Happy New Year, new PC status

Well I could go on about my New Year's collecting resolutions just like every other blog out there but I won't.  I did that last year and after about September or so, I couldn't stick to it any longer.  Why?  Well this year we had two major card shows in my area, the National show, and a host of other smaller events that popped up.  I'm a sucker for a good show and none of these were an exception. 

I did begin a new PC in 2011, against my better judgement.  I began collecting Eric Tangradi cards as one of my player collection in addition to Super Mario, Jags, and Billy G.  The first is a HOFer, the second most certainly will be, and the third has more character, integrity, and grit in his pinky finger than 90% of the league ever did.  So how does a minor leaguer with only a few opportunities to move up to the big leagues and a wicked injury to his credit fit into this mix?  I don't really know. 

All I know is that Tangradi is a beast of a winger at 6' 4", 232lbs.  He has the potential to wreak havoc in front of the net and a grinders mentality.  Currently, he leads Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with 13 goals and is tied for 2nd in total points with 23.  He made the AHL All Star team last year and has a great shot at making it again this year.  For some reason, though, he just hasn't been able to solidify an extended look in the NHL.  I'm holding out hope for big things to come.

There are a little more than 150 cards for Eric at the moment, 50+ of them are 1/1's.  I've picked up a few out of packs, a couple in trade, and the rest from the Bay.  I'm up to about 32 different cards with a few dupes.  If you want to check out the collection so far, you can go here.

Pens vs. Blackhawks; 3 Stars

The Pens were able to hold off an 8 minute Blackhawk barrage in the 3rd period to hang onto a 3-2 win at Consol tonight.  The Pens are now 2 games out of 1st in the division and I believe 3 games back in the East.  The Hawks, despite the loss, are still statistically the best team in hockey.  Tonights 3 stars Crown Royale style...

3. Viktor Stalberg - - this guy was a beast on the ice and if it wasn't for the posts, the game would have been 4-2 Hawks.  He deserves it.

2.  Marc-Andre Fleury - - Fleury, as usual, is a beast in net for the Pens.  He continues to dominate in the absence of many players due to injury.  Clearly the MVP of the team thus far.

1.  Evgeni Malkin - - He has definitely stepped it up in Crosby's absence.  He had 6 shots on goal and 3 assists to show for it.  He also took a high stick in the face which led to a 4:00 penalty, that eventually saw the game winner scored. 

Merry Christmas, You're Fired!

Sounds like something The Donald would say on his continually watered down reality show, doesn't it?  Well the only reality here is that Jacques Martin has been fired as the Habs coach.  I have many comments and thoughts on this subject, although I probably shouldn't even care.  But I'm gonna let anyone that would like the floor to voice their thoughts. 

Here is the six degrees of separation to the Penguins...1 step...Cunneyworth spent four seasons with the Pens from 1985-1989.  He was a work horse winger, playing 70+ games a year, all of which scoring over 40 points each season.  

But I will say this, as much as I liked Randy Cunneyworth as a player when he was on the Pens back in the day...come on, folks.  The guy doesn't even speak French. 

Show & Tell: Player PC Addition

I don't post a whole lot of PC love on the site.  I don't know why either.  The whole purpose of collecting is to collect what you like, right?  Well I felt that this one was definitely share worthy. 

I picked this one up from the Bay about a week or two ago.  It comes from the ITG Canada Vs. The World set that came out this year.  I haven't picked up any boxes of this (I know, shocking isn't it?) and really didn't plan on it as their were many other priorities when it hit the shelves.  I like them.  I mean, I like everything ITG puts out.  I just didn't get overhyped by the set or concept. 

I have been a little gun shy about Jags since his Benedict Arnold loving butt parked itself in Philadelphia.  He meant so much to the Pens and the city of Pittsburgh in his time spent there that although it was a business deal, every fan felt betrayed.  So I have been less than motivated to add to this collection.  But, lets face it.  He is still one of the greatest ever. 

So when I saw this, I had to have it.  Let's just say it looks 1000X's better in person than it did in any picture.  Here's my contribution to show and tell...

The best part is that it shows Jags in his early 2000's Pens jersey with a Penguin swatch as well as a swatch from his Czech Republic sweater from world competition.

