Saturday, January 27, 2018

2017 the year of meh

The French have this great word.  It's called ennui.  It's also now an English word as the English language is not above stealing words from other languages to express what needs expressing.

en·nui  (ŏn-wē, ŏn wē)
n.
Listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; boredom: 
[French, from Old French enui, from ennuyer, to annoy, bore; see ANNOY.]

That one word sums up my current mood about the sports card hobby.  As a matter of fact it sums up the whole 2017 for me.  I don't remember going into the year feeling this way, but as I sit writing this it sure hasn't left.

2017 was a big year of change for me.  Nothing as large as the birth of my son, or getting a new job, but there were definitely some big events.  Late in 2016 we put our house on the market and didn't get any takers so we hunkered down for the winter and in early spring 2017 put it back on the market.  We also took a nice trip to visit my family in Wisconsin, which turned sour when I had a gallbladder attack, and that eventually culminated in me having it removed.  But we sold our house and in June 2017 the stars aligned and we closed on our old house and upgraded to a much larger house.  The best upgrade was going from a small 2 bedroom house with one toilet to a 4 bedroom with 3 toilets.

What resulted was that my awesome wife let me take over one of the spare bedrooms for an office/man-cave/studio.  It also allowed me to bring everything out of storage and spread out.  And wow I've got a lot of crap.

 My first collecting passion was comic books, which started around 1985-86 and it's always been there.  I started dabbling in trading cards around the same time with few packs of Topps baseball and Garbage Pail Kids.  1987 is the year I consider my start as a sports card collector as the 87 Topps set was the first one I can remember trying to put together.  So 2017 marked my 30 year anniversary as a card collector.  And as I look around the man cave all I can think about is I have so much I don't really even want taking up space.

I'm getting a little off topic, but I am coming to a point, maybe.  I think over the course of one's collecting experience we evolve.  As with any endeavour as we learn and experiment our focus and tastes change.  I've always kind of considered myself a three pronged collector: a set collector, a player collector, and a team collector.  And as the year's have gone on I still consider myself all three.  I've always enjoyed the challenge of putting together a base set, I have my two main sports teams I focus on, the Brewers and the Packers, and I have a handful of players I focus on, most of which fall within those two teams, but I do also collect Frank Thomas and Reggie Jackson and I have spots for the Milwaukee Braves, especially Hank Aaron.  In 2015 when Topps lost their license for the NFL and we now had complete exclusivity of the 4 big sports leagues I really started to see my collecting focus and habits change.  Panini puts in a good effort to make a few baseball products to compete with Topps, but without the logos or even correct color schemes it's just not the same.  And I've had no desire to buy any football products this year.  I miss having a nice flagship set.  Sure there's Score, but that comes out before the draft.  There's Donruss, but I just feel the set is incomplete and way too small.  After 8 years of Topps exclusivity I feel the same way about baseball.  Topps continues to put out a decent flagship product, but honestly the last couple year's just feel phoned in.  The shift to hit driven products has been a big reason I've been pushed away from the market.  As a player, team, and set collector, these higher end products that offer few cards, but guarantee autographs and relics are not appealing to me.  Especially as a fan who's baseball team is always underrepresented.  These hit driven products really turn me off because I know if I spend 50, 100, 250, 25,000 dollars on the product there is very little chance I'd hit something I'd want to add to my collection and I'd only be opening the product to resell and you seldom make your money back.

I've found that I'm buying less and less product and really being drawn to just buying the few cards I want from ebay or getting cards through trades or sifting through the dime and quarter boxes looking for cards I want.  Last year the only set I tried to put together was Topps Flagship baseball.  I still haven't finished it.  I didn't even buy a pack of update.  I've attempted no football sets in the last 2 years and except for a couple random packs here or there and haven't bought much.   I've found my collecting evolving away from set collecting.  I've decided I'm not going to try to put together the 2018 Topps flagship set. I'll either pick up a hand collated set later in the year or a factory set and save myself a couple hundred bucks.

