[tracy hackler]

Between them, Clint Dolezel and Aaron Garcia have thrown a staggering 1,668 touchdown passes in 25 combined seasons as legendary Arena Football League quarterbacks.

When the AFL kicks off its 22nd season on Friday, Dolezel (whose 865 career scoring passes is the most in professional football history) and Garcia will simply continue on their respective treks to 1,000.

And they’ll do so with hardcore, cult-like collector followings that covet every occasional collectible they can get their hands on.

Luckily for them, Donruss is once again taking its passion for football cards indoors by partnering with the Dallas Desperados and New York Dragons on a pair of team-set giveaways for the 2008 season.

“The passion of the AFL fan is like no other fan in sports,” says Donruss’ Scott Prusha. “To get cards into these fans’ hands is something that we’re really excited about.”

This marks the second straight season that Donruss has worked with the Desperados, a team that finished an AFL-best 15-1 last season. For 2008, Donruss has produced 12 cards so far (with an additional four cards coming later in the season) that will be given away two at a time during each of the team’s eight home games this season, starting with the March 7 tilt vs. the Columbus Destroyers.

The Desperados checklist includes: Dolezel, Colston Weatherington, Jermaine Jones, Bobby Keyes, Josh White, Andrae Thurman, Duke Pettijohn, Marcus Nash, Jeff Chase, Terrance Dotsy and Will Pettis.

The eight-card New York Dragons set – featuring Garcia, Kevin Swayne, Joe Laudano, Chris Anthony, Billy Parker, Jason Willis, Greg Randall and head coach Weylan Harding – will be distributed one per game at each Dragons home game this season.