2020 Adventures in Repacks: Part 15.3 - Basketball Cubism

2003 Finite - Kobe Bryant - Now that's a great way to start with a numbered Kobe. In terms of COMC value, probably the best card in this.
1990 Hoops - Bob Weiss

1990 Hoops - Robert Parish - CHIEF!

1999 SP Top Prospects - Arthur Lee - The second hit in this cube. Lee never played a game in the NBA, but had a good career overseas.
1999 Hoops - Charles Oakley
1996 Coll. Choice - Mario Elie
1993 Hoops - Charles Smith
1994 UD - Chris Gatling
1990 Hooops - Karl Malone

1993 Skybox - Lucious Harris - Gotta scan a card of a guy named Lucious.
1992 Skybox - Mookie Blaylock
1996 Coll. Choice - Checklist
1993 Hoops - Anthony Avent
1994 Ultra - Kevin Willis

1996 UD - Joe Dumars - Much like ghastly designs weren't exclusive to baseball with 1995 Fleer, game-dated photos weren't exclusive for UD baseball.
1992 UD - David Wingate
1997 Ultra - Dean Garrett
1994 Stad. Club - Gary Payton
1991 UD - Magic Johnson
1993 Ultra - John Salley
1994 UD - Ken Norman
1989 Hoops - Otis Smith
1993 UD - Rumeal Robinson
1994 UD - Kevin Gamble

2008 Topps Signature /2325 - Spencer Hawes - Another numbered card.
2001 Playmakers - Shawn Marion
1999 UD - Antawn Jamison
1994 UD - Rockets Team

1989 Fleer - Blair Rasmussen - A nice '89, and a nice look at the skyline uniforms.
1994 UD SE - Sean Rooks

1992 Ultra - Alonzo Mourning - Not a bad rookie to get.

2009 Prestige Orange /300 - Jeff Teague - Also one in numbered form. And he still saw action this season.
1990 Hoops - Kevin Willis
1994 Hoops - Latrell Sprewell

2003 Tradition - Shandon Anderson - Another nice attempt at a Heritage-ish design.
1992 Ultra - Rolando Blackman
2013 Hoops - Tiago Splitter
2016 Donruss - CJ McCollum
2012 Prestige - Jameer Nelson

2015 Donruss - Kyrie Irving - Again, these borders are so great in this release.
2017 Hoops - Myles Turner
2016 Hoops - TJ Warren
1993 UD - David Benoit
1993 UD - Donald Hodge
1996 Choice - Shawn Bradley
1996 Topps - Detlef Schrempf
1999 Topps - Joe Smith

1990 Hoops - Mark Jackson - I was not expecting to come across this in any repack product any more after the (in)famous courtsiders were identified. At least I can use the 'true crime' label again.
1996 Skybox - Loy Vaught
1992 UD - Magic Johnson
1990 Hoops - Bob Thornton
1989 Hoops - Tree Rollins
1992 Stad. Club - Mark Randall
1992 Topps - Glen Rice
1990 Fleer - Rick Mahorn
1992 Stad. Club - Dale Ellis
1994 Stad. Club - Grant Long
1990 Hoops - John Morton
1992 Ultra - Richard Dumas
1989 Hoops - Morlon Wiley
1992 Skybox - Scott Brooks

2004 Showcase - Bob Sura - Probably the shiniest card in the repack.
1992 UD - Gerald Wilkins
1990 Hoops - Rolando Blackman
1989 Hoops - Jack Sikma
1990 Skybox - Paul Pressey
1993 Fleer - Frank Brickowski
1992 Stad. Club - Jeff Grayer
1994 UD - Dominique Wilkins
2018 Hoops - Darius Miller

1990 Fleer - Robert Hansen - He's listed as Bobby on his other cards. Given what you'd get when you search 'Robert Hansen' today, that's for the best.
1992 UD - Frank Brickowski
1990 Skybox - Antoine Carr
1991 UD - Bernard King
1993 Ultra - Doug Christie

1989 Fleer - Vern Fleming - And there you have it.

Only one more post left from this cube.

Another True Crime themed card

But not Forensic Files this time.

"The cop planted the drugs" seems to be a familiar refrain.

Only this time, the cop REALLY DID plant the drugs.

I don't know if I could be as forgiving as Orlando Bowen, though.

2020 Adventures in Repacks: Part 8.2 - Surprises Straight From The Source

And now, the basketball version.

With this as the contained content:

Will there be a card worthy of the Snap Loader? Let's see!

The 12 card pack contained the player with the most unfortunate name in NBA History. It is bad to share a name with a creep, but to also share that profession, and also be active during the same period for part of that career must be a nightmare.

Far better to go through life with a name like Kiki.

Given how many companies are now wiping the background on their photos, the early Skybox entries now look basic.

Here's the rest of the 12 card pack. More variety, but not as interesting as the 12 pack in yesterday's football. Jennings would be picked by Toronto in the expansion draft, and even get a couple Raptors cards, but never played for them.

Here's the 2000s pack. The Samaki Walker card is just a base but feels like an insert. And I really don't suggest looking at what Delonte West has been up to lately, unless you want to be really depressed.

The Premium pack was definitely filled with a nice as-advertised grouping. The Kuzma is a Micro Etch Red parallel, and is probably the best candidate in this for the included case. Although that Hakeem is also pretty nice, and like the Walker, gives the vibe of a higher end insert.

And there's the hit. It is a classic insert set, so that's pretty nice. And I don't have too many (if any) Pacers relics in the binders. So that's another bonus.

There you have it! The football content wins easily based on these two posts, but I've got the cubes to get to as well in the near future. Mailbag next!

Forensic Files

After coming off a case break, I'm going to slow things down with a one-card-only post. This is my second card with a tie to my favourite usual on-in-the-background TV show. Unlike the first, this needs more of an explanation.

To get why I'd get this card as I tie-in, you'd have to watch the episode "The Gambler".

The murder revolved on a bet that ended up not being placed on a game between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, that ended on a walk-off wild pitch in 15 innings. When I saw that portion of the episode, I figured out that type of ending had to be pretty rare, and finding the game in question would be easy.

And the game was the June 21, 2003 game.

Nunez started the 15th inning with a triple, then scored on a wild pitch. So, his hustle on the basepaths ended up leading towards a triple murder.

Next time, just stay on second.

Forensic Files

I may have watched an episode or three of the show. The DVR may have a few episodes recorded for watching when I'm not really up to much else.

Just one or two episodes. With another 116 or so on deck.

You know the addiction might be getting a little much when you pick up this card...

...for the sole reason that her murder was featured on the show.

I may have a screw loose. At least I'm not hunting down Aaron Hernandez cards.