Random Wax: 1991-1992 SkyBox Basketball - 3 Packs

91-92 SkyBox:   Two of the all-time great centers on one card.  Having these two in the nineties was amazing.  It's one thing to watch two stars but when you get to see them go against each other it's even better.  I was surprised that Robinson and the Spurs had a big advantage head-to-head in games where these two squared off (30-12).  Hakeem is one of my all-time centers.  Top two or even at the top depending on the day.  Robinson was amazing and probably top 10 all-time.  Their career stats were fairly even.  I'm a big fan of both.

This is a great set and there are so many memories for me.  I've always loved the NBA.  Charles Barkley had a hall of fame career and to me is just as accomplished in the studio.  Chuck, Ernie, Kenny and Shaq do such a great job on Inside the NBA with the humor and insight.  Just fun which is what it should be.  And of course Chuck is always good for honesty.

These two combined for 3 Defensive Player of the Year honors and led the league in blocks 3 times.  Hakeem 2X and Robinson 1X for each.  I like these Single Game Performance cards.

Some guard love.  I really like Hall of Famer Sidney Moncrief but I will admit seeing him in a Hawks uni always throws me off.  He also won Defensive Player of the Year 2X in his career.

Centennial Highlights.  What better highlight than the man who gave us the game.

And we love the backs.  Even Charles Oakley.

Some of my all-time favorite players in Larry Smith and Trent Tucker.  They feel somewhat random in my NBA fandom but I'm big fans.  Both are in my top 10.  I've always liked the hard-nosed Terry Cummings as well.

Defensive wizards abound in this post.  Alvin Robertson led the league in steals 3X and holds the all-time average for steals per game at 2.7.

Tom Chambers was fun to watch.  He was such an athletic big.    

BREAKDOWN:
45 – Total Cards
3 – Centennial Highlights
3 – Best Single Game Performance

Random Wax: 1992 Triple Play (4 Packs)

1992 Triple Play:   In George Brett's 1980 MVP season, he led the league in average, on base percentage, slugging, OPS and WAR.  Reggie Jackson and Rich Gossage were 2nd and 3rd in the AL MVP voting that year.

With the Cardinals, Lee Smith had his best tenure with any team, posting a 2.90 ERA in 4 seasons in St. Louis with 160 saves.

Awesome Action!  Well, is it really when it looks like he missed the ball?

Always been a fan of this set and these are three of my favorite players from the era.

Cool card.  Never been there but I'd enjoy it I know.

Mascot, Gallery of Stars and Stadium cards.  I like all three.  The Phanatic's and SkyDome photos are great.

We don't like you either Kent Hrbek.  Overall, a really fun set.  Good photography and simple design that works.

Was the runner out or safe?

Another great photo on that Eck card.  No complaints about the Smoltz or Sheffield pics either.  This Awesome Action card seems to show the runner taking out the catcher who dropped the ball.

BREAKDOWN:
60 – Total Cards
4 – Checklist
2 - Mascots
2 – Gallery of Stars
2 – Awesome Action
1 – Stadium
1 – Hall of Fame

Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord

 Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord finished up on May 4th and they got it right.  This really had a bit of it all.  It harkened back to George Lucas' initial direction for Darth Maul where he's an underworld warlord.  And of course, a powerful Sith.  We got plenty of new characters and a surprise or two.  Some great fight scenes.  I really enjoyed it and it feels setup for a second season which I can't wait to see.

Random Wax: 2024 Donruss Football

 2024 Donruss:  Georgia Bulldogs alum Matthew Stafford has been nothing short of crazy good in his career even when playing for those bad Detroit Lions teams.  Traded for Jared Goff, he brought the Rams their first Super Bowl win in over 20 years.  

Chris Jones has 87.5 sacks in his 10-year career with the Kansas City Chiefs.  He's also a 3X All-Pro

One of my Blue Parallels here.  Bucky Irving rushed for almost 600 yards in his rookie season.

Rookie Gridiron Kings and another Blue Parallel.

I love retired greats including Zach Thomas who was born in Pampa, TX.  The Hall of Famer was also a 5X All-Pro.

