By Jason Klein  Archive.  Twitter.  Contact Me.

Mark Sanchez stood at the podium, his playoff beard finally gone, like the Jets hopes of winning Super Bowl XLIV.  His “Wonderboy” T-Shirt…no where in sight, replaced now with a blank, white one, perhaps symbolic of the clean slate the New York Jets will have the next time they take the field in 2010.

Head Coach Rex Ryan

All the big wins down the stretch, the top ranked defense and running game, the bluster…all just a memory now.  That’s the way it goes in the NFL.  One day you’re playing in the Conference Championship Game, only sixty minutes from Super Sunday, and the next thing you know, you’re staring at a blank page, pen in hand, script unwritten.

Unfortunately for authors like Sanchez, Head Coach, Rex Ryan, and the rest of the Jets organization, it’s often difficult to stick to any script in this league.  There are always so many variables, unforeseen injuries, salary cap calamities, unfavorable schedules, and inclement weather that could get in the way.

Opportunities like the one the Jets just had are rare in the NFL.  Bright futures can dim rather quickly.  Players age, become free agents, or retire, and windows propped open by hope and promise are humbly slammed shut with little notice.

The 2010 Jets should be favored to win their division, and contend for a place in Super Bowl XLV.  It’s exactly what awaited the 1999 Jets after losing to Denver in the AFC Title Game the year prior.  That team, devastated by a week one Achilles tendon injury to quarterback Vinny Testaverde, failed to reach their Super goal.  So have the ten Jets teams since.

It took eleven years to get back to where they were in January 1999 – a halftime lead in the AFC Championship Game, and only thirty minutes from the Super Bowl.  This year, like 1999, they failed to score in the second half as the Indianapolis Colts took the game 30-17, and punched their ticket to Miami at the Jets’ expense. 

Make no mistake about it though, the Jets did not lose this game in “Same Old Jets” fashion.  They were beaten by the better team, with the better quarterback.  There is no shame in the way this latest Jets team played.  They were resilient, positive, had great team chemistry, and captured the imaginations of every fan that bleeds green and white.  Ryan made everyone a believer in 2009.

In his final team meeting of the season, Ryan told his players to “wear their Jets stuff and be proud of it.”  Why shouldn’t they?  Ryan has created a new culture within this organization, an environment that players can thrive in, and one that is enticing for prized free agents to come be a part of. 

Though there is no assurance of anything in 2010 and beyond, the Jets appear to have all the pieces in place to succeed – in this unpredictable league, that’s the best any franchise can hope for.  Gang Green is set up with a young, star quarterback, a fiery, crafty head coach, a powerful defense and running game, and a brand new stadium – all components that any NFL author would salivate at the chance to write into the script.

There was no storybook ending this year, and there is no guarantee there ever will be.  But the future appears bright and Jets fans will have to wait at least one more season for the next chapter in Jets history to be written.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

By Alex Cohen-Smith

As we near conference championship weekend and start to turn our eyes toward the Super Bowl we are seeing the the face of sports in the United States once again make a run at the Super Bowl. And no, I’m not referring to Brett Favre. I promise. I’m in fact making reference to Peyton Manning, who slowly but surely has established himself as the favorite son of football.

It might have something to do with his game on the field. Since taking over the starting quarterback job as a 22 year old rookie in 1998, Peyton has brought the Indianapolis Colts out of the NFL’s doldrums and established them as one of the league’s premier teams for over a decade. During his 12 years as a starter Peyton has never missed a start, never thrown less than 26 touchdowns or thrown for less than 3,700 yards. His 2009 MVP award made him the only player in NFL history to have four MVP’s to his credit. Of course, we can’t forget about Peyton’s performance in Super Bowl XLI, which earned him the trophy he really coveted, the Vince Lombardi trophy.

It also might have something to do with his personality. When Peyton came into the league, he was known for being relatively quiet and not doing much else besides his job. Today, Peyton is one of the faces of Direct TV, Gatorade, Reebok, MasterCard and Sprint among many other well known companies. According to survey done by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Daily of 56 sports marketing and media execs, Peyton is the most marketable player in the NFL. Tom Brady came in a close second, but the rest of the competition was far behind the two gunslingers.

