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Monday, March 25, 2024

2024 ONLINE BLASTER - PART 6: MOAR CHAOS

OOPS! TWO WEEK HIATUS DUE TO RUNNING OUT OF BUFFER DRAFT POSTS AND AN UNEXPECTED CASE THE OF BRAINSNAKES. I NEED A NICE, EASY CHAOS POST TO MAKE SURE SOMETHING GETS POSTED THIS WEEK. HOORAY! HERE'S THAT POST!

2019 TOPPS CHROME JOSH ROGERS AUTOGRAPH


CATEGORY - IT'S A FRIGGIN ON CARD AUTOGRAPH

CHROME ON CARD AUTOGRAPH ON THE FREE CARD SITE? YEP! THERE'S QUITE A FEW AUTOS ON THERE, MOST ARE UNCERTIFIED ON JUNKWAX CARDS OR FROM 90S DRAFT PICK SETS BUT THERE'S SOME NEWER ONES ON THERE ESPECIALLY NOW THAT THERE'S A DOLLAR BOX OPTION. THIS IS A GREAT LOOKING SIGNATURE ON A GOOD LOOKING DESIGN SO I NABBED IT AS SOON AS I SAW IT. ROGERS IS CURRENTLY IN THE ROCKIES ORGANIZATION AND I HAVE NO IDEA IF HE'LL END UP ON THE OPENING DAY ROSTER. THE CARD IS PRETTY AS HELL THOUGH

1996 TOPPS JUAN GONZALEZ HOBBY MASTERS INSERT


CATEGORY - INSERT, SHINY

POOR TOPPS WAS LEFT AT THE STARTING GATE IN THE INSERTS BOOM OF THE EARLY 90S BUT THEY CAUGHT UP WITH SOME EXTRA SHINY NONSENSE AFTER '96. HOLOFOIL WITH CRAZY PATTERNS WAS TOPPS' M.O. IN THE LATE 90S AND YOU'LL SEE A COUPLE MORE EXAMPLES IN THIS POST. THESE HOBBY MASTERS CARDS LEFT A REAL IMPRESSION WHEN YOU PULLED ONE IN 1997. I WOULDN'T KNOW, I SOMEHOW DIDN'T RIP ANY TOPPS BASEBALL IN 1997 (PROBABLY BECAUSE I WAS BUYING A TON OF THE STAR WARS CCG INSTEAD) AND THESE WERE ONLY FOUND IN HOBBY PACKS

SPORTKINGS VOL. 3 RICHARD PETTY, BLACK CAVIAR



CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR, HORSIE

I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY I'M DOING BUYING ALL THESE RICHARD PETTY CARDS SINCE I DON'T REALLY COLLECT RACING CARDS BUT C'MON, LOOK AT THISONE. IT'S FANTASTIC. I THINK I MIGHT FILL UP A PAGE FULL OF PETTYS FOR A CHAOS BINDER AND THEN CUT MYSELF OFF. UNTIL I FIND ANOTHER COOL LOOKING ONE

HORSIES I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M DOING. GIMME HORSIE CARDS. I ALMOST BOUGHT THIS ONE TWICE BUT LUCKILY I HAD THIS DRAFT POST UP AND REMEMBERED I HAD IT. I DON'T KNOW WHO BLACK CAVIAR IS BUT I'M GUESSING THEY WON A RACE OR PERHAPS MULTIPLE RACES. DOESN'T MATTER, THEY'RE A GOOD HORSIE

