1. Checklist

Philip Rivers Football Card Checklist now including over 54 different card issues

 2. Gallery of selected cards

click images to enlarge

FOUR VERSIONS of the Rookie Review card:

There are only 50 of these Sage Hit Jersey cards. Here are 7 or 14% of the entire market....

work in progress.....

Agnew, Ray - there are many good card issues around though they are getting hard to find from national companies and auction sites. His 1990 Score rookie card is available and has a wonderful action shot.

click for Ray's finer cards

Austin, Clyde "The Glide" - 1989 NC State's Finest #8 and #9 featured this exciting guard long before he became Captain of the world famous Harlem Globetrotters (click to view his card).

Bailey, Carlton - Yes, we know. He played for North Carolina. That not withstanding, his 1993 Pro Set Power Update PMUD23 lists his alma mater as North Carolina State. So if some trader or dealer gives you one of his cards that may be why.

Bailey, Thurl - first card is thought to be 1989 NC State's Finest #11. Other nice ones are:

click for some Thurl scans

Bartels, Ed - 1989 NC State's Finest #15

Benjamin, Ishua - no cards we know about.

Berton, Sean - since there are twelve ways to spell Sean and Berton, some folks have trouble finding his cards. Well, even with the correct spelling they're no easy thing so far. There is a Pro Bowl card that's scarcer than hen's teeth. (click to view his 2003 Leaf Rookies and Stars #129)

Biedenbach, Eddie - 1989 NC State's Finest #23 features him as an assistant to Coach Sloan while #21 & #22 show his student days.

click to view his 1989 cards

Brown, Chucky - 1989 NC State's Finest #28 and #29 are his first (click to view)

Brown, Ted - while young collectors may only know him by name, this man will always be the core of a solid Pack football collection. They are pretty all affordable for kids and adults alike. His best known cards are:

• 81 Topps #59
• 82 Topps #392
• 82 Topps Sticker #64
• 83 Topps #99
• 84 Topps #289
• 85 Topps #91
• 86 Topps #295

Burden, Willie - this Pack RB was a draft pick of the Lion in 1974 (#103 overall). He later became a CFL Hall of Famer in 2001 after 8 years with the Calgary Stampeade. They also retired his jersey no. 10 in 1982. There is a rare Jogo CFL card for him in a set called "1992 Missing Years A Set".

Burleson, Tom - 1989 NC State's Finest #33. There are other cards we will feature at a later time.(click for his 1989 Finest card)

Campbell, Jesse - a number of cards but I like the intensity of expression on 1991 Pro Set #777 RC.

click for 6 of his cards,including two of Wild Card stripes.

Carpenter, Ron - Look for his 1974 Topps.

Carr, Kenny - drafted 6th overall in 1977, Kenny played from 1977 to 1987 for the Lakers, Cleveland, and Portland. We're trying to gather the best cards for review.

Case, Everett Norris - yes, the grand old patriarch of ACC basketball had a card with the 1989 NC State's Finest #198 issue. It features the famous oil painting (click to view)

Charles, Lorenzo - does he have cards? We've yet to find even one. Let us know if you have one.  "Lo C" played for the Atlanta Hawks from 85 to 86 as a 2nd round pick (#41 overall) in 1985. He scored 122 points in that short career.

Chones, Kaayla - we're expecting this #5 pick of the Washington Mystics in 2004 to have a card shortly. She's on their roster as of 5/04.

Cothery, Jericho - his first cards are out and tending to be pricey.

• 04 Playoff Prestige #203
• 04 Playoff Prestige Xtra Points Purple (running $8-15)

Christy, Dick - this is for old Topps card fans. He played for both Oakland and NY c. 1961. List coming soon.

Cofer, Mike - One of the Charlotte native's best photos is the 1991 Stadium Club. I also like his 92 Pinnacle Sidelines showing him behind a stock car.

When searching for MC's cards be careful. There is another player, Michael Cofer, and sometimes his cards are filed simply under Mike.

