December 23, 2009
This is an early Christmas gift to myself. It is a pack of Tristar Signa Cuts Limited Edition. Yes I heard it all about this product and most of it is bad. The cards design is UGLY, they cut the cards of other companies’ product, you will never get your money back, looks like a kid in art class can cut the cards better, etc. Yet I have been wanting ever since it came out. Just something about a guarantee cut auto that gets me. It is funny because one of my 2009 New Year’s Resolution is to pull a cut auto. I’m an addict and if I get something crappy you guys need to set up an intervention for me.
Ahhhh, someone shoot me now.
O wells. In a lighter note I would be away for Christmas so I may not be on this blog or twitter much so if I don’t get another chance have a great holiday. Don’t forget to enter the Shot Not Taken Christmas contest. I will pick the winner when I get back which should be Sunday.
December 22, 2009
The Knicks won the game against the Bulls by a thread with David Lee being the hero. But a win is a win.
Today, I have two packs of 2008-09 Upper Deck Basketball First Edition. This is probably the cheapest basketball pack you get these days. I got these for only $.50 each.
Pack 1:
Earl Watson
Amare Stoudemire
Jose Calderon
Bill Walker
Oscar Robertson
Dwight Howard Starquest
Josh Howard
JR Smith
Andre Owens
Linas Kleiza
Pack 2:
Maurice Williams
Michael Finley
Al Jefferson
Malik Hairston
JJ Hickson
Andrew Bynum- Gold Parallel?
Allen Iverson Starquest
Joe Johnson
Jason Richardson
Mike Miller
Not bad for a buck. The First Edition design definitely works better for portrait cards rather than landscape cards. The silver bar in landscape cards just takes up too much real estate on the card. I was close to choosing Oscar Robertson as the CotG (Card of the Game) because he is a legend but honestly I care more about the stars of today rather than the stars of yesteryear when it comes to basketball card collecting. Dwight Howard is one of my favorite players especially after the last two dunk contest and the Magic playoff run so he is the CotG.
Just FYI, the Shot Not Taken contest ends this Sunday so put you entries in soon.
December 21, 2009
Today I got another package from Lonestarr of Behind these Hazel Eyes. Very excited.
I got some awesome New York Knicks cards and my first rookie card of Jordan Hill. I pulled just about every other rookie this year but couldn’t get a Jordan Hill for some reason. The serialed rookie card of Wilson Chandler is also very nice. Chandler has the tools to become a solid starter for the Knicks but right now he is a little inconsistent.
I also got four cards for my PC.
Thanks Lonestarr and definitely expect something heading your way.
Finally don’t forget the enter the Shot Not Taken contest.
December 20, 2009
You got about a week more to enter the Shot Not Taken contest. Don’t forget you can enter once a day.
Like the Mets, the Knicks are going to give me a heart attack. They gave the Bobcats every chance to win with terrible passes, sloppy play and missed free throws towards the end. I really thought they would choke and they would have if Gallinari didn’t block that shot.
I have been snowed in the last two days and I didn’t really feel like going out so I didn’t go on my normal card run. So I have this 2007-08 Fleer Ultra Basketball pack which probably came from a repack for moments like this. I am not expecting too much but you never know.
The pack:
Hedo Turkoglu
Andrew Bogut- Gold Medallion
Zach Randolph
Ron Artest
Damon Stoudamire Court Masters
None of these cards really stand out. Zach Randolph was a Knicks last year but he was detrimental to the Knicks plans so he definitely not the CotG (Card of the Game). I don’t know if I mention this on my blog before but the Rockets are my second favorite team after the Knicks. It is strange because the Rockets are the most popular team in China. So much so that it was theorized that the Chinese population helped T-Mac get the second most votes as a guard from West despite not playing much this year. Anyways, Ron Artest was a big part of the Rockets playoff run last year without Yao Ming and T-mac so he is the CotG. To think the Knicks could have drafted Artest so long ago. Too bad he sign with the Lakers which is the team I hate the most.
December 19, 2009
I believe I won this signed promo card in a contest a long time ago. Matt “The Law” Lindland is a veteran MMA fighter and he is fighting today to prove he still got it. He is facing a young up and coming fighter Ronaldo “Jacare” Souz and I have to say Lindland is the underdog here. If you didn’t know already, I now regularly blog MMA (and the occasionally baseball, basketball, football) related stuff and the Strikeforce Evolution predictions can be found here. It has very exciting card, headline by the return of Cung Le and an title fight between Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson.
Anyways Matt Lindland has a nice readable autograph. It is a great piece to my growing collection of MMA memorabilia. Thinking about it now, I wish there is a website to find addresses to get MMA fighters autographs TTM.
