2023 COMC BINGE - PART 23: BIG SCHMIDDTY

THE WRITER'S BLOCK IS REAL YO

THIS IS WHY I DUG IN THE DRAFT FOLDERS INSTEAD OF DOING SOME CHRISTMAS POSTS. I STILL DON'T WANNA WRITE ANYTHING SO HERE IS A POST WITH A MINIMAL OF WRITING AND A MAXIMAL OF CARDS

1983 DONRUSS ACTION ALL-STARS MIKE SCHMIDT

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLAYERS FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE SETS SO OF COURSE IT WAS THE LAST CARD I NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE SET. I BOUGHT A BUNCH OF THESE PACKS BACK IN 83 AND THEY WERE WELL LOVED AS YOU CAN NOW SEE BY THE CORNERS. I ALMOST GAVE THEM ALL AWAY TO A COUSIN BUT AT THE LAST SECOND I COULDN'T DO IT, LEADING TO MY LIFE AS A CARD HOARDER. I PICKED UP A BUNCH LATER ON BUT NEVER QUITE TRACKED DOWN THE SCHMIDT. I EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO BUY A COMPLETE SET FOR FIVE BUCKS BUT I DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO FIND THAT DAMN SCHMIDT. YOU CAN FIND EVERYTHING ONLINE THOUGH SO WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR THE COMC BINGE I WENT FOR IT

AND THEN I BOUGHT OVER TWENTY PACKS OF THE STUFF AT A LOCAL CARD SHOP THIS SUMMER LOOKING TO BUILD A SECOND MORE MINTY SET. I STILL HAVEN'T PULLED ANOTHER SCHMIDT

EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS DESIGN IS ATTRACTIVE. THE BORDERS THAT GO VERY WELL WITH THE PHILLIES UNI AND THE GRAY BACKGROUND WITH THE TEAM NAME LOOK GREAT TOGETHER. I LOVE THE HUGE PORTRAIT AND THE ACTION SHOT THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS PASTED IN A SCRAPBOOK. EVEN THE BACKS ARE FANTASTIC, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THAT MANY STATS ON THE BACK OF A BASEBALL CARD? HIT BY PITCH! TOTAL BASES! FIELDING PERCENTAGE! YOU'D HAVE TO BUY AN ALMANAC TO GET ALL THOSE STATS IN 1983

I DIDN'T COMPLETE ALL THAT MANY SETS IN 2024 BUT I COMPLETED THIS ONE. ENJOY THE CARDS AS YOU RING OUT THE OLD YEAR OR RING IN THE NEW OR STUMBLE UPON THIS POST IN JULY

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 22: OBLIGATORY RONALD & TRAE ROUND 2: T-MINUS TAROT

 MOAR COMC PICKUPS BECAUSE LONGER DRAFT POSTS ARE INTIMIDATING ME TODAY. HAVE SOME RONALD AND TRAE. THESE ARE TWO WEIRD ONES THAT REFLECT THINGS I LIKE

2021 TOPPS QYSPY GUEEN - TAROT OF THE DIAMOND RONALD ACUÑA JR

QYPSY GUEEN TRADED FORTUNE TELLER CARDS FOR TAROT CARDS IN SOME OF THEIR LATER SETS (HECK, THEY MIGHT'VE DONE BOTH, THAT BRAND IS ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF MY RADAR) AND WHILE I THINK THEY ARE PRETTY COOL, I DID NOT THINK THEM COOL ENOUGH TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO COLLECT THEM. UNTIL I FOUND A RONALD CARD FOR SIXTY-SIX CENTS, THAT IS. THE DESIGN IS... OK. IT FITS WELL WITH THE NEWER STYLE OF ART DECO GQ AND LOOKS GOOD ENOUGH. MOST OF THE CARDS ARE ONES THAT CAN BE FOUND IN AN ACTUAL TAROT DECK. THE THREE OF CUPS MEANS CELEBRATION, WHICH THE BRAVES CERTAINLY DID SOME OF IN 2021 

