Not much to say tonight, just wanted to show off some of the autos that i’ve been going through while digging in the old boxes from Mom’s house. More can be seen on the cardboardhogs tumblr site if you are interested in clicking. Have a good night!
Category Archives: Autograph
Mall 205 Card Show
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!
Autograph collection
One of the things i’ve noticed about the blogs I follow is the vast collection of through the mail autographs. When i was a kid, i was totally addicted to this…especially growing up in San Antonio where we didn’t have a major league baseball team. We did have the San Antonio Missions who were the AA affiliate for the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time, but they played games on the other side of town and it seemed like a really long trip to see guys i didn’t know. So, one summer i got the great idea to take all of my doubles and cards i wasn’t too attached to and send them to players. I did this for 2 or 3 summers starting in 1987 and was fairly successful. I was only 11 at the time and didn’t have the foresight to track who i sent to or how long it took, but i was pleased with most of the players that responded.
I remember spending a ton of money on stamps, almost to the point that i wondered if it was really worth it all. For me at that age, getting mail was always exciting, especially when it was in an envelop i had addressed to myself. There would be weeks when i would come home to a card a day. Pure excitement for me at the time.
Going through these cards really brings back a lot of good and awkward memories of my childhood. I was an only child and never had a large group of friends, so i put everything i had in to my hobby. I think that’s why it’s still with me to this day, it’s always been something that i could focus on and really enjoy…and get lost in. There is something very child like about collecting cards as we all know, and it’s also a little therapeutic at times. It’s been a ton of fun going through these cards and trying to remember how i came about them. Some have been personalized and some rubber stamped. Some players sent out pre-signed cards and kept the ones i sent…either way, i was always happy to receive something new from a major league ball player.
As i’ve gotten older, my pursuit for autographs has waned, other than pulling them in packs/boxes or buying them to fill player collections. Plus i’ve felt awkward asking for an autograph of someone 15 years younger than me. Much respect to those though that still work to get autos, believe me, i understand the thrill of the auto!
Some of the cards are also a little sad as the players have passed on for various reasons…way too soon for these guys. Makes me feel really lucky that i was able to have something they were a part of before their untimely passing.
Best of luck to all the through the mail auto collectors and hope you enjoyed some of my cards in this post. I plan to post some additional cards in the future, but am continuing to post them on my cardboard hogs tumblr account…please feel free to visit and always feel free to leave a comment or two here. I would love to hear your feedback and know that good collector folks are reading!
thanks!
Top 12 All Time Redskins: Brian Orakpo
The second installment of my all time favorite Redskins is Brian Orakpo, or ‘Rak!
Rak is entering his 5 year as a Redskin after being selected 13th overall in the 2009 draft. The fact that he slipped to the Redskins at no. 13 was a complete shock to me as he was someone i followed at the University of Texas. He was a beast of a talent at UT and dominated so many games for the Longhorns. There were quite a few mock drafts that had him going in the top 5 and being the first or second DE taken that year. I don’t believe there has ever been a real explanation for why he slipped, but i’ve always felt that many NFL scouts saw him as one of those ‘workout warrior’ guys that looked better working out than actually playing the game. Rak was drafted as a DE which is what he played in college, but was drafted to play LB for the Redskins next to London Fletcher. The transition has for him has worked well, but it has also exposed some of his limitations as a football player. When the Redskins drafted Ryan Kerrigan in 2011, they developed a nice bookend with each other that were able to get to the QB and apply pressure throughout the season. As with all football players, he does have limitations, but has proven to be well worth his high selection…in my opinion.
Brian Orakpo would be higher on my list, but with the injuries he’s suffered in the past two seasons…i’m not really sure when he will be 100% again. He has always managed to bring an extremely high level of intensity to the field and passion to the sidelines. Watching him on the sidelines most of last season without football equipment was heartbreaking, especially with the new found success the Washington Redskins experienced last year. I’m hoping he is able to get healthy and create a dominating tandem with Kerrigan and some of the other guys that stepped up in his place this year (Lorenzo Alexander, Rob Jackson and Perry Riley).
