I don't know what's worse. 28 cards to chase in Decades 90s or the fact that Trevor Linden has been included in.....
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Wait for it.
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Enforcers II!!!!!
That's right. Linden is now apparently a fighter. He's got a dual patch card with Brendan Witt.
More when I pick up my jaw from the floor.
There's gotta be a limit....right?
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
RAISE THE CUP - Two More... With A First
A couple of cards sitting on the desk get the royal scanning treatment and some face time on my blog.
This Raise The Cup project, while never really an aggressive pursuit, has become a tidy collection of some of the greatest moments captured in time. Sometimes the photos truly captures the essence of the split second while other times I feel the photo is compromised a bit too much, taking away from the authenticity of the moment.
These two cards are that of the latter.
While any Gretzky Cup raising card is a good one, this particular piece doesn't quite have the "wow factor" of some of his other contributions to the pc.
The background is completely gone from this photo. And I really think that's a key part to some of the stellar shots in the set. In its place is a foil-type background that does look slick - from a production standpoint. Aesthetics...not so much.
A bit of a miss on this one, but it's still a keeper for the collection.
This Claude Lemieux Cup raising card is a first.....the first round card to make it into the project.
Taken from the Kraft dinner collection, Claude is looking extremely excited holding that trophy above his head....against a red background.
Once again, the fact that he's been cut out from the environment completely changes the presentation of thiscard disc. And it's a shame because this item has next to no excitement in it.
I'm glad I can add this pair of less than acceptable cards to the binder. I somehow am supposed to feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.....right?
OK. Whatevs.
Current Collection - 114 cards
This Raise The Cup project, while never really an aggressive pursuit, has become a tidy collection of some of the greatest moments captured in time. Sometimes the photos truly captures the essence of the split second while other times I feel the photo is compromised a bit too much, taking away from the authenticity of the moment.
These two cards are that of the latter.
The background is completely gone from this photo. And I really think that's a key part to some of the stellar shots in the set. In its place is a foil-type background that does look slick - from a production standpoint. Aesthetics...not so much.
A bit of a miss on this one, but it's still a keeper for the collection.
Taken from the Kraft dinner collection, Claude is looking extremely excited holding that trophy above his head....against a red background.
Once again, the fact that he's been cut out from the environment completely changes the presentation of this
I'm glad I can add this pair of less than acceptable cards to the binder. I somehow am supposed to feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.....right?
OK. Whatevs.
Current Collection - 114 cards
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
12 in 12 - August Review
I'm a couple days past due I know....but my week long golf trip cost me some anticipated reading time. So I ended up finishing my August book tonight.
And it was a very interesting book to say the least.
I found this read to be equally frustrating and intriguing. Head shaking and page flipping. Satisfying and yet leaving me wanting more.
I can definitely say that out of the eight books that I have read for this year long project so far....it's the most unique of the lot.
It all began at work a couple months ago when we sat during lunch and watched a highlight film of some of Evel Knievel's infamous daredevil jumps. Seeing that grainy footage from over 30 years ago shot me back to a time where he was salt flat cool.
I wondered at the time if there was a definitive documentary done on the guy. To my surprise...no. But there was a book. And a pretty recent one at that.
August's book is about one of the most polarizing figures in American pop culture history.
In a nutshell....Evel Knievel was one-of-a-kind. You could say he was an innovator. You could also say he was a swindler. You could say he inspired a generation of kids. You could also say he was the epitome of a hypocrite.
Regardless of what you may think...Evel Knievel is a name synonymous with the 1970's and the wild, crazy living of the times.
A couple quick quotes from the book that stuck with me...
"Robert Craig Knievel was a one-man tidal wave when he came through more ordinary lives."
"There was a reason why toymakers always favored cartoon superheroes over real-life people: the cartoon characters never grew old, never lost their powers, never drank bourbon, never claimed to have slept with eight different women in a day, never whacked their former publicist with a baseball bat, never went to jail."
How's that for painting a picture?
I was amazed at just how crazy, irresponsible, rude, uncaring and just all around self-centered Evel Knievel was. I was equally amazed at how much I felt sorry for the guy by the end of this book.
