BOUGHT A PACK OF CARDS AT TARGET LIKE A DUMBASS

 SO APPARENTLY WALMART AND TARGET HAVE PACKS OF CARDS AGAIN NOW THAT THE FLIPPERS ARE ALL STARVING TO DEATH IN JOE BIDEN'S ECONOMY. I DID A LIL SHOPPING OVER THE WEEKEND* AND SNOOPED IN THE CARD AISLE HOPING TO FIND JUST ONE RACK PACK OF ALLEN & GINTER BUT FAILED MISERABLY. I FOUND SOME ARCHIVES BLASTERS ($25 NOW?? 😭) AND ONE BLASTER OF CHRONICLES BUT THAT WAS IT FOR THE BASEBALL. ALSO FOUND PRO SET FOOTBALL WHICH MADE ME WONDER WHAT DECADE IT WAS, A BUNCH OF HOCKEY I DON'T CARE ABOUT AND A METRIC CRAPLOAD OF PANINI DRAFT PICK BASKETBALL STUFF. NO DONRUSS BASKETBALL, NOT EVEN HOOPS, JUST DRAFT PICK. I PASSED AT WALMART BUT WHEN I WAS AT TARGET THE NEXT DAY I WAS DETERMINED TO TREAT MYSELF TO SOME KIND OF GODDAMN PACK BECAUSE I DESERVED IT

WHILE AT TARGET I CAME TO THE REALIZATION THAT I AM IN IN FACT AN ELDERLY NOW BECAUSE I HAD THE SAME PANIC TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE PRICE OF ANYTHING THAT I HAVE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORK THE ROKU. DEAR GOD ALL I WANT IS MY NETWORK STATIONS AND HANDFUL OF UHF CHANNELS AND A BOX OF TOPPS PACKS WITH 35 CENTS PRINTED RIGHT ON THE BOX AGAIN. FOR REALS, EVERY PRICE TAG HAS A DIFFERENT TOTAL AND NOTHING IS HANGING UNDER THEIR OWN PRICE TAG. THANKFULLY I AM AN EXPERIENCED TARGET SCROUNGER AND KNOW THAT HIDING SOMEWHERE  IN THE AISLES IS A PRICE CHECKER

WHEN I SHOWED UP THERE WAS A DUDE ALREADY THERE SEARCHING SOME PACKS. I RESPECTED THE HUSTLE AND GAVE HIM A WIDE BERTH BUT HE FLED ANYWAY WHEN HE RECOGNIZED MY COLLECTOR POWER. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO BUY SO I GRABBED A LITTLE SELECTION OF EVERYTHING: MATCH ATTAX SOCCER PACK, MATCH ATTAX TIN, 30 CARD PACK OF CHRONICLES DRAFT PICKS, BLASTER OF ARCHIVES. I ALREADY MENTIONED THE BLASTER PRICE OF 25 BUX WHICH WAS THE SAME FOR THE CHRONICLES BLASTER. A PACK OF MATCH ATTAX IS THREE BUCKS, AFFORABLE BUT BORING. THE TIN WAS TEN. IT HAD A SPECIAL NEON PURPLE CARD INSIDE BUT BEING A SET OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAYERS THERE WUOLD BE NO ARSENAL CARDS TO BE FOUND. THE FAT PACK OF BASKETBALL WAS FIFTEEN BUCKS!!! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO CARDS??? I WAS DISSATISFIED WITH THESE CHOICES AND WENT BACK TO THE CARD AISLE TO FIND SOME ALTERNATIVES

WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE AISLE, CARD SEARCHER DUDE WAS BACK WITH A HANDFUL OF PACKS AND ONCE AGAIN FLED WITH HIS TRASURES. GODSPEED MY DUDE I HOPE YOU FOUND SOME GOOD STUFF. UNLESS YOU'RE JUST GOING TO FLIP THEM IMMEDIATELY, THEN MAY YOU TRIP IN THE PARKING LOT AND BOUNCE THEM ALL OFF THE CURB INTO A PUDDLE. SECOND TRIP TO THE PRICER INCLUDED A 15 CARD PACK OF THE CHRONICLES DRAFT PICKS, THE AFOREMENTIONED CHRONICLES BLASTER AND A WILDCARD - A STARTER DECK OF MAGIC BOOSTERS WITH A CUTE DEVIL GIRL ON THE FRONT. THE MAGIC DECK WAS $10.19, AN ODD PRICE BUT THE GAME CARDS SEEM TO HAVE SLIGHTLY ODDBALL PRICES FOR SOME REASON. THE 15 CARD PACK WAS ONLY $6.99. I DIDN'T UNDERTAND WHY IT WAS CHEAPER PER CARD FOR 15 CARDS THAN IT WAS FOR 30 FOR THE SAME PRODUCT. THE TWO PACKS HAVE DIFFERENT RETAIL INSERTS, BUT THE 15 CARD PACK HAS A REVOLUTION CARD WHILE THE 30 CARD PACK HAS 4 SCORE CARDS. EXTRA FANCY REVOLUTION SEEMS BETTER THAN PLAIN KANE SCORE BUT THAT'S JUST ME. I WAS REALLY TEMPED BY THE MAGIC CARDS AND MIGHT HAVE GONE FOR IT IF IT WAS A LITTLE CHEAPER THAN THE HOOPS BUT IN THE END I WENT WITH THE PACK OF CHRONICLES BASKETBALL DRAFT PICKS

THIS IS THE FIRST CHRONICLES PACK I'VE EVER OPENED BUT I'VE HAD FANTASTIC LUCK PICKING OUT SINGLES FROM QUARTER BOXES THIS YEAR. THIS BASKETBALL SET IS EITHER WAAAAAAAY OVERPRODUCED OR SUPER UNPOULAR BECAUSE THERE IS A TON OF THIS STUFF EVERYWHERE. MAYBE A BIT OF BOTH, I'M NOT TOO CERTAIN ABOUT THIS DRAFT CLASS AND THE FACT THE SECOND OVERALL PICK GOT HURT AND IS OUT FOR THE YEAR AIN'T HELPING. I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THAT, I JUST CARE THAT AJ GRIFFIN SOMEHOW FELL TO THE HAWKS AND IS PLAYING VERY WELL FOR A 19 YEAR OLD ROOKIE. ODDS ARE PRETTY GOOD THERE'S AN AJ CARD IN HERE RIGHT? UNLESS BUDDY PACK SEARCHED ALL OF THEM 

NOT A BAD START AT ALL TO THE PACK WITH STEPH IN THE DAVIDSON UNI. BEING THE FIRST CARD IN THE PACK IT'S A LITTLE BEAT UP, BUT THEMS THE BREAKS WITH RETAIL LOOSIES. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT BRAND LUMINANCE IS BUT YOU'D THINK IT WOULD BE A BIT MORE FLASHY. THIS LOOKS LIKE THE BLANDEST FLEER ULTRA SET HAD A BABY WITH UPPER DECK FIRST EDITION. SADLY THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST COMMON DESIGN IN THE PACK BUT IT LOOKS WAY BETTER THAN THE CHRONICLES BASE CARDS I USUALLY SEE IN THE DIME BOXES

