Sewingmachineguy on Cards

Some 2012 Topps Tigers

2012-02-13T20:31:00.002-05:00

The top three cards are the three that I got from my recent 2012 binge (Blaster, 2 Jumbo Hobby, 2 Loose Retail, and a Rack-Pack).

My daughter says, "It sounds like the announcer is calling him Dumb n Young".

This Cobb is a manu-patch. No serial numbering. An eBay score. Meh, probably coulda got it cheaper had I waited.

These 2 Golden Moments were also eBay pick-ups. They would look a lot better with autographs on them.

3's Company The Topps Way

2012-02-12T22:52:00.001-05:00

There are major collation problems in 2012 Topps.
I mentioned yesterday that I got 4 Rex Brothers cards #72. Well that was just the tip of the iceberg.

I have 8 sets of triples! I could scan another 8 sets of doubles.
To recap; I bought 2 Jumbo Hobby packs, 2 Retail loose packs, a Retail Rack-Pack, and a Blaster box.
I was not thinking I would come close to a complete Series 1 set, but this is sad. I feel a bit ripped off.

2012 Topps (Just the Hits)

2012-02-11T21:27:00.001-05:00

I picked up a Blaster, a Rack-Pack, 2 loose retail packs, and 2 Jumbo Hobby packs.

The manu-patch came from the blaster.
I ended up with 4 Golden Givewaway code cards.
No auto's. No jersey cards. No serial numbered cards.
Lots of doubles. Weird collation.
If Rex Brothers makes it, I'll really be golden. I got 4 of his cards. Four.

Found One of the Missing Magic Relics

2012-02-09T21:24:00.002-05:00

I found it at Sportlots for $10.85 shipped.
I have now replaced 2 of the 7 missing cards.
At just /25 copies of each, tracking them down is quite a task.
Paul's Coins & Cards in South Bend Indiana does not sell cards anymore. I was in the area today. I stepped into a clean, well stocked coin shop that I found on the web.
"No sportscards?"
"Got out of it six years ago. Too much dead inventory", said the owner.
"Anyone in the area sell cards?"
"Just some fella over in Mishiwaka. Premiere Collectibles. He might still be into it."
Every once in a while, I think about how I would like to give a card shop a go. And then I come across a situation like this, and I go back to my sewing machine store.

1099 Forms Being Sent by PayPal

2012-02-07T06:44:00.002-05:00

Sell a bunch of stuff on eBay? Think you don't have to pay taxes on those sales? Think again. Dang IRS.

http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/ramblings-will-1099-forms-from-paypal-lead-to-card-show-comeback/

Someday My Team Will Be in the Super Bowl (Can I legally say that?)

2012-02-05T17:24:00.002-05:00

I am sick of everything being called the big game. It's the Super Bowl. It's OUR game. OUR event. The NFL can bite me.
Now that I have that off my chest, I am so very much looking forward to the day when my teram, the Detroit Lions, are playing in this game.

The closest we have come in recent memory was 1991. We beat the Cowboys in the first round of the playoffs. Went to RFK to play the Redskins in the NFC Championship, and were massacred 41-10.
Since then, we have been in the same division as Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. We've had a decade of Millen. We have not come close. With the new regime and coaches in place, I think it's only a matter of time before we get to play in the SUPER BOWL.

Someday This Urlacher Will Be Available

2012-02-04T23:11:00.001-05:00

I have begun the process of replacing the 7 misplaced 2010 Topps Magic Relics. I have searched through approximately 40,000 cards with no luck. I probably have another 80,000 to go.
First off the list is this Brian Urlacher #21/25.

Couple of things... I hate the damn Bears. I hate paying for Bears. I hate buying cards that I know I already own. I spent $18.50 on this piece of crap. OK, it's not a piece of crap. It's actually a great looking card of a future hall-of-famer. I'm just pissed that I can't find the missing cards. When I do, this Urlacher will be available for trade or sale.

If you're wondering; I need Maurice Jones-Drew, Greg Olsen, Eddie Royal, Vernon Davis, Vincent Jackson, and Rolando McClain. And... oh yeah... almost forgot to mention, Dez Bryant.

2011 Topps Value Boxes

2012-01-27T07:54:00.001-05:00

I get drawn into hype occasionally. I am a bit of a sucker. When Stale Gum reported that there may be short printed cards in specially marked 2011 Heritage packs, I scurried to Target and dropped a couple of 20's on gravity feed packs. Was I pack searching? Probably. I was looking for numbers on the wrappers. The result... bust. No special numbering, no short print bonanza.

Lately, I have seen a couple of pieces written about 2011 Topps Value boxes.
Olds at Beckett has a blurb about it.
Mario wrote about it a couple weeks ago.
This dude at DPM Sportscards broke a box last October, and hit a relatively rare card.
I am feeling that itch to try my luck with one of these things.

It's No Laughing Matter

2012-01-26T19:35:00.000-05:00

2008 UD Masterpieces Billy Sims #04/25

Why is Billy Sims laughing?
Let me try and guess the reasons...
He thinks cards numbered to /25, that are butchered by some cross-eyed hack at UD, are funny.
He thinks 44 year old white guys that break their ankles playing H.O.R.S.E., is a laugh riot.
He thinks sports card collectors that misplace 7 rare football cards are hilarious.
He thinks the notion that Miguel Cabrera can play 3rd base, or better yet left field, is comical.
He thinks the four guys left in the Republican race for the nomination are fall down funny.
He thinks 12,000 jackballs turning out to Joe Pa's funeral and applauding his humanitarianism is gut wrenchingly funny.

OH MY GOSH!

2012-01-24T16:26:00.000-05:00

The Tigers have Prince.
Go ahead... try and name their 2nd baseman? Try 3rd base?

Cards, Just Cards

2012-01-22T19:12:00.004-05:00

A bunch of recent pick-ups. Some from Thorzuls break, and a Gibby from eBay. Enjoy.

Red Griff #345/399

Buhner green #164/199

Authentic bunting? What will they embed next?

Light shines through Beam Team auto's.

Green #161/199

Magglio #30/599

Gibby #68/75

USPS Is Being Sued For Losing a Collection

2012-01-20T21:37:00.000-05:00

Dude says a "house guest" stole his stuff. I always think of Kato Kaelin when I hear about house guests.
See the story here at the Detroit Free Press.
And here is a new 2008 UD Masterpieces Al Kaline card that I just snagged. #11/50.

Quick update on my fubar ankle. It's busted. I gotta wear this fashionable boot thing for 4-6 weeks. Fun.

When We Get Old

2012-01-19T20:04:00.001-05:00

I scooped up a couple 2008 UD Masterpieces Al Kaline parallels recently.

The green /75 and brown /100.

On an unrelated note; I won't be hooping, working out, walking normally, or any other activity that requires two good ankles.

That's my left ankle. The sewingmachinegal said, "kinda looks like a zombie ankle".
The sewingmachinekid said, "looks like you met that lady from Misery".
This happened Monday night. I am still on crutches. Today, the foot and ankle are very discolored. Greenish, purple and blue shades. Very swollen, and gross looking.
The doc says there's no fracture, just a severe sprain. "You can resume running, jumping, and cutting in 4-6 weeks".
This is the third major injury I have sustained playing hoops in the last three years. Broken ribs. Torn calf muscle. Now this.
I gotta think about what I'm trying to put this 44 year old body through.

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To This Post

2012-01-16T19:32:00.002-05:00

I've been wanting to do a big 2010 Topps Magic Relics post for quite a while. Now that I am down to needing only ONE CARD, I thought the time was appropriate.

So there you have it, 65 of the 72 cards I have.
"But smg, hwhy not show off all 72?"
I'll tell ya hwhy! I can't find the 7 other cards. That's right, I have misplaced Jones-Drew, Urlacher, Greg Olsen, Eddie Royal, Vern Davis, Vincent Jackson, and Rolando McClain.
I keep the set in magnetic protectors and then in a wooden box. No shoe box for these cards. I've spent too much time on them. So where in the heck are they? I gave myself a head ache last night looking for them.
OK, I admit it, the card cave is a bit of a mess currently, so searching the dozens of little piles here and there is a pain. It looks like I will now have to dig into random common boxes to find the missing members. They're not in my auto/gu box. I've looked five times. I am going crazy. I lost sleep last night trying to think about where they are.
I didn't eBay them. Or did I? F! I am starting to think crazy thoughts.
I didn't trade them or give them away. Or did I. Stop it! You're over-thinking it. Now I'm talking to myself.
I gotta go to the gym to get my mind off this perplexing situation.
Maybe they'll appear on a random shelf somewhere after I get back.
You ever misplace important cards? I hope not...

Snow Plowing

2012-01-15T14:29:00.001-05:00

With the big Winter storm we had the last couple of days, I thought it would be a good time to show off a couple of cards that I snagged for my buddy the Patriots fan.
From 2008 UD Masterpieces, this card memorializes snow plow driver Mark Henderson's effort to help his team win by sweeping a spot clear for the Patriots kicker.
We have the brown #66/99 and bronze #9/25.
These cards remind me of 2011 Gypsy Queen paper framed cards.

