Unwrapping A Christmas Present

Actually got some cards for Christmas this year. No, not a case of 5 Star or Triple Threads or whatever all the cool kids were posting on Twitter on the 25th, but some cards nonetheless. Since I'm in the demographic where my perfect Christmas present is the kids being happy enough to not act up for a couple days and maybe an Amazon gift card or a bottle of booze this was a surprise for me. My cards, let me show you them.

The repack on the left was purchased at the dollar store on the afternoon of the 24th when I took the kids to buy their presents for everyone. So I might have said to my daughter "here, you're getting me this" but in the real world I actually AM Santa Claus so I'm entitled. Besides, 1981 John Denny. The Favorite Team pack on the right was a complete surprise. My son had a holiday store at his school full of baubles and knicknacks where he picked up most of his presents and they had these packs there. Heyward for Christmas! Let's open 'er up and see what I got. My New Year's Resolution is to scan everything straight this year!

Well so much for that resolution. Here's the Heyward, this is from the National League All-Star team set.

Long Lamented Topps Total. This is the set with the game on the back too. Case breakers don't like it though so oh well.

Huddy! This pack might not be all junk after all. I was excited for the chance to maybe fill a few holes in my Braves team sets, but then I checked the back:

Looks like a lot of old team sets were harvested for this product. Hudson goes in the player box instead and the cartoon greatly amused me so win.

Remember when Mark Kotsay was a Brave? Remember Mark Kotsay? Seeing this card fueled my desire to do a Braves binder(s) with one card from every player that suited up for the Braves each year. I haven't finalized my obligatory '2014 goals' post yet so maybe it'll make the cut.

Smoltzie! My least favorite of the Braves Big Three. Still a nice looking card with a picture that works around the dreaded 2008 Logo Bump.

So much regret on this card. Traded Millwood for this guy who was effective until Darren Erstad tried to murder him and Brian McCann Wally Pipped him. Now Millwood is retired and McCann's a Yankee and Estrada's life has been wrecked by post-concussion syndrome. Also this Fleer Tradition design was just awful. Let's hope the next card cheers me up.

EEEYYYUUOOUUUGGGHHHHH
Frenchy on the eye bleed set in a posed photo where he's not even trying to look like he's catching the ball and looks like a total doofus. Actually I'm laughing too hard at this dumb card to be sad anymore so mission accomplished.

Now that's how you field a ball. I miss the days when Marcus was good. Those were good days.

 

Good ol' Donruss with their bizarre design choices. Russ shoulda won that World Series game. Russ shoulda won a bunch of games for the Braves too. Everything just went all to hell in 2006. This card is 10 years old now. I shoulda started drinking before writing this post.

 

 Ah, here we go. Rafael Soriano with the MFIKY stare. That reminds me of the days that Dave O'Brien's AJC blog wasn't a complete trainwreck. Or paywalled for that matter. So much nostalgia in this pack.

 

 The older I get the more I turn into Gandalf with these random Braves pitching prospects

I have no memory of this player...

Finishing up the pack with Kelly Johnson who every time I see him with another team I get this uneasy feeling that we should have kept him. Not the crushing facepalming feeling like when I see Adam LaRoche with another team, but a little nagging itchy feeling. I'm starting to get that feeling when I see Prado too. Maybe I should see a dermatologist.

There's my Christmas. I haven't quite figured out how to show off the Dollar Store pack yet. Might just keep it intact and add it to my John Denny is a Badass SuperCollection. Rafael Soriano ain't got nothing on Denny's stare.