NOW DONRUSS I LIKE. THIS IS THE BASKETBALL SET I'VE BOUGHT THE MOST PACKS OF IN THE PAST DECADE. THE GOOFY BORDERS WITH BRIGHT COLORS PLEASES MY LIZARD BRAIN AND THE RATED ROOKIE AND OLD-SCHOOL DONRUSS LOGOS ARE JUST DIVINE. PLUS THE BORDERS ARE COLOR APPROPRIATE FOR THE TEAM, A NICE LITTLE DETAIL. HERE'S WHERE I ADMIT I HAVE NO IDEA WHO MOST OF THESE PLAYERS ARE. THIS IS A DRAFT PICK SET SO WE'LL REALLY KNOW WHICH OF THEM ARE ANY GOOD IN 4 YEARS. TARI EASON LOOKS LIKE HE'S GETTING SOME PLAYING TIME ON A TERRIBLE TEAM. NOT BAD BUT NOT A BIG NAME STAR EITHER. I APPRECIATE THE ROLE PLAYERS THOUGH SO WE'LL WAIT AND SEE HOW HE DEVELOPS

WAS SURPRISED AT THE ROOKIE CARD LOGO ON JEREMY SOCHAN'S CARD UNTIL I REMEMBER THAT, NO, THAT IS NOT A STEPH CURRY ROOKIE CARD UP THERE. OH WELL. LOOKS LIKE JEREMY IS IN THE SAME BOAT AS TARI, GETTING DECENT MINUTES ON A TERRIBLE TEAM

HERE'S THAT CHRONICLES BASE CARD DESIGN I WAS TALKING ABOUT. NOT TERRIBLE I GUESS, BUT STILL SOMEWHAT GENERIC. NICE TO SEE SOME SEC REPRESENTATION IN THE PACK BUT TYTY WASHINGTON JR HAS ONLY PLAYED A COUPLE GAMES WITH THE ROCKETS AS I WRITE THIS AND APPEARS TO BE PLAYING IN THE G-LEAGUE THIS SEASON

I THOUGHT JADEN HARDY WAS ONE OF THE FEW NAMES I RECOGNIZED FROM THIS DRAFT UNTIL I REALIZED NO, THAT'S JADEN IVEY. THIS JADEN IS ALSO SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN THE G-LEAGUE WITH OCCASIONAL CALL-UPS TO THE MAVERICKS

MORE BEAUTIFUL DONRUSS WITH A SECOND JEREMY SOCHAN CARD. I GUESS I'LL BE KEEPING AN EYE ON HIS PROGRESS THIS YEAR

WELP. JEREMY SOCHAN HOT PACK. I GUESS THIS IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR WITH A SET DESIGNED LIKE THIS ONE IS WHERE THERE ARE LIKE 500 CARDS BUT ONLY 25 PLAYERS. THIS BRAND IS PANINI ESSENTIALS AND IS THE KIND OF STUFF I LIKE TO SEE FROM CHRONICLES. I HAVE A FEELING THESE KIND OF CARDS ARE MUCH EASIER TO PULL IN HOBBY PACKS

NO IDEA WHO CHRISTIAN BRAUN IS BUT I HAVE HEARD OF KANSAS AT LEAST. THIS IS A DREADED PARALLEL CARD, AND CHRONICLES ARE COMPLETELY INFESTED WITH THEM IF MY QUARTER BOX PICKUPS ARE ANYTHING TO GO BY. CHRISTIAN ISN'T GETTING MANY MINUTES BUT THE NUGGETS ARE A REALLY GOOD TEAM AND HE'S NOT STUCK IN THE DREADED G-LEAGUE REVOLVING DOOR SO THAT'S A GOOD SIGN

AWWWWW YEAAAAH. SUPER SHINY PAOLO BANCHERO REVOLUTION CARD. OTHER THAN GETTING AN AUTOGRAPH, PULLING A RETAIL EXCLUSIVE SHINY PARALLEL CARD OF THE NUMBER ONE OVERALL PICK IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST WIN I COULD HAVE EXPECTED FROM THIS PACK. A QUICK EBAY SEARCH SHOWS I DID PRETTY WELL VALUE WISE WHICH IS NICE. BUT I'M REALLY HAPPY BECAUSE THIS IS THE GUY DEJOUNTE MURRAY GOT IN SOME BEEF WITH AT THE SUMMER LEAGUE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. OH AND PAOLO'S PLAYING REALLY WELL, HE MIGHT END UP BEING THE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

THAT'S IT FOR THE INSERTS, BACK TO BASE CARDS. MALAKI BRANHAM IS A TEAMMATE OF JEREMY'S SO LOOKS LIKE THIS IS ACTUALLY A SAN ANTONIO SPURS HOT PACK I HAVE NO COMMENT ON OHIO STATE UNTIL AFTER THE PEACH BOWL ALTHOUGH THAT MIGHT BE OVER BY THE TIME THIS POST GOES LIVE

MOAR SEC! JABARI SMITH JR WAS THE THIRD OVERALL PICK AND IS DOING PRETTY DAMN GOOD FOR A NINETEEN YEAR OLD SO FAR. I LIKE HAVING ROOKIE CARDS OF DECENT PLAYER SO LET'S CALL THIS A WIN

SAW THIS CARD AND GOT CONFUSED THAT NIKOLA JOKIć LOST SO MUCH WEIGHT. NO NO, THAT'S JOVIć. HE IS GETTING SOME TIME WITH THE MIAMI HEAT WHO THANKFULLY STINK WORSE THAN THE HAWKS THIS YEAR NEVERMIND, HAWKS BEEN STINKING IT UP IN DECEMBER. NIKOLA IS FROM LEICESTER WHICH SURPRISED ME A LITTLE BIT

KEEGAN MURRAY WAS A SURPRISE NUMBER FOUR OVERALL PICK BY THE KINGS THAT ALLOWED JASON IVEY TO DROP TO THE PISTONS. KEEGAN'S DOING REALLY WELL THIS YEAR BUT PERHAPS NOT QUITE AS GOOD AS IVEY. I'M REALLY REALLY ROOTING FOR THE KINGS TO FINALLY GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND MAKE THE PLAYOFFS SO THE HAWKS GET THEIR DRAFT PICK AND DON'T END UP GIVING AWAY KEVIN HUERTER FOR MAGIC BEANS. I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU K-VON

LAST DRAFT PICK CARD IN THE DRAFT IS E.J. LIDDELL WHO SADLY TORE HIS ACL IN A SUMMER LEAGUE GAME AGAINST THE HAWKS AND IS PROBABLY OUT FOR THE SEASON. THAT IS A VERY BAD BREAK FOR A SECOND ROUND PICK AND I HOPE HE BOUNCES BACK

FIRST CARD IN THE PACK IS AN MVP WINNING NBA CHAMPION AND THE LAST CARD IS A GUY WHO MIGHT DO BOTH THIS YEAR. GOING TO BE COMPLETELY REAL WITH YOU ALL, THE EXCITEMENT I HAD FOR THE HAWKS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR HAS DISSIPATED AS THEY HAVE ONCE AGAIN SQUANDERED THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON WITH SOME TERRIBLE LOSSES ONLY TO END UP WITH HALF THE TEAM HURT AND IN A HOLE. THIS IS BECOMING A PATTERN AND I'M GETTING SOME ATLANTA FALCON FLASHBACKS WHICH IS ODD SINCE I'M A LIFELONG STEELERS FAN. I'M SORTA AT THE POINT WHERE I'M HOPING THE HAWKS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND CAUSE SOME EXTREME CHAOS BUT I'M ALSO ROOTING FOR THE CELTICS TO GO ALL THE WAY AND GET AL HORFORD HIS RING. IF THIS MAKES ME A TURNCOAT, SO BE IT. THERE'S ONLY SO MANY FIFTEEN POINT LEADS GETTING COMPLETELY BLOWN A MAN CAN WATCH BEFORE SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE

