Taco Bell & Panini NBA Hoops

I saw a facebook post from Sports Collectors Daily about Taco Bell offering basketball cards in kids meals. Read about it here.   I don't frequent Taco Bell, but I'd go there for cards, just to see what they are.  Here's Taco Bell's Kid's Meals page.  It all looks good on the internet, but what do they look like in person?

I had to run into town tonight so I stopped at the local TB.  They had just closed the restaurant, but the drive in was still open.  I wasn't going to drive through, so I walked up to the window.  I asked about the cards.  The manager said that they didn't receive their shipment yet, but one of his other stores had.  A worker walked over to a box under the counter and pulled out a handful.  I explained that I was a sports card blogger and wanted to review them, hoping to schmooze my way into a pack or two.  I really didn't want to buy a taco at 11:15pm.  They offered to ring them up as a toy, for a dollar each.  I bought three packs.

The packs were way too shiny to scan.

There are five cards per pack.   150 cards in the set.  30 teams in the league.  Five cards per team.  I guess it really isn't a league, but an association by name.  Otherwise it would be the NBL instead of the NBA.

I don't watch the NBA on a regular basis.  Therefore many of the names escape me.  I've heard of Russell Westbrook and Tony Parker. Linas Kleiza and Omri Casspi?  They could have been minor characters in Star Wars for all I know.  You know, at the cantina.

The cards look good, with a nice, clean back design.  And  you have to love the Rated Rookies.  The card stock is sturdy.  Rounded corners make it a better choice for kids.  I haven't seen a checklist, but some of the bigger names of the NBA are represented.  Kobe, LeBron, the other guys I should know, but don't.

If I collected NBA cards, I'd be all over them.  I'm glad that Panini and Taco Bell teamed up.  Good to get the younger kids into collecting.  I'm sure that team sets will be popping up on ebay soon.  I know that there will be collectors running for the border to grab them up.  As for me, I'll let the kids have them.

Trade with dayf

So, this has been a long time coming.   A few weeks back I received a package from dayf.  I sent him some stuff that he was whining about wanting.  I think this trade started back when Obama was president.  The last time, I mean.

He included a nice drawing of Secretariat.

I had to digitally enhance the image to actually read it.  Maybe that is supposed to be Fusaichi Pegasus.

dayf went right to my Elusive Eight page of wants.  I hadn't updated it in too many months.  I haven't yet told him that I already had this fin.  I'll always take another one, though.  Bet you didn't know that Wrigley Field used to be the Home of the Chicago Bears.

When I got the package I opened it up, glanced through it, tucked the contents back in because I knew that I wouldn't be scanning it right away.  I only glanced at the cards. I didn't look at them.  I'm glad that I finally did, because I didn't have this card.  I have three other variations, but not the Chrome.  I don't have the Chrome Refractor, either.  I still am clueless as to what the difference between a regular Chrome and a Chrome Refractor is.  If I had them side by side I probably could figure it out, but stand alone?  Nope.

A unique sticker card with the sticker actually peeled.  This is the back.  Maybe it is a blank front error card.

Another card that I thought I already had.  But no.  This is the CyberStats version.  How can I tell?  Different number and the back says "CyberStats".

One time dayf said that he was going through gobs and gobs of Star Trek cards.  Since he was constantly hounding me for what cards he could send me and I was being such a goober about insisting only needing Hershisers or other cards from my wantlists, I relented and asked for some Tasha Yar cards.  But I had conditions:

Oh, if you find any Tasha Yar cards, I'd like one. But where her hair seems softer, not all slicked back like a semi-blonde Dr. Lilith Sternin from Cheers/Fraiser. 

I fell asleep last night trying to force myself to dream that I was a bad space engineer and that Tasha Yar got to take me into 'custody'. All I got was a couple of Ferengis making me do a prisoner pyramid while snapping photos with a Polaroid.

He indulged me.

Once, dayf taunted me on twitter that he had found some cards that I needed and the package was to be shipped very soon.  I replied that I had given up sports card collecting and was now only interested in One Direction stickers.  Apparently he believed me.

