Panini Announces HD Video Trading Cards

At the 2011 Industry Summit Monday, Panini announced it will release video trading cards called Panini HD. You can view Panini's CEO, Mark Warsop, as he gives industry insiders and retailers a sneak peek at this evolution in trading card technology. The cards will be autographed and feature a video of the player signing the actual card.

This is a very interesting idea, and I guess it was really only a matter of time. Panini HD is certainly 21 century stuff. Unfortunately, I think these cards will be extremely limited. Which of course means, insane secondary market prices. So what do you think? Is Panini HD a cool idea or just another industry gimmick?

Gotta Love Buyback Auto's: '09 Upper Deck Lineage '91 UD Collectors Choice Brad Daugherty Auto

'09 Upper Deck Lineage Brad Daugherty Buyback Auto & COA

Buyback auto's are really so cool. Just think about it. This card could have been owned by you or me at one time and then re-released by Upper Deck after Brad Daugherty signed the card. That's a really neat idea to me.

I picked up this '09 Upper Deck Lineage buyback of Daugherty a few weeks ago. I like the old '91 Collectors Choice card, but the auto is certainly the cherry on top. Plus, I paid less than $8.00 including shipping. Daugherty isn't the most sought after player by collectors, but I thought that was a pretty good deal. For some reason, I collect old Cavaliers auto's of players like Daugherty, Ron Harper and Mark Price. Maybe I just feel bad for all those times Jordan beat up on the Cav's during the early 90's.

Sure, this '91 Upper Deck Brad Daugherty card was pretty basic and had little to no value when it was originally released. However, next time you look at another non-descript card in your collection, just remember that it could be the next buyback auto. Happy Collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

Who Are The Mets Leaders Now?

1989 Topps Mets Leaders

With the Mets ownership in financial trouble, rumors of this being Jose Ryes' last year for the Amazings, and David Wright picking and choosing which seasons he'll hit home runs, who are the leaders of the New York Mets? At one time, it was a couple of drug addicts like Doc Gooden, Keith Hernandez and Darryl Strawberry. Boy… those sure were some great years. If only the Mets could go back in time. I guess this 1989 Topps Mets Leaders card will have to do.

Review: BuildASign.com

Bumper Magnet

I was recently contacted by BuildASign.com and asked to review their design software, service and products. I'm always willing to review any product related to sports memorabilia, so I accepted the offer. Also, I know some readers work in industries in which marketing is a crucial aspect to profitability. So hopefully this review could help spur on some creative ideas or provide you with a new resource for your marketing purposes.

THE PROS:
The most impressive aspect of my BuildASign experience was the ability to effortlessly design exactly what I wanted. The site has an innovative program that allows customers to upload images, select text fonts and utilize clip art to create any type of sign. When I say, "any type of sign", I mean it. There are too many types to mention, but here are a few: banners, street signs, bumper stickers, metal signs, car wraps, vinyl decals, license plates, neon signs and much, much more. Beside being able to create any sign imaginable, the quality of the items I received was also great.

THE CONS:
In addition to the Hoopography bumper magnet and street sign I created (visible in this post), I also created a Yankees bumper magnet. Unfortunately, I was not able to have signs made from the Yankees design I created. This really wasn't any fault of BuildASign.com. Actually, it would have been a copy right infraction. So I really didn't have any complaints. The service was great. The shipping was quick and the products are top notch.

RECOMMENDATION:

Sorry for the pic. It was a long day and,
 I came from the gym, but the Street Sign is cool.

I absolutely recommend BuildASign.com for any marketing or signage needs you might have. I have to thank BuildASign for asking me to review their products, service and site. It was a lot of fun designing the signs. If anyone has any questions regarding my experience with BuildASign, feel free to email me at Hoopography@yahoo.com or leave me a wall post at Facebook.com/Hoopography. Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

New Blog On The Blog… I Mean Block

I've had the pleasure of reading several posts from a new blogger over the past few days, and thought I would share his blog with all of you. Chris over at Sports Cards and Memories has wrote some interesting posts regarding the passion of sports trading cards that we all love. He's currently featuring a PC Top 100 post series that is really making me jealous. I encourage everyone to check his blog and countdown out.

