Knocking off another 5%

Wow - yesterday was a busy day in hockey! Glad to see Stamkos staying with Tampa Bay - it is his team, always will be - I think it suits him well. A bit surprised to see Hall moved, but even with all the young talent, the Oilers need to start making moves to bring in some intangibles like good leader ship, experience and winning attitude - great young talent is a big piece of the puzzle, but I think they need a few pieces to really turn things around. Lastly, PK Subban going to Nashville...saying this as a true Leaf fan - well, anywhere is better than Montreal...but truthfully, he is a Hab, will be a Hab even if it was a rocky relationship at times.Next year should be interesting!

As for what we are really here for...happily getting a few more cards from the 2004-2005 Legends Classics set putting us around 27% complete on the base set...

Highlights:

Can't imagine a current player having flowing locks the way Phil does in that shot...one of the things we miss out on now with the, very much needed, mandatory helmet wear...just a side effect of it though, and wonder how many players suffer from helmet hair that could have had such flowing locks for their cards...

The rest
Keepers:

I think you can see the extra bit of effort required by Jeremy here in getting over the boards - not as spry as he was in his younger days.

Traders:

A number of different trade cards, but mostly added cards from 2004 Leaf Rookies and Updates....

Through 2900 cards:

Specific Accomplishments:
- Completed 2007-08 Upper Deck McDonald's Checklist Subset (6 cards)
	Hockey	Baseball	Basketball	Football	Austin Powers	Other
Toronto	60	5
Inserts / Var Kept	92	4
Error	11	1
Keep	797	88
Doubles/Sell	278	15	543	669	231	19
Doubles Inserts / Var	19		29	39

What exactly is this?

First - things I do know - another 20 baseball cards from Listia:

Highlights:

Just the one Jay, but a new one for me which is great.

The rest
Keepers:

Wide variety. The Donruss Triple Play card, my biggest concern is - I didn't know who's card it was until entering it on tradingcarddb.com because even the back doesn't give any clue. Your either recognized the player, or had to look up the card.

Also, decent artwork of McGriff as a Padre - liked him as a Jay - oh well...

Today's Santa Lot 20 is highlighted by, well....this....

Yes, I know it is a Pog - from 2006 to be exact. The question is - do I collect this? Is it a card? does this "fit"? Frankly - I don't know. It is just the one for now, I will keep it (it is already listed in the tradingcarddb.com, so someone must have thought it would be included as a "card"). Given how die cut cards look these days, are we that out to lunch to call a Pog simply, a circular die cut card? The flip side is - no stats or history at all, nothing on the back but a shiny side, so all you have is a player team, name and photo.

Curious to know what others think...

The rest
Keepers:

A nice classic pre-Leaf Mats, a couple more 2007-08 Upper Deck cards, and a nice 2009-10 MVP card, so only a few, but decent ick ups.

Traders:

As I have mentioned, I have the 1991-92 O Pee Chee hockey set, but if I need to get a double, the Amonte card is a great one. Otherwise, some Retail Ultra basketball, and 1991 upper deck football (though the couple rookie card 2007 Topps football aren't too shabby.

Through 2880 cards:

Specific Accomplishments:
- Completed 2007-08 Upper Deck McDonald's Checklist Subset (6 cards)
	Hockey	Baseball	Basketball	Football	Austin Powers	Other
Toronto	60	5
Inserts / Var Kept	92	4
Error	11	1
Keep	791	88
Doubles/Sell	273	15	543	660	231	19
Doubles Inserts / Var	19		29	39

All you have to do is...Bo-Leaf!

No need to mince words today - great highlights for the cards today as not one, not two, but three different Leaf card additions - not bad out of 20 cards coming from all sports.

Highlights:

A perfect example of why the classic players on new cards can be such a good thing - an easy way to add a decent Frank Mahovlich card to the collection. Add to that the shiny McDonald's Mats, and a couple beautiful cards for today.

The rest
Keepers:

A couple different good things going on here...more Legends Classics cards, and the 1998-99 Pacific Paramount Iginla - a nice pic, player and front card design.

