tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75794035784479654912024-02-06T18:26:29.165-08:00Basketball Cards GaloreTrollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-35008225336432846922009-02-21T13:40:00.000-08:002009-02-21T13:54:40.585-08:00"Anything is Possible!"-Kevin Garnett<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TLmjj7DSLZAAEcBGvWhoXvEMPBVO6pdPR6DtvlKdcFa8aXAAmGnhzYfkHDUbdbNhxKqYZH6gROjCttIal-Oy-BBGckFQc-fTdA1oBlaANOt7iYAhMsNsnqhYi9rQd5gV6UA3VhDaIk8j/s1600-h/udblack.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305369592339135266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 221px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TLmjj7DSLZAAEcBGvWhoXvEMPBVO6pdPR6DtvlKdcFa8aXAAmGnhzYfkHDUbdbNhxKqYZH6gROjCttIal-Oy-BBGckFQc-fTdA1oBlaANOt7iYAhMsNsnqhYi9rQd5gV6UA3VhDaIk8j/s320/udblack.jpg" border="0" /></a> Well, around October 2007 I bought a couple packs of 06-07 UD Ovation and lo and behold I draw a UD Black Redemption card. I read the description in the back and it said the Redemptions would expire at August 1, 2007. I figured I might as well send in the request anyways and see what happens. Well, according to UD, the package should have came around 12-16 weeks. Several months past and I pretty much forgot about it.<br /><br /><div></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZ3vzrNFF0SeueIsRr5sWp5WzAE9n9wbPvfejQNM9uk_b6E2s-zYxfN4Y-PHpvgR8RPZ_g-maD9k9tBeAp8k6uDZbA8A7JxCRsmbIRSI8kfH5GkaP4GC6_SEAkVWduiWHcF38ey-aUwLP/s1600-h/kg+auto.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305370433930534946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 229px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZ3vzrNFF0SeueIsRr5sWp5WzAE9n9wbPvfejQNM9uk_b6E2s-zYxfN4Y-PHpvgR8RPZ_g-maD9k9tBeAp8k6uDZbA8A7JxCRsmbIRSI8kfH5GkaP4GC6_SEAkVWduiWHcF38ey-aUwLP/s320/kg+auto.jpg" border="0" /></a> Yesterday, I got a package from Upper Deck. Suprise suprise, my request was actually put through even though I was late by more than two months. Of course, I did not expect them to actually send me a UD Black card, but they gave me a decent replacement instead. As a replacement, UD sent me an 07/08 Ultimate Virtuoso Kevin Garnet GU Auto card. It was numbered 12/25. While obviously a step down from a UD Black card, I was still happy since it's several steps above not receiving a card at all.<br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhsusxEs2qomcvCClGNDPKdPlNJkZ0c7sZBsanPo_BGTlh3z2DB2qnKR0HtA729wm82wH5NSXapVFu5DzLgsU6MjsxJ59PNpbOifaHY2pjK4ZFLyvUMUbS1GGw2djS8KvH9DFzRsbW6oZ/s1600-h/lbjcollectibles.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305371060379118850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 234px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhsusxEs2qomcvCClGNDPKdPlNJkZ0c7sZBsanPo_BGTlh3z2DB2qnKR0HtA729wm82wH5NSXapVFu5DzLgsU6MjsxJ59PNpbOifaHY2pjK4ZFLyvUMUbS1GGw2djS8KvH9DFzRsbW6oZ/s320/lbjcollectibles.jpg" border="0" /></a> UD also sent me a set of "Lebron James Freshman Season Collectibles" set. Apparently LBJ does not have enough "rookie sets." I'm not sure how many total cards are in the set as I only received cards 16 to 55. But I think the cards cover every game and notable event during his rookie season. UD has really saturated the market with all their crap about Lebron. But hey, how can you blame them when LBJ has games like his 55 point performance against the Bucks.</div><br /><p><br /> </p>Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-772853050663730432008-08-08T00:50:00.000-07:002008-08-08T01:02:50.485-07:00Finally Decided On My Player Collection: Bobby Brown<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f5YWqtOQq8s&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f5YWqtOQq8s&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />Oh Woops. Wrong guy. I'm talking about Bobby Brown, former point guard from Cal State Fullerton, not Whitney's man, or ex. Several weeks ago he was signed to a 2 year contract by the Sacramento Kings after a stellar summer league. Bobby Brown of CSUF(gotta clarify from now on, especially on when it comes to search engines) is the first player from my school to be in the NBA since Pape Sow. Hopefully he'll make as big as an impact as Bruce Bowen or even Cedric Ceballos did. Even though he wasn't drafted, I'm fairly certain that UD and Topps will include him in their products. Who knows, he might even be included in their first hobby boxes to be released for the 08-09 season.<br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BasketballCardsGalore" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" style="border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon32x32.png"/></a><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BasketballCardsGalore" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe in a reader</a>Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-46208348042313027912008-08-05T20:03:00.000-07:002008-08-05T20:10:28.722-07:00Greg Oden Returns to the CourtFinally, Greg Oden is officially back to full strength. Although the full contact workout he participated in today was a 1v1 session with Channing Frye(not exactly what you would consider an intimidating presence), it is good to hear that he's on track to be ready for the season. Oden is already a defensive force and his offensive game is probably more effective than 80 percent of the stiffs that play the 5 in the league. His post game, based on what I saw of him at OSU and the summer league last year could seriously use some polishing. If you look at the Youtube vid I embedded below, you can tell that the old... er I mean young man has packed quite a few pounds of muscle. It will be interesting to see him go up against the likes of Yao Ming, Dwight Howard, Shaq, Bynum, etc....<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/of4B3g50Iio&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/of4B3g50Iio&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BasketballCardsGalore" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" style="border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon32x32.png"/></a><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BasketballCardsGalore" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe in a reader</a>Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-2224293898521874992008-08-05T19:52:00.001-07:002008-08-05T20:55:45.813-07:002006-07 Bowman Draft Picks & Stars Pack BreakHere's another pack break, this time the 2006-07 Bowman Draft Picks & All Stars. I pulled 2 hits from this pack break. The first hit was the Adam Morrison rookie card. This card would have been more coveted if I pulled it a couple years ago. Morrison was supposed to be the next great white hope or something, but thus far he has not really panned out. To be fair, Morrison has only played in the league for 1 full year since he was injured last season. I see him at his peak being a more talented version of Luke Walton. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIRSzEf9ktvSIE6KQ9kNFw43hR36zjtQ__xhxvWLjk6m1nqb0J3OHlg2hSwBmWn3bfholgp5PY1Isk3utgx6Vd0VMw_uB1UDfeF21ZaxezfGlSkj3o3PTdwmT6AUCMnxzlNFqZbwGs_su/s1600-h/morrisonrc.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIRSzEf9ktvSIE6KQ9kNFw43hR36zjtQ__xhxvWLjk6m1nqb0J3OHlg2hSwBmWn3bfholgp5PY1Isk3utgx6Vd0VMw_uB1UDfeF21ZaxezfGlSkj3o3PTdwmT6AUCMnxzlNFqZbwGs_su/s320/morrisonrc.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231233087868000978" /></a><br />The other hit I pulled was the Vince Carter Bowman Chrome. For those of you that do not know, the Chrome cards are basically the shiner versions of the base cards. Boy how the mighty have fallen. Vinsanity was one of the long list of players being dubbed the next Michael Jordan. Back in his heydays with the Raptors I remember that he was recognized as being the superior player to Kobe Bryant. Things sure have changed now. That's what happens when one player plays the game with passion while the other is satisfied at staying at his current level of play.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCM6eB57V2VC4sBlD1w0vnpP7oKurdO55NHWyfTnopjX0HrHNVALauit0t0qBT1B0FEt0NTrnPF7QpAoHYzDnnf_V1VNGazU5dBCh1Y-KP6VYAbleML2HUYiuwE9SUzQaMIdhYTdcYQ6U/s1600-h/vcchrome.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpCM6eB57V2VC4sBlD1w0vnpP7oKurdO55NHWyfTnopjX0HrHNVALauit0t0qBT1B0FEt0NTrnPF7QpAoHYzDnnf_V1VNGazU5dBCh1Y-KP6VYAbleML2HUYiuwE9SUzQaMIdhYTdcYQ6U/s320/vcchrome.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231233651555746322" /></a><br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BasketballCardsGalore" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" style="border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon32x32.png"/></a><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BasketballCardsGalore" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe in a reader</a>Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-75428624098112253972008-08-04T00:06:00.001-07:002008-08-08T01:01:49.744-07:00Fan-Created Player NicknamesI'm not talking about the mainstream nicknames like Air Jordan or Larry Legend. If you've surfed through the basketball forums of the information superhighway, you've probably catched quite a few posters nicknames by playing with words. For example, posters who find Lamar Odom to have low basketball IQ call him Lamar Odumb. I find some of the nicknames quite funny. Below is a list of nicknames that I can think of from the top of my head.<br /><br /><strong>Lebrick</strong>- created due to the popular notion that Lebron has no J.<br /><strong>Lebronze</strong>- created due to his participation on the 2004 USA team that garnered the broze medal.<br /><strong>Lechoke</strong>- created by Lebron haters whenever he misses a shot during a clutch situation.<br /><strong>D-Fade</strong>- name used by posters to describe how Wade has faded since his 2006 Finals MVP season<br /><strong>D-Whistle</strong>- reference to his enormous amounts of fta, most notably during the 2006 Finals<br /><strong>KoMe</strong>- pokes fun of Kobe's selfish and arrogant demeanor<br /><strong>Snaq</strong>- usually used by poster's to emphasize the fact that Shaq is out of shape<br /><strong>Ben Wallets</strong>- One of my favorites, referencing to how Ben Wallace is getting a fat paycheck from the Bulls and doing nothing in return. <br /><strong>Steve Trash</strong>- coined by Steve Nash haters.