2022 ALLEN & GINTER FRANKIE MONTAS, VICTOR ROBLES SPs



CATEGORY - ALLEN & GINTER

I LOVE ALLEN & GINTER AND HAVE THE COMPLETE SET RUN FROM 2006-2013 BUT SINCE I'VE STOPPED BEING ABLE TO BUY UP A BUNCH OF BLASTERS OF THE STUFF I'VE HAD A BIT OF A COLLECTING CRISIS. I CAN'T COMPLETE SETS ANYMORE (ESPECIALLY NOW THAT CHEAP BASE HAS DISAPPEARED FROM MY LOCAL DIME BOXES) BUT I STILL LOVE THE SET. RECENTLY I HAVE DECIDED THAT I DON'T NEED TO COMPLETE ALL THESE SETS FILLED WITH BORING ROOKIES AND DUBIOUS NON-SPORTS SUBJECTS AND CAN JUST BUILD UP A LITTLE PILE OF CARDS I ACTUALLY LIKE. I LIKE SHORT PRINTS. I ESPECIALLY LIKE ALLEN & GINTER SHORT PRINTS BECAUSE THEY DON'T COST A FEW BUCKS EACH LIKE HERITAGE SHORT PRINTS. OR A LOT OF BUCKS EACH LIKE TOPPS BASE SHORT PRINTS. REMEMBER ALL THOSE CHRONICLES POSTS? GET READY FOR A FEW ALLEN & GINTER POSTS LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE

2022 QYPSY GUEEN MOOKIE BETTS


CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR

I GOT REAL MAD AT MOOKIE FOR TRYING TO STEAL RONALD'S MVP LAST YEAR BUT ALL IS FORGIVEN NOW. GYPSY QUEEN SEEMS TO BE A DEAD SET NOW BUT I LIKE THE DEBUT SET THAT WAS BASED ON THE 19TH CENTURY TOBACCO CARDS AND THE RECENT SETS THAT WENT ART DECO. THIS VAGUELY STEAMPUNK TICKET DISPENSER DESIGN IS ALSO A PRETTY NEAT ONE. IT'S UNIQUE AT LEAST! IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD THING THIS BRAND RAN ITS COURSE BEFORE WE STARTED GETTING CARDS BASED ON 40S AND 50S DESIGNS. I'M NOT READY FOR ANOTHER TIKI BAR THEMED SET

2000 TOPPS MIKE PIAZZA POWER PLAYERS INSERT


CATEGORY - INSERT

2000 WAS THE PINNACLE OF TOPPS' WILD HOLOFOIL INSERTS. THERE WERE FIVE DIFFERENT SHINY SETS, EACH WITH THEIR OWN SPEACIAL THEMED PATTERNS THAT ALL STARTED TO BLUR TOGETHER. AND THE OWN THE GAME INSERT HAD TWO DIFFERENT DESIGNS FOR SOME REASON! THEY'RE ALL VERY PRETTY BUT AS SOMEONE WHO RECENTLY SORTED ALL THEIR TOPPS INSERTS I GOTTA ADMIT THEY ALL MAKE YOUR EYES GO CROSSED AFTER A WHILE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE GOES TO WHAT SET. WHEN YOU SEE ONE CARD BY ITSELF LIKE THIS ONE WHERE MIKE PIAZZA MUSHED A BASEBALL SO HARD IT CREATED RAINBOW SHOCKWAVES IT'S A VERY ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE

2000 TOPPS JEFF BAGWELL PERENNIAL ALL-STARS INSERT


CATEGORY - INSERT

SEE WHAT I MEAN ABOUT THESE 2000 INSERTS? PERENNIAL ALL-STAR BAGWELL IS OBVIOUSLY SMACKING A BASEBALL SO HARD HE'S CAUSED THE SUN TO SUPERNOVA. IT LOOKS NOTHING LIKE PIAZZA'S SHOCKWAVE SPLAT. BUT GET A BIG MIXED UP PILE OF THESE THINGS IN YOUR HANDS AND IT'S TOO MUCH FOR THE HUMAN MIND TO COMPREHEND. TOPPS PIVOTED FULLY TOWARD THE RETRO REPRINTS AND RELIC CARDS IN THE 21ST CENTURY AND CUT WAY BACK ON THE HOLOFOIL. OWN THE GAME KEPT THE WILD PATTERNS GOING UNTIL THEY BECAUSE BORING FLAT HOLOFOIL IN 2007 BUT THESE 2000 INSERTS DESERVED TO BE RECOGNIZED AS THE HIGH WATER MARK. ONE DAY I'D LIKE TO COMPLETE ALL OF THESE AND PUT THEM IN A BINDER AND GAZE UPON THEM AND BE DAZZLED TO INSANITY