Even as a New Yorker, I love Peyton Manning. His commercials are absolutely hilarious. If you haven’t seen his MasterCard commercials I recommend browsing a few like this one. And yet as hilarious as he is off the field, on the field he is the consummate professional. Getting the job done year in and year out is what Peyton does best.

His Colts team is known for brandishing an invisible defense, the kind that forces Peyton to score a touchdown every time he’s on the field in order to stay in the game. Peyton does just that. This year he lost Marvin Harrison, a man he completed 935 passes to over his career. He lost his number 2 receiver in the first game of the year. His starting RB averaged a subpar 3.8 yards per carry. Yet this Manning still had enough in the tank to go out and win the MVP and bring his team now one step away from making the Super Bowl.

Peyton is now officially the face of football. He’s right up there with Lebrons and Jeters of the world and who knows? Another Super Bowl win this year and Peyton could place himself alone on top of the list as the face of sports. As cool as it would be to see my buddy Darrelle Revis to pick Peyton off six times, the realist in me seeing the Colts having a nice week off before their trip down to Miami for the Super Bowl

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The “house money” is all spent.  Moral victories no longer exist.  No, that’s all over now.  Complacency expired with the clock in San Diego.

Jets 17, Chargers 14. 

Mark Sanchez Turf Collage

Get greedy Jets fans.  Gang Green is in the final four.  They are about to play in a game the franchise has only seen on three other occasions, 1968, 1982, and 1998.  The New York Jets…say it with me…are going to the AFC Championship Game and are only 60 minutes away from Super Bowl XLIV.  Believe it.

With that said, every fan who bleeds green and white should be thinking big, thinking about getting two more victories and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy amid a green and white confetti rain.  Reaching the AFC Title Game is a great achievement…no doubt.  But don’t settle here.  Don’t be satisfied with just a “great” season.  Dream of a “Super” season.  It’s now within reach.

Opportunities like these are so rare.  Teams come so close, fall just short, and then prepare for a future that may never come.  One season a franchise makes it to the Championship Game, and the next season their balloon of hopes and dreams pop like their quarterback’s Achilles tendon in week one (see Vinny & the Jets circa 1999).

There are so many variables in the NFL.  Teams battle devastating injuries, unfavorable schedules, inclement weather, a salary cap, and have to peak at the right time just to have a shot at a January run.  There are no guarantees in the NFL…well…other than Joe Willie’s pledge prior to Super Bowl III.

1968 NY Jets Team Signed Jersey

Namath’s magic occurred a generation ago, the 2009 Jets are trying to exorcise the demons and do something that no Jets team has done since that unforgettable day in January 1969. 

This is no longer just a feel good story.  The Jets are in way too deep for that.  An appearance in the AFC Championship Game officially qualifies as “serious business.”  It’s an opportunity that may never come around again.  The New York Jets head into Indianapolis to face Peyton Manning and the Colts on Sunday at 3:00 PM.  A trip to Miami, and a place in history hangs in the balance. 

No time like the present.  No guarantees for the future.  No turning back now.

Get greedy Jets fans.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

By Alex Cohen-Smith

Playoff football is one the great anomalies in sports playoffs. In hockey, baseball and basketball, players have at least 3 games to prove their worth and make a name for themselves in the postseason.

It doesn’t work that way in football. A superstar can have one bad game and suddenly he’s labeled as a guy that doesn’t come through in the clutch. On the other hand, a no-name can make a few big plays and he becomes a guy you can count on in a big moment. The playoffs are funny like that. They don’t care if you’re stats are comparable to Dan Marino or Brady Quinn. The playoffs are a whole new season.

No one is ever going to label Tom Brady a bad quarterback. No one is ever going to say Brady isn’t clutch, or that he can’t come through when it matters. That being said, on Sunday he ran into a very hungry, very determined Baltimore Ravens defense and he was stonewalled. The Patriots didn’t do terribly on the ground, but when Brady took it to the air he ran into trouble with everyone from Ed Reed to Tom Zbikowski. Ray Rice, “Straight from New Rochelle, New York!” as Chris Berman would say, ran through the Pats like they weren’t even there. Brady will go home, hang out with his beautiful wife, his newborn baby, and his three Super Bowl rings. Poor guy.

