RIVALRY WEEK IS HERE

 

                     This Saturday is the Rivalry week between the Ugly of Manure (That's what U. of M. stands for) team up North against The Ohio State University is here & we have another contest running hopefully someone will pay close attention to this posting. The first person to comment with the correct total will win their choice between a their choice a team lot of 50 cards from various years or a future Game Used card from their favorite team or the complete 1991 High number set of Upper Deck Football. 

              In honor of what is happening at the moment in Columbus, Ohio I have done what every Buckeye fan should do when it comes to a certain letter in the alphabet. Especially with this weeks opponent & as for me as my blog rolls on you can count on year after year especially when it comes to this week against your Arch Rival. Recently a co-worker asked me what I have against my home state. To answer that question is quite simple my Grandmother on my mother's side of the family was originally from Ohio. She taught me at an early age during 1 New Years Day celebration after having our traditional New Years Day Meal of fried oysters & oyster stew *gags* sorry I prefer Ohio beef & homemade noodles my father & little brother as well my grandmothers brother my Uncle Dale prefer the oysters, anyways we were watching the Grand Daddy of all bowl games the Rose Bowl this was in 1985 & she pointed out to me a linebacker on the team by the name of Chris Spielman who was a freshman at the time take down a USC Trojan player. 

                     She explained that player will be a future NFL star if he continues to play like that & that team in Grey is The Best Damm Team in the Big Ten Conference it was a shame that they weren't wearing their Red jerseys cause the Blood wouldn't show. Mind you she was 74 years old at this time she saw greatness in this player & after Chris finished off his senior year she was upset that he fell to the 2nd round of the draft but was happy to see that he went to the Detroit Lions. Why he hasn't been elected to the Hall of Fame in Canton still puzzles me the guy was a beast, a warrior, team leader 4x Pro-Bowler & took a year off to help his first wife & childhood sweetheart Stephanie fight cancer. But a guy like Michael Irvin sure he won 3 SuperBowls for the Cowboys still had off the field problems with Drugs is there & Chris had no bad press isn't.

                Every time I would got a new Spielman card for a set I built I would show Grandma saying got your favorite Buckeye, it would always put an extra smile on her face until her passing in 2006. 

            So then my co-worker asked is there any players that I liked that played for the Manure. There's been a few of those players. Here's my list of players who I think had they been a Buckeye instead Might been had more following in the card world. Mind you they are not any particular order.

Barry Larkin

Chris Sabo

Hal Morris 

Those 3 were all members of the 1990 Cincinnati Reds World Series Champions.

Jim Abbott 

The guy had 1 hand & threw a No-hitter & led the 1988 Olympic team to a Gold Medal against Cuba.

Bill Freehan

Another Underrated player who should be in the Hall based on his reflection of his Gold Gloves in the 1960s at his position.   

Dylan Larkin 

Current Detroit Red Wings Captain leads like his boss Steve Yzerman.

Glen Rice

Even if Glen is a sore to find in completing some of my basketball sets he was a very underrated player which you can read about why I consider him in an older post about him on the blog.

          I am sure that I might get some hate comments back about post but I don't care I won't bash that team no more in it instead the contest is simple just count how many "M's" are in All This Post. Again I am reminded what Rogers Hornsby once said about signing autographs for kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, he's a Communist." GO BUCKEYES!!!!! 

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

 

                I am sure by now some of you have seen or heard about this lot of Piedmont packs that are up for auction. https://www.cllct.com/sports-collectibles/auctions/newly-discovered-carton-of-t206-era-cigarette-packs-heads-to-auction-1 click on the link for more information if your aren't familiar with this find.

                     I am willing to have someone buy this for me if you do I personally will allow you to open up 1 pack if your successful in getting for me. Boy I seem so generous eh!!!!! Afterall the holidays are coming soon.  Seriously where are people finding these things at. Earlier this year we had someone unearth a case of the `79/`80 O Pee Chee hockey then a couple years ago a family in Ohio unearth a bunch of Tobacco type cards called the 'Black Swamp' cards cause they were located in Black Swamp, Ohio & now this comes into the light. So I ask my readers what would you do with this if you ever owned this. Sorry for this being a short post I just look forward to hearing comments on what would you do. Until then I am reminded in what Rogers Hornsby said once about signing autographs for kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, Hes a Communist." 

NEVER EVER WILL I EVER......PART II

 

                                    As I do this post I will say that if any of my readers are doing this my hat is off to you. I am sure some of you readers watch breakers break high end products & well recently I found myself watching one of these breaks it involves our man here Mark Aguirre the former 3x All-Star Forward of the Dallas Mavericks,Detroit Pistons & Los Angeles Clippers & the other 131 cards of the famous `86/`87 Fleer Basketball set. Somehow some 3rd party produced a product of autographs with Game Used Slabs of the set. It's too much for me to even think about getting a box or case of this product.

