Great Moments in Sports Card History: Michael Irvin

This one’s from the Pro Line Portraits set, which was put out way back in 1992.  I had to do a double take at first to make sure this wasn’t Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison doing a promo shot for “A Different World.”  But if you think the front of the card is great, it’s got nothing on what’s written on the back of the card:

Irvin graduated from Miami with a bachelor’s degree in business. He works with a program for low-income students, called “Students Determined to Succeed,” and one of those students is Nyna Sherte (front), a promising singer. Irvin is managing her career.  ”She’s the next coming of Janet Jackson.”

Well, as we all know, Ms. Sherte didn’t quite become Ms. Jackson. Hell, she didn’t even attain Tito Jackson status. Horrible management was probably to blame, because honestly, how focused could the Playmaker have been on her back then? In between playing for the Cowboys, sucking up most of the cocaine in the Metroplex and blabbing about “da U,” there wasn’t much time left over to wear his Teddy Riley hat.

Poor Nyna, she probably thought she was on the fast track to being in regular rotation on BET. I can only imagine how some of her phone conversations with the Playmaker might have went:

Nyna: “Hello, Michael, this is Nyna?”

Michael: “Who?!?  Did I meet you at the club one time?  How’d you get this number?  That baby ain’t mine!”

Nyna: “No, Michael, it’s Nyna Sherte, you manage me.”

Michael: “Oh, yeah, yeah, that Nyna.  Girl, you know I’m just playing around, I knew it was you.  What you need?”

Nyna: “We were supposed to get some studio time today to lay down my demo.  Are you coming to pick me up?”

Michael: “Studio time?  Nyna, that’s next week, girl.”

Nyna: “No, I have a message on my machine where you mentioned the date, which is today.”

Michael: “Look, Nate Newton’s at the door, I gotta go see about this.  Let me holler back at you.”

Nyna: “What time will you call me…hello?  Hello?”

Miami’s new Pro Combat uniform has a FAMU-ish feel

In its never ending quest to put out as many variations on its existing products as it can, Nike has come up with a concept called the Nike Pro Combat football uniform.

Basically, a bunch of teams under contract with Nike will at some point this season put on a ridiculously garish alternate uniform (not as garish as anything in the Oregon collection, but close).  For example, Oregon State and Ohio State will sport Pro Combat wear inspired by uniforms that the schools wore in the distant past.

Miami, on the other hand, will suit up in this on November 20 against Virginia Tech:

Below is a quote from Michael Irvin, who hosted the unveiling.  This dude never passes up a chance to gush about the U:

“I can’t wait till Nov. 20,” Irvin said. “You’ve heard many times when they say, ‘Oh the team takes on the personality of the head coach.’  These uniforms take on the personality of the team. This is fast, this is bold, this is what the U is all about - fast, bold players. That’s the way we play the game.”  (CaneSport.com)

I’m not some crusty old codger who whines whenever something a little hip or outside the box is rolled out, but in this case, I’m playing the goofy card.  Why?  Because this particular color scheme makes Miami look an awful lot like Florida A&M:

You remember Charlie Murphy’s True Hollywood Story about Prince, when he said men used to mistake Shalamar’s Micki Free for being a woman?  Something similar will happen on November 20 when casual fans glance at TV sets in sports bars across the country.

“Wow, FAMU is really hanging with Virginia Tech today, this is gonna be a hell of an upset!  But why the hell is FAMU even playing Virginia Tech?”