The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers both had ridiculous offensive outputs, but there was no defense to be found until the last play of the game. This was a little surprising considering the Packers did have the #2 defense in football this year behind the Jets. I didn’t see any video of Packers coach Mike McCarthy after the game, but I’m going to assume his conversation with his defense was worthy of a Bud light commercial or at least one of these nicely remixed Auto-Tune videos.

Chad OchoCinco should change his name to Chad VeinteYOcho, considering 28 is the number of receiving yards he had in two games being matched up against New York Jets stud cornerback Darrelle Revis. Has everyone seen the list of receivers Revis has shut down this year?

• Andre Johnson – 101 catches during the season – 4 on Revis Island
• Randy Moss – 1,264 yards during the season – 58 in 2 games on Revis Island
• Marques Colston – 1,074 yards during the season – 33 on Revis Island
• Terrell Owens – 1,006 career catches – 6 in 2 games on Revis Island
• Steve Smith – 982 yards during the season – 5 on Revis Island
• Roddy White – 1153 yards during the season – 33 on Revis Island
• Reggie Wayne – 100 catches during the season – 3 on Revis Island

Moral of this story: Revis = Scary good. I know deep in my heart, as much as it pains me to say it, that Charles Woodson will win Defensive MVP over Revis, but there is no chance he deserved it more. Woodson made more “flashy plays” (fumble recoveries, interceptions), but he also didn’t have to deal with the plethora of Pro-Bowl caliber receivers Revis had to face and Woodson got burned for a number of big passing plays during the season.

You know who else looked scary good? The entire Dallas Cowboys team. The last time the Cowboys won a playoff game in 1996, Marvin Harrison was just being drafted. No other team from this weekend was clicking quite like the Cowboys. Tony Romo looked perfect. Felix Jones looked like a Pro Bowl RB. The defense would have made the Doomsday crew proud.

At least for another couple weeks we get to enjoy the thrills of playoff football. Enjoy the games.

By Alex Cohen-Smith

After the New York Jets blew their hot start and allowed Jacksonville to squeak by them in Week 10 to leave their record at 4-5, not many people thought they still had a shot of making the postseason. So after that game when WFAN New York radio personality Craig Carton promised he’d walk across the Brooklyn Bridge in a speedo if the Jets made the playoffs, no one thought much of it. How could a rookie coach and a rookie QB come back from that? Then the Jets started winning again. And while everyone else in the league began to crumble, the Jets played hard nosed, downhill football.

So this morning, in front of a raucous crowd of thousands of fans that included everyone from the College Mansion cheerleaders to Jets superfan Fireman Ed, Carton walked the bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan in a speedo. No one enjoyed it more than Carton’s on air partner Boomer Esiason who wore a smile from ear to ear during the whole walk.

When Carton finished his walk in Manhattan (still in a speedo), he auctioned off numerous prizes including two photos from Steiner Sports, a Darrelle Revis photo and a Jerricho Cotchery photo. Carton has also signed a few of our Yankee stadium seats. A seat pair signed by Carton and Alex Rodriguez sold online for over $2,000 that went straight to The Boomer Esiason Foundation, which fights cystic fibrosis.

By Alex Cohen-Smith

In 1985, BJ Surhoff was drafted #1 overall in the amateur draft. Will Clark went # 2. Barry Larkin went #4. Barry Bonds, #6.  Rafael Palmeiro, #22. In the 2nd round, The Montreal Expos pick #36 was a wild left-hander from the University of Southern California. This pick was viewed as a high risk-high reward due to the control issues the lefty showed during his time in college. And of course everyone was scared of the fact that a 6′10″ pitcher had never pitched in the big leagues before.

