Friday Favorites: Top 5 Football Players

With the Super Bowl Sunday upon us, I thought I would share my 5 favorite NFL football players in my life.   As with any list, it fluxuates, but here today, these are my 5 favorite: 

5. Warren Moon, QB, Houston Oilers: Moon had a gun for an arm and he could throw the ball.  This is
not an official statement, but it felt like most of his passing yards were in the air, not after the catch.  He threw over 4000 yards four seasons and two of those seasons were over 4,600 yards.  He made the Pro Bowl 8 straight seasons and nine in all.  

4. Jerome Bettis, RB, Pittsburg: They called him the "Bus" but Jerome Bettis was a tank carrying the
ball.  I will never forget how powerful he was playing the Bears early in his career with the Rams.  Bettis for his smash style of running, racked up over 1000 yards rushing in 8 seasons.  

Jerome Bettis: Top 10 Big Guys video  **

3. Joe Montana, QB, San Francisco:  No player frustrated me more in the late 1980's than Joe Montana.
  Why?  Because he, more than anyone, knew how to win.  He stopped several really good Bears teams from reaching the Super Bowl, but I suppose Montana was pretty good himself.  In 1987, he threw 31 touchdowns to lead the NFL.  Montana has a 16-7 playoff record and over 5,500 passing yards in the playoffs.  He won every Super Bowl that he ever played in which is four, if you are counting.  What I remember most about Montana was his poise on the field even when he was under pressure.  

Joe Montana: Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players  **

2. Barry Sanders, RB, Detroit: Sanders was a highlight reel every week on some pretty bad Detroit
teams.  What made Sanders special was his ability to improvise and make defensive players miss.  Sanders was power, but he could spin, cut left to right to make defenders miss and then put on the gas to out run most linebackers and many secondary players.  

Barry Sanders: Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players **

1. Walter Payton, RB, Chicago Bears: He was Sweetness.  What more do I need to say?  Walter Payton was my favorite player growing up and when I think of the Chicago Bears or even favorite players in the NFL, Payton is always the first player to come to my mind.  I will never forget my dad saying to me, as he would a decade later with Michael Jordan, he is the best in the sport.  No one even comes close.  Best is always debatable, but I will always argue that Walter Payton is one of the best.  

I remember as a young boy watching Payton crash into the line over and over and my dad would say, "two yards and a cloud of dust."  The thing with Payton was, he may pound the "two yards" but then he would break out, hit some defenders really hard, and drive down the field.  As he approached the endzone, he would start his classic high-step and run right in.  Where Barry Sanders was a magician in making defenders miss him, Payton would make defenders pay the price for getting in his way.  

Walter Payton was innovative as he made the goal-line dive famous.  I will never forget the front page of the Chicago Tribune sports page one Monday morning with a end zone line shot of Peyton flying over the defensive line to score the touchdown.  Besides just being one of the greatest running backs, Payton was versitle as he set numerous blocks to set the fullback free.  Peyton could throw the ball as he completed 8 touchdown passes in his career.  This Chicago Bear brought my brother, dad and I together every Sunday afternoon for years.  I am grateful for that, and for the amazing skill he shared with all of us.  

Walter Payton: Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players **

** The videos are not available to post on the blog, so I supplied the YouTube links to checkout the highlights for yourself.  

   

Basement Treasures: Family Heirlooms

 

A stroll into the basement in search of some Basement Treasures uncovered this family heirloom.  This dollhouse was hand-built by my Grandfather and given to my mom who owned and operated a preschool in our basement.  He also made a copy of this dollhouse for a raffle (see picture), so there is or was another house just like this one.  

My grandfather was a Methodist minister, but I knew him better for the things he built.  He crafted a special item for my brother, sister, and me that we cherished as children.  My sister received a dollhouse that I have no memory of what it looked like, my brother received a red barn that he and I played with often, and I got a rocker that was a green turtle which I quickly outgrew.  I still have the green turtle rocker that will likely show up in a future "Basement Treasures" post, but both of my children used and enjoyed the rocker.  My hope is that my girls' children will also be able to use the rocker someday.  

I received the dollhouse when my mom was clearing out her house after she closed the preschool.  I have two girls who at the time were young and of age to play with dolls and dollhouses, so that is how it came my way.  My girls loved the wood floors and wallpapered walls that my grandfather so carefully hung and created.  He hand-created each wood shingle on the top of the house and inserted windows.  What can't really be seen is that the front of the house and the back of the house slide off to give full access to the interior of the house.  There is also a panel of the roof that can come out to give access to the attic.  This house has brought years of fun to so many children.  

