The View From Wisconsin

So I've hit the 400 total card mark with Topps Baseball Series One, and I've come to a few impressions on the set so far:

• It was about time that Topps decided to make their Topps Town codes part of "real" insert cards. As much fun as it may be to have an online "virtual" card collection, the code cards from last year had all the personality of a piece of cardboard.
  
• You can still put me down as "not a fan" of the series release concept. And you can also put me down as a "HUGE not a fan" of the variation release concept. I did get one of the "variation" cards of Cy Young, but I'd rather that these be labeled differently - or give them their own number in the set. I mean, honestly Topps: you never limited your previous releases to only 660 cards in the past, why do it now?
• The "Legends of the Game" subsets are the most confusing to me. There's actually three separate versions of these cards, delineated by their lettering only. It's not a good thing when you have three different Babe Ruth Legends of the Game cards and the only thing that is different about them is that one has "LG-7" (the main insert in all Topps packs), one has "LLG-3" (the ones in Wal-Mart packs) and one has "LLP-3" (the ones in Target/Dayton-Hudson packs).
• Biggest complaint of all: someone at Topps' graphic arts department does not get one basic concept about their target audience. I would have to believe that an overwhelming majority of the people who buy their cards are male. And, given that seven percent of the male population have color deficiency, the idea of putting black card numbers on red and blue backgrounds is incredibly stupid. Sorry if that comes off as "Get off my lawn!", but it's the truth - squinting as you're sorting cards is not fun.
  
• I do like how they made checklists out of the "Classic Combos"cards in the set. That answers the question that had been floating around in the last few years of Topps' baseball sets, whether or not those Checklist cards were actually part of the set or not. Of course, it would be more important if people actually tried to complete sets pack-by-pack instead of just waiting for the "factory" set in November.
  

Labels: Topps Baseball cards

Today is the day.

Sports fans reckon today as the real New Year's Day. Today is the four sweetest words in all of sport, the words that indicate that spring is on its way, that all things are once again new and filled with hope.

Pitchers and Catchers Report.

Now, granted, not every team has its spring report date today. The Cleveland Indians, however, open their camp for their catchers and their pitching staff – including reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee.

What's important is that the season unofficially starts today. And, fans of every single team in the majors hopes that it's the beginning of a long ride that doesn't end until late in October with a trophy and a victory parade through downtown.

The hope that springs eternal with the beginning of Spring Training is badly needed in times like these. Hope is hard to find when the economy is so bad, people are losing their jobs and scandal rocks the sports world.

Teams are feeling the crunch of the poor economic times – some more than others. The oldest NL franchise, the Cubs, is up for sale as its parent company declares bankruptcy. Meanwhile, another team – the Mets – are dealing with the fallout not only from their new ballpark's naming rights holder, but with the financial swindling by a financier of the team.

What should be a year of celebration – two brand new ballparks in New York City, the final year of a monstrosity in Minneapolis – has turned into a tour de farce. Steroid scandal has reached from Roger Clemens and his "dirty needles" to Barry Bonds and his charges of lying to congress. And as camps open, the story suddenly has a new face: Alex Rodriguez, whose reputation had already taken a hit over the off-season from name calling by his former manager, Joe Torre.

There should be expectation in the air, as the second World Baseball Classic is upcoming. Unfortunately, uncertainty in south Florida over a new ballpark could mean their last year in a stadium that was never meant to be a baseball field. And even as they celebrate an American League pennant across the peninsula in Tampa, there are questions over the Rays future. Can they hope to compete when they share a division with two teams that try desperately to outspend each other annually? Is a new ballpark in their future? Or are they going to be the ones that leave for greener pastures?

While the City of Brotherly Love basks in the glow of the Phillies' second world championship in franchise history, the city of Oakland is wondering how much longer it will have the A's as its own. Their owner, Lew Wolff, has been actively pursuing a new ballpark down the road in Fremont – though that has been fraught with hurdles that make about as much sense as the BALCO grand jury's actions.

Excitement is brewing in Milwaukee after their first playoff appearance in over a quarter century – but there's also a fear that they may not be able to replicate that feat with the loss of their mid-season acquisition CC Sabathia. The question as to whether Braden Looper can be an adequate replacement for Ben "Ouch" Sheets got kicked off the sports pages when – once again – Brett Favre told everyone he was retiring. "And this time, I mean it."

