Unfinished Cup:1995 Zenith Z-Team Football

By now you may be thinking....how many sets is this guy chasing all at once??

And by now I may replying....too many!

It would be nice just to finish up one set, but, another one pops up and I have to chase it.

There is just so much nostalgia for me and so much of it I want to chase as sets.

Not all of my set chases are even under the Set Chase tab on here. There are so, so, so many I would need hours and hours of time to list them all. There are base sets, there are insert sets and there are even relic sets. I know I am never going to ever complete them all, so I am just trying to narrow down the most important ones first and try to complete those.

One of those is 1995 Zenith Z-Team football. If you remember, a couple years ago I completed the 1996 version which was my favorite Z-Team design but today's chase is pretty good too.

There are 18-cards in the set and each card fell at a rate of 1:24 packs.

Dufex was the name of the game with these with a simple but on point design.

So far I have 7 of the 18 in this slow chasing set. Two of those are the bigger ones.

But, that's why I am turning to you! Do you have some I need? You can check HERE and then comment below or even better, drop me an email to sportcardcollectors@hotmail.com and let me know!

Thanks for coming to read today's short post. I will now get back to accomplishing some more school work.

Have a great day!

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Gifts

Life has continued to keep me busy with College and family events and away from most hobby activities except being able to visit Twitter a couple of times a day.

I haven't been able to read a lot of blog posts. I definitely haven't been able to post any. And when it comes to just spending time in my collection, it has been weeks. I have two people waiting on me to send trade pictures and I just haven't had the time to dig out the cards. Not to mention the small list of people I owe mail days to and want to mail stuff to.

Sadly the thing that I used to spend the most time with, other than family, has become the last thing that I spend time with.

But, tonight, I am spending a few minutes with it. Well, on here I am.

I have pictures waiting and waiting in drafts have been wanting to be set free finally and I am going to let some out tonight. 

Even though I also have a tab open for my English class discussion board I am doing at the same time as this post.

*too late for a sip, but, we can do a pretend one*

In the time I haven't really been on here, I have received some really cool generous gifts from other collectors including two bloggers.

The first mail day which is the oldest of the three I am showing off today, comes from the always generous Johnny's Trading Spot.

He passed along a few unopened packs of Laffs trading cards and a stack of singles as well. The following isn't all of the singles he sent, just a few.

This is a set I have been trying to finish up for awhile now. I haven't had the chance to see if any of the cards that Johnny sent will help towards the set or simply just fit into my non-sport PC.

Either way, thanks Johnny! I need to take the time and hit you back!

*takes a break and switches over to the next tab to work on the english discussion board, writes another paragraph, comes back here*

Then came an expected but unexpected mail day from the legend of the night, Night Owl Cards

Here is a 2015 Allen Ginter Murray base card to replace the base I had lost. I still need to locate another Sal and another Q base.

And then came a nice 90's insert surprise!

Thanks Greg! Hope to find time to hit both you Johnny back!

*goes back to doing more work on the discussion board, the topic is a little too tense so trying to dull it down*

*comes back to blog*

My final gift to show off in this post was from @IT_guy8706 on Twitter/X.

He saw that I was looking for someone who could do some custom shirts for my upcoming 3rd/4th grade girls basketball season and he jumped on it saying how talented his wife was at making them.

He was right. Both came out excellent and I am so excited to be able to sport these this upcoming season. One of these is for practice, the other is for games.

Cannot say thanks enough to @IT_guy8706 and his wife!!

*clicks back to doing more homework, clicks back here to finish up tonight's post*

Well, I am hoping to maybe put together another post or two before I hang up the keyboard tonight but have to make sure my homework is done first and it's getting late. So we will see.

Hopefully my lack of posting doesn't hurt my chances at Blog Of The Year running. I came so close last year!

Hope everyone has been well and in comments tonight or tomorrow or even a few days from now whenever you read this, let me know of any recent gifts from the hobby you have gotten.