Me and my Grandfather  and the twin house

What is sad to me is that it now sits in the corner of our basement and is only thought of when I have to reset a fuse in our own house.  Its purpose now is to wait for a new generation of children in my family.  It is in some disrepair with some missing windows and wallpaper curling up and off the wall.  I think I look forward to the "grandfather" duty of making those repairs in retirement sometime in the future in anticipation of grandkids myself.  That is years away but for now, it is a classic family heirloom that hides in the corner of our basement as a "Basement Treasure."  

Update:  10/27/24

I found a new home for the dollhouse.  I was sharing the story of the dollhouse and my grandpa at work when one of my colleagues mentioned that her husband and daughter like to work on projects, especially reclamation type projects.  So, long story made short, the dollhouse eventually went home with them so they can make it a family project to fix up the dollhouse.  When they came to pick it up in their pickup truck, it was sad to see it go, but I was excited for the look in her husband's eye when he saw the dollhouse.  I shared with him how it was built and the things that had fallen to disrepair.  His interest and excitement to work on it was clear, which made it much easier to be able to say goodbye to a piece of our family history.  

Free Comic Book Day 2022!

Just before the end of 2021, the Free Comic Book Day committee announced that it will return to its traditional "First Saturday in May" date.  In 2022, that date is Saturday, May 7!  I am quite excited about this announcement.  This "holiday" reminds me of how much I enjoy the art and storytelling format of comics as I get to read through new stories or comics that I have never experienced before.  Another reason I enjoy Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is for the family memories that are attached.  

I remember taking my two girls (much younger then) to our local comic book store, Zeek's Comics and Games, on FCBD.  My girls have never had much interest in comic books and that's cool, they are who they are.  But on FCBD they always want to go with me as they seem to really enjoy browsing through the new/free books.  Sometimes I think they enjoy it because the covers look different than the new comic book wall they normally see on a weekly basis.  There are books they don't normally see there such as My Little Pony, Archie, Marvel Rising, Diana Princess of the Amazons, or The Descendants.  

I like stepping back and watching them browse through the books trying to decide which three or four they would like to take home.  I get to watch them discuss the pictures and the art.  These are conversations I don't often witness when they are out and about.  Once they have made their picks, they always want to see what I chose, because they know I won't have my typical stack of Star Wars or Spider-man books.  They know that I cherish this day to take a look at new stuff.  When we reach the car, the ride home is always quiet as they are flipping through the pages of the books they grabbed.  I seriously cherish this, because as they get older, that time together, the time for conversation and stopping to just watch them gets shorter and shorter.  Not long ago, I was helping my youngest daughter straighten up her room and I came across a stash of FCBD books.  I asked her if she wanted me to put them away.  She told me, "no," she likes to look through them every now and then.  Even though my daughters aren't necessarily fans of comic books, I hope other kids get to attend FCBD.  Maybe their mom or dad will find the joy in watching them flip through the pages and choose which books they would like to take.  I hope that the accessibility of the free books triggers a spark in some of the children that makes them ask to return to get more to create that love of the story told through word and art.  

Needless to say, I am excited for the return of Free Comic Book Day.  The FCBD committee announced that there are 46 comic book titles that will highlight the day.  Here are a few of the titles that are sure to bring some excitement to children and adults alike.  Here is the link to the full list:  

How about the 25th anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by BOOM! studios?  Can it be 25 years?  This could be a good conversation starter for kids and their parents who loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Also by BOOM! studios is a really cool book called Hollow that is set in...yes..Sleepy Hollow, so I bet you can guess who the antagonist is.  This may end up on my pull list in 2022!

Red Sonja by Dynamite Entertainment

Check out this classic Red Sonja cover!!  It is as stunning as the main character of this book; it is sure to be a hit, so swears Red Sonja!

Enemies by Svetlana Chmakova Yen Press

So many of my students enjoy Chmakova's other books, Awkward, Brave, and Crush, that just seeing the cover of Enemies makes me want to dive into this story.  I have a feeling I know two girls who will walk away with their own copies of the Enemies preview.  

Of course, just like in any year, the big publishers like DC, Marvel, and IGN will have titles on FCBD.  So mark your calendars and be sure to make a trip to your local comic shop in May. 