<br /><strong>Fright Coward</strong>- Dwight Howard haters who think he is soft. <br /><strong>Lamar Odumb</strong>- some posters claim he has bad bball IQ<br /><strong>Fluke Walton</strong>- when Luke Walton has a good game, posters regard it as a fluke. <br /><strong>T-Crap</strong>- coined by McGrady haters, also used whenever he loses in the first round.<br />Feel free to contribute to this list.<br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BasketballCardsGalore" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" style="border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon32x32.png"/></a><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BasketballCardsGalore" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe in a reader</a>Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-51930569298965204442008-08-03T23:47:00.000-07:002008-08-03T23:57:21.982-07:00Topps 1952 Style Pack BreakMy apologies for the long period of no posts. My schedule has been full since summer began with work, summer school, getting a new apartment, etc.... But now that my summer school has finally concluded, I should have a little more time on my hands to post. Today's pack break is the Topps 1952 Style Packs. The title of this set is pretty self explanatory. I like the portraits of the base cards in this set. The only problem: I had absolutely NO HITS! Not only that, but the only superstar base card I pulled was a Kevin Garnett base card.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMTODjyzOMSHslgp-lHKiVTFDcYrk4wuYG_e4pBi0-PfOkeCBki2sgfbOMryRi2U8Z3sWd-_b8165q1hfaP1WVLGI_uW8TIJpUeRiYbdSK5dVGRjRq1ab92mQkw483c2WRO8GwNI7z-Vs/s1600-h/kg1952.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMTODjyzOMSHslgp-lHKiVTFDcYrk4wuYG_e4pBi0-PfOkeCBki2sgfbOMryRi2U8Z3sWd-_b8165q1hfaP1WVLGI_uW8TIJpUeRiYbdSK5dVGRjRq1ab92mQkw483c2WRO8GwNI7z-Vs/s320/kg1952.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5230552451001410386" /></a><br /><br />Once again, apologies for the lack of posts. I must admit I won't be posting as frequently as I did right during May. So make sure you subscribe to my RSS Feed by clicking on the RSS Feed link on the upper right side of the page.Or, you can click on the logo below.<br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BasketballCardsGalore" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" style="border:0" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon32x32.png"/></a><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/BasketballCardsGalore" rel="alternate" title="Subscribe to my feed" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe in a reader</a>Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-69914106351570949322008-06-04T15:58:00.001-07:002008-06-04T16:55:43.206-07:002007-08 UD SP Rookie Edition Pack Break<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHmZKP2G-rcYhIbhhOJwp_51gf4Fb2Y3WDywQP1AJomDz2dqYeFJAOdJchh2lJxfjmcaYCwsSU7AbLi0pRNVpg_PXAdvJSrLbxVjGtxFKeXzmZSDBHM_c78is-hjYQbb7ybD7GUgHtb2r/s1600-h/sprookpack.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHmZKP2G-rcYhIbhhOJwp_51gf4Fb2Y3WDywQP1AJomDz2dqYeFJAOdJchh2lJxfjmcaYCwsSU7AbLi0pRNVpg_PXAdvJSrLbxVjGtxFKeXzmZSDBHM_c78is-hjYQbb7ybD7GUgHtb2r/s320/sprookpack.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208164786104052946" /></a><br />Today I ripped open 3 packs of Upper Deck SP Rookie Edition. According the the Pack descriptions, there are 5 cards per pack with an average of 1 rookie card per pack. I was thinking about starting a Kevin Durant player collection so with any luck, I may pull a Durant rook. <A HREF="http://basketballcardsgalore.blogspot.com/2007/12/2006-2007-fleer-ultra.html">A while back I ripped open a couple packs of 2006-07 Fleer Ultra and I got several hits.</A> Hopefully this time will produce similar results.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevVNa85_vnw8_JWtaaOujqakOFyzZ11fX1SjRReb7ef17po6iKuDCDU3kjMpfOQsiwuDVR2GkOi2naLFNoGkdn3W0ouslEwi31iUFHAHcFtIm_N82p6zuU_ArXVUvYSLJdC_d8IYRxC8L/s1600-h/cp3sprook.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevVNa85_vnw8_JWtaaOujqakOFyzZ11fX1SjRReb7ef17po6iKuDCDU3kjMpfOQsiwuDVR2GkOi2naLFNoGkdn3W0ouslEwi31iUFHAHcFtIm_N82p6zuU_ArXVUvYSLJdC_d8IYRxC8L/s320/cp3sprook.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208165116816534754" /></a><br />Pictured above is a Chris Paul base card. The base cards in this set have decent designs in my opinion. I was expecting something similar to the regular SP design so the lack of the clean white SP background kind of caught me off guard.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jR7GascMz9jJ89w5J2N4nySjNJmyKbw5GGYmiU6A-zU0IH3DLwKNh9FU50ZUmNhxY-1YZTkmYuTcAy4xpePpltNrIeXzeotNxnX_b9OG5Gx_kAM8a5rjx7zCR2tk0lVrL5ZkhTDLdV58/s1600-h/joakimrook.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jR7GascMz9jJ89w5J2N4nySjNJmyKbw5GGYmiU6A-zU0IH3DLwKNh9FU50ZUmNhxY-1YZTkmYuTcAy4xpePpltNrIeXzeotNxnX_b9OG5Gx_kAM8a5rjx7zCR2tk0lVrL5ZkhTDLdV58/s320/joakimrook.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208165967220059378" /></a><br />The rookie cards look fairly similar to the base cards except for the fact that the rookie cards are vertical instead of horizontal. Also, there is a incomplete diamond shape around the rookies. The card above is the Joakim Noah rookie card. I never understood why he was such a hyped up player, even after his first National championship. He is nothing more than a hustle player. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKb_On9uXP-XgAVPn2qhKjeFWuZI5W-0HiIm2gbnR5IY-7BMBqZMwA5Tm2YokkXK0mrSECZSop1e0v1fROJ8_6gWfdmlo7I5SiukdZMN5gDozwFXM4xH8cyrQLd67Be_QfrQhyphenhyphen9U9ElXwH/s1600-h/wilsonchandlerinsert.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKb_On9uXP-XgAVPn2qhKjeFWuZI5W-0HiIm2gbnR5IY-7BMBqZMwA5Tm2YokkXK0mrSECZSop1e0v1fROJ8_6gWfdmlo7I5SiukdZMN5gDozwFXM4xH8cyrQLd67Be_QfrQhyphenhyphen9U9ElXwH/s320/wilsonchandlerinsert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208166766083976450" /></a><br />I guess the "hit" of my pulls was this Wilson Chandler "Future Watch" insert. Chandler finished the season fairly strong and hopefully will get more playing time next year. Well, as you can see, no luck with pulling a Kevin Durant. Better luck next time.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-42825251478309899882008-06-01T12:23:00.000-07:002008-06-01T12:24:57.348-07:00Lakers vs. Celtics- A Rivalry Renewed<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_C_MZpa3zRA&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_C_MZpa3zRA&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-16289700053644796722008-05-30T12:12:00.000-07:002008-05-30T12:26:45.157-07:00Good Ol' InsertsI'm in a great mood today as the Lakers are the Western Conference Champions! It looks like it'll be like the old days again with a Lakers vs. Celtics finals. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaM06xrIqQOrNvOmFggAXcfRWGjgg5-3f-hz_o9NZ-0MNiyQZf-aVGj6S5IWlNXHXyIclLlcTJhrIXa_VDe__ec7Q0l1_p1hN2lHfXn9c8EJT0i5wwdKbE5pGczBnNCDs5H2wXwL5ltoie/s1600-h/hornetsinsert.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaM06xrIqQOrNvOmFggAXcfRWGjgg5-3f-hz_o9NZ-0MNiyQZf-aVGj6S5IWlNXHXyIclLlcTJhrIXa_VDe__ec7Q0l1_p1hN2lHfXn9c8EJT0i5wwdKbE5pGczBnNCDs5H2wXwL5ltoie/s320/hornetsinsert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206251820555316370" /></a><br />Anyways, I've always been a big fan of old insert cards. Unfortunately, I only have a few inserts left from the 90s. Most of the insert cards I managed to find were the team insert cards. The early 90s versions of the team insert cards consisted of only the team logo and a short description of the team on the back. The "Hornet's Swarm" insert pictured above was the 1995 version. That particular card highlighted the play of Larry Johnson in the back. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmbHzvPeae9dfiv-QF802_vGBNYF4NPrJ_HZPtf1po4hpYXgaRIpdZw3e5bqltIeojMYp_DE3Dl4I6YWWwwnpw7J5_eQx3p94ihraEZbTumtH_x2EOrSmtGrEe7RlXrVuEfBVhyBMEXzG/s1600-h/kikiinsert.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmbHzvPeae9dfiv-QF802_vGBNYF4NPrJ_HZPtf1po4hpYXgaRIpdZw3e5bqltIeojMYp_DE3Dl4I6YWWwwnpw7J5_eQx3p94ihraEZbTumtH_x2EOrSmtGrEe7RlXrVuEfBVhyBMEXzG/s320/kikiinsert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206252890002173090" /></a><br />Many of the old inserts highlighted individual performances. The card pictured is te Kiki Vandeweghe Topps 50 Point Club insert. The card highlighted his 51 point performance against the Pistons on 12/13/83. I don't see many, if any, insert cards that highlight individual performances anymore.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9O7dtNRmaW6oBF9ivVtZWQz0TIT2qBOK25LGhzcpkW_t7tCNtDt98Nai38MKvEYlg7HDtPym4y0A1bI7f65fWPRfbadsi3gJABiJGf3PSxiJVKMe6D28aHdRDSAeBYmyaICU_rbV1NLzO/s1600-h/shaqinsert.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9O7dtNRmaW6oBF9ivVtZWQz0TIT2qBOK25LGhzcpkW_t7tCNtDt98Nai38MKvEYlg7HDtPym4y0A1bI7f65fWPRfbadsi3gJABiJGf3PSxiJVKMe6D28aHdRDSAeBYmyaICU_rbV1NLzO/s320/shaqinsert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206253564312038578" /></a><br />Another type of the classic insert cards consist of trivia questions. This particular question asks "Look closely at the photograph on the front of this card. Look again. Something's not quite right. Can you beat the buzzer?" I must say, the way they worded the problem was pretty lame. Couldn't they just have said "What is wrong with the picture?" Oh well, anyone know the answer?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL2KoGNazqOdXKYPk2PBjjjSp2BsQ0vZoJdMDv-yYarRgsrCgGOTFP1rqr6J7izHNrAxvoFvRljmwTPOQrunkk_cHonZk7PmUiXvXoifAgyi-AbynYoy_Hqxvni9My9z4QoYEUuGiaLeU/s1600-h/jimjacksoninsert.