Just Call Me "Josh Sr."

Right before the Super Bowl, Colbey at Cardboard Collections ran a Football Group Break.  That's something we don't see around here too often, so I had to jump in.  There's just one problem, I don't have one team that I root for, that is "MY team" like I have in baseball.  This is the result of growing up in a state with no NFL team and a father who was into college football way more than pro ball. 

Anyway, so I had to pick teams.  I decided I would try to get a Tebow (and grabbed the Broncos) or a Peyton Manning (and grabbed the Colts). 

No Tebow, but got 3 Peytons!  Here were my two favorites.

Peyton Manning

Here were my top picks among the other cards.  Got an Andrew Luck Score rookie, and a very sharp-looking Eric Decker.

It was a buy-one-get-one random team setup.  My random teams were the Falcons and Lions (not too shabby).  I got lucky and picked up a Lions hit.  Mr. Titus Young.

Or should I say "Titus Young Sr."  Why would I say that?  The guy is only 23.  "Sr." gets affixed to your name when you are in your 40's at the earliest, right?

Nope, Titus cared enough about naming his son Titus that he had the "Sr." put on his jersey last season. 

It's spreading!  Mikel Leshoure was doing it, too.  Oh, Detroit.

I doubt we'll be seeing much more of Titus Young now that his name is mostly seen in headlines like:
TITUS YOUNG SUCKER PUNCHES TEAMMATE and TITUS YOUNG RUNS WRONG ROUTES ON PURPOSE.  He doesn't get the privilege and opportunity that he could have had.  The Lions cut him after the season, he was picked up by the Rams, and then cut by them after nine days.  Have fun in the Arena League, Titus.  It's too bad....that's an awfully pretty card and blue swatch.

With that, my first football group break post is done.  Thanks to Colbey Hopper Sr. for making it happen!

2012 Topps Football - Hall of Famers

Right before Christmas, my wife sent me to Toys-R-Us (TRU).  I was going to be out in that neighborhood, and she had an errand for me.  She had bought a Groupon-esque deal from somewhere that gave her $20 in credit at TRU for $10.  She wanted a specific brand/size/type of diapers for our son, so I said I'd pick those up for her.  After 20+ minutes of looking for said diapers, talking to the front desk, 2 trips to "check in the back", and much standing around, I finally had the pack of diapers in my hand.  It was $18.  I read the fine print on the deal...NO CHANGE/CREDIT GIVEN.  In other words, I had to find something to buy to get up to $20 or that value would disappear.

Fortunately(?) for me, I found the most pathetic card-display ever.  Some pokemon, full Topps sets, and $30 blasters of Ginter.  Yes, $30.  It was consistent that TRU priced all cards at 1.5x the price of cards anywhere else.  Their packs of Triple Play (that are 99 cents EVERYWHERE) were $1.50.  Whatever you do, DO NOT ever go to Toys-R-Us for cards.  I don't care if they have pretty purple parallels (and alliteration).  It will just depress you.

Finally, I settled on a $2.50 pack of 2012 Topps Football and just cracked it open today.

I got 3 Hall-of-Famers!

Well...Luck isn't there YET, but if he plays 10 years with yardage like this one he sure will be.  Picking up a base RC of him was a fun treat.  The Aikman is a "QB Immortals" insert (for trade if there are any Cowboys out there).  Ray Lewis is retiring after this season -what a beast of a player.  Watching his interviews is just as much fun as watching him play.  That Ravens season of "Hard Knocks" is still my favorite.

Was I happy with what I got?  Yes.  Would I ever buy cards there willingly again?  HECK NO.