2016 East Coast National High-End Pickups!

Hey everyone! How's life? I know I can say nothing but positive things these days, as I've managed to get really involved on campus for the first time. College is actually enjoyable now that I've broken through some barriers and allowed myself the chance to branch out more. I've been working towards advertising some of our local school events, and have even gotten the privilege to meet broadcaster Ian Eagle and talk to him about working in sports. Also, I've been covering a lot of my school's football and soccer games for my Sports Reporting course. So yeah, no complaints at all here.

Because I've been interning so often on campus, I haven't had time to actually work and make money. I was on a roll with this hobby up until then, but I've got to get a jump start on my future career before I get back to spending a fortune. I have spent some of the money I saved from working literally every single day this summer at a few card shows, and I'll start catching you up by showing you what I got at the East Coast National in August! 

At this show, I had the pleasure of meeting Kenny from Torren' Up Cards (which I talked about a while back). Dad was unable to join me for this one, but he did come with me last weekend to the Fall Classic show that will more than likely be posted next year at this rate (that was a joke). But for now, here's some sweet certified goodness I've had the pleasure of calling my own.

We kick things off with some refractor autographs of Yankees farmhands Domingo Acevedo and Ian Clarkin. I've been working on adding refractor autos of my team's top prospects, and these two were both affordable. I previously owned a graded 9.5 version of the Acevedo, but I accidentally purchased the base instead of the refractor. 

Acevedo is ranked 8th among the Yankees prospects according to MLB.com's Prospect Pipeline. He is making a name for himself by averaging 96-100 mph consistently, and has even hit 103 mph during his time in the minors. At 6'7, he appears to have the prototype and build of a guy named Dellin Betances. I don't know if he'll ever get to that level, but the potential is there for sure.

Ian Clarkin was drafted 33rd overall and was taken with the supplemental pick the Yankees received when the Nationals signed Rafael Soriano in 2013. He has battled several injuries early on in his big league career, but did pitch to a 3.31 in 18 starts last season for the Tampa Yankees. He currently ranks as the Yankees 17th best prospect in their loaded farm system.

I also took home this 2015 Bowman Chrome refractor auto of new Yankee Dillon Tate! Tate was the fourth overall selection by Texas in the 2015 Draft, and was dealt to New York in the Carlos Beltran trade this summer. He was originally compared to former Oakland A's hurler Dave Stewart, but hasn't quite lived up to the hype so far. However, since coming to New York his velocity has increased from the high 80's to low 90's in Texas to the mid 90's he was expected to throw. If the velocity can stick as he transitions out of his current bullpen role back to the rotation, he could have a future in pinstripes.

My basketball collection isn't all that large, but at this show I was able to add a couple big cards to my minuscule Knicks collection. I couldn't believe how cheap these two autographs above of legends Walt Frazier and Willis Reed were. Not only are they both gorgeous on card signatures from high end products, but they're also both extremely limited (Frazier numbered to 20 and Reed to 49). 

Walt 'Clyde' Frazier was a great player in his day, but I know him more for his colorful personality, crazy fashion statements, and, of course; "swishin' and dishin'". He previously held a majority of the team's franchise records until Patrick Ewing eventually surpassed all but Frazier's assists mark. Willis Reed was a former MVP and two-time NBA Finals MVP who was named to the 1996 '50 Greatest Players in NBA History' list. He once played through a torn muscle in his thigh and helped the Knicks win their first of two championships; defeating the Lakers in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals.

Between the two, there were an awful lot of accolades. For the price I paid, I'd do it all over again.

I wasn't done. I had been shopping for a Carmelo Anthony for some time, but couldn't decide which card I preferred to add. This National Treasures beaut numbered to 25 caught my eye that day, and I was able to work the seller down on the price. 'Melo is one of my favorite players to watch in the NBA, and I love the fact that he uses his celebrity platform to try and make a difference in the world. When comparing generations, I can see him going down as this generation's edition of Charles Barkley: both great players who could never quite win it all. The three-color relic that coincides with the autograph on this card is actually really nice and adds to the card's appeal.

