Off Center with Tony Reid

Chandler, Arizona native Brennen Davis was a standout on the hardwood and the diamond at Basha High School.
After an incredible high school career, he made the decision to narrow his considerable talents to the baseball diamond as he committed to play college baseball at the University of Miami.
Those plans changed because following his senior year of high school, Davis was selected in the 2nd round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the legendary Chicago Cubs organization.
Battling through various injuries from from being hit in the face by a pitch in an April 2021 Spring Training game to dealing with serious sciatic nerve issues in his back, the top prospect still managed to shine bright over the past few years in the Cubs farm system.

Davis has been awarded two Buck O’Neil Cubs Minor League Player of the Year awards. His considerable star shined brightest when he was selected to play in the the All Star Futures Game as he earned MVP honors in the contest for his impressive 2-3, two home run performance in an 8 to 3 National League victory.
Once again healthy, Davis is making his climb up the Chicago MiLB pipeline to secure his spot in the considerable Cubbie’s outfield and be a staple in the big leagues for years to come.
Davis recently spoke to SC Daily about his most favorite and least favorite cards, his first PSA submission, his Pokémon collection, future man cave and much more.

Joey Harrington was seemingly born to play quarterback.

His grandfather played the position at the University of Portland and his father spent his college career as the signal caller at the University of Oregon. After Joey’s birth, legendary  Ducks coach Lou Casanova reportedly sent his parents a letter of intent for young Joey to join the Ducks years down the road.

The third generation Harrington field general did just that, after graduating from Central Catholic High School in Portland, where he finished his career with over 4,000 yards passing and 50 total touchdowns.

Harrington spent three remarkable seasons in Eugene, finishing 25-3 as a starter and, in turn, bringing the school back to national prominence. During his senior season with the Ducks, he threw for over 2,400 yards and 23 touchdowns and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Harrington was selected third overall in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.  Thrust into the starting job early in year one, he held the job for all of his rookie season.

Detroit was a difficult place to play with the never ending front office issues, a lack of offensive line protection, an underwhelming amount of talent at many skill positions and a seemingly constant changing of team philosophy and identity. Harrington tried to stay positive but after four years in Detroit, he was traded to Miami, spent time in Atlanta and finished as a backup with the New Orleans Saints.

A member of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame, he now serves as the President of the Harrington Family Foundation, helping provide scholarship and mentorship support to young people.

In our latest Q&A, Harrington talks about the rookie premiere photo shoot sign and swap, death threats from “fans,” beating Tom Brady and more. 

Brooklyn, born John Cangelosi moved south and graduated from Miami Springs High School in Miami Springs, FL.

After excelling on the diamond at Miami Dade College, the outfielder was drafted in the fourth round of the 1982 MLB January Draft by the Chicago White Sox.

After spending a few seasons in the Sox minor league organization, Cangelosi had an outstanding spring in 1986, and eventually won the starting center field job on the south side of The Windy City. He stole a then rookie record 50 bases for the ChiSox.

After the productive rookie season, Cangelosi was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and became a part of a young, future playoff contending team.

After four summers playing at Three Rivers Stadium, The Candy Man called five other MLB cities home before retiring after the 1999 season.

The scrappy outfielder reunited with his skipper from Pittsburgh, the legendary Jim Leyland, in Miami. The two fiery competitors contributed to bringing a World Series title to Florida with the Marlins in 1997.

Since this retirement from the game, Cangelosi has continued to dedicate his life to the game he once played. He currently owns and operates Cangelosi Baseball, a Chicago-based training facility. The 13-year MLB veteran is also part owner of Bo Jackson’s Elite Sports in Lockport and Bensonville, IL and Hilliard, OH.

In this recent interview, the now 60-year-old Cangelosi takes time to tell us about seeing himself on has early baseball cards, playing games with cards as a kid, his most memorable fan interactions and some of his baseball idols.

Kevin Mitchell was born in San Diego and grew up in a tumultuous area of the city. Being raised by his grandmother from a young age, he preferred football and boxing, but grandma knew best and directed him to the diamond, even taking him to many of his Little League games. After attending Clairemont High School a friend took him to a New York Mets sponsored tryout in his hometown of San Diego where he excelled, teeing off on Major League caliber pitching.

The Mets signed him to a minor league free agent deal where he rapidly ascended through the organization and made this debut for the team in 1986. He was a valuable piece of the Mets World Series championship team that season, contributing throughout the playoffs and coming up clutch in Game 6 of the Fall Classic.

He was known for his powerful bat but certain highlights throughout his career made him memorable for what he did in the field, which included playing every position but pitcher and catcher during his time in the majors.

His career year came in 1989 when he won National League MVP honors by leading the league in home runs with 47 and driving in 125.  He sparked the Giants playoff run and eventual World Series berth.

Mitchell played 13 big league seasons for the Mets, Padres, Giants, Mariners, Reds, Red Sox, Indians and A’s. After battling through various injuries that robbed him of much of the shine of his playing prime, he retired after the 1998 season. In his career, he piled up 1,000 hits, nearly 250 homers and over 700 RBIs.

These days he teaches hitting to younger kids.

