What I've been up to.

In case you're wondering what I've been up to lately, and why this site hasn't been updated in a while, I've been doing some free lance writing for Sports Collector's Daily.

For the uninitiated, it's probably the best Hobby news site on the planet.

For now, I writing previews of soon-to-be-released card sets. Check 'em out...

2012 Topps Opening Day Baseball

2012 Topps Heritage Baseball

2012 Topps UFC Knockout

And yes, I did compare Opening Day to Richard Nixon.

Hey Panini, Want to Make a LeBron James Football Card? For Reals?

Instead of a fake Miami Dolphins card that you'll never be able to legally produce, how about this?



Just a thought.

Oakland Coliseum Mystery Humper... Found?

First off, this post is definitely NSFW. If you have kids, or are at work reading this, stop now and go someplace else now. Or go read about pony cartoons.

Now, for some background, read this article on Deadspin about the couple in the bleachers getting it on during an Oakland A's game in 1997.

OK, so you're all up-to-date on where this might be leading? Good.

Because I think I found our mystery reverse-cowgirler, and you can thank my encyclopedic knowledge of mid-90s baseball cards. Say hello to former Phillies prospect...



The backstory DOES check out. He was a first-round pick of the Phillies in '92 and was one of the club's top prospects in the mid-90s. He played with Scott Rolen on the 1995 and '96 Reading Phillies, so it stands to reason that they might have been roommates. And by the time this video was taken, McConnell was already out of baseball due to injuries; so he probably had some free time on his hands.

But come on, the eyebrows and sideburns are a dead giveaway.

2011 Topps Updates: No Gimmicks Required.

2011 Topps Updates Baseball should be on the shelves at your LCS and/or mass-market retail outlet by now, and with it are the inevitable gimmicks. I mean, this is Topps. Surely they won't allow the third series of their flagship brand be released without doing something stupid, right?

So what's it going to be for this year's Update?

Is it going to be something like a squirrel, Joba Chamberlain listed "accidentally" as a Houston Astro, or a fake rookie card of Jacoby Ellsbury like they did in 2007?

How about purposely printing Evan Longoria, Jay Bruce, and Kosuke Fukudome's cards upside-down, like they did in 2008?

Stephen Strasburg hit with a shaving cream pie? Man, that's so 2010.

This year's gimmick is...

Nothing.

Yes, there are another 25 unannounced "Legend Variations." But other than that, there are no gimmicks in 2011 Topps Updates Baseball. At least none that have surfaced on eBay.

They even got rid of the Twinks!

Maybe the Topps product development team is finally getting it. Maybe they realize that their flagship brand needs no artificial inducement, gimmick, or other chicanery for collectors to buy it, and that Topps Updates is good enough to sell on its own.

If so, that would truly be "game changing."

Topps' Stupid "John Henry" Gimmick Card: Fixed.

Now this is more like it.

Topps Outdoes Itself Again.

I'd like to be a fly on the wall in the product development meetings. Seriously, how does Topps come up with stuff this stupid?



I'd imagine the conversation went a little something like this...

"Hmmm... I got a great idea! Let's make fake `Relic' cards of fictional characters, and randomly insert them into our premiere $100/pack relic-themed baseball card product. And on top of that, let's not bother telling anyone about it until AFTER the dumb schmucks who buy this garbage spend their money and discover our latest gimmick!"

Panini... SAVE US!!!!

Football Cards by the Inch.

Back in the day, Topps used to send me sample boxes of their latest products. In addition to baseball, they also sent my football, basketball (when they still had that license), and UFC cards. The problem is, I only collect baseball cards.

For the last couple of years, I've had all these football cards that have been collecting dust on my floor. (Not literally collecting dust, they're all in cardboard boxes, but you know what I mean, right?) But I think I've come up with a novel way to liquidate my inventory of unwanted football cards, and make a buck at the same time -- after all those student loans aren't going to pay themselves off, right?

I'm selling all my football cards by the inch.

Yes, by the inch.

Here's how it works:

1. You give me the name of the team you're interested in.
   
   
2. I'll pull all the cards of that team I have, measure, and quote you a price at a rate of $20/inch (postpaid). That's right. ONLY $20 PER INCH!!!
   
   
3. You send me the money (cash, check, PayPal, whatever), and I send out your cards.
   
   
4. Yes, this includes ALL cards from your particular team; base, parallels, inserts, AND the BIG MOJO HITZ!!!
   
   
5. No, I will not tell you what cards you are going to get in advance. It's a surprise; however, if you look around this website, there are clues as to what's available.

If you're interested, send me an e-mail with your preferred team. In the meantime, here's a list of the sets that are available:

• 2009 Bowman
• 2009 Bowman Chrome
• 2009 Finest
• 2009 Topps
• 2009 Topps Chrome
• 2009 Topps Mayo
• 2009 Topps Platinum
• 2009 Topps Unique
• 2009 Triple Threads
• 2010 Absolute Memorabilia
• 2010 Finest
• 2010 Score
• 2010 Topps
• 2010 Topps Attax
• 2010 Topps Chrome
• 2010 Topps Platinum
• 2010 Topps Prime
• 2010 Topps Unrivaled
  

AND... Here are the teams that have yet to be claimed.

Bears
Bengals
Bills
Broncos
Browns
Buccaneers
Cardinals
Chargers
Chiefs
Colts
Cowboys
Dolphins
Eagles
Falcons
Forty-Niners
Giants
Jaguars
Jets
Lions
Packers
Panthers
Patriots
Raiders
Rams
Ravens
Redskins
Saints
Seahawks
Steelers
Texans
Titans/Oilers
Vikings

The Greatest Sketch Card Ever Made

No, this one-of-a-kind sketch card from Dayf The Cardboard Junkie is NOT for sale or trade. I know you jealous, but you can't have it.



And here's the back.



Here's that Matt Diaz incident he's talking about.

The real GAMECHANGER! for 2012. Panini is back in baseball (sort of)

Last week on Cardboard Connection Radio, I flippantly remarked that I'd be willing to take Panini/Donnruss-Playoff back as a licensee if only to break up the Topps monopoly. Well today, it was announced that
Panini has been granted a license from the MLBPA.

So our prayers have only been half answered.

I could be wrong, but 2014 is the year Topps' exclusive license with MLB Properties expires.

Anyone know the number to the HR department at Panini America?

Me on CCR.

In case you missed it, I was on Card Corner Club Cardboard Connection Radio with Rob, Russ, and Doug. Fast forward to about the 54:00 mark as we collectively bash 2012 Topps. It's GAME CHANGING!

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