Chicken Scratch of the Day

Tashard Choice is the 3rd option for running back with the Dallas Cowboys. He has seen some sporadic playing time this year and has been a reliable running back when called upon.
While his signature seems a bit classy at first glance, Tashard does not sign his full name. It seems like he just initials it as T.CO. One upstroke is that Tashard has no fumbles on the field this year. Unfortunately, he does have a fumble for his lovely signature effort. For this he receives "one sharpie".

Stats Overview	Rushing					Receiving					Fumbles
SPLIT	ATT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD	REC	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD	FUM	LST
2009	58	330	5.7	66	3	15	132	8.8	28	0	0	0

Thanks Giants.... Another LOSS

The way the GIANTS are playing I expect them to finish out the year at 8-8.

Brandon Jacobs needs to learn to block.

Danny Ware started for an injured Ahmed Bradshaw. Probably will be the last time too thanks to the coughed up fumble.

Eli Manning looked like a "deer in the headlights" when it came to the pressure from the Broncos defense. Piss poor judgment throws. Receivers can't catch the ball when it's always at their feet. Perhaps Manning should be benched and let Carr make a few starts to see if that helps any.

Lack of communication on the defense led to a WIDE OPEN Brandon Stokley Touchdown.

Dallas, Philadelphia at home next. Then it's at Washington, Carolina at home, and then close out at Minnesota.

Perhaps we might see a 7-9 record but who knows. Right now this is not a playoff caliber team and they need to get reorganized and bounce back quickly.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tim Lincecum Cy Young Award Winner

So I take this simple formula: Tim Lincecum + Marijuana = Cy Young Award

Good times.... Good times

Ravishing Relic of the Week

Mr. Guzman was 3 for 5 in hitting with two singles and one double and one strikeout on the night of may 28, 2008. Wow... topps got this card right...for once. He actually played on the date that's listed on the ticket.

Chicken Scratch of the Day

Ricky Romero: Left Handed Pitcher (2nd rotation)

Wins: 13
Losses: 9
ERA: 4.30
SO: 141

Ricky has a very nice clean signature where you can actually make out his name. His signature does seem to be consistent with other signings he has done. Ricky is also a candidate for the 2009 MLB Rookie of the Year award.

For the effort he puts into his autograph he receives four sharpies.

Topps = Barack Obama An Open Letter to Topps Inc.

Dear Topps,
It has come to my attention that Mr. Barack Obama has been included in over 12 different types of Topps sets over the past year. He has been included in the Topps Baseball set to the Topps football set to the Topps Mayo set and into the American Heritage set as well. Heck, you guys even made an ETOPPS card of him so that would be actually over 13 products at least. My questions for you is as follows: Is it really necessary to have him in every freaking card set? Is it necessary to ride on the guys' coattails just because you see $$$$ attached to his name? Is all of the Topps Board members Democrats? How come you have not acted this way for the other more prominent historical figures? Sure you may have tapped into the Lincoln files a little or cut up an autograph or two of a few presidents. However what exactly is it that Mr. Obama has done to gain such popularity that he has to be included in almost every card set? Did he cure cancer? Did he find a cure for Aids? Did he solve the homeless problems? The one thing he has done is he has brought the US to the verge of complete bankruptcy. IS this the direction Topps is going to go?

Topps Football .... R.I.P.

2009 Topps Mayo in hand Review (retail)

I swore up and down a blue streak that I was done buying TOPPS products and yet I gave into my addiction (we're all addicted- ADMIT IT) at the local Wal Mart when I purchased 3 retail boxes of 2009 Topps Mayo. I have to say that this year's edition seems a bit better and dare I say that some thought went into the process of the design of the card. So let us gaze upon the wonders of 2009 Mayo and see what dastardly deed TOPPS have spawned:



The 2008 edition had a basic black and white design to it. The 2009 edition of Mayo has a white and gold design implicated. Each pack contains 6 Topps Mayo Football cards Plus 1 Parallel card and 1 Insert card. And once again Barack Obama appears in another card set. Please TOPPS....ENOUGH ALREADY! And once again there is famous personalities and events from around the world included in the set.

Here is the potential pull info:
BASE CARDS - 330 total cards -
180 Veterans, 10 Legends, 60 Rookies, 25 Public Figures, 55 Short Prints













The Mini's return again this year and I was rather impressed at the mini's that I did pull from the 3 boxes. I did not pull one duplicate of any regular mini's and I actually enjoyed pulling the gold version Jerry Rice mini Parallel. Out of the three boxes only two mini gold Parallels were pulled. Apparently you can pull a Harvard edition and or a Mayo gold/cloth/mayo back edition in the mini cards. Also you can pull the mini 1/1 plates as well.