Still – it is the true first day of spring, the day that pitchers and catchers report. For at least one day, anything is possible. Teams can see ways that they could be this year's Rays or Phillies; young rookies look more promising, while aging vets are trying to recapture lightning in a bottle

Let the games begin. We've got eight more months before the World Series gets underway.

Some random thoughts for a Sunday:

• I decided, for some reason unknown to me, to go through the entire archive of Questionable Content. Whereas there are a lot of things in the comic that I'm not a fan of - especially the comic he has up at the current time about one of his more loosely-moraled characters - the whole story is an intriguing read, if only to get some sort of insight into the mindset of the under-30 crowd. I know, this is a first for me: Webcomics as a means of social anthropology.
  
• On a completely unrelated note (but one more on topic for this weblog): It is official. I have started year 32 of my obsession with baseball cards. Two jumbo packs of Topps and one of Upper Deck. The two Topps packs got me a pull of a Johnny Mize "commemorative letter patch" (don't ask), and an Albert Pujols Career Best Authentic Game Worn Jersey (behind a cut-out "1B").
• I am, at the present time, in /ignore mode with the Predators. I just do not have the adequate amount of attention to spend on them, and they seem to do better when I am not actively delving into their daily successes and failures. The Admirals, I'm a little bit more attached - but that's proximity and season tickets talking, I think. (I do have to get the UMAW updated a bit more frequently, though.
• From the "It Never Fails" department: Last weekend I bought a discounted Andrew Bogut swingman jersey at the BC's gift shop (during an Admirals game! Oh the horror!). I got home and discovered it was a youth size jersey. So, I call up the BC, they tell me to just bring it in, exchange it and upgrade to an adult jersey. The day I do that, I find out - huh - Bogut is out indefinitely with a back sprain. Eh, at least I have a Bucks jersey before they leave for Seattle... wait, was I supposed to mention that?*
  
• Personal revelation time: I'm on the final three chapters of The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren. I've had more trouble getting through these last few chapters than the previous 37. It's not that I have trouble with the Great Commission; it's that I have trouble with rebuilding my Christian walk that, over the last 15 years, has deteriorated worse than Northwestern Avenue between the Milwaukee County line and Highway K in Racine. (Seriously - it's like riding through the GM Proving Ground's suspension test strip.)
• Song of the moment: "Yours" by Steven Curtis Chapman. For some reason, this song reminds me of one of my friends from Nashville, Mark Hollingsworth.
• Seriously - do NOT drive down Highway 38 in Racine if you don't need to do so.
  

* - Sorry, I just wanted to see if I could get some web traffic here. I've already asked for forgiveness.

Roethlisberger and the Steelers pull it out. I'm still not entirely sure about that fumble. Why didn't the Cards linemen jump on it instinctively?

The game really wasn't as close as the score would indicate, bottom line.

Well... that's it for me for the night.

Cardinals get the free kick at the 36. Need a touchdown to take their first lead in your first Super Bowl.

• Incomplete; Boldin couldn't get the quick pass from Warner as they blitz.
  
• FITZGERALD!
  

Arizona 23, Pittsburgh 20 with 2:37 to go.

Fitzgerald was looking to see who was behind him on the video screen.

Big Ben: you want the Caddy? You gotta do it on this drive.

Pittsburgh with exactly two and a half to go, and 78 to go.

• Likely holding on a little flare-out pass. Yep - boy, what's the record for most penalties in a game?
• 1st and 20 from the 12 - Gets away from the rush, but can't get the pass off.
  
• Incomplete semi-busted play with 1:56 to go. Cards HAVE to stop them to win it.
  

Final Two Minutes.

• Two minutes to go in the season for the Steelers.
• Holmes catches it... but clock is the Steelers' enemy.
• Keep 'em in bounds. But they're getting close to FG range.
  
• Roethlisberger runs it down to the 46.
  
• Time out, Pittsburgh... Hm, didn't some guy named Norwood have issues with the wind around here?
• 1:02 to go... Uh oh. Holmes down to the six. Time out again with 49 seconds, their final time out. Francisco slipped and fell down on the play.
  
• Figure one shot at the EZ, then a FG attempt....
• Over Holmes head. 43 seconds, second and goal.
  
• CAUGHT by Holmes! Was he in? Review comes from the booth...

