and that is the addition of a high school player to the collection.

Tony Steward is the nation's top linebacker recruit and is one of only a handful of 5-star recruits who will be committing to a major college on National Signing Day in February. Whichever school he chooses -- currently Florida State and Clemson lead the way -- will certainly land a tremendous talent, not to mention a 5-star young man who will be a role model for the community much like he has been in his hometown.

All the best to this young man in all that he does.

Day of the Year: 348
Number of Autographs This Year: 246