When Rak joined the Redskins i was all in on his cards and bid on his autos regularly on ebay as well as some game used jersey cards that will look great once i have a sports room to display them!
One of my best memories of Rak was being at the first game of the 2010 season in Landover, MD against the rival Dallas Cowboys. My first home Redskins game ever! I had been to a few Cowboy vs. Redskins games, but they were always in Irving. Rak was having a really good game and putting a ton of pressure on Romo all night long, but just couldn’t get to him…mainly because he was being held on nearly every play. On the final play of the game with about 13 seconds and the Cowboys in the redzone threatening to score a touchdown and win the game. Rak came around from the left side and just missed sacking Romo…as Romo completed a pass in the end zone to Roy Williams to tie the game. BUT WAIT! There was a flag! The officials finally called holding on the Cowboys offensive line. Game over. Redskins win 13-7 on Sunday night in Landover. Fantastic finish!
#12 – The Hogs
#11 – Brian Orakpo
Box Break: 2012 Panini Contenders
I am finally getting around to opening the boxes that have been sitting on my desk for a while now and wanted to start with one of my favorites. Panini’s Contenders. I have always enjoyed the design of these cards and their quality. The simplicity and continuity of the cards each year with the ticket on the sidebar and singular player focus is something that I enjoy in a card. In general, I think Panini does a nice job on their card designs and this set is no different. Contenders is in their 20th year now, which i initially had no idea they were around this long until I remembered the flip box I still have from the first year with Barry Sanders on the inside cover…memories. They used to make the boxes much nicer back then…now it’s just a small box with lots of cards in them.
Now for the review…
Card Design 4 of 5
As i said in the intro, i really like the consistent design. Each card has the basic player information on the front with the name, team, position and player number. Contenders goes a step further with the name of the stadium and years the player has been a pro which is kind of a cool feature you either don’t find on a card or only find on the back. Panini has also managed to incorporate the teams colors in the left bar ‘tickets’. I personally like the Redskins cards, but am partial to the Burgundy and Gold on cards…I think it makes them punch really nicely. What’s up with Carolina Panthers and their 1984 Trapper Keeper font? I’m glad they finally decided to dump it and go with something more contemporary.
One design piece that i don’t think is that successful is the ‘super graphic’ last name ghosted in the background with a very subtle shadow line. My problem with this is that they already have the players full name on the card, so adding the last name again is simply redundant and unnecessary in my opinion. I would also like to have seen the team logo on the top right be a little larger and the helmet on the ticket gone…or maybe this could be where the larger logo occurs. It’s just a little redundant to these eyes.
Contenders does a nice job on their subsets and have continued with the die-cut love fest. The Rookie of the Year Contenders are quite nice and the die cut works well here as they fit nicely in my gentle, yet manly grasp. These types of die cuts don’t work well in sleeves or top loaders and always seems to lean to one side or another.
Another subset is the MVP Contenders and are really nice looking. The die-cut and supergraphic MVP font work very well, even though none of the guys i pulled had any real shot at winning the MVP, it’s still a nice subset for player collectors.
Photography 4 of 5
Panini has managed to gather full length photos of each of the player for the majority of the cards, keeping their knees, ankles and feet in tact! Football cards tend to be overcropped these days so it’s nice to see a full body shot of the player on his card. Each photo is crisp and there is no clutter with unnecessary background action…just the player for whom the card is representing. The photos on the back are a simple blow up of the one on the front of the card. Kind of wish they would use a different photo, maybe a portrait shot or something…different.
Hits 4 of 5
The box advertises 5 autos per box and that is pretty much what you get. I happened to get what i believe is an extra auto with the dreaded redemption card, an Alshon Jeffrey Rookie Ticket RPS. As i’ve stated in the past, i really hate redemption cards. I understand why they do it and that it just needs to be done sometimes…it’s just disappointing to have to wait months for your hit. Sometimes a guy just needs a hit.