1992 ECLIPSE TRUE CRIME JACK THE RIPPER


CATEGORY - LEGEND, MONSTER

I HAVE A WEIRD RELATIONSHIP WITH TRUE CRIME, I'VE BEEN A BIT OBSESSED WITH IT SINCE I WAS A KID AND WATCHED TOO MANY SCARY DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT CRIME AT TOO YOUNG AN AGE. BUT UNLIKE HORROR MOVIES WHICH ARE ALL FAKE WHEN I CHECK OUT TRUE CRIME STUFF I EVENTUALLY REALIZE THEY ARE ABOUT REAL PEOPLE WHO HAD TERRIBLE THINGS HAPPEN TO THEM AND IT MAKES ME SAD. I BOUGHT A FEW PACKS OF THIS STUFF AT THE FLEA MARKET AND WANTED TO BUILD IT UNTIL I READ THE BACKS AND REALIZED THAT HALF THE CARDS WERE PEOPLE WHO DID HORRIBLE THINGS TO PEOPLE AND THE OTHER HALF WERE THE PEOPLE WHO GOT HORRIBLED AND IT ONCE AGAIN BUMMED ME OUT. HOWEVER. JACK THE RIPPER IS A TRUE LEGEND. TONS OF MOVIES, BOOKS AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE GRAPHIC NOVELS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THIS GUY.  PLUS THE FIRST DOCUMENTARY ON SERIAL KILLERS THAT I WATCHED WHEN I WAS A KID THAT SCARED THE LIVING PISS OUT OF ME AND GOT ME ON THIS CRIME KICK IN THE FIRST PLACE PROMINENTLY FEATURED JACK'S DEEDS. YES, MR. THE RIPPER WAS AN ACTUAL PERSON WHO DID AWFUL THINGS TO REAL PEOPLE BUT THANKS TO INCOMPETENT COPS AND GREEDY JOURNALISTS HE BECAME ELEVATED TO A MYTICAL MONSTER. AND THAT'S WHY THIS CARD NOW LIVES IN MY MONSTER CARD BINDER. I DON'T KNOW IF I NEED ANY MORE CARS FROM THIS SET BUT THE ZODIAC KILLER WAS THE OTHER GUY FROM THAT DOCUMENTARY THAT SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME AND A LANA TURNER CARD WOULD BE REALLY COOL EVEN IF THE STORY BEHIND IT IS EXTREMELY NOT 

1998 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED BARRY LARKIN


CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR

I JUST TYPED OUT LARRY BARKIN AND GIGGLED FOR A MINUTE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN MY CURRENT STATE OF MIND. I'VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES ALREADY BUT WHAT THE HELL, LET'S SAY IT AGAIN. I REALLY LIKE THE FLEER SPORTS ILLUSTRATED CARDS AND I WILL NEVER EVER BUILD ANY OF THE SETS. I WILL ABSOLUTELY PICK OFF RANDOM STARS THAT LOOK GOOD THOUGH AND THIS LARKIN LOOKS GOOD. COLLECTING BY PURE VIBES IS NOT GREAT FOR ORGANIZATION BUT IT'S A HELLUVA LOT OF FUN