Before my son was born I had made a large effort to cataloged, sort, and store my Brewers team sets.  That got put on hold when I had to give up the spare room for my son and mothball most of my collection.  I still tried to pick up team sets for all the major releases, but just keeping up with what was coming out was about all I could do.  It's the same with my player collections.  I have 5 major player collections, Brett Favre, Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Frank Thomas, and Robin Yount.  My primary PC would be my Yount collection.  And it's the only one in the last 4 years that I've really bothered to try and add to.

So what's the point CB, who cares?  As I sit in my melancholy at the being of 2018 I decided since my collection was at my finger tips I'd do something about it.  I've been a member over at the Trading Card Database since 2009, but never used the collecting tools the site offered.  I've been busying adding images, updating and editing checklists, but never bothered to enter my collection into the site.  So I've slowly started working through my team and player collections, logging which cards I have, setting aside any cards that don't have images uploaded to the site and scanning and adding them.  Slow, very slow I started to come out of my collecting funk, but the evolution still remains.  And as I sit and write this I'm still contemplating what the new year will bring.

If you've read this far down and are still with me you are a saint.  The last couple years I've really slacked off on this blog.  2016 marked a low point for me in effort with last year not far behind.  I'm hoping maybe to find some inspiration this year to maybe make a little more effort in posting on the blog, and not just contest and trade posts, but actually taking the time to come up with a few good posts.  Posts worthy of the bloggers I read 10 years ago that eventually spurred me to start my own blog(s).  We'll see, I've said this before.  Thanks for reading and letting me rant.

CB out.

Sunday, January 21, 2018

8th Annual Almost the Easiest Super Bowl Contest on the Web Conference Championship Clean Up


Well Championship weekend is over.  I was rooting for the Jags, but alas looks like Brady will get his 8th Super Bowl appearance.  At least I have a team to root for since the Eagles put a whooping on the Viks.  With that we lost 7 more.  And while there are 16 still left in the game only 3 correctly picked that Super Bowl 51 would feature the Patriots vs the Eagles.  Alrighty see you all after the big game with the contest wrap up.  Thanks again.

Matthew Glidden - Patriots over Rams, 45 points, 2 field goals

jasongerman9 - Patriots over Eagles, 59 points, one field goal.

night owl - Patriots beat Saints. 56 points. 2 field goals.

RAZ - Vikings over Patriots, 60 points, 5 field goals.

Matt Stupienski - Patriots over Vikings, 58 pts, 4 FG

The Angels In Order - Patriots over the Rams, 53 points, 4 FG.

Wilson - Jaguars over Vikings, 52 points, 5 FG

Mark Hoyle - Pats over Saints. 65 points 5fg

Swing And A Pop-up - Patriots over Rams. 61 Points, 4 FG.

Vrooomed - Eagles over Patriots - 45 points, 4 FGs.

Eric C - Pats over Eagles - 51 pts - 4 fgs [AnalogKid @ TCDB]

Sport Card Collectors- Pats  over Vikings 52 points 5 fg

Richard Nebe Jr.- Vikings over Steelers, 38 points, 3 field goals

Fuji - Patriots over Vikings, 64 points, 5 FG.

David Switzer - Vikings over Chiefs. 51 points. 3 FG

Jeff Miller - Vikings over Steelers, 48 points 2 fg

GCA - Patriots over Saints, 32 points, 3 FGs, PIMP

Jafronius - Patriots over Vikings, 44 points, 2 FGs

Trevor P - Patriots over Saints. 69 points. 2 FG.

arpsmith - Eagles over Steelers, 55 points, 3 FGs

Matt Prigge - Vikings over Pats, 34 points, 2 FGs

Kenneth Riddle - Vikings over the Steelers, 42 points, 5 field goals

Red Cardboard - Patriots over Saints, 49 points, 0 field goals

Sunday, January 14, 2018

8th Annual Almost the Easiest Super Bowl Contest on the Web - Divisional Round Shake Down


Wow wow wow.  Man what a great weekend of football, with the exception of the Pats-Titans game wow.  And that Vikings last second TD incredible.  I have to say I think next week's Conference Championships are going to be awesome.  Who knows maybe this year's Super Bowl will be a nail bitter too?!

