Misleading Names

Hockey cards from the 2026 Lot, and all from a set that has always bothered me in name - 2000-01 BE A Player Memorabilia hockey card set. I mean, the memorabilia may be a draw for the set, but don't go and name the set after it unless the base set is your memorabilia related set. The set also does a very Be A Player thing with different colours for the names on the front for parallels, but none of those here, but what we do have... 

Not a fan of the design at all, but do like Maxime's card. Would be even better with a minimal design and more focus on the photo front and centre on the card.

So, the interesting part of these specific cards to the set is that these are all 400 numbered cards. The original set was 396 cards, and then a box set was released as the rookies and traded type update, and that is where these cards are all from. Doesn't give me more reason to collect them, but does make them a LITTLE more unique for coming in this lot. Someone must have broken the box apart at some point, probably to team or star collect I presume.

Lots of "NO NHL stats" given that information, or when they do, at least they are full stats. I will also give credit that the tiny headshot is actually a different picture from the one used on the front.

So, the entire bunch is up for trade except for one...

No, not THAT Petr Scoboda, this one was born in 1980 and had all of 18 games in the NHL, all with Toronto. Prior to was time in the Czech league, and subsequent were a few years with the St. John's Leafs. Didn't make a big splash in the NHL, especially in comparison to the OTHER Petr Svoboda, but a good add here for me.

Thick Boy

 Thick - not a reference to the players on the cards, and not a reference to the size of the trade as it was just a two card trade with TCDB member Emepep - but those Exquisite cards are thick!

The serial numbered card (to all of 399) of Ilya, is as thick as any memorabilia card - reminds me much of The Cup base cards. Very nice and sturdy, and is a one card Leaf teams set which doesn't hurt. 

Ilya was in Toronto for a few seasons before some time in Vancouver and now being part of the Blackhawks. He came in undrafted and has done well for himself.

Nick Robertson, another one and done Leaf team set, this being for the Debut Dates insert from the flagship product.

Nick is into season number 6 for the Leafs this year, very nice. I do wonder about the inclusion on the Debut Dates insert set though - I mean, highlighting his 0-0-0 stat line for the fact he played in a game - not sure I get it. I'd rather see an interesting story about his trip to the majors and overcoming hurdles to get there or something as the write up for the card, instead, half the back is taken up by a bunch of zeroes in a stat line.

Still - love the couple team set additions!

Back To Football

As much as I love surprise lots of cards - at this point, I am hoping not to have too many more of these days with 1991 Upper Deck football. I keep saying, at least they continue to move in trades fairly well, but not so much for me to talk about with them.

Some overlap from the recent pulls - another Boomer and Prime Time. Can't complain with the stars though.

A same that 1991 was the first year of four consecutive years of sorrow for Bills fans - many of whom are in Toronto. Even back then, it was the NFL team for many Canadians because of the close ties to the city. Add in the Doug Flutie connection on the latter part of that run, and it's all the more reason.

It was definitely the height of my Bills fandom - each year thinking it would finally be the year they won the big one, and each year being let down. Sure, the last couple years, the Cowboys were a strong dynasty style team, but still felt Buffalo had good chance of winning each year heading into the game.

Kind of like days with the lot here - feels good going in, then just beaten by the 1991 Upper Deck football cards. Hopefully, and at a high level glance, I'd say it's leaning towards, there not being too many more days like it going forward.

A Trade About Wrestling

 Another trade with TCDB member Amagee, and this one is almost all wrestling coming my way. Loved being able to trade some hockey cards in exchange, and plenty of goodies back.

Just to keep it interesting, one Jay and one Leaf card, both nice additions. Romano in a Capstone and Matthews in an MVP - both nice adds, but the rest are all 2023 Panini WWE base cards. It's a nice set of about 200 cards, and this trade puts me over 50 which is a nice little milestone, but let's see who that entails.

We get stars of now and then with Cena, Mankind and Owens being my fave in the first scan Dolph, I thought, was a WWE lifer, but I expect he will end up back even if just behind the scenes in retirement.

R-Truth and Bayley are greats here - I mean, R-Truth is such a great team player, personality, and has the ability to run with anything he is given and put 110% effort into it. Bayley, so obviously, has embraced her ability to teach and elevate other wrestlers, while still keeping herself well positioned and interesting from a character standpoint.

Can't say enough about Rhea, as this is when she really started coming into her own. Though one I thought we would see more from on the main roster was Shayna. I don't know why exactly, but she didn't seem to click. I was looking forward to Gigi getting a main roster run, and it didn't really get going before she was gone.

The Godfather - now there's a character that wouldn't be allowed to run the way it did if it started out today. Yikes! Goldberg in with the past stars found throughout the base set.

As far as wrestling stars go, doesn't get much bigger than ending with Eddie and Hulk.

Appreciate the great trade and massive help on getting going with the base set!

Koosh12 and Mjprigge Trades

I always get excited when trade envelopes arrive, but this one was extra nice.

First, the Bo 2020 Turkey Red insert from the flagship's first series, was the last of the Jays I needed to complete the team set.

A couple more 2021 Topps flagship cards has me down to just 32 remaining for completing the base set.

Katoh was the last of the five Jays I needed for the Topps Chrome Update base set to be finished off.

Oh, and the Roger parallel in the black foil is nice too.

We finish with...

Not a bad signature, very nice on card auto and...

Serial numbered too - awesome rookie card and much appreciate to pick it up in the trade!

Speaking of signatures in trades, I also picked up one in a nice little trade with mjprigge...

Talk about three unique cards. An auto of Pannone is pretty nice, actually a solid signature itself too. Though we also have a large and in charge Molitor Finest card and a one and done Toronto card from 1995 Post, which hasn't even been creased once. It's a two panel piece, meant to fold in half, but it never will be now!

Fantastic and thank you!

Revisiting The Holidays

Have seen a bit of a certain Topps Holiday baseball set in the last week or so, and if we get a couple more days like this, I might have enough to start collecting it...but not there quite yet.

Nice to see Aaron here, card one in the set. I don't mind the Padres alternative jerseys here. Actually would be able to get behind this set more if they all had alternative uniforms which were holiday colored or something like that. Make it a Christmas in July game across the league just to sell cards....

Future HOFer Clayton - really nice cards here too.

Actually, a number of solid star cards in this bunch. If the set was a bit smaller, this would have been enough to get me collecting.

Don't get me to get over the faux snow look, won't be a favourite ever, but could at least collect it.

Football Foray

A smattering of cards and sets of the football variety from the 2026 lot today, so let's see what we have for trade bait... 

Have to love to have the microvariations that seem to be fraught through the high production era of the late 80s and early 90s. The 1991 Ultra set has two different size NFLPA logos on the back apparently. Something I found out trying to log Randall in. Nice to get a card from back then that isn't 1991 Upper Deck, so I'll take that as a win anyway.

Still not a fan of Chronicles, but I'll take the variety of Panini card lines here to provide a mix of traders. I find it's not too bad finding people to trade football for baseball. Definitely don't see a football/hockey mix nearly as much.

Even a few Draft Picks cards in the bunch, and the Kittle card is a card from the 2021 Panini NFL Stickers and Cards set - an interest cross combo there I guess, rather than having them as completely different product runs I guess.

Chark Jr tries to sneak by with the Kickoff parallel pretending to be a base card, but I caught him before I scanned this time! Warren Moon wins for the group though, I did enjoy watch him play back in the day.