Random Pack Break: The Torture Team

As a write this, the Cavs are completely dominating the Knicks. This is going to be a long season for the Knicks.

Anyways, my pack of the Torture Team has finally arrived. I read about these cards in a blog (I can’t remember which one right now) and I knew I had to request a free pack. The cards are from the Center for Constitutional Rights and agree with them or not you have to admit it is a pretty clever way to get their message across.

The pack:
John “Mighty Eagle” Ashcroft
Geoffrey “The Gitmo-zer” Miller
David “The Shadow” Addington
Donald “Cranky Pants” Rumsfeld
Dick “Strangelove” Cheney
John “F” Yoo
Douglas “How Low Can You Go” Feith
George “Slam, Dunk” Tenet
Michael “Code Orange” Chertoff
Special Prosecutor 2009

Random Box Break: Goodwin Champions Blaster Plus Some

To celebrate the end of the baseball season, I have a blaster and three loose retails packs of Goodwin Champions. It is quickly becoming my favorite product, maybe even better than Allen and Ginter when it comes to the base cards but A&G stills has better hits.

The loose packs first. Pack 1:
Gerry Lopez- Some surfer dude
Cal Ripken Jr
Adam Wainwright Mini
Ken Griffey Jr.

The Mets Pack:
Carlos Beltran
Justin Morneau
Bobby Orr Mini
Carlos Delgado

Pack 3:
Anderson Silva- !!!
Joe Nathan
Ryan Braun
The Pope- 20th Anniversary

The best of the bunch is easily Anderson Silva who is the best pound for pound fighter in the world. He is so dominant that the UFC has problems finding good challengers for the title and those who do face him end up running away from the octagon. Run, Forrest run! It was truly a weird moment for MMA fans everywhere.

The blaster. Pack 1:
Carlos Zambrano
Cliff Lee
Joe Lewis
Robin Roberts

Pack 2:
Brian Roberts
Dennis Eckersley
Carlos Beltran Mini
CC Sabathia

Pack 3:
Ian Kinsler
Joe Carter
Josh Beckett Mini
Carlos Delgado

Pack 4:
Bo Jackson
Barack Obama
Jair Jurrjens Mini
Stephen Drew

Pack 5:
Joe Mauer
James Shields
Laird Hamilton
Matt Ryan

Pack 6:
David Wright
Chase Utley
Dalai Lama 20th Anniversary
Phil Niekro

Pack 7:
Joe Nathan
Felix Hernandez
Abraham Lincoln
Eli Manning

Pack 8:
Carlos Quentin
Anderson Silva
Roy Oswalt Mini
Gary Sheffield

Pack 9:
Troy Tulowitzki
Chipper Jones
Jeff Samardzija Mini
Jonathan Toews

Pack 10:
Hanley Ramirez
Evan Longoria
Adrian Beltre
Mark Teixeira

Pack 11:
Andy Pettitte
Jose Reyes
Vladimir Guerrero Mini
Derrek Lee

Pack 12:
Gordie Howe
Jon Lester
Mariano Rivera Mini Gypsy Queen
Wayne Gretzky

I got a bunch of Mets, a bunch of doubles and I suspect a bunch of trade bait. Of the doubles, I’m glad I got a pair of Anderson Silvas so I can send one for an autograph TTM. My Goodwin cards are scattered everywhere so I have look for them and organize them to see if I’m close to completing the set or if it is even worth completing. It is likely though that I’ll keep the Mets, the MMA fighters and the players I like and offer the others for trade.

All in all, I like the look/ feel of the product and the choice the non- baseball cards in the base set. To me the non- baseball checklist is actually stronger than Allen and Ginter’s. I like Goodwin Champions a lot better than similar retro/ arts sets like Turkey Red or Goudey but I’m not quite sure if it is better overall than Allen and Ginter just yet. I admit Allen and Ginter is getting a bit old and boring for me and unless Allen and Ginter changes significantly next year, for me it would lose most of its appeal. Maybe I guess opened too much Allen and Ginter the last few years.

Random Pack Break: Two Packs of Basketball Authentic Jersey & Card Set

I got these two packs of a basketball jersey and card set a little awhile ago as a birthday gift. I have no idea why they are still unopened in my room. I guess this is as good a time as any to see what is inside.

Hmmmm so I got the exact same set in both packs. Two Karl Malones. The mailman is a great player and I like the card but I’m a little disappointed that I got a duplicate. Still I much rather get two Malones than a Malone and a fringe player like Antoine Walker. In fact, Karl Malone probably one of the better pulls you can get from this product. I have opened and have seen other people opened a bunch and most of time you don’t get anyone too exciting.

