There was a rumor floating around that the NFL Players Association or NFL was not going to renew Donruss’ license to product football trading cards in 2007 and beyond.  Now various posting around the ‘net post to Donruss being renewed for 2007 and possibly through 2009.

It would have been a major shame if Donruss was forced out of the football card business.  Their products seem to provide the best value to pack busters.  Their Playoff Contenders set is anually one of the most popular.

In an upcoming series of posts, I’m going to take a look at the different football rookie cards in each year starting with 1980.  Each year will be rated from 1-10.  The rating criteria will be quality of rookies, Hall of Fame or Hall of Fame potential of that year.  Once I reach 2006, I will rank my Top 5 Rookie Card crops of all time.

According to Beckett.com, a fourth version of Reggie Bush’ Topps rookie card has been discovered. 

• Version #1 (bottom left) is the most prevalent version and was inserted into 2006 Topps Packs.
• Version #2 (top left) was first found in New Orleans Saints packaged team sets.  It had Bush in his #5 jersey from the Rookie photo shoot.
• Version #3 (bottom right) replaced the #5 jersey card in the packaged team sets after the NFL ruled that he could not wear the #5 jersey.
• Version #4 (top right) is the new discovered variation which is believed to be found only in 2006 Topps football factory sets.

Topps Turkey Red Football was released recently and like Topps Heritage Football it contains a large number of Shortprinted (SP) cards.

Although not confirmed by Topps, these appear to be the 50 shortprint Cards and the 13 variation cards.

50 SHORTPRINTS

• 181 - Joseph Addai
• 182 - Sinorice Moss
• 184 - Vernon Davis
• 185 - Brandon Williams
• 186 - Derek Hagan
• 187 - Brian Calhoun
• 188 - Mario Williams
• 189 - DeAngelo Williams
• 190 - Jay Cutler
• 191 - A.J. Hawk
• 193 - Laurence Maroney
• 194 - D’Brickashaw Ferguson
• 195 - Jason Avant
• 196 - Brodie Croyle
• 197 - Michael Huff
• 198 - LenDale White
• 199 - Marcedes Lewis
• 200 - Travis Wilson
• 201 - Haloti Ngata
• 202 - Greg Jennings
• 203 - Leon Washington
• 204 - Tamba Hali
• 205 - Santonio Holmes
• 206 - Jerome Harrison
• 207 - Tarvaris Jackson
• 208 - Mathias Kiwanuka
• 209 - Omar Jacobs
• 210 - Daniel Bullocks
• 211 - Demetrius Williams
• 212 - Bobby Carpenter
• 213 - Tye Hill
• 214 - Chad Jackson
• 215 - Joe Klopfenstein
• 216 - Kamerion Wimbley
• 217 - Michael Robinson
• 218 - David Thomas
• 219 - Charlie Whitehurst
• 220 - Jerious Norwood
• 221 - Bruce Gradkowski
• 222 - Kellen Clemens
• 223 - Thomas Howard
• 224 - Anthony Fasano
• 225 - Maurice Drew-Jones
• 226 - Antonio Cromartie
• 227 - Chad Greenway
• 230 - Maurice Stovall
• 228 - Jimmy Williams
• 268 - Robert Ferguson
• 272 - Jason Witten
• 274 - Daunte Culpepper

VARIATIONS

• 110 - Steve McNair
• 111 - Chad Johnson
• 183 - Vince Young*
• 229 - Matt Leinart*
• 231 - Carson Palmer
• 273 - Randy Moss
• 279 - Hines Ward
• 280 - Tom Brady
• 282 - Shaun Alexander
• 284 - Ben Roethlisberger
• 308 - Larry Johnson
• 311 - TIki Barber*
• 315 - Peyton Manning*

* SP Variations

Thanks to eBay powerseller primecardz for the listing.

The NBA has selected the 32 finalists for the NBA Hobby Shop Makeover contest.  The winning shop will received a complete makeover by Celebrity Designer Michael Moloney of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition fame.

The shop that collects the most NBA trading card pack wrappers between December 1, 2006 and February 28, 2007 will be the winner.

Customer will also have a change at winning the following:

• (4) First Prize winners will receive a year’s worth of NBA Trading Cards
• (250) Second Prize winners will receive a Trading Card Mini-Binder
• (500) Third Prize winners will receive an ERTL Collectibles NBA Die Cast Vehicle

Customers will also receive an entry form for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2007 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot in New York and a year’s worth of NBA trading cards.

For qualifying shops, please visit http://www.nba.com/hobbyshopmakeover/

Tony Romo has been absent from most 2006 football sets.  The only cards he has had up to this point were in the 2006 Topps Total Set.  In that set he appears on a card with former Dallas QB Drew Henson.

His 2003 Playoff Contenders Autographed Rookie Card has been soaring in recent weeks.

Romo will appear by himself for the first time in 2006 in the Playoff Contenders set that will be issued by Donruss Playoff.

Earlier this year, Donruss and Pop Warner announced an exclusive relationship.  This week Pop Warner is holding their “Super Bowl” at Disney in Orlando, FL.

Donruss will distribute thousands of packs and samples to the kids.  Donruss will distribute over 2,000 Pop Warner Super Bowl sets during the final games on Friday and Saturday.  The packs contain six players who played Pop Warner ball.  These six cards which look like the 2006 Donruss Classics football design will be Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Donovan McNabb, Larry Fitzgerald, LaDainian Tomlinson and Marcus Allen.