Browns By The Numbers - 7, 8, 9!

Continuing the series, let's look at the numbers 7, 8 and 9.

Number 7

Terry Luck               QB   (1977)
Jeff Gossett                P  (1983-87)
Tom Tupa                  P   (1994-95)
Paul Ernster               P   (2007)
Bruce Gradkowski   QB  (2008)
Jeff Wolfert               K    (2011-12)
Brad Maynard           P    (2011)
Alex Tanney            QB   (2013)
Austin Davis            QB   (2015 - )


Terry Luck is much more known for being the father of Andrew Luck than he is for the four games and one start he made with the Browns in 1977. In those games he was a 50% passer (25-50) but had only 1 TD compared to 7 INTs. He doesn't appear to have any football cards.

1987 Topps #86

Jeff Gossett punted in all 16 games for the Browns in 1983, went to the USFL for 1984, and then returned to the Browns for all 16 games in 1985 and 1986, and 5 games in 1987. He punted 253 times for the Browns with a 40.7 yard average. He also went 1 for 3 passing for the Browns, throwing an interception. He did go on to make a Pro Bowl with the Raiders in 1991.

Tom Tupa started his NFL career as a QB with the Cardinals, but reinvented himself to get back into the league as a Punter with the Browns in 1994 and 1995. He punted 145 times for the Browns with a 41.7 yard average. In the season opener against the Bengals in 1994, Tupa ran in the first regular season two-point conversion in NFL history. He finished the season with 3 two-point conversions. He doesn't have a card with the Browns.


Paul Ernster punted in one game with the Browns in 2007, with 7 punts and a 36.6 average. He does not have a Browns card.


Brad Gradkowski also does not have a Browns card. He played in 2 games, losing his only start in 2008, and completing only 7 of 21 passes and throwing 3 interceptions.


Jeff Wolfert was brought in for successive training camps in 2011 and 2012, kicking in exhibition games in both years. He was cut both seasons, and does not have a football card.


Brad Maynard must have received the number 7 after Wolfert was cut, as he finished his 15 year NFL career with one year in Cleveland, punting 81 times with a 40.5 yard average. He does not have a Browns card.


Alex Tanney has over 4.2 million hits on his YouTube trick shot video while he was in college at Monmouth. The Browns signed him from the Cowboys practice roster late in 2013, but he didn't play in a game for them. He also does not have a Browns card.


Austin Davis is a current Cleveland Brown, starting two games for the team last year, losing both starts and throwing 3 Interceptions to go with 1 TD. He does not have a Browns card.


Just looking at players throwing passes while wearing number 7 for the Browns, they have 2 TDs and 14 INTs. Ouch.


Number 8

Johnny Evans            P   (1978-80)
Jeff Jaeger                 K   (1987)
Brad Goebel             QB  (1992-94)
Derrick Frost             P    (2004)
Trent Dilfer               QB  (2005)
Billy Cundiff               K   (2009, 2013-14)
Richmond McGee     P    (2011)
Josh Johnson            QB  (2012)
Brandon Bogotay       K    (2013)
Andy Lee                   P    (2015 - )

1981 Topps #129

In his three years with the Browns, Evans had 214 punts with a 39.5 average.


Jeff Jaeger does not have a Browns card after kicking for the Browns in 1987. He was 14 for 22 (63.6%), with a long of 48 yards. Like Jeff Gossett above, he ended up making the Pro Bowl with the Raiders in 1991. He does not have a Browns card.


Brad Goebel appeared in one game with the Browns, completing 2 of 3 passes for 32 yards late in a game in Cincinnati on November 1, 1992. He does not have a Browns card.

2005 Topps Total #139

In his one season with the Browns, Derrick Frost punted 85 times for a 40.0 yard average. He went on to play three seasons with the Redskins and one year with the Packers.

2005 Playoff Honors #24

Trent Dilfer started 11 games (4-7) with the Browns in 2005, completing 59.8% of his passes and throwing 11 TDs, and 12 INTs. Compare this to his one Super Bowl winning season in Baltimore where in 8 starts (7-1) he completed 59.3% of his passes with 12 TDs and 11 INTs. Amazing what a defense can do...


