Sports!

 You know what's hot right now? Sports. Sports are soo hot right now!

I've seen more celebs at sporting events in the past three days than I can count - and we're eight months away from the Super Bowl. Everyone is arguing over who is a bigger Knicks fan and who deserves the (free?!?!?) courtside seats at the Garden. It's all very petty. 

Once the NBA Finals are over, anyone who's anyone will gravitate toward World Cup matches. I was literally searching for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar cards on eBay during last night's USA-Paraguay match when I looked up at the screen and saw the man himself. Oh, and Tom Cruise was there, too. Cool. 

Sporting events are suddenly the hottest ticket in town. Every celeb has to be seen at the Knicks game or the World Cup - but definitely not the steel cage grovel-fest on the White House lawn brought to you by Carl's Jr.

So the tri-state area is suddenly full of Lifelong Knicks Fans, the USA is suddenly full of Soccer Fans who actually call the sport Football and the bourgeoisie are getting ready to watch a bunch of anti-woke Alpha Bros punch and kick each other to celebrate America's 250th birthday, Trump's 80th birthday, or both. Sports!

*puts finger to earpiece* What's that? I'm being told there is an ice hockey event going on as well? Can we get confirmation on this?

at least my daughters are watching hockey 🤷

I'm actually glad that this horrible Stanley Cup final matchup is completely overshadowed by The New York Knicks and soccer and UFC. I don't care how good the games are. You are making me choose between the heartless bastards of the league or the team that ripped my heart out twice. 

In mid-September, David Pagnotta announced a report that the Hurricanes’ front office was heavily interested in acquiring Michael McLeod, a bottom-six forward, and Carter Hart, the Philadelphia Flyers’ former franchise goaltender.

Things began sparking as soon as the news broke, with many Hurricanes fans protesting the signing of any member of the Hockey Canada Five. Multiple season ticket members contacted their ticket representatives, stating their desire to cancel their plans if the players were signed, while others petitioned against the decision, garnering over 1,700 signatures.

 

Wow. The Caniacs stood on principle, and the executives listened to their customers. 

Then what happened?

Ugh.. I have to cheer for the Canes?!? Oh f*ck you hockey. Get Taylor Hall his cup and then get the f*ck away from me. I'm watching the footy match, mate! 

World Cup kickoff party at my office. I got paid to watch sports and had loads of catered food. I love my job. 

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We're still about two months away from my 40th collecting anniversary and 10th blogging anniversary celebration box break thing - but I wanted to explain things a bit better and reveal one of the boxes in the break - which arrived yesterday.

It's so pretty. I almost don't even want to open it. But I will, and you'll all receive a pack from this :)

The other three boxes are also baseball. I have hockey and basketball I can break, and could easily pick up some NFL stuff, but I figured baseball only was the safest way to go. If you do want me to mix in another sport, let me know!

I'm assembling eight bubble mailers. Each will contain two sealed packs of cards, a pack of penny sleeves, and a handful of cards from the break. There will also be 'hits' randomly inserted, including the aforementioned mystery packs from JB's Sportscards (those will be all sports, not just baseball)

Update - all the slots are filled 😁

1 - Night Owl

2- Gavin

3 - Fuji

4 - Derek

5 - Bo

6 - Matt K.

7 - Tom

8 - Dennis

Thanks for reading, and Go Knicks! Ugh.. that feels awful. Go.. Canes?!? Blecch that's worse.

Um... go .. America!

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Thoughts, Ideas, Updates

I hope everyone is enjoying the spring and the playoffs. This May has been a memorable one, for obvious reasons. Probably looking at a difficult summer so I'll post whenever I can - even if it's only once a month.

Here are some cards I acquired over the last four weeks:

Sold a few of my card show pickups and bought one of the bigger non-HOFers I needed for the 1956 Topps set. This Klu brings me to 87% completion.... of the first series :)

Sportlots cheapies (the Packer is Romeo Doubs). I would have been tempted to buy a blaster of Bowman Chrome University if my local Target had any. The last time I went, the card aisle was all non-sports and UFC. Very disappointing :/

For the first time since the mid 1990s, I think I've watched more playoff basketball this spring than playoff hockey. It's been fun to see new teams and players make a run. Celtics-Mavericks will be interesting(assuming they finish the job). I like Luka Doncic but I'm a New England guy so I've gotta cheer for the Celtics. Plus, if Boston wins I get a $50 gift card to Amazon courtesy of my office newsletter contest:

You had at least one correct guess for questions 1 & 2 for our NBA/NHL contest. You will be receiving an email with a link to your Amazon gift card next week. We will announce these results in our next newsletter.

Good luck with your entry for the final winning teams!

Already won $40 for predicting the Celtics, Mavs, Rangers, and Oilers as conference finalists. Maybe I'll buy a blaster of something 🤔

I won't win $50 for the NHL contest because I picked Colorado to win the Cup. The Stars-Oilers series reminds me of the early-round battles between those two teams at the height of my hockey fandom. Dallas almost always wins, it doesn't matter if the Oilers have two of the five best players in the world.