CotG: 1989 Fleer Basketball

Finally the New York Knicks look competitive with a strong start and a strong finish. The Knicks have the talent they just need to be more consistent and they got to stop chucking balls in the air hoping it will fall into the hoop. Larry Hughes is a pleasant surprise in the last two games and he earned his way back into the rotation. Unfortunately that probably means Toney Douglas would play less when Nate Robinson returns. It is a great game all around. Let’s hope that continues.

Anyways, it’s back. I have been back and forth on bringing back the CotG (Card of the Game) posts for the Knicks season but I figure it can’t hurt. (I just hope I don’t spend too much money.) Honestly I cheated on the first CotG post of the Knicks season. I opened this pack a week ago but I was too lazy to write up a post until now so I might as well use it as CotG material. That pack is a 1989 Fleer Basketball.

The pack:
Patrick Ewing Fleer 89 All- Stars Stickers
Joe Barry Carroll
Nate McMillan
Ewing/ Jackson 1989 All- Star Game
Jon Koncak
Wayman Tisdale
Willie Anderson
Terry Porter
Darrell Walker
Patrick Ewing
Tom Chambers
Michael Cooper
Ron Anderson
Jay Humphries
Scott Skiles

I didn’t get just one Ewing card, but three Ewing cards. I rarely get two or more different cards of the same player in a single pack and even rarer is multiple cards of a player I like. (It is almost impossible nowadays because you only get about 5 cards a pack.) Because I only started watching basketball and the Knicks in the 90’s, Patrick Ewing is by far my favorite non- Asian player. (Yao Ming is still my favorite.) To me, he is the symbol of dominance in the paint and the symbol of the Knicks’ excellence in the 90’s. I always thought the Knicks were a little unlucky because if it weren’t for the great Bulls and Rockets teams, they may have won it all. When he left, the Knicks seem to lack a face of the franchise. The Knicks should have offered Patrick Ewing, when he retired, a position in the team, even if it is just of symbolic reasons. All three cards can’t be the CotG so the sticker is going in the binder.

Halloween Break: Monsterwax Urban Legends

Today I have something a little different. I have twelve packs (1/3 of a box) of Urban Legends trading cards from Monsterwax. I read about it in the Non- Sport Update magazine and wanted it ever since but couldn’t find until now. The smallest comic book store in NYC happens to be the only place that sells them. The timing couldn’t be any better with Halloween right around the corner.

These cards could get a little gruesome and I love it. (However, I picked the cards that can pass as PG to scan.) Urban Legends always appeal to me and the cards, if I remembered right, are inspired by EC horror comics which I’m a big fan of. When I get some free time, I’ll read the stories on the back but right off the back I recognize some of the stories from the artwork. There is also a Shocking Stories set but I think I try to build the Urban Legends set first. Too bad they are not more readily available. It is a truly awesome product.

I got 76% of the set (38/50), twelve 3-D cards (one in each pack) and one background card. The 3-D cards have a blank back and don’t have a number so it could rather difficult to complete the set.

Background Card

3D Cards

I also got lucky and pulled a sketch card. It is of the Stranger on the Subway which is a lot better than pulling a sketch card of the batcycle. Sketches of inanimate objects just aren’t that exciting. He also kind of reminds me of the comic The Spirit (maybe not the Spirit himself but a goon he fought).

I doubt many have any Urban Legends cards for trade but this is a set I really want to complete. The cards I’m missing are: 1,5,8,10,16,22,25,26,32,43,47,49.

Have a happy Halloween.

A Pack of My Favorite Baseball & Basketball Product

This season has been a Mets’ fan worst nightmare and it hurts that much more now because the Phillies and the Yankees are going to the World Series. But in honor of the upcoming World Series and NBA season opener, I have two packs of my favorite products of the sports respectively, Topps Chrome Baseball and Topps Signature Basketball.

Chrome Baseball:
Brad Nelson
Ryan Howard Refractor
Adam Dunn
Mariano Rivera

(My scanner always scans Chrome weird. It makes the cards look like X-fractors.)

With the way things have been going (getting Mets in only 1/3 of the packs I open for my Card of the Game posts), it figures that I got a Phillies and Yankees superstar in the pack.

Topps Signature:
Mark Eaton 2029/2325
Danilo Gallinari Red Facsimile Parallel 867/869
Al Thornton Auto 451/1799
Michael Ray Richardson 361/2325

Wow, there are two Knicks in this pack. Maybe I should have save this pack for my Knicks Card of the Game posts. Anyways, I have been getting a lot of Gallinari rookie cards which I hope, down the road, is a good thing.