Down Time

For anyone that may have noticed, the site has been inaccessible for a few days.  For as good as Blogger has been about keeping things clean around here, they failed epically recently.  While looking over my "blog roll" on the side, I noticed that there was some "questionable" advertising posted on my main page.  Upon further review, many of my posts, a ton of my images, and links to my pages had all been changed to...lets just say sites that are unrelated to either sports or cards (although I guess some might call it a sport).  Either way, I apologize to anyone that may have been offended but I think it may be fixed for now. 

Let me know if you find anything that might be broken.

Happy Thanksgiving (or in Canada, Happy Thursday)

Thanksgiving is a time to reconnect with family and friends.  It's a time to not only celebrate the beginning of the holiday season but also to reflect on all the things that have brought joy and cheer to us throughout the year.  But enough of that sappy, sentimental crap.  Since this is a card/sports blog, here is what I am thankful for in relation to this great hobby of ours.

5.  I am thankful that the card companies are all finally starting to wise up to the fact that the blogging community of card collectors are not going away.  This past year, especially, the manufacturers have began paying attention to the blogs, listening to the suggestions of collectors and taking heed to the voice of the hobby.  Many of them have established their own blogs in addition to taking advantage of Facebook, Twitter, and the other social media outlets that are available.  It is a new age in card collecting and they are finally realizing they need to get out of the 80s.  Although there are many things broken with the hobby, this is probably this biggest step in the right direction in many, many years.

4.  I am thankful for (and you may chastise me as you wish) my local card shop.  Although the brick and mortar store of old has become as rare as the blue footed booby, those of us fortunate to have one nearby (that being a relative term) still use it to our advantage.  I have used my shop to meet other collectors, talk about the hobby, trade with collectors, increase my collection, and of course pick up those ever elusive supplies that I need almost too regularly.  Despite the draw to buy online and save the money, I'm still old fashioned in that I like to see it, touch it, and open it right there amidst the glass cases of cardboard heaven.

3.  I am thankful for the fact that it would appear, at least on the surface, that card redemption programs seem to be on their way out or at the very least, gearing for an overhaul.  Although there are still many manufacturers that still put them into packs to the chagrin of us collectors, it seems they are getting less and less over the last three years.  I'll clarify this by saying that my experience is 95% with hockey products and there are only two manufacturers since 2010-11 and only one since 2005.  While I have had a better than average experience with getting the cards back from the manufacturers, we all know that many of you have not.  Of course my biggest gripe has always been the expired redemptions.  I'm not a "big hit" collector but there is nothing that bugs me more than pulling a redemption that could have been an auto or GU of someone highly collectible only to find out that they are sorry but they can't honor an expired redemption.  But nonetheless, it seems it may be close to running it's course.  We can only hope, right?

2.  I am thankful that I have the privilege of being a Pittsburgh sports fan.  Let's face it, we have some storied franchises in the Burgh that have great tradition and a long history of championship caliber competition.  We have a 3 time Stanley Cup winning team currently with some of the best talent in all the NHL.  These guys are young, highly skilled, well coached, and very entertaining to watch.  They put a great product on the ice that continually sells out each and every night.  We have a 6 time Super Bowl championship team that, at least right now, appears to be primed for at least another playoff run.  They have been in the playoffs 26 times, most of which in my lifetime, won 20 division titles, and 8 conference championships.  We also have a baseball team (originally I ended it there but...) who believe it or not, do have 5 World Series rings.  Sure they haven't fielded a winning team since I was in middle school but that's no reason to fret.  I have had an opportunity to see some great players come up through the ranks, developing into solid star players (for other teams).  I have no ill feelings toward the Pirates though.  It makes it easy to be a team collector when no one else out there wants anything to do with their cards.

1.  Most of all, I am thankful for all the great people I have talked with, emailed, met, traded with, and interact with on an almost daily basis in this awesome hobby.  The people that blog are some of the nicest, most grounded, down to earth people you will ever meet.  Since starting this blog in 2009, I have grown my collection 10 fold and it is mostly due to the blogging community.  Everyone is generous and eager to help other collectors out (I should follow their lead sometime when I grow up).  I never thought that this hobby and blogging experience would amount to much other than a creative outlet for my compulsion (which it has) but it has also brought me some great friendships.  I am glad I have carved out my own little piece of this great community of ours.


I encourage anyone else, both blogger and reader to share what they are thankful for in this hobby.  If you have a blog and published a post like this already, put the link in the comments.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!! 
(unless of course you are in Canada then I say to you, Happy Thursday)