2022 Sports Recap

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A new year is upon us, sports fans, and 2023 has already been historic. The dawn of the new year saw the Georgia Bulldogs rout the TCU Horned Frogs in the CFP National Championship game at SoFi Stadium to become back-to-back National Champions! The Sports Collectibles GameDay Auctions team was on-site in Los Angeles to witness the excitement. Stetson Bennett and team fought tough through the 2022 NCAA football season against many foes to come out on top. What a way to start the year for the Dawgs!

Let’s look back on some other FAN-tastic sports moments from 2022!

In the National Football League, the Los Angeles Rams started out the year as Super Bowl LVI Champions, beating the Cincinnati Bengals at the first big game played at the new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. However, the ensuing 2022 season did not go as well for Matthew Stafford and the Rams. The Rams lost in the NFL Kickoff Game to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, who would go on to become season (and fantasy football) darlings in 2022. The 2022 season was noticeably missing some familiar faces that retired after the 2021 season including Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and longtime New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, five-time Pro Bowler Frank Gore and Georgia alum running back Todd Gurley, to name a few. Tom Brady announced his retirement in February of 2022 but then reversed the decision in March to come back to the Bucs to try to win one more ring. The Bucs had their ups and downs (as a Bucs fan I’ll admit, it was not the best season) but weren’t quite the same without Gronk and, despite making it to the top of the NFC South with stars like Mike Evans and Leonard Fournette. They lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round. The 2022 season saw Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs and Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles come out on top with the best records of the regular season. The Eagles have just been crowned NFC Champions and are headed to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona. At the time of publication, the Chiefs are battling Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals for the title of AFC Champions. The Bengals had a wild ride in 2022 with stars like Joe Mixon, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Ja’Marr Chase. Can they make it to a second Super Bowl in 2 years? Time will tell.

2022 gave the Golden State Warriors their 7th NBA title with a win over the Boston Celtics. Steph Curry continues to dazzle on the court, now in his 14th season in the NBA. In hockey, the two-time defending champions, the Tampa Bay Lighting fought hard to try and win their third Stanley Cup in 2022 but were defeated in Game 6 by the Colorado Avalanche, who became 2022 NHL Champions. Mikko Rantanen and Nathan McKinnon led the Avs to a spectacular season and a hard-fought victory.

The 2022 World Series was a best-of-seven playoff between American League Champion Houston Astros and NL Champ Philadelphia Phillies. The Astros and series MVP Jeremy Peña defeated the Phillies in 6 games to win their second MLB Championship.

Beijing hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics and the Games made for great television during the cold winter month of February in the US. Snowboarder Shaun White made his last Olympics appearance, finishing fourth in the half-pipe before retiring at the age of 35.

Other top moments in sports from last year included the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, with Argentina coming out on top and Lionel Messi winning his first World Cup Trophy. In the golf world, in April, golfer Scottie Scheffler won The Masters Tournament, taking home the coveted Green Jacket. Other golf majors tournament champions included Justin Thomas (PGA Championship), Matt Fitzpatrick (US Open) and Cameron Smith winning the coveted Claret Jug at the 150th Open Championship held at the historic St. Andrews course in Scotland.

With the NFL season winding down now at the end of January 2023, we await a new Super Bowl champion and so many more moments to come in the spectacular arena of professional sports. Stay tuned!

Memorialize your favorite players and teams in professional sports with authentic, autographed memorabilia at SportsCollectibles.com! Always authentic and on the pulse of the industry, SportsCollectibles.com is your one-stop shop to fill your man cave or fan haven with top quality mementos to savor the seasons.

 

This post is brought to you by Sports Collectibles Blog Dog Jackson!

– Jackson is a rescue dog born and raised in Florida. He loves watching NFL football with his pop-pop and college football with his GiGi when he visits her in Ohio. He doesn’t love that his mama has to travel often for her job as Director of Marketing for Sports Collectibles but he looooooves to greet her with big smiles and a helicopter tail when she comes home!

College Rivalry Spotlight – Georgia vs Florida Football Classic

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As October comes to a close, several NCAA Football teams are hyping up to face off with one of their rivals – the #2-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will be traveling to State College to take on #13 Penn State Nittany Lions (not as much friction as a Buckeyes / Wolverines game, but still a good matchup), while intrastate rivals #4 Michigan and Michigan State face off. However, in terms of celebrations, the SEC’s Georgia–Florida Football Classic in Jacksonville, FL this weekend will be drawing fans near and far to “DUUUVAL” for what was once well-known as The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. The teams and the city have since eschewed that moniker, giving rise to the “River City Showdown” and “War of the Oar,” among others, but generally it’s known as the Florida-Georgia or Georgia-Florida game, depending on who the home team is that year.