Going forward, I would like to add more Knicks greats to my collection, as well as a few of the stars from my childhood. I don't really follow the NBA as much as I used to, but it's still fun (when the Knicks are competitive).

The same seller I bought the Carmelo autograph off of had this Gregory Polanco refractor autograph for a pretty fair price as well. With the money I had remaining at the end of the day, I made an offer and got this for an absolute steal compared to what it sells for on eBay. Polanco is a talented young player who really came into his own in 2016, hitting 22 home runs while driving 86 runs and scoring 79 of his own. Pittsburgh has even talked about trading Andrew McCutchen due to the emergence of Polanco and Starling Marte, plus top prospect Austin Meadows on the cusp of the majors.

The biggest card I bought that day was something a little out of the ordinary for me. I had been debating whether to invest in a top tier prospect the entire day, and eventually after talking to a major Alex Bregman collector I decided he was the one I would add. This 2016 Bowman Chrome refractor autograph is absolutely beautiful, and is currently being graded in a BGS group submission. I'm looking forward to getting it back and seeing if it can pull out a 9.5! I could've bought the card as a 9.5 for about $50 more, but I had confidence that this raw copy would be good enough to match the grade.

Bregman made his MLB Debut in 2016 after absolutely mashing the ball in the minor leagues. He batted .306 with 20 home runs and 61 RBI between AA and AAA before getting the call-up the day after my 20th birthday! He did not immediately translate to the big leagues in the way that Gary Sanchez did, but continued to progress until a hamstring injury ended his season midway through September.

I'm starting to really enjoy buying Bowman autographs of top prospects. It's really fun taking a gamble on player's futures and getting to root for them in the way I have for Bregman. It has been able to bring me even closer to the game than I knew was possible.

Until next time, See Ya!

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!

COMC Card Exchange Mailday!

Hey guys, Drew back here! A few months ago I decided it would be a great idea to send a few batches of my autographed/memorabilia cards in to Check Out My Collectibles in anticipation of making a few extra bucks. It turned out to be an awesome idea, because with the $300+ I've earned thus far I've been able to buy the Robinson Cano Bowman Heritage autograph, some cards I've used for TTM requests, and a bunch of various other cards that hold more of a place in my collection! Here's a look at some of the loot I brought in this summer from COMC:

Charlie Sheen is one of my favorite actors, and "Eight Men Out" is a classic baseball movie. Although he didn't have a leading role here, it was one of the kickstarts to his "winning" career! For under a dollar, I couldn't pass this bad boy up!

There is a slim possibility that Robinson Cano may not be a part of the Yankees after this season, but clearly I believe Cashman will pull through and resign him longterm. Of course, I wouldn't like to see anything past 6 or 7 years contract wise, but with the way these longterm contracts have panned out throughout baseball I doubt he'll get much more. I picked up this 2012 Museum Collection parallel numbered to 299 and 2013 Heritage purple refractor for a couple of cheap meaningless relics.

I really need to update my Cano PC page soon. I've been in the midst of a huge liquidation movement with my collection, but after things settle I'll try to take my current PC's to the Internet for all of you to keep up with. Here's a bland Leaf Limited logo-less bat relic numbered out of 299 along with a funky 2006 All Star Stitches jersey card!

Despite the unfortunate Fanfest turnout with Mr. McCutchen, I'm still attempting to root for him. He's a great player and a lot of fun to watch, and when I saw this 2012 National Treasures relic of his for so cheap I knew I couldn't give up on the McCutch PC!

With the last dollar I had to spend, I turned to William and asked him what I should do with it. Rather than use it towards shipping costs, I bought 1961 Golden Press Bill Dickey card! I own literally next to nothing of Dickey's, and since he was the model in which Yogi Berra used to build his playing abilities, I feel like that's a bit cruel. That said, he doesn't have much out there and his autographs cost a fortune. For under a buck, I'll stick with this cool vintage card for now!

I haven't worked on my Knicks collection in what feels like forever, so here's a Raymond Felton auto relic out of this past year's Absolute Memorabilia product numbered out of 74! I'm not the biggest Felton believer but I do think he moves the ball extremely well and I admire his toughness and ability to drive towards the basket. JR Smith recently guaranteed a championship (what else is new), but on a serious note I'm looking forward to seeing the Knickstape back in action!

