Random Wax: 1990-1991 Hoops Basketball

1990-1991 Hoops Basketball: The Bucks try to continue their NBA Finals comeback tonight in Milwaukee.  This guys knows a bit about winning titles.  This was one of the packs from an eBay lot buy a while back.  Loved seeing Bird in this pack.  Back in the day he just irritated me as he kicked the Hawks', and everyone else's, butts.  I'm a huge fan of Bird now but let's just say it didn't come naturally if that makes any sense.

All three of these guys were fun to watch.  Thunder Dan could do it on defense (2X All-Defense) and love shooting the three ball.  Dan Barros was another guy who could shoot the three with a career 41% from the arc.  Sleepy Floyd was such a great point guard and once scored a record 29 points in one quarter to help the Warriors beat the Lakers in game three of their playoff series.  He finished the game with 51 points.

Did you know Pat Riley played for the Phoenix Suns in their first NBA Finals appearance in 1975-1976?  Riley played one minute as the Suns lost to the Celtics four games to two. 

Two great Hall of Famers.  Adelman not only won two Conference Championships with the Portland Trail Blazers but he also coached those oh so good Sacramento Kings in the early 2000s.  And Pat Riley needs no introduction.  Hall of Famer as a coach but his hair no doubt helped sway the voters.

Everyone liked Manute Bol right?  And he was a stretch five.  Shot 205 threes in his career with 91 of those in once season as a Warrior.  So just imagine him standing at the three point line lining it up in this photo...

BREAKDOWN:
15 – Total Cards
2 – Coach
2 – Rookie

Random Wax: 2021 Donruss Baseball

 2021 Donruss Baseball: All-Star game tonight?  Love me some All-Star games and this guy personifies all-star even if he is injured this year.  This card works for Donruss since the glasses and shirt obscure the fact there are no logos.  

As I stated in my first post about these the single color seems to dominate the card a bit much for me.

The Retro '87 cards are great especially seeing retired greats on them.  The Big Unit played in 10 all-star games while Fergie only three, surprisingly, and Paul Molitor seven.

meh

The Elite Series cards show a little life here even if it is a Yankee.  That said Cole is a likable guy and a stud on the mound.  The Independence Day parallels also have a good look to them.  It is also a nickname variation.

This was a fun pack.  Some star power and variety with the inserts and retired greats.  PC guy Yadi will play in his 10th All-Star game tonight as an injury replacement. 

BREAKDOWN:
30 – Total Cards
5 – Retro 1987
3 – Rated Rookie
3 – Red Parallel
2 – City Nickname Variation
1 – Elite Series
1 – Photo Variation
1 – Independence Day
1 – Player Nickname Variation

2020-2021 Contenders Basketball

2020-2021 Contenders Basketball:  I've been resigned to not finding any Contenders Basketball, or basketball cards in general.  I'm a Contenders guy and when I found a lot of 12 packs on eBay for just over $7 a pack I was happy with that price even if that is more packs of a product than I'd normally buy.  Over the next year I'll show them all off.  What? The Suns are in the Finals?  The Suns could go up 3-0 tonight on the Bucks in the NBA Finals?  Devin Booker is one of the great players in the league?  Yes on all accounts.

The design is one I'm good with.  The space for the photos is a bit small though. Seems like the players are crammed into the space.  Not sure who thought that was a good idea.  Still I'm happy overall.  Ayton really is having a coming out party in the playoffs this year.

The backs are okay.  Plenty of color.  The veterans checklist is 100 cards so you can expect a pretty good pull in each pack.  I was hoping I'd grab some team sets from the 12 packs but the rookie cards are tough pulls.  As a reminder the numbers are the following:

Sec=Weight  Row=Height  Seat=Jersey Number

I'm hoping Milwaukee can stage a comeback in the NBA Finals but they'll need Jrue Holiday to be the player he was in the regular season and not the hot mess he was in games 1 and 2.  I'm really happy with cards and maybe even more happy to just bust some basketball cards.  Game Time inserts are a really nice looking insert.  Pulling a Doncic makes them even better.

