Random Wax: 1991 Upper Deck Football (3 Packs)

 1991 UD: Reggie White was one of the most dominating defensive players to ever put on the helmet.   Twelve times he had double-digit sacks including a career high 21 in 1987.  

One of my favorite sets no matter the sport, I really enjoy sharing these.  Here we have some of the great receivers of the era.  John Taylor only played 9 seasons but was a 3X Super Bowl Champion and a member of the All-1980s Team as well as going to 3X Pro Bowls.

When checklist cards were great.  I really enjoy this art.

Team MVP cards were another good way to see star players.

The elder Sharpe brother and Hall of Famer was great, and we all hated seeing injuries cut Sterling's career short.  He led the league in receptions 3 times in his 7-year career.

A fun photo on the back of that Vance Johnson card as well as a Thurman Thomas Game Breaker Hologram.

This photo feels like an actual depiction of how Vinny felt every year in Tampa.  He did do well with the Jets where his record was 35-26 over seven seasons.  This photo does make me smile.
We'll end it with another Eagle great in Randall Cunningham.  His career high in games was actually with Minnesota as he went 13-1 in a memorable 1998 season as the Vikings starting QB.

BREAKDOWN:

36 – Total Cards

3 – Team MVP

3 – Team Checklist

1 – Game Breaker Hologram

 

Into Thin Air

 

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer is a good book that details events around different teams trying to summit Mount Everest in May, 1996. During the attempts 12 climbers perished.  I found this book very captivating.  I can't imagine even trying such a feat, but people love pushing their limits for the ultimate goal.  I thought the book was very informative and laid out well.  Again, I can't even imagine what all the individuals went through and how agonizing it is just to summit Everest, much less go through the storm and different circumstances they had to endure.  Just a horrible tragedy. 

Jon Krakauer was a journalist invited to go along with one of the expedition.  He subsequently published an article for the magazine he worked for, Outdoor and then wrote this book.  There are those from the expeditions with his account but to be fair so have the other works detailing what happened during that timeframe.  I take it for what it's worth.  It is written from his point of view and I believe he's being honest and is very open about his own shortcomings during the tragedy.  I don't doubt there are inaccuracies but there is nothing written that is 100% correct.  He also addresses this at the end of the book.  I definitely recommend this book.  It is written well and you'll feel like you are at 29,000 feet during the timeframe this occurred.

Random Wax: 2023-2024 Hoops

23-24 Hoops:   Stephen Curry is 37 this year and still playing at crazy good level.  This is his 17th year in the NBA and it's just amazing what he's done and how he's influenced how the game is played.  I'm still not a fan of Pure Players inserts but I'm a fan of Steph so I'm good here.

This is one of those small 8-card packs.  Not sure where I picked it up in March of 2024.  Good pull considering its size.  Jalen Johnson is an emerging star in Atlanta averaging 20 and 9 this year.  The Pelicans are a dumpster fire, but sharpshooter Trey Murphy III will be part of any success they might have in future.  Jalen Green is now in Phoenix as part of the KD trade and has dealt with lots of injuries so far this season.  He's averaged 20 PPG for his career.

The backs of the base cards are pretty boring in their black and white glory but there is a team logo.  It's one positive.  The back of the Pure Players are colorful and look good.

Fun pack.  These small ones can really be hit or miss but no complaints here.

BREAKDOWN:

8 – Total Cards

1 – RC

1 – Pure Players

Random Wax: 2024 Topps Baseball Hanger Box

2024 Topps:   He's like "what, no more baseball until 2026?".  Randy Arozarena is now in Seattle and put up a career-high 27 home runs for the surprising Mariners.  Seattle was within one game of making it to their first World Series.

Devers and Verlander are now Giants.  Pete Alonso is a free agent looking for his payday after another big season in New York.

Elly De La Cruz has lived up to the hype and had a career high in hits (166) this season.

Great photo in this Willi Castro horizontal take.

Charlie Morton one of the two Yellow Parallels I pulled.  We also have a Rainbow Foil Parallel, and 1989 Topps Baseball insert.

Really nice-looking Checklist card.

More youngsters including Pete Crow-Armstrong.  He had a really good second full season in Chicago hitting 31 dingers for the Cubs.  He appears on a Stars of MLB insert.

The backs are solid with all the stats we want.  Topps, do this with your basketball cards!  Alonso has been very consistent in his career.

Finally get a 2025 World Champion in Mookie Betts.  These Stars of MLB are nice but there just hasn't been enough variety with this insert's design over the years.