I LIKE THE BACK. INSERT BACKS ARE USUALLY GARBAGE ANYWAY SO JUST MAKE IT LOOK SOMEWHAT LIKE A FANCY PLAYING CARD AND CALL IT A DAY. TAROT CARDS HAVE HAD SOMEWHAT OF A RESURGENCE RECENTLY AND CAN BE FOUND IN A TON OF POPULAR CULTURE, INCLUDING ONE OF MY FAVORITE COMIC BOOKS AND VIDEO GAMES. EVERY BOOKSTORE NOWADAYS HAS A DISPLAY OF DECKS FOR TWENTY BUCKS A POP WHICH MAY PARTIALLY ACCOUNT FOR THEIR RENAISSANCE. HOORAY FOR MERCHANDIZING! TEN YEARS AGO I WOULD BE HOARDING THESE THINGS TRYING TO BUILD MY OWN TAROT DECK OUT OF THEM BUT I'M TOO OLD AND TOO BROKE TO BE TRACKING THEM DOWN ANYMORE

2022-23 PANINI DONRUSS OPTIC - T-MINUS 3, 2, 1 TRAE YOUNG

A T-MINUS INSERT WAS ONE OF THE TRAE CARDS IN A PREVIOUS RONALD AND TRAE POST. WHILE I PREFER THE OTHER ONE DUE TO THE ACTUAL SPACE SHUTTLE ON IT, THIS ONE IS REALLY NICE AS WELL. ALTHOUGH I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT TRAIL OF SMOKE THERE, THAT LAUNCH LOOKS LIKE IT MAY HAVE GONEA LITTLE WONKY. NEVERTHELESS, SPACE TRAE RULES AND THE CARD WAS SUPER CHEAP

THE BACK EVEN HAS A BUNCH OF LIGHTS AND SWITCHES LIKE THE LAST ONE! THAT'S BOTH TRAES FROM THIS INSERT SERIES AS HE WASN'T IN THE 2019-20 AND 2020-21 SETS. IT'S A SHAME BECAUSE THE 2019-20 BACKS ARE CRAZY, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A WHOLE 50S SPACESHIP COCKPIT ON THERE. PANINI DIDN'T MAKE A T-MINUS 3, 2, 1 SET IN 23-24 SO I WILL HAVE TO BE CONTENT WITH THESE TWO EXAMPLES OF SPACE SHUTTLE THEMED TRAE YOUNG CARDS. I GOT ANOTHER PAIR OF TRAE AND RONALD IN THIS YEAR'S COMC BINGE SO YOU'VE GOT AT LEAST TWO MORE OF THESE POSTS COMING ASSUMING I EVER GET CAUGHT UP

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 21 THE FOURTH STOOGE

OH LOOK WHO'S BACK ALL OF A SUDDEN. IT ME! ALL RESTED UP AND LESS FRAZZLED ALL READY TO POST STUFF AGAIN. BUT WHAT TO POST? HOW TO RETURN FROM MONTHS OF INACTIVITY? HOW TO MAKE SURE I DON'T PROCRASTINATE SOME MORE AND JUST WATCH BOB ROSS VIDEOS UNTIL I PASS OUT?

A COUPLE DAYS AGO I HAD A REALLY GOOD IDEA FOR A TWELVE DAYS OF CARDMAS SERIES. I FIGURED OUT TWELVE WHOLE POSTS AND EVERYTHING. BUT I QUICKLY REALIZED I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO DO ALL THE CRAP NEEDED TO WRITE ALL THE POSTS. TOO BAD. I COULD PROBABLY STILL DO IT SINCE THE TWELVE DAYS OF ACTUAL CHRISTMAS STARTS ON THE 25TH. BUT CHRISTMAS WILL TAKE FOREVER! I WANNA POST NOW!

THEN I REMEMBERED I HAVE DOZENS OF POST DRAFTS LINED UP THAT I ABANDONED MONTHS AGO WHEN I RAN OUTTA GAS. I CAN DO TWELVE SAYS OF DRAFTSMAS! I CAN START WITH THE COMC CARDS FROM LAST YEAR. I HAVE RECEIVED A WHOLE OTHER PACKAGE AND BINGED ONCE AGAIN THIS BLACK FRIDAY SO I BETTER GET POSTING. LET'S START WITH SOME STOOGES

