tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14505838596470694312024-02-19T19:29:54.460-05:00My Cardboard MistressSpankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.comBlogger1540125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-14838310929399010262021-12-28T09:45:00.002-05:002021-12-28T09:45:31.775-05:00Ragged Rookie Review Randall<p> I'm writing this on my phone. I didn't have to say that, but it seems to have become a liability statement these days. "I wrote this on my phone so please excuse my grammar and spelling and lack of writing ability." Who has time to get a computer out these days when there's starving kids on TikTok. </p><p>I'm currently sitting on a bench in the cold while my daughter is in an art class. I'll spare you the details of why. However, I find myself in a weird combination of having free time while not free to move anywhere. The cold and the metal bench are in a race to see who.can make my ass go numb first. If you see any periods where there should be spaces as above with "who.can", it's because the space bar on the phone isn't wide enough, and I have the thumb control of a Mortal Combat button masher. And to hell with going back and fixing it. </p><p>I've now killed 1/9 of my wait time. Here's something fun: my next sentence will be created completely by the suggested words on my phone. Perhaps you have to go back and see if it was the first time you had a Merry Christmas or something like that. Profound. </p><p>Anyway here's a card:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxuDYANI7baoQe913sU-ZcLF1G6C8i7MSJ1pgU0_lkAexcrDhm0rxUSNds6apFf5D2B-GTpVjHpla-7Dhn6GomkuThqNIqprQ5WVKclRU33GEgTsBNPeaFDz0lSu9ClSwxUZgrhcVeHEim5DbBZYXTA0cnE307Fe59PW01RjzLQ-VhdHlWXnGzaAd9FA=s4128" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxuDYANI7baoQe913sU-ZcLF1G6C8i7MSJ1pgU0_lkAexcrDhm0rxUSNds6apFf5D2B-GTpVjHpla-7Dhn6GomkuThqNIqprQ5WVKclRU33GEgTsBNPeaFDz0lSu9ClSwxUZgrhcVeHEim5DbBZYXTA0cnE307Fe59PW01RjzLQ-VhdHlWXnGzaAd9FA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglOyQUDLEeNsPR1ylBUuf8a4dM61LwR4h0NX1kI34b63LavN16mIVukD8bIHSwP5JB5Jc7vP4MgRr89Zhs1ft_GFJAAKC-BnRPDNxmEP7zpjDVcnHk2bQJbY8GousoywgRYtlCafP5f-0yEKWpO1vXXJa5AYk0bQO1b3U5qjzIFCGh9GzVgREYQF8oVA=s4128" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglOyQUDLEeNsPR1ylBUuf8a4dM61LwR4h0NX1kI34b63LavN16mIVukD8bIHSwP5JB5Jc7vP4MgRr89Zhs1ft_GFJAAKC-BnRPDNxmEP7zpjDVcnHk2bQJbY8GousoywgRYtlCafP5f-0yEKWpO1vXXJa5AYk0bQO1b3U5qjzIFCGh9GzVgREYQF8oVA=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2003 Rookie Review Magazine Bryan Randall </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I didn't know this existed.until about two weeks ago. It isn't in any if the card databases out there. Hell, it's barely a card. It's one step above a magazine subscription tear-out-and-throw-in-the-bathroom-trash-then-realize-its-recyclable-so-you-dig-it-out-but-now-its-wet-for-some-reason thing. It has the charm of a cut out box bottom card without the effort.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I freaking love it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What is card collecting if not an opportunity to fall in love immediately with something that was a stranger to you just a moment ago? It's like the first time you meet a girl at college. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love the ragged edges. I love that it looks like it came from the pages of a magazine. I love that it talks too much about Marcus Vick. But enough about that girl from college.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm now 2/9 through my waiting. My tailbone is declaring war on my frigid buttcheeks. I dont think I have any other card.pictures on my phone. I packed myself 3 cookies, and I'm just 1/9 away from my first 1/3 celebration snack. 2/9 + 1/9 = 3/9 = 1/3. The math checks out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is where I put that sentence that makes fun of you for still reading this you dork.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cold has reached my.fingers. I think it's time to call it quites on thi daa postshd. Soo could. Camt feedl myt fingers. DJ I'm zhkdnbvz aodj jdkwi yeah 73hdjgw ue .</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-24259144491623530052021-04-21T17:51:00.001-04:002021-04-21T17:52:06.898-04:00X's and O's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOh62RcbYsJn1OXle-xzCA1MdtLoOp527GtREn3AhUt6o-timBP7oKo0-VnKXeM-isJmqrt5pMiIM0ODOQHBFesSouoIoWJK08VYHc1lfci5hCLwB5lOZHx14cjuTKY6XIcGdTMn1t15q/s4128/20210420_200321.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOh62RcbYsJn1OXle-xzCA1MdtLoOp527GtREn3AhUt6o-timBP7oKo0-VnKXeM-isJmqrt5pMiIM0ODOQHBFesSouoIoWJK08VYHc1lfci5hCLwB5lOZHx14cjuTKY6XIcGdTMn1t15q/s320/20210420_200321.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">A little over 12 years ago, I bought my first house. With that first came others. It was also the first time since my re-entry into card collecting that all of my cards were in one place. My money was usually budgeted for house stuff, so discounted blasters became a necessary "savings". The discounted card products of 2008 happened to be the soup du jour, and I happened to be quite fond of all-you-can-eat soup. The two lines that most became part of my purchase history were 2008 Upper Deck A Piece of History and 2008 Upper Deck X. '08 APOH still remains my favorite non-Ginter set of all time. Upper Deck X was merely a toss-in because the box looked cool. The X base set is pretty terrible; clearly made for the sole purpose of facilitating die cut cards. I'm okay with that, though, because the die cut cards are worth it. Then, just to promote stress-induced hair-loss, UD included gold die cut parallels at a rate of 1-per-blaster. I know, I know, the Xponential inserts are freaking amazing. Slow down speedy. We'll get there. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Many collectors try to complete rainbows of one player or complete a set of parallels (ie A&G Minis). Being of the same nature, I was immediately fascinated with the idea of completing the master set of 2008 UD X. The idea of a base+2 parallel set fitting nicely in pages intrigued me. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The base set took no time at all. I've completed it probably 5 times over at this point. The die cut set was a little more difficult. At the time I started collecting it, I think I had 60-70 of the 100. Through trades and some purchasing, I completed that set about a year after I started trying. Then came the golds. After some concentrated effort devoid of excess dollars, I managed to get to about 30% of the set. At 1-per-blaster and only in retail, folks weren't exactly overflowing with them. I put the set on the back burner, just as I did with this blog, for the better part of 5 years (it's probably longer than that but when you have a kid, time becomes incalculable). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8HunQe6NMbFrubgL18yn_n5anP2P_GQEbxzLLVvyR1px5Zd9uQZ625JdKbS7QaUNguq13EkTarSDynQtj12M-15R7IsZ7sLls1Kl13O5Fr-ZuIa5VZcnkt1p5qiOBlTB5Yf6bCwH2Azi/s4128/20210420_200418.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8HunQe6NMbFrubgL18yn_n5anP2P_GQEbxzLLVvyR1px5Zd9uQZ625JdKbS7QaUNguq13EkTarSDynQtj12M-15R7IsZ7sLls1Kl13O5Fr-ZuIa5VZcnkt1p5qiOBlTB5Yf6bCwH2Azi/s320/20210420_200418.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMdIWAk0uHE1g4tUxpUzoVm9mssufBIavWCemn-4MQVR5SCg1-UQR0Em-lE5ki1DWeExkW0a8Fa9yUNqk2HK-yV3xo5TVMvP6avbLzsOTfF9_K6X7vCBS8MsZd_g7Xecy68rnhFM4kH10/s4128/20210420_200421.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMdIWAk0uHE1g4tUxpUzoVm9mssufBIavWCemn-4MQVR5SCg1-UQR0Em-lE5ki1DWeExkW0a8Fa9yUNqk2HK-yV3xo5TVMvP6avbLzsOTfF9_K6X7vCBS8MsZd_g7Xecy68rnhFM4kH10/s320/20210420_200421.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHxpiwxeLtBiBlkUFx2zx8EefVMfnwZNcxDTK4qViHbTTKcDffSTHuA5Vbhre8qPm0GK6APvcefMGiEFGKR7rByffylbL0skN_k4JmhkfPgTKlrmmk0sP5SWb4owpJerq03eRiVwTGdaP/s4128/20210420_200423.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHxpiwxeLtBiBlkUFx2zx8EefVMfnwZNcxDTK4qViHbTTKcDffSTHuA5Vbhre8qPm0GK6APvcefMGiEFGKR7rByffylbL0skN_k4JmhkfPgTKlrmmk0sP5SWb4owpJerq03eRiVwTGdaP/s320/20210420_200423.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Before I knew it, along came 2020 and 2021, a flummoxing pair of years. Suddenly I didn't have to go anywhere or do anything, so I could play with cards again. I also wasn't spending money on eating out and other things, so the bank account was feeling antsy. Yay, the hobby is back for me! Things are great! I can go to the store and buy retail again! (I'm not a smart man). On a side note, is there a better first name for a last card than Lastings? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFd2ZM20eIdWpdIs0m2jjeP-NBAS3NQzyDw22vXyiy6yM9mDKS0I-wudMYeLM4iq5R6Y24LShTXxbQ0MIo76EY_OMnQ0st3TY7wL69selUrCJNW5b48y6uV_aFIo8rMh9XKejvUnMCDITC/s4128/20210420_200503.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFd2ZM20eIdWpdIs0m2jjeP-NBAS3NQzyDw22vXyiy6yM9mDKS0I-wudMYeLM4iq5R6Y24LShTXxbQ0MIo76EY_OMnQ0st3TY7wL69selUrCJNW5b48y6uV_aFIo8rMh9XKejvUnMCDITC/s320/20210420_200503.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">One day in early 2021, I saw a house for sale. I thought, "that's a pretty cool house, but we can't afford to move." Then I looked up our house. Over the next few hours, I realized we actually could afford to move. Before we could really think about it, we were talking with a realtor and starting to organize our house. I needed to quell the card situation. The cards had what you would call a little bit of a weight problem. I came across some cards to keep, some to sell, and some to recycle (1990 dupes/trips/quadrupes/quindrupes/sexdrupes I'm talking to you!) I ended up selling about half of my physical volume of cards. Ok, not MY physical volume. I didn't offload unfortunate fatrolls of cards. I cut my occupied card storage in half. Not literally cut. Fuck, writing is hard.