Friday, November 7, 2008

Ryan Torain - RB - Denver Broncos

The latest Denver Bronco to sport The Number is Ryan Torain. Torrain was selected by the Broncos in the fifth round (139th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Arizona State.

Before moving on to Arizona State Ryan played two seasons at Butler Community College, where he rushed for 1,396 yards on 228 carries with 20 touchdowns. Previous to that he received first-team all-state honors at Shawnee Mission N.W. High School in Kansas.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

One Barrel

Did you know? One barrel of crude oil contains 42 gallons. Now did that really surprise you?

Monday, November 3, 2008

Terrence Holt - DB - Carolina Panthers

In March of this year The Carolina Panthers signed free agent safety Terrence Holt, a former North Carolina State standout and brother of Rams wide receiver Torry Holt. He was a second-team All-American at NC State as a senior in 2002 and was picked by the Detroit Lions in the fifth round of the 2003 draft. The Panthers then waived Holt at the end of the preseason.

In late October the Bears signed Holt to the active roster to replace Zackary Bowman, who underwent season-ending surgery for a torn biceps. Holt has however, seemed to abandon The Number in Chicago where he is now wearing number 32. This does not seem to be a good career move for Holt.


Photo by Getty Images

During his stint with the Detroit Lions Holt proudly displays The Number as he celebrates his fumble recovery against the New England Patriots on December 3, 2006 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

Photo by Paul Connors

Here Holt and The Number pull down Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander as he tries to fall into the end zone for a touchdown during the Arizona Cardinal's game on September 16, 2007, in Glendale, Arizona against the Seahawks. The Cardinals won 23-20.

Charley Taylor - WR - Washington Redskins

The Number is unofficially retired in our Nation's Capitol thanks to one Charles Robert Taylor.

Born on September 28, 1941, in Grand Prairie, Texas Taylor was the Redskin's number one draft pick in 1964 out of Arizona State. He went on that year to be named the NFL's Rookie of the Year. At retirement, Charley Taylor was the all-time leading receiver for the Redskins with 649 catches for 9,110 yards and 79 TDs.

Charley is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 1984.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

2008 USPS Holiday Stamps - The Nutcrackers

The U.S. Postal Service dedicates the Holiday Nutcrackers commemorative stamps Thursday, October 23, 2008 during the Fall Postage Stamp Mega Event at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Four eye-catching nutcracker designs are featured on the stamps. Santa or “Father Christmas” has a lantern in one hand and a snowflake-topped staff in the other. There is a gold and ruby-crowned king, a yellow-jacketed military captain, and a green-garbed drummer with a red drum.

These nutcrackers were custom-made for the U.S. Postal Service by Glenn A. Crider of T.R.C. Designs, Inc., of Mechanicsville, Virginia. Crider based the characters on sketches and notes provided by Sally Andersen-Bruce of New Milford, Connecticut, who later photographed the completed nutcrackers for the stamps. The art director for the 2008 Holiday Nutcracker stamps was Derry Noyes of Washington, D.C.

In addition to the Holiday Nutcrackers stamps, four additional holiday stamps will be available nationwide as well: Virgin and Child with the Young John the Baptist stamp was also issued today; Eid, the Muslim Holiday stamp was issued Sept. 23; Kwanzaa, the celebration of family, community and culture; and Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, stamps will be issued Oct. 24.

The Postal Service printed 2.171 billion holiday stamps: 1.486 billion Holiday Nutcrackers, 600 million Virgin and Child with the Young John the Baptist, 25 million Eid, 35 million Kwanzaa and 25 million Hanukkah.

The 42-cent Holiday Nutcrackers stamps go on sale nationwide in late October 2008.