2023 COMC BINGE - PART 18: SWEET LOU

 THE HAWKS HAVE A CHANCE TO FURTHER TRAINWRECK THE FRANCHISE FOR ANOTHER GENERATION NEXT WEEK SO GOING A BIT OUT OF ORDER ON THE POSTS. HERE'S A HAWKS DRAFT PICK THEY GOT RIGHT. IT WAS 1966 AND THEY WERE STILL IN ST. LOUIS BUT THEY'VE DONE GOOD THINGS BEFORE, MAYBE IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN

1973-74 TOPPS #150 LOU HUDSON

I COULDA SWORN I HAD THIS CARD ALREADY BUT A CHECK OF THE BINDER CONFIRMED THAT I DID NOT. AT FIFTY CENTS THIS WAS A NO-BRAINER ADDITION TO THE VINTAGE HAWKS TEAM SETS. LOU IS ONE OF FIVE HAWKS TO HAVE HIS NUMBER RETIRED AND WAS FINALLY ELECTED TO THE HALL OF FAME IN 2022, A DECADE LATE BUT IN IS IN. I DON'T HAVE A HECK OF A LOT OF 1973-74 TOPPS BASKETBALL CARDS AND IT THINK IT'S DUE TO A COMBINATION OF A FAIRLY UNDERSTATED DESIGN AND SOME DREADFUL PHOTOGRAPHY. MOST CARDS IN THE SET HAVE A POSED MUGSHOT WITH HARSH LIGHTING LIKE THE PHOTO ON THIS CARD OR AN EXTREMELY CHAOTIC ACTION SHOT. IT'S NOT ALL TERRIBLE, THE ALL-STAR CARDS LOOK REALLY NICE AND THERE'S A FEW NICE PHOTOS IN THE SET BUT CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF. I CAN SEE WHY YOUNGER ME WAS MORE DRAWN TO PRETTY MUCH ANY OTHER EARLY 70S BASKETBALL SET

THE BACKS ARE NICE THROUGH WITH A PLEASANT CHRISTMASSY FEEL AND A LOVELY HUGE COMIC RIGHT AT THE TOP. LOU WAS SUPER IN '72-73 AS HE HAD THE HIGHEST SCOREING AVERAGE OF HIS CAREER AND WAS AN ALL-STAR FOR THE FIFTH TIME. IT WAS ALSO THE LAST TIME THE HAWKS WOULD GO TO THE PLAYOFFS WITH LOU, LOSING TO THE CELTICS IN THE FIRST ROUND TWO GAMES TO FOUR. DANG, THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR.  LOU IS A VERY HAWKS SUPERSTAR. GREAT STATS WITH NOT MUCH PLAYOFF SUCCESS FOR A GARBAGE FRANCHISE

HERE'S A PIC OF THE TEAM BINDER PAGE, I TOLD YOU I'VE BEEN NEGLECTING THIS SET. YOU SEE WAY MORE 74-75 CARDS (INCLUDING ONE OF MY FEW HAWKS CARDS WITH PETE MARAVICH ON IT) THAN THE 73-74S. I THINK THAT'S A 75-76 TEAM CARD AS WELL UP IN THE CORNER. IT'S NICE TO FINALLY HAVE LOU NOW THOUGH, YOU CAN SEE A BONUS LOU OVER IN THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER!

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 16: STICKY JESSIE

POOR JESSE TUGGLE IS ABOUT TO BE THE ONLY ONE IN MY FAVORITE PLAYERS BINDER WITHOUT A RING. I STILL LOVE HIM THO, IT'S NOT HIS FAULT THE FALCONS WERE CURSED BY ALL THE WITCHES