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I decided that I shouldn't just dump the card money into to house stuff. I should at least treat myself a little. The lingering pain of an unfinished set called to me. I could use the money to bring myself to completion. The set. The set to completion. Potato Putahtoh. I sped off to sportlots.com to see if I could find everything. Between there and ebay, I found them all. And I bought them all. I couldn't wait to page them up and look at my new set. But I had to wait, because even after the cards arrived, I had to spend forever pulling the little cardboard triangles out of the shittily die cut cards. Yes I pulled them out. I don't care if the card tears slightly. It's my set you PSA-loving piece of anyway I then put them into the pages. The warm feeling of success rained over me as I'm like 90% sure I'm the only person to ever intentionally complete this set. It looks so nice in the pages. It's as close to perfection as I ever intended.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uAdNzdkck0acsuyULzPLswvEHPvxzYh0tDN9d4TSe-Z7MQEVc1R4u40JA924mbAI9OS2SqPPtz1d_zg-1q0TqDgnhfN1SZWVJXpOnz0CweiSW4jKccZkxyCzVCKqOLZ-k9doH0fGk2Ba/s4128/20210420_200603.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uAdNzdkck0acsuyULzPLswvEHPvxzYh0tDN9d4TSe-Z7MQEVc1R4u40JA924mbAI9OS2SqPPtz1d_zg-1q0TqDgnhfN1SZWVJXpOnz0CweiSW4jKccZkxyCzVCKqOLZ-k9doH0fGk2Ba/w300-h400/20210420_200603.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Ok we'll talk about the Xponentials now. They're fantastic. They're shiny and embossed and everything that makes gaudy inserts great. Of course UD made them imperfect by organizing them by sort-of-initials instead of numbers. I say "sort-of" because UD completely crapped their pants with this one. You see, Josh Beckett and Jason Bay are both JBs. So in the Xponential 1 set, Bay is card #JA and Beckett is card #JB. So naturally that should follow if they both have cards in Xponential 2, right?. NOPE-a-roni. Becket is X2-BE and Bay is X2-JB. Then, Bay doesn't have an X3, but Beckett does and guess what? It's back to X3-JB. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMn055q0w00nN0A-z0cAh5-1InW2C9jnus4l5mqQa0CBA1i0pAZO_GGHtxY2oDqlw2PBCM8lgXsLSaQvuBFW-KpJzv2FcsuTRC7VP1C_FXuowVb7gQfQLFuEX3ve3ly8kpC0LUmufpWt2r/s4128/20210420_200625.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMn055q0w00nN0A-z0cAh5-1InW2C9jnus4l5mqQa0CBA1i0pAZO_GGHtxY2oDqlw2PBCM8lgXsLSaQvuBFW-KpJzv2FcsuTRC7VP1C_FXuowVb7gQfQLFuEX3ve3ly8kpC0LUmufpWt2r/w300-h400/20210420_200625.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">How does no one interrupt the dumbass trying to label by name and tell him just to count to 75? "I don't know man, 75 seems like a lot of numbers and the alphabet only has 26 letters. Also I'm going to need you to wipe my ass later I had prunes with breakfast"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauEtpQUJkwABqA8Jq9yDm2CqAtip2SfEBSKnUSHt7uMSSI-rPFDJQ19UiW9X9L6MzJpqjyjMYVaFzOGoZyFIzYqFNUZM5J9oHm17CuE5qKbhFyUnntqYV-L2JkkRsdl9XNWRwztbnXKnA/s4128/20210420_200656.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauEtpQUJkwABqA8Jq9yDm2CqAtip2SfEBSKnUSHt7uMSSI-rPFDJQ19UiW9X9L6MzJpqjyjMYVaFzOGoZyFIzYqFNUZM5J9oHm17CuE5qKbhFyUnntqYV-L2JkkRsdl9XNWRwztbnXKnA/s320/20210420_200656.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Imagine making a set as phenomenal as the Xponential 3 and not just using numbers. Also imagine if Blogger didn't change the damn font every time I load a picture. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zC7LfULmtRPk6XW6B0boUbbw41GIJ_OmQc2spapINhdMX6bgpKDcifHispS65IR_gWSuJ7UwnXpoPPcccmXioztJs3Iww2d7vNz67WhXu5Wze0_A0LPRcb72YkWabxKhiy46dIA806Ru/s4128/20210420_200722.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4128" data-original-width="3096" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zC7LfULmtRPk6XW6B0boUbbw41GIJ_OmQc2spapINhdMX6bgpKDcifHispS65IR_gWSuJ7UwnXpoPPcccmXioztJs3Iww2d7vNz67WhXu5Wze0_A0LPRcb72YkWabxKhiy46dIA806Ru/s320/20210420_200722.jpg" /></a></div><br />The idea that in 2021 a Vlad Guerrero was the last card I needed to complete a master set and I didn't have to shell out ungodly amounts of money is pretty amazing. Glad it was the old fart.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And thusly henceforth wherefore, I have come full O on X. Likewise, I've come full circle on this house. This time next week, I'll still happily own my 2008 Upper Deck X set while not owning this house. I've downsized my card collection just in time to move to a bigger house. The Me who bought those discounted blasters twelve years ago wouldn't understand any of this. I'd just tell him that none of it is supposed to make sense; it's just supposed to happen.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-86162666494209139422021-02-22T11:45:00.004-05:002021-02-22T11:45:55.582-05:00RIP the pack<p>Reconciling expenses at the end of the month, I'd put the $33 Wal-Mart entry in the "grocery" tab. I knew full well I'd spent the better half of that charge on baseball cards. That's the cost of sending me to the grocery store, I suppose. Doing this in the winter was always the best. It was cold enough outside that I didn't have to worry about perishables as I sat in the parking lot ripping into the more satisfying portion of the purchase. </p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><i>Inspect the pack. Do I open it from the top? Maybe I'll just tear the flap on this one. Yeah, that worked. </i></span></p><p>These days, my Wal-Mart purchases lean further to milk-and-eggs than wax-and-cardboard. I no longer have to catch up with my family in the Target housewares section after browsing the card shelves. I don't have to invent justifications when my wife wonders why "a pack" turned into "a blaster". Good thing she didn't catch my sleight of hand as I slid two rack packs beneath the most concealing wares in the cart.</p><p><i>Slide the wrapper off, trying not to peek at the back card. Square the cardboard stack with my fingers. Turn them to reveal the top card. Here we go.</i></p><p>There are no packs. The shelves are emptier now than when they used to be empty. They used to be empty with Topps Lineage or Panini Triple Play or Upper Deck Documentary. Now, they're just empty. The display boxes have been reversed, flipped upside down, or even discarded; each of those three configurations perhaps more fitting than the one before it. I just want a pack. </p><p><i>It's Joey Votto, the best player that no one cares about. Second card is an Indian or a Cub, or a Cub who was traded to the Indians. No one cares about that guy, he's probably card #236. Three more cards until the insert. No one cares about them.</i></p><p>The absence of packs may be the straw that broke the camel's back. My humps are much more pronounced now than they were when I started this blog 10 years younger. My back can only support so much. I suppose the pack drought is just an inevitable step in the waning of my hobby existence. Scott Sizemore, David Wright, Michael Cuddyer, and <strike>BJ</strike> <strike>Melvin</strike> BJ Upton are retired. I sold my Justin Verlander collection. I'm using the proceeds to eradicate my want lists. I focus my time on other things. I discovered Pokemon last year and have been sharing that with my daughter. Of course, the buying fury has come for Pokemon as well. </p><p><i>A no-name, a rookie no-name, and a Yankee. The insert is David Wright. I needed it. Now, I have it. The last six cards are probably fine. Who cares. I got the card I wanted. This pack was perfect. The Wright goes in a binder and the I-don't-cares get carefully sorted into a box. Secretly, I care about them. </i></p><p>Maybe I'm just aging. Maybe it's just stress. Maybe it's shifting priorities. Maybe it's an unprecedented time in history. Maybe it's definitely all of those. For the first time in my life, I have all of my non-personal-collection baseball cards sorted. I want them, but I don't want them. I want to put them back on the shelf, but I want to hand them off to someone else's storage space. I want to cherish them, but I don't even want to look at them. I'm probably going to part with them. I'll still have plenty of cards that I love and want to thumb through and share with others. </p><p>I think it took writing this to be at peace with the decision to reduce my cardboard footprint. </p><p>I also think I'll hang on to at least one empty box. You never know when you'll find some groceries.</p>Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-40178142370500024422020-07-10T21:08:00.001-04:002020-07-10T21:08:06.069-04:00I bought a pack of cardsOh, hey guys. I bought a pack of cards. Doesn't happen that much these days. A lot of the guys I collect have moved on to greener pastures, and it's hard to get into it for me now. I have other hobbies, too, that I'm putting my time into. It's all so exhausting. But, the itch never fully goes away. My old scanner no longer works, which is probably the greatest cause for my never posting on here.<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyx2o0-9LL7idAfLQuKN6datdRnVXDJ2jNe3LLZ-NRf8y8WNHfvl_QpekKUJZLkoU0Eh7qN5XHyXm7-GI1z7aVq0ZVUbT6auDQ41P8oz0xQIK0hwQM5M1EuJXOFtt5R0owByn5MjDOtCWq/s1600/20200710_204039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1147" data-original-width="1600" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyx2o0-9LL7idAfLQuKN6datdRnVXDJ2jNe3LLZ-NRf8y8WNHfvl_QpekKUJZLkoU0Eh7qN5XHyXm7-GI1z7aVq0ZVUbT6auDQ41P8oz0xQIK0hwQM5M1EuJXOFtt5R0owByn5MjDOtCWq/s400/20200710_204039.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Nats beat the Stros in the World Series last year. I know that, because I googled it. I was pretty sure, but couldn't remember if that was definitely last year or not. I'm getting older and my brain confuses me. It's all so exhausting. And, of course, we've been in 2020 for what feels like a lifetime. I know who both of these guys are.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5DXuHA2Ide7VpAOm4U5TwWQ46ex9HzDLSAwoxCLgrAz6Nna8KoeIA59eY3gh8-JIp88CPNi7T5QL6AYnL5xK7yTqvq3cu6jSyYY7_g2vns4kTyfcm7qwpSGPGb7SXarwx6oyXJ4crTTK/s1600/20200710_203825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1193" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW5DXuHA2Ide7VpAOm4U5TwWQ46ex9HzDLSAwoxCLgrAz6Nna8KoeIA59eY3gh8-JIp88CPNi7T5QL6AYnL5xK7yTqvq3cu6jSyYY7_g2vns4kTyfcm7qwpSGPGb7SXarwx6oyXJ4crTTK/s640/20200710_203825.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