In this recent Card Back interview, Mitchell talks about some of what was written on the reverse side of some of the cards issued during his career, including his aggressive mentality at the plate, the catch everyone asks him about, his magical MVP season and more.

Steubenville, Ohio born and raised, Rich Donnelly graduated from Steubenville Catholic Central high school where he played both baseball and basketball.

A baseball lover at heart, Donnelly took his skills to Xavier University after graduating from high school.

The catcher was signed by the Minnesota Twins in 1967 and spent four seasons in the team’s minor league organization.

Donnelly transitioned seamlessly into a long and successful managerial career in professional baseball.  He managed in the Texas Rangers’ minor league system from 1972 to 1979 and again in 1981 and 1982. He was the team’s bullpen coach in 1980 and first base coach from 1983 to 1985.

Donnelly was a key member of legendary manager Jim Leyland’s staff in three different organizations over a 14-year span. He spent over a decade with Leyland in Pittsburgh, two years in Florida where the team captured a World Series title in 1997 and a single season in Colorado, where Donnelly stayed until 2002.

He then spent three years, 2003 through 2005, as a third base coach in Milwaukee and the following two years, 2006 and 2007 as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ third base coach.

After a few years working in player development for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Donnelly made a few coaching stops in the minors before again returning to the big leagues with the Seattle Mariners in 2014.

Donnelly, most recently, coached again in the New York Mets farm system in 2019.

His baseball life has, to say the least, been quite a ride. We caught up to him recently to talk about his love for the Pirates, all of the baseball cards he’s appeared on over the years, coaching Macho Man Randy Savage and so much more.

Sean Clifford will leave Happy Valley as the most statistically decorated quarterback in the rich history of the Penn State University football program.
As successful as he was on the field– from setting school records for career passing yards, touchdown passes, completions, completion percentage to winning bowl games– what he’s building off the field for current and future generations of college athletes may prove to be more significant.

The Nittany Lion faithful were happy to have Clifford return for his sixth year and further his football legacy in front of 100,000 fans at Beaver Stadium. However, Clifford also returned to Central PA to build his own company, Limitless NIL.  

His future includes NFL aspirations and a thriving Limitless NIL company that he co-founded and operates with his younger brother Liam and others.

In a recent interview with Tony, Clifford talked about seeing himself on a trading card for the first time, the importance of the sports card and memorabilia market, the inspirational poster of Peyton Manning that was on his wall as a kid and more.

Altadena, CA native Chad Brown was a defensive star at John Muir High School in the late 1980s.

Brown took his defensive talents to the University of Colorado where he was a four-year starter for the Buffaloes.
Drafted by the Pittsburgh, the linebacker became an integral part of the famed Blitzburgh defense which included Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene and Levon Kirkland.

Brown also played for the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots during his decade and a half long NFL career.

The three-time Pro Bowler and two-time first team All Pro also won the prestigious Steve Largent Award in Seattle and captured the Joe Greene Great Performance Award while playing in Pittsburgh.

In his retirement, Brown has made a successful transition into media, working as a radio host, a sideline reporter and a color analyst for various networks. Brown also owns and operates Pro Exotics, a company that sells non-venomous snakes.

I caught up to him to chat about his lifelong passion for collecting, his good natured beef with Levon Kirkland’s signature, seeing his rookie cards for the first time and much more.

Detroit, Michigan born Terance Mathis made his mark on the gridiron at Redan high school in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

The multi sport athlete attended the University of New Mexico, playing both baseball and basketball basketball for the Lobos.

The do it all wide receiver was drafted by the New York Jets in the 6th round of the 1990 NFL Draft. He was a key component to the Jets special teams plans as he spent four seasons as the teams go-to return man.

In 1994, Mathis signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an unrestricted free agent. During his time in Atlanta he blossomed into one of the better receivers in all of football. By the end of his time with the Falcons, he ranked first in team annals in receptions, receiving yards and ranked high in every other offensive receiving category. He currently stands in third place in Falcons history but behind Julio Jones and Roddy White in most major categories.

Mathis, a 1994 Pro Bowler and 1994 2nd Team All-Pro, was selected as the Atlanta Falcons Man of the Year in 1998. 

In 2005, he formed his own NASCAR team called Victory Motorsports. After a number of successful years on the circuit, he was named vice president of marketing for part time Sprint Cup Series team Leavine Family Racing.

He also spent time as the offensive coordinator at Savannah State University and as the head football coach at Pine Crest Academy in Cumming, Georgia.

In this interview with Tony, Mathis talks about seeing his rookie card for the first time, his his sweet man cave and jersey swaps he missed out on.

Dat Nguyen was born in a refugee center at Fort Chaffee in Fort Smith, Arkansas after his family left South Vietnam during the fall of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War.

While attending Rockport Fulton High School in Texas, Nguyen dominated the gridiron and excelled on both sides of the ball, as a middle linebacker, running back and even all-state punter.

The do-it-all high school player chose to attend Texas A&M University, where he went on to become one of the greatest defensive players in school history. The full time linebacker left A&M has the Aggie’s all time leader with over 500 career tackles and 51 consecutive starts on the defensive side of the ball.