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL2KoGNazqOdXKYPk2PBjjjSp2BsQ0vZoJdMDv-yYarRgsrCgGOTFP1rqr6J7izHNrAxvoFvRljmwTPOQrunkk_cHonZk7PmUiXvXoifAgyi-AbynYoy_Hqxvni9My9z4QoYEUuGiaLeU/s320/jimjacksoninsert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206254208557132994" /></a><br />And of course there's the regular insert card with some sort of funky name. This one is called Upper Deck Skylights. There's nothing special about the card. But the background does look pretty cool.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-16285900449239801482008-05-28T12:53:00.000-07:002008-05-28T13:30:54.072-07:00Who's Your Fave 5, Part 2As long as the Barkley/D-Wade commercials keep airing the halftime show on ABC keep showing their fave 5s, I might as well keep this runaway freight train going. The following is my fave 5 active NBA players.<br /><br />5.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_K_DmyVJjVkaV93LW3x6zHRRAw9mQG3PWcH8Hw5ZHTWGd_vfPr0UhlyQIkd5JpdzEGwgj9egCbY9-W-svK8RE4xk4MSimxLtqCy-k3MsXhQo-jqy9Bdj3U-JOuYuyeJebbpIFfUJugCr/s1600-h/dunansp.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_K_DmyVJjVkaV93LW3x6zHRRAw9mQG3PWcH8Hw5ZHTWGd_vfPr0UhlyQIkd5JpdzEGwgj9egCbY9-W-svK8RE4xk4MSimxLtqCy-k3MsXhQo-jqy9Bdj3U-JOuYuyeJebbpIFfUJugCr/s320/dunansp.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205523862253349986" /></a><br />Some people call him boring. But I think he is the exact opposite. I believe many of his haters, most notably Laker and Suns fans, are blinded by their hate for Duncan and the Spurs. But if you put aside your disdain and pay attention to the way he plays, it's a joy to watch. His post skills are impossible to stop. While he is not in his prime anymore, he is still among the elite players in the league. <br /><br />4.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3QJx89-YLQQkCdAAUbr58hQF6cbXh-QhQgR26J7iG6gf81CEpo1AOF0SOrf12oZBQsvOJ0gkIAbCAMjLuhXhh7v5eR5JAtlgLdG3aHBUqZBMxjaEPL38BLrx6cy7ELkjAqief2ysh-iF/s1600-h/ultrainsert.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3QJx89-YLQQkCdAAUbr58hQF6cbXh-QhQgR26J7iG6gf81CEpo1AOF0SOrf12oZBQsvOJ0gkIAbCAMjLuhXhh7v5eR5JAtlgLdG3aHBUqZBMxjaEPL38BLrx6cy7ELkjAqief2ysh-iF/s320/ultrainsert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205524678297136242" /></a><br />Deron Williams and Chris Paul. Chris Paul and Deron Williams. This debate will go on for the forseeable future. I tend to side with Deron Williams. I enjoy Deron's game more than Chris Paul's. Although Chris Paul has a higher ppg, Deron Williams is a better pure scorer. His lower ppg is the product of the pick and roll system of Jerry Sloan. I also believe they are both equal in terms of playmaking ability. Chris Paul has a higher apg due to the Hornet's open court style. Williams in my opinion is also a better defensive player. In a few years, I believe he will be recognized as the premier point guard in the league.<br /><br />3.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmU-zy12g-UuQCT_J2sJlaxgt2pNCd48OgrGOl9kOd6IYwNRCssSRBkjuYsONSpTkzBkr4qpep2gAdwrfZ4AK6iiW5n3i0s6XYxaf30pb1xPAAXtTmAzfrZvgzkX31aGe2CSsiiNCV1ah/s1600-h/arenasjersey2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmU-zy12g-UuQCT_J2sJlaxgt2pNCd48OgrGOl9kOd6IYwNRCssSRBkjuYsONSpTkzBkr4qpep2gAdwrfZ4AK6iiW5n3i0s6XYxaf30pb1xPAAXtTmAzfrZvgzkX31aGe2CSsiiNCV1ah/s320/arenasjersey2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197376384804198690" /></a><br />Gilbert Arenas has a unique personality. Some people find him to be annoying. I guess his sense of humor is an acquired taste. To me his quirky responses and comments to the media is a breath of fresh air in today's sports world full of talking cliche. Oh, and he's a pretty good basketball player as well.<br /><br />2.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2oMRAbD6GQepynT2VxpQoBX6NbIihsVkup3MVOT_6zgctSmLwNDGeGWRnI3xqVLQ0mxESS8X-5Bl4i8XzfzpnFvcO1FLArKcKyGp9U1765Dwkcm32Ojg28Ou6mWZtN5OLgX-dOWp3y2E/s1600-h/durantrook.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2oMRAbD6GQepynT2VxpQoBX6NbIihsVkup3MVOT_6zgctSmLwNDGeGWRnI3xqVLQ0mxESS8X-5Bl4i8XzfzpnFvcO1FLArKcKyGp9U1765Dwkcm32Ojg28Ou6mWZtN5OLgX-dOWp3y2E/s320/durantrook.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205526555197844610" /></a><br />Kevin Durant is the most skilled rookie I have personally seen. His jumpshot is already one of the best in the league. He has shown the ability to take it to the rack in spite of his skinny frame. Hopefully, Durant develop a post game and become a more offensive player. His defense is also improving tremendously. Thoughout the season, he has guarded the likes of Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady. I remember a game when he made a clutch block on T-mac down the stretch. While most people would probably disagree with me, I think at the same age, his game is more advanced than both Lebron and Carmelo Anthony. <br /><br />1.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6TiwaWar8o_Ki-uRPOLl4IkD1j39YIloiPE04_SDaBqh-papY5YKX19cTKwpxuRfsDVuZm8KctIv5C73HVmp2ALH5ovYjzH7HD-mcfMMRpb2R6EZvFB7rwb2d1FwEJpr1rq6WMIBvpE3/s1600-h/kobeinsert.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6TiwaWar8o_Ki-uRPOLl4IkD1j39YIloiPE04_SDaBqh-papY5YKX19cTKwpxuRfsDVuZm8KctIv5C73HVmp2ALH5ovYjzH7HD-mcfMMRpb2R6EZvFB7rwb2d1FwEJpr1rq6WMIBvpE3/s320/kobeinsert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198511005578726834" /></a><br />Suprise, suprise. My favorite current player is Kobe Bryant. He has the most complete offensive game in the league. When he wants to, he can be among the best defensive players in the league. If Kobe can win a ring this year, he will prove once and for all that his greatnes was not created by Shaq.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-4702894032519029102008-05-26T11:33:00.001-07:002008-05-26T12:00:43.624-07:00Who's Your Fave 5?So, everyone's been telling the world who their fave 5s are on television. I figured I might as well join the fray. These are my fave 5 cards that I currently have in my possesion. <br /><br />5. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-ZfdfE92aTWQ5FP_Tc65-YveFOfP_zJg3vO4SqnUrTF6nrCaxvswT_aTlX0lCw6C42Vz4l_e00Ce5vISBBeuG5wWso7oimxTHtElEfyzfM1inPzbqn0yTdpTEwckZTHLBXK-DPEhY_2h/s1600-h/arenasjersey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-ZfdfE92aTWQ5FP_Tc65-YveFOfP_zJg3vO4SqnUrTF6nrCaxvswT_aTlX0lCw6C42Vz4l_e00Ce5vISBBeuG5wWso7oimxTHtElEfyzfM1inPzbqn0yTdpTEwckZTHLBXK-DPEhY_2h/s320/arenasjersey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196221442328500322" /></a><br />Number 5 would be my Gilbert Arenas Rookie Debut Game Used Jersey. I like the background design of the card, particularly the wooden court floor. The design gives the card a classic feel to it. Plus, Arenas is one of my favorite players in the league, but thats another fave 5 for another day.<br /><br />4. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9kvkVIreVDfYLfxNWzi13WrOmsDoCkZxSPYGcVZIdeWLEIbW6A-9xZhcbcKpQlgoKqXk7sPIBWc9C-koiqoFYcGdHYg1_8pTIFgKNx_XbocMr_fl_A1dQa9iIwWya9tZQcJX9FbAjEPW/s1600-h/rudygayauto.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9kvkVIreVDfYLfxNWzi13WrOmsDoCkZxSPYGcVZIdeWLEIbW6A-9xZhcbcKpQlgoKqXk7sPIBWc9C-koiqoFYcGdHYg1_8pTIFgKNx_XbocMr_fl_A1dQa9iIwWya9tZQcJX9FbAjEPW/s320/rudygayauto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196219256190146626" /></a><br />Of all the player autos I have, Rudy Gay is probably the most prominent player. Gay just finished off a stellar sophmore season and is heading towards a career as a perennial all-star caliber player. Look for him to have a strong season next year for the Grizzlies.<br /><br />3. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TjDBfOXP6JvgurScz0vjo2IqE6CfPsR2G2sHdCu4PHmE1KI4COLUm9oqQ2sxmVa2FNTxjn1nePohhQoByKv2r6_r8B303SLNTxruQH4idGSQhiMqiw0eM-MQfdOTtVSGHNufxiBwrFU2/s1600-h/solomonjonesauto.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TjDBfOXP6JvgurScz0vjo2IqE6CfPsR2G2sHdCu4PHmE1KI4COLUm9oqQ2sxmVa2FNTxjn1nePohhQoByKv2r6_r8B303SLNTxruQH4idGSQhiMqiw0eM-MQfdOTtVSGHNufxiBwrFU2/s320/solomonjonesauto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198522717954543090" /></a><br />This is the only auto I have that is not autographed on a sticker. Hopefully Solomon Jones will receive more playing time next year. I believe that he is a fairly capable center. In my opinion he is certainly better than Zaza Pachulia. <br /><br />2. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6SR4eMXORltepuhhJi4vg4haICog4c8QQYrp7JDzLlq46EC46L2CmpaySPRrUpj2MizSR6URyx2xWJBukM_Fw4F39X5e2p9xfNsZksXdwYDeAZZHAmMaDU91Bv_MXPRXZA-zOfhQjZ7V/s1600-h/hardcourtauto.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6SR4eMXORltepuhhJi4vg4haICog4c8QQYrp7JDzLlq46EC46L2CmpaySPRrUpj2MizSR6URyx2xWJBukM_Fw4F39X5e2p9xfNsZksXdwYDeAZZHAmMaDU91Bv_MXPRXZA-zOfhQjZ7V/s320/hardcourtauto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204759590002895938" /></a><br />This UD Hardcourt auto of David Lee was the first auto I pulled since I restarted this hobby. The fact that this doubles as a rookie card makes the card even more appealing. With new run and gun coach Mike D'Antoni at the helm, Lee should be able to get plenty of tranistion buckets and rebounds. I think he could function as a poor man's Shawn Marion.<br /><br />1. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDW31Uc6KMXqH6t-Hn8B5UPCr1XKBbH808pBi2iiLev2Qw4CG7diqDE0yHZHEFtLZZ6bfl1hQakgoheI5lBESYeUwK-X36GSRNT4Bar587RfxfpWVsCFzj_DYwSkGzfb6XPHxBxgcfczzP/s1600-h/tmacvince.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDW31Uc6KMXqH6t-Hn8B5UPCr1XKBbH808pBi2iiLev2Qw4CG7diqDE0yHZHEFtLZZ6bfl1hQakgoheI5lBESYeUwK-X36GSRNT4Bar587RfxfpWVsCFzj_DYwSkGzfb6XPHxBxgcfczzP/s320/tmacvince.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204760277197663314" /></a><br />My favorite card in my collection is the 2006-07 Fleer Ultra Dual Game Used Jersey of Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter. There are several reasons why I like this card. First, it has game used jerseys of two of the top swingmen in the league. Second, the card is serial numbered to 100, which is pretty decent. Last but not least, I pulled this card after purchasing just 3 packs of Fleer Ultra, making this card that much sweeter.