Top 10 For 2017

Last year's Top 10 (http://attmathletes.blogspot.com/2016/12/top-10-for-2016.html) included four football players, three baseball players, and three basketball players (two of which took the top two spots on the list).  This year's Top 10 was heavily dominated by football players (seven--5 QBs), along with two baseball players, and one racing legend.  If I extended the list, there was a basketball player at number 11, but for this year, they were shut out of the Top 10.  Overall, 2017 brought 60 successes.  Added with the 56 successes from 2016, I'm up to 116 ATTM successes!  And it's that time of year when I start sending a lot out again.  I sent out a handful this week and will do the same over the next several months, which are sure to be filled with plenty of old-fashioned New England cold and snow!

10: Le'Veon Bell (one of the top RBs and fantasy football assets in the league right now!)
9: Eli Manning (the first Manning to appear on the list, Eli has two Super Bowl rings!)
8: Steve Young (an all-time great QB who I remember rooting against growing up!)
7: Mario Andretti (one of the greatest racers of all-time!)
6: CC Sabathia (237 wins and still going strong, CC is hungry for another championship!)
5: Joe Torre (a great baseball player and a extraordinary Manager, he's a Yankees legend!)
4: Tim Tebow (he's a Met now, but he's best known as a QB who uses his platform for Christ!)
3: Tony Romo (the recently-retired QB is among the best to ever play for the Cowboys!)
2: Peyton Manning (one of the best QBs in NFL history and two-time Super Bowl champ!)
1: Bill Belichick (the all-time greatest NFL Coach, a Wesleyan alum, and Mr. Personality!)

Fred Couples

I golf like once or twice a year, and not very well.  That's about the same rate at which I send out golf cards, which I have almost none of.  But here's my first birdie late in the year!  Golf Hall-of-Famer Fred Couples signed the card I sent him and sent along another one that he signed as well!  And 269 is a solid score over four rounds.  He's won several PGA tour events with that score.  Thanks, Fred!
Mailed: 3-24-17
Received Back: 12-18-17
Turnaround Time: 269 Days

Bob Cousy

I couldn't find a Bob Cousy card in my collection for some reason, but luckily I still have a few more of these blank Upper Deck Collector's Choice cards.  This particular one went from blank card to Hall of Fame Autograph.  Thanks, Bob!
Mailed: 12-4-17
Received Back: 12-16-17
Turnaround Time: 12 Days

Bobby Brown

This guy is the man!  Bobby Brown not only played for the Yankees, but he is also a decorated War Veteran, a Medical Doctor, and a former President of the American League.  Brown won four World Series with the Yankees and is the last survivor of the 1947 World Series Champions.  I've been meaning to send him a letter and card to sign for a while now, but I couldn't find one until I recently pulled this oddly-shaped card out of a random cheap wax pack.  Thanks, Dr. Brown!
Mailed: 12-4-17
Received Back: 12-12-17
Turnaround Time: 8 Days

Failure Analysis

I have no problem with it if a player doesn't want to sign through the mail, but I'm slightly annoyed when I get back a facsimile signature on a photo 614 days later that I have to analyze.  Perhaps including a typed sentence on the back of the photo that the player can't sign everything or simply the world facsimile would do the trick.  Although as a side effect of this sort of thing, I'm becoming better at analyzing whether or not a signature is a real autograph or a facsimile, so thank you, Franco Harris!  This one is a facsimile.

Steve Young

It may have taken nearly two years, but it took longer for Steve Young to get a chance to be the starting QB for the San Francisco 49ers.  And he went on to be a Hall-of-Fame QB.  Worth the wait.  Thanks, Steve!
Mailed: 1-28-16
Received Back: 11-9-17
Turnaround Time: 651 Days

No Luck

Much like the Colts, I have no Luck.  Or I was hoping to get Luck back, but it just didn't happen.  Or some other horrible pun linking the facsimile signature card I got back to the real-life plight of Luck's injury causing, which has kept him from playing at all so far this season. Oh well.  I do hope he recovers and returns to the field at some point soon though.

