The Fantastic Four: First Steps

 The Fantastic Four: First Steps: Finally got around to watching this one. In the back of my head, for some reason, I don't think I really wanted to like it.  But I did.  It's a good movie.  I like how the characters, the actors, the plot and how it fits into the Marvel cinematic universe.  It also explained, or I think it did, some of the upcoming Marvel cinematic universe choices. 

The movie's focus is the Fantastic Four as an already established superhero team.  You'll note the retro feel, which is really, really cool and it's critical in how they fit into the Marvel universe.  As seen in the trailer, we also get Silver Surfer and Galactus.  I like both.  There are always cinematic choices when you do these comic characters.  I don't agree with all of them, but I like and enjoyed the movie as did my youngest grandson.  I recommend the movie.  Good stuff.

Random Wax: 2023-2024 Contenders Basketball (2 Packs)

 23-24 Contenders:  Wemby is still a basketball freak of nature.  It is already his 3rd season in the NBA and he's averaging 24 and 10 this year while shooting 38% from deep.  The Spurs are also a top 3 team in the Western Conference and has had some big wins over OKC.

Great pull in these packs.  It is a small set which helps.  This design is a good one for me.  I like Contenders and getting the backgrounds in the photo is a good touch.

Ausar Thompson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. are solid players in the league.  I like the look of Rookie Stallions.

Two Game Night Ticket cards and a Bronze Game Day Ticket Parallel.  Some nice variety for a set that doesn't have a ton.

These Historic Draft Class cards are great.  Two photos and retired greats.  Good combo.

Lauri Markkanen has become one of the best big men in the league.  He averages 27, 7 and 2 while shooting 36% from 3.  He's a true big man at 7-1.

As a reminder the Section is the player's weight, the Row is their height, and Seat is their jersey number.

Another Historic Draft Class retired legend.

Lots of big men love.  And Kawhi, my favorite player in the league, and he's maybe having his best season yet.  He's had to deal with a few injuries, which he can't seem to shake but he and the Clippers have surged of late and are back in the playoff/play-in picture.

BREAKDOWN:
44 – Total Cards
6 – RC
2 – Retired Greats
2 – Game Night Ticket
2 – Historic Draft Class
1 – Stallions
1 – Draft Class
1 – Green Game Day Ticket Parallel
1 – Bronze Game Day Ticket Parallel

2025 Topps Update

2025 Update:   Pete Crow-Armstrong shows up on this 35th Anniversary Topps card and showed up on everyone's radar in 2025.  He hit 31 home runs, had 95 runs batted in and had a .768 OPS.  Huge gain for the Cubs.  He still needs to work on his average and on base percentage, but Chicago has to be happy with what they've seen so far from their Gold Glove centerfielder.

My first look at Update from last year.  Always a bit of a mix of what you might get in these.  Overall, not the strongest pack but I'm happy.

Noah Cameron had a really good rookie season with the Royals going 9-7 with a 2.99 ERA in 24 starts.

Really enjoy the backs of the 35th Anniversary cards.

A couple of Stars of MLB inserts as well as a Boston Red Sox Veteran Combo card.  I like Salvador Perez, and I like that out of the norm photo with the bubble.

This pack was a Christmas present and what a great present.  Cards always work.

BREAKDOWN:
36 – Total Cards
16 – RC
2 – Stars of MLB
1 – Veterans Combo
1 - 35th Anniversary 1990 Topps

Conference Championship Games

 The AFC side of things is pretty straightforward.  Without Bo Nix it is just too much of a stretch to pick the Broncos.  That said, if Denver's defense can force some turnovers and hold New England reasonably, anything is possible.  The Patriots offense hasn't been great in the post season.  They do have a good defense, and I assume they'll try to make Stidham throw the ball and blitz him when he does.  Stranger things have happened, but I have to go with New England.

The NFC is where it really gets tough.  The Seattle Seahawks have a complete team whereas it's hard to bet against MVP favorite Matthew Stafford.  I think I will go with Seattle even though they are dealing with injuries at running back.  I like their defense more than LA's as well.  This should be a fun game.  That's the hope anyway.

Random Wax: 2022 Score Football

2022 Score:  They don't get much better than The Sherriff.  Peyton Manning really is one of the greats in the history of the sport.  He was a 7X All-Pro 1st Team selection and All-Pro selections aren't just handed out.  For context, Rodgers had 4, Brady had 3, Brees 1 and Elway no 1st team All-Pro selections.  Manning's 7 is the most by a QB in history while Jerry Rice and Jim Otto are the all-time leaders with 10 each.  Manning also played in 5 AFC Championship games, winning 4.  And I love these First Ballot inserts.

Matt Stafford and the Rams play the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship today.  Stafford is a 1X All-Pro selection and the favorite to win the MVP this year.

These three haven't made a big impact in the league.  I do like the look of the Throwback Rookie cards.

I like the Celebration inserts as well.  Always fun.

More youngsters.  Hutchinson has been a stud since coming into the league.  Jameson Williams has also been an excellent receiver for the Lions.  Not a big fan of the PROtential design but I like the idea.

Sack Attack is another fun insert, and we get a retired great here.

I'm not a fan of this design per se, but I do like seeing more retired greats.

Huddle Up is a simple insert but for some reason it works for me as well.

