First I will show off the packs I got half off at the sports store going out of business (which I just read is now at 60% off), if they go much lower, I might have to make another trip. I might even buy a jersey.
Anyways the cards. I'll start with a pack that is the cheapest price I've paid in years.
A 75 cent pack pack, sure I'll try my hand at it. If I go again, I might buy another pack or two.
As for this pack, I won't lie I'm not up on all the current hockey players, so I think I have heard of Ryan Callahan and maybe thats it. I will say that I like the design of the cards with the cardboard feeling texture. The photos look pretty nice too, so I can't complain. I like the inserts card as well. Overall I'm pretty pleased at the price I paid for the pack, but might feel a bit letdown if I did pay full price for it. However I would have been happier if I pulled a name I knew or a St. Louis Blues player.
I also bought a couple packs of Series Two 2015 Topps cards. I guess they are the fat packs or whatever they are called these days. SIDE NOTE- Is Walmart raising prices on cards or is it the card companies? I can't even buy packs anymore because the prices are getting crazy. Maybe its just my store.
Anyways I paid 3 bucks per pack for these, so lets see how I did.
I'm not sure how much I listen to Royals games that I forgot Justin Morneau wasn't with the Twins anymore. Also got a nice Miguel Cabrera insert card. For some reason I was excited to pull the Scheppers card, but I think I mistook him for someone else. I thought he pitched at Mizzou, but I was wrong. I like the Stepping Up card of Joey Votto. It looks like a nice insert, and one I never saw until opening the pack. I was really excited to pull the Luke Hochevar card because just finishing the checklist, I knew I needed the card. I wasn't as aggressive on the Series Two Royals cards as I was Series One. I have a little catching up to do, but will likely get the rest soon. Finally we have an Eclipsing History insert card. I'm not really a fan of this insert, but since it has Ozzie Smith its worth keeping. I should be updating my checklists for non-Royals soon and I have a few Ozzie's, so this will look nice with them.
Here is some more cards from the pack. A nice Bob Feller insert and some young players in Trout, DeGrom, and Yorman Rodriguez. Plus a Gold parallel of Martin Maldonado. I won't lie and say I know him, but I hope in 2016 I do keep up with other teams besides the Royals. I also hope to watch more games. I was so focused on the Royals last two years (with good reason) that I didn't pay attention to many other teams (though oddly I did take notice of the Mets around July and wasn't shocked to see them in the World Series).
So pack one was pretty decent I must say, it had some good players and nice inserts. I didn't scan all the cards, but those stood out to me. I'll do the same for the second pack.
Starting off with a bread loaf card of Freddie Freeman. I've got a couple of these cards, but really not impressed with the insert set. Nice to pull the Abreu but not sure if he is still the hyped up player he was a year or two ago. I was happy to pull the Zobrist card even if it is with the A's. The Update set has him as a Royal so I'll look out for that one. A couple guys in red uniforms start the second row, and both were nice to pull. Next is Chase Heady.... THAT'S HEADLEY! I never miss an opportunity to use that line. So maybe the pack is worth it just for that card. Finishing the second row is a nice shot of Jordan Schafer. I liked that card a lot when I first saw it. Speaking of, the Cain card was one I wanted the second I saw it even before I had it. Turns out though I already have it, so my friend will get a copy. Closing this batch out with a couple Rangers cards, one depicting their amazing winning ways to a 67-95 record. I think they could just put the team name on the front and the record on the back to to make some teams not look as bad. At least it doesn't say like "FINISHED LAST IN THE DIVISION" or something. Lastly is Lisalverto Bonilla, if he plays his cards right maybe he could work out a sweet deal like Bobby Bonilla did.
Here's the rest of the scans from the pack. Nice to pull a Cobb card and a Ryan/Koufax (also going to a friend), as well as the Noesi card which is a parallel (not sure if its a rainbow or what its called, I didn't look). Bottom row has a card I was also happy to pull, the Ross Detwiler. He went to Mizzou AND Missouri State, so he fits in a couple other categories I collect. Got a couple NL rivals for the Royals in the Giants and Mets, with the Panik being labelled a FUTURE STAR. I liked the concept in the early 90's but I think Topps should retire the concept again. The Flores card caught my eye as I was pulling. I just like the shot. We wrap up this pack with Rafael Ynoa. I never heard of him, but I like the purple border that is used on the Rockies cards.
Overall, the two Topps packs were decent, but I wouldn't pay the $3 a pack again for them, $2.50 or under and I would though. If I go back and see a large stock still in hand (they had it seemed like 30 or more packs) I might try to make a deal on them all. Maybe I could get lucky, maybe they won't want to pack stuff and can get a good deal.
So from there I bought some cards at Dollar Tree. Sure I can buy packs any time, but this location had some 30 card packs I haven't seen in a while so I grabbed some. I also got a football and basketball pack. Let's look at the football one first.
I can't say I'm a huge fan of the design. I like the no border approach but it makes the names a bit tough to read, and I never got the fade on cards unless they used the spot for autographs. I like the names I pulled though, so that is a plus. None really fit into categories I collect, but still not a bad pack. I also got a Kid Reporter card, which I think expired a couple weeks ago. Even if it didn't I couldn't use it, since it was in the pack, I might as well show it.