2005 BREYGENT THE THREE STOOGES SCRAMBLED BRAINS

THERE'S A LOT MORE THREE STOOGES SETS OUT THERE THAN I EXPECTED. THE MOST FAMOUS ONE IS THE 1959 FLEER SET, BUT THERE'S ALSO A SECOND SET FROM FLEER IN 1966.  FTCC HAD THEIR OWN STOOGES REVIVAL IN THE 80S, DUOCARDS REPRESENTED THE JUNKWAX ERA OF NON-SPORT, RRPARKS HAS THE KICKSTARTER ERA COVERED, AND THEN THERE'S THIS BREYGENT SET FROM WHATEVER THE HELL PERIOD 2005 WAS. THIS SET IS COLORIZED BUT SO WAS THE '59 SET SO I CAN OVERLOOK IT. THERE ARE PLENTY OF BLACK AND WHITE CARDS TO CHOOSE FROM IF YOU PREFER. THE SET IS A NICE DIGESTIBLE 72 CARDS AND SHOWS OFF SOME OF THERE BEST STUFF FROM THE TED HEALY DAYS TO THEIR 60S MOVIES. THIS CARD SHOWS OFF THEIR SHEMP SHORT SCRAMBLED BRAINS. CHECK IT OUT

WHY SCRAMBLED BRAINS YOU ASK? WHY NO CURLY, YOU HATE CURLY?? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, YOU ASK. I DIDN'T GET THIS CARD FOR CURLY, I GOT IT FOR EMIL SITKA. HE'S DR. GEZUNDHEIT UP THERE WITH THE COKE BOTTLE CLASSES TRYING TO HYPNOTIZE SHEMP. I LOVE EMIL IN THE STOOGES SHORTS, HE ALWAYS GIVES 120% EVERY TIME. HE'S BEST KNOWN FOR THE 'HOLD HANDS YOU LOVEBIRDS' GAG FROM BRIDELESS GROOM. I WOULD'VE HAPPILY GOTTEN A CURLY CARD BUT EMIL'S FIRST SHORT WAS HALF WIT'S HOLIDAY WHICH WAS CURLY'S LAST. EMIL WASN'T ON THAT CARD SO THIS WILL HAVE TO DO. ALONG WITH HIS MANY APPEARANCES WITH THE STOOGES, HE WAS ALSO IN MANY TV SHOWS AND FILMS INCLUDING SAM RAIMI'S CRIMEWAVE. HE ALSO WON FIVE HUNDRED BUCKS ON LET'S MAKE A DEAL! EMIL MAKES ME HAPPY AND FINDING HIM ON A CARD MAKES ME HAPPY. EMIL SITKA UNSURPRISINGLY DOESN'T HAVE A TON OF TRADING CARDS BUT IF ANYONE CAN POINT ME TOWARDS A COPY OF THIS ONE FROM THE PHILLY NON-SPORT SHOW I'D BE GRATEFUL

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 20 FORRY 5000

IT'S SPOOKY SEASON! A GOOD TIME TO POST A CARD OF A SKEERY MONSTAR. I DIDN'T MEAN TO TAKE A TWO MONTH HIATUS SO I COULD POST A MONSTER ON HALLOWEEN BUT SOMETIMES THINGS WORK OUT THAT WAY

1963 ROSAN FAMOUS MONSTERS SERIES TERROR FROM THE YEAR 5000

WHAT THE HELL IS THIS UUUUGLY THING?! THIS IS A CARD FROM A SUPER LOW-RENT COMPANY CALLED ROSAN THAT PRODUCED A HANDFUL OF SETS IN THE EARLY 60S. THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A WAR SET, A JFK CASH-IN SET AND FOUR MONSTER MOVIE SETS. THE ORANGE BORDER SET IS NOT DIFFICULT TO FIND. A SECOND SET FROM 1963 DISTRIBUTED IN A GREEN FIRST SERIES AND PURPLE SECOND SERIES IS NOT QUITE AS EASY TO FIND. THEN THERE'S A THIRD, POSSIBLY TEST ISSUE, BLUE SET IS A BAD COPY OF A PREVIOUS NU-CARD SET. THESE SEEM TO BE A LOT HARDER TO FIND. THIS FORUM THREAD INDICATES THAT THE CARDS WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH VENDING MACHINES, BUT THIS FAMOUS MONSTER SET WAS SOLD AS A SET IN THE BACK OF MONSTER MAGAZINES. I SEARCHED THROUGH A LOT OF THESE MAGAZINES BUT NEVER ACTUALLY FOUND THE AD. LUCKILY, THIS COLLECTION OF CARD IMAGES HAS ONE! 