Chad Greenway Was Very Elusive

2012-01-14T14:24:00.001-05:00

Finally!
I have never seen one of these anywhere... until today, in my hands. I've seen more Calvin Johnson, Aaron Rodgers, Tony Gonzalez, and guys like that than this card.
Each card is numbered to just /25 copies.
This Greenway is special. Numbered 01/25.
The last piece of the puzzle is the Dez Bryant. I have seen two Dez's. One is owned by another collector that's building the set. He nabbed his card from an eBay seller before I saw the auction. Hate when that happens. The other was a completed auction from January of 2011. I tried to contact the winning bidder, but have got no response from him.
Back to the Greenway. I found it in kind of a roundabout way. I was doing one of my usual internet searches for the cards, and came across an odd page at SportsCardForum. I registered with the site, and after a couple days of waiting for admin approval, was able to send off a message to the owner. Turns out it is the guy that's also building the set (the same guy with the Dez). He didn't have the Greenway. After that semi-letdown, I posted a message in two different forums. A week or so later, a Chad Greenway super-collector replied to the thread. Yes, there is a Greenway super-collector, don't laugh. I replied that I was very interested, and awaited his reply. A few anxious days of waiting, and we came to an agreement where I would buy it outright. No wheeling and dealing for a trade. Just a straight up cash deal. $40 bucks shipped.
"The seiwngmachineguy is f-ing crazy! He paid $45 bucks for a Chad Greenway! Bwahahahah!"
Yes, $40 bucks is too much to pay for a card of Chad Greenway. A non-autographed card to boot! But I needed it. Yes, needed. I need to put this set to rest.
Eric, the seller, also threw in a nice selection of Detroit Lions cards. He goes by the username Slette at SCF. If you have a chance to deal with him, take it. He delivered in a big way.
Thanks Eric.

The ONE Card I Need

2012-01-12T09:41:00.000-05:00

Yes, I said need. I will sleep better when this 2010 Topps Magic Dez Bryant Relic /25 is in my hands. Above is an image pilfered from an eBay auction that I somehow missed about 6 months ago. It's the only Dez I have ever seen. I know who owns it, but he too is building this set and won't part with it.
If you have a card that you need, head over to Night Owl and post your need. Perhaps a fellow collector will take care of your need.

The Hungarians

2012-01-10T06:40:00.000-05:00

The Singer Sewing Costumes Of All Nations card backs reveal some very interesting facts.

They also gave us this mad guy.

Forever captured in paint by this guy.

3 New Costume Cards

2012-01-09T19:28:00.000-05:00

I was able to procure (I thought I would use a formal word here instead of my usual 'snag' or 'nab') three more 1892 Singer Sewing Costumes Of All Nations cards. This brings my set to a total of 37 cards. it is my belief that I need two more to complete the set, Wales and Irish (Londonderry). The card of Norway has a special place in my heart. My Fraternal Grandmother was of Norwegian descent. A tid-bit on the back of the card claims the people to be "hardy and intelligent". I like that.

The Neapolitan card is in pretty bad shape. There's a tiny chunk missing from the bottom edge, and the back has surface tears that look like the card was glued or taped into a photo album. I'm not going for a mint set, so this will do.

I am still just amazed at the incredible colors in these lithographs.

My Lions Are In The Playoffs.

2012-01-07T20:32:00.001-05:00

Dumb People

2012-01-06T17:23:00.000-05:00

I was looking around eBay for UD Masterpieces cards. This auction for a graded Barry Sanders card caught my eye. Kind of like a hot chick with a snaggle-tooth catches your eye. Someone actually paid to have a base card graded. A base card that is not perfect. A card with no serial numbering like many of the parallels from this set.
A dumb card to grade. Dummy.

My LCS Has a Legendary Card For Auction

2012-01-06T06:09:00.000-05:00

Yo people , (who does he think he is? Rocky?)
All Star SportsCards in Grand Rapids Michigan acquired a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth. It's been slabbed, and is now up on eBay.
The bidding has rose way above my current abilities, but it will be fun to watch.

On an unrelated note, the Hall-of-Fame voting will be most interesting these next few years as the 'roid guys become eligible. Longtime Detroit Tiger writer, Lynn Henning has put his votes to press. Check it out here. Go ahead, I wouldn't send ya if it sucked.

Costumes Of All Nations ~ The Backs

2012-01-05T06:04:00.001-05:00

The backs of the 1892 Singer Costumes of All Nations cards come with two different font types. One uses upper and lower case, and the other is all upper. I am not a font-o-phile, but perhaps Mark can enlighten us as to what these two are.

There are some fascinating facts included on these cards.

The Oldest Cards In My Collection

2012-01-04T22:25:00.000-05:00

I was looking around eBay a little while back. I was searching for Singer Sewing Trading Cards. There are cards of Elias Howe, an early inventor, and I thought there may be cards of Isaac Singer. I didn't find any Singer's, but I did find a beautiful collection of cards.

These cards are from a set called, Costumes of All Nations. The Singer Sewing Company released boxed sets of cards to coincide with the Chicago World Colombian Exposition of 1893. The "Costumes of All Nations" was the first set produced, featuring actual photographs taken from the various countries or provinces. The colorful card fronts showcase subjects wearing traditional folk costumes while using Singer sewing machines. The reverse of each card has a compact description of the country while adding a note about the location of the Singer sales office in that country.

I picked up this lot of 34 cards, which was advertised as a set, for $40.89 shipped.

After some research, It seems as though there may be as many as 39 cards in the set. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society website, there are 39 cards to this set. Many other sites report a set of 36 cards.

My 34 cards came with this original box.

To get an idea of the size of these beauties, a scan of one of them with Bob Gibson.

As I get older, I find myself appreciating the beauty of vintage cards. Although I am mostly a sports collector, the opportunity to add cards featuring sewing was one I had to jump on. I hope you enjoy them.

Spending Hard Earned Money

2012-01-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone. Thanks for coming to my little corner of the world.
With a new year here, I thought I would write a bit about spending on sports cards.
This 2007 UD Masterpieces Captured on Canvas Magglio Ordonez card is the last card I purchased in 2011. It was an eBay score. I got it for a total of $1.94 shipped. It came in a plain white envelope. A top-loader, in a plain white. Why does this matter? Why does this $2 buck card of former Tiger Magglio matter?
First, it's a Tiger, and I'm a Tiger collector. It's from a great set that I have been tinkering with. And it's a card I didn't have. For $2 bucks, the choice to snag it was easy. Too easy.
Second, it matters because it might be a waste of $2 bucks. "What?"
Allow me to explain...
I have been dropping a couple of bucks here, and a fiver there for about the last four years. The return to collecting years. In some instances, I have dropped a Jackson or a Grant on a card. But it's the little three-buck deals that are probably messing with my checking account balance. I have no clue what I spent on cards last year.
I am a wreck with money. The sewingmachinegal keeps the family books well balanced. I have a little spending money to fiddle with each month, and I probably don't use it wisely.
Chris from Stale Gum keeps a running total of his expenditures right on the face of his blog. That is ballsy. I am sub-consciously keeping myself in the dark about how much I spend on cards, because I like collecting (spending), and if I really take an honest personal inventory of my spending, I may not like what I see.
Did I really spend money on cards and neglect my Roth IRA? I have to think about that one...
Additionally, I have been wanting an Al Kaline rookie card for my whole life. I just spent about 1% of the card I really want on a Magglio that I will sleeve, and toss in the Tiger box. Maybe I will look at it again, but probably just in passing as I sift through a stack someday. I would most certainly look at a Kaline rookie card many many times. Heck, a Kaline rookie might even be sneaked onto the bookshelf in the living room for all to enjoy.
I am seriously considering adding a ticker to my blog. A sports card expenditure ticker. When I drop a twenty on a stupid blaster of 2010 Upper Deck baseball, the ticker shows it. When I sell cards on eBay, the ticker ticks down. Would it be possible for me to keep the ticker near zero? I have around 250,000 cards in the basement. Yes, there's a lot of worthless junk wax down there, but bundled together, it may bring in a bit of revenue.
Is it possible for me to collect and not spend? We will see in 2012.

The Kindness of a Fellow Blogger

2011-12-30T19:08:00.003-05:00

I was out sick earlier this week. Perhaps that had something to do with my anti-NBA rant. I was feeling lightheaded. Hopefully, I didn't agree to any crazy trades on Monday or Tuesday.
Fellow blogger, long time Fantasy Football and Baseball competitor of mine, and all-around good guy, Greg from Wolverine Musings, stopped by the sewing center Tuesday with a couple of cards for me. I was home sipping hot toddies, so he left the cards with the sewingmachinegal. They made it home that evening.
Greg and I didn't have a trade worked out. I wasn't expecting cards. Apparently, this was payback for a couple of cards I spotted him months ago. Who keeps track of such things? Greg does, and that's solid.

2005 UD Past Time Pennants Willie Horton Auto (on card)

2011 Topps Game Day Titus Young Auto

Thanks for the cards buddy.

The Other Guy in the Card

2011-12-30T06:40:00.000-05:00

Sifting through my old shoe box of basketball cards, I came across some 92/93 Fleer Ultra cards that deserve the light of day.

Manute Bol, Michael Jordan, Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon, Rodman, Patrick Ewing, and Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo
NBA cards are especially nice at capturing more than one guy on a card.

The NBA Still Blows, but These Cards Are Sweet

2011-12-28T23:15:00.002-05:00

1990 was the hey-day of the Detroit Pistons Bad Boy era. The NBA was still legit to me. 1990 was also the hey-day of mass produced sports cards... the "Junk Wax" era.
Sifting through one of my old shoe boxes labeled HOOPS CARDS for yesterdays post, I discovered these 1990 Skybox cards.
The colors pop off the cards. The gold border was a nice frame to the colorful main body.

These two cards feature Larry Bird as a sideshow.

These two have Bill Laimbeer and AC Green playing some mean defense. Smrek makes me smile. Smrek.

Manute was the original Yao (without the talent). 7'7" tall and 225 lbs. Read that again.