SO I FOOLISHLY BOUGHT A PACK OF CARDS BUT IT WORKED OUT OK EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T PULL THAT AJ GRIFFIN CARD I WANTED. WILL I DO IT AGAIN? MAYBE. IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE A BETTER VALUE IF I POACHED THE SHINY INSERTS I LIKE OUT OF A QUARTER OR EVEN FIFTY CENT BOX BUT ACTUALLY FINDING THAT BOX WITH THEM IN IT WILL PROVE TO BE A LITTLE TRICKY, ESPECIALLY WITH CARDS WITH THE DREADED RC LOGO ON THEM. I GOT SOME GOOD ENTERTAINMENT OUT OF THIS PACK AND A REALLY NICE ROOKIE CARD SO DUMBASSES CAN WIN SOMETIMES

*THE WEEKEND LIKE THREE WEEKS AGO. THE TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS LAUNCHED BEFORE I FINISHED WRITING THIS POST. ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, I HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF FINISHED POSTS IN THE QUEUE NOW SO I PROBABLY WON'T FALL OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH AGAIN UNTIL AT LEAST FEBRUARY

REGGIE APPRICIATION POST

 ON MY LAST LCS RUN I DECIDED TO BUY ENOUGH FIFTY CENT CARDS TO GET A DISCOUNT SINCE I HAD A BIRTHDAY GIFT CARD TO BURN. I WONDER IF NIGHT OWL IS JEALOUS I GET TO SPEND MY GIFT CARDS AT A CARD SHOP INSTEAD OF BUYING BLASTERS AT TARGET, I AM SURE AS HELL JEALOUS HE FOUND AN ALLEN & GINTER BLASTER AND PULLED A RONALD ACUNA JR MINI IN THE FIRST DAMN PACK, I'LL TELL YOU THAT MUCH. THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER OR SOME SUCH. I ADMIT I DID PRETTY DANG GOOD IN THOSE FIFTY CENT BOXES. GOT A BUNCH OF CARDS FOR PLAYER COLLECTIONS, A LARGE PILE OF SET NEEDS AND HAD A FEW CARDS LEFT OVER FOR FRIVOLITY. I PICKED OUT A FEW NEWER BRAVES AND AN ANDRUW JONES CARD. I COULD GET TWO MORE CARDS SO I STARTED SCROUNGING AROUND A BIT IN THE HALL OF FAMER BOXES AND CHECKED OUT BRETT, YOGI AND CAREW. THEN I HIT THE REGGIE BOX

I LITERALLY COULD HAVE GOTTEN A COUPLE DOZEN REGGIES OUT OF THAT BOX WITHOUT THINKING. I EVEN PUT ALL THE BRAVES BACK EXCEPT FOR ONE OZZIE AND ONE RILEY CARD AND I WAS REALLY THINKING ABOUT DUMPING THOSE TOO. I ENDED UP WITH SIX REGGIES AND THE UNDERSTANDING THAT REGGIE JACKSON REALLY IS UP THERE WITH LEMKE AND HEYWARD IN THE CATEGORY OF 'CARDS THAT MAKE ME UNREASONABLY HAPPY' 

SINCE THIS IS THE, UH, LOOOOOOOONG ANNIVERSARY OF ME STARTING THIS BLOG LET'S HAVE A LITTLE NEW REGGIE CARD APPRECIATION ON HERE

THIS IS THE CARD THAT PUNCHED ME IN THE MOUTH

AS I SHUFFLED THROUGH SOME REGGIES THIS 2022 ARCHIVES CARD WITH THE 1969 ROOKIE CARD PHOTO ON A DADGUM 1963 TOPPS DESIGN JUMPED OUT AT ME AND I ALMOST MELTED. ICONIC PHOTO ON ONE OF MY FAVORITE DESIGNS? HELL YES. IS THE FONT A LITTLE WONKY ON THE NAME AND TEAM? YES. IS IS CLOSE ENOUGH FOR GOVERNMENT WORK? ALSO YES. I DIDN'T NOTICE THE FONT, I NOTICED THAT LITTLE BLEED OVER FROM THE SOLID COLORS ON THE BOTTOM INTO THE PHOTO. THAT SHIT IS EXACTLY LIKE THE ORIGINAL SET. TOPPS DOESN'T ALWAYS GET THE SMALL DETAILS RIGHT ON THE ARCHIVES BUT THEY NAILED THE HELL OUT OF THAT ONE. I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT THEY HD'D THE PHOTO A BIT. IT LOOKS SUPER CRISP AND LESS WASHED OUT THAN THE ORIGINAL '69

I LIKE THE BACK TOO. YES YES YES, THE FONTS ARE ALL FUCKED UP AND THERE'S NO CARTOON AND THAT GAP ABOVE MAJOR LEAGUE BATTING RECORD LOOKS AWKWARD. THEY GOT THE COLOR RIGHT AND IT'S PRINTED ON NICE CARD STOCK. THIS IS A HELL OF A LOT BETTER THAN A LOT OF OTHER ARCHIVES SETS. NIGHT OWL REALLY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT ARCHIVES BLASTER INSTEAD. JUST SO I WOULDN'T BE SO DAMN JEALOUS, DON'T THINK I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT OZZIE ALBIES MINI TOO

I JUST CAN'T QUIT TURKEY RED. LORD KNOWS I TRIED, I PULLED MY SETS OUT OF THEIR BINDERS YEARS AGO AND ABANDONED THE CARDS TO A RANDOM BOX TO ROT AWAY. FINALLY THIS YEAR I PULLED THEM OUT AND PUT TOGETHER A NEEDS LIST. WHICH MICROSOFT PROMPTLY ATE WITH AN UNEXPECTED UPDATE. BUT I DID IT. IRONICALLY I GOT FED UP WITH THEM INITALLY WHEN THEY SUDDENLY WENT FROM BEING A RETRO SET TO AN INSERT SET AND THEN WHEN THEY BECAME ON DEMAND I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THEM AT ALL. BUT THEN THIS 2020 INSERT SET APPEARED AND I FOUND A FEW IN CHEAPO BOXES AND FELL IN LOVE ALL OVER AGAIN. THIS CARD LOOKS FRIGGIN GORGEOUS, GIMME THEM TURKEY RED SUNSETS ALL DAY LONG

YOU'D THINK SINCE I WAS LITERALLY PUTTING BACK CARDS OF MY TEAM TO PICK UP REGGIES I'D GO WITH MORE ARCHIVES OR SOME TOPPS INSERTS OR EVEN JUNK WAX BEFORE LOGOLESS PANINI STUFF. BUT YOU'D BE WRONG, I FIND THIS ODDBALL ELITE INSERT THAT LOOKS LIKE A THANKSGIVING GREETING CARD TO BE QUITE CHARMING. IT'S JUST SO AMAZINGLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT A REGGIE JACKSON CARD TO BE. AND IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE I ENJOY AUTUMN, THE LAST REGGIE CARD I PICKED UP AT THIS SHOP WAS ANOTHER ELITE INSERT. THAT ONE WAS ON VERY UGLY FOILBOARD BUT FEATURED REGGIE IN AN ARIZONA STATE UNIFORM. WHAT CAN I SAY, I LIKE VARIETY

