COMC Black Friday Parade: Wooo Pig Sooie!!!

This year, in football at least, was rough disasterous for my Hogs this year.  But we at least finished with a valiant effort and near win against LSU.  So I wasn't too despondent regarding my Piggies when it was time to shop the COMC.com  Black Friday sale. 

I realize that 99% of you don't care about the Razorbacks, so I'm going skip the effort of commentary on these cards and just show the pretty pictures.  The important thing to remember is all of these guys below are Razorbacks.

 

One quick exception.  These D-Mac Inception cards are the boss.  I guess it's almost time to say it hasn't worked out for D-Mac in the NFL, despite periodic flashes of greatness.  He just can't stay healthy.  No matter, he's still probably my all time favorite Razorback football player.  If he would somehow find his way to the Cowboys, I would pass out from ecstasy much like I did when Cliff Lee became a Ranger for a half season.

 

Ok, this deserves a comment too.  Knile Davis is a bad MOFO, and I'm predicting greatness for him in the NFL.  I'm ecstatic about getting this auto for a couple of bucks.

Ok, another quick comment:  poor Tyler Wilson.  I remember draft experts saying (before the draft) he was the most NFL ready of all the QB prospects in last year's draft.  He was recently cut by the Raiders.  It doesn't work well when my Hogs go to the Raiders.

Nananananananananananananana... BATMAN!

Batman Carroll that is:

The card says Ahmad Carroll, but in Razorback country he's known by his nickname- "Batman."  I don't know why he was called that though.  What I do remember is that when the U of A was recruiting him out of high school they had an actual Batmobile waiting for him on campus during his recruiting visit.  He was a big time recruit, and I am a total Razorback apologist, but even I remember at the time thinking that was a bit much.  I guess it worked though!

Anyway, Carroll had a pretty good career for the Razorbacks.  I remember he was an embarrassingly prolific trash talker, even when the Hogs were getting their brains beat in.  I actually kind of respect that in hindsight.  Hey, let 'em know you're there, right?

I'm always glad to get Razorback autos, and this one came courtesy of reader Brandon, who didn't ask for much in return, but just thought I might like it since I collect Razorbacks.  Brandon, you were right, thanks for the cool card!   

Pie Face Funded: Gypsy Queen Greens

I picked up 3 of the green paper framed parallels I needed from 2011 Gypsy Queen- all big stars.

I only need 4 more:

Carl Crawford
Albert Pujols
Stan Musial
Ozzie Smith

Nothing more to say today- let's all focus on another Razorback victory!!!

Pie Face Funded: Arkansas Connection Cards

Between the Razorbacks and the NWA Naturals playing in my area, I'm not at a loss for good quality baseball, even if it's not quite MLB level.  I picked up a few cards using my Pie Face Funds that celebrate the local dudes I've been able to see, including the Orlando Calixte autograph above.  Don't know who he is?  He's a guy I can go watch play here right now in AA ball, is who he is.

You know who Wil Myers is though, don't you?  I've actually been on the field with Myers once, although he probably doesn't remember me.  Or perhaps he does?  I mean I didn't actually talk to him, or even stand in his line of sight, but still, I COULD have made it into his subconscious mind. 

And I picked up a trio of awesome Cliff Lee cards.  Seriously, these Topps Golden Moment die cuts are underrated.  Pretty sharp cards, and sort of over the top in design.  Which I love.

I Want Cards On Cards In Charge Of Me

I always get the "Charles In Charge" theme song in my head when I read the blog "Cards on Cards."  I wish my blog name could easily be interchanged with a classic '80's sitcom, but alas, it cannot.  You whipersnappers don't know what I'm talking about??? Charles in Charge????  Oh, you want to know the lyrics to this great TV theme?


I've fixed them a bit to help show you the cards I picked up from Kerry from "Cards on Cards:"

Cardinal blog in the neighborhood

 Lives somewhere and it is understood.

He’s there just to make trades with me,
Like he’s one of the family.

Cards on Cards
Of our Rangers in Heritage
Cards on Cards
Of our Rangers in other Topps

And I sing, I want,
I want Cards on Cards of Kinsler.

Cards on Cards
Of our days and our nights
Cards on Cards
Of our wrongs and our sampler album 1995 page and former Naturals and Razorbacks

And I sing, I want,
I want Cards on Cards of Torii.

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/charlesinchargelyrics.html

Card Show Loot- Dime Razorboxes

My Freshman and Sophomore years at the U of A (University of Arkansas, not Alabama or Arizona thank you very much) were the last two years of the Todd Day, Lee Mayberry and Oliver Miller trio’s career in college.    Going to Razorback games those years was a total rush, and some of my fondest memories from college.   