The second pack I opened in this box had an awesomely shiny Redskins rookie card Autograph numbered 66/99…Kirk Cousins. I was really hoping for the other rookie Redskins QB, but this guy might end up being the guy…somewhere. I believe i have 5 Cousins autos now…and zero RG3 autos…FML! Here’s a fun fact. No matter what orientation you lay the card out, the serial number always says 66/99…fun with sixes and nines you kinky freaks!
The other autos in the box weren’t that spectacular and quite frankly i think the kids these days seriously need to work on their penmanship. They are probably signing hundreds of items, but the Chris Polk auto is just begging to be forged by a man of lesser character.
I got a kicker auto, that’s a little weird. Zeurlein had a great season, but he’s still a kicker. I’m just really i didn’t pull yet another Dontari Poe auto!
The Bucs and the Cardinals guys are not on my radar, if anyone has an idea who they are or just needs them for a PC, let me know. Otherwise they are ebay bound.
This Panini product seems to give you a good number of autos, but nothing spectacular.
Review
All in all i am pretty happy with the box. I managed to get quite a few Redskins, no RG3, but i did pull a serial numbered Kirk Cousins auto. By the way, i used to write just like Captain Kirk when i was in the 5th grade. At least his auto is clean and legible…looking at you Chris Polk! Contenders is a box that i tend to buy each year and will continue to do so…but one a year is more than enough for me. The cards are great and you get a good amount of inserts, I just don’t know if the price justifies the cards you pull and their value.
This years subsets look great as usual. I mentioned the MVP Contenders and the Rookie of the Year Contenders, but the subset I love is the Rookie Stallion cards…the name is a little…um…weird. But the photos are great and i love the layout and use of fonts.
Not too crazy about the Legendary Champion cards, nice idea and great player selection, just don’t love the design.
Here are the Redskins from the box!
That’s it folks. I have a couple more breaks to cover and i will be caught up! Hope you enjoy the reviews.
2013 Topps – Packs 5 and 6
On to the next round of packs. I actually opened one at 11:58 and another at 12:03 over night, so i guess this counts as a pack a day…back on track, for now.
The first two cards are Yankees. I hadn’t posted any Yanks yet, so i thought i would get a start today and post two. These are actually the two most notable Yankees in the box so far, so that’s the main reason i hadn’t posted others. Anyways. I LOVE the Mariano Rivera card. Great shot and on a nice thick piece of card stock. It’s just slightly off center, but i guess these things happen when you are making hundreds of them. The border around the card looks like something you would pull in a higher end card pack, but i guess it is a jumbo pack? Overall, a very nice elegant design. The Reggie Jackson card on the other hand is a little weird. I love the design of these Calling Cards and have already pulled a couple good players, but the whole “Abs of Steel” thing is kind of off putting for me. Didn’t know he was that in to his abs but i guess doing 1200 sit ups a day will lead to an obsession. If i had the time to do something 1200 times a day, not sure it would be sit ups…just saying.
The next card is L.J. Hoes, only because of his name though. Hoes. It sounds like he has some talent as he won the Brooks Robinson Award for being the top player in the Orioles organization. My favorite part of his card is this line “It was a dream come true for Hoes…” That’s pretty fantastic. All the Hoes out there should be proud, and so should the G’z. (Snoop Dogg reference)
Next up, is the man that is ‘Next Up’, Jurickson Profar. I coached a little league team for 4 years when i first moved to Portland and I remember being excited to watch the Little League World Series and remember watching Profar play. I always wonder how many of those kids go on to play major league anything. Some 12 year olds peak at 12 and their glory days get behind them quickly. Profar as any MLB scout will tell you is the real deal and should be an everyday starter very soon if not on opening day. I guess technically he has Elvis Andrus blocking him at SS, but they may be moving him to second, or third…not really sure. Any Rangers fans out there that can help with this one?