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I didn't know Yu was a Cub. And I think he is the only of the 9 above that I know anything about. Maybe Maikel Franco was on the Phillies? I vaguely remember from Allen & Ginter of years past.</div>
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These cards are horizontal. I knew that.</div>
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This is apparently the best card in the pack (Var SP Yeah You Know Me). That would be cool if it wasn't ugly as shit. Wasn't there also a racism thing or something with Hader's tweets one time? I can't keep track of it all; it's all so exhausting.</div>
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Then there's these two cards that make me grin ear-to-ear. Votto Chrome Turkey Red is just an awesome looking card. Doesn't hurt that he's one of the best players and arguably the most underrated players of the last 10-15 years. Lastly, there's a new Zim for my collection. One pack, one PC card. Gotta love it. I don't feel like I deserved a good pack when I haven't posted anything in ages. </div>
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I won't be buying my usual case of A&G this year. I'll miss it but don't feel up to the time commitment that comes with it. I'm also trying to get up the energy to cut my cardboard footprint in half, but they're all upstairs.</div>
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It's all so exhausting.</div>
Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-68984882161953118782019-04-10T08:59:00.002-04:002019-04-10T08:59:50.401-04:002006 Topps Allen & Ginter #250<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFy474e4EAAdmdrnfvwDrJvj4HIFd4Wg5fsurxH6nK2WOp22AH_jNVvr4vSQAQIeBY-uKctuY7A5OwQ2TflOrVSRSzKKLk4QqpkqcruBnkJDe0emLyF8rzbvNSKhDNw1JWgYY34hBSs7N/s1600/2006A%2526G250Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFy474e4EAAdmdrnfvwDrJvj4HIFd4Wg5fsurxH6nK2WOp22AH_jNVvr4vSQAQIeBY-uKctuY7A5OwQ2TflOrVSRSzKKLk4QqpkqcruBnkJDe0emLyF8rzbvNSKhDNw1JWgYY34hBSs7N/s320/2006A%2526G250Front.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
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This might be the worst looking card in the entire set. Just kidding that belongs to <a href="https://mycardboardmistress.blogspot.com/2013/08/2006-topps-allen-ginter-217.html">Gustavo Chacin</a>.</div>
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Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-7936883396741223502018-09-21T17:01:00.000-04:002018-09-21T17:01:10.676-04:00Gint-A-Cuffs X - Packs 17-24<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/E9V16ue_9T0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E9V16ue_9T0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
Alright, this is it, the last hurrah. We have one hit left. My point total stands at 93.5.<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellspacing="0">
<colgroup width="358"></colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 17</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Montgomery, Yankee</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Harper, Nationals, FP (+1+4)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Contreras A&G Back Mini</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Worldβs Greatest Beaches</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 8 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 101.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 132.176470588235</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />
π Bryciepoo!<br />
<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 18</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Riley Mini, -1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Ripken Fantasy Goldmine</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 1 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 102.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 127.666666666667</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />
π¦ Riley strikes again. After Jackie Robinson, Ripken may have the best modern cards.<br />
<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 19</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Indigenous Heroes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Baseball Equipment of the Ages</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 4 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 106.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 127.421052631579</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />
π<br />
<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 20</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Larkin, FP list</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Betts Framed Mini Relic</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Carew World Talent</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 10 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 116.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 134.4</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />
π Good, my last hit had a frame. A&G frames are the best. I also love when folks pick the old school players for their favorite.<br />
<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 21</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Magnificent Moons</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 2 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 118.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 131.571428571429</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />
π That's no moon. Ok, so it's a moon. The Moon. And it's magnificent. but not that magnificent of a card. It's a not-so-magnificent Magnificent Moon Moon.<br />
<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 22</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Torres, Yankee</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Bruce Homerun Challenge</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Moustakas A&G Back Mini</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Gehrig Fantasy Goldmine, Yankee (+2-1)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 3 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 121.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 130.090909090909</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />
π Damn yankees.<br />
<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 23</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Folio of Fears</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Worldβs Greatest Beaches</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 126.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 130.826086956522</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />
π Ok, ok, ok.<br />
<br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 24</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Sanchez World Talent, Yankee (+2-1)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 1 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 127.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 127.5</b></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
π©<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Welp, that ended with a thud. Or a turd. Or a Yankee. Potato Puhtahtoe.<br />
<br />
The hot box bonus may be the only thing that saves me, but I'm not too hopeful. Probably just enough to get me in the Top 5 but not the Top 1.<br />
<br />
<br />
Anyway, final score:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>127.5</u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><br /></u></span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for following along. Extra special thanks to the Commissioner!</span></div>
</div>
Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-21646013184153655012018-09-20T17:01:00.000-04:002018-09-20T17:01:02.633-04:00Gint-A-Cuffs X - Packs 9-16<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sLsMpdXYgSc/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sLsMpdXYgSc?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
After the boxloader and first 8 packs, I'm sitting at 62 points. Of course, that includes a +20 hot box bonus. Here's what I got for the next 8 packs:<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellspacing="0">
