Front Line Report: Prospect Watch

I'm not sure how well word has gotten out around the country, but here in Milwaukee, the name on everyone's lips is Brandon Jennings.

If you haven't heard of him, let me introduce you. Brandon Jennings was the Bucks' first round draft pick this year, a guy in a unique situation (at least for the time being, until more guys explore his pathway choices) who decided to play pro for a year in Italy instead of attending college. I just got done watching the Bucks defeat the Denver Nuggets, a game during which Jennings tied for the lead of all scorers (32 points, with Carmelo Anthony). The kid knocked down a bunch of late free throws looking cool as a cucumber. He appears to be the real deal, and I can see him making huge waves in the hobby. I don't collect basketball cards, but if I did, I'd jump all over his releases. At the moment, he doesn't have that many cards out, and most of the ones that have been produced have featured him in his Lottomatica Roma uniform. Jump on this opportunity now, while the secret's only halfway out.

Don't be fooled by the high-top fade. The hairstyle has changed, and the kid is here to stay. Straight-up baller.

Trade Me Anything! III: Trade #1

It's a great time to be alive, isn't it? The leaves have fallen, but the weather is unseasonably warm. A chill is soon bound to be in the air, but the time of having to think about and plan a Halloween costume has passed. We're in the thick of autumn, and this means the return of Trade Me Anything! Yes, Virginia, there is a third installment.

The good news is, the trades have started coming in. The great news is, you're all getting new backgrounds this year. For the first go-round, you got a glimpse of nature. Last year, a comic book connection was made. Any cards I'm trading this year will be backed by a DVD liner from my personal collection. Feel free to guess the connection between each DVD and the player that I'm trading. You won't get anything tangible, so you'll have to settle for respect.

Let's take a look at the first trade. This one comes from Don in Arkansas. A couple of years ago, Don traded me a sweet Hostess Oscar Gamble card, which I've since traded away. I loved it, but I had to set it free. Them's the breaks. I hope Oscar enjoys his current home, wherever it may be. But I digress...

Giving: 2009 Topps Updates & Highlights Topps Town Blue #TTT59 Justin Verlander and Propaganda #PP8 David Wright


Geting: The April 27, 1987 Issue of Sports Illustrated and 2009 Goudey #108 Prince Fielder


Pluses:
*An overabundance of Thanks goes out to Don for sending me what he couldn't have possibly realized was a huge part of my childhood. The Rob Deer SI issue was really the only issue of Sports Illustrated that existed in my home until I started my own subscription in 1994 or so. Once it hit the newsstands, my dad picked up a copy. You must realize that this period of time when my sports awareness really started to develop. Prior to the spring of 1987, sure, I had been to some Brewers and Bucks games, but never really had must of an idea of the larger scheme of things. I remember the Bears/Patriots Superbowl XX mismatch (my mom tried to get me to bet a quarter on the Pats, but I was having none of that action), and parts of the 1986 MLB playoffs are stuck somewhere in my memory, but other than that, nothing. When the home team wins 13 straight games to start the year, well, there's no other word for that than magic. This magazine takes me back to that time, and the period following its publication during which I must have read the thing from cover to cover at least a dozen times. Almost every single page sticks out in my mind:
Jackie Joyner-Kersee's baby picture? Check.
Bill Walton's shin splints? Check.
Rosa Mota dominates the Boston Marathon? Check.
All of the Phoenix Suns are on drugs? Check.

And most of all, at least among the non-Brewers stories, the cover teaser "Hockey's 6-Hour Thriller." The Caps and Islanders played well into the fourth overtime of an opening round NHL playoff game that was finally ended by a goal from New York's Pat LaFontaine. I have to show a picture of this event, not of the game, but of a family who stayed for the whole thing. This image has been seared into my brain for more than twenty-two years.

While most might say it was the husband's idea to stay until this game's bitter end, I'd be willing to bet it was the wife's call to hang around the Capital Centre long after their children's bedtime. She probably didn't even want to go, but made the family stay as a way of holding a grudge. At least in my mind she did.

I could really do a whole article on this issue, but I have other things to do tonight.

*Don sent along two SASEs. Excellent idea. You can generally fit the weight of two cards and a top loader in a first class tamped envelope, so I'm happy he sent enough postage for all three.

