WOW!!!!

No matter how much I hate my Orioles....I LOVE MY O'S!!!!!!

 

What a finish!

And The Winner Is.....

Congratulations to Play At The Plate for guessing Bill Bates.  Bates was indeed my favorite player growing up, and is still one of my all time favorites.

Now, for those who guessed incorrectly, thanks for entering.  I wanted to reward one of you with a prize as well, so, I went to random.org, and did three shuffles, and winner #2 is....

Here is shuffle 1:

Here is shuffle 2:

...and here is your winner:

- Potch!!!  Thanks to everyone for entering,

I will be in contact with the winners.

Contest Closed. Winners TBA Tonight.

What the title said....

Contest Ends Today at 8 pm

Just wanted to let everyone know that it is not too late to enter my contest.  I will close it at 8 pm tonight. 

To enter, just comment.  Here are a few hints.  I turned 37 today, the player is a Dallas Cowboy, and he is not in the HOF.

Has the correct answer been guessed???  Maybe....Maybe not....  I will say this In addition to the person who answers correctly (if someone does), I will also have a random winner form those who did not, so keep the guesses coming.  Two random winners if no one guesses right!

Also, as the official double super secret president in charge of contests on this blog, I have ruled that Kirk J of Eutaw Street Cardboard will be included as an entrant (is that a word?) even though he commented on the wrong post.  You see, he and I drank A LOT together in our 20's and he just may be a sick of gum short of a wax box!  No more so than me though.

Winners will be drawn tonight!

I Am Back....With A Contest!

Hey there, remember me?  It has been a while since I have posted, and for that, I am sorry. I have been a bit depressed about collecting lately for several reasons: the products, the price points, the time, the budget, the space, the junk, blah blah blah...

Well in the past few weeks I have done some thinking and have come to some conclusions. 

The first of which is to accept that I just do not have as much time to dedicate to collecting as I want to.  This sucks, but working two jobs with a 3.5 hours daily commute, having a family, and just needing time veg out for a half hour a day leaves less time than I would like for collecting. 

Conclusion number two is that the budget just isn't there like it used to be.  The products worth collecting are usually the mid to high price range and with two cars north of 10 years old (still cheaper than car payments), a seven year old who is involved in everything, gas prices, etc and so forth, most of the budget is is unwillingly being redirected to life expenses versus collecting expenses.

The third conclusion is that I am collecting all wrong...I am not and can not be a set builder, I just don't have the space.  I am a fool to collect every team set, from every year, from every company for the O's, Cowboys, and Ravens.  There are way too many sets to do this and lets face it, the O's...they suck, they've sucked for 15 years!  Why would I want every card of every player for a team that can't even play .400 ball?  That said, I will still collect the players I like, but I will get  more into that later.

And finally, conclusion number 4...I got too much crap.  Now, what is crap to me certainly may not be crap to you, but I really have no reason to have a ton of cards that I don't want.  Which leads me to my new rules of collecting:

1.  I will not buy crap, just to buy crap.  It always results in crap
2.  I will collect what I want.  Not what I think I want.  This means MAJOR revisions to my want lists, and new player specific want lists.

3.  I will trade, but I will keep better track of my trades and complete them quickly.  Thanks to BA Benny on this one, who has been extra patient in our current trade (btw Benny, emailed you about it).  The way I see it, the longer a trade lingers, the better chance it has of falling apart, and I think we are all a bit guilty on that one.
4.  I will organize my collection better to help accommodate rule #3, as well as to make it easier to put stuff away so my wife does not kill me for stacks of cards on the dining room table for several days in a row!
5. Start blogging again.  I fell into the trap of only posting whatever new stuff I got.  Then I fell out of blogging altogether for a bit (poor time management).  I am sworn to get back into posting about my collection, trading, events, my opinions, contests, and anything else that is relevant and worth having you guys read about.

I plan to post about once a week going forward, and I do hope that you plan to read once a week too. 

Just as a little show of good faith, A little contest! 

The first person who can tell me who my favorite football player was when I was growing up I will win 50 cards from the team of their choice (baseball or football).  These 50 cards will include inserts, serial #'d, and short prints.

To enter, just comment.  Here are a few hints.  I will be 37 this Sunday, the player is a Dallas Cowboy, and he is not in the HOF.  If no one has guessed by this Sunday 9/25, my birthday, then I will have a random drawing.  Get an extra entry by pimpin this on your blog (provide a link)-this is only applicable if no one guesses it right.

Its good to be back!

Baseball Season Has Been Murdered

A trial date has not yet been set for the Baltimore Orioles who have been accused of murdering the baseball season. 

