They Paired Him with Who??? A Look at Dual Game Used or Autograph Pairings

Ah yes, the multicard memorabilia or autograph (or both!) card. A collectors dream come true. 2 or more autographs or pieces of jersey on one card! What more can you ask for?? Sometimes though, the player combinations are head-scratching, especially when you pair a Hall of Famer caliber player, with well let's just say a non Hall of Fame caliber player. My favorite example is seeing LeBron James/Luke Jackson dual autographs pop up on EBay. You have one of the greatest players in the game today paired with.......Luke Jackson. Now obviously those who remember know that Luke Jackson was a lottery pick bust of Cleveland, so at the time the pairing made sorta sense. But now looking at it today, it's a sight for sore eyes seing LeBron paired with.....Luke Jackson, lol. Now the flip side to this, is you might be able to get certified autos or game used cheaper if the paired athlete is bad enough so to speak. Here's a look at my favorite 5 bad pairings that I have in my collection along with a redemption story of a card at the end. All these cards were in consideration for making my countdown, but the player that these guys were paired with was enough to keep them out.

2004 Playoff Prime Signatures Prime Pairings Brett Favre Daunte Culpepper Kyle Boller

Here is a great example of a card that could've at least had two awesome signatures out of three, but thanks to Duante Culpepper's fast downward spiral, and Kyle Boller being Kyle Boller, Brett Favre, one of the best QB's of all time is stuck with a guy who peaked too soon, and another guy who just never peaked. At least Culpepper had some success, but Favre deserves better than this. This was one of those examples of probably being able to pick up a Favre auto a little cheaper than say a solo certified autograph or one feature a better combination of players.

02-03 Upper Deck Playbooks Michael Jordan/Jay Williams

This is a very cool concept. It's a booklet card (kinda of predates the Triple Threads booklets) that opens and features two nice jersey swatches of Michael Jordan, the greatest player ever to play in the NBA and.....Jay Williams, #2 pick of the 02 draft. Now to be fair, this card included Jay Williams cause A)He was a spokesman for Upper Deck and B)He was supposed to be the point guard of the future for this young Chicago Bulls team, but unfortunately a motorcycle accident derailed his career permanently and we'll never really know if this card really had a chance to be something special. This set also features a dual Kobe/Jay Williams and a dual Kobe/MJ.

03-04 SPX Winning Combos LeBron James/Darko Milicic

Everyone remembers the great Darko debate and how he was chosen ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and hell even Chris Kaman. This card looks really bad in retrospect, but at the time it was just a common pairing of the #1 and #2 picks of the 03 drafts. One just went on to become one of the greatest superstars in the league while the other....was Darko.

97-98 Topps Stadium Club Co-Signers Karl Malone/Keith Van Horn

The Co-Signers series across all sports have some very random and weird autograph combinations. I used to own a Kobe/Damon Stoudemire Co-Signers that would have made this list. Again, given the time, you were pairing an all star power forward (maybe the greatest of all time) with a supposedly future all star power forward in the #2 pick of the 97 draft Keith Van Horn. Unfortunately Van Horn became nothing but a solid journeyman and never really lived up to the hype. Karl Malone doesn't have too much certified stuff out there, it's a shame one of his auto's is paired up with Keith Van Horn.

98-99 Topps Stadium Club Co-Signers Tim Duncan/Jayson Williams

Poor Timmy, seems like when it comes to the hobby he really never gets the respect he deserves. How bout being paired with a guy tried for manslaughter in one of your few certified autographs out there? This was actually made a year after Jayson Williams made his first and only All Star team, of course injuries would end his career, but he's more famous for accidentally killing his limo driver while playing around with a loaded shotgun. Not exactly  a guy who deserves to be paired with a 4 time NBA Champion and 3 times Finals MVP that's for sure.

2001 UD Minors Centennial Joe Dimaggio/Josh Hamilton Dual Jersey/Bat

Annnnnd finally the feel good redemption story. For a longgggggggggg time this card would have been considered one of the greatest slaps in the face for Joe Dimaggio. One of the most revered baseball players of all time paired up with...the biggest bust in recent memory who let drugs and alcohol ruin his career and life. How could this card exist??? Luckily for Josh Hamilton, he got his life together and did become a great baseball player not only winning the 2010 MVP but also being a main cog in leading the Texas Rangers to their first ever World Series appearance. No Josh Hamilton is not Joe Diamggio, but at least now its not unfathomable for him to share a card with the Yankee great.

