2000 Bowman: Deciding the MVP
As December football begins the race for NFL MVP is down to three.
Well okay, maybe two. Saquon Barkley and Josh Allen moved ahead of Lamar Jackson in week 13. But Jackson is on a title defense and his stats are gadzooks.
It's setting up to be one of the closest contests in my recollection. I had to add these superstars to my collection of hand-drawn cards.
When choosing a classic set for the design it was no contest - 2000 Bowman.
Prize cards make iconic sets. The Brady Bowman rookie is as recognizable is as these other distinguished treasures - '86 Fleer Jordan, '79 O-Pee-Chee Gretzky, '87 Topps Rice, and, for baseball, let's go with '75 Topps Brett, or another Royal, 89 Donruss Bo (the baby blue uni beside Rated Rookie!).
These highly sought-after rookie editions made their sets more collectable. Most hobbyists can't afford the marquee card. But purchasing other pieces from the set, even commons, move us closer to the grails.
We spend more time with these sets because of their coveted card. I've enjoyed analyzing 2000 Bowman, and other Bowman football and basketball sets around those years because of the prominent Brady.
Bowman has the history (Mantle and Mays cornerstones). Over the years it also has established some chic trademarks when it comes to composition. Black or gray borders offset by red inlays.
In Bowman's 2000 football set it all came togther perfectly. An alternating black and bronze border with a checkered effect. Then an inner fringe of crimson (with some intricate line work) and yellow that draws wide to resemble a field goal post. Gold foil Bowman stamp and matching player name. Then, beside the inconspicuous team logo, who doesn't love a fascimile signature? I've always enjoyed learning how an athlete signs. Doesn't hurt that Bowman's legendary '52 baseball set featured fake sigs.
Photography is probably the #1 factor when it comes to the look of a card. The Bowman examples I have on the table in front of me, clearly show skillfully captured snaps that were chosen carefully.
In my book, the second most important attribute is the back of the card.
As we enter a new era of card manufacturing, I hope the backs of cards get ample attention. With modern cards I've missed out on the chance to read up on a player, learn something new or simply flip for the new experience of an alternate photo.
Spending time with the reverse side of cards from 2000 Bowman Football could provide a tight blueprint. Turning over these beauties changes the perspective to horizontal. Always a plus when one can experience, or display a card, two different ways. The photo of the player on the back's left third, due to its placement and size, conjures another iconic card (and therefore set) - the '79 Topps triptych of Magic, Dr. J and Bird.
Bio (up top) and at least a season of stats (bottom) is a solid standard. Somehow the backs of many ultra modern cards lack these staples. What Bowman does with that big middle canvas sets it apart. This space is best utilized with the written word. The more time it appears to have taken to craft these write-ups, the better.
Bowman breaks it into three categories - Resume, Skills and Transformation. Fantastic. In sets from other years, that third category has been replaced with Evolution or, my personal favorite, Up Close (see this Jerod Mayo nugget from 2008 - "Learned importance of hard work while helping in grandfather's home improvement business.").
Trivia tidbits abound on these card backs, opening the door for collectors to connect more with an athlete. Which is what it's all about, isn't it?
While not all the information is surprising, standout statistics are cool to highlight. And I liked being reminded that Randy Moss threw a pass and returned a punt for TDs in 1999.
I want to spend more time with the cards that speak to me. Drink them in. The back of the card is the spot for such aesthetically-pleasing digestifs.
Here, let's get rec-creative with the three MVP candidates - Bowman style.
Saquon Barkley - Resume - Running roughshod since switching NFC East teams. Next level video game moves once he hits the second level. Combines a lethal drop step feint with runaway-locomotive speed. Maxed-out degree of difficulty rating with a 180 hurdle over defender. Off the charts fitness. Ran for two 70+ yard TDs vs the Rams; immediately thereafter each, appeared rested and hungry to keep running.
Josh Allen - Skills - Carries the pile and finishes runs like a fullback. Invents secret handshakes with teammates. University of Wyoming product is a smoking gun-slinger straight outta the old west. Possesses Copperfield escapability and the audacity to let it fly come hell or high water. In a dominant win over the 49ers in the snow, he hustled upfield after a completed a pass and took a lateral in for the score.
Lamar Jackson - Transformation - A Heisman Winner for the Louisville Cardinals thanks to his legs, Jackson firmly completed the transtition to pass-first mentality during his 2nd MVP campaign in 2023. Rather than add his third ultimate individual accolade when it's all said and done in 2024, Jackson is dead-set on evolving into a Super Bowl champion. And with Derick Henry joining him in the backfield, the Ravens, long-time proponents of a Defense Wins Championships identity, have morphed into an offensive juggernaut.
Interesting, how with the supreme sets that endure, many factors must align. Brady's rookie editon in Bowman 2000 brought the set notoriety. The design, front and back, that went into making the cards complement it superbly. Like a stalwart O-line that supplies the foundation for a high-octane offense.