Back in the spring NFL Films contacted me about my starting lineup collection (Football only of course), and wanted to come to me and do an interview.  They actually came for a pre interview, visited one of my ice cream shops and then came for the tv interview.  It was about a 5 or 6 hour process and one of the greatest things I ever had the experience to with my "toys".  Well, the time has come and the air date is set.  It's not a super long interview and only a half hour show (I am not on for the entire show, only a part).  I know you guys are not a fan of starting lineups or maybe even football for that matter, but if you would like to see it, here are the time and dates.

The name of the show is "NFL Films Presents" and the title of this episode will be "The Long And Short Of It"

YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Os4e_u3yBvU

Thursday, November 19th, 10:30 a.m. Eastern time on fox sports 1
Friday, November 20th, 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on fox sports 1
Saturday, November 21st, 10:30 a.m. Eastern time on NFL Network.

Will definitely check this out! I'm a huge football fan and it seems to repeat right before I go to work on Saturday.

Awesome! Enjoy! Thank you for checking it out!

Will it get put on you tube or something like that? Always cool to see TIG guys in things, but I don't know what fox sports 1 is nor have the nfl network. I know I am old and lame.

I am sure it will be on YouTube sooner or later. If you have directv, fox sports 1 is channel 219. NFL network is 212

Now on YouTube!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Os4e_u3yBvU

That was very cool. I am not a starting lineup guy, but cool to watch this anyway. Hope you find the bo Jackson head. I couldn't understand the name of the Grail figure, what makes that particular figure the Grail? If it is rarity why is he rarer than others as it sounded like he was made during the booming years so no need for a short run right, or did I hear the year wrong?

Bryan,
Thanks for watching. The holy grail is a 1989 Bill Fralic from the Atlanta Falcons. The first few years, starting lineups didn't do very well. Many were shipped back to Kenner and story has it, they were destroyed. On top of that, the late 80s Falcons were not the best team and like many players, released regionally. And on top of that, the 89 Fralic is in a dry popular offensive lineman pose. Al, this makes that piece rare, yet popular. Am other questions, feel free to ask

What type of prototypes exist for this line? Is there hardcopies, and first shots, and ep, and mockups, etc? In the star wars line it seems that hardcopies exist in single digits and first shots seem to be much higher number, is it the same for this? What is the rarest prototype piece? Are some one offs like is there multiple of that bo Jackson or is that it? All I saw was the football ones, but do you dabble in the other sports and what all sports were made? I know of baseball and football, did others make it? I don't mean to bombard you with questions, just neat to see a collection and learn some of the history and story of things to go with it.

trappedtexan wrote:

What type of prototypes exist for this line?  Is there hardcopies, and first shots, and ep, and mockups, etc?  In the star wars line it seems that hardcopies exist in single digits and first shots seem to be much higher number, is it the same for this?  What is the rarest prototype piece?  Are some one offs like is there multiple of that bo Jackson or is that it?  All I saw was the football ones, but do you dabble in the other sports and what all sports were made?  I know of baseball and football, did others make it?  I don't mean to bombard you with questions, just neat to see a collection and learn some of the history and story of things to go with it.

It's just like Star Wars, same idea. They did all the same things relating to prototypes. Usually about 5 hard copies were made and about 10 test shots or samples as we like to call them in the starting lineup world . As for rarest, they are all rare. As of right now I don't know of more than two for any player. That Bo Jackson is the only one that I know of. Of course that doesn't mean more cant be out there. We could only show football figures because it was NFL Films. But they did all 4 major sports and NASCAR. Plus they did legends lines as well. And in those legends they included some Olympic sports and boxing. Soccer was done in Europe, Argentina and Mexico, but did not carry the Starting Lineup name. Although NHL and NASCAR were not initially released in 88 like NBA, MLB and NFL. And I do collect them all except NASCAR.

I love the questions!