Billy Cundiff has had two stints kicking with the Browns, and didn't get a Browns card in either stint. Over his Browns career he was 49/61 on FGs, and a perfect 64/64 on PATs.


Richmond McGee punted in one game for the Browns in 2011. He had a 36.0 yard average on 8 punts, with the longest being 48 yards. He does not have a football card.


Josh Johnson, after Tampa Bay, appeared in one game with the Browns in 2012. He did not attempt a pass, but was sacked for 8 yards. He does not have a Browns card.


Brandon Bogotay was brought into training camp in 2013 to try to replace Phil Dawson as kicker. He wasn't successful and was released after camp. He does not have a football card.


The Browns traded for punter Andy Lee before last season. He had a good year with a 46.7 yard average on 70 punts. He does not have a Browns card.


Number 9

Greg Coleman          P  (1977)
Matt Bahr                 K  (1981-89)
Charlie Frye            QB (2005-07)
Troy Weatherhead  QB (2011)
Thaddeus Lewis      QB (2011-12)
Connor Shaw           QB (2014 - )


Greg Coleman started his NFL career with one season with the Browns, punting 61 times for a 39.2 yard average. He then went on to punt 10 years with the Vikings, and one with the Redskins. He does not have a Browns card.




1986 McDonald's Browns - Black Tab

In his nine seasons with the Browns, Matt Bahr kicked in 115 games for the Browns. He is 5th in franchise scoring with 677 points. (143 FGs, 248 PATs)

2007 Donruss Classics #26

Former Akron Zip Charlie Frye started 19 games for the Browns (6-13), throwing 14 TDs and 23 INTs. In a surprising move, he was traded to Seattle shortly after being pulled in the season opener he started in 2007.


Troy Weatherhead was signed off of the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena League to join the Browns for training camp in 2011. He didn't even get to play in a pre-season game with the team, and has no football cards.


Thaddeus Lewis started the last game of the 2012 season for the Browns in Pittsburgh, throwing for 204 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. He started 5 games for the Bills in the 2013 season. He does not have a Browns card.

2014 Topps Strata #159

After starting the season finale in Baltimore in the 2014 season, Connor Shaw spent the 2015 season on injured reserve for the Browns. It will be interesting to see what his future holds as the Browns are expected to draft a QB high in the draft, and have Josh McCown and Austin Davis under contract for next year.

New trade acquisitions

I should be taking the time to post more. I don't want to give any excuses, because I know that I could have found a little free time to fit one in.

Anyway, on to some cards I received from other bloggers.

A while back, I received an email from Tony Burbs at Wrigley Roster Jenga asking for my address and telling me that he'd be sending me some Browns cards. I was very curious to see what I'd get, and hoped that there would be something in there that I needed.

Let's take a look at what he sent.

He started with some nice 1979 and 1980 Topps. I'll have to check to see if any of them are condition upgrades, and I probably can put the 1980 cards into a partial set that I always tell myself that I may work on.

A funny thing about the 1980 cards that I didn't realize until many years after I first picked any up. Even though I saw the cards, it didn't occur to me that there were no logos on any of the helmets in the set. I really didn't concentrate that much on the other teams, and if you look at that Clarence Scott card above, it is just fine.

Doug Dieken was a long-time Left Tackle for the Browns (1972-1984), and currently does color commentating on radio broadcasts for the Browns. I managed to get his autograph last year at the Cleveland Browns Fan Fest.

I love that 1983 Topps Ozzie Newsome sticker.

Although I started liking the Browns with the 1980 Kardiac Kids, when you get to Newsome and Brennan, you're starting to get into the time where I was a little more aware of who was on the team.

And then when you get to the 1990s when I subscribed to Browns News Illustrated, was able to find Pro Football Weekly in local stores, went to my first Browns game, and eventually started being able to find information online, that is when I started to know depth charts and watch these players. (Please ignore that icky Ravens logo on that last Browns card.)

