2024 Topps Archives Blaster

2024  Archives:  Always excited to see Archives hit the shelves and we saw them hit ours last week.  We'll kick it off with The Sultan of Swat who put up numbers nothing short of video game worthy stats.

I'm a big Topps Archives fan.  I enjoy the variety and the look back at past designs on new cardboard.  This first look has me a little disappointed.  The designs just don't speak to me. Not a knock against the brand.  It's just the 1994, 1970 and 1961 designs just don't wow me even in this new look.

Plenty of rookies to show off including Yoshinobu Yamamoto who started 18 games for the Dodgers in his rookie season and helped them win the 2024 World Series winning game two against the Yankees.

Love the backs of these cards.  We get the awesome career stats of Stan the Man with lots of color on this 1994 card back.  The man could hit.

I pulled 11 retired greats which was double what was in my other blaster.  That Fernando is one of my four black parallels that come in each blaster.  Retired greats are always fun. 

A back from the 1970 design.  Love seeing the stats for these old timers.

The Wrecking Crew and Own the Game inserts feel a bit out of place considering the set is about retro, and those don't look retro.  And neither look that great to me.  At The Break cards don't look bad.

These talk to how a batter was doing at the break in the 2024 season.  Different.  Not bad.  Just different.

Backs to the other two inserts.  The Own the Game inserts are in essence a league leaders card?  Hmmm

The back of the '61 design.  And more greatness.  Just ignore the Yankee years.  .328 for his career and even hit .301 in his final year.  Great way to go out.

Not gonna lie, I'm still a bit underwhelmed but I'll roll with it.  I'll pick off singles and maybe fat packs if I see them but this and the other blaster may be my last in that format.  Again, not bad cards just designs that don't excite me.

BREAKDOWN:
56 – Total Cards
18 – 1961
18 – 1970
17 – 1994
16 - RC
11 – Retired Greats
1 – At the Break
1 – Own the Game
1 – Wrecking Crew

Random Wax: 2020-2021 Contenders Basketball

20-21 Contenders:  Memphis is again a top team in the Western Conference.  Ja Morant isn't having his best season and has dealt with some injuries, but he's still one of the more athletic and dynamic players in the league.

Picked this pack up four years ago but never posted it.  It's so much fun sharing these and seeing where these players are today.  Kyrie and Harden are no longer with the Nets.  Irving went to the Mavs who were in the Finals last season.  Harden went to the 76ers before landing with the surprising Clippers.

RJ Barrett is on the Raptors now and playing really well.  Markkanen was traded to the Cavs and then to the Jazz where he's become one of the better players in the league.

DeAndre Ayton was traded to Portland but has underwhelmed there, or I guess just been himself.  Solid but not franchise changing.  Devin Booker is part of the big three in Phoenix, with KD and Bradley Beal, but for some reason they've struggled this season.

I really like these cards.  The design works even with the photos taking up so little real estate.  A great pull in this pack and lots of fun.

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

Buffalo Bills beat Denver Broncos 31-7

 Den-Buf: The first half of the Den-Buf game was perplexing.  Felt like Buffalo was dominating the game but only had 10 points.  I get that the Denver touchdown was a breakdown of coverage and the D played great after that.  And an aboration.  Still seeing it was only 10-7 had me wondering.  The Bills real offense showed up in the second half.  The offense were bailed out by the great touchdown catch by RB Ty Johnson on 4 and 1.  I still don't think they should have gone for that.  But really, I can't complain.  Any time the Bills rush more than they throw it is a good day.  Allen was very efficient and patient.  I love seeing that.  They also handled the strength of the Broncos, their pass rush, much by just rushing the ball 44 times and really good O-line play.  

Next week is the big test, right?  Can they beat Baltimore?  They'll play a veteran stud quarterback in Lamar Jackson.  He can make life miserable in so many ways.  And now Baltimore have Derrick Henry.  What a beast.  It should be a great game, but it'll take a great game by the Bills' defense.  It's that time of the year where the defense will have to show who they really are.  And the Ravens aren't the Broncos.  Can the defense be good enough to allow the Buffalo offense to run the ball like they want?  The Bills don't want to play from behind big deficits.  

And what a matchup. The two top MVP candidates going head-to-head.  Sure, I'd rather see an easier opponent, but this has been one of the knocks against Buffalo - not getting past top teams in the post season.  It should be a great game.  It worries me but Buffalo has shown they are good enough to beat anyone.  