*Coffee-less Card Blogger Out*

Coffee Break:2025 Score Football Blaster Box

Hello Coffee Card Enthusiasts! Miss me?

*takes a sip of fresh brew hoping you are as well*

I am finally back for a new post today......during my Giants game.

So far, it's been ugly on both sides of the ball. As I currently type this, they trail Washington 14-6 in the 3rd quarter. It sounds close, but it's not as close as it sounds.

It's been ugly. Very ugly on offense.

Hopefully they will fix this as the game goes on.

In the meantime, I will take a few minutes out and get a new post on here.

Recently I busted a blaster box of 2025 Score football, the first NFL release of the season. I needed that new card smell since it has been forever since I had opened anything up.

*sniffs the cards, still smells that new scent*

After opening it, I thought to myself, this would make a great NFL kickoff post.

So, let's get to the break. Sorry for the lack of the blaster box picture. Some reason I never took one.

*takes a sip, gets ready to rip...or show off the rip*

Each blaster box of 2025 Score football comes with 6 packs of 15 cards. There are 90 cards in all to get in a box which is pretty solid.

There are no guarantees per box in terms of hits, but you should get some parallels, one numbered parallel and some inserts in every box. 

This years base set is pretty nice. I like the old school feel. It has an early 90's appeal.

Here is another base example, it is also my first 2025 NY Giants card.

The rookie cards have the same base design, but have team logos and the rookie logo. I just wished the players were in their NFL uniforms.

Here were the key ones I pulled,

  

Not too bad of a break pulling some of the good names.

Up next, I ditched showing off my green parallels since it was a pile of nobodies and went straight for my numbered parallel of the box,

I don't know this name really, but it's an offensive player and a nice looking parallel so it's a keeper.

Now onto the inserts,

 

(2nd NY Giants card of 2025)

And then a case pull....

 

Nice looking card! Just wished it was like Patrick Mahomes. Always fun still to land a case hit.

And finally, a surprise jersey card find,

 

Not too bad! A bruising running back.

Overall, an unexpected hit, a case hit, two Giants cards and some decent rookies makes this a fun break.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

I am not sure when I will be able to post again, I am hoping to do another tomorrow but will see how much time I have available. School has taken a lot of my free time including all of my hobby time.

Hope everyone has a great football Sunday. Apparently mine isn't going to be that great.

Take a sip for me until the next post!

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Don't forget you can start to nominate cards for the 2025 Coffee Card Hall Of Fame!! Cards don't have to be autographs, patch cards, super star cards. It can be whatever you think is Hall Worthy! Find details and current nominations HERE.

Unfinished Cup:1995 Pro Line Classic Autographs

With paperwork all submitted, school textbooks ordered, and life calming down for a few days, I thought I would get some posts up before September 2nd when everything begins to ramp up and I won't have time to post on here.

Today, I am doing a quick-simple post asking again for any assistance on a set chase.

And this is a major one.

 

I decided to start chasing the 1995 Pro Line autographs set because the checklist is full of fun and interesting players from the 90's.

The set consists of 170 cards, but with a few variations on some of the players, I really only want to chase one of each player. I believe there is 120-130 overall or so.

At the point of this post, I have 38 of them. Which seems like a lot, but I still have miles to go.

Do I expect to finish this set? Nope. The big names will hurt me. Do I expect to put my best effort into doing this? Yes, absolutely.

You can find the needs here (needs in white)

1995 Pro Line Autographs - Google Sheets

If you or anyone you know has some collecting dust and don't want them, let me know and drop me an email to sportcardcollectors@hotmail.com

Thanks for reading today and hope to see you back again soon...with a cup of coffee in hand.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

The Great Card Cleanse Of 2025 Part 1

I did a thing.

It's something that I never thought I would ever see myself doing, I downsized my card collection.

