2/14 Goodies via Michigan

 A week out from actual 2/14, here's some new entries into that collection.

Here's someone that might be joining my list of 2/14 folks with Superbowl rings. At least it gives me somewhat of a rooting interest in the game with the Bills long gone.

I'm not too sure why 2024-25 Optic felt the need to flash back to 2014 Donruss for an insert set, but seeing as this particular one was filled with rookies from the current year and 2014 ones. I guess with Clowney still in the league, it made sense to include him.

Naturally, there were some new Jim Kelly content in the mix. The unlicensed opener is a Teal parallel, numbered /250. The one in the middle looks pretty sketch as well, but it is a licensed Skybox entry from 1994. The finale is also has a little oddball quality to it - it is a promotional entry from the 1993 National.

Drew Bledsoe gets him a scanner bed worth of new entries. It may not be the most fondly remembered set in the Upper Deeck brand, but I have to vote the Ionix one in the top corner as my favourite design in the bunch. Maybe its just a 90s interpretation of mid 80s Topps designs.

Just based on the volume of rookie cards issued of him, I can see Mercedes eventually taking over the top spot in the top spot in the baseball portion of the collection. Mind you, Jim Kelly is really close to the 300 plateau in the collection, and no baseball player his approached the triple-digit mark yet - the only one of the big 4 North American team sports not to have anyone in that volume.

Finally the hit parade! The big winner here is the middle McNair, which manages to combine an interesting photo with a jersey swatch. And I will be forever thankful for Christian Hackenberg's lack of success, since it allows me to get some really nice looking cards of his for pennies compared to what the box must have cost some unfortunate breaker.

And there you have it!

Basketball Miscellany

Today, the basketball content that was in my to-be-posted box that really didn't hit any other of my PCs. 

I'm going through these in alphabetical order of the file name. So, it is Big Red that leads things off. If it comes from a basketball set, I'm counting it as a basketball card. And look at this wonderful being! I'd probably find a way to lead off with it anyhow!

2020-21 Contenders Draft, for those that must have it.

Manute Bol played 8 games for the Heat in a series of short-term stops as his career wound down. Still, he did get several cards out of his time there, and I couldn't resist adding one to the ol' collection. 

Corey Brewer had a 51 point game? Evidently Hoops was so impressed by it that they gave him a card in a Moments of Greatness insert set. They did the same for a Terrence Ross 51-point game for the Raptors, so this acts as a nice card to match up with it.

Throwback uni!

Starquest may have been yet another fairly generic insert set during its time, but at least it did provide a star-spangled entry of Dr. J.

And a wonderful bonus of there being a NY Nets logo on the back!

If your insert set is "Winner Stays", saluting playoff success, there is no better choice for a member of that set than Bill Russell. The back of the card not only mentions his 11 Championship rings, but also his perfect 10-0 record in literal 'Winner Stays' Game 7s. You don't really need to justify his presence in any modern set that includes a salute to past players, but it is nice to show your work, for lack of a better term.

And there you have it!

Let the Stadium Star!

Here, looking at the  shape of the stadium, the orange spots in the crowd and the empty seats, it seems that this is the Big Sombrero in Tampa that is in the background of this card.

It's a Walter Iooss Jr photo, so of course it is going to make a great card. 

I'm disappointed there's no Bills card in this set, although I do have the Drew Bledsoe in my 2/14 collection. It's also an Iooss photo, 

But there you have it!

Saturday Shininess

 Just a couple shiny cards from my to-be-posted box today. I'm not too certain why I got any of these aside from the reverse retro uniforms being featured.

There's no PC content among any of the 6 players here. The closest is the mask binder with Markstrom attempting a colour match with his to go with the uniforms. Georgiev's looks too close to the standard Avs colours to count.

Is the story of the uniforms on the back enough to count? 

I guess it will have to.

And there you have it!

2026 Adventures in Repacks - Part 3 - The Dollarama Usual

 The usual being one of their value repacks.

Not a lot of cardboard, but I can always use toploaders for outgoing mail.

Nothing too interesting among the 2020s pack, but at least I avoided 21-22 content here. And there's a Werenski that can be part of a future outgoing mail.

But I don't avoid it here, but at least Quick is one of the better photos in a very dull set. I'm sure it is a mask binder dupe, though.

The great repack Gods do provide something interesting here with a pair of Miros, one to open, one to close. That's Rick Zombo on the Pinnacle entry that also celebrates his love for drawing. On several cards in this subset, they recycled the portrait picture from the base card for this one. But here, it is a more somber, reflective look vs the smiley base card photo.

And there yiou have it!

A Raptors Mailbag

 

I was planning to wait a little before dipping back partially to the mailbag, but following last night's Raptors victory in Oklahoma City, I felt like showing off some cards from the team. I didn't have any in my COMC to-be-posted box, but there were some in a new TMV mailer. So, thanks to Dennis for providing content for the day.