Dan Majerle was a star from Central Michigan U. "Fat" Lever had a phat nickname. I hate Reggie Miller.

The backs were half image. A few lines of stats.

Although I think the NBA, in it's current condition, blows huge chunks, I can appreciate the history and great looking cards like these.

Why the N.B.A. Blows

2011-12-27T15:38:00.002-05:00

Let's get this outta the way right off the bat. This is not a "I Hate Basketball" post. It's the opposite. I love the game.
I played Y-ball growing up, played in high school for a couple of years, still hit the local park for a run at least once a week during the summer, and play every Thursday night during the winter. I like a game of one-on-one, a game of horse, or a game of around the world. My brother and I used to play games of one-on-one up to 100 by ones, in the snow, at night, with the car lights shining on the driveway.
When I was about 12 years old, the Detroit Pistons drafted a lightning quick guard out of Indiana, Isiah Thomas. The Pistons started winning, and I became a fan of them, and the N.B.A.

As the 80's turned into the 90's, the Bad Boys won a couple of titles, and a new dawn of N.B.A. hoops was on the horizon.

The Michael Jordan cash cow was flowing, and the league was feeding the cow. Despite Jordan deciding to, ehem, retire, for a couple of years, the stage had been set for the current brand of basketball. The league allowed Jordan to palm the ball, travel, aggressively defend without consequence, and waltz to the line 20 times a game. He was good for business.
The NBA is today, operating with the same lame set of rules for its stars.

Stars get away with murder. I can't stand watching a game. Three refs can all be standing around, a guy gets mugged, and no whistle blows. While, Lebron can lower his shoulder, plow his way to the hole creating contact, and Joe Schmoe gets called for the foul. Lebron shoots two. Lame. It's a stop/start parade to the free throw line. It's boring.
That brings me to an important point that I think is going overlooked. The flopping in the NBA rivals or exceeds the flopping found in soccer. You guys (NBA players) are pussies for drawing the refs attention in the hopes of getting a whistle. Pussies. It's a phenomena that I am seeing now in the NFL. Guys flopping around trying to draw a pass interference call or a holding call. Play the damn game! Faking is bush. There should be a penalty for flopping or embellishing.
Next, the league wants 8 powerhouse teams, and every other team can sit back and bite a pillow. You know who the Pistons had on the floor last night? Jerebko, Stuckey, Prince (washed-up), Monroe, and more no name guys. They were routed by a team with; Hibbert, West, Granger, Hansboro, Collison...
Tell me, would you pay $10 bucks to see those teams play? I sure as hell wouldn't. The owner of the Cavs complained about Chris Paul going to the Lakers. He, in jest, suggested changing the names of 25 NBA teams to the Washington Generals. There is some validity to his point.
This is not a piece about how to fix the NBA. It's too far gone. The league doesn't care what fans in Minnesota, Portland, Cleveland, Memphis, or any one of 15 other cities think. As long as the Miami Lebrons, and the LA Kobe's are in the playoffs, the money rolls in.
The league is fixed. The regular season is a joke. All that matters is a few select teams make it far in the play-offs. Who are the fans that buy into this?
There are dozens of good videos depicting NBA bull crap. Below are a some good ones demonstrating why I can't watch.

It's not basketball in the NBA. That's sad for this fan of the game.

I Did Get Cards for Christmas

2011-12-25T17:15:00.001-05:00

My next door neighbors brought over a nice gift bag. Inside were a couple of tree ornaments for me and Mrs. SMG. At the bottom of the bag was a box of 2011 Topps Update Baseball. One of those rackies with 72 cards. Awesome! I felt like a kid again as I ripped into the box.
The inserts...

I got one diamond Giveaway card. It resulted in this;

I would have never guessed that Staub had over 2,500 hits. From what I heard, he was as slow as Konerko.
The rest of the box was loaded with base cards. Nothing Earth shattering. Fun to look at.
I have thoughts about the return of the NBA too, but why ruin a great day?

We Made the Playoffs!

2011-12-25T09:22:00.001-05:00

I am one of those guys. I talk about my teams as if I were a member of them.
"We need a 3rd baseman that can hit above .220."
"We need a QB that can throw the ball more than 10 yards downfield."
I have lived in Michigan my whole life. I am a Detroit sports fan. I have bought the t-shirt, the hoodie, the tickets, burned dozens of Sunday afternoons in front of the t.v., and called the local sports radio talk shows. I am, and will always be a Detroit fan. I feel like I am a part of the team. Lions coach Jim Schwartz even went so far as to say the Lions fans at the game were "participating" in the game when they cheer loudly on 3rd downs.
I won't rehash the entire Millen decade of woe. That story has been written. What needs to be mentioned though, is the importance of the NFL Draft. The Lions were hamstrung with a limp armed softie at QB for a few years, Joey Harrington. Missing on a QB high in the draft has dire consequences, mostly because a team has committed cap money to a vital position that isn't producing. The Lions picked their franchise QB with the first overall selection in 2009. Although he has had injury problems for the past two years, he has remained healthy this year, and has had a Pro-Bowl season. His performance yesterday was almost flawless; 29/36, 350yds, 3td's, no picks.

With the 20th selection in that same 2009 draft, the Lions passed on a tackle (coulda had Michael Oher) and took a TE. We fans were outraged. In today's NFL, the tight end is vital. Look at the elite teams, Finley, Graham, Gronkowski, a top notch TE is a must. Yesterday, Pettigrew had 9 catches for 80 yards and a TD. Many of his catches were chain moving grabs.

Last year, the Lions took a nasty DT with their first round selection. Yes, he's dirty, but he's young and I hope he matures to become a well respected player. He makes everyone on the defensive line better. Ask Cliff Averil the DE on his side (11 sacks and 6 forced fumbles).

If you watch any Lions game, one player stands out. He is an imposing presence on the field. At 6'5" and 240 lbs with 4.4 40 speed Calvin Johnson is a game changer. The Lions have made the playoffs with no rushing attack (28th in the league) because Calvin is so awesome. One of Millen's only solid draft picks.

I have wished for meaningful games in December for a long long time. Finally this year, we had them. With three wins in a row, we are in the playoffs.

Now, let's go to green Bay next week and get that losing streak over with.

A Christmas Card (With Cards!)

2011-12-24T07:39:00.001-05:00

With the internet and free long distance phone service these days, sending Christmas cards has almost become a forgotten thing of the past. We used to get 40 to 50 cards a year. This year we have about 20.
The written word, pen to paper, is slowly becoming a lost art. There is something powerful about a carefully crafted letter or note. The words on the paper have a deeper meaning, because we know the author thought deep thoughts before committing to just the right word. There is no spell check or fragmented sentence warnings when we put pen to paper.
One of the cards we received this season was this beautiful etching-style card. The scene depicting the new Mom Mary showing off her bundle of joy to the three kings is special. Inside, is a three word message; LOVE, PEACE, HOPE. Three simple words that carry much weight. It means; if we love one another, peace on Earth will be created, and we have a hope for a brighter future. Whenever Jesus spoke about the kingdom of Heaven, he didn't talk about some far away place with puffy clouds, angels, flowing rivers of gold, all the food and wine one could consume... he talked about giving to the poor and helping the needy (“he who closes his eyes to the poor receives many curses.”), and loving your neighbor (“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another,”) The here and now. Love one another today.
Inside the card were four sports cards.

I always like getting cards of guys from my teams (Detroit Tigers and Lions). Thanks. But it was the penned words that I liked best.
"Thanks for your support and encouragement! I pray that you and the sewingmachinegal have a fantastic Christmas."
It's the little things in life that carry weight and meaning. Love, Peace, and Hope, and oh yeah, sports cards.
Merry Christmas.

An eBay Seller 'BIPPED' Me!

2011-12-23T15:30:00.001-05:00

Last week, the Detroit News released the list of the top 50 prospects in the Tigers farm system. I am not much of a card prospector (a guy that stocks up on a rookie card in the hopes that said rookie becomes the next Bonds or Pujols thus creating a goldmine situation for the collector). This list though, got me thinking about grabbing a few cards of guys I have heard of, guys I have seen play, and guys that rank near the top of the list.

Jacob Turner had a couple of starts late in the season for the big club. He is the #1 rated prospect in the system, and is expected to compete for the 5th starter spot this Spring.

Castellanos is the #2 rated player, and the guy penciled in to replace Inge at the hot corner. He's the reason the Tigers didn't waste money on Aramis Ramirez. Garcia is a 20 year old outfielder with loads of skills. Rated #7 in the organization.

I got these four cards for $19.50 shipped from eBay seller springtrainingbb. He has s-loads of prospect cards for sale. He offers free S&H on many auctions too, which I like.
Included with my four cards were these...

Eleven Chris Saenz and six Benji DeQuin cards. All in penny sleeves. One of the DeQuins is a refractor.
Audience; (oooooooh aaahhhhhhhhh)
This would be a major win if Saenz had made it. His career numbers; Six innings of 2-hit ball in 2004 to get the win. 1-0.
I like free cards, but what am I supposed to do with this Bippage? It's not even a Tiger.

2011 Blog of the Year

2011-12-23T07:19:00.001-05:00

You can vote for 2011 Blog-of-the-Year over at Jaybarkerfan's Junk.
I am honored to be considered for Blog of the Year. Thanks for the nomination Owly.
"Did I have enough interesting content to be considered the best?"\
That is the question that is rattling around in my dome this morning.
There have been some posts that I have thought were uninteresting, uninspiring, and boring, and they have been well read and have many comments. There have been other posts where I did a bunch of scanning, linked to various sites, and put forth what I thought was good effort, only to get zero comments.
I guess I never know what will strike a chord with you my readers. I guess it doesn't much matter. I just like pouring out my thoughts for the world to read. Thanks for reading.

