My Concise 2012 Topps post

Since there are a ton of posts about Topps' new release, I'll make this quick and efficient.

Base set - Great photos.  Fun shots that aren't overprocessed like 2009 and 10 looked to me.  Numbers are clear and easy to sort.

Parallels - Not real impressed with the golds.  Haven't seen the retail ones yet.

GUs, SPs and giveaways - As usual, didn't pull anyone impressive.  See inserts rant below.  I don't expect to see any of the SPs.  Curious to see what comes up for all my codes this time.

Inserts - Topps has (re?)hired the Panini football design team and they are still lazy bastards.  What they came up with are auto jersey cards and then just removed the good stuff to make the regular insert.  Each insert looks like a football card from Panini's past.  To wit:

Not bad, but why is there still a space for an autograph?

Look familiar? Sorry, no autograph for you!!

Plain

Auto

Relic

Plain (though crummy Chromey)

Auto

 

Relic (in a crappy location)

Only difference is that it seems the 2012 baseball guys are either relics or autos, not both.

Nice design, but it's not finished.

This one has the gall to put it in writing that you got
gypped out of an autograph. Kinda rubs it in your face.

Now what they should have done with this....

...Is finish the coloring.  Now that's not a bad looking card.

 This is the most hideous design of all - redundant pictures that you
can see, and a different one that's faded for no reason. 
Huge blank areas, and a dinky logo that doesn't fill the space. 
Plus, silver foil on grey?  Eccch.

Now that would have been better.  No gaping holes.

Worst part about the whole thing is that I'm still going to go after all of them except the Walkoffs.

Super Bowl summary

 

My condolences to all the sportscasters who are depressed over their man-crush's loss last night to the 9-7 NY Giants.

Good game, but would still have preferred a Harbaugh rematch.

Fausto to Roberto correction - 2011 ToppsTown

The former 28 year old Fausto Carmona, was revealed to actually be 31 year old Roberto Hernandez Heredia after being arrested in his native Dominican Republic.  He was charged with using a false identity, which isn't actually that unusual for Dominican players, so it's been reported.

Too bad the card year is just turning over next month, or Topps et al may have had the opportunity to issue corrected cards of Mr. Heredia.  They might look something like this:

Happy Birthday to me (and the Duchess)

Celebrating my 45th today.  Only two weeks after Christmas, so I don't make a big deal about it.  Missed Elvis by a day, so I've been stuck with Richard Nixon.  Though this morning I learned that Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge was also born this day in 1982.

She's a lot prettier than old Tricky Dick!  Bit far to go for a birthday kiss though...

Questionnaire from Nachos Grande: Autographs

Stumbled upon a questionnaire about autograph cards while browsing a blog linked from another regularly read blog.  Figured I'd post it here so maybe my traffic might increase...


Autograph Questionnaire:

1.  What is the best autograph you own?  2008 Topps Heritage Bill Mazeroski red ink
2.  What is the best autograph that you've ever pulled from a pack of cards?  See #1
3.  What is the worst autograph you've ever pulled from a pack of cards?  Any one of a few early 90's rookie scrubs from a value blaster.  I'll never get rid of them.
4.  Do you try to get autographs through the mail?  If so, what sort of success (or failure) stories do you have?  Nope, never really tried.
5.  Who was the subject of your first ever autograph?  Rocky Colavito (as KC coach) on the back of an Orioles program at a game circa 1982-3.
6.  Do you actively collect any autographs (certain players, teams, brands, etc)?  Priest Holmes (all) and the occasional Redskin or baseball player collection guy that I don't already have.
7.  Which is better:  Autographs or Relics?  Autos are better, but I'd take a multi-color swatch/patch (easiest to find in hockey) over a two-letter scribble signature.
8.  What do you think of cut autos?  Deceased players are fine, otherwise cheesy, especially when they cut up an autographed card and put a piece of it in another card.
9.  What is your favorite autograph design (say in the last 5 years)?  2005 SP Chirography
10.  If you could get the autograph of any five people (dead or alive) who would you want a signature from (and why)?
Harry Truman (favorite president)
Christy Mathewson, Rube Marquard, or John McGraw (for my 1909 NY Giants collection)
Gene Kranz (Apollo Flight Director - always awed by that whole program)
Leonard Nimoy or William Shatner (see posts below)

Star Trek - The Retro Football Card Set - card #5

 

1955 Topps All-American Mr. Sulu.  Building all the letters took the longest.  Out of the eight or so images that I captured, nobody had a K in their name.  And then there is no common football position with a V, G, or O in it either.  The All Federation text came out the best.  My art program doesn't have a function to make a picture grainy, so the background looks more like video than the newspaper photo pictures in the originals.  Was hoping to get back to these sooner than a month and a half, but since PRP went silent for a while, I don't feel so bad :).   Was Sulu's official title Helmsman or Navigator?  I should know....

Star Trek - The Retro Football Card Set - card #4

 

1894 Mayo Cut Plug (N302) Mr. Spock.  Tough to match tbe sepia toning.  And all the original subjects are from Harvard, Princeton or Yale.  Had to fudge some letters that weren't available.  Hopefully, you'll find it fascinating.