For those of you new to the sports card collecting blogosphere, you might be scratching your head and asking, "Who is this dayf of which he speaks?"

Well, he sent in a PunkRockPaint creation.  You want to see the back?  Initiate your own trade with dayf.

Actually, dayf is, in my opinion, one of the more honest card bloggers out there.  I do like his mercurial way of being totally apathetic about everything and then being all hot for Chipper.  He's got a good wit.  I don't always care for some of his word choices (they aren't always kid friendly), but it is his blog.  Not cool to criticize one that sends you cards, but he's a big boy.

Oh, he's also a stunt double for Rutledge Wood, star of the History Channel's Top Gear show.

Thanks, dayf, for the package.  I'll keep collectin'.  You keep lookin'.

Another Listia win

Actually, it was two wins. The first was one of two cards, both 2001 diecuts. I picked them up for 227 listia credits. I only wanted the Burton, so I relisted the Jeff Green. It sold for 176 credits. I think I did okay on this one.

2001 Press Pass Trackside Die Cuts
Jeff Burton (card # 17)

Next up is a bit of an oddball. A lottery ticket. From 2001. The 4" x 6" ticket was part of a lot.  Five tickets, all NASCAR drivers.  Dale Earnhardt, Sr., Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin, and Jeff Burton.  Father and son are connected.  Well, their tickets are.  The other three were.  Fortunately Mr. Burton was on an end, not in the middle.  I picked them up for 1,010 listia credits.  I only wanted the Burton, so I relisted the others in two auctions.  I've already got one bid for 499 credits on the Kenseth/Martin combo.

2001 Kentucky Lottery Card
Jeff Burton

That's all I've got for now. Well, not really, but do you really want to see a Jeff Burton bobblehead?

Ed-U-Cards Baseball Card Game

About two weeks ago I won a listia auction for a 1957 Ed-U-Cards baseball card game. For those of you keeping track, I spent 3,012 credits on this auction. Dave, over at the Topps Archives blog, just posted about this game.

Here's the rules and game board.

There are 36 cards in the deck.  Shuffle them up and start drawing.  Score it just like a regular game.  Well, sort of.  There's one HR card, and one Balk card.  You have the same chance of pulling either card.  In 1957 there were 2,202 HRs and 46 balks.  I'm not up on my math, but it doesn't seem quite right.

Here are what the defensive cards look like.

and the offensive cards.

And the backs of the cards.  Yes, if you put them in order and riffle them, you get a flip book.  I guess that'll be another project on my plate, making an animated gif of the cards.

Now I'm on the hunt for a 1971 Kellogg's Baseball Game that you play using a deck of playing cards.

World Down Syndrome Day

Today, 3/21, is World Down Syndrome Day.

It is a day to celebrate the differences and the similarities of those who have an extra 21st chromosome. Like my daughter, Caroline.

And Albert Pujols' daughter, Isabella.

And Carl Erskine's son, Jimmy.



Carl has written a book, The Parallel, about the struggles and triumphs that both Jackie Robinson and his son, Jimmy, have faced.  Lee Lowenfish wrote a nice piece about The Parallel.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Emil Meusel

Some Listia Wins

I've been selling a quite a few cards on listia, and have decided to start buying. Here are three recent purchases.  I'm still trying to figure out the ratio of listia points vs. dollars. 

I've been offering three late 1990s NASCAR cards for 100 points, free shipping.  One can purchase listia credits, 1,500 credits for $5.  Let's see.  That's 300 credits per dollar.  About 3 credits per penny.  So, I guess I'm asking about 35 cents for three NASCAR cards.  A dime each.  I guess that they're dime cards.  I bought them in bricks rather cheaply, so the cash doesn't bother me.

Now, what did I spend on the cards I won?  For Mr. Castro, 707 credits.  At 3.3 credits per penny, that works out to about $2.14.  I didn't need it, but thought that it was nice.

