After 67 years calling Dodgers games, Vin Scully finally gets a Sports Illustrated cover appearance

Vin-Scully-Sports-IllustratedHey, Sports Illustrated … what took you so long?

As legendary broadcaster Vin Scully winds down his 67-year run as the voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, the 88-year-old Hall of Famer finds himself on the cover of a 62-year-old weekly (and highly collectable) magazine for the first time.

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Ronda Rousey signs exclusive autograph memorabilia deal with Fanatics Authentic

rousey2She may not be the champ, but she’s still in big demand — and that was enough for Fanatics Authentic.

Ronda Rousey is the latest exclusive athlete for Fanatics, the company announced on Thursday afternoon. She joins a roster that already includes Kris Bryant, Peyton Manning, Stephen Curry and Alexander Ovechkin.

“We’re really excited to partner with Ronda and create a collection of unique UFC memorabilia that caters to her widespread fan base,” said Ross Tannenbaum, President of Fanatics Authentic. “As one of MMA’s most-decorated stars, we couldn’t be more proud to add Ronda to our list of exclusive athletes.”

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Buzz List: Five other ways to collect your favorite baseball player or team beyond the world of cardboard

ticketsheetOne of the challenges of collecting once you reach a certain level (either in years or cards) is how to keep yourself engaged in a hobby that can be full of obstacles.

Cost can be an obstacle. A limited number of releases including your player or team — or scarcity of cards within those releases that are made — can be an obstacle. A player retiring can be an obstacle. These aren’t the only ones, either.

Once you have a certain number of cards for a player or a team, though, maybe it’s time to consider adding to your collection in a few simple ways that are already around you. They can be just as challenging as cards, too.

Here are a few options …

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Iconic Sports Illustrated covers can be quite collectable & sometimes quite valuable, too (gallery)

SIcoverWillSmithIf you’ve watched any NFL games this season, you’ve likely heard the word “concussion” many times as the league has implemented new tests on players to help prevent future problems by assessing the here and now immediately following a hard hit.

On Christmas Day, a film about the issue of concussions in football called Concussion opens in theaters. You’ve probably seen the commercials for the film during NFL games.

Will Smith stars as Dr. Bennet Omalu, who discovered the degenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. It’s a real-life issue that has affected more than 80 former players — many you’ve seen on football cards and might have collected. The movie is an important one and Sports Illustrated has Smith on its cover this week to discuss the movie.

Is it the first time a celebrity has appeared on the cover of the highly collectable sports magazine?

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