THE LAST THREE WERE ESSENTIAL AS THEY WERE: A) REGGIES B) DRAKE'S CARDS AND C) REGGIE DRAKE'S CARDS I NEEDED FOR MY SETS. THESE SETS FASCINATED ME SO MUCH WHEN I WAS A KID AND I'M HAPPY THAT I'M GETTING CLOSER TO COMPLETING THEM. WHILE I ALREADY HAD A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF DRAKE'S CARDS I HAD EXACTLY ZERO DRAKE'S REGGIE CARDS. AND NOW I HAVE THEM ALL WELL, HALF OF THEM. STILL NEED 1981, 1985 AND 1986. THESE ARE NICE ENOUGH AND IF THERE ARE COPIES IN THAT 50 CENT BOX I MIGHT BUY 'EM AGAIN

OH BOY DO I LOVE THE BACKS WITH THE DRAKE'S LOGO BY THE CARD NUMBER. FAMILIAR, YET DIFFERENT. THESE CARDS WILL BE GOING IN THE 80S ODDBALL SET BINDER WITH THE REST OF THE DRAKE'S CARDS INSTEAD OF IN THE REGGIE BOX. I SHOULD REALLY GET MY ACT TOGETHER AND PUT MY REGGIES IN A BINDER TO ENJOY. MAYBE I CAN DUMP ALL MY ALLEN & GINTER SETS INTO A BOX TO ROT TO FEE UP SOME PAGES SINCE I CAN NEVER FIND BLASTERS ANYMORE GRUMBLE GRUMBLE. HERE'S TO ANOTHER YEAR OF THIS NONSENSE, MAY ALL YOUR BLOGGERY GO WELL IN 2023

MERRY CARDMAS BONUS: BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 28: GILBERT PART 2

HOORAY! CHRISTMAS HAS COME! OR MAYBE IT HASN'T, I'M WRITING THIS OVER A WEEK BEFOREHAND. PERHAPS THE GRINCH HAS SNATCHED IT AWAY. PERHAPS YOU ARE THE GRINCH AND HAS DONE THE SNATCHING! SNATCHED OR NO, I HOPE YOU ENJOY CHRISTMAS OR THE LACK OF IT. AS A SPECIAL TREAT FOR YOU HERE IS ONE MORE POST FOR CARDMAS: A BLACK FRIDAY 2021 PICKUP THAT IS BEING POSTED WAY OUT OF ORDER. YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT GILBERT PART 1 IS YET! THAT'S A FUN ONE BUT NOT QUITE AS GOOD AS THIS

FEEL FREE TO READ THIS POST IN GILBERT'S VOICE

IN EVERY COMC ORDER I SPLURGE ON ONE CARD AND SPEND SOMETHING LIKE A FIVER ON ONE CARD SO THERE'S SOMETHING NICE IN BETWEEN ALL THE JUNK I FOUND FOR THIRTY-THREE CENTS. THE FIRST TIME I DROPPED A FIVER IT WAS A JASON HEYWARD TOPPS GOLD NUMBERED PARALLEL, THIS YEAR IT WAS A CARD FROM 1941. THAT JIM BOUTON CARD FROM A FEW POSTS AGO WAS A HIGH ROLLER PICKUP FROM COMC, I SPENT SIX WHOLE DOLLARS ON THAT ONE. IN 2021 I ACTUALLY GOT TWO SPENDY CARDS, THIS ONE HERE AN ANOTHER YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE IN JANUARY. I HAVE BEEN A HUGE FAN OF GILBERT GOTTFRIED FOR DECADES. I ALWAYS LOVED HIS CRAZY VOICE AND LIKED CATCHING HIM DO HIS SCHTICK ON USA UP ALL NIGHT OR SOME RANDOM SMALL PART IN A TV SHOW EVERY SO OFTEN. MY COLLEGE FRIENDS COULDN'T STAND LISTENING TO HIM BUT THEY ALL SURE LOVED HIM IN ALADDIN.  HE SHOWED UP IN TONS OF MY FAVORITE SHOWS IN THE 90S: REN & STIMPY, DUCKMAN, THE WEIRD AL SHOW, DR. KATZ. HE DID VOICE WORK ON EVERYTHING INCLUDING MY KIDS' SHOWS LIKE CYBERCHASE. MOTHERFUCKER WAS EVERYWHERE. HOLLYWOOD SQUARES. THE ARISTOCRATS. THE AFLAC DUCK. THE APPRENTICE. GILBERT WAS EVERYWHERE AND HE WAS ALWAYS FUNNY. THEN HE DID THE FUNNIEST PODCAST EVER. I HAD ALREADY PICKED UP A DONRUSS AMERICANA BASE CARD AND WANTED A RELIC OR AUTO TO GO WITH IT AND FOUND THIS COOL SWATCH FROM AMERICAN PICE WITH HALF A DOZEN COLORS ON IT. IS IT A TIE? UNDERWEAR? WHO KNOWS, GILBERT WORE WHATEVER IT WAS AND THAT WAS ENOUGH

AND THEN OUTTA NOWHERE GILBERT DIED THIS YEAR. THIS HIT ME HARD AT A TIME WHEN I DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF MENTAL ENERGY TO DEAL WITH STUFF. SOMETHING THAT BROUGHT ME A LOT OF JOY WAS SUDDENLY GONE AND A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING RECENTLY. I FEEL A LITTLE BAD BRINGING EVERYTHING DOWN ON CHRISTMAS BUT IT'S BEEN A FUCKED UP YEAR - HALF A DOZEN YEARS, REALLY - AND THE FACT THAT I SURVIVED THIS ONE AT ALL HAS ME A LITTLE INTROSPECTIVE AT THE END OF IT. SHIT SUCKS BUT I'M STILL HERE AND I GOT LIKE 500 AMAZING COLOSSAL PODCAST EPISODES TO RE-LISTEN TO AND A COOL CARD OF I DUNNO A HANDKERCHIEF OR SOMETHING TO REMEMBER GILBERT BY. IF YOU NEVER LISTENED TO AN EPISODE OF THE PODCAST I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ONE OF HIS CHRISTMAS EPISODES WITH MARIO CANTONE, THEY ARE ALL HILARIOUS. I ALSO AM FOND OF THE TRAINWRECK MARTY ALLEN EPISODE, AND ALSO BOB EINSTEIN, BILLY WEST, BILL MACY, DICK CAVETT, HELL JUST CHECK OUT WHATEVER ENCORE SHOW THEY ARE RUNNING THIS WEEK, THEY'RE ALL PRETTY GOOD. HERE'S TO YOU GILBERT, THANKS FOR THE LAUGHS 

NOW THE TREE HAS A STAR AND YOU KNEW I WASN'T GOING TO LEAVE SNOOPY OUT OF THE FESTIVITIES. MAY YOUR CHRISTMAS BE FILLED WITH ORANGE WEDGES AND CHICKENS AND GLASS COFFEE TABLES. WAIT, NO. MAYBE STAY AWAY FROM ALL THAT. JUST HAVE A NICE DAY AND PERHAPS WATCH THE MR MAGOO CHRISTMAS CAROL INSTEAD. GOD BLESS US, EVERY ONE! WITH RAZZLEBERRY DRESSING

