1995 Topps Kerry Collins

Who is this? NFL Quarterback Kerry Collins
What is this? An autograph card from 1995 Topps.
Where'd I get it? I got this card signed in 2001 when the NFC Champion New York Giants practiced against the New England Patriots at Bryant College in Rhode Island.
How much did it cost? I got this card out of a pack in 1995.

Why is this so special? Kerry Collins was a Quarterback in the NFL for 16 seasons, playing for the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, and Indianapolis Colts.

While he is unlikely to be ever by elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he would be an ideal candidate for a Pro Football Hall of a Good Career. Collins was a two-time Pro Bowl selection (1996, 2008) and led his team to the playoffs four times (1996, 2000, 2002, 2008), highlighted by his Quarterbacking the New York Giants to an NFC Championship and the Super Bowl in 2000.

Collins was the first draft pick in the history of the Carolina Panthers franchise when he was selected fifth-overall out of Penn State, where he was an All-American and recipient of the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Sammy Baugh Award, and College Quarterback of the Year in 1994.

Kerry was very nice about signing after the scrimmage, especially considering that almost all of the fans at Bryant College were Patriots' fans.

1997 Collectors' Choice Tiki Barber

Who is this? Former New York Giants' Running Back Tiki Barber.
What is this? An autograph card from 1997 Collectors' Choice.
Where'd I get it? I got this card signed in 2001 when the NFC Champion New York Giants practiced against the New England Patriots at Bryant College in Rhode Island.
How much did it cost? I got the card out of a pack of 1997 Collectors' Choice when I was 9 years-old.

Why is this so special? Tiki Barber is the New York Giants all-time rushing and receptions leader and was a three-time All-Pro running back. Barber shocked many Giants' fans when he chose to retire from football in 2006 after rushing for 1,662 yards and 5 TDs in his final season. However, after four seasons away from football, Barber is attempting a comeback to football for the 2011 season.

What makes this autograph so special is how well Barber signed it. In all of my years of autograph collecting, Tiki's signature is easily one of the best-looking and clear autographs that I have ever seen. It is also memorable because the Giants players were much nicer about signing than the Patriots players, even though we were almost all New England fans.