Personally, I think if when the Stars win the West, their Twitter account should team up with the Texas Rangers and Mavericks accounts to troll the Cowboys -- How many playoff games have you won this century??!?! 

 

And another thing, did you know that the Stars' ownership of the Oil isn't just a Texas thing? 

I sure wish that some of my favorite sports-centric content creators gave a crap about hockey, because this would make an amazing Secret Base video or a 30 for 30 episode:

They brought down a dynasty.
Then they participated in an expansion draft.
Then they relocated. 

Not as much as I think about the 1991 North Stars

Speaking of 30 for 30... it's odd that something created by Bill Simmons kicked off with a hockey story, but the first episode in that long-running series was about Wayne Gretzky's trade to the Los Angeles Kings.

I finally picked up this iconic card for $5 on eBay. Just need a Brett Hull RC to complete the 198-card set.

I've got a COMC order due to arrive around the first week of July but I might not post about it until August. In addition to the Athletics series I have another idea that I might publish first. But I'm not going to mention it until I know I can complete it. That will depend on how my wife is feeling.

As of now, she's just really tired. The chemo is taking its toll on her, mentally and physically. She's unable to eat much, and she is seeing a nutritionist/dietician/food expert person tomorrow. It's been heartwarming to see how much love and support she's received from friends and family, in real life and online. Gift baskets and boxes and cards have been piling up, and her mom-friends have been super helpful and kind. I passed along the well wishes she received from my blogger friends as well.

or just elbow it in the face, eh Trouba?

There was a meeting at work and my boss's boss was here from the New York office. After the meeting she and the big boss came to my desk. I actually thought I was in trouble for a second, but they just wanted to ask how the Mrs. is doing. My manager probably told them because I'll have to miss the company picnic next Wednesday for her next chemo treatment.

That's about all I've got for now. Hope to update you all again soon.

Thanks for reading!



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Pucks n' Bucks

Thank you to everyone who entered my Stanley Cup Contest. More than half the slots were filled, which I'd consider a success. I'm a bit surprised that no one claimed the Bruins - but not nearly as surprised as I am that the Columbus Blue Jackets are dominating the Tampa Bay Lightning. It's still early (just ask last year's Capitals) but if the Jackets could win their first-ever postseason series and eliminate Tampa, that would blow the field wide open.

Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is a free agent after this year, and I've heard rumblings that both Bob and star winger Artemi Panarin want out of Columbus (something related to John Tortorella I bet) While I'd love to see the Devils sign either one, I'm becoming a Bobrovsky fan and I'll be adding him to my expanded list of PC players this summer - unless he signs with a team I can't stand (*cough* Canes)

Jersey was once again far out of the playoffs, and they were slotted to select third in a draft that has two premium prospects - American center Jack Hughes and Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko. As luck would have it, the Devils won the NHL Draft lottery and will select first overall for the second time in three years. The Devils have actually won the lottery three times; in 2011 they selected Adam Larsson fourth overall - which was the highest they could move up under the old rules.

I'm really excited for the Devils rebuild to bear fruit, assuming they draft Hughes to pair with Nico Hischier up the middle. Mackenzie Blackwood has enough potential in net that the Devils probably won't even pursue Bobrovsky, last year's first rounder Ty Smith is ready to make the team and GM Ray Shero has four picks in the first two rounds to play with. 

As for the playoffs, I'm not pulling for one team in particular just yet. I'd be happy if the Capitals could repeat, and I'd be just as happy if the Predators won. But Joe Thornton and the Sharks have to win eventually...right?

I'm trying to watch more of the NBA playoffs this year, and I'll probably watch a game or two today. It's odd and a little refreshing to have a postseason without LeBron James; almost like the MLB playoffs without the Yankees. 

I don't know enough about the Western teams to have a favorite (anyone but Golden State would be fine) but I'm pulling for the Milwaukee Bucks to come out of the East.

Kerry sent me some guilt-free basketball cards, which arrived Friday. Someone else claimed Ray Allen specifically, but I got plenty of current Bucks including the Greek Freak..

..Bledsoe, Brogdon, and my birthday bud Khris Middleton. Jack Sikma was finally elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame last week, along with former Buck Sidney Moncrief and Vlade Divac, among others. Guess it was a good year to clear out some backlogged players - but I'm surprised that Chris Webber and (to a lesser extent) Tim Hardaway still have to wait.

 

Speaking of the Hall, Kerry included a sweet Oscar Robertson Hall of Gold insert from Panini Gold Standard. The Jabari Parker holo parallel is my third from '15-16 Donruss.

A handful of '90s Bucks, featuring "Big Dog" Glenn Robinson.

Kerry also sent a couple Hakeem Olajuwon cards and a big Stack of Red Sox cards, which I'll show off in my next post. Thanks again for all the great cards!

I'm hoping to finish cataloging my baseball cards today, but my daughter has a soccer game this afternoon. The weather is just too perfect to stay inside anyhow.


Hope you're all enjoying your Sunday!


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