1995 UPPER DECK COLLECTOR'S CHOICE UPDATE STICK-EMS JESSIE TUGGLE, ROMAN PHIFER, TYRONE HUGHES, BRYANT YOUNG

IT'S AMUSING TO ME THAT LOW END 90S INSERTS CAN GENERALLY BE FOUND DIRT CHEAP ALL OVER THE PLACE. YOU CAN FIND THEM ALL OVER THE PLACE IN BARGAIN BOXES, DIME BOXES, REPACKS AND BULK LOTS. IT'S HARD TO LOOK IN A BOX OF CRAP AND NOT FIND AT LEAST ONE OR TWO OF THEM. BUT GOD HELP YOU IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ONE SPECIFIC LOW END 90S INSERT. I'VE BEEN HUNTING THIS ONE DOWN SINCE I WAS RIPPING A BUNCH OF THESE COLLECTOR'S CHOICE PACKS BACK IN THE 90S (MOST ON DEEP CLEARANCE AT DRUG STORES) BUT I WAS NEVER ABLE TO FIND ONE OF TUGGLE. ONCE THE CENTURY TURNED AND JESSIE WAS RETIRED IT WAS EVEN MORE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND. GO TO ANY CARD SHOP OR STOP AT A TABLE AT A SHOW AND ASK IF THEY HAVE ANY CARDS OF A RETIRED NON-HALL OF FAME LINEBACKER, I DARE YOU. I TARGETED THIS TUGGLE SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS BINGE AND WAS PLEASED TO FIND IT EASILY FOR SUPER CHEAP. THERE'S EVEN A HALL OF FAMER ON THE STICKER

THIS WAS A PRETTY HUGE INSERT SET FOR AN UPDATE SET. UPPER DECK PLAYED AROUND WITH STICKERS A LOT IN THE LATE 90S BUT THIS WAS THEIR FIRST TRY AT INSERT STICKERS. BASKETBALL AND HOCKEY WOULD NOT GET A STICKER INSERT IN COLLECTOR'S CHOICE UNTIL 1996 AND BASEBALL DIDN'T GET ANY UNTIL 1998. THIS SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY SET THAT WAS DESIGNED TO BE STUCK INTO ALBUMS LIKE TRADITIONAL STICKER SETS. THERE WERE 6 DIFFERENT ALBUMS, ONE FOR EACH DIVISION IN 1995. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE CHECKLIST HERE EACH TEAM GOT ONE SINGLE PLAYER STICKER EACH AND MORE PLAYERS/AND A LOGO ON THE ADDITIONAL TEN FOUR PANEL STICKERS. THE ALBUMS WERE STURDILY MADE BUT I DON'T RECALL EXACTLY HOW THEY WERE DISTRIBUTED. MAYBE THEY WERE BOX TOPPERS IN HOBBY BOXES? I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF ALBUMS THAT ARE FILLED AS SETS ARE NOT EASY TO BUILD EVEN WITH A STICKER PER PACK. THEY ARE VERY COLORFUL AND A LOT OF FUN THOUGH EVEN IF THEY ARE LIKELY TO NEVER GET STUCK ON ANYTHING

HERE'S A PIC OF THE BINDER PAGE THIS STICKER LIVES IN NOW. I'M JUST NOW REALIZING THIS MIGHT BE THE WRONG PLACE FOR IT AS EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE PAGE IS A 1996 CARD. OH WELL, THAT'S A CONCERN FOR ANOTHER DAY. NOW IS TIME TO SEE IF ANYONE HAS KNOCKED ME OFF MY TCDB PERCH

HOORAY! I'M STILL THE BEST AT ENTERING IN CARDS OF A PLAYER NO ONE COLLECTS BUT ME INTO A WEBSITE!

2024 ONLINE BLASTER - PART 11: DELICIOUS CHAOS

THERE'S NO RHYME OR REASON TO THIS BATCH SO LET'S JUMP RIGHT IN. NOTE: SHIT'S HECTIC AT THE MOMENT SO IT MIGHT JUST BE STREAM OF CONCIOUSNESS CHAOS POSTS FOR THE TIME BEING. I HAVE THREE OR FOUR ACTUAL POSTS ABOUT SPECIFIC THINGS COMING SOON THOUGH

1996 ULTRA WILL CLARK PRIME LEATHER

CATEGORY - INSERT

90S FLEER ULTRA INSERTS ARE GENERALLY ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL THAN ALL THE REST AND THIS ONE IS NO DIFFERENT. THIS ONE IS EMBOSSED WITH STITCHES AND A BRAND LOGO AND HAS A ROUGH BUT SMOOTH LEATHERY TEXTURE. STUFF LIKE THIS DON'T HAPPEN MUCH NOWADAYS. WILL CLARK IN A RANGERS UNI ALWAYS THROWS ME FOR A BIT OF A LOOP, JUST LIKE LOOKING AT HIS BASEBALL-REF PAGE. HE HAD HOW MANY WAR? AND WAS ONE AND DONE ON THE HALL BALLOT? 