After a remarkable career at State with 247 kicking points, Mike signed as a free agent in 1987 with the Browns. He never played. He was with the Saints in 1987 and kicked only 5 extra points and 1 FG. Those teams missed something since the VERY NEXT YEAR in 1988 he led the ENTIRE NFC in points scored with 121 and earned a spot on the All Rookie Team.

Mike is forever a part of NFL trivia. He was the league's highest scorer in 1989 with 136 points (29 FG and 49 extra points).  In 1998 he led the NFC in scoring with He set a San Fran FG record of 56 yards in 1990. The year 1993 was also good for Mike when he make 50 of 61 PAT's and 16 of 26 FG's for a totasl of 107 points.Most importantly he made kicks when it counted. He is credited for providing the win in 5 of the the 49er's 17 victories in 1992. He ended up being SF's leading for 5 straight years - not a simple thing when you have Jerry Rice challenging you for the mark.

click for Mike's best cards

Coleman, Chris - We're assembling his various cards. A great start is the 2001 Pacific #420 with crisp, clean, lightly foiled appearance (click to view).(click to view another card).

Corchiani, Chris - like the other half of 'Fire n' Ice' his cards are getting harder to locate. As a local Raleigh businessman, autographs are far more accessible than when he played overseas. Some we find very often are:

• 92-93 Upper Deck #76
• 94 Fleer #206
• 94 Skybox #304

Check out teamcorchiani.com for Chris' latest way to give assists.

click for the best CC cards

Covington, Damien - His 1995 Classic #38 was his first card. It's out there but hard to find (click to view)

Cowher, Bill - The near-legend Steeler's coach

Bill has a B.S. in Education from NCSU. We think he still holds the NC State one game record of 24 tackle in a single game (vs. Clemson in 1978 and again vs. South Carolina that same year)

click for Bill's best (and only regular issue) cards. There are couple of Pittsburgh Police cards we're endeavoring to scan.

Cowher,  Kaye - Kaye, wife of Bill, deserves a listing on this site even if under her maiden name of Kaye Young. She's an NCSU alum (B.A. Sociology 1978), player for the Lady Wolfpack hoops 1977-78, and later a pro with the NY Stars of the WBL. She also played with the N.J. Gems by one report. Her sister Faye Young Miller also played in the WBL for the Stars. We do not know of any WBL cards of her but her wonderful Pro Line Profile card (click to view) is available with and without autograph.

Davenport, Charles -His 92 Star Pics Pro Prospects #72 is the rookie card of choice (click to view). These are all the cards we know about:

• 92 Classic #9
• 92 Classic Gold #9
• 92 Classic 4 Sport #84
• 92 Classic 4 Sport Gold #84
• 92 Classic Blister #9
• 92 Courtside #35
• 92 Gridiron #61
• 92 Pacific #270
• 92 Star Pics #74
• 92 Ultra #426
• 92 Wild Card #444
• 92 Wild Card 10 stripe #444
• 92 Wild Card 50 stripe #444
• 92 Wild Card 100 stripe #444 (very rare - saw one going for $20 some time ago)

Del Negro, Vinny - Playing for the Pack fro 1984 to 1988, this Springfield Mass. native did not excel under his 3rd year. In his senior year he scored 509 points plus 115 assists. He accuracy in that last year is hard to beat: 51.5% for field goals and 83.9% for free throws.

Vinny was drafted in 1988 by Sacramento as the 28th overall pick. He played for Sacramento from 1988 to 1990.  There were intervals playing in Italy from in 90-92, and 98-99. His high rating in Italy with 25.8 points a game got the Spurs attention. San Antonio acquired him in 1992 as a free agent and he had a good run there through 1998. MIlwaukee was his home in 1998-2000. He finished in 2000-2001 with jobs in Phoenix and with Golden State. He ended up in Phoenix in the final 2001-2002 season.

