It’s been a while since I’ve been to a card show and since my last post, so I will tackle both in one post this evening!

Each month, we have a show at Mall 205 here in the Portland area.  Not sure why they do these things in a strip mall, but that’s how they do it up here I guess.  Maybe they pick up residual traffic from mall shoppers?  I don’t know.  It provides a great opportunity for me to get new deodorant at Target, some new kicks at the Famous Footwear (remember that name…) and chase it all down with a slice of pizza from the place no longer called pizza schmizza although it still looks like a pizza schmizza.

As of late, I’ve been on a purging phase and have managed to get rid of a bunch of CD’s at the local Everyday Music and have some cash for the card shows.  So, I had a slightly bigger budget than normal for this trip…the excitement builds.  In general, I don’t go to these shows with goals or objectives because I tend to look for the same stuff and hit up the same tables.  This time though I really wanted to pick up some new Robinson Cano and Rickey Henderson cards along with any shiny new Redskins cards I didn’t already have.  I was only successful with the latter goal.

Having gone to these shows for the past couple of years now, I’ve developed a rapport with a few of the guys and gravitate to their tables first.  My first stop is always Tom.  Somehow he manages to have some new Redskin stuff for me each time at fantastic prices.  He’s always personable and friendly as well as having a tremendous amount of great cards.  In my visit with him, he pulls out this triple auto card with RGIII on it that I can only manage to drool over.  No idea how much it was and really didn’t want to know…it was too much for me, but a beautiful card no less.  I walked away with a new orange Kerrigan card and a serial numbered Fred Davis along with a couple other items.

After Tom’s table, I typically just move down the line knowing the other tables I want to visit will have some good stuff for me.  I worked down the line and ran into a new guy, Greg who had some nice stuff to offer.  He dropped a Kirk Cousins auto Prizm and Alfred Morris in front of me…$10…why, yes, thank you.

The next couple of items I picked up came from a couple of different tables at good prices…can’t go wrong with any RGIII in my mind.

One table I visited was very interesting.  The guy was selling DVD’s, comics and had a box of cards with a really nice and shiny Derek Jeter on top…so I stopped to take a peek.  His sign said ‘this box $1 each’, but he tells me that if I buy 5 cards or more, I can have them for 50cents each…hmmm.  If I buy 4 cards, that will be $4 but if I buy 5…it will set me back $2.50.  I used to be really good at math and from what I can recall it was in my best interest to max out my purchase at this guys table.  Unfortunately, I only managed to pick up 5 items.  4 Jeters and my only Rickey Henderson of the show.

As I worked my way to one of my new favorite table, for some reason I have never asked for the guys name…but I always spend a good amount of money on his stuff.  He always has great stuff and gives you a nice deal…plus he’s really cool.  I was sifting through his 50% off box when I heard some loud cursing.  I turned to see some kid darting out of the aforementioned Famous Footwear with some new Nike kicks in his hand.  The kid was fast, but I can see that corporate check on those sneaks a mile away.

THE KID WAS HELLA FAST!

He was being chased out of the mall by Paul Blart’s slimmer brother, well, slightly slimmer and Segway-less.  This mall cop had no chance, but it was a valiant effort.  I should have offered him a slice of my Hawaiian pizza, they were on sale that day…daily special.

Anyways, back to marked down cardboard.  Homeboy hooked me up with some RGIII goodies along with an Aldrick Robinson auto and a Ryan Torain auto that I’ve passed up many times.  At least I can cross it off my imaginary list.

Last stop before my wife kills me for being late.  New table, friendly guy and great cards that were marked down to 80% off.  80% off!  Why in the hell would I pay retail when I can get great cards for 80% off!  The guy had a few boxes of nice serial numbered cards with Clinton Portis and Santana Moss cards that I could use for my PC.  Unfortunately most of the cards were in their previous teams kits, but still guys I loved to watch.

All in all, a great show that included great deals, food and a petty crime.  Can’t beat that at all.  I ended up staying under my budget and walked out a happy guy…plus it was sunny and warm on a March day in Portland, Oregon.  Life is good

One last thing, I couldn’t help but notice this sign and think of The Chronicles of Fuji.

Hogs out!