Here's a question, what are you favorite head scratching dual cards in your collection???

Zach Randolph: Beast Most ACTIVATED

What else can you say about Zach Randolph against the Spurs. The guy simply turned it up a couple notches and turned in one hell of a series. Randolph had this stigma about being a selfish aloof player who was a horrible teammate and horrible to coach. A immature whiner, who only cared about personal stats. You can throw that alllllllllllll out the window, because if you watched this series, you could see it in his eyes, he cared, and he did whatever it took to win. I hope this is the kind of attitude Randolph keeps throughout the rest of his career cause if so, he has definitely turned me into a fan. The Grizzlies wanted this series so much more than the Spurs, it was very obvious throughout the series. I haven't really seen Randolph play much, since his career stops include Portland, New York(when they were baddddddd), and the Clippers, so it's not like he got national exposure much, and add Memphis to that list as well, but what I saw in this series was simply amazing. I know it's was just the 1st round, but for the Grizzlies, they got their 1st playoff win, 1st playoff home win, and 1st playoff series win and it's basically because Randolph willed himself and his teammates to get this thing done. Everytime I thought the Grizzlies would crack, they would shut me up and get right back into the game, they never quit, not once. The team as a whole played great, but it was Randolph time after time hitting clutch shots, clutch free throws, getting to the line with sheer force, and if it wasn't for him, game 5 would've been a blowout for the Spurs, and we would be looking at a Game 7 in San Antonio. The only Randolph card I have in my collection is this autograph from 01-02 Topps Pristine. I bought this years ago when Zach was first coming up in Portland. A dealer at a local card show had a $3 bin, and remember picking this up, thinking it was worth the risk, as it was only $3. Of course, the card got forgotten about until now, and now it seems like this $3 gamble really paid off!

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#64 03-04 SP Signature Edition Authentic Signatures John Stockton

When 03/04 SP Signature Edition came out, I was intrigued and bought two tins off EBay. It was probably the best two pack hit I've ever had. I not only pulled a Dennis "The Worm" Rodman Famous Nicknames autograph (BV $300, sold it a while back) but I pulled this baby. Two tins, two very nice hits. If you don't remember this was one of John Stockton's first certified autograph cards since the famous 92-93 Hoops card, so the supply of Stockton autographs was very limited, add to that  this was a short printed autograph, and I'd say that it was $100 well spent. I wish I would've stopped there, but over the course of the year I bought 5 or 6 more tins, with not much luck (I believe the next best card I ever pulled was a Peja/Zarko Cabarkapa dual auto, lol). Stockton of course is the all time assists leader and one of the greatest players ever to play the game. Stockton has such a large nice legible signature, and of course it's an on card auto as the sticker era hadn't quite kicked in yet. Stockton ended up signing a lot more after this, and he's got plenty of options to choose from now, but at the time, this was definitely the card to have and I was lucky enough to actually pull it.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#65 92-93 Hoops Draft Redemption Shaquille O'Neal

We'll stay with the Shaq Rookie Card Insert theme with card #65 on the countdown, another card that I had wanted for years, Shaq's Hoops Draft Redemption card. This card was part of a 10 card Draft Redemption set that you could receive by pulling the exchange card and sending it in. The exchange card was a tough pull out of 92-93 Hoops Series One, at 1:360 packs, but those who were lucky enough were rewarded with one of Shaq's earliest cards. It's crazy to see how young Shaq looks here, even crazier that Shaq just finished his 19th season in the league. Everything I said about the Magic's All Rookie Team insert applies here as well, as this is a card that brings back so many memories about hunting down Shaq cards. Definitely a classic in my collection.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#66 92-93 Hoops Magic's All RookieTeam Shaquille O'Neal