2010 Tri-Star Obak
T-212 Mini Card
Starlin Castro (card # 3)

Mr. Burton?  101 credits.  That's about 31 cents.  Needed it for the collection.

1992 Maxx Red
Jeff Burton (card # 57)

Mr. Nomo was a tad more.  1,511 points.  That's about $4.58.  I didn't need this one, either, but thought that it might be some decent trade bait down the road.

2004 Upper Deck Sweet Spot - Sweet Threads
Hideo Nomo (card # STS-HN)

Now, one can buy more credits in volume and get a better price per credit.  I don't buy credits.  If I don't have them, I don't buy stuff on listia.  My best auction (selling) was two Hoby SEC Alabama cards that went for over 1,900.

Want to see what I'm selling now?  Visit my listia profile.  Happy bidding.  How are your listia auctions going?

Orel with a Dot

Here's a card that the Night Owl sent my way.  Thanks, Greg.

I think that when he showed it on his blog, for whatever reason, I said, "Gimme, gimme, gimme" or something to that effect.  Why?  Well, I collect Hershiser. I know that Greg does, but only if Orel's sporting a Dodger uniform.   It was safe for me to do that.   I don't care what uniform he's wearing.

I scanned it in this morning and didn't even look to see if I already had the card.  According to Zistle, I do. Hmmm.  I need to check that out.

1997 Upper Deck
Orel Hershiser (card # 53)

This isn't quite the UD Documentary card, but it is close. They kindly let us know from which game this photo was taken. May 12, 1996. Orel did a respectable job in helping the Indians win.

I was listening to NPR the other day and they featured an interview with artist John Baldessari.  One of the things that he does is put dots on the faces of people in photographs, hoping to have the viewer focus on other things that are happening in the photo.  I thought that I'd try it here.

With Orel's face covered, what on this card pops out at you?

Ice Bears Win!

Tonight I attended the Knoxville Ice Bears hockey game. They took on the Louisiana Ice Gators. And won. Big. 6-1. It was 4-0 in less than 15 minutes into the first period.

Two of the players came out to sign autographs after the game.  They don't have cards of the players or team in the gift shop area.  The guy working there said that they only had them "that one year".

So, I pulled out my ticket.  Works for me.

Ben Souders scored a goal tonight, with an assist from Jeremy Klaver.

Ben Souders - #19

Jeremy had two assists in the game.  I let him know, as he was signing my ticket, that this was the first Ice Bears game that I'd been to in years.  He seemed genuinely appreciative that I was there.  The team has clinched a playoff berth.  I wished them well in the post season.  Again, he seemed genuinely grateful.

Jeremy Klaver - #8

I picked up this card from the customer service table.  I don't know how many are in the series.

2012-13 Knoxville Ice Bears advertising card
Austin Gantz (card # 2)

All in all, a good night.

Orel Auto?

Adam, from the thoughtful Thoughts and Sox blog, sent me a single card a few weeks back. I opened it and set it aside in a special place so I wouldn't lose it. Then I forgot where that special place was.

He sent a 1990 Upper Deck Orel Hershiser card that was signed.  He said that he received it in a trade and didn't know if it was a legit autograph, but that he wanted me to have it.

It didn't look right to me.  I only have one signed Orel card and I was too lazy to find it.  So, off to ebay.  Now, I know that everything on ebay isn't a sure thing, but I trust the following two cards to actually have been signed by Orel.

First there is the 2012 Panini National Treasures Signature Materials.  This is the signature that I've grown accustomed to seeing.

Then we have the 2009 Press Pass Fusion Cross Training dual autos of a girlish Kirk Gibson and Orel.  Again, a true signature.

I'm not a hand writing expert, but I think that what Adam sent falls a bit short on the Sharpie scale.  There's no L in the Orel and I'm not going to try to decipher the last name.

Please know that I'm thankful to Adam for sending this my way and this post is not intended to downplay his generosity, but I'm going to say, "No Orel Auto today."  Thanks for thinking of me, Adam.

Tales of the Turkish Trophies

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