Sunday, February 5, 2012

A very Wolverines Super Bowl trade post featuring My Cardboard Mistress

As you hopefully saw over on Too Many Verlanders, I received a ridiculously great trade package from Adam of My Cardboard Mistress, including some excellent baseball stuff.  But that's not all he sent--not by a LONG shot.  Besides sending me some trade stuff in return for what I had already sent him, he included my winnings from our friendly Sugar Bowl bet.  Since I need to get this post done in time to be ready for the big game, here's a look at Adam's profound sense of generosity and good sportedness:


Holy crap that's a lot of stuff!  The book, which set Adam back a whole dollar, is one I surprisingly didn't have, though I have read it before.  Bacon teaches here and is one of the best Michigan sportswriters ever.  His controversial Three and Out is the benchmark for inside football writing and may never be equaled due to his unprecedented access.  If you want to learn the truth about the Michigan/RichRod saga instead of listening to the irresponsibly "researched" bullshit hit job that the Detroit Free Press, and subsequently the rest of the mainstream media, pinched off, please check that out.  As for this book, I look forward to reading it again since the combination of Bacon and one of my school's greatest legends ever is irresistible.  An auspicious start, to say the least.

Instead of waiting until the end to show my favorites from this package, I'm going to show them off now so I don't risk losing those of you who are relatively uninterested in the rest.  I knew Adam was sending one of these, but the other was a total surprise, and I'm still surprised and thrilled by these:


These are 1955 Topps All American RCs of Wolverine greats Bennie Oosterbaan and Harry Newman.  Oosterbaan should sound familiar to any Michigan fan, especially ones who've strolled by the athletic campus past his eponymous Field House.  He coached the Maize and Blue to the 1948 national title and was a phenomenal three-sport athlete and coach who earned his way to the College Football HOF.  Though he played a slightly different position, his card back's description makes him sound a little like Braylon Edwards in his prime at Michigan.


Newman is a guy I didn't really know as well, but as the back of his card states, he QBed Michigan to three (Big Ten) titles, and Wikipedia reveals that he lost just once, going 24-1-2 in his three years.  The back also makes him sound like he went all Denard in his final three games.  He also went on to play for the Giants and threw the NFL championship game's first TD pass, which is pretty cool, though I hope it's a Patriots Wolverine who comes out on top in today's Super Bowl!


I have to say I absolutely love these cards.  The Oosterbaan was actually Adam's idea, and I quickly agreed to it as the loot from our bet, so it was out of his generosity that I also now have the Newman.  He pointed out that these are the cheapest of the handful of Wolverines in the set, but that doesn't matter since it's spurred me to try to pick them up in the future.  I've also created a Michigan RCs album, to which I'll be adding soon with a future post.  I absolutely love the look (and age) of these classic cards, and literally my only gripe is that atrocious "wolverine" logo on the front.  YEESH!

And now, the rest of my Wolverines haul:
The one Michigan baseball card in the package, a Drew Henson Just Promo from 2001, a very cool add to my baseball PC.
Three of my favorites:  a #d Leon Hall RC, a rare (for my collection) Leroy Hoard card from Collector's Edge, and a similarly rare Ernest Shazor RC.
Some very nice Braylon Edwardses, and not even every single one he sent me.
A winner from last year's title game, Charles Woodson, including a very interesting Playoff Contenders leather card.
A former Giant who's therefore not in tonight's game, Amani "IT'S NOT A" Toomer.  My favorite is the Topps All American, a card in the style of the two above.
Another former Giant, Michigan RB legend Tyrone Wheatley.  The Playoff card is actually very nice, with an almost metallic look to it, but the real winner here is the Fractal Matrix card.
And finally, my hopeful Super Bowl winner for tonight, Tom Brady.  I love the XFractor from 2009.

So there you have it, one of the best trade packages I've ever received.  Thanks again, Adam, for some great stuff, especially the book and the '55s!


Good luck to both teams in tonight's Super Bowl, and may the best team win, but either way, Michigan fans will be rewarded with yet another pair of rings.  GO BLUE!

6 comments:

  1. Those '55s are spectacular!
    Although, -1 point for no Sammy Hagar/"I Can't Drive 55" reference and/or video.

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    1. Haha, thanks, and I make references when I damn well feel like it!

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  2. Eric's right, those are some great cards. I'm pulling for Brady's Patriots as well.

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    1. Yeah, count those among the tons of vintage cards I knew nothing about, which is why I owe Adam big-time. I'm gonna have to save up a lot of pennies for the Tom Harmon for sure.

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  3. Glad you like them. I'm very jealous that VT doesn't have anyone in the '55 AA set.

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    1. Yeah, but at least they probably won't be saying that 55 years from now.

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