We lost 15 this round.  I'm still pulling for the Jaguars, because why not?  Alrighty I'll have another update after the Conference Championships are over next week.  Go Jags!! 

dayf - Falcons over Patriots, 31 points, 1 field goal

Matthew Glidden - Patriots over Rams, 45 points, 2 field goals

Corky - Steelers over Rams, 52 points, 3 field goals.

jasongerman9 - Patriots over Eagles, 59 points, one field goal.

James Crecraft - Steelers over Vikings, 43 points, 5 field goals

night owl - Patriots beat Saints. 56 points. 2 field goals.

RAZ - Vikings over Patriots, 60 points, 5 field goals.

The Turrdog - Steelers over Vikings, 38 points, 1 field goal

Matt Stupienski - Patriots over Vikings, 58 pts, 4 FG

Brett Alan - Steelers over Rams, 41 points, 2 field goals.

Nachos Grande - Steelers over Rams, 51 points, 3 field goals

The Angels In Order - Patriots over the Rams, 53 points, 4 FG.

Wilson - Jaguars over Vikings, 52 points, 5 FG

Mark Hoyle - Pats over Saints. 65 points 5fg

Swing And A Pop-up - Patriots over Rams. 61 Points, 4 FG.

Dion's IP Autos only - Saints over Patriots 58 points 3 FG's - PIMP

Vrooomed - Eagles over Patriots - 45 points, 4 FGs.

Eric C - Pats over Eagles - 51 pts - 4 fgs [AnalogKid @ TCDB]

Sport Card Collectors- Pats  over Vikings 52 points 5 fg

Richard Nebe Jr.- Vikings over Steelers, 38 points, 3 field goals

Fuji - Patriots over Vikings, 64 points, 5 FG.

David Switzer - Vikings over Chiefs. 51 points. 3 FG

ketchupman36 - Falcons over Pats. , 44 points, 3FG

irondequoit36 - Saints over Steelers , 48 points , 5fg

Jeff Miller - Vikings over Steelers, 48 points 2 fg

GCA - Patriots over Saints, 32 points, 3 FGs, PIMP

Jafronius - Patriots over Vikings, 44 points, 2 FGs

Josh D - Steelers over Saints...51 points...3 FGs

TSHenson - Steelers over Rams, 57 points, 5 field goals

Trevor P - Patriots over Saints. 69 points. 2 FG.

arpsmith - Eagles over Steelers, 55 points, 3 FGs

Adam Kaningher - Steelers over Eagles, 41 points, 2 FGs.

Adam Sanders - Steelers over Vikings, 52 points, 5 field goals - PIMP

Matt Prigge - Vikings over Pats, 34 points, 2 FGs

P-town Tom - Titans over Rams, 43 points, 5 FGs

Sportzcommish - Falcons over Pats. 61 points. 4 field goals

Kenneth Riddle - Vikings over the Steelers, 42 points, 5 field goals

Red Cardboard - Patriots over Saints, 49 points, 0 field goals

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Trade Post - A Cracked Bat


Before Christmas Julie, who writes the great blog A Cracked Bat,  emailed me for my new address because she wanted to send me some cards.  It was great timing because I had finally gotten to the point were I could find my boxes were all my cards for trade are stored.  I had been picking up Tigers cards specifically for her for a while, but squirreling them away as I worked on moving into our new house.  Now that I have my own space to spread out I was ready to jump into the world of trading again.  Fast forward to late last week and in my mailbox was a nice bubble mailer packed full of cards.  The thing I love about trading is that I can give cards I don't want or collect to someone who will appreciate them and if all goes according to plan they do the same.  Let's have a look at the goodness Julie sent.


First up is a vintage Brewers double rookie card from 1971.  I have the complete 71 Brewer's team set, but my Smith/Kopacz rookie card is at least 2 grades lower than the one Julie sent me.  The scan got cut off and I didn't feel like rescanning it.  I don't find 71's that nice around here.  An easy upgrade for my team set!


I didn't scan everything Julie sent, but I did want to show off some of the highlights from the package. 

