Archive for October, 2009
Brag Photo: John Adams
Posted by: | CommentsHow about another Presidential Hair Cut Signature Card from SP Legendary Cuts?
This would be a card featuring a strand of hair and autograph belonging to John Adams: founding father, and second President of the United States. In case you couldn’t tell from the upper right hand side of the card, this is a 1-of-1, meaning that only one lucky collector will get to add it to his or her collection.
And yes, I did hold this card in the same vault breaking session as the Richard Nixon card. This place never ceases to amaze me . . . stay tuned to the blog to see other cards in this series!
Eagles Soar, Favre Returns to Lambeau
Posted by: | CommentsThe Philadelphia Eagles improved to 4-2 as they defeated the Washington Redskins 27-17. But don’t pay much attention to the score, because the game was not that competitive. Very few players from both sides showed up on Monday night.
This division is viewed as one of the most competitive ones in the league. This was also supposed to be a game for the ages, with two rivals looking to get their season back on track. Well, outside of two key plays made by Eagles wide receiver Desean Jackson, this game was one of the more boring Monday night matchups of the year.
The game started with an electrifying end-around reverse to Jackson, which he took 67 yards for a touchdown. The only other explosive play in the game was when Jackson ran a perfect double-move that fooled two defensive backs, and quarterback Donovan McNabb found him deep for a 57-yard touchdown. Outside of these two plays, the rest of the game was dominated by the defenses.
The Eagles’ defense was fortunate enough to capitalize on four Redskins’ turnovers, scoring a touchdown on one of them. Even after the Eagles recorded six sacks, one interception, and forced three fumbles, their win margin was only 10 points. McNabb has obviously struggled to get back to Pro Bowl form since returning from his rib injury, and it’s transparent on the field.
The problems with the Redskins’ offense were expected because we’ve seen how bad its gotten ever since Joe Gibbs retired. In any event, the Eagles boast one of the top offenses in the league every year. I believe that if it weren’t for those two amazing plays by Jackson, this game could have easily had a different outcome (just like the game in Oakland).
The Redskins offense proved once again to be the reason that the team can no longer compete in the division. Even after stripping head coach Jim Zorn of his play-calling duties, the Redskins offense remained stagnant. Hopefully, they realize now that play-calling isn’t the main issue with their team, and players are actually going to have to make some plays in order to be successful. Simply evaluating everyone out there, from the dumbfounded looks on quarterback Jason Campbell’s face to the temper-tantrums thrown by running back Clinton Portis on the sidelines, this team is in disarray, and needs a serious reorganization ASAP. Someone needs to inform owner Dan Snyder that he is not George Steinbrenner, and he does not own the New York Yankees. He also needs to know that this is not the MLB. You can’t just throw $100 million at a guy and expect your team to automatically elevate its level of play, especially if the guy only plays half of the defensive snaps!
Enough about that horrid Monday night game: let’s look ahead to what many are calling the drama of the year. If you haven’t heard, Brett Favre is returning to Lambeau Field! The only difference is that he will be there for the first time as a visitor. He is returning to face the youngster that ousted him from his beloved city of Green Bay. As if the timing couldn’t be any worse for Favre, the city of Green Bay just named a street after quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Favre will have to be able to control his emotions and focus on the game of football if he is going to be successful in his return home.
Besides all the hype surrounding Favre and Rodgers, there is still a football game that needs to be played. The Minnesota Vikings already defeated the Packers once in week four. That game featured Favre nearly playing a perfect game, finishing with 271 yards and three touchdown passes. Rodgers, on the other hand, had a decent game statistically but a horrible game overall. He was responsible for two turnovers and was sacked eight times. If the Packers want any chance at beating one of the best defenses in the NFL, then it must start with the offensive line learning how to pass protect. On paper, the Vikings have a better offense, defense, and special teams. This does not bode well for the Packers, who need to win this game in order to stay competitive within the division.