2022 BOWMAN CHROME MICHAEL HARRIS TOP 100

CATEGORY - BRAVES

ANOTHER BOWMAN TOP 100 CARD, THIS TIME OF A PLAYER THAT I AM ACTUALLY A FAN OF. MICHAEL WON ROOKIE OF THE YEAR IN '22 AND IS NOW THE USDISPUTED BEST PLAYER IN THE BRAVES' OUTFIELD SINCE GOD HATES ATLANTA AND WANTS US TO SUFFER. THIS IS NOT THE LAST TIME YOU WILL SEE THIS CARD

1993 COMIC IMAGES SEXY ROBOTS AND PINUPS BY HAJIME SORAYAMA

CATEGORY - ROBOT BUTT

HAJIME SORAYAMA'S ENTIRE DEAL IS PINUP ART OF SEXY ROBOT LADIES. THIS IS DEFINITELY THAT

THE CARD BACKS HAVE A SMALL SAMPLE OF THE ART IN THE SET AND AS YOU CAN SEE AT LEAST HALF ARE ROBOTS OR AT LEAST CYBORGS. I RESPECT IT WHEN A  GREAT ARTIST FIXATES ON AN ODDBALL SUBJECT AND JUST RUNS WITH IT

2020 TOPPS UPDATE ERIC DAVIS HOME RUN DERBY

CATEGORY - WANTLIST, SUPERSTAR

I CAN'T PASS UP ON A GOOD LOOKING ERIC DAVIS CARD AND THIS IS VERY GOOD LOOKING DESPITE THE GOOFY BORDER. I STILL ASSOCIATE RETIRED PLAYERS ON FLAGSHIP BASE WITH SHORT PRINTS SO THIS MADE ME DO A DOUBLE TAKE WHEN I SAW IT. I DON'T EVEN MIND THAT IT'S AN UPDATE SUBSET CARD, TOPPS SHOULD DO MORE OF THAT STUFF

2022 ABSOLUTE COOL PAPA BELL

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR

A REAL MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STAR. IT'S FUN TO CHECK BASEBALL-REFERENCEBASEBALL-REFERENCE NOW AND CHECK HOW THESE OLD TIMERS RANK ON THE LEADERBOARDS NOW. I'VE NEVER BEEN A HUGE FAN OF ABSOLUTE EVEN GOING BACK TO THE PLAYOFF FOOTBALL DAYS BUT WHO CARES ABOUT THE BRAND WHEN IT'S A CARD OF COOL PAPA. I'LL BE FILING THIS CARD IN THE 'HONORARY CHRONICLES" BOX

2020 TOPPS PRO DEBUT BEAU PHILIP

CATEGORY - BRAVES

I LIKE THE CONCEPT OF TOPPS PRO DEBUT CARDS, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT FEATURE MINOR LEAGUE TEAM LOGOS. THE EXECUTION ISN'T BAD EITHER, THESE ARE ACTUALLY A STEP UP FROM PLAIN OL FLAGSHIP AS THEY HAVE SOME SPOT GLOSS ON THE PLAYER AND NAME BAR THAT LOOKS GREAT. THE EXECUTION SUCKS THOUGH AS I NEVER EVER SEE THIS STUFF FOR SALE IN THE WILD AND THE LAST TIME I EVEN SAW A PACK WAS 2012 I THINK? I'D COLLECT SOME IF I COULD BUT IT'S EASIER TO FIND THE HERITAGE MINORS CARDS THAN THIS STUFF. I'LL APPRECIATE FINDING A BRAVES PROSPECT THOUGH. I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO SEE BEAU HAD NO HITTING STATS ON HIS BASEBALL-REF PAGE 2024 BUT THEN DID A TRIPLE TAKE WHEN I NOTICED THE PITCHING LINE. GOOD LUCK KID, MAKE IT TO THE BIGS ANY WAY YOU CAN

