Random Wax: 2022 Topps Opening Day Hobby Box Part II

2022 Opening Day: The World Series picks back up in New York tonight and the Dodgers are up 2-0.  New York will need Aaron Judge to be more like Aaron Judge for them to make a comeback in the series.  He currently has 1 hit in 9 at the plate.

I always kind of liked that Dodgers alternate uni.  I bought this box back in March of 2022 but it has so much to offer I wanted to share more cards.  Opening Day is a brand I really enjoyed and miss a lot.

Matt Vierling has been the most productive of these three and plays in Detroit.  Gavin Sheets has found plenty of at bats with the White Sox with a career .230 average.

I liked the design of these Opening Day inserts.  Has a Wild Card vibe to them with being able to see through the words.

Wow things have changed.  Franco is dealing with legal woes.  Bohm is a 1X all-star.  India was the 2021 Rookie of the Year and a starter for the Reds since then.

Mascots were always a fun part of the Opening Day sets.

This Triple Play card is a mixed bag of emotions.  Trout was injured again this season.   Ohtani is now a Dodger, had a historic season, but went out of Saturday's game with a shoulder injury.  Rendon has been on a four-year decline dealing with injuries every yeard.

These feel a bit bland but wow you can't argue with my pull of Bomb Squad cards.  Soto is holding up his end of the deal hitting .429 in two World Series games so far. 

Really nice photo on this horizontal offering.

Lot of Trout in this box which is always a great thing.

Mookie is looking for his 3rd World Series ring, already winning one with Boston and one with LA.

Another great photo with Arenado's bubble gum making an appearance.

Waino and Goldy going Cardinal old school in different ways and I like both looks.  This was fun and there were many players who are key to the tonight's game. Still pulling for the Dodgers.  Hoping for more fun and drama like we've seen through the first two games.

BREAKDOWN:

252 – Total Cards

37 – RC

19 – Future Stars

17 – Total Cards

12 – Mascot

12 – Bomb Squad

12 – All-Star Rookie Cup

7 – Opening Day

5 – Triple Play

3 – Retired Greats

3 – Opening Day Blue Foil

 

 

1992 Pro Set NASCAR (4 Packs)

1992 Pro Set:  We'll kick this off with Dale Earnhardt who was coming off the 1991 Championship which had won before the last race of the season.  His seven total championships and countless other amazing stats say nothing to what he was in the sport.  He was an icon who was loved and "hated" but helped carry the sport during its growth spurt in the 1980s.  Great photo by the way.

These packs were an eBay pickup and they are great fun.  NASCAR was in a great place and lots of fun in 1992.  Mello Yellow was such memorable sponsor of Kyle Petty back in the day.  I appreciate the love for the haulers.

Harry Gant placed 4th in 1991.  The base cards aren't bad, but they won't' wow you.  

We get legends in this set which is a big part of NASCAR cards.  These three all won multiple championships in the sport.

Ernie Irvan was always a fan favorite, but his career was cut short by serious injuries in a practice accident at Michigan.

You get members of the crew (Fennig) as well as members of Motor Racing Network (MRN).

Team card.  I like these.  The entire team is shown off.

The backs are pretty good.  We get a second photo and lots of stats and information.  Much better than today's sets.

Owners.  Feels like a writeup would be appropriate here with some background on each.

Alan Kulwicki's Hooters hauler.  Very simple but I like them.

The back of one of the legends cards.  Ned was a commentator when his son, Dale, won the 1993 Daytona 500, NASCAR's premier race.

DW was one of the sports big personalities and always lots of fun.  Well maybe not to other drivers who weren't always a fan. He had 84 career wins and won three NASCAR championships.

You would receive a copy of the 1992 NASCAR schedule in each pack.  Rusty Wallace is my favorite driver all-time.  Rusty was never ranked lower than 19th while running full-time in NASCAR and won one championship.  Really glad I picked up these cards.  So many greats from the era and more.

BREAKDOWN:

48 – Total Cards

9 – Rig

7 - Car

6 – Legend

4 – 1992 Race Schedule

2 – Crew

2 – MRN Radio

1 – Team

Smile (2022)

 Smile: This one came on the recommendation of a friend, and I liked it.  It has an old school feel to it.  It's not fast paced either in the vain of It Follows.  Not a negative and it doesn't feel like a long movie.  Just paced differently.  Some decent jump scare moments and the storyline keeps you engaged.  The main character goes through a lot.  She's easy to like and considering what she goes through, you feel for her.  Give it a shot.

