The Iconic Series: 1975-76 Topps Guy Lafleur

This is probably my strangest selection, I really had a hard time finding a card that really stood out and represented “The Flower”. The design on this Topps Hockey set is pretty bland and probably one of the worst designs of any sport in the 1970s.

I think this photo is very personal and shows you Guy’s imperfect look for a player that was smooth as hell on the ice. Guy’s who was a finesse player appear to have had his nose broken a few times. The way his hair is parted you can tell that eventually he was going to lose it. However, it does appear that he has all of his teeth.

The photo appears to be a picture one might take of a brother or cousin, the personal feel of it makes this card stand out more than any other LaFleur card.

2011 Topps Clay Matthews - the card that changed Michael Vick's fate - the 100 million dollar play

I had previously posted that Calvin Johnson's 2011 Score card  showed action from week one of the 2010 NFL season. Well, 2011 Topps Clay Matthews card shows him sacking Kevin Kolb on the play that Kolb got injured in week one of the 2010 NFL season. Michael Vick would then replace Kolb as the starter for the rest of the season (at least until Vick got hurt again). Michael Vick performance led to the trading  of Kolb in the off season and which then led to the Eagles signing Vick to a $100 million dollar contract.

B J Upton is doing it again

In the 2008 post season B J Upton carried the Rays all the way to the World Series. It was thought of at the time that the then 24 year old would develop into a super star. However, B J has been in a 3 year slump that he has finally emerged from this month to possibly carry the Rays into the playoffs this season.

Here is his iconic 2008 Topps and Topps chrome cards. Both card feature the new Rays logo

Bob Babcock #565

All legs and arms, that is the first thought when I see this card. This guy looks long aand he was. He stood 6 foot 5 and weighed 210 pounds. This photograph is from a spring training session.

Also love his name. Say it with me:

                        Bob Babcock

                        Bob Babcock

                        Bob Babcock

                  Bob Babcock 

            Bob Babcock

                    Bob Babcock

         Bob Babcock

     Bob Babcock

Violence on Cards

The card on the right is a 1991 AW card of Dick "Night Train" Lane.
This card is probably the most visually violent card that I have ever seen. It looks like Lane is trying to take the head off of the receiver on this card. This action play shot probably from the late 1950s and probably did not result in a penalty. This card just hurts. I feel for the receiver.

The other card is not visually as violent but what came after the photo probably hurts as well. It looks like Leo Nomelli is about to fold Johnny Unitas in half. This action shot (also AW) holds it own against any card produced in the last 20 years or so.

AW the manufacture of the set, I think produced only one set in 1991, most were of current players I believe but there also contained alot of retired superstars. This was one of the first sets to do this. As you know now this is standard fair for Baseball Cards now.

Richie Zisk #127

 Richie may be posing for this card with his bat on his shoulder or he may have been caught off guard by the photographer (I vote for the latter). I can not make out what is written in the yellow circle that appears to be part of his batting glove.

Back Facts: Became a free agent after the ’77 season and signed a 10 year contract with Texas

Rich Gossage #283

 Rich was on the Michael Kay show today. Here is a shot falling off the mound after his follow through. The amazing thing about this card is Rich’s 1981 statistics. He had a 0.77 ERA and he gave up 4 earned runs all year (though it was a strike shorten year). What is also amazing is that he lost 2 games somehow.

Back Facts: He had an 0.00 ERA for six World Series games.

Football Card Price Guide History: 2000 Score Tom Brady

I have included the short printed Scoreboard version of his Score card (because there just were not many sales).  Thus I will give you numbers for both kinds of his 2000 Score rookie card (regular and Score board)

                                                                                       

                                                                                        Price 

11/2008 Beckett Sports Card Monthly              $20.00-40.00

10/2010 Beckett Sports Card Monthly              $15.00-40.00
Last week on Ebay (avg price)   regular           $28.49 (4 sales)

Last week on Ebay (avg price)   Scoreboard   $65.50 (4 sales)

There are not many of these cards around or being sold but if you were lucky enough to pull a Brady for these low end set you were lucky. Note the rookie cards were short printed in this set just like the rookie cards in 2011 Score football but much the 2000 rookies are more rare.

Football Card Price Guide History - 2000 Bowman Tom Brady

Since Topps did not include Brady in their base set for 2000 (he was a 7^th round draft pick I believe), I will see how his Bowman rookie card has done. His Bowman 2000 rookie cards are a solid sell/buy, with a price range of $20-$50 on ebay last week.