Last but most certainly not least, I added this beautiful 1982 Topps Bob Bonner and Jeff Schneider rookie card! Oh, and some Ripken guy. Bummer he didn't work out, or else this card would've been a classic. Seriously though, any baseball fan should own a rookie card of Ripken's. I've now had the pleasure of saying that 9 months into 2013, I've had the opportunity to see Cal in person on 4 different days! That's a pretty easy way of saying 2013 has treated me pretty darn well!

School starts Thursday... but for now, See Ya!

May TTM Wrapup!

Hey guys, Drew back here! I didn't receive too many TTM successes since my last update, but the few I did get back were pretty sweet! Take a look at my 115th, 116th, and 117th successes!

Wade Boggs: c/o Home, 3/3 in 10 Days

Boggs is currently signing autographs like his pants are on fire, and I had to get in on the action! I sent him $3, a dollar for each card essentially, and he returned the 3 back signed beautifully! I met Wade back in March of 2012, and he was a really generous, all around great guy. Eventually, I hope to send him a ball after I soon receive an order of balls I made. The 2009 Topps insert smeared a little bit but the other 2 definitely made up for it!

Mahlon Duckett: c/o Home, 2/2 in 13 Days
Duckett is one of the very few remaining ex-Negro Leaguers living today, so I had to reach out to him with a  letter. He was a smooth fielding infielder with a decent bat, and he played for the Philadelphia Stars and Homestead Grays during his career. I wrote him a nice letter, and he kindly signed both items I sent him: a 2010 Allen & Ginter card, and a beautiful 5x7 photo that my good friend William took at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama! Rickwood Field was home of the Birmingham Barons during its hey day, and he had the privilege of visiting it a year or so ago. He sent me a copy of the photo, and my plan is to fill it with former Negro League players' signatures! One down! He inscribed the photo "Phila Stars, 1940-1950".

Jason Kidd: c/o New York Knicks, 2/2
This success was a great way to cap off my week. Future basketball Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd signed 1 8x10 and 1 5x7 photo for my collection, and both came out beautiful! He's been known throughout his career for being a very good signer for his fans, and he sure did pull through for me. The 8x10 he signed was his celebration after nailing the game winning three against his former team, the Brooklyn Nets! I remember vividly watching the game and jumping up and down when he made the shot. It's cool to have that to remember him by. Secondly, he signed a 5x7 of him and Dirk Nowitzki hoisting trophies after winning the 2011 NBA Finals! I'm planning on sending it over to Dirk next season for him to sign it, and I sure hope it comes back!

Well, that's all I have for now; have a great day everyone! See Ya!

Go NY, Go NY, Go!

Hey guys, Drew back here! It's been an awesome start to the NBA season for my hometown team, the New York Knicks! The season concluded last night, after they took down the Atlanta Hawks to further cement their second seed finish in the Eastern Conference. Carmelo Anthony locked down his first career scoring title, and was a major factor down the stretch in getting NY the 2nd seed, rather than the 3rd or 4th. They will take on the Boston Celtics in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs on Saturday, and there's no doubt in my mind that I'll be watching! I've never been the biggest of basketball fans, but the recent revival in New York, with the Brooklyn rivalry and now long gone fad "Linsanity" has sparked my interest more than ever. There are a lot of fun players to root for, and I'm excited to see how they will do. 

A few weeks ago I picked up this sweet acetate autographed card out of Panini Elite 2012-13 of Iman Shumpert! "Shump" hasn't done anything spectacular in his second season, as most of it has been recovering from his terrible torn ACL he suffered against the Heat in last year's playoffs. He isn't as much of an offensive factor, since NY has several other major scoring options, but his defense is superb when he's fully healthy. He's speedy and quick and can cover the top guards in the game. But best of all, this guy's sporting perhaps the best 'do in all of professional sports right now! 

I'd like to wish the Knickerbockers the best of luck this playoff stretch! Hopefully they'll be able to get back to the finals, but it's going to take a lot of hard work before that goal can be reached. I'll definitely be along for the ride though!