Along the way Vinny reached his 2000th assist in 1998. Another highlight was leading the Spurs in free throw percentage in 1996-97 with an amazing 86.8%.(that not far from his average of 88.7% as a Junior at NCSU). In 1993-94 he made 50 consecutive free throws, a Spurs team record. In 1994 his FG% was 4th highest among all NBA guards. His 1997-98 year was notable for scoring in double digits in 25 of 54 games.

The 1989 NC State's Finest #89 and #88 are the oldies. Other good looking cards include:

• 89 NC State's Finest #89 (dribbling)
• 89 NC State's Finest #88 (shooting)
• 96 UD SP #118
• 97 Skybox Metal Universe #13
• 99 UD #235

click for Del Negro card scan

Dess, Darrell - His 1969 Topps is seen fairly often.

Down, Gary- GD did not have many cards but our choices include:

• 95 Pacific #224
• 96 Pacific Dynagon Best Kept Secrets #62
• 97 Pacific Gold #125

Erb, Summer - Yes, there are Lady Pack alum cards out there if one is willing to ask and look around. The 98-99 ACC Player of the Year is featured in 2000 Fleer Gold Medallion card #130G in Charlotte Sting uniform (see Cards of the Month)

Evans, Johnny - I never he had a card until a dealer showed us a 1981 Topps card as punter for the Browns. Like any 80's card the color is bit rough but still it's a must have for Wolfpack football fans who enjoyed not only his playing but years of thoughtful and insightful announcing.

Fisher, Levar - the potent LB has a surprising number of cards from his 02-03 year with the Cardinals and yet many collectors seem to have left him off their lists. His best known cards are:

• 02 Donruss #287
• 02 Donruss Elite #181
• 02 Leaf Rookes & Stars #242
• 02 Leaf Rookies & Stars Chicago Collection #242 5/5
• 02 NFL Showdown 1st & Goal #11
• 02 Score #31
• 02 Topps #383
• 02 Topps Chrome #238
• 02 Topps Debut #188
• 02 Playoff Absolute Memorobilia #194 (limited to 1500)
• 02 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket Autograph #151 (limited to 760)
• 02 Playoff Honors Chicago #189 (limited to 5)
• 02 Playoff Honors - Rookie Stallions #RS27
• 02 Playoff Prestige SP #181
• 02 Score #130
• 02 Upper Deck Sp Rookie #572

Fuller, Todd - the big guy with brains has many fine card issues including some autograph inserts and quite a few fancy foil inserts.

click for a sample of Todd's fanciest cards

Gabriel, Roman - His rookie and early cards are still plentiful and affordable. Raleigh residents still treasure his 1991 Pro Set World League #24 that says "Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks". Newer area residents don't believe such a team ever existed - until you produce one of these babies.

Gannon, Terry - 1989 NC State's Finest #180 (click to view) remains popular and available. We don't know of any other cards. Do ice skating announcers have a line of cards yet?

Gibson, Claude - This Raider is widely seen on his 1964 Topps rookie card. As one of the oldest NCSU alum cards it's a good anchor for a collection.

Goines, Eddie - Eddie's had a rough career since leaving the wolf's den but he's had moments of brilliance and amazing skill. Seattle drafted him in 1995 as #203 overall, knowing he was still recovering from knee injury. It took all of 1995 and 1996 before he could play. He was soon waived in August of 1997. The Giants signed him in March 1998 but waived him in August of that year due to continual knee injury problems. Most recently, Eddie has played for the Arena-based Arizona Rattlers in 1999, running for 11 TD's and 575 reception yards. (click to view his card).

Gugliotta, Tom - the number of his cards and inserts is staggering. There are few Pack basketball players with more different versions, mainly because he entered the NBA when insertitis and parallelism starting inflicting the sports card world.

click for front and back views of cards including a  rookie card

Gugs 1992 - click

Gugs 1993 - click

Gugs 1995 Part I

Harrison, Todd - TE Todd was picked in 1992 NFl draft by the Bears as the #134 overall pick. (click to view his cards).

Harvey, Terry - like Shane Montgomery we don't know of any cards this this fine fellow.

