Didn't Cost Me A Penny

Jon from A Penny Sleeve for your Thoughts sent over a PWE with some cards I requested from his first "Free Stuff Friday" post. I have a mini-collection of athletes on the phone, and this clipboard seemed like the low-tech alternative. Bob Griese looking like Clark Kent was too good to pass up.

Hall Of Fame Tackle Ron Yary, Pro Bowl Tight End Joe Senser, and 1976 Offensive Rookie of the Year Sammy White round out the envelope. Always fun to add a few Vikings on the eve of the "Big Game."

Thanks very much, Jon! I plan on taking this idea and paying it forward in 2020, and will be offering up Free Stuff Fridays as soon as next week!

Thursday Trading Post / Jeudi Comptoir Commercial

This trade comes from Canada, where both English and French are spoken widely. The French Canadians knew a thing or deux about making trades! Douglas of Sportscards from the Dollar Store and I have executed a flurry of transactions recently, and here is the latest.

Minnesota remains "The State of Hockey" even though one NHL team left and the other has been trying to compete with the MN State High School tourney for ice time ever since they arrived.

Baseball card collectors can have a little hockey, as a treat.

The Vikings are completing their annual agony tour, attempting to twist the Viking Horn deeper into the hearts of their fans by upsetting the Saints to set up a potential NFC championship matchup with long-time rival Green Bay. It's just as likely neither NFC North team will be in attendance at that game, but I'm sure they'd love nothing better than to inflict maximum psychological torture on fans by improbably managing to reach the championship again, playing just well enough to give people hope before ripping the football away like Lucy holding a field goal attempt for Charlie Brown.

This is a really cool card of high flyer Zach LaVine. The Wolves are having a mess of a season this year, and yet still sit near the final playoff spot along with 7 teams hovering just below .500 in the West. This card shimmers in the light and is numbered to just 60 copies!

I've been saying it every year since I started this blog, but if Buxton has a full, healthy season, there's no limit to what he can do. I'm pulling for him again this year, and Twins fans are going to be sad to see him go. Hopefully later than sooner! Thanks again for the trade, I've always got an eye on that list of 10 most wanted!

Trading Up North Again

Douglas from Sportscards From The Dollar Store surprised me with a nice stack of cards this month.

As has been the custom from our trades, the four major North American sports were all represented!

In Hockey, both the expansion Wild and the (much earlier) expansion North Stars were included. 1990 Bowman was so terrible for baseball, but for hockey I don't mind it at all - maybe it's the inclusion of more on-ice action and less portrait shots.

The Wolves will be trying again to make some progress in the talent rich Western Conference, but without Rose and Jimmy Butler. Butler is somewhat of an enigma - he does really endear himself to his new team, but is seemingly quick to spoil a good thing. He's also pretty good at burning bridges, I doubt the Wolves will be trying to orchestrate a reunion.

Back to Hockey, I thought this was the coolest one- a clear acetate card reminiscent of a freshly zamboni'd rink.

And a hit! Jordan Greenway was a 2nd round pick of the Wild back in 2015 out of Boston University. He played in 81 games last season, scoring a dozen goals and assisting a dozen more. He'll be looking to increase his production this season, as he's in the final year of his rookie contract. He's a big dude, 6'6" to be exact, and the Wild will be counting on him to provide a physical presence in the offensive zone, probably on their 3rd shift.

Speaking of talented youngsters, the Twins are well stocked. Alex Kiriloff made Lewin Diaz expendable in yesterday's Sergio Romo trade, despite the fact that Diaz was projected to be MLB ready as soon as 2020.

Recent first rounder Royce Lewis was just promoted to AA taking Lewin's roster spot. He will most likely take over at Short, with someone else shifting over to be the everyday 1B. It won't be Willians Astudillo, who remains with the Big League squad, albeit on the IL for the forseeable future.

A couple more hits! Jose Berrios is the team Ace, and Twins fans will be hoping for a strong finish to 2019 from the young right hander, who just made his first All-Star squad.

Last but not least is the speedy Jake Cave. He was sent down to AAA this week, as Byron Buxton returned from injury. Given Buxton's history and the grind of the full season on all the outfielders, chances are Cave will get another shot to contribute to the Twins in 2019.  

Thanks so much for these, Douglas! I don't have a great package to send you - yet. But I'll have something headed your way as soon as I do!

Something Wild From North of the Border

 Douglas from Sportscards from the Dollar Store sent over a packet of cards that covered all the major Minnesota Teams, past and present. The original home of the Twins and Vikings, Metropolitan Stadium!

 Speaking of Stadiums, the Vikiings have a new one starting this season, and it looks like.... Well, I don't really know what it looks like :

There you go.

 All four of these guys were first round picks of the Timberwolves - Rubio is still with the team, and is one of the more exciting playmakers in the league.... when healthy.

 Hockey! Goalie cards are awesome - I don't actively seek out hockey, but these are always nice!

 And of course there were lots and lots of Twins.

This is just a small taste - Douglas send two bricks of cards, with a ton of Twins inside.

Thanks for the #Supertrade, Douglas!

Skol

Here's the second part of that Vikings mini-collection I picked up on COMC. These are the guys I did watch in my youth:

 All he does is catch touchdowns!

 Carter was just recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame - He was certainly the best WR to play for the Vikings, and he was probably among the top 5 receivers during his playing days.

 The Herschel Walker trade resulted in several top draft picks going to Dallas. The success the Cowboys had overshadowed what was a pretty good career in MN for Walker. After Herschel came Robert Smith out of The Ohio State University. Smith was a great change of pace back in a pass heavy offense.

 The next generation of Purple People Eaters - Chris Doleman and then John Randle. I really love that last shot in the Dome - Pro Line may have been on somewhat flimsy cardstock, but the photography was top notch.

These were just a handful of favorite images I found browsing through the various checklists. Buster Rhymes actually had an NFL record for most Kick Return yards in a single season... You get that when your defense gives up a ton of points...
I may pick up some more Vikings at some point in the future, but I think this small selection is plenty for me!

Purple People Eaters (and Friends)

Look - I'm not much of a football fan - but I do like storylines. And Nicknames. And vintage cardboard. I went on COMC and picked out several low cost options to make a mini collection of Vikings.

 Carl Eller, Alan Page, and Jim Marshall - all part of an imposing defensive front line. Called "the Purple People Eaters" they combined to crush their opposition for over a decade.

Tarkenton at one time held the record for most passing yards, all time. These guys are some of my favorite Vikings that I never got to watch in person.

While looking for Vikings, I also found some Gophers. Lookit that cute little mascot/logo! No wonder they never win the Big Ten - they should have a more imposing mascot... like a Buckeye.... or a Badger.