Football Frankenset - April 2022

#014 - 2003 UD Honor Roll - Chad Hutchinson

Two sport athletes are a must to include somewhere, Hutchinson played in 15 NFL games between the Cowboys & Bears as well as 3 games with the Cardinals of the MLB.

RLC Custom Card Project: Wes Parsons

Wes Parsons was claimed off waivers by the Rockies in August of 2019 and finished the season with Colorado, his last in the majors. His 15 games run with the team was mostly forgetable with no desictions and a 6.98 ERA that was ballooned by two really bad outings. He spent all of 2020 with the Rockies "Alternate Training Site" (remember no minors in 2020), and has spent 2021-2022 with the NC Dinos of the Korean League.

I have always liked Metal Universe going back to the Giant Claws of 1997, but never got far with a custom. This time it actually started to look like something and eventually became something I am pretty happy with. This is heavy based on the 2021 Hockey design with a few tweaks, mostly in the player name area, and adding a very Rockies purple background.

Hey, I'm Still here.. And I bought some stuff

Contrary to the lack of action here, I do still collect cards (and not just post digital customs). I haven't opened any wax in a loong time, but here are a few pick-ups worth posting. Starting with a card I didn't know existed until recently, Wade Redden played in over 1,000 career NHL games, his final 6 being with the Bruins, along with 5 playoff games. Panini must have had some extra cloth to use up, so here is his only card with Boston. Being 10 years old and limited to 25, I never expected to find one, but when one popped up with an $8.00 BIN, I couldn't click fast enough. So here it is, from Sweden of all places, now in my Bruins PC.

RLC Custom Card Project: Mike McCoy

Mike McCoy made his MLB debut with the Rockies in September of 2009, played in 12 games, not starting any and went 0-5 at the plate. He did manage to score a run and steal 2 bases as a pinch runner.

McCoy would spend the next 3 years with the Blue Jays, playing every position other than First & Catcher, including pitching one inning. His versatility allowed him to stay in the majors for 170 games despite hitting for a .190 average.

When was the last time you though about Upper Deck Victory as a set? Back when it seemed like there as 50 sets a year, Victory was usually good for some weird players (see 2002 Mario Encarnacion). Not a horrible design, just something different to play with.

Link to Project

RLC Custom Card Project: Blaine Neal

Plagued by arm trouble and inconsistency, Blaine Neal managed to appear in 113 career MLB games from 2001-2005, with the 2002 season being his career highlight going 3-0 with a 2.73 ERA over 32 games with the Marlins. His final 11 games would come with the Rockies, finishing with a 1-2 record and a 6.14 ERA for Colorado. He would pitch professionally until the 2010, as well as with Team USA in the 2008 Olympics, but wouldn't return to the majors.

I thought I had posted a 1973 Custom before, but what better time than with Heritage coming out recently. I stayed pretty loyal, but used a different position icon, as I like this one better.

Link to Project

RLC Custom Card Project: Jacob Cruz

Did you know 12 different players patrolled left field for the Rockies in 2001. If you did, you probably knew one of them was Jacob Cruz. Cruz was traded to the Rockies in June of 2001 for Josh Bard & Jody Gerut, both of which would have solid MLB careers. He would go on the play 44 games for Colorado, hitting a pretty bad .211 and eventually loosing playing time when the Rockies traded for Alex Ochoa in July, then would be released in November.

Debuted in the MLB in 1996 with the Giants, but is probably best know for this last two MLB seasons in 2004 & 2005 playing in 206 games with the Reds over those two seasons.

1992 Pinnacle is one of my favorite all-time designs, the RLC logo looked weird where the Pinnacle logo was, so I moved it down, but now it looks weird with that spot empty, but I am newly commited to posting these things, so here it is.

Link to Project

RLC Custom Card Project: Chris Gissell

 The MLB career of Chris Gissell consisted of 5 games with the Rockies in late 2004, in which he gave up earned runs in all 5 games, and gave up a home run in 4 of the 5. At one point his ERA was 17.36 and it finish at 14.54. The one thing he can hang his hat on is his last game and only start in which he struck out 8 Cardinals in 4 innings, including Hall of Famer Larry Walker twice and Jim Edmonds 3 times.

Sometimes the photo limits to what design can be used, this one needed a full bleed horizontal and what better design than 2016 Stadium Club.

Link to Project

Clearing out the Scan Folder

 Some recent additions I have wanted to post, starting with a rare purchase from everyone's favorite auction site, I have been trying to track one of these down as I believe it is the only cardboard evidence of the Bruins 2019 Winter Classic Uniform that was work after the Classic, notice the lack of a Shamrock patch on the shoulder and obviously the date. I'm a laundry guy as you can see here. 