The leader of the Aggies Wrecking Crew defense, Nguyen was a consensus all-American in 1998, the same year he won the prestigious Bednarik Award as college football’s defensive player of the year and the Lombardi Award given to the outstanding college lineman of the year. He also took home the Lambert Award to completely fill his trophy case. Nguyen was also named Defensive Player of the Game at the Cotton Bowl that same season. His performance was one for the books, which included a bowl record 12 tackles and an interception. In 2017 Nguyen was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The highly decorated linebacker was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft. After leading the team in special teams tackles his rookie year, he became the Cowboys starting with a linebacker in year two and never looked back.

The undersized linebacker spent his career proving his doubters wrong and during his seven seasons in Dallas, was a key contributor to the Dallas defense. He battled various injuries throughout his career and retired after the 2005 season. Nguyen currently ranks in the top 10 all time in tackles in Cowboys team history.

He later spent time in coaching roles for both of his former teams, the Cowboys and the Aggies.

In this interview with Tony, he talks about practicing his autograph in high school, his rookie cards and the number swapping his rookie year, his admiration for Chicago Bears icon Walter Payton and much more.

At the time of his retirement in 2007, Morten Andersen was widely considered the greatest placekicker of all time. Consistency and longevity were the hallmarks of his Hall of Fame career.  Anderson retired with countless records, not only as a kicker but in categories with statistics and milestones that set the bar for the history of the game, regardless of position. He retired as the all time leading scorer in NFL history. He left the sport having appeared in the most games in NFL history and a wide range of other records.

Andersen left the New Orleans Saints as the team’s all-time leading scorer, joined the Atlanta Falcons and by the time of his departure became that team’s all time leading scorer.

By the time he finally retired after an astonishing 25 seasons in the league, “The Great Dane” was a five-time First Team All-Pro, a seven time Pro Bowler and a member of both the 1980s and 1990s NFL All Decade Teams.

In September of 2020, he launched a new sports gambling podcast with the Vegas Insider Podcast network called Great Dane Nation.

In our latest Q&A, Tony chatted with one of the most interesting men in NFL history.

New Jersey native David Tyree was a three-year letterman on the gridiron at Montclair High School in Montclair, New Jersey. The talented receiver was selected a Blue Chip Illustrated All-American his senior season.

Signing with Syracuse University, he amassed over 1,200 yards during his career, ranking in the top 15 on the school’s all-time list.  For all of his exploits a wide out, Tyree was best known for his outstanding special teams play throughout his career. Selected in the sixth round of a 2003 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, he again made his mark on special teams, earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2005 and a first team All Pro honor the same season.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Tyree is best known for his heroics in Super Bowl XLII. After a five-yard touchdown reception from Eli Manning early in the game (his first score of the season), he made his mark in NFL history late in the fourth quarter.  On a 3rd and 5 with just over a minute remaining and the Giants down 14-10, Manning scrambled to throw the ball 30 yards downfield to Tyree who, fully extended in the air, caught the ball by pinning it with his right hand to his helmet, completing one of the most incredible catches in Super Bowl history.

The Giants finished the drive with a score and won the game, beating the previously unbeaten Patriots. The “Helmet Catch” was selected by Sportscenter as the greatest play in Super Bowl history and eventually won the 2008 ESPY Award for Play of the Year.

After five years in New York, Tyree signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2009 and subsequently retired a Giant, signing a one day contract with Big Blue on July 29th 2010.

In this exclusive interview, The Super Bowl hero talks about is favorite rookie cards, memorable fan reactions to his iconic catch and collecting cards with his dad.

Batesville, Mississippi native Wesley Walls was an incredibly versatile high school football player. He was South Pontotoc High School’s quarterback for three seasons.  After transferring to another school before his senior year, he made the switch to fullback and earned all-state honors in the process.

Walls’ skill and versatility was rewarded with a scholarship to the University of Mississippi where he played defensive end for three seasons, then again transitioned to a new position his senior year playing both linebacker and tight end. Walls  actually started at both positions in a game against Memphis State University.

Shortly thereafter, Walls became the team’s permanent tight end but was still utilized in certain situations on defense. He earned All-America honors as a senior and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

Drafted in the second round by the San Francisco 49ers in 1989, he was part of the 49ers’ 55-10 trouncing of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXIV.

After five seasons in San Francisco, including the last two in which Walls did not play at all due to injury, he signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints.

His two seasons in New Orleans were incredibly productive. He caught 100 balls for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns.

What came next made Walls a team Hall of Famer and borderline Pro Football Hall of Famer. He spent seven seasons as a Carolina Panther and became arguably the most productive tight end in all of football over that time. Walls was a four-time All Pro, a five-time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor in 2019.

He spent the final season of his career in Green Bay, catching rockets and making lasting memories with Brett Favre.

His career numbers include 400 receptions, totaling over 5,000 yards with more than 50 touchdowns.

In this exclusive interview with SC Daily, Walls talks about his time at Ole Miss, seeing his 1989 Pro Set rookie card for the first time, his massive “I Love Me Room” and his memorable time with Favre.

Jim Everett was a star on both sides of the ball at Eldorado High School in Albuquerque, N.M. As the starting quarterback and safety he led the school to its first state championship in 1980.