Finally I just want to say I wish New York would finally legalize MMA so I can actually go to an event. Just imagine a UFC event in the Madison Square Garden. It would be huge.
December 19, 2009
Update: I almost forgot. Don’t forget to enter the Shot Not Taken Christmas and 10,000 Views Contest and you can enter once a day.
Of course when I am not watching the game, the Knicks come back strong after two tough losses with the win.
For today’s win, I have a blaster box of Panini Basketball. I opened a couple pack of this already and it is my favorite Panini product so far.
There are 6 packs with 12 cards per pack. Here are the best of the best.
The base:
The rookies:
The inserts:
For me, Panini Basketball is a product I can enjoy without getting a hit which is always a good thing. I am quite happy with what I pulled. Among them the rookie card of Blake Griffin and the Kyle Korver for my PC are my favorites. I haven’t pulled a Korver card in awhile and I don’t really know why he isn’t in more sets because he is quite popular for a bench player. The inserts remind me of 90’s basketball cards without being overly flashy. The only problem (and it is more of a problem with the industry overall) is basketball card values have been plummeting and I don’t know if the Panini exclusive would help with that. I like to think my cards aren’t worthless.
The CotG (Card of the Game) is Jared Jefferies. As much as I want him traded from the team for more cap room in 2010, I do recognize he plays an important part in the team. He has the ability to defend all five positions and he can stop players like Chris Paul. Without him the defense is quite poor. Jefferies is a great bench player but he is way overpaid.
December 17, 2009
Again don’t forget to enter the Shot Not Taken Christmas and 10,000 Views Contest. You can enter once a day.
I got this sweet auto of Akinori Otsuka today from a trade with Austin of Omega Cardboard. This is my first auto of Otsuka and it would be a great addition to my PC.
I also got these Ichiro cards for my PC. I especially love the Ichiro Goudey Heads Up card. I have heads up cards of other players but I didn’t know there was one of Ichiro. Update: It turns out I needed all three cards. For the 2007 Fleer Ultra Ichiro, is there a difference between the one with the name in surrounded by silver foil and one surrounded by rainbow foil?
Thanks again!
December 15, 2009
Don’t forget to enter the Shot Not Taken Christmas and 10,000 Views Contest. You can enter once a day.
I go to my local card shop at least once a week and this week I stumble upon a conversation between a couple of customers and the shop owners about the best pulls in the store. I was definitely going to buy something but talking about and seeing pictures of all those great cards pulled in the store really motivated me to pull something special. I got really hyped up (which can be good or bad) and bought a pack of 2009 Sweet Spot Baseball.
The Base Cards:
Tim Lincecum
Cliff Lee
Miguel Cabrera
Chase Utley
Mark Teixeira
Johnny Cueto
Freddy Sanchez
The Hit:
Reggie Jackson Sweet Spot Classic Patch Card 3/44!!!
Wow what I sweet three color patch card of Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, who I kind of met in person. Remember I am from NYC so Reggie Jackson is kind of a big deal here (even in an A’s jersey). This is beautiful card and what make it so great was that everyone in the store was congratulating me on my pull and people were taking pictures of it. It really made it that much more special. I honestly think card collecting is a social thing and not meant to be enjoyed by yourself which is one of the reasons I blog I guess.
December 13, 2009
It is the holiday season and I’m approaching 10,000 page views so it is as good of time as any to have a contest. I want to keep it simple so just leave a comment below to enter and you can enter once a day. I will pick the winner via random.org some time after Christmas. Here is what you can win, a lot of jersey & card frames:
Good luck, happy holidays and thanks for reading.
December 12, 2009
Because of friend’s birthday party, I missed what must have been a good Knicks game. O wellz.
For the CotG (Card of the Game) today, I have this pack.
The pack:
Karl Malone
Grant Hill
Shaquille O’Neal
Karl Malone
Anfernee Hardaway
Lisa Leslie
Hakeem Olajuwon
David Robinson
Hakeem Olajuwon- Double
Glenn Robinson
Dawn Staley
John Stockon
I didn’t know what to expect from this pack but I’m quite pleased with it. It is great to see, in a basketball pack, 90’s NBA stars with a few women players sprinkled in. I like the design and the irregular shape to them. It has an eye catching appeal to them without being overly flashy (which too many 90’s cards are guilty of). This pack definitely beat most of this year’s basketball releases.
Honestly, any card from this pack could be the CotG. The Mailman and Hakeem the Dream are among my favorite players but in the end I choose John Stockon. Stockon’s card just stands out from the rest with its sliver flag foil design.
