Lemonade and Iced Tea (and the Pull of a Lifetime)

I recently pulled something incredibly awesome from a box of 2012 Upper Deck All-Time Greats Sports Edition.  It is a "1 of 1" and it involves golf.  I wrote a blurb about my card for Dave and Adam's Card World.  You can see photographs of it after the jump.

The Dark Knight is Ballsy

I like comic book trading card sets.  I've found that you can sometimes obtain some sweet sketch cards, as well as the complete base sets and inserts, from these releases at a reasonable, cheaper price online - rather than purchasing an entire hobby box.  Indeed, it would be near impossible to collect every single sketch card from a release such as Cryptozoic's DC Comics Batman: The Legend.  But, I do have one unique "1 of 1" sketch card from that set for myself:

"Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him. Because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight."

There was another sketch card I really wanted that depicted Batman as a bit older, grim, and worse for wear with a bunch of face stubble.  That card might have been portraying Batman from Frank Miller's excellent, seminal The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel.  Good stuff!  Now I feel like watching all the recent Batman movies again...

A trade with The Dimwit 2

You can see what Sam of The Daily Dimwit got from me at his blog.  This is what I received in return:

Front.  2012 Leaf Ultimate Draft Football, yellow printing plate rookie autograph of Bernard Pierce (Baltimore Ravens running back), #'d 1 of 1.  Awesome!  Pierce is a great young player.  He got 89 yards rushing and 4 yard receiving today in a loss to the Bengals.

Back.  Thank you, Leaf!  These plates were used to print the "TD Countdown" inserts, which are serial numbered to the player's final college year touchdown total.

And, most of all... thank you for the trade, Sam!

My first booklet

For a period of time this year, between the end of January and middle of May, I had nothing to do.  Literally, nothing to do.  Or, at the very least, nothing of much import or urgency.  It was probably the first time in six years that I had some actual, serious downtime.  It was weird, and I'm not entirely sure whether I liked it or not.

So what did I do with that all that free time?  Not much, really.  I drank copious amounts of beer, played a large amount of video games, and started up this blog again.  Hell, I didn't even post that much.  Lazy bastard.  Well, now I'm back home in glorious Southern California and a package arrived the other day that reminded me of my favorite card shop, in a region of the state I called home for several years (and a place I will actively try to never move back to - sorry, Nor Cal, I just like it here):

Bilal Powell yellow printing plates from 2011 Panini Playbook, autograph-relic booklet, #'d 1 of 1.

I never thought I'd actually pull one of these things.  I guess I still haven't - technically speaking - because I pulled a redemption for this card instead at my old local card shop.  I like it though!

Here are some views of the booklet closed:

I couldn't tell you where "home" is.  Maybe some historical figures and philosophers, perhaps wiser than you or me, can do that.  At least the cards will always somehow find their way to us nerds.

Two boxes, four awesome hits

Football (card) season isn't over yet!  I picked up a box of 2011 Panini Plates & Patches and a box of 2011 Crown Royale football at my friend's card shop over the weekend.  If you are ever in San Mateo, CA, make sure to stop by What's On Second on 2nd Ave - and tell Jordan that Arno sent you!  One card alone made for a rather epic box break.

*2011 Crown Royale:

Steve Smith, Calling All Captains prime jersey, #'d 38/50.  There's nothing better than prime jersey cards (unless they are also autographed).  Smith may be a small dude, but he is totally amazing on the field.

 Jack Lambert, Living Legends auto-relic, #'d 12/25.  I'm a fan of old school Steelers.  Hall of Famer autographs are spiffy!

*2011 Plates & Patches:

Jeremy Maclin, Team Supreme four-color patch, #'d 18/50.  Maclin is one of my favorite football players, so I was pretty stoked when I pulled this card.  This year's Plates & Patches is still pricey - about $140-150 depending where you buy it - but like last year's release, it is a fun, medium-risk, potentially high-reward break.  Which brings me to...

My first thought when I saw this card: "What the shit is this?  It must be low-numbered."  Then I turn it over...

Oh... that makes sense.  Percy Harvin, prime jersey brand logo auto-relic, #'d 1/1.  Wow!  Look at that fat Reebok logo.  This card is the first true "1 of 1" card I've ever pulled from a pack.  That is, it is not a printing plate or a redemption (I got a redemption for a 1/1 cut autograph of Sammy Baugh a while back - some of you may remember it from the old I'm Ballsy blog.)  Sweet!

Well, that was exciting!  I am still awake because I am dreading a visit to a new dentist in the afternoon.  It's not that I'm afraid of dental work, but rather the fact that I've had some truly shitty dentists in the past.  Kind of wish I sued for malpractice.  Hope this one is good!