At the time, he wasn’t worth a 1st round pick. But when Randy Johnson retired this morning after 22 major league seasons, he will go down as the most feared left-handed pitcher to ever play the game. You can make your arguments for Sandy Koufax, Warren Spahn, Lefty Grove and Steve Carlton, but I’d go with the Big Unit every time.

When he came into the league he was just as wild as everyone feared and just as dominant as everyone hoped. In 1990 while playing his first full season in the American League for Seattle Mariners he led the league with 120 walks. Twice in a game he walked 10 batters. Of course that same season he struck out 194 hitters and and threw a no-hitter versus the Detroit Tigers. He led the league in walks the two years following as well. But as the number of walks began to dwindle, the numbers of strikeouts began to rise. Johnson led the league in strikeouts from 1992-1995, 1999-2002 and in 2004 at the age of 40. Not too shabby for an “old” guy.

Johnson was a downright scary pitcher, I mean haven’t you seen Little Big League?. The man frightened hitters to the point that most guys were just swinging with their eyes closed and praying that they made contact with the ball. I personally will always remember Johnson for that insane mullet he donned during the start of his career that put John Kruk’s best mullet to shame.  Speaking of putting John Kruk to shame, this video of Johnson vs. Kruk at the 2003 All-Star game is by far one of my favorites and even allows fans to see a lighter side of the normally very serious Big Unit. He did the same to Larry Walker in the 1997 All-Star Game, causing Walker to turn around and bat righty, even though he wasn’t a switch hitter.

If you look at his statistics you can’t deny that not only was Johnson one of the best left handed pitchers ever, but he in fact was one of the greatest pitchers ever to play the game of baseball. 4,875 strikeouts, giving him the second highest total of all-time behind Nolan Ryan. Ryan however only struck out 9.5 hitters every 9 innings (SO/9) while Johnson’s rate was a massive 10.6 every 9 innings, the best rate of all-time. The Unit also won 5 Cy Youngs, including 4 in a row with the Arizona Diamondbacks. His 2 second place finishes, although 11 years apart and taking place in different leagues, both came behind Roger Clemens, so technically you can almost give the Unit credit for 7 Cy Youngs (which would be a record). With the help of his Diamondbacks pitching teammate Curt Schilling, Johnson put Arizona baseball on the map and was named co-MVP of the 2001 World Series that the Diamondbacks won. He pitched a perfect game in 2004 at the age of 40, making the oldest person ever to accomplish that feat as well.

Remember in little league, there was that one pitcher in the league you were always nervous about facing because he threw harder than everyone else, he was probably already using steroids, and you knew if one of the those pitches hit you it would make you cry in front of all your teammates? That pitcher was Randy Johnson, only instead of doing it to little leagues, Johnson did that to Major League Baseball hitters for over two decades.

Don’t miss your chance to get Randy Johnson memorabilia! He’s a lock for the Hall of Fame and in a league of his own when it comes to dominance on the mound.

By Jason Klein  Archive.  Twitter.  Contact Me.

The sign outside may have read “Giants Stadium,” but the building finally felt like home for Jets fans on Sunday night. 

The Jets, perhaps, saved their best performance for last as they did battle with the Cincinnati Bengals in the final game played in Meadowlands history.  Gang Green overcame frigid temperatures, and all the odds, to defeat the Bengals 37-0 in a rout.  In the process, they clinched the 5^th seed in the AFC playoffs, the franchise’s first trip to the post season since 2006.

The Jets were destined to do what their co-tenants couldn’t the week prior.  The Giants’ final Meadowlands performance left a sour taste – falling to the Panthers 41-9 in week 16.  By contrast, the Jets refused to lose, holding the playoff-bound Bengals to just 72 total yards of offense…in the whole game!

Mark Sanchez completed an up-and-down rookie season on a high note, managing the offense and feeding Thomas Jones.  Following the game, and a refreshingly frosty Gatorade bath for head coach, Rex Ryan, players did a victory lap, shaking hands with the fans and shutting out the lights at the old building in style.