This year, the undefeated Bulldogs are the home team and Stetson Bennett, Brock Browers and crew are expected to soundly defeat Anthony Richardson and the Orange and Blue. However, intense rivalry matchups can sometimes be unpredictable, which will only amplify the hum of excitement generated by the throngs of cross-border rivals that will converge on the city on the St. Johns River starting Thursday.

Adding to the contention between these two storied franchises, even the year of the first matchup is debated. According to the University of Georgia‘s Athletic Department, the first game between the two schools was held in 1904 in Macon, Georgia, with the Bulldogs coming out on top, 52-0. This is disputed by the Gators because the University of Florida, as we know it now, wasn’t officially formed until the Florida state legislature consolidated its public universities in 1905. Therefore, according to UF, the first Florida-Georgia matchup was in 1915 in Jacksonville. The Dawgs still shutout the Gators 37-0 with Florida not winning until their 8th matchup (7th for UF) in 1928.

Both teams have had their winning streaks over the years and it’s always a momentous matchup for fans on both sides of the Florida-Georgia state line. Since 1933, the game has been held in Jacksonville on neutral territory (with the exception of 1994 and 1995) as it is the largest city between the two campuses to accommodate the swell of revelers. The game even has its own hall of fame that holds an induction ceremony over the weekend to honor two players from each team. The city of Jacksonville Sports and Entertainment Office established the hall of fame in 1995 “to acknowledge the many great records, performances, career highlights and outstanding memories that have made the Georgia-Florida game one of college football’s best traditions.” This year’s inductees include Georgia’s John Little and Champ Bailey and Florida’s Andre Caldwell and Trey Burton.

Over the years, the showdown between these two storied football programs has produced moments that have echoed through time and become a part of each team’s rich history. Will this year’s game add to the lore? After all, in 1985, the Gators came to Jacksonville undefeated and #1 in the nation for the first time in the school’s history. The year prior, they beat Georgia 27-0 to secure their first-ever SEC Title. This game would not go as well for UF. Georgia soundly defeated the #1 team, 24-3, ending Florida’s hopes that year for another title. In 2002, the 5-3 Gators beat the 8-0, #4-ranked, Bulldogs, ruining their perfect season in a stunning upset. Could the Gators once again pull an upset and triumph over the currently undefeated, reigning 2021 National Champions? Unlikely – but there’s a certain kind of magic in the mystery of the matchup.

When one thinks of the Bulldogs’ 1980 Championship team, legend Herschel Walker is probably the first player that comes to mind. But it was during the 1980 game at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville that another star rose to save the season. Arguably one of the best plays in college football history occurred during a Florida-Georgia weekend and helped to secure Georgia’s first-ever National Championship Title in 1980. Known as “Run Lindsay, Run!” (or as I was instructed by the legendary ball-carrier Lindsay Scott himself, “Munson really only ever said Run Lindsay!“), the pass from QB Buck Belue to WR Lindsay Scott and Scott’s ensuing 92-yard run saved Vince Dooley‘s #2 Bulldogs’ perfect season and allowed them to press on and win the 1980 National Championship. The undefeated Dawgs were trailing by one point (21-20) with one minute and 35 seconds left in the game facing third and long on their own 8-yard line. Belue threw a high pass to Scott who ran the football down the sideline 92 yards to score and win the game. The televised moment was made truly iconic due to long-time Georgia announcer Larry Munson‘s call of the play.

Buck back. Third down on the 8. In trouble. Got a block behind him. Going to throw on the run. Complete to the 25, to the 30. Lindsay Scott 35, 40. Lindsay Scott 45, 50, 45, 40. Run Lindsay! 25, 20, 15, 10, 5. Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! 

Well, I can’t believe it. 92 yards and Lindsay really got in a footrace. I broke my chair. I came right through a chair. … This is incredible! You know this game has always been called the world’s greatest cocktail party. … Do you know what is going to happen here tonight? … Man is there gonna be some property destroyed tonight!

26 to 21, Dawgs on top! We were gone. I gave up, you did too. We were out of it and gone. Miracle!

Across the years, during the highs and lows of these two legendary football programs, the city of Jacksonville has borne witness to gridiron greatness and this year’s game will be no different. If you’re going to Duval, make sure to find our GameDay Auctions booths at the Hall of Fame Luncheon, during the block party surrounding the Exhibition Baseball game on Friday and in the stadium at the game on Saturday. Find more information about the schedule of events HERE.