1996 SCOREBOARD ALL SPORT PPF VLADIMIR GUERRERO


CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR

SCOREBOARD ALL-SPORT PPF WAS A PRETTY WILD MULTI-SPORT SET WITH A FANTASTIC CHECKLIST FULL OF STARS AND ROOKIES FROM ALL FOUR MAJOR SPORTS INCLUDING ONE OF KOBE BRYANT'S FIRST CARDS. THESE WERE DONE PANINI STYLE WITH MAJOR LEAGUE LOGOS AIRBRUSHED OUT OF THE STARS AND THE ROOKIES IN MINOR LEAGUE OR COLLEGE UNIS. I BOUGHT A FEW PACKS CHASING THE ONE 'VINTAGE' CARD PER BOX BUT ONLY GOT BASE AND A FEW (ADMITTEDLY NICE LOOKING) INSERT CARDS. THIS VLADDY IN AN ALBANY POLECATS UNIFORM REALLY GRABBED ME. MAYBE IT'S THOSE SILVER UNIFORM NUMBERS, MAYBE IT'S HOW HAPPY VLAD SEEMS TO ME, MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE PANINI'S AIRBRUSH ARTISTS PUT VLAD INTO A WHITE SOX UNIFORM. AT ANY RATE, IT HAD THOSE GOOD GOOD VIBES AND I PICKED IT UP. HOPEFULLY I DDON'T FIND IT AGAIN IF I EVER LOOK THROUGH MY MINOR LEAGUE BOX AGAIN LOL

2014 TOPPS HANK AARON UPPER CLASS INSERT


CATEGORY - BRAVES, INSERT

I STILL HAVEN'T GOT MY TOPPS INSERTS AFTER 2010 CATALOGUED YET SO THERE'S AN EXTREMELY HIGH CHANCE I HAVE THIS CARD ALREADY. WHO CARES, AARON INSERT. YOU WOULDA BOUGHT IT HAD YOU GOT THERE FIRST, DON'T LIE

1998 SKYBOX DUGOUT AXCESS FRED MCGRIFF NAME PLATES SUBSET


CATEGORY - BRAVESISH, CRIME DOG

SKYBOX DUGOUT AXCESS IS AS WEIRD A SET AS IT IS TO SEE FRED IN A DEVIL RAYS UNIFORM. NICKNAME CARDS ARE COOL AND LICENSE PLATE CARDS ARE NEAT SO WHY THE HELL NOT? THIS IS ANOTHER CARD THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE IS ALREADY IN A FLEER ODDBALL BOX AND ONCE AGAIN I WAS PREVENTED FROM BUYING IT TWICE BY THIS POST. STILL, IT'S GOT THEM GOOD GOOD VIBES EVEN IF THE GREEN AND PURPLE IS A BIT OF AN EYESORE

2022 BOWMAN U KELEE RINGO REFRACTOR


CATEGORY - GEORGIA BULLDOGS, LEGEND

AS A LONG SUFFERING GEORGIA SPORTS FAN THERE ARE FIVE MOMENTS OF JOY PERMANANTLY ETECHED IN MY BRAIN:

SID SLID
GRISSOM CATCHING THE FINAL OUT IN 1995
TRAE SHUSHING MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
JORGE SOLER MASHING A HOME RUN OVER THE TRAIN
KELEE RINGO'S INTERCEPTION

A SHINY BOWMAN U CARD OF THE GUY WHO MADE KIRBY SMART JUMP FOUR FEET IN THE AIR WAS A NO-BRAINER EVEN THOUGH IT'S PRINGLED LIKE A 2010 CHROME CARD AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PHOTO. THE TOP LOADER IT'S IN NOW SOLVES THAT AND THE CARD LOOKS GREAT

UP NEXT: WHO KNOWS? PROBABLY MORE VIBES

3 comments:

Fuji said...

I'm a big fan of the Sport Kings products of recent years. If I'm not mistaken... they have a few different horses on the checklist.

Matt said...

Nothing better than those 90s inserts

Jafronius said...

Woo, Star Wars CCG reference! That and the Star Trek release ate up most of my card budget. And I thought Black Caviar was some sort of Richard Petty nickname, teaches me to scroll down and not just stare at the words too long.