Don't be mad at Troll...

... for Bipping me - and Bipping me in a mindblowingly sneaky fashion - because this card was also in that package:

There is no word in the English language that adequately describes how super that card is.

Quick, someone make up a word to describe that card.

I need to yell it really loud at 3AM while drunk.

I'll start drinkin', you all start wordin'.

Bip or No Bip: The Collective Troll

I started this post at 10:22 - and really should have been in bed long before that - but Troll is so eager to see if he Bipped me or not, I don't have the heart to go to bed right now. There's a lot to get to in this post so I better cut the niceties and just get down to business. I mistakenly thought that Trollie didn't have the inventory to Bip me, but after finding out how much junk wax he bought for his group break, I realize I have been a naive fool. This man can Bip the hell out anyone he chooses. Nevertheless I remain

CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC

Let's show off some extra goodies in the package first. Here's The Creepy Girl sticker that I was so frightened of.

Oddly the mouth sewn shut doesn't phase me, but the bloody eyes... *shudder* CREEPY! Fortunately, Troll informed me that the subject is not a bloody hell zombie at all but a very nice lady educator who is named after a Dead Kennedys song so I feel much better about this sticker now.

crazycrazycrazyCrazyCrazyCRAZYCRAZY

Here's a postcard of the Bradentucky Bombers Roller Derby team. Like a good MST3K joke, only three of my readers will get it. But the right three will get it. Ok, on with the cards... was it a Bip....? Or no Bip?

First up in the package were some 2009 Heritage Short Prints. I'm pretty sure Troll is actively collecting this set, so these must be doubles. I especially appreciate the John Smoltz with the despondent look in his eye.

Another Heritage short print, this time from 2008 Heritage. Holliday is rockin' the 1959 Topps All-Star design.

Tommy Hanson! WOOOOOOO! I've already got it. WOOOOOOOO! Now I can send it to someone else! WOOOOOOOOOOO!

...

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Wow, a whole flopton of 1974 Topps! That kicks major ass! Look at all that vintage yummy.

Here's more 2009 Heritage, this time of the common garden variety.

Big Mac Attack! Gold version yet! These suckers expire on Sunday, maybe I should redeem a few of 'em while I can...

Last up, a couple of harmless Allen & Ginter cards. Whew! No Bips here! Now let's take a closer look at those '74s, eh?

Hah! lookit the mug on Duke! I like the fly away mullet.

Ray Sadecki! I've got this dude's rookie card from 1960 Topps. Man, he really looks goofy on that - hey. HEY. Just wait a doggone minute!

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I GOT NEW YORK'D!

The Verdict:

BIPPED. 

You bet your sweet Bippy! That's a Bip to me!

Up next: The Heartbreaking Finale.

Random stuff from the draft folder

'Cause that's all you're getting today since I overslept.

These are two reprint cards from the 1935 National Chicle football set I got in a "Football Card Collecting Kit" back in the '80s.

And yes, there is a little bit of foreshadowing here too...

Troll's Bip or No Bip tonight... Maybe.

Bip or No Bip: Madding

Madding sent me a package kinda sorta out of the blue. I had sent him a pile of Heritage but I'm pretty sure he sent me something in exchange already. That puts this package in...

THE DANGER ZONE

I'm more paranoid than a TSA agent working a triple shift right now. Of course, thieves always fear being robbed. Let's check out this obvious Bippery from Oregon.

First in the pack was a Braves sticker. This is a common scam to lull an unsuspecting Bipee into a false sense of security.

First three cards in the pack were Shinies. Two Chromes and a Neon Smoltz Topps insert. The shinies are a distraction to bedazzle the victim before the knockout punch. If you'll recall, there was a fat group of white edged cards up next in the pack. Probably a 1990 Fleer Bipping, the whitest set ever. GO AHEAD MADDING, DO YOUR WORST

Um... this is what appears to be a healthy chunk of the 1995 Bazooka Braves team set. Aha! Madding got a box of this stuff and is divesting himself of the Non-Cards cards. Why, that wasn't a Bip at all! And you were so worried.

