Hope is the last thing to go...

I had to go to Wal Mart yesterday. I had to. I needed... stuff. The lines to check out were ridiculously long. Luckily, they opened a new lane just as I walked by. I barely noticed that it was the aisle with the sports cards. It was merely coincidence that I happened to be standing near that aisle, and even more coincidental that there was one lonely blaster of Allen & Ginter on the shelves.


Sure I picked it up. Maybe I stared longingly at it. I may have held it under my nose and inhaled deeply. It is entirely possible that I caressed the plastic wrapped tightly around its sharp corners.




I have completed the set, but the memories remain...




I put down the A&G and grabbed a 16 pack "cold shower" repack. If anything can make you forget your addiction, opening 16 unwanted packs of cards will make you quit cold turkey... Or will it?

The first pack was 1989 Donruss... Mmmmm, Donruss! I snapped some photos of the "unopened" packs, just in case you don't believe that they would really put such rare and valuable packs in a "repack" box.

I am pretty sure I have a few of these packs hiding around the house. You never know when you'll have to pay your electric bill with a Ken Griffey Jr. Rated Rookie.

Before you ask... I don't have a Tupperware container for brown rice.



They say microwave cooking tastes like cardboard...



I always thought the '89 design was cool...





Clean lines, sparkling design, with no caked on food or grease...


Okay... That was lame. Sorry.





I will show you the best card that I pulled out of each pack too! Try to contain yourselves!



"Flash" Gordon rookie! Sweeeeeet!











Next came a pre-opened, unopened pack of 1990 Topps. Those darn pack searchers broke my gum!










Wow! I am bummed. If they left these cards in the pack, they must have stolen a Frank Thomas NNOF rookie card. I always wanted one of those... So I could write his name in the box

















Awesome! Another pack of 1989 Donruss!













This Would have been a great pull in 1989. Now... Meh.

Nowadays, this pull is pretty awesome... for Dayf, at least.

Ooh! I never opened any of these... I heard that they are so red they have been banned at the bullfights in Tijuana for fear of inciting stampedes. In Mexico, these cards are supposedly called "Los Tarjetas del Dia Primero." Which loosely translated means "The Devil's Cards."

Don't quote me on that. My spanish is none so bueno.








Man! How does Eric not burst into flames? Oh, wait. He's a Sundevil... Mt. Carmel High School Rules!!! Suck it, Poway!

I like the Big Papi puzzle.












Topps 2007 Updates and Highlights: Not much to say...

What is this??? A patch card??? Cool!

2007 Upper Deck. Boring.

Well this card is anything but boring! That is an action shot! Sorry, Justin. No matter how much you kick your leg up or lean backwards, that ball is leavin' the park.

1990 Upper Deck Series One. No Reggies for me to find :(

WHAT IS THIS??? The SUPER-RARE 1990 DALE MURPHY REVERSE NEGATIVE!!!

I can't find it in my price guide... It must be priceless!




On to the next pack... 2005 Leaf. I bought a box of this stuff back in ought-five and pulled NOTHING!!!

Okay. That is freakin' cool! Downright awesome... I guess I should have waited a couple years before buying that box. Is that TWO patch cards in one "repack" box??? So much for cold turkey. I am goin' back to Wal Mart tomorrow!!! (or maybe I just beat the odds.)

And it is numbered... TO HIS MOM'S FAVORITE NUMBER!!! Woo Hoo! 1 of 1!!!

Next pack: 2007 Bowman. Let me guess... Chrome Superduperfractor Autograph...

Nope. Larry.

2006 Upper Deck Series Two:

I feel stupid for not reading the fine print. Why have I been buying these things?

Hey, Arod. Your speed's not the only thing that'll burn if you keep hangin' out with Madonna.















Sorry it is a little dark, but this is a pack of 2005 Donruss Leather and Lumber. The way this box is going, I am almost excited to see what I pull from this pack...

Yup. The blank anti-search card was the best thing in the pack. I was actually kind of surprised it wasn't some kind of autographed, game used, one of one, insert card. Oh, well.

Next up, another dark pack. This one is 2004 Donruss Team Heroes. They claim it is the "Ultimate Set." Hmmmm.

Well, that is cool... Ultimate? Not so sure.

After a couple of Donruss sorbet to clense the palate, back to Upper Deck- 2005 version.

I guess I never bought any Upper Deck cards in 2005... Strangely unfamiliar. Not much in this pack.

TOPPS 2007 BATTLE: SERIES ONE vs. SERIES TWO

12 cards each, best card wins!!!

Does a gimpy Mantle beat Joe D's streak? Or does a shiny Biggio win? Or do I care?

This is my free bonus. Um, thanks... I guess.

The final tally: 6 Padres - 147 Non-Padres
Two came from the '90 Topps pack and two from the '90 Upper Deck.
That was the year the Padres had a 600 man roster, apparently.

And thanks to the pack searchers, I doubled my haul of gum!!!