Saturday Night Five: Food vs. Cards

Earlier this week, my friend and I went out and celebrated each others' birthdays over a nice meal at Alexander's Steakhouse in Cupertino.  It's not your typical Sizzler, Black Angus, or Outback Steakhouse where you walk out spending $30 to $60 per person.  This restaurant is reserved for only special occasions... well at least for me... a teacher on a fixed budget.  In fact, I'm pretty sure that it's the most I've ever spent on a single meal.  And although the prime rib, hamachi shots, and popcorn crab were very delicious... I just couldn't help but think about how much we were spending and what cards I could have purchased with the extra money had we went to McDonald's or Taco Bell instead.

In fact even while we were enjoying our meal... there were at least four or five moments when this card popped into my head:

1999 Upper Deck Century Legends Epic Signatures #JR

This is the card that currently sits atop my want list.  It features one of my favorite autographed card set designs and the hard signed signature of one of the most popular players in the 90's.  And with the money I spent on Wednesday, I could have easily bought this card.

In fact, I could have picked up any of the cards on my Top 5 Want List:

#2:  1956 Topps #5 Ted Williams

Beautiful Card Design + Baseball Legend = Must Have Cardboard

#3:  1996 Skybox Premium Exchange Card #B Brett Favre

Back in 1996, Skybox issued a cross product insert set of Brett Favre.  One of the cards was available only through the redemption of two exchange cards.  I already own the left side... and for the past six years, I've been searching for the right side.


#4:  1996 Leaf Signature #22 Ken Caminiti

Caminiti is a fellow SJSU alum and the all-time slugging percentage leader for the San Diego Padres.  Out of the three different autographed cards of him pictured in his Padres uniform, this is my favorite.

#5:  2004 UD Legends Timeless Teams Autograph #85 or #101 Billy North

And wrapping things up is Billy North.  North was an integral cog of the Oakland Athletics during the 70's.  His role was to terrorize opponents on the base paths and Reggie Jackson in the dugout.

Well that's a look at the five cards currently sitting atop my cardboard want list.  I won't say that I regret going out to dinner, because the food and company was awesome.  But after reflecting upon the bill... I probably could have purchased all five of these cards instead.

Happy Saturday and sayonara!

Saturday Night Five: Favorite Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson is arguably the best wideout in the game and Jerry Rice is hands down the greatest of all-time.  But one thing is certain... neither of them will be making an appearance on my favorite receivers list anytime soon.

In fact, there's a chance that my list might leave you scratching your heads.  Just remember... it's not who I think are the most talented, it's a list of my favorite wide receivers.

Okay, let's start with a few that couldn't crack the top 5:

Honorable Mention:  Antonio Freeman, Johnnie Morton, Hines Ward, Tim Brown, Brian Blades, and Lynn Swann (I can't believe I don't own a single Swann card).

Alright... now let's get down to business:

#5 Donald Driver

Driver is in his 14th season with the Packers and is holds the franchise record for receptions and receiving yards.  I admire loyalty and Driver has stuck with them through thick and thin.

#4 James Lofton

As a kid, Lofton was my second favorite wide receiver and for many years he held the same Packers records that Driver holds today.  He's one of the guys who's featured in multiple PC's:  Green Bay Packers and Stanford Cardinals.

#3 James Jones

Jones is currently my favorite Packers receiver, because he's from the Bay Area, went to my alma mater (SJSU), and plays on my favorite team.

#2 Robert Brooks

Leroy Butler may have invented the Lambeau Leap, but Brooks was one of the people who made it popular.  Injuries may have cut his career short, but he was a tough guy who always gave his teammates and fans 110%.

#1 Steve Largent

Largent holds nearly every Seahawks receiving record and at his time of retirement was the all-time leading receiver.  He was my favorite player when I was growing up and although there are other players who have come and gone throughout the years, Largent is still and always will be my favorite wide receiver.

Okay... your turn:

Who are your five favorite wide receivers?

Happy Saturday and sayonara!