Want more information and a video with all the scheduled Free Comic Book Day books?  Check out the video: 

Friday Favorites: Top 5 Activities to Stay Fit

It is generally at this time of year that we see Weight Watchers, Planet Fitness, and other health/weight loss advertisements on television.  It makes sense.  This is the time we generally make resolutions for the new year.  It is an age-old tradition with the end of one year to the beginning of the next.  For me, it is fun to make resolutions, but the real change comes in simply making life changes.  

January's Friday Favorites are my Top 5 activities to stay fit.  They are all designed to be fun but fit at the same time.  Why is fun so important?  If a fitness activity isn't fun, then we won't want to do it, or we will resent the activity to where we come to hate it and we stop.  Then we beat ourselves up, because we aren't doing something healthy.  Those feelings are self-defeating and no fun.   

If anything on my list doesn't sound like fun, don't add the activities to your routine!  Create a list of fun-fit activities you like to do.  Create a list of activities that include things you can do alone and things you can do with others like family or friends.  Try to find activities that vary in intensity, but most importantly, make the activities things you want to do and can achieve.  I should also add that if you are adding new activities to your life and you have had health issues, be sure to discuss this with your doctor.  They are pretty smart about how to keep you healthy.  Also, remember that having a healthy diet goes a long way to helping you feel great.  

Here are my top five favorite activities to stay healthy: 

5. Group Fitness Classes:  Check out your local gym or health club.  I am sure that they have some weight training classes or indoor biking classes or any number of other strength and cardio classes.  If you are a little reticent to try these classes because of "peer pressure," don't be!  Everyone remembers their first class.  The nervousness flees from you quickly as the music starts and you start working out with everyone else.  These classes can be hard, so take it easy.  A good instructor will tell you to take it easy and just get a hang of the class the first time or two.  You will fall in love with these classes very quickly!  

4. Push-ups:  Am I serious?  You bet!!  Start small (the theme of this post).  I started with one set of 20 push-ups on my knees every morning.  Before long, (1 week) I was moving it up to 30.  Then two sets, then I came up off my knees to my toes and backed off the reps and added sets.  I think I went to 10 push-ups on my toes and did 3 sets.  There are all sorts of push-up workouts on the Internet.  Find one that makes sense to you and go at it!  Every day!  You will see and feel a difference. 

3. Yoga:  This can be complicated and it is possible to hurt yourself, so I highly recommend finding a certified trainer or group class.  Once you get the basics of yoga, then you can move it to your own  workout space at home.  There is lots of advice online that is great when you get the basics down from an instructor.  I find that when I add yoga to my workout plan, it gives me a good "off" day from weights or cardio, or it makes for a great way to cool down and stretch at the end of a workout.  Don't be fooled thought, yoga is a workout and the benefits of doing yoga are numerous.  Personally, I find it really helps my body stay loose from the stretching and it brings me a sense of peace.  You will likely find other benefits, so find an instructor and learn.  

2. Running/Walking:  Go to your local running store and get a good pair of running shoes.  Yes, you get what you pay for and the expertise of a local running store employee is well worth the money.  You don't have to run a marathon (although that is an amazing goal to have).  Find a local running group and start small.  As I mentioned with the Group Fitness classes, finding a running group adds motivation and accountability while bringing the fun of making new friends and having some laughs along the way.  All runners started somewhere simple and running half a mile for a few weeks is 100% okay.  

I have been walking on a treadmill for 20-30 minutes 3-5 days a week as part of my workout for about 2 years.  I have added spurts of running from time-to-time to add variety, but I don't find running on the treadmill to be fun. I just do it to get my heart rate up a little then I go back to walking.  I miss these walks on my off days, and I think if you find something to hold your attention (watching a show or the news, listening to a book or music) the time really flies and you will feel great when the walk is over.  

1. Biking:  I love biking!  It is low impact on the body, and when you are outside, you can cover a lot of ground on the bike.  I enjoy bike rides with my family or longer, faster rides with members of the cycling community or just by myself.  I also enjoy indoor rides by myself in my basement or at a local gym in a group fitness class.  Find a local bike store that can get you set up with a good bike that will fit your needs.  The cost of biking varies, but like I mentioned with finding a local running store, a local bike shop is well worth the extra dollars to find the right bike.  Many bike stores also have a nice stock of used bikes that they take as trade-ins for new bikes, so you may find a deal on a used bike that has professional maintenance.  Also, don't forget to get plenty of safety items, headlights and flashing red lights for the rear of your bike.  Get reflective clothing so cars have no excuse to not see you.  

