RAISE THE CUP - Yes Or No....Maybe So

I've got a few more cards for the 'Raise The Cup' project that have strolled in here and there recently. Some of which have left me asking whether or not to add them to the binder.

Have you ever gone to a card store and 'talked shop'. I'm sure many of you have. The newest releases. What's good, what's not so good. Hot rookies. Tough pulls. Crappy products. All that jazz.

Have you ever chatted it up with the owner for 4 hours? Just you and him? I did....and it was a blast.

I think sometimes we forget that these card store owners are more than just businessmen (at least the ones I know). They're collectors - or at very least, passionate about the hobby.

It was just fun to listen, debate and express my point of view on a subject I thoroughly enjoy - hockey cards. If you haven't done so recently I suggest you give it a shot. Maybe not for hours on end, but chat it up for a bit. Get to know a little more about the people living by you who invest in the inner circle of the hobby.

What does that have to do with this post? Well, I picked up this card from that gab session.

2011/12 Parkhurst Champions
Renditions
#136 Patrick Roy

Much like the card that inspired this project, this Patty Roy card is an artist rendering. Man it feels like a lifetime ago since he raised the Cup wearing the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.

This next card comes from a pack wars victory last month at the monthly Traders Night I attend. And before I show it, I'm putting an asterisk next to it.

2011/12 Certified
Certified Champions
#15 Scott Niedermayer *

It's a great card, and definitely meets the requirements for my project. So what's the problem you ask?

Well, much like last year, this card is part of an insert set that has blatantly stolen my idea.

Before I add it to my project, I plan on building and completing the set. So it will go into the binder, but it won't get added to the final tally just yet.

It's a great looking card and a real improvement on the design from last year.

Speaking of design.....up next is a pair of cards from one of the most boring set designs I've seen in a long time. And it's a shame too (I'll explain in a second).

2011/12 Pinnacle
#17 Milan Lucic

This year's Pinnacle release has been trumpeted by many as an improvement from last season's attempt. I think the extremely basic card design is something so uninspiring that I just flat out can't get past it.

The Pinnacle logo and 'Nike swoosh' just is painfully slapped on the card. It just sticks out like a sore thumb.

2011/12 Pinnacle
#250 Tim Thomas

And what a shame. This product has some fantastic photography (I'll do a 'One Sheet, One Set' post soon to further prove that point). This Thomas card is a great snapshot in time, capturing what easily is Tim's 'Pinnacle' achievement. It's a shame that my eyes are drawn to the product logo instead.

But, on the plus side.....it's another card for the binder.

The next two cards round off the post and they were both another kind gift from Brian (Captain Canuck) over at Just A Bit Offside.

He's been a staple at the monthly Traders Night and I'm always interested to see what he's got in the trade box and hear about what he's found, picked up and still searching for.

Thanks for being a part of what makes this hobby fun for me.

2011/12 Score
Season Highlight
#32 Mark Recchi

What a way to go out. You score 48 points in your final season (missing only one game), you record your 1500th point and you call your shot a couple months before raising the Cup.

"If we win a championship, I'm gone." said Recchi after a win over Chicago in late March.

At 43, you couldn't have asked for a sweeter end. And the photo says it all.

1983/84 O-Pee-Chee
Highlight
#2 Denis Potvin

Now when I first laid eyes on this card, I was immediately shot back to about 9 or 10 years of age. This was one of the first cards that really grabbed me. Definitely one of my early favorites.

Just everything about it reeks of cool. Look at Potvin's face - elation and exhaustion; his jersey - battered, torn and old school; the fans in the background; the cameraman looking for that perfect snapshot (clearly on the wrong side).

But what really got me reminiscing was the condition of the card (I scanned it a little looser so you could appreciate it as I do).

Rounded corners and creases do not always mean a 'damaged' card. This is the truest definition of a hockey card.

It's a wicked piece of cardboard and I am more than happy to swap it out with the copy currently in my project binder.

Thanks again for the cards Brian.

Current Collection - 67 cards