 I never really got around to collecting many cards of these guys when they went pro, a)because I was a poor college student and didn’t have any money for cards and b) cards of these guys in this area (Northwest Arkansas) were relatively expensive.  We didn’t have eBay back then and I didn’t have a computer anyway to find them cheap on the internet. 

 

I guess my patience paid off, because I found a ton of cards of these Razorback legends in a dime box at the card show I attended a few weeks ago.  My Razorback binder is a little fuller now.

 

The Vealtones Touch My Hot Spots

I’ve traded with Dustin from the highly literate “Coot Veal and TheVealtones” several times now, and he always makes me moist….with perspiration!

He pretty much hit on all my hotsports:  Rangers, Razorbacks and Darryl Strawberry, with many other goodies thrown in.  

This was the main card of the deal on my end:

I have always been an  Al Leiter fan, and enjoy watching his commentary on the MLB Network, especially when he’s discussing the craft of pitching.  I’ve heard he is interested in going into politics, or maybe he used to be.  Sure, I could see it.

Dustin also sent an unexpected bonus:

I’ll always take MY cards….as long as he’s in a Ranger uni.  I don’t want any of him in Phillie uniforms.  I consider him retired.

Speaking of Ranger unis, Dustin sent several current Rangers:

AND a star Congressional witness:

AND cards of a big goober.  An awesome goober, but still a goober.

AND Darryllllll……Darrylllllll…….Darryllllllll

 AND some vintage (love the Jenkins):

AND a couple of awesome Razorbacks to top it off.

Thanks Dustin, and enjoy that new baby of yours.  You should know I intended to pepper this post with lots of parenting advice for you but the lovely wife said that if I actually did like you I would keep my tips to myself and save you from going down a horribly wrong path.

Magic Hogs

I picked up a quad of Razorback football cards at Cleve's the other day, all from 2012 Topps Magic.  Not sure why it's listed as 2012 Topps Magic when it released in 2013, but that's your problem, not mine.

These are pretty attractive cards, and I guess football's answer to Gypsy Queen:

Congratulations Arkansas Razorbacks: 2012 Napkin Bowl Champions

Not sure if any of you caught the Napkin Bowl on ESPN 28 the other night, but my Razorbacks put on a show!  Here are some highlights:

 Clearly the Hogs game plan  was geared toward a steady stream of shiny Darren McFadden.  D-Mac left, D-Mac right and D-Mac up the middle. 

The second quarter saw Ryan Mallet light up the field with long bomb after long bomb.  The game became so lopsided that Mallett and McFadden decided helmets were unnecessary.

 And who was on the receiving end of those Mallett bombs?  Why Joe Adams, Jarius Wright and Greg Childs of course!

Black Friday COMC Spoils Part 4: Woo Pig Sooie!

I pretty well hit all of my hot collecting areas with the COMC.com Black Friday sale:  Sets on my master checklist, Rangers- and a bunch of Adrian Beltre.  Everything I bought had a place in my collection.  No shopping binge of mine would be complete without some Razorbacks, and I found some superb additions to my Razorbacks album at the sale, starting with this gem:

I don't know if Brett Eibner will ever make it to AA.  I hope so, since I would then be able to watch him in person here in NW Arkansas.  He's got some major tools, and Baseball America rated his as the best outfield arm KC's minor league system.  He's got lots of power too, but I guess he's having trouble being consistent and hasn't been able to get past A ball, which isn't a good sign for a college player going on his 3rd year in Pro Ball.

Nevertheless, this card is awesome to me- autographed (sticker but who cares) and showing Brett in his Razorback uni.  And it was only a buck.

Joe Adams is starting to make a little noise in the NFL.  This card was a little over a buck, which made me giddy.  We Hog fans will always remember Joe for the below play though- perhaps the greatest individual effort in Razorback football history:

 

Speaking of greatest and Razorback football.  Darren McFadden has to be the greatest football Hog ever.  I still haven't ponied up for a D-Mac auto, but this sweet Topps Inception card will do for now.

Finally, I added this mesmerizing Ryan Mallett card.  I hope this guy gets a chance to play someday.  I don't know why they keep giving that Brady character ahead of him the start each week.  What's he ever done?

Cleve’s Auction Night: Razorbacks and Minis

I had another good haul from Cleve’s auction last week, which makes two decent auctions in a row for me.  I doubt I'll make it three though because I didn’t put in a whole lot of bids for next week.     What did I get, you ask?