Billy Williams

The Cubs have been knocked out of the playoffs, but Baseball Hall-of-Famer Billy Williams is representing them here.  Much like the 2016 Championship, it was a long wait, as I sent this card to him on the very day that I began sending out cards, but it was well worth it.  Thanks, Billy!
Mailed: 1-27-16
Received Back: 10-23-17
Turnaround Time: 635 Days

Alex Morgan

She's one heck of a soccer player and perhaps the most beautiful athlete that I've gotten an autograph from so far--Alex Morgan!  With the U.S. Men's Team failing to make it to World Cup play, I'll be rooting for Italy this time around, but I'll still be rooting for Alex Morgan's squad in the Women's World Cup.  Thanks for the signature, Alex.  Bring home that cup!
Mailed: 4-24-17
Received Back: 10-16-17
Turnaround Time: 175 Days

First Fall Failure

The first failure of the Fall goes to Richard Sherman, who sent back a photo with his information and a facsimile signature on the back instead of an autograph.

Marcus Mariota

One of the better young Quarterbacks in the NFL right now is Titans QB Marcus Mariota, and he found time to sign during the season!  The Titans are 2-1 so far this year, and while a Super Bowl win this year isn't likely, there's a pretty good possibility that Mariota will have a Super Bowl win under his belt before the end of his career.  Thanks, Marcus!
Mailed: 9-15-17
Received Back: 9-30-17
Turnaround Time: 15 Days

August through December 2016 Failure List

Timing out from August 2016 is Jack Clark, and from September 2016 and still without a response is the one and only Big Papi, Mr. David Ortiz.  I didn't send anything out during October, November, or December of 2016, so this completes the list of 2016 mailings that did not get a response.

Late Summer Failures

No luck recently, with an unsigned return from the legendary Magic Johnson and a RTS from Hall-Of-Famer Dick Butkus.  I plan to send out a new batch early this Fall.

Bill Belichick

Well, the timing on this one could not have been better.  But then, Bill Belichick has always been a master of timing.  I just got this in the mail today and the Patriots are raising their fifth Super Bowl Championship banner and kicking off the 2017 NFL Season in a few minutes.  Belichick, a fellow Wesleyan University alum, is perhaps the greatest coach in football history.  This one ranks among my favorite signatures in my entire collection.  Thanks so much, Bill, and good luck tonight!  Go Pats!
Mailed: 8-7-17
Received Back: 9-7-17
Turnaround Time: 31 Days

Greg Louganis Chaillot

I'm two-for-two getting signatures from this legendary Diver.  The return address from him simply said "Chaillot", which is the last name of his husband, Johnny Chaillot.  Thanks again, Greg!
Mailed: 8-7-17
Received Back: 8-31-17
Turnaround Time: 24 Days

Peyton Manning

The third time was a charm in trying to get the signature of this legend.  Peyton Manning is one of the greatest QBs of all-time.  He won a Super Bowl with the Colts and a Super Bowl with the Broncos, and his 71,940 passing yards and 539 passing touchdowns are both first all-time (at the time I'm writing this, anyway).  The best autograph score of the year so far came in the mail on a day where there was a solar eclipse.  Thanks so much, Peyton!  Hope you're enjoying retirement!
Mailed: 7-17-17
Received Back: 8-21-17
Turnaround Time: 35 Days

Three Summer Failures

Being summer, I haven't sent out nearly as many autograph requests as I did during the colder months at the beginning of the year, but three recent failures include Tim Duncan, Ben Roethlisberger, and a RTS from Kobe Bryant.