Everett took his considerable talents to Purdue University where he fully committed to the quarterback position. His senior season was a revelation as Everett led the NCAA in total offense, set numerous school records and finished sixth in the 1985 Heisman trophy voting.

The star quarterback was selected with the third pick in the first round of the 1986 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. Unable to come to terms, the Oilers traded his rights to the Los Angeles Rams.

The big, handsome signal caller was a perfect fit in Los Angeles. He had an incredibly productive and underrated career with L.A. and New Orleans and finished his career with a short run with the Chargers.

Everett passed for a career-high 4,310 yards in 1989. He led the NFL in passing touchdowns in 1988 and 1989 and was named a Pro Bowler in 1990. Over the span of his career, Everett passed for nearly 35,000 yards and more than 200 touchdowns, making him one of the most consistent and productive quarterbacks of the era.

In this exclusive interview, Everett reflects on seeing his 1987 Topps RC for the first time, memorable autograph experiences with teammates and what memorabilia he held on to from his 12-year NFL career.

A Texas Tech graduate, Danny Amendola was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys in 2008, it took a move to St. Louis in 2009 for his career to get rolling. Finally seeing the field in an NFL game, Amendola quickly proved he belonged. He was a contributor on the offensive side of the ball but he really shined on special teams, recording over 1,600 kickoff return yards, quickly establishing himself as one of the best return men in the game. The following season in 2010, Amendola led the NFL in all purpose yards with over 2,300 total yards.

After four productive season for the Rams, the New England Patriots signed Amendola to replace the departing Wes Welker and the rest, as they say, is history.

Amendola’s time in New England saw him be an integral part of two Super Bowl championship teams including productive runs in numerous playoff seasons, wins and losses, and was dubbed ‘Danny Playoff ‘ by Rob Gronkowski.  Amendola was named the MVP of the 2018 AFC championship game, which helped lead the Patriots to yet another Super Bowl appearance.

After five great seasons with Belichick, Brady and company, Amendola spent time playing for the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions before signing with his hometown team.

I recently spoke to the Super Bowl hero surrounding and EBay popup store and event in Houston. We talked about his own trading cards, the really cool event and much more.

Mariah Hill, Indiana native Ken Dilger was a multi sport star at Heritage Hills High School in Lincoln City, IN. He was the star quarterback on the football field and also excelled in basketball and baseball.

He took his formidable skill set to the University of Illinois to contribute on the gridiron. After redshirting his freshman year, he became a four year letter winner and a three-year starter after transitioning from quarterback to tight end. Dilger was named all Big Ten honorable mention in 1991 and 2nd Team All Big Ten in 1994.

After graduating with a degree in marketing, he was drafted in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. Dilger spent seven solid seasons in Indy and then three more with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  He was an All Pro selection in 2001 and won a Super Bowl ring  while playing for the Buccaneers.  He finished his career with over 300 receptions, 4,000 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Now 51, Dilger lives in the Indianapolis area where he’s a mortgage loan officer. We caught up to him to talk about signing autographs at a young age, some strange things he signed, Tupperware containers full of his own cards and much more.

Some remember him best for his record-setting career as a college football running back. Others recall him as a member of the Minnesota Vikings in the 1970s. If you watched Hill Street Blues, you know him as Officer Joe Coffey.  Maybe you remember him from dozens of other films and TV shows over the last 40+ years.  For most of his 71 years, Ed Marinaro has been busy.

Born in New York City and later a high school football and basketball standout for the Knights of New Milford High School in New Milford, New Jersey, Marinaro took his talents to Cornell University where he became one of the greatest college football players of the 20th century.

A durable and dependable running back, he set nearly 20 NCAA records and became the first running back in NCAA history to rush for over 4,000 career yards–in only three seasons.  He led the nation in rushing in 1971 and finished as the Heisman Trophy runner up. He was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991 and in January of 2020 he was named by ESPN is one of the “150 greatest players in college football’s 150 year history” ranking 126th on the prestigious list.

Marinaro played six seasons in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks, appearing in Super Bowl VIII and IX with the Vikings. His promising football career was cut short due to multiple injuries.

That was just the beginning of his story, though. The handsome Ivy League graduate became a successful actor and appeared in countless television series, most notably his stint on the smash hit Hill Street Blues from 1981 to 1986.  More recently, he played head football coach Marty Daniels for three seasons on Spike TV’s comedy Blue Mountain State.

I chatted with him recently about  collecting New York Yankees baseball cards as a kid, his impressive memorabilia collection and eventually rubbing elbows with some of his biggest childhood heroes.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida native Mitch Richmond played at Moberly Area Community College and eventually took his talents to Kansas State University.

Richmond was drafted fifth overall in the 1988 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, where he immediately proved to be one of the biggest scoring threats in the league, garnering NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 1989.

Although his time in Golden State was somewhat short lived, it was incredibly impactful as he teamed with point guard Tim Hardaway, sharp shooting forward Chris Mullin to form RUN TMC, one of the more fun and dynamic basketball trios of the era.