Here's a trio of Joneses. I'm sad Andruw has become a laughingstock. Hopefully he can produce in Chicago and have a respectable finish to his career. At least make the 400 home run club, 'Druw.

Here's a couple of Update cards of Bravos. A Heritage card of long-gone Ryan Church and a Topps card of first baseman Barbaro Canizares. If Barbaro plays any length of time at all for the Braves this year, we're in deep trouble and so is Troy Glaus.

Hawks! J-Smoove and Mookie Blaylock. Madding and I are probably the only regular bloggers who care a whit about basketball cards. Ok, maybe there's more. We have an understanding: he gets my Blazers and I get his Hawks. I'd say that's fair.

Here's a 2009 UD Philadelphia in action card of Falcons wide receiver Roddy White. Philadelphia is cool and all, but there's too damn many short prints...

This is by far the coolest thing about the whole package. I have not even seen a single solitary pack of '48 Bowman basketball anywhere in this state. I think I have the team set of Al Horford, Joe Johnson and Josh Smith (unless there's a SP of rookie Jeff Teague) and now I don't have to think about this set ever again. Hopefully one of these guys makes the All-Star team. Josh Smith should suck it up and compete in the Slam Dunk contest, but ballers nowadays think that is only for lesser players. Yeah, like Dr. J, Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins. I'm beginning to understand why so many people are irritated with today's NBA.

The pack closes out with a couple of 2008 Donruss Legends cards of Al Unser and old-timey Hawk Clyde Lovellette. Al appears to either be grimaxing or laughing at my stupidity for thinking that Madding would bip me. Looks like I need to go find some Blazers...

The Verdict:

NO BIP

Up soonish: The Collective Troll.

New Additions to the Blogroll

First, some Eye Candy.



Ok, a bunch of new blogs (or new to me) caught my eye tonight and I've been reading them instead of writing up my Bip or No Bip post. I've been teh s uck at keeping up with new blogs and adding them to the sidebar (and at sending out packages, keeping up with posts, acknowleding e-mails, etc. etc.) so I'm going to take the time to add 'em now and link 'em here for the hell of it. If you want your blog on the sidebar, go over there ------------>
and leave a comment in the News box. Does anyone even use the News box? I can spend the time updating it on playing Tecmo Bowl instead if you wish...

Baseball Card Recollections
It's midnight, I'm sick and I need sleep, so I'll keep the descriptions to a minimum.
THIS POST RIGHT HERE IS AAAWWWEEESOOOMMMEEE

Rookie Card Collector 
AKA: McCann Can Triple. More Braves bloggers, yeehaw!

All Tribe Baseball
AKA: Baseball Dad. WHY DON'T YOU FREQUENT COMMENTERS TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BLOGS?? If you did, 8 months ago, and I completely ignored it, um, tell me again, please.
Dad pulled a Million Card Giveaway code card! Nifty! Wait... if Topps is giving a Million cards away... and this is the first one of hese cards I've seen ever... then... HOW MANY FREAKING PACKS OF TOPPS IS OUT THERE??!!?!
Sorry, didn't mean to yell twice. moving on

1207 Consecutive Games
This fine chap (or chapette, I'm no sexist*) apparently has an unhealthy obsession with Mr. Stephen Garvey, esq. Good for him.

Reliving the 1976 Baseball Season
I so wanted to do this for the 1983 season a couple of years ago, but I didn't have the time. I am a lazy sod, MattR is not.

First Day Issue: Baseball Cards and the Never Ending Pursuit of Everything Ken Griffey Jr.
Hits and Griffeys, Griffeys and Hits.

It's Like Having My Own Card Shop
That statement could describe the entire Internet. Or my basement.

Last one, I was all done and then I found this one on the blogroll of the link above.

2008 Allen & Ginter Card-Scape
How did this man get checklists on his sidebar?? Tell me how you did it, and I'll  help you out on at least 2 or 3 of those collecting goals. I'll even sign your card of Pluto, 'cause I'm a space case.

* Note: yes I am.