Here is the rest of the potential pull info:
MINI PARALLEL CARDS - 2970 TOTAL CARDS - 1 PER PACK!
Mayo Cloth (330) - #'d to 5
Harvard (330) - #'d to 25
Mayo Gold (330)
Mayo Back (330)
Mayo (330)
Mini Printing Plates (330 subjects,1320 plates) 1/1 JOY!

MINI INSERT CARDS - 115 subjects
World's Fair Attractions (15)
United States Governors (50)
Celebrated Citizens (15)
Mayo Masterworks (30)

BOX LOADER CARDS - 1 PER BOX
Mayo Cabinets (20)
Mayo Cabinet Relics (20) - #'d to 10
Mayo Cabinet Autograph Relics (40 subjects/10 cards) - #'d to 3

FRAMED AUTOGRAPHED CARDS - ONE AUTOGRAPH CARD PER BOX
Mayo Autographs (50 subjects)

FRAMED RELIC CARDS (68) - ONE RELIC CARD PER BOX
Mayo Relics (50 subjects)
Mayo Americana Relics (18 subjects)

CUT SIGNATURE CARDS - 1 OF 1
Historical Figures - 18 subjects

FRAMED PRINTING PLATES - 330 total cards - 1 OF 1
Base cards (330)

NEW RIP CARDS - 1 PER CASE
Collectible Rip Card Exteriors (30)
Rip Card Interiors
- Mayo Red Autographs (TBD) - #'d to 10
- Mayo Mini Exclusives (30)


The backs of the card this year have a gold painted feel to them. The silver parallel card backs are silver in color which helps to avoid confusion for perhaps say the younger folks or the new folks to the hobby who don't know what parallels are or how they are different from the rest of the set. I did not pull any jersey/relic/autograph/rip/plates from the boxes that I obtained. The hobby editions do offer one autograph, relic, and box loader card per Hobby Box (Insertion rates are based on estimated production levels, which may vary from the actual insertion rates to be published on product packaging).



So let's review what I've learned from the cards:

1.Topps is obviously running out of people to put into card sets and are using fillers. I say this because look at how we see the same people in the Topps American Heritage set now creeping into the Topps Mayo set. No offense but I am tired of reading about Robert Jarvik. It's great that he made the artificial heart but I don't see him playing football at any point or running for 20,000 yards. It seems like Topps Mayo is turning into the poor man's version of Allen & Ginter.

2. Sticker autographs... Oh where do we begin? Last year the cards were hard signed. Even if it seemed kind of small or going up the side of the card it was still signed "on card". This year we are stuck with sticker autographs which leads me to....

3. Autograph selections: Majority of them are from this year's draft class so you can pull a 1st rounder or you can pull a 7th rounder who was already cut from the team, then the practice team, then from the CFL, and is now working for some lawn service and has a part time job on some UFL team. On a brighter side there is some of today's stars such as Peyton Manning, Adrian "All Day" Peterson, and Mark "Dirty" Sanchez just to name a few.

4. Relics- Once again we are delighted to have 1st round draft picks to 7th round draft picks and stars such as Eddie Royal, Donovan McNabb, and Ben "sacked" Roethlisberger. You can also pull presidential relics, coin and stamp cards, and even presidential wood! There is also relics from soldiers included in this year's set (why?).

5. Coalition- I pulled 3 Eli Manning Silver parallels out of 3 boxes. I pulled 2 Michael Crabtree silver parallels out of 2 boxes. Those were the only doubles I received out of the parallel set. I had pulled no doubles for the regular set out of 3 boxes.

6. The ponytail is making a comeback (See Cushing and Matthews rookie cards).

7. Annie Oakley was a babe who was good with a rifle!

PERFORMANCE REVIEW:

TOPPS Sell Sheet before and after product was released and did it match product: A
Card Design: B+
Base Card Overall: B+
Mini Cards: B
Auto's: C : sticker autos
Value: B-
Collectability: B-

FINAL SCORE: B

Tim Lincecum and marijuana ....say it isn't so.

San Francisco Giants star pitcher Tim Lincecum is facing misdemeanor marijuana charges following a traffic stop in his home state.

Here's the Link via ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4627319

Tell me that you could not figure that one out. Tim Lincecum and "mary jane". Mr. Mackey says that marijuana's bad mmmkay. Drugs are bad mmmkay.

EbAy "Hero of the StuPid"

Well we have another winner in the "I'm selling a printing plate with an auto I created" on it. The card in no way states that it is autographed. This guy is our "EbAy Hero Of tHE StuPId" for this day.

