2005 Football Success: #1

Success number one of the 2005 college football season arrived in my mailbox this afternoon. Tulsa wide receiver/kick returner Ashlan Davis returned both index cards signed in just seven days.

The senior from Mesquite, Texas set a NCAA record in 2004 by returning five kicks for touchdowns; the previous record in a single season was just three. Davis also set another NCAA record in 2004 when he returned a kick for a TD in four consecutive games; the previous mark in that category was also three. He averaged over 30 yards per kickoff return, the third best average in the nation, and earned First Team All-American honors from various publications like SportsIllustrated.com and Rivals.com.

Success rates thus far:
Returned: 1 of 26 (3.8%)
Average # of Days: 7.0

The Collection: MAC Football

Tomorrow will mark the seventh day since the first 2005 football autograph requests went out. As I previously noted, that is the earliest I expect any to be returned. Throughout the coming week or so, I'll provide daily updates on any successes the mailbox brings.

Until then, here's a look at the collection of MAC autographs I have assembled over the past few seasons, all on 3"x5" index cards:

MAC:
Michael Turner (RB, Northern Illinois), Charlie Frye (QB, Akron), Josh Harris (QB, Bowling Green), Joshua Cribbs (QB, Kent State), Bruce Gradkowski (QB, Toledo), Marrtin Nance (WR, Miami,OH).

The Collection: Big East Football

Two quick notes to start things off:

(a) I sent out one additional autograph request today, to Louisville RB Michael Bush. He was somehow overlooked on my original list, but with his name now added, the total number of requests mailed out for 2005 is now 26.

(b) Notice a couple new "related links" on the right column. Thanks to those sites for exchanging links with this one!

On to the original matter, here is a look at the Big East football autographs I have collected over the years, all on 3"x5" index cards:

BIG EAST:
Dave Ragone (QB, Louisville), Larry Fitzgerald (WR, Pittsburgh), Brandon Miree (RB, Pittsburgh), Kay Jay Harris (RB, West Virginia), J.R. Russell (WR, Louisville), Eric Shelton (RB, Louisville), Gino Guidugli (QB, Cincinnati), Chris Henry (WR, West Virginia), Walter Reyes (RB, Syracuse).

The Collection: ACC Football

I have collected a dozen ACC football autographs over the past few years. Here is a run-down on those, all on 3"x5" index cards:

ACC:
Philip Rivers (QB, NC State), Chris Rix (QB, Florida State), Derrick Knight (RB, Boston College), Madieu Williams (DB, Maryland), DeAngelo Hall (DB/WR, Virginia Tech), P.J. Daniels (RB, Georgia Tech), Wali Lundy (RB, Virginia), Charlie Whitehurst (QB, Clemson), Leon Washington (RB, Florida State), Lee Suggs (RB, Virginia Tech), Andre Davis (WR, Virginia Tech), Woodrow Dantzler (QB, Clemson).

The Collection: Big XII and CUSA Football

We've looked at the collection of SEC, Big Ten, and PAC 10 football autographs. Now here's a look at two more leagues; all autographs are on 3"x5" index cards:

BIG XII:
Bobby Purify (RB, Colorado), Quentin Griffin (RB, Oklahoma), Kliff Kingsbury (QB, Texas Tech), Dahrran Diedrick (RB, Nebraska), Andre Woolfolk (DB, Oklahoma), Antwone Savage (WR, Oklahoma), Ell Roberson (QB, Kansas State), Tatum Bell (RB, Oklahoma State), Jason White (QB, Oklahoma), Antonio Perkins (RB, Oklahoma), Selvin Young (RB, Texas), Sonny Cumbie (QB, Texas Tech), Joel Klatt (QB, Colorado), Lance Mitchell (LB, Oklahoma), Brad Smith (QB, Missouri), Eric Crouch (QB, Nebraska), Rockey Calmus (LB, Oklahoma).