I threw down some cabbage this December for a group break. Thorzul hosted a break of Prime Patches and Playoff Absolute. I selected my favorite team, the Detroit Tigers, and was randomed the Rays. I got two great cards. Both numbered to /150.

Expecting my cards to arrive in the customary recycled bubble mailer, I was very pleasantly surprised to see a box arrive from the other side of Lake Michigan.
"Why a box?"

A bubble mailer could not hold this tin.
It's a metal tin from the UD 2005 Origins release. My cards from the break were delivered in a Ty Cobb tin! Awesome. Thanks buddy.

Back to the Blog-of-the-Year for a minute.
In my opinion, the best of 2011 are; (In no particular order)
Thorzul Will Rule (100 best, breaks, contests)
Cardboard Collections (affordable breaks, Sunday Verse)
The Chronicles of Fuji (even though he uses navy text on a black background sometimes)
Night Owl (interesting slants on collecting and observations on life in general)
Wait, there is an order, Thorzul had a great 2011.

I am so glad to be involved in a hobby and collecting community that is so full of great people. I love you guys and gals.

A Couple of Things

2011-12-22T19:30:00.003-05:00

Meijer (the upper Midwest big box chain) has sports cards on sale through the 24th. A Blaster Box for $16 is stomach-able.

I snagged this 2008 UD Masterpieces Billy Sims # 39/75 from eBay for $13 bucks shipped. Being late to the Masterpieces party, one has to overpay a bit for cards one wants to add to one's collection. I feel snooty using the word one so much.

Card Show Recap

2011-12-18T07:48:00.000-05:00

I had 15 minutes yesterday to stop by a sports card show. The show was held at the Rivertown Sports Complex. This place holds roller derby events, low-class MMA events, roller-hockey, dodgeball, and other stuff. I will say this about the place; the superintendent of maintenance needs to be fired. Or maybe there isn't one. I get that the place is designed to host amateur sporting events, and doesn't need to be a palace, but it should be heated, swept, and a window washed occasionally. I heard many dealers complaining that they were freezing. At first, I was wondering what was so bad about the coolness of the building, but then after being there for 15 minutes, I was ready to leave. I was chilled.
this show was organized by a guy named Jeff. He's a local legend in the West Michigan sports card world. He used to work at the oldest and most well known shop, Legends Sports & Games. About a year ago, he was no longer with the company. I don't know why, and don't really care. The guy still has some connections, because he was able to get a celebrity athlete to do an autograph signing.

Here is a picture of, ehem, Detroit Tiger legend, Dan Petry (w/l 125-104). Only the most die-hard Tiger fan would appreciate this signing. I didn't wait around or feel like paying for this autograph.
I was able to snag three 2011 Heritage short-prints for my almost completed set.

Santa Lives in California?

2011-12-17T08:04:00.001-05:00

I was a part of the Bad Wax Secret Santa happening this year.
Santa delivered a bubble mailer yesterday. All the way from Stevenson Ranch California. Santa eats sushi too.
Check out this bad boy! It's a 2001 Legendary Lumberjacks card featuring Detroit Tiger legend Al Kaline.

Check out the image verbiage on the back. How cool is that? Donruss really cared about the consumer with this card. No questionable heritage with this bat chip.

Santa also tossed in these cards. Gotta love Verlander cards.

Thanks Santa, and thanks Mike for organizing this fun gift exchange. Merry Christmas.

"He Has Plumber's Crack on His face!"

2011-12-16T23:01:00.001-05:00

One of the kids next door is a Big Papi fan. For Christmas, I made him one of those baseball card frame things from JoAnn Fabrics full of Big Papi's.

As you can see, it has slots for 20 cards. It was fun digging through boxes looking for this 'roid scrub from Bahston. I found lot's of fodder for future posts.
There were a few cards that didn't make the cut. One was the 2009 Topps 206.

"He has a butt-chin! It looks like he has plumber's crack... on his face!", said the sewingmachinegal.
A smaller version of this image did make its way into the frame. The 2008 Allen & Ginter's card uses the same image.

Little Stacks of Cards Create Clutter

2011-12-12T21:41:00.000-05:00

I have about 10-15 little stacks of cards on my card desk. One of them has the following cards in it.
Back in 2009, one year into my re-birth of collecting sports cards, Upper Deck was inserting 20th Anniversary Retrospective cards into packs. I would get pissed every time I was shorted a legitimate baseball card for one of these things. Not quite as bad as the Yankee Stadium Legacy, but annoying none the less.
A 2,500 card set, it was loaded with all kinds of sports...

Technology news items....

World History famous dates...

Pop culture craziness...

Political goings-ons...

and more and more sports.

If anyone is interested in some of these cards, let me know. I would be happy to trade them away. Ya know, to tidy up a bit.
What I have to deal; 53, 297, 411, 416, 446, 451, 456, 461, 466, 471, 576, 596, 613, 618, 623, 628, 633, 638, 643, 648, 653, 659, 684, 727, 751, 796, 987, 1110, 1148, 1153, 1158, 1163, 1168, 1173, 1169, 1670, 2002, 2045, 2050, 2075, 2118, 2133, 2138, 2143, 2148, 2153, 2158, 2163, 2168, 2173, 2178, 2183, 2188, 2198, 2203, 2208, 2227, 2313, 2318, 2323, 2328, 2333, 2338, 2343, 2348, 2353, 2358, 2383, 2398

UFC 140 Creates a Spark of Interest

2011-12-11T16:57:00.001-05:00

Being a fan of MMA, and being a card collector, it's odd that I have never bought a pack of UFC cards. Last night was UFC 140. In the Co-Main Event, Frank Mir pulled out a victory in unbelievable fashion. The term unbelievable gets thrown around WAY too often these days, but this to me was truly unbelievable.

I hope you're not squeamish...
Gotta get me some UFC cards soon.

It's Not Really a Big Deal Anymore

2011-12-10T23:08:00.001-05:00

So N.L. MVP Ryan Braun tested positive for some performance enhancing drug. Big deal. Five years ago, I would have been outraged. Outraged I tell you! "These cheaters are denigrating the integrity of the national past time", I would have said. Ya know what, I don't care. It does not matter.
So Braun misses a couple of months next season. They're not going to give the MVP award to Kemp now, are they? They can't take back the play off run and post season that he helped deliver. Brewer fans would have injected him themselves if they could have guaranteed a long awaited play off spot. We all would have.
I would not be surprised to hear that my guy Verlander was using some mysterious bionic pill last season. He sure performed like he was super-human.
Just so you know, when one takes too much hgh, 'roids, cream or clear, one develops maladies.

2006 Upper Deck #186

*The author makes no claim that Alex Gonzalez ever used 'the cream' on his glove hand. But! He did just sign with Milwaukee...

Verlander Masterpieces Art?

2011-12-10T07:35:00.001-05:00

Check out this auction. Go... take a peek, read the description...
$499? I wonder what this really is? Joe, any idea?

Remember This Tebow?

2011-12-07T19:55:00.001-05:00

It's the Tim Tebow auto that I pulled from a box of 2010 Topps Magic in January. I sold it on eBay back then for a hundred and something bucks. It was one of the Super Short Printed cards from the set. There were only fifteen of these made. I was worried that his hype would fizzle, and I'd be left with a $10 dollar card.
Check out this auction for my once owned card. Wonder if it will sell? And for how much...

Messy People

2011-12-06T11:55:00.001-05:00

Slobs at Meijer left all the rack-packs of Bowman DP&P just laying around. My Mom would not like this.

It Was One of THOSE Days

2011-12-05T19:45:00.001-05:00

This was no ordinary Monday...
Every so often, I have a day of life, and collecting that seems as though all of the stars have aligned properly.
I arrived home from a long day at work to find the sewingmachinegal and sewingmachinekid in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on a gourmet meal. The house smelled delicious. Glazed pork chops, sauteed kale, and baked sweet potatoes. We sat at the dining room table and enjoyed the meal and each other's company. In our rat-race lifestyle, we rarely get to (or make time for) a sit down meal at the table. Usually, it's quick chow at the coffee table in the living room with a rerun of 30 Rock. I'm working on talking throaty cool like Jack Donaghy.
After dinner, I opened the mail. There were two packages for me. The first was a get from an eBay seller. What do I mean? Well, the card I snagged was up for auction until I offered the seller a deal to end the auction early. He accepted. It was a gamble on my end, considering the guy has a sketchy feedback rating. I sent the guy $40 bucks with no guarantee that I would get my card. He delivered.

2008 UD Masterpieces Silver #04/25

Now all I need is the Gold /10, Light Blue /5, and Pinot Red /1. Yeah, that's going to be tough.

The next package was a 8.5"X11" bubble mailer from Georgia. I had worked out a deal with the Junkie for some vintage Detroit Tigers (my collection was lacking in old musty smelling cards). "Why am I getting this mongo envelope?" I thought.
Behold...

An original sketch card of Al Kaline. The 1954 Topps Kaline. Absolutely beautiful.

Check out the size of this bad boy compared to a regular '54!
The rest of the vintage goodness...

Not vintage, but vintage looking, a couple of needs from my 2011 Heritage want list.

'50, '51, and '52 Bowmans.

Some beautiful landscaped cards. The 1955 Bowman T.V. cards are always interesting to me. That must have been really futuristic back then.

My one and only 1952 Topps. Detroit Tiger Marlin Stuart.

Check out that awesome logo.