*takes a sip of a freshly brewed mug*

For most of my card collecting life, I have always been about hoarding all of the cards that I could and that included a TON of base cards from EVERY sport. But, after trying to do a few trades recently, I am realizing what I have doesn't hold a lot of trade value or worth for me to hold onto any longer. Not to mention the size of my card area is shrinking with stuff I don't absolutely "love".

So, after a few conversations with my father, he agreed to take on any and all of my base cards I wanted to dispose of. In exchange for the cards, I would get cards of a lesser amount, roughly twelve that would make me happy.

Yes, probably in the long run I lost some "value" in trading as much as I did, but I gained space and a few cool cards, so it all worked out.

In between filling out paperwork for college, getting through many doctor appointments and whatever else life threw at me, I was able to work on card boxes.

And work, and work, and work,

All of the cards were sorted by team for every sport. I had to go through 5,000 ct, 3200 ct, and even 800 ct boxes in this project.

It was as simple as taking them from these boxes and tossing them into bigger boxes....

Because I didn't get rid of them all. 

I held onto base from 1995-99 to add to my set lists, I took out a few players I liked and held onto cards that had iconic early 90's touch and any card with a cool photo (new segment in the future). I should also make note that NO NY Giants or non-sports base left my house unless they were doubles.

I had to literally run through thousands of cards to pull out my wants, which was both fun and very painful.

 

In the end, I filled up my father's car. It may not look like much from the picture, but over seventy-five thousand cards are packed in and heading to a new home.

I gave them a warm goodbye, blew them a kiss and knew I wouldn't be seeing them again. It was as if they were one of those pets you loved but knew it didn't quite fit with your family and belonged with another kind of feeling.

*takes a sip before finishing up tonight's post*

It was quite the project to take on, that's why I wasn't completely done when he came over to load them up. Yes, I wasn't done. There is roughly another ten thousand to send his way again. That will be next time and hopefully by then I will be completely done with it.

In the end, I am left with stacks of cards to re-sort into new boxes and sort by sets, more cards to sort and trade to him and most importantly, more room in the card area.

I call that a win.

This is only the beginning of my plans. I have more to cleanse soon as I will be going through complete sets collecting dust on my shelves along with boxes of jersey and autograph cards I am sending to a friend for Christmas.

At first it felt a little weird taking this new direction in collecting, but now, it just feels right, and it makes me happy to be able to find space again.

More on this project, what I got in exchange for this part and what else could be leaving next time.

In the meantime, drink your coffee, collect your cards and enjoy #CardsOverCoffee.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Underdog

*it wouldn't be cards over coffee without having both cards and coffee, so here we go*

Being an underdog means being someone or something that is thought to have little to no chance at winning something. 

Or it may also mean you are watching a cartoon dog from the 60's fight crime. 

I prefer the latter of the two. That was a great cartoon.

But underdog will soon be the role I will be playing again....once again, not the cartoon dog. I wished.

*takes a sip*

I have had another one of "those years" but haven't really posted anything about it on here like last year.

For today's post, I will recap the year up to this point and fill in parts I haven't touched on yet and maybe some I have a little.

1. Back in March, I was diagnosed with Diabetes. It's something that runs on both sides of my family and I figured at some point it would catch up with me, and it did. My A1C at that time was 6.8 and a three month check in after diagnosis and a weekly shot brought me back down to 5.5.

2. Back in May, my sister-in-law and nephew came for a visit, and we played some wiffle ball. Being the sports guy I am, I couldn't let this fly ball just float and hit the ground, instead I did a long reach to try and catch it and felt a "pop". So, after a couple months of PT and pain, I was told to have an MRI and I went today. The results fortunately weren't as bad as I thought they could be, I do have shoulder bursitis and tendonitis. I will know my treatment plan next week.

