ive been around, just havnt been up to blogging

still getting in my daily routine, just havnt posted it here. it's been cold the last few days.

just in a mood as of late.

Trying to finalize some sort of PSA FOCUS for the coming year. Trying to decide how many players is just too f'n many and/or costly.

Here are the ones that are on what im calling in 2012 "My Stable of Stupidity"

George Brett
Mike Schmidt
Thurman Munson
Graig Nettles
Keith Hernandez

contemplating a few others that i liked when i was a kid who retired before the cardboard "hit the fan" with the overload of inserts and other price pumping gimmicks.

While im ranting, a big F You to the PSA Registry Users that voted (when they started up the registry) to NOT include O-Pee-Chee Baseball Cards in a Players "Basic Set". They DID vote to include 85/86/87/88 Leaf Issues. That makes NO sense to me. Stupidity for sure.

THAT means that i have to put my O-Pee-Chee cards into the players "Master Set" which are sets that include MANY more cards, such as food issues and the like.

12.20.11

Weather: 44, clear and cold, windy
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles
Weather During Walk: cold and pretty windy
Overall Walk Performance: avg
Current Mood: cold
How is your diabetes today?:
Fasting BG this morning?: 88

Vintage Wax Rip ... 1976 O-Pee-Chee Baseball

Welcome to something im going (to try to anyway) to do more of in the coming year. Ripping old wax looking for guys i collect, with the intention of having them graded for my collection.
i think the best way to think about looking at ripping old wax is not "well, what $$$ card could i get out of it?" But rather, "man, remember when me and (insert friend(s) name(s) here) were on the corner/yard that day, and (he/they/you) pulled that (star/most cherished player's name) out of the pack?" feeling that only ripping wax from our childhood can give you? And if you're ripping wax from "before your time" just think about what it was like for those older then yourself to rip 'em all those years ago.

well, on with the show!

Vintage Wax Rip ... 1976 O-Pee-Chee Baseball

Purchased from www.BBCExchange.com

Cost: $32




The pack had the gum all cracked in pieces!



This is a GOOD thing because that means that front card is less likely to suffer gum damage. This (the cracked gum) is pretty uncommon
for O-Pee-Chee Packs due to the gum being "softer" upon production when released way back when.

1976 O-Pee-Chee Baseball is a direct parallel of the 1976 Topps Set. Cards share the same card number. Keep in mind though that the
O-Pee-Chee versions are MUCH MUCH MUCH harder to find, regardless of condition.

Here are the cards, card-by-card from the pack:


























So, the "Star Power" was minimal, but i did manage to pull one HOF, but it has typical o-pee-chee centering.

I have two more of these to rip (eventually). it was a rush to open a pack that is 35 years old, thats for sure! :)

Thanks for the read,
Eric
ThoseBackPages

12.18.11

Weather: 23, felt like 14 with the wind factor!
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles
Weather During Walk: cold, COLD! windy
Overall Walk Performance: avg
Current Mood: cold
How is your diabetes today?: cold
Fasting BG this morning?: 80

12.17.11

Weather: low 40s, cold, pcl
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles
Weather During Walk: cold and light breeze
Overall Walk Performance: avg
Current Mood: avg
How is your diabetes today?: avg
Fasting BG this morning?: 87

12.15.11

Weather: 53, cloudy/overcast
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles
Weather During Walk: WINDY today!
Overall Walk Performance: ok
Current Mood: tired, long driving day today
How is your diabetes today?: winning
Fasting BG this morning?: 84

What is it about the plastic that is SO addictive?

and when i say "plastic" i mean PSA Slabs. i cannot explain the addiction.....part OCD, part paranoia. for the life of me i cannot bring myself to collect plain 'ole sets (sans Topps Heritage, of course), i have to collect the stars in plastic.

i know, i know .. collect however YOU like, that is the key. but sometimes i just have to shake my head at myself, that's all.

life would be probably be easier if i could live with raw cards.