I don't think I will buy another pack of these. I may seek out certain cards from the set, but 5 cards for a buck isn't a great deal if its nobody you collect.
Time to try my hand at basketball now.
Like the hockey cards earlier, I don't see a lot of basketball cards for sale, so I grabbed a pack of these. Not to many players I collect so I didn't have many expectations on who I pulled. It was nice to pull James Harden and a parallel of Jeremy Lamb, so I think it was a good pack. As for the design, I do like it a lot. The borders are nice, it has a cardboard feel, and aside from being a bit large, I like the logo. The back shows a bit too much white, but otherwise is pretty nice as well. I think I might have tried to put complete career stats on the back but otherwise I can't complain. I guess in this day and age people may not look at stats on the back of cards anymore since they can just pull them up on the internet. I still check them out on occasion, but hope they never completely do away with them.
So I got three 30 packs (I was thirsty for some cards I guess) and here they are.
Love him or hate him (I lean toward the love, its all about the love), its always exciting to pull a Pirates era Bonds card. I was pretty happy to get it though I have this card many times over. Next is a recent Gus Schlosser card and while I don't know anything about him, its nice to see a new card or two in these packs, especially when the majority is 90s stuff I likely already have. I'm on the fence about the 2001 Pacific design, just as I was back then. Chances to get cards seemed to dry up around then and combined with not loving the designs of the cards, it allowed me to fall out of the hobby somewhat. The blame isn't just on 2001 Pacific, but it didn't help. Next is Jack Clark. You know what I said about being "all about the love", well screw it. I never was a big fan of his, but when he shot his mouth off about Pujols then when Albert threatened a lawsuit, he backtracked, that gave me a chance to not like Clark. (EDITOR'S NOTE: That was the most poorly constructed sentence I've ever wrote. My 17 year old self who wanted to be a journalist is ashamed).
Second row begins with Bernardo Brito. I never heard of him, but this is my first Portland Beavers card, so I can't complain. I also like minor league cards, though I don't actively collect or seek them out (outside of Royals), it is nice to pull them on occasion. Next is J.J. Putz. I have a minor league card of his which I got in a mixed pack box many years ago that was signed. For that reason alone, I think I like pulling cards of Putz. Dale Sveum is a Royals coach so its nice to pull that, though I still don't care for the border of the '88 Donruss. We close the pack up with a Lance Dickson Diamond Skills card. I wish I had more of these!
Pack two had no Barry Bonds cards, but it did have some nice ones. The Harvey Pulliam card with the Omaha Royals I actually already have, but it was still fun to pull it. I also like the design of the Aramis Ramirez Topps Heritage card. If I ever get bored and caught up on team sets and such, I might pursue complete sets of the Heritage cards. I like most of the designs. Greg Gagne will forever be a Twin in my eyes despite playing a good length of time in Kansas City, and even getting an a Royals card of him signed before a game once. We close the pack up with a Lance Diamond Diamond Skills card. I WISH I HAD MORE OF THESE!
Last pack, let's see what happens.
More starpower in this pack. A nice FUTURE STAR card of Sandy Alomar. I always liked him. Next is a Mariners card featuring Harold Reynolds and Phil Bradley. I have a healthy collection (or unhealthy maybe to some) of Phil Bradley cards. I wouldn't be surprised to have over 50% of his cards. Next is Dusty Baker as a player. I might have one or two more, but this was cool to pull. Next is a Stadium Club card that looks odd to me. I don't remember seeing the logo placed in the middle of the card before. I've seen it shifted to the corners, but never in the middle.
Second row starts with Harold Baines. Nice card as well. Next is an ugly border Topps card. It looks like the foil for his name isn't in the right spot. Reminds me of opening a pack of Opening Day cards once that none of the cards had the names on the cards. No major names in the pack, but still a bit odd and cool at the same time.
Next is a "card" that isn't a card. It's a Bowman contest card, but I think it didn't count as the 30, so it was a nice bonus "card" I liked these and am still looking for one, I think the Bo Jackson. The back is for a contest or send in stuff for a set. Either way its not a real card. Following it is a Bartolo Colon card. Much like the Topps Heritage cards, I liked most of the Fleer Tradition cards for the same reasons. Man I really miss competing card brands, and I don't mean Panini putting out 45 different brands under the same banner. I miss Fleer, Score, Donruss, and the rest. Maybe if Panini's name wasn't plastered on all the cards I'd like the new ones more.
Finally is a Lance Dickson Diamond Skills card. I WISH I WOULD STOP PULLING THESE! I pulled the card in roughly the same spot in all three packs. I never heard of him, and don't want any of the cards, but it is a bit funny pulling them in successive packs instead of 3-5 in a row in the same pack. I don't even think all the packs were in the same box, so if I bought 10 more packs, there could be a good chance I'd get 10 more of the cards.
Overall, I think I did well on all the packs, but in reality there aren't too many cards I really needed. I get my enjoyment in opening the packs anyways, so I was entertained. Just like people go to casinos to have fun, or people go to bars to have a drink, I guess we are all wasting money in a way. I have my fun in different ways than other. At least I get to have some cards to remember the enjoyment I had in pulling them.
Thanks for reading and since I am caught up on scanning, I hope to have a few more posts this week. Have a great weekend.
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