See Ya!

Knicks eBay Pickup: Novakane!

Hey guys, Drew back here! As expected, my second semester has not allowed for a whole lot of free time, but fortunately the weekend came before I knew it. I'm going with my friend to see Matchbox Twenty tonight, one of my favorite bands, so that should be a lot of fun. In the meantime though, check out this sweet picture I recently bought off of eBay for my Knicks collection!

Steve Novak is one of my favorite current Knicks easily, just because of the way he conducts himself as an athlete. Here's a guy who had a relatively low ceiling but was able to perfect the 3 pointer; giving him a big role off the bench on many contending teams in the future! Since I went to the Garden a few weeks ago, I only gained more appreciation for "Novakane", as he put Sacramento to sleep by draining 5 three pointers en route to the Knicks big win. 

I absolutely loved the picture as soon as I glanced at it on eBay. It's certified by Steiner, so there's no way it wasn't legitimate, and it showed Novak doing his famous "Discount Triple Check", taken from the Packer's Aaron Rodgers but done just as fabulously. I also really love the atmosphere in the background of the picture, with all those crazy New York fans jumping up and down behind him.

I got this picture shipped to me for under $30, which is highway robbery compared to if I actually bought this from Steiner Sports' website. I'm not sure what I'll do with it for the time being, but maybe eventually I'll make a little Knicks shrine in my mancave. You'll have to wait and see!

Before I go, I wanted to announce that I probably will be at the March White Plains show, although I don't have a whole lot of funds to put towards it. There are a few signers on the lineup that I'd like to get on baseballs, and one player towards my Mantle photo. It would really mean a lot to me if you gave my Check Out My Collectibles page a look, so that I could make my experience a little bit better. There are a lot of nice cards still available in my inventory, and remember I will consider any offer as long as it's reasonable!

Thanks so much everyone! 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!

eBay Pickup: Novakane Style!

Hey guys, Drew back here. Although I am extremely excited for baseball to start, I still haven't lost much interest in basketball over the past few weeks. In fact, after this card I also have another Knicks autograph coming in, of one of the better guys to get! Anyways, besides for last night's loss 100-90 to the Hawks, the Knicks have come alive under their interim coach Mike Woodson, winning 9 out of their 11 games with him in charge. One of the Knicks best shooters, if not their best, is the guy I'm about to show you a card of. There was Linsanity, and then there was Novakane!

Out of 2006-07 Fleer eX, I managed to pick up this very nice Steve Novak rookie autograph. Sure, the nickname is pretty darn stupid, and sounds like a John Sterling thing, but boy can this guy shoot a three pointer. This season his three point percentage has been astounding, at 48.2%, while the next closest players have between 30 and 33% on the team. He only plays about 17 minutes a game, but when he comes in the opposing defense needs to keep him from taking the big shot. His story certainly is an interesting one, in which his rough rookie season brought him into the D-League, until he was traded to the Clippers, where he did fairly well. The next season he was signed by the Dallas Mavericks, only to go back to the D-League, and then the Spurs. He was signed by the Knicks on December 21st of this year and has had his biggest role yet. 

He's a very likely guy from what it seems, as are quite a few of the current Knicks players. I paid only a few bucks for this, so I couldn't really go wrong. It's actually a really neat card, as both sides of the card are clear, which you can see in the picture below. I'm glad I could add Novak to my basketball collection!

See Ya!

An Autograph of a Guy Who "Wants to Be on the Cover of Slam Magazine"!

Hey guys, Drew back here. I can not began to tell you how excited I am about the way the New York Knicks have been playing recently. I mean, to start, my mom even got me a Jeremy Lin "Linsanity" t-shirt, which was really awesome of her. When your mom buys you a shirt of a sports player without you asking (especially when her sports IQ is pretty darn low), that's only going to show how big this Lin phenomenon has become. I like Jeremy Lin a lot, but I think the entire team as a whole is what interests me the most. It's one of those teams with the grizzled veterans in Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler, and Baron Davis, as well as the young guys such as Lin and Landry Fields. They still need to work out their team chemistry issues but for the most part, they sure are a fun team to watch. I never thought I'd be this interested in basketball in my life, so I thank Lin for that.