12.14.11

Weather: 50, sunny, warmer then it has been
Did you walk today?: yes 
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles
Weather During Walk: good, light jacket was JUST acceptable
Overall Walk Performance: ok
Current Mood: tired today
How is your diabetes today?:
Fasting BG this morning?: 82

12.12.11

Weather: 40, felt like 30s
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles
Weather During Walk: cold
Overall Walk Performance: cold
Current Mood: cold
How is your diabetes today?: cold
Fasting BG this morning?: 83

12.11.11

Weather: 40, felt like 33. sunny
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles
Weather During Walk: not a cloud in the sky. cold though
Overall Walk Performance: average
Current Mood: not good
How is your diabetes today?: cold
Fasting BG this morning?: 79

12.10.11

Weather: 45, cold and slightly windy, felt like 36
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles
Weather During Walk: cold
Overall Walk Performance: avg
Current Mood: tired
How is your diabetes today?: ---
Fasting BG this morning?: 84

1989 Fleer Rack Case "Ripping for George Brett Submissions"

Welcome to my latest installment of "Ripping for George Brett Submissions"

1989 Fleer Rack Case, 72 packs, $55 from www.bbcexchange.com




BBCE was having their annual 10% off + Free Shipping for Black Friday Sale, so i picked this case up for $50/dlvd.

My goal with ripping these cases is to find George Brett and/or Mike Schmidt on top of a Rack pack. i would love to pull them BOTH showing on top, that would be awesome!
These packs feature three little cellos incased inside of the rack pack. the "sticker" covers the back card on each cello, so even though i am not a fan of stars showing on the
back of a pack, it would not be un-welcomed lol

This release features Rookie Cards of: Ken Griffey Jr, Randy Johnson, Gary Sheffield amongst others, as well as the "famous" Billy Ripken F*ck Face Card.
i will have to go through the packs at another time to see if they contain errors and rookie cards. This rip was about seeing who was showing on front.

Here are the HOF Showing on Top Racks that i pulled:

Multiple Power!


Solo Power!


i had an good time ripping this case, and at the price point its tough to beat!

on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being Best) i give this rip: 8

Until Next Time,
Eric
ThoseBackPages

12.9.11

Weather: 50, sunny, cool
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles + a couple of hours of painting in the house
Weather During Walk: sunny, cool, light jacket weather
Overall Walk Performance: ok
Current Mood: tired
How is your diabetes today?: there
Fasting BG this morning?: 76

My thoughts on the Jose Reyes thing and Cardboad Appreciation

i have been a New York Mets Fan since 1977. although i was too young (6 at the time) to remember the impact that the trading of Tom Seaver had at the time, now as a man on the other side of 40, i am all too familiar with that situation, and everything that it has done to the franchise.

Jose Reyes is a very good baseball player. As a Mets fan, will i miss him? yes i will.
it's not that im a big fan of his. What i WAS a big fan of was the fact that the Mets signed him, brought him up through the system, and had him become a star while still being with the team.

Next year the Mets Franchise turns 50 years old. Through the first 49 years, they have never had a superstar signed by them, come up through their system, become a superstar for them, and retire having played ONLY for them. NOT ONE FREAKING PLAYER!
Sorry Ed Kranepool, you were never a superstar.

As a baseball card addict, this REALLY bothers me. it really bothers me waaaay more then it should really.

i look at the other side of town, where the Yankees reside. My father grew up a Yankees fan (and still is). He got to see Mantle and that era's stars play. He doesnt collect cards, lucky him. The list of Yankees that "fit the bill" is a long one.

As a Mets fan, it hurts. it really does hurt that there is nobody to put together a really nice PSA collection of that each and every freaking card will picture that player in a METS UNIFORM!

i really need a day off.

i really need a day off from diabetes. going on two years with this disease and it's starting to get to me. i didnt even walk today as i was up past 7am unable to get to sleep. it ruined the whole day. i hope tomorrow is better

12.6.11

Weather: 50s, rainy, gray
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 2.00 miles (due ot weather) + painting and house work.
Weather During Walk: warm but rain spitting
Overall Walk Performance: ok
Current Mood: tired, of a lot of things
How is your diabetes today?: this is one of them
Fasting BG this morning?: 82

12.5.11

Weather: 53, overcast/foggy
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles
Weather During Walk: misty/fog
Overall Walk Performance: sluggish
Current Mood: tired
How is your diabetes today?: ok, hand finally starting to get better
Fasting BG this morning?: 84

12.3.11

Weather: high 40s, cold, sunny
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles
Weather During Walk: sunny but cold. was able to get away with the light jacket
Overall Walk Performance: ok
Current Mood: tired
How is your diabetes today?: winning. hand hurts
Fasting BG this morning?: 80

12.1.11

Weather: 42, windy, felt like 30s
Did you walk today?: yes
If So, how far?: 3.25 miles
Weather During Walk: cold, needed the winter coat
Overall Walk Performance: ok
Current Mood: blah
How is your diabetes today?: hand is killing me
Fasting BG this morning?: 85