And the call... TOUCHDOWN, PITTSBURGH!

Dear Ben: Your Escalade Hybrid is waiting.

27-23 Pittsburgh, though the Cards have two timeouts, and they have to score a touchdown to win.

Three words: Not gonna happen.

35 seconds. 77 yards in 29 seconds against the best defense around.

Fitzgerald catches it, time out.

I can't even blog this one.

Half a quarter to go, and the Steelers have it at their own 24 on the runback.

• Parker for a few.
  
• Ben's buried at the 18. Dockett sacks Roethlisberger. Are the Cards wearing the Steelers out?
• 3rd and long - time for a penalty here, I'd guess. (/fatalism)
• All the time in the world, 10 yard gain - but no first. Punting time. Cards are going to get the ball back one more time.
  
• Punt dies at the Cards 25. 75 yards to get back into this game.
  

Cards with their season on the line and 75 yards to win the game?

• Things are looking bad. Gotta get the touch here.
  
• Boldin for 11 and out of bounds - and a unsportsmanlike (probably on the Cards, way things have gone.) Wow, it's on the Steelers! Another 10 tacked on. First penalty for the Steelers in the second half.
  
• Arrington up the middle. No huddle, four wide.
  
• And Breaston on a cut over the middle for 22. "Prevent Defenses just 'prevent' the win," isn't that the saying?
• Of course, they have to call the Cards for another penalty. What is that now, 104 yards?
  
• Warner nearly has it picked off on pass to Boldin. That would have been bad.
  
• Incomplete, third and 20. Don't make it here, you have to go for it with under 3 and a half to go.
  
• Hit while throwing and incomplete. Kick? Field Goal? Nope, punt.
  
• Dropped on the one - but an penalty AGAIN. Unnecessary roughness - and the Steelers are pinned at the half-yard line. Harrison - there was NO NEED to throw that punch.
  

Steelers lining up in the end zone.

• Incomplete pass as Roethlisberger is rushed in the end zone. 2nd and all of Raymond James in front of them.
  
• STOPPED... Okay, entire ball has to be in the end zone for the safety. I'm not sure... Whisenhunt? Arizona Time out... are they going to look at it and challenge?
• Third and long.... And HOLMES CATCHES IT FOR THE FIRST. Good night Irene.
  
• Oh wait - HOLDING in the End zone for a SAFETY!

Safety!

And here we go. Cards at the 20.

• About five yard gain for Breaston.
  
• James willing himself for three, four.
  
• Okay, Al, we KNOW about the groceries. Cleanup on aisle three.
  
• Boldin gets the first down. I feel for him; he's wearing gloves.
  

15 Minutes Left.

NFL's advertisement:Usama Young of the Saints. "It's just a commercial, son." Nice.

By the way: the 3-D commercials weren't that good on OTA television.

Back to the Cards:

• Boldin catches it for a first - but more laundry. Holding, of course, on the Cardinals. (SIGH).
• 91 yards of penalties for the Cards. 94 is the record - hm, in Super Bowl 12?
• Right through the hands of Hightower. Punt time. This game's going down the tubes fast.
  
• Nearly blocked... and a poor punt.
  

Steelers can ice this one with a touchdown.

• Roethlisberger for MVP, anyone?
• And guess what... first play is a defensive holding call. And 99 yards on penalties for the Cards.
• Student Body left. Tomlin is having a ball on the sidelines.
  
• Stuffed by Dockett. Steelers are 3rd and long for first time in a long time.
  
• AND A SACK! (Sure there's no "roughing the passer" call there?) Cards might get it back in good position.
  

Steelers punt it away - and knocked down at the 13.

By the way: www.dennys.com crashed after their free breakfast offer.

• Warner passes to Breaston for the first.
  
• Urban gets another first, hurry up offense...
• Fitzgerald gets the catch, but only for a few yards. Another no-huddle.
• Nice little release pass to Arrington. Steelers obviously playing prevent
• Fitzgerald gets it in the 10 - ANOTHER penalty. Defensive holding. 1st and goal.
  
• Fitzgerald again. More catches on this drive than all game.
  
• Cards call TO. That Taco Bell commercial is El dumbo.
  
• Dear GE: L. Frank Baum is probably rolling in his grave.
  
• Hightower to the one.
  
• And of course Fitzgerald got the jump-ball catch for the TOUCHDOWN.
  