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-53809181060713586072008-05-24T14:12:00.000-07:002008-05-24T14:20:07.862-07:00I Wish I Could Draw Like That<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEmQEFbxpg9FxMrYKhyphenhypheneQr4GSM0k8Q-EDEtREDAJ4Hpkr5p_D3sokOrZtJ6hlWMFeFSWvlRg0WUKai0pvgIJviNikmY7WVwX9jAYvRN9HX1pJJ771JoEux-vFB93HnligTykK_tmC_jJJ/s1600-h/drawing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204055855316478994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEmQEFbxpg9FxMrYKhyphenhypheneQr4GSM0k8Q-EDEtREDAJ4Hpkr5p_D3sokOrZtJ6hlWMFeFSWvlRg0WUKai0pvgIJviNikmY7WVwX9jAYvRN9HX1pJJ771JoEux-vFB93HnligTykK_tmC_jJJ/s400/drawing.jpg" border="0" /></a><em> First Row, From Left: Robert Parish, Sean Elliot, Glen Rice.<br /> Second Row, From Left: Dennis Scott, Ricky Pierce, Johnny Dawkins.</em><br /><br />In 1992, Upper Deck released a set of cards called The Collector's Choice. In this set, a man by the name of Alan Studt drew and colored pictures of a number of players from each team in the league. I have in my possesion only six of these cards. My favorite one is the Robert Parish drawing. Even though these cards aren't "valuable" in terms of monetary value, they're still very cool to look at imo.<em></em></div>Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-31256284691541958982008-05-23T14:05:00.000-07:002008-05-23T14:49:39.007-07:00A Little History Lesson on the Cal State Fullerton Titans Men's Basketball Program<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgit-NPDhfhDjBuqEkBXkOVffn1qpKokb0txxqUpPSE6lJAz0SEo1ty8YhcuJ32IQR_T60WoQETM7hdbNxQqkQXa-qCJUnx5ZBUghCp4X9dSuyxQHThbIU8hUQYrPx9EhKC8bHhvM5IUHzv/s1600-h/csuf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgit-NPDhfhDjBuqEkBXkOVffn1qpKokb0txxqUpPSE6lJAz0SEo1ty8YhcuJ32IQR_T60WoQETM7hdbNxQqkQXa-qCJUnx5ZBUghCp4X9dSuyxQHThbIU8hUQYrPx9EhKC8bHhvM5IUHzv/s400/csuf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203689108059073538" /></a><br />Since Bruce Bowen, a former Cal State Fullerton Titan, is currently playing the the Western Conference Finals, I thought I might give a brief history of the greatness of our basketball program. <br /><br />Cal State Fullerton, my University, has had a "rich" history of basketball tradition. The team plays in Titan Gym, aka HTG(Historic Titan Gym). The gym, er, I mean arena, has a capacity of 4,000. The program's first major moment of glory came in 1978 when the Cal State Fullerton Titans, led by former NBA player Greg Bunch, qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. At that time, the tournament consisted of a 32 team field. In the first game, the Titans managed to upset New Mexico, one of the nation's top offensive teams. After that remarkable upset, the Titans earned the nickname "Cal State Who?" In the sweet sixteen, the Titans had to face USF, led by Bill Cartwright. And fittingly, the Titans managed to pull of another huge upset. At that point Southern California was going crazy with Titan fever. Unfortunately, all runs come to an end. Fullerton lost by 3 to Arkansas in the Elite Eight, with the game ending with a controversial no-call in favor of Arkansas.<br /><br />During the 80s, a player named Leon Wood transferred from Arizona to CSUF. He is widely recognized as the greatest individual player to ever put on the Titan uniform. In 1984, he was named to the All-American team as a guard. The other guard was Michael Jordan. Wood went on to win the gold medal later that year and was drafted 10th in the NBA Draft. He played 6 years in the league and is now currently a referee in the NBA.<br /><br />During the late 80s and early 90s, Fullerton saw the arrival of the likes of Cedric Ceballos and Bruce Bowen. Ceballos was part of a Fullerton team that managed to upset then top seeded UNLV, who were led by Stacy Augmon. Bowen did not play at Fullerton with Ceballos. He was a good player but did not put up the stats of Ceballos. Unfortunately, neither of them led their teams to March Madness.<br /><br />During the 90s and early 2000s the Fullerton program went completely downhill. But towards the mid 2000s the Titan program began to see an upswing. First, the program was able to produce another NBA player in Pape Sow. The 2004-05 team, led by Ralphy Holmes, was able to qualify for the NIT and defeat Oregon State. <br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SBDE5dMLwd0&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SBDE5dMLwd0&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />Since the NIT run, the Titans have produced several 20+ win seasons. Bobby Brown, the mainstay of the Titan program during the last few years, was a projected 2nd round pick during the 2007 draft. That may be a blessing in disguise as his time overseas may help polish his skills and a team will probably pick him up sometime down the road. Below is vid highlight of his career high 47 points. BTW, attendance has been up since the video was made haha. <br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wV7gAHowAmQ&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wV7gAHowAmQ&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />This past season, my beloved Titans finally qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time since that unlikely run in 1978. The team was led by Big West co-player of the year Scott Cutley, Frank Robinson, and Josh Akognon. Unfortunately, they were knocked out in the first round by Wisconsin. Akognon is currently testing the NBA draft waters. He has yet to hire an agent so he is still eligible for his senior year. <br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CRv8dHxvMCk&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CRv8dHxvMCk&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />Well there you go, a "brief" history of our men's basketball program. Bruce Bowen is the only active Titan in the NBA and his play makes all Titans proud(well, sort of haha). I wish Bowen well, except when playing the Lakers. <br /><br />On a side note, there will be box and pack breaks coming soon as my semester just ended.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-19174696035275178112008-05-22T20:14:00.001-07:002008-05-23T15:05:08.456-07:00Whoops... Excuse Me Mr. Haslem<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtsX5sEtyEX5cZUvtD9GYn0fB886qgc84mEuJKM4fuVAJnFkKuBZQG0V0RORDPIG0vggLSB-Wfm1QWKvywwcOAGjQD1lf7t9vdoQEyNk_7n6LlGHZPhn9am57-iqXbkjHSg-DrkVgAQYY/s1600-h/haslem.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtsX5sEtyEX5cZUvtD9GYn0fB886qgc84mEuJKM4fuVAJnFkKuBZQG0V0RORDPIG0vggLSB-Wfm1QWKvywwcOAGjQD1lf7t9vdoQEyNk_7n6LlGHZPhn9am57-iqXbkjHSg-DrkVgAQYY/s320/haslem.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203406563635506146" /></a><br />Haha I thought the photograph Topps chose for this Udonis Haslem base card was rather interesting. Instead of showing a picture depicting Haslem's moment of glory, they instead opted to show collectors a picture of Haslem being in an awkward position.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-55129287508863038242008-05-20T13:00:00.001-07:002008-05-22T00:06:34.117-07:00Where Are They Now: Mychal Thompson<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ03OfuSYbXNC3bctM61VYrX5NPdDwob4MK_OxDcDsez7B163dnKYOfMIi-t_4AsPmd8r25z4TrRJpdZKbu2hbo6KQWM_Sh4QSbcBsyjzaNMs4zzDPEe3QlTu6864w-rvT_i6V63xPouoo/s1600-h/mychalthompson.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ03OfuSYbXNC3bctM61VYrX5NPdDwob4MK_OxDcDsez7B163dnKYOfMIi-t_4AsPmd8r25z4TrRJpdZKbu2hbo6KQWM_Sh4QSbcBsyjzaNMs4zzDPEe3QlTu6864w-rvT_i6V63xPouoo/s320/mychalthompson.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202553324464804354" /></a><br />This edition of "Where Are They Now" features the former Blazer, Spur, and Laker Mychal Thompson. He currently works as the radio color commentator for the Lakers. He is also a co-host of the Loose Cannons radio show on AM 570, the Lakers flagship station. Mychal Thompson is notorious for his laid back Bohemian demeanor and his play on words style of humor. For example, before Pau Gasol was traded to the Lakers, Thompson would call him Pau "Gasoft" as a reference to his lack of physical play. Mychal Thompson was the star player of his Minnesota Golden Golphers basketball team. He was the top pick of the 1978 NBA draft after being selected by the Portland Trailblazers. After a successful tenure with the Blazers, Thompson spent a short time with the Spurs. Afterwards, he was traded to the Lakers, where he became an integral part of the Laker championship teams of the 1980s.<br /><br />Here is a classic exchange between Mychal Thompson and the legendary Chick Hearn.<br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0d9jXKvOAPo&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0d9jXKvOAPo&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-66421401488612558372008-05-18T10:58:00.000-07:002008-05-18T11:08:27.678-07:00Lebron James Rookie Box Set<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkrMVn1f89NoBAdVVKn8Lncu1Jx3EcOZb6KPrCc4pa-xYLqb0glVoaQ8Kx9Fh5LI-MxtwxHg0DAB6dn69WSEMwK7CdNmynZJKfgtDh8DpwJe4GtiAVXvjyMNxxL0y0MNUa4oc75Ao5GNe/s1600-h/lebron+set.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkrMVn1f89NoBAdVVKn8Lncu1Jx3EcOZb6KPrCc4pa-xYLqb0glVoaQ8Kx9Fh5LI-MxtwxHg0DAB6dn69WSEMwK7CdNmynZJKfgtDh8DpwJe4GtiAVXvjyMNxxL0y0MNUa4oc75Ao5GNe/s400/lebron+set.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201780410740150770" /></a><br />In order to prepare for the big Cavs vs. Celtics Game 7, I decided to show a bit of the Lebron James rookie box set I purchased. It only cost about 8 bucks so I figured what the heck. There are a total of 30 cards in the set. Each card has photos of him before he ever played a single NBA regular season game. The photos consist of his high school games, photo shoots, and summer league games. While the Celtics are heavily favored in this game, LBJ should never be counted out. Last year Lebron carried his team past the Pistons. I'm going to make sure I don't miss this game just in case Lebron pulls off another historical performance.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-5242191934532136392008-05-16T10:39:00.000-07:002008-05-16T10:58:39.481-07:00Shiny Cards: A Former Novelty<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zYeT0nmDff2RxXyWL_4yrAye_7zTw-7AnpPrJ0LPxATKSDjfW3NsF6IvwTO1Hc6Xew93hXCGkpcX75V0AKXQEj_d0JMjbCON2F-73Y5EtZNPcm7x4GIO9RvnJm3zbwlwNTJxdiJmXwY8/s1600-h/majerlechrome.