Since one of the main purposes of Hoopography is to help network fellow bloggers and collectors, please feel free to drop me a line on the Hoopography Facebook or Twitter pages to inform me of any new blogs or just to say hi. You can also email me at Hoopography@yahoo.com with any sports memorabilia or blogging questions. I will do my best to get the word out about your blog or answer any questions. Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

Why The Celtics Success of The 80's Didn't Carry Over To The 90's

'93 Reggie Lewis Fleer Ultra (checkout those old school Reebok Pumps)

It would be easy to say that the reason for the demise of the Boston Celtics during the 90's was due to the retirements of greats like Larry "Legend", Dennis Johnson, Kevin Mchale  and the departures of players like Robert Parrish and Danny Ainge, but that would be careless. Sure, any team would be better off with those players, but the greatness of the Celtics franchise is that they have been able to build for success in multiple eras. As one era was ending (the Bird Celtics), the Reggie Lewis and Len Bias Celtics were being constructed by the mastermind of professional hoops himself, Mr. Red Auerbach.

I'm a fan of many of the late 80's and early 90's teams that enjoyed success during that time like the "Bad Boy" Pistons and Jordan led Chicago Bulls, but I often wonder how many Championships those teams would have actually been able to win with an aging Celtics team infused with youthful talents like Lewis and Bias. The Chicago Bulls 90's might not have been. Instead, Lewis passed away in an off-season practice in 1993 due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Bias (1986 2nd overall pick) passed away from a drug overdose before he even stepped on the parquet floor.

I'm certainly not arguing that the the Celtics would have absolutely won five more championships if Bias and Lewis would have fulfilled their potential, but they certainly would have had a great chance at extending the run of the Celtics of the 80's. Actually, it's amazing to think how different the NBA could have been and would be today, if only for a few different decisions.

Russell Martin In The Hoopography House: 2007 UD Black Lustrous Auto

2007 Upper Deck Black Russell Martin Lustrous Auto

With the start of MLB right around the corner, I'm getting the baseball card itch. What's the best remedy? Well… the best remedy is to scratch it, and I did that with this UD Black Russell Martin auto. Martin is the former young and talented L.A. Dodgers catcher. Unfortunately for the Dodgers and their fans, Martin has not performed up to the success he enjoyed earlier in his career. Because of that, he was not tendered an offer by the Dodgers.

My New York Yankees took a chance on Martin and his previously injured hip (torn right Labrum). The Yankees organization is loaded with catchers and catching prospects, so the signing by the Yankees of Martin was a bit of a surprise. However, the 28 year old has shown promise in the past. Hopefully, the change of scenery will prove to be the remedy to get both Martin and the Yankees back on track this upcoming season. 

Happy Collecting and… "Enjoy Every Crack of the Bat"

The Jordan Collection (Part 8): '91 Sports Illustrated Michael Jordan Sportsman Of The Year Hologram Proof

In this 8th installment of The Jordan Collection post series, I'm featuring this commemorative printer's proof of the Michael Jordan hologram featured on the 1991 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year cover. The proof is exact in every way to the hologram on the cover of the magazines, with the one exception of the proof being double sided. You can read an earlier post I did on the actual Sportsman of the Year Sports Illustrated magazine by clicking here to get a background on the item.

The printers proof hologram featured in this post is rare. How rare you might ask? I've only seen three of these on eBay in the three years I've been searching for one of these. So although I don't have an exact number to provide you, I'm assuming there aren't too many of these out there. That makes this approximately 5' x 3'' Jordan hologram a very unique item.

The slide show above includes 18 images of the hologram in which I tried to capture as many of the images in the hologram as possible. Hopefully you can see the clarity, detail and vivid colors this awesome Jordan hologram possesses.

Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

Will Collectors Buy NCAA Licensed Upper Deck Product?

We are now in the second year of no NBA license and in the first year of no NFL license for the Upper Deck company. We are also fast approaching the upcoming MLB season in which MLB licensed card are an impossibility. Although other companies have both disappointed and impressed me, I miss the product quality and design of Upper Deck products featuring the pros of the NFL, NBA and MLB.