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS: LAUNDRY EDITION - DAY 12

CHRISTMAS EVE!!! TIME TO RELAX, MAYBE WATCH SOME FOOTBALL, DOWN SOME BREWSKIS AND WORK A FULL SHIFT IF YOU'RE ME BECAUSE MY SCHEDULE IS WEIRD. TODAY'S CARD IS ONE OF THE MOST CHERISHED IN MY COLLECTION AND UNLIKE THE REST, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE HOW I GOT THE THING. I VERY MUCH DOUBT I PULLED IT OUT OF A PACK BUT I CAN'T RECALL BUYING IT AT A SHOP OR FLEA MARKET EITHER AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I GOT IT ONLINE. MAYBE IT JUST APPEARED ONE DAY LIKE A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE? LET'S BE FESTIVE AND GO WITH THAT. BEHOLD, MY MIRACLE RELIC

MINNIE MINOSO IS FINALLY IN THE HALL OF FAME WHICH IS A WONDERFUL RELIEF. BUCK O'NEIL TOO! I'M GOING TO DIE MAD ABOUT DOZENS OF OTHER HALL OF FAME SNUBS BUT YOU ENJOY THE WINS WHEN YOU CAN. I LEARNED ABOUT MINOSO FAIRLY LATE, FOR A LONG TIME HE WAS THE GUY WITH THE RECORD BREAKER CARD IN 1977 TOPPS THAT SOMEHOW ALSO HAD A CARD IN 1953 TOPPS.  THE MORE YOU LOOK AT HIS BASEBALL RECORD THE MORE AMAZING IT GETS AND IT'S A BLACK MARK ON THE HALL INDUCTION PROCESS THAT HE WASN'T HONORED WHEN HE WAS ALIVE

CLEVELAND JERSEY ON A CHICAGO CARD. WHO CARES, IT'S AN OLD SWATCH AND MINNIE IS MR. WHITE SOX. THE EARLY 00S WERE A GOLDEN AGE FOR VINTAGE RELIC CARDS AND I SNAPPED UP AS MANY AS I COULD IN MY BUDGET WHICH WAS SURPRISINGLY MORE THAN YOU'D EXPECT. ONE THING THAT STUCK OUT TO ME WAS THE HEATHERED LOOK ON A LOT OF VINTAGE AWAY JERSEY MATERIAL. YOU DON'T REALLY NOTICE IT IN OLD PHOTOS OF PLAYERS IN THEIR AWAY JERSEYS BUT IF YOU LOOK VERY CLOSELY IT'S THERE. YOU DON'T SEE THAT KIND OF THING IN UNIFORMS AFTER THE 80S, IT REALLY MAKES THESE OLDER SWATCHES UNIQUE

I KNEW THAT NOT EVERY HEAD WAS GOING TO FIT PERFECTLY BUT CHARLIE BROWN'S HEAD IS EXTRA DIFFICULT. BEING A LITTLE OFF IS VERY ON BRAND FOR CHARLIE AND IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE, NO ONE CARES. WE'RE ALL READY TO SETTLE OUR BRAINS FOR A LONG WINTER'S NAP

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS: LAUNDRY EDITION - DAY 11

HAPPY FESTIVUS EVERYONE!!!

HERE'S A RELIC CARD I DIDN'T PULL OUT OF A PACK BECAUSE IT WAS NEVER IN A PACK TO BEGIN WITH! THIS IS AN ENTIRELY PACKLESS RELIC, AND ONE OF THE RAREST THINGS IN MY ENTIRE COLLECTION: AN OFFICIAL BLOG-USED RELIC CARD

BACK IN THE GOLDEN AGE OF BLOGGING WE ALL SENT EACH OTHER RIDICULOUS HANDCRAFTED BITS OF CARD ART ON A REGULAR BASIS. I SENT OUT SEVERAL SKETCH CARDS AND RECIEVED A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT 'RELIC' CARDS INCLUDING: 

• OFFICIAL FRANK ZAPPA SQUISHED PENNY CARD
• OFFICIAL ANDRES GALARRAGA 87 TOPPS BIPPED CARD
• OFFICIAL PONY SKETCH CARDS
• OFFICIAL HAND FOLDED ORIGAMI CARD
• OFFICIAL FORMER EDITOR OF BECKETT CUT AUTO CARD
• AND MANY MANY CUSTOM CARDS

CARD ART IS A BIG THING NOWADAYS BUT US OLD-TIMERS WERE UP TO OUR OWN SHENANIGANS BACK IN THE DAY. I'VE GOT ALL MINE PUT ASIDE IN THEIR OWN CORNER OF A RELIC BOX AND LOOK OVER THEM FROM TIME TO TIME TO REMEMBER THE GOOD OL DAYS. THIS ONE HERE FROM STEVE AT WHITE SOX CARDS IS DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE 

AS YOU CAN SEE THIS IS ALSO AN AUTORELIC CARD. YOU CAN FIND THE CARD IMAGE IN THE BACKGROUND OF WHITE SOX CARDS AND AS STEVE'S TWITTER AVATAR. THIS CARD IS SUPER GREAT FOR MULTIPLE REASONS. 1983 TOPPS IS ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE DESIGNS AND THE FIRST SET I DESPERATELY TRIED TO COMPLETE. I ALSO LOVED THOSE WHITE SOX UNIFORMS AT THE TIME AND CHASED MANY RON KITTLE ROOKIES WITH HIM IN THAT UNI. THE RELIC IS THE REAL STAR OF THE SHOW. OFFICIAL BLOG-USED LED ZEPPELIN T-SHIRT! I HAD THREE LED ZEPPELIN T-SHIRTS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I COULD SEE THIS LITTLE PATCH POSSIBLY BEING A PART OF ALL THREE. I DON'T NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHICH SHIRT IT'S FROM BECAUSE I CAN TELL BY ALL THOSE CRACKS IN THE PRINTING THAT IS WAS WELL WORN AND MUCH LOVED. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS SWATCH COUNTS AS A PATCH BUT WHATEVER IT IS IT'S DEFINITELY THE COOLEST 

STEVE IS STILL BLOGGING JUST A BIT MORE SPORADICALLY JUST LIKE I'M DOING. HE'S GOT A FANTASTIC POST SHOWING OFF HIS 2022 TOPPS RAINBOW OF CESAR HERNANDEZ THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING. GO CHECK IT OUT AND SAY HI! THANKS AGAIN FOR THE LAUNDRY STEVE, AND DON'T TAKE ME PUTTING YOU AS PIGPEN THE WRONG WAY, I JUST THOUGHT YOU'D ENJOY HANGING OUT NEXT TO WALTER

THE GANG'S ALMOST ALL HERE! THE TREE'S ALL FULL UP THOUGH WHATEVER SHALL I DO

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS: LAUNDRY EDITION - DAY 10

LAST ONE OF THESE THAT WAS PULLED BY ME OUT OF A PACK OF CARDS. AND IT'S A REALLY RIDICULOUS ONE TOO

I MISS PACIFIC CARDS. THEY WERE HANDS DOWN THE MOST CONSISTENTLY WEIRD TRADING CARD COMPANY AROUND. SURE THEY HAD ONE OR TWO MILDY NORMAL LOOKING PRODUCTS LIKE THE FLAGSHIP SET AND MAYBE PARAMOUNT BUT THEY ALWAYS SWUNG FOR THE FENCES WITH THE DESIGNS ON THEIR ODDBALL SETS. A LOT OF TIMES THEY STRUCK OUT, BUT 2000 VANGUARD WAS ONE OF THEIR BEST. BASE CARDS WERE THESE THICK PLASTIC THINGS WITH A SOLID BRIGHTLY COLORED BACKGROUND WITH A HOLOFOIL HALO AROUND THE PLAYER PHOTO. YOU HAVE TO SEE THEM IN HAND TO GET THE FULL EFFECT BUT THEY REALLY DO LOOK GREAT. 