<colgroup width="358"></colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 9</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Baseball Equipment of the Ages</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 2 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 64 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 125.666666666667</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π The Baseball Equipment of the Ages is a nice set, but it's not only-point-scorer-in-the-pack nice.<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 10</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Turner, Nationals</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Moncada Black Border Mini</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Carew Fantasy Goldmine</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 7 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 71 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 132.6</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π Pretty good with a Nat, a black border mini, and an insert<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 11</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Smith, +1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Wiseau A&G Back Mini</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Magnificent Moons</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 76 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 133.909090909091</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π Cool Wiseau mini, cool Claire Smith, and cool Moon<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 12</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Chapman Full-Size Relic, Yankee (+5Γ·2)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Turner Mini, Nationals</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Schoop World Talent</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 5.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 81.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 136</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π C'mon man. I've always laughed at the guys who have to divide by 2. At least the Turner mini softens the blow.<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 13</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">James, +1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Indigenous Heroes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Worldβs Greatest Beaches</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 86.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 136.846153846154</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π Okay.<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 14</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Ohtani, FP List</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Stugotz Mini, -1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Ruth Fantasy Goldmine, Yankee (+2-1)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 2 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 88.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 132.428571428571</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π° Ok, so not a lot of points, but a hot box Ohtani is money in the bank.<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 15</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Baseball Equipment of the Ages</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 2 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 90.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 128.6</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b><br /></b>π I repeat: The Baseball Equipment of the Ages is a nice set, but it's not only-point-scorer-in-the-pack nice.<b><br /><br /></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 16</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Rivera, Yankee</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Robinson A&G Back Mini</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Quintana World Talent</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 3 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 93.5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 126.75</b></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
π¨ Low points, but Jackie minis are flat out works of art.<br />
<br />
<br />
Well, I'm a pack or two or three below 100 with 8 packs to go. My pace has slown considerably. Yes, slown. With the first two hits being full-size relics, I'm at least hopeful for something different for the third.Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-3543160493642556662018-09-19T17:01:00.000-04:002018-09-19T17:01:04.174-04:00Gint-A-Cuffs X - Packs 1-8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vZKbB-hDMRw/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vZKbB-hDMRw?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
His Excellency, The Commissioner, hath mandated that a hot box shall be worth 20 bonus points. Therefore, I start this tally with +7 for the Boxloader and +20 for getting a hot box.</div>
<br />
<table border="0" cellspacing="0">
<colgroup width="358"></colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br /><br /><b>Pack 1</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Worldβs Hottest Peppers Mini</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Magnificent Moons</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 5 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 32 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 147</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π 5 points is a decent pack score. The hottest peppers minis are pretty cool.<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 2</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Strasburg, Nationals, FT</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Bullpen Car, +1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Bryant Mini, FP List</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Jackson Fantasy Goldmine, Yankee (+2-1)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 6 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 38 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 159</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π A Nat, a sweet bullpen car bonus, a Favorite Player List mini, and an insert. Perfect non-hit pack if not for the damn Yankee.<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 3</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Worldβs Greatest Beaches</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 2 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 40 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 131</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π One insert...meh.<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 4</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Ozuna Black Border Mini</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Choo World Talent</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 6 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 46 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 141</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π I know 6 is a good pack score, but it could have been better.<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 5</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Evans, -1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Odor A&G Back Mini</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Baseball Equipment of the Ages</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 3 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 49 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 132.6</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π The Evans anti-bonus is a bummer, but the Baseball Equipment of the Ages is a great insert set.<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 6</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Chapman, Yankee</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Jeter, Yankee</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Smoltz Fantasy Goldmine</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 0 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 49 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 115</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π Seriously, one insert completely counteracted by a pair of Yanks<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 7</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Murphy, Nationals</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Zimmerman, Nationals</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Rendon, Nationals</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Indigenous Heroes Mini</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Magnificent Moons</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 7 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 56 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 126.428571428571</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><br />π Triple Fave Team Points!<br /><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack 8</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Riley, -1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Schoop Full-Size Relic</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Perez World Talent</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 6 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 62 </b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pace: 132</b></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