Traders:


Through 2860 cards:

Specific Accomplishments:
- Completed 2007-08 Upper Deck McDonald's Checklist Subset (6 cards)
	Hockey	Baseball	Basketball	Football	Austin Powers	Other
Toronto	60	5
Inserts / Var Kept	92	4
Error	11	1
Keep	786	88
Doubles/Sell	268	15	540	653	231	19
Doubles Inserts / Var	19		29	39

Best in the World

Before we get to the Santa Lot 20, another Listia baseball 20...

Highlights:

I don't think the 1992 Fleer cards get a lot of love, but I like them, even if the name is a little bit on the big side as far as space taken up on the card. Also holds a special place in my heart because the first major error card I got as a kid came in a pack - it was the Jose Offerman card which had a blank back. That was the first card that made me like error cards, and why I started collecting them, even the misprinted/miscut.

The rest
Keepers:

A number of 1996 Score rookie cards which I didn't have before. Not a lot of star power in the group, but not all rookie cards are of future hall of famers. Also like the Joe Carter Indian card - nice after swing picture. Also, as far as older cards - a nice (spring training?) pic of Bill Campbell.

Traders:

Some more rookies and some duplicating 1986 cards.

As for the headline - no - not a discussion of CM Punk and his claims as far as wrestling (and I guess he may have the same feeling about his work in MMA). The All-Star game seems to have received more and more attention in more recent years when it comes to base cards. Well, highlight from today's Santa Lot 20 brings such cards, in number, from a hockey set, though we have seen one or two of these before.

Highlights:

The All World Team cards are a fairly nice tweak design on the base set which I believe I said before - and obviously, quality of the player are pretty darn good. Add in one of the last Leaf cards from the set that I need, and that'll do!

The rest
Keepers:

The rest of the keepers are above - so decent overall.

Traders:

The good of these, is that each was a needed card from the set - the bad, is I don't think multiples were really needed like this. The more I see the photos though, I will say, that the more and more I like the photography for the set - just a lot of good, unique shots. Not sure why Wilcox is spread eagle, but good dunk follow up shot.

As for the chart below, I finally figured I'd consolidate a column for "other":

Through 2840 cards:

Specific Accomplishments:
- Completed 2007-08 Upper Deck McDonald's Checklist Subset (6 cards)
	Hockey	Baseball	Basketball	Football	Austin Powers	Other
Toronto	57	5
Inserts / Var Kept	92	4
Error	11	1
Keep	780	88
Doubles/Sell	265	15	535	650	231	19
Doubles Inserts / Var	19		29	39

Pack Attack - 2007-08 Fleer Hot Prospects

It is packs like this that make me miss the junk wax eras. This pack has all of 4 cards in it - that's it - 4. Not 10, 15, 17, not a rack pack or cello full of cards, just a pack of 4.

The base set is 256 cards and at this point I have all of 9. I don't expect to get much of anything specifically for my collection, but let's see...


Well - first card in and I'm happy as this is more than I would have expected to get...


Would you believe one of these is actually a card I already had in the 9 cards I had ahead of this pack.

Definitely a win of a pack, as much as that can be said for getting 4 base cards in a pack of 4 cards. I don't mind having these cards or getting them in trades, but will not be going out of my way to buy these packs for opening...

Pack Attack - Future Trends 72 Hockey Canada

A bit of an unusual pack/set. The purpose of the set is documentation of the Summit Series from 1972. For those unaware, Canada and the USSR at the time had a series of games (8) which originally were expected to be a Canadian blowout. The main reason being, the power/abilities of the USSR team were not common knowledge. Nowadays it is fair to say the Russia does have a good hockey history and pool of players, but 1972 was a different time.

USSR shocked many by taking the early games and after 5 games Russia led the series 3-1-1 only to have Canada come back and win the final three games to take the series 4-3-1. The USSR was able to win the respect in the hockey world that they were desiring to, while Canada squeaked out the series win.

Historic in Canadian and USSR hockey history - there are many ways to learn about the series, documentaries, books, memoirs, and apparently here, a card set as well.

So let's see what we end up with here...



Documenting the outside rink players built in Moscow


Showing the goalies on front and back of the same card


Scored the game winning goal in game one



Bobby Clarke who had 6 points in the series including a pair of goals.




Paul Henderson who scored the series winning goal and immortalized himself in Canadian hockey history, and Tretiak who became a Russian hockey legend for his amazing play in net through the series.