Kyle Petty

Another Racing signature, and I believe it completes the first father/son ATTM success for me.  Kyle Petty followed in his father Richard Petty's footsteps but became a great racer himself as well.  Thanks, Kyle!  I'll display this card in my collection next to the one your father signed.
Mailed: 3-29-17
Received Back: 7-31-17
Turnaround Time: 124 Days

July 2016 Failure List

Three guys I wrote to last July and haven't heard back from:
Mookie Wilson
Sal Bando
Craig Biggio

Aaron Nola

Aaron Nola is emerging as one of the better young pitchers in the game (and on my Fantasy Baseball team).  Unfortunately, he's stuck on a not-so-great Phillies team this year, but it seems like a good bet that better days are ahead for him.  I sent him a card to sign, and got back a signed photo from the Phillies.  Presumably, he has signed a stack of photos and asked the team to reply to autograph requests with one.  Thanks, Aaron!
Mailed: 7-17-17
Received Back: 7-29-17
Turnaround Time: 12 Days

Chicken Man

It's too great a thing to have not done more time: Buy Wade Boggs a beer ($5) and he'll sign your card.  That's how I look at it, anyway.  Apart from his Hall-of-Fame career and post-Championship horse ride in 1996, Boggs is best known for drinking beer (as well as eating chicken, hence the nickname).  I'm a Yankees fan, so I had to try a Yankees card the first time, but this time I opted for a Red Sox card.  As an avid sports card collector, getting back a signed iconic 1983 Topps Rookie Card made me smile even more than last time.  Thanks again, Wade!
Mailed: 7-17-17
Received Back: 7-27-17
Turnaround Time: 10 Days

Mario Andretti

I do need to acquire more Racing cards at some point.  These guys are the best at sending back autographs!  Mario Andretti is an absolute legend!  Everyone recognizes his name, which is even called out in "Uneasy Rider" by The Charlie Daniels Band.  And we have yet another Italian-American sports legend here.  Thanks, Mario!
Mailed: 4-24-17
Received Back: 7-17-17
Turnaround Time: 84 Days

Joe Torre

This one was well worth the wait (this is the first return that took over a year--I'll edit the previous entry that called it a loss and continue doing so if there are others like this).  Joe Torre was a great player, a Hall-of-Fame Manager, and a legendary Yankee!  He's currently serving as MLB's Chief Baseball Officer.  I grew up watching his teams dominate.  I love Joe.  Thanks, paesan!
Mailed: 4-29-16
Received Back: 7-10-17
Turnaround Time: 437 Days

Vince Carter

I haven't had a chance to send any new requests out this month, but getting this one back was a great note on which to end the month.  Carter is a future Hall-of-Famer who was, for a while, one of the best players in the league.  This past year, he averaged 8 points per game at age 40.  Thanks, Vince!
Mailed: 3-8-17
Received Back: 6-30-17
Turnaround Time: 114 Days

Kirk Cousins

One of the best QBs in the league and a great guy off the gridiron, Kirk Cousins was an afterthought when the Redskins picked RG3, but he turned out to be worlds better than RG3.  Cousins threw for nearly 5,000 yards last year, and this marks a personal milestone in the nearly year-and-a-half since I started doing this, with my 100th ATTM success!  Thanks, Kirk!
Mailed: 5-1-17
Received Back: 6-19-17
Turnaround Time: 49 Days

100 Successes

This is all it takes, folks: one envelope, one smaller envelope, an index card, a stamp, a pen, a card, and a toploader.  When my next successful return arrive, I'll have had 100 successes this way in the year and a half since I started doing it, but the real secret is sending out a lot of these.  I've sent out close to 400 so far during that time, mostly on snowy or rainy days during cooler months (I haven't sent out any yet this month).  Good luck, everyone!

John Olerud

A one-time Yankee, a two-time All-Star, and a three-time Gold Glove winner, John Olerud was one of the top first baseman of the 1990s.  He also has the distinct honor of being the first to write his name and return address on the envelope he sent back to me.  Thanks, John!
Mailed: 1-25-17
Received Back: 6-8-17
Turnaround Time: 134 Days

Terry Labonte

I need to find some more NASCAR cards apparently.  I've had a very high success rate on those.  A racing legend, Terry Labonte entered the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2016.  Thanks, Terry!
Mailed: 3-24-17
Received Back: 6-8-17
Turnaround Time: 76 Days

Ken Schrader

I've had some solid success with that small batch of racing cards from the 1990 Maxx set that I sent out a few months ago, and here's yet another racing legend.  This guy still races locally too.  Thanks, Ken!
Mailed: 3-29-17
Received Back: 6-2-17
Turnaround Time: 65 Days

More May Nots

Latest round of failures: Sonny Jurgensen, Don Maynard, and Clayton Kershaw, who sent the above card in place of an autograph.

