Thoughts On The Packers vs. Chiefs Game

I've been working/avoiding this post for the better part of two weeks as it SUCKED SO MUCH to see them lose their perfect season to the hapless Chiefs with me in the stands.  But I've finally pushed through and finished the post that I hope you will enjoy.  

I've been looking forward to today since the 2011 Packer schedule was announced and I discovered the Packers played the Chiefs twice, once in the pre-season in Green Bay and then today in Kansas City.  Just call it icing on the cake that the Packers would decide to not loose a game until today.  My wife and I had some good seats for the shocking results of the Chiefs beating the Packers 19-14.

The game should have been something like 35-14 if the Chiefs had been able to finish the strong drives they had throughout the game.  Plus, the Packers made some big mistakes.  They missed two field goal attempts and went for it on a 4th and 8 on the Chiefs 45 when they should have punted and pinned the Chiefs down by their own goal line.  I didn't learn until after the game about Mike McCarthy not challenging a Chiefs touchdown.  That particular play didn't look questionable from where I was sitting but the replays show it could have gong differently.

 But anyway, the game started off great with some tailgating in the Arrowhead parking lot.  We went with my wife's friend who is a Chief's season ticket holder and the maker of the best Bloody Mary's I've ever had in the parking lot of Arrowhead Stadium!

You haven't really had a Blood Mary until you have it with a Slim Jim stir stick!

On our walk to the stadium we stumbled upon the Lone Hipster Chiefs Fan...football really is America's favorite past time.

And I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes but some guy was wearing a Mark Chmura jersey.  I secretly think he must have been a Chiefs fan wearing it ironically.

As you can see from where I was sitting, the stadium was not quite 50% Packers fans but it was pretty close.

As far as player photos go I got all the important shots...

Clay Matthews drying off his hair...

Mason Crosby getting photo bombed by the Chief's Mr. Irrelevant. I say that but Ryan Succop just signed one of the highest kicker contracts.

I tried to get a good action photo of Randall Cobb returning a kick but he was just too fast.

KUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHNNNNNN!

This single photo summarizes the Packers game pretty nicely.  Wallace Gilberry blocks Aaron Rodger's pass while John Kuhn is open and unseen.

Although this would be my fourth Chiefs game I had never noticed this sign when the Chiefs were on offense asking the crowd to please be quiet.  Arrowhead is load but it wasn't anything unbearable so that a play couldn't be heard.

So that was the game...if the Packers win it all again I guess I'll have an interesting story to tell of how close they were to perfection.

My Best Of 2011: Favorite Vintage Card

When it comes to Hank Aaron cards I have only a few from when he was an active player and those were from his playing days as a Brewer.  So I've been trying to rectify that purchased this card at an obscenely low price from COMC.  The '62 Topps version books at $60 but as you can see a child with a really, really, really, dull pair of scissors took to the cereal box and came out with this:

1962 Topps #149 Hank Aaron

You can see how badly they cut a square by turning the card over:  That bottom right corner it pretty outstanding.

I also picked up the only manufactured nameplate cards that I would want to own...unless they happened to make an Andy Pafko....[they didn't].  

2011 Topps Update Glove Namplate #HA

Traded And Then Purchased

Does anyone else feel obligated to buy the cards that you trade away on the Diamond Giveaway?

I just bought this for a quarter after trading it for seven other 70's cards with maybe a Dave Roberts super collector?


Am I alone on this? I've done it a few times with the Diamond Die Cuts I've traded away too. Does anyone else feel the need to make up for what you have given up on the Diamond Giveaway?

UPDATE: Series 2 Diamond Giveaway Cards Are Now Valid Through June 30th, 2012

UPDATE:  As a couple of readers have mentioned, there is no such date as June 31st, 2012 so unless as a part of Topps exclusive contract with MLB they can now also create new days, they will need to fix that.  I've sent a twitter message to @toppscards on Twitter to let them know as well.

I'm not exactly sure how new this information is but it looks like the time available to redeem codes and make trades on the Topps Diamond Giveaway has changed slightly.  Along the left side of the site we have this message:

Thank you for your support to date unlocking codes and enjoying the Diamond Giveaway. The original plan communicated was to run the Diamond Giveaway until 1/31/2012 and then transition into our 2012 promotion, the site will now run until 6/31 but please note Diamond Giveaway codes in Topps Baseball Series 1 and Topps Update will expire on 1/31/2012 as stated and printed on cards, codes in 2011 Topps Baseball 2 will be the only cards active until 6/31/2012, all trading and shipping cards will be open to all until 6/31/2012. On June 31, 2012 at 11:59 pm The Topps Diamond Giveaway will be shut down. You must take delivery of your cards on or before this date.

I don't really understand the logic that Series 2 codes will continue to work while the Update cards won't but, nonetheless, you will have six more months to trade and expand/improve your collection on the Diamond Giveaway site.

Thome x 7

I haven't been been posting too much but that doesn't mean I haven't been collecting...here are seven different versions of 2011 Topps #614 which highlights the Minnesota Twins Team Leaders as well as a Jim Thome walk off home run.

Thank you to reader Mike D. for sending some of these to me in a nice Christmas package as well as COMC's Black Friday shipping sale for some others.

2011 Topps #614 Minnesota Twins Team Leaders

2011 Topps #614 Minnesota Twins Team Leaders Diamond Anniversary Set

2011 Topps #614 Minnesota Twins Team Leaders Topps Retro Logo From Target

2011 Topps #614 Minnesota Twins Team Leaders Black Border

2011 Topps #614 Minnesota Twins Team Leaders Gold Version #1511/2011

2011 Topps #614 Minnesota Twins Team Leaders Diamond Border

2011 Topps #614 Minnesota Twins Team Leaders Cognac Border

And here are all my total copies of this card which is easily my favorite of 2011:

Genius Covers: Condorman #3

I love life action covers for comic books and this shot is the best/most ridiculous part of this issue.  This shot is from the 1981 Disney film Condorman and is the cover of Condorman #3 published by Whitman Comics in 1981.

Here's the poster from the movie.  What could possibly go wrong when you make a movie that tries to appeal to everyone on the planet.  As the poster says it's an "action adventure romantic comedy spy story."

Condorman is clearly an attempted rip off of DC comics great Hawkman.  The problem being that Hawkman's wings were attached to his body while Condorman's wings were attached.  

Which gives you shots like the one below.  How is this costume practical at all even if it does let you fly/glide?   

As far as the action goes in issue #3 the story line involves giving secrets to the Russians but of the 32 pages in the issue, Condorman is only in costume and in action from page 29-32.  Stan Lee would just not let this happen is the comic was done by Marvel!  

And when I say "in action" I mean as he is flying/gliding he runs into some seagulls which give him a lot of trouble.

So much trouble in fact that he falls from the sky and lands right on the bad guy who drops his gun.  

Without the ridiculous cover this comic would not be worth it...but they did give me a graphic that I could possibly use for a new blog logo after a little photoshopping of the text..