OK COOL, THAT'S THAT WHAT THE CARD IS, BUT WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THIIIING ON THE CARD?!? SHE IS A TERROR! A TERROR FROM THE YEAR 5000. THIS IS A NICE GOOFY LITTLE MOVIE WHERE A COUPLE OF SCIENTISTS IN FLORIDA CREATE A TIME MACHINE THAT CAN TRANSPORT OBJECTS TO THE FUTURE AND THEN RECEIVE AN OBJECT FROM THE FUTURE BACK. BUT THE OBJECTS ARE RADIOACTIVE! AND THEN THEY RECEIVE A CAT! THEN THIS LITTLE LADY SHOWS UP AND SHENANIGANS ENSUE. IT AIN'T GREAT, AND IT'S KINDA GOOFY BUT THE VILLAIN IS A MUTANT LADY WEARING A BLACK SEQUINED CATSUIT AND WHO DOESN'T LIKE THAT. THERE WERE TWO CARDS FROM THIS SET THAT WERE CHEAP AS HELL DURING THE SALE AND I CHOSE THE ONE WITH A PHOTO OF A HALF-DEAD LADYMONSTER ON A HOSPITAL CART WITH HER BOOBIES IN FULL FOCUS BECAUSE OF COURSE I DID. THIS IS FROM A PROMO PHOTO AND IS NOT SEEN AT ANY TIME IN THE ACTUAL FILM. YOU CAN SEE THE MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER VERSION OF THE MOVIE IF YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE

A COOL THING ABOUT THESE CARDS IS THE BACK IS NOT THE TYPICAL CORNY JOKE THAT IS THE STANDARD OF THESE OLD TIMEY MONSTER SETS BUT AN AUTHENTIC VINTAGE CRUMMY ADVERTISEMENT FOR PLASTIC JUNK! IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, IT WAS A MONSTER MAGAZINE CREATED BY FORRY ACKERMAN AND PUBLISHED BY WARREN MAGAZINE. IT'S A PRETTY FUN READ IF YOU LIKE CLASSIC HORROR, BUT THAT'S NOT THE IMPORTANT PART. LIKE ALL TRASHY PULP MAGAZINES FROM BACK THEN THE REALLY GOOD STUFF IS THE COOL ADVERTISEMENTS

THERE'S THAT AD FOR MONSTER RINGS! AND INVISIBLE INK! COWBOY MAGAZINES! UUUH - A FAKE DRUG NEEDLE? A PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINE? CARNIVEROUS PLANTS! AN EGG INCUBATOR?? AN ACTUAL AIR FORCE SURPLUS PARACHUTE??? SO MUCH COOL STUFF! I WISH I COULD'VE FOUND A PAGE WITH THE MONSTER RINGS AND THE FREE LIVE MONKEY ADS. GUESS I'LL HAVE TO BUY MORE OF THESE CARDS AND GET A COMPLETE SET OF AD BACKS

AND HERE'S THE CARD IN THE MONSTER BINDER. NON-SPORTS CARDS ARE OFTEN IN LANDSCAPE SO I STARTED A PAGE FOR THOSE CARDS. ENJOY THE SPOOKIES THIS HALLOWEEN!

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 17: CANADA COOKIE

NORMALLY ON MY COMC BINGES I ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO PICK UP A VINTAGE BRAVES SET TEAM NEED AND A MARK LEMKE CARD I DIDN'T ALREADY HAVE. THIS TIME I DID NOT DO SO AND SINCE REALIZING THIS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY I WAS THINKING. VINTAGE BRAVES ARE ALL EXPENSIVE NOW, I GET THAT. THE ODDBALL LEMMERS I AM MISSING CAN GET A LITTLE SPENDY, SURE. THIS WAS AN EXTRA-CHEAPSKATE BINGE WHERE I CONSISTENTLY CHOSE QUANTITY OVER QUALITY. STILL, NO BRAVES OR LEMKES? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME??