CUSA:
Rod Davis (LB, Southern Miss), Byron Leftwich (QB, Marshall), Josh Davis (WR, Marshall), Stan Hill (QB, Marshall), DeAngelo Williams (RB, Memphis), Kevin Kolb (QB, Houston).

The Collection: Big Ten & PAC 10 Football

After providing a run-down of the SEC football autographs I have collected over the past few years, here is a look at two other conferences, all on 3"x5" index cards:

BIG TEN:
Craig Krenzel (QB, Ohio State), Anthony Davis (RB, Wisconsin), Lee Evans (WR, Wisconsin), Marlin Jackson (DB, Michigan), Ben Utecht (TE, Minnesota), Stuart Schweigert (DB, Purdue), Zack Mills (QB, Penn State), Laurence Maroney (RB, Minnesota), Antwaan Randle El (QB, Indiana).

PAC 10:
Andrew Walter (QB, Arizona State), Mike Williams (WR, Southern Cal), Reggie Williams (WR, Washington), Jason Gesser (QB, Washington State), Teyo Johnson (WR, Stanford), Dennis Weathersby (DB, Oregon State), Cody Pickett (QB, Washington), Mike Bell (RB, Arizona), Geoff McArthur (WR, California).

2005 Football Effort: Now Time to Sit Back and Wait

The 2005 college football autograph requests went out to 25 different players across the country on Saturday. That is a much-reduced number from year ago when I sent out just over 100 autograph requests.

You may be wondering what the success rate is on this sort of thing. Last fall was a bit less successful than previous seasons, and part of that may be explained by the fact that some schools are becoming more and more wary of the NCAA and any affect this process could have on their players' eligibility if it is deemed inappropriate by the NCAA. I don't believe the players signing autographs violates any laws, but the NCAA has been known to make the rules up as they go.

In any case, I had 30 successes in 103 attempts in 2004, about a 29% success rate. I had generally experienced success rates of about 35-40% in past years. Still, if you calculate the $0.37 stamp it takes it mail each letter, the $0.37 stamp I include on each self-addressed envelope I enclose in each letter, and throw in $40 for supplies like envelopes, index cards, and printer ink, that total comes to less than $4 per autograph received. Therefore, I consider it a fairly cheap and rewarding hobby.

I sent each player two index cards; sometimes they return both, sometimes just one. Though it took an average of 50 days for the 30 to be returned last fall, 18 of them were returned in less than a month. Most of the rest were returned sometime during the season, while a few were not sent back to me until after the season was over, causing the average wait time to increase dramatically. It usually takes at least seven days for the first successes to show up in my mailbox. Here is the list of 25 contacts for 2005:

Matt Leinart (QB, Southern Cal), Omar Jacobs (QB, Bowling Green), Vince Young (QB, Texas), Reggie McNeal (QB, Texas A&M), Drew Tate (QB, Iowa), Jared Zabransky (QB, Boise State), Reggie Bush (RB, Southern Cal), Adrian Peterson (RB, Oklahoma), Patrick Cobbs (RB, North Texas), Jamario Thomas (RB, North Texas), Ted Ginn, Jr. (WR, Ohio State), Derek Hagan (WR, Arizona State), Tyler Palko (QB, Pittsburgh), Brian Brohm (QB, Louisville), Chad Henne (QB, Michigan), Mike Hart (RB, Michigan), Santonio Holmes (WR, Ohio State), Greg Lee (WR, Pittsburgh), Mathias Kiwanuka (DE, Boston College), Mario Williams (DE, NC State), Jimmy Williams (DB, Virginia Tech), Devin Hester (WR/DB, Miami), Ashlan Davis (WR, Tulsa), Steve Breaston (WR, Michigan), LenDale White (RB, Southern Cal).

When the successes begin to roll in, I'll provide daily updates on who's I have received, how long it took, whether or not they returned both index cards, and whether they included anything of their own as well.