On to some post-expansion era cards. I was sure that I needed that Quincy Morgan Fleer Sweet Sigs card, but looking on the Trading Card Database I discovered that I had provided the scan for the site.

But, yay, there was also one card that I needed!

2004 Playoff Hogg Heaven #24

Even though I may have only needed the one card, it is always great to get a batch of cards and see what memories come up as you see what player comes up in the stack next.

Thanks, Tony! I'll be hitting you back with some Bears and Hawks once I get a chance to sit down with my cards and your website open. There is one card that I think that I have that I hope that I can locate...

However, that wasn't the only item that I needed that I received from another blogger.

Being a lover of oddballs, when I saw this post at the ARPSmith's Sportscard Obsession blog, I had to act to try and get the three Cleveland Browns oddballs that I spotted.

1981 Topps Thirst gum wrappers

I can't believe that someone saved these, and am really surprised at how fragile they seem to be in hand. But, man, am I glad to have them in my collection!

Thanks, Adam!

Wallet Card Wednesday - 7

Last week, after fighting through the Ottawa weather, I took a four day trip to a game convention in the Boston area.

I drove with a friend, stopping at my post office box in Ogdensburg, and then traveling down to Syracuse, and heading towards Albany. My friend is a big Vancouver Canucks fan, and on the way wanted to stop into Utica to see if he could buy any Utica Comets gear.

Utica Memorial Auditorium



Sorry, no wallet card on this photo, but this was taken from inside my car in the parking lot.

We went up to the box office, and they told us that the gift shop was open, and we just needed to head inside.

So, here is the view upon walking in. We hope to go back sometime to actually see a game there.

In the meantime, we heard sounds from the ice.

It wasn't a practice, but there were kids being given instruction. It was nice to see the inside of the rink. My friend ended up buying a really cool blanket, and a t-shirt.

Moving on to the convention in Mansfield, MA, I only took one photo there.

Maybe I should have added some paper as a background to the card.



You can barely make out the wallet card in the face of the cut-out of Amiri, Pathfinder's iconic Barbarian. (The character art is by Wayne Reynolds.) It might not have been the most thought out idea, but I'll blame that to not thinking straight during a weekend of gaming. I had a lot of fun.

I should have taken a picture of Foxboro stadium, as I came across it on my trip. One night we decided to leave the convention early and go see Deadpool. Looking online, we saw the closest movie theater was in Foxboro, and pulling into the parking lot we saw that it was right behind an end-zone of the stadium. It wasn't a sight that I expected to see this trip. (Oh, and Deadpool was lots of fun. I will have to see it again.)

Last week's house troubles carried through a little to my trip. I received a text from one of my roommates that the temporary fix on the furnace broke down and that he had to call the landlord. It was quickly fixed.

Wallet Card Wednesday - 6 (Nightmare!)

Just a quick wallet card post today, but first the nightmare!

As many of you may have also experienced, Ottawa had a cold spell over the weekend with temperatures getting down to -20 and -40 with the windchill added in. What comes about with weather that cold? Well, a lot of collectors' nightmare: burst water pipes!

Sunday afternoon, while watching tv in my living room, I heard a strange sound, and then what sounded like the shower running upstairs. Since a roommate had just gone upstairs, I thought that might be what was going on, but no, he wasn't taking a mid-afternoon shower. I just happened to look into the kitchen, and saw a puddle expanding on the floor!

Immediately, I called to my two roommates and we stood around confused, wondering what to do! (Hah, you probably thought I was going to say that we leapt into action!) Well, we figured that we should go turn off the water, so one of them went downstairs to do that. Another grabbed the mop as I started moving things on the floor that the water hadn't gotten to.

When I had a minute, I looked into the room next door - the den where I keep my card collection (among other things). OH, NO! Puddle coming from one corner of the room! I quickly grabbed some towels and threw them on the ground, soaking up the puddle, and forming a barrier that no water should get through.

I quickly went to work moving everything out of that corner of the room. I lost some card supplies, and a bunch of gaming notes for past campaigns of Pathfinder games that I've played, but I didn't see any ruined cards. Now, the cards nearest the water were traders and doubles and now they've been moved to other areas of the house so I don't know what is where. I guess I have to spend more time organizing and sorting. What fun!