I BOUGHT QUITE A FEW PACKS OF BASEBALL FOOTBALL AND HOCKEY THAT YEAR* AND ENJOYED THEM GREATLY. THIS WAS A PREMIUM PRODUCT SO PACKS ONLY HAD FOUR CARDS  IN THEM. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN I FOUND A PACK OF VANGUARD AT TARGET THAT WAS THE SIZE OF A BRICK. THICK PACK = MOAR CARDS SO OF COURSE I BOUGHT IT**. I OPENED IT UP AND THERE WASN'T MOARER CARDS, THERE WAS THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CARDS AND A CRAZY THICK CARD OF FUTURE HALL OF FAMER CRIS CARTER WITH A LARGE CHUNK OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE PART OF A UNIFORM NUMBER. WITH BONUS SERIAL NUMBER #1/25 HAND WRITTEN WITH A SILVER PAINT PEN THAT WAS RUNNING OUT OF PAINT. IT WAS THE YEAR 2000 SO RELIC CARDS WERE STILL RARE BUT NOT UNHEARD OF AT THAT TIME SO I WAS COOL AND COLLECTED WHEN I SAW IT, RIGHT. NOPE. MY EYEBALLS BUGGED OUT AND I WENT HUBBA HUBBA AWOOOOOGA NYONG NYONG NYONG BBBBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBBLBLB

THEN I TURNED THE MOTHERFUCKER OVER AND IT'S GODDAMN RANDY MOSS WITH AN EVEN NICER PATCH SWATCH. TWO HALL OF FAMERS ON THE SAME CARD THAT'S AS THICK AS A PULP NOVEL AND HAS TWO GIGANTIC PORT HOLES STUFFED WITH JERSEY BITS. IT'S A HELLA NICE CARD AND IF DIDN'T LOVE BASEBALL WAAAY MORE THAN FOOTBALL MIGHT'VE BEATEN OUT ICHIRO FOR MY 'NICEST PATCH CARD' AWARD. 2000 WAS A BANNER YEAR FOR PACIFIC AND IT'S A DAMN SHAME EVERYTHING CAME CRASHING DOWN AFTER THEY LOST THEIR BASEBALL LICENSE THE NEXT YEAR. I HAVE TWO MORE RELIC CARDS FROM 2000 PACIFIC OF KURT WARNER AND GREG MADDUX AND THE ONLY REASON THEY DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT IS BECAUSE I FOUND ALL THE OTHER CARDS IN THE POST BEFORE I GOT TO THEM. STILL, THIS CARD REPRESENTS THAT PACIFIC QUALITY WELL

YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TICKLED I WAS THAT THE TWINS WERE WEARING PURPLE

*POSSIBLE FRANKENSET CANDIDATE?

**BOOOO PACK SEARCHERS, HISSS BAH FOR SHAME. YEAH, YEAH,  WHATEVER. IF YOU CAN STRAIGHT UP LOOK AT A PACK AND SEE IT'S THREE TIMES FATTER THAN THE REST OF 'EM YOU'RE GONNA PICK THAT ONE. IT'S SIMPLE HUNTER GATHERER INSTINCT. THAT'S NOT EVEN PACK SEARCHING*** THAT'S PACK LOOKING

***ALSO, I AM ON RECORD AS BEING 100% SUPPORTIVE OF PACK SEARCHING IN RETAIL. TARGET AND WAL-MART CARD AISLES ARE A HELLSCAPE AT THE BEST OF TIMES I RESPECT THE HUSTLE FOR COLLECTORS JUST TRYING TO GET SOMETHING NICE. IF YOU'RE A FLIPPER THOUGH AND CLEAR OUT EVERY STORE WITHIN A 50 MILE RADIUS LIKE A SWARM OF LOCUSTS AND GET IN FIGHTS WITH THE OTHER LOCUSTS OVER POKEMON CARDS AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THERE BEING NO ALLEN & GINTER PACKS IN STORES SINCE 2019 THEN SEE THE FIRST SENTENCE IN ** AND I HOPE EVERYTHING YOU BUY IS ALREADY OPENED AND STUFFED WITH CRUMMY BOWMAN BASE CARDS**** WITH NOT EVEN A SINGLE BIP ROBERTS IN SIGHT*****

****AND NOT EVEN PLAIN OLD VETERAN BASE CARDS, CAREFULLY CHOSEN NON-FIRST BOWMAN CARD PROSPECTS CARDS EXCLUSIVELY OF PLAYERS WHO NEVER GOT PAST DOUBLE-A. THAT SPEW OUT BY THE THOUSANDS LIKE IT'S THE BLASTER VERSION OF A CLOWN CAR OR A VERY STRANGE TARDIS

*****WHAT AM I SAYING, EVERYONE DESERVES THE BLESSING OF BIP ROBERTS DURING THE JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME. OH WHY OH WHY DO I TALK POLITICS DURING THE HOLIDAYS, IT NEVER ENDS WELL. JUST SKIP ALL THESE FOOTNOTES

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS: LAUNDRY EDITION - DAY 9

SO FAR WE'VE SEEN SOME PRETTY HARD HITTING RELICS, SOME STUFF YOU MIGHT HAVE TO PAY SOME DECENT COIN TO PICK UP. TODAY'S IS JUST ONE I REALLY LOVE EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN PROBABLY PICK ONE UP PRETTY CHEAP

I HAVE NO IDEA WHY BUT WHEN I FIRST SAW THAT THERE WERE GAME USED CAP CARDS I ABOUT LOST MY MIND. THERE WERE ALREADY GAME USED UNIFORM CARDS APLENTY BY 2003 (AND PROBABLY SOME PREVIOUS CAP CARDS IF I'M BEING HONEST) BUT WHEN I FIRSTSAW THESE THINGS I WILL NOT LIE, I COVETED. PART OF IT WAS JUST THE DESIGN OF THE CARDS. BRIGHT, BRIGHT COLORS, DISEMBODIED FLOATY HEADS AND TRICKY DIE-CUTS ARE THREE THINGS I WHOLEHEARTEDLY LOVE ON CARDS AND THIS SET HIT THE TRIFECTA. I WAS ABLE TO PICK UP THE VINNY CASTILLA CARD PRETTY QUICKLY AFTER BUT THIS WAS THE CARD I REALLY REALLY WANTED AND IT TOOK ME A WHILE AND I PROBABLY PAID TOO MUCH BUT I GOT IT. SOMETHING ABOUT THIS CARD ACTIUVATES THE HAPPY CHEMICALS IN MY BRAIN, EVEN NOW I'VE JUST BEEN STARING AT THE CARD FOR LIKE FIFTEEN MIUTES INSTEAD OF WRITING THE POST. THE RED AND BLUE JUST LOOKS SO GOOD! I ALSO LOVE THE NAME OF THE SET 'MEN WITH HATS'. WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? IT IS A SAFETY DANCE REFERENCE TWENTY YEARS LATER? IT'S SO GOOFY. LOOKING ALL THIS STUFF UP I'M NOW FINDING AFTER THE FACT THAT THERE IS ALSO A TIM HUDSON CARD IN THE SET. IT LOOKS GOOD WITH THE SAME RED BORDER AND ANDRUW HERE BUT MAN, IF IT HAD A GREEN BORDER FOR THAT A'S CAP IT WOULD BE AN ALL TIME GREAT