OH WELL, SCREW IT. HAVE A COOKIE

1975 O-PEE-CHEE #169 COOKIE ROJAS

MY 1970S O-PEE-CHEE GAME IS PRETTY DIRE. ASIDE FROM SOME BRAVES I HAVE ACCUMULATED THROUGH THE YEARS I HAVE MAYBE TWELVE CARDS TOTAL FROM THAT DECADE INCLUDING THE ONE THAT SERVES AT THE BACKGROUND FOR THIS BLOG. THIS MIGHT EVEN BE MY FIRST 1975 OPC BUT I CAN'T CONFIRM THAT BECAUSE MY CANADIAN BASEBALL CARDS AREN'T ORGANIZED ENOUGH TO KNOW FOR SURE. I AM ALMOST CERTAIN THIS CARD GOT GOT AFTER I WAS DISCOURAGED BY SEEING MARK LEMKE PARALLEL CARDS WITH SALE PRICES OVER FIVE BUCKS AND THEN SEEING THIS FOR LESS THAN TWO QUARTERS WHEN SEARCHING FOR COOKIES. AND WHY NOT? A NICE LOOKING COOKIE, A VINTAGE O-PEE-CHEE CARD AND A MISCUT? HOW COULD I PASS ON THAT?

I WISH THE 2024 HERITAGE CARDS USED THIS CARD STOCK COLOR FOR THEIR BACKS, IT'S SO MUCH EASIER TO READ. I ALSO LIKE THE CARTOON ON THIS ONE, LOOK HOW FAT THEY DREW POOR BABE RUTH. AS YOU CAN SEE THIS CARD IS A TINY BIT LEFT/RIGHT OFF CENTER. MOST PREFER 1975 CARDS TO BE OFF CENTER IN THE OTHER DIRECTION SO YOU CAN GET A NEW TEAM NAME ON THE BOTTOM BUT I'M OK WITH THIS ONE. THERE'S ONLY A TINY SLIVER OF THE TEAM NAME ON THE LEFT ON THE FRONT OF THE CARD WHICH NORMALLY WOULD MAKE HUNTING FOR THE PLAYER ON THE OTHER CARD ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. FORTUNATELY FOR ME, THE TEAM NAME ENDED WITH X INSTEAD OF S SO THE AMOUNT OF POSSIBLE CARDS IT COULD BE WAS GREATLY REDUCED. I CAME UP WITH TWO POSSIBILITIES: TERRY HUGHES OF THE RED SOX AND STAN BAHNSEN OF THE WHITE SOX. ODDLY ENOUGH, THE SCAN ON TCDB FOR BAHNSEN WAS ALSO MISCUT AND SEEMED TO FIT WITH MY COOKIE

I WISH I MY PICTURE WAS TAKEN STRAIGHT NOW. THIS WAS A FUN COINCIDENCE BUT I WOULDN'T BE CONFIDENT IT WAS COOKIE'S ACTUAL PAIR UNLESS I COULD GET MY HANDS ON AN UNCUT SHEET. OH WAIT, I HAVE THE INTERNET. A FEW IMAGE SEARCHES LATER I FOUND THIS GOLDIN AUCTION FOR A FULL SHEET INCLUDING DAVE WINFIELD, STEVE CARLTON, FERGIE JENKINS, CARLTON FISK AND PHIL NIEKRO. AND STAN BAHNSEN AND COOKIE ROJAS! HERE'S A SCREENSHOT FOR POSTERITY SINCE WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THIS LINK WILL LAST

HOORAY! WE HAVE OUR PAIR CONFIRMED! MAYBE THAT ONE ON TCDB REALLY IS FROM THE SAME SHEET

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 19: FLAMING PHIL

HERE'S THE SECOND AND WEIRDLY, LAST ADDITION TO A VINTAGE TEAM SET. I DECIDED TO POST THE BRAVES PICKUP NEXT WEEK BUT THERE WASN'T ONE. NOT SURPRISING SINCE PRETTY MUCH EVERY CARD I NEED FOR VINTAGE TEAM SETS NOW IS EITHER A HALL OF FAMER OR A HIGH NUMBER OR BOTH. NOT SOMETHING GOOD FOR A PICK UP AS MANY COOL CHEAP CARDS AS POSSIBLE BINGE. THIS ONE IS QUITE CHEAP AND COOL HOWEVER AS IT COMPLETED THE FIRST TOPPS ATLANTA FLAMES TEAM SET