After a while, I checked out the blog roll over to the right. Thorzul had a video up from the December Mega Break. The headline was something like, "Better Get a Sweat Sock!".
I had the Tigers, and was rewarded with an awesome card. That's not the reason to watch though. Head over there and see a sweet Babe Ruth card pulled from a pack.

See... even a Monday can be a great day. Peace.

The Rest of the Christmas Mannings

2011-12-04T09:37:00.000-05:00

This is the pile of cards that I got from All Star Sports Cards yesterday. They are going to my neighbor kid for Christmas. I got these for $2 bucks. All of them... for $2 bucks.

Manning Patch /25

2011-12-03T14:38:00.000-05:00

2003 Donruss Playoff Certified Skills CS-3 #5/25

I was at the most complete local card shop in West Michigan today. All-Star Sports Cards in Grand Rapids.
I was on the prowl for a few cards for my neighbors kid, a Peyton Manning fan. This beauty caught my eye.
This card led to a brief discussion about fakers and scammers.
We all love to get a cool patch or auto. We all need to be aware that unless we pull it from a pack ourselves, we can not be 100% sure it's "real". Even pulling it ourselves, we know that the origins of some game used jersey's are questionable, or outright fake.
For more info on faking and scamming, check out Sports Cards Uncensored Scam School.

Meijer Sale

2011-12-03T09:49:00.000-05:00

Cards are on sale at Meijer. Peace.

Chipping Away at 07 Turkey Red

2011-12-02T20:24:00.000-05:00

Picked up 5 2007 Topps Turkey Red short prints recently. Price? $22.50 shipped. Yup, $4.50 each. This set is over four years old, and people just are not opening it, or listing it much anymore. When I returned to the hobby in 2008, it was discounted blaster boxes of Turkey Red that got me going. I'm pretty close to knocking off this bad boy.
The wants; 33, 43, 89, 103, 143, 171

Something a Little Different

2011-12-02T08:01:00.000-05:00

It's hard to be informed about everything important in America. Time must be spent on important endevours like researching two year old football card sets, keeping up with the activities of old high school acquaintances on facebook, sifting through an old shoe-box labeled "BASEBALL MISH-MASH", watching a game between two unmitigated disasters on the NFL Network, and other assorted "wastes of time".
Last night, I was watching the Daily Show. The following clip is hilarious, maddening, enlightening, frustrating, genius, and an example of what's wrong with the government/media complex in America. How something like this can be more or less swept under the rug, while Kardashian b.s. get's headlines amazes me to no end.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

America's Next TARP Model

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

The Daily Show on Facebook

Now, I'm off to work another 10 hour day, so I can pay my taxes, and hopefully have a little left over for Christmas gifts.

Upper Deck Checklists

2011-12-01T22:25:00.001-05:00

I am toying with the idea of building the 2009 Upper Deck Philadelphia set. Hobby boxes are something like $45 bucks right now. I've seen some cool cards come out of the set.

Last week, I won an auction for "

2009 ud philadelphia sp lot of 30".

My price for 30 short prints... $6.33 shipped. Seemed like an awesome deal to me.

Here's my problem. The Upper Deck website is a steaming pile of useless crap. There is a product info page, but no checklist. I've done a quick look around the web, and have yet to find a checklist that lists the short prints. So, I don't really know if I got 30 sp's or 30 inserts. Anyone know where I can get a complete checklist?

Dear Upper Deck, I wish I were at your hq so I could present this to you.

Atomic Verlander

2011-11-29T06:11:00.000-05:00

In the post Cy Young/MVP euphoria, I snagged this 2011 Topps Chrome Atomic refractor of Justin Verlander. Serial numbered 40/225

Most chromious cards don't scan as well as they truly look. This one scans better than it looks.

What A Card!

2011-11-28T20:31:00.001-05:00

Saw this bad boy over at the Morgue. Topps has Junior now. It's a beautiful card from the 2012 Gypsy Queen preview.

Times Have Changed

2011-11-27T18:08:00.002-05:00

I was sifting through some football cards today. This 1993 Classic Four Sport card of Marvin Jones caught my eye. "Limited Print" is stamped in gold on the left side. "An old serial numbered card!", I thought to myself.
Check the lower right corner. 1 of 63,400. SIXTY THREE THOUSAND. They made so dang many of these, that they just called it one of them. How many millions of these did they make, that serial numbering one to 63,400 was some kind of 'special' card to get?
I also spotted this 2006 Score Marcus Pollard. It didn't catch my eye because he was a Lion. He caught my eye because he and his wife are contestants on this seasons Amazing Race on CBS. I flipped the card over and saw that it was serial numbered. 14/750. Not very low, but compared to 1 of 63,400 it's ultra rare.

Thorzul is Breaking

2011-11-26T21:25:00.001-05:00

I got in on Thorzul's December group break. There's a chance that I will get a 2005 Verlander card. There's also a chance that I will get a Bonderman (the more likely and way less desirable outcome).
I snagged this base card on eBay the other day just to see how much I like these Absolute Memorabilia cards. I like them. Although, I'm not too fond of the little 'stache JV is working here.
There are plenty of solid teams available, so head over there and claim one.

20% Off at Meijer Today Only!

2011-11-26T15:25:00.001-05:00

I know some people think retail is lame. Sure the odds are longer against getting a big hit, but for many collectors, reatil is the only way to walk in somewhere and pick up packs to bust.
One of our major regional big box stores, Meijer, is having a sale on cards today. Today only.

No, I didn't get a blaster of Lineage. I grabbed a rackie of Chrome football for $7.19.

Bumps on the Head are Bad for NFL Players

2011-11-26T07:43:00.001-05:00

The Detroit Lions started this season 5-0. A big reason was the play of Jahvid Best. Opponents couldn't discount the Lions rushing/screen/draw attack with the speeedy Best in the backfield. In 5+ games this season, he had 84 carries for 390 yards (4.6/per) and 27 catches for 287 yards. The Best threat was a boon to the rest of the team. Calvin was on fire, as was Pettigrew. Without Best, the Lions have struggled to consistently rush the ball. Teams are blanketing Calvin, and the team is 2-4 in their last 6 games.
What's the point here? Best is done for the season with "concussion symptoms". See the news here at the Detroit Freep.
Best had concussion issues coming out of college, but the Lions traded up in the 2010 draft to snag him anyway. I fear he may be done as an NFL player.
We cheer for the big hits, but these are people playing a game. Career ending injuries are sad.

A Book Review and an Assist

2011-11-25T18:48:00.000-05:00

I had today off. No, I don't do the Black Friday shopping thing. I think it's stupid, a waste of money, and a cultural/societal stain. I went to the tire store for four new rubber rounds, hit one of the local card shops, took a nap, took a walk with the sewingmachinegal and dog, frosted sugar cookies, and soon will be watching Gnomeo & Juliet on NetFlix while giving said woman a foot rub. Guys, listen up, you dish out some solid footrubs to the women in your life while watching something that does not have guns and explosions, and your collecting life will be much better... trust me on this.
While waiting at the tire store, I read a story, "Blockade Billy" by Stephen King. Yes, the same King that brought us Cujo. That guy. I spotted this book at Shulers Books and the cover drew me in.

It's a book containing two stories. The first, the story of a ball player named William 'Billy' Blakely. It is about 80 pages long. Having played a lot of baseball, I find stories with baseball as the backdrop interesting.
A snip-it from the book; "... the kid whapped his glove on Anderson's chest while he was still three full steps from the dish. Then Anderson hit the kid's (Billy's) lowered shoulder. He went up and over and landed behind the left handed batters box. The umpire lifted his fist in the out sign. Then Anderson started to yell and grab his ankle. I could hear it from the far end of the dugout. I could see that Anderson's left pants cuff was turning red , and blood was oozing out between his fingers."
I really enjoyed this quick read.
Sometime around mid-day, the mailman dropped off a few letters, some junk mail, and a bubble mailer. It was from Indiana. Potch sent this 2011 Heritage SP of World Series shortstop Elvis. Very cool. Thanks dude.

Suh IS Dirty

2011-11-24T20:34:00.005-05:00

The game today was marred by an unsportsmanlike penalty on N-DUMB-ukong Suh. Suh has built a reputation as a dirty player. Before today, I kind of felt like he was being miscast in the bad boy role.
Hear me... He is a dirty player. Period.
On the play in question, with the score 7-0 Pack, the Lions had just stopped the Pack on 3rd down, forcing a field goal attempt. After the whistle, Suh drove the head of an opposing lineman in the ground and then rose up from the pile and intentionally stomped down on the guys arm. Flags fly, automatic first down, Suh ejected, next play Kuhn touchdown. Game over.

FROM DET NEWS.COM~"First and foremost, I'm only going to apologize to my teammates, my coaches and my true fans to allow the referee to have an opportunity to take me out of the game," Suh said.

Suh said he pushed Dietrich-Smith's head because he was being held down. As for the stomp, Suh said he was trying to keep his balance and get his foot untangled.

"What I did was remove myself from the situation in the best way I felt," Suh said.

Suh said he did not intentionally step on Dietrich-Smith.

"Not by any means," Suh said. "I understand … because of the type of player and type of person I am, all eyes are on me. So why would I do something to jeopardize myself and jeopardize my team?"

Are you friggin kidding me Suh?

Today was a wake-up call for all the Lions fans that thought this team was headed somewhere this season. We have a long way to go to play competitive games against great teams.

It's Cliche, But Oh Well...

2011-11-24T08:38:00.000-05:00

The sewingmachinegal and I are hosting a little Thanksgiving gathering today. On today's menu, roast Rodgers, mashed Jennings, and burnt Woodson.
Actually, we're having turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, roasted brussell sprouts, a veggie tray and fruit bowl, and assorted pies.
In honor of the day, I present to you some Turkey Reds. Included is an Andruw Jones (because he exemplifies over-eating).