UPPER DECK VINTAGE IS A WILD BRAND, REALIZING A RETRO CRAZE WAS UPON THE HOBBY UD JUST STRAIGHT UP YOINKED SOME CLASSIC TOPPS DESIGNS. THE BEST PART IS THEY PICKED THREE FANTASTIC DESIGNS TO STEAL, 1963, 1965 AND 1971. THEY DID IT IN FOOTBALL TOO WITH THE 1971 FOOTBALL DESIGN AND WITH SEVERAL DESIGNS IN HOCKEY. Y NO HOOPS UD?? I REMEMBER TOPPS GOT MAD AS HELL TOO, THEY WERE NOT AMUSED BY UPPER DECK COPYING THEIR HOMEWORK SO WELL. FLEER DID THE SAME THING AT THE SAME TIME BUT THEIR RIPOFFS LOOKED KINDA CHEESY. BY 2004 UPPER DECK BACKED OFF AND STARTED STEALING VINTAGE ODDBALL DESIGNS. THEY ALSO ADDED A BUNCH OF SHORT PRINTS AND INSANITY AND THERE WAS NO UPPER DECK VINTAGE IN 2005. IT WAS FUN WHILE IT LASTED THOUGH!

SPEAKING OF DISEMBODIED FLOATY HEADS, I HAVE BEEN PLACING THESE ON THE SCREENSHOT MOSTLY BASED ON HOW WELL THEY FIT THE PICTURE NOT BY HOW WELL THE PERSONALITY LINES UP WITH THE CHARACTER. DON'T THINK ABOUT IT TOO HARD OR YOU'LL GET THE IMAGE OF SHAQ HITTING ON ANDRUW JONES WHILE HE PLAYS BEETHOVEN ON A TOY PIANO STUCK IN YOUR HEAD AND NOBODY NEEDS THAT

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS: LAUNDRY EDITION - DAY 8

WE'RE OVER THE HUMP AND CAREENING WILDLY TOWARDS CHRISTMAS NOW. BEFORE YOU KNOW IT IT'LL BE ALL OVER AND WE'LL ALL WONDER WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED. WE'RE NOT THERE YET THOUGH SO TAKE A BIG SNORT OF EGG NOG AND ENJOY THE RIDE WHILE YOU CAN

BASKETBALL IS VERY EASILY THE #2 SPORT I COLLECT BY A LARGE MARGIN. NOT SO MUCH IN THE SIZE OF THE COLLECTION BUT THE AFFECTION I HAVE FOR MY BASKETBALL CARDS IS WAAAAAY MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE EXCEPT VINTAGE BASEBALL. EVEN SO, BASKETBALL AUTOGRAPHS AND RELICS ARE NOT SOMETHING I HAVE A LOT OF IN MY COLLECTION. IT MIGHT BE THAT I RIPPED LESS PACKS DURING PEAK RELIC YEARS, IT MIGHT BE THAT BASKETBALL RELICS ARE JUST GENERALLY MORE SCARCE AND NOT OFTEN FOUND IN BARGAIN BINS BUT I DON'T HAVE A TON OF THEM AND THE ONES I DO ARE OFTEN EXTREMELY RANDOM FRINGEY TYPE PLAYERS. WHICH MAKES IT SO WEIRD THAT I HAVE TWO RELIC CARDS OF SHAQUILLE O'NEAL FROM 2002-03 TOPPS, ONE FROM  FLAGSHIP AND ONE FROM CHROME AND BOTH WERE PULLED FROM PACKS

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE SHAQ, HE'S MY AGE, WAS DRAFTED WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE AND WAS THE FIRST GIGANTIC SUPERSTAR CAREER I REALLY GOT TO WATCH FROM BEGINNING TO END. THESE SHAQ ATTACK RELICS WERE FOUND IN BOTH TOPPS AND CHROME AND WERE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME OTHER THAN HOW REFLECTIVE THEY WERE. SOMEHOW I PULLED BOTH THE TOPPS AND CHROME VERSION FROM PACKS I GOT AT THE SAME TARGET. I DON'T EVEN USUALLY BUY PACKS OF CHROME, I JUST PICKED SOME UP THAT DAY FOR WHATEVER REASON. THE GIMMICK OF THIS SET IS THAT THE FRONT LISTS FIVE BIG MOMENTS IN SHAQ'S CAREER AND THEN HAS A LITTLE JERSEY SWATCH SHAPED LIKE THE STATE WHERE IT OCCURRED. THE TOPPS CARD HAS A TINY YELLOW SWATCH IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, THIS ONE IS A PURPLE CALIFORNIA. I CHOSE THIS ONE TO SHOW OFF BECAUSE THE 2002 WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS IS ONE OF THE MOST INFAMOUS SCREWJOBS IN NBA, NO - SPORTS HISTORY. SACRAMENTO SHOULD HAVE WON THAT SERIES BUT THE REFS COMPLETELY TOOK IT AWAY FROM THEM WITH ALLEGATIONS THAT THE REFS FIXED GAME 6. THE LAKERS WON THE SERIES AND THEN THEIR THRID STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (AND THIRD STRAIGHT FINALS MVP FOR O'NEAL) AND THE KINGS' FRANCHISE FELL INTO ACTUAL HELL AFTER THAT. IT'S KINDA WILD OWNING A TRADING CARD WITH A RELIC FROM A JERSEY THAT WAS WORN BY A FINALS MVP AND IS ALSO COMMEMORATING AN ACTUAL SCANDAL

I STILL LOVE YOU SHAQ, DON'T LET CHARLES BULLY YOU TOO MUCH

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS: LAUNDRY EDITION - DAY 7

 STARTING TO REALIZE I HAVE HAD AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF GOOD LUCK RIPPING PACKS WITH SOME OF THESE CARDS EVEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT I USED TO RIP WAY TOO MANY PACKS. WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF CARDMAS NOW, WITH MAYBE THE BEST CARD OF THE BUNCH