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zYeT0nmDff2RxXyWL_4yrAye_7zTw-7AnpPrJ0LPxATKSDjfW3NsF6IvwTO1Hc6Xew93hXCGkpcX75V0AKXQEj_d0JMjbCON2F-73Y5EtZNPcm7x4GIO9RvnJm3zbwlwNTJxdiJmXwY8/s320/majerlechrome.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201033331243782610" /></a><br />Back in the day, these shiny Topps Chrome, Topps Finest, Bowman's Chrome cards were considered a novelty when they first came out. Collectors have never seen cards that were, well, so damn shiny. I sure didn't when I first started this hobby. I remember I was around 10 years old when I pulled my first ultra shiny card. It was a Jeff Hornacek Topps Finest card. Too bad that card, along with hundreds of other cards i collected as a kid, is lost in oblivion somewhere. But hey, I still have a few of the shiny chrome/finest cards from the 90s. The card pictured above is the 1997-98 Dan Majerle Topps Chrome.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF432MLyBgufB_6DcFBOQ_h7g58cJWnPTeBIe_5miiBjfH6byylJ65T-mUTAEEqBYcPB34xPfBZsYuK8Kui6dw8zIQZThVtv8SWZSxywPOIkwzbxcBo8O-oWTNu5SoUFud7DGdj2DpZTjf/s1600-h/muresanfinest.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF432MLyBgufB_6DcFBOQ_h7g58cJWnPTeBIe_5miiBjfH6byylJ65T-mUTAEEqBYcPB34xPfBZsYuK8Kui6dw8zIQZThVtv8SWZSxywPOIkwzbxcBo8O-oWTNu5SoUFud7DGdj2DpZTjf/s320/muresanfinest.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5201034452230246882" /></a><br />Here's another one of them "shiny" cards. This is the 1996-97 Gheorghe Muresan Topps Finest card. As you can see, Topps placed a protective coating to protect the card. It's still there after more than 11 years. As far as I know, Topps does not put the "protective coating" over their chrome/finest cards anymore. I think that is one of the reasons, albeit a small reason, why these "shiny" cards are not as novel as they used to be. The protective coating gave the cards a sense of importance to them. Also, Topps Chrome and Finest comes out every year with tons of base cards, so the sheer quantity of these shiny base cards are probably the main reason of the downfall of their uniqueness. Plus, with the popularity of game used jersey cards, pulling these "shiny" cards just isn't that exhilarating for hobbyists anymore.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-19226202412069242292008-05-13T11:52:00.001-07:002008-05-13T12:12:00.247-07:00Where Are They Now: Mark Hendrickson<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-G6V_Sgha0cnsE6sMqs1BxdraJzPRcC8SvKHmSInoz_mrsfBenW9T1JNv-jC8FNSd4qqSsbw56-VtoxrqM-twt3C5kcIy9OFMexBb3RhDQEAI8A1uEE1m1GWl1_gS25PFPHJt66vgOHMY/s1600-h/hendrickson.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-G6V_Sgha0cnsE6sMqs1BxdraJzPRcC8SvKHmSInoz_mrsfBenW9T1JNv-jC8FNSd4qqSsbw56-VtoxrqM-twt3C5kcIy9OFMexBb3RhDQEAI8A1uEE1m1GWl1_gS25PFPHJt66vgOHMY/s320/hendrickson.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199937530467750338" /></a><br />This is the inaugural post to the "Where Are They Now" series of entries. Every so often, I will publish a post about former NBA players and give updates of their lives after their NBA careers. The featured player for the inaugural post of this series is Mark Hendrickson. Yes, he is THE Mark Hendrickson, the big league pitcher. He is currently a starting pitcher for the Florida Marlins. But before his days in the MLB, he was a standout basketball player. He was the star player on his high school basketball team. In college, he starred in both basketball and baseball at Washington State University. He was good enough a basketball player in college that he was selected to the all Pac-10 conference team twice. After graduation, Hendrickson was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1996 NBA Draft. For the next couple of years, Hendrickson bounced around the league playing limited minutes for various teams. Frustrated by his lack of consistent playing time, he decided to concentrate soley on baseball. He also had to work his way up in baseball, starting out in the minor leagues. Eventually, he worked his way up to the big leagues as a reliever and is now a starting pitcher for the Marlins.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-13076592656004119072008-05-11T11:31:00.000-07:002008-05-11T12:27:56.139-07:00Long Time No See<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2eMgsYqt2fekNN9QKUlsPtSf4RJvKKNvc45ENsdJsmd0AqnhGy9SysFmW24iPtijQESuzWAG8s9O6JazwUq4n3mcJgecE3waqH3I-YpL6nv3PDd0OiEA6L_sWa-i_uAae954OKXZznXr/s1600-h/dennisscottmetal.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2eMgsYqt2fekNN9QKUlsPtSf4RJvKKNvc45ENsdJsmd0AqnhGy9SysFmW24iPtijQESuzWAG8s9O6JazwUq4n3mcJgecE3waqH3I-YpL6nv3PDd0OiEA6L_sWa-i_uAae954OKXZznXr/s320/dennisscottmetal.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199192022929412274" /></a><br />I was cleaning out my closet when I stumbled upon a box of old cards I used to collect when I was a kid. While they weren't my "favorites" back when I was 9 years old, I realized that there are some very interesting cards and familiar faces in that box. Most of the cards in that box are from the late 80s to late 90s. Many of the card brands in the box are now defunct or shelved by their parent companies. The card pictured above is the 1997-98 Dennis Scott Metal Universe card. I remember as a kid that Metal Universe was my favorite brand of card. It was a brand of the Skybox International company, which was aquired by Fleer during the mid 90s. As far as Dennis Scott is concerned, I remember most clearly his Orlando Magic days. His 3 point shooting ability made him a valuable contributor to those mid 90s Magic teams. He was extremely good at making opposing teams pay when they focused all their defensive attention of Shaq and Penny. I also remembered Scott missing 4 straight free throws in a playoff game, but I can't recall against who.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4o8Fmn6qjdXyZDZl0GMG0YpoVSduphX6abfl2zjDksnMh6u_x529awT89mlAZhanR8vwgh4OyldIaYuOrgzz1rIMj-q2JOVyINNxz1OcBQtipbuj_v-5XquztFn3kvC4UjMwHZr88mi2u/s1600-h/geigerrookie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4o8Fmn6qjdXyZDZl0GMG0YpoVSduphX6abfl2zjDksnMh6u_x529awT89mlAZhanR8vwgh4OyldIaYuOrgzz1rIMj-q2JOVyINNxz1OcBQtipbuj_v-5XquztFn3kvC4UjMwHZr88mi2u/s320/geigerrookie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199193075196399810" /></a><br />This is the 1992-93 Skybox Matt Geiger rookie card. I don't remember watching Geiger when I started watching the NBA during the mid 90s. But I do remember him during his Sixer days. He was a decent rebounder and had a respectable midrange shot. He was one of the big bodies that the Sixers threw at Shaq during the 2001 NBA Finals. His efforts were obviously in vain. Geiger is also known as the only player to be busted and punished for violating the NBA's steroids policy. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_P-u_oEzgSAq4lUVWuY0rqHJtH0_gmkT4n7MtUE7nhwdQal1KcVUwPO7ylktrlKUdn5BkKA4d3DsmCVuHpx5xwFF5olPlvs4HsAKxo8JxhsO9UuJDAIdI-Bangb4CQZxJnnKI8RwkMxP/s1600-h/markjacksonhoops.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_P-u_oEzgSAq4lUVWuY0rqHJtH0_gmkT4n7MtUE7nhwdQal1KcVUwPO7ylktrlKUdn5BkKA4d3DsmCVuHpx5xwFF5olPlvs4HsAKxo8JxhsO9UuJDAIdI-Bangb4CQZxJnnKI8RwkMxP/s320/markjacksonhoops.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199193839700578514" /></a><br />NBA Hoops. This brand to me symbolizes the old school basketball cards of the late 80s and early 90s. The card pictured above is the 1989-90 Mark Jackson Nba Hoops card. He is currently second among the all time career assist leaders. I mostly remember him for his Indiana Pacer days when he played alongside Reggie Miller. Jackson was one of the best post up point guards I have ever seen. Although Jackson did not look that an overpowering point guard, his back to the basket ability and strength often catches the defender off guard. His post game was so dangerous that Phil Jackson decided to put Scottie Pippen on Jackson during one of their playoff series in an attempt to neutralize him. While his basketball skills were undeniable, I must admit his broadcasting abilities leaves more to be desired.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-Nyi-3LiP-UQPraU2pG1su7uyjwp_aK7SnzMxKgKun3M0mUOUrutlGp2nsUvdw41AL_62hX99u51IWMq_alQKjejz6EO0b2QlGBesX3X7tTD5OUIvJwyqZfbK-K5ZSktDNKOT8hRn5NT/s1600-h/barrysanders.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-Nyi-3LiP-UQPraU2pG1su7uyjwp_aK7SnzMxKgKun3M0mUOUrutlGp2nsUvdw41AL_62hX99u51IWMq_alQKjejz6EO0b2QlGBesX3X7tTD5OUIvJwyqZfbK-K5ZSktDNKOT8hRn5NT/s320/barrysanders.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5199195115305865442" /></a><br />While I was digging through some of my old cards, I found this little gem, a 1996 UD Collector's Choice Barry Sanders card. Sanders was undoubtedly one of the greatest running backs of all time. In his short nine year career, he came close to breaking several rushing records, including Walter Payton's career rushing mark.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-20427237448280495352008-05-09T15:27:00.001-07:002008-05-09T16:39:20.778-07:002006-07 Topps Hobby Box Break<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBmq5jtlN8rdx4poQ2cZFS61yr0uuLOn4mtwAYIEltM9bUzxRjPbiVkp2dkSkINQ_PFHJ1FWBo5jdpNJcu_Z_N0YiwXERnwLb5e8XfO8mfM9XZ5Ue9_rEArE8__tfjH-qefkT9mxnM0un/s1600-h/chrispaultopps.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBmq5jtlN8rdx4poQ2cZFS61yr0uuLOn4mtwAYIEltM9bUzxRjPbiVkp2dkSkINQ_PFHJ1FWBo5jdpNJcu_Z_N0YiwXERnwLb5e8XfO8mfM9XZ5Ue9_rEArE8__tfjH-qefkT9mxnM0un/s320/chrispaultopps.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198508737835994514" /></a><br />I purchased a 2006-07 Topps Hobby Box awhile back but I never had the chance to post it up here, so here it is. The base cards of this set is nothing special. They have the standard picture with the name on the bottom. All basecards have a white border around the photo. I've always thought that Topps cards have superior photography when compared to UD cards, and this is no different. This box has a lot of base cards, 12 per pack. Thus, you'll get a lot of duplicates if you purchase this box. