Thomas Vanek In The Hoopography House: '09 UD Black Lustrous Materials

'09 Upper Deck Black Thomas Vanek Lustrous Materials Jersey/Auto

I know my Buffalo Sabres are out of the NHL Playoffs, but I've still got the hockey collecting fever. Luckily, this 2009 Upper Deck Black Lustrous Materials jersey/auto card of Thomas Vanek is just the right card for the cure. I'm a big fan of the UD Black line and this Vanek card has it all. It's an acetate card with two multi-colored jersey swatches and a silver auto. It's really hard for me to find any fault with this one, so I'm very excited to add this limited card to my collection.

With the Sabres out of the playoffs, I'm not exactly sure who I want to see win The Cup. Normally, I cheer for whichever U.S. team left in the playoffs with the coldest weather. I just don't think it's right for a non-snow city to get Lord Stanley's Cup. However, I find myself cheering more and more for the Tampa Bay Lighting. Which team are you rooting for to take home The Cup?

Happy Collecting and… "Enjoy Blades of Steal".

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"

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