Have an awesome day everyone!
Prediction; Lions 38 - Pack 35

2 Rack-Packs of 2011 Chrome Football

2011-11-23T21:42:00.000-05:00

Just the orange parallels.
These chromies suffer from a bit of chrome-warp. Wish Topps could fix that problem.

MVP Voting (and Why Jim Ingraham is a Moron)

2011-11-22T20:25:00.001-05:00

The 2011 American League Cy Young and MVP Winner

Some chromosome depleted moron from Cleveland left Justin Verlander completely off his MVP ballot. His name, Jim Ingraham.
This idiot thinks he is smarter than everyone else.
"...I don't believe pitchers should be eligible for the MVP Award." ~ Ingraham
Hey idiot, the rule clearly states that pitchers shall be considered for the award. You think the rule should be rewritten? Do something about changing the rule then.
This pea brain has written an article outlining his reasons for omitting Verlander. You can see the article here.
In a nutshell, this soft headed fellow believes that Verlander is not worthy because he only appeared in 34 games this season. The window licker somehow thinks Verlander's impact is limited to just those 34 games. Hey nimrod, he let the bullpen rest every fifth day.
Incredibly, this jackball has been an MVP voter for 27 years.

A Huge Trade Haul from Josh

2011-11-21T20:47:00.001-05:00

I tossed out a post last week about my quest to complete the 2011 Heritage set. Josh over at Royals and Randoms responded that he had #492 Jason Castro for trade. "OK, send it over", I said.
"What else do you collect?", he inquired.
"Lions and Tigers."
"OK, I'll throw a few more cards together for you. I hate to mail just one card."

That stack is the "few extra cards".
I'm always amazed at what lengths fellow collectors will go to when trading. Josh went hway hway above and beyond here.
I don't have time tonight to scan everything, but here are a few of the coolest cards in the stack. Thanks for the cards.

This Auction Seems to Good to Be True

2011-11-20T19:56:00.000-05:00

While scavenging for the last remnants of my 2009 Goodwin Champions set, I came across this auction for 15 complete sets.
Dude is asking $450 bucks or best offer. Kinda makes me wonder where he got them.
I know I think my stuff is more valuable than it really is. Case in point; my Artifacts Auto-Facts set that I'm trying to move. The best offer I have had is $750 bucks. Not enough.
What's it all really "worth" anyway?

It's Gonna Be One of "Those" Days Watching Football

2011-11-20T10:23:00.000-05:00

My Lions play the Carolina Panthers today. This is a must win for the Lions. Losses to Atlanta, 'Frisco, and Da Bears, along with two games remaining against the best-team-in-the-history-of-the-NFL (cough - gag) the Packers, have created a situation where the Lions can ill afford to lose games like today's.

What do I mean by one of "those" days of watching? I want the Lions to win while Cam Newton explodes the stat book. Yup, he's my fantasy football QB. I really think the game comes down to stopping the rushing attack of the Panthers though.

Prediction; Lions 31 Panthers 20

Some Turkey and an Easy Header Tutorial

2011-11-19T22:49:00.000-05:00

I picked up three new 2007 Topps Turkey Reds recently. When I returned to collecting in 2008, there were s-loads of Turkey Red blasters at various places. Many of the ones I snagged were discounted to $10 bucks. As such, I decided to build the set. Being a new collector then, I didn't know about the short print scourge that plagues the hobby now-a-days. What I need to finish off the set are a few SP's and a few ad back parallels.

Travis Buck Refractor #35/99

#82 Braden SP & #56 Chutley Ad Back

The current want list; 33, 43, 89, 94, 103, 123, 134, 143, 165, 171

Also, you may have noticed the new header up top. I came across a great tutorial about how to create one easily using Picasa. You can see it here.

2011 Heritage, Yes, Still Working It

2011-11-17T22:25:00.002-05:00

Well it's only been since April that I have been working on this set. Like I said then, and it still holds true, "the short prints suck."
I was poking around Check Out My Cards the other day, and prices for SP's have dropped. I knocked out a big chunk of my wants for under $30 bones shipped.

This guy would look so good in a Tiger's uni.

Creepy floating head rookie cards.

Some of my favorite cards from this set are the Sporting News All-Stars

The current want list is all SP's; 449, 454, 462, 464, 465, 467, 472, 475, 490, 495, 496, 498, 500

4 Packs of 2011 Topps Chrome Football

2011-11-16T20:06:00.000-05:00

I was on the wrong side of the tracks a few days ago. BB's Sports Cards is over there. I popped in to see what was new. Nothing baseball-wise tickled my fancy (what are you... 70?). So, I settled for four packs of Topps Chrome Football. The price was $3.25 per pack. Four cards per pack. There's something about a four card pack that leaves me wanting. Kind of like ordering a burger and it arriving with chips and a pickle instead of fries.
Pack 1; A couple of hall-of-fame tight ends, a Lion, and a rookie Cowpoke. No refractage.

Pack 2; Mark Ingram Rookie Recognition, Knowshon, and a couple of rookies. No refractage.

Pack 3; Alex Green Finest Freshman, Sidney Rice, and a couple more scrub rookies. No refractage.

Pack 4; Mikel Leshoure Bowman Chrome, Johnson, Mcfad, and a refractor Todman rookie.

My UD Masterpieces Verlander Collection

2011-11-15T22:52:00.003-05:00

The best pitcher in the American League this year played for my favorite team. He was rewarded with the Cy Young award today. Possibly the MVP award soon.
I am sure the first time I saw one of these 2008 UD Masterpieces Justin Verlander cards was over at Joe C's crib. He has the worlds greatest collection of Masterpieces. The Verlander is an image depicting the final pitch of his first no-hitter. After seeing these awesome looking cards, I decided to try and build the Verlander rainbow. Problem; there's 87 versions. Not really, but I don't really know how many there are. Joe's list is sketchy as is Baseballcardpedia. Anyone know definitively what parallels there are in this set? Here's what I have so far.

Base

29/50

Black

Red

25/75

9/100

26/125

I guess there are a couple different greens, blues, and blacks. I am looking to trade for them if anyone has any to spare.
UPDATE: Thanks to Ryan from This Card Is Cool, I know what's needed. Yes, more sleep first. My problem was; I was looking at an '07 checklist based on the auto and these are '08 cards.

A.L. Cy Young Award Goes to Verlander

2011-11-15T14:52:00.000-05:00

http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/mlb/events/verlander/index.jsp?c_id=det&partnerId=ed-5441366-233043832

More on this later.

My 2 Cents About the Penn State debacle

2011-11-10T12:42:00.000-05:00

1995 Score Kerry Collins (Image ripped from Heartbreaking Cards)

The whole thing sickens me. The deplorable sadistic acts by Sandusky, the "pass-the-buck" mentality inside the football program and administration, and Joe Paterno's lack of action... it's all a sad sad affair.

This isn't a football story. It's a societal tragedy. Our countries love for sports has gone way beyond healthy. It's no longer an outlet for the working stiff to get away from it all on a Saturday afternoon or weeknight. Love and fandom for the home team become an identity for many people. Look at the loons that rioted in State College last night. Or the morons that protested the ouster of the jackass Bobby Knight in Bloomington. Wouldn't a candle light vigil for the multiple victims of child rape be a wiser use of time and effort than flipping a van? As a country, we spend billions, maybe trillions on sports yearly. We build stadiums and arenas blocks from woefully underfunded schools and homeless shelters.

The fact that the Penn State child molestation rumors could go on unchecked or swept under the rug for almost 20 years is proof that we as a society have gotten away from what's moral and important. Protecting and nurturing the most vulnerable in our society, kids and elderly, should be our priority. Not money and fame.

Set for Sale

2011-11-05T21:52:00.000-04:00

Although I hate to do it, I must try and sell the 2006 Artifacts Auto-Facts set. At 89 cards strong, it's a doozy!
Hit me with an offer if you're interested.

Poe

2011-10-31T07:54:00.000-04:00

2011 Topps A&G Mini

In the greenest of our valleys
   By good angels tenanted,
Once a fair and stately palace-
   Radiant palace- reared its head.
In the monarch Thought's dominion-
   It stood there!
Never seraph spread a pinion
   Over fabric half so fair!
Banners yellow, glorious, golden,
   On its roof did float and flow,
(This- all this- was in the olden
   Time long ago,)
And every gentle air that dallied,
   In that sweet day,
Along the ramparts plumed and pallid,
   A winged odor went away.

Wanderers in that happy valley,
   Through two luminous windows, saw
Spirits moving musically,
   To a lute's well-tuned law,
Round about a throne where, sitting
   Porphyrogene
In state his glory well-befitting,
   The ruler of the realm was seen.

And all with pearl and ruby glowing
   Was the fair palace door,
Through which came flowing, flowing, flowing,
   And sparkling evermore,
A troop of Echoes, whose sweet duty
   Was but to sing,
In voices of surpassing beauty,
   The wit and wisdom of their king.

But evil things, in robes of sorrow,
   Assailed the monarch's high estate.
(Ah, let us mourn!- for never morrow
   Shall dawn upon him desolate!)
And round about his home the glory
   That blushed and bloomed,
Is but a dim-remembered story
   Of the old time entombed.

And travellers, now, within that valley,
   Through the red-litten windows see
Vast forms, that move fantastically
   To a discordant melody,
While, like a ghastly rapid river,
   Through the pale door
A hideous throng rush out forever
   And laugh- but smile no more.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone. Moowoohaha!