As has been stated numerous times already, I LOVE 90's insert cards, but the cards that really are near and dear to me are Shaq rookie issued cards. I hadn't been collecting long when Shaq was drafted in 1992 and being a little kid, I was AMAZED by this giant of an athlete who had the strength to bring backboards down with one of his rim shattering dunks. Of course I wouldn't be the only one, and Shaq's first NBA cards helped fueled interest in 92-93 products. I had very limited means of income of course, having to build my collection mainly through pack busting, which was not too successful. So for most of Shaq's rookie cards, I had to sit and dream of the day I'd be able to own my "dream cards". This definitely was one of the cards I always wanted. The insert itself is nothing revolutionary, gold foil is about all that differentiates this from the base cards, but I dunno, there's just something about this card that I still love, and a lot has to do with childhood memories. These cards were inserted in packs of NBA Hoops series II at a rate of 1:30 so that aren't terribly difficult to find. Of course the premise of the set was that Magic Johnson personally picked the rookies he wanted and he would do this until 95 when Grant Hill took over as a Fleer/Skybox spokesman. This is definitely one of Shaq's more popular rookie insert cards and though it took me years to finally acquire it, I finally was able to get one of those cards I
always wanted as a kid...and it was just as awesome as I dreamed it would be.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#67 96-97 E-X 2000 A Cut Above Anfernee Hardaway

Hands down my favorite Penny insert in my collection. The scan doesn't do this card justice. When I blogged about missing the days when inserts ruled the world, it was these kind of cards that I was talking about. They don't make em like this anymore. It's such a cool unique die cut card and although it doesn't show in the scan it is a very shiny card as well. These were inserted at a very tough 1:288 rate in the inaugural E-X 2000 set Fleer put out in the 96-97 season. More often than not these cards go over book. If I recall I believe I paid around $60 for this but it was well worth it for this beauty of a card.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#68 2004 SP Authentic Sign Of The Times Peyton Manning

What more can be said about Peyton Manning that has not already been said. He's been to two Super Bowls (won one) and he's always in the debate of "Who is the Greatest Quarterback of All-Time". The numbers certainly don't lie, as barring a significant injury, many people feel Peyton Manning will be next in line to hold many of the significant football passing records. He's a sure fire no-brainer Hall of Famer of course. This is a nice on-card autograph from 2004 Sp Authentic. As I stated earlier, SP Authentic has some of the best autograph subsets across the 4 major sports and Sign of the Times was a staple in SP Authentic. Peyton has such a nice big legible signature, and of course it's an on card autograph, which always add value and earns extra points in my book.
A Hall of Fame autograph of a Hall of Fame caliber player. Can't beat it.

I Miss The Days When Inserts Ruled The Hobby World

There's always been reasons why people collect cards, rookie cards are what carried the hobby in the 80's, but in the 90's where I really began collecting heavily it was the insert card. Back in the 90's when certified autographs were a rarity, and memorabilia cards did not exist, it was insert cards that helped drive sales for card companies. All the major companies at the time, had to consistently come up with new and innovative cards and they definitely did not disappoint. Some of the best cards in my opinion come from this era. Each company had their own unique spin on inserts, for Upper Deck, I really loved the way the used die cut and holograms infused in their insert sets, Topps and the Chrome/Finest like finish on their inserts were really nice, and to me when it came to innovation, no one could top Fleer. Insert cards used to be the cards that people would chase, the 1:360 mega pull, the die cut foiled rare gem of a superstar is what everyone dreamed to pull, but it wasn't just those cards, almost every insert set put out in this time weather it be a 1:6 pack insert or a 1:720 pack, just seem like a lot of thought and effort was put into the design and when you opened that pack and saw one of these insert cards, you knew you'd pulled something different and special. Then in 1996 Upper Deck started inserted game used jersey cards in their product and a new era was born. At first, Game Used Jersey cards were the holy grails and inserts were still prominent but slowly but surely, companies decided to overflood the market with game used memorabilia cards, and the insert card became nothing but an afterthought. Besides parallels, insert cards as rare chase cards have basically become extinct. No longer do companies seem to put as much effort into these sets as they used to, they'd rather use their time to create countless memorabilia sets which of course is what the collector wants. Yes, Upper Deck reintroduced Jambalaya a couple times in their E-X sets, but for the most parts, especially in my opinion with Panini, inserts have become boring bland cards that just feel like they're there just for the sake of being there. I would love for the insert to make a comeback, though I really can't see it coming, but it's good to see collectors still appreciate and love those insert cards of the 90's. Here's a tribute to insert cards from the 90's and early 2000's as i show off the inserts that I grew up with and loved.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#69 09-10 SP Signature 4 Star Signature Jerry West/Slater Martin/Bill Sharman/Dave Cowens