Seller info:
henneman5042

http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Leaf-Certified-Eli-Manning-Auto-Printing-Plate-1_W0QQitemZ110451130170QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Football?hash=item19b7667f3a

Chicken Scratch of the Day

Stephen McGee was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2009 NFL Draft in the fourth round. He played college football for Texas A&M. McGee was named the winner of the 2008 National Bobby Bowden Award.
In 2009 he was awarded one sharpie for making his signature look like "Chicken Scratch".

Ravishing Relic of the Week

The New York Yankees new stadium (the house that the taxpayers built) could have a curse on it if the Phillies end up winning the world series. Tragic Irony or Poetic Justice?

Topps ....THE BBB REPORT F = FAIL

Here is the link to the Topps Company Better Business Bureau Report:
http://nepa.app.bbb.org/report/10014615

BBB Rating

Based on BBB files, this business has a BBB Rating of F on a scale from A+ to F.
Reasons for this rating include:

* 14 complaints filed against business
* Failure to respond to 5 complaints filed against business.
* 2 complaints filed against business that were not resolved.

Business Contact and Profile
Name: Topps Co.
Phone: (570) 457-6761
Fax: (570) 451-2400
Address: 401 York Ave.
Duryea, PA 18642
File Open Date: April 1995
Type of Business: Mail Order & Catalog Shopping
BBB Accreditation: This company is not a BBB Accredited business.

The BBB has requested basic information from this company. The BBB has not received a response. Without this information, the BBB may not have current information concerning such things as the company's management or its nature of business.

Customer Complaint History

When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.

BBB processed a total of 14 complaints about this company in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total of 14 complaints closed in 36 months, 7 were closed in the last year.
Advertising Issues
Resolved
1 - Company resolved the complaint issues, but not within BBB's timeframe. The Complainant acknowledged acceptance to BBB.

Sales Practice Issues
No Response
1 - Company failed to respond to BBB to resolve or address the complaint issues.

Delivery Issues
Unresolved
1 - Company failed to resolve the complaint issues through BBB voluntary and self-regulatory process.

Customer Service Issues
No Response
1 - Company failed to respond to BBB to resolve or address the complaint issues.

Product Issues
Resolved
2 - Company addressed the complaint issues. The consumer failed to acknowledge acceptance to BBB.
Unresolved
1 - Company failed to resolve the complaint issues through BBB voluntary and self-regulatory process.
Administratively Closed
1 - BBB determined the company made a reasonable offer to resolve the issues, but the consumer did not accept the offer.
No Response
3 - Company failed to respond to BBB to resolve or address the complaint issues.

Refund or Exchange Issues
Resolved
2 - Company resolved the complaint issues. The consumer acknowledged acceptance to BBB.
1 - Company addressed the complaint issues. The consumer failed to acknowledge acceptance to BBB.

NY GIANTS.... ENOUGH ALREADY!

Ratings for this weeks GIANTS vs Eagles game 11/1/09

QB- D
C/ATT YDS AVG TD INT RATING
E. Manning 20/39 222 5.7 1 2 55.7

Giants quarterback Eli Manning was intercepted twice in this game AGAIN. Both of these turnovers led to Eagles' touchdowns. Eli Manning was intercepted twice in the first five games and now he's been intercepted six times in the last three games. ENOUGH ALREADY!


RB- C-
The duo of Bradshaw and Jacobs had a combo of 29 carries for 107 yds. Jacobs had 20 carries for 86 yds. Bradshaw had 9 carries for 21 yds and a TD. Brandon Jacobs was held under 100 yards for the 12th consecutive game.

WR- C+
Hakeem Nicks had four receptions for 53 yards and another "Awesome Grabs" game. Manningham was out for this game as a precaution with a shoulder injury. Steve Smith had eight catches for 68 yards. Moss should just be let go as he has contributed squat. Hixon coughed up a fumble on a kick off return.

TE- B+
Kevin Boss had 3 receptions for 70 yds and a TD.


OL- C
Only allowed 2 sacks but was not opening the gaps for the running backs. Manning was pressured and Blitzed heavily forcing arrhythmia with the offensive timing.


DL- C-
Who the heck lets a fullback scamper 41 yds for a TD? Osi Umenyiora had a sack after not having any in the last three games. Fred Robbins had a good play and was playing it smart to lateral it to Osi however it was overturned. Allowed 24 carries for 180 yds by the Eagles offense.


LB- C


CB/DB/Secondary- F
The secondary for the Giants was exposed in more ways than Candice Michelle in Playboy. WAY TOO MUCH separation.

Not converting third downs.