If the packs are like Tarot cards and can tell the future, I foresee the World Series coming down to a epic battle in the ninth with Ryan Howard facing Rivera and I foresee the Knicks settling with a .500 record since the Knicks made up 50% of the pack.

Mail Day: TNA Autos and Parallels from Boxbusters

I won these cards in a Twitter contest from Boxbuster.net (@boxbusters).

I am a huge Motor City Machine Guns fan so my favorite of the bunch is an Alex Shelley parallel, 4/20. If you count a parallel serialed to 20 a hit, this is my first hit of the MCMG.

In general, there is two type of wrestling fans, one who like the soap opera storylines/ constant bickering and ones who like the actual wrestling. The X-division of TNA wrestling is a lot better than anything from the WWE but with weaker storylines/ rivalries. If you don’t know who the MCMG are, here is a sample of what you’re missing.

I also got three TNA autographs. Mick Foley was my favorite wrestler in the 90’s so I kind of like the Abyss. Both can really take some abuse in hardcore matches. Kip James and Sojournor Bolt are jobbers and barely on TV anymore. The Abyss is serialed 7/10, Kip James is 14/25 and Sojo is 34/60.

Pack Break: Random WWE cards

I can’t resist bargain bins and I found two packs of Topps WWE Heritage III Chrome among Camp Rock, Hanna Montana, the one with the horses packs in Target. But for $1, you can’t go wrong. I might as well open the 4 hobby packs of 2009 Topps WWE (Cards written by Jim Ross!) I just got too.

Chrome Pack 1:
Elijah Burke
Melina
Dean Malenko
“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan
Curt Hawkins

Chrome Pack 2:
Domino
Ron Simmons
Chris Jericho Refractor
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Lance Cade

The Stone Cold card and Chris Jericho are definitely the best of the bunch. For $2 in total, it sure beats paying $20 for a blaster and getting nothing.

2009 Topps pack 1:
Rey Mysterio
The Brian Kendrick
Undertaker
Jerry “The King” Lawler
Finlay
Iron Sheik Legends of the Ring
Edge Toppstown

Pack 2:
Jesse
Dolph Ziggler
Ranjin Singh
Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels
Chris Jericho
Bam Bam Bigelow Legends of the Ring
Shawn Michaels Toppstown

Pack 3:
Randy Orton
Jimmy Wang Yang
Triple H
Checklist
Tyson Kidd- Some kind of parallel. Black, silver, silver sparkle or platinum? 26/40
Jake “The Snake” Roberts Legends of the Ring
Michelle McCool Toppstown

Pack 4:
Brie Bella
Tommy Dreamer
R-Truth
Randy Orton
Shawn Michaels Ring of Honor
Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka Legends of the Ring
Triple H Toppstown

I don’t watch WWE too often anymore but I kind of like the D-Generation X reunion even if it is the PG version and I got 3 different Shawn Michaels and 2 different Triple H cards. Tyson Kidd was picking up steam in ECW as half of the Hart Foundation. Then he moved to Smackdown (I think) and just kind of disappeared. It really sucks to be a tag team in the WWE right now.

Mail Day: Trades and Prizes

It is more like Mail Week but it just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

First I got two WBC cards (Tae Kyum Kim & Fu-Te Ni) I needed for my PC in a trade with Chris of Budget Baseball Cardboarding.

I got two awesome Ring King relics (Big John McCarthy & Cung Le), Rey Ordonez, Jae Seo and Wang ZhiZhi jersey cards and three cards I needed from Donruss Americana II in a trade with Brian from Play at the Plate.

Finally I won these from Swagbucks (If you want to join and help me out, sign up here. It’s free.)

Reggie Jackson Sportclix Promo

OAR Ticket Stub. A more like a why not for me.

All are great additions to my collections.

Random Box Break: 2008 Artifacts Baseball

I got a box of 2008 Artifacts for my birthday. The box was opened but all the packs were there and I think my friend got the box from K-mart. To me Artifacts, ranks low in the wow scale but you never know. (For the record, I’m still grateful to get a box to open for the blog.)

The hits:

I believe 2008 Artifacts baseball is advertised as one hit per box on average and I got two. This is the fourth Piece of Hollywood card I pulled and it is of Robin Williams from “The Birdcage.” Not bad. I don’t really care much for the Frank Thomas jersey card. I hate the weird empty space on the card with logos replacing jersey windows.

The best of the rest:

All in all, a 3 out of 5 stars box mostly because of the Robin Williams hit. Artifacts/ Piece of History still ranks low in the wow scale.