PRO SPORTS HAS BECOME AN ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS AND THE STARS CAN BE FOUND PITCHING THEIR RESUME' TO THE HIGHEST PAYING EMPLOYER. IT'S CALLED CAPITALISM. IN FOOTBALL, NOBODY REALLY BLAMES THE STARS WHOSE AVERAGE EMPLOYMENT LIFESPAN IS 3.3 YEARS IN THE PHYSICALLY PUNISHING SPORT. THAT'S ABOUT A YEAR LONGER THAN AN ELEPHANT'S PREGNANCY AND USUALLY LESS THAN AN ATHLETE'S COLLEGIATE RIDE. SO, WHILE MANY NEVER GET THAT FAR, THE MINDSET OF GRABBING THE GOLD WHEN YOU CAN IS NOT AN ABNORMAL ATTITUDE AND THEREFORE THERE ARE MULTIPLE JERSEY COLORS FOR SOME STAR'S OVER THE SPAN OF A CAREER. IN MANY CASES, FEW STARS REMAIN WITH THEIR DRAFT TEAM.
LARRY DARNELL FITZGERALD, JR, IS AN EXCEPTION TO THAT RULE. HE WAS AN ALL-AMERICAN, WIDE RECEIVER FOR THE PITT PANTHERS, WHO LEFT PENNSYLVANIA IN 2004 AS THE THIRD OVERALL SELECTION IN THE NFL DRAFT. HE LANDED IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA AND THERE HE STAYED FOR (17) YEARS A CARDINAL. YOU MIGHT CALL HIM LOYAL LARRY LEGEND WHO PROBABLY RECEIVED FREE-AGENT OFFERS AND COULD HAVE LEFT CHASING THE BLING BUT CHOSE TO CONTINUE HIS FLIGHT IN THE PHOENIX.
WHETHER LOYAL OR NOT, HE BECAME THE LEGEND IN THE DESSERT WHO ROSE LIKE THE PHOENIX. FITZGERALD WAS WELL GROOMED FOR GRIDIRON GREATNESS AND ABSORBED STARDOM AS A BALLBOY WITH THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS. WHILE IN THE LOCKER ROOM AND ON THE SIDELINES, SNIFFING THE HALL OF FAME FUMES OF RANDY MOSS, CHRIS CARTER AND WARREN MOON, COULD DO NOTHING MORE THAN ELEVATE HIS NATURAL ABILITIES. THOSE GIFTS WOULD RESULT IN A WEALTH OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND A RAP SHEET A MILE LONG.
COLLEGIATELY, THE UNANIMOUS ALL-AMERICAN COPPED THE BILETNIKOFF AWARD AS THE BEST RECEIVER ON ANY CAMPUS IN 2003. HE TOOK THE BIG EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR, FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG EAST, THE WALTER CAMP AWARD (NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR) AND HIS PANTHER'S JERSEY RETIRED. PROFESSIONALLY, HE WAS HAILED A 3X ALL-PRO, 11X PRO BOWLER, 2X RECEPTIONS LEADER, 2X TOUCHDOWNS LEADER, THE ART ROONEY AWARD WINNER, WALTER PAYTON NFL MAN OF THE YEAR, 2010s ALL-DECADE TEAM AND THE COVETED NFL 100 ANNIVERSARY ALL-TIME, LARRY LEGEND.
DURING HIS TENURE, HE WOULD WELCOME (5) SKIPPERS TO SUN CITY. HE WOULD PLAY CATCH WITH SOME (16) HURLERS, (5) OF WHICH WERE FIRST ROUND DRAFTEES, AS THE CARDS SHUFFLED THE DECK LOOKING FOR A WINNER. AS THE CARDS WERE DEALT, THEY WOULD REACH SB43 IN 2008 WITH AN UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT, QB IN KURT WARNER. LLL HAULED TWO STRIKES, THE LAST, TAKING A (64) YARD PASS TO PAYDIRT IN THE CLOSING MINUTES. IT WAS A HERCULEAN FEAT AND ALL HE COULD DO FOR THE ULITMATE TEAM ACHIEVEMENT BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT WOULDN'T PAYOFF AS THEY WERE OUTLASTED BY THE AFC IN THE FINAL SECONDS (23-20).
THE LEGEND WAS NOT ONLY PROLIFIC ON TURF BUT HAS DEVOTED HIS YOUNG LIFE TO PHILANTHROPIC WORK, GIVING AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY, CHAMPIONING NUMEROUS FOUNDATIONS AND MANY CHILDREN'S CHARITIES. WHEN LLL TAKES TO THE PODIUM TO MAKE HIS INDUCTION SPEECH IN CANTON, (AND HE WILL), HIS (17, 492) YARDS RECEIVING AND (1,432) RECEPTIONS WILL BE ONLY SECOND TO ONE. HIS (121) RECEIVING TDs RANK 6TH ALL-TIME AND WITH (7) NFL RECORDS, NEEDLESS TO SAY, HIS OVER (40) TEAM RECORDS ARE UNMATCHED, MAKING HIM THE FACE OF THE CARDINALS FRANCHISE IN THE MODERN ERA OF PRO FOOTBALL, MAKING ONE LOYAL, LARRY, LEGEND, LEGACY!
GLADIATOR, WE SALUTE YOU!
HERE'S A FUTURE HALL OF FAMER, LARRY FITZGERALD ARIZONA CARDINALS MEN'S JERSEY. IT IS A REEBOK BRAND WITH SCREEN PRINTED NUMERALS AND LETTERS...
IT IS LABELED AS A MEN'S XLARGE.... IT MEASURES 25 INCHES FROM ARMPIT TO ARMPIT, 32 INCHES FROM SHOULDER TO HEM
EXCELLENT TO MINT CONDITION
ALL GARMENTS ARE SOLD AS-IS AS DESCRIBED
MANUFACTURERS CUTS VARY, THEREFORE TO ASSURE PROPER FIT, PLEASE MEASURE GARMENT.
NO RETURNS
25 INCHES FROM ARMPIT TO ARMPIT,
32 INCHES FROM SHOULDER TO HEM
NO RETURNS