Justin Upton is a phenomenal talent and I have always loved watching him play. I’ve gone back and forth on collecting his cards and keeping them for my PC. Ultimately deciding not to once he was traded to the Braves. I was really hoping the Yankees would make a move for him, but it just wasn’t meant to be. I think he is going to have a great year with his brother. Maybe the Braves can get that elusive second World Series title…it’s a long shot, but they have a really talented outfield.
These next two cards came in the jumbo pack just like this, in the same order. I thought it was pretty cool. Kind of like a two page flip book.
Lastly, the second hit of the box is an autograph of Wily Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers. No idea who this guy is. As a quick side note, i stopped playing fantasy baseball about 2 years ago and have enjoyed all of the free time, but man, i have no idea who a lot of these guys are anymore. I used to do so much research on prospects and rookies. I would be able to tell you everything about this kid 3 years ago…but now I’m doing a card blog. I think i need to step up my research so i don’t keep saying “i have no idea who this guy is…” Very unprofessional. Back to the card. I love that it’s one of the ‘Chasing the Dream’ cards and a rookie, just wish the auto looked cleaner. No big deal though, hope he pans out. I seem to have gotten a Brewer heavy box.
There you have it, past the halfway point in the box and 4 more to go!
Box Break: 2012 Panini Limited Football
The final piece to the Panini America order that i received last week is two boxes of Limited Football. If you read the previous post you noticed there was an asterisk next to the order…well for some reason or another i ordered one box of Limited and was sent two. Not really sure why, i assumed it was due mainly in part to Panini’s love for their customers and a way to buy a great review…i kid! Either way, i am greatly appreciative of the extra box and will now take the time to review what i received!
Limited is another one of those one pack, great hit or not so great hit products. With each box, you receive 7 shiny cards in one pack that looks like it should have some pop tarts in it. I’m really hungry and it’s way past my bed time…Looking at the back of this box i see a significant amount of inserts and parallels…significantly more than the Crown Royale box. The base set contains 235 cards with 100 commons, 50 legends, 50 phenoms and 35 material phenoms. I’m going to guess that a phenom is a rookie…possibly a second year player? i don’t really know, just spit ballin here. Either way, it’s going to be a difficult set to collect with the amount of boxes i plan on buying…unless Panini wants to keep sending me some free product. BIG SMILEY FACE!
Card Design – 4.5 of 5
Gotta say i really like the design of these cards. Love the grid action in the background, very architectural…which is great since that’s what i do for a day job, makes me feel comfortable. Plus the grid pattern fades to silver at the bottom of the card which is can or cannot be sexy…this one is sexy. There is a constant theme on the cards, whether they be parallels or base cards. One thing i’ve noticed about a lot of cards from Panini is that they like to have the edited photo on the front of the card and the unedited game action photo version on the back. Kind of like this, makes for some nice consistency…plus a great way to show off the staffs great photoshop and photo editing work…oh crap, i’m seeping in to the other portion of the review…
Photography – 4 of 5
As i was saying…the unedited photos on the back are great! The photos are once again crisp and focused on the player which i truly do enjoy. One interesting shot is the Jack Lambert card and how sharp it is. The Mean Joe Green card from the Leaf Signatures wasn’t nearly as crisp as this one…wonder why? The photos were probably taken from around the same time…thoughts? Love the photos. Panini managed to get to the knees for most of the players…but still no feet…wonder how Rex Ryan would feel about that?