The Packers have a decent chance to win this game because it’s at home. They brought the Vikings out of the dome and into the snow. We all know Favre is used to cold weather games (especially big ones), but what about the rest of his teammates? This game will be decided by the team that makes the fewest mistakes, and unlike Favre’s situation, Rodgers has to carry the weight of the team on his back. We’ll see how he performs in the biggest game of his short career this Sunday.
The Forgotten Fall Classic
Posted by: | CommentsThere’s so much going on in sports right now: we’ve got a heated Yankees/Phillies World Series, the start of the NBA season, the NFL is at the halfway point, and hockey is revving up too. Yet with all of these great sports options this time of year, there’s one particular event starting this weekend that has been unfairly overlooked, ignored, and hardly mentioned.
This weekend the playoffs begin for Major League Soccer, and I will be the first to admit that even thinking about it gets my blood going. Let me give you an idea of how myself, and thousands of others can get so hyped up on what you may consider such a boring thing to watch. Let me see if I can impart some of my fire.
In America we love high scoring games. We love to see one team pummel another so much that the physical evidence is displayed blaringly in bright lights. Scoring point after point in sports gives us some unexplainable satisfaction. We live for it. We can’t get enough of it. We always want more.
With that being said, think back on the last game you attended or watched on television. Sure, it was cool to see your team hit another three, or score another touchdown. You might have even cheered and done a fist pump, but less than a minute later that feeling is gone. You know another score is coming, and the anticipation does not last long. The only real time you get yourself wholly committed to the game is when it comes down to the wire. Seconds are ticking away too quickly as your team makes its final push. Then, when that last shot goes in at the buzzer, you are out of your chair screaming at the top of your lungs, chest bumping your neighbor, and spilling beer all over yourself. That is the real moment we live for.
Now take those feelings, and imagine that excitement lasting for ninety minutes.
Soccer is the only sport I can think of in the world where the anticipation for that one single goal keeps people standing the entire time. You can physically feel the energy as soon as you enter the stadium. Even the most hardened anti-soccer fan is drawn into the game by the positive vibe oozing from absolutely every corner of the field. I have personally seen the transformation of a ‘soccer is so boring’ attitude into a diehard soccer loving freak. It’s all because they allowed themselves to enjoy one game.
Remember the elation from the final seconds of the fourth quarter? Take those feelings and bottle them up inside yourself. Now watch as the soccer ball moves closer to the goal, as the player tries time and again to put one in the net. Every moment puts you closer to letting it all out. Multiply that by 30,000 other people around you. The air becomes thick with the excitement because you know it is going to happen.
There it is. We finally score. In that one moment all of those feelings building inside come bursting out in your very own prehistoric yell and mixes with everyone else around you. Absolutely electrifying. Even now I have goose bumps. I cannot wait to feel that again this Saturday.
Scoring in soccer is not a given. It is a gift. So each time that gift is given it is relished far more than any touchdown, any layup, or RBI. Each individual goal has its own power to change the outcome of a game and a season.
In that spirit, starting this coming Saturday, eight teams begin their push to be called the champions of soccer in America.
Of the fifteen teams that make up the league, seven were fighting for only three playoff spots heading into their final games of the regular season last weekend. To go into each separate scenario would not only take up a lot of time, but also cause more headache than anyone can handle. For example, Real Salt Lake could have moved on or been kicked out with no less than eight different outcomes. Fortunately, the stars aligned and they pushed through. For other teams like the Colorado Rapids (who ended their season last week), too much was left to chance and the performances of rival teams.
In case you’re not familiar with the structure, here’s a summary. In MLS, the top three teams of each conference are rewarded with spots in the playoffs. The next two teams with the best record then take slots number seven and eight. This year seemed to have ended up a little lopsided with three teams from the East and an astonishing five from the West.