Hegamin, George - The Cowboys picked George in the 3rd round in 1994. At 355 pounds and 6'7" he was the largest player picked in that year's NFL  draft. He was an All-American in 1992 for the Pack. (click for his rookie draft card)

Holt, Terrence - these are all we have heard of so far:

• 03 Bowman #202
• 03 Bowman Chrome #166
• 03 Bowman Chrome Refractors #166 (limited to 550)
• 03 Leaf Rookies and Stars #195
• 03 Topps Total Chrome #273
• 03 Topps Total Silver #514

Holt, Torry - The Ram's amazing lightning bolt is not only one of the hottest card subjects for Pack fans but for football card fans in general. Even if I didn't have 162 different Jerry Rice cards in the bank and knew nothing of NCSU, I'd be tempted to invest in this guy. Some fans complain that his best, rarest cards are still $50-100. True but just acquire and trade for what you can afford. We can either dismiss the rest or pick them up when the prices become more sane. I haven't checked this but someone tells me it would cost $1400 at Beckett full prices to get every last one of this cards. That's pretty silly and part of the reason kids and college students get discouraged collecting their favorite players like Torry.

He's such a model player and gentleman I do not hesitate to recommend torryholt.com to all of you.

Here's a few of my favorites from the mid to low price ranges (all minus jerseys, autographs, holographs, DNA samples, or whatever they're inserting now). Click image.

The cats can eat dry food. That box wine isn't really that bad. I'll change the oil next month. Every Visa card should have a comma in the balance. You'll think of anything and everything when the "rare card bug" has bitten down firmly. If you just have to have some of the SUPER TORRYS these are a few cool and pretty ones.

Holtz, Lou - the former Pack football coach has lots of cards around but we do not know of any in Wolfpack attire.

Hooks, Roland - This star RB played for Bullafo from 1976 to 1982. We have found Topps issues in 1978, 1980, and 1981 so far. (click to view his card).

Houston, Bobby - a few nice cards but getting hard to find on national websites. His 95 Ultra #239 remains a good choice for appearances (click to view)

Howard, Brian - here's another guy I left out until the error of my ways (and collection) was pointed out. He played with Dallas from 1991-2 with cards as follows:

• 92-3 Stadium Club #295
• 92-3 Stadium Club Members Only #295 (his best card in our opinion)
• 92-3 Topps Gold #385G
• 92-3 Upper Deck

Jeffries, Haywood - the Greensboro native has had many nice cards and some of them still pricey. For affordability and fun I like the five Pro Line Profiles cards showing his real life.

click for my picks of the best Haywood cards.

The 93 Edge (a plastic card), 94 Edge Excalibur, and the Chrome-lettered Impact are real gems.

Ditka's Picks (a playing card) is not always seen

The 2 Pro Line Profiles are both wnderful cards.

Jenkins, Izel - The Eagle CB and native of Wilson NC is often available with his 1990 Pro Set #612 (click to view). There are not many 11th round draft picks (1988) that end up with a regular issue card.

Johnson, Joe - for scarcity alone I'd look for the 92 World League Ultimate Rookies #54 with the Frankfurt Galaxy (click for this card).The former All-ACC cornerback was drafted in 1991 by Chicago.

Johnson, Vaughn - he seems to be the player so many alum collectors forget. Some good cards of him include:

• 88 Topps #159
• 89 Pro Set #469
• 90 Pro Set Pro Bowl #397
• 91 Pacific #330
• 91 Topps #326
• 91 Stadium Club #245 (sporting an amused grin)
• 92 UD #346
• 93 Bowman #368 (a rather odd look)
• 93 Topps #65 (showing the strain of warmup exercise yet determination)
• 94 Fleer #327
• 94 Playoff #80 (one mean and one smiling photo)
• 94 Topps Holo #107 (flashy but nice)

click for Vaughn's cards

Jones, Mike - The "Big Cat"  was drafted in the 2nd round in 1991. He quickly became a popular player for Cardinals in 1991 and 1992. He tied another STL lineman with 6 sacks and and was No. 2 with 37 tackles in 1992. He led the Wolfpack with 51 tackles and 10 sacks in 1990, filling the recently vacated shoes of Ray Agnew and earning first team All-ACC status. He also received honorable mention for All-American in 1990.

