Seven---Try A Repack video post

Had a little fun with a hockey repack in this video.   Today is the 7th anniversary of the first post on this blog.

For those of you who don't wish to watch the video, thank you for the support/trades/dialogue over the first 7 years, and I'm looking forward to many many more.

Thanks for viewing/reading, Robert

Try A Pack #13: 2017-18 Upper Deck Series 2

So I head out to my local Target yesterday to see what all the hub bub is about these Bowman Mega Boxes.  First spot I head over to is the card aisle.  

Bowman?  What's that?   I should have taken a picture while I was there (didn't think of it then) but there was not a single sign that Bowman even existed in the store.  No matter, I wanted something else anyhow.

I decided to buy a half dozen packs of Series 2 hockey, 3 for myself to open yesterday, and 3 to put away for later on.

Same as always, some great photography.  I don't remember the last time I pulled a triple exposure card from UD, but the Josh Gibson card looks great. 

I can't say whether or not I like that the OPC high number cards are inserted into UD packs, but I was happy that I pulled a Patrick Marleau Leafs card in the first pack so I guess that my objections are a bit muted...

Pack #2 features some great goalie shots, including the Jonathan Bernier head shot which I decided to put right in the middle of the scan.  Not that the Cory Schneider and Ben Bishop cards are slouches, but there's something about head shots featuring great goalie mask art that always draws me in.

BTW, the Ben Bishop Tron inspired glow in the dark masks have been a favorite of mine since he introduced them a couple of years ago, and I'd love it if he made more designs based on this concept. 

How about Dylan Ferguson, who I think was 4th on the Vegas goalie depth chart getting a Young Guns card!!  Not bad for only playing 9 minutes in one NHL game back in November against the Oilers. 

Speaking of great shots, I love the Nick Bonino card; shows the intense concentration that these guys possess when taking face-offs. 
I saw the Scott Hartnell card and wondered if this might have been his last run at the Cup.  He's 35 and has 17 NHL seasons under his belt (I was surprised that it had been that many!). 
Pulled another OPC high number card, this time of Giovanni Fiore, who I hadn't heard of at all.   I looked him up, and he's similar to Dylan Ferguson; he played one game this year for the Ducks with no points and a minus 1. 

I would love to some day collect a run of modern Upper Deck sets, but the Young Guns concept, while very popular, leads to some very expensive Rookie Cards (McDavid, Matthews to name two). 

But for now I'll be happy with buying a couple packs here and there and hopefully pull something great....

I probably have a better shot a hitting the lottery.

Thanks for reading, Robert

Inbound and Down #33: Torren Up Cards

I recently completed a twitter trade with Kenny (better known as Zippy Zappy) of Torren' Up Cards fame.  I had some cards he needed for his Series 1 UD Hockey build he's working on, and in return he sent me a couple of "packs" of cards (a great idea BTW, thank you Kenny).

Both of the packs had hits, which never happens to me, so I may have to buy some more product from Kenny in the future...

Let's look at the packs, shall we?

Pack 1:

Keeping true to form with real life packs, these are doubles.  Nothing wrong with Blue Jays doubles though, especially when one of them features John Buck's cool Jays mask.

Some early 90's hockey featuring a couple of Leafs defensemen.  I know that I have the Ellett, but I'm not sure about the Pro Set Iafrate AS card.  Will have to hunt to see if I had it already ( I really don't think I do).

One of my favorite hockey sets to rip, MVP is always welcome here.  The Tyler Bozak is the silver signature version, and I'm pretty sure I needed all 3 of these.  Nice!

Some more Jays to round out the pack, including an auto of Jays 2014 draft pick Sean Reid-Foley!  Love getting autos, especially when it's a player that I need to research.   Foley pitched in AA New Hampshire for the Jays last year, winning 10 games with an ERA just above 5.   He's still only 22, so there's still time for him to develop.

What I also loved, and purposely scanned, is the penny sleeve with the price of the card in Japanese Yen (I'm assuming that was the price).  I did the conversion, 150 Japanese Yen is $1.35.  Give it a few years, that may be a steal!!