If dual autos are sweet, how bout quad autos??? This comes from one of Upper Deck's last NBA licensed sets and it's a beauty. This card features 4 hall of famers, 3 that were named to the NBA's 50 greatest players list (Jerry West, Bill Sharman, Dave Cowens), and of course features the two teams that are the face of the NBA, Lakers and Celtics. Yes it's a sticker autograph (in fact I believe the first on my countdown) but even sticker based this card looks great. This card is also numbered to 39 copies so there aren't too many of these floating around. Many NBA fans are of  course familiar with Jerry West (aka "The Logo") as well as Sharman and Cowens, but there may be some who scratch their heads on why Slater Martin was included. Martin was part of the Minneapolis Lakers teams of the 50's that won 4 titles, so he's probably overlooked because of the era in played in. He was a great defensive player and a 7 time all star who inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982. Slater Martin is also only the second Texas Longhorn to have his jersey retired (#15). I think that more than warrants inclusion on such a star-studded card. You definitely can't beat 4 legends of basketball
on one card.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#70 03-04 SP Signature Edition Alumni Associates Reggie Miller/Bill Walton

An autographed card is awesome, a dual autograph card is even better. 03-04 was the first year Upper Deck came out with SP Signature Edition for basketball. The 1 auto per pack wasn't anything new, it'd had already been done numerous times, but Upper Deck's inaugural basketball offering happened to coincide with Lebron James rookie year making it a really big hit. There are numerous awesome cards throughout the set as shown with this card at #70. I love this card on so many levels. One, it's on-card of course, two it features one hall of famer and one sure to be hall of famer (how Reggie Miller did not make the Hall of Fame this year is beyond me), and I love
the theme, taking two greats from UCLA and pairing
them together for an awesome dual autograph. Bill Walton
was a beast in the 70's and who knows just how dominant
he would've been if not for injuries. He still managed to lead the
the Trail Blazers to a title and was the 6th man for the Celtics for
their 86 Championship. He also was named one of the 50 greatest
NBA players in 96 during the NBA's 50th anniversary. Reggie Miller of
course is more modern, and many know of his clutch performances throughout
his career. Reggie also doesn't have a lot of certified autographs out there, so
that makes this card even more great. I think a sweet update of this card would be
a Quad UCLA auto of Kareem, Walton, Reggie, and Russell Westbrook. Hey, I can
dream right??

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#71 2004 SP Authentic Chirography Mike Piazza

Mike Piazza is considered the best hitting catcher in baseball history by many. His 396 home runs as a catcher is the most all time (Piazza finished with 427 in his career) and he's a 12 time all star. The only thing missing from Piazza's career is a World Series ring, which he came close to winning in 2000 when the Mets and Yankees faced off in the Subway Series. Piazza doesn't have a ton of certified autographs out there, so they do command a premium and I think this one at #71 is one of his nicer autographs out there. This is actually the silver parallel numbered to #60 (regular versions have a red background and are numbered to #75) and of course what makes this even more sweeter is it's an on card autograph. It's funny how on-card autographs used to be the norm, but
sticker or band-aid autographs have really taken over the hobby
and on-card autographs are now usually just reserved for higher-end
 sets. That's what makes having on-card autographs of superstars like Piazza
that much appealing. I just love the overall sleek design of this card as well. SP Authentic
always had some of the better autographs out there. Will there ever be a catcher like Mike Piazza?
Can Buster Posey or Carlos Santana be that guy? Only time will tell, but those will be some huge shoes
to fill indeed.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#72 1993 SP Derek Jeter RC

Love the Yankees or despise them you cannot argue how much  Derek Jeter means to the organization. He's been the face of the franchise in this modern era and in a time where it's rare in any sport to see guys stay on one team their entire career, that is exactly what Jeter has done. He's also been a constant winner, helping deliver multiple championships during his storied career. Upper Deck introduced the original SP brand in 1993 and this Derek Jeter rookie card not only carries the set but is an essential baseball rookie card to own. Like I said with the A-Rod, I love early SP rookie cards across all sports because of the heavy use of foil and this Jeter is no exception. Of course many people pay huge premiums for gem mint versions of this card, but I'm not picky, I chose the affordable route and went raw. This is definitely a landmark rookie card to own, and deserves its spot on my countdown.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#73 1981 Topps Joe Montana RC

Continuing our countdown to start off this week is yet another rookie card of a Hall of Famer. Even though it was before my time, I've seen "The Catch" a million times and it still makes me sick. I couldn't imagine seeing that live as Montana ripped the hearts of all Cowboy fans that day in the NFC Championship by finding Dwight Clark in the end zone. Montana is in the argument of best quarterback of all time. His numbers speak for themselves and his Super Bowl wins are just icing on the cake on his Hall of Fame resume. I was lucky enough really not to hate Joe Montana too much since i was very young while he was in his prime, and we were not too good in the 80's. I still appreciate what he did for the game and Montana to Rice is one of the greatest QB/WR combos ever. Montana's rookie card is definitely one of those "must own" rookie cards and I'm lucky enough to own one.