BREAKDOWN:

30 – Total Cards

4 – Rated Rookie

4 – Blue Parallels

4 – Retired Greats

1 – Gridiron Kings

Random Wax: 2025-2026 Topps Basketball Hanger Box

25-26 Topps:   Donovan Mitchell has been so good in his career.  Playing in Utah and Cleveland I think he's gone under the radar of the casual fan.  But he really a good player.  2X All-Pro and 7X All-Star so far in his 9 seasons.  Career averages:  25/4/4 per game career averages on 36% shooting from deep.

I'm not a Kyrie guy but he's been excellent over the course of his career.  NBA Champ, 3X All-Pro, and 9X All-Star.

I like the horizontal cards Topps gives us.

Drake Powell averaged 6 points per game for the Nets.  That's the highlight of my rookie pull.

One of my Checklist cards.  I like how Topps does 'em.

Trey Murphy had the best season of his career averaging 21/5/3 while shooting 37% from long range.

Dylan Harper had a solid rookie campaign for the surging Spurs.

Rainbow Foil Parallel, Diamante Parallel, and 1980-1981 Topps Basketball pulls.  I really like the Diamante cards.

Jazz have some nice youth on their team led by Lauri Markkanen but made a big move trading for Jaren Jackson Jr. this season showing they are looking at the playoffs in the seasons to come.

Brook Lopez, Star Wars fan and NBA Champion, is a favorite of mine.

I love Detlef Schrempf.  One of the four retired greats I pulled.

More retired greats and an 8-Bit Ballers and Power Players insert.  I really like the colors on Power Players.  Groovy...

BREAKDOWN:
59 – Total Cards
8 – RC
6 - Checklist
4 – Retired Greats
2 – 8-Bit Ballers
2 – Power Players
2 – Diamante Parallels
1 – Generation Now
1 – Rainbow Foil Parallel
1 - 1980-1981 Topps Basketball

Random Wax: 1990 Donruss (3 Packs)

1990 Donruss:  Yaz is my favorite Red Sox player of all-time and my #2 favorite player overall.  Yaz had 27 double plays in left field, holds Boston records for games played (3,308), hits (3,419), runs (1,816), doubles (646), and RBI (1,844) and was an 18X All-Star and 7X Gold Glove recipient.

I'm always up for a John Smoltz appearance.  He was coming off a good second season going 12-11 with a 2.94 ERA.  And more players in the beginnings of their career with Curt Schilling and Sammy Sosa.

Always a big fan of this era of Diamond Kings.

I'm a big fan of the 1990 Donruss design and having Yaz as its puzzle was a great bonus.  I actually have the puzzle signed by him.  He was at a St. Louis card show in the early 90s and a buddy took it and had it signed for me.

Loved that All-Star design with the big AL and NL logos.  I do not like the MVP cards.  Very boring to me.  And young players get their Rated Rookie cards.

Lance Parrish won a World Series title with the Detroit Tigers, was an 8X All-Star, 6X Silver Slugger and 3X Gold Glove recipient.  I always enjoy this set and looking back at this era in baseball.

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

Star Wars The Black Series Jedi Temple Guard Action Figure

Happy Star Wars Day!  Been excited to show off the Star Wars Black Series Jedi Temple Guard.  He's so cool and was really fun to take photos of.

There is lots of detail on these figures from the markings, mask, armor, sleeves, belt, robes, boots and a double-sided lightsaber.  The second robe underneath the outer robe hanging from his waist is made from cloth.

The heads have almost no movement due to the plastic robe piece.  It's a shame.   A cloth piece there would have been nice and allowed some flexibility.

The look from the back is fine.  No issues here.

Jedi Temple Guards were charged with protecting the Jedi Temple.  They were overwhelmed after Order 66 by Anakin Skywalker and the 501st Legion.  During the animated The Clone Wars, while in the Temple, we see Kanan Jarrus have a vision which shows the Grand Inquisitor was actually a Temple Guard.  One of The Clone Wars' writers, Henry Gilroy, has also stated the Grand Inquisitor, as a Temple Guard, led some of them away during Order 66 and killed them himself as he betrayed the Jedi.

Animated clips of the Jedi Temple Guard from The Clones Wars and Rebels can be seen here.  They are also seen in Old Republic video game footage here.  They never make a live action appearance.

Excited to add this guy to my Black Series collection.  The Jedi Temple Guard may not be as well-known as many characters, but I do believe he has a great look.  I'd love to see him in live action at some point.  The youngest grandson, whose 9th birthday is today, really enjoys his look as well.