Only one of the players featured so far in this post, RJ Barrett, was part of that victory. But damn, this a shiny group of cards. Still, lots of familiar names from the past in this bunch, and many memories of that wonderful championship season.

Kyle Lowry, so beloved that even his cards where he's listed/pictured with other teams are welcome.

I'll wrap this mailer's portion with an auto. I was going to remark that Chris Boucher, who departed this past off-season for Boston, was the last member of the 18-19 team still with the team. That was until I noticed Patrick McCaw had appeared in a handful of games this season with the Raptors 905. Despite going elsewhere for part of that gap, of course that counts.

And if Kyle Lowry signs a one-day contract to retire as a Raptor, that would reset the count as well.

Normally, I'd say "There you have it" and end the post, but while I was writing this post up earlier today, an envelope showed up with (some) Christmas cards from Billy Kingsley, aka Cardboard History.

Aside from Mogbo, everybody here is making their Raptors collection debut. Although the trade was last season, Ingram wouldn't appear in a game for the tam until this season. Hence the non-jersey photo here. He did get a post-trade jersey hold card in Mosaic and Haunted Hoops, and I've got one of those Mosaic ones on the way in a COMC shipment. 

Of the rookies, I had a Florida Atlantic card of Martin, but this is my first card of any kind for CMB. They've both seen action this year so far with the big club, although Martin has spent more time with the 905.

Thanks for these, and I'll be sure to return fire with a NY Rangers PWE sometime shortly.

Now I can end things with a "There you have it!".

Mailbag!

 Back to the mailbag again today, and a package from Dawg Day Cards. I'd promised to add a card to my COMC inventory, which I've done. Now I just have to wait for it to escape the shipping queue to pass it along.

I'm guessing it will be early spring or so before I can do so.

Preamble out of the way, let's dig in to the cards!

Baseball was one-and-done, with this addition to my Canadians-in-MLB collection. It might be a Phillies cap  and a 'World' uniform he's sporting, but that maple leaf is still very prominent here. Scott had a few cups of coffee in MLB, but did spend 8 seasons in Japan with the Giants. So, that's still a very solid career of people paying him to throw baseballs.

Sens content! I was somewhat certain that both of the autos were dupes. Not only were neither of them such a thing, these were my first autographs of either of them. So, WOO-HOO! Leevi Merilainen has recently been returned to the minors following a sketchy stretch and the team's signing of James Reimer. Sens netminding has a bit...unpredictable this season. To put it gently.

Football made up the majority of this mailer. This Drew Bledsoe appearance, newness for my 2/14 collection, was the only one that wasn't a Buffalo Bills card.

Here's 3 new Jim Kelly additions to the 2/14 collection, as I close in on the magical 300 mark for cards of his.

Naturally, there were other Jim Kelly entries that were 2/14 dupes that will enter the Bills binder, alongside some others showing up on shiny/parallels. I especially love that dual Thomas/McCoy out of Elite. That die-cut Smith is /1000.

Hit parade! Travis Henry is much better known for having enough children to field an entire NFL starting offense. Lee Evans is known for being on of the better players from the playoff drought era. 

I swear that I have more Jake Fromm autographs in my collection than his agent. I had zero memories of Martin Nance as a Bill, and with the extent of his time with the team being on the practice squad, that was probably why. But he does seem to have a very successful career in marketing post-football. 

I wonder if he'd count as a Michigan alum for future mailers to Ann Arbor?

Also, I remain disappointed there are no Basham autographs as 'Boogie'.

Thanks for all these, and I'll be sure to send things along to you when the COMC shipment shows up!

There you have it!

A New 2/14 Face

 I always love coming across new names for my collection, especially at their top professional level.

Here's the newest NHLer in the collection. John Farinacci earned NHL-level cards based on a single game last season. He scored a goal in that game against New Jersey, with Boston earning a point in the overtime loss.

And that remains his only NHL game to this point. At least the first one was memorable. His penmanship, on the other hand - not as memorable.

Still, that goal-a-game streak deserves to have the back shown off as well.

There you have it!

Party Like it is 2020!

 

And cardboard fans are at the games! 

Sure, it is cheesy in retrospect, but I still like it better than the 21-22 base design.

Ranger Roundup

 Time for a recap of recent acquisitions of the local alumni.

Here's one that I'm certain I've showed off before, but it was still in the to-be-posted box. So, the only way to guarantee it appears on the blog is to post it here. I supposed I could search the archives, but what fun is that?

Random e-pack acquisition!

Another one, although this brings Hall of Famer mojo into it. I like that this one avoids the easy choice of showing Al winding up for one of his slapshots, and instead shows the follow-through instead. 

I was somewhat conflicted as to wear this card should go. Al's son Ryan is also a 2/14 baby, meaning he'd be a wonderful addition to that collection as well. Including this, it would be my 9th card of his in that situation, with now an even mix between Kitchener and Columbus appearances, with the final being a Deutsche Liga entry. 

But since all of those are already in the 2/14 binder, it might be time to include at least one card of his in the Rangers one. And such a direct addition too!

There you have it!