1972-73 TOPPS #109 PHIL MYRE

I HAVE BEEN TO HOME GAMES FOR ALL THREE OF ATLANTA'S FORMER HOCKEY TEAMS. THE FIRST FLAMES GAME I WAS AT WAS IRONICALLY AGAINST WINNIPEG. THERE ARE RUMBLINGS OF A POSSIBLE EXPANSION TEAM COMING TO THE METRO AREA IN ALPHARETTA OF ALL PLACES BUT I THINK I'LL PASS ON THAT ONE. FOOL ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU, FOOL ME TWICE, SHAME ON ME, FOOL ME THREE TIMES, YEP I'M A STILL A FOOL, FOOL ME FOUR TIMES? CAN'T GET FOOLED AGAIN. I STILL LIKE THE VINTAGE CARDS THO AND WAS LOOKING THRU MY FLAMES/1974-75 SET BINDER LAST YEAR AND WAS SURPRISED THE 72-73 TEAM SET WAS MISSING A CARD. I CHECKED COMC, IT COST FORTY-THREE CENTS, TEAM SET COMPLETE. HOORAY! THERE'S SEVEN MORE PLAYERS I DON'T HAVE (INCLUDING MY FAVORITE FLAMES PLAYER DAN BOUCHARD'S ROOKIE CARD) IN THE O-PEE-CHEE SET THAT I DON'T HAVE I WILL ENJOY THIS WIN FOR NOW

MYRE WAS THE FLAMES' FIRST PICK IN THE EXPANSION DRAFT AND SHARED GOALTENDING DUTIES WITH BOUCHARD UNTIL HE WAS TRADED TO ST. LOUIS IN 1977. LATER IN 1980 HE PLAYED FOR PHILLY IN A CUP FINAL WITH HIS FORMER TEAMMATE PAT QUINN AS HIS COACH. I'M HAPPY FOR PHIL BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF PLAYOFF SUCCESS IN ATLANTA

HERE'S THE WHOLE TEAM SET PLUS A 73-74 CAMEO. THIS IS AN ODD BUT FAIRLY ATTRACTIVE DESIGN. I LIKE THAT 'GRANDFATHER OF COMIC-SANS' TYPE FOR THE TEAM NAME. SINCE THE FLAMES WERA AN EXPANSION TEAM ALL THE PLAYERS ARE IN THEIR ORIGINAL TEAMS' SWEATERS WITH THE LOGOS TACTFULLY REMOVED. I ORIGINALLY COLLECTED ONLY TOPPS VINTAGE HOCKEY BECAUSE QUITE HONESTLY THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I COULD FIND EASILY WAY DOWN SOUTH. I KIND OF REGRET THIS NOW AS THE O-PEE-CHEE SET NOT ONLY HAS MORE PLAYERS BUT HAS PICTURES OF THE GUYS IN A FLAMES SWEATER INSTEAD OF THESE AIRBRUSH JOBS. THEY LOOK REALLY GOOD! THESE ARE WAY MORE NOSTALGIC FOR ME THOUGH AS MOST OF THEM WERE PICKED UP IN THE 80S OR 90S

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!

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

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 14: HEY TEK

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WHILE I ONLY PICKED UP ONE JASON HEYWARD CARD IN MY BLACK FRIDAY BINGE. THE FIRST ORDER I EVER MADE ON COMC WAS MADE UP OF MOSTLY J-HEYS. I GUESS I JUST HAVE TOO MANY PLAYER COLLECTIONS NOW, PLUS NEW HEYWARD CARDS ARE STARTING TO BECOME SCARCE NOW THAT HE'S MORE OR LESS A FOURTH OUTFIELDER TYPE. POOR JASON, GETTING CROWDED OUT BY RONALDS AND TRAES. EVEN WORSE I BOUGHT THIS SAME CARD LAST YEAR