Cards From My "Secret Stash"

2011-10-30T09:08:00.000-04:00

Over the course of the past couple of months, I have built a nice little stack of cards on my desk.. at work! Yup, I can't help my collecting "Jones", even at work. Our sewing store is two blocks away from a Meijer (regional big box store). If I have to run to Meijer for anything work related, I find myself in the toy department. Not because am a creepy old guy, because that's where the sports cards are. Although, I do get a look occasionally from a do-gooder type, "What's that guy doing here? I better keep an eye on my little Susie."
Anyway, my recent pick ups have all been football cards. A sampling below. Have a great Sunday everyone.

#298/999

2011 Topps Mini's

#20 For the Lions is Special

2011-10-24T21:58:00.000-04:00

2008 UD Masterpieces SOG5

My Lions are scuffling. After a 5-0 start, two straight losses have me taking a more realistic view of them. I must admit, I was looking ahead to a Thanksgiving tilt against the Pack where both squads were undefeated. The reality is this; the Lions offensive line is still shitty. Without Jahvid Best, teams don't worry about the run... at all. Take away Calvin, and the Lions can't move the ball. They're not the atrocity that they were for a decade under Millen, but they still have holes. next week it's a trip to Denver to play the Tebow's. Should be interesting to say the least.

A Post You Gotta Read (You and Topps That Is)

2011-10-20T20:55:00.000-04:00

Dan over at Grand Cards has a piece about the plethora of baseball card sets, and the crappy way they're released by Topps. I have thought about the release schedule, but out of laziness, or lack of zeal for collecting right now, or just plain being busy with other stuff, I have not voiced my concerns. Dan nails it in my opinion. His piece is a must read. Check it out.
When you get back here, you can enjoy this awesome Verlander auto that I pilfered from Joe C.

2007 UD Masterpieces Stroke of Genius #SG-JV

Many Thoughts

2011-10-16T19:29:00.002-04:00

2010 Topps Magic Relics #106

I am only two away from completing the 79 card 2010 Topps Magic Relics set. I won an auction from eBay seller bigboydsportscards3. This seller has something like a 78,567,294 feedback. I didn't check the feedback pre-bidding, because I needed the card and would take a chance no matter what. As I would learn, true to BigBoyd's form, the card took a long long time to arrive. Eleven days.

A quick tidbit about this card. When it was listed, I sent Big Boyd a message... "Will you take $40 for this card today to end the auction early?" At that point, the auction was fresh with no bids and a .99cent opening price. "

Boyd's response... "We don't end auctions early."

That's it, just no. So, I have to sit my ass at my computer and hope I don't get sniped at the last second. The auction ended on October 4th at about 11pm. I got the card for $30 bucks shipped. Hey Boyd, you oughtta think about ending auctions early.

2008 UD Masterpieces (Captured on Canvas Jersey) #CC-VE

The MLB season ended with a massive thud last night. Yes, it still goes on for the Rangers and maybe the Brew Crew or Cards, but for us Tiger's fans, it's over. The Tiger's went farther than I thought they would. Knocking the Yankees out of the playoffs was a real highlight.

A few thought's about the season that was and next year;

- The Tiger's need a legit leadoff man. Austin Jackson had an OBP of .317, and was 2nd in the league in K's with 187. A couple of horrendous stats for a guy that is supposed to be a table setter.

- A back up catcher is a must. Alex Avila played 11 postseason games and had 3 hits. Our All-Star catcher looked very tired. The reason for Alex's tiredness was; Victor Martinez, our back up catcher could not catch due to injury.

- Delmon Young was an excellent late season addition. He provided some much needed pop in the line-up. He's a free agent, and I hope the Tiger's wait a while before offering him a contract. He seems like a bit of a head case to me.

- Justin Verlander took a step into a new level of star this year. He was always dominating, but not like this year. I hope he continues the trend next year.

- An everyday 2nd baseman is a must. We played the year with a hodgepodge of guys there.

2009 Upper Deck #67

The Detroit Lions lost their first game of the season today. It's mid-October. No one, not even the most ardent Lion's fan thought they would be 5-1 at this point. The Lions looked like a team that thought they were going to show up and accept a gift win today. They were sloppy, uninspired, undisciplined, slow, and generally lethargic all day. It should be a fun week of practice for them this week as they prepare for the Falcons.

Not Moneyball. Millenball!

2011-10-14T07:27:00.000-04:00

Millenball - watch more funny videos

People always say, "Get over it. Millen is long gone. Stop crying about him."
Ya know what? He torpedoed my team and cost me a decade of my football fan life. I will never forget his buffoonery.

Dear Ranger's Fans

2011-10-13T21:07:00.000-04:00

Somehow, this A.L. Championship Series ain't over!
Nelson Cruz needs to be dotted.

2008 UD Masterpieces #36

See ya in the Heart of Texas!

Monday Night Football

2011-10-10T07:42:00.001-04:00

For the first time since Joey "Blueskies" Harrington was under center for the Lions, they play a Monday Night football game.

2010 Topps triple Threads #05/36

During the pre-season, many experts said, "if Stafford stays healthy, the Lions could be a .500 team." Things have gone way better than expected. Honestly, I would have been happy with a 2-2 record after four games. The last decade of Millen woe has been so bad, that a .500 record would seem great.
The Lions have been relatively healthy this season. They get back 1st round pick Nick Fairley tonight, who's been out since early in camp with a foot.
Calvin Johnson has a chance to break Chris "Mouth" Carter's record of catching at least two td's in consecutive games. Johnson tied Mouth at 4 games last week.
Prediction; Lions 27 - Bears 21
I only wish Hank Williams Jr. was able to do the open. Stupid pc police. Williams wouldn't have been canned if he said, "Boehner and Obama playing golf is like cats and dogs golfing." Wait, maybe some ultra-sensitive type would not like Obama being called a pussy or a bitch.
Prediction; Kid Rock sings the new "Are You Ready For Some Football!" open.

I'll get to the Tiger's demise later. Peace.

I Always Get Nervous for Game 7's (or 5's)

2011-10-06T19:42:00.000-04:00

Well, tonight the Detroit Tigers have an opportunity to capture the hearts of baseball fans worldwide. Knocking off the Yankees would please all but the Yankee fans themselves... and espn execs. Hey espn, most of the free baseball loving world hates the Yankees. We hate A-Roid, we hate Safatia, we hate the joke of a stadium they play in, we hate the way they throw around money to undeserving players (lookin your way $14 mil Posada), and there's more. Should I go on?
I won't, but could.
I present to you this Ty Cobb 2007 UD Masterpieces #'d 01/50 as a bit of good karma for Yankee haters everywhere.

See how Ty is kicking that dude in the nuggets? That's a metaphor for tonight's game. Tiger's kick Yanks in the gonads!

Cobb and Cano

2011-10-02T09:04:00.000-04:00

My Detroit Tigers (yes I'm one of those guys that takes ownership of his teams) lost to the Yankees in game one, or was it two, or one and a half. Ugh. What a crappy way to start off the play-offs.
the Yankees have a star at 2nd base. Cano hit a grand slam off Tiger reliever Al Albuquerque. Yes, that's his real name. The blow all but put the game away.

2009 UD Goodwin #212 SP

One screwy thing about these play-offs is the scheduled game times. The Rangers / Rays game, played in beautiful balmy Texas, was a day game the last two games. The Tigers / Yanks games have been scheduled for 8:37. I get the whole T.V. thing, but it's just stupid. The night time temps in New York this time of year are nippy.

Today, Max Scherzer throws against the Bronx Bombers. Nice stadium idiots. How did Granderson hit 41 bombs? The joke of a right field fence at Yankee Stadium, that's how.

My team had better match the Stankees power today, or it could be a short series.

2007 UD Masterpieces #31/75

Let's go Tigers!

Be Afraid... Be Very Afraid!

2011-09-29T10:11:00.000-04:00

The MVP and Cy Young award winners are coming to your city. Hide your women and children New York.

A Few Words About the Detroit Lions

2011-09-26T21:02:00.000-04:00

The FIRST place Detroit Lions!
It might not seem like much to the rest of the NFL world out there, but the Lions hot start is a huge relief. The Lions ended last season with a four game winning streak. There were doubters about the quality of the wins. A pre-season 4-0 was met with a lot of, "it's pre-season. It doesn't matter." There were high hopes and somewhat high expectations for my team. All we heard was, "if Stafford stays healthy, they have a chance to be a good team." Stafford is tied for the league lead in touchdown passes. His main man Calvin Johnson has 6 TD's.

2008 UD Masterpieces Captured on Canvas #CC6

The Lions are 3-0. They have not been 3-0 since Billy Sims rookie year of 1980. The Lions travel to Dallas next week, and follow that up with a Monday Nighter against Da Bears.

After the Millen decade of woe, this season has a good feel to it.

Artsy Fartsy Stuff

2011-09-24T22:11:00.001-04:00

My hometown, Grand Rapids Michigan, hosts an amazing art event each September. Art prize brings artists from across the globe to town for a shot at a $250,000 top prize. See details here at Art Prize .

None of the people in this wall mural are real.

This mantis sculpture is about 25 feet tall.

That's the sewingmachinegal at a painting of cows waiting to jump over the moon.

This painting and mache mixed media is 3d-ish. The tiger head comes out of the painting. Beautiful.

This work of art came in the mail today.

Ugly Beauty

2011-09-22T21:31:00.000-04:00

I was able to snag a 1953 Bowman Black & White card from eBay for just over $30 bucks shipped. It's got rounded corners, creases, stains, edge dings, and a big tape mark on the back. And it's a thing of beauty.