Richmond stayed in California as he spent the next few seasons with the Sacramento Kings where he really blossomed into an NBA superstar.

Finishing his incredible career spending a few seasons with the Washington Wizards and eventually the Los Angeles Lakers, Richmond pieced together one of the best basketball resumes of the nineties.

The 1996 Olympic Gold medalist was a six time All Star (including an All Star game MVP awarded in 1995),  a three time All NBA Second Team member and a two time All NBA Third Team member. Richmond became an NBA champion with the Lakers in 2002. The 20 point per game career scorer was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.

In this exclusive interview the Hall of Famer talks about memorable autographs and fans, seeing himself on rookie cards and video game covers as well as his involvement with the revolutionary Flex brand.

Flint, Michigan born and raised, Andre Rison was a multi-sport star at Flint Northwestern High School, excelling on the gridiron, the hardwood and the track.

Rison then headed to Michigan State where he continued to excel as a Spartan in three sports at the collegiate level but made his mark in football where he set school records in career receptions and career receiving yards. As a senior, Rison was named an honorable mention All American by the Associated Press and the Sporting News.

Drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1988 NFL Draft, he made an immediate impact, catching 52 passes for 820 yards and four touchdowns.

After a single season in Indy, he was traded to the Atlanta Falcons. With his immediate impact and outstanding play, ‘Bad Moon’ was mentioned in the same breath as the most elite receivers in the National Football League. In his five seasons with the Falcons, Rison finished near the top of nearly every single statistical receiving category.

A five-time Pro Bowler, First Team All Pro, three-time Second Team All Pro and eventual Super Bowl champion with the Green Bay Packers, Rison was one of the very best wide receivers of his generation, finishing his career with over 700 receptions, north of 10,000 yards and 84 touchdowns.  Rison scored the first points of Super Bowl XXXI on a 54-yard touchdown catch from Brett Favre. He was a 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame nominee.

Rison currently serves as a coach, motivational speaker and entrepreneur.

In November of 2021, he released a book Wide Open: The Andre Rison Story which chronicles his life story.

The book is currently being made into a movie.

We talked to the Future Hall of Famer about his interesting meeting with Franco Harris, collecting sports cars, ruthless fans and much more.

Steve Sax was born in West Sacramento, California and starred on the diamond at James Marshall High School in the mid to late seventies.

The iconic Los Angeles Dodgers selected Sax in the 9th round of the 1978 MLB draft.

After seeing limited time in 1981 after a late season call up, Sax earned his spot in the Dodgers infield in 1982, leading to a National League Rookie of the Year Award that season.

During his time in Los Angeles, Sax was one of the premier second baseman all of baseball. After this time on the West Coast, Steve played for the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics before retiring after the 1994 season.

After a decade and a half in the big leagues, the speedy middle infielder retired as a five time All Star, a two time World Series champion, the aforementioned 1982 NL Rookie of the Year and Silver Slugger Award winner.

Sax currently hosts a Podcast called Sax in the Morning, found on various online platforms. 

In this exclusive interview, we talked to the standout second baseman about seeing himself on a baseball card for the first time, his memorable signature for Louisville Slugger, being heckled by young fans in the Bronx and much more.

Bert Blyleven was born in Zeist, Netherlands and moved to the United States as a young boy.

Raised in Southern California, he was introduced to baseball when his father took him to see Sandy Koufax pitch for the famed Los Angeles Dodgers. Dad also constructed a pitching mound and makeshift backstop for Blyleven to practice in the family's backyard.

All the hard work and dedication paid off as Blyleven was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the third round of the 1969 draft and wasted no time making an impact in the big leagues, becoming the youngest pitcher in the majors when he was called up in June of 1970. He shined early on and was named AL Rookie Pitcher of the Year by the Sporting News.

Blyleven's curveball was considered the nastiest and most effective of the era and he was one of the most durable right-handers in baseball history. Over a 22-year career, he had 3,700 strikeouts, the third most in history, 287 wins, 60 shutouts and 242 complete games. The two-time All-Star won the World Series with the 1979 Pirates and the 1987 Twins. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011.

In this exclusive interview that appeared in SCD by Tony Reid, Blyleven talks about his 1971 Topps rookie card, his collection of complete sets and the memorable fans in Minnesota.

Born in Williamsburg, Va., Lawrence Taylor took his late-blooming but immense football talents to Chapel Hill, N.C. and became one of the greatest college football players in history while suiting up for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Taylor laid the foundation for his legendary career in college. What he did for the New York Giants in the NFL solidified that beyond compare.

LT's impact was immediate as he is the only player in NFL history to win Defensive Rookie of the Year and NFL Defensive Player of the Year in his first season in the league. The defensive force won an NFL record three Defensive Player of the Year awards and won the NFL MVP Award in 1986, joining Alan Page, who accomplished the feat in 1971. No defensive player has done it since.

Taylor, who will be signing autographs at The National in Atlantic City, was named a Pro Bowler in each of his 10 seasons in the league, first-team All-Pro in eight and second team in the other two.

A two-time Super Bowl champion with the Giants Big Blue Wrecking Crew, Taylor solidified his status as a champion and a winner at the highest level. A member of the 1980s NFL All Decade Team and the NFL 75th Anniversary Team, as well as the NFL's 100th Anniversary Team, Taylor is considered the single greatest defensive football player in league history.