2020-21 MOSAIC ONYEKA OKONGWU PRO DEBUT RC

CATEGORY - HAWKS

I HAVE PUT MY HAWKS CARD PICKUPS ON AN UNOFFICIAL HIATUS FOR THE TIME BEING UNTIL THE IMPENDING SUMMER TRADE BLOODBATH SORTS ITSELF OUT. I BOUGHT THIS CARD IN HAPPIER TIMES WHEN I WASN'T EXPECTING EVERYONE ON THE TEAM EXCEPT FOR JALEN JOHNSON AND MAYBE NIQUE TO GET TRADED AT ANY MOMENT. I'M SURE THERE WILL BE SOME PLAYERS LEFT BY THE SEASON OPENER, I JUST COULDN'T TELL YOU WHO. I'VE HAD POOR LUCK FINDING OO ROOKIE CARDS OUT IN THE WILD SO GETTING ONE - EVEN A DEBUT CARD FROM INFERIOR PRIZM - IS A NICE GET EVEN IF IT ENDS UP IN THE FORMER HAWKS BINDER SOONER THAN EXPECTED

2021-22 PRIZM ONYEKA OKONGWU 

CATEGORY - HAWKS

HERE'S A REAL NON-RC PRIZM CARD FOR GOOD MEASURE. THESE CARDS HAVE A BIT OF THE PRINGLES JUST LIKE OUR FAVORITE CHROME SETS. THIS PLUS TAKING PICS ON A SUNNY DAY MEANS A LOT OF GLARE. IT'LL LOOK BETTER IN A PLASTIC SHEET ANYWAY

1995 DONRUSS SHAWN GREEN

CATEGORY - WANTLIST

A TINY CHIP KNOCKED OFF OF MY GIANT SLAB OF A DONRUSS WANTLIST. A LOT OF THESE POST-JUNK 90S SETS ARE STARTING TO LOOK LESS AND LESS LIKELY THAT I WILL EVER COME CLOSE TO COMPLETING THEM BUT 1995 DONRUSS IS STILL ONE OF MY FAVES. I'LL KEEP PICKING EM UP AS LONG AS I CAN FIND EM

1994 COMIC IMAGES THE BEST OF BORIS ALL-CHROMIUM HARD DRIVE

CATEGORY - NON-SPORTS

HOT BABES IN LEATHER ARMOR USING SPACE AGE COMPUTERS ON CHROMIUM STOCK IS MAYBE ONE OF THE MOST 90S THINGS I'VE EVER SEEN. BORIS VALLEJO GETS THE PREMIUM TREATMENT THIS TIME ON SHINY STOCK WITH ETCHING AND A NICE CURVE SO YOU CAN SEE A REFLECTION OF THE SHADOWS OF THE TREES OUTSIDE MY WINDOW. THE REAL REASON I WANTED THIS WAS IT MIGHT BE THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN THE GREEN FUNK THAT APPEARS ON SO MANY 90S CHROME CARDS ON A NON-SPORTS RELEASE. I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENS ON OLDER CARDS BUT YOU CAN SEE IT REALLY CLEARLY ON HER FACE, NECK AND HALF HER HAIR. THIS IS AS FASCINATING TO ME AS CARDS FROM THE 50S AND 60S WITH MUSTACHES AND NEW TEAMS NAMES WRITTEN ON THEM. WEIRD VINTAGE CARDS ARE GREAT

2022 BOWMAN CHROME SHEA LANGELIERS TOP 100

CATEGORY - BRAVES

NOT MICHAEL HARRIS II (ALTHOUGH BOWMAN HAS SHEA RANKED THREE HIGHER) BUT STILL A NICE CARD OF ONE OF THE BRAVES' BETTER PROSPECTS. HE'S DOING PRETTY WELL IN OAKLAND BUT I'M HAPPY WE GOT MATT OLSON FOR HIM. OR WAS IT SEAN MURPHY? SURELY IT WASN'T TIM HUDSON

2001 TOPPS TONY GONZALEZ ANDRE CARTER COMBOS

CATEGORY - INSERT

I SAW A TONY GONZALEZ INSERT AND WAS UNABLE TO RESIST. I DO NOT NEED THIS CARD (AND MIGHT ALREADY HAVE IT IF I TOOK THE TIME TO CHEK MY FOOTBALL INSERTS) BUT WHAT THE HELL, I'M HAVING FUN