I picked up another Knicks autograph a few weeks ago on my quest to slowly add a few more here and there, and this being of a second year shooting guard with a lot of basketball talent, to go along with his great voice!

Out of 2010-11 Panini Certified, I bought a rookie autograph of none other than Landry Fields! Fields has succeeded an awful lot during the emergence of Lin, averaging 10 points and 4.5 rebounds a game. Of course, many people are aware of the incident in which prior to the "Linsanity", Fields let Jeremy sleep on his couch, which made that couch probably the most famous couch of 2012! Kidding aside, Landry has a lot of potential in the NBA and for the price I paid, I could not go wrong. Nothing was cooler than seeing former Knick great Allan Houston; Cappie Pondexter of the WNBA; and Fields win the "Shooting Stars" contest during the All Star break. While I didn't follow basketball a whole lot back in the day, I do remember always liking Houston a lot. Also, recently at the Capitale in Chinatown, NY, the Knicks held an event in which the players all participated in having fun with the fans, and without a doubt Landry stole the show, singing a Knicks related cover of the Travie McCoy/Bruno Mars song "Billionaire". Here's a look in case you are interested:

So, who knows how long this team is going to last. No matter what the circumstances though, I still am going to follow it as much as I can! Do we have any basketball readers here? If so, feel free to let me know! As for you baseball fans, don't worry, I am never replacing my #1 favorite sport, and will have plenty to come regarding it! 

See Ya!

Lin-Sanity!

Hey guys, Drew back here. All my life, I've never been an enormous basketball fan. I played it between 2nd grade and 7th grade, and while I didn't really dominate the court, it was a lot of fun. Draining a three pointer at the Izod Center will be a moment I will never forget, but my basketball knowledge isn't close to as impressive as my baseball knowledge. Going into this season, however, I decided to start following the Knicks again. I mean, they looked excellent on paper, with Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Baron Davis when healthy. Davis still hasn't played a game yet, but it looks like he isn't as needed as one may have thought.

Last Monday was a tragic day for Amare Stoudemire, as his brother was killed in a car accident. Along with his absence, All Star Carmelo Anthony has dealt with a groin injury that has kept him sidelined all week. Nobody thought there was any way the Knicks could play effectively and win games during this time, but things changed when point guard Jeremy Lin stepped on the floor. The Knicks claimed him on December 12th, after he had been waived by the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets. He was considered their 3rd string point guard, behind Toney Douglas and Mike Bibby, and he didn't expect much playing time or attention in the Big Apple.

On January 4th, Lin scored 25 points with 5 rebounds and 7 assists in a big Knicks win over the New Jersey Nets. The next day he was named to the starting lineup, and he continued to impress, scoring 28 points with 8 assists against the Utah Jazz. His quickness, agility, and overall ability has taken the world by storm. In fact, he even scored a career high 38 points against Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers en route to beating the powerhouse  92-85. His 109 points in his first four NBA starts is more than NBA Greats Allen Iverson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Michael Jordan, who each had just a few points less than Lin.

Knicks fans are embracing the young star, starting phrases such as "Linning" and "Lin-sanity", and in less than a week he went from a struggling young player to the King of Madison Square Garden. I've never watched anyone dominate a sport in such a short period of time, and while the future is uncertain for him, I will always consider myself a fan. In fact, the night of his first appearance almost got me to buy an autograph of his for about $20. I definitely should've done that, as his autographs are now selling in the $100-200 dollar range! It is truly Lin-Sane!

On a different note, I just want to wish my thoughts and prayers to the family of Whitney Houston. Rest in peace.

See Ya!

Fresh Off a Big Win, Knicks Auto Pickup!

