Pack #14 - 2006 Presspass Basketball

(Hobby pack)
My cost: $1.59

Since I was layed up in bed with the flu, I decided to catch up on some sports.......what there was to watch. I channel surfed between the Cavs(who FINALLY won a game), the Suns, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Miami Heat( what the hell has happened to their season!!), the Poker playoffs (is that really considered a sport?), and a little Tiger Woods.



I decided to bust a pack of Presspass basketball after watching the struggles of Kevin Durant a couple of nights ago........he has definitely hit a rookie wall.


I'm hoping to pull a nice J.J. Redick card out of this pack........


[Card #1] OS15 Shannon Brown -

[Card #2] B14 Terence Dials - Now playing in a French basketball league.

I like the look on his face........is he yelling or chewing gum??? (haha)[Card #3] 43 Dean Smith - The Dean of College Hoops!!!!!!The best card in the pack and DEFINITELY a PC card!!!!!

[Card #4] 9 Nik Caner-Medley - Now playing in a Spanish basketball league.
I didn't get anything good....


Current Value of Cards: $ .75

My Doctors Excuse

Doctor Feelgood has healed me!!!!












Thank you for being so understanding during my recent illness. I caught a bout of the flu that really put me out of it for a few days...........

Sick day #3

Sick day!!!!!!!

Sick day #2

Sick day!!!!!

Sick day

Sick day!!!!!!!!!

Pack #13 - 2006/07 UD Power Play Hockey

(Retail pack)
My cost: $1.59

In honor of the All-star game, I've decided to open a pack of hockey cards. Now I don't usually open hockey and couldn't tell you anything about them soo let me know if they are good cards.

[Card #1] #14 Miikka Kiprusoff
[Card #2] #95 Markus Naslund
[Card #3] #78 Jeremy Roenick
[Card #4] #71 Daniel Alfredsson
[Card #5] #111 David Printz (Prospects)
[Card #6] #34 Marty Turco

Current Value of Cards: ??????
(Couldn't find them in the price guide)

Pack #12 - 2007 Bowman Baseball

(Retail pack)

My cost: $2.99

When I first started collecting sports cards, baseball was my main focus in the hobby. It was right at the time when the Big Mac/Sosa homerun race was going on, the Cleveland Indians were actually good (I lived in Parma, Ohio at the time, which is a Cleveland suburb), and I enjoyed the game.........not to say that the game isn't fun anymore......BUT....football has become my main focus.

Soo; every once in a while, I like to return to the roots of my collecting habit and open a pack of baseball cards. This is a pack that I've had for awhile and the only reason I bought it is because of the proclamation that they are the "Home of the Rookie Card". I was expecting more than what I got..............

[Card #1] Gold BP #92 Neil Sellars

[Card #2] Red #77 Justin Morneau[Card #3] Blue BCP #40 Mike Devaney

[Card #4] Red #96 Todd Helton

[Card #5] Red #57 Jose Video

[Card #6] Green #208 Joaquin Arias(RC)

[Card #7] Blue BCP #65 Ray Aguilar[Card #8] Red #50 Ryan Howard

[Card #9] White BP #99 Adam Bass

[Card #10]White BP #13 Brennan Boesch

OK...Honestly, I have to admit that the whole color thing has thrown me for a loop. Looking the cards up in the price guide and trying to figure out the value of this pack gave me a splitting headache. Not to mention.....is a Bowman Prospect a rookie card??????????or are they just trying to draw a fine line between confusing me and really pissing me off!!!!!!!

Current Value of Cards: $7.50 (I think????)

Pack #11 - 2007 Donruss Classics Football

(Hobby pack)
My Cost: $6.50

I have been watching several people break this product on YouTube lately; soo, I figured what the hell and got a pack for myself. I usually don't spend this much on a pack of cards.....hopefully it will pay off.

The cover is pretty cool and will definitely go in my Hall of Fame scrapbook right next to a Joe Namath autographed picture (if I ever get one)............
















I want to kiss you!!!!!!






Five cards per pack............

here we go...........

[Card #1] #95 Drew Bennett - This card is cool because it shows him in his Titans uniform even though he had been signed by the St. Louis Rams already. Drew has always been my favorite Titan along with pretty boy tight end Frank Wycheck. I met both of them several times over the years and Drew was always the nicest guy.......I remember one time when he signed autographs and the Titans PR people had to practically drag him off the practice field because he wouldn't leave until everybody had him sign something. See if that ever happens with TO or Randy Moss!!