BREAKDOWN:
40 – Total Cards
7 – Retired Greats
6 – RC
4 – PROtential
3 - Celebration
3 – Red Parallel
2 – Huddle Up
2 – Sack Attack
1 - Celebration
1 – Throwback Rookie

Yellowstone 1923 (2022-2025)

1923 is another Yellowstone prequel saga pop and I watched.  Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford headline the cast and they both do a great job as matriarch and patriarch of the Duttons in this series.  It ran two seasons (15 episodes) and was very enjoyable.  As with the main Yellowstone series, this one centers around the Duttons trying to protect their land, their family and their way of life.  A little trepidation over some of the spicy scenes especially in season 2 but otherwise no complaints.  Really good characters and a good buildup that starts from the first episode and reaches a head in the final episode.

Alexandra (Alex) and Spencer are two of the main characters and have a major story arc in the series.  Hard not to like these two.

Yellowstone Television Series (2018-2024)

Pop and I finished the Yellowstone series last year.  We enjoyed it.  The series centers around the Dutton family who owns the Yellowstone ranch and have to fight external forces who want to take their land and their way of life.  It's hard not to side with them no matter how brutal they are in the defense of their land.  Wyoming is beautiful and who doesn't dream of doing something so simple as raise cattle and be left alone to enjoy life in such a setting.  

It's not a series for the faint of heart, but the western appeal and drama easily suck you in.  The characters are easy to like in spite of their ways.  They do a great job giving them each their story whether it's the extend storylines around the family, or the ranch hands or the characters from the local Reservation.  Good series have good characters and good acting and Yellowstone has both. Kevin Costner obviously stands out amongst the cast, but you'll end up invested in the majority of the characters making up this story.  And if you're a guy, you'll want to want to be Rip Wheeler by the time it's over.  And if you're a lady, you'll want your guy to be Rip Wheeler by the end of it.

The 5 seasons of Yellowstone are drama from the start.  There are so many who want their land for their own reasons, and they'll do anything to get it.  That's where it gets "fun".  I recommend Yellowstone but again there is a brutality to the show that may not be for everyone.  

The Yellowstone 1883 television series is one of my favorite series of all-time.  This one isn't as good as that one in my opinion, but again I give Yellowstone my stamp of approval.  I believe it is streaming on Peacock now.  Tomorrow, I'll take a look at Yellowstone 1923.

Random Wax: 2021-2022 Select Basketball

21-22 Select:  Boston has remained one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference without Jayson Tatum who is still out with an Achilles injury.  Tatum hasn't been ruled out for this season.  I hope they don't rush him back but it with all the changes the Celtics made last offseason and having Tatum gone for most of the season, it could be a big boost to the team going into the playoffs.  This Numbers insert isn't a bad looking card.

James Harden and the Clippers have bounced back after a horrible start to their season.  He's having an amazing year at age 38.  I like this Select design overall and the colors.

Both of these guys are solid NBA players, both averaging 9 points a game over their five seasons in the NBA.

My two Blue Prizm Parallels.  Trey Murphy is a highly coveted shooter around the league, but New Orleans hasn't shown any interest in trading the 25-year-old sharpshooter.

There are 300 cards across different levels within the set.  That Moses Moody is a Premier Level card.  That Alex Caruso is a Green/White/Purple Prizm Parallel.  The rest of the cards were Concourse designs.

Evan Mobley has become one of the better big men in the league and knows how to play defense.  Fun pack and good pull for the number of cards you get.

BREAKDOWN:

15 – Total Cards

13 – Base Concourse (1-100)

5 – RC

2 – Blue Prizm Parallel

1 - Numbers

1 – Base Premier (101-200)

1 - Green/White/Purple Prizm Parallel

Buffalo Bills Lose 33-30 In OT to the Denver Broncos - AFC Divisional Playoffs

 

Buf 30 - Den 33: Another tough loss for Buffalo yesterday.  That game was so stressful.  I'm fine with the late calls.  It really was turnovers and penalties that did them in.  And it's a shame.  The defense played so well in the second half and most of overtime.  As did the offense.  In the second half, it felt like they would win even though it was so close.  These will continue to hurt.  Year after year it feels like wasted opportunities.  The loss isn't on any one player or group really.  Just came up short.  Again.  Hopefully they can come up with some moves to help the defense and the receiving corps this offseason.  Sorry to hear about Bo Nix being out for the rest of the offseason.  They had a real shot of playing in the Super Bowl.

2025 Absolute Football

2025 Absolute:  Puka Nacua and the Los Angeles Rams play tonight in a very cold Chicago. Nacua had 129 receptions and 1715 yards receiving.  Just wow.  He's the all-time leader in yards per game with 95.3 over his first three seasons.

Trey McBride set the single-season receptions record for a tight end with 126 catches.  I like this design.  The subtle nods to the football and the nice muted logo.  This just works for me.

Rookies showed up on base cards and my two inserts, Introductions and Rookie Wave.  Some solid rookies here.  I like the Introductions card.

The backs run back the photo from the fronts.  Otherwise plenty of color and I'm good with these overall.

Malik Nabers and the New York Giants have a new coach in John Harbaugh.  Nice hire for them.

Bryce Young and the Panthers was so close to getting past the Rams in the Wild Card playoff game.

BREAKDOWN:
20 – Total Cards
5 – RC
3 – Blue Parallel
1 – Rookie Wave
1 – Introductions