Hey guys, Drew back here. Until this year, I've never really been a basketball fan, but I would watch it here and there. I got the privilege a few years ago to play on an NBA Court (Continental Airlines Arena), and I'll never forget making a 3 pointer on that court. I've bounced back and forth over the years as a Knicks and Nets fan, depending on how they were doing, but this year I decided to become a permanent Knicks fan. It's nothing against the Nets, but I love their current team, although they've struggled quite a bit. One of my favorite current Knicks is the one I just happened to pick up an autograph of recently. Take a look:

Out of the 2009-10 Panini Crown Royale product, here is a sweet di-cut rookie auto of guard Toney Douglas numbered out of 699! Douglas may not be Carmelo Anthony or Amare Stoudemire, but I think he's going to be a very solid player for a while. This season he's averaging a little over 8 points a game, and he's just a solid team player overall. I really like the design of this card, and I'm glad I stumbled upon it on eBay a while ago. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up a few more Knicks autographs for my collection (maybe Jeremy Lin next, after his performance last night!), and maybe they can be somewhat of a contender by the end of the season. I know I'll be watching!

Speaking of what I'll be watching, as a Jets fan, tonight will be a difficult night. However, I'm going all out for the Giants to beat New England in the Super Bowl, because there is no team in football I hate more than New England! Let's Go Giants!

See Ya!

A Mess of Yearbooks Found in the Tubs!

Hey everyone, Drew back here! So one thing I wanted to share with you all are these yearbooks I found in the tubs. There's literally around 25 yearbooks at least, with a few programs mixed in along the way. I think we really lucked out, as a lot of the yearbooks carry strong value. I plan on possibly selling a few, but for now, take a look at them:

1963 Yankees Yearbook

1964 Mets Yearbook

1966 Mets Yearbook

1967 Mets Yearbook

1968 Mets Yearbook

1969 Yankees Yearbook

1969 Dodgers Yearbook

1970 Mets Yearbook

1971 Mets Yearbook

1971 Yankees Yearbook

1974 Mets Yearbook

1976 Pirates Yearbook

1978 Pirates Yearbook

1980 Mets Yearbook

1988 Mets Yearbook

1989 Mets Yearbook

1991 Yankees Yearbook

1992 Mets Yearbook

2000 Hudson Valley Renegades Yearbook w/Autos

1965 Yankees Scorecard

1971 Yankees Scorecard

1968 Mets Scorecard

1969 Mets Scorecard

1991 Mets Magazine

1992 Mets Magazine

1970-71 Knicks Yearbook

1971 Philadelphia Eagles Yearbook

Thats a majority of them, but not all of them! A good amount of them are Mets yearbooks, from 1964-1968, plus 1970, 1971, 1980, 1988, 1989, and 1992, but there are also some nice Yankees ones, especially the 1963 yearbook! I never would have imagined owning so many old yearbooks, and some of them are especially neat, like the Knicks yearbook right above, that highlights their championship season. Also, the collector had a 2000 Renegades yearbook, signed by many of the championship players. Of course, that one isn't worth as much, but it's cool to have for sure. Two of my other favorites are the Pirates yearbooks, from 1976 and 1978. That was a great time to be a Pirates fan, and I really like seeing shows about that team, and hearing about some of their better players through the 1970's.

I haven't gotten to look through all of them, but I'm going to try to before I put a few of the Mets ones on eBay. One of my favorite parts looking through these yearbooks are the prices on the cover. Through the early 1960's, yearbooks cost 50 cents. Yeah, 50 cents. Today, you can't find a yearbook for the Yankees for any less than $25! It also seemed like baseball was just much more fun back then, without all the press coverage and media shoving cameras in players faces. Baseball was just a game, not a market and business. It sucks thinking that it'll never be the way it used to be, when people idolized Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays and followed their careers every single day.

So, I have a feeling I'm going to sell a good bit of these. After seeing what they sell for on eBay, I realized that I would be happier with $50 to spend on whatever cards I want, than to have a yearbook of one of my least favorite teams, even with Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver frequently seen in them. Before I put these for sale, I'll leave it open to you all first. If you are interested in buying one of the Mets yearbooks or magazines, please contact me at yanks1996wsc@gmail.com. I could possibly make a trade too with any of you, but be ready to cough up a little bit of value (about $35-50 worth). Everything that isn't claimed by you guys will be put on eBay, minus the Yankees and Pirates books at least. If you have any questions, leave a comment here and I'll get back to you on it. Thanks everyone!

See Ya!