2005 UPPER DECK ALL-STAR CLASSICS WAS KIND OF THE POINT WHERE SPECIAL THEME SETS STARTED GETTING SERIOUSLY PLAYED OUT. A RETAIL ONLY 100 CARD SET OF PLAYERS WHO WERE IN ALL STAR GAMES? I GUESS? WITH TOO MANY INSERTS AND OF COURSE THERE WAS A PARALLEL AND THERE WERE NO ROOKIES. THIS SET WAS NOT POPULAR AT ALL BUT I STILL BOUGHT A BUNCH OF THEM AND THAT WAS BEFORE A TON OF PACKS WENT INTO THE  $1.49 CLEARANCE BOX AND I BOUGHT A BUNCH MORE. THE LAST TWENTY-FIVE CARDS OR SO WERE ALL HALL OF FAMERS AND I'M AN IDIOT FOR LEGENDS SETS SO I HAD TO BUY SOME. I WAS HAPPY WHEN I SAW ONE OF THE PACKS HAD A RELIC CARD IN IT. I WAS EVEN HAPPIER TO SEE IT WAS ICHIRO. I ALMOST CRAPPED MYSELF WHEN I SAW THAT PATCH

I'VE GOT A FEW PATCH CARDS BUT MOST OF THEM ARE BIG CHUNKS OF A NUMBER OR LETTER. A COUPLE ARE JUST ALL ONE SOLID PATCH COLOR WITH NO STITCHES OR NOTHIN. THIS IS NOT THAT, THERE'S LIKE FIVE DIFFERENT COLOR THREAD ON THE THING AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY RECOGNIZE THE LOGO. THESE SORT OF CARDS ARE USUALLY OUT OF MY PRICE RANGE AND EVEN THEN THERE'S THAT RISK THAT A REALLY COOL LOOKING PATCH MIGHT BE SOMEONE'S ART PROJECT. PULLING SOMETHING LIKE THIS OF AN INNER CIRCLE HALL OF FAMER OUT OF A PACK IS PRETTY SPECIAL

MURRY CRISMIS HOME STRETCH WOOOOOO LET'S GO

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS: LAUNDRY EDITION - DAY 6

CRAP

I SHOULDA USED THIS CARD FOR FIVE GOOOOOLD RINGS

MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR SURE

I WAS COMPLETELY GAGA OVER THE LORD OF THE RINGS MOVIES WHEN THEY CAME OUT. SAW THEM ALL IN THE MOVIE THEATER AND SAW ALL THREE IN ONE SITTING WHEN RETURN OF THE KING WAS RELEASED AND BOUGHT THE EXTENDED EDITION DVDS WITH ALL THE ADDED BULLSHIT SO THEY ALL TOOK FIFTEEN HOURS TO WATCH AND THEY WERE THE BEST THINGS EVER. THEN THE HOBBIT CAME OUT AND IT WAS LIKE, OH. THEN THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG CAME OUT AND IT WAS LIKE, YEAH OK, DRAGON. THEN THE BATTLE OF FIVE ARMIES CAME OUT AND I NEVER GAVE A SHIT ABOUT A HOBBIT EVER AGAIN. NO BOOKS, NO RADIO PLAYS, NO COMICS, NO MANGA ADAPTATIONS, NO BAKSHI CARTOONS, NO TV SERIES, NO TIJUANA BIBLES, NO MORE MIDDLE EARTH. IT'S HONESTLY SHOCKING JUST HOW COMPLETELY THAT MOVIE RUNINED IT FOR ME. AND IT'S NOT EVEN THE WORST MOVIE EVER, BILLY CONNOLLY ON A WARPIG WAS PRETTY COOL ACTUALLY

BUT IN THE 00S, I WAS STILL GOOFY FOR GOLLUM AND BOUGHT UP A TON OF LORD OF THE RINGS TOPPS CARDS. I MANAGED TO ACCUMULATE A SMALL PILE OF THE RELIC CARDS, GANDALF, ARWEN, AND A HANDFUL OF OTHERS. THE ONLY HOBBIT I'M MISSING IS MERRY. ANYONE HAVE AN EXTRA MERRY FOR A PIPPIN? MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE CHARACTER IS SMEAGOL, BUT HE DIDN'T EXACTLY HAVE ANYTHING THAT COULD EVEN BE MADE INTO RELICS. OF THE ONES I HAVE GANDALF HAS TO BE MY FAVORITE SINCE IAN MCKELLAN IS A BAD ASS. GANDALF, MAGNETO, RICHARD III AND JAMES WHALE IS A PRETTY DAMN GOOD ACTING ROLE MOUNT RUSHMORE. OF THE RELICS I DON'T HAVE I MOST COVET THE BRAD DOURIF WORMTONGUE VELVET UNDERFROCK. BRAD'S BEEN IN A HUNDRED MOVIES I LOVE. I'D TRADE MY EXTRA FRODO FOR THAT ONE

THE GIGANTIC BEARD KINDA WORKS ON SALLY DON'T YOU THINK

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS: LAUNDRY EDITION - DAY 5

FIIIIIIVE GOOOOOOLDEN RIIIIIINGS

JIM ONLY WON ONE RING BUT WHOS' COUNTING

THIS IS THE FIRST CARD IN THE LAUNDRY LIST THAT I DIDN'T ACTUALLY PULL FROM A PACK. I AM NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHERE I GOT IT, BUT I KNOW IT WASN'T FROM A PACK OF SWEET SPOT. I PICKED UP A COPY OF BALL FOUR AS AN IMPRESSIONABLE TEEN AT THE GOODWILL BOOK SALE AT NORTHLAKE MALL IN THE 80S AND REACHED ENLIGHTENMENT VERY SOON AFTER. I'VE READ IT MANY TIMES SINCE THEN AND I GET A LITTLE SAD WHEN JIM GETS TRADED TO HOUSTON EVERY TIME. BOUTON HAS A TON OF AUTOGRAPH CARDS BUT AS FAR AS I CAN TELL THIS IS HIS ONLY JERSEY CARD. I'M HAVING A HARD TIME EVEN FINDING THIS ONE ONLINE HOW SCARCE ARE THESE THINGS

WHY IN THE HECK IS PINKIE PIE IN THE TOPLOADER WITH BOUTON? THIS IS NOT A BIT, I PULLED THE CARD OUT OF MY RELIC BOX AND GOT HORSIED. I OFTEN SLIP AN EXTRA CARD INTO SUPER THICK RELIC TOPLOADERS TO KEEP THE CARD FROM SLIDING OUT BUT THIS IS AN ODD CHOICE EVEN FOR ME

THE NAME OF THIS RELIC SET IS PINSTRIPES, TO GO ALONG WITH A SHORT PRINTED YANKEES SUBSET. THE VAST MAJORITY OF JIM'S TRADING CARDS HAVE IN IN A YANKEES UNI, BUT THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF PILOTS CARDS. HOW COOL WOULD IT BE IF JIM HAD A PILOTS RELIC CARD? I'VE WISHED FOR A LICENSED BOUTON CARD IN A BRAVES UNIFORM FOR A VERY LONG TIME NOW, BUT IT HAS ALSO OCCURRED TO ME THAT THERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A HOUSTON ASTROS BOUTON CARD EITHER. THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT'S EVEN CLOSE. IT SHOULD BE A LAW THAT EVERY TEAM A PLAYER IS WITH GETS AT LEAST ONE CARD WHERE THEY ARE WEARING THAT UNIFORM. BILLIONS OF DIFFERENT CARDS ARE PRINTED EVERY YEAR, WE CAN GET ONE JIM BOUTON CARD IN A 'STROS UNI. GET ON IT, FANATICS

THE CROWD IS STARTING TO FILL IN, IT'S REALLY GETTING FESTIVE UP IN HERE