1989 TOPPS TRADED DEION SANDERS, NOLAN RYAN, RICKEY HENDERSON, OH NOEZ

CATEGORY - WANTLIST

I'M MISSING A BIG CHUNK OF THE 1989 TRADED SET SO I PICKED UP A FEW OF THE SUPERSTARS I NEEDED. WHILE I COULD EASILY FIND A BOX SET FOR UNDER 10 BUCKS SOMEWHERE IF I LOOKED HARD ENOUGH I'LL PROBABLY KEEP PICKING AWAY AT THE SET PIECEMIEL LIKE A FOOL. BUT IF I DO FIND THAT CHEAP SET ONE DAY AND LATER DISCOVER ALL THE BEST CARDS WERE CHERRY PICKED I'LL BE THE ONE HAVING THE LAST LAUGH! JUST LIKE BIP

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 15: HORF BANG

PART TWO OF THE NEW ADDITIONS TO THE HEYWARD/HORFORD/TUGGLE BINDER. THIS ONE IS SOMEWHAT TOPICAL SINCE AL'S CURRENTLY TRYING TO GET HIS FIRST NBA TITLE WITH BOSTON. I WON'T TURN MY NOSE UP AT HORFORD CARDS IN A CELTICS, 76ERS OR THINDER UNI BUT I LOVE FINDING COOL CARDS OF HIM AS A HAWK THAT I DIDN'T ALREADY HAVE. THIS IS DEFINITELY IN A HAWKS UNI 

2013-14 PANINI PINNACLE AL HORFORD BIG BANG

THIS CARD WAS ONE THAT ALMOST MADE IT INTO MY CART IN 2022. I COULDN'T PASS IT UP THIS TIME ESPECIALLY AT THIRTY-SEVEN CENTS. I WAS INTERESTED IN THIS CARD BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS DUFEX. PINNACLE BASEBALL HAD DUFEX INSERTS AT THE TIME, I FIGURED SO DID BASKETBALL. THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER PINNACLE HOOPS CARDS IN DUFEX BUT THIS AIN'T ONE OF THEM. THIS IS ETCHED FOIL IN A VERY COMPLICATED PATTERN THAT LOOKS A BIT LIKE DUFEX BUT THERE IS NO DOOF. IT'S AS DIFFICULT TO SEE IN PERSON AS IT IS IN A PHOTO SO HERE'S ANOTHER LOOK AT IT FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE

I APPRECIATE THE ETCHED FOIL BIG IN THE BACKGROUND BUT THE REST OF THE ETCHING MAKES IT REALLY HARD TO SEE THE PHOTOS IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ON DUFEX FOR SOME REASON. WHO KNEW THAT EASILY DINGABLE PLASTIC COATING WAS SO IMPORTANT. I'M SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THE CARD THAT LOOKED A BIT LIKE ASS IN THE LISTING PHOTO CONTINUED TO LOOK LIKE ASS IN PERSON BUT IF I FOUND THIS IN A FIFTY CENT BOX I WOULD'VE GONE APESHIT. AND I GOT THIS CHEAPER THAN THAT!

THE BACK IS BORING BUT READABLE. I AM HEAVILY INVESTED IN THESE NBA FINALS BECAUSE IF BOSTON WINS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLAYERS OF ALL TIME WILL HAVE A RING ON HIS WAY TO THE HALL OF FAME AND OF THE MAVS WIN I GET TO HEAR ABOUT LOSING THE TRADE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. NO PRESSURE BOSTON, IT'S JUST MY HAPPINESS FOREVER AT STAKE. THIS POST ISN'T THE BEST THING I GOT ON MY PINGE BY FAR BUT I WILL TRY TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU WITH A PIC OF MY 2013-14 HORFORD PAGE

ALMOST A COMPLETE PAGE! THAT CRUSADE CARD WITH THE HOLOFOIL AND HAWKS COLORS IS A TOP FIVE CARD IN THE HORFORD COLLECTION FOR ME. THERE'S ALSO A LITTLE PREVIEW OF THE SUBECT OF NEXT WEEK'S POST. I BET NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO GUESS WHAT CARD IT IS. WELL, JUNKWAXTWINS COULD BUT HE'S GOT INSIDER INFO