Minuses:
*I already have the Prince card. It's a cool card, though, but I'm not sure why UD decided to depict the slugger as if he were wearing eye makeup. Every time I see one of his cards from this set, it reminds me of Bill Murray. Maybe I'm thinking of him from Ed Wood...

...or perhaps it's his heavy makeup he was forced to wear in the Suntory commercials in Lost in Translation. Oh well. After getting that magazine, though, I have nothing to complain about.

Any guesses on the DVD liners? Leave 'em here.

Oh, and there's plenty of cards left if you want to Trade My Anything!

Is This Card Real?

Reader input requested:
I've been watching this card for a few days now, wondering whether I should bid or not.
The problem is, I have never seen a patch card in the Archives Reserve set. Not of Yount, not of anybody. Did Topps even place patch cards into this set?

The seller has awesome feedback and a huge number. The other patch cards in the picture look legitimate.
Tell me what you think. The auction ends tonight, and I've got an itchy bidding finger.

Trade Me Anything, or Buy Some Americana

Just an update, I've got some Donruss Americana available on eBay ending tomorrow, including an autograph and some numbered Proof cards. So if you like John Travolta, check it out.

Also, I'd like to remind everyone that Trade Me Anything! III still has some great cards available, so get in while you still can.

Just When You Think You've Seen Everything...

Yesterday, someone found my site on Google with this search:

Several points come to mind:

1. There are some sick fucks out there.

2. My site was only the thirteenth highest rated site according to that phrase's search algorithm? What am I doing wrong? Looks like I need to dial up the madness on this site a bit more. Now I have to do some proactive search engine optimization to ensure popping up on Google's front page. Here goes: "Yankees hearse with a Phillies coffin on top of it." There. Give it a day or two, and I'll be in the top five, easy.

3. A genuinely sad event, the death of Liam Neeson's wife Natasha Richardson, pops up a few slots ahead of Thorzul. That creeps me out even more that someone would search for that. The term "sore winner" comes to mind.

4. Someone will Photoshop of picture of, ahem, a Yankees hearse with a Phillies coffin on top of it. I just know one of you will. And then you will send it to me. I'm willing to bet this happens within the next three hours.

5. Final thought: Is there a Yankees hearse on standby deep within the bowels of New Yankee Stadium? With the vast coffers of that club, I can't completely rule out the hearse's existence. Gassed up and ready to go at all times, there's probably a guy who's paid more than the combined salaries of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Washington Nationals to keep it polished.

Who Wore it Better? -- Casey McGehee

It's been a long time since I posted one of these, and actually it will only be the second in the series. With J.J. Hardy gone and Carlos Gomez now a Brewer, it looks like we in Milwaukee won't be seeing the face of Mike Cameron, the first subject of this anthology, on the scoreboard any longer. Let's go with a guy who will be around in 2010, then. That means you, Casey McGehee. Who wore it better?

2009 Topps Updates & Highlights #UH296

2009 Topps Scoreboard

This one could go either way. First of all, the eternal batting vs. fielding debate could be invoked. I'd lean towards the hitting card, since the ball is microns away from the bat the time time this was captured. Always cool. However, more of Casey's face is visible on the scoreboard card. I can't decide, so you need to weigh in. You make the call.

Students, dayf, and Whores

A few non-card things to share tonight, though related to the blogosphere through one of its most prominent members. I've been saving a few of the things that have come across my desk during the first few months of the school year. The first of them might seem familiar to any of the lucky few who caught my "Mr. Bam" rant post last year. Well, the misnomer has returned, and this time it was from a student, not an adult, and she just wanted to give me a picture she drew.

The Cardboard Junkie himself hopped upon the bandwagon surrounding this hysteria, and a really long time ago he sent me some cards. I don't remember what the cards were, but I did manage to save the accompanying note.

Whenever I look at this, it makes me remember that all is right with the world. I would put this somewhere at the top of the Mr. Men list, just ahead of that insufferable Mr. Fussy. Geez, you put one ascot of his back in the wrong order, and that dandy just looks down his nose at you for a solid two weeks. Mr. Bam puts up with no shit and plays no games. Piss him off and BOOM, you're missing six of your fingers.

Lastly, I have to share one of the reading response answers one of my students wrote. Figure this one out for yourselves.

I just can't stand it when the 'hores get out of control. So many "childrin" get hurt when that happens.