Regardless of which team you cheer for, find autographed memorabilia celebrating legends like Nick Chubb, Herschel Walker, Buck Belue, Lindsay Scott, Jordan Davis, Tim Tebow, Emmitt Smith, Steve Spurrier and Danny Wuerffel plus current stars Stetson Bennett, Brock Bowers, Anthony Richardson, and more. Do you have a favorite Florida-Georgia/Georgia-Florida showdown year or moment? Let us know in the comments!

Can’t make it to the game? Just for reading our blog, save an extra 10%* now when you shop SportsCollectibles.com with promo code GAFL2022 through 10/31/22! Shop autographed jerseys, autographed footballs, signed full-size Riddell Speed Replica and Authentic Helmets, autographed photos, autographed mini helmets and more today. Also be sure to check out our custom jersey and photo framing options to make your autographed collectibles museum-worthy!

You can also find our GameDay Auctions booths at every Georgia Bulldogs and Florida Gators home football game the rest of this season. For more information on where to find our Georgia GameDay Auctions booths at Sanford Stadium in Athens, click HERE. Get more details on where to find us at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, aka The Swamp, in Gainesville by clicking HERE. Thanks for reading! We’ll see you at the game!

Speaking of JACKSONville, this post IS brought to you by Sports Collectibles Blog Dog Jackson!


– Jackson is a rescue dog born and raised in Florida. He loves watching NFL football with his pop-pop and college football with his GiGi when he visits her in Ohio. This weekend he will be cheering on both teams although he might lean a bit toward the Gators. His mama is the Team Lead for GameDay Auctions at the University of Georgia (and has become an adopted Georgia Bulldogs fan herself) so he gets jealous of the Uga stuffed animals that she brings home and hates when she has to travel to Athens for the football games. But he also gets EXTRA EXCITED when she comes home from a trip so he doesn’t mind it too much. He won’t be in Jacksonville this weekend but looks forward to his next opportunity to blog!

 

Letter from a NY Yankees Fan – 2022 ALCS Thoughts

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Where is Mr. October when we need him? If you are like me, in your late 40s, you remember all too well your childhood of Reggie Jackson’s World Series wins. The excitement of your house, your block and NYC itself.

The team spirit was palpable – sports newscasters screaming on the TV, adults walking a little taller down Madison Avenue and kids teasing Mets fans whenever they’d spot someone sporting the orange and blue. For the entire decade of the 1980s, and most of the 1990s, we would walk around with heads down and shaking in dismay from the losses. We perked up a little when the Mets won in 1986, but would never let those fans see that we were so desperate to celebrate SOMETHING that we were actually rooting for their team.

 

And then it happened. In 1996 we came back, and came back with a vengeance, winning the first AL East title in 15 years. 

From there, we had 5 Championship seasons in 13 years and got to watch legends like Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera play night after night to both glory and failure – but it was dazzling baseball. Our hopes and dreams of a dynasty were catapulted into the stratosphere with every W, like a fastball off of the bat of The Captain himself. There were also times where hearts broke across the city, the sighs of weary fans echoing in the streets. However, they brought it home in stellar form in 2000 against the Mets in the famed Subway Series, where households were divided between the pinstripes and the orange and blue. Their star continued to rise in the aughts but has since fallen and it has been 12 long years since they have seen a World Series win. Fans are thirsty for a title and broken by this drought, starting to feel like it is a curse. Every time our hopes rise in October, they’re dashed away and our hearts get broken.

But for the last few weeks we have been watching Aaron Judge’s quest for Roger Maris‘ AL single-season homerun record with unbridled enthusiasm. It has been memorable to witness but it isn’t a championship ring from the Fall Classic. We need the Bronx Bombers to give us a glimmer of hope and go all the way. I cannot go to family Thanksgiving and listen to my nephew gloat about how the Boston Red Sox have won a title twice since 2009 and we have not.

So, let’s take the series back to New York, brush ourselves off, be Reggie Jackson and give our kids the feeling of what it is like to win it all – for old time sake.

Signed,
Lifelong Yankee Fan, No Matter What

 

Find all of the best New York Yankees and MLB League Championship Series Team and Player memorabilia today at SportsCollectibles.com! From autographed baseball jerseys to signed baseballs and baseball bats and helmets – you can build the ultimate baseball fan cave today! Be sure to check out our custom framing options for jerseys and photos and acrylic baseball cases to store your prized memorabilia from the diamond.

This post brought to you by Sports Collectibles Blog Dog, Shimmer!


