My first 2014 return Through the Mail comes from a guy I've been trying to get since last year! A big thank you to a guy that has played football at almost every level you possibly can, Rob Murphy.  At Ohio State, the left guard was an All-American in 1997 and 1998.  The 1998 team is the best I have ever seen at Ohio State and some will argue it was the best team in Ohio State history.

Murphy went on to play in the NFL for the Kansas City Chiefs (2000), Indianapolis Colts (2002), and the San Francisco 49ers (2003-2004) before being one of the best lineman in CFL history.  He starred for the BC Lions (2004-2008) and the Toronto Argonauts (2009-2011).  He was a four time All-Star and won the Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman in 2006 and 2007.

Since retiring from football before the 2012 season, he has become a successful CFL analyst for TSN. Hopefully, one day, he'll be back in Columbus breaking down the Buckeyes!

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This past weekend in Columbus, I attended both days of the inaugural Midwest Sports Spectacular. It was a two-day autograph and card show at the Courtyard by Marriott, sponsored by Ohio Sports Marketing, 4th and Goal, and 97.1 The Fan.  

The show allowed me to add four All-Americans to my collection that I previously didn't have: John Hicks, Randy Gradishar, Mike Doss, and Ryan Shazier.  

Notice how fat the 1 is in #10 under Ryan Shazier's signature.  He started to write #2 and in mid-stroke changed it to #10.  Pretty neat, especially since I asked another collector while waiting in line, "I wonder which number he's sign with his autograph?"  If you don't know the story, Shazier switched his number mid-season from #10 to #2 to honor his injured teammate Christian Bryant.

John Hicks and Randy Gradishar were two other All-Americans that are tough to get so I was happy that I had an opportunity to get them at the show.

I was particularly excited about the Mike Doss as he is one of only eight three-time All-Americans to ever play football at Ohio State.  It also brings my count down to two of those eight that I still need to obtain for my collection.

UPDATE: I saw an opportunity to upgrade my Ryan Shazier (wasn't fond of his signature not being centered) so I had that done on April 2, 2017 at The CSA Show.

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Les Horvath hit his peak in his senior year, gaining 924 yards on 163 carries for 5.7 yards per carry.  He scored 12 touchdowns in 1944, and completed 14 of 32 passes for 344 yards.  Six of the 14 pass completions went for touchdowns.  He set a new Big Ten rushing record and played in all of his team's nine games.  One of the more versatile backs seen on any football team, he kicked, passed, blocked, tackled, and carried OSU through a perfect season, all of which won him title of the "Playing Coach."

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Vic Janowicz was the key factor in the Buckeyes' success in 1950.  He booted 26 extra points after touchdown, kicked three field goals, completed 32 of 77 passes for 561 yards, scored 12 touchdowns, took care of the punting, and led Ohio State in scoring with 65 points.  He led the Big Ten with 48 points and rushed the ball for 703 yards.  He was just the third junior to win the Heisman Trophy.

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Howard "Hopalong" Cassady was one of Ohio State's best ever, scoring 37 touchdowns in 36 games for 222 points.  He gained 2,466 yards rushing for an average of 5.6 per try.  A player's player, his 964 yards with a total of 15 touchdowns was his greatest ever.  Overlooked was his sparkling defensive play, he never had a pass completed over him in four years of Big Ten competition.  He held the Buckeye's yardage gained record for many years.  In 1955, Cassady was also named "Athlete of the Year" by the Associated Press.

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As a junior at Ohio State, Archie Griffin was named to every All-American team and was called "the greatest football player I've ever coached" by Woody Hayes.  Combining power, speed, and an uncanny ability to break four or five tackles on a single play, he smashed the all-time record for running backs in the Big Ten, amassing 4,064 yards. It would be the first Heisman Trophy won by the only two-time winner in the history of this prestigious award.

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As a senior, Archie Griffin extended his record of consecutive 100-plus yard games to 31, his overall yardage to 5,176, and became the only player ever to win the Heisman twice.  Griffin was exceptional in so many ways.  He was magnificently consistent, grinding out 100-plus yards week in, and week out.  And he was a leader on the field and off, despite his modesty.  But most of all, Archie reflected the high standards of the Griffin family, which exemplified hard work, devotion to excellence, and resilience.

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Eddie George captured Ohio State's sixth Heisman Trophy.  George averaged 152.2 yards and rushed for 23 touchdowns as a senior.  He also caught 44 passes for 399 yards and another score. After gaining 99 in the Kickoff Classic against Boston College, George ripped off 11 straight games of over 100 yards.  George's finest game came in a 41-3 romp against a tough Illinois defense, rushing for 314 yards and scoring three touchdowns.

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Troy Smith joined elite company by winning the seventh Heisman Trophy at the Ohio State University. Smith received 801 first-place votes and won the Heisman by 1,662 points, both of which are the second-best in the history of the award. During Smith's senior campaign, he threw for a school-record 30 touchdowns, while leading his Buckeyes to a 12-0 regular season and a spot in the BCS National Championship.

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