With this card, I have completed the cigar box set of 1953 Bowman Black & White's. Beckett low book for the 64 card set is 2 grand. This set is mostly good, fair, poor, or Stengel-ish.

Sacoo Was a No-Show

2011-09-21T21:34:00.001-04:00

A week or so ago, I had a random drawing for free baseball cards. The first place winner was some dude named sacoo. I messaged him and have not heard squat from him. That means that the 2nd place winner, Ryan Cracknell gets first choice, Robert Mitchell gets second choice, and the Collective Troll himself now gets the left over card.

On an unrelated note...

I have been keeping track of Joe Collectors efforts to collect every UD Masterpieces card ever created. While viewing the goodness that was Masterpieces, I have seen a few cards of my favorite players that I must have. Today this beauty hit my mail box.

It's numbered 142/150, but that's not the best thing about the card. Notice Singletary flopping around on the turf in the background.

I'm looking to trade for any of these Barry Masterpieces as this is my first.

And on a totally unrelated note. Here is a video of my week two attempt at the "Flying Squirrel" push-up. I'm going to nail this thing by years end if it kills me!

I Bought a Blaster of Chrome...

2011-09-20T22:07:00.000-04:00

..and didn't get one dang Detroit Tiger in the whole box. I hate when that happens.
In lieu of showing off cool Tigers, I will show the refractors and such.

Ogando 488/499 Fat 435/1962

It seems as though Topps has figured out what caused the crazy bowing effect from 2010 Topps Chrome, and corrected it. These cards are almost flat.

The best of the rest.

Jason Hanson Is Great

2011-09-18T22:06:00.002-04:00

I was sifting through an old box of early 90's football cards looking for a Jason Hanson card. I found this...

1991 Pro Line Eric Martin

I was briefly stunned. I couldn't avert my eyes from his sexiness for a time! How did Martin Ok this?

1992 Classic Draft Picks Jason Hanson

Jason Hanson today broke Bruce Matthews all-time NFL record by playing in his 297th game for the same franchise. Hanson is the 7th leading scorer in the history of the league. He banged a 51 yarder today too. Congrats Jason. You're great!

The Lions are 2-0. The Tigers are heading for the playoffs. I am a happy fan.

Anyone Know who Sacoo Is?

2011-09-16T17:04:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone. The dude that won my give-away is named sacoo. Clicking on his icon, I can only send him an inter-google messsage... which I've done. I have not heard from him. Anyone know who he is?
And since this is a blog about sports cards, here are the Goodwin mini's that I pulled out of a blaster yesterday.

100 Followers, Really?

2011-09-15T07:54:00.001-04:00

People actually read this blog.
It's a question, a statement of surprise and amazement.
This morning, the 100th follower of my blog appeared. Frankly, I am stunned.
In December 2009, I started writing about my collection of stuff. Truthfully, I didn't think this little blog in the corner of the sportscard collecting world would have enough content to last.
Not that there's anything wrong with asking, but I have never asked for you, my readers, to follow this blog. All 100 of you did it voluntarily. That's pretty cool.
As a way of saying thanks, I am going to random off all 100 names. Three spins of ye old randomizer should do. First place gets their pick of these graded cards, second and third get their pick of the leftovers.

Spin 1

Spin 2

Spin 3

Congrats! sacoo, Cracknell, and Mitchell.
Leave a message here, or hit me with an e-mail with your pick and address.
Thanks again to everyone that stops by here. Thanks to all the great friends I have, but have never met face-to-face. Thanks to all the readers . I am appreciative of all of you.
Peace.

The "Flying Squirrel"

2011-09-11T22:16:00.000-04:00

No, it's not the name of some old timer. It's the thing I will achieve.

I have made a commitment to myself to conquer the Flying Squirrel push-up by the end of the year. It's tough. Basically, one does a standard push-up, then propels oneself in a 180degree spin. I barely can pull off a 90degree. I will post an update in a week.
Lions and Michigan win. Tigers are creeping up on the Stankees for best record in the A.L. It's been a good weekend. Sports-wise that is.
It's hard to love your enemies. The remembrances of 9/11 today brought up many emotions. I just have to keep telling myself that He made them too.
Good night my friends. Give a hug to someone.
Peace.

We're Free

2011-09-11T08:57:00.002-04:00

I Had Hopes...

2011-09-10T22:53:00.000-04:00

Remember a few weeks ago, I was crying about missing out on a 2010 Topps Magic Dez Bryant relic #'d/25?

After failing to snag the card on eBay, I made quite an effort to find the identity of the buyer. I kept watch of the sellers feedback waiting for the buyer to leave feedback. Days passed and nothing. Then it happened, he left feedback. From there, it was pretty easy to contact the buyer. I sent him a message asking if he'd be willing to flip it to me and double his money. Know what he said? "I need it for my Relics set. I've been building it for 6 months, have seen your blog, and knew I had better jump on it when I did. Sorry. If I ever decide to throw in the towel on the set, I'll let you know"
Cue the Price is Right Fail music.
A few days later dude contacts me. "I've got some Kimballs you need. Hit me with your address, and they're yours."
Who am I to turn down cards? Free cards from my want lists nonetheless.
These showed up today.

Beautiful Kimballs. These could have been a set unto themselves.
They were properly packed in top-loaders.
They had a rigid cardboard protector too...

I had hopes. I really did.
Thanks for the cards Jeff.

Sweet Lou Whitaker

2011-09-10T18:41:00.000-04:00

I like the current crop of Detroit Tigers. It's been a great season thus far.
I still go back to my youth when considering cards to collect. As a kid, I played a lot of 2nd base. The Tiger's had a great player at 2nd. He was my favorite.
While perusing the bay of e a week ago, I spotted a colorful card that I didn't have. Now I have it.

1994 Topps Finest #364.

Go Blue.

Ya Gotta Be Strong Up the Middle

2011-09-09T22:29:00.000-04:00

While checking out at Meijer (a big box store like Wally World, but better) I grabbed a pack of 2011 Topps SeriesII.
Getting two Detroit Tigers in one pack of cards is a rarity for me.

The Tigers are red hot right now. Play off tickets go on sale Monday morning.

"Questionable Authenticity"

2011-09-06T22:39:00.001-04:00

I have had a quote from Gellman prominently displayed over to the right for a couple of weeks now. Take a quick glance over there and read it. Now continue...
My friend Kevin, the mortgage guy with the office near my store, and guy that drops off cool Kellogg's 3-d cards occasionally, stopped in today.
He handed me an awesome 2004 Fleer Clearly Authentics Ivan Rodriguez Patch card #29/75.

He then says, "I sent it to Beckett for grading and slabbing. Turn it over."

This is one of the coolest patch cards I have ever held in my hand. It has almost a complete Tiger head in it. It could be fake.

There are so many plain grey or white swatches, seeing one like this is special. Having Beckett return it with nothing more than a, "questionable authenticity: patch" label... well... that sucks.
I have put this card under a magnifying glass tonight. Trying to see how anyone could pull out a plain swatch, and embed a fancy swatch. I can't see any visible damage. None whatsoever. I am amazed that Beckett declared this card questionable. How do they determine something like that when there is no visible damage to the card?
There's an auction for a Cal Ripken card here. The Cal card has what looks like the edge of a letter or number swatch. I wonder if it's fake?
Kevin paid a nice price for this Pudge card. Now he is left to wonder about it's history.
And we're all left to wonder about our patch cards some more.

Who Green-Lighted This Goodwin?

2011-09-04T23:02:00.000-04:00

I picked up two packs of 2011 Goodwin today. I got this Barry Sanders card. Yes!, a Barry.

I know this years edition of Upper Deck Goodwin has a bit of an off the field feel to it. But how in the world did they think this image of the greatest running back ever was cool in any way?
Sitting at his locker reading? Terrible. At least it's a mini parallel.

Ryno

2011-09-04T07:59:00.002-04:00

1986 Topps #690

This card came out of the box that my worker Jen gave me.
Back in the 80's, didn't think Sandberg was that good. I saw lots of Cubs games on WGN, and he just didn't strike me as one of the best of his era.
Whenever I look at a card of a 2nd baseman that's in the Hall-of-Fame, I instantly think, "how do Lou Whitaker's stats compare."
Let's take a quick unscientific look shall we?
WHITAKER SANDBERG
Games 2,390 2,164
Hits 2,369 2,386
HR's 244 282
RBI 1,084 1,061
RUNS 1,386 1,318
SB's 143 344
OPS .789 .795
FLD % .984 .989
As you can plainly see, Lou Whitaker has a strong case for Hall-of-Fame consideration.

How Do I Know? Topps Tiffany

2011-09-03T10:10:00.000-04:00

In Michigan, the sewing season runs from September 1st through May 1st. We only have about 3 months of actual Summer, and during the Summer, people are not inside sewing. There's camping, golfing, gardening, and all sorts of outdoor activities. When it cools off, our business picks up.
This week, we brought back one of the repair techs that we laid off for the Summer. Jen returned with a smile and a gift for her boss.

"These were in my parents basement. I think they were my Grandmas. She loved baseball.", she said as she pulled this box out of her backpack.
There is a big mish-mash of cards in this box. I will break down the contents in forthcoming posts.
But for this morning, I have a question about one of the cards.

A beautiful Jheri-curled Deion Sanders. Card number 110T is slightly glossy. Compared to a standard 1989 Topps, like this Terry Leach, the finish is different. In my brief scan of eBay this morning, I can't tell if this Deion is a regular Traded card or a Tiffany card.
Anyone know much about Tiffany? Thanks.