It was the final great moment inside a building that provided many along the way.  Jets fans will always remember moments like the Monday Night Miracle victory over the Dolphins in 2000, the 1999 Divisional Game against Jacksonville, and the back-to-back routs of the Packers and Colts to end the 2002 regular season and start the playoffs respectively.  Giants fans will quickly forget the team’s 2009 shortcomings and focus more on the three Lombardi Trophies, hoisted after the 1986, 1990 and 2007 seasons.

Whatever your allegiance, there is tons of history oozing from within the Meadowlands walls.  A new partnership joining Steiner Sports with the Meadowlands allows fans and football historians alike to own pieces of that nostalgia. 

Interested in owning a pair of seats from within Giants Stadium?  Steiner Sports new partnership makes that possible.  Fans will have access to seats, seatbacks, pieces of the turf, goal posts, and various other items from within the building.  It’s the perfect way to commemorate the past and look forward to a bright future inside the New Meadowlands starting in 2010.

As the Jets prepare for their Wild Card Weekend rematch with Cincinnati, and the Giants start to prepare for what will no doubt be an exciting 2010 campaign, the lights inside Giants Stadium are now dark.  There will never be another game played inside the building that served as home for two teams, and enjoyed one glorious timeline of moments. 

It finally felt like home for Jets fans on Sunday night.  Giants fans have always felt ownership.  With both teams moving across the parking lot next season, now it’s the fans who can start to make pieces of the building their own.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

By Jason Klein  Archive.  Twitter.  Contact Me.

“Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Those words, once spoken by Matthew Broderick in the 1986 hit “Ferris Bueller,” couldn’t be more apropos when thinking back on 2009 at Steiner Sports.  It was a year that had Steiner Sports employees’ heads spinning with activity and customers’ heads turning with curiosity and intrigue.  Though it flew by, it was a challenging, yet rewarding campaign, filled with moments and achievements that revolutionized the sports collectibles industry…again. 

The final year of the “double zeros,” the “oughts,” or however one chooses to refer back to this decade, saw Steiner Sports prosper through three defining moments in company history, events that changed the way the company functions, and further developed the way sports fans collect memorabilia.  

The Move

In recent years, Steiner Sports has developed relationships, and partnerships with some of the most successful organizations in professional and collegiate sports.  The company currently provides exclusive access to game used collectibles from the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Dallas Cowboys, and Notre Dame, Alabama, North Carolina, and Syracuse Universities.  The growing roster of partners, presented a growing inventory for a growing company occupying, what seemed like, a shrinking warehouse.

In an effort to satisfy the company’s need for more space, Steiner Sports moved into new digs in March.  Just like their pinstriped partners in the Bronx, the company shifted across the street into a new venue, better equipped to handle their needs in an ever-changing marketplace.  The move has been a positive one for all parties involved.  The state-of-the-art facility has allowed the company to function more efficiently, better serving loyal customers – many of whom made the pilgrimage over the last nine months to check out the new place.

The Seats

In 2009, Steiner Sports urged all Yankees fans and baseball historians to “Take a Seat in History.”  In May of 2009, the company announced plans to offer authentic seats, and other stadium artifacts including sod, monument park bricks, and foul pole pieces, from the original Yankee Stadium.  A flurry of activity ensued.  Eager fans were able to gobble up pieces of the historic stadium, scooping up whatever relics became available.  Owning an actual piece of Baseball’s Cathedral was an opportunity that few fans passed up on.

In addition, Original Yankee Stadium memorabilia was on display throughout the Inaugural Season inside the Great Hall, courtesy of Steiner Sports.  The Yankees-Steiner Collectibles Store flourished inside the Stadium too, giving fans insider access on game days.  Throughout the season, Steiner Sports employees were on hand to meet fans, and explain the unique line of items pulled from the “House That Ruth Built.”

What an unbelievable season it was too!  The Yankees broke in their new quarters in grand fashion!  The Greatest Closer of All-Time, Mariano Rivera, converted his 500^th career save in June, and The Captain, Derek Jeter, passed Lou Gehrig on the all-time Yankees hits list in September.  Both historic moments served as appetizers for October’s (and November’s) main course…

The Title

The instant Mark Teixeira squeezed the final out of the 2009 World Series, the Yankees hard work towards a 27^th Championship was over.  However, the work within the Steiner Sports office was just beginning.  Commemorative collages, plaques and crystals had already been prepared weeks in advance, but the quest towards a team signed project was quickly underway. 

