Do unicorns wear ten gallon hats? & One Trade

Watching:  PTI on EPSN2

Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr to Dallas?!  That escalated quickly.  The Knicks are really banking on landing two max free agents this summer (KD & Kyrie?) and hitting it big in the lottery.  Rumors continue to circulate that the Knicks have been shopping Trey Burke.  It would nice to see Trey land somewhere where he can log some consistent minutes.

Woke up to a record low temperature of -33 this morning.  The polar vortex is forecast to begin loosening its grip on us tonight.  Heck, we could flirt with 40 this weekend.  Great weather to get out for a jog.

One small trade today, my third trade with TCDB member capper14.  What it lacked in quantity in made up for in impact.  We have the ERR version of the 1989-90 Fleer #31.  John Williams (Cavs) front with a John Williams (Bullets) back.  Two away from completing the master set.  Then we have two from the 1990-91 Fleer Update set bringing me up to 78% complete.



The trade concludes with a Giannis - the silver parallel of the 2017-18 Prizm base.  It's rare to find someone with a Giannis available for trade that I don't already have so this is a welcome addition. 



Big game tonight - Bucks-Raptors on TNT.

"The cold never bothered me anyway" & One Trade

Listening:  Arcade Fire, Funeral

I want to start by saying, "Thank you" to those of you who take a couple minutes out of your day/night to check in with my blog.  I'll warn you now, more rambling than usual this evening as we are light on cards.

How about Zavier Simpson last night?  Just the sixth triple-double in the long history of Michigan basketball!  And to do it vs. OSU makes it even sweeter.  At least UM can still beat OSU at something.  Add in a nice Bucks win over the Pistons and it was a perfect hoops night.  Bucks-Raptors tomorrow night for Eastern supremacy.  Thanks for the reminder Dan (PapaG321).

Woke up to a temperature of -25 this morning.  Our high temp reached a balmy -12!  I went into the office today in spite of classes being cancelled due to the cold.  Very quiet around the department as very few people came in.  It provided an excellent opportunity to put a small dent in my TCDB "Cards in your collection missing images on the site" list.  Scanning and uploading might be my least favorite TCDB activity.  It takes some serious time and effort to do a decent job.  Tip of the cap to the members who properly scan and upload images.

The USPS cancelled mail delivery today but I failed to notice a PWE tucked in our mailbox yesterday evening so I do have one unexpected trade to share this evening.  This hockey trade is my second trade of 2019 with TCDB member vanoirm.  The contents are very straightforward, 18 cards toward the 1991-92 Pinnacle set, pushing my completion rate past the 90% mark.  I think this is a sharp set - one of my favorites from the hockey card explosion of the early '90s.



Ludwig is rocking some textbook hockey hair on that card.  That might be a cool idea for a user list on TCDB - "Best Hockey Hair".  An annual YouTube favorite is the "Minnesota State High School All Hockey Hair Team".  It's all about salad and flow.  Check out the 2018 edition here.

After already conquering The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros, I can now add Super Mario Bros 2 and Super Mario Bros 3 to the list.  I don't remember these endings so I doubt I ever won these as a kid.  This new system allows you to save a game at anytime.  Literally, anytime.  So you reach a difficult point, you save the game, and then you can replay it endlessly until you pass it.

 

I think I'll tackle Metroid next.  I never had it as a kid - my best friend did.  I know I didn't advance very far in this one as a kid, and that I will need to find some maps online.

"You're as cold as ice" & Two Trades

Watching:  Bucks vs. Pistons on Fox Sports Wisconsin

I'm back.  No packages or purchases yesterday so no post.  We received seven inches of snow Sunday night into the wee hours of Monday morning so maybe that had some impact.  Classes were cancelled until noon and my daughter had a delayed start of 11:30.  Like many across the Upper Midwest we are now in the grips of the Polar Vortex.  I forecast high for tomorrow is around -15 with wind chills in the -40s to -50s.  Coldest it's been since 1996.  No classes tomorrow due to the cold.

Two packages today.  Funny thing is they did not arrive until around 6:15 this evening as I was finishing up the dishes.  We'll chalk it up to the weather.

1.  The first package is my fifth trade with TCDB member tenlbpain.  Nick has my seal of approval - that's why I keep going back to the well.  We have a little something from all four major sports in this package of approx. 200 cards.  For baseball we have a handful of cards going toward the 1983 Topps and 1984 Fleer sets.



Basketball includes a large lot of 1993-94 Fleer, a nice chunk of 1993-94 Hoops - Scoops, four inserts from 1996-97 Collector's Choice, and then singles from 2008-09 Fleer and 2012-13 Hoops. 



A little aside here; I think the unquestioned king of cool '90s basketball cards has to be the Reign Man - Shawn Kemp.



Back to reviewing the cards.  The sole football additions go toward the 1991 Score football set. 



And then finally a nice brick of 1990-91 Score Canadian completes the trade.