My wallet card decided to look at some of the results.

Garage door - under the kitchen

Overhang from den, beside kitchen, above front door

When the plumber showed up, and saw water coming from the garage, from the overhang, and in the kitchen, he thought there was more than one pipe that burst. After he opened up a few holes in the ceiling of the front lobby, he determined that the pipes ran from the basement, out over the front door into the overhang, and up into the kitchen and the rest of the house.

As it turns out, this pipe in the wall between the kitchen and den was the only one that burst. However, we have many more holes throughout the house that they looked into that have yet to be repaired.

Of course, after our freezing weekend with the excitement of the burst pipe, yesterday Ottawa set a record for a single day snowfall since they started accurate recording dating back to the 1930s. We had somewhere in the neighbourhood of a foot and a half of snow yesterday.

Sorry, I didn't pull out the wallet card for this one. I just took this picture from my kitchen window to show my sister where my roommates parked their cars. The back car is angled with the back end out towards the street. Where's my car? At a grocery store a 15 minute walk (through the snow, uphill both ways!) away where I found a plowed lot.

Both roommates got out fine this morning, although we didn't have any doubts that the Jeep would get out.

Weather like this makes me want to get away, and I am leaving town tomorrow for the weekend. However, I'm not heading to a sunshine state, I'm off to Mansfield, MA for a gaming convention, TotalCon.

Does anyone know any good card stores in the Mansfield or Boston area, or along the highways between Syracuse and Boston? If so, leave a comment below. I'd like to see if they have any Browns cards that need a good home.

First Exhibit card for my collection

It was nice to get down to my PO Box a short while ago and pick up a bunch more Browns cards for my collection. One of the items waiting for me was the first Exhibit card for my collection.

I have been looking for the Exhibit cards for a while, and even found a few cheap baseball ones over Christmas that I mailed to a few traders, but I had never been able to get my hands on a Cleveland Browns card. (Well, I could have if I wanted to pay more, but you all know what I mean.) Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I won an auction at $16.50 for this one on eBay:



It is in great shape, and I'm so happy to have it.

A few other auction wins that I also picked up included these cards:

All three of these cards were in auctions that I won on Sportlots. For all three the shipping cost was greater than the what the card sold for. It is always fun explaining that to the Customs officers when I come back into Canada.

The 2004 eTopps Cleveland Browns card is the second eTopps card that I own, joining a Jim Brown card. Since it was issued in a sealed case, it will stay sealed.

I generally roll my eyes a bit at manufactured relics, but I do like the Rated Rookie logo on the Mingo card.

I know I'm part of the problem when I complain about parallel cards but then buy them anyways, but here are examples of two parallel team sets that I picked up:

I bought the 2008 Super Bowl black and gold parallel Browns team sets off of the same seller on eBay. I still have red, green, blue and glossy parallels to go. (Yes, I have a problem.)

From another seller on eBay, I won auctions with these cards:

I had never seen this 2004 Donruss National Convention Browns team set before and jumped at the opportunity to pick up the team set. Looking at the seller's other auctions, I added three of the cards in the picture below.

The seller mentioned that if someone bought multiple auctions that bonus cards would be added. Among the bonus cards was the 2007 Allen & Ginter Brady Quinn card. I had never seen this card before and found out that it was part of a 7 card, multiple sport promo set from the National Convention that year. It is always great to get a card that you didn't know existed.

Wallet Card Wednesday - 5

The first two photos this week are a result of a local card show that I went to before the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Here my wallet card poses with a Cleveland Browns pennant that I was given as a gift by one of the dealers. I have traded and given him Packers that he needs for his collection, and he keeps hoping to find more Browns for me. I know I've still got plenty more Packers for him.

I believe that I have a pennant just like this one in a box somewhere in my house.

People with sharp eyes may find cards heading their way from my purchases at the show in the next picture.

Where's Wallet Card?

I'll be keeping the Browns and Mets cards that I needed, and four non-sport sets in the picture. All of the Topps baseball look-a-likes are O Pee Chee cards.