Random Wax: 1991 Upper Deck Football (3 Packs)

 1991 Upper Deck: Derrick Thomas was an absolute beast, and he looks so intense on this great card.

I was always a fan of Irving Fryar.  While mostly known as a Patriot, his best years came after being traded to Miami and playing with Dan Marino.  He also did well in Philly and upon his retirement was the 8th player in league history with over 12,000 yards receiving.  

Sterling Sharpe was an amazing receiver.  He only played seven seasons due to injury, but his greatness can't be denied.

Marcus Dupree was so good in college, and I'd loved to have seen what he could have done in the NFL if he hadn't been injured in his time in the USFL.

I really like James Brooks and Jim Everett.  Brooks was an excellent rusher and could catch the ball out of the backfield.

More Team MVPs and overall greatness.

Some more great receivers including favorite Art Monk.  We'll end it with legendary defensive stud Reggie White.  Some much star power in these packs and an all-time great football set.

BREAKDOWN:

36 – Total Cards

3 – Team MVP

3 – Star Rookie

1 – Football Heroes

Deadpool & Wolverine

Deadpool & Wolverine:  Finally got to see this one and I really enjoyed it.  As did I think everyone.  It did $1.3 billion worldwide, $636 million in the US alone.  You know what you are getting in a Deadpool movie - sarcasm, profanity, LOTS of profanity, the breaking of the third wall and over the top violence.  And somehow it really works.  I've never read his comics, but I've enjoyed these movies.  Add in Wolverine and it feels like these two characters were made to play off each other even though they are opposites.  Lots of timeline stuff, Deadpool variants, heroes from the Marvel universe and a ton of great Marvel and Fox superhero references.  Felt like 90% of the other characters that show up were leaked or shown on social media within two weeks of the movie's release.  I was ready to be "meh" about this movie, but it is funny and it works.  They did a great job of making this new and fun.  There are many breakdowns of films, but I enjoy New Rockstars and you can find their look at all the details you missed in the film here.  And there is so much you'll miss, so it's fun to go back and see the goodies we didn't catch with your first watch.

 

 

Random Wax: 2023-2024 Donruss Basketball Blaster

23-24 Donruss:  Anthony Edwards and the T-Wolves are struggling this season after the trade of Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks.  It seemed like an okay trade at the time, but it has not been as KAT has really played well in New York.  Edwards is shooting a crazy 41% on 10 attempts from deep a game this season.

Not a design I care for but plenty of great players in this box.  George and Maxey are now teammates on the sinking Philly ship while Young and the Hawks have been better than expected.  Who woulda thunk?

Plenty of youngsters.  GG Jackson and Amen Thompson are good players in the league while Ausar Thompson has been solid in Detroit.

New Orleans is doing everything they can to find Brandon Ingram a new home.  Not an indictment on him as a player as much as his impending free agency.  LaMelo Ball is healthier this season and having a great year averaging 30 PPG.  

SGA is an appropriate Franchise Features and may well be the league MVP this season.  Complete Players are not much to look at.  Dame can't even save that design.  Another nice Edwards pull.

Zion is injured again, and New Orleans has to be listening to any halfway sane offers for him.

Lots of big man love.

Kawhi back?  The Clippers are another surprise team this year and I'm curious what adding him to the lineup will do for the team.  Nice LeBron pull.  Three PC guys here with Kawhi, Dame and Sabonis.

BREAKDOWN:
90 – Total Cards
7 – Rated Rookie
6 – Holo Green Laser Parallel
2 – Great X-Pectations
1 – Bomb Squad
1 – The Rookies
1 – Complete Players
1 – Franchise Features

Justice League: The New Frontier Commemorative Edition

 Justice League: The New Frontier: This was a Christmas present and a good one.  The New Frontier is set in the 50s. It focuses on the Justice League who have to deal with a threat to the world.  Before that we get some background on the characters and their relationships which isn't the cohesive team it is today.  We also see some origin stories along the way.  I enjoyed the movie.  There were some parts early in the movie I was surprised about but it was all about setting up the dynamic between the heroes.  Good movie.  For a more comprehensive look at what the Commemorative Edition comes as well as additional plot details here. DC does such a good job with their animated movies and I'll definitely pick up more.