The evidence is overwhelmingly stacked against them, including, but not limmited to:

• 17 runs surrendered through 8 innings in New York tonight.
• Horrible ownership.
• A GM who just can't seem to get a winner on the field despite his past success elsewhere.
• What seems like 150 years since having a winning record
• Never having a team ERA under 96.23
• Beating the Blue Jays only twice in Toronto in their last 75 games there.
• Dating ugly women.
• Playing a quality of baseball that closely resembles what your body produces after eating undercooked chicken.
• Watching the Jersey Shore (and secretly wanting to kiss Snooki).
• HAVING THE WORST 3RD BASEMAN BASEBALL HAS EVER SEEN!!!!! (Reynolds)

 In a fictitious statement from the recently traded Koji Uehara, he might as well have stated, "Ninjen, karera wa hontoni suu!" When translated to English (using Google Translator) means, "Man, they really suck!"

Orioles legends like Robinson, Robinson, Ripken, Murray, Palmer, Sam Horn, Dempsey, and Floyd Rayford all agree that they would now like to be associated with the Asheville Tourists until such time as the Orioles decide to make things right.  This could clearly take a long time as the sentence they are sure to receive for murdering the baseball season, will likely be a long one

No trial needed if you ask me...GUILTY!!!!

I will never stop rooting for them.....I guess I get the punishment for it that I deserve....Thank goodness football is almost here!

Angry Birds Here In Baltimore

In keeping up with Nacho Grande I just wanted to let you know that there are Angry Birds here in Baltimore.

Credit my buddy Dave S, with this masterpiece!

Not that I have given up on the season, but we got two in a row against the Tribe, maybe they can turn things around long enough to unload some players who are not the future her in Baltimore before the trade deadline. 

Some New Pick Ups And Some thoughts

First of all, when I took my new job a year ago, I had no idea it was going to wear me out the way it has, add on coaching baseball in the summer, and my second job (especially busy in the winter), and I am too tired to do anything.  I do apologize for the infrequent posting and do plan to be a bit more active going forward.  I have my new android phone, and it looks like I can post from it, so bear with me if you see a few (test) less than pristine posts in the future.

Secondly, the prices of gas and a 85 mile round trip commute each day, has absolutely shattered my collecting budget in the last year.  I am saving up and hoping to go to National in Baltimore next year, but the way things are now, it is likely that I will not go to another show until then.

I did, however, get my box of A&G from Blowout Cards.  The UPS guy never even knocked on my door, he just left the package in front of it.  I watched him pull up, get out of the truck with my package, and then a minute later return to his truck without my package.  When I opened the door, there it was just waiting for my neighbors 7, that's right 7, children to come and take it!  The shipping box was beat to hell, but luckily the actual A&G box is huge and only cardless parts of it were damaged.   I like the cards, and most of the insert sets are nice (with one or two ugly exceptions). I will be collecting pretty much all of it...via Targer, Wallmart, and trade.  Here are the highlights of my box:

When I first saw these I thought, "What the hell..." it looks like they are for the breaking the code thing...whatever.  They are available for trade if you want them.

This is probably my first choice in box toppers, so I was really pleased with this one.  I would be curious to see what the Maryland state relic card has in it...probably Old Bay!

Hey Carlos Pena, when did the Devil Rays (I still call them that) have plaid uniforms?  The back of this card informs me of two things,  First, that it is a travel worn relic (really?!?!?!?), and second, that every time I think Topps is getting it together, they do something lazy/cheap/stupid like this!  Oh well, at least it is unique.  Hopefully this is not the beginning of a trend.  These are all available for trade, let me know if you like em.

I also got my first 2001 football card from ebay in the mail.  It looks like this week a deal will finally be in place to get the players back on the field!  If anyone is running a blogger fantasy football league this season, let me know, I am looking to play in a new league this year to replace one that I will not be returning to.

Recent Pickups While I Have Been Missing

I have been very consumed lately by just about everything except cards.  A few family emergency room trips, a huge weekend finale for the last week of T-ball, which included the first baseball game for the T-ballers to finish things off, working at two sites, and covering all of my boss's meetings while he has been out about 2 days a week for the last several weeks...I am exhausted!

Even though my wife and son's (separate) emergency room visits have wiped me out...I have cheated and snuck onto eBay for a minute.  Although I spent next to nothing for the cards I got on eBay below, I really shouldn't have spent anything at all.  But I am glad I did!  Anyhow, here they are:

Gypsy Queen, lot 1.

Gypsy Queen, lot 2.

Gypsy Queen, lot 2, part 2.

Best Knuckle Baller ever!

Finally, I have a Prince Fielder relic!!!

Fred Lynn was one of my favorite Orioles growing up.  Please let me know if you have any relic or autos with him in an O's uniform, I would love to trade for it!

I usually stay away form this kind stuff, but for $3.00 shipped, who wouldn't add it to their collection?

Last, but not least, I got this guy for $3.00 shipped as well.  Imagine my surprise when I opened the bubble mailer and this guy had a red back!  Good 'ol Beckett lists this one at $40.00!  Whether you agree with Beckett or not, I would be trying hard to negotiate a dealer down from that at a card show!