Top 5: Beckett Covers

A few weeks ago, I went over to my buddy's house to play some video games on his brand new television. Unfortunately... we never made it into his house. As we entered his garage, I saw a pile of my boxes that he lets me store there. The boxes on top had cards I dropped off sometime in September or October... but underneath it were six bankers boxes that I've accumulated over the years.

Four of the boxes had Kenner Starting Line Ups with a few sets scattered here and there. One of these days I'll go back, take pictures and show off some of my favorite SLUs.

Another box had a few sets that I built and put into binders: 1990 Leaf baseball, 1992 Fleer Ultra baseball, and 1985 Topps baseball. I built these sets by busting packs and paid top dollar during the early 90's on these boxes. It's a little depressing to think about how much I spent on cards over the years. Oh well... on the bright side... I was glad to see that these sets weren't sold when I dumped my collection about 10 years ago.

The last box contained my collection of Beckett price guides from back in the day. It's funny because I recently picked up a few back issues from my local card shop and was wondering where my old issues were. I figured they were sold off, but I guess I was wrong.

Inside the box were over 15 back issues of Beckett stored in sleeves with backing boards. I must have thought that one day these were going to be collector's items. LOL... guess I was wrong. Because I picked up a few of the same issues for less than the cover price a few weeks back.

Anyways... today I'm going to show off my top 5 Beckett covers:

#1: Beckett Basketball Issue #24 (July 1992)

It was tough between this cover and my #2 cover... but ultimately I decided on this as my favorite because of my love for the original Dream Team. I mean... c'mon... how can you go wrong with a cover containing five HOFers?

#2: Beckett Baseball Issue #63 (June 1990)

Bo Jackson is one of the greatest athletes I've ever had the privilege to watch in person. There's no telling what this guy would have done had he not suffered that hip injury. He is one of the best two-sports athletes in the history of sports and this iconic photo celebrates those two sports.

#3: Beckett Basketball Issue #10 (May 1991)

This cover features the greatest basketball player of all-time before he ever played in an NBA game. I have a ton of Jordan memorabilia (cards, figures, and magazines) with him wearing our country's colors... but this is the only one from his days on the gold winning 1984 Olympic basketball team.

#4: Beckett Baseball Issue #66 (September 1990)

Rickey Henderson and I had kind of a love/hate relationship. Well... he doesn't actually know me... but when I was growing up there were times that I loved him... and times that I hated him. He was with the A's when this issue came out... so I was a fan of his. And I'm still a big fan of this cover, because he's doing what he did best... stealing bases.

#5: Beckett Basketball Issue #3 (July/August 1990)

Byron Scott was my favorite basketball player during the 80's. Magic Johnson was a close second. He led the Lakers to 5 NBA championships during the 80's and he's one of the reasons I'm such a huge fan of the game today.

So there you have it... my top 5 Beckett covers. Here are some of my other favorites that didn't make the list:

Beckett Basketball #1, Beckett Football #1, & Beckett Hockey #1

Weren't these suppose to be worth thousands of dollars by now? LOL... you gotta love collecting for investment purposes.

And here's the rest of my collection...

What about you... did you ever save your old Becketts thinking that they might be worth something one day?

What's your favorite Beckett cover?

Happy Tuesday everyone... time to play another nine holes right now. Sayonara!

Top 5: Aaron Rodgers Refractors

Today's the day. In about four hours... my favorite team will face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers and wrap up an amazing season.

Win or lose... I'm a loyal cheesehead. They fulfilled my prediction of reaching the big game. Hopefully, they exceed my expectations and bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Title Town.

Today's game is going to be awesome. I'm assuming it's going to be close... a back and forth tug of war. My guess is that the game winning score will be on the final drive of the game.

Both teams have amazing defenses. The Steelers allowed the least amount of points this season... and the Packers were a close second. During the regular season, the Steelers defense held opposing offenses to an average of 276.8 yards per game (2nd in the NFL). The Packers were fifth in the league allowing 309.1 yards per game. And both teams excelled in the area of turnovers. The Packers had a take-away ratio of +10, while the Steelers nearly doubled that with a +17 ratio.