Ozzie Newsome

A stellar Tight End who played in three different decades across thirteen years for the Browns, Ozzie Newsome was enshrined in the National Football Hall of Fame in 1999, as the inscription next to his signature indicates.  Thanks, Ozzie!
Mailed: 5-3-17
Received Back: 5-27-17
Turnaround Time: 24 Days

Mr. Clean

Not to be confused with Steve Harvey, it's my yearly allotment of Superstar Steve Garvey!  This 1981 Fleer Baseball Card is a classic pose of the 10x All-Star, nicknamed Mr. Clean for his stellar reputation off the field, and he signed it in just the right spot.  Classic signature, class act.  Thanks, Steve!
Mailed: 4-12-17
Received Back: 5-25-17
Turnaround Time: 43 Days

The Blonde Bomber

A living legend, shown here in a majestic pose.  The first QB to win four Super Bowls, and all these years later, he's still working to make our Sundays great.  Thanks again, Terry!
Mailed: 2-13-17
Received Back: 5-22-17
Turnaround Time: 98 Days

May-June 2016 Failure List

Short list this month.  The only two I sent out last May that I haven't heard back from are Bucky Dent and Shannon Sharpe.  And none from last June.  As I recall, New England weather was much nicer around this time last year.

Three Spring Strikeouts

Here are the failures from the past few weeks...  No luck with Lynn Swann, Matt Williams, or Tom Brady, as the Swann card came back unsigned, the Williams was an RTS, and the Brady came back unsigned, though with an impressive five-day turnaround time.  My guess is that he has someone open his mail and return and autograph request cards.  The dude is the best football player the planet has ever seen, so I imagine he gets a lot of autograph requests, especially after winning his fifth Super Bowl this February.

Mr. Cowboy

A second signature from Mr. Cowboy himself, Hall-of-Fame Bob Lilly.  Thanks, Bob!  Go Cowboys!
Mailed: 5-1-17
Received Back: 5-9-17
Turnaround Time: 8 Days

Stephen Gostkowski

I've found that, even with a vast collection of sports cards, I don't always have cards of athletes I want to write to.  Luckily, I came across some blank "draw your own card" cards that came in 1997 Upper Deck Collector's Choice Football packs.  A few weeks ago, I sent some of these out, and this is the first one to come back.  I had a Patriots sticker to put on this one, which helps.  But being a blank card, Patriots Super Bowl Champion All-Pro Kicker Stephen Gostkowski's signature is very large and very clear here, and he even took the time to write a "GO PATS" inscription.  Awesome!  Thanks, Stephen, and Go Pats!
Mailed: 4-24-17
Received Back: 5-8-17
Turnaround Time: 14 Days

Gino Marchetti

This legendary Defensive End began his career with an NFL team called the Dallas Texans, and then proceeded to have a Hall of Fame career with the Colts.  He also sent along his signature to me in record time.  Thanks, Gino!
Mailed: 5-1-17
Received Back: 5-6-17
Turnaround Time: 5 Days

Ernie Irvan

Here's another signature from a legendary racer!   Irvan is a member of the Stock Car Hall of Fame.  Thanks, Ernie!
Mailed: 3-24-17
Received Back: 5-1-17
Turnaround Time: 38 Days

Mike Napoli

Napoli, a one-time all-star and one-time World Series Champion, is a power-hitter who's fun to watch.  His expression on this card says it all: he loves to play the game.  Thanks, Mike!  Hope you have a good season in Texas.
Mailed: 4-12-17
Received Back: 4-29-17
Turnaround Time: 17 Days

