The Return of Sidney Crosby: Not Too Shabby

After almost a year off due to a concussion, it was interesting to see how Sidney Crosby would play in his return last night against the New York Islanders. Would he be rusty? Could he return to form as one of the best NHL players in the game? Well as last night showed, he still has it. 2 goals and 2 assists in his first game back. Not bad at all, and it's good to see that Crosby looks healthy and the concussion is behind him. Here's hoping to a successful and healthy season for him. I only have one card of his, but I made it a good one. A dual patch with Penguin legend Mario Lemieux. It was definitely a consideration for my top 100 list as it features a couple of multi colored patches of two Pittsburgh greats. I definitely want to pick up an auto of Crosby down the line, but if he keeps playing like this, I might have to dish out some major dough!

Top 100 Cards of My Collection #1 The Grand Finale

We're finally here, 99 cards have come and gone and we've finally made it to the end of the road. When I first started this in March, it was a project to help pass time since I had given up buying stuff for my collection for lent. It gave me an opportunity to sit back and take a look at the collection I have amassed the past 20 odd years. It was really cool going back and trying to come with a list of my 100 favorite cards. It was also a very difficult decision and as you've seen from my honorable mentions, I had to make some very tough choices. However there was one card that I never ever wavered on. It was a slam dunk #1 card no doubt about it. It's a card I chased since my childhood. A card I never ever imagined owning, until finally in the spring of 2009 I was able to obtain, in my opinion the holy grail of my collection. The #1 card in my collection is this

Hands down in my collection, the best basketball card ever made. No game used patches, no autographs, no serial numbers, just a flawless card featuring the most famous action shot in basketball card history. I remember being a little kid, and asking for this card every Christmas, hoping and wishing I would get it. As I got older, I remember thinking when I got a job, this would be the first card I would buy, if I could afford it that is. Luckily for me, after years of waiting, I was able to buy this gem. I don't collect for the grade, but I know with a MJ rookie, there are so many counterfeits, so I had to go graded to make sure I got a legit copy. Without a shadow of a doubt, my best and most favorite card of my collection. I hope you have enjoyed taking a look at the collection I've been able to accumulate the past 20 years. Collecting has been a huge part of most my life, it's a hobby that I enjoy and love, and from the Penny Hardaway Finest Rookie to the MJ Fleer Rookie, I'm proud of my entire collection and it was my pleasure showcasing the best of the best so to speak of my collection.

Game Used Greatness: 2008 Nelson Cruz Game Used Jersey

Another awesome addition to my game used collection. Won this off Mears Auction, Game Used Nelson Cruz jersey. Great piece!

Top 100 Cards of My Collection #2 2001 Donruss Elite Throwback Threads Babe Ruth Jersey

We're down to the final two cards and yes here's a familiar face as this is the 3rd Babe Ruth card in the top 10 (4th in top 15). Ho Hum just another Babe Ruth jersey card right? No, not to me, this is my favorite Ruth jersey card out of all my Babe Ruth memorabilia cards because it's the oldest and also because of this

I always loved the older Donruss memorabilia cards because they show a picture of the actual jersey they cut up to put put in their cards. It's a lost art nowadays (hell, you don't even get what the swatch actually is a piece of anymore) and to me it makes older game used cards much more desirable than their modern day counterparts. That leaves one card left on the countdown, if Babe is #2 who could possibly be #1???? You'll find out soon as the countdown is very close to reaching it's finale!

Sports Cards and Memories Salute to Lance Berkman and the St. Louis Cardinals

 

I'll admit, I'm not exactly thrilled the way the World Series ended for the Rangers. Though I'm not a hardcore fan, more of a casual fan, I was pulling for Texas because my best friend is a huge fan of theirs, and I wanted them to win it for him. I'll tell you what though, this World Series pulled me more than any other series I've ever seen. That game 6 was unbelievable, I've never seen such a game in my life in  any sport. Though the Rangers lost, I always like to see superstars who've played for years get their first ring. For example, Dirk beating the Heat was so awesome and satisfying, because for stars, unfairly or fairly you are measured by championships, and finally nabbing one put Dirk up there as officially one of the NBA's best.

Lance Berkman's 1997 Bowman Chrome Rookie Card

That was the case with Lance Berkman. He played so many years with the Houston Astros, he got his chance in 05, but the Stros got swept by the White Sox. Last year, Berkman had a horrible year and was traded to the Yankees where he had a less than stellar stint there. Signs were pointing to his decline, but he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason to play outfield. Many thought this was nuts, but Berkman proved his doubters wrong and was a valuable part of the St. Louis Cardinals Lineup. He returned the All Star Game and helped lead the Cardinals to an improbable playoff run and eventually the World Series. His contributions in the World Series were invaluable, he came up clutch hits and last night he  got to hoist up that World Series trophy for the first time in his career.

  My In Person Autograph of Lance Berkman. Got this at a Card Show in San Antonio where he was one of the free players signing. Had no idea who he was at the time, just thought eh why not free auto! 

The card above is an in person autograph I got of Berkman at a small card show in San Antonio. He was one of athletes signing for free and if memory serves me correct he was still in the minors at the time. I had no clue who he was, I just got it cause it was free and I wasn't gonna turn down a free autograph! The cool thing about the show was I was flipping through some cards there was a couple beside me looking for some rookie cards of their son. They happened to be Lance Berkman's parents. I always thought that was pretty cool and it's something I'll never forget. So congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals and most importantly to Lance Berkman for finally getting his championship. Hopefully in the future, I can say the same about the Rangers because I have feeling they'll be a fixture in the playoffs for years to come!

Alarming Story about Possible Fake Memorabilia being used in Cards

I was looking at the Game Used Universe Message Boards and came across this story

http://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com...ed-with-fraud/

The scary thing is that some of these crooks actually sold doctored jerseys to card companies who bought them under the assumption that they were real, and inserted them into their cards. This is horrible news for collectors and now feeds in to the beliefs many have, that memorabilia cards were sketchy and fake. I don't know what's going to happen now, the article doesn't state specific jerseys that were faked and sold to the card companies, but now one has to wonder how much confidence collectors will have in buying game used cards of anybody now.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection #3 06-07 SP Signature Edition SP Signatures Michael Jordan

To me one of the ultimate goals a basketball collector can achieve is to obtain an autograph of the greatest basketball player that ever lived. Nowadays, Upper Deck has made it pretty easy with it's barrage of college themed sets and don't get me wrong, any MJ autograph is awesome and should be a treasure of one's collection, but to me the ultimate goal would be to obtain an autograph featuring MJ in his Chicago Bulls threads, like this card shown here at #3. The only thing that could possibly make this card better is if it were on card instead of a sticker autograph, but nonetheless this is a sweet autograph of Jordan. I grew up with MJ, he's the one who initially got me into basketball, and he was so larger than life, and I never thought I'd ever own an autograph of him. Luckily as Upper Deck made more and more autographs of him (I know some people cringe about that notion that UD is diluting the MJ Autograph market) they became more affordable and that's how I was able to add this beauty. Besides the sticker autograph, the only other reason this tops out at #3 is that I have a UDA certified autographed framed 8X10 photo of Jordan as well. It's in a Washington Wizards uniform, but the autograph is nice and crisp and done in silver pen, and that was my first MJ auto ever so autograph wise that's my favorite. But we're talking about cards here, and my 2nd favorite Jordan autograph happens to my 3rd favorite card out of my whole collection. Not a bad consolation prize I'd say!