His best card is probably the Action Packed while the Topps Gold (see below) is very scarce in Pack collector's albums.

click for his best cards

Knox, Jamie - the 89-90 Hardees/IBM card is scarce but one sees them occasionally.

Kramer, Erik - many, many nice cards out there. The following are attractive issues:

• 92 Stadium Club #139
• 95 Pinnacle Sport Flix #8 - gimmick card but curious
• 95 Playoff Prime #17
• 95 Score #85
• 96 Donruss #59
• 96 Fleer #25
• 96 Pacific Crown #cr143
• 96 Pinnacle Summit #120
• 96 Skybox Impact Rookie Sleeper #129
• 97 Pinnacle Inside #52
• 97 Pinnacle Venith #81
• 96 Playoff Zone #20
• 98 UD Black Diamond #16

Kramer 1996 - here's some of the best from that year.

Lacey, Trudi - the Head Coach of the WNBA Charlotte Sting does not have any cards yet to our knowledge. Trudi was first team All-ACC in college so if anyone does another NC Finest's series she should be in it. Coaches eventually do get cards so we're waiting...

Lester, Avie - the only card I have seen is the 89-90 Hardees/IBM issue showing the finish after a slam dunk (click to view)

Lewis, Tynesha - we're still researching this NCSU grad. Look for a 2004 card.

Lowe, Sidney - there are more Lowe cards around than most collectors realize. The prices have risen and fallen, mainly in relation to the success of his coaching endeavors. If (God forbid) Herb Sendek's standing starts to slide, look for Sidney to be on a short list of candidates.

click for his best cards as player and coach

Matthews, Kenny - 1989 NC State's Finest #189 is all we have.

McLenden, T.A. - our former potent RB is featured on only one card we know about: 2002 Rookie Review #29. Regular cards run about $1-2 with Gem Mint Tens going at $5.

McMillan, Nate - his cards are still readily available and will likely be a good investment as his coaching stock rises.

Nate is known in Seattle as "Mr. Sonic". This 1986 NCSU grad was the 30th pick overall in 1986 draft to the Sonics. He played with them for 12 years, scoring a total of 4733 points. IN 1993-94 he lead the league in steals with 2.96 per game on average. He finished his career as Seattle's all time assist and steals leader, still holding the #2 spot in those categories today. He played in 98 playoff games. They retired his jersey #10 in 1999.

He secured the 'Mr. Sonic" title by being an Assistant Coach in 1998 and 1998. In November 2000 he was named Interim Head Coach (then the youngest HC in the NBA). In January 2001 he was hired as full time Head Coach, earning success from the very first. One of first wins was a more than impressive victory over the Lakers by a margin of 121 to 88. Nate still hold the Sonic's top coaching position today in 2004. Like Sidney Lowe, Nate  is frequently mentioned as a future candidate for the Wolfpack coaching experience.

click to see a selection of Nate's finer card issues

Melvin, Chastity - the former Lady Wolfpacker does have a card. It is part of the 1999 Skybox ABL set.  Due to league instability the set was never released but we've heard some sets are out there. Can any of you send us a scan or card?

Milinichik, Joe - This Ram's guard is often seen on his 1992 Upper Deck #583  (click to view)

Monroe, Rodney - we'll feature his cards soon.

Montgomery, Shane - the great Pack QB has no cards to our knowledge. Shane has recently come into fame for being the Offensive Coordinator at Miami of Ohio and being the QB coach to Ben Rothiensberger (spelling?).

Nevitt, Charles - 1989 NC State's Finest #106, #107, and #108 are his first carfds. His pro career from 1982 to 1994 covered Houston, Lakers, Detroit, Chicago, and San Antonio. There is a 93-4 Upper card #44 for the Rockets that is uncommon.

click for his best known cards.