2.  Tonight's second trade is my first with TCDB member Parsons0311.  Matt reached out and did the bulk of the legwork in putting this one together.  This might be the most straightforward trade ever - nothing but 1995-96 Hoops.



That's it for tonight.  Stay warm and safe!

"Qu'est-ce que c'est" & Surprise LeBron Hit

Listening:  Talking Heads Talking Heads: 77

I picked up two packs while making a Target run Friday evening and saved them for this morning.  Holding packs until Sunday is much easier when the trades keep rolling in :)  Let's rip these bad Oscars:



1.  My third Contenders fat pack of the season.  18 base cards, half of which I already have.  Oh well, a little something to add to the For Trade list.



The wrapper promises one Green or Purple parallel.  I lucked out and got one of each, including a LeBron in his Lakers uniform.



2.  Next up one of the weird Prizm multi-packs.  I like Prizm but I often feel as though I don't get much bang for the buck and the parallels are endless.  I just checked the other day and counted 36 parallels for the Webber #165.  36?!?!  15 cards total in the pack starting with eight new base cards.



The Prizm pack wraps up with three inserts and four parallels.  I hit a Webber Red, White & Blue parallel!  However, I bought a cheap copy on eBay last month.  I never, never, get Webber's in packs.



In logging these packs in TCDB I noticed that the LeBron Purple parallel is SN25.  And my copy is 01/25!  I totally missed that when ripping the pack.  A very pleasant surprise and a pretty darn good hit for a $5 fat pack.  Might be worth a little something to a LeBron or Lakers collector...

 

"I consider myself a reasonable merman" & Three Trades

Listening:  Wu-Tang Clan Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

This afternoon we saw The Little Mermaid at the local theater.  They are running a promotion where they are running a different classic animated film over the next four weekends.  We have come a long way in animation over the past 30 years.  It was nice though that our daughter got the opportunity to see one of her favorite films on the big screen.  My problem with the movie is that Ariel wants all this freedom and they make her dad (King Tritan) look like an overbearing control freak.  She's 16!  In the real world she would be a high school sophomore taking driver's ed.  And she gets married at the end!  Really?!?!

Three packages in the mail today - all with TCDB members.  Posting much later than usual so this will be a tad abbreviated.  This is the order in which I opened and logged them...

1.  Batting leadoff, my first trade with Thunderfoot.  This was strictly a football trade.  Set builders included two 1984 Topps, one 1990 Pro Set ERR, and two 1992 Stadium Club.



The bulk of the trade goes toward the Michigan collection.

   


2.  Next my fourth trade with randylaw.  This trade covered all four sports and included about 800 cards going each way.  Some baseball set builders to get us started.  I am a Sportflics fan.  I thought they were cool back then and I still think they're cool.  They were hard to find though and pricier than Donruss, Fleer, and Topps.  I would love to complete all of the Sportflics sets.  Just a couple of cards away from completing the 1991 Topps set.

 

The trade also included a few basketball set builders.  Nice stacks of 1993-94 Hoops and 1997-98 Collector's Choice.



Football set builders comprised the largest portion of the trade.  Below lots of 1981 Topps, 1982 Topps, 1989 Topps, 1990 Fleer, 1990 Topps, 1991 Fleer, 1991 Pro Set, 1991 Ultra, and 1992 Stadium Club.



The trade concludes with some football and hockey cards for the Michigan collection.

 

3.  Today's third and final trade comes from Dantheman.  The second package from Dan in as many days.  Like the Thuderfoot trade, this was another strictly football trade.  I am four cards short of completing the 1988 Topps set.  Treadwell completes the basic 1989 Pro Set set, while the other three are ERR/VAR that go toward completing the master set (97.9%).  I continue to slowly ship away at the 1989 Score set (69.4%).  Up to 96% complete for 1990 Pro Set and I have now completed the 1990 Score basic set.



And finally, we have a handful of cards for the Michigan collection.



In the end, very little basketball today.  Some great football additions, both for sets and the Michigan collection. 

A Trade of the "Finest" Caliber

Watching:  Michigan vs. Indiana basketball on FS1

One package in the mail today, my first trade with TCDB member Dantheman.  I recently had a batch of 1998-99 Finest cards pop up in my Want List matches and I immediately sent Dan a proposal.  I love Finest basketball cards after all.  The PWE trade included 18 cards; heavy on stars.

 

Thrilled to add these 18 beauties to the collection and bump my completion rate up to 34% for this set.

Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa and Two Trades

Listening:  Otis Redding The Very Best of Otis Redding

I love '50s-'60s soul, Motown, Stax music.  Perfect music for the office.  Whether the day is stressful, tedious, or boring it always works.  Fun to listen to at home as well.  Our daughter is dancing around the house really enjoying Otis.  Whenever I hear Otis I always think of Jon Cryer in Pretty In Pink.  Those John Hughes movies are still fun to watch.

After being shutout yesterday, two packages arrived today, both trades with TCDB members.

