Much Delayed Pickups from COMC!

Hey guys, Drew back here! I haven't had a whole lot coming in over the past few weeks, but I did get this package in a while back that I haven't gotten around to showing off to you all just yet. I ordered some cards off of Check Out My Collectibles after selling a few cards I'd been wanting to move, all of which going towards my new Player Collections box I've been building while I've been away from the blogosphere. Take a look at what I was able to add this go-round:

When I first made my list of players I wanted to collect from this point on, I made sure to look young in some cases. Obviously I love a lot of the legends of the game, and a majority of my list consists of those players, but I was also sure to pick a few new favorites such as Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, and Bryce Harper. Cutch has been a favorite of mine for a few seasons now while I've been warming up to Trout and Harper along the way. The Home Run Derby I attended last summer definitely made me a bigger Harper fan, because I originally labeled him as cocky and arrogant (kind of like Puig). I love the intensity each of these 3 players bring to the table; they're always willing to go the extra mile and that has allowed them to be as successful as they have been. Also, while Robinson Cano left New York, I still decided to collect his cards because I've been a fan of his from the very beginning of his career and I can't let the business part in baseball get in the way of me rooting for one of my favorite players ever. I don't like seeing him in a Mariners uniform but he is still a favorite of mine, without a doubt!

The Knicks suck. I've been so incredibly disappointed with them this season, as I came into the 2013-14 season with high expectations coming off of a very good previous season. Now, I can't even bring myself to watch them, and I think a lot of smart business moves need to be made before I can really take interest in them again. However, I don't see James Dolan making any of those smart moves, so until he's out of the franchise, I don't know if I can get my expectations up again. Amar'e Stoudemire, despite all of his injuries, is still my current favorite Knick, although Carmelo is carrying most of the load. I feel bad for his poor health even though he's making a boatload of money because I see how much he cares about being a part of the team and wanting to contribute. I picked up this relic of his for a few dollars just for the heck of it. It's out of 2012-13 Timeless Treasures and is numbered 76 of 99. 

Tyson Chandler is another favorite of mine on the Knicks during this dark period. I love the way he carries the team on defense and he does a great job in his role. Unfortunately he doesn't have much help, as the defense is basically helpless outside of his performance, so with his frequent injuries it leads to many more problems. I picked up this gorgeous dual patch autograph of Chandler's from 2012-13 Panini National Treasures numbered only to 10 for a pretty fair (while expensive) price, but it's absolutely gorgeous and I'm glad to add it to my collection, despite how pathetic the Knicks have played this season.

Finally, going back to my Cano tangent, here's a really sweet 2011 Topps Triple Threads relic numbered only to 9 featuring Robby along with Hall of Famer's Joe Morgan and Roberto Alomar! The relics spell out Second Sackers, and while sort of cheesy, the card is still amazing to look at in person and it's really cool to see a personal favorite player of mine stacked up with the all time greats at his trade! I think Cano will ultimately go down as one of the best second basemen of all time (especially offensively, while he more than holds his own defensively as well), and quite possibly a Hall of Famer as well!

So that's all I have for now everyone, hopefully I'll be getting some stuff in soon leading up to perhaps the biggest event I've attended yet coming up next month! Be on the lookout for that, but until then, see ya!

First MSG Experience: Knicks Dominate!

Hey guys, Drew back here! Yesterday, I went to my 1st basketball game since 2008, when I saw the Nets play at the Izod Center against Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets! The game was a special trip for my CYO team, and I had the opportunity to go on the court and shootaround! The Nets wound up winning by 44 points, and since I was a temporary fan of theirs, I was pumped! Fast forward a few years and a little 'Linsanity', and I decided to instead commit myself to the Knicks! Rather than going to see my dreadful Jets this year, I told my Dad I'd prefer to see the Knicks, since they had a shot to actually be competitive. We bought tickets to see them play the Sacramento Kings, because we didn't want to take the chance of  paying big money to see them get crushed by an elite team.

So last night, Dad & I got to NYC extra early for my first Garden experience. We relaxed at TGI Friday's for a few hours since it was freezing cold outside, but eventually we trekked through the heavy winds across the street to the most famous arena in the world! The only time I ever saw anything at MSG was a few years back, when my family and I saw a Cirque de Soileil show, so I was real pumped to be a part of one of the most intense fanbases in sports.

Carmelo Anthony & JR Smith Warming Up

We took a bit of a gamble with our tickets; not really knowing if we did well or not. Luckily for us, our seats were absolutely perfect, giving us a perfect angle of the court, despite being more on the left side of the court. In the first half, the Knicks played right directly in front of us, which was awesome! 

After a chilling National Anthem performed by the Sandy Hook Elementary School choir, the Knicks and Kings were underway. It was an emotional night at the Garden for sure, but it sure didn't look like it in the first few minutes of the game. Second year guard/forward Iman Shumpert missed a dunk, and Tyson Chandler wasn't able to execute on an early alley oop pass from Raymond Felton. But then, Amar'e Stoudemire, the Knicks most controversial player, came in off the bench and threw down a nasty dunk off an assist from Carmelo Anthony that got the ball rolling! They went on to take a 25-22 lead going into the second quarter.

Felton Setting the Play

Novak for 3!

Chandler covering promising young star DeMarcus Cousins

The Knicks rallied all throughout the second quarter, hitting three pointers left and right! Steve Novak made 4 consecutive three pointers, which gave NY a 47-25 lead, which became 56-33 minutes later at the end of the half! JR Smith led the team throughout the 3rd quarter, and went on to the finish the game with 25 points. The team was clicking on all cylinders, and they didn't even need to use their best player Anthony, who only finished with 9 points, snapping his streak of 31 consecutive 20 point games! Tyson Chandler finished with 20 rebounds in less than 3 quarters worth of action, and Stoudemire finished 10 for 10 shooting for 21 points.

The 4th quarter was basically just an exhibition, as NY had an astounding 97 to 52 lead going in! Rookie Chris Copeland was brought in by the fans, who chanted his name until he got the opportunity to play. Old Man Kurt Thomas scored 11 in the 4th, including a 3 pointer that cracked up Carmelo and Amar'e! The Knicks are filled with likeable, tough players, so it's very easy to become a fan of theirs.

Dad and I wound up having a great day witnessing this 120-81 massacre! The night was filled with laughter and excitement, and it was awesome to be a small part of it! New York is now 30-15 overall on the season, tied for 1st in the East with the Miami Heat! We know if we're going to make the finals, we need to first get past Miami, which will be a difficult obstacle to overcome. But, if the bench performs like it did tonight, I don't see how you could rule that out! The Knicks tape keeps on rolling!

Thanks Dad for the awesome night, it was something I definitely won't forget! See Ya!