Ray Allen does it AGAIN

Wow, what a weekend it has been for NBA basketball. Almost every game has ended up dramatic fashion. This Knicks-Celtics 1st round matchup lived up to the hype in Game 1. Ray Allen is one of the most clutch 3 pt shooters ever to play the game and he did it yet again tonight. Wow, what a shot and what a deflating loss to the Knicks who are still looking for their first playoff win since 2001. Not only that, Chauncey Billups appeared to get injured towards the end of the game and did not return, so it'll be interesting to see what his status is for the rest of the series. This auto comes from 08-09 Topps Signature Series. I personally like this set, because of the high print runs of the autographs and it makes the autographs of not only Ray Allen but players like D-Wade, Shaq, and Hall of Famers like Bill Russell very affordable to those collectors looking to add these autos to their collection. This auto is numbered 773/799. Here's hoping for a competitive 7 game series from these two storied franchises!

BATTIER!!!

 

Let me just say I cannot stand the Spurs. I dunno, I just don't like them at all, never have and I live in South Texas! So today's loss to the Grizzlies was very satisfying even tough I know at the end of the day the Spurs will end up winning the series. Shane Battier's clutch 3 was just amazing. Here's the only card I have of Battier.  A rookie autograph I pulled in a box of 01-02 Topps X-pectations retail blaster box. And of course video of the great shot, lol.

Derrick Rose simply AMAZING

Game 1 of the 2011 Playoffs was not a disappointment. The Bulls, young and inexperienced but with the best record in the league and arguably the best player in the league, came real close to a disastrous start by losing their first game at home to a Pacer team with a 37-45 record and nothing to lose. Derrick Rose though did what he does best, stepped it up in the 4th quarter and led this team to the W. Rose finished with a career playoff high 39 points along with 6 assists 6 rebounds and 3 blocks. The 3 pt shot definitely wasn't there as he went 0-9, but when it mattered late in the game he had a couple of nice drives in the lane including an unbelievable layup where he was fouled and completed the 3 pt play. Derrick Rose proved today, what he has proven all season, he definitely deserves the MVP award. I really wish I would've jumped on Rose early in his career, as his stuff is way to high right now, as a matter of fact besides the auto'd ball that I have, I only have a few Derrick Rose cards, and this one is my best one. Numbered to 25, this 09-10 Panini Timeless Treasures Rookie Year Materials, is the patch parallel and features a nice two color black and red patch from a Rose jersey. If he keeps playing at this level, I'll probably never be able to afford another nice Rose card again!!

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#74 1969 Topps Reggie Jackson RC

I don't have a lot of vintage, especially pre 1970's but like I said earlier, I really would love to start adding more to my collection. I'm beginning to realize that something as simple as the card to the right can be just as awesome as any game used auto patch of the next "chosen one". I think I'd rather hedge my bets on a rookie card of a proven Hall of Famer, one who always thrived in the most important games of his career (thus the nickname Mr.October). A multiple time champion, a member of the prestigious 500 home run club, a true superstar in every sense of the word. It's just a simple non action shot of a young Reggie Jackson, but it marks the beginning of a controversial, successful ride. Yeah, sometimes a card doesn't need all the bells and whistles today's cards enjoy. Sometimes simplicity is elegant and desirable enough.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#75 2002 Fleer Platinum Run With History Emmitt Smith/Walter Payton Dual Jersey

Being a Cowboy fan hasn't produced many great memories in the 2000's but there was one that will standout as one of the most historic in NFL history. On October 27th, 2002 against the Seattle Seahawks Emmitt Smith broke the legendary rushing record held by the great Walter Payton. As a die hard Emmitt Smith and Cowboy fan I couldn't be more thrilled and it was definitely a moment I will always remember. Fleer created a Run With History insert set in their 2002 Platinum release that included multiple cards of Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, and Walter Payton and Troy Aikman. I love this card on so many levels. Of course it commemorates Emmitt's chase of a record once thought to be untouchable. Of course I love it cause like
I've stated before I'm a huge Cowboy fan. I also just love it
because I also appreciate legends and you really couldn't get better
than "Sweetness", so to get a dual game used jersey card of argurably
two of the greatest running backs of all time is just indescribable. There will
never be two running backs like Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton, and this
card captures their greatness perfectly in my opinion.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#76 1994 SP Alex Rodriguez RC