He played the hand he was dealt and in the end seemed to have a lot of regrets. If I met this guy at the bar in his heyday...I'd probably be disgusted by his antics. But what's odd is that I was completely embroiled in his story. Faults and all.
Frankly, this guy has no redeeming qualities. He swindled more people out of money than anyone else I've ever read about. He cheated on his wife (how she ever stayed with him for over 35 years is beyond me) constantly. He bet on anything and everything. He had a God complex. He commanded the attention of every room he stepped in. And rules meant nothing to him.
So why do I care about this guy?
I'm at a loss. Maybe it's because my memories of him prior to reading this book were of the iconic jumps he performed when I was a kid. Maybe it was because I connect more with the wind-up toy than I do with the fatally flawed character in this book.
Maybe deep down (real deep), he is a good person.
Whatever it is, I found his story to be an interesting one.
This book's biggest struggle is the fact it was written in 2011 and the author never got to interview Evel himself. All the info was taken from other sources and interviews conducted with friend, family and associates. That said, it's a pretty complete account of his life in my opinion.
It's a very slow starter of a book. The first 2-3 chapters don't hardly even mention Knievel. It's all setting the scene. His hometown of Butte, Montana back in the 30's and 40's. Basically the life he was brought into and was raised in (a huge reason he became the person he did).
It picked up steam in the middle chapters and some of the stories are pretty amazing. The stunts, the injuries, the flaws.
The last few chapters really reveal who Evel Knievel was. Spending time in jail, his injuries catching up to him and his eventual death in 2007. He entered the world quietly and exited with an equal whimper.
But the story in between was worth the read. If you remember the name Evel Knievel, this would be a good read for you.
3 out of 5
Bonus: Here's the iconic footage of his crash at Caesar's Palace. Do you know who the cameraperson was on the closeup shot? I was stunned to learn this (and am amazed the footage exists at all).
September's book...
note: I'm choosing a quicker read this month because I am going to try to get through two books in September. In addition to The Rebel League, I have been eyeing this story for a few months....and I can't wait any longer.
I have HUGE expectations for this book. A couple people have told me it is outstanding.
And it was a very interesting book to say the least.
I found this read to be equally frustrating and intriguing. Head shaking and page flipping. Satisfying and yet leaving me wanting more.
I can definitely say that out of the eight books that I have read for this year long project so far....it's the most unique of the lot.
It all began at work a couple months ago when we sat during lunch and watched a highlight film of some of Evel Knievel's infamous daredevil jumps. Seeing that grainy footage from over 30 years ago shot me back to a time where he was salt flat cool.
I wondered at the time if there was a definitive documentary done on the guy. To my surprise...no. But there was a book. And a pretty recent one at that.
August's book is about one of the most polarizing figures in American pop culture history.
Evel - The High-Flying Life of Evel Knievel:
American Showman, Daredevil, and Legend
Leigh Montville
389 pages
In a nutshell....Evel Knievel was one-of-a-kind. You could say he was an innovator. You could also say he was a swindler. You could say he inspired a generation of kids. You could also say he was the epitome of a hypocrite.
Regardless of what you may think...Evel Knievel is a name synonymous with the 1970's and the wild, crazy living of the times.
A couple quick quotes from the book that stuck with me...
"Robert Craig Knievel was a one-man tidal wave when he came through more ordinary lives."
"There was a reason why toymakers always favored cartoon superheroes over real-life people: the cartoon characters never grew old, never lost their powers, never drank bourbon, never claimed to have slept with eight different women in a day, never whacked their former publicist with a baseball bat, never went to jail."
How's that for painting a picture?
I was amazed at just how crazy, irresponsible, rude, uncaring and just all around self-centered Evel Knievel was. I was equally amazed at how much I felt sorry for the guy by the end of this book.
He played the hand he was dealt and in the end seemed to have a lot of regrets. If I met this guy at the bar in his heyday...I'd probably be disgusted by his antics. But what's odd is that I was completely embroiled in his story. Faults and all.
Frankly, this guy has no redeeming qualities. He swindled more people out of money than anyone else I've ever read about. He cheated on his wife (how she ever stayed with him for over 35 years is beyond me) constantly. He bet on anything and everything. He had a God complex. He commanded the attention of every room he stepped in. And rules meant nothing to him.
