I did it again.  Again!  Every year I think I won't pick up the Heritage brand cards but here I am again after picking up a pack of the 2017 Topps Heritage baseball cards.  I again was disappointed.  My issue isn't with the design.  Taken for the 1968 Topps these aren't bad  looking overall.  My issues is head and torso shots.  When getting older designs on cards I prefer an updated take on the photos - this would include in-game or action photos.  This is self inflicted.  I know I don't care for these but I keep going back.  The Stephen Vogt card stood out to me from this pack.  Nice phot that just seems to fill up the card.  Aside from the base cards I also pulled the following:  team, World Series, 2017 Rookie Stars, disc and New Age Performer cards.  The disc cards like minis are smaller than normal cards which I am not a fan of.  I don't know what to do with them and I'd be ok if they just go away.  The World Series cards are pretty nice cards.  I love cards that document the past World Series.
I won't go looking for these cards but I know there are collectors who love this stuff.  I am truly happy they enjoy them but this niche isn't for me.  I normally enjoy the archives cards Topps puts out as there is more variety and you get better looking photos.  I hope others enjoy these but I'll pass.
 

384 Total Cards
7 Hall of Fame Stamp
 3 Topps 40th Anniversary Cards
2 NBA Draft Redemption Cards (#17 & #18)
2 Checklists
1 Pressure Points
1 Shooting Stars
1 Fantastic 15
1 Rock Stars

Dwight Howard

Atlanta had a decent enough season (43-39) to get the fifth seed in the NBA's Eastern Conference playoffs but I can't say I really know who this team is.  They'll play the Washington Wizards in the first round who are a much better team.  And more than anything they know who they are.  I'd be surprised if Atlanta wins this series but who knows.  The Hawks will need the entire team to play at a high level every game.  That is not something that has happened consistently this year.  They still don't have that go to player to score when they need it.  I'd love to say I know how this game will go but I just can't get a good read on this series.  I am definitely leaning towards Washington though and think they'll probably take the series in six games.  I hope I'm wrong but Atlanta will have to play much better for something like that to happen.

C.J. McCollum

Portland really came on late in the season and grabbed the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs.  The addition of Jusuf Nurkic at the trading deadline was a big part of the reason Portland raced into the playoffs.  It is currently unknown if he'll actually be able to play after breaking a leg near the end of the season.  This is a big blow.  The team still have stud Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum but this team need a miracle to win multiple games and playing short handed isn't going to help that happen.  I think Portland can win a game but Golden State is so, so talented that a sweep is a definite possibility.  I just have to believe their great play at the end of season can continue and they are able to steal a win or two.  I just can't make myself believe they can win this series. 

The 2016-2017 Donruss Basketball cards have been out a while and with the playoffs starting today it is a perfect day to post some basketball cards.  I do like these cards.  Not as much as the Prestige cards from this year which I really love but as an overall set I'm very happy.  The design is a typical Donruss style that I'm good with.  I will say I think the photos are better than Prestige which seemed to be nothing but players dribbling.  More diversity here.   
The backs are colored in the team's primary colors and are fine with me.  They have the standard write-up, player info, last year's stats and career totals.  I will say I don't need total points as a stat.  Who really uses that stat anymore?  Plus steals and blocks were totals as well - no per game averages.  Fail.  Again it is all about per game averages.  This isn't the sixties.  It's not that I need them doing math for me.  It is all about putting the stats in a relevant form.  Plenty of inserts and parallels with the Champ cards sticking out to me. These cards highlight some of the all-time greats and their championship(s).  There are only 15 players in this set and I wish there were more. 
I really like the "Kings" cards across the Donruss sets and these are no different.  I pulled one Court Kings and one Hall Kings.  Great looking cards that have current and former players highlighted.  I'm also a huge fan of All-Star cards in general and these are pretty cool.  I received a Kobe Bryant that looks to be from an All-Star game of the past.  I like it.  Overall I'm very happy with these cards.  I'll probably pursue the insert sets more than I will the base cards but I think they were worth picking up.     

These are the 2017 Donruss baseball cards.  I like the base designs.  These harken back to past sets put out with this one actually reminding me of the 1988 Fleer baseball cards.  Not important as these are nice looking cards.  As always with Donruss nowadays there is the distraction of not having the license for the teams.  That stinks but I've learned to get past it.   
The designs on the back aren't bad but I really think just a bit of color could have made them sooo much better.  So they get the ole neck shrug from me.  I was pretty happy with my pull as well.  Baseball sets can be pretty huge so you never know what you might get.   
Some of the cards featured retired players on the current design as well as on cards with the 1983 Donruss look.  Current players also were featured on the 1983 designs.  That set isn't one of my favorites but I'm as nostalgic as the next guy and enjoyed these cards too.  I also pulled a relic card.  Not bad looking and Reed is a rookie this year.  Nice cards.  I won't go looking for these cards but if they happen to be