I love cycling because of the community of riders out there.  There are so many cool people who ride to work, ride across the country, ride across town or just ride in the neighborhood.  A bike opens the door for conversation.  I am also an advocate for indoor cycling as well.  You can meet a wonderful community at your local gym or bike shop who get together to take an indoor cycling class or just put bikes onto indoor trainers and ride together.  If it has been a while since you have been on a bike, try it out.  Find a friend to ride with and plan out routes around town.  Take advantage of cycling lanes in your city or bike paths that many towns are adding.  There are also Rails-to-Trails projects all across the United States. I bet there are some trails you could ride somewhere near you.  

I hope you find one of my Top 5 activities to stay fit inspiring.  Find what works for you and create your own Top 5 activities that you love and look forward to doing to stay fit.  

Personal Stats for 2021 and Goals for 2022

Last year I was inspired at this time to begin tracking my reading and viewing.  It has been fun to watch the page numbers rise as the year went on and watch the number of episodes watched increase.  Now that I have tracked the numbers of books and pages, episodes, and movies, I now have a baseline to work with to compare my reading and viewing habits.   Thanks for following along all year with me as I have done quarterly reports for fun and accountability.  I plan to continue the quarterly check-ins as 2022 moves along.  

Below, please find the final numbers for 2021.  

Movies watched: 31
Rewatch: 16
First time: 15

TV series (streamed): 86 Episodes
Rewatch: 40
First time: 46

Books read: 21
Graphic Novels: 6
Fiction: 12
Nonfiction: 3
Pages read: 4,195

Books abandoned: 0
Graphic Novels:
Fiction:
Nonfiction:
Pages read:

Audiobooks: 3
Fiction: 3
Nonfiction:

Short Stories: 8
Pages read: 244

Comic books read: 164
Digital: 64
Print: 100

Some goals I have for 2022:

I plan to keep track of the books and movies that I read and watch as the year goes on. I have had a few people ask about those. You can keep track of what I'm reading on the blog homepage in the left-hand menu.

I really want to read more books. I would like to see a number closer to 30 in 2022 even if that means more Graphic Novels and Manga!

I also want to take more advantage of the catalog of comics in Marvel Unlimited and Comics Plus. I have not gotten used to the new platform that Marvel has created for Marvel Unlimited. I don't like it, but I need to stop being stubborn and just figure out how to make it work for me.

Here are the links to the 2021 check-ins:

January

April

July

October

Top 5 Star Wars Card Trader Sets of 2021

The Top 5 Topps Digital 2021 favorites continue with Star Wars Card Trader Sets.  The Top 5 come from cards that I have actually collected in the SWCT app. I may not have the complete sets, so I note how many I have of the set.  If you have any of the cards I'm missing from these sets, I would entertain fair trades.  My SWCT username is JEDIGROSS.  

If you are evaluating your collection and can't believe I would have passed on a certain set, it may be that I didn't collect that set, or it may be that we just have differences in opinion which is awesome!  Here are my Top 5 sets of 2021:  

5. The Mandalorian - The Legend Continues - Wave 1 Standard, Uncommon, 5/5 collected

This set is unique.  I enjoy the "card pack" look of the set which makes if fun.  Clearly, if I opened these packs they would be Mandalorian cards, but what would the set look like with pack covers like these?  It is a fun and colorful little set that comes in at number 5 for me this year.  

4. Daniel Govar Original Art: Pilots & Ships Wave 1 Parchment, 

    "Tora Doza and the Blue Ace," Uncommon, 9/9 collected

Going along with my affinity for the ships of Star Wars, this set goes a step further and gives me the pilot of my favorite ships.  My number 3 card of SWCT for individual cards came from this set (see here), but I chose to display the "Tora Doza and the Blue Ace" card here.  I enjoy any card that uses a Star Wars subject that we don't get to see often. I really enjoyed Tora Doza's character in Star Wars Resistance, but I enjoy the entire set done by Daniel Govar.  There is a full-color set of this in the Rare variant which is awesome, but since the black and white sketch is more accessible, and I just like the shading of the black and white, I chose it as my number 4 in 2021.

3. Kevin-John Original Art, Helmets, Wave 1 - Signatures "Bo-Katan Kryze," 

    Super Rare, 2/5 collected

If you love Mandalorian helmets, this is a must-have set!  The raw feel to the art with the "bleeding" paint matches the style of the Mandalorians.  Not much else to say other than I love the aesthetics of these cards.  