• Rackers tacks on the extra point - and the Cards are still in this one.

Hulu = zombie invasion? Typical.

Steelers start out deep in their own territory...

• Ward falls down in the backfield.
  
• Four to the left? And they throw right? Sheesh. And a hanky. Facemask, and there goes the "pin 'em back" idea.
  

And, after a brief bladder break... Third and short.

• Ward gets the little flare for the first. *Sigh* Steelers have it at midfield.
  
• Roethlisberger avoids the sack - AND THEY GET A ROUGHING THE PASSER PENALTY! THAT is going to be the drive-changer.
• Short gain.
  
• Holmes gets the first. Why aren't the Cards trying for the strip?
• "Cards don't have a defensive answer for that." - Understatement of the game, Mr. Madden.
  
• Oh boy... first and goal. Sorry, but the Steelers get six here and we're talking game over.
  
• Good pass to Miller - but he drops it.
  
• Gee, we gonna call ANOTHER Roughing the Passer? Oh, gee, they'd never call intentional grounding.
  
• Reed for the 27 yard attempt - and it's good. Uh oh - more laundry. Personal foul? Automatic first. There goes the game, kids.
  
• Not a matter of if, but who'll put it in. They stop Parker on first.
  
• OH! Almost intercepted! Knocked down, and that could have been a 90-yard pick-six.
  
• And they DIDN'T fall for that one. Ben gets back to the line, nothing more.
  
• Reed for a chip shot at 21 - and he gets it. 20-7 Steelers with 17:11 to go in the game.
  

30 minutes until the Steelers get their 6th ring...

You know, if Fitzgerald was the receiver on that play, I'm not sure Harrison gets the pick. Ifs and buts, of course.

Time to get a touchdown, gentlemen.

• Boldin for a short gain... and he's off with an owie.
• James takes out the field judge.
  
• Still running.
  
• Still running. James doing pretty good though with short runs. (peeking at Yahoo... 26 yards on 6 rushes?)
• Boldin taken down after a small gain. Notice a pattern here?
  
• James on the out-and-down pattern. I used to use that play on the old video game with the trackball.
  
• Incomplete pass... or is it a fumble? Oh boy. Whisenhunt is going to challenge it.

(Aside: YAY! Free breakfast at Denny's!)
Arizona now has to punt. He's got another challenge.

Heh, Steelers' Holmes learned from his last time, and called for a fair catch.

Forget it. Steelers going in with the 17-7 lead? No way Pittsburgh, barring a massive collapse, loses this one.

Oh, THERE'S the monkey commercial. Castrol GTX? Oy.

Steelers continue:

• Exception taken over a Cards player losing his chapeau.
  
• Can the Cards hold them to another FG?
• First TO in the game - more commercials.
  

Commercial time - oh geez, Land of the Lost with Will Ferrell?

• Okay, that's a denouement. Russell over for a 1-yard TD.
  
• I'll admit it - I was paying attention to the GoDaddy.com commercial. Hey, they're my web host for jwhouk.com and josephhouk.com. Go visit 'em right now. I'll be here all night.
  

Cards take over after a few Bud commercials. Oh, wait, that's a STAR TREK commercial!

• Just a reminder - there's never been a shutout in the Super Bowl. Of course, the Cardinals have never been in the Super Bowl before, either.
  
• Pope drops one. Hm. I got this bad feeling that Kurt might not be playing in the fourth quarter.
  
• Where's Boldin? Where's Fitzgerald? A nine-yard pass to James?
  
• The blitzing of the Steelers might be really affecting the Cardinals' game plan.
  
• Still no catches by the dynamic duo. By game's end, Rod Tidwell might get a catch before those guys.
• Little yellow hanky stalls the drive. Oh, joy. C'mon, Kurt, toss one to the tall dude with the 11 on his jersey!
• 13-yard pass on first and 20. Are we remembering why these guys never got to the Super Bowl?
• THERE'S Boldin! Bang, first and goal. And a great block by Fitzgerald!
• TOUCHDOWN ARIZONA! Patrick uses his helmet to catch the ball. There's hope.
  

Next set of commercials: Oh, great, the "G" commercials. And that was a cars.com commercial? Ugh.

Pittsburgh's back on the field, up 10-7. Rackers: send the ball into the End Zone. Okay, not quite.