[Card #2] #53 Daunte Culpepper
[Card #3] #11 J.P. Losman

[Card #4] #46 Bryon Leftwich
[Card #5] # 4 Matt Leinart

This is a quarterback pack!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(For those of you that don't know, Drew is a former college QB and listed as an emergency Quarterback on the Rams roster.)



Current Value of Cards: $2.25

Pack #10 - 2006 Topps Football

(Retail pack)
My Cost: $1.00


I did a pack of these last Sunday and really had a good pack. (The value was $11.00) Hopefully this one will be just as good:



[Card #1] #127 Dominic Rhodes

[Card #2] #339 Rocky McIntosh (RC) - A second round pick from Miami, I really like Rocky. He was having a great year for the Redskins until he blew his ACL in the game against the Giants. Hopefully he can come back strong next year and not let this injury hamper his development.

[Card #3] #305 Jake Delhomme

[Card #4] #217 Antwaan Randle El

[Card #5] # 73 DeAngelo Hall

[Card #6] #102 Kyle Boller

I'm not as happy with this pack as I was with the other one........because I only got one rookie card and no inserts.

Oh well; they can't all be winners.........which DeAngelo Hall should know all to well.

Current Value of Cards: $1.50

Pack #9 - 2007 Leaf Rookies & Stars Football

(Retail Pack)

My Cost: $1.99

This is the other pack I bought yesterday:

[Card #1] #81 Joseph Addai

[Card #2] #31 Steve Smith

[Card #3] #44 Steven Jackson

[Card #4] #61 Chad Pennington

[Card #5] #14 Rex Grossman

I don't have a scan of these two cards because my "little man" went across the street again and traded them for this poster:

OOHH MMMYYY GGGGOOOODDDD!!!!!!!!

But his mom won't let us put it on the wall..........man; some women are sooooo sensitive!!!!!!!!!

Total Value of Cards: $1.25

Pack #8 - 2007 Leaf Rookies & Stars Football

(Retail Pack)
My Cost: $1.99

I saw Karl from Karlscards.com open a sponsered box of these from Donruss and it looked like a cool product. Unfortunately; I don't have a card shop by my house (the nearest one is three hours away) so I ran down to ole' Wally World and grabbed a couple of packs.


[Card #1] #63 Leon Washington



[Card #2] #71 Charlie Frye



[Card #3] #46 Alex Smith(QB)



[Card #4] #56Ronnie Brown



[Card #5] #45 Torry Holt - I don't have a scan of the Holt card because my 7 year old old son took it across the street and traded it for a WWF Divas card. God!!!!! He makes me so proud!!!!




I was kinda bummed out because I didn't get a single rookie card in either of the two packs I bought..........I'll probably post the other pack tomorrow.




I do like the card design, which by the way, the double motion effect on the card is the actual design and not my scanner.......is that cool or what? I will most definitely buy this product again. I might even go online and see if I can buy a hobby box............


wait.........

67454 (the first number of each card) would be a great pick 5 for tomorrow!!!!

Wish me luck!!!





Total Value of Cards: $1.25

Pack #7 - 2005 Upper Deck Pro Sigs

(Hobby Pack)
My cost: $2.00



I'm having the Monday morning blues, after witnessing the Green Bay Packers fall to the Giants last night, so I decided to open something other than a pack of football today.



I've had this pack sitting on my desk for several months......



[Card #1] #44 Roy Oswalt

[Card #2] #51 Ichiro!!!!!!!!

[Card #3] #119 Ambiorix Concepcion ( N.Y. Mets Prospect)

[Card #4] #25 Andrew Jones

[Card #5] #59 Derek Lee

[Card #6] #47 Joe Mauer

[Card #7] #92 Luis Hernandez (Atlant Braves Prospect)


Current Value of Cards: $1.00

Pack #6 - 2007 Topps Total Football

(Hobby pack)

My cost: $1.25

In honor of today's NFL playoff games, I've elected to open a pack featuring the image of LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers running back, on the front.

This product is nice if you collect rookie cards because you are guarenteed to pull, at least, two RC's from each pack.

