It all started in high school. In a town of less then 1,000 people, you know everyone and chances are you will have a class or two with someone. That was the case as we both had chorus class together. It was basically a cut class for us, but the teacher was getting burnt out, and we spent a lot of time watching Disney movies in class. We had interacted before, but can't remember in what. We bonded over music and movies, and we still do to this day.
After we graduated we lived across from each other and would hang out, and then we started going to concerts together. I'm trying to think of the first concert we attended together, but can't. I think it might have been a group called The Anniversary, but I could be wrong.
Anyways to move the story along, in 2008, we were both into Ebay, and we came across some Mizzou tickets. We went to a couple games. This is highlights of the first game we went to.
We got to see Colin Kaepernick play for Nevada. As for Mizzou, here is a list of some of the players we got to see:
Chase Daniel
Blaine Gabbert
Derrick Washington (I wish I didn't admit that, but he could have been an NFL star)
Jeremy Maclin
Danario Alexander
Jimmy Jackson (I wish more people got to see how good he was)
Tommy Saunders (another underrated player)
Chase Coffman
Sean Weatherspoon
William Moore
Ziggy Hood
Andrew Gachkar
Stryker Sulak (drafted by Oakland but never played in NFL)
What a list. Just one game!
Since that time, we have been to many more games, and I've had a blast every time. Even the time we was at Homecoming and Texas killed us.
To be quite honest, in 2008, I was a little burnt out of sports. It started a few years earlier, but I just wasn't into it. This sparked a resurgence of my love for sports. The funny thing is that I am more of a fan of the Mizzou basketball team and he likes football more.
We've gone to many more events since then including APFL and later CPIFL (indoor football leagues), Kansas City Chiefs games, and Kansas City Royals (including one next month). I tried getting him into blogging which he has, with his Talkin' Truman blog, but he's been busy lately and haven't had time to update. I can't wait until he blogs next as even though he tells me most of the stuff he gets, his has a massive Mizzou collection, and I love seeing what else he gets.
I gave him his gift earlier today (including a pack of Rocketeer cards), but also told him I made some custom cards he would enjoy. Here they are as I explain why I made them.
This first one isn't really for him, but I wanted to show it off. Atiyyah Ellison played for Mizzou before we started going to games, but he now lives around the Mid-Missouri area where he is an assistant coaches for one of the high school football teams. I've seen him a few times, but need to get a few cards signed. I'd like to make this card and have it signed one day too.
Jaron Baston was one of our favorite players the first years we went to games. He was very outgoing and fun to watch, even on the sidelines. I usually show my friends the cards I make before I post them but I just make this today so this is new to him, including the design. I was hoping to find an action photo, but no luck this morning.
This one I like a lot. Marcus James is another player who played before we went to games, but he played for the Mid-Missouri Outlaws, the aforementioned APFL and CPIFL football team. We met him a few times, and he was very nice. He is a teacher and a coach at one of the Columbia schools as well. I was really surprised I found a photo of his Mizzou days, and a decade after he graduated, he still holds a record on the football team (I forgot which one, I think its a special teams record).
In addition to being a Mizzou fan, my friend is also a big fan of Nolan Ryan. He has always been a fan. So since i didn't give him any Nolan cards, I thought I'd make one.
Not the same design as the 2015 First Pitch cards, but he liked the First Pitch cards, so I got him that set. I thought this would have fit in just as well, but I'm having a tough time using that design. So this will have to do.
Most people may have thought I'd use a different photo. GOTCHA! Here is a story about that famous fight.
GOTCHA AGAIN! I made a card for that too. How could I pass it up.
It's hard to believe that people are graduating college this year who weren't alive when this happened.
So I just wanted to say Happy Birthday to the Side-Splitton Jason Litton! It's been a wild ride and I can't wait to have more fun!
Thanks everyone for reading and have a great night.
No comments:
Post a Comment