Upper Deck has been forced to rely on their few remaining licenses from other professional sports leagues and the entertainment industry. One only needs to look at 2010 Upper Deck The Cup for an example of this. However, Upper Deck has tried to stay afloat and compete in the football and basketball trading card market by producing NCAA licensed product with mixed results.

To say that 2010 Upper Deck Greats of the Game and 2011 Upper Deck Ultimate Basketball were disappointing is an understatement. Greats of the Game was a nice idea, however, that idea was poorly executed. Ultimate did have some nice hits, especially the Ultimate Legends on-card auto'd set, but the berage of sticker auto's turned off many collectors including me. I will say that the preview images for the March release date of 2011 SP Authentic do look promising, but then again, all preview images look great. Maybe the transition from cards featuring professional stars to former collegiate greats can account for the lack of success in these products, and we'll start seeing better hoops stuff from Upper Deck.

The first few basketball releases from the new Upper Deck might have missed a bit, but the football products are right on the mark. Recently released 2010 SP Authentic looks good and is selling well on the secondary markets. Even more impressive are the preview images of 2010 Upper Deck Exquisite Football released on Upper Deck's blog recently (click here). Again, every product looks like a winner when you see the preview images, but Upper Deck's Exquisite product line has the reputation to back up any claims and preview images. Upper Deck also did a nice job by including collegiate stars in the Shadow Box inserts (click here) for their 2010 SPx Football product.

Upper Deck has traditionally been a collectors' favorite as they have consistently produced high quality designs and products. The change from professionally licensed product to NCAA licensed product is a drastic one, but a change that Upper Deck needed to make if it wanted to at least keep it's head above water. Even still, it's any ones guess as to whether Upper Deck can remain a viable company as many rumors persist as to UD's demise and/or future success. So the question is…

Will you, the collector, buy new Upper Deck product featuring NCAA licensed cards or does the lack of NFL, NBA and MLB licensed products turn you off from the Upper Deck brand?

Rickey Being Rickey: '93 Upper Deck SP Ricky Henderson

'93 Upper Deck SP Rickey Henderson

I know I've missed a few posts this week, and I apologize for that. My work schedule changed this week, and I haven't had a chance to post anything since this past Tuesday. I'll get accustomed to my new schedule and get back to at least one post a day. Since I missed a few posts during the week, I'll put several up this weekend. So stay tuned for that.

For now, feast your eyes on this '93 Upper Deck SP Rickey Henderson card. It has little value. Actually, I'm sure it would be considered "junk wax". However, I've never liked that term. Sure, the monetary value isn't there, but this is a card featuring one of the cooler moments in MLB history: Rickey being Rickey while celebrating the all-time MLB steals record in 1991. This card is all about that great moment in baseball history.

I got the card while opening a few packs of '93 Upper Deck SP looking for the highly desired Derek Jeter Foil SP RC. I unfortunately didn't pull the Jeter, but this Henderson card was a pleasant surprise and really fun. And after all, isn't that what card collecting is all about… fun?

Happy collecting and "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

Someone Call 911, It's An Emergency!

What's the emergency? Well, just checkout this sweet ruby red 90's insert? As many of you know, I'm both a 90's insert fan and a "Penny" Hardaway fan. This 1998 Hoops 911 card combines both of those passions. I was able to get a great deal on this gem, but buyer beware. These cards are notorious for chipping. If you're purchasing one of these 911 cards, make sure to look closely. Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

'98 Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway Hoops 911

Poster Review: Andre Agassi Nike Poster & A Lil' Red Hot Chili Peppers Action

Early 90's Nike Andre Agassi Poster

Nike Andre Agassi TV commercial featuring Anthony Kiedis and Flea

What's Cooler Than A Kenny "Sky" Walker High Top Fade…?

… how about this "Sky" Walker Auto? This Panini Prestige Old School Auto is numbered 76 of 100 and features one of the highest flying Knickerbockers of all-time. The former Kentucky 2-time All-American was selected by the Knicks 5th overall in the first round of the 1986 NBA Draft. Walker only played five years with the Knicks, but he did manage to win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1989. Aside from having a very cool and deserved nickname, "Sky" Walker, Kenny also sported one of the best high top fade haircuts ever. I think even Christopher "Kid" Reid from the late 80's hip-hop duo Kid 'N Play would be proud. One things for sure, I'm really pumped to have this cool Old School auto in my collection.