The Jenkins is the gold parallel from 2003 Bowman, a pair of 2001 Gallery cards, Braun's Then and Now Bowman insert deceptively from the 2017 Topps Chrome set not Bowman, Braun's Gold Label base card and a nice emerald parallel Lucroy Triple Threads card.

Also included was Braun's 2017 Triple Threads base card, which represents the whole Brewers team set.  His 2017 Topps Fire Golden Grabs base insert, which are harder to find as they are only inserted in the full boxes available at Target.  The 2015 Diamond Kings is the Silver parallel numbered to 99 and a Taylor Jungman 2016 Topps Chrome Prism refractor parallel.
A couple more nicer high end product base cards.  Love'em.

I'm pretty sure I don't have that Braun Spring Fever card and while looking at that cool 2003 Fleer E-X Sexson card I still lament about the lose of competition that created cards like that.  So clear, so neat.

Julie also included a small stack of 2017 HBP cards.  If you don't know the HBP set you're not alone.  I had never seen or heard about these cards.  To the internet and TCDB.  HBP stands for Honus Bonus Partners Fantasy Baseball. So it looks like there were another oddball offering trying to cash in on the fantasy sports craze.  The website featured on the back of the card is already shut down, so I guess there's no plans for a follow up season.  Put out by Rittenhouse Archives or at least somewhat associated with them.  500 cards in the set and the Brewers have a nice team set featured.  There is also a foil parallel, which Julie sent me one of, the Junior Guerra.  I guess each hobby box came with two Career Milestone 1 of 1 cards. But there are literally hundreds of 1/1 cards for each player as each hit, stolen base, strikeout if featured.  Think Topps Milestone and Moments or those Barry Bonds or Mickey Mantle Home Run inserts from the mid 2000's.  Those cards actually look pretty good and are printed on quality card stock. 
Here's what the backs look like.
In the package were also 20 Frank Thomas cards.  And I know Julie took the time to look at my Frank Thomas checklist, because I didn't have a single one she sent.  My scanner also only holds 16 cards so here are my favorite 16.
But the cherry on top of the package was this sweet Carlos Gomez BCA Die-Cut Prism Autograph numbered 25/25.

A very sweet trade indeed.  Thanks Julie!!

Sunday, January 7, 2018

8th Annual Almost the Easiest Super Bowl Contest on the Web - Wildcard Weekend Wrap-up


Wow what a great weekend of football.  And man what a nail bitter in New Orleans!!  Nothing like the game coming down to the last couple seconds.  The overwhelming majority of picks had the 4 first round bye teams, so we only ended up losing six this round.  Still a lot of football to be played over the next couple weeks.  So here are the official picks and those in Red are out.  Good luck guys and I'll have an update after the divisional games next week.


dayf - Falcons over Patriots, 31 points, 1 field goal

Matthew Glidden - Patriots over Rams, 45 points, 2 field goals

Greg Zakwin - Rams over Pats, 69 points, 5 field goals.

CaptKirk42 - Rams over Chiefs, 51 Points, 3 field goals

Corky - Steelers over Rams, 52 points, 3 field goals.

jasongerman9 - Patriots over Eagles, 59 points, one field goal.

James Crecraft - Steelers over Vikings, 43 points, 5 field goals

night owl - Patriots beat Saints. 56 points. 2 field goals.

RAZ - Vikings over Patriots, 60 points, 5 field goals.

The Turrdog - Steelers over Vikings, 38 points, 1 field goal

Matt Stupienski - Patriots over Vikings, 58 pts, 4 FG

Brett Alan - Steelers over Rams, 41 points, 2 field goals.

Nachos Grande - Steelers over Rams, 51 points, 3 field goals

The Angels In Order - Patriots over the Rams, 53 points, 4 FG.

Wilson - Jaguars over Vikings, 52 points, 5 FG

Mark Hoyle - Pats over Saints. 65 points 5fg

Swing And A Pop-up - Patriots over Rams. 61 Points, 4 FG.

Dion's IP Autos only - Saints over Patriots 58 points 3 FG's - PIMP

Vrooomed - Eagles over Patriots - 45 points, 4 FGs.