Over the course of about three weeks in November, twenty-nine members of the World Champions made their way through the Steiner Sports office, signing everything from team signed baseballs and photos, to game used product from the 2009 season.  Once again, Steiner Sports had the most complete and intriguing collection of commemorative memorabilia to offer customers, featuring an unprecedented collection of superstars – perfect timing for the upcoming holiday season.

The Future

While 2009 was a legendary year in the history of Steiner Sports, the future is bright for the innovative leader in sports collectibles and gifts.  There are many exciting announcements on the table for 2010, events that will fire up customers, and further transform the collectibles industry.  2009 was fast.  2010 will move just as quick.  Just be sure to stop and look around.  Big things are coming so pay attention!  Bueller?

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com

By Alex Cohen-Smith Archive

We’ve now passed the time where the normal person is saying to themselves “It’s almost time to think about Christmas presents” and we have since entered the phase of “I am in so much trouble. It’s the middle of December and I haven’t gotten anything!” That’s where I come in.

It has got to be near impossible for a person with no background knowledge of sports to buy a present for a sports fan. How do they (or you) know the difference between a Damion Easley signed photograph and a Pee Wee Reese signed photograph? One of those two players in a Hall of Famer, but you can’t tell just by looking at the photo. This is why I’ve outlined a few great gifts that can help you win the heart of the sports fan you love so dearly this holiday season.

The Smart Buys

For those of you looking to find the right gift, without breaking the bank, Steiner Sports has options for you. You’d be surprised to see how many great gifts there are on our website for under $100. No matter what the sport or the fan we have something that will fit their needs.

The House That Ruth Built Key Chain with dirt for the Original Yankee Stadium is a great gift for all those Yankee fans looking to carry around a bit of Yankee history with them wherever they go. Each Key Chain actually has dirt from the old Yankee Stadium before the Yankees made the move to their new home this year. And they only cost $20! Yankee fans could also go with an Original Yankee Stadium Foul Pole Piece with a Glass Display Case. A great way to take a chunk of the stadium home, it comes with  a glass case and engraved nameplate.

For baseball fans looking to veer away from the Yankee trend, there are loads of options as well. Just take a look at the list below:

• Moises Alou Autographed Baseball – Only $40 for a player who it over .300 with 332 homers in his career is a steal.
• Frank Robinson Autographed Baseball with “HOF 82″ Inscription – Not impressed by Alou’s numbers? How about a signed ball from a guy with 586 Home runs (7th all-time) for under $100? Not too shabby
• Fred Lynn Autographed Baseball with “1975 AL MVP/ROY” Inscription – The first player ever to win rookie of the year and MVP in the same season. Quality inscription baseballs are rare and not easy to come by.

For football I would direct you to the Final Season Texas Stadium Game Used Turf Plaque, a great gift for any fan who appreciates Troy Aikman, Emmit Smith, Roger Staubach and the gridiron greats from Cowboy past. Other great buys are:

• Doug Flutie Autographed Boston College Hail Mary 16×20 Photograph – Arguably the greatest play EVER. Not just in college football history. Not just in football history. EVER. Look here if you don’t believe me.
• Dwight Clark Autographed “The Catch” 8×10 Photograph – Another one of the greatest plays of all-time. 49er fans will never forget where they were when Joe Montana hooked up with Dwight Clark (not that kind of hooked up, get your mind out of the gutter). See the video here.

For basketball, the great deal of the site has got to be the University of North Carolina Championship Court 8×10 Plaque. With college hoops season in full force the collectible is a great way to remember the 2009 championship coached by Hall of Famer Roy Williams and led by current NBA players Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green. Some of our other great hoops buys are:

• Tony Parker Autographed 2007 Finals Lay-Up 8×10 Photograph – The is a great photo of the 3-time NBA Champion…and it would only be made better if his beautiful wife Eva Longaria-Parker of Desperate Housewives fame was in it with him.
• Jason Kidd Autographed First Game Back with Mavericks 8×10 Photo – #2 in assists all-time is enough to entice any true hoops fan

If you’re looking to spend a little more, I  always recommend Yankee Stadium Seats for an awesome piece of sports history that will have your friends green with envy.

