The One

*it's time for a fresh cup of coffee and some cards. Sounds like a great start to the morning don't you think?*

Every Friday on Twitter, @collect_sport, I put up a I Want/Need Thread where you comment a specific card need and I will retweet it in hopes someone will Sell, Trade or even RAK (I have seen this) the card to you. Some people use the thread the way it was intended while others make a team/set demand. I just go with the flow regardless as long as it helps the collectors commenting.

On the thread every week, I also give an example of a specific cards I Want/Need. I have had some success in doing so, but one card I have tried a few times without any luck up I put up again and this time to my surprise had a response.

That's when I met @MattyBW who had what I wanted and so much more.

*takes a sip, gets excited about showing off these cards and takes another sip before doing so*

It wasn't too long after he had replied to my tweet about that specific card need that we had a nice conversation. The biggest point of the conversation was to make sure I got that card but we talked about much more that led to a trade as well.

I recently just started collecting more Jasson Dominguez for my Yankees PC. This was my second add to the collection.

This along with a few newer Cal Ripken Jr cards I forgot to take pictures of were the "newer" cards of the group. The main focus was on the 90's basketball. And if you know me, that hits the sweet spot and in comparison to coffee is the king of the cups.

John Starks adds. I always find it both saddening and odd to see John Starks in any uniform that's not a Knicks one. He was a fan favorite and a favorite of mine.

Finest Shaq. Don't ever let him post up, guy was unstoppable unless he had to shoot free throws.

Hakeem with the block!

And then Hakeem with the shot. Well, the Best Shot. These fell 1:12 packs and also had refractor parallels as well.

My first picture wasn't the greatest at showing how cool this card actually is. So I held it up to a window.

Now rolls in a beauty....

1996-1997 Bowmans Best Honor Roll Refractor! These bad boys fell 1:192 packs but it's not only the beauty of the card that grabs my attention, its the players. Patrick Ewing was one of the trio of Knicks I liked and Karl Malone I enjoyed his game and tried to mock it when I played with my friends back in the 90's. If I was to try that now, my body would ache for weeks.

*takes another sip before the coffee gets cold. I like Iced Coffee okay, but not my hot coffee getting iced. While I am it, I might as well toast a couple of english muffins*

I haven't even gotten to the main card of this post yet and I bet you are sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for me to show it off. Hold your mugs, we are almost there.

For now, I will tease this card as an intro....

Yup, a 1995-1996 Spx Gold Jason Kidd. Anyone who has followed me knows my deep passion for 90's Spx. I own set all three NFL Sets, one MLB Set, Both NASCAR sets, One and a half Hockey sets, and now......

Hold that thought.

*takes a sip of coffee*

I don't normally like jelly on my english muffins, I am a fan of bland so butter is my usual choice, but I will take a bit more excitement today when I show off the exciting card.

*takes a few bites, sip of joe and now onto the big reveal*

I think I have made you wait long enough to finally show the main card of this post. Not that the other cards above aren't sweet.

To finish up where I was with my Spx set chase, I also have one and a 49th basket....hold your horses...

What's this...

BOOM! You guessed it. The MJ has finally come home to finish up my second basketball set. He is smiling like I was when I finally got to hold this card.

 

And here he is resting peacefully among his Spx teammates.

With this set finally now complete, I am only missing the 1996-1997 Spx basketball set to complete the trio. That one also has my favorite design of the three but is also a dream set. I don't ever imagine myself being able to complete that one.

An obvious huge thanks goes out to @MattyBW for helping me finish up this set. It was a long time coming and it feels good to finally get there.

If you have Twitter, check out my Friday Thread and see what project you might be able to complete. You just never know what you may complete or who you may meet and become friends with. Isn't that the point of this hobby?

Coffee Card blogger out.

Just As Good The Second Time Around

*wakes up way too early, but is ready to go with a cup of coffee. Not surprised at all are you?*

Some things are just as good a second time around as they are the first. Some things are not.

For example, if you brew some coffee and pour yourself a cup, it's pretty good. However, if you leave that coffee maker off for a few hours with leftover coffee and decide that a second cup sounded good so you microwave it hot, well, it's not great. Many like it that way, but it's definitely not as good as the first time.

Another example, Spaghetti. It tastes great the first time around but if you let that sit and eat it again later in the day, it still tastes just as good if not better than the first time.

