2015 Topps Road To Wrestlemania Trading Cards

I don't really pick up Wrestling cards very often but as someone who grew up watching wrestling on TBS and also throughout the early WWE days I do see myself as a casual fan.  So while I'm not up on all the current wrestlers I do pay attention to headlines and will pick up cards from time to time and did so recently grabbing two packs from two different Topps' sets.  The first is the 2015 Road to Wrestlemania which cost $4.99 and contained 21 cards.  I didn't pull any of the relics or autographs.  I did pull some stars including a Hulk Hogan insert, The Rock, Triple H, and Kane.  Other inserts were a couple of Hall of Fame cards, a Rocking WrestleMania (The Rock), and a two classic matches cards. 

The cards themselves have black borders or no border at all.  Makes for a darker looking set especially considering how may photos have dark backgrounds.  The photos are very nice and the style is pretty appealing.  The backs have short narratives based on the focus of the card.  This is a nice set and think it would be something wrestling fans will enjoy.  Being the casual fan at best I probably won't grab another pack but I did like this one. 

Topps 2015 Topps Star Wars: The Force Awakens Series 1

Sticker, Montage Card, First Order Rises Card

I've been picking up some packs of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens series one trading cards.  While I wasn't near as excited about the Star Wars: Journey to the Force Awakens cards I do like this set (Journey cards are growing on me though).  While I haven't pulled any of the big inserts I'm definitely happy with set as a whole.  Great photos, scenes, character cards, and plenty of others to add variety.  I'm not going to go into tons of detail and will just let the cards themselves do the talking.  Again I'm a fan of these cards and I'm looking forward to series 2 which should be out in March.  

Two base character cards and a concept art card

Base Storyline Cards

Base Storyline Cards

Weapon and Location Cards

Movie Scenes and Behind the Scenes Cards

Tie Fighter Medallion Card (025/199)

2015 Topps Wrestling Heritage Trading Cards

The second pack of wrestling cards are the 2015 Topps Heritage Wrestling cards.  Topps hearkens back to the 1985 Topps baseball cards with the look they have going here.  I like the it and the cards I pulled.  The pack was $2.99 and contained 9 cards.  Six were base cards, 1 a rookie of the year card (Shawn Michaels), Then and Now Card (Kane) and a Called Up Card (Kalisto).  There is a nice feel to this set for me.  I like the variety as well as the look.  Wrestling fans should check it out. 

And there are Divas...Divas are always good...

Denver and Carolina Win to Get to the Super Bowl

I think the only big surprise from this weekend's Championship games was the disaster that was the Arizona offense.  Granted the offense, mainly Carson Palmer, hadn't been that great of late but this was a total meltdown.  Hopefully it was just the lingering finger injury that Palmer has been dealing with and it will be resolved by next year.  The Carolina Panthers for their part still dominated both on offense and defense.  Carolina has to like the way their offense and defense are clicking going into the Super Bowl.  Whether or not Denver can move/counter move will be key.  If I'm Carolina I just keep on doing what I've been doing.  There will always be some new wrinkles the coordinators will throw into a game plan but the Panthers are good enough to win with what they have going right now.  Cam Newton is definitely on top of his game and is the MVP of the league this year.  While he has had bigger numbers before, this year he has been more accurate throwing the ball and downright scary when he runs.  It is fun to see a young team do well and if the franchise wins their first Super Bowl this year it will be well deserved.

Denver made an excellent New England Patriots team look pedestrian.  While the Pats' defense played well enough to win, the offense didn't look good and if it hadn't been for the Denver fumble in their own territory in the second quarter I wonder if the game would have been as close as it was.  Peyton played well not throwing an interception and was on point while helping Denver score two early touchdowns to put pressure on New England.  To see Brady and the rest of the offense have no answers for a defense is pretty scary but that is how good this defense and coordinator Wade Phillips have been.  Great game by Denver and you have to love that Peyton Manning goes back to the Super Bowl in what may be his final game.  I hope it is his final game and, win or lose, he'll be going out on a high note.  In the Super Bowl Denver will need to find ways to run and get the ball in their receiver's hands.  They did that well this game and even had Manning rolling out much to everyone's surprise.  Against Carolina though I'm not sure three points in the second half is going to cut it.  It is nice we have two great teams and all we can hope for now is a great Super Bowl ala last year.      