π Not good to have a neutral reaction to your first hit. The Riley didn't help.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, after the first 1/3 of the box, I'm on a 132-point pace. That's not bad, and the hot box bonus certainly makes things interesting. Still a lot of cards to go.Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-51829845966386832082018-09-18T17:01:00.000-04:002018-09-18T17:01:04.280-04:00Gint-A-Cuffs X - The Boxloader<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bDaJXhcWqhY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bDaJXhcWqhY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<table border="0" cellspacing="0">
<colgroup width="358"></colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Loader:</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17">Banff National Park, Natural Wonders </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Pack Score: 7</b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" height="17"><b>Box Score: 7 </b></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It really is a nice looking card. I really like my idea of just making the boxloaders into postcards. I am a bit biased toward my own ideas, though. But only because they're the best.Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-51249922018324905292018-09-17T18:19:00.000-04:002018-09-17T18:19:21.357-04:00Gint-A-Cuffs X - Choosing a Box<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tf0NcfLUbDw/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tf0NcfLUbDw?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-67058941288883996972018-07-18T17:01:00.001-04:002018-07-18T17:01:00.261-04:002006 Topps Allen & Ginter #249<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsgcYNgcLJ3jPa0uIcTelpJvByuni3q_SPcTiOxdNnjTg9nrh0k7vi9e-RuTvBwRkq23e-pwMMzt2UcXX8FT67-wwILpZAf5jjPCvdh_5BtQZ4zBFPEM1vyPSYQagfGo6Pu8AkjeIYdgD/s1600/2006A%2526G249Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="375" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsgcYNgcLJ3jPa0uIcTelpJvByuni3q_SPcTiOxdNnjTg9nrh0k7vi9e-RuTvBwRkq23e-pwMMzt2UcXX8FT67-wwILpZAf5jjPCvdh_5BtQZ4zBFPEM1vyPSYQagfGo6Pu8AkjeIYdgD/s400/2006A%2526G249Front.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Stewart once hit a single with two outs in the 9th inning against Curt Schilling to break up a no-no. If I were him, I'd drive by Schilling every now and then and just smile at him.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLXXBw6UQgMCSd3Wq3QOz8-WFUMEzR8ubM7ZhLfySgTZzql1hL8memHYjC8o6MP5JMcGv3drhhV0PBZwMbKP4fvyEiLQVdZmH9ZphUbPFV-2IsrKJ8JhvucjEhBseE3_ztAA8H5aOY3ZI/s1600/2006A%2526G249Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="375" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLXXBw6UQgMCSd3Wq3QOz8-WFUMEzR8ubM7ZhLfySgTZzql1hL8memHYjC8o6MP5JMcGv3drhhV0PBZwMbKP4fvyEiLQVdZmH9ZphUbPFV-2IsrKJ8JhvucjEhBseE3_ztAA8H5aOY3ZI/s400/2006A%2526G249Back.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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<br />Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-71741208484571919182018-07-17T17:01:00.000-04:002018-07-17T17:01:13.507-04:00Shoebox Card #75<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_7klInPPqRjdXDeZLwFA2KNLyZrndey5q0AfqQ9LYpwZ5UwUMk2BndL2uN7fAKTZREtXAxWRAiSuov0f_kOCpDZgZMhD3LByXJkUf4VBfUCe-O9uIHo6Plf5kOSuJwnPbYlYdVnBITXO/s1600/75.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="381" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_7klInPPqRjdXDeZLwFA2KNLyZrndey5q0AfqQ9LYpwZ5UwUMk2BndL2uN7fAKTZREtXAxWRAiSuov0f_kOCpDZgZMhD3LByXJkUf4VBfUCe-O9uIHo6Plf5kOSuJwnPbYlYdVnBITXO/s400/75.JPG" width="290" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Jose Canseco did a lot of things, but dammit he never did Coke.</div>
Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-29163931062351942862018-07-16T17:01:00.000-04:002018-07-16T17:01:00.772-04:00Shoebox Card #74<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvlA4pftIkRspUn7RGkbcqMvAtRwhzPN_3gFfseFY1autII6OkQAi_vnKGd2nZv1iDeAThcrWhqFS9mOQtEb04Q6CLyGVLRHSxGHfFCuGl-Bx2WTa0Xkbxsz9yUlHLdE57Ivr2PD-vU-h/s1600/74.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="379" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvlA4pftIkRspUn7RGkbcqMvAtRwhzPN_3gFfseFY1autII6OkQAi_vnKGd2nZv1iDeAThcrWhqFS9mOQtEb04Q6CLyGVLRHSxGHfFCuGl-Bx2WTa0Xkbxsz9yUlHLdE57Ivr2PD-vU-h/s400/74.JPG" width="290" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
In each of the older Topps sets, there always seems to be at least one card for which it seems the set was specifically made. This card is a masterpiece.</div>
Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-82255677662877980902018-07-15T17:01:00.000-04:002018-07-15T17:01:01.880-04:00Shoebox Card #73<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ptMA38puutmWku78kzqKEmu_8sjO51SK_0DHFUzhxvYQpw2X8UaApxKC3PFBVB9qX6KcihxmVRntYP22NpDxYxW-yL-WSGBZVYujwax76WBj-bzTrzcz-PK6jTmhJre5LR0nxlCkLXD8/s1600/73.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="370" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ptMA38puutmWku78kzqKEmu_8sjO51SK_0DHFUzhxvYQpw2X8UaApxKC3PFBVB9qX6KcihxmVRntYP22NpDxYxW-yL-WSGBZVYujwax76WBj-bzTrzcz-PK6jTmhJre5LR0nxlCkLXD8/s400/73.JPG" width="281" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
I chose this card in tribute to <a href="http://toomanycg.blogspot.com/">Dennis</a>, one of my all-time favorite bloggers and trading partners.</div>
Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-85195314748154631222018-07-14T17:01:00.000-04:002018-07-14T17:01:06.439-04:002006 Topps Allen & Ginter #248<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1P35y3tsRr5x5fl1i6Yy5lpTOk-0fETlZ5l4qN9cZyA5Er6gZlxYAPmESXbpN-czm2OhdXsLUF-B8rnpV6aZk1ldbuFIo7CUBYmIxG8uy7Y39qs4ijzH-4bjIAZ2J-EeQbDeh0RMjItA/s1600/2006A%2526G248Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1P35y3tsRr5x5fl1i6Yy5lpTOk-0fETlZ5l4qN9cZyA5Er6gZlxYAPmESXbpN-czm2OhdXsLUF-B8rnpV6aZk1ldbuFIo7CUBYmIxG8uy7Y39qs4ijzH-4bjIAZ2J-EeQbDeh0RMjItA/s320/2006A%2526G248Front.jpg" width="229" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLtNu0qnUEL5nLTVxapSC7UYVUIp8GayVuhtbszS6d4UMsbZKCi2vl9ydMZfx54o3obY0x3QmywheBQGj5WtkFTEuBTp2m3Z0VMfTn9drWOVM94PzoEN29R2dFuGjqFJuL281OwVq3glN/s1600/2006A%2526G248Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHLtNu0qnUEL5nLTVxapSC7UYVUIp8GayVuhtbszS6d4UMsbZKCi2vl9ydMZfx54o3obY0x3QmywheBQGj5WtkFTEuBTp2m3Z0VMfTn9drWOVM94PzoEN29R2dFuGjqFJuL281OwVq3glN/s320/2006A%2526G248Back.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
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I don't have much to say about this card. You'd think I would have something to say since I had almost 5 years to find something to say about it. But I don't.Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-70147266165373687422018-07-12T17:01:00.000-04:002018-07-14T11:01:02.983-04:00Shoebox Card #72<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNa5saLQ29AhPRQVAAfXeK0gvZJkE5pj_PHqPuzymJ9mGqulG6iYhFtAeyGGvMztq08jjOf_68clbZYw0sHvVd1PbQmXUaZEDjFttAML0S1WxRMgNRKL-xGQQBR1PW3ZIg6azCeofdYTA/s1600/72.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="374" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNa5saLQ29AhPRQVAAfXeK0gvZJkE5pj_PHqPuzymJ9mGqulG6iYhFtAeyGGvMztq08jjOf_68clbZYw0sHvVd1PbQmXUaZEDjFttAML0S1WxRMgNRKL-xGQQBR1PW3ZIg6azCeofdYTA/s400/72.JPG" width="283" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://mycardboardmistress.blogspot.com/2013/06/shoebox-card-38.html">Not the best pitcher name in the world</a>, V2.0</div>
Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-81582030756640387052018-01-11T13:34:00.000-05:002018-01-11T13:34:47.921-05:00Shoebox Card #71<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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2 years, 6 months, 12 days, 14+ hours...</div>
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That's how much time has passed since I posted <a href="http://mycardboardmistress.blogspot.com/2015/06/shoebox-card-70.html">Shoebox Card #70</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMI-YoAKXxt3TDpykhrrrOAXWLvE1nK-IlCXWSFgleAiU4IR-av8pLjF34sjhK4GDAoYwFSL4SxJpnyR9wMW9NIvqi6OUTqmX7gwTKRswhXeVlqGdEUMKAuB8nuWrXAtoOrum_z-RSIVf/s1600/71.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="527" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMI-YoAKXxt3TDpykhrrrOAXWLvE1nK-IlCXWSFgleAiU4IR-av8pLjF34sjhK4GDAoYwFSL4SxJpnyR9wMW9NIvqi6OUTqmX7gwTKRswhXeVlqGdEUMKAuB8nuWrXAtoOrum_z-RSIVf/s400/71.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Bob Milacki struck out Jose Canseco to end the 6th inning. He never went back to the mound that day, ending with only 80 pitches. I'm usually a fan of good sportsmanship and keeping a level head. If a manager removes a pitcher with a no-hitter through six, that pitcher should raise hell. Of course, O's Manager Johnny Oates <a href="http://www.hokiesports.com/baseball/jerseys/oates.html">went to Virginia Tech</a>, so it was probably the correct decision.<br />