I just found out Mark's Ephemera likes Orel Hershiser

Right here in a comment on the Dinged Corners State of the Union Drinking Game. Justice Scalia just had a sugar crash after eating 14 cannolis for lunch so Mark is getting some Bulldogs. If anyone else likes Orel, be the first to comment here and I'll get you a couple. Night Owl and gcrl need not apply (muahaha!)

Offer limited to the first person to post they want some Hersheys and only the first one. No whining, and if Mark comments first, he gets em ALL. Them's the breaks.

If you just want to get fitshaced try this drinking game instead.

Also: This.

(do cards, Mr. President)

Vintage show - Da Braves

ALL RIGHTY THEN! I'm almost done with the Vintage show swag. Let's go back over the goals I set for myself when I walked into that show with thirty minutes and thirty bucks, shall we?

4) IF THERE'S MONEY LEFT, FIND SOMETHING UNIQUE
1952 Wheaties Bob Feller - check

3) PICK A FEW COOL CARDS OUT OF THE NON-SPORTS BIN
World on Wheels & Tiger fighting Alligator - check

2) KNOCK SOME NAMES OFF YOUR '50s TOPPS LISTS IN THIS ORDER:

1. 1953 Topps - check
   
2. 1956 Topps - check
   
3. 1951 Topps
4. 1954 Topps - check
   
5. 1955 Topps
   

1) FIND SOME BRAVES YOU DON'T GOT

You didn't think I'd walk out of that show without some Braves didja?

CHECKEROONI. Here's the haul:

1936 Goudey Widepan Danny MacFayden

Oddly enough, this card has been (and probably still is) on my eBay watchlist for over two years. It was in some guy's vintage store for five bucks and I never got around to pulling the trigger on it. When I scanned over the oddball table, Danny was staring at me from the top of a pile of Widepens. The price: five bucks, NO SHIPPING. Yessssssssssss.

Deacon Danny played for the Boston Braves/Bees from 1935 to 1939, then again in 1943. I like him for those fantastic octogon spectacles. I need to get a new pair soon, I might get me some like those. I made the right choice passing up that eBay card, because I got a rare version...

STATS ON THE BACK! As you can see this set is normally blank backed, but some enterprising young lad took it upon himself to add two years of stats for Danny along with his former team, the Yankees, down at the bottom right corner. This is pretty much the prize of the show as far as I'm concerned.

1950 Bowman Vern Bickford

This was the last card I picked up at the show. I almost didn't notice it, as Roger had some various Braves cards from the 50's laid out on a back table instead of the cases or the bargain box. I looked through them and found this card of Braves pitcher Vernon Bickford that I needed. 1950 Bowman is odd, the scarce cards are actually the low series and not the high series. I needed three cards from that low series including Vern here. Typical '50 Bowman scuff mark notwithstanding, this is a very attractive card. Vern follows through on his delivery on a lovely spring day, with trees galore and a couple of businessmen catching the game up in the bleachers in the background.

I snagged the card not knowing how much it would cost, as it was one of the very few cards in the show without a penny sleeve and price. I asked Roger how much for the card and he looked it over, consulted a tome of magic lore and stated "Well, this is a fifty dollar card right here... I'll let you have it for five."

DO YOU SEE WHY I LOVE THIS SHOW

DO YOU??

The most fantastic part of this entire card is the back. Check out this '50s era copywriting skill. It's like an episode of Dragnet!

In 37 games for the 1949 Braves, Vern had a 16-11 record.
Had lots to do with the Braves' 1948 pennant drive.
Pitched the game that clinched the bunting.
Vern's record that year (his rookie season) was 11-5.
Opened 1947 With Milwaukee in relief roles.
Got a starting assignment.
Won 1-0.
Kept on as starter.
A control pitcher with fine curve ball.
Just the facts, ma'am.
DUN da DUN dun.

Jack Webb totally wrote the copy on the back of that card. I know this to be true.

1955 Topps Chuck Tanner RC

Before the show I needed three cards for my 1955 Topps Braves set:

Warren Spahn

Hank Aaron

Chuck Tanner??