Pack 2:

More true to life form....doubles

More Leaf needs, including 3 cards from this year's Series 1 UD.  Blue and white never gets old....

I had not seen this card until I pulled it out of the pack.   Love it, one of Bill Barilko's classic photos from the early 50's.  Sadly, a life taken way too young....

Finally, a couple of Auston Matthews cards rounded out pack #2

The UD series 1 Shining Stars insert, and its red parallel brother!!!   I am sadly lacking in Matthews cards, so seeing these brought an instant smile to my face.  I don't plan on moving these anytime soon.

Fantastic envelope Kenny, thank you very much!!  Love the packs idea as well, it was fun getting to open a couple of "packs" while I'm on my 90 day hiatus.

Thanks for reading, Robert

Christmas Cards

I love my wife.  I had to start this post with that sentence, because she has supported my insane love for collecting cards the entire time that we've been together.

She's shown appreciation for the older stuff that I've brought into the house (especially the 64's and 59's) and never complains when I hit the card aisle at Target or Wal-Mart when we go together.

But she's never ventured into buying cards for me at Christmas time (or any other time of the year).  She's admitted being nervous about getting the wrong thing for me, which is understandable.  She knows I'm picky at times.  But this year she took the plunge.  

My wife actually hit my trash can to check out the wrappers of packs of Upper Deck hockey to make sure she was buying something I wanted. 

In my stocking, there were two fat packs of this year's UD waiting.  She had better luck picking than I have had so far...

I've bought 3 fat packs, a blaster and a couple of single packs, but hadn't hit an Auston Matthews.   Bang, first pack there he is!!  The first pack also contained a David Pastrnak Shining Stars insert, which is available if any Bruins fans need it.

I pulled a couple of Young Guns in my blaster, but nothing in the other packs.   Sure enough, there is Nathan Walker's card in pack #2.  William Nylander has also been nowhere to be found until now; I love that photo from the Winter Classic warm up.

This last card I'm going to show is already a double, but is perfect for the goalie mask frankenset.

What a great photo!  I wish there were more cards like this for the set. 

I may have to ask her to pick packs for me in the future.  Her luck is better than mine...

Thanks for reading, Robert

Try A Pack #11: 2017-18 Upper Deck Hockey

Upper Deck hockey is one product that I regret not staying up with over the years.  Yes, I've bought a lot of packs here and there, but aside from the first 3 or 4 sets back in the early 90's, I've never bothered putting together the complete run of sets.  Maybe once I get my run of vintage baseball sets completed (more on this in the new year) I'll come back around to putting these sets together.

But for now, I'm down to buying a few packs once in a while to satisfy my thirst for some hockey cardboard. 

I bought 3 packs of 8 and 1 jumbo pack of 32.  Let's go easy and give you one of the 8 card packs.

As usual, the photography is top notch.  I'm pretty sure that the Patrik Berglund card was shot at the outdoor game last season against the Blackhawks.  Rasmus Ristolainen is the workhorse of the Sabres blueline, recently playing two games in which he appeared in over 31 minutes in one and 29 minutes the next.  Incredible. 

The design is nice.  The team logo is in silver foil, not my preference but it's fine. 

I love how Upper deck manages to get shots during all kinds of situations.  David Savard appears to be having a bit of fun during pre-game warm ups.

Fantastic shot of Jaden Schwartz getting ready to take a face off.  His concentration on the puck is in clear focus in this photo.

Check out the bald guy in the background of Adam Lowry's card.  He's quite focused on the play.  This was by accident, but on both of these cards there's a puck below the line where the player's name appears.  I didn't notice this until I scanned them and was looking on screen at both the cards.

Finishing up the pack, accidental coincidence here, with a couple of Broadway Blueshirts.  Again, the great photography is evident on Nick Holden's card as you see some game action against the Ottawa Senators. 

One thing I liked about the pack?  No inserts or parallels to be found!  Out of the 3 8-card packs, I only pulled one shining stars insert, and the jumbo 32 card pack had one UD Portrait card of PK Subban.  Sadly I didn't get any of the coveted Young Guns short prints, but that's usually the norm unless I buy a box.

One day I will get back into building these sets...but not just yet.

Thanks for reading, Robert