LT revolutionized the way the linebacker position was played. He was solely responsible for a complete change in defensive game plans, as well as offensive game plans, and his impact is still felt in today's game.

In this exclusive interview with Tony, LT talks about seeing his rookie cards, his beautiful, bold signature, what his kids ended up doing with his cards and much more.

Brooks Robinson is as important to one franchise as any player in baseball history.

Robinson spent his entire 23-year career with the Baltimore Orioles, which is tied for the longest career with one team in major league history.

That's just the beginning of his story, as Robinson is still widely considered the greatest defensive third baseman in the history of the game and overall one of the greatest to ever play the position, period.

Robinson's accomplishments on the field stack up with anyone. He was an 18-time all-star and a key component in bringing two World Series titles to Baltimore, including capturing the MVP of the 1970 Fall Classic. Flashing leather like no one had ever seen before, he won an amazing 16 Gold Gloves. The 1964 AL MVP is still the third baseman all others are measured by.

The all-time great ended his career just shy of 3,000 hits and smashed nearly 300 home runs in what some consider the second dead ball era and drove in nearly 1,500 runs. Quite simply, he could do it all.

It comes as no surprise that he was a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a member of the prestigious MLB All-Century Team.

Aside from all of his accomplishments on the field, Robinson remains one of the nicest, most beloved and well respected players to ever step onto the diamond.

Tony chatted recently with Robinson about his illustrious career, his baseball cards and signing autographs for fans.

Denny McLain spent a decade pitching at a high level in Major League Baseball.

Spending the bulk of his career with the Detroit Tigers, the Markham, Ill. native was a revelation early on for the team in the Motor City. In 1968, the big right-hander became the last pitcher to win 30 or more games in a single season, finishing his magical run with an astounding 31-6 record.

The storybook start to McLain's career was solidified when he won Cy Young Awards in 1968 and 1969 and the American League MVP award in 1968. McLean was a three-time All-Star and a World Series champion.

After battling through many highly publicized off-field issues, McLain retired after spending part of the 1972 season with both the Oakland Athletics and Atlanta Braves.

He finished his career with 131 wins, more than 100 complete games and nearly 1,300 strikeouts.

In this exclusive interview that appeared in SCD, McClain talks about thinning out his massive collection of cards and memorabilia, idolizing Mickey Mantle as a kid and taking pride in still signing for fans decades after his retirement.

Slugger Greg Vaughn was born in Sacramento, California and excelled on the diamond from a young age. He starred at Kennedy High School before taking his powerful bat to the University of Miami and becoming a cornerstone at ‘The U’ during his time in South Florida.

Vaughn was drafted in the fourth round of the 1984 MLB Amateur draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. A four time All-Star, he spent time with five teams over the course of his 15- year MLB career.  The 1998 Silver Slugger Award winner was one of the most feared power hitters in the game during his prime, mashing over 350 home runs while driving in over 1,000 runs during his career.

The retired Big Leaguer is the founder of Vaughn’s Valley Foundation, an organization launched to channel resources into providing awareness and funding to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes, which Vaughn’s son Cory was stricken with at a young age. The foundation also offers life changing experiences for the youth in the Sacramento area.

The multi-dimensional retiree is also heavily involved in the wine industry, partnering with a group to start GV23 Wines, which is Vaughn’s own brand and label of wine.

We talked with him about his belief in proper penmanship, his impressive baseball collection and the pride in seeing his son on baseball cards.

Oakland, California born Mike Sherrard was a standout multiple sport athlete at Chico High School in Chico, California. He excelled in football, baseball, basketball and track and field.

The speedster was a walk on at UCLA and after a few early injury related setbacks, he became a starter by his sophomore season. He left school as the Bruins all-time leading receiver in both various single season and career statistics including a grand total of 124 receptions for nearly 2,000 yards and nine touchdowns.

The Dallas Cowboys chose Sherrard with the 18th pick in the 1986 NFL Draft.

After courageously battling through countless injuries in his decade plus long NFL career which included playing for the Cowboys, 49ers, Giants and Broncos, Sherrard retired after the 1996 season with 257 receptions for nearly 4,000 yards and 22 touchdowns for his career.

The retired NFL player recently launched a startup company Score Celeb Stuff, being a liaison and offering the best of all worlds, assisting professional athletes sell unwanted items to passionate fans and supporters with proceeds going to a charity of the athlete’s choice.

In this Q&A, we talk about his excitement seeing his rookie card for the first time, being gifted a game-used Bo Jackson bat, his current work in the sports memorabilia industry and more.

Chicago, Illinois born and raised, Nick Anderson was a standout on the hardwood from a very early age. The shooting guard/small forward was named Illinois Mr. Basketball after leading Simeon Career Academy to the city championship and USA Today national ranking in 1986.

The McDonald’s All-American continued to live up to the Mr. Basketball accolade as he starred collegiately at the University of Illinois, leading the “Flying Illini” to the Final Four.