2.  Derek Laufman Original Art Series, Color Art, "Zori Bliss," Rare,  / collected

This is a super cool series of characters that Laufman chose to create.  I love the interpretation of the characters with some "cartoon" feel to many of the images.  I chose the Zori Bliss card to represent the series because I really like how he makes her out to be the gun-slinger that I imagine her to be.  I don't feel the film brought out that aspect of her, but Laufman shows it clearly in this card.  Check out this series and I think you will agree that it should be in the Top 5 of any list.  

1. Widevision 2021, Series 1-4 Bronze, Uncommon, 

    26/26 Series 1, 26/26 Series 2, 25/25 Series 3, 26/26 Series 4 collected

One item to start with this set of amazing cards. An apology, no apology to Cory Clubb of CWK Pourover, this is kind of a four-way tie as I am including four sets as my Number 1 choice.  I give forgiveness to this because they are all the same series, just in 4 waves.    

Anyway, this set is awesome!  I really liked the editors' choices on what scenes they captured for the wide vision treatment.  The captured essence of wide vision went from human conflict to galactic battle.  I really appreciate all aspects of how they used this format.  I tried to display some of that with the cards I chose to represent the sets.  Enjoy!  

A quick note:  Acquiring information for the cards was kind of frustrating this year which is why some cards don't have actual names of the cards or sets.  I had to guess at that.  I normally get that information by clicking on the card, then using the information button on the bottom left.  About 85% of the cards did not have any information available.  All the fields were filled with "???"  I hope this feature is fixed in the future, but don't get me wrong, I love this app and hope it continues for a very long time!

Top Five Star Wars Card Trader Insert and Award Cards in 2021

The Top 5 Topps Digital 2021 favorites continue with Star Wars Card Trader Insert and Award Cards.  The Top 5 come from cards that I have actually collected in the SWCT app.  If you are evaluating your collection and can't believe I would have passed up on a certain card, it may be that I didn't collect that card, or it may be that we just have differences in opinion which is awesome!  I always love this quote that highlights the benefit of thinking differently, "If everyone is thinking the same thing, then someone isn't thinking."  I think it was U.S. General Patton who said that, but you can probably easily prove me wrong.  I am focused on SWCT cards not who said what!  Here we go!

5.  Star Wars Visions: Ronan,  Rare,  9642 GC  

I love the look of this card.  It is dramatic art for who may be the subject of my favorite Visions episode.  The dramatic red of the saber really pops with the black and white art.  Ronan's robe is not just flowing in the wind, but it appears to be whipping in the wind adding a sense of action to the image.  

4. Ahsoka Tano Authentic Autograph, Uncommon, 4381 GC

Who doesn't want an Ahsoka card with Ashley Eckstein's autograph?  I mean, seriously.  It is a pretty stock image of Ahsoka, but the autograph is enough to make it my 4th top card of 2021!  

3. Mandalorian and the Razor Crest Daniel Govar - Original Art: Pilots and Ships 

    Wave 1 Parchment, Uncommon, 33,368 GC

I absolutely love original art!  I am thankful that Star Wars Card Trader has made a commitment to these artists and giving them top billing for their work.  This card comes from one of my top sets of 2021 (coming soon) "Pilots and Ships."  It also is one of my favorite subjects of Star Wars these days: the Mandalorian and his ship, the Razorcrest!  

2.  Topps Choice Series 3 - Loth Wolf, Uncommon, 4342 GC

The subject of this card is a family favorite and was a total shock when it appeared on the Topps Choice list.  At Star Wars Celebration Chicago, I bought the plush Loth Wolf in the store for my youngest daughter who is an animal lover.  She fell in love with the white Loth Wolf and he quickly became her favorite stuffed animal. She appropriately named him "Wolfie," so my second favorite card of 2021 is "Wolfie!"  

1. The Mandalorian: The Heiress Card #9,  Uncommon, 9236 GC

I believe this card actually hit the app in December of 2020, but it is part of the 2021 collection.  I knew that this would be in my top 5 when it came out a year ago.  I love ships.  I love action.  I love epic shots. This card is all of it.  The shot of this Imperial transport alone is beautiful, but the four Mandalorians flying above it for their raid adds just enough to make it an epic shot, in my opinion.  This is a magnificent card and tops my list for 2021.  

A quick note:  Acquiring information for the cards was kind of frustrating this year which is why some cards don't have actual names of the cards or sets.  I had to guess at that.  I normally get that information by clicking on the card, then using the information button on the bottom left.  About 85% of the cards did not have any information available.  All the fields were filled with "???"  I hope this feature is fixed in the future.