The non-sport sets that I'm keeping are a 1993 Demolition Man set (loved Sandra Bullock in it!), and three sets from 1995, Coors Brewing, Santa From Around the World, and Hershey's Trading Cards. Each set cost me a whole dollar.

The big pile of Star Wars cards in the middle were rescued for a whole two dollars.

Not saying no to prices like that is what is building the clutter of cards that I have at home. I've really got to send more out, and have started doing so from Canada instead of waiting until I cross over to my PO Box again.

The last wallet card photo comes as a result of Monday's hockey game.

I didn't take the extra few seconds to put the stick in his hands for the photo.

Marc Methot bobble-head night! Who knew? Anyone collect these, or want it, or should I just give it to one of my friends' kids?

One last photo:



 

I've collected comic books most of my life. Right now I am in a real collecting lull, and am collecting very few titles. But one way to get me to buy a comic book is to tell me that Jimmy Palmiotti is involved with it.

I love Jimmy's writing, and Amanda Conner's artwork, almost as much as I love Jimmy and Amanda themselves! They are great people that I am always happy to run across at a convention.

My wallet card is checking out the how their latest Kickstarter is doing, and seeing that they are closing in on their target. If you have any interest in comics, please check out the Kickstarter and see if this story interests you and fund it if it does.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1397702842/hype-by-palmiotti-gray-pina-nocera

Thanks!

UD Hockey Day in Canada

Even though I don't collect hockey, I do read blogs and websites and heard that last Saturday was Upper Deck Hockey Day in Canada and the US, with separate packs and checklists for each.

Canadian checklist

 

I was out running around on Saturday, and figured it would be no problem to drop into three local card stores taking part in the promotion. Two of the stores gave out packs with any purchase, while the third store was giving everyone that came in three packs of cards. The first store I went to, while giving me two packs for a $30 purchase that I made, said they didn't get any special separate cards to give away (you know, the separate #16 Connor McDavid card), while the other two stores gave away the 16th card with a purchase.

 

I wound up with six packs of cards, and two of the #16 McDavid card. From those packs I got most of the set, just missing the Gretzky and Domi cards.

 





 

In the spirit of helping US hockey fans that couldn't get these at their local stores, these are available for trade. I have multiples of some of these cards.

 

Here are some backs:

 

Continuing with the hockey theme to this post, I also went to last nights Senators game against the Lightning.



 

As seen from the empty ice surface, I got there a little early, before the pre-game skate. I expected traffic to be worse getting there. I was invited to the game by a friend, and we had seats in the 300 level.

 

The Lightning rested their starting goalie, Ben Bishop, which was both good and bad. Bishop is a former Senator, and seems to have their number when playing them, so it was good that we didn't have to face him, but I like Bishop and would have liked to have seen him play.

Okay, my phone was doing something funny here, capturing the motion of the players



The Senators were on their game, and the Lightning played a little flat, a combination that led to a 5-1 Ottawa win.

 

Since this is a Browns card blog, I will show you one of the cards that I picked up at a local store to get the extra McDavid card:

2004 Topps Signature Edition #87

 

I have a few uncirculated cards. It is tempting to open them, but since they came this way, I'll leave them like that.

 

I did get down to my post office box over the weekend so more Browns cards will be coming later this week.

Collection spotlight on T.J. Ward

Congratulations to the Denver Broncos on winning this year's Super Bowl.

I had a strong hatred of the Broncos after they beat Bernie Kosar's Browns in three AFC Championships in the 1980s, but found this year that the hatred had dulled, and that they really didn't bother me anymore. I really wouldn't have minded either team winning yesterday, which is a rare thing for me watching a Super Bowl.

Two ex-Browns played for the Broncos yesterday, and both were noticeable on the field.

One was Jordan Norwood, a wide receiver who caught 36 passes, including 1 touchdown for the Browns in 2011 and 2012. Yesterday, he set a Super Bowl record for the longest punt return with a return of 61 yards, leading to a Broncos field goal. I am not aware of Norwood having any Browns cards.

