2017 Allen & Ginter Baseball Cards

I do like retro designs when done right and the 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards are a great option for seeing just that.  Their designs don't always vary that much from year to year but they are still pretty nice cards.  The backs are very simple with a write-up on the featured player/star.  With a checklist containing baseball stars, rookies, legends as well as those from pop culture and other sports there is plenty here to like.  These do contain mini cards which I'm NOT a fan of but I know many collectors enjoy.  I also like the cross section of legends and current players.  Again plenty to appreciate and I was able to pull a couple of personal collection players in Hank Aaron and Dennis Eckersley.  I am very happy with this pack and my cards.       

2016 Panini Rookie and Stars Football Cards

Found a random pack of the 2016 Panini Rookies and Stars football cards.  It looks like I haven't grabbed these before.  Nice pack of cards (10). Definitely had star power with cards of Le'Veon Bell, Drew Brees, Von Miller, Peyton Manning and LeSean McCoy.  Design is pretty good and the backs are nice and colorful.  I pulled two inserts with the Manning Standing Ovation and McCoy Power Tools.  Neither do a whole lot for me but I also can't find anything to complain about.  Nice cards and I'm glad I picked up a pack.   

 

Bacon Spam - It's Real and It's Good

Bacon Spam.  It is a real thing and I’m here to tell you it is good.  Is it good for you?  Probably not but that hasn’t stopped me before.  It contains real bacon which helps the taste.  I make up breakfast for work days so I put this in with some eggs and it is perfect.  I already was in the mode of using regular Spam for that purpose but now I have bacon Spam.  If you already enjoy Spam this may be for you.  If not it may be a good jumping on point.  Seems as though people either don’t like Spam or they do like Spam.  Not a lot of in between.  The link has the ingredients/nutritional facts.  Just thought I’d throw this out there to those who may want to partake. 

2017 Panini Classics Football Cards

Picked up some of the 2017 Panini Classics football cards.  There were 10 cards in the pack and these aren't that expensive.  I always love retro but I have to admit other than the retired players that are featured there hasn't been much to this brand that really thrills me.  I do think they have a decent design but there is something about these cards that just don't do it for me.  My pull wasn't bad, highlighted by Ezekiel Elliott.  I do like the Super Bowl Heroes insert and wouldn't mind chasing that set.  Again the legends, which number 100 of the 300 card base set, are the attraction for me.  Good chance I'll grab more of these for that fact alone.  Otherwise I'd probably hold off.  This is definitely a personal choice and I think most folks might enjoy them more than me.   

 

2017 Topps Star Wars 40th Anniversary Trading Cards Hobby Box Plus Some

I love these cards!  I'd been looking forward to the Topps 40th Anniversary Trading Cards and they are great.  I used some birthday money some months back and grabbed a hobby box, a blaster, and single packs.  I was in heaven. 

 

This set covers it all - the movies, cartoons, video games, action figures, art, comic books, books, DVD/Blu-Ray releases, movie posters from around the world, toys.  What didn't they include? 

 

There are buybacks, medallions, autographs, film cells, stickers, parallels and more as inserts.

I pulled a Mike Quinn (Sy Snootles) autograph.  Not the sexiest of all the different autos you can grab but I'm not complaining. 

My favorites were movie poster cards.  There were posters from all the movies from around the world.  Most I'd never seen and really thought these were too cool. 

Having this set cover so many different aspects of the Star World universe is wonderful.  They all bring back so many memories and just make me geek out all over again.

These are some of my favorite card scenes.  The Darth Maul fight scene in Episode I is still my all-time favorite from the movies involving the Sith and Jedi.  The classic "I know" scene on Cloud City always bring a smile even if it wasn't under the best of circumstances.  I thought it had great visuals and was of course a pivotal part of the movie.  The arena fight on Geonosis was great in that it showed so many Jedi at one time fighting.  I still like going back and looking at this scene and researching the different Jedi who were featured. 

To be honest I can live without medallions...

The set was even able to inlclude scenes from The Force Awakens.

I'll definitely be working to collect the entire set.  This is by far my favorite card set from the Star Wars movies.  I'm already a huge fan and these are exactly what I've been waiting for - though I didn't really even know it.

 

 

2017 Topps Stadium Club

Picked up a few packs of the 2017 Topps Stadium Club baseball cards.  As always you get a little higher price tag, heavier stock, nice design, colorful back of the card, and great photography.  These came 12 to a pack priced at $5.98.  Again a little expensive for my taste but I'm rarely disappointed by this brand.  I enjoyed my pull as well grabbing a few Braves and Red Sox players to include Chipper Jones.  Randy Johnson and Andres Galarraga were the other retired players I grabbed.

  The inserts/parallels in the two packs I opened were a Scoreless Streak and Buster Posey Chrome Gold Minted parallel.  Not sure how many are made of each of the Chrome Gold Parallel but it is a nice looking card.  Overall I like the simple, unobtrusive design and great photographs.  The backs are also nice and colorful with a second photo different from the front.  I'll definitely look for singles from this set and I don't doubt I'll also pick up a few more packs in the coming months as these are some nice cards. 

 

War Machine Movie

War Machine is the 2017 Netflix movie that centers on General Glen McMahon who takes over the war in Afghanistan.  This is a satirical look at General Stanley McChrystal who took charge of the Afghan war in 2009.  Pitt’s character, while sincere in his belief that the war can be won, doesn’t always utilize great judgement.  McMahon and his staff try their best but it is a losing cause that is ultimately doomed when Rolling Stone is allowed to follow them for a story.  Laying out the details of their private conversations leads to McMahon’s firing.  This movie lays out all the issues leaders must deal with in the political and military minefields when navigating the different arenas .  Brad Pitt, Ben Kingsley (Afghanistan President) and the rest of the cast do a very good job.  The movie is enjoyable and while it is maybe not as based in comedy as you might be led to believe it still delivers an entertaining movie.