-Shimmer is an all-around sports lover. Her and her hooman mom love all things NYC including baseball and the food. Shimmy is well known for chasing her mom Fancie around the house and having a larger-than-a-yorkie bark. Don’t even think of taking anything out of her mouth!

Defensive Decisions – 2022/2023 Fantasy Football Draft Advice

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In fantasy football it is no secret that your defense won’t win you a league. They simply won’t give you the point production that a mid-round receiver or running back will give your team, making them easy to wait on. Simply, DO NOT WASTE AN EARLY TO MID-ROUND PICK ON A DEFENSE. A defense, along with a kicker, should be your last two picks of the draft. With that, a solid defense is still a great grab in the late rounds. A defense that provides consistency is one less roster spot that all the great fantasy GM warriors must stress about.
Here are our top three defenses for the 2022 fantasy football season.

1) Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills got a new defensive line, and it is scary. The Bills were able to part with players such as Jerry Hughes, Mario Addison, and Harrison Phillips to gain future Hall of Famer Von Miller, long time Denver Broncos star and recent Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl LVI Champ. They also brought back Shaq Lawson who was drafted by Buffalo originally, as well as former Bill Jordan Phillips. The biggest factor for Buffalo being #1 is the comfort that the defense will have with each other. Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier is back at the helm and Buffalo returns nine of their eleven starters. If you are an athlete, you understand the importance of chemistry and knowing the players next to you. Let’s not forget that the last time this defense was on the field was the infamous Kansas City Chiefs matchup with the Buffalo defense crumbling like a good bleu cheese late in the game. The Bills defense will be hungry to prove themselves, they will be hungry to show they are the best side of the ball on that team, and they will be a force to reckon with throughout the season.

2) Dallas Cowboys

The top defense of the 2021 season was the Dallas Cowboys. Much like the continuity Buffalo’s defense will have, Dallas is returning 81% of their defenders that played over 300 snaps for them last year. The biggest factor in Dallas dropping to #2 this year is the QB carousel they will face over the season. Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford, Joe Burrow and Kirk Cousins are all quarterbacks that have been lighting up the boards and have a great offense behind them. I do not expect the Dallas defense to rack up as many takeaways as last year, especially cornerback Trevon Diggs, but with the pass rush of Micah Parsons, Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory, Dallas is still a top five fantasy defense.

3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

We have discussed two teams with prolific get after the QB ability, but what team has potentially one of the best defensive back groups in the NFL? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers corner duo of Sean Murphy-Bunting to Carlton Davis III is one of the best double-threats the NFL has to offer. Murphy-Bunting is coming off of an injury to start the season, but look for blitz-happy Todd Bowles to incorporate Murphy-Bunting in immediately. Davis III is coming off of an extension in the offseason which means that confidence has never been higher. Look for him to continue locking down big-name receivers this fall. Antoine Winfield Jr. has become a well-known name in the Tampa Bay area as he continues to make big plays in big situations- taunting rival wide outs as he plays. The biggest factor for having Tampa Bay at #3 is an odd one – Rookie Zyon McCollum. The 6’2″ corner out of Sam Houston State can fly all over the field and has been generating a lot of buzz in the Buccaneers training camp. We also can’t forget linebacker Shaqil Barrett, voted by fellow players into this year’s Top 100 Players of 2022, averaging 12.5 sacks per season since he joined the Bucs in 2019.

There are countless defenses in the NFL that are going to provide solid points week in and week out this season. Drafting a defense should never be the cause of your draft night anxiety and should never be held at too high of a standard. Don’t overthink. Take a defense with solid players that have the potential to cause turnovers or have an easier strength schedule this year. You got this.

We’ll be wrapping up our 2022-2023 NFL Fantasy Football Pre-Draft Tips later this week with star-studded quarterbacks, so be sure to follow us to have all of the info to take you far this season.

Check out our SportsCollectibles.com Deal of the Week through 9/4 – an autographed football from Miami Dolphins first-round 2019 draft pick out of Clemson, Christian Wilkins. Save 50% today and get this ball for only $49.99. Shop Now here.

Today’s Fantasy Football Defense Advice Post was brought to you by Sports Collectibles Blog Dog, LineBARKER Spike!


-Raised a Cleveland Browns fan, Spike decided to forgo a pro career to defend his mama and any cat who tried to come near the house! A hefty little guy, Spike loves walks, CHEESE, snuggly blankets and sitting with all of the humans at the dog park – watching the other dogs like he is reading the opposing team’s offense.

Watch Out for these Fantasy Football Wideouts This Season

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Every single day that passes by in the NFL Preseason, fantasy managers across the country are getting more and more excited to draft their fantasy team. The wide receiver position has blossomed into one of the most dominant position groups to target earlier in a draft.