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hhty-VmO3ueBNkxPdgY-CWliOP9bXK3OpaQLWGstsB3b8fNkSG5MiXqCk_l2UBDM3-IRIE6Ho48TIGkOGu0nMdzLLgjxIu9kI9AmVBs_xQyOePQsRdstNhzMsW0DExqt_pMEN3Fqd6SI/s1600-h/tyrusgold.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hhty-VmO3ueBNkxPdgY-CWliOP9bXK3OpaQLWGstsB3b8fNkSG5MiXqCk_l2UBDM3-IRIE6Ho48TIGkOGu0nMdzLLgjxIu9kI9AmVBs_xQyOePQsRdstNhzMsW0DExqt_pMEN3Fqd6SI/s320/tyrusgold.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198508746425929122" /></a><br />The rookie cards look exactly like the base cards. The only difference is that Topps stamped the upper left corner of the card with the "Rookie Cards" logo. Topps also decided to put some parallel cards in their base and rookie card set. Parallel cards are basically cards are variations of the original version of the cards. Most card sets have different colors for parallel cards, such as silver, gold, platinum, etc.... I pulled a gold parallel Tyrus Thomas rookie card. All gold parallels are serial numbered to 500. I dislike parallel cards because it gives card companies an excuse to slap on a serial number to any of their cards, which imho demeans the value of serial numbered cards. I actually pulled a total of 5 Tyrus Thomas rookie cards from this box. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6TiwaWar8o_Ki-uRPOLl4IkD1j39YIloiPE04_SDaBqh-papY5YKX19cTKwpxuRfsDVuZm8KctIv5C73HVmp2ALH5ovYjzH7HD-mcfMMRpb2R6EZvFB7rwb2d1FwEJpr1rq6WMIBvpE3/s1600-h/kobeinsert.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6TiwaWar8o_Ki-uRPOLl4IkD1j39YIloiPE04_SDaBqh-papY5YKX19cTKwpxuRfsDVuZm8KctIv5C73HVmp2ALH5ovYjzH7HD-mcfMMRpb2R6EZvFB7rwb2d1FwEJpr1rq6WMIBvpE3/s320/kobeinsert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198511005578726834" /></a><br />There are a TON of insert cards in this set. According to Topps, there are 23 insert cards per box. I remember back in the day pulling insert cards was a special occurence. The multitude of inserts in this set shows how far the status of insert cards have fallen since the memo cards started becoming popular. The card pictured above is a Kobe Bryant Hobby Box insert card. It sort of has that "holographic" design. That form of design reminds me of the old Metal Universe cards. I used to love Metal Universe cards as a kid. Now, not so much.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FF3v1jKLyAOrfcF9o2k1ch0EQmoOVoqXZyE7fUagh7yVIGMeLKTlGS_zYohH3twrXmF0P5ZXkqmg1LVTOUifqOnIqif8hAgv1svjsMNDgUR5MWMbnokwpOGblE_CCRMCHzp6i_-UCFL-/s1600-h/lbjinsert.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FF3v1jKLyAOrfcF9o2k1ch0EQmoOVoqXZyE7fUagh7yVIGMeLKTlGS_zYohH3twrXmF0P5ZXkqmg1LVTOUifqOnIqif8hAgv1svjsMNDgUR5MWMbnokwpOGblE_CCRMCHzp6i_-UCFL-/s320/lbjinsert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198521214715989442" /></a><br />This is another insert card called Own The Game. There are 28 Own the Game cards and I pulled a Lebron James insert. You can never go wrong with a Lebron James card since his value is second to noone in this hobby. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-I6v97UzumE55pDc-tSvVXLWFefh4CQNpBX64jWUprZ8JIhASJnh1oY4PVzY26rEuwDw9siuaKw8ZNtTw5RmC-Xx2QxvE2sFKcmNAESzNaZwj38BFl4HNS7YS6u7H4us1DenW1Oq77Hsj/s1600-h/yaoclutch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-I6v97UzumE55pDc-tSvVXLWFefh4CQNpBX64jWUprZ8JIhASJnh1oY4PVzY26rEuwDw9siuaKw8ZNtTw5RmC-Xx2QxvE2sFKcmNAESzNaZwj38BFl4HNS7YS6u7H4us1DenW1Oq77Hsj/s320/yaoclutch.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198521781651672530" /></a><br />Clutch City is another insert card. Yeah, I know, there are A LOT of insert cards in this set. This is the Yao Ming Clutch City insert card. Unfortunately, Yao has never really been able to stay healthy enough in order to show whether or not he is clutch enough during the playoffs. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdT50jc86yqYhV3izaNkfrZx5qs3lhTBTDKK5jGEkD3sPaVlHTH2FzQUkvlXdA_ac1N2Z56b7LfcThzuOsIUhMYvy5qSOhtnW0Wkp4e2bAYWDkan9l8YqlZ3cCXceo3mBLsZE1PyARV5t/s1600-h/chaunceyjersey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdT50jc86yqYhV3izaNkfrZx5qs3lhTBTDKK5jGEkD3sPaVlHTH2FzQUkvlXdA_ac1N2Z56b7LfcThzuOsIUhMYvy5qSOhtnW0Wkp4e2bAYWDkan9l8YqlZ3cCXceo3mBLsZE1PyARV5t/s320/chaunceyjersey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198522181083631074" /></a><br />There are relic versions of every type of insert card. This here is the Chauncey Billups Clutch City Game Used jersey card. Billups is questionable for Game 4 against the Magic. If he ends up missing the game, it provides the Magic a perfect opportunity to tie up the series. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TjDBfOXP6JvgurScz0vjo2IqE6CfPsR2G2sHdCu4PHmE1KI4COLUm9oqQ2sxmVa2FNTxjn1nePohhQoByKv2r6_r8B303SLNTxruQH4idGSQhiMqiw0eM-MQfdOTtVSGHNufxiBwrFU2/s1600-h/solomonjonesauto.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TjDBfOXP6JvgurScz0vjo2IqE6CfPsR2G2sHdCu4PHmE1KI4COLUm9oqQ2sxmVa2FNTxjn1nePohhQoByKv2r6_r8B303SLNTxruQH4idGSQhiMqiw0eM-MQfdOTtVSGHNufxiBwrFU2/s320/solomonjonesauto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5198522717954543090" /></a><br />This is the highlight of my box break. After opening pack after pack, I realized that I pulled an auto. Unfortunately, it was a Solomon Jones Rookie Photo Shoot auto. The good news is that it is not a stickered auto. All of the autos I own are stickered. The last time I checked, the beckett value of this particular card was somewhere between 25-35 dollars. Not bad but I looked up the same card for Adam Morrison and JJ Redick and their cards were worth in the low hundreds. Hopefully Jones gets more playing time next season.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-68648652372729332402008-05-07T17:06:00.000-07:002008-05-07T21:51:34.611-07:00Kobe Bryant, Your 2007-2008 MVP<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3MIcQI2KyiO-PVErHy78w0vA1BkI1FjVPfFPiPBE5flmIRrlruBWJ5LbtM1nGKyFFMIxUKgTgy2GOf7X1KFDhQj6u0JlhNhTI_agwT67Eb2Sg3CW-jmDVxo5TcilJ3BYrV-6szoVo8Cv/s1600-h/kobemvp.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197791892664107202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3MIcQI2KyiO-PVErHy78w0vA1BkI1FjVPfFPiPBE5flmIRrlruBWJ5LbtM1nGKyFFMIxUKgTgy2GOf7X1KFDhQj6u0JlhNhTI_agwT67Eb2Sg3CW-jmDVxo5TcilJ3BYrV-6szoVo8Cv/s320/kobemvp.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Congrats to Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers for getting his first MVP award. While the MVP race was very close down the strectch between Kobe and Chris Paul, I believe that Kobe's team record and his "lifetime achievement" ultimately pushed him over the edge. Unlike some of his detractors, I do believe that Kobe deserves the MVP based on his performance THIS YEAR alone. But, I also believe that Chris Paul was certainly deserving as well, thus if he would have won I would have no complaints whatsoever. Here are his stats for this season:<br /><br />PPG: 28.3<br />FG%: .459<br />3pt%: .361<br />FT&: .840<br />RPG: 6.3<br />APG: 5.4 </div><div align="center">SPG: 1.8</div><div align="center">BPG: 0.5<br /><br /></div><div align="left">While his stats aren't quite as impressive as his previous years, his leadership ability has improved tremendously. He is more trusting of his teammates hitting opens shots that in years past. That is the main reason, to me, why he deserves to be the MVP. Others may argue that Kevin Garnett and Lebron James should have won the MVP. While KG did play on the team with the league's best record, he did play in the Eastern Conference. What would the Lakers, Hornets, or Spurs records be if they were in the Eastern Conference? Some argue that Lebron James should win it simply because they believe that he is the best player in the league. I don't think that criteria should be used, since Michael Jordan would have won the MVP at least 10 times. Plus, the debate of whether or not if Lebron is better than Kobe is a totally different debate, <A HREF="http://basketballcardsgalore.blogspot.com/2008/04/blog-post.html">a topic I broke down in a previous post here.</A> Lebron James also put up some of the most historically impressive stats. But based on the statistical criteria, Kobe should have won it the last couple of years. For the past 20 years, no MVP was awarded to a player who played on a team that won less than 50 games. Are the writers going to break that trend and all of a sudden award the MVP to Lebron? I would definitely like to hear some of your opinions of the results of the MVP voting.</div>Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-49055422807136981242008-05-06T14:04:00.001-07:002008-05-06T16:17:07.455-07:00Some Recent Purchases Part 3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkgLNR7NkRpXbBDLTV7jkqELzKEB3qy9EAzASQZLZ5wxhRH1kxIjCQ8dqmWFS0LPj2Bz-EmLuRQYnSpjI6c1ptoF2vGDOOgXV_QhND9jTO-RR9vlhfaKdMEt5q7ugZ0hdmWYGuU-dcbbJo/s1600-h/piercejersey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkgLNR7NkRpXbBDLTV7jkqELzKEB3qy9EAzASQZLZ5wxhRH1kxIjCQ8dqmWFS0LPj2Bz-EmLuRQYnSpjI6c1ptoF2vGDOOgXV_QhND9jTO-RR9vlhfaKdMEt5q7ugZ0hdmWYGuU-dcbbJo/s320/piercejersey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197374589507868930" /></a><br />Here is the 2005-06 Topps Bowman Paul Pierce game used jersey card. Since this card has 2 pieces of game worn jersey on it, the card is serial numbered 055/249. Not bad at all. Pierce is probably the second best small forward in the league behind Lebron James. I remember watching him play the year he and Antoine Walker took the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals. At that point I perceived him as a top 5 player in the league. Unfortunately for him, the Celtics went downhill. But now his team is a competitor again, so good for him.