                          I am referring to how long it might have been for the 3rd party to locate autographs as well on the card of these 131 subjects as well find game used swatches of them as well. So tell me readers would this set be worth doing if you had the deep pockets to pay for it or would you stop once you found the Jordan card. As for me I wouldn't do it cause knowing my luck I opened everything I could get & end up without pulling the Jordan & no one would trade it afterall it's Jordan or if I pulled the Jordan just my luck it would have something wrong with it. 

Now is there any of my readers trying to make an Autograph set that has more then 100 cards in the set. I ask this cause I was lucky enough to get this set here by trading 3 I repeat 3 Game Used cards of any Chicago Cubs players I could find. This set is from the 2006 Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society the one thing is I got the DiMaggio Autograph no not Joe but little brother Dom which is the heart of the set if you look on Ebay there's none listed at the moment but the 2009 version is selling for $3k & the 2006 set rarely appears if it does it usually more but it minus the DiMaggio signature. I was at the right time when I saw someone offering this set for trade cause they didn't know much about these old dudes cards. After doing my research I didn't hesitate I pulled the trigger & like I mentioned before it was only 3 Chicago Cubs Game Used cards for it.

Dom is in slot 8 of this group.

Bob Friend who is is slot 4 of this 9 page gave up the 1st ever hit to Pete Rose.

George Kell in slot 2 was always a great TTM person.

Gil McDougle was the 1951 American League Rookie of the Year winner not his teammate who was a rookie as well some guy named Mickey Mantle. 

On this last page I got the white version of Frank Thomas he's in slot 2.

                 I'm trying to get all the other Established 1869 Reds Autographs to go with my George Foster as well the Reggie Jackson from the 1994 Upper Deck All-Time Heroes set & the other 9 Pete Rose Leagacy set to be the only 4 sets I'm doing for autographs. Speaking of Autographs I'm reminded of Hall of Fame Manager Rogers Hornsby who once said "Any ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't An American, he's a Communist." Until next time.

$8 I THINK I OVERPAID

         In my last post I discussed how I acquired the 1984 Fleer Update set in this I will tell you about the time I overpaid for this set.

        Back in 2003 I think I overpaid for this set. You see I purchased it on Ebay for $3 minus 3 cards. The 3 cards are as follows.

Ozzie was purchased for $1 

                            Cal was a steal of the group at $3.50. That's right your eyes aren't wrong I found one that was mislabeled & not true to the description. It was mislabeled cause the seller was from Washington State.  They misspelled Cal's name Ripkin much like the error on the 1990 Fleer 10th Anniversary card. That is a common mistake with sellers typing his name. The part that was not true to the description is they thought it was the 2001 Topps Traded card minus the UV coating and the gold foil stamping.

                     If you ask me I don't know how you could mislabel an iconic card like this one especially if you don't read the fine print under where it says Reprint #6 of 45. Needless to say when I received it in the mail I thought it was someone whom I traded stuff & couldn't remember what the trade was involving only upon opening my mail I saw what it was & I started to shake with excitement to where I was pinching myself to make sure I was holding the real McCoy. Before you ask yes I had someone check it out to see if it was legit & they reassured me that I owned a real thing. Not bad for $3.50 eh thinking that someone might had sent me the real one by mistake & no I am not going to send it back saying you sent me the wrong card by mistake.

             Reggie was purchased for $.50 total cost for the entire set $8 for all when normally people are asking from $200.00 to $250.00 for the set. Yeah I think I overpaid for it once I think about it more. So what you think & let me know have you ever gotten a cheap set like this. I have a bunch more stories like this that I'll share with you on my blog that you will say man I need to be with you when finding stuff until then I am reminded by Rogers Hornsby talking about signing autographs for kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

START THE CAR.....QUICK!!!!!!

 

                                  I confess that I shouldn't have done it but, however it wasn't my fault that some shops need to do a better job in the hiring process. 

          You see back in the summer of 2001 I was on the road in the town of Battle Creek the home of your Kellogg's company. Anyways I stopped at this Comic/Card shop & what little bit of cards they had I feel guilty about this tale. So they mainly had some singles but I mainly was focused on what you see in pictures throughout this post.  I saw this set no price on it no indication that was a complete set or not. So I asked the guy who was working supposedly but mainly was tending the Magic tournament if I could see it closely. He pulled it out from the display case he wasn't sure about the price but he said if I knew what it was worth he'd check the Beckett on it give me an additional 20% off the price as well half off any sports cards or sets within the display case it was sitting in. 