Perry, Max - Max with his unmistakable red curly hair played for the Pack in 1980 to 1982.Playing as a reserve he's been descrbed as a "crowd favorite". Having made just 8 buckets in 52 games that would be about right. His 77 assists is a tad more impressive.  In 1982-3 he was a graduate assistant coach during thagt magical championship year. .(click for his NC State's Finest cards)

Plesac, Dan - this State baseball star has numerous cards and we found quite a few for sale on major websites. He had a long career from 1986 to 2003.

Pucillo, Lou - As an All-American in 1959 and All-ACC In 1958, Lou is one of the greats some of us have yet to learn about. In 1958 he not only All-American but ACC Player of the Year. At 5'9" he was shortest guy to play for Coach Case. Besides these honors they were 55-21 in his career and won the ACC tournament. (click for his 1989 card)

Quick, Mike - there are a very large number of cards of him. The Hamlet NC native was a worldclass WR long before anyone heard of Jeffries, Holt, or Robinson. The Eagles drafted him #21 overall in 1982. He was in 5 straight Pro Bowls and only missed others due to a fractured leg and knee surgery. He set the Eagles receiving record in 1983 with 1409 yards, which was the NFL's leading receiving performance that year. His career included some amazinn receptions of 51, 83, and 99 yards.

click for Quick

Reeves, Carl - He was drafted 198th overall by Chicago in 1994. His NC State career includes 205 tackles and 22.5 sacks. His best year was 1994 when he finished 5th among all ACC players in tackles. (click for his 1994 rookie draft card)

Reid, Mike - the world is complicated as there are a few Mike Reids. One is a golfer with his own card or two. Another is a well-known Penn State alum drafted in 1970. Our NCSU guy was the Eagle's draft pick (#77 overall) in 1993. Watch those dates when searching card sites as anything pre-1993 will be someone else.

Ritcher, Jim - As a long time resident of Raleigh and regular at NCSU football camps, Jim's autographs are readily available although generally on common cards.

Jim is one of the more accomplished and unique alums for a number of reasons: 1) played in the NFL 15 years, 2) started in 4 Super Bowls, 3) played in 2 Pro Bowls (1991, 1992), 4) won 1979 Outland Trophy in college as the nation's best offensive lineman, 5) partly responsable for making Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas look real good real often, 6) member of College Football Hall of Fame, 7) two time college All-American8) 21st member of the Buffalo Bills (very exclusive) Wall of Fame, and 8) played 207 games in his Buffalo career. If that wasn't enough is followed his pro career as an international pilot for American Airlines and certified flight instructor. He's also dad to the Pack's John Ritcher, a very talented TE.

Ritcher Part  I - his true Rookie card is the one with the beard on the top right.

Ritcher Part II

Ritcher Part III

Robinson, Koren - If you're hot on the track of Torry cards than K-Rob has surely caught your attention. If the number of his glittery inserts is noticable then the prices will soon be. Some Pack collectors are sitting out (as with Philip R) for things to settle down. If money permits, look for a reasonable acquisition of early and rare cards without paying 2-3 digits for those inserts of uncertain value and rarity. If we all had an extra dollar to cover those new $20 inserts to ended up being worth just $5-8 over the long haul.

It's wonderful to see such a great succession of Pack-raised NFL receivers from Quick to Jeffires to Holt to Robinson. With Chuck and company recruiting with admirable skill deep into Florida the procession of Pro-ready receivers is not in doubt.

Here are two scans of his better cards so far:

Koren Part I (click image)

Koren Part II (click image)

Robinson, Les - The former coach had two issues as 1989 NC State's Finest #102 and #101 showing him in playing form in black and white.

Scarpati, Joe - This Eagle's player is seen often on his 67 Topps rookie card.

Shackleford, Charles - the amphibious one's 90 Fleer #122 is not seen very widely and is a key to any comprehensive NCSU collection.