How about a huge stack of about 150 Gypsy Queen Minis?   I’ve had some luck picking up lots of these cards from the auctions lately.  There were several duplicates in here, but I’m not complaining at $4  ( under $.03 a card).

 
I also scored a small lot of sepia minis, numbered to 99.  No way am I going to try to build this parallel set, but I thought they would be good for Listia, or as trade bait if anyone is interested. 

Woooo, Pig Sooie!!!  It wasn’t a conscious plan, but I would up getting several former Razorback cards this week.   I'm stunned that I was able to get this Jarius Wright for only $5, especially here in Hog Country.    Jarius will go down as one of the greatest Razorback receivers ever, and is the currently the all time Razorback receiving yards leader.

I also picked up this nifty card of the guy who through the ball to Wright for most of those yards, Ryan Mallett.  This is a nice looking card and I dig the snippet of football leather sandwiched between the fabric relics.

Rounding out my Razorbacks was this Felix Jones relic.  Glad to see him start having a little success again recently.

Finally, unrelated to either minis or Razorbacks, I picked up this Jim Palmer manu-leather card.  Don't really need it, but it's still a cool card.

Grades:

150 2012 Gypsy Queen Minis  $4:  A+  Great bargain here, and put me in great shape to complete this set.  A full album of a mini set is going to look awesome.

2012 Gypsy Queen Mini Sepia Lot  $3:  B+  This should help me rack up some points on Listia.  They're also available for trade if anyone is interested.

Topps Inception Jarius Wright Auto $5:  A   This is a beautiful card, and I'm not going to find it cheaper than that anywhere.

Ryan Mallett Triple Relic Card  $6:  A+  I love Ryan Mallett and I love this card!

Felix Jones Stadium Club Relic  $2:  A:  Nothing flashy but only $2.  Great for my Razorback album.

Topps Manu-Leather Jim Palmer:  $3  B:  Eh, it's a neat card, what can I say.

The Sepia Minis and the Palmer are available for trade, the rest are staying with me.

Sports.... Hurt.... Make The Pain Stop.... Mommy....

The Razorbacks and Rangers are teaming up to ruin my life.  Between their respective implosions, I dare say no sports fan has ever suffered as much as I have recently.  This is historic suffering I'm talking about and those of you who read my blog know I am not prone to exaggerate. 

What's got me on the ledge is not so much my teams losing, but the cruel, catastrophic way the losing is occurring after lofty expectations had been set.  Let me explain:

Arkansas Razorbacks Football

Lofty Expectations:  Coming off back to back 10 win seasons and a top 5 ranking to finish off the 2011 season, my Hogs looked like they were ready to join college football's elite.  Bobby Petrino had established a winning system, and interest and fundraising had reached new highs and excitement around the program was peaking.  Most 2012 prognosticators listed Arkansas as a pre-season top 10 team, and some even mentioned the Hogs as a dark horse national championship contender with two (QB Tyler Wilson and RB Knile Davis) Heisman candidates.  Another Cotton Bowl birth seemed like the worst case scenario.

Nightmare Outcome:  Petrino turned out to be a bigger scumbag than even his detractors thought.  He was fired for hiring his mistress and lying to his boss about it. Nice-guy but over matched John L. Smith was brought in on a 10 month contract to "hold things together."  A shocking lost to ULM and two conference blowouts later, the wheels have come off, and not only are the Hogs not going to contend for any title of any kind, they have almost no chance of going to any bowl. 

Texas Rangers Baseball


Lofty Expectations:  After back to back AL championships, the Rangers picked up coveted Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish and started the season on fire.  Josh Hamilton was AL player of the month for April and May and was getting Triple Crown talk before Miguel Cabrera actually went and did it.  From early April until game 162, the Rangers were in first place in the AL West, and most of the year in the top 3 in any power ranking you could find.  It looked like it was the year to finish the job and get the World Series title that has yet eluded the franchise.

Nightmare Outcome:  For four months, the Oakland A's would not...stop...winning.  Despite the A's incredible hot streak, the Rangers managed to hold onto the division lead and only had to win one of three games against the A's in the season's last series to clinch the division.  Not only did the Rangers get swept and lose the division on the last day of the season, they did it in frustrating fashion: blowing leads, errors, giving up two-out runs, and leaving a billion runners stranded on base.  Now the Rangers have to win a wild card play in game to get to the real playoffs at all.   The team looks gassed and defeated and are likely done.


Sports suck.  I thought banging out this post would help me feel better.  It didn't and I'm still despondent.   Now, who feels sorry for me?