April 2016 Failure List

Mario went through all that to save her and she just thanks him, makes a terrible joke, and says bye?  That's a fail.  And here's the list of athletes I wrote to last April that I never heard back from:
Darrell Green
Howie Long
Jack Lambert
Ronnie Lott
Bill Walton
Kevin Willis
Larrry Fitzgerald
Rod Woodson
Spud Webb
Bob Griese
Mike Mussina
Roger Staubach
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Michael Johnson
Nick Swisher
Fred McGriff
Jay Buhner
Livan Hernandez
Madison Bumgarner
Matt Kemp
Paul Goldschmidt
Trevor Hoffman
Andrew McCutchen
David Wells
Evan Longoria
James Shields
Johnny Cueto
Mark Grace
Mark Teixiera
Ryne Sandberg
Buster Posey

Tony Romo

I think this may be my favorite of the year so far.  He sent me a small signed photo instead of signing my card, but it doesn't appear to be autopen.  One of the all-time great QBs, Romo recently announced his retirement.  His next stop may be Canton.  This is awesome!  Congrats, Tony, on an incredible career, and thanks for the signature!
Mailed: 2-13-17
Received Back: 4-27-17
Turnaround Time: 73 Days

Le'Veon Bell

One of the league's best running backs, and a top player in fantasy football drafts, I was pretty excited to get this in the mail today!  Bell didn't sign the card I sent, but he sent back my SASE and card and did something better, mailing me a signed color photo instead!  Thanks, Le'Veon, and good luck in 2017!  (Especially if you end up on the roster of one of my fantasy football teams.)
Mailed: 2-4-17
Received Back: 4-24-17
Turnaround Time: 79 Days

Al Kaline

This legendary octogenarian Hall-of-Famer signs through the mail for $10, and this marks the second time I've decided to take up an athlete on a cash-for-signature exchange (Kaline's fellow HOFer Wade Boggs was the first one).  Well worth it.  Great signature and a quick turnaround.  Thanks, Al!
Mailed: 4-12-17
Received Back: 4-20-17
Turnaround Time: 8 Days

Steve Largent

One of the best receivers in NFL history and a former U.S. representative in Congress, the latest addition to my collection is none other than Hall-of-Famer Steve Largent.  Thanks, Steve!
Mailed: 2-4-17
Received Back: 4-17-17
Turnaround Time: 73 Days

Four Recent Strikes

It's been a pretty good run lately, but there have still been a few misses in between, the latest being Chris Mullin, John Madden, Michael Waltrip, and Senator Jim Bunning, who is apparently having some health issues.  Pray for Jim Bunning.

Adam Vinatieri

This guy has hit so many clutch field goals, and he's still going strong.  Likely a future Hall of Famer, and potentially the NFL's all-time points leader if he can stay on the field through most of his 40s, it's Patriots and Colts legend Adam Vinatieri!  There are plenty of Super Bowl moments to choose from, and who can forget the "tuck" game against the Raiders where he drilled the game-winning field goal in the snow?  Thanks, Adam!
Mailed: 2-8-17
Received Back: 4-14-17
Turnaround Time: 66 Days

Shaq Attack!

I'm 2-for-2 with Shaq, which is a stellar trip to the free throw line for the big man.  Very exciting mail day.  This guy is a class act who was exciting to watch for two decades.  I sent him a rookie card this time too, and he gladly signed it.  An awesome addition to my collection!  Thanks, Shaq!
Mailed: 2-8-17
Received Back: 4-8-17
Turnaround Time: 60 Days

Dale Jarrett

And the NASCAR Hall of Fame autographs just keep on coming!  These guys really sign.  Yet another legend, and among the best Dales to ever race.  Thanks, Dale!
Mailed: 3-24-17
Received Back: 4-7-17
Turnaround Time: 14 Days

Bill Elliott

Another legendary NASCAR driver.  I came across a batch of cards from this particular set and decided to send out a bunch of them.  Another Hall of Fame Autograph!  Thanks, Bill!
Mailed: 3-24-17
Received Back: 4-7-17
Turnaround Time: 14 Days