Check It

Panini has once again resurrected a dead insert set.  This years 2012-13 Score release has reintroduced to the world to the Check-It set.  This punishment themed set coincides well with the NHL's new policies that crack down hard on the very existence of what this set glorifies.

Fine by me.  Checking is a vital part of the game and a well executed one can be the most exciting moment of any game.  They can change the momentum.  They can get a crowd into a game.  They can make a statement.

Back in 1995-96, Score made their statement, unleashing this set onto the world.  Let's take a look.

 

Then again in 1997-98, Score's Pinnacle release, their "high end" at the time, brought back the set for a second time.  As many of the Pinnacle release inserts, they went all out in their presentation with a holofoil printing (I don't think it was dufex because that wasn't invented yet...I could be wrong).

Fast forward fifteen years to 2012-13 Score and we have it again.  These are the only two I have.

I like these sets, I like the subject material, but I don't like the photos.  Why?  How many of these cards actually show a check being dished out?  I count 4.  The rest of these are events either before, after, or some kind of awkward positioning.

A few of the highlights here...

Chris Pronger gets the honor of being here twice (only because I had them handy).  The first one features him cross-checking Troy Loney into the boards.  The second one has him holding down a NJ Devil player (although I don't know who that is)...NOT CHECKING.  Jagr is shown digging a puck out, more than likely by the boards..NOT CHECKING.  Brind'Amour is in the middle of a spin move in his synchronized skating event with his partner...NOT CHECKING.  Dino Ciccerelli is mugging a Ranger with a half-nelson, sleeper hold move...I'll give them that one.  Derian Hatcher is about to give a slough foot to Paul Kariya...NOT CHECKING, YET.  Owen Nolan is doing something, I'm not sure what, but it isn't CHECKING.  It looks kind of like he just avoided being checked.  Maybe a better name for this set could be Awkward Positioning, or Penalty Potential.

Any thoughts? 

Part 2: 1997-98 Pinnacle Hockey Box Break

Ok, so I'm posting this back to back only because I really have nothing better to do since my office shut down due to the 8 inches of snow that fell overnight.

I had to move forward with the other box because I couldn't bare to leave this set incomplete. I was 26 cards short on the base set. I ended up with 23 doubles and 1 triple. Despite the weird photography and the somehow washed out look of the cards, I like them for some reason. I think I am going to put them in a book.

First, here are some of the interesting cards that I like for whatever other reason than their photography is kind of bizarre:


Apparently Hannah & Tonia love Matthew Barnaby. He seems happy about the news.



Jarome Iginla is going to destroy this camera, then you, then Tokyo. In that order.



How dapper Paul looks in this picture. Why don't more people actually wear tux's to award shows. It would really make for a better production.


I am not real sure what is going on here. I think Trevor found a stencil kit and went to work. Is this really on the wall somewhere in Vancouver? All I know is "this hallway has an obligation."


I want to know if this is a case where the photographer shot too early. It would appear that way. This picture cracks me up.


Good old Petr. Yeah, that's spelled right. Not only did he forget his practice uniform on photo day, he forgot his skates too. Didn't someone tell him it wasn't fashionable to tuck your shirt into your sweat pants? Awesome.

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So I broke the other box and I am still 8 cards short of the base set. I got two "hits" in this one instead of 3 like the first box. The first one is a Saku Koivu Epix Moment Purple. I think this is the only card out of both boxes that might have some value. Oh, wait. I forgot about that mirror/non-mirror from the first box. Ok so it is one of only two cards with any value. The other hit was an Eric Fichaud Rink Collection. Nothing special there.

I can possibly get my hands on two more of these for cheap but now I don't know if it is worth it since out of two boxes, I got five non-base cards and am still 8 cards short of a 200 card set. If anyone out there wants some of my doubles, send me a wantlist because chances are I got them.

First Box Break of the Year - - 1997-98 Pinnacle Hockey

Yeah, that's right people. 1997-98 Pinnacle Hockey!! I figured for the first box break of the year I would travel back in time to last decade when all thing were pure and clean. We used to have these things called cars back then. They had four wheels and took us from place to place on these things called roads. We even had to fill them with this fuel substance called gasoline...what's that you say? We still have those? Oh, but I thought this was the future!!

At any rate...where was I? Oh, yeah. 1997-98 Pinnacle Hockey!! Don't ask me how I came about these (I say these because I have 2 boxes) because it is not a very interesting story. Regardless, I have them now. In going over my inventory, it would appear that I don't really have much in the way of Pinnacle from the late 90's (I think I have the 93-94 set, that's it), let alone cards in general from 1997-98. Now 98-99, that was when I blew up the wax packs. So here we go with a box of late 90's fun. This may be a long post. As an added bonus, I can win a chance to get NHL '98. SWEET!

1997-98 Pinnacle Hockey

10 Cards/Pack
20 Packs/Box
200 Card Base Set (so barring no double or inserts, I could get the whole set in 1 box)
Inserts include: Rink Collection 1:100, Epix 1:24, Artist's Proof 1:39, Masks 1:89 Team Pinnacle 1:99, Authentic Press Plates 1:2,250, Certified Souvenir 1:3,888

--First pack reveals a Joe Thornton "Rookie"? I don't think that one is really considered a rookie card. Either way, it is stamped that way. Also, I got an ad for a Pinnacle Branded Screw Down holder for only 5.99 plus 2.00 S&H. What a deal.

--Pack 2: Dan Cleary "Rookie". Again, don't think this is really considered a rookie.

--Pack 3: Team Pinnacle Koivu/Forsberg. I can't really tell if this is the mirror version or not. The front is glossy white/blue, the back (Forsberg side) is shiny mirror foil/blue. Either way, nice card!

--Pack 4: Erik Rasmussen Rookie and a Pinnacle Trading Card Survey. Hilarious.

--Pack 5: Robert Dome Rookie

--Pack 6: Marian Hossa, Boyd Devereaux, and Sergei Samsonov Rookies. I think the Hossa is probably the key rookie in this set.

--Pack 7: Kevyn Adams Rookie

--Pack 8: Terry Ryan and Patrick Marleau "Rookies"

--Pack 9: Donald Maclean and Olli Jokinen "Rookies". I forgot about Olli, he is probably the other key rookie other than the Hossa in this set.

--Pack 10: Brad Isbister and Magnus Arvedson Rookies

--Pack 11: Mattias Ohlund and Alexei Morozov Rookies

--Pack 12: Robert Dome Rookie...another one.

--Pack 13: Terry Ryan and Chris Dingman Rookies. The second Ryan. It's safe to say at this point there is no chance at a complete set of these.

--Pack 14: Chris Phillips Rookie and...Brendan Shanahan Epix Play Orange. It's shiny. I don't have any others like this. I like it.

--Pack 15: Alyn McCauley Rookie

--Pack 16: Espen Knutsen Rookie and Donald MacLean Rink Collection. More shiny. So far thats a 1:100, 1:99, and 1:24 hit. Not bad. Could be better, but not bad.

--Pack 17: Marc Savard and Jaroslav Svejkovsky Rookies

--Pack 18: Jan Bulis Rookie

--Pack 19: Nothing except 3 Keith Tkachuk's. 3 in the same pack.

--Pack 20: There is no pack 20!! The audacity!! What happened to quality control? That's it. I wasn't going to but now I'm filling out that customer service survey that I got in pack 4.

So now it looks like I am going to have to break the other box. I will spare my readers the boring details and post only the good stuff next time as well as some of my favorite photography. I think if the photos are bad, they should be considered error cards. Stay tuned.