2014 TOPPS HIGH TEK JASON HEYWARD MICROCHIP PATTERN

FROM BLAST PATTERNS TO MICROCHIPS. I LIKE THIS DESIGN MUCH BETTER. MAYBE IT'S JUST BECAUSE IT'S PHOTOGRAPHED INSTEAD OF SCANNED BUT IT LOOKS WAY COOLER THAN EXPLOSIONS GOING EVERYWHERE AND CLASHING WITH THE COMET SHARDS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE. I LOVE CLEAR CARDS AND I LOVE HOLOFOIL AND I REALLY LOVE CLEAR CARDS WITH HOLOFOIL SO THIS IS A NO BRAINER PICKUP FOR ME. I'M GLAD I DID, THERE ARE NO MORE COPIES OF THIS CARD ON COMC AND I DON'T ANTICIPATE ANYONE DUMPING A PILE OF DECADE OLD FRINGEY ODDBALL SET CARDS ON THE SITE ANY TIME SOON 

MY TCDB LIST IS ALREADY HOPELESSLY OUT OF DATE AND I'M CERTAIN THAT I'VE ALREADY PUT SOME CARDS IN THE BINDER THAT DID NOT GET INTO THE DB. I DID PUT THIS ONE IN THOUGH ALTHOUGH IT TOOK SOME DIGGING TO DETERMINE THAT WHAT COMC CALLED THE MICROCHIP PATTERN TCDB CALLED THE PIPES PATTERN. THIS WAS COMPLICATED BY THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO PICTURE FOR JASON'S CARD. SADLY MY SCANNER IS KAPUTT AND I DON'T THINK THEY LIKE PEOPLE UPLOADING JANKY OFF KILTER PHOTOS TO THE SITE SO IT WILL REMAIN PICTURELESS FOR THE TIME BEING. I NOW HAVE 215 CARDS (THAT I'VE BOTHERED TO ENTER) FOR 4.7% OF ALL HEYWARD CARDS. LORD HOW I WISH I COULD FILTER OUT ALL THE SHORT PRINTED AND SERIAL NUMBERED CARDS AND GET A NICER NUMBER. I'M STILL IN THE TOP TEN OF COLLECTORS WHO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO ENTER IN THEIR CARDS ON THE DB WHICH IS NICE, BUT I'M FALLING BEHIND THE CUBS COLLECTORS QUICKLY. JASON'S GOING INTO THE HALL WITH A CUBS HAT AND I'VE ACCEPTED THIS

AND HERE'S THE BINDER PAGE OF TEK CARDS I PROMISED IN THE LAST POST. THERE'S ALSO A CAMEO APPEARANCE FROM THE FIRST PAGE OF THE 2015S WHERE J-HEY CARDS TRANSITIONED FROM BRAVES TO -UGH- CARDINALS. THAT'S PROBABLY ANOTHER REASON I'D LIKE TO FILL UP THIS PAGE AS A TRIBUTE TO THE LAST GREAT YEAR OF HEYWARD CARDS. I'M FINDING OUT IT WILL BE WAY EASIER TO GET A PARALLEL SERIAL NUMBERED UNDER 100 AND AN AUTOGRAPH TO FILL OUT THE BOTTOM ROW THAN IT WILL BE TO FIND THE RARER ZIG ZAG AND SHATTER STRIPES PATTERNS. THIS IS ONE REASON WHY I STILL HAVEN'T PICKED UP THE MOST COMMON BASE CARD, I WANT TO HAVE AN OPTION TO PICK UP A CHEAP HEYWARD IN A PINCH. PLUS THE MOMENT I BUY IT I WILL FIND A PILE OF THEM IN A DIME BOX. I'LL BUY THEM ALL ANYWAY BUT STILL

2023 COMC BINGE - PART 13: OBLIGATORY RONALD & TRAE ROUND 1: SHIIIINY

 RONALD ACUÑA JR. AND TRAE YOUNG ARE MY FAVORITEST PLAYERS AT THE MOMENT AND I LOVE PICKING UP THEIR CARDS. PROBLEM: IN ATLANTA THEY ARE VERY SPENDY. MORESO FOR RONALD FOR OBVIOUS REASONS BUT TRAE CARDS AIN'T CHEAP IF YOU CAN EVEN FIND THEM. ON THE INTERWEBS THOUGH? IF THEY AREN'T PSA 10 AUTORELIC ROOKIE CARDS NO ONE CARES. THIS MEANS CHEAP CARDS FOR A CHEAP SKATE AND I PICKED UP SIX OF THEM FOR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF BUCKS. THAT'S NORMALLY WHAT I'D PAY FOR ONE CARD EACH AT THE LCS, AND THAT'S ONLY IF I BOUGHT THE ABSOLUTE CHEAPEST CARDS IN THE SHOP. I'M SPLITTING THESE UP IN PAIRS TO SPREAD THEM OUT. WE'LL START WITH THE SHIIIINY ONES