                                           Cool                                                                    Cooler

Coolest

The 2011 Panini Contenders Giveaway Winner is...

First off, thanks to everyone who participated. Hopefully the review will help you make decisions on where to invest your collecting dollars. As for the contest, I put all 37 entries (including the multiple entries for those who publicized the contest) into Random.org earlier today. The winner of the 2011 Panini Contenders Basketball Box giveaway is Eric L. Thanks again to everyone who participated. I hope to have more contests in the future. Of course, that all depends on the card companies' willingness to send me more product for review. Eric, make sure to email me your mailing address to Hoopography@yahoo.com.

Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

Contest results from Random.org

Poll: Topps Five Star VS. Panini National Treasures VS. Upper Deck SP Authentic

All three of the major trading card manufacturers (Panini, Topps & Upper Deck) recently released 2010 football products in the last week or so. So which product is best? I understand Upper Deck SP Authentic Football is not even near the same price point as Five Star or National Treasures, but it was just released and makes for a nice three product comparison.


All three have their pros and cons. National Treasures has some very nice rookie patches, shields and auto's. Topps Five Star features booklets, inscription auto's and only on-card auto's. Finally, Upper Deck SP Authentic gives collectors 24 five card packs with 3 hits per box for $125, but no NFL team logos (if the college thing bothers you). So what does all this mean for collectors? It's simple, choice.

All the early preview images released by each company for these products look fantastic as usual, but there's more to a product than a few preview images. Here are eBay search links you can checkout to get a better idea of each product (Panini National Treasures, Topps Five Star and Upper Deck SP Authentic). So which overall product do you like better? Please feel free to comment on which product you chose and why?

Michael Jordan Collection (Part 7): LDDS World Com Promo Phone Card

LDDS World Com Michael Jordan Promo Phone Card

I fancy myself to be a bit of Jordan collector. Although I haven't added an '85 Star Co. XRC or an Upper Deck Authenticated piece to my collection yet, I was able to secure this ultra rare LDDS World Com phone card. LDDS World Com famously filed for bankruptcy in 2002, which was the largest bankruptcy protection filing in U.S. history up to that point, but enough of that boring background info.

As for the phone card. World Com needed a spokesmen for their new marketing program in the mid 90's. During the 90's, there really wasn't a better spokesman than Michael Jordan. He helped Nike get to the top of the sports apparel mountain and I'm sure World Com had hoped Jordan would bring World Com to the top of the telecommunications industry. To celebrate the new partnership with Jordan, World Com released a number of long distance phone cards. Here's a link to some of the phone cards World Com released (click here). These were prepaid cards you could pickup at most local gas stations, grocery stores and big box discount stores like Target and Walmart. The above phone card is a bit more rare.

Unfortunately, I don't know the exact print run of the promo World Com phone card featured in this post. I do know that I've only seen two of them in the past four years that I've been looking. One was a Buy Now auction on eBay that was too rich for my blood, but the other is above in this post. Aside from the pieces of dust on the scan, this item is perfect. It actually looks like glass because of the coating on the surface of the plastic card. I'd like to find more information on the item, but for now, keeping it on my home desk to admire will have to do.

Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

Poster Review: Nike "The Judge" Poster

1980's Nike "The Judge" Poster

Former Raiders cornerback Lester Hayes is a bit before my time, but the poster is timeless. Hayes was known for that low stance featured in the poster when lining up against opposing wide receivers. The idea behind the poster is that Hayes could cover even the vastest of open expanses. One of the best cover corners of the late 70's and 80's, Hayes was a five-time Pro Bowl selection for a Raiders team that one two Super Bowls ('80 & '83). Although a finalist for the NFL Hall of Fame, he has yet to be enshrined.

The poster is not one of the more iconic or sought after posters of the 80's, but I think it's a bit underrated. At the very least, "The Judge" poster is a great entry into vintage poster collecting. It's not terribly expensive relative to some of the higher profile posters from this era, and it's a Nike poster from one of the Black & Silvers best. Sales are generally right around $20-$25 plus shipping. Anything more than that is not a good deal (Current Best Offer eBay Auction).

Hope you enjoyed this latest Poster Review post. Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".