The Collection: SEC Football

To get things started off, I'm going to give a periodic rundown of the autographs I have collected over the years, breaking the list of successes down first into sports, and then into conferences. With football season just around the corner, I figured I would start there, and as a Mississippi State fan, I might as well start in the SEC.

Like I mentioned before, I have collected most of the autographs on 3" x 5" index cards. Some players, however, have autographed photos (most sized 7.5" x 10.5") I have sent them, and a few have even sent back things on their own, like schedule cards or snapshots.

All of these autographs have been collected via snail mail, the good ol' USPS. I will have a whole separate entry to discuss this issue one day in the near future.

Until then, here's a look, in no certain order, at my SEC football autograph collection:

INDEX CARDS: Bradie James (LB, LSU), Jared Lorenzen (QB, Kentucky), Ryan Brewer (RB, South Carolina), Damon Duval (P, Auburn), Rex Grossman (QB, Florida), Cadillac Williams (RB, Auburn), Eli Manning (QB, Mississippi), Brodie Croyle (QB, Alabama), Rashad Baker (DB, Tennessee), Cedric Cobbs (RB, Arkansas), Cedric Houston (RB, Tennessee), Casey Clausen (QB, Tennessee), Fred Gibson (WR, Georgia), Matt Jones (QB, Arkansas), Channing Crowder (LB, Florida), Quincy Carter (QB, Georgia), Jessie Palmer (QB, Florida), Brock Berlin (QB, Florida/Miami), Josh Reed (WR, LSU), Gary Brashears (QB, Arkansas), Robby Hampton (QB, Arkansas), Greg Zolman (QB, Vanderbilt), Jabar Gaffney (WR, Florida), Fred Smoot (DB, Mississippi State), Demetris Summers (RB, South Carolina), David Pollack (DE, Georgia), Jerious Norwood (RB, Mississippi State).

PHOTOS: Shaun Alexander (RB, Alabama), Clint Stoerner (QB, Arkansas), Ronney Daniels (WR, Auburn), Cadillac Williams (RB, Auburn), Damon Duval (P, Auburn), Alex Brown (DE, Florida), Doug Johnson (QB, Florida), Jabar Gaffney (WR, Florida), Rex Grossman (QB, Florida), Quincy Carter (QB, Georgia), Jared Lorenzen (QB, Kentucky), Josh Booty (QB, LSU), Deuce McAllister (RB, Mississippi), Eli Manning (QB, Mississippi), Wayne Madkin (QB, Mississippi State), Pork Chop Womack (OL, Mississippi State), Mario Haggan (DL, Mississippi State), Ryan Brewer (RB, South Carolina), Jamal Lewis (RB, Tennessee), Tee Martin (QB, Tennessee), John Henderson (DL, Tennessee), Greg Zolman (QB, Vanderbilt), Matt Jones (QB, Arkansas), Demetris Summers (RB, South Carolina).

COACHES INDEX CARDS: Houston Nutt (Arkansas), Tommy Tuberville (Auburn), Ron Zook (Florida), Mark Richt (Georgia), Rich Brooks (Kentucky), Phillip Fulmer (Tennessee), Mike Shula (Alabama), Sylvester Croom (Mississippi State), Nick Saban (LSU), David Cutcliffe (Mississippi), Jackie Sherrill (Mississippi State), Bobby Johnson (Vanderbilt).

Next: Big Ten Football

Well, here we go!

We're off, my first attempt at creating a blog. It's purpose? To share the successes and failures of one of my hobbies, collecting the autographs of college football and basketball stars.

I started this process probably six or eight years ago, around the age of 12. Since then, I have collected hundreds of autographs from players all over the country. Most are on 3x5 index cards, but I also have autographed photos, schedule cards, and various other items.

As the days progress, I'll share more about the process of collecting NCAA Autographs, the collection I have obtained, and daily updates on current attempts. Stay tuned!

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