Hits – 4.5 of 5
Oh the hits. As i mentioned in my last post, you have to look at the hits you got, not the hits you wanted…or else you will be a miserable person. As my mom would say, ‘suck it up buttercup’. That said, I pulled a redemption Jumbo Jersey Signature of Joe Adams. First off, i have absolutely no idea who Joe Adams is…haven’t googled him yet, maybe i missed something this year, but this guy is way off my radar. Second, i really HATE redemptions. HATE-HATE-HATE! It’s like waking up on Christmas morning as a kid at 8am and being told you have to wait to open your presents after your grandparents arrive…and they aren’t coming until 3pm…your just standing there looking at your wrapped gifts wondering what in the hell it could be! Just waiting…It is what it is though…at least i didn’t pull another Dontari Poe auto! On the flip side of the redemption…i pulled an Andrew Luck jersey card numbered to 25, pretty dope. Not a big Luck fan only because he doesn’t play for the Redskins, but a great card and a great guy/player. I pulled a couple other autos that are OK, nothing too exciting. BUT i also pulled a Len Dawson game used card. My first look at the card was, great…a jersey from an old guy…but then i looked closer, you have to do that kids, look closer! It’s a game used helmet! A GAME USED HELMET! I didn’t even know that was a thing with cards? Had no idea they were doing this and I think it’s wonderful. The card is pretty cool. I keep tapping it with my nail, probably not a great idea, but it’s just so cool.
Len Dawson Stadium Stars Game Used Helmet 13/55
This Thing…
Case Keenum Phenom Auto 191/249
Vincent Jackson Autograph 2/25
Vernon Davis Limited Threads Jersey 14/25
Andrew Luck Blue Chip Jersey 5/99
Review
That’s it, both boxes have been looked at. I really like this product…a lot. The cards are fantastic and the hits i pulled were not bad at all…except for the redemption…but i’m dealing with it. As with Crown Royale, not sure if I will purchase any more of this product due mostly to the cost but I can definitely see myself buying one next year. If i could offer up only one suggestion, it would be that they wrap the cards in something a little nicer than the silver package…but that’s really it…well that and try to minimize the redemption cards. -HTTR!
Box Break: 2012 Panini Crown Royale
Time goes so fast sometimes. Work deadlines and doing my best job to be a good husband and father, sometimes my hobbies get pushed aside. It’s all worth it, but sometimes i do like a little me time to open some overpriced packs and look at all the shiny new cards money can buy.
As part of my recent shopping binge of football cards, i ordered a few boxes from Panini and am finally getting around to the last three on the four* box order. The asterisk will be explained in the next posting…betcha can’t wait, huh?!
I know i’m probably a little late on some of these, but my thing of late has not been timeliness but rather tardiness. So i’m going to review a box that has been out for a few weeks now…and they call it Crown Royale, pardon me while i pour some Royal Crowne in my glass…The 4 pack box contains 5 cards each and should apparently only be opened by anybody that is over the age 9. The base set consists of 285 cards that contain 150 commons, 100 rookies and 35 rookie silhouettes. I guess that’s great news if you are in to that sort of thing…collecting this set isn’t for me though. I’m only looking for a good set of hits (wordplay!) As i type, i’m looking at the underside of the box and seeing some crazy amounts of insert series. Blue. Silver. Red. Rookies. Legends…and for some reason, Purple. I’m not one to judge, only observe. With that off my chest, here is my review of the 2012 Crown Royale cards from Panini.
Card Design – 3.5 of 5
I’ve always been enamored with die cut cards and the Crown Royale brand has been out for quite a few years now, but this is my first ever box of these guys. The first thing i notice is how freakin awkward it is sorting through them out of the pack! They were slipping through my fingers and sliding down my hand…crazy. As most collectors do, i attempt to be extremely cautious with the cards from the get go, but when they are sliding all over the place, makes it a little difficult…especially when you toss in a random ‘normal’ card. No cards were dropped though, so no harm no foul. Although the cards are initially attractive to me, upon further review i find them a little odd. I think the crown is just too much of a visual distraction that player gets lost in the card. Not to mention, die cuts always present their own issues with dinged corners and such. Nice cards, but not my cup of bourbon.
Photography – 3.5 of 5
Panini always seems to have great photos for their cards and do a fantastic job of focusing on the player that the card is for. My biggest complaint though is that all of these phenomenal athletes have been disembowled from their waist down, even Ray Lewis could get Jesus to bail him out on this one…but seriously…i understand that most of the cards are landscape oriented and it demands these types of photos to make the concept work, but even the portrait cards have chopped waists. All i’m saying is that i really love legs and feet, but that’s something i need to deal with at another time…on my own. Is anyone else disturbed by the veins in Andre Johnson’s arms?
