this cutch was clutch

here's a rare friday post in recognition of lawrence mccutcheon's 73rd birthday today. 

andrew mccutchen may be known as "cutch", but this guy was known as "clutch". he was my favorite player in the nfl from the time i started following football in 1977 through his tenure with the rams that ended after they lost the super bowl to the steelers following the 1979-80 season, although i suppose if i am being honest that honor transitioned to vince ferragamo as the rams were making their run to the playoffs that season. mccutcheon's playing time was diminished by then, with cullen bryant and wendell tyler coming on board, and ferragamo was making things happen after replacing the injured pat haden and ineffective jeff rutledge late in the season.

anyway, i recently succumbed to a fit of nostalgia and picked up his 1978 topps card for my "meaningful and just because" mini-collection

heck yeah.

i collected the 1978 football cards pretty hard, falling a thomas "hollywood" henderson card short of a complete set. my cowboy fan neighbor had one but wouldn't part with it. i bought cards in 1979 to a lesser degree and may have picked up a pack or two of 1980 football cards. all of those football cards met the same fate - the trash - at some point in the 1980's. 

mccutcheon was a five-time pro bowler and a four-time 1000 yard rusher when this card was issued, and i was a fan. my dad got me a mccutcheon 30 jersey for christmas in 1977, along with a rams helmet and i wore that combo a lot around the neighborhood. and, while i may have been more infatuated with ferragamo at the time, it was awesome to see mccutcheon throw a td pass (into coverage, no less) in the super bowl.

happy birthday and welcome (back) to my collection clutch!