                                                                                      Price 

11/2008 Beckett Sports Card Monthly              $25.00-50.00

10/2010 Beckett Sports Card Monthly              $20.00-50.00
Last week on Ebay (avg price)                          $32.34 (33 sales)

In 4/2005 issue of Beckett Football his 2000 Bowman Chrome rookie was going for $30-60.00. Last week on ebay there were 40 2000 Bowman Chrome Brady rookie sold for the average price of  $79.67.  His regular issued Bowman rookie cards are a strong value.

Football Card Price Guide History – 2000 Fleer Tradition Tom Brady

With Tom Brady’s big performance last week I have decided to take a look at some of this rookie cards. First up is his 2000 Fleer rookie card that he shares with another player(Slachelski who???).

11/2008 Beckett Sports Card Monthly              $15.00-30.00

10/2010 Beckett Sports Card Monthly              $12.50-30.00
Last week on Ebay (avg price)                           $13.06 (18 sales with $47 high for a graded 10)

His Fleer rookie cards have maintained  a fairly decent value.  These regularly issued cards are easily worth $10, thus his rookie card goes for more than most 1980s Fleer Baseball rookie cards of superstars.

Doug Decinces #279

Like Eddie Murray’s card this is an interesting tight shot from an odd angle. Was the photographer on the 3^rd Base coach’s box. I think this was taken at a major league park as opposed to a minor league park. Doug is wearing some interesting wrist bands.

Back Facts: Orioles player rep, he had one of his finest seasons in ’81 despite added pressures of the strike negotiations.

Are You Ready for Some 2012 Score Baseball Cards

With Panini’s foray into the Baseball Card Market, I can easily see them put out a nice 600 card baseball set. A Score baseball set could easily compete with the Topps base brand at the retail and hobby level.

Panini could do what they do in Football and put out packs of 7 cards for 99 cents and 52 card rack packs for 4.99 like they do at Target and Walmart. These non glossy sturdy cardboard cards would be a better and cheaper alternative to 2012 Topps. A hobby version could guarentee auto's and relics in each box.

Also, if Panini designs the Scores cards like they do with the Hamilton Playoff Contenders then they could make very attractive cards without logos (remember the Post cereal cards of the early 1990s) which looks much better than what Topps has put out in the last 4 years.

Though I do smell a Topps Lawsuit coming on.  

What does the Panini deal with MLBPA mean to Baseball cards.

I was listening to Fox Sports about 4:00pm today when they were interviewing Josh Hamilton of the Rangers. I heard him mention Panini and baseball cards, I really was not sure what it meant but then I checked out their blog which states they are back in the game.

There is a photo of a Hamilton card, no logos and only the Texas name in the corner , on Panini website (see below). What they card looks like though is fun and collectible. I like the design (it looks nostalgic and it looks better than Topps 2012) and I hope they will put out a set with all the stars on all the teams.  I am hoping for at least a 200-300 card set and maybe next year a large 500-900 card set. With designs like that, We dont need logo's

Just like Bart Scott says Can't Wait.

The Rubber Band Man (or who is between Tekulve’s legs)

Just a great card that captures Teke at the focal point of his full windup. It almost hurts  to look at the positioning of his right arm and right hand. His right hand seems to be positioned abnormally turned backwards like photo of someone in a bad accident. This card also has a great background as Teke is well positioned on the card. It appears that this was taken at Wrigley Field.

If you look closely between Teke’s legs there is a umpire or field crew member in the background.

Back Facts: Lost out by one point for NL Fireman of the Year award in ‘78.  

Eddie Murray #483

A very close up of an interesting angle of Mr. Consistency.  This is a very tight shot, I am up in the air on whether this is posed or an actual game in action photo. I would lean to the in-action photo because of Murray’s white gloved left hand not squeezing the bat.

I have to wonder where the photographer was standing when he took this if it was a game action picture. Was he on the field?

Back Facts: May well be the best hitter in the AL. Middle name is Clarence.

The Iconic series: 1972 Topps Willie McCovey

Willie’s nickname was Stretch and this card is exactly that. Willie appears to be stretching away or slightly falling backwards as he is playing catch along the third base line (yes, every time I see this card I think Willie is standing along the third base line. Because if he was along the first base line looking home his left arm would be next to the stands – I am assuming the person taking the picture was standing towards home looking out. – The other possibility is the person taking the picture is facing Home Plate and Willie is actually throwing the ball towards the outfield).

Great card design and unique photo easily beats his 1960 vertical rookie card as his most iconic card. I think his 1969 Topps card, his MVP year is probably his second most iconic to this card.