So why do I care about this guy?
I'm at a loss. Maybe it's because my memories of him prior to reading this book were of the iconic jumps he performed when I was a kid. Maybe it was because I connect more with the wind-up toy than I do with the fatally flawed character in this book.
Maybe deep down (real deep), he is a good person.
Whatever it is, I found his story to be an interesting one.
This book's biggest struggle is the fact it was written in 2011 and the author never got to interview Evel himself. All the info was taken from other sources and interviews conducted with friend, family and associates. That said, it's a pretty complete account of his life in my opinion.
It's a very slow starter of a book. The first 2-3 chapters don't hardly even mention Knievel. It's all setting the scene. His hometown of Butte, Montana back in the 30's and 40's. Basically the life he was brought into and was raised in (a huge reason he became the person he did).
It picked up steam in the middle chapters and some of the stories are pretty amazing. The stunts, the injuries, the flaws.
The last few chapters really reveal who Evel Knievel was. Spending time in jail, his injuries catching up to him and his eventual death in 2007. He entered the world quietly and exited with an equal whimper.
But the story in between was worth the read. If you remember the name Evel Knievel, this would be a good read for you.
3 out of 5
Bonus: Here's the iconic footage of his crash at Caesar's Palace. Do you know who the cameraperson was on the closeup shot? I was stunned to learn this (and am amazed the footage exists at all).
September's book...
Sunday, September 1, 2013
OPINION - When Is "Too Much"... Too Much?
Last week was the debut of the highly anticipated (to me at least) Decades 90s product put out by In The Game.
A whole release dedicated to the glory years of my guy (and some other players too). So many great memories....and as a result - so many cards to chase.
And with last week being my annual golf vacation, I missed the initial wave of online action. And there was/is a lot to be ingested.
This card (one of many Linden 1/1's in the product) hit the open market mere hours after the product launched. While it's a beauty no question, it just leaves me cringing a bit with what is coming ahead.
I had a chance to finally go over the checklist, transferring it to my master Trevor Linden list, and I noticed a huge amount of cards to chase. More than any other release - ever. Twenty-eight cards!!!
That's right. Over two dozen Linden pieces to go after in this one product. Now part of me is looking forward to the chase, but another part of me wonders when enough is enough. A large number of cards isn't that bad....when the cards aren't so low numbered. But with Decades 90s, more than half of the cards sit with a print run of less than 10. That makes it really tough to aggressively go after.
I was a little frustrated, concerned, scared when it came to releases like Artifacts (13 cards), Superlative III (20 cards), The Cup (18 cards) and UM12 (21 cards + 2 expo redemptions) and their numerous subsets, parallels - or both.
But Decades 90s takes it to the next level. In addition to their parallel structure similar to Decades 80s (black, silver and gold) and their numerous subsets similar to UM12 (Cup Clashes, Franchises, GU jersey/auto, GU patch/auto) ITG has decided that this product would be the debut of Trev's first ever Nameplate.
1/1 cards of each letter in his nameplate. L-I-N-D-E-N. I love the fact that he now has a set of these out there....and that they're game-used. But that monstrous chase added in to all the other cards makes it a little overwhelming....and frankly, it makes it a little de-motivating. I went from being really excited about this product to a feeling of "where do I start?". That's not a good thing.
I went from thinking about buying 3 or 4 boxes of the product to contemplating just chasing the singles. A rough estimate of all the Linden card "values" in the open market has me placing it at around $2500-$3000. That's a huge investment for just one product.
Now I know I've said that collecting is never a race, but when I look at my wanlist these days, the majority of it consists of cards just from the past 12-18 months. Hopefully there won't be too many additional 16, 18, 24-card releases coming out in the near future. I've got way more than enough on my plate to last through the 2013/14 hockey season.
And the guys haven't even hit the ice yet.
So how much is "too much" for you? Do you modify your collecting because of the sheer numbers of it all?
A whole release dedicated to the glory years of my guy (and some other players too). So many great memories....and as a result - so many cards to chase.