Or maybe you tried something years ago that you forgot about and then discover it again and it's just as good as the first time. I have had that experience a lot but there has been some things that were not (mainly from companies who changed the formula to the way they make the item)

What am I getting at? Well, recently I had the chance to try some things a second time around that I haven't in many years.

First up, these Goetze's caramel creams.

I haven't eaten one of these in many years, but do remember enjoying them a lot when I was a kid.

So when I was down the candy aisle and saw a bag, I said, hey, why not? So I grabbed the bag and ripped them open when I got home.

My big hope was that they were as good as I remember since it had been awhile.

I slowly opened up the wrapper and the candy fell into my hand. I could smell the sweet caramel and icing center from a distance. I picked up that piece of candy and....

*a sip of coffee*

I remember it like it was yesterday, sitting in the backseat of my parent's car. Taking that weekly trip to Ames (local department store), going into the store and heading straight to the card section. The first packs every time I looked for was 1995-1996 Fleer basketball. I thought the base card design was out of this world and my biggest love was the Flair Hardwood Leaders inserts that fell one-per-pack. It was the same love I had for the 1995 Fleer football that had one Flair Preview per pack.

So I would grab a pack or two, carry them throughout the store hoping to land a new set need for my Hardwood Leaders chase and when my parents cashed out, I ran to the car with those packs still in-hand and ripped them open like the chocolate bar that Charlie ripped to find the golden ticket.

The excitement was wild.

So when the Last Dance came on and the excitement of basketball cards returned, I found a four pack lot of of 1995-1996 Fleer basketball on eBay hoping to re-live what I once did. I wanted that ooooey-goooey feeling all over.

*takes another sip of coffee, then another and another in excitement*

When they arrived, I grabbed the package from the mail box and ran back to my house. At least that's what I pictured in my mind. At age 37, being quarantined with a few extra pounds and having not run in many years, I fast paced walked instead. Out of shape I am as Yoda would say.

I got home with said package in hand and opened it.

 

The blue pack immediately stared back at me. I felt like a little kid for half of a second. Until I realized I had adult duties to take care of before I could dig on in.

*few hours later*

Each pack of Fleer basketball came with 11 cards. There were four different insert sets to chase and the base cards had four different designs to build up the base set. None were tougher than any of the others to pull. There were chances at Hot Packs which would be a pack of all inserts. Only ever pulled one once from all of the Fleer I opened. It wasn't easy, but was hoping maybe one of the three I would open would have one. Yup, I plan to save one unopened like I do with every throwback break I do.

The back of the pack had me reminiscing as much as the front.

Would this one be a hot pack? Only one way to tell...

So I slowly ripped it open, the scent of cardboard wafted to my nose. The scent not only jumped out at me, but, the top card was my Hardwood Leader....

(shakes in excitement)

Derrick Coleman. Which actually turned out to be a dupe for me. I have been re-chasing this set for a couple of years now hoping to feel that magic of owning it again.

Rest of pack 1 wasn't too shabby either,

Sir Charles! the front of this card is pretty laid back design for 1995 Fleer

Card back shows a good amount of statistics. I sometimes can't figure out if I want more stats, less stats, a write up or no write up, guess it depends on the card

Mookie was the next card. Little bit more wacky 1995 Fleer

Card in the middle, Total D of Dennis Rodman! Along with the Hardwood Leader, you can also find one insert per pack. For me it's always weird seeing Dennis in anything else but a Bulls uniform.

that's the Fleer I know!

the fourth design

 

if this card doesn't scream 90's,what does?

 

Last card in Pack 1.

Now onto Pack 2. The final two packs I won't show all of the base, just the key highlights from each.

Mitch was a dupe for me again, curses!

Sweet Double Trouble of The Admiral.

Wait what....MJ sighting!!

Pack 3 highlights,

 

Glen Rice, YESSSSS one I could use! I tend to associate Glenn with the Hornets

Shaq All Star weekend insert.

*my closing final sips of coffee, onto cup number two to finish out this post*

My final thoughts on both the rips of Fleer and

caramel I took a bite of

MJ says it best,

They both were drool worthy, terrific, tremendous, mind blowing drive to the basket with your tongue hanging out awesome. 

In easier terms, just as good the second time around.