1.  My second trade with dodgersdennis yielded some baseball set builders:  one 1990 Upper Deck (19%), three 1991 Fleer (56%), and twelve 1991 Topps that included some VAR I did not have.  I only have the Topps set on my Want List at this point but plan to eventually work toward completing the other two.  Up to 98.7% complete for the basic Topps set and 96.3% for the master.  The '90 Upper Deck set looks like an Upper Deck set, the '91 Fleer set is BRIGHT, and the '91 Topps set isn't bad; I like it better than the '86, '88, and '90 sets.



2.  A hockey trade with Classicshowcar, our first exchange, rounds out the day.  This trade included set builders for the 1991-92 Pro Set and Upper Deck sets, as well as the 1992-93 Upper Deck set.  My '91-92 Pro Set is now complete!  As for the Upper Deck sets, completion rates are now at 96.7% and 93.8%.  Missing cards are limited solely to the high numbers in both.



The trade wraps up with three Belfour's for the Blackhawks collection and two Michigan additions; a Shields and a Morrison.

TCDB Anniversary

Listening:  Tony! Toni! Tone! Sons of Soul

No packages today.  Inconceivable!


Turns out today was a big day though - it's my TCDB anniversary!  I stumbled upon the site two years ago while Googling a 1986-87 Fleer checklist.  I basically spent 2017 learning the ropes, entering my collection, and pitching in where I felt comfortable (scans, checklists, misc edits, etc).  In the end I managed to be named to the TCDB First Team and earn Rookie of the Year honors.  2018 I focused on entering my For Trade list and trading.  I just hit my 150th completed trade last week and received my 100th positive feedback comment.  For 2019 I have started this blog, will continue trading, and want to get back to helping out around the site.

Thank you to all the members who help make TCDB such a fantastic resource.

Five Packages - The Mail Carrier's Worst Nightmare

Watching:  Minnesota vs. Michigan basketball on BTN

Received five packages in the mail today - all from TCDB members.  Let's roll...

1.  The first package I opened was a PWE trade with RUWrong that goes toward building basketball sets.  This is the third trade we have completed.  My 2016-17 Prestige set was complete, but then I offered a Kennard in trade that I didn't have, so I had to use the one from my set and find another copy.  Up to 78% on the 2016-17 Donruss set.



2.  Next I opened an envelope from Dan (PapaG321).  I think this is our fourth trade.  We basically trade every three months or so and have also exchanged PIFs.  Dan is a top notch trader and trades across multiple sports - something I really enjoy when seeking trade partners.  The football cards all go toward 1990 and 1991 sets:



Some hockey to close out the trade.  This completes my 1990-91 Pro Set hockey set, and two Michigan additions:



3.  A hockey trade with wax_house is up next.  Set builders for 1991-92 Stadium Club (89%) and Upper Deck (96%), as well as 1992-93 Upper Deck (93%).  Two Norton's for the Michigan collection complete the trade.



4.  The fourth package was my first trade with MetsTeamSetsJVT.  Sharp looking cards packed very well.  185 cards from the 1991 Upper Deck baseball set.  Not something on my Want List at this time, but a set I do intend to work toward completing after getting the 1980's sets completed.



5.  And finally, I participated in vrooomed's 40th Anniversary celebration.  The randomizer granted me a high pick and I selected the Dale Murphy RC:



Dan went above and beyond though and included a 39 extras.  This included a lot of 1983 Topps I needed (including Viola RC) and a George Brett for the 1984 Topps set:



He even threw in a few football cards for the Michigan and Alabama collections.  Congratulations on the milestone, Dan, and thank you for your generosity. 

I Have Been to the Mountaintop

Listening:  Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have Been to the Mountaintop"

I have the day off today in observance of MLK Day.  We should all take a few moments to reflect and consider the actions of not only Dr. King, but all of those who dedicated their blood, sweat, tears, and in some cases lives, to the struggle for civil rights and racial equality. 

As it is a federal holiday we will not be receiving any mail today so no trades to share.  My daughter and I made a Target run last Thursday and I picked up two fat packs of the new 2018-19 Contenders.  Saving these for today has taken some serious restraint.  I'm the type who usually rips the packs right there in the Target parking lot.  I just realized, these are the first packs I have purchased in 2019.  Everything this year to this point has been TCDB trades and the COMC purchase.  Each fat includes 22 cards with one "guaranteed" to be a parallel.

The first pack includes 17 cards that will go toward building a set:



and the second pack includes another 17 headed for the set:



Inserts and green parallel from the first pack.  Scored a Hardaway Jr base for the Michigan collection.  This first pack actually has 23 cards in it.  Hmmm:



Second pack inserts and green parallel.  Pulled a Giannis base for the Giannis collection!



Like many Panini sets, not great, not bad, pretty much what you'd expect.  Just noticed - the same photo appears three times on the card!  Really?!  I'll make an effort to complete the 100 card core base set and get some Giannis inserts and parallels, but I won't go nuts buying these.

Michigan Wolverine collection additions -  T. Hardaway Jr.
Giannis collection additions -  1