Hits – 4.5 of 5
This is tough for me, and I realize that this is the case with all sets but if you don’t like the hits you get you probably won’t like the hits. I didn’t pull anyone I really care about, so i need to be objective about this one. The hits with the product are really nice. They are nice and clean. All of the guys i pulled were rookies, so not much to complain about there. The Ronnie Hillman card is pretty spectacular with the multi color patch and autograph. As with the majority of product out there, the autos are not on card, at least the ones i pulled. Normally i don’t have an issue with this as i understand these guys are busy and it’s significantly easier to have the players sign sheets of stickers rather than single cards. BUT when you get guys signing off the sticker like the Janoris Jenkins card it’s a little disheartening and a sad sight for such a beautiful card. I also take issue with the placement of the auto sticker on the Ronnie Hillman card…it’s a little sloppy for an mid tier product. All together though, the hits are nice…just would have been nice if one was a Redskin…just saying. Alfred Morris or Kirk Cousins would have been nice…or an RGIII!
David Wilson Rookie Royalty 93 of 149
Janoris Jenkins 6 of 25
Quinton Coples 14 of 25
Ronnie Hillman 345 of 349
Review
As a complete product i don’t have too much to complain about. Most of my input is based on personal preference rather than flaws in the product. I do like the cards and getting 4 packs to open with nice hits was a lot of fun to open. I enjoy the single pack boxes, but it’s always nice to have a couple chances for a real BIG hit…always hold out hope as we do with this hobby. The next pack could be the big one! I can’t see buying another box of Crown Royale this year unless i get a great deal on a box, but I wold definitely look to pick one up next year assuming the budget can handle this product. Another nice job by Panini. -HTTR!
Box Break: 2012 Panini Prime Signatures
Ok, i had a little time this evening with the baby and lovely wife off in the other room having some reading time. So I thought I would open one of the Panini boxes I received last night…and I decide to open…the single pack Prime Signatures Box.
I have purchased two of these boxes this year in the faint hopes of pulling an RGIII to no avail, BUT I am not a quitter and purchased one more box from the Panini online store. The box was purchased last weekend when they had the 25% sale, so i managed to get a really good deal on the box…and i couldn’t pass up a good deal and an opportunity to pull a guaranteed autograph.
The box is simply one pack with 4 cards in each pack…so it’s always a gamble as to what you will be pulling from the box. My other breaks have been fairly uneventful and something i was definitely bracing for with this box. Although there were thoughts of better pulls since it was from the company that manufactures the cards.
So much for the long winded intro, here are the cards I pulled!
LeSean McCoy 452/499
‘Mean’ Joe Greene 497/499
Steven Jackson Prime Proof 17/99
Pittsburgh Steelers Rookies Chris Rainey, David DeCastro, Marquis Maze
Card Design – 4 of 5
The main reason i keep going back to these cards is their design. It’s simple, clean and always clear who the card is for and what it’s about…which I love. The super thick card stock and clingy sound when the cards stack on top of each other is a fantastic feature for me. Each card appears to have 3 intermediate layers with a face and backing for the card making 5 layers overall. The text is also very clear and easy to read, due in part to the white background…although i would like to see cards of this design with a cleaner font, maybe something without serifs? That’s my only real complaint though…very nice Panini
Photography – 4 of 5
Each photograph on the cards are very sharp, with the exception of the Mean Joe Greene card, but that’s due in part to older technology and repurposing an older photo. That’s not a big issue. I’m sure there are Steeler and Mean Joe collectors out there that are excited he is in this set. One thing i like about the photographs is the vignetting around the player to focus on one player, one player in action. The cropping on the Mean Joe Green card appears a little off though..bye bye arms!