And with last week being my annual golf vacation, I missed the initial wave of online action. And there was/is a lot to be ingested.
I had a chance to finally go over the checklist, transferring it to my master Trevor Linden list, and I noticed a huge amount of cards to chase. More than any other release - ever. Twenty-eight cards!!!
That's right. Over two dozen Linden pieces to go after in this one product. Now part of me is looking forward to the chase, but another part of me wonders when enough is enough. A large number of cards isn't that bad....when the cards aren't so low numbered. But with Decades 90s, more than half of the cards sit with a print run of less than 10. That makes it really tough to aggressively go after.
I was a little frustrated, concerned, scared when it came to releases like Artifacts (13 cards), Superlative III (20 cards), The Cup (18 cards) and UM12 (21 cards + 2 expo redemptions) and their numerous subsets, parallels - or both.
But Decades 90s takes it to the next level. In addition to their parallel structure similar to Decades 80s (black, silver and gold) and their numerous subsets similar to UM12 (Cup Clashes, Franchises, GU jersey/auto, GU patch/auto) ITG has decided that this product would be the debut of Trev's first ever Nameplate.
1/1 cards of each letter in his nameplate. L-I-N-D-E-N. I love the fact that he now has a set of these out there....and that they're game-used. But that monstrous chase added in to all the other cards makes it a little overwhelming....and frankly, it makes it a little de-motivating. I went from being really excited about this product to a feeling of "where do I start?". That's not a good thing.
I went from thinking about buying 3 or 4 boxes of the product to contemplating just chasing the singles. A rough estimate of all the Linden card "values" in the open market has me placing it at around $2500-$3000. That's a huge investment for just one product.
Now I know I've said that collecting is never a race, but when I look at my wanlist these days, the majority of it consists of cards just from the past 12-18 months. Hopefully there won't be too many additional 16, 18, 24-card releases coming out in the near future. I've got way more than enough on my plate to last through the 2013/14 hockey season.
And the guys haven't even hit the ice yet.
So how much is "too much" for you? Do you modify your collecting because of the sheer numbers of it all?
Friday, August 30, 2013
1 vs. 100 - One Step Closer
Slowly inching closer to completion of this project. It has been a few years now that I have been pursuing building this set and I have come to enjoy it quite a lot.
I love the uniqueness and simplicity that this project brings...yet the difficulty in building it within a reasonable budget. I also like the diversity in cards as well as basic "rules" i have set in this chase.
With the numbers whittling down on my wantlist, it does create a bit more of a challenge to track down numbers. That said, I am still just casually picking up singles. I'm not scouring ebay or hobby boards all day looking for the elusive last few.
Maybe when I'm down to one or two.
But for now...
Another one of these cards that are numbered to a player's jersey number. It's concepts like these that made me go after this project to begin with. I mean...why else would a company put out a card numbered to 51?
I was able to pick this card up for a very fair price (with shipping) and am really happy to add this latest addition to the collection.
I'm even more excited that I am one step closer to posting a 100 card completed collection (that'll be a cool pic).
93 out of 100 (93%)
I love the uniqueness and simplicity that this project brings...yet the difficulty in building it within a reasonable budget. I also like the diversity in cards as well as basic "rules" i have set in this chase.
With the numbers whittling down on my wantlist, it does create a bit more of a challenge to track down numbers. That said, I am still just casually picking up singles. I'm not scouring ebay or hobby boards all day looking for the elusive last few.
Maybe when I'm down to one or two.
But for now...
2012/13 Upper Deck SPGU
Authentic Rookies
#123 Philippe Cornet /51
Another one of these cards that are numbered to a player's jersey number. It's concepts like these that made me go after this project to begin with. I mean...why else would a company put out a card numbered to 51?
I was able to pick this card up for a very fair price (with shipping) and am really happy to add this latest addition to the collection.
I'm even more excited that I am one step closer to posting a 100 card completed collection (that'll be a cool pic).
93 out of 100 (93%)
Saturday, August 24, 2013
LINDEN CARD OF THE WEEK - A Late Add Courtesy Of FedEx
Today I made a quick stop to pick up a FedEx package that I have eagerly been waiting for from Panini. Another redemption card has arrived. And although this one isn't a 1/1, it's a scarce piece of cardboard.
