Random Cardboard:1997 Score Blast Master Alex Rodriguez

Cardboard Review:2021-2022 Chronicles Draft Basketball

One of the first looks we get at the upcoming rookie class in the NBA, always starts with a Draft Picks product. Whether that's Prizm, Contenders or today's product, Chronicles.

Chronicles is a product built up of other products all wrapped into one. I think it's a fun concept, but it's not for everyone.

Since I like to get a start on the upcoming rookie class for my rookie card album, I always try to get my hands on new product. I don't always know who the best ones are quite yet, so they usually all stay in one spot until I do. When someone asks me "who should I be looking for?" I always tell them, just look at the cover of the box.

So that's what I did today. Here is a box break of 2021-2022 Chronicles Draft basketball for your viewing pleasure,

In each hobby box of Chronicles basketball, there are 2 packs of 24 cards each. It's much different of a layout than usual. Each box promises 4 autograph or memorabilia cards and you can find boxes currently for $165.

BASE:

The base set has 16-25 card offerings from Donruss Rated Rookies, Chronicles (has its own base set), Hoops Retro, Luminance, Flux, Gala, XR, Essentials and many others. I believe there are 19 in all.

Here are a few examples of the base using the players featured on the box in Cade Cunningham and Jalen Suggs.

PARALLELS:

You can find the following parallels in Chronicles all across the 19 or so "base sets",

Black, Bronze, Green, Orange, Pink, Pulsar, Red /149, Blue /99, Purple /49, Gold /10, Cracked Ice /6, and Platinum 1/1.

My only parallel was this Red Hoops Retro of Evan Mobley numbered to 149.

Without inserts, let's move onto the good stuff.

HITS:

First hit, Tools Of The Trade relic of Scottie Barnes.

Panini Threads Rookie Threads of Sharife Cooper

Score Autograph of Nojel Eastern

 

And finally, Origins autograph of Romello White.

I don't know any of these names, so you guys will have to tell me in comments if I scored anything big here.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:

Well, from looking some of the hits up, it appears to be a tough break value wise currently. But, as with any rookies, you just never know who will rise above the occasion. So maybe check back in a couple of years on this break.

As for the product itself, I still like Chronicles, though I prefer the pro sports version more with NBA teams. I like the mix of product designs and selection. You get some basic ones like Score to some artsy ones like Origins to the shiny stuff like Elements. It's a great mix.

One more tweak I would make, I would build this as one big base set with levels of rarity.

In comments below, tell me your thoughts on my break or on the product as a whole.

Return Of The Matt

Return of the Matt...oh yeah...Return of the Matt...oh my gosh. He is back on here watch his blog flow.

It's been a long time since I wrote a real post on this blog and that's because I needed some time away. I needed time to sit down and think of my blogging future.

I think others may be in the same process.

Some have stepped away, others haven't posted in months and some are here and there. The blogosphere in general seems to be in a downward spiral and it's sad to see knowing how strong we were only a few years ago. I will admit in the past month plus, I was in the same spot as others seem to be in the blogging world.

My original plan was to retire from blogging at the end of this year and hang up my keyboard. It was going to happen for sure. No doubt about it. It was a Joe Namath guarantee.

Then something hit me. 

No not anything physical, more like the apple on the head of Isaac Newton. I had that "aha moment" that happens once in a gray moon.

It was the little voice in my head asking me, "why aren't you blogging on Sport Card Collectors anymore?" The only answer I could come up with is, "I don't feel like it". 

Since that didn't seem to be a good enough answer, I sent myself on a journey to figure out why I had quit. I went back through and read some of my older posts when this blog was at its best. I could obviously see why things were more interesting at those times and maybe, maybe why I stepped away.

That journey also sent me on another journey, I began to Google sport card blogs and found this blog on a few Top 20-Top 30 blog lists which says a lot with as many well written blogs there are out there. I wasn't number one on any of those lists, but I was in the middle of the pack which still means a lot.

Between the lists, the older posts, and not finding a real answer to my question, it led me back here today to write this post and begin a new journey on here.

So here I am. Fully revived and excited to bring this blog back to its "happier days".

In comments, let me know some of the topics and posts you enjoyed on here. I may bring some of those along with the new ideas I have.

Hope everyone has a Happy Monday!

