And we're back to football today, this time featuring a pair of Michigan's all-time great offensive linemen:
Jake Long 2008 SAGE Autographs Silver auto (#316/400)
Time to start another rainbow already? I'm not sure how I don't at least have the unnumbered version yet, but I'm sure it'll come up before long.
Jake Long 2008 SP Rookie Threads Signature Draft Choice auto (#048/229)
I've said this before about the designs on some of these SP Threads autographs, but for some reason I really like the look of the jersey piping/stitching around the signature area. That and the gray background of the window really minimize the fact that this is a sticker auto.
Jake Long 2008 Topps Rookie Progression Signatures auto
Michigan uniform auto #2 on the day comes from Rookie Progression. Why Topps made this version to go along with the likes of this one and this one that I already have, I couldn't say. I do kind of like the look of it, though--just not as much of the others, which don't cut off quite so much of the photo.
Jake Long 2008 UD Masterpieces Stroke Of Genius auto
WOW. Now THAT is how you design an autograph set. The horizontal layout is perfect, the border is an excellent idea that increases the artistic value, the "painting" of the player in a college uniform is extremely well done, and there's a nice amount of space for the autograph, which in this case looks fantastic. This is an easy 10/10 and instantly becomes one of my top five favorite Long cards, and maybe a PC top 10. Now I just need to grab the Framed Red version (#d to 10)!
Jake Long 2008 Upper Deck Heroes Blue auto (#152) (#160/250)
I already had one autograph of Long from this set, but since he (like other players) appears on several cards, he also has multiple autographs, which is pretty cool. I'm on record as liking the Heroes sets, and this card doesn't do anything to change my mind.
Jake Long 2009 Score Inscriptions Red Zone auto (#19/30)
Well why not? I have the base and Gold Zone versions of this autograph, meaning I just need the "End Zone" card #d /6. Score could have done a better job of devoting an area of the card to the sticker auto, but the rest of the design is still pretty good.
Jake Long-Adrian Arrington 2008 SAGE Squared Dual auto
And the day's final long is a dual auto with former teammate Adrian Arrington, showing both of them at Michigan. This isn't my first dual signature card from this set as I can also lay claim to this one, which pairs up Arrington and Chad Henne. Picking up this one may encourage me to try to pick up the rest of the Michigan combo cards. In terms of the ones I do have, though, I very much like the design, as well as the idea of pairing the players up as they did.
Steve Hutchinson 2007 Bowman Sterling Refractors jersey (#085/199)
Hutch! Steve was just featured the other day as part of my first 2013 purchase on eBay, and now he's back with a couple more hits. I'm especially happy about that because he doesn't have a whole lot of hits outside of the college-themed sets like SAGE and Press Pass. That's the life of an offensive lineman, I guess, even one who's heading to the Hall of Fame soon. He also played some of his career before every rookie got 20 different autographed jersey manupatch Refractor Cognac Shadowboxes, so there's that. For that reason, I do like the fact that this card highlights one of his seven straight Pro Bowl appearances. That it's a Refractor makes it an even better version of the original, which does have a sweet swatch going for it.
Steve Hutchinson 2007 SP Authentic By The Letter 'C' patch auto (#26/60)
And once again we finish with a bang! I wasn't even aware that Hutch had a By the Letter card before I noticed this one on COMC. Needless to say, I was all over it. I think it's fantastic that a player of his caliber who, again, doesn't get a lot of hobby love, made it into such a fun set. Here's hoping more of my Wolverines make it into future By the Letter sets!
Before I sign off for the night, it's milestone time. While Hutchinson moves up to a relatively uninteresting seven count, these nine cards put my four-sport total past 850 to 854. But the truly important milestone reached today is Jake Long becoming my first football PC member to jump the 60-card hurdle, settling at 64, which is two more than baseball PC (and former all-sport) leader Rich Hill. I should point out, though, that this is the last Long in my grubby little hands for the time being, and I still have a BUNCH of Hills to scan and post, so this honor will be fleeting.
I'll be back tomorrow with another baseball post. Until then, show your favorite O-lineman some love!
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