Hits – 3 of 5
With 4 cards and 1 hit…it’s literally hit or miss. Pulling a three autograph card is pretty cool, in fact I have never pulled such an auto card before, so this is a first for me…so embarrassing…As a Redskins fan, I tend to only pay attention to Redskin players and have no idea who these guys are. I have heard about Chris Rainey and apparently so have the Pittsburgh Police Department. I am also aware of David DeCastro…but a Guard isn’t always an exciting hit…not something you want to pull. The other guy Marquis Maze is someone I know nothing about. Maybe a Steelers fan out there has a clue for me?
Review
Overall, i am pretty happy with the box. Although i didn’t pull any Redskins, i can’t complain about my 3 auto hit and the other 3 cards are/were solid football players. This is definitely a product i would buy next season…and if I can find another good deal on a box, i just may have to see what’s inside.
Hope you guys enjoyed my first box review. I have a few more to go right now and have some cards on their way very soon…could get really busy in the next few weeks with all the new baseball releases and the tail end of the football releases coming out. If there are any Pittsburgh Steeler fans out there, send me an email and let me know if you have any interest in the autographed card or the Mean Joe Green…I’m looking at you Steven Jackson and LeSean McCoy fans too! -HTTR!
Redskins lose 14-24
It’s a sad day in our house as the Redskins season has come to a sad ending…At the end of the day, the big difference was an unhealthy RG3. He lead the team all season and did everything he could the last 7 weeks, but it just was not enough. It’s always tough to lose a game when your leader is injured as you are filled with the what ifs…Although the season ended in a manner that I am not happy about, the 20123 season was filled with hope and a very bright future. There were lots of ups and downs and the a ton of players got some playing time due to some major injuries. I am very excited to see what 2013 has to offer. The Redskins will have all the guys back and healthy, hopefully including Robert Griffin III…pending the MRI tomorrow morning.
One of my favorite Redskins, Brian Orakpo, was injured in the game agains the Rams early on which led to plenty of playing time for Rob Jackson and Perry Riley. Here’s hoping Rak can get his shoulder back to full strength in the off season and come back strong in September. The card below was part of a blaster box I picked up at Target last week and decided to open before today’s game. It is one of my favorite cards or Rak’s…although this photo is very similar to his Topps issued card. I’ve always loved his passion for the game and this card definitely captures that.
Roy Helu Jr. is another guy that missed the year due to injury with an achilles injury. Assuming good health, he will be a great compliment to Alfred ‘the butcher’ Morris next year. You can never have enough running backs and his speed will be a nice addition to the Redskins running game.
In Pierre Garcon’s first season, he had some huge game changing plays and showed off his #1 Receiver ability. Although he had to deal with injury allyear he still managed to step up down the stretch run and play big during the 7 game winning streak. Here’s hoping he too can get healthy and come back full strength next season to dominate for 16 games. The Garcon card below is one of the reasons i don’t care for the Gridiron design by Panini. I have seen a ton of great hits online from this product, but their base cards tend to be cluttered with too much ‘stuff’ in the background. If i didn’t know any better, i would have thought this was a Redskins team card rather than a Garcon card. You can clearly see Fred Davis and Adam Gettis on the card celebrating with Petite Waiter (see Tony Kornheiser for reference) would be nice to see him isolated on his own card.
The last guy that i am curious about is Kirk Cousins. Right now, there is no telling what to expect from RGIII’s injury and if he will miss any games next year. If he needs any type of surgery, i hope he consults Adrian Peterson prior to getting cut on or rehabbing. Next season will also be his second year in the system and he appears to be a quick learner and smart QB…exactly what you need for a backup, especially if they have to start a few games. The two cards below have been sitting around my collection for a couple of weeks now. I managed to pick up his Score autograph the Saturday before the Ravens game for a nice price. His cards have since gone up in value and anticipation that he will get a chance one day.
Although i am filled with dissapointment right now, all Redskins fans should look back on this season and be proud and excited about the future…there is a lot to build on and a lot that needs to be addressed, but the foundation is definitely there. As always Hail to the Redskins!
With the season over, future posts will be directed towards cards that i purchase and my opinions on their design, content and price. Baseball cards are coming out soon too, so that should be fun to explore and review. -HTTR!