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAR3Ipjhyphenhyphen2acuJsDrkokJTir50UYusRGkXwJ-QoyY8X0zNVlWeXb0SYC1iXps8Z3iMNjYVrJK3kXiroK6yzAngUzqwtjkdNSStqkqCawwpqiP7aIW9Ij-vTvy7_gLNip-xnuEhu0B9DK4v/s1600-h/melojersey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAR3Ipjhyphenhyphen2acuJsDrkokJTir50UYusRGkXwJ-QoyY8X0zNVlWeXb0SYC1iXps8Z3iMNjYVrJK3kXiroK6yzAngUzqwtjkdNSStqkqCawwpqiP7aIW9Ij-vTvy7_gLNip-xnuEhu0B9DK4v/s320/melojersey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197375512925837586" /></a><br />This card only has 1 piece of jersey, therefore this card is not serial numbered. Every time I watch Carmelo play, I come away impressed with his offensive talents. His offensive fundamentals is as good as any player in the league. He has a great post game and a deadly jab step. There is no need to say anything about his jumper. What he lacks though is basketball IQ. The guy has the knack of missing the open man. It is incredible to watch sometimes how he ignores the open man and takes a shot against three defenders. That is what separates him from the likes of Lebron James and Kobe Bryant. He simply does not have the ability, or the motivation, to create for others. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi317GIe7ILfzECMP9HfWyTe3CvGVxr3bgsotnx7wh3-i1FhgZEJ2PlKItR3o3ONEstoYl5UXqSQF2RPQnKlWSaNNh-msnKHQPEv1V9UmdvuhOBSTPDZBfGkCQ1fPS0FGuH-xyjmmVpKUGq/s1600-h/amare+jersey.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197373983917480178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi317GIe7ILfzECMP9HfWyTe3CvGVxr3bgsotnx7wh3-i1FhgZEJ2PlKItR3o3ONEstoYl5UXqSQF2RPQnKlWSaNNh-msnKHQPEv1V9UmdvuhOBSTPDZBfGkCQ1fPS0FGuH-xyjmmVpKUGq/s320/amare+jersey.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br />This card isn't the best looking card in the world. But the vendor I went to was running out of cards fast and Amare was one of the more attractive options remaining. Man, I really have to get my hands on some patches. Thus far, all of my jersey cards are 1 solid color. I've always envied people who pulled cards with the nba logo patch. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmU-zy12g-UuQCT_J2sJlaxgt2pNCd48OgrGOl9kOd6IYwNRCssSRBkjuYsONSpTkzBkr4qpep2gAdwrfZ4AK6iiW5n3i0s6XYxaf30pb1xPAAXtTmAzfrZvgzkX31aGe2CSsiiNCV1ah/s1600-h/arenasjersey2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmU-zy12g-UuQCT_J2sJlaxgt2pNCd48OgrGOl9kOd6IYwNRCssSRBkjuYsONSpTkzBkr4qpep2gAdwrfZ4AK6iiW5n3i0s6XYxaf30pb1xPAAXtTmAzfrZvgzkX31aGe2CSsiiNCV1ah/s320/arenasjersey2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197376384804198690" /></a><br />Here is another Gilbert Arenas GU card. This one is the 2007-08 SP jersey card. Like I've mentioned before, the man is very entertaining to watch and listen to. If he returns to the Wizards next season, he needs to scale back his offensive game and become a more pass-first point guard. If he finds a way to find a happy medium in scoring and passing, he will be deadly.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-47018077362613138552008-05-03T11:15:00.000-07:002008-05-03T12:09:59.422-07:00Some Recent Purchases Part 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9kvkVIreVDfYLfxNWzi13WrOmsDoCkZxSPYGcVZIdeWLEIbW6A-9xZhcbcKpQlgoKqXk7sPIBWc9C-koiqoFYcGdHYg1_8pTIFgKNx_XbocMr_fl_A1dQa9iIwWya9tZQcJX9FbAjEPW/s1600-h/rudygayauto.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9kvkVIreVDfYLfxNWzi13WrOmsDoCkZxSPYGcVZIdeWLEIbW6A-9xZhcbcKpQlgoKqXk7sPIBWc9C-koiqoFYcGdHYg1_8pTIFgKNx_XbocMr_fl_A1dQa9iIwWya9tZQcJX9FbAjEPW/s320/rudygayauto.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196219256190146626" /></a><br />Here are some more cards that I've recently purchased. What I have here is an Upper Deck 2007-08 SP autograph card of Rudy Gay. Too bad most of my autos are all stickers, but autos are autos. The last time I checked, the Beckett value for this card was around 12 dollars. I bought this card for 3 bucks. This was the best auto that the vendor offered. As many of you know, Rudy Gay had a breakout sophmore season and is poised to become an allstar caliber player if he isn't already. With Pau Gasol gone, I anticipate that he is going to be putting up some monster numbers next season.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4HYaBUaAGOWjAI51mI3o9uBmvr3cIBW-tk6rEYLNt_XxmLPp9y3x5iyqPAZdum52ml3eUSJxZomPMwyAhRUalEzNBGmxTJ8rvZyC0yIOOXeak3ya-Zdon3DEz_PtqpJlrh_Act04aQPj/s1600-h/dhowardjersey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4HYaBUaAGOWjAI51mI3o9uBmvr3cIBW-tk6rEYLNt_XxmLPp9y3x5iyqPAZdum52ml3eUSJxZomPMwyAhRUalEzNBGmxTJ8rvZyC0yIOOXeak3ya-Zdon3DEz_PtqpJlrh_Act04aQPj/s320/dhowardjersey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196220402946414674" /></a><br />This is the Upper Deck 2005-06 Trilogy Game Used Jersey card of Dwight Howard. When he first came into the league, all he could do was dunk. Now, his offensive game has improved and he's adding more into his repotoire such as a jump hook and an occasional 10ft jump shot. His rebounding numbers speak for themselves and his athleticism, for a man/manchild his size, is out of this world. If the Pistons do not double team him in their semi-finals series, they may have an upset on their hands.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-ZfdfE92aTWQ5FP_Tc65-YveFOfP_zJg3vO4SqnUrTF6nrCaxvswT_aTlX0lCw6C42Vz4l_e00Ce5vISBBeuG5wWso7oimxTHtElEfyzfM1inPzbqn0yTdpTEwckZTHLBXK-DPEhY_2h/s1600-h/arenasjersey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-ZfdfE92aTWQ5FP_Tc65-YveFOfP_zJg3vO4SqnUrTF6nrCaxvswT_aTlX0lCw6C42Vz4l_e00Ce5vISBBeuG5wWso7oimxTHtElEfyzfM1inPzbqn0yTdpTEwckZTHLBXK-DPEhY_2h/s320/arenasjersey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196221442328500322" /></a><br />This here is the Upper Deck 2005-06 Rookie Debut Game Used Warm-up jersey of Gilbert "Quality Shots" Arenas. I'm normally not a big fan of Rookie Debut cards but their set of jersey cards look pretty nice. Their toned down color gives the card a classical feel to it. As far as Arenas goes, he's definitely one of my favorite players in the league. He's got good game, although the Wizards offense certainly are more fluid when he's not playing. The main reason he's one of my favorites is his personality. He tends to speak his mind and he's not afraid of repercussions. He doesn't offer the traditionally dry "take it one game at a time" remarks to the media, ala Kobe/Lebron/MJ. The dude is just simply entertaining. Too bad he was unable to come back after sittin gout game 5. He was a good spark plug off the bench during the series. Hopefully he'll have better luck next season.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-52152642554134151882008-05-01T20:23:00.000-07:002008-05-02T19:19:37.318-07:00Some Recent Purchases Part 1I have cut back my purchasing of cards significantly since I need to save some money for next semester of school. I plan on renting an apartment somewhere near school. Anyways, here are a few of the cards I recently purchased. This vendor was practically giving cards away by selling 3-4 cards for a buck.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQP-rWDg95rw7Px3ycJjlyNNFamXcyPoh_Cg2Kqfh3F_2ZTxcpITPJ_Pni7H-rdfHoytEyxl8J4sbKHhw9fNPS6RUrnQ_b53ePp7W-PK5qrVJzWjaw64y2TcZMYzZeTwz64xbn69rPcdT/s1600-h/joshsmith.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195616818307405842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQP-rWDg95rw7Px3ycJjlyNNFamXcyPoh_Cg2Kqfh3F_2ZTxcpITPJ_Pni7H-rdfHoytEyxl8J4sbKHhw9fNPS6RUrnQ_b53ePp7W-PK5qrVJzWjaw64y2TcZMYzZeTwz64xbn69rPcdT/s320/joshsmith.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This is a 2005-06 Upper Deck Reflections Josh Smith jersey card. Not my favorite card that I bought but he's an up and coming player. The Atlanta Hawks were on a heck of a run right now in the playoffs. But their two game winning streak ended yesterday against the Celtics. If they manage to win game 6, you never know, crazier things have happened in sports. Josh Smith has been one of the main reasons why the Hawks have made this a series. The man is a great player because of his size, length, and athleticism. Any shot close to the basket is in danger of being swatted by him. If he learns to stop settling for 3 pointers and instead take the ball to the rack, he will become a monster of a player.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEcXTPnFhCcq8DeDr07Le0Tf2K-J9A9Y4mvF35n7nCEFf5j-UQJUA4i4UqRzPN8NZrAhyiYu7w1banSTSleQMIZSAZRncJ6MwOY_3LT9IiWRprBBDZT6xl9TJ6ieiP7qj0Cma1tj75vCQ/s1600-h/marvinwilliams.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195617608581388322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEcXTPnFhCcq8DeDr07Le0Tf2K-J9A9Y4mvF35n7nCEFf5j-UQJUA4i4UqRzPN8NZrAhyiYu7w1banSTSleQMIZSAZRncJ6MwOY_3LT9IiWRprBBDZT6xl9TJ6ieiP7qj0Cma1tj75vCQ/s320/marvinwilliams.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This is the 2005-06 Upper Deck Sweet Shot Marvin Williams jersey card. It is serial numbered 54/125. 125... not bad. It's been said many times, but it's worth mentioning again; what were the Hawks thinking when they drafted Marvin Williams over Chris Paul and Deron Williams? Yes, Marvin Williams had a lot of potential and still does. But their greatest need was at point guard and up until they got Mike Bibby that was their greatest hole. Marvin is a good player with great size and athleticism. But the Hawks have way too many small forward type players. I have not watched the Hawks enough to know who should be traded among the Hawks' young small forwards. But I think they should trade Williams or Childress (Hawks fans can enlighten me on who is the better player) for a big man, pg, or first round draft picks. With all that said, I still think he has the ability to become a perennial allstar. He's a versatile player with a good shot. He, like Josh Smith, should take the ball to the rack more. Personally, if the Hawks end up trading either Williams or Childress, I think they should keep Williams. But, if the Hawks don't want them, as a Lakers fan I will welcome him with open arms.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEKBtSoALvwLeb8qQYxwiWJ0psYeIXSU3ZNBLAtrlZ85lUAOKXAxm9XXVaTe-7CvWNi-pymybG5Plk-0YzK0P7eFG0AvUnWx-c98vZl9pIANhX_1WYvPFUTemt-vTSB5ux7bSj4UJAbPf/s1600-h/tmac.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5195618867006806066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEKBtSoALvwLeb8qQYxwiWJ0psYeIXSU3ZNBLAtrlZ85lUAOKXAxm9XXVaTe-7CvWNi-pymybG5Plk-0YzK0P7eFG0AvUnWx-c98vZl9pIANhX_1WYvPFUTemt-vTSB5ux7bSj4UJAbPf/s320/tmac.