Here is the breakdown with the total point accumulation next to each team. Three points are earned with a win, one with a tie, and zero for a loss:
East: Columbus Crew (49), Chicago Fire (45), and New England Revolution (42)
West: Los Angeles Galaxy (48), Houston Dynamo (48), Seattle Sounders (47), Chivas USA (45), and Real Salt Lake (40)
The playoff format starts with every matchup playing one game at home and one away. (It is interesting to note here that Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy play in the same stadium. So the question would be who has home field advantage?) The team with the most goals scored moves on to the next round, which is the conference championship, and from that point on the tournament turns to single elimination. The winner of each conference will then face off in the ultimate showdown of soccer domination. How can you not be excited?
This weekend take a moment to find a team to follow. Whether it is the Galaxy because of David Beckham, or Real Salt Lake as the underdogs, just pick one and get ready to cheer. Letting soccer into your already overloaded sports lifestyle may seem hard at first, but I promise after you give this game a chance you will be cheering louder than you thought possible.
Logan Millard works and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. Aside from his full time job he works for the Utah Jazz as a media relations coordinator on game nights, and also helps Fox Soccer Channel when they are in town as a sideline producer.
2010 Exquisite Baseball Carries on Legacy of Excellence
Posted by: | CommentsBack in 2006, higher end baseball cards were relatively limited in production due to the popularity of the lower end sets among more traditional card collectors. Because baseball collectors were more likely to buy sets like Upper Deck Baseball and the like, high-end products were rarely a priority within the community. This led to a very successful campaign in UD’s 2006 products, which provided collectors who bought these more affordable products a chance at a special redemption. These redemptions were for the first ever Exquisite Baseball cards: each one could be redeemed for a random card from the product’s inventory. The redemptions were a highly valuable commodity, as the cards themselves became some of the most valuable modern baseball cards ever produced.
Unlike other baseball collectors, I was (and still am) more interested in player autographs and jersey cards than the set collecting aspects of the hobby. When I saw that 2006 Exquisite Baseball was on its way, I immediately started to research what was available. The redemptions were built around an entire high-end product inserted into the normal releases, and each card would feature an autograph or jersey of a current or retired player, as well as a series of cuts and vastly valuable 1 of 1s. My favorite players, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, were prominently featured on the checklist, and the cards they were featured on looked absolutely stunning. They ranged from triple jersey and triple patch cards that featured large full bleed action pictures, to infamous Exquisite patch autos that were possibly the coolest cards I had ever laid eyes on.
I also saw that Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and the rest of the big value Hall of Famers also had a huge part in this set, and were featured on triple jersey and bat cards that have since become some of the more valuable memorabilia cards of those players. Obviously, whoever was lucky enough to pull one of the redemption cards was going to have something major to look for in their mailbox.
As the cards started to arrive and pop up on eBay, it became clear how ridiculously nice some of the cards were. They were designed much like the 2006 iconic football set, and instantly took the hobby by storm. When the first Joe Mauer autograph hit, I started pooling together resources to purchase the card. I knew it was going to be a card that would be the centerpiece for my collection, and I had a feeling there were going to be more than a handful of other collectors with a similar notion. The card boasted a multi-break three color patch, as well as a great game shot to match; I decided it was worth breaking the bank to have it. I had spent the most I had ever spent on a card to that point, but felt okay knowing it would forever be a conversation piece for my collection. Even three years later, that card is still in my collection, and I still look at it with awe each time I add another card to my man-shelf.
Since its release, I have managed to acquire almost all of the Twins cards from that set. I now have a second Mauer patch auto with a similar design, an unbelievably cool Justin Morneau patch, a dual Mauer/Rod Carew autograph, and about ten others. Since that 2006 set, there has yet to be another that matches my favor for the original, at least until now.
Coming with the new 2010 Upper Deck Baseball products, another Exquisite set will be making its presence known. This time, they will not be redemptions, which will make these cards even more shocking when you buy a box and pull one of them.
This time around, there will be multitudes of astounding cards, from six swatch legend cards, to hard signed rookie signatures. Also, UD exclusive spokesmen Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky and company will be featured on single, dual and triple autos as well, making this version of Exquisite one of the most remarkable baseball sets in years.
