2023 Favorite Cards

Annual Favorite Cards:  Huge challenge for me this year as I look at my favorite cards from the year.  Cards shown today are from any blog post in 2023 no matter the year the card is from.  I'll show off my favorites from each sport as well as a non-sport entry.  Speaking of, this Stranger Things Upside Down insert is my favorite card of the year.  I know it doesn't scan well but I really like it. That combined with the fact Eddie is a character I really like from the show and this is maybe his shining moment in the series.  As such it gets the nod as #1 from 2023.  This one was appropriately posted in October.

I went back and forth between this one and Eddie for tops on the year.  This is from an April post of 2020-2021 Hoops.  I love the emotion and the photo.  There were other good cards to choose from but this card made it an easy choice as the best basketball card of the year.

This one barely edged two others competing for the top football card.  I really like the photo.  This is from 2021 Score which I posted in May.  In contrast to Saquon's athletic play, the player and coach in the background have no interest in what is going on.

Another card with great emotion, this Asuka card from a post in August is pretty cool.  The photo and emotion paint a great picture.  Not a surprise it is the #1 WWE card from the year.

In March I took a second look at 2021 Donruss NASCAR hobby box.  In the post I showcased this nice-looking Dominators insert of Brad Keselowski.  For winning the race, drivers receive a lobster which he shows off in the photo.  The mask he's wearing also takes us back to 2020 and the infamous look.  I like the look on this card and the lobster helping it be the #1 NASCAR card from the blog this year.

From a July post is this 2022 Juan Soto which has a nicely timed photo.  He's already celebrating with the bat flip while the fans and players watch the ball fly.

This '90-'91 Score Hockey card posted in October gets the top sport for the year in hockey.  I hope to post more hockey in 2024.  This card has cool photography magic going on.

Cards and the blog has been good to me this year.  Lots of fun.  I've gotten a little more organized and will continue to work on that in 2024.  I also hit 51 followers.  Not a lot to some but I'm very happy and very thankful for those who take the time.  Be safe tonight and have a Happy New Year!   

2023 NFL Hall of Fame Class

2023 NFL Hall of Fame:  I always enjoy NFL Hall of Fame selections and all the talk that goes with it.  The 2023 class was released this week.  No arguments with any of them.  I don't always think about every players as a Hall of Famer when I watched them play but that's why there are smarter guys than me helping vote these guys in.  This year's class was defense heavy but Joe Thomas headlined the class in my opinion.  Elected his first time on the ballot he was a six-time All-Pro, Pro Bowl selection every year he played and a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team.  I always got a good vibe from the guy and no matter how bad Cleveland was he was a class act and a beast on the offensive line.

Zach Thomas waited a while for his induction but he was a 2000s All-Decade team pick, five-time All-Pro, and seven-time Pro Bowl selection.  Happy to see him get in as well and well deserved.  Just took too long.

Ken Riley is a guy I knew about growing up.  He was always talked about amongst the best corners but somehow never made a Pro Bowl but was selected as an All-Pro once.  Still talked about as one of the greats I'm happy to see him join elite.

I could say a lot about all these guys.  I watched Joe Klecko growing up and wow how is Don Coryell just now getting in?  Such an innovator and many offenses can thank him for where the league has gone.  Again, no issues with any of the selections this year.  I know these selections don't mean as much to others but I always enjoy it.  Congratulations to all those who made it into the NFL Hall of Fame.