2023 TOPPS CHROME - CHROME TITANS #CT-5 RONALD ACUÑA JR.

THESE CARDS ARE FRIGGIN AMAZING LOOKING. I FOUND AN ALTUVE IN A DOLLAR BOX LAST YEAR AND I KNEW I WAS GETTING THIS ONE DURING THE BINGE. I WAS READY TO PAY ACOUPLE BUCKS FOR IT BUT IT WASN'T EVEN THE MOST EXPENSIVE ACUÑA CARD I BOUGHT AT ONLY SIXTY-ONE CENTS. I SHOULDN'T BE THAT SURPRISED AS TRUCKLOADS OF CHROME ALWAYS GETS RIPPED EVERY YEAR AND ANYTHING THAT ISN'T AN AUTOGRAPH OR SUPERFRACTOR GETS THROWN IN THE BIN. THANKS, BREAKERS! I REALLY LIKE THIS PHOTO OF TRUIST PARK, I AM NOT SURE IF I HAD A CARD OF THE NEW STADIUM YET

THE BACK'S NOTHING TO LOOK AT BUT THAT'S PAR FOR THE COURSE NOWADAYS. WE MAY AS WELL GO BACK TO PASTING CARDS INTO SCRAPBOOKS. THIS IS AN INTERESTING FACTOID AT LEAST THAT MADE ME CHECK RONALD'S 2023 SPLITS. NOT THAT BIG A DIFFERENCE, HIS OPS IS A LITTLE BETTER AT HOME THANKS TO A FEW MORE WALKS. RONALD HAS SUCKED AT HOME SO FAR THIS YEAR BUT WE'RE BARELY A QUARTER WAY THROUGH THE YEAR

2019-20 PANINI DONRUSS OPTIC - EXPRESS LANE - HOLO #17 TRAE YOUNG

.I'M OLD SO A SHINY TRADING CARD WITH A RUSTING OLD BOWLING ALLEY SIGN FROM THE 1960S AS THE MAIN DESIGN ELEMENT IS CATNIP FOR MY NOSTALGIA ADDLED BRAIN. THE AREA WHERE I LIVE HAS BEEN BUILT UP TO HELL IN THE PAST 25 YEARS SO ANY COOL OLD SIGN WE HAD MOLDERING IN FRONT OF A FAILING BUSINESS HAS ALREADY BEEN PAVED OVER AND REPLACED WITH A STRIP MALL, BUSINESS PARK OR CAR WASH. THE LACK OF DILAPIDATED OLD TRASH IN MY LIFE HAS CAUSED ME TO LOOK UP AMAZING OLD BUILDINGS AND SIGNS ONLINE LIKE THIS WONDERFUL BEAUTY PARLOR SIGN I SAW ON BLUESKY RECENTLY. WHEN I SAW THIS RUSTY OLD MESS AND IT WAS A HOLO? INSTABUY

I HAVE NEVER BEEN A BIG FAN OF OPTIC BUT DAMN THEY HAVE SOME WILDASS INSERTS. THIS IS A SECOND YEAR INSERT SO TRAE YOUNG IS STILL YOUNG. NOW HE IS TRAE OLD AND THE HAWKS ARE BACK IN THE LOTTERY AND EVERYONE HAS THEIR KNIVES OUT FOR POOR TRAE. I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SUMMER OF TRADE RUMORS. IF TRAE GOES, I HOPE IT'S TO SAN ANTONIO SO HE CAN WIN A BUNCH OF TITLES WITH WEMBY. I KNOW THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN SO IT WILL BE THE WORST CASE SCENARIO WHERE HE'S TRADED TO THE LAKERS AND GETS BLAMED WHEN THEY DON'T IMMEDIATELY GO TO THE FINALS. FUCK IT DUDE, LET'S GO BOWLING