Eric C - Pats over Eagles - 51 pts - 4 fgs [AnalogKid @ TCDB]

Sport Card Collectors- Pats  over Vikings 52 points 5 fg

Richard Nebe Jr.- Vikings over Steelers, 38 points, 3 field goals

Jeff S - Rams over Steelers - 48 points - 3 FG

Colbey Hopper - Panthers over Steelers, 44 points with 4 FGs

Fuji - Patriots over Vikings, 64 points, 5 FG.

David Switzer - Vikings over Chiefs. 51 points. 3 FG

ketchupman36 - Falcons over Pats. , 44 points, 3FG

irondequoit36 - Saints over Steelers , 48 points , 5fg

Jeff Miller - Vikings over Steelers, 48 points 2 fg

GCA - Patriots over Saints, 32 points, 3 FGs, PIMP

Jafronius - Patriots over Vikings, 44 points, 2 FGs

Josh D - Steelers over Saints...51 points...3 FGs

TSHenson - Steelers over Rams, 57 points, 5 field goals

Trevor P - Patriots over Saints. 69 points. 2 FG.

arpsmith - Eagles over Steelers, 55 points, 3 FGs

Adam Kaningher - Steelers over Eagles, 41 points, 2 FGs.

Jupiterhill - Chiefs over Eagles, 65 points, 3 FG's

Adam Sanders - Steelers over Vikings, 52 points, 5 field goals - PIMP

Matt Prigge - Vikings over Pats, 34 points, 2 FGs

P-town Tom - Titans over Rams, 43 points, 5 FGs

Matt - Bills  over Vikings, 42 points, 4 field goals

Sportzcommish - Falcons over Pats. 61 points. 4 field goals

Kenneth Riddle - Vikings over the Steelers, 42 points, 5 field goals

Red Cardboard - Patriots over Saints, 49 points, 0 field goals

Saturday, January 6, 2018

8th Annual Almost the Easiest Super Bowl Contest on the Web - Official Entries Post


Sorry for the delay my wife was hogging the computer all day and that's ok because I still had football to watch.  Wow what a great first game.  I must say not having a horse in the race make the playoffs so much more, for lack of a better word, enjoyable.  By my count we have 44 entries in this year's super bowl contest.  I'm pretty sure that's a record for any of my contests so wohoo!  I haven't done an exhausted review of the entries but it looks like we have just about every team covered with the Patriots and Steelers heavily favored.  I'm going to pull for Jacksonville just for the hell of it.  I also want to say welcome to the a couple first times I see and welcome back to all you long time players.  I also want to ask if you were kind enough to promote my contest but forget to leave a link or let me know please do so, I want to make sure everyone who helped promote the contest gets their second entry into the door prize drawing.  Those that did will have a PIMP by their pick and that lets me know to add a second entry when I randomize my list.  OK so what's up for grabs?  I've got a nice lot of 2003 Upper Deck Patch Collection Patch Cards for the winner!  The set was interesting as the manupatches were part of the base set.  Nobody earth shattering, but a nice lot of cool cards, plus I'm going to throw in a 2007 Robert Meachem Topps Chrome Rookie auto.  The winner will also get a nice stack of cards from their preferred team and/or players.  There might even be additional autos or relics in the prize.  Just depends what I have laying around.

For the door prize I have a nice lot of 2009 Topps Chrome cheerleader cards.  Pretty shiny girls for the winner. Not quite a complete set, but there are no dupes in the lot.  The door prize winner will also get a stack of their preferred team and/or players and maybe an auto or relic as well.

Sorry for the glare.

OK here are your official entries.  Like I said if you promoted the contest and do not have a PIMP by your pick let me know.  I'll have the Wildcard update out most likely on Monday.

dayf - Falcons over Patriots, 31 points, 1 field goal

Matthew Glidden - Patriots over Rams, 45 points, 2 field goals

Greg Zakwin - Rams over Pats, 69 points, 5 field goals.

CaptKirk42 - Rams over Chiefs, 51 Points, 3 field goals

Corky - Steelers over Rams, 52 points, 3 field goals.

jasongerman9 - Patriots over Eagles, 59 points, one field goal.