The second ex-Brown was T.J. Ward, a former Pro Bowl safety for the Browns who they let leave after the 2013 season, with the Browns deciding on signing Donte Whitner instead of Ward.

I like Whitner, but I also really liked Ward when he played for Cleveland. I'm happy that he got his ring.

I only have 14 T.J. Ward cards in my collection, and don't have any autographs or memorabilia cards among them. I guess I'll have to look at picking up more of his cards.

2010 SP Authentic #199

T.J. Ward was a 2nd round pick, 38th overall, out of Oregon for the Browns in 2010. He had a great rookie season with the Browns, starting all 16 games, made the NFL All-Rookie team, and was named by Pro Football Focus to their 2nd All-Pro team.

 

2010 Playoff Contenders - ROY Contenders #16

During his rookie season, he had 2 interceptions and a forced fumble.

back of 2011 Panini Prestige - Rookie Review #39

Funny that the back of the card compares Ward with Whitner.

 

2010 Topps Tribute #43



After a foot injury limited Ward to 8 games, a forced fumble and one sack in 2011, he bounced back with an interception, three forced fumbles, and a sack in 14 games in 2012, and two interceptions, one returned 51 yards for a TD, a 44 yard fumble recovery for a TD and 1.5 sacks playing in all 16 games while making the Pro Bowl in 2013.

2012 Panini Stickers #100



Since I have one, I figured I would show a face shot, without a helmet on.

2011 Score #74

In yesterday's game, T.J. Ward has been credited with 4 tackles and 3 assists. He had an eventful second half. In the middle of the third quarter, he intercepted a Cam Newton pass, but eventually fumbled the ball. It was recovered by teammate Danny Trevathan. Then, late in the fourth quarter, Ward recovered Cam Newton's fumble that set the Broncos up for the final touchdown that sealed the game.

2014 Score - Scorecard #330



Here is the last card that I have of T.J. Ward in Browns uniform, showing him with the Broncos that he just won the Super Bowl with.

Congratulations! Celebrate your win!

2013 Topps Mini #302



Six degrees Fuji challenge

While reading The Chronicles of Fuji I saw a challenge that seemed interesting.

I immediately thought about a card that Topps put out, and wondered if I could come up with the six degrees of separation between the two players.

2010 Topps - Gridiron Lineage #GL-BP



As it turned out, it wasn't as hard as I thought.

1961 Topps #77



Starting point: Jim Brown played for the Cleveland Browns from 1957-1965.

First degree: Gene Hickerson

1972 Sunoco Stamps NNO



In his Hall of Fame career from 1958-1973, Gene Hickerson blocked for Jim Brown. In his last couple of years he played on the offensive line with the Browns current radio analyst Doug Dieken.

Second degree: Doug Dieken

1991 Action Packed Whizzer White Award #17



Doug Dieken manned the offensive line for the Browns from 1971-1984. During this time he probably had to block the next degree player at practice many times.

Third degree: Clay Matthews II

1990 Pro Set #353



Right now, everyone can probably figure out where the next degree is going to come from. Clay Matthews (whose father Clay also played in the NFL) played for the Browns from 1978-1993 before finishing his career with the Atlanta Falcons from 1994-1996. However, for our purposes, he is the father of the next degree player. And I chose this card for Clay's hair, to show the similarity with his son.

Fourth degree: Clay Matthews III

2009 Topps Kickoff #140

 



This Clay Matthews hahass played for the Green Bay Packers since 2009. Of course, Green Bay is a division rival of Adrian Peterson's Minnesota Vikings, and plays them twice a year. Both players also would have been on the same Pro Bowl teams together on multiple occasions. (I suppose if you don't want to count Pro Bowls I could then add an extra step with wide receiver Greg Jennings, who played with both teams/players.)

Fifth degree: Adrian Peterson

2014 Topps #32 variant



I couldn't find a card with both Clay Matthews and Adrian Peterson on it, but I thought this one of Peterson scoring would be appropriate. In 16 regular season games against the Packers, Adrian Peterson has 14 touchdowns.