Way back in May I was excited about making the trek out to Toronto for the Spring Expo. OK, I was there for a friend's wedding, but the Expo was a sweet little bonus.
Day one. The first table I hit. This gem...
Yes, it's a redemption card, but for a Linden item that you just didn't see out there. 2012/13 Certified was such a lightly broken product that these cards just didn't pop up.
I couldn't believe I found a copy. The extra piece of info I had though was that I knew the card was live (meaning there wasn't a chance of the card never being made...and thus receiving a replacement card instead). I had been watching a live version of the card on ebay for months (with a crazy BIN price).
A super easy transaction for a very fair price and this quickly became one of the highlights of the show.
Next step was to redeem the card.
I was surprised that it took as long as it did to hear the card had been shipped. I assumed that if one card was ready, then all 25 copies would be ready.
Guess not, cause it took the better part of 4 months to receive the package.
But it hit my hands today.
So what's the first thing you notice? For me....it was a pair of stickers. I gotta say that I'm a little bummed that this card isn't a dual hard-signed item.
Why would you need a redemption card for this? They ran out of Linden stickers? Doubt it. Ennis? Who knows.
I would have thought that a redemption card means that the actual cards were still in the process of being signed.
Just a side note, the copy on ebay that I have been keeping an eye on for months.....was scanned in a way where you couldn't tell it was a couple of stickers. In fact, I was expecting a more white card. As you can see, my copy has more of a foil, reflective finish.
Still, it's another Linden off the list. And it's a pretty rare pickup. I wonder (since I have 25/25) if the other 24 copies are out there somewhere. Odd to only see one other pop up the whole time this card has been out.
Better late than never.
Way back in May I was excited about making the trek out to Toronto for the Spring Expo. OK, I was there for a friend's wedding, but the Expo was a sweet little bonus.
Day one. The first table I hit. This gem...
I couldn't believe I found a copy. The extra piece of info I had though was that I knew the card was live (meaning there wasn't a chance of the card never being made...and thus receiving a replacement card instead). I had been watching a live version of the card on ebay for months (with a crazy BIN price).
A super easy transaction for a very fair price and this quickly became one of the highlights of the show.
Next step was to redeem the card.
I was surprised that it took as long as it did to hear the card had been shipped. I assumed that if one card was ready, then all 25 copies would be ready.
Guess not, cause it took the better part of 4 months to receive the package.
But it hit my hands today.
2012/13 Panini Certified
Junior Class
#JC-LE dual auto w/ Tyler Ennis /25
So what's the first thing you notice? For me....it was a pair of stickers. I gotta say that I'm a little bummed that this card isn't a dual hard-signed item.
Why would you need a redemption card for this? They ran out of Linden stickers? Doubt it. Ennis? Who knows.
I would have thought that a redemption card means that the actual cards were still in the process of being signed.
Just a side note, the copy on ebay that I have been keeping an eye on for months.....was scanned in a way where you couldn't tell it was a couple of stickers. In fact, I was expecting a more white card. As you can see, my copy has more of a foil, reflective finish.
Still, it's another Linden off the list. And it's a pretty rare pickup. I wonder (since I have 25/25) if the other 24 copies are out there somewhere. Odd to only see one other pop up the whole time this card has been out.
Better late than never.
Friday, August 23, 2013
LINDEN CARD(s) OF THE WEEK - And The Hits Just Keep Ooooonnnnnnnn Comin'
I'm not exaggerating when I say that this summer of trade nights have been extremely beneficial to my Linden collection. Last night was the third month out of four that I walked away stunned by the pickups.
You may recall the amazing 1/1 patch/auto from UM12 that I got to see pulled live in store (and then traded off to me in a deal for the ages).
It was just a couple months prior that I was shown this crazy patch 1/1 with no other intention than to have it placed in my pc.
I would just like to say a quick thanks to everyone who keeps and eye out for my Linden wants. I get really excited by even a simple base card, but 1/1's???......that's just amazing. Cheers!