Joe, is there a site with some sort of checklist to show which person has a figure or figures? For example I am a Nolan Ryan fan, is there somewhere to see if he has a figure and if he has been made in multiple uniforms for each team? I knew Nolan has at least one version as I saw it one time when he played for the Rangers. I was just curious if he had a version for other teams.

Is there a ballpark Priceline on this or is it easier to check eBay ended auctions. I looked up starting lineup prototypes in ended and saw a hardcopy that was priced at $250 had ended. That is cheap in comparison to Star Wars prototypes. I might be interested in picking up a few of the favorite players of mine from when I was into sports cards and stuff.

I watched that this morning Joe(I was supposed to be working )
Very enjoyable mate, great collection
Thanks for posting the Utube link

Cheers Andy

trappedtexan wrote:

Joe, is there a site with some sort of checklist to show which person has a figure or figures?  For example I am a Nolan Ryan fan, is there somewhere to see if he has a figure and if he has been made in multiple uniforms for each team?  I knew Nolan has at least one version as I saw it one time when he played for the Rangers.  I was just curious if he had a version for other teams.  

Is there a ballpark Priceline on this or is it easier to check eBay ended auctions.  I looked up starting lineup prototypes in ended and saw a hardcopy that was priced at $250 had ended.  That is cheap in comparison to Star Wars prototypes.  I might be interested in picking up a few of the favorite players of mine from when I was into sports cards and stuff.

Bryan,
Only paperback guides made. Nothing visual. But I will tell you this, Nolan was made in every team he played for, even minor league. My favorite is the vintage Astros!

Some prototype that were eventually produced don't always go super high. Not that $250 isn't a lot of money, but you get the idea. But prototypes of unproduced, players/different color jerseys, poses can bring in a lot more money. This is what I collect.

If you are looking to pick up some prototypes, I suggest doing it, but be careful, they are very fragile. I never owned a Star Wars one, but slu prototypes are very fragile. Paint chips easily and the numbers and letters are made of a dry transfer.

If you are on Facebook, I have the Kenner starting lineup group. Great bunch of guys that enjoy the hobby and may be able to help you out with some Ryan's.

Nico wrote:

I watched that this morning Joe(I was supposed to be working )
Very enjoyable mate, great collection
Thanks for posting the Utube link

Cheers Andy

Thanks for watching Andy! I really appreciate it!

Don't do Facebook, but will check into eBay for the Ryan ones. I may try to get a few, but havent decided yet. I don't really have a sports memorabilia collection so may not fit in with my other stuff. Do you display yours at all? In the video they were all in bags just wondered if you had any out on display.

Bryan,
I highly suggest going for it! I would be so excited if that video inspired just one person to start collecting. I don't have the room to display all my figures, but I do display my prototypes and samples. They are what you see in the background of me in the video.

curch wrote:

Bryan,
    I highly suggest going for it!  I would be so excited if that video inspired just one person to start collecting.  I don't have the room to display all my figures, but I do display my prototypes and samples.  They are what you see in the background of me in the video.

all of those are prototypes? That awesome. The video did inspire me. I think I will start picking up some Nolan figures. I need to decide on loose vs moc or boxed. I checked out eBay and it looks like there are possibly around 20-25 different variations. The cool thing with these is they are no longer produced (like the vintage Star Wars). This makes it possible to get a set without constantly going back for new ones.

I should have asked sooner, but did you get to meet any of those ex players? Did you get any autographs or anything from them?

All of those in the cases are prototypes and samples except for one. The mcinally on the bottom is the regular released figure. But I thought it's fitting to be in the case. I have added onemtomthe case since this picture, also one in there got traded that I had two of. My NBA figures do not fit in these cases, so I have them in an old Kenner store display.

I collect most of my figures loose. But I do like to buy them in the package and then open them. That way I know I am getting a mint figure. But that's not always possible. My favorite part of a starting lineup is the back. I love the name and number. Cant see that in the package. But I do like to collect 1988 to 1990 NFL MOC as well. Just for the nostalgia of it.