Anderson made history as he was selected in the first round with the 11th overall pick by the expansion Orlando Magic in the 1989 NBA Draft. He was the first pick in the history of organization. Anderson was a consistent scorer and a starter for an up and coming team that, in subsequent years, added the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee Hardaway through the draft to become one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA.

The long range sharpshooter played for the Magic, Kings and Grizzlies during his 13 year NBA career. He averaged nearly 15 points per game during the course of his career.

He’s currently a hoops ambassador for the Magic and also does analyst work on television.

We caught up to him to talk about his rookie cards, his breathtaking collection of game used sneakers and playing in the golden era of professional basketball.

Danny Manning was a basketball legend before his high school graduation commenced. His father, Ed, played professionally in the NBA and ABA. The younger Manning led Page High School to a North Carolina high school state championship his junior year. Once his father was hired at Kansas, the Manning family moved to Lawrence, where Danny led his Lawrence High team to a state title his senior year while being named Kansas Player of the Year.

Naturally, Danny committed to the University of Kansas and became one of the greatest college basketball players in NCAA history. As a senior, he led the Jayhawks to an NCAA National title. He was a one man show, as evidenced by the team’s moniker “Danny and the Miracles”. Manning left Lawrence as the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. As a senior, he won the Wooden, Naismith and Eastman awards as the country’s best collegiate cager.

Manning was drafted first overall in the 1988 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Fighting through seemingly endless injuries, he still managed over 12,000 points, nearly 5,000 rebounds and over 2,000 assists during his NBA career. The two time NBA All Star and NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award winner retired following the 2002-2003 season.

He went on to a successful career as a college coach, becoming an assistant at his alma mater Kansas before taking head coaching jobs at Tulsa, and most recently, Wake Forest.

Chatham, Ontario native Ferguson Jenkins came from a family of athletes, as his father was an amateur boxer and semi-professional baseball player.

A multi-sport athlete, Jenkins’ first love was ice hockey, but he also competed in track and field, basketball and eventually baseball during his formative years.

Jenkins was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1962 and made his Major League debut as a relief pitcher in 1965. The following season, he was traded from the Phillies to the Chicago Cubs and quickly became one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball.

The power pitcher's career spanned two decades and his accomplishments on the diamond measure up alongside the greatest pitchers in the history of the game. The three-time All-Star and 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner had a nearly unbelievable streak of six consecutive 20-win seasons from 1967-1972. His 284 wins rank as the most for any African-American player in history. He is a member of the 3,000 Strikeout Club, a Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer, a Texas Rangers Hall of Famer, and in 1991 he received the ultimate honor, becoming the first Canadian-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

In this exclusive interview, the pitching great talks about his unique relationship with fans, the pride he takes in his signature and seeing his classic 1966 Topps rookie card for the first time

Defensive force Bennie Blades burst onto South Beach and helped lead the Miami Hurricanes to a National Championship in 1987. He was a key component of the famed defense, even earning the unit the moniker of “Bennie and the Jets” due to free flowing and hard hitting the style of play exhibited by the squad. His play that year also earned him the prestigious Jim Thorpe Award, given to the top defensive back in college football each year.

The Fort Lauderdale native then took his talents to the Motor City, when he was drafted third overall by the Detroit Lions in the 1988 NFL Draft. He picked up in the NFL right where he left off in college, quickly earning the reputation as one of the most fierce, violent and intimidating defensive backs in the history of the game.

“The Punisher” earned his nickname each and every Sunday afternoon, as he received All-Rookie honors in 1988. He was also named an All Pro in 1988 and a Pro Bowler in 1991. He was the defensive anchor that led the Lions to two NFC Central titles and an NFC Championship game appearance in 1991. He retired as the team’s second all time leading tackler with nearly 800 stops.

I caught up to the College Football Hall of Famer who talked about the placement of his Jim Thorpe Award, having some pretty cool signed boxing gloves around the house as a child, the stack of Barry Sanders memorabilia in his garage and more.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the richest traditions of linebacker greats in the history of professional football. One name that probably isn’t mentioned as often as it should be is that of Levon Kirkland.

The Clemson graduate and South Carolina native was a two time Pro Bowler, a two time All-Pro, a two time team MVP and he was named to the NFL All-Decade Team of the 1990s all while wearing the famous black and yellow.

After a season each with the Seahawks and Eagles, the stocky and speedy standout called it a career after the 2002 season. He recorded over 1,000 tackles and had 11 interceptions in his career.

In retirement, Kirkland moved up the linebacker coaching ranks over the years from high school to college to the NFL.

I spoke to him recently about his most memorable autograph experience, his favorite teammates and his love of a good backstory.

Nebraska native Gregg Olson was a high school pitching phenom. He led Omaha Northwest High School to four state titles, even throwing a no hitter in the state championship game to cap off his senior season. He was featured as one of the “Faces in the Crowd” in an issue of Sports Illustrated back in 1984.

The powerful closer attended the Auburn University and continued to dominate on the mound over the course of his three collegiate seasons.

Olson was drafted in the first round (4th overall) of the 1988 Amateur Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He wasted no time making an impact, as he became the first reliever to ever win the American League Rookie of the Year award, setting a rookie record for saves with 27 while posting a 5-2 record with a minuscule 1.69 ERA all while recording 90 strikeout in 85 innings pitched.