[Card #1] #155 Andrew Walter

[Card #2] # 97 Adrian Wilson

[Card #3] #149 Antonio Pierce/Reggie Torbor

[Card #4] #274 Willis McGahee

[Card #5] TT20 Roy Williams insert

[Card #6] #510 Charles Johnson (RC)

[Card #7] #451 Tyler Palko (RC)

[Card #8] #184 Joe Horn

[Card #9] #278 Keyshawn Johnson

[Card #10]#501 Alan Branch (RC)

Three rookie cards are not bad for this pack break but I just wish the cards looked better. All three are in practice shorts and, if it wasn't for the back, you wouldn't even know what team Branch played for because he don't have a helmet on.............it kinda looks like he is about to be frisked by the police or something.

Current Value of Cards: $2.10

Pack #5 - 2006 Topps Football

(Retail Pack)

My Cost: $1.00

I love this product because it has really informative, funny, memorable trivia cartoons on the back.

I LOVE THESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How many off you knew that Bednarik was "Concrete Charlie"?

(They should have put a small pair of shoes next to him and a flatten Frank Gifford under him)

The packs are cheap but you get more than you pay for with this product. Over half of my rookie cards come from this product every year..........not bad for a buck.

[Card #1] #285 Larry Johnson

[Card #2] #250 Alge Crumpler

[Card #3] #256 Joe Horn

[Card #4] #351 Mario Williams (RC)

[Card #5] #318 Joe Klopfenstein (RC)

[Card #6]NFL4 Dan Marino 83/06

Current Value of Cards: $11.00

Pack #4 - 2007/08 Fleer Hot Prospects

(Retail Pack)

My Cost: $5.00

I'm not that big of a basketball fan, but I bought this pack in hopes of pulling a Corey Brewer Rookie card. He went to high school here in Portland, Tennessee and I've been watching him play in high school, all through college, and now at the professional level.........soo, I figured, what the hell.

[Card #1] #38 Andre Iguodala - The other "A.I" was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 9th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft.

I thought you weren't suppose to look at the ball when you dribbled?? At least that is what my gym coach always told us when he made us do drills with those stupid glasses on:

[Card #2] # 9 Vince Carter

As I was looking at this card, it occurred to me that I could really make out the faces in the crowd. I wonder if anyone has ever collect sportscards of players that have them in the background.

Like this guy right here....................

[Card #3] ST#17 Emeka Okafor

[Card #4] #31 Caron Butler - Currently with the Washington Wizards, Caron was the 10th overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft. He was selected by the Miami Heat and became part of the LA trade to bring Shaq to the East Coast.

[Card #5] $2 off a Spalding Basketball...........????????????

Not one Rookie card...........maybe next time I should buy a hobby pack. After I hit the Lottery, of course.

Current Value of cards: $4.00

Pack #3 - 2006 Upper Deck Football

(Retail Pack)
My Cost: $1.00


This pack has been a constant pick-up from Wal-Mart and Target, for my son and I, since we joined the UD kids club. He has been entering the codes found on the back of each card in order to win prizes from Upper Deck.....which can range from a sticker all the way up to an autographed helmet.

Just three thousand nine hundred and sixty-two more cards and he wins a Green Bay helmet sticker!!!! I can't wait!!!!!

I really don't like these cards because the action shots on the front (of each card) are very poor quality and not that exciting. I've made better cards with my digital camera and photoshop then Upper Deck did with this set. But, needless to say, I keep dishing out money in order to keep the kid happy......


Card #1 LaMont Jordan #140

Card #2 Ben Troupe #192


Card #3 Eddie Kennison #98


Card #4 Julius Jones #51


Card #5 Curtis Martin

1000 Rushing Insert set


It's sad to say; but, this card is the coolest one in the pack. It has a raised surface an
probably a better picture than the regular common card does.....which isn't saying
much.
I was also pretty bummed about the fact that I didn't get one Rookie card.


Current Value of Cards: $1.25

Pack #2 - 2007 Fleer Ultra Football

(Retail Pack)
My cost: $1.00




Card #1 Jamal Lewis #43

Card #2 Marvin Harrison

Paydirt Insert set card - I love this card and hope to eventually complete this set.