On offense... both teams are led by athletic quarterbacks who can avoid the sack. Ben Roethlisberger is a beast. At 6'5" and 241 pounds... he throws linebackers around like down pillows. While Rodgers is extremely mobile and demonstrated that by rushing for 356 yards and 4 touchdowns during the regular season.

It'll come down to who can score against the others' stellar defense. Big Ben definitely has the experience, but hopefully (for me at least) Rodgers will shine.

It's debatable on whether or not Rodgers has stepped out of Favre's shadow... Personally... I think he has. They're different quarterbacks and each has their own legacy in Packers' history.

However... if Rodgers pulls of a win today... he'll have the same number of Super Bowl rings as Mr. Favre.

So... today... I'll be showing off my favorite Brett Favre refractor, along with my top 5 Rodgers' refractors. Refractors has been my favorite parallel since they arrived on the scene in the early 90's, because of the rainbow shine they give off.

My Favorite Favre Refractor

1998 Topps Mystery Finest Refractors #M3

This is the card that sets the standard for my Green Bay Packers refractor collection. It's not the most expensive. Nor is it my oldest Packers refractor. However... it is easily one of my favorite personal pulls of all-time. First off... I loved the concept behind these cards. You get one Mystery Finest card in every box... and on the back of the card there are four players. The front of the card is covered with a black peeling, which you pull off to reveal your player.

The four players on my card are Steve Young, Dan Marino, Brett Favre and Drew Bledsoe. At the time... Steve Young was a Bay Area hero, so if I pulled him... I could easily trade him for another Favre. I've always been a Marino fan, so if I pulled him... it'd be a nice PC addition. And back in 1998... Bledsoe was pretty popular in the hobby... as he was in the top 5 of most passing categories.

But of course... I wanted the Brett Favre the most. So... when I discovered I pulled the Favre, I was pumped. Add to the fact that it was a refractor... and it was epic. The regular versions were pulled at a rate of 1 per box. However the refractors were inserted at a rate of 1:144 packs (or 1 out of 4 boxes).

So... that's why this card sets the standard in my Packers refractor collection... much like Favre sets the standard for Packers quarterbacks... in the eyes of many.

But... it's a new era. The Aaron Rodgers era... and to help get this party started... I've decided to share the top 5 Aaron Rodgers refractors in my PC.

#1: 2009 Finest Refractor

I'm a huge fan of this design... plus I love that it's a Finest "refractor". Add in the fact that it's a great photo of Rodgers... and it shows off the Packers' green and gold colors... and you have my favorite Rodgers refractor.

#2: 2006 Bowman Chrome Refractor

This card features my favorite Rodgers photograph... so it sits as my #2 favorite refractor.

#3: 2009 Bowman Chrome Refractor

This card features Rodgers doing what he does best... scrambling... looking down field for someone to throw to. He'll be doing this a lot today... and hopefully when he does he'll pick apart the Steelers secondary.

#4: 2009 Topps Chrome Refractor

My fourth favorite Rodgers refractors shows him about to launch a deep pass to one of his options. Hopefully... the Packers will allow him some time to make a few of these passes... but my guess is that he won't have too many opportunities against the Steelers pass rush.

#5: 2006 Topps Chrome Refractor

Another beautiful card that shows of the glorious green and gold. This card would be higher up the list, but I'm not a big fan of this particular photo. But... the card design is pretty nice.

So... Aaron... hopefully this post allows you and the Packers to shine a little brighter today. In my opionion... it's not about you stepping out of Favre's shadow. It's about taking the next step towards being a Packers legend. If you win today... it's one huge step in the right direction.

What about you guys... what do you think?

Has Aaron Rodgers climbed out of Brett Favre's shadow yet?

By the way... cubsfan731 if the Steelers win... the 2010 Packers Police set is yours. If the Packers win... Hoopography gets it. No offense cubsfan731... but I'm pulling for the Packers and Charles to win.