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<br />Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-55484685740300754242017-05-05T16:25:00.002-04:002017-05-05T16:25:51.132-04:00Arousing the Blog<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nearly a year ago, <a href="http://mycardboardmistress.blogspot.com/2016/07/breaking-down.html">I posted about a wild day</a> that started with my truck broken down and ended with me sunburned. It was a great day, and as I type this, I'm still wearing the shoes that I bought after chucking my dress shoes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In that post, I mentioned that I visited a card shop, and the card shop guy gave me a bonus pack. When discussing the inevitable blog post, I said, "<span style="background-color: white;">Hopefully I'll get it up quickly. hehehe."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Well, I didn't get it up quickly. I originally intended the "hehehe" to be in reference to the "get it up" part. I didn't anticipate that it would be more an apt analysis of the "quickly" part. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">You might say things got a little flaccid around here. In order to get the blood flowing, I figured I better get it up...you know...give the blog the proverbial little blue pill...</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLG6usEZurnUdGT4HiOjksnU8ta9kg2rmxqjze1NXeQJ1rGRRt4cncRsE1mCGEGMgYRN2Oft7WEaTBvI7FOP-1kukuj4ygi4rq1KWUtDL-wkaQ3p5ZztvMMiXYSnZUVzPTsauqWXMuz7BB/s1600/breakdown+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLG6usEZurnUdGT4HiOjksnU8ta9kg2rmxqjze1NXeQJ1rGRRt4cncRsE1mCGEGMgYRN2Oft7WEaTBvI7FOP-1kukuj4ygi4rq1KWUtDL-wkaQ3p5ZztvMMiXYSnZUVzPTsauqWXMuz7BB/s400/breakdown+%25287%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDXSbO-FDU1kNW71pUqkdmFVWJ8YOiC2oiAnCTcJQxvKsJlhe-xZVRwYI8iODp1zX-Z_lD6CWYGGwH-c8-qLAyQs26MweVKrC6NuKDQ9Y0-TPl5c8M-SEBHhIKjp0iys3l-k2DdWtzRkW/s1600/breakdown+%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDXSbO-FDU1kNW71pUqkdmFVWJ8YOiC2oiAnCTcJQxvKsJlhe-xZVRwYI8iODp1zX-Z_lD6CWYGGwH-c8-qLAyQs26MweVKrC6NuKDQ9Y0-TPl5c8M-SEBHhIKjp0iys3l-k2DdWtzRkW/s400/breakdown+%25288%2529.JPG" width="275" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The super special bonus pack was 2002 Pfizer Viagra. The feature card showed the name plate of a guy who would have made this post funnier by being named Harry. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCuA84ZoU7vgTYnyAnXQDbDT-py3Qm3mQuEmdv-_3gAW7tgPanYaNCR59uCPXKT91rUKgKeiMvmj1FjGFTEaeKCMKVtWhtpYuJSIXf7kewtTPvsgeYjUBpn_19T63nLDyh7_194IiXwkg/s1600/breakdown+%25287%2529+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOCuA84ZoU7vgTYnyAnXQDbDT-py3Qm3mQuEmdv-_3gAW7tgPanYaNCR59uCPXKT91rUKgKeiMvmj1FjGFTEaeKCMKVtWhtpYuJSIXf7kewtTPvsgeYjUBpn_19T63nLDyh7_194IiXwkg/s640/breakdown+%25287%2529+-+Copy.JPG" width="452" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOKzFI62StLstKpctSIJuZKZMv-_iPbOhCFcEJfmRwSs2pr4M0eu6sKsQkEpyGx6p5GHVP4h1aIzAxz5phJw0sU7qo1bqMZnwZbhDizeOsI9VBcqyR5HBwOecae3rNJHmMtd4Zv9gCZMr/s1600/breakdown+%25288%2529+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOKzFI62StLstKpctSIJuZKZMv-_iPbOhCFcEJfmRwSs2pr4M0eu6sKsQkEpyGx6p5GHVP4h1aIzAxz5phJw0sU7qo1bqMZnwZbhDizeOsI9VBcqyR5HBwOecae3rNJHmMtd4Zv9gCZMr/s640/breakdown+%25288%2529+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Confident, Consistent, Control.</b> These are just a few of the many things that describe Rafael Palmeiro, and any man with a chemically-induced rock-hard erection.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSF7h4J2hBAuZki50atAFzFvnnhMB5N8nDGzEukmWzJV4z_5Bwtr9OFXyFw26MOzVVGyOYjBWSpickUac1ZduRIXL_tr_S8qGSyF_0AxJciB_8_J-qbmN048NnDmduCmHUTQ639YUevmV/s1600/breakdown+%25289%2529+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSF7h4J2hBAuZki50atAFzFvnnhMB5N8nDGzEukmWzJV4z_5Bwtr9OFXyFw26MOzVVGyOYjBWSpickUac1ZduRIXL_tr_S8qGSyF_0AxJciB_8_J-qbmN048NnDmduCmHUTQ639YUevmV/s640/breakdown+%25289%2529+-+Copy.JPG" width="456" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtG7UbxZyZKdHt4wJtBCP-eAfD3fz-DouJQAQk_R7mGVjm3aI1jYzc0ATGc6tB4gDodtwHaswYeiOmUUuo809jNxcbYRnAkECaRs3zPcWlBuzfs9E3baxR5J_I01CphJhNAue_ZK-0Ggmw/s1600/breakdown+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtG7UbxZyZKdHt4wJtBCP-eAfD3fz-DouJQAQk_R7mGVjm3aI1jYzc0ATGc6tB4gDodtwHaswYeiOmUUuo809jNxcbYRnAkECaRs3zPcWlBuzfs9E3baxR5J_I01CphJhNAue_ZK-0Ggmw/s640/breakdown+%252810%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Diabetes, Hyperlipidemia, and Hypertension</b>. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are just a few of the many things that apparently describe any man named Ed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"8 out of 10 men want their physicians to initiate the discussion" The other two men turned their heads, coughed, and nearly took the doctor's eye out.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnfvNjkCCtwooNgdd09FjeE8qQkrRxt3dE_dbPVraYQmKIY1yLlNMjcErIn6Py28oWMl0Z6BrMJ6hCB1DmX9n8hhr7yCyksgKn2nkke_l_jby6Tk2u8Xza_7sK18_lyd9mLFZB6o-fyrN/s1600/breakdown+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnfvNjkCCtwooNgdd09FjeE8qQkrRxt3dE_dbPVraYQmKIY1yLlNMjcErIn6Py28oWMl0Z6BrMJ6hCB1DmX9n8hhr7yCyksgKn2nkke_l_jby6Tk2u8Xza_7sK18_lyd9mLFZB6o-fyrN/s640/breakdown+%252811%2529.JPG" width="494" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7oEDksf27Gp00GSZ50y-Seyd0Msz3hcmbIBdC1VBBf0DmSYajxoU5YgLhiCz3g7-8a4Az0-eIvU62A9aao-jxzj5gm-evRnPYVs1w9ukVqs5PQHN4V-9zBPjDVXd57oAIQAJrPikWEth/s1600/breakdown+%252812%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7oEDksf27Gp00GSZ50y-Seyd0Msz3hcmbIBdC1VBBf0DmSYajxoU5YgLhiCz3g7-8a4Az0-eIvU62A9aao-jxzj5gm-evRnPYVs1w9ukVqs5PQHN4V-9zBPjDVXd57oAIQAJrPikWEth/s640/breakdown+%252812%2529.JPG" width="494" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know that's super hard to read, so I zoomed in for you:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_sZjuPIDweQhtdsHP0zTh6CRi8h0-_P2OJrak50ohkT0i20XNnORZ0RaFkPeoIDPZE_tEDkKOYQgi7im6yNurjoN7_dFjoKvJWid4tUO3PU-xYu-8JsrkPu08vy1f6XFbX6kUuMv0INF/s1600/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_sZjuPIDweQhtdsHP0zTh6CRi8h0-_P2OJrak50ohkT0i20XNnORZ0RaFkPeoIDPZE_tEDkKOYQgi7im6yNurjoN7_dFjoKvJWid4tUO3PU-xYu-8JsrkPu08vy1f6XFbX6kUuMv0INF/s400/Picture1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd love to hang around longer, but it's been about 4 hours since I started this post, so I've got a phone call to make. </span><br />
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Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-62966907921528790752016-10-20T17:01:00.002-04:002016-10-20T17:02:58.024-04:00Family, Cards, and the Longest Punt Ever KickedWhen people ask why I collect cards, my explanation is typically that I collect cards to which I have a personal collection. I played backyard football with Michael Cuddyer at my best friend's 10th birthday party. My mom was Justin Upton's 2nd grade teacher. BJ Upton was in my algebra class. I played ping-pong with David Wright at his house in high school. I've been friends with Scott Sizemore since pre-school. I collect former VT Hokies because my time spent at VT, especially at football games, is something that I really cherish. The other random cards I've collected over time have some kind of connection to me. I didn't think I could be more connected to cards.<br />
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Now, I have cards that are family.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFB-gmAKP8C5gHjz3pD4tkEutvVw6PQul1LbYCj7GXUtNEBA5vfzcWaI8AdCbB9Qwjqt1kPAxmDQXKE-tqhnv27QieeBsp7yx0lyrsTKPonsSQVvWRm1q1CFLDap1HcX95FjBfKbu7-pSU/s1600/SteveOneal1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFB-gmAKP8C5gHjz3pD4tkEutvVw6PQul1LbYCj7GXUtNEBA5vfzcWaI8AdCbB9Qwjqt1kPAxmDQXKE-tqhnv27QieeBsp7yx0lyrsTKPonsSQVvWRm1q1CFLDap1HcX95FjBfKbu7-pSU/s400/SteveOneal1.JPG" width="287" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEFLWngydU26i2D6WlyRCdfxpuVhaIh2XIDwRxjdmqEgXpQNFYYxe5nEa9NJA00dOqpMAK789MiCCO2b96W1JxqPyPptrwwlfEr1I0xDWoLOhnjFHQ6WDHW0jyrA8dylIu35yBLavTl9h/s1600/SteveOneal2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEFLWngydU26i2D6WlyRCdfxpuVhaIh2XIDwRxjdmqEgXpQNFYYxe5nEa9NJA00dOqpMAK789MiCCO2b96W1JxqPyPptrwwlfEr1I0xDWoLOhnjFHQ6WDHW0jyrA8dylIu35yBLavTl9h/s400/SteveOneal2.JPG" width="286" /></a></div>
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Steve O'neal is my first-cousin-once-removed-in-law-by-marriage...or something like that. He's the husband of my wife's dad's cousin. In other confusing words, my father-in-law's cousin is married to Steve O'neal. From Steve's perspective, I'm his wife's cousin's son-in-law. <br />
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I had the privilege of meeting Steve for the first time about a month ago when my wife's family had a gathering in the sticks of Virginia. Steve and I had an excellent conversation for the better part of an hour before I had any clue he had played in the NFL. When I asked what he did for a living, he said he was a dentist for 40 years. I'm pretty terrified of the dentist, so I didn't really dive into that topic too much. It wasn't until his wife mentioned his time in the NFL that his playing days came up. My wife and father-in-law didn't even know he played in the NFL. He told me a couple stories about his career, mentioning Coach Weeb Eubank and Joe Namath and the like. <br />
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I asked him if he had any football cards, and he said he had one with the Jets and one with the Saints. Naturally, I bought them on eBay while still talking to him. He told me he gets 2-3 letters in the mail each month with folks asking him to sign their cards. He appreciates those who take the time to send nice notes and hates when he gets a card with only a cold request of "sign this card." I made sure to tell him that folks really appreciate when people like him will take their time to sign a card and send it back. <br />
