Post New Years Resolutions AKA … (Lies to self)

I’m not one for going with the flow but reading all my fellow bloggers New Years Resolutions did get me to thinking a bit.  Reaching the ripe age of 40 seems to get a person thinking about “stuff” anyways.

I gave up “losing weight” for lent a couple of years ago, so that one is out.  I’d go with the cliche, “spend more time with family”, but I have two kids in hockey … we spend A LOT of time together.  So that’s out.

Give up tobacco? … why?  That’s out!

Drink less Beer?  Umm … no …

Ease up on the swearing in the professional setting? …  That would be F*#% stupid … why in the F*#& would I do that????  Nope!

Increase my knowledge of the Sports Card & Collectible Industry

How about some card collection goals.  I’ve been collecting sports cards since I was a young’n.  Back in 70’s and 80’s I was a cardboard nut!  Then came playing college football, getting married, starting a career, and having kids.  Collecting went by the wayside.  Over the last couple of years, the cardboard addiction came-a-roaring back.  Lots of things have changed since I was “knee-deep” in it.  Hell, I let up on collecting before Al Gore invented the internet, before you could download free music, before eBay, Bill Clinton had not yet reinvented cigar use, and Bill Gates was still just a Geek!   So I guess focusing this year on educating myself about the industry, all the different manufacturer’s, and the plethora of cards out there. (I always love using the word, “plethora” in sentences!  Makes me look at a lot smarter than I am and super popular at parties).

Focus on my primary player collections

I tend to get a little ADHD with my player collections.  The “maybe I should’s” and “oh, that would be good’s” get me everytime. So this year, I’m going to concentrate on attacking my primary Player Collections:

Hockey

P.K. Subban

Taylor Hall

Jordan Eberle

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Football

Von Miller

As you can see, 1) I’m an Oiler Fan, and 2) I gravitated towards the less expensive Players!  (sarcasm intended!)

Learn about making custom cards

I had no idea that people were making custom cards out there.  A couple of my fellow bloggers are doing some really neat work.  BadWax ,  Jaybarkerfan’s Junk and Card Boarded have made some really amazing cards!  I want to learn how they do it!  Hell, maybe even go as far as attempting to create my own.

Well, I think that is enough as far as goals go.  Good luck to everyone out there still under a New Years Resolution Delusion of weight loss, exercise, and anything else good for you!  My next beer, chew and F-bomb is in your honor!

Sincerely,

The Pistol

Life Ranting: First Home Ice Sheet .. DONE!

Somewhere in the last month or so, my wife decided that we should build a home ice rink.  For all you youngsters out there … this translated into man-speak means: You build a hockey rink.  We are a hockey family.  From the months of November thru March, we live at the hockey rink.  We have an 11 year old (pee-wee) and a 5 year old (mite) playing.  They love it … we love it!

As luck would have it, we are experiencing one of the warmest winters on record … global warming???  No chance Gore baby … I’m driving the diesel till I die!  This carbon footprint is a WAFFLE-STOMP!  But I digress…

It has actually been kind of fun putting this thing together.  Had some great opportunities for, “notes to self” for next year: the slope of the ground is something that should be considered before hand, blue tarp retains a little bit of heat, wood can get expensive, by a lot more nails than you think you need.

I’ll throw a couple pictures up when I get home from this weekend’s …. HOCKEY TOURNAMENT!

NHL Releases All-Star Roster

NHL names remainder of All-Star Game roster

Thursday, 01.12.2012 / 12:46 PM / 2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game

By Adam Kimelman – NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor

The Vancouver Canucks, who started the day with the best record in the Western Conference, also lead in another category — most players added to the All-Star festivities.

Four members of the Canucks were among the 36 veterans and 12 rookies announced by the NHL for participation in All-Star Weekend, headlined by the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game, to be played Jan. 29 in Ottawa.

Players from all 30 teams will be represented in Ottawa, with four members of the Canucks added to the pool of players Thursday — forwards Henrik and Daniel Sedin, defenseman Alexander Edler and forward Cody Hodgson, who was one of the dozen rookies selected to participate along with the veterans in the 2012 Molson Canadian NHL All-Star Skills Competition, to be held Jan. 28.

(read the rest of the story)

Panini America’s Pre-Autographed Peek at 2011 Preferred Basketball

Panini America Provides Pre-Autographed Peek at 2011

Preferred Basketball (Gallery)

In just a matter of days, Panini America NBA acquisitions maven Ivory Tabb will embark on a whirlwind tour around the league to acquire on-card signatures for 2011 Panini Preferred Basketball, the company’s highly anticipated …

(read more)

Smashing Collection Idea

Sometimes putting some spice into our player collections can be an interesting twist.  For example, I collect P.K. Subban.

P.K. Subban

I was sorting through some 2011-12 Upper Deck Series 1 Cards from a box break, and I noticed this card …

P.K. getting pounded

Marc Staal pounding Subban!  Kind of cool … let’s see if there are more.  Another player I collect is Jeff Skinner of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Jeff Skinner

Now I’m paying attention to the pictures on all the cards I was sorting … and what do you know, I came across this …

Skinner getting smashed!

Braydon Coburn absolutely smashing Skinner!  You have to love that!

Star players get ton’s of attention from fans, media, and us.  They make a lot of money and get lot’s of glory.  But they earn it!  They are not always making big plays and scoring goals.  They work at it … and sometimes the camera catches them making a mistake.  I like that … its real.  No poses, no glory shots … it’s what they do, in the raw.

It’s not Subban’s or Skinner’s “card”, but they are on it.  And for me … it’s real and it provides a unique piece of the story about what these guys do day-in and day-out!  I’ll be adding these into my player collection and keeping a look out for more!

 

Catch’n the Card Board Addiction!

Hello, my name is Pete …. and I’m a cardboard addict.

Odds are … you are to!  Why else would you click on a blog like this?

To all of you collectors out there … set builders, team collectors, pack crackers, player collectors, whale hunters, and the occasional card dabbler .. WELCOME!

With this blog, we hope to provide some insight, humor, random thoughts, product reviews and occasional information that you probably already know!

Since you stumbled across our little piece of the cyber universe … go ahead and let us know your there!  Click on “comment” and say “Hello”!

In the mean time, check out some of our cardboard peddling by visiting our ebay store at Pete’s Sports Cards

Thanks for checking in and check back soon!

P