Happy Sunday everyone... I'm off to my friend's house for some delicious eats... good company... and hopefully a Super Bowl game to remember.

Go Pack Go!

Top 5: Green Bay Packers PC Possessions

It's week 7 and the Green Bay Packers are sitting in 2nd place in the NFC North with a 3-3 record. Part of me is disappointed that they're not in first place and have struggled the past few weeks. However, on the flipside... I understand that injuries are taking their toll on a very talented team.

So to cheer myself up... I decided to check out my five favorite Packers cards in my collection.

#1: 1996 Laserview "Inscriptions Auto" #9 Brett Favre (#'d to 4850)

Okay, so this isn't actually a picture of my card. A lot of my higher end cards are in a safe at my parents' house in Las Vegas, so I don't have access to this card right now. However, I can assure you that it's part of my PC and is my favorite for two reasons. First, it's an on card autograph of my favorite Packer of all-time. And two... the card is made of acetate. The only problem with my card is that it's not nearly as clean as this particular scan. My autograph is a little faded compared to this one.

#2: 2005 Leaf R&S "Rookie Autograph" #201 Aaron Rodgers (#'d 74/150)

Aaron Rodgers is my favorite "current" Green Bay Packers player and unfortunately, I only own 2 of his certified autographs. This is my favorite of the two. It's a sticker autograph, which stinks... but the card itself features a cool design and shows him in his Packers uniform. I've been a fan of Rodgers since his playing days at CAL. Hopefully he can one day hold the Lombardi Trophy while wearing a Packer uniform.

#3: 2007 SP Authentic "Rookie Auto" #230 James Jones (#'d 67/1199)

I graduated a long time ago from SJSU, so I get excited every time a Spartan gets drafted. It's even better when a Spartan gets drafted by my favorite team. Which is why I'm always trying to add to my James Jones PC. He'll never be a top receiver, but that's fine with me. It keeps his cards affordable. This particular card features a simple design with an on-card autograph - two key elements to a beautiful card.

#4: 1971 Topps "Poster" #10 Bart Starr

When I was growing up, Lynn Dickey was my favorite quarterback. Years before that... my father's favorite quarterback was another Packer legend: Bart Starr. I don't remember when I bought this poster, but it was probably in the early 80's or mid 80's. I picked it up at a card show, because I remember my father telling me stories about Mr. Starr. I could be mistaken, but I think it's the first piece of Packers memorabilia that I ever purchased. And I owe it to my dad.

#5: 1999 SP Signature "Autograph" #JL James Lofton

Rounding out my top 5 is another Bay Area legend. I've already featured a CAL Bear and a SJSU Spartan... so I guess I have to feature a Stanford Cardinal. James Lofton is one of the greatest wide receivers to ever wear a Packers uniform. I chose this particular card because it features a stunning on-card autograph. I wish all athletes would take the time to sign like Mr. Lofton.

Honorary Mention #1: My Sweet Spot "Helmet Autos"

I've always been a huge fan of these Sweet Spot autographs. Here are my three favorites. Adderly and Hornung are way before my time, but my father loved them... and that's good enough for me. On the other hand, Greg Jennings is one of the Packers top receivers right now and I've been a huge fan of his since they drafted him in 2006.

Honorary Mention #2: My 1997 Leaf Signature "Autographs"

The last time the Packers held the Lombardi Trophy was in 1996 when they beat the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. Three reasons they accomplished this feat were Levens, Brooks, and Freeman. I've always been a fan of this product, because they feature on-card autographs. Unfortunately, they're not regular sized cards - they're 8 x 10. I've always considered framing these bad boys, but I don't want the autographs to fade (the Brooks is already difficult to see).

Well... that's it. Those are the highlights from my Packers PC. Now onto more important things. At the start of the season, almost everyone had the Packers making the playoffs. Some of us even had them going to the Super Bowl. Today's question is... Do you think the Packers will still make the playoffs this year? Also... who do you think will win the NFC North?

Just curious... I'll give you my answer after this weekend's game against the Vikings. Have a happy Friday!

Sayonara.