Some of the top-end fantasy receiver talent on a week-to-week basis has a higher upside for fantasy managers than running backs, especially in the popular PPR formats. The high-end wide receivers even have a more consistent production record than running backs which can give you one less headache to deal with all season. We will be highlighting some of the best receivers to draft in your league this year.

The top receiver this season is Los Angeles Rams current Triple Crown Winner Cooper Kupp was absolutely unstoppable last season and won plenty of fantasy football championships for his fantasy managers. Kupp is easily the top receiver going into this season as well. While he may not win the receiving Triple Crown again, he will be putting up monster numbers in a pass-heavy Sean McVay-coached Rams offense. There are a couple of questions this season with how Cooper Kupp’s target share will look with newly acquired Allen Robinson II and quarterback Matthew Stafford’s elbow soreness. Even with these questions, Kupp looks like a clear cut WR1 and worth a top 5 selection in your fantasy football draft.

There is some debate on the second-best receiver in the fantasy football community. However, we believe that the next best receiver you should be looking at is former LSU Tigers standout and reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja’Marr Chase. The Cincinnati Bengals made an unbelievable Super Bowl run thanks in large part to their stud receiver Ja’Marr Chase. He played with Joe Burrow at LSU and has brought that same type of success to the NFL. As a guy who can win any 1-on-1 matchup he is an elite WR1 option. He is helped by the fact that defenses have to respect his receiving counterpart Tee Higgins as well as their terrific wide-zone running game led by Joe Mixon. While having all these additional weapons usually gives fantasy managers pause when spending a top pick on a player given their target share won’t be as large, Chase has show everyone that he can provide excellent production as a WR1. Look for Ja’Marr Chase anywhere in the top 8 selections of your fantasy draft.

Other former LSU Tiger and current Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson is the next best receiver after Kupp and Chase. He also played with Chase and Burrow on that amazing 2019 LSU Tigers National Champions team. While Chase has shown out in the one year he has played, Justin Jefferson has done that over the past two seasons with the Kirk Cousins-led Vikings. Just like Chase getting help with lots of talent, Jefferson also has a star-studded surrounding cast. The other offensive weapons that defenses must worry about covering are fan-favorite Adam Thielen and another top fantasy pick in Florida State Seminoles alum Dalvin Cook. If you are seeing a theme here, it is that these two receivers are incredibly close in fantasy rankings because their situations are incredibly similar. We gave Chase a slight edge, but also look to grab Jefferson in those top 8 picks of your fantasy football draft.

Another top receiver is Los Angeles Chargers player Keenan Allen. While there might be plenty of picks in between our top three receivers and Allen, we assure you that it will be worth the wait. Allen has consistently put up big seasons for fantasy managers everywhere. With a young star quarterback in former Oregon Ducks standout gunslinger Justin Herbert, Allen is looking at another top 10 fantasy campaign on the horizon. Like Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, Keenan Allen is helped by an excellent surrounding crew in newly re-signed Mike Williams and another top fantasy running back in Austin Ekeler. Allen has plenty of history for fantasy managers to look at and realize this is a WR1 type you can get in round 2 or 3 if you use your early picks on a couple of running backs or get one of the top two tight ends. (Read our Fantasy Tight End 1 Article here.)

The last wide receiver we are looking at is our favorite sleeper pick in former Florida Gators standout Kadarius ‘Yung Joka’ Toney. Toney won’t be going in the top 7 or 8 rounds in any fantasy draft but we believe this could be a big season for him. He is one of our favorite breakout candidates going into this season. While Toney might not be his team’s top wide out, he showed flashes of greatness last year against the Dallas Cowboys. Putting up 189 yards receiving with ten catches certainly gave him WR1 potential. That may not happen on a week-to-week basis, but he has the capability to put up the type of scores to make him a late-round steal after round 8 in fantasy drafts. If Daniel Jones and the rest of the New York Giants offense can put it together, Toney could easily become a top 15 fantasy receiver if he reaches his full potential.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out our other 2022-2023 Fantasy Football Draft Advice Blogs here. Follow our blog for the best 2022-2023 NFL Fantasy Football News and Tips throughout the season.

Find all of the best NFL Wide Receiver Authentic Autographed Memorabilia at SportsCollectibles.com like autographed helmets, autographed jerseys, autographed footballs and more!

This fantastic Fantasy Football Advice Post was brought to you by Sports Collectibles Blog Dog Barkley!


-Barkley is the ultimate NFL Fantasy Football Superstar. He loves watching football with his mom and dad along with long walks and lots of treats!