The Night Owl Effect

If you're reading my blog and you don't know Night Owl, then you need to reevaluate your life.  He is the undisputed king of all card bloggers.  His posts are always insightful and unique.  Therefore, I'd like to define two card blogging theories inspired by Night Owl:

The Night Owl Effect: A phenomenon where a card blogger devotes far more time and effort toward writing a trade post simply because the cards were sent by Night Owl.

Example:  Fellow blogger Stealing Home recently posted a trade package from Night Owl.  It took him 2 posts (Part 1, Part 2).  That same blogger once created a trade post that captured three trades in one single post.

The Night Owl Syndrome: A phenomenon where you read a Night Owl post and instantly think you have a bunch of good ideas to blog about.  Ultimately, after repeatedly trying to develop crisp fresh content and wasting several midnight hours (because there has to be something to that night owl thing), you say "screw it" and enter the seven stages of grief.  Shock ("I really thought I had a good idea"), denial ("No, it's not over, I can do this"), bargianing, guilt ("I should have tried harder in school"), anger ("Damn YOU, NIGHT OWL!!!"), depression ("I'm never going to be like Night Owl. He's a stud, and I'm just a stinky piece of donkey poopoo"), and acceptance.

Dammit, I'm making this a good post.  It's going to be interesting.  It's going to have a theme.  It's going to be completely fantastic.   I'm also going to cheat and use Night Owl's words to get me started.

In case you can't read it, it says, "Hey Adam, You have an incredible ability to collect what I don't.  Here's hoping you need more than 2 cards in this package. -Greg (N.O.)"

Well, let's just put those two sentences to the test.

1. "You have an incredible ability to collect what I don't."

Night Owl collects Dodgers.  I collect Scott Sizemore, David Wright, Justin Upton, BJ Upton, Ryan Zimmerman, Justin Verlander, Michael Cuddyer, and Mark Reynolds.  Together, they have played for the Tigers, Athletics, Yankees, Mets, Diamondbacks, Braves, Padres, Rays, Twins, Rockies, Orioles, Indians, Brewers, and Cardinals.  That's 14 teams, and no Dodgers.

Night Owl collects 1975 Topps Minis.  I collect Topps Flagship #3 cards.

There are currently no baseball sets on which both he and I are working.

So I'd say, in general, his statement is correct.  Of course, if you know Night Owl, you know he is a Bills fan.  I'm a Virginia Tech fan.  Tyrod Taylor went to VT and plays for the Bills.  Crazy, I know.

2. "Here's hoping you need more than 2 cards in this package."

Well, let's find out.

2012 Topps Scott Sizemore
I didn't need it.  To be fair, it would be extremely difficult for someone to find a Scott Sizemore I didn't have.  I currently own 165 of 172 non-1/1 Scott Sizemore cards.  If you take out off-brand and minor league team-issued cards (Tristar/Choice/etc.).  I only need three cards: 2010 Topps Pro Debut Futures Game Patch #/5, 2013 Topps Factory Set Orange #/230, and 2013 Topps Mini #496 Black #/5.

2014 Bowman Justin Verlander
Needed it.  Cards from 2014 and 2015 are a pretty safe bet since I have slowed my collecting recently.  This is my 191st unique Verlander.

2009 Topps Allen & Ginter Mark Reynold Ginter Code Parallel
Needed it.  These are easily some of the most unique parallels out there. This is my 56th Mark Reynolds card.

2012 Topps Chrome David Wright

Needed it.  I was actually surprised I didn't have this yet.  This is my 307th David Wright.  Really wish he could have won a ring this year.  

2013 Topps Archives David Wright

Didn't need it.  I would have bet money that I would have needed this one and not the 2012 Chrome. For those not keeping track, Night Owl is 3-for-5 so far in this trade.

2010 Topps Justin Upton Peak Performance

Didn't need it.

2014 Topps Heritage Justin Upton

Needed it.

2010 Topps BJ Upton Attax Code Card

Didn't need it.  Conservative estimate: I own 20 of this card.

2012 Topps Chrome BJ Upton

Needed it.  2012 Chrome strikes again.  I thought I had this.  Turns out I had the refractor but not the base card.  It is unbelievably satisfying to get the base card when you already have a parallel. This is BJ #245.

2013 Topps Update Michael Cuddyer ASG

Needed it.  This was my first 2013 Cuddyer.  Night Owl is 6-for-10 through just over half of the package.  I now have 89 Cuddyers.

2013 Topps Update Michael Cuddyer HRD

Needed it.  Make that 90.

2014 Bowman Michael Cuddyer

Needed it.  Make that 91.

2009 Upper Deck First Edition Ryan Zimmerman

Needed it.  I rarely get cards from 2007-2010 that I don't already have.  This is the second such card in this package alone.  This is my 243rd Zimmerman. He's closing in on my BJ mark.

2010 Topps Ryan Zimmerman Attax Code Card

Didn't need it.

2011 Topps Allen & Ginter Ryan Zimmerman Hometown Heroes

Didn't need it.  That's 9-for-15 so far.

2013 Topps Ryan Zimmerman Wal-Mart Blue Border

Didn't need it.  Night Owl should have shopped at Target.

2014 Topps Archives Ryan Zimmerman

Needed it.  That makes 244 Zims.

2007 Fleer Ultra Conor Jackson

Needed it.  I now need 57 more cards to complete my set.

2014 Topps Allen & Ginter Co¿nc?dence RMS Carmania & SMS Cap Trafalgar

Needed it.  This was the top card for me in the package.  I'm now just 4 cards shy of finishing the Co¿nc?dence set.  That means Night Owl was 12-for-19 in this package.  That is a really good percentage for a package these days.  He definitely exceeded his hopeful goal of two.

If you don't know the story behind the RMS Carmania and SMS Cap Trafalgar, allow me to read the back for you:

"During World War I, the German cruise liner SMS Cap Trafalgar secretly was converted to a warship in order to patrol the seas disguised as the British cruise liner RMS Carmania.  One problem: the RMS Carmania had been converted, too, and sank the German vessel."

In other words, you can strive to be someone else, but the original will always blow you out of the water.  

Thanks for being the original, Night Owl, and thanks for the cards.