2024 World Series: New York Yankees at Los Angeles Dodgers

The World Series kicks off tonight and I'm sure the Fox network is thrilled.  I say that tongue in cheek.  The Dodgers and Yankees are the best teams in the league, and this is what we should all be wanting.  No way I can root for the Yanks though, so I'll be pulling for LA.  I get they are both evil empires spending money like they print it in a back room but I have to root for someone and Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Shohei Ohtani make the Dodgers much easier to root for.  Honestly, I don't see any huge advantage by either team.  Dodgers overall lineup and relivers versus the strengths of the Yanks with the top of their lineup and starters.  If I had to put money on this one, I'd be hurting.  Hopefully that means it's a good series.  We do get the two best power hitters facing off in Judge and Ohtani.  A rekindling of the fun these teams gave us in three World Series from 1977 to 1981.  The Yankees won two out of the three.  Rooting for some fun, some iconic moments and drama in whatever form that might take.

Friday, Oct. 25
Game 1: NYY @ LAD, 8:08 p.m. (FOX)

Saturday, Oct. 26
Game 2: NYY @ LAD, 8:08 p.m. (FOX)

Monday, Oct. 28
Game 3: LAD @ NYY, 8:08 p.m. (FOX)

Tuesday, Oct. 29
Game 4: LAD @ NYY, 8:08 p.m. (FOX)

Wednesday, Oct. 30
Game 5: LAD @ NYY, 8:08 p.m. (FOX)

Friday, Nov. 1
Game 6: NYY @ LAD, 8:08 p.m. (FOX)

Saturday, Nov. 2
Game 7: NYY @ LAD, 8:08 p.m. (FOX)

Random Wax: 1990 Donruss (3 Packs)

 1990 Donruss: World Series starts tonight!  Rickey Henderson played a ton of playoff baseball with Oakland, Toronto, San Diego, the Mets and Seattle.  He won two World Series rings, with Oakland and Toronto.  In 14 World Series games over three World Series, he batted .339.  Excellent against the best of the best on the biggest MLB stage.

Roberto Alomar also won two World Series rings, both with Toronto.  He was a teammate of Rickey on that '93 team.  Barry Larkin got his ring as a member or the 1990 Reds sweeping Rickey and the Oakland A's.

I'm a big fan of this era's Diamond Kings cards.  Willie Randolph won a championship with the 1977 Yankees.

Bob Walk, one of my favorite all-time players, won a ring with the 1980 Phillies as a rookie.  He started and won game 1 although he gave up six runs in seven innings.  Love the Yaz puzzle and the puzzle card.  Yaz batted .310 in his only World Series, but the Red Sox lost to the Reds in 7 games.

Wow, the World Series memories here.  Saberhagen, the '85 World Series MVP.  Kent Hrbek lifting Ron Gant off 1st base to end the inning in game 2 of the 1991 World Series, and Mitch Williams giving up the homer heard round the world by Toronto's Joe Carter.  Still bitter about that Hrbek play...

Rickey stat greatness.  Pedro Guerrero hit .333 with two home runs and seven runs batted in, in the Dodgers 1981 championship earning him World Series MVP.  This pack has been hanging around since 2021, but it appropriate as the league's best face off tonight.

BREAKDOWN
45 – Total Cards (3 Packs)
4 – Diamond Kings
3 – Puzzle
2 – Rated Rookie
1 – MVP
1 – All-Star 
1 - Checklist
1 – Yaz Puzzle Card

Haunted Trail (2021)

Haunted Trail:  This is a random movie I watched this month.  I like horror movies where there is a group of young adults in a situation where things go bad.  This seemed like it was right up my alley.  I liked the start of the movie.  After that it quickly started with trope after trope.  The killer and the decisions made by the group feel very familiar or overly bad.  That isn't always a bad thing, and Haunted Trail is a fairly easy watch. It just won't hit the rewatch list for me.

Portland Trail Blazers 2024-2025 Season Preview

 The Portland Trail Blazers have room for improvement.  Sure, it helps when you only won 21 games the season before, but this team has talent albeit on an unbalanced roster.  I was willing to give Deandre Ayton a chance last year but he's definitely not the answer.  Jerami Grant is good but he signed a big contract when they were going all in with Dame and that didn't work out.  Still not sure who Anfernee Simons is.  Shaedon Sharpe is still young and figuring out who he is too.  Donovan Clingan was the #7 pick in this year's draft but it's too early to know what he brings to the table.  Scoot Henderson is the guy after being picked #3 last year.  He struggled last year but showed some improvement in the second half of the season.  Coach Chauncey Billups has his work cut out for him.  Too many guards and too many centers does not make for a good rotation.  The front office needs to do something to help.  An Ayton trade would be great and Anfernee Simons might be the odd man out in the backcourt, if not now, later.  I do think they win more than 21 games.  Health kept them from playing consistent lineups last season.  If they're healhty this year, it will go a long way determining the team's identity.  A little optimism but I think Scoot really needs to show he's going be the guy.  Doesn't have to be a star this year but he needs to show he can be the point guard of the future for this team commensurate with being a #3 pick.

Scoot