2015-2-16 Panini Hoops Trading Cards

I'm not a fan of this year's Hoops cards from Panini.  It just seems like they phoned it in.  They aren't bad cards but they also don't say "wow" when you open a pack.  The fronts are fine with good photography.  I like the team logos and I pulled plenty of rookie cards.  Not a ton of stars though.  And I'm getting tired of the foil on the cards.  I don't think it is needed nor is the huge Hoops logo.  I'm good with the products logo being on the front but it doesn't have to be so big.  Again I'm not sure how much thought was put into this year's set. I've only picked up a few packs and not sure if I'll grab anymore.  Hard not to though since this is the cheaper of the basketball cards that will be out there.  We'll see.  Maybe I'll feel better with a fresh look.  The backs are the black and white backs you are used to seeing with Hoops which again isn't that exciting.  Maybe a color team logo, border around something or in the stats?  Ugh.  Maybe I'm being a bit negative.  I'll have to look at what others feel about this set to see if I'm missing something but for now I'm giving it a "shoulder shrug". 

NFL Championship Games

New England @ Denver -  I expect New England to win this game.  New England and most folks breathing know Peyton Manning is not the Peyton Manning of old.  I think if they can control the Bronco's running game this is New England's game to win.  That said, I'm not sleeping on Denver's defense.  They can control Brady.  He doesn't like pressure and Denver can bring it. Then it is that cat and mouse game of whether Brady can hit Edelman, Gronk, or Amendola.  I'd love to see this be a slugfest with Manning showing flashes of old.  I'm not sure that will happen but it would be awesome to watch.  Still this should be a fun close game.

Arizona @ Carolina - This game has good offense  and defense on both teams which should make for a good game.  Carolina's weakness is their ability to cover receivers.  The Cardinals' offense has to get out of their funk and take advantage of the receivers they have, specifically Larry Fitzgerald.  If Arizona can do that I think they win this game.  While Carolina can score points I'm not sure they win a shootout.  I love Cam Newton and what he can do.  He should give the Cardinals' defense fits.  There aren't great receivers on the Panthers sans tight end Greg Olsen.  Still Carolina just gets it done on offense.  I think this is also a close game with Carolina winning.

No matter what match up we get in the Super Bowl it will have great stories.  Can Brady and Belichick win their 5th Super Bowl together?  Can Peyton get his 2nd Super Bowl win while hopefully going out on the ultimate high note?  Can the Arizona Cardinals and a very deserving Larry Fitzgerald win their first championship?  Can Cam cap a MVP type season and win a Super Bowl?  It should be a fun weekend of football and I can't wait to see who we'll have in the Super Bowl. 

Stryper Fallen Album Review

You won't see me do many album reviews because I don't know how to speak to music in the correct terms.  What I will do is be a fanboy who talks about a band's latest album.  I have been a huge Stryper fan from when I was in high school which would have been right around 1985.  I've seen them 5 times in concert and enjoyed them every time. Their latest album is Fallen (2015).  Like many hair bands they fell out of favor in the 90's, broke up and then reunited around 2000 and started putting out new albums.  There have been five albums since their last album of any note until this one. 

I wanted to put something down because I really believe this to be a good rock album.  I understand only true fans will be interested but I also think others would be pleasantly surprised.  I can hear sounds similar to past albums "To Hell With the Devil", "In God We Trust" and even "Against The Law" which I thought was a bit underrated.  It is still a newer sound the band has been tweaking the last 15 years or so.  Again I know only Stryper fans are going to give this album a shot.  I really enjoy this music and for the first time in probably 25 years I've played a Stryper album over and over  (excluding compilation albums).  It is a good feeling.  These guys can play and it nice to have an album come together with a good sound. 

Classic Stryper