1990-1991 Hoops All-Star Subset

 1990-1991 Hoops Basketball: I love all-star games and all-star game cards so I've picked off some of these sets over time.  This is a favorite as the Hoops set itself was pretty cool and this all-star subset had a gold border, vice the silver for base cards, which gave it a cool vibe to me.  The best is that it comes with actual all-star game photos.  Win!  We'll kick it off with the man, the myth, the GOAT...

As is with most of these sets they are loaded with greats of the game. Sir Charles and Larry "Legend" are two of the many that stand out from this era though Bird was nearing the end of his career.  Not to be left out, Joe Dumars is a Hall of Famer many don't think about but was so good back in the day and would have been a great "3 and D" guy today.  Don't sleep on him.

Three more Hall of Famers?  Sure.  There ya go.  

And three more... This set was well under $5 before the recent price escalation but was still under $9 with shipping when I picked this one up earlier this month.  Though most sets of this are going for more right now, if you're patient there are deals to be found.

I really like the photo of these two coaching greats together. You can only imagine how fun conversations get between coaches behind closed doors. 

Nique!  Always that much more fun when you're all-time favorite player is in the set.

Magic was the MVP of the game which the West won 130-113.

Three more greats.  Lever was so good but so many fans today will never know that.  Fat Lever averaged eight or more rebounds a season for four years and averaged nine rebounds for two of those years while averaging 6.2 assists for his career.  An injury at the age of 30 effectively ended an excellent career playing only 116 more games.  His #12 was retired by the Denver Nuggets in 2017.

And the backs?  Freaking awesome.  They give you the player's all-star game stats from each all-star game he played in, a color logo and small write-up.  Love it.

This is a 26 card set.  Of the 27 players and coaches all but five players are in the Hall of Fame.  Wow.  So glad I picked this up.  I love the NBA and all these guys were a huge part of my growth as fan of the sport.  We'll finish off this post with Tom Chambers whom I'm a big fan of.

BREAKDOWN:

26 – Total Cards

1 – Checklist 

2018 NBA All-Star Game

Just a quick blurb about last night's NBA All-Star Game.  As some know I'm a fan of all-star games.  This year the two top vote getters got to choose their teams via a draft of players chosen to the game.  While I definitely prefer having conference vs. conference this wasn't a bad deal.  Some intrigue as you get see some players play with each other when you might never get to otherwise as well as teammates playing against each other.  Also the NBA upped the winnings for players on the winning team to $100K while losers get $25K.  Each team chose a charity to play for and the winning team's charity got $350K while the losing team's received $150K.  The game itself was good especially compared to last years track meet that had nothing resembling defense.  There was real defense this year which while keeping the score down, as one announcer said, also made for better offensive plays as players had to work for baskets.  I'm not saying this was comparable to the NBA playoffs or a regular season game for that matter - it was just an improvement and very watchable basketball.  In the end Team LeBron beat Team Steph with a defensive stand no less on the last play 148-145.  Kudos to the NBA, commissioner Adam Silver, and  the player's union for working together and trying to make the all-star game an enjoyable event again.  

All-Star Games - Are They A Good Thing?

The NFL Pro Bowl was last week and it caught flack for lacking any effort by the players.  One person complaining was NFC Pro Bowl quarterback Aaron Rogers who also took a shot at his teammates for lackluster play.  All-star games have long been looked at as either fun, a waste of time or somewhere in between.  Fans enjoy seeing the big stars while players either enjoy the pageantry or dislike having to play an extra game.  The different leagues do theirs somewhat different in an effort to entertain their fans.  I've always enjoyed them myself and here I'll look at some of the pros and cons as I see them in the big 4 (football, baseball, basketball, hockey) sports. 

I think baseball is the best of the four by pure nature of the sport.  The pitcher versus batter scenario works great as we get to see matchups that we might not get to see otherwise.  Interleague play may have lessened this to some extent but it is still great to see the great pitchers and batters go against each other.  Baseball's all-star game comes midway through the season and includes the homerun contest.  I can take or leave the homerun contest but the game is my favorite all-star game. 

The NBA also holds it's game midway through the season.  Some will complain about the lack of defense but I think this is what makes it great.  Who doesn't like street ball?  You really get to see the one on one skills of players.  Yes it doesn't resemble a real game but it does showcase the NBA's talent.  The NBA has skills contests that have been different throughout the years but are usually entertaining.  The three point contest was always a favorite of mine as it showcase's true skill.  The slam dunk contest has gotten somewhat tiring over the years and sometimes lacks the big name players but it can still be entertaining.  The 3-on-3 contest employing everyone from past greats, current players, pop culture stars and even WNBA players can also be enjoyable.  Overall I think the NBA does well in putting on a good show. 

I'm a very casual follower of the NHL but I do enjoy their all-star show.  The skills contest is fun.  These guys have skills I think match those of any other sport.  They've gone to a system of late where two players pick the two different rosters from the pool of players picked to participate.  Not saying this is a homerun but I definitely give them points for creativity.  Again a nice showcase for the sport.

Now the NFL.  Their game was held after the Super Bowl until two years ago and is now held between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl.  No matter when it is played it still suffers from a lack of enthusasm by the players.  Many feign injury to avoid going.  While some enjoy the trip to Hawaii they haven't put much effort into the game for some time now.  I do remember when the games were competitive and very enjoyable to watch.  What little I saw of last Sunday's game looked nothing like those.  I have no great answers to the problem.  In a sport that is very physical and injuries common I can understand players being leary of going all out.  Still the NFL needs to figure something out.  As is the game is a farce. 

I always enjoy seeing all the great players in one place.  It is even better when they get a chance to display the great skills that make them special.  There are also those plays or moments that you'll never forget.  John Kruk hitting against Randy Johnson in the 1993 all-star game stands out.  Not everyone is into these games but I for one enjoy watching them and hope the NFL can rescue their showcase game.