Upper Deck introduced the SP brand in 1993 and it became an instant hit with the Derek Jeter RC being the crown jewel in that set. In, 1994 it would be #1 overall pick Alex Rodriguez who Upper Deck would bank on being the heavy hitter in their 2nd offering of SP and he did not disappoint. Love him or hate him, A-Rod blossomed into one of the best players in the game (of course, some debate that now, since it came out that A-Rod did use Steroids while a Texas Ranger) which of course led to his controversial astronomical contracts that he has received from both the Rangers and Yankees. I've always loved the SP brand across all the sports in the mid 90's. The foil rookie cards really standout and of course it makes having a mint condition rookie hard to find since they are prone to chipping. I bought mine raw off Ebay years ago, and though it's had its up and downs, it still remains A-Rod's best rookie card and one the more desirable rookie cards to own in baseball.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#77 2002 Upper Deck World Series Heroes Classic Matchups Honus Wagner Pants

I think most collectors think one thing when it comes to Honus Wagner, his famous T206 baseball card. Wagner, though is also widely considered not only the best player of the deadball era but perhaps the best shortstop to ever play the game. Wagner was part of the inaugural class for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. Wagner is definitely a prominent figure in baseball's storied history. I love collecting game used memorabilia cards of hall of famers especially of guys who played in the early 1900's so it was a treat when Upper Deck was able to come out with a card that featured a piece of game used Honus Wagner pants. I perfer early 2000s game used over today's just
because of the overproduction of today's game used cards.
I was able to also pick up this card cheaper than usual because
of the low grade it received. Since I'm a collector first, I had no
problems buying this card since it's likely to be a permanent fixture
in my collection. This is also one of those cards where 10 to 15 years ago
I would've never been able to imagine that would one be made much less an affordable
copy. Definitely a sweet game used card of one the the game's greatest legends.

Top 100 Cards of My Collection-#78 03-04 Topps Chrome LeBron James RC

Ah yes 03-04, the year of King James. When LeBron James entered the league, it was different for me than when Shaq came out because I was older and had a job and therefore more disposable income. I never bought more product than in 03-04 and that was mainly due to LeBron. I bought a box of Chrome but was not able to pull the card shown here, I had to go the EBay route for this. Now like I've stated earlier Topps Chrome used to be the home of a player's best rookie card, but in 03-04 Chrome was already behind a lot of Upper Deck's higher end products. Most of LeBron's rookies are posed shots so it's nice to see an action shot for a refreshing change. Topps Chrome LeBron's are still nice sellers, and out of all my LeBron rookies that I own, this one is definitely my personal favorite. I'll always be a sucker for that patented Topps Chrome finish I guess!

If it's Monday, it must mean....

the countdown resumes. #78 will be posted later today!

Awesome Autographs: Gale Sayers Personalized Auto Post Card

My trip last August to Canton for the Hall Of Fame Ceremony was beyond unbelievable. To be there to see the guy that I grew up watching help lead my Cowboys to three Super Bowl Championships, Emmitt Smith, and to see the best wide receiver ever, Jerry Rice get inducted live and in person is a moment I will never ever forget. That whole weekend was the greatest experience of my sports life. I will post more related stuff to that weekend at a later date, but today we'll showcase one of my favorite autos from that weekend. Gale Sayers is one of the greatest running backs the league had ever seen. If not for injuries, no telling what he could have accomplished. Gale was there at the Hall of Fame representing his foundation and for a small donation you could get an autograph and pic with the great Chicago Bear Hall of Famer. I don't get too many chances to meet sport icons, so I jumped at the chance to not only help a good cause but meet a Hall of Famer. I love the autograph because it's personalized to me which makes it feel so much more special. It's great to pull autos out of packs, but there is nothing that beats an in person autograph. The 2nd picture is of me and Gale. This was just one awesome highlight in a weekend that full of them.

Spotlight on:04-05 Upper Deck Collection Premium Patches

 

Here are the three cards from the 04-05 Premium Patch set that I still currently own. The Dirk and Pierce both look to be letter patches.

Here are Premium Patches I used to own, I had to sell these to fund a couple of game used purchases, it was very hard for me to do since I really love this set.