Random Cardboard:1997 Score Goin' Yard Ken Griffey Jr

Random Cardboard:1997 Score Hideki Irabu

Random Cardboard: 1997 Score Jose Canseco

Random Cardboard:1996 Pinnacle Team Spirit Barry Bonds

Thanksgiving 2021

*takes a seat with coffee and the smell of turkey overtaking the house.*

It's Thanksgiving Day! Because of that, today's post will not be very long as this year I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the first time in years. Usually I am the guy who pitches in with some of the side dishes.

Since it's Turkey Day,

 

Thought I would show off a Turkey Card from 2018 Topps Holiday.

There are other Turkey cards out there, but this is my latest add so it was quicker to get to.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

I hope all of you guys out there have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Enjoy time with your family and be thankful. You never know what will happen or when. Be thankful for every minute.

In comments, let's hear your favorite Thanksgiving side dish.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Rodney's Cardboard:2020 Optic Signature Series

Todays Rodney Hampton comes to me as quite a shock.

It was shocking to find out that Panini first of all included Rodney in Optic for the first time ever, but it was also extremely surprising they didn't do parallels for it. NONE.

So this was it. Just one card, a chromed card that had no parallels.

 

The back of the card was not that exciting.

Thanks goes out to my buddy Shane from Cheap Wax fame who helped me land this one.

Random Cardboard:1996 Pinnacle Chase Checklist

Random Cardboard:1996 Pinnacle Tony Gwynn

Random Cardboard:1996 Pinnacle Hardball Heroes Will Clark

Random Cardboard:2021 Prizm Sluggers Silver Prizm Dominic Smith

Random Cardboard:2020 Donruss Lawrence Taylor

Random Cardboard:2020 Topps Chrome Pink Refractor Bryce Harper

Rodney's Cardboard:2019 Legacy Black Printing Plate

Awhile back, I put up a post from a trade that Gavin from Baseball Card Breakdown and myself did and mentioned there was one more card to go in that post and that it was the centerpiece of the trade.  Today, is the day I finally reveal it.

Introducing the latest printing plate to my Rodney Hampton collection,

This one comes from Panini's Legacy collection.

I always find these newer plates hard to find so adding these when I can is great. Gavin seems to always have luck finding Hampton plates.

Thanks again Gavin for the trade!

Random Cardboard:1993 Topps Prismatic Stimpy Oh Joy

Welcome To The Space Jam

*feeling a little groggy from yesterday's booster shot, sits down with a cup of coffee and is ready to get a quick post up on #CardsOverCoffee*

One of the biggest movie hits of the summer has made it onto cardboard now. Upper Deck who created cards for the original Space Jam movie (I wished I had some of those) created cards for it's long awaited sequel. I think it was pretty obvious that UD would make these knowing they have the LeBron James licensing rights.

I watched this movie when it came out streaming this summer and thought it was okay.  By okay, it was better than I expected but not close to the first movie. To me nothing beats an original and I think this proves again why MJ is still better than LeBron. Not only can MJ own the court, but he can also own a movie screens.

*takes a sip*

Last week at Walmart I found a blaster box of the product sitting on the shelf. I went back and forth with myself for awhile before coming to the conclusion that I needed to break one. Not only did I want to pull an autograph, I am aiming for the Gabriel Iglesias auto, but I think the manufactured film cell cards are cool as well.

There are 6 packs of 5 cards per blaster. I didn't see the price before I scanned it but was happy to see it was only $19.98. Seems cheap in comparison to other products out there.

The base cards feature the characters from the movie as you would expect.

 

And each pack came with one of these blue parallels.

The disappointing part for me was getting two duplicates out of the thirty cards.

There is one Ready To Jam per box as well. These cards look pretty cool. I tried to capture the rainbow foil the best I could.

And then came my favorite card from the box, a Breaking The Game 3D Lenticular card. This, this is cool. If I keep losing my hair, I may look like Elmer in the near future as well.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

I rate this as a lot of fun. I know it's not in the flippers checklist of products, but I wouldn't mind opening one again or chasing the Lenticular set.