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He then told me <i>about</i> his two cards. He said that when he got to the Jets, being a punter, he didn't have much say in what jersey he ended up with. While Namath had a fresh jersey and cleats in his locker for every game, Steve had the same jersey for 4 years. To make things worse, they issued him a size 56 jersey, when he requested a 48. So, he was constantly pushing the sleeves up to keep them from covering his hands. If that wasn't bad enough, he had no idea they were doing card pictures at practice one day, so he had to attempt a last-second helmet-hair fix. As a result he said his hair was a little messed up. Look at his 1973 Topps card. THE SLEEVES ARE ROLLED UP BECAUSE THEY'RE WAY TOO LONG AND HIS HAIR IS OUT OF PLACE. Mind blown. As for the 1974 Topps card with the Saints, he said they never bothered to take a new picture. They just airbrushed the green out of an old Jets picture they already had. Two cards of a guy I'm related to and a story to attach to both of them.<br />
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After our conversation, he went on a walk, and I went on a google. I came across his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_O%27Neal">wikipedia page.</a> Apparently he failed to mention to me that he kicked the longest punt ever. THE LONGEST PUNT EVER! 98 YARDS! Seriously, go to the <a href="http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/indiv/punting">NFL Punting Records page</a>. You'll find this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4HAjIuj0NQK88unsRU6LwOt40Ym1Az0i0Qfw1z-oLdALhyphenhyphenpFYFITPVP6qkYuy99Eb4x_2tLOZGcPQMPmCDBfaQigwX1pcLkQVzllWuW1oX584M8ApVJ3SnbUdEnCODj5UqMwvKgwcAkn/s1600/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4HAjIuj0NQK88unsRU6LwOt40Ym1Az0i0Qfw1z-oLdALhyphenhyphenpFYFITPVP6qkYuy99Eb4x_2tLOZGcPQMPmCDBfaQigwX1pcLkQVzllWuW1oX584M8ApVJ3SnbUdEnCODj5UqMwvKgwcAkn/s640/Picture1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Here's an <a href="http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/new-york-jets-denver-broncos-steve-o-neal-98-yard-punt-120115">awesome article</a> on it. Here's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI1ZAgbM_II">video of the actual kick</a>. <br />
<br />
It's a record that may never be broken. You can't kick a 100-yard punt because the ball can't be spotted in the end-zone before the kick, so the max possible is a 99-yard kick. Of course, a 99-yard punt is possible, but would actually be a worse punt, since it would be a touchback.<br />
<br />
Here's the back of the 1973 Topps:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydHmP8iR738N7hyphenhypheneJjjuIx6v5eTw1iXFrJn1zz68JokGrcLAXHcfxPWbtt0Or8ZzFfqozSdaHiGp74h40zDnAaRoiwoN2Mq8ZF8XX1Mnvalq5dgYvLh06S51o3pyW8ZpPBmLQcZv6GnrR/s1600/SteveOneal1b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydHmP8iR738N7hyphenhypheneJjjuIx6v5eTw1iXFrJn1zz68JokGrcLAXHcfxPWbtt0Or8ZzFfqozSdaHiGp74h40zDnAaRoiwoN2Mq8ZF8XX1Mnvalq5dgYvLh06S51o3pyW8ZpPBmLQcZv6GnrR/s400/SteveOneal1b.JPG" width="285" /></a></div>
<br />
Of course the card is going to mention the 98-yarder. It also mentions another record. He held the Jets record for most punts in a season with 78 in 1971. Unfortunately, that record was broken in 1976.<br />
<br />
The back of the 1974 Topps card also mentions the 98-yarder, because why wouldn't it? But, there is something else on the back of the '74 card that is way way WAY WAY more awesome.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcl0ZCCTiakKMDsnV7u-PljBUf2jLZG8yLma50e4vzjQQz7k1SkWfhkfD0pK7xL0wmipMgp65aHseaV2AB1KuAUXu1PDYFRXKKIndRm5F-rB-l9NG11UhPTQyE8jzFBd6-mNb9TbMotWrR/s1600/SteveOneal2b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcl0ZCCTiakKMDsnV7u-PljBUf2jLZG8yLma50e4vzjQQz7k1SkWfhkfD0pK7xL0wmipMgp65aHseaV2AB1KuAUXu1PDYFRXKKIndRm5F-rB-l9NG11UhPTQyE8jzFBd6-mNb9TbMotWrR/s400/SteveOneal2b.JPG" width="283" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Here, let me zoom in on that upper right corner for you:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYEntmkPOkMoel_ClclcPXTcorlU3Z1W_Bei9QEBxombXt2hk5dGw-7oEmxeYNWr3C-UjHbTVBIqJXwYMRb0mRUn-bl3rN-yHgZU7s0f74xXevEihCCJcVLVmokoil0IpW7lTmxoKpNyS/s1600/Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYEntmkPOkMoel_ClclcPXTcorlU3Z1W_Bei9QEBxombXt2hk5dGw-7oEmxeYNWr3C-UjHbTVBIqJXwYMRb0mRUn-bl3rN-yHgZU7s0f74xXevEihCCJcVLVmokoil0IpW7lTmxoKpNyS/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
"Steve is interested in dentistry."<br />
<br />
<br />
Shortly after this card was produced, Steve completed dental school, retired from the NFL, and started the first of his 40 years as a dentist.<br />
<br />Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-67725863002564187032016-09-30T10:53:00.002-04:002016-09-30T10:53:52.622-04:00Ginter SmilesI was cleaning out the video camera card recently and came across a series of curious still frames that caught my attention. Our video camera will occasionally take automatic still frames when it detects a smile. As it turns out, it can also detect smiles on cards. As I was recording my Gint-A-Cuffs videos, it took these still frames:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00827_zpsdmezrvu3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00827_zpsdmezrvu3.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Hannah Storm. I'd say that's a high-quality smile. Great job, camera! Andrew Miller is not impressed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00828_zpsknrncqs7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00828_zpsknrncqs7.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I'll assume it focused on Steve Kerr's smile. Carl Edwards, Jr and Ryan Weber need to lighten the hell up. LeBron is king.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00829_zpsfokfuqfx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00829_zpsfokfuqfx.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Mesoraco is skeptical, and Garneau can't even look. LA Mayor Eric Garcetti is happy as a clam, though.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00830_zpsyr6slz34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00830_zpsyr6slz34.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Hakuna Machado! Odorizzi has worries.<br />
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<a href="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00831_zpsbueeuslb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00831_zpsbueeuslb.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I have to say, I'm pretty damn impressed with the smile-detection technology. Jill Martin is a great selection (Google Image Search and you're welcome) Bonus points for Joe Morgan photobomb.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00832_zpsnyl0g9qc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00832_zpsnyl0g9qc.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Not sure whether Rendon or Raiola triggered the camera, but I can guarantee it wasn't Kepler.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00833_zpsxj58otfd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00833_zpsxj58otfd.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
If you film it, he will smile. And it has a picture of a video camera on it. It's handycamception!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00834_zps1lqlofut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00834_zps1lqlofut.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yes, Kevin Pillar, I'm aware that was a stupid joke. Either the camera thought Dwier Brown's smile was doubly good, or it was just trolling me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00835_zpsikuseyni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz34/drum2livv/Cards2/DSC00835_zpsikuseyni.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Mr. Sklar (Yes I said "Mr." because I'm not sure whether that is Chico or Harpo) is kinda smiling. Gio is definitely smiling. As for Kilroy Bench, we may never know.<br />
<br />
These card pictures were just a small portion of the pictures that were in the smile folder. The vast majority were pictures of my daughter smiling, which means it was the cutest damn folder of pictures ever. Seriously, is there anything better than stumbling upon a folder full of smiles?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcskELSglcvE198gaoYyK8JBv8bHPFNGv2VtueHPg08_H5OGEDK_SKs0l6iMg_tmxjZYmf2K-7_m842tjMgRt9QQagaj-oIh2VwpFEcVhk56HNB0iHuDAnIGwtRVNrFNf2jgYl0fzmJwUV/s1600/DSC00687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcskELSglcvE198gaoYyK8JBv8bHPFNGv2VtueHPg08_H5OGEDK_SKs0l6iMg_tmxjZYmf2K-7_m842tjMgRt9QQagaj-oIh2VwpFEcVhk56HNB0iHuDAnIGwtRVNrFNf2jgYl0fzmJwUV/s640/DSC00687.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-21820558777402849772016-08-24T17:01:00.000-04:002016-08-24T17:01:08.240-04:00Gint-A-Cuffs VIII: Packs 21-24<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1w6p020ouac/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1w6p020ouac?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 21:</u></b><br />
26 John Lackey<br />
150 Eric Hosmer<br />
99 Luis Severino (-1 Yankee)<br />
11 Howie Kendrick<br />
178 David Robertson Mini Black Border (+3 Black Border)<br />
112 Kris Bryant<br />
45 Laurence Leavy<br />
335 Shawn Tolleson<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 2</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 96.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 22:</u></b><br />
10 Jason Sklar<br />
204 Drew Storen<br />
139 Gio Gonzalez (+1 Nationals)<br />
BL-7 Johnny Bench Baseball Legends (+2 Insert)<br />
100 Rob Refsnyder Mini (-1 Yankee)<br />
82 Gerardo Parra<br />
NG-27 Jon Lester Numbers Game (+2 Insert)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 4</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 100.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 23:</u></b><br />
185 J.D. Martinez<br />
249 Paul McBeth<br />
84 Robinson Cano<br />
222 Nomar Mazara<br />
59 Billy Hamilton Mini A&G Back (+2 A&G Back)<br />
157 Gerrit Cole<br />
236 Brad Boxberger<br />