Anyways, back to last night. I was made aware of another gorgeous patch card (in fact, and eerily similar patch to the 1/1) and it was about as smooth a transaction as I could have imagined.
Wow!!! I'm gob-smacked (again). UM12 is turning out to be the product chase of a lifetime for me. Looking at what I have so far and what's left...I'm just shaking my head at it all.
Speaking of products that put together a solid chase...Decades 80's made for one of the greatest accomplishments in my Linden collecting career.
It was a little over a year ago that I completed one of the greatest rainbows in my Linden collection. What made it all the more sweet was that it was a fellow Linden collector who traded me the final piece of the puzzle (a 1/1 from his own pc). Now that's more than I ever would have expected.
One card remained on my wantlist from Decades 80's. A tough to find jersey/auto limited to just 6 copies. I was starting to lose hope of ever seeing one let alone having a chance to obtain one.
And then I get a tap on the shoulder and a quick "Hey, have I gotta card for you". I love when sentences start that way.
He went on to talk about how he had a nice jersey/auto with a cool sketch on the front. I was baffled as I sifted through my mental checklist. I couldn't figure out what card he was talking about.
He showed it to me and I think I actually twitched.
Holy cow!!! This card has eluded me for so long, and to see it pop up at trade night.......amazing.
I had already picked up the silver version (limited to 3 copies) and the always popular gold 1/1 so this was the last remaining card on the list.
(There's just one Linden card from the Decades 80's product that didn't make it into my collection. I know what it is, I've seen a scan of it and I know who has it. It's in a safe place).
Another rock solid easy trade and I was two for two with a pair of home runs. That's a pretty good night at the plate. A huge thanks to both Tom and "The Baron" for keeping me in mind when seeing those cards initially. It is very much appreciated.
I can't wait for the next trade night. Decades 90's!!
You may recall the amazing 1/1 patch/auto from UM12 that I got to see pulled live in store (and then traded off to me in a deal for the ages).
It was just a couple months prior that I was shown this crazy patch 1/1 with no other intention than to have it placed in my pc.
I would just like to say a quick thanks to everyone who keeps and eye out for my Linden wants. I get really excited by even a simple base card, but 1/1's???......that's just amazing. Cheers!
Anyways, back to last night. I was made aware of another gorgeous patch card (in fact, and eerily similar patch to the 1/1) and it was about as smooth a transaction as I could have imagined.
2012/13 ITG Ultimate Memorabilia 12
Game Used Patch Silver /9
Wow!!! I'm gob-smacked (again). UM12 is turning out to be the product chase of a lifetime for me. Looking at what I have so far and what's left...I'm just shaking my head at it all.
Speaking of products that put together a solid chase...Decades 80's made for one of the greatest accomplishments in my Linden collecting career.
It was a little over a year ago that I completed one of the greatest rainbows in my Linden collection. What made it all the more sweet was that it was a fellow Linden collector who traded me the final piece of the puzzle (a 1/1 from his own pc). Now that's more than I ever would have expected.
One card remained on my wantlist from Decades 80's. A tough to find jersey/auto limited to just 6 copies. I was starting to lose hope of ever seeing one let alone having a chance to obtain one.
And then I get a tap on the shoulder and a quick "Hey, have I gotta card for you". I love when sentences start that way.
He went on to talk about how he had a nice jersey/auto with a cool sketch on the front. I was baffled as I sifted through my mental checklist. I couldn't figure out what card he was talking about.
He showed it to me and I think I actually twitched.
2010/11 ITG Decades 80's
#RJA-TL Rookie Jersey/Auto Black
Holy cow!!! This card has eluded me for so long, and to see it pop up at trade night.......amazing.
I had already picked up the silver version (limited to 3 copies) and the always popular gold 1/1 so this was the last remaining card on the list.
(There's just one Linden card from the Decades 80's product that didn't make it into my collection. I know what it is, I've seen a scan of it and I know who has it. It's in a safe place).
Another rock solid easy trade and I was two for two with a pair of home runs. That's a pretty good night at the plate. A huge thanks to both Tom and "The Baron" for keeping me in mind when seeing those cards initially. It is very much appreciated.
I can't wait for the next trade night. Decades 90's!!
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