Stinson, Andrea - once terms the "Lady Michael Jordan" of the ACC, Andrea has had great success in the pros for the Charlotte Sting. Her best insert cards are on a par with any male hoops player from State.

click for two of Andrea's finer cards

Strong, William - The Saints took William in the 5th round in 1995. For the Pack in 1993-4 he excelled with 82 tackles and 21 broken up passes.(click for his rookie draft card)

Thomas, Mark - His 1992 Classic Draft Picks #78 is a good looking card.

Thompson, David - DT is and will always be the very center of any Pack card collection. As he's lived in Charlotte so many years, his autographed cards are numerous and affordable for most anyone.  From time to time people seem to hoard them and jack up the prices, usually after affixing them to some cheap fiberboard plaque or in time for some event.

Thompson, Harold - Harold played forward from 1981 to 1984 and is a native of Raeford NC. He was a member of the magical 1983 championship team and played in 83 games in 4 years - averaging about 1 point per each of those games. For you trivia buffs it should be noted he was Jim Valvano's very first recruit. (click for his 1989 card)

Thompson, Kevin - besides his 1989 Hardees/IBM card (see cards of the month scan), KT has a number of cards during his 1 year NBA career with Portland. He was their draft pick in 1993 (#148 overall). Our research indicates he has played another 10 years in Europe (still playing?) including stops in Italy and Turkey. His NBA rookie cards include:

• 93 Classic 4 Sport #64 (this was the first one your editor saw that year)
• 93 Classic Gold #72
• 93-4 Fleer #367
• 93-4 Ultra #328

Towe, Monte - His grinning 1989 NC State's Finest #169 is a fan favorite (click to view this card). The #167 in that same set is a fierce battle with an unknown UNC player while #168 shows him cutting down nets (presumably at the '74 NCAA championship)

Monte graduated in 1975 from NCSU and spent 2 years playing pro ball for the Denver Nuggets. He later spent 2 years as Norm Sloan's assistant at the University of Florida. From 1996-99 he joined State alum Eddie Beidenbach as his assistant at UNC Asheville. Briefly he coached the semi-pro Raleigh Bullfrogs out of Dorton Arena. Two of his players of note are Chris Corchiani and the ex-Dukie Quin Synder, now Head Coach at Missouri. Since 2001, Monte has been Head Coach at the University of New Orleans.

Valvano, Jim - Our beloved leader and inspirational hero had 7 cards to our knowledge. So far. Let's ask for some more!

• 1987-88 NC State #3 (rather scarce and going for $5-8 or more)
• 1989 NC State's Finest #191
• 1989 NC State's Finest #192
• 1989 NC State's Finest #193
• 1992 Courtside Flashback #40
• 2001 Fleer Greats of the Game #38 (stunning card)
• 2001 Fleer Greats of the Game: Coach's Corner #CC15 (uncommon and running $2-6)

click for V's cards

Washington, Dewayne - This Durham native has a very large range of cards, most in affordable ranges. Autographed cards are also worth seeking out.

click for DeWayne's cards

Webb, Anthony "Spud" - his cards are still very much in demand and a few dozen different ones are sold. He's a perennial favorite among collectors nationwide as the little guy who overcame so many obstacles and conquered in a game of giants. 1989 NC State's Finest #132 is hard to get.

State fans tend to remember all four of years with State in different ways. Actually there were only two years- he just made that much larger an impression on us to seem like four years. He played at Midland in Junior College before joining the Pack.

Spud played for the Hawks for six years and to everyone's shock won the 1986 All Star Game Slam Dunk Contest. He also spent 5 years with the Kings. His last year including a stint with the T-wolves for a total career of 11 years and 8060 points! He retired in 1997. Spud now manages his own businesses, play golf, and is a motivational speaker. Visit spudwebb.net for his latest endeavors and some great photos. He's available to be booked!

click for scan of spud cards

Webster, Alex - Before there was Webb there was The Webster. He played for the Giants from 1955 to 1964. Several Topps issues are still around. It can be a challenge to find neat cards in this era but they're out there. If you do an album or display in chrono order then his cards are essential.