The League Leader cards are really nice including the headshots on the back.  These will be fun to look back at for years to come.  The fronts look good, and we see history in a snapshot of time on the back.

This is a design I like and as always, we get solid photos from Topps like we see here.

Team Card.

Fun box of cards.  More good photos here and we'll end it with a 2023 All-Topps Team.  Still not sure about that design but I really like "all-xxx" teams.  The NBA has "All-NBA" and the NFL has "All-Pro" selections for each season.  MLB has silver sluggers I guess but it's not the same. 

BREAKDOWN:
59 – Total Cards
13 – RC
4 – Stars of MLB
2 - Checklist
2 – Yellow Parallel
1 – Team Card
1 – Future Stars
1 – Team Leaders
1 – All-Star Rookie Cup
1 – 1989 Topps Baseball
1 – 2023 All Topps Team
1 – Rainbow Foil Parallel

Random Wax: 2024 Score Football

2024 Score:  For all the Cowboys' issues, their offense isn't one of them.  CeeDee Lamb has dealt with some injuries this year but is still a favorite of Dak Prescott.

Three more stars of the league including Keenan Allen one of my three Red Parallels.  Allen is happy to be back with the Chargers and having Justin Herbert throwing to him.  Allen has been so good and so steady for so long.

Dak's had a little bit to celebrate about this year.  The Cowboys are struggling but Dak Prescott is doing his job with the offense and racking up points.

That Troy Fautanu is a Dots Gold Parallel #/240.  He's the starting tackle for the Steelers.

Nick Bosa is hurt this season, and it seems most of San Fran is banged up, but he looks good on this Sack Attack insert.

J.J. McCarthy is back and has looked good in spurts for the Vikings who are still in the playoff hunt.  Nice looking Xavier Worthy on that Protential.

I like League Leaders cards.  These are a bit different.  I think I'd prefer something close to baseball league leaders where we get multiple players on the front.

Cowboy hot pack!  I like this photo.

Retired greats are always fun, and the Hall of Fame cards are great.

BREAKDOWN:
30 – Total Cards
10 – RC
4 – Retired Greats
3 – Potential
3 - Celebration
3 – Red Parallel
1 – First Ballot
1 – Sack Attack
1 – League Leader
1 – 35th Anniversary Rookie
1 – Dots Gold Parallel #/240

2025-2026 Topps Basketball

25-26 Topps:   Topps is back in the basketball game, and I pulled a Wemby in my first pack.  He's having another amazing year.  He's not shooting as many 3's this season and his percentage is down but the rest of his game is crazy good and it's equating to wins for the Spurs.

Kawhi is dealing with injuries.  Again.  And the Clippers are struggling.  Sengun is having probably his best season with the Rockets.  He really has a nice game.  This Topps look is reminiscent of the 1982 Topps set.  The design is okay but so far it isn't overly exciting in my opinion.

Youngsters get their time to shine.  Kon Knueppel is having a great start to his rookie season averaging over 15 points per game.

With Topps basketball we get horizontal shots which is great.  I really like this Scottie Barnes photo.

Here we have 1980-81 Topps Basketball, 8-Bit Ballers, and a foil Porzingis.  That McCollum is a foil as well.  There are a thousand foil options it seems so don't ask me which foil they are.  I like the 80-81 Anniversary insert.  I think 8-Bit Ballers is popular but I'm lukewarm on it.

Most backs are in a vertical format as seen below but a few are horizontal, but I don't know why there is a difference.  The backs are a fine design, but I was really hoping to see career stats for players.  Why did Topps not put those on there like they do baseball?  A big letdown.

Overall, not that excited about this year's Topps cards but there are lots of inserts that look really cool.  Who knows if I actually pull those but that's part of the fun, and frustration, of ripping packs.

One of the two checklist cards I pulled.  These are fine and similar to what Topps does with baseball.  I would have maybe liked something a bit different but really no complaints here.

Josh Giddey is having a great year for the surprising Chicago Bulls.

Generation Now inserts are okay but don't excite me.

Love seeing retired greats.  Want to see more variety as always.  Felt like Panini got stale with who they had in their sets.  Good pull.  Fun.  Good start in Topps' return. 

BREAKDOWN:
36 – Total Cards
4 – RC
3 – Retired Greats
2 - Holo
2 - Checklist
1 – 8-Bit Ballers
1 – Generation Now
1 - 1980-81 Topps Basketball