3. I have been having some bowel issues the last couple of months and my heartburn has returned so I spoke with my Gastro doctor who suggested I get a Colonoscopy and Endoscopy done. I will be having that done in November. I heard colonoscopy's are a blast (yes pun intended)

4. On top of this, I am getting my hernia repaired at the end of September just to make sure that isn't part of the problem for my stomach. I will be out from lifting for 4-6 weeks. This is the hernia I had last year that I should have already had fixed.

5.Other issues have kept arriving as well such as broken cars, dead washing machine and a fridge a week later which has made it tough both on finances and the hobby.

6. I have started writing again for Bags Unlimited after a ten-year hiatus. I will be doing one article a month.

And finally, the latest news. If you follow me on Twitter, you will already know what I am going to say.

After almost 25 years away from school and at the age of 42....I am going back to get a degree and hope to graduate by 2028 with an associate's degree in Design and Media Studies.

I have never gone to college in any form so all of this will be new to me.

The easiest comparison is to Billy Madison or Rodney Dangerfield in Back To School. That's how I feel. I will be online and go, "hey kids" with my hat on backwards, holding a skateboard wearing the "cool clothes".

*takes a sip with a cane nearby, well not really, it's a pencil*

All courses I will be taking will be online and there will be a lot for me to figure out as an "old man".

I will certainly be an underdog in this situation overall between health problems and figuring out my direction.

I could be Kurt Warner level underdog with everything against me.

2001 Pacific Crown Royale Cramers Choice Jumbo Award Game Used Relic

But this latest mail day, featuring Kurt Warner, reminds me that no matter the odds against you, the underdogs can come out on top.

Kurt Warner's personal story of triumph is something I should follow. He had the odds against him, but yet, he triumphed his way to the top being led by faith. If you don't know Kurt's story from grocery store employee to Super Bowl MVP, go Google it. It's a worthy read.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

As you read this you may also be asking, why go back to school now. Well, I want to be the first in my family to graduate college or even go and I want to prove I can overcome my underdog story.

What this also means is that this could be my last post for a while which is why I have been absent. I need to finish signing up for classes, getting that article done and classes begin for me on September 2nd.

Hopefully I will find time to post in-between classes but life, classes and coaching 3rd-4th girls' basketball this fall/winter comes first. Then posting blog articles. I am also deep into a HUGE sorting and purging project in my collection. More details on that in my next post...whenever that may be.

Also, before I officially close out today's post, I need to thank Johnny's Trading Spot for a recent mail day. They post will be coming up next as well. Once again, there will be a delay, but I hope to hit Johnny back with a mail day of his own before that happens.

*takes a final sip for a while*

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Don't forget you can start to nominate cards for the 2025 Coffee Card Hall Of Fame!! Cards don't have to be autographs, patch cards, super star cards. It can be whatever you think is Hall Worthy! Find details and current nominations HERE.

Coffee With Alec Baldwin

Another hot day here. Feeling quite Schweddy today.

Hopefully I don't end up with some Schweddy.....

Well, use your own imagination there.

One of my favorite sketches ever on SNL has to be the Scweddy Balls skit with Alec Baldwin.

So, guess what....

 

I added his autograph.

He was also great in Beetlejuice (take note that I posted one of his co-stars autograph Geena Davis a few days ago), his narration in Thomas and Friends, voice acting in Boss Baby, and let's not forget an underrated film, Cat In The Hat. Even though Cat In The Hat had a lot of negative reviews, if you watch the movie as an adult and understand the adult humor in it, you will enjoy it. I promise.

Pretty happy with this addition, we won't talk about the recent controversy surrounding him. Let's just talk about all of the Schweddy-ness instead.

I hope everyone has a great Friday.

In comments today, tell me your favorite SNL skit and what your favorite Alec Baldwin movie or television show is.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Don't forget you can start to nominate cards for the 2025 Coffee Card Hall Of Fame!! Cards don't have to be autographs, patch cards, super star cards. It can be whatever you think is Hall Worthy! Find details and current nominations HERE.