Johnston never got into a game, and Tony Esposito, as he is quoted on the back of the card believes he would have been better if he never took part in the series because he was never the same emotionally.

So a very interesting set of cards, and I would suggest for those who don't really know about it, it's an interesting piece of hockey history to learn about.

Legend Killer

Yeah, so a quick wrestling tie in with the title. I grew up on wrestling (WWF/WWE) and have watch Monday Night Raw religiously since it began, tuned into the Monday night wars, attitude era, the Smackdown 6, decade of John Cena, summer of Punk and still to this day.

One of the wrestlers of the last decade I enjoyed (for the most part) even if he was a bit of a jerk backstage (his words from one of the Beyond The Ring specials on WWE network - only 11.99 a month in Canada) was Randy Orton. Specifically in his "Legend Killer" gimmick.

So why do I bring this up? Two reasons - first - this Santa Lot 20 kills off a number of Classic Legends cards from the 2004-05 Legends Classic set. Secondly, because I have been toying back and forth on whether I want to really add wrestling cards to something I actively collect.

I think it is a case of not wanting to focus on too many things - and right now Leafs, Jays, unopened packs, parallel/inserts, error cards and magic cards - spreads things along enough. May need to consider dropping something maybe and picking up wrestling cards as well. I dunno - just a thought I have been playing with...

Highlights:

A nice grouping of new cards for the set - love the locks on Esposito - flowing as always...

The rest
Keepers:

Nope - not many other keepers though....

Traders:

Yeah, a number of dupes of the Ultra basketball cards - wonder if I will complete the set a couple times over...

Through 2820 cards:

Specific Accomplishments:
- Completed 2007-08 Upper Deck McDonald's Checklist Subset (6 cards)
	Hockey	Baseball	Basketball	Football	Austin Powers	ET	Star Wars	Rocky	KISS	Clue
Toronto	56	5
Inserts / Var Kept	92	4
Error	11	1
Keep	774	88
Doubles/Sell	265	15	522	650	231	8	5	2	3	1
Doubles Inserts / Var	19		29	39

Leafs, hockey classics and masterpieces oh my!

Before we get to a great Santa Lot 20, first a Listia baseball 20...

Highlights:

So the Jays are obvious, the question - why Ryne? Two reasons really (okay, mostly one) which is - because it is an uncorrected error card. That said, if I ever have a player that I actually do a specific player collection for, he would be the first. I don't even really know why I latched on to him given he was never a Jay, never flashy, just great at his position, but for whatever reason, he would be number one.

The rest
Keepers:

Steve Lyons - always to be remembered for forgetting he was in the middle of a game when trying to get the dust out of his pants when sliding into first base. If you haven't seen it, look it up on YouTube - classic baseball silliness. Otherwise, a shame that the 1999 Carpenter is not a Jay card as it was after his leaving, but that said - I do like that the design was kept consistent between sports for the year as hockey and baseball were for the 1999 year.

Traders:



As for the Santa Lot 20, a great pull of cards today so let's get to it...

Highlights:


Great Leaf cards (my third checklist from the McDonald's set, and second Mats so I have on for a complete set hopefully and one for the Leaf binder. I also put in the other inserts, well, a couple. Getzlaf because as a hockey insert, I collect and keep it, and the Generations card because this is the first I have seen from this insert set. I like it, haven't checked if there is an auto version which is why I suspect there is the white spacing under the pictures, but just an educated guess.

The rest
Keepers:

Additions to the Masterpieces set and Legends Classics are awesome. Love the Gillis picture as you can see the satisfaction in reaching the goal of winning the cup in his face - even with the dated hairstyle.

Traders:

As far as good pictures go, the Bosh card is a nice one - good action shot.

Through 2800 cards:

Specific Accomplishments:
- Completed 2007-08 Upper Deck McDonald's Checklist Subset (6 cards)
	Hockey	Baseball	Basketball	Football	Austin Powers	ET	Star Wars	Rocky	KISS	Clue
Toronto	56	5
Inserts / Var Kept	92	4
Error	11	1
Keep	766	88
Doubles/Sell	263	15	512	650	231	8	5	2	3	1
Doubles Inserts / Var	19		29	39