Whitted, Alvis - he's still hot for collectors. His 99 Edge #74 remains one of best cheap cards. There are pricey inserts for the very serious Alvis fan.

Whittenburg, Dereck - His 1989 NC State's Finest #141 is best known. He also had a 92 Courtside Flashback #43.

Whittney, Charles - 1989 NC State's Finest #138 and #139. The 139 card has his middle name as "Hawkeye" while the 138 has "Vincent".

Williams, Brian - can't find his card(s) yet. He played for the Viking in 02-03. There are several players of this name so check those years and teams very carefully before ordering cards.

Williams, Perry - his 90 Pro Set #600 is easy to get as a common (click to view). Remember he is not William Perry or William "The Refrigerator" Perry.

Wilson, Adrian - we're trying to assemble his few cards. First found is one he shares with Dexter Carter: the Topps Total #363 (click to view)

Worthen, Naz - with a career as punt and kickoff returner, Naz is readily purchased with his 91 Score #478 (click to view). He was one of the first speed burners NCSU acquired from Florida land.

Young, Charley - There are a couple of players of this name (different spellings). He is the one who played for Dallas in 1974-76. He was Dallas' 2nd pick in 1974 (#22 overall). For the record, their first pick was Ed "Too Tall" Jones while their pick after Young was Danny White.

click image to enlarge

This month:

Previous months:

Should these be called alumni cards? Yes and no. It's industry speak to identify yourself as a collector of NC State or UNC or Duke alumni cards. Traders and dealers will know exactly what you want. They may even have a cabinet or table devoted to your specific school(s). Some folks collect any ACC school alum or just colleges in their area, regardless of whether one is their own alma mater or not.

Technically, to be an alumnus (male) or alumna (female) you have to have actually graduated from a college. Obviously, not all college athletes get their degree. It's a little awkward to talk about "ex-NC State players in the pros or who were in the pros". One can always say "do you have any NC State players?" and leave it at that.

How many different Wolfpack player cards are there? I don't rightly know but hope to find out as this site develops. One football checklist program found 542 different NCSU cards in that sport alone. I'd venture it's safe to go with a combined number of 1100 for football, mens hoops, and lady's hoops since the 1960's. Baseball is another matter and I'm not prepared to estimate in that world. My own collection is probably on the order of 650 different cards and I solemnly promise to do better.

Why do you collect NC State players? What's the deal? There's a few good reasons:

• It's a great way to celebrate our Wolfpack history with pride. Studying and honoring the accomplishments of our successful, most productive players is fascinating and intelligent way of understanding the excellence of our college programs. There's so much to learn,so many people to honor, and decades of contribution to worldwide sports. The experience of watching someone play in person in Raleigh and then watch them on national TV a few years later is a real thrill.
• There's good fellowship with other Wolfpackers when you discuss, trade, and share cardfs.Cards are basically inexpensive and one can afford to be generous with other fans. I get a real delight "turning on" others to the whole Pack card scene. Just hand a card to a young Pack fan and watch their face glow.
• Studying history of any kind is good for the mind and learning details of our Pack and ACC history are a fun pastime. Whether you're 8 or 80 it's fun to memorize stats of a few favorite players. The process of collecting and organizing cards is a very good discipline. The lessons of patience, persistance, and thoroughness are easily taught to kids. The knds of curatorial skills that are required for assembling and maintaining a great collection will last a lifetime and apply to other fields. Nowdays collecting involves internet ordering, computer databases, scanners, email trades, and all sorts of other things that make one skilled, more clever, and smart with money.

What related items can card collectors find? Obviously there are many kinds of memorabilia and the 8x10 signed photo is probably second in popularly to cards. Signed helmets, jerseys, and balls are for those with lots of space and money. I like to stick to cards and other "card like" items that can fit into the same notebooks with ease. These include:

• Wolfpack schedule cards
• sports phone cards (I've got a great Eddie Goines one with an autograph)
• team postcards
• signed game tickets or stubs
• signed file cards
• stickers (such Topps stickers from the 80's)
• bottle caps or pogs