Ok, Chuck was a great manager, and this is his rookie card, but there was no excuse for me not finding this card before now. Ok, maybe there was an excuse... I COULDN'T FIND IT. Walk into a card shop and ask for a Chuck Tanner rookie card and the shopkeep will look at you as if there was a lobster up your nose. It also just never happened on eBay. Hardly any listings and the ones there were got bid too high too quick. When I saw this in the '55 section of the bargain box, I snagged it quick. Price was no object! I think it was four bucks though. Maybe five. I don't think I'll find the Aaron at that price.

Here's the back. You can see the nasty crease on the left by the number that brought the price down to my cheepnis level. Ballplayers with hayfever are featured in the cartoon. And stats lad is back! Updating Chucks' minor league totals to 15 triples, 45 homers (!), 30 RBIs (how'd Chuck pull that off?) and an average of .329. Aww yeah. Chuck rookie, another pocket filled in the Braves binder and I found a '55 card to boot. An excellent day of card shopping! I can't wait for Roger to had back to the ATL, I'll make sure to bring some real money this time.

Bip or No Bip?

After getting Rutgers-Bipped the other day, I've been gun shy on opening any strange packages that arrive at my doorstep. NEVER LET YOUR GUARD DOWN. I've been carefully examining every package for tell-tale signs of an impending Bip. In these troubled times you have to be paranoid and Thorzul's insane project has me more wound up than Gene Hackman in The Conversation. Speaking of Thorzul, doesn't it seem a little odd that  the guy who came out so strongly against posting trade packages also simultaneously launched the practice of Bipping other bloggers, something which promotes, nay, demands that Bipping trade packages be posted? IT'S A CONSPIRACY! I'm on to you Thorzul...

I have received three packages since my peace of mind was broken by Bip. Each sender left their calling card as well as a pile of potential Bippage. I shall show off the unopened package here, and you tell me: Bip or No Bip?

EXHIBIT A: Madding

Madding included a piece of paper with his blog's address and logo: Cards on Cards. On the back is a hand written note: "No funny business, I swear!" Nice try Madding, nice try. I'll be the judge of that. Here is the potential Bip: front, back and a side scan to show the card strata.

Front: an innocent Fleer Braves sticker. YOU'RE FOOLING NO ONE

Back: Some sort of Donruss card. I think it was the shiny one. Legends? Maybe that's Bob Pettit.

Strata: Look at that big swatch of white. That's all 1991 Upper Deck Jack Morris, I can feel it.

EXHIBIT B: Troll

The Collective Troll included a plethora of interesting detritus in his package, including this Pennywise cassette cover (with no cassette), another cassette, this time with tape included but the cover has sandpaper glued to it, a collection of roller derby ads including the "Faster Rollergirl, Hit! Hit!" postcard I coveted, and a really creepy sticker with "I know nothing" written on it. Seriously, that sticker scares me.

Front: Kosuke Fukudome. Is Troll giving me a big Fuku in this package?

Back: Allen & Ginter common off my wantlist. Hmm... does that complete a page? Can I complete a page full of Eatons?

Strata: There's an awful big swath of Topps in there... I'm not sure if Troll has the requisite mass of inventory for such a massive Bip, however.

EXHIBIT C: Heartbreaking Cards of Staggering Genius

Matt sends me a package of completely utterly random stuff every 6 months or so like clockwork. As always, there is a note: "Here are some cards for no particular reason". Ah, BUT IS THERE A REASON THIS TIME MATT? Is there....?

Front: Russ ORtiz looking all smiley on a Bowman Heritage card. Are you laughing at me Russ? LAUGH IT UP RUSS

Back: '86 Topps Gene Garber. Nah, too easy. You don't put your Bip card on the back.

Strata: That's uh, a whole lotta random there. Matt sent several bricks of cards in the box he sent (an old 100-count plastic sheet box which is as neat as the cards themselves) so it wouldn't suprise me if he spread out the Bipping throughout all the packs in a stealth Bip. That would be Matt's style...

So what do you think? Did I get Bipped? Or am I a raving lunatic? OR BOTH??? Let me know in the comments, I'll post the actual results over the next three days.