This year's release of 2008 Topps Football paid special tribute to 11 heroes by giving them their very own insert set. Not a single one of the subjects featured in the set make their living on the football field, nor have they starred in a multi million dollar Hollywood production, or created a platinum music album - their work is far more important. While TO complains about not getting enough passes thrown to him and Tom Cruise makes yet another movie that no one will ever see, these 11 individuals, who are proud members of the United States Military, put their lives on the line on a daily basis to protect our way of life. Topps' Armed Forces Fan of the Game gives these real life heroes the recognition they deserve.
The Florida Times-Union published an article from Monday Evening highlighting one of the servicemen who appeared in Armed Forces Fan of the Game, Army Spc. Mark Middlebrook.
Middlebrook, a diehard Jacksonville Jaguars fan, went to every home game the Jaguars played for the franchises first 5 years of existence. He never dreamt that he would be able to represent his Jags by appearing on his very own trading card.
The 23 year old says that he has gained some level of fame as a result of his trading card appearance, particularly among card collectors.
Middlebrook told The Florida Times-Union, "A sergeant calls me up out of the blue and says, 'I've got your card. Three or four other people have said that to me."
The Jags selected Middlebrook after the NFL approached them about participating in the program. The team already has strong ties to the military, forged by sending players out to visit the area's bases, setting up special events for veterans and arranging for flyovers.
Nyree Bowen, a representative of the Jaguars Community Relations Team, had this to say about Middlebrooke's inclusion in the Topps Set, "We were just happy he could be part of it and we as a team could be part of it. With the military we're very appreciative of their service, not only to our country but here locally in Jacksonville. It's just our way of recognizing one of our own."
Topps came up with the idea of the military fan cards after someone in the company noticed the number of football fans deployed to combat zones. Several times a week soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will contact the company to see about cards being shipped over, said Clay Luraschi, director of product development for Topps.
"We realized we have a lot of people over there who miss home," Luraschi said. "Trading cards gives them a little piece of home."
Middlebrook was in Iraq after signing up for the 82nd Airborne Division because he figured it was the fastest route to the action. He ended up deploying twice to Iraq, the second time in the first wave of troops making up the surge. On that deployment, he spent months living in a small outpost with Iraqi soldiers, training and leading them.