James Crecraft - Steelers over Vikings, 43 points, 5 field goals

night owl - Patriots beat Saints. 56 points. 2 field goals.

RAZ - Vikings over Patriots, 60 points, 5 field goals.

The Turrdog - Steelers over Vikings, 38 points, 1 field goal

Matt Stupienski - Patriots over Vikings, 58 pts, 4 FG

Brett Alan - Steelers over Rams, 41 points, 2 field goals.

Nachos Grande - Steelers over Rams, 51 points, 3 field goals

The Angels In Order - Patriots over the Rams, 53 points, 4 FG.

Wilson - Jaguars over Vikings, 52 points, 5 FG

Mark Hoyle - Pats over Saints. 65 points 5fg

Swing And A Pop-up - Patriots over Rams. 61 Points, 4 FG.

Dion's IP Autos only - Saints over Patriots 58 points 3 FG's - PIMP

Vrooomed - Eagles over Patriots - 45 points, 4 FGs.

Eric C - Pats over Eagles - 51 pts - 4 fgs [AnalogKid @ TCDB]

Sport Card Collectors- Pats  over Vikings 52 points 5 fg

Richard Nebe Jr.- Vikings over Steelers, 38 points, 3 field goals

Jeff S - Rams over Steelers - 48 points - 3 FG

Colbey Hopper - Panthers over Steelers, 44 points with 4 FGs

Fuji - Patriots over Vikings, 64 points, 5 FG.

David Switzer - Vikings over Chiefs. 51 points. 3 FG

ketchupman36 - Falcons over Pats. , 44 points, 3FG

irondequoit36 - Saints over Steelers , 48 points , 5fg

Jeff Miller - Vikings over Steelers, 48 points 2 fg

GCA - Patriots over Saints, 32 points, 3 FGs, PIMP

Jafronius - Patriots over Vikings, 44 points, 2 FGs

Josh D - Steelers over Saints...51 points...3 FGs

TSHenson - Steelers over Rams, 57 points, 5 field goals

Trevor P - Patriots over Saints. 69 points. 2 FG.

arpsmith - Eagles over Steelers, 55 points, 3 FGs

Adam Kaningher - Steelers over Eagles, 41 points, 2 FGs.

Jupiterhill - Chiefs over Eagles, 65 points, 3 FG's

Adam Sanders - Steelers over Vikings, 52 points, 5 field goals - PIMP

Matt Prigge - Vikings over Pats, 34 points, 2 FGs

P-town Tom - Titans over Rams, 43 points, 5 FGs

Matt - Bills  over Vikings, 42 points, 4 field goals

Sportzcommish - Falcons over Pats. 61 points. 4 field goals

Kenneth Riddle - Vikings over the Steelers, 42 points, 5 field goals

Red Cardboard - Patriots over Saints, 49 points, 0 field goals

Friday, January 5, 2018

8th Annual Almost the Easiest Super Bowl Contest on the Web - Final Reminder!!

This is it people!  We've had a great turn out so far! One last reminder to get your picks in by Saturday noon Alaska time, 4pm EST, that about 20 minutes before the first wild card game kick off.

Go HERE to enter, you'll be among good company!!

Thursday, January 4, 2018

8th Annual Almost the Easiest Super Bowl Contest on the Web - 2nd Reminder



Just a second friendly reminder for those of you bidding your time or unsure if you want to enter.  You have until Saturday 12 noon Alaska Time, 4pm EST.

Go HERE to enter

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

8th Annual Almost the Easiest Super Bowl Contest on the Web - 1st Reminder

Holy Moley people!  What a great response already for the contest!  You guys rock.  Just a reminder post for anyone out there who hasn't heard though.  I've got my annual super bowl contest open.  Don't put your pick here, instead do it HERE.  You have until just before the first wild card game on Saturday.

And I forgot to mention if you're kind enough to promote the contest on your blog, twitter feed, facebook, instagram, whatever, make sure you leave me a note on your pick that you did it and if you can a link to the pimp.