I loved 2006’s Exquisite, and have used it as a benchmark since its release. There have been very few sets that have even come close to its prowess. I can say right now, just from reading what is in store with 2010 Exquisite Baseball, I may have many more cards on my list to go after. Even though high-end products can crowd the market, the Exquisite brand still continues to be the top of the mountain. Though Exquisite Basketball said its goodbye earlier this month, a new contender is here to pick up the slack.
Personally, I cannot wait.
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Rookie of the Week: Week 7 – Shonn Greene
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the most exciting reasons to collect NFL rookie cards is that you get to watch their values spike if the player performs well on the field. To help capture that excitement, Upper Deck launched a new website to help collectors track 2009 NFL rookie cards, and make predictions on which rookie would have the best week at OwnTheRookies.com.
Collectors who successfully guess the player who will be Upper Deck’s “Rookie of the Week” will be entered into a drawing to win a box of 2009 NFL trading cards. For having the best single game performance of any of the 2009 rookie running backs so far, New York’s Shonn Greene is the top rookie of Week 7. If you entered codes from Greene’s cards last week, stay tuned to the website to see if you are a winner!
While playing at the University of Iowa, Shonn Greene was definitely a player many fans expected would become successful in the NFL. He was the first Iowa player to win the Doak Walker award, was named as an All American, and had the talent to be a great professional back. As the rounds moved on in the 2009 draft, Greene was passed up by just about every team in favor of more polished backs like Knowshon Moreno and Donald Brown. The New York Jets weren’t buying it, and traded up to select him in the third round to play behind aging Thomas Jones and Leon Washington.
During camp and the preseason, it became clear that Greene’s first few years would most likely be in a backup role: this was the case until last week. Leon Washington, who had been having a good year playing with other Jets rookie Mark Sanchez, went down with an injury at the beginning of the game. Greene was called upon to fill his shoes, and did so with reckless abandon. He rushed for close to 150 yards and two scores on the way to a convincing Jets victory over the struggling Raiders. Greene looked great, and I’m sure a few of those teams who passed on him in the early rounds were smacking themselves.
Greene isn’t the first later round pick to shine this year, but he is the first running back to explode on the field. His performance outshone any other rookie running back so far, and did so by a wide margin. Not only did he wreck the Raiders’ defense, but he did it off the bench. Truly impressive. Now with Washington out for the year, Greene has all of a sudden put himself at the top of the Jets running game. This has led to a huge spike in his value, and luckily for collectors, there are few things on the horizon to help them out in getting a hold of his cards.
The first are his cards out of UD Black, featuring the first hard signed high end offering of the year. Greene will surely be featured prominently as a participant in the 2009 Rookie Premiere, and that will mean lots of rare and valuable cards. Secondly, Ultimate Collection and SP Authentic are not far off anymore, and both look to be some of the coolest cards of the year.
In addition to what is coming, Greene has some great cards that have already hit the market. First, his SPX Rookie Jersey Auto looks great. It has pieces of player worn jersey as well as a great example of an autograph signed by a player who cares about the way it looks.
Greene was also part of the recent SP Threads release, and his acetate embedded rookie jersey card was unique to say the least. The card has swatches of player worn jersey just like the SPX, but the player picture is printed on a stock that is translucent. This gives a great effect when looking at it, almost like the player is a ghost on the card.
Lastly, Shonn’s Upper Deck rookie card has one of the better action shots of the set. I always love to see a great photo for the card subject, and this one does not disappoint. It is one of those cards that I could see as a great one to get signed, or to keep for the future. Greene definitely has the prospects to make it worth your while to pick up a few right now.
Next week will be a bigger test for Greene as he faces a team that’s a little more competition than the Raiders. Miami has a good defense, and Sanchez may need to rely on the rushing game a little more than usual. Jets fans are hoping Greene will continue his torrid pace and give the team more added hope in their 2009 rookies. I Jets collectors are banking on it, literally.
Check in next week for the newest rookie to win “Rookie of the Week” honors and don’t forget to enter in all your rookie card codes from the Upper Deck products you have collected so far. Not only can you win prizes, but the site has some great features that allow you to track rookies and their cards this season!
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
