Random Wax: 2024 Topps Update Hanger Box

2024 Update:   Can't say enough about Paul Skenes.  He's a great pitcher and easy to root for.  He already has a Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and ERA title.

Update boxes can be hit and miss with star power but I do like the 2024 design so it's still fun.

Jackson Holliday hasn't been who the Orioles were hoping they'd see but he's still only 21.

Rookie Combo card.

Here we have my Blue Holofoil Parallel #/999 and a Royal Blue Parallel.

Yellow Parallel on this Veteran Combo card.

1989 Topps Baseball, Milestone card and Autumn Tales.  I like all three of these.

More Stars of MLB which include rookies as well.

Going horizontal.

Andrew Abbott has been a good starter for the Reds.

Two more Veteran Combo cards and a Shohei appearance which is always appreciated.  Fun box.  Plenty of options and variety.

BREAKDOWN:
59 – Total Cards
21 – RC
7 – Rookie Debut
4 – Stars of MLB
4 – Veteran Combos
3 – Rookie Combos
2 – Yellow Parallel
1 - Checklist
1 – Autumn Tales
1 – Retired Great
1 – Royal Blue Parallel
1 – Rainbow Foil Parallel
1 – 1989 Topps Baseball 
1 – Topps All-Star Rookie Cup
1 – Blue Holofoil Parallel #/999

Random Wax: 1991 Pro Set Football Series 1 4 Packs

Pro Set Football 1991:   We'll double down with Jim Kelly who also led off last week's 1990 Pro Set post.  Kelly was selected 14th in the 1983 NFL Draft.  Seven (7) Hall of Famers were selected in the 1st round of that draft - John Elway, Eric Dickerson, Jimbo Covert, Bruce Matthews, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Darrell Green.

Pro Set didn't go a completely different direction from their 1990 set in terms of design.  But the tweaks they did worked well giving us another good set.

Great shot as Kevin Greene zeroes in on Chris Miller.

World League, NFL Officials, and Super Bowl XXV Replay cards.  Super Bowl cards with photos/highlights from the game should be a thing every year.  Why don't we see these anymore?  Anthony Parker played 9 seasons in the NFL, with 4 of those as a starter.

Award Winners, Milestone, and NFL Newsreel cards.  I like all of these.  Anytime we can get more variety like these, I'm in.

Actual photo of Bill Belichick saying time out to the Jets when deciding not to take the head coaching job.

Always liked Reggie Cobb and of course I love the Creamsicle unis.

These NFC All-Pro cards are great.  The art is really good and I love seeing All-Pro selections on cards.  Great job Pro Set.  AFC All-Pro selections are found in 1991 Series II.

1990 Replay gives us a look at key moments from the 1990 season.  Another good inclusion in the set.

So much fun looking at these and so many great memories and players.

BREAKDOWN:
60 – Total Cards
5 – World League
5 – Coach
4 – All-Pro
3 – 1990 Replay
2 – Award Winner
2 – NFL Newsreel
2 – Super Bowl XXV Replay
2 - Officials
1 – Milestone
1 – Heisman Hero

Random Wax: 2022-2023 Hoops Basketball Blaster

22-23 Hoops:   AD is no longer a Laker.  AD was a Maverick for only 29 games.  AD is now a Washington Wizard.  It's been a crazy year and a half for him.  AD is on a popular Hoops Tribute card here.

Trae Young is also a Washington Wizard.  That trade has worked out well for the Hawks.  What will the Wizards look like with Trae and AD?  Are they truly all in on contending?  Will they keep AD?  Plenty of questions Wizards' leadership must figure out.

Dyson Daniels is an All-Defensive 3 and D standout now on the Hawks.  He was a great pickup.  The Rockets have scuffled lately but are still a playoff team and Jabari Smith Jr. will be a big part of any success they have.

Youngsters on different inserts including a Rise N Shine Relic.  Mark Williams is now the starting center for the Phoenix Suns.  I wish TyTy was doing better.  I just want to hear his name in the news.

Nice Ja photo even if his career has taken a left turn.  Booker and the Suns have surprised this season and he's having another excellent season averaging 25/3/6 per game.

Just don't get Pure Players but Doncic is always a plus.  I do like Frequent Flyers and Skyview isn't bad.  No matter what I think of the designs I do like the stars.  Jayson Tatum has come back early from an Achilles injury to bolster an already good Celtics team.

Doesn't scream "greetings card".  Just saying.

Austin Reeves and the Lakers had surged of late, but Luka is now injured and it's unsure what they'll look like going into the playoffs.  Just now posting this blaster after picking it up in 2023.

More Hoops Tribute cards, including a retired great, and one of the best photos in the set showing KAT skying towards the rim.

BREAKDOWN:

90 – Total Cards

13 – RC

5 – Hoops Tribute

3 – Arriving Now

3 – Blue Parallels

2 – Purple Parallels

1 – Skyview

1 – Pure Players

1 – Holo Parallel

1 – Retired Great

1 – Frequent Flyers

1 – RiseNShine Relic

1 – Rookie Greetings

 

Random Wax: 2022 Topps Opening Day Blaster

2022 Opening Day:   Vlad Jr. and the Blue Jays have their work cut out for them after making it to the World Series last year.  He's started out well though home runs and runs batted in weren't there for him.  I'd love to see this team do well consistently for years to come but it's not easy to do in the AL East.

I miss Opening Day, but I do get why Topps no longer does it.  2022 was a good design for Topps and Opening Day was a good compliment.  Three good photos here.  Juan Soto had a quick start to his season with the Mets.

Really good-looking card.

Plenty of youngsters.  All three of these have had good starts to their career.

Topps Celebration kind of fills the space of Opening Day to some extent now.  You'll at least see mascots there as well as other fun features.  Don't think it is a cheaper option though, but I haven't really researched it or seen them at retail.

Great photo and card.

I know he's struggling but I miss Xander Bogaerts as a Red Sox.  It was fun seeing him get 2 World Championships with Boston though.

Triple Play insert.  Kind of cool and not really perforated.

Another nice horizontal card.

Mascots!

Topps was killing it with the photos on the horizontal cards in this box.

Cutch is now a Texas Ranger and had a good start to his season.

Nice card and cards are always better with Ohtani and Trout appearances.

Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are pitching this year but with Detroit and Toronto respectively.

Another Triple Play card and all three are no longer with the Red Sox.  It happens.  I picked up this blaster in 2022 and finally showing it off.

Bomb Squad inserts are nice.  Gives us another shot at seeing and pulling stars of the sport.

We'll end it with a few of my favorite current players.

BREAKDOWN:
154 – Total Cards
21 – RC
11 – Future Stars
8 – Bomb Squad
7 – Mascot
5 – Rookie Cup
4 – Opening Day
3 – Triple Play
2 – Retired Greats
2 – Opening Day Blue Foil