As for Nolan Ryan figures. None are super expensive. The most expensive one will be the 1988, but that one come around, and should be able to find one on eBay at any given day. Some of the "newer" ones may be a little tricky sometimes, but that doesn't mean they will be expensive.

Here is a list of NOlan Ryan figures:

1988 (Astros)
1990 (Rangers)
1990 Extended Series (Rangers) same exact figure and package
1991 (Rangers)
1991 Extended Series (Rangers) same exact figure and package
1992 (Rangers)
1992 Headline Collection (Rangers)
1993 (Rangers)
1993 Extended Series (Rangers) Retirement figure (my favorite)
1993 Stadium Star (Rangers)
1993 Headline Collection (Rangers)
1995 Kenner Club Freeze Frame (4 figures in 4 different teams)
1997 Classic Double (Rangers)
1997 Collectors Club (Suns) minor league
1998 Classic Double (Astros) another favorite of mine
1999 Cooperstown (Rangers)
2001 Cooperstown (Rangers) this is a Starting Lineup 2, I hate them!
1998 Cooperstown 12" (Rangers)
2000 Wheaties (Rangers)

I did not get to meet any of the players. That would have been awesome. But spending 2 days with NFL Films was still incredibly cool! Dream come true for me!

curch wrote:

All of those in the cases are prototypes and samples except for one.  The mcinally on the bottom is the regular released figure.  But I thought it's fitting to be in the case.  I have added onemtomthe case since this picture, also one in there got traded that I had two of.  My NBA figures do not fit in these cases, so I have them in an old Kenner store display.  

I collect most of my figures loose.  But I do like to buy them in the package and then open them.  That way I know I am getting a mint figure.  But that's not always possible.  My favorite part of a starting lineup is the back.  I love the name and number.  Cant see that in the package.  But I do like to collect 1988 to 1990 NFL MOC as well.  Just for the nostalgia of it.  

As for Nolan Ryan figures.  None are super expensive.  The most expensive one will be the 1988, but that one come around, and should be able to find one on eBay at any given day.  Some of the "newer" ones may be a little tricky sometimes, but that doesn't mean they will be expensive.  

Here is a list of NOlan Ryan figures:

1988 (Astros)
1990 (Rangers)
1990 Extended Series (Rangers) same exact figure and package
1991 (Rangers)
1991 Extended Series (Rangers) same exact figure and package
1992 (Rangers)
1992 Headline Collection (Rangers)
1993 (Rangers)
1993 Extended Series (Rangers) Retirement figure (my favorite)
1993 Stadium Star (Rangers)
1993 Headline Collection (Rangers)
1995 Kenner Club Freeze Frame (4 figures in 4 different teams)
1997 Classic Double (Rangers)
1997 Collectors Club (Suns) minor league
1998 Classic Double (Astros) another favorite of mine
1999 Cooperstown (Rangers)
2001 Cooperstown (Rangers) this is a Starting Lineup 2, I hate them!
1998 Cooperstown 12"  (Rangers)
2000 Wheaties (Rangers)

Awesome. Thanks for the list. I think I will get started on this soon. i am thinking loose is the way I want to go. I don't know about the 12" but if the others are all the same size, I think they would look good together.

I personally not a fan of the larger figures either. You are on your way! Take that list and run with it! Keep me posted on what you get and if you have any other questions.

curch wrote:

I did not get to meet any of the players.  That would have been awesome.  But spending 2 days with NFL Films was still incredibly cool!  Dream come true for me!  

Did you keep the contact info for nfl films? You should contact them and see if they can put you in contact with any of them or even act as middlemen if you want autographs. I bet they would do it since you allowed them to record your collection. I had a similar thing with Conan obrien but was able to speak to him directly. Was a very cool experience and got an awesome autograph personalized to me out of it.

curch wrote:

I did not get to meet any of the players.  That would have been awesome.  But spending 2 days with NFL Films was still incredibly cool!  Dream come true for me!  

Are you an Eagles or Steelers fan? Being from P.A.

Neither . Chicago Bears.