Remember that a piece of memorabilia isn’t something that losing it’s luster over time. It’s also not something that you can grow out of. It’s not quite your High School Musical, or your Power Rangers or any other fad that comes and goes every ten years or so. As cheesy as it may sound, memorabilia is a gift that gives forever. If need more great gift ideas for that fan on your list just email me at acohensmith@steinersports.com or call 1800-759-SCORE for more information. Have a great holiday!

By Jason Klein  Archive.  Twitter.  Contact Me.

*Story as appears in “Yankee Legacy Magazine” (updated 11/30/09)

Destined for Yankee greatness from day #1, a young Derek Jeter was assigned to wear #2.  All the pinstriped greats wore single digits.  By the time the scrawny kid from Kalamazoo, MI arrived in the Bronx, there was only one such number left to choose from – all others had been retired, and his manager, Joe Torre, was doing his best to take #6 off the board.  So, with expectations high, Jeter was given #2 – everything else had to be earned.

The kid didn’t disappoint.

#2 Waives to the Yankee Stadium Faithful

For fourteen seasons, Jeter has done nothing but validate his numerical assignment.  The 1996 American League Rookie of the Year has appeared in 10 All-Star games, won 4 Gold Glove awards, and won 5 World Series titles.  In 2000, he was named MVP of both the All-Star Game and World Series.  In 2003 he was named team captain.  He has led his team to the Post Season in 13 of his 14 seasons, including 7 World Series appearances.

He is perhaps the most clutch performer to ever don the pinstripes, consistently coming up big in big spots.  At age 35, and showing no signs of slowing down, Jeter continues to produce at a staggering clip, breaking club records on a nightly basis, and passing single-digit-wearing legends in the process.

On November 30, 2009, just weeks after leading the Yankees to their 27^th World Series title, Jeter was named the 2009 Sports Illustrated “Sportsman of the Year.”  He becomes the first Yankee to ever earn the title, and does it during a year that saw many great accomplishments for the Captain of the Yankees.

This season, he batted a stellar .334, won a Gold Glove for his defense, a Silver Slugger for his offense, and a 5^th ring for his thumb.  In addition, on September 11, 2009, Jeter etched his name deeper into Yankees lore when he collected his 2,722^nd career hit.

Playing within the confines of his new home – he is the all-time hits leader at the original Yankee Stadium – Jeter singled to right field in the third inning of a game with the Baltimore Orioles.  The base hit moved him past Lou Gehrig and into first place all-time on the Yankees career hits list.

Teammates poured out of the dugout to surround the newly-crowned hits king, congratulating him on his accomplishment.  The always stoic Jeter showed true emotion as the packed house in the Bronx chanted his name over and over, as if to thank him for his years of service.

Within hours of collecting the monumental hit, fans swarmed SteinerSports.com looking to grab one of many commemorative items released to honor Jeter’s accomplishment.  Since that historic night in the Bronx, Jeter has hand signed images of the moment, jerseys embroidered with the date and hits total, and inscribed baseballs detailing the moment.  Along with commemorative 2009 World Series items, they remain among the hottest Yankees collectibles on the market today.

By passing Gehrig, the next hits milestone for Jeter will be #3,000.  No Yankee has ever reached the benchmark number – like being named “Sportsman of the Year,” Jeter seems destined to be the first.  It also appears certain that one day, #2 will find its way into Monument Park, joining the other single digits enshrined in Yankees lore.

There was really never any doubt from day #1 that Jeter deserved to wear #2.  But, following a season that saw Jeter pass Lou Gehrig, lead his team to another World Series Title, and earn “Sportsman of the Year” honors, it would be tough not to argue that #2 is really #1.

For instant updates, and more exclusive insider access, follow me on Twitter here.

E-Mail me at jklein@steinersports.com