In comments today, tell me your thoughts on this product, on the Space Jam movie and if you have seen this movie and your thoughts on it.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Random Cardboard:1995 Fleer Ultra Power Plus Barry Bonds

Trade With The Diamond King

*takes a sip, finally getting to sit down for today's post after a busy morning which included getting my booster Pfizer vaccine. Time to find some breakfast as well*

Packages and PWE's have been flowing into the mail box like never before the last week or so. Not only has this led to some excitement, but has also put me in a tough spot when it comes to blogging them. I just hate making people wait for a thank you.

So most of those mail days I tweeted out, so hopefully you follow me on Twitter to have seen those. I think a good portion of my mail days will be posted that way. However, ones I get from fellow bloggers, I still plan to post this way.

*takes a sip, then shakes arm to get muscle loose from the shot*

My most recent blogger trade, I haven't done a lot of them this year, is from The Diamond King who had posted his best Griffey's including one he had for trade.

But, before we get to that card, our trade expanded a bit more and he included some awesome 90's inserts I didn't have (this is only a small portion of them)

Sp Matchups

Ultra The Book On

New Horizon Hideki Irabu

Upper Deck National Pride (how great does this look with the light box)

*takes a break for a minute to shake the arm again*

Playoff Illusions Spectralusion of Shannon Sharpe

Ultra Notables

*takes another break and arm shake. puts his left arm out, puts his left arm in, puts his left arm out, and shakes it all about....then goes back to typing*

On top of those great 90s inserts, then there was this beauty.

Wayne Gallman Triple Rookie Relic autograph from Absolute football. Even though he is in Atlant

a now, I still collect him.

And finally, the big piece.

  

2000 Skybox Dominion Eye On October Plus Parallel. The base version of this fell 1:24 packs while the tougher to find Plus parallel fell 1:240 packs. There is also a much rarer level with the Warp Tek parallel that's numbered.

Big thanks to The Diamond King on the trade.

*takes a sip, shakes the arm again, and gets ready to finish up today's post before moving onto more stuff to do today*

I know I have more mail days on the way from trades I just made, I also have some mail I have to send out which will lead to even more mail days. I am definitely not complaining about the situation, I just don't see myself sitting down to post them all like the old days.

What have you gotten in the mail box recently?

Have a great Tuesday.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Random Cardboard: 2021 Allen Ginter Mini Framed Autograph Bobby Moynihan

I'm Batman

*(batman voice) pours cup, turns on laptop, sits down and checks updates on the Joker. Doesn't see any, I guess it's time for Cards Over Coffee*

I have been a Batman fan since my youth. It started with watching the 1989 Batman movie, to being heavily into Batman The Animated Series, to watching the 1966 series with my grandmother to collecting cards from and seeing Batman Returns and Batman Forever, to renting Batman and Robin on VHS, to going to the movie theaters with my Mother-In-Law to watch the Dark Knight series. If that last part doesn't tell how much I like Batman, then nothing will. 

Despite my fandom, I don't have a lot of Batman cardboard. The small amount of cards I had in my youth from Batman Forever and Batman Returns are gone. So I am basically starting from scratch with any additions I get now.

Earlier this year, Oren got me going on my Batman chase again and recently I added two more items to my collection.

*takes a sip before getting ready for a battle with The Riddler*

In 2013 Topps put together a 75th anniversary set that featured more than 100 different entertainment sets.

One of those featured The Dark Knight himself. This one isn't the base, still missing that one, but is the very sharp Rainbow Foil.

Then I found some unopened packs of 1995 Fleer Ultra Batman Forever,

 

So I grabbed one. Not sure if I will open it yet or not as it may mean more to me unopened.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post...and before I take on The Penguin!*

There is a lot of Batman sets I want to collect from the '89 Batman to Batman Returns to Batman Forever to the Dark Knight series. I do have an unopened box of Batman The Animated Series I got from my wife's uncle, but I don't plan on opening that up.

As always, I am interested in trading for needs.

By the way before I finish up today's post, I wanted to let everyone know my favorite Batman villain which is Clayface. After that, Joker comes in next (best played by Nicholson and Ledger).

And when it comes to my favorite Batman, Keaton, Kilmer and Bale played him best with Keaton holding a slight lead at the top.

In comments, let me know if you like Batman, your favorite villain, your favorite actor who portrayed Batman.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

*Coffee Card Blogger Out...until Catwoman just arrived...meoooowww*