Olson’s career spanned 14 seasons with nine different teams. He retired with over 200 saves and was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.

He spoke with us about opening a box of Topps baseball to find his rookie card, the mancave in the making and conversations with Fidel Castro.

Whether it was on the diamond, on the ice or even on the links, Chris Sabo has always embodied the blue collar and workmanlike approach of his hometown of Detroit.

As a high school senior, Sabo had to make the decision to pursue a future in baseball or hockey. He chose to attend the University of Michigan on a baseball scholarship. While in Ann Arbor, the third baseman led the Wolverines deep in the College World Series tournament and earned All American honors in 1983.

The scrappy infielder was selected in the second round of the 1983 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds. After spending multiple season in the minors, he got the call to the Big Leagues in 1988. He took the opportunity and never looked back, earning the National League Rookie of the Year honors. Over the course of six seasons in Cincy, Sabo was a 3 time All-Star and a World Series champion with the 1990 squad that swept the favored Oakland Athletics. With his signature flat-top, Rec Specs and Charlie Hustle-like attitude, he was eventually inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame.

After his time in Cincinnati, Sabo spent parts of three seasons in Baltimore, Chicago and St. Louis before returning to retire with the Reds.

“Spuds” is currently the baseball coach at the University of Akron.

In a recent chat, he remembered practicing his signature, spending time in the bleachers of Tiger Stadium as a kid, seeing his rookie card for the first time and enjoying the music of Eminem.

Football great Willie Roaf was not heavily recruited coming out of Pine Bluff (Arkansas) high school in the late eighties, so much so that he considered pursuing basketball instead of football at the college level.

The choice to pursue a career on the gridiron was a very wise one, as Roaf became a consensus First Team All-American at Louisiana Tech and a finalist for the Outland Trophy his senior season. He made such an impact at the collegiate level that he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

"Nasty” was drafted in first round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. He went on to forge a 13-year NFL career and garner awards and accolades that few lineman could match. Suiting up for nine seasons with the Saints and four with the Kansas City Chiefs, Roaf was selected to 11 Pro Bowls, was a six time NFL First Team All-Pro and a three time NFL Second Team All-Pro. He was named to the NFL’s All- Decade Team for the 1990’s and the 2000’s.

Now making his home in Jupiter, FL, he talked with us about his experience at the Upper Deck rookie photo shoot, his special relationship with fans and the construction of his massive mancave.

He last played in a major league game 35 years ago and when he left, Peter Edward Rose, Sr. had left his mark as one of the greatest players in the history of professional baseball. Rose still stands as baseball’s all-time hits leader, with 4,256 to his credit.  He was a 17 time All Star, a three time World Series champion, won three batting titles, one MVP award, two time Gold Gloves winner and was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 1963.

He is a member of the MLB All-Century Team and the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

He’s also one of the most embattled superstars in the sport’s history. Betting on baseball while managing the Reds in the 1980s means Rose does not have a bust among the legends in Cooperstown.

The indelible mark he left on the diamond cannot be denied though, not only in his massive, measurable, statistical accomplishments but as much in the intangibles and immeasurable imprint he left on the game. He played with a passion and ferocity that was unparalleled.

No matter what you think of him, “Charlie Hustle” is also baseball’s biggest winner, statistically speaking. He has been on the winning side of baseball games than any player in history.

He’s made a nice living signing autographs at shows and during regular gigs in Las Vegas.  There’s definitely no shortage of Pete Rose autographs in the hobby.

I caught up to him to talk about the value of his iconic 1963 Topps rookie card, the pride he still takes in signing his name, memorabilia from his career–and more.

Mo Vaughn was one of the most feared hitters of his generation. ‘The Hit Dog’ spent the best part of his career, nearly a decade, with the Boston Red Sox. The three time All-Star and 1995 AL MVP finished his career with a batting average just shy of .300 while belting well over 300 home runs and driving in over 1,000 runs. 

He’s been busy since his career ended, working in real estate, business and even starting his own line of big and tall clothing.

Vaughn signed cards for the recently released 2020 Topps Archives Signature Series Retired Player Edition series. On episode 6 of Off Center, he talked with me about his first autograph experience, seeing himself on a trading card for the first time and his love and admiration for baseball history.

Kittanning, PA native Mickey Morandini is a hero for an entire generation of Philadelphia Phillies fans.

After his college career, the sure handed Indiana University second baseman decided not to enter the 1987 MLB Draft. Instead, he chose to fulfill a lifelong dream of representing his country as a member of the United States National Team in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. Team USA captured the gold medal and returned home as national heroes.

The Phils selected Morandini in the fifth round of the 1988 MLB Draft. He went on to anchor the middle infield there for nearly a decade, being selected a National League All Star in 1995 and playing a key role at the top of the lineup in the teams victory in the 1993 National League Championship Series and an appearance in the World Series.

On this episode of Off Center, he recalls seeing his 1988 Topps Traded rookie card for the first time, his massive collection of signed baseball and game used bats, his affinity for the Los Angeles Lakers and so much more.