BREAKDOWN:
22 – Total Cards
2 – 2020 Draft Class
1 – Game Night
1 – Red Parallel
1 – Green Game Ticket Parallel

2019-2020 NBA Stickers (2 Packs)

2019-2020 NBA Stickers:  This is appropriate with this guy still bringing it in the NBA Finals.  Chris Paul was a great addition to the Suns who didn't make the playoffs last year.  Paul isn't all warm and fuzzy and I've never been a huge fan but I get why this guy is a Hall of Famer.  He's always been special but what he did for the Oklahoma City Thunder last year and Phoenix this year is nothing short of amazing.  This is one of the cards found one per pack.

Not a bad pull overall but the base set is a meaty 493 stickers so it's long odds pulling specific players.  Loved these stickers and sticker books as a kid and I enjoy opening these up and bringing back some of those memories.

Two of the three foil cards I pulled and these two guys you're always happy pulling. 

With a set this size we get to see coaches as well as logos.  Both of which I'm happy with.

A cartoon sticker as well as a Finals sticker.  I really like the Finals stickers and their game photos. Stickers are always fun.  I don't think I'll ever try to fill a book but I'll still pick these up when I see them.

BREAKDOWN:
12 – Total Cards/Stickers
3 – Foil
2 - Cards
1 - Coach
1 - Cartoon
1 – Finals Game

2020-2021 Upper Deck Hockey

 2020-2021 Upper Deck Hockey: I picked these up in the Fall but somehow never posted any of the packs.  With the Lightning trying to close out the Stanley Cup Finals tonight this is a good time for them to make their debut.  As always Upper Deck does a great job with their photographs. 

I call this a good pull with these three headlining the pack for me.  The overall design is ok but not a favorite maybe.

Another really good photo.

The backs with all their stats are what we all hope for.  Well other than bigger fonts but I'm not complaining when I get career stats.  

Seems like Upper Deck went out of their way to nail these horizontal cards. 

With only one insert per pack you are always hoping for the coveted Young Guns.  Vitek Vanecek played a big part in the Capitals' season winning 21 games, losing 10, with a 2.69 goals against average.  Always fun to open Upper Deck hockey and this pack was no different. Even grabbed a Calgary Flame in the deal.  Good luck to the Lightning tonight.  

BREAKDOWN

26 – Total Cards

1 – Young Guns

Random Wax: 2020-2021 Contenders Draft Picks with an Auto

2020-2021 Contenders Draft Picks Basketball:  This is one of the packs I found in the wild back in Novermber.  The NBA Finals kicks off tonight so I had to do some basketball.  I'll be rooting for the Bucks but the fact that Phoenix has never won a title makes them tough to root against.  We'll kick this pack off with Kawhi who is a PC guy.  Would have been nice to see what the Clip's series with the Suns looked like with a healthy Leonard.

I pulled one of the Ball brothers just not the one everyone is chasing.  I'll be curious where his career goes.  He's a restricted free agent I think and I'm not sure what to think of him at this point.  

Plenty of veteran star power in the pack too.  These guys look so young and I guess they were.  Almost unrecognizable. 

One of the two autos I pulled in the packs I grabbed at the time.  Zeke had a minimal role with Denver this year but it looked like he played OK given the limited opportunity.

More vets to round out the pack.  You can never complain when you pull an auto and with the base set at only 100 total cards (50 with a photo variation of each) you're gonna get some good players in these packs.   We'll end it with Zion.  Enjoy game one tonight!

BREAKDOWN:
18 – Total Cards
2 – Winning Ticket
2 – Game Ticket Green Parallel 
1 – 2020 Draft Class
1 – Red Game Ticket Auto #/99

Random Wax: 2020 Topps Gallery

 2020 Topps Gallery: Happy 4th of July!  I was able to pick up a few of these back in November.  This pack may be my favorite of the four I grabbed if for no other reason than this sweet Ichiro.  You never know with the art on these cards but I thought this was a nice looking card.  

That Lindor is a Heritage insert.  The back of it is below which I think really is the highlight of the card. 

More card backs need to look like this.

Nice pack.  Not a spectacular pull but still fun.  Have a safe and fun 4th!

   BREAKDOWN:
12 – Total Cards
4 – RC
2 – Wood Parallel
1 – Retired Great
1 – Gallery Heritage