• Big Ben had a lot of time to throw. This might be a long night for the Cards' D.
  
• It's the first tackle that the Cards are missing. That one should have been a loss.
  
• Second missed pick by R-C. And the Steelers could have recovered there.
  
• Best defensive play of the night for Arizona. (Note to Al: there's a reason why they don't get the national exposure....)
• And who's the hanky on? Ah, here I thought it was a terrible towel. First third and really long for the Steelers tonight.
• I don't think the Steelers set on that last play... and the Cards give them 5 back
• How anyone could get THAT much ink done, I dunno.
  
• Dockett made the stop. Steelers to punt...
  

Cardinals BIG return of the punt! No touchdown, though - never been done in a Super Bowl. (Keep that in mind for future reference...)

• Did the clock run there? Edge for a nice little run.
  
• Chop block - they still call those? Oh, on James. Oops.
  
• Aaaand there's the first sack. Tomlin's liking that.
  
• Too much time... Time out and commercial time.

The 3-D commercial don't work for me, mostly because - well, I am color-deficient. Red-blue shifting doesn't do it for me. Sigh.

Anyways... Under three to go and third and halfway to Tallahassee:

• AGAIN to James? (sound of head shaking)
• Graham back to punt. (Sigh) And another penalty backs 'em up again.

Nice coverage by the Cards. Steelers start at their own 16. (Sorry, Lisa, but I'm not going to watch halftime. I know your hubby will be plastered to the TV for it.)

• Did anyone except Roethlistberger and Moore know where that play was going?
• BAM! Interception on the deflection! Two minutes to go and the Cards have it!

Subtle, Mr. Leno. Now, back to the Red Machine in the Two-minute Offense:

• Warner throws it away on the roll-out.
• Time for Larry? Well, he tried - and it went bouncy bouncy away. 3rd and 10.
  
• Hightower gets the first! Nice run after catch. Clock keeps running, though
• They're in FG range, but do you really want to go into the half tied?
  
• Cards with timeout. (That was a dumb Cheetos commercial.)
  
• Hey, hey! He finally makes a catch and gets the first.
• Steelers with the TO. Heh. No commercials?
  
• Poke it into the EZ, Kurt.
  
• Boldin tough yardage. Clock going.
  
• First down. Boldin. TO - last for the half.

Last 18 seconds of the half. Cards get six here, different game. AND they get the ball in the second half.

PICKOFF! Touchdown - but there's a flag. A 100-yard Interception return. That's GOT to be the longest in Super Bowl history. (Thanks, Al.) Harrison got in, I think.

Arizona's first possession thoughts:

• Interesting - a run to start their series. Edge for nothing.
  
• And the first pass isn't to Fitzgerald or to Boldin. Very interesting.
  
• Penalty leads to a punt and here come the Steelers again.
  

Now the Steelers' 2nd possession:

• Steelers are definitely winning the field position battle.
  
• Bad tackling by the Cardinals. This could get ugly.
  
• Good play by Rodgers-Cromartie. That's a TD otherwise.
  
• How can the center "false start"?
  
• Oh, you GOT to be kidding me. Ben nearly got tackled by his own lineman, and they still got the first.
  
• Pittsburgh with the single wing? What is this, 1947?
• The Steelers are winning the LOS battle. I could have gained nine on that one play.
  
• Dear coach Whisenhunt: I think the deferral decision was a bad idea.
  
• 3-0 after one.
  

Some thoughts as we kick things off:

• Strange that the Cardinals chose to defer their choice to the second half.
• Lot of Kurt Warner love there in the pre-game.
  
• How many times are we going to see the virtual Lombardi Trophy before the end of the game? Over-under is 50.
• Papa John's Pizza is breathing a sigh of relief after that knockdown on the kickoff return.
• BIG play by Ward. Oops.
• Oh, by the way, the Predators won 2-1 in Edmonton. Rinne saved 32 of 33.
  
• Cardinals appear to be taking chances on defense. I don't think they want to get into a shootout with the Steelers.
• Uh oh. Roethlisberger with the sneak for the TD. Wait a minute - challenging? This early?
• Wow. This has got to be a moral victory for the Cardinals to hold Pittsburgh to a FG. Teams that score first on a FG haven't won as often as they have with a TD.

I know, I should be twittering this instead of blogging. I don't care. :P