1994 Score Rookie & Traded

We're in the thick of the MLB playoffs right now, so I figured I'd post an MLB pack here. This one is 21 years old and looks like someone added a little too much '90s to the design template. Also, that craaaaazy font on the pack wrapper totally makes it look like it says BAS'EBALL.

RT114 - Troy O'Leary - The interlocking M-B logo is pretty much the opposite of iconic. Why did the Brewers ever move away from the glove logo? Why did so many teams decide to completely change their look in the '90s?

RT148 - Tony Longmire - The fronts of these cards violate a basic rule of "update" sets in that the design has nothing to do with the base design. The backs aren't quite as loud as the fronts, but they're still dripping with teals and purples and terrible fonts. This year also pretty much marked the end of Score's super clean and informative card backs.

RT155 - Marc Newfield - Here's one team's updated look that I actually prefer over their earlier versions, though the old trident is pretty great in a way that is teetering on ironic.

RT88 - Salomon Torres Gold Rush - The one-per-pack parallel as promised. Torres pitched for so many years out of terrible NL Central bullpens that I actually didn't realize he'd been out of the game since 2009.

RT116 - Walt Weiss - As you can see, the non-rookies in this set have a completely different font for the player name and use just a single photo on the front. Weiss had a terrible year as manager of the Rockies this season but is apparently coming back for more.

RT82 - Raul Mondesi - Mondesi is a staple of '90s packs.

RT5 - Eddie Murray - There are generally much fewer legitimate star players in sets like these, but here we have a bona fide HOFer.

RT35 - David Segui

RT36 - Stan Javier

RT75 - Ryan Klesko - Like Mondesi, there's a Klesko lurking in just about every other '90s pack.

2015 Panini Certified Football

Certified is one of those brands that's had a pretty long history (in cardboard terms) and back when Donruss put it out I can remember some serious hits from the product.  While not cheap, it's not so  expensive that I can't pick up a pack and try my luck.  Certified sits firmly in a mid level product with packs about $10.  That's pretty steep for only 5 cards, but there are some nice hits to be had.

I got 3 base cards.  Pretty typical Panini with a shiny foilboard design.

No rookies in my pack, but I did pick up a cool numbered Immortals card of Franco Harris.  These card are a sub set numbered into the regular set.

I also got this bonus sixth card.  It's one of those super rare invisible hits. Definitely an eBay 1 of 1.

Anyways..... My last card was this very shiny Legends cards of Barry Sanders.  It's not serial numbered, autographed, or reliced, but it is very, very shiny.

2015 Panini Gridiron Kings

I picked up a few random packs to share at the last trade night I attended at Bosco's here in Anchorage.  I was excited to see the new Gridiron Kings.  I read the Panini blog all the time and saw the pack out and box bust and then watched the two box break "Unwrapped" video.  The product looked interesting.  I thought the price per pack was a little high so I only picked up one pack.

The base cards are beautiful.  I'd consider, and still foolishly am, putting the set together, but unless I can find the per card price a lot cheaper that's probably not going to happen.  Let's look at what I got.

The Unwrapped video was full of all sorts of great set information.  In the 8 card pack you can expect 5 base cards, unless you get a thick hit.  I'm sure the cards were not really painted, but photoshopped to look like they were painted.  Regardless the base cards still look great.

Jeremy Hill had a huge week last week and I have him on one of my fantasy teams.

The video also said that you can expect two to three framed parallels.  Non of the parallels with the exception of the super rare Black Framed 1 of 1's are numbered, but the run down is Red most common, then blue, then green and black.

The brown framed cards are actually SP's numbered into the set.  That's right there are 100 SP's in the set.  Yikes.

I didn't pull a hit, which is always disappointing, but there are a bunch of interesting inserts.

2014-15 Upper Deck Artifacts hockey retail

Let me keep on my roll and get another pack posted here. Today, we are going to be blessed with last year's UD release of Artifacts. Artifacts is a bit like Bowman - the design doesn't change too much. It's a smaller set, more of a hit orientated release with 4 hits per box. A box with just 40 cards in it. I have never competed a set, but I usually grab a box a year of the product.

This is a retail pack. I forgot to scan anything from the box I ripped. I think I ripped a box. Anyway, you can at least see the style of the card as you will not be seeing a hit.

This design is more subdued than past years. Simple focus on the player shown. UD is trying to stress these are art cards with the word ART all in foil (I think). Don't like that at all. There is too much foil in fact, with the release name, the logos, the players name and those lines all in silver. And man, those were ugly Stars sweaters.

Artifacts always has a mix of the old players with the new. Think A&G without the oddball subjects. It's a shame they wipe out the background. I see why, but UD has such great images because everything works together - foreground and background.

Steve Y. One of two Red Wings I can respect. The rest can go to hell.

Retired player hot pack! Another bad sweater design. That lame name on the waist stripe was dreadful.

UD loves showing JR as either a Flyer or a Yote. I never seem to find him shown in a Hawks sweater.

Recycled image, 4 years of stats and a write up. Overall, a decent release from Upper Deck. This year's release will have two less pack per box and one less hit. At least the price is dropping a bit, too.

1991 Conlon Collection

Today we are dialing the wayback machine to 1991 and one of the many Conlon releases. This is a cello pack I pulled from a repack box about a year ago. The randomizer says it's time to show it off.

If you were pack searching in '91, this would be one to grab with Dizzy Deam clearly shown. Per the AWESOME Conlon Baseball Card Collector site (bookmark that site - it's a wealth of info), this is the first release from the three Megacards sets put out in 1991. We all know the cards so I'll knock through them three at a time.

Not a bad card right under the Dean. If you are a fan of the old wool uniforms, Conlon is the set for you.

Spy Moe Berg gets some cardboard love.

You really cannot go wrong ripping a pack of Conlon. Here's a gander at the simple backs.

Full career stats.

2014-15 Upper Deck Masterpieces hockey

This was a set I was so excited to hear returning. I am still building the last of the two baseball releases (SPs) and I have been trying to scoop up a set of the only release of hockey until this was announced. Then the cards came out and..... Well, let's just get to them.

You can't go wrong with the Great One on the cover. He is shown as a Ranger. To me, that is the third uniform I remember the man wearing, with Oilers and Kings before the Rangers. At least he is not shown as a Blue. Just five cards in the pack.

Ummmmm......

I was very disappointed with the release. The design is bad. That's really the only word I have for it. Too much foil. That Masterpieces foil logo unbalances the entire card. The images - it depends. Some are well done and others are not.

Hot as a rookie. Slight sophomore drop off. Picked it back up in his third campaign. He's just on a bad team. Let's see how season 4 goes.

I think Marty finally retired. Something he should have done a couple seasons ago. Look Brodeur - you had a great career. Three Cups. All time leader in wins, shut outs, and games played between the pipes. Going to the Blues looked bad. 25 years from now, it won't be remembered as much as it is currently, but it tarnished your exit from the game.

Oilers hot pack!

I did pull a hit with this nice on card auto of Bill Guerin. One of the nicer images in the set. The foil is a slightly different color - silver. Base signature, as you can also pull red framed and black framed. The signatures come in different groups and Billy is the most common group to pull. Still, nice auto of a decent player.