RLC Custom Card Project: Darnell Coles

Darnell Coles forged a pretty good major league career playing in 957 games over 14 seasons, including his final MLB season consisting of 21 games with the Rockies in 1997 after spending the 1996 season in Japan. In those 21 games Coles would only start once, hitting his only Rockies home run in that game. After two months with the team, he was purchased by the Hanshin Tigers and returned to Japan to finish his career.

We are getting far enough into this project that I am doubling up on some sets, but I am pretty proud of this template so here it is

Link to project

You Know You Are A Good Guy When...

 

You know you are a good guy when you send other people cards on your birthday. That is just what Mr. Buckstorecards has done, his most recent package coming close to his famous Feb 14 B-day. The highlight being my first Chris McMahon card on one of my favorite products, Bowman Platinum.

RLC Custom Card Project: Bruce Walton

 Bruce Walton only pitched in 27 career games over 4 seasons with a 8.21 ERA, but he did finish with a perfect 2-0 record. After spending 1991-92 with Oakland and 1993 with Montreal, he would play his final 4 MLB games with Colorado in 1994. The highlight of that season would be in his final MLB game, July 4th, 1994, blanking the Cubs in the 13th & 14th innings, earning the win in a 4-2 Rockies victory. 

1994 Score has been lost & buried in the heart of the junk wax era, but it actually has a decent design, (and some good photos, check Roberto Alomar, Jose Canseco & Wade Boggs) and the color scheme really fits with the Rockies. 

Link to project

Football Frankenset - Feb 2022

Just in time for the upcoming Big Game, the first 2022 installment of the Football Frankenset.


010 - 2018 Panini Classics - Justin Tucker

Most likely the next Hall of Fame Kicker and Super Bowl XLVII champ, showing off a lot here, including the all purple color rush on a cool retro-style design.

RLC Custom Card Project: Matt McBride

Matt McBride had a pretty forgettable Rockies career, other than that he was the last remaining player from the Ubaldo Jimenez trade, not that was really that impressive unfortunately. In three seasons from 2012-2015 (he spent all of 2013 in the minors) he batted .199 with 4 home runs and 19 RBI. He also walked 3 times against 33 strikeouts. In 2015 his OPS+ was -8, that's right, negative 8. He did hit a Grand Slam once, so there is that. He hung around with the A's for a while in 2016, but that would be his last MLB stop.

The card: 2016 is one of my favorite Stadium Club designs, and I though this was a very Stadium Club image. One change I did make was tucking the text over to the corner, which for some reason Topps did on the horizontal cards, but not on the vertical ones.

Link to Project

Not-So Brief History of Modern Washington Kickers, Part II

Now that 2021 is in the books for the old Football Team and the new name is on the way, I present Part Two of the Not-So Brief History of Modern Washington Kickers. Part One is here.

Billy Cundiff: 2012, 5 Games
Replaced: Graham Gano 
Replaced by: Kai Forbath

 Billy Cundiff was signed to start the 2012 season, but only lasted 5 games going 7-12 including a 1-4 game in a 24-22 win over Tampa Bay. His Redskins stop was only a small part of his 136 game NFL career which included a Pro Bowl and 1st Team All Pro in 2010, 3  NFC Special Teams player of the Week awards, and a record tying 7 field goal night on Monday Night Football.

Check out the Rest (Jan-2022)

I am ridiculously far behind on posting stuff, but I refuse to let this little thing I do die, so here is the rest of the COMC package I received like 2 weeks ago. One of my top 5 pick-ups of 2021, Sandy Alomar, Jr. has been in a ton of these Topps Archives Buyback releases, but I finally spotted one that featured one of his few Rockies cards. I paid $20 for this serial number 3/4 and was very happy to do so.

Check out my Commanders???

The first COMC package of the year with some members of the franchise possibly to be know as the Commanders? Starting with a Boston Redskin, and the newest, oldest card in my collection, Pug Rentner from 1935 National Chicle. Pretty good score for $22 bucks, and a check of the "One of Every Redskin/WFT/???" project.

RLC Custom Card Project: Kit Pellow

The Rockies career of Kit Pellow was short, 70 games over two seasons, but he will forever be the answer to a couple trivia questions. Who was the Rockies opening day left fielder in 2004 (he went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts and was replaced in a double switch), and who broke up Tom Glavine's no-hitter with 2 outs in the 8th in May 2004. Kit did show some versatility at the bottom of the roster, playing 5 different positions, including catching, but his .240 average and a couple homers was not enough to keep him in the league as his 2004 season in Colorado was his last.

The card: A subtle tweak to 1993 Bowman, and the upcoming 2021 Bowman Heritage, not full bleed, but lots of room for the photo. The logo didn't really fit so we ended up with a very Donruss-y look instead.

Link to Project