Card #3 LaDainian Tomlinson #

Card #4 Tedy Bruschi #

Card #5 Chris Simms #





This product claims to be the home of the Rookie card........but not one RC in this pack?!?!?

What the hell is up with that!!!!! (Talking about misleading the consumer)





Current Value of Cards: $2.25

Pack #1 - 2007 Topps Draft Picks & Prospects

(Retail Pack)
My cost: $1.00


Being from the great State of Oklahoma and an avid collector/fan of the Oklahoma Sooners, I've decided that the first pack in my blog will feature a Sooner on the front:

Yoooooooooo, Adrian!!!!!!!!

The pack has five cards and you are looking for the Golden Ticket......which is subsequently turned in for an autographed helmet featuring the signatures of this years draft class.
I'll have you know that, from the day of this products debut until now, I have probably opened a thousand packs (both retail and hobby) and have yet to find one golden ticket...........


DAMN YOU CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY!!!!!! "I was so worthy grandpapa....I would have taken you when I drove down to pick up my helmet!"




Card #1 Marcus McCauley(RC) #109
A 3rd round pick (#72) by the Minnesota Vikings, the Fresno State CB was a late season replacement for an injured Antoine Winfield. Marcus was not very effective and it was quite obvious that he struggled with the transition from college to the pro speed of the game........

Card #2 Mario Williams #62
The #1 overall pick last year had 59 tackles and 14 sacks.......but he will never live down the Bush Factor.


Card #3 Jason Campbell #65
Jason was having a career year until a season-ending knee injury put him on the sideline watching Todd Collins lead HIS team into the playoffs. Hopefully he will recover and improve upon the outstanding year he had........if not, look for the new Redskins Head Coach to bench him and go in another direction. Time will only tell if this is a PC card or a common pile card.



Card #4 Mario Williams Black Refractor card

I hate these cards..........if anybody wants it. (Just send me a e-mail and it's yours)

Card #5 Steve Breaston(RC) #123

This card has Steve in his Michigan uni and it's going in my college PC.......and,
even though he was a 5th round pick of the Arizona Cardinals, I think he is a future superstar! Especially after I watched this 73 yard punt return against the Steelers. It had been 14 years since the team had score a touchdown on a punt.

Current value of cards: $3.75

The Evolution of Pack Attack

My love of trading cards began somewhat unceremoniously back in the winter of 1999. My wife was pregnant with our third child (a boy), I was working as a store manager for this God-forsaken nationwide truck stop chain.... putting in 100 hours a week (literally), and my nerves were shot all to hell.

One day, as we were doing inventory on the backstock of my truck stop, I came across a large box of unopened packs of basketball, baseball, and football product from the 80's and 90's. In order to liquidate them, we marked everthing down to a dime a pack and set them by the register.......a high volume point of sale. However; after several days of being picked through by the young neighborhood boys, who obviously knew what they were looking for, the remaining packs didn't sell. Soo, in order to get them out of my inventory and off the counter, I bought what was left. I figured, if nothing else, I could re-gift them as birthday presents and Christmas gifts.

While sitting at my desk and taking a long overdue break, I decided to see what was in those weird wax packs............man those were the days.........and I'll never forget the first pack I opened........

And, believe it or not, I've almost got this set completed.

Well, unbeknownst (my word of the day) to me, I had just been exposed to the condition known as Pack Attack.

It became a part of my everyday routine......

1. smother my 5 hour old hot dog with ketchup, mustard, and relish.

2. buy the biggest energy drink in the cooler.

3. lock the door to my office and hope they forget I'm alive.

and

4. crack open the next pack in the box

Before I knew it I was hooked............and it became a craving.

Little did I know, there was an entire society of poor saps just like me who lived for the daily joy of cracking a wax pack of cardboard. It wasn't till later on that I realized that there was actually information on those things........and PICTURES!!!!!!!

Before I knew it, I was searching the phone book for people who sold these glorious things and started going to meetings on weekends where grown men ACTUALLY sat at long tables and sold these packs out of pre-packaged boxes.

Now, eight years later, I'm video streaming youtube for fellow card sharks, I'm going to card shops on the weekends, I'm saving up for the once in a lifetime trip to the National, and I'm still cracking packs.

Soo, I decided to start blogging about my "obsession"........(that's what my wife calls it)

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!