2023 Donruss Elite Football

2023 Donruss Elite:  Not a big fan of Donruss elite historically but I don't mind picking up a pack when they hit the shelves like they did locally yesterday.  Tua's off to a great start sans the bump in the road that was the Buffalo Bills.  Go Bills!  

These don't scan well.  You won't see the wavy lines in the background when in hand.  Maybe a Donruss Elite design I would like better if there were more color here but all that foil background thing doesn't do much for me.  

The base set is only 100 cards so you'll get a decent pull in these packs.  

The backs are nice and colorful with a truncated version of the front photo.  But no stats which is always a bummer.

For a 30 card pack I expect more variety but the only cards outside of base cards were this Title Wave inserts, one RC card, and three pink parallels.  Where's the fun in that?  There are more inserts in the set but many are hobby box or case hit exclusives. I don't get it.

You can probably tell but I won't be going back to this one unless they are deeply discounted.  Good names for sure but overall a bit of a downer.  We'll end it on a high note with Patrick Mahomes who helps put a shine on any pack.

BACKGROUND:

30 – Total Cards

3 – Pink Parallels

1 – Title Waves

2023 Atlanta Braves Playoff Preview

The 2023 Atlanta Braves were historically good.  They tied the record for home runs in a season by a team which is crazy.  They also have maybe the greatest non-Ohtani player in the league in Ronald Acuna who really is a game changer.  That said their entire lineup can make you suffer.  It's fun to see the talent they can send against pitchers every game.  The issue going into the playoffs will be the starting pitching.  Bryce Elder has struggled of late, Max Fried is dealing with a blister, and Spencer Strider has had some mixed results lately.  Who knows what happens when the playoffs start but even with the pitching questions Atlanta is clearly the favorite.  As a fan that scares me but I'm hoping this team can follow through with the expectations. GO BRAVES!

 

The Rental (2020)

 The Rental: You'll find this one under horror but it doesn't fit the classic mold of a horror flick.  Two couples rent a house for the weekend.  Things then go awry which makes it a movie to watch in October.  Most of the movie is about the characters and the setup to the ending.  This was an easy watch and while you kind of knew some things were coming it didn't play out as I expected.  It still hits some of the tropes with the "what are you thinking" moments.  I will say the ending didn't really pay it off.  For all the setup I thought it was too straightforward.  This isn't a movie I'd watch a second time but I liked it for what it was.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

The Conjuring 3:  I'm a fan of The Conjuring franchise.  The first two are really good with the original movie being one of my all-time favorite horror movies.  This one doesn't quite live up to those but it is good.  This one centers around the Warren's helping a young man in using demonic possession in defense in murder.  This one feels a bit different than the past movies which centered on families who deal with demons terrorizing them in their home.  This one starts with the exorcism of a young boy and then to a young man who kills but was he possessed?  While it is different from what we are used to in the franchise it is a good watch.

Random Wax: 2021 Topps Heritage

2021 Heritage:  Let the baseball playoffs begin!  Mookie Betts and the Dodgers have a bye in the Wild Card round.  He knows a thing or two about playoff baseball having won two championships.  One as a Red Sox and the other as a Dodger.  Red Sox fans still miss ya Mookie.

Unfortunately, the cards in this pack had some dinged corners.  Always disappointing.  Nice Pete Alonzo appearance on this design that isn't a favorite of mine.

Leader cards are always fun.

I do like the In Action cards which help since torso shots are really all you get to see in these sets.  Flashbacks and Boyhood Photos are fun inserts.

I love getting to see the team stats from the postseason and they really hit here for the team that won the World Series.

Miggy is hanging it up after this season.  What career.  

Some youngsters here.  Not a big fan of this set but I still enjoy busting these and seeing players in a little different format.  Good luck to your teams today!

BREAKDOWN:

20 – Total Cards

3 – Action

1 – Leaders

1 – Rookies

1 – Flashbacks

1 – Rookie Stars

1 – Boyhood Photos

McFarlane Frankenstein Figure

I love this Frankenstein figure.  I've been like a little kid waiting for Christmas to show him off this month.  

The DC Comics Frankenstein is not one I'm that familiar with but I've seen his character over the years normally associated with different groups within DC.  Latest rumor is he'll be a part of one of the new groups in the DC Movie Universe.  We'll see.  We know how that's been a moving target.

I like this look.  It incorporates what we think of when we think of Frankenstein and elements of the comic character.  He's ~nine inches tall which makes him stand out like he should.

He makes taking pictures easy.  The night pictures really popped.

He's still easy to find and cheaper than what Megafigs normally go for ($39).  I saw him as cheap as $20 on Entertainment Earth in September.

I wish the cloak was cloth but it still works here.  There is a loop on the back of his cloak where the sword can be placed when he isn't holding it.

Thanks for letting me show this guy off.  Halloween is my favorite holiday and this is a great way to kick off October.

Random Wax: 2021 Score Football

2021 Score:  We'll kick off this pack with Cowboys legend Troy Aikman.  This is a really good photo.  It is simple but seeing him focused on what is happening downfield is a nice look.

I like this design more and more.  I hope to see Joe Burrow back and healthy soon.  He is too good and the Bengals' only hope for a good season

That gray background is dull but I like these cards which gives us a match of current players and retired legends.

Youngsters from the set.  The jury is still out on Mac Jones.  Though an Alabama alum, I'm still rooting for him to do well in the NFL.

Plenty of these in my pack.  They are good looking cards and I like the bold view of key stats.

Is that really the game face for John Randle and Von Miller?  I don't mind the design but the execution seems off on these with all smiles.  Maybe that's what they look like in the 4th quarter of a win but not what I expect when I think "game face".   That Tannehill is a Dots Gold parallel #/225.

I really like these.  We get two good looks of the players including in their college unis.  These inserts are a win to me.

Score Team inserts aren't bad but feel like they are lacking something.  It just doesn't scream "scoring play" to me.  And we'll end it with Tom Terrific.  You're welcome.

BREAKDOWN:
40 – Total Cards
7 – RC
3 – Next Level
3 – Score Team
3 – Red Parallel
3 – Retired Legends
2 – 3D
2 – Game Face
2 – NCAA National Champion
1 – Dots Gold Parallel #/225