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This here is the 2007-08 Upper Deck SP Tracy McGrady game-used jersey card. I personally think this card looks pretty damn sweet. I'm a big fan of SP's card designs because imho, they look simple yet fancy at the same time. Unfortunately for T-Mac, he's never been passed the first round and it sure does not look like this will be his year. More to come later...Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579403578447965491.post-18368826510938984752008-04-28T11:10:00.001-07:002008-05-14T12:01:51.587-07:00Lebron James vs. Kobe Bryant: A Comparison<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fZPRQCqxG_I&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fZPRQCqxG_I&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/H6O3GZwAUUw&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/H6O3GZwAUUw&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />It is safe to say that Lebron James and Kobe Bryant have been the two best players in the NBA for the past couple of seasons. But who is better. I'll try to break down their basketball skills and talents as unbiased as possible.<br /><br />Physical Talents: Lebron James, at 6-8 250 is a couple inches taller and a lot bulkier than the 6-6 220 Kobe Bryant. Lebron's got the clear advantage in athleticism, even when compared to Kobe's younger days. While Kobe is athletic, I sometimes feel that his athleticism is overrated. Lebron on the other hand is a once in a lifetime athlete. He can sprint the floor as fast as any guard in the league. His vertical is as high as anyone in the league. But he's 6-8 250lbs. He is not supposed to be doing all those things. Add his athleticism with his strenght, you've got a player who is absolutely unstoppable when driving to the hole.<br /><br />Offense: For the past few seasons, Kobe has been recognized as the league's most prolific scorer. Those of us who are lucky enough to be able to watch the majority of Lakers games have witnessed Kobe's vast array of offensive moves. His creativity in the way he scores is absolutely off the charts. Lebron's offensive game is not too shabby as well. In fact, he won the scoring title this year, dethroning the previous scoring king Kobe Bryant. Lebron's game is based mostly on his athleticism and strength. Whenever he sees a lane open, he takes it to the rack and is virtually unstoppable. He is one of the best finishers around the rim the league has ever seen. So let's break down both of their offensive games more in detail. The most fundamental aspect of offense is shooting. Kobe has a clear advantage there. Kobe was a decent shooter when he first came into the league and now has evolved into an elite mid range shooter. His deadly jump shot baits his defenders into defending him up close, thus allowing him to drive past them. Lebron's mid range game is mediocre at best. When he first came into the league, his shot was horrible. He's improved his shot significantly to the point where it is respectable, but no where near the level he should be. Therefore, when defenders play him, they tend to sag off him, daring him to take the jump shot. They're willing to sacrafice an open shot as opposed to giving him an open lane to drive towards the basket. As far as 3 point shooting goes, Kobe has the advantage there as well. One of the reasons why Kobe is so deadly is because of his unlimited range. He can hit shots consistently from anywhere. I must admit, his shots seem a little off this season. Whether it's because of injuries, age, not getting enough elevation on his shots, etc..., his shooting is still superior to Lebron. Lebron's 3 point shot is not that bad actually. When he catches fire, he's every bit as good as Kobe.<br /><br />Another aspect of the offensive game is footwork. Kobe, along with Carmello Anthony, has one of the best footwork of any perimeter player in the league. When he is out in the perimeter, he uses his footwork to fake out his defender. He displays his footwork more often through his post game. When Kobe is posting up his defender, he is nearly unstoppable. Whether it be is fake spin move, jab step, or up and under, the defender cannot stop him. Lebron James, imho, has never really displayed any type of footwork. For a man his size, he does not post up a whole lot. As he ages and loses his athleticism, Lebron must develop a post game and a jump shot in order to maintain his success. If Lebron develops a post game, I can see him becoming a Michael Jordan type of post player, except with more power and a little less finesse and footwork. As a right now, Kobe clearly has the edge in both footwork and postgame.<br /><br />A critical aspect of the offensive game is driving to the rack and finishing. This is Lebron's specialty. Lebron is so strong and so fast that it is impossible to guard in when he has space. If a player is strong enough to guard him, he's most likely too slow to stay in front of him. If a player is fast enough to stay in front of him, Lebron could probably bull his way to the rim. Once Lebron gets to the rim, he is probably the best finisher in the league. His size and strength allows him to take contact and still score. Kobe is pretty good at taking the ball to the basket as well. The problem is, he is not nearly as fast and strong as Lebron. Age and injuries have slowed Kobe down a bit, but I don't think you can use that as an excuse. Ever since Kobe came into the league, he has had problems finishing at the rim when there is contact. Over the years, he has become a lot stronger and thus has improved tremendously in that aspect. But, he still does not finish like Lebron. Therefore, edge: Lebron.<br /><br />Passing is often overlooked in the offensive side of the ball. Lebron is probably recognized as the better playmakers. While this was definitely true in previous years, Kobe this season has shown his ability to be a great playmaker as well. Kobe has shown a knack to create for his teammates when the opposing team's defense focuses their attention on him. His passes are also quite flashy at times, resulting either in highlight reels or unforced turnovers. Lebron obviously is just as good of a passer if not better. His court vision is off the charts, something Kobe will also be inferior to Lebron at. If you look at the assist numbers, Lebron has an edge over Kobe. But this is because of the way their respective team's offense is set up. The Laker offense this season revolves around ball movement. Therefore, when Kobe sets up his teammates, he often throws the first pass that results in a basket after an extra pass or two. The Cavs offense pretty much consists of Lebron dribbling the ball and either driving to the basket or dishing it off to a teammate. Therefore, Lebron racks up more assists. But since Lebron has been making plays for his teammates since he came into the league, I'll give the edge to Lebron.<br /><br />Defense: This is where many people believe Kobe separates himself from Lebron. Kobe has been on the All NBA Defensive Team a multitude of times while Lebron has yet to be bestowed that honor. Kobe is clearly the better defender. But, Kobe's defense in recent years have been lacking. Announcers overrate is defense due to his reputation. I get very frustrated watching Kobe refusing to close out on shooters and failing to rotate on defense. Plus, when he does close out on shooters, he has a tendency to foul them, resulting in 4 point plays. Due to injuries,age, or just plain laziness, his lateral movement hasn't been as effective. Therefore, many players can go by him with ease at times. Lebron's defense has always been mediocre. He has all the tools to become a great defender. Players will have trouble going around his wide body and his speed should help him out as well. This season, his defense has improved dramatically, thus the gap between him and Kobe is not as far as people perceive. But, the advantage still goes to Kobe.<br /><br />Rebounding: Lebron is bigger and stronger that Kobe. He also plays the small forward position. As a result, he averages more rebounds than Kobe. Kobe, I believe, has the highest rebounding average for a shooting guard. Since Lebron plays the 3, he will get a couple more cheap rebounds per game. Both players have shown that they are capable of getting clutch rebounds. I still say advantage Lebron because he's bigger, but the edge is not big at all.<br /><br />Basketball IQ: This one goes to Lebron. He does not force shots as much as Kobe. While people criticize the fact that his game is centered around going to the rack, you have to realize that a layup or dunk is more efficient than a jump shot. While Kobe is a great jumpshooter, he often settles to much. When his shots a'rent falling, he has to realize that he must take it to the rack and go to the freethrow line. Lebron does not get a free pass on this one though. Sometimes, when he gets a rhythm going, he can get a little 3 point happy as well. But I say Lebron with a slight advantage.<br /><br />Accomplishments<br />Kobe Bryant: 3 time champion, 2 time scoring champion, 2 time allstar MVP, 1 time slam dunk champion, 5 time NBA First Team, 5 time NBA First Defensive Team, 10 time NBA All-Star.<br />Lebron James: NBA Rookie of the Year, 1 time scoring champion, 2 time allstar MVP, 1 time NBA First Team, 3 time NBA allstar.<br /><br />Kobe will probably win MVP this year so you can add that to his list of accomplishments. Due to Lebron's young age and what he's done already, he will probably end up having a better career. As far as who is the better player right now, it's still hard to decide. I'll lean towards Kobe because of his experience, more polished game, and the intangibles such as leadership and unselfishness are finally coming together.<br /><br />I know there are many people who believe that Lebron James is better. I'd love to hear what the readers out think about arguably the two best players in the league today.Trollhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09548122144128968338noreply@blogger.com3