Winter Olympian in 2006 Topps Football

I've been watching the prime time coverage of the Winter Olympics in Korea every night. Pretty much if it's not figure skating, I like to watch it. I just can't get into figure skating, even though it dominates the TV time.

Here's a trivia question for you. Which former Winter Olympian went on to play in the National Football League (albeit pre-season only)?  Here's the answer.

Unfortunately, the scan doesn't make the answer clear. It's Jeremy Bloom, moguls skier in the 2006 Games in Torino, and kick and punt returner for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2007.  Bloom was an incredible athlete. He won gold, silver, and bronze medals in skiing world championships.  And he's in the skiing hall of fame. Look him up sometime here on Wikipedia.  I was (still am I guess) a Colorado Buffaloes fan and remember he made a lot of big yardage plays in college.

This Bloom card is from the 2006 Topps flagship set.  I got this set really cheap on eBay last month. Some of the recently elected football Hall of Fame class are in the set.

Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher

As a Steelers fan, I wasn't a fan of Lewis at all, but I had tremendous respect for him. He would have made a great Steeler.
My favorite Urlacher memory is the time Jerome Bettis and he collided head on in the snow. Bettis knocked him over backwards and scored the touchdown.  Here it is.

Randy Moss and Terrell Owens

When Moss's name was announced, it reminded me I have an eTopps card I've never claimed. I logged into the eTopps site to make sure it was still in their vault after over 10 years, and it is. I don't know if I'll ever have it sent to me because the shipping is four times what it's worth.
Remember Drew Rosenhaus giving the press conference at the end of TO's driveway while TO did a workout in his lawn?  "Next question!"

Peyton Manning and Brett Favre

One's a hall of famer and the other will be in his first year of eligibility.  I was watching the Tennessee game Manning's freshman year when he made his first appearance.  I was sitting in a hotel room in Bloomington, MN.  It was like the third or fourth game of the year.  The 1st and 2nd string quarterbacks (one was future Colorado Rocky Todd Helton) were either hurt and/or underperforming, so in came Peyton.  And the rest is history.

As I was doing this blog, Shaun White won the Olympic gold medal in the halfpipe.  Now that was high drama entertainment!  And then they went to figure skating...