Kurt Schulz

Sent: 1/13/12
Received: 1/21/12
Time: 8 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1996 Topps, 1997 Topps
Item Received: 1996 Topps, 1997 Topps.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Schulz was a seventh-round pick by the two-time defending AFC Champion Buffalo Bills in 1992.  He was a reserve on the Bills' third and fourth consecutive Super Bowl squads during his first two years.  He eventually took over the starting free safety job from Mark Kelso and quickly earned a reputation as one of the league's hardest hitters.  He also had a knack for the ball.  He snagged 21 interceptions in his five seasons as a starter for the Bills, leading the team in each of those years.

Jesse Winchester

Sent: 11/19/11
Received: 1/21/12
Time: 63 Days
Address: c/o Ottawa Senators
Item Sent: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Update Retro
Item Received: 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Retro, 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee Update Retro. Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Not to be confused with the 1970s folk-rocker of the same name, this Jesse Winchester is an under-the-radar grinder for the surprising Ottawa Senators. I am completely perplexed by his inclusion in both the regular and updated 2008-09 O-Pee-Chee sets. In every other case, players who were featured in both series were done so because they had changed teams. Best I can figure, the low-scoring Winchester is such an anonymous player that Upper Deck simply forgot they had already featured him in the set!

Kirk Rueter

Sent: 11/18/11
Received: 1/19/12
Time: 62 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1995 Ultra, 1996 Ultra, 2004 Topps Heritage
Item Received: 1995 Ultra, 1996 Ultra, 2004 Topps Heritage.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
I'm not sure why I'm such a random fan of crafty lefties.  But, here we are.  Kirk Rueter and me.  He was always a winner.  How or why?  Who knows?  But he pitched and won some awfully big games for the Giants.  All throughout his career he was the best fielding pitcher in baseball, no matter what the Gold Gloves on Greg Maddux's mantle might have to say.  His stats were underwhelming, he wasn't exciting to watch, but Rueter was a total pro.

Brett Anderson

Sent: 3/4/11
Received: 1/14/12
Time: 316 Days
Address: c/o Oakland Athletics Spring Training
Item Sent: 2010 Bowman Gold, 2010 Topps
Item Received: 2010 Bowman Gold, 2010 Topps.  Both signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
What a difference a year makes.  Prior to the 2011 season the A's were the hip pick to win the AL West, primarily because of their talented young starting rotation.  Brett Anderson was the ace-in-waiting, Trevor Cahill was coming off an breakthrough All-Star season, Dallas Braden had a perfect game to his credit, and Gio Gonzalez had as much raw talent as any lefty in baseball.  Fast forward a year.  Gio is in Washington.  Cahill is in Arizona.  Anderson and Braden are working their way back from major, season-ending injuries.  Anderson will hopefully be back in the second half of 2012 after undergoing Tommy John Surgery last July. 

Jacob Markstrom

Sent: 11/5/11
Received: 1/14/12
Time: 70 Days
Address: c/o Florida Panthers
Item Sent: 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee Update, 2011-12 O-Pee-Chee
Item Received: 2010-11 O-Pee-Chee Update, 2011-12 O-Pee-Chee.  Both signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Giant (6'6") Swede Jacob Markstrom is the Florida Panthers' goaltender of the future.  He has spent a fair amount of time on the Panthers roster this year, thanks to injuries to veterans Jose Theodore and Scott Clemmensen.  Unfortuantely, Markstrom is himself hurt at the moment.  Still, I would be shocked if the 21 year old is not the main man in South Florida by next season.

Jeff Hackett

Sent: 12/8/11
Received: 1/10/12
Time: 33 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 1, 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 2, 1991-92 Score Rookies & Traded, 1999-00 Upper Deck
Item Received: 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 1, 1991-92 Score Canadian Series 2, 1991-92 Score Rookies & Traded, 1999-00 Upper Deck.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Jeff Hackett was the starting goalie in the first game in San Jose Sharks history.  He had a rough first two seasons for the expansion club, including a historically bad 1992-93 season (2-30-1 with a 5.28 GAA) and was shipped off to Chicago to back up Ed Belfour.  Hackett turned his career around with the Blackhawks, and was very good when he assumed the number one spot following Belfour's trade to San Jose in 1997.  Hackett's bloodlines have returned to the NHL this year with the arrival of his nephew Matt Hackett to the Minnesota Wild lineup in November.

Herschel Walker

Sent: 10/28/11
Received: 1/9/12
Time: 73 Days
Address: Home
Item Sent: 1989 Pro Set Update, 1989 Score, 1989 Score "Speedburner," 1989 Score Supplemental
Item Received: 1989 Pro Set Update, 1989 Score, 1989 Score Supplemental.  All signed in blue Sharpie.

Notes:
Herschel.  Does any other name draw the ire of Vikings fans quite like his?  You know, it's not Herschel's fault that the Vikings gave up five players and six draft picks to the Dallas Cowboys for one man.  It's also not really Herschel's fault that Jerry Burns didn't adapt his offense to take advantage of his new toy's immense talent.  Herschel didn't come close to fulfilling expectations, but he had his moments.  His Vikings debut against the hated Packers, where he barely knew the playbook but managed to rush for 150 yards was one of the most exciting Vikings games of my youth.  Along with my mom and brother, I had the opportunity to meet Herschel Walker during the grand opening of the Target store by our house.  He could not have been a nicer man.  I've always thought it was a shame that he was such a punchline in Minnesota.  He was a remarkable athlete and a very good football player.

Marc Bureau

Sent: 11/14/11
Received: 1/9/12
Time: 56 Days
Address: c/o Ecole de Power Skating Julie Robitaille
Item Sent: 1990-91 Score, 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Stadium Club
Item Received: 1990-91 Score, 1991-92 O-Pee-Chee, 1991-92 Score Canadian, 1991-92 Stadium Club.  All signed in black Sharpie.

Notes:
Marc Bureau is one of my favorite obscure Minnesota North Stars.  He only played in nine regular season games after coming over in a trade from the Calgary Flames in 1991, but asserted himself as an elite defensive center in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  He played in 23 playoff games during the North Stars' Cinderella run to the Finals.  He scored three goals and added two assists, but most importantly he was a shut-down defender.  He was a regular for the Stars the following season, but the year after that he headed to the Tampa Bay Lightning via the expansion draft.  For most of the rest decade, with the Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, and Philadelphia Flyers, he was a wonderful penalty killer and faceoff man.  For me, his performance in the 1991 playoffs has a special place in my heart.  I am very happy to get these cards back!