                   So I found the latest Beckett Plus at the time in which I was going to buy since my local shop hadn't received their copies yet that week. The guy went back to the game supervision post. I took a closer look at the box didn't look like it was tampered with so I opened it up it looked like all 132 cards were there as well the 36 Logo Stickers so I pulled out a small stack just to see the cards perhaps untouched since 1984 & within that small stack I pulled the Kirby Puckett & Roger Clemens cards.

                   They looked very pristine to me as I couldn't believe I was holding within my hands. I flipped them over to check to see if I could find anything that would say counterfeit or something of the effect that would have me not want to buy it. They had passed the test they were legit. So I put them back into the box very carefully so I wouldn't ding any corners or scuff any of the others in the box. I then quickly looked up the price of the 1985 Fleer Update price noting that it was going for $4 to $8 high book value.  

                  As I mentioned at the top of this post I feel guilty about this but I couldn't possibly pass it up besides the set would have been over $200 had I been truthful. So I grabbed a box of 9 pocket sleeves to complete my buying spree. 

                      I called the guy back over to the register telling him I was ready to check out. He got up from the game he was in the middle of calling a time out so he could help this customer. He proceeded to ask me what all I decided on buying I told him the set of cards the Beckett Magazine & the 9 pockets sleeves.

                     He asked me what did the price say I showed him the 1985 Fleer Update price he said hows $5 sound for the set without skipping a beat in hopes that I would say yes to the price I didn't hesitate to say that sounds good when I mentioned about the other things as well of the percentages total amount he figured the set would sell at $2 Beckett magazine $10 box of 9 Pocket Ultra-Pro Sleeves $15 with 25% off any supplies($11 he said) & then we figure out Uncle Sam's take of 6% sales tax total cost was $24.38 but he said since I was paying cash $24 even. I quickly whipped out my wallet paying him $24 walked out the store found my ride waiting patiently for me to finish shopping. I hopped into the car telling my mom Start the car......QUICK!!!!! before they realize the mistake. My mother quickly started off she asked why the sudden rush I told her what I did needless to say they didn't question or come after me. About a year later the shop had moved to a different location focusing on more of the gaming card games and less sports cards & still dabbled in the comic realms. But I got my reward owning what you just read about. I still can't believe that I own the 1984 Fleer Update set its in the same binder as the the regular set starting with Willie Mays Aikens in slot #4 of the 9 pocket sleeve with card #660 preceded him in slot #3 & all the other 131 cards were in the set that follow Aikens. Back in 2015 I was at another shop found a nice starter lot of the Update set for my friend Greg it was missing some of the major rookies in it as well some of the minor stars & of course the hometown Tigers were missing in it as well but Greg being the hunter he is as well as me as of this posting he lacks these cards still from his set being complete the reason some of have a x2 on his list is they're players in his PC he like to own 2 copies of them 1 for his set & the other for his Player Collection guys so if someone can help him out I am sure Greg will try to help you out with your needs as well. Again here is his list of what he needs still.  With that said I like to hear what you think of what I did should I go back to confess my wrong-doing or what. As always Rogers Hornsby put it nicely once about signing autographs for kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids isn't an American, He's a Communist." 

1984 Fleer Update  

  (U-)  4 Bailor x2  5 Baker x2  27 Clemens RC  34 Eckersley  43 Gooden RC 
83 Niekro  93 Puckett RC  99 Rijo RC  102 Rose

DAN..... DAN..... DAN.....

When I left my Dollar General job the score was 13-23 I was shocked to see that my girlfriend wasn't watching the game. She explained that Jared Goff wasn't on his game after throwing 4 picks & the offense was struggling with the exception of Sam LaPorta lone touchdown catch & David Montgomery's rushing. Then suddenly the Lions finally took over & I can't believe that the Lions never gave up compared to years past. I have endured many of many years of failure on their part. Yes the Lions were basically like the Chicago Cubs loveable losers well after seeing the Cubs win the World Series in 2016 just maybe 2024 Detroit Lions can finally make it to the Superbowl.  Afterall they have come close 2 times only to lose in the NFC Championship game. The first was in 1991 with inspiration of Mike Utley in their minds Barry Sanders couldn't over power the eventual Superbowl champs of then Washington Redskins(Commanders) but I remind people had the Lions played at the Pontiac Silverdome they might had won cause they had an Undefeated record at home that year as well any dome stadium as well. 

                         The second time they came close was this last year where they were winning at halftime only to fall to the San Francisco 49ers. This year as I do this post prior to week 11s match up game between The Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars had the Lions not lost to the Buccaneers in week 2 the Lions would have been undefeated much like the Kansas City Chiefs. 

                       Dan Campbell was an interesting hire if you asked me 4 years ago did I think he would been a great hire. I was skeptical at first but of late maybe the guy who will bite the other teams kneecaps, still has to make all of us people in Michigan wonder if the apocalypse of the end of the earth is coming if the Lions do make it to the Superbowl. 