Also, it was easy to pick this card as Willie’s most iconic because Beckett magazine for a couple of years featured this card in its advertisement for its grading program

Ron Cey #210

The original penguin, Ron seems to be caught on this photo during a game or infield practice.

Back Facts: Set a major league by driving in 29 runs in the month of April ’78.

Tommy John #409

The surgery. Tommy looks like an old crafty left hander. Tommy’s hat looks a little to big for his head in this picture. It also looks like he needs glasses because he is definitely squinting. The NY on his hat and uniform really stands out on this card

DONRUSS BACK FACT ERROR: Is the winningest pitcher in the AL over the last 3 seasons with a 52-56  record as a Yankee. (it should read 52-26)

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME score FOOTBALL

Welp, the NFL season opens tomorrow night in Green Bay. The 2011 Football card season opened up in early July with the release of Score football. There has been a Score Football set put out every year since 1989. Who would have thought in the early 1990s that Score Football would outlast Upper Deck football, baseball and basketball; Fleer football, baseball and basketball; Donruss baseball; Score Baseball; Topps basketball and hockey. 23 consecutive seasons and counting (it even outlast Brett Farve)

This card is one of the finer photos from the set. Score football gives you that early 1990s non glossy, cheap price feeling. However,  the card stock is A+. The card stock is a better quality than Topps baseball, football and Bowman baseball at almost half the price.

For the true sportscard collector there is no finer of a set.

Starship Troopers the predecessor to 9/11.

In November of 1997, I saw one of the best Sci-Fi movies of all time Starship Troopers.

It had an incredible story line, state of the art special effects, a gorgeous cast plus nudity.   The film starred Casper Van Dien, who I thought was sure to become the next great movie star. It also had 2 beautiful women in the lead role Dina Meyers and Denise Richards (never hotter). The movie had a 1950s feel with 2020 special effects and coherant storyline.

However for some reason the movie bombed at the Box Office. This movie is much better than Independence Day (and in July 1996 when I saw it, I thought ID was one of the greatest movies of all time though it is a movie that peaks in the first 20 minutes and slowly goes down hill but it was a big hill).

The plot of the Starship Troopers is just like 9/11.

9/11 – Sneak attack by mysterious Al-Queda.

ST – Sneak attack by the mysterious bugs the Klandaktu.

9/11 – Twin Towers wiped out by planes

ST – Buenos Aires wiped out by a big asteroid

9/11 – Theme: Who ever did this is going to hear from us

ST – Theme: Lets kill some bugs, Lets kill them all

9/11 – The invasion of Iraq (OK, I know that is where this story goes a little haywire, since 18 of the 20 terrorist were from Saudi Arabia) by USA

ST – The invasion of Klandaktu system by Earth Men and Women.

9/11 – The finding of Suddam Hussein in a hole

ST – The finding of the Smart Bug Leader in a hole.

9/11 – The continuing war against terror

ST – The continuing war against the bugs

Starship Troopers is probably a little more coherent than 9/11 but unfortunately Denise Richards did not get naked.

Bill Lee #194 (Redux)

Photo Front: A posed head shot with him holding his glove up chest high. The glove was a Rawlings. The incredible thing about this glove is that the word Montanez appears written on it. So Bill Lee in (Spring Training 1981) posed for this card using/wearing Willie Montanez's glove (Willie began the season with the Expos). (Hopefully Photo's to Follow). This appears to be a spring training shot with large white building top in the backgroud.   The classic Expos logo appears on his cap.

Card Back: It appears Bill was a great college with USC in 1968. Bill was also the third Bill Lee in his family.

Bateman Comments: There is no mention anywhere on this card of his nickmane "Spaceman".

 

*note this is one of my first posts, it did not have the photo of the card with it, I have updated the post with the photo so you can see the glove

Jerry Augustine #332

Every time I see the name Augustine I think of St. Augustine Florida. Gerald was living in Hales Corner, Wisconsin (at least that what the back of the card says).

A somewhat nondescript card, you can partially see the ball in his hand as he is about to throw. I guessing that this is a spring training shot.

Is Topps Lineage the rejected design for Topps 2011 or 2012.

The more I see this set the more I think this was the loser design for either 2011 or 2012 Topps. Topps realized that collectors might make the connection so they tried to throw us off and made the backs very unusual and included no stats. The backs actually look like backs that are part of inserts set.

It is also possible that this set could be called Topps 2011.5, a bridge way set between 2011 and 2012. You can’t fool us Topps we know what you are doing.