327 Raul Mondesi<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 2</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 102.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 24:</u></b><br />
4 Justin Verlander<br />
30 Curtis Granderson<br />
3 Joey Gallo<br />
NW-20 Harbor of Rio de Janeiro Natural Wonders (+2 Insert)<br />
46 Ben Revere Mini (+1 Nationals)<br />
85 Prince Fielder<br />
220 Matt Duffy<br />
NG-70 Willie McCovey Numbers Game (+2 Insert)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 5</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 107.8</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">FINAL GACVIII SCORE: </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">107.8</span></b></div>
<br />
Whelp, that'll be good enough for middle of the pack it appears. It seems like my GAC box is usually one of the worst boxes from the case. May have to find a new helper to pick the box next time.<br />
<br />
Good luck everyone!Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-45819121122734697912016-08-23T17:01:00.000-04:002016-08-23T17:01:09.743-04:00Gint-A-Cuffs VIII: Packs 17-20<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/F9g04Fu6PK0/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F9g04Fu6PK0?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 17:</u></b><br />
284 Orlando Cepeda<br />
134 Henry Owens<br />
132 Leigh Steinberg<br />
174 Frankie Montas<br />
277 Manny Machado Mini<br />
300 Trea Turner (+1 National)<br />
159 Brett Gardner (-1 Yankee)<br />
344 Ryan Zimmerman (+1 National)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 1</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 77.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 18:</u></b><br />
218 Masahiro Tanaka (-1 Yankee)<br />
19 Rollie Fingers<br />
86 Adam Jones<br />
BL-10 Hank Aaron Baseball Legends (+2 Insert)<br />
144 Matt Holliday Mini<br />
28 Elvis Andrus<br />
184 Mookie Betts<br />
NG-77 Robinson Cano Numbers Game (+2 Insert)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 3</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 80.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 19:</u></b><br />
141 Colin Rea<br />
69 Roberto Alomar<br />
245 Dwier Brown<br />
77 Kevin Pillar<br />
NW-1 Grand Canyon Natural Wonders (+2 Insert)<br />
FF-5 African Lion Ferocious Felines (+2 Mini Insert)<br />
202 Missy Franklin<br />
341 Richie Shaffer<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 4</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 84.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 20:</u></b><br />
52 Adam Eaton<br />
194 Mike Trout<br />
135 Luis Gonzalez<br />
322 Ryan LaMarre Mini SP (+3 SP Mini)<br />
FSRB-HR Hanley Ramirez Full-Size Relic (+5 Full-Size Relic)<br />
75 Mike Moustakas<br />
NG-37 Matt Harvey Numbers Game (+2 Insert)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 10</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 94.8</i></b><br />
<br />
That big pack at the end helped quite a bit. My pace increased to 112.4, but with all 3 hits found, I'm not sure I have a shot.Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-63549896427411792642016-08-22T17:01:00.000-04:002016-08-22T17:01:00.140-04:00Gint-A-Cuffs VIII: Packs 13-16<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3rUlYZ5uiZ0/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3rUlYZ5uiZ0?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<b><u>Pack 13:</u></b><br />
262 Giancarlo Stanton<br />
37 Dawn Spacecraft<br />
39 Paul Goldschmidt<br />
260 Anthony Rizzo (+2 FP List)<br />
241 Orlando Jones Mini<br />
175 Jonathan Schoop<br />
104 Byron Buxton<br />
349 Travis d'Arnaud<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 2</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 62.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 14:</u></b><br />
292 Marcell Ozuna<br />
172 Joe Morgan<br />
248 Jill Martin<br />
NW-10 Marble Caves Natural Wonders (+2 Insert)<br />
288 Lance McCullers<br />
42 Cuban Embassy<br />
178 David Robertson<br />
NG-84 Joey Votto Numbers Game (+2 Insert, +2 FP List)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 6</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 68.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 15:</u></b><br />
152 Gary Sanchez (-1 Yankee)<br />
20 Michael Pineda (-1 Yankee)<br />
291 Kevin Kiermaier<br />
54 Jose Abreu<br />
SS-9 Motorcycle Subways and Streetcars (+2 Mini Insert)<br />
183 Andrew McCutchen<br />
211 Albert Pujols<br />
309 Yasmany Tomas<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 0</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 68.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 16:</u></b><br />
266 Anthony Rendon (+1 Nationals)<br />
240 Robert Raiola<br />
24 Max Kepler<br />
BL-14 Larry Doby Baseball Legends (+2 Insert)<br />
346 Pablo Sandoval Mini SP (+3 SP Mini)<br />
219 Delino DeShields<br />
123 Alex Cobb<br />
NG-47 Kris Bryant Numbers Game (+2 Insert)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 8</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 76.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<br />
Well these packs were certainly up and down. With just a third of the packs to go, I'm on pace for a 111.8. At the time of writing this post, the leader in the clubhouse is at 114. Need something big...Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-50703456101750293472016-08-21T17:01:00.000-04:002016-08-21T17:01:00.145-04:00Gint-A-Cuffs VIII: Packs 9-12<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/someFTUgUgY/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/someFTUgUgY?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u>Pack 9:</u></b><br />
246 Mike Francesa<br />
173 Billy Burns<br />
161 Vinny G<br />
192 Dennis Eckersley<br />
BL-17 Honus Wagner Baseball Legends (+2 Insert)<br />
281 Jose Bautista<br />
303 Wei-Yin Chen<br />
305 Tyler Duffey Mini Black Border SP (+7 Black Border SP)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 9</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 48.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 10:</u></b><br />
56 Carlos Correa<br />
255 Nomar Garciaparra<br />
239 Brandon Moss<br />
48 J.T. Realmuto Mini<br />
FSRA-CSA Carlos Santana Full-Size Relic (+5 Full-Size Relic)<br />
229 Mitch Moreland<br />
NG-22 Giancarlo Stanton Numbers Game (+2 Insert)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 7</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 55.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 11:</u></b><br />
96 Jason Kipnis<br />
179 Jen Welter<br />
294 Carlos Rodon<br />
102 Aaron Nola<br />
151 David Ortiz Mini<br />
51 A.J. Ramos<br />
170 Max Scherzer (+1 Nationals)<br />
311 Welington Castillo<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 1</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 56.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 12:</u></b><br />
43 Jake Odorizzi<br />
277 Manny Machado<br />
9 Tom Glavine<br />
264 Xander Bogaerts<br />
USM-13 Tom Tait US Mayors (+2 Mini Insert)<br />
33 Ender Inciarte<br />
14 Kendrys Morales<br />
NG-17 Yasiel Puig Numbers Game (+2 Insert)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 4</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 60.8</i></b><br />
<br />
My second hit and a rare mini have helped my pace, but I still have a long way to go.Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1450583859647069431.post-87017489142057868602016-08-20T17:01:00.000-04:002016-08-20T17:01:05.260-04:00Gint-A-Cuffs VIII: Packs 5-8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2MHduSyBRYQ/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2MHduSyBRYQ?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<b><u>Pack 5:</u></b><br />
189 Buster Posey<br />
12 Trevor Story<br />
133 Joc Pederson<br />
259 Jose Peraza<br />
71 Matt Reynolds Mini<br />
164 Steven Souza Jr.<br />
91 Nick Hundley<br />
NG-49 Babe Ruth Numbers Game (+2 Insert, -1 Yankee)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 1</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 26.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 6:</u></b><br />
60 Devin Mesoraco<br />
224 Gary Carter<br />
265 Felix Hernandez<br />
BL-2 Carl Yastrzemski Baseball Legends (+2 Insert)<br />
USM-29 Eric Garcetti US Mayors (+2 Mini Insert)<br />
79 Dustin Garneau<br />
38 David Peralta<br />
NG-80 Greg Maddux Numbers Game (+2 Insert)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 6</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 32.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 7:</u></b><br />
282 Stephen Strasburg (+1 Nationals)<br />
188 Edgar Martinez<br />
78 Jose Berrios<br />
105 Alex Dickerson<br />
LP-3 Baron Philip Noel-Baker Laureates of Peace (+2 Mini Insert)<br />
22 Francisco Rodriguez<br />
5 Kyle Waldrop<br />
350 Steve Carlton<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 3</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 35.8</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Pack 8:</u></b><br />
108 Justin Turner<br />
285 Josh Donaldson<br />
16 Trayce Thompson<br />
NW-8 Aurora Borealis Natural Wonders (+2 Insert)<br />
11 Howie Kendrick Mini<br />
198 Ari Shaffir<br />
117 Robin Yount<br />
NG-36 Steve Carlton Numbers Game (+2 Insert)<br />
<br />
<b><i>Pack Total: 4</i></b><br />
<b><i>GAC Total: 39.8</i></b><br />
<br />
My pace has cooled a little bit. I'm on track for a 105.8. Gonna need more than that to win.Spankeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17359644189269593175noreply@blogger.com0