                    Prior to the start of this years season I found myself looking at my football wantlists & well....I needed 2 of Dan Campbell's rookie cards I was surprised they came to me within 3 months of each other I found the 1999 Score Supplemental Set for $5 at the Chantilly show in June. Then at a show I set up at in September this dealer had the 1999 Skybox Dominion combination card for $.10 I couldn't turn it down the dealer didn't know that Campbell card was in a box of a bunch of others that I needed.

                  Just recently a friend of mine told me about how high price these 2 cards are now going for due to the successful job he's doing this year so far. The Score card was seen at a price mind you it wasn't graded but for $45.00 the Skybox Dominon also not graded was selling for $30.00 I am so glad I got mine when I did. Anyways I can only hope the rest of this 2024 season to be like the first 10 weeks have been. With that said I am reminded of the great Rogers Hornsby talking about signing autographs for kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."

MARK Z: THIS THUMBS UP IS FOR YOU!!!!!!

 

                  I know that I may get some bad feedback for doing this post on my blog but I figured since no other blogger in the blogging community feels like they need to say anything I just hope that we can get a mystery solved mainly from the person who is behind the response that he gives. So Mark Z. I am asking on behalf of many bloggers whom you sometimes comment on with a THUMBS UP EMOJI only we like to know other than a like why you don't explain the reasoning behind the THUMBS UP. So in the tune of the old Budwiser commercials cue the background singers MARK Z for all you do THIS THUMBS UP IS FOR YOU!!!!!!  

                               I think that's enough THUMBS UP so Mark Z. I hope you can explain until then I know this was a short post I am reminded what the Rajah once said about signing autographs for kids "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, he's a Communist." By the way anyone else think of any more THUMBS UP CARDS please leave a comment below. 

THE SHIRT SAYS IT ALL

           Well sorry for not posting since the 26th of October I have been extremely busy with my 2 jobs with usually my nights spending time relaxing compressing the day I endured.  My shirt says it all "......I am not dead yet!!!!!" Yes its a quote from Monty Python & the Holy Grail as well the musical Spamalot. I can hear some of you saying why am I griping about working 2 jobs well my first job during the day is working at an elementary school dealing with kids from Kindergarden through the 3rd Grade as an Instructional Assistant (Fancy name for being a tutor to kids) I have been working with the district since 1998 what can be stressful working with them well......just when we get them settled down and ready for recess a co-worker will play music that gets them jumping up and down a lot like its a mini Mosh Pit. I try to clear tables & its not easy with them not paying attention to where they're dancing at. Then after I deal with school kids I go directly to my other job which is working at Dollar General. 

             On rare days off from school I like to sleep in until I have to go to DG. Now on my days off from DG I like to just either try to go to the local shop or leave on a trip to a shop outside of my area to see if I can find things I might need from my lists or find things others are looking for. Then there's times where I spend time with my girlfriend & we try to find things we both can enjoy case in point last week Friday after I got back from cashing my paychecks we went to the west end of the state to a mall to do some shopping then enjoy a nice dinner at a TGIFridays. Then after dinner my girlfriend asked me if I wanted to go to a local shop that I like going to since they moved to a bigger location & I mentioned how I like to see the changes since I saw a YouTube video of the shop starring Mojo & how he enjoyed going to it. 

          Needless to say I found a few singles I needed but the biggest find I did was thanks to the video & after talking to Greg (The Collective Mind blogger if you haven't read his stuff I suggest you do) I mentioned I found him a set he was missing in his Allen & Ginter run that was the 2017 Set. I paid $40 for it & he was extremely excited that I found it & I have to agree with him that $40 was a hell of a deal considering that the Aaron Judge RC is in it with average prices from $25 to $40 raw plus all the SPs were in it so he didn't have to hunt any of them down.

          So don't think that I have given up on working on my blog I just been busy at my jobs & trying to come up with more exciting things to discuss on here. In fact I am looking forward to the next show that Ill be at on the 10th of this month cause my friend Pat said she has some nice 2024 Update Inserts for me as well 2 of my 2024 Heritage Box Toppers those I can't wait to get plus Greg sent out a package for me of stuff so I can't wait for that mail day arrival hoping that he included the long awaiting set finisher in my `97/`98 Fleer Basketball set of Allen Iverson that I needed to complete so I no longer have to look for that card & then I can enjoy looking at that set.

           Before I wrap up this latest posting sometime this month I am hoping to drop a challenge & I hope I can get a great challenger(s) in the fight. I also hope that I can win it as well. I know that time will tell me if it was worth trying to do or not pending on my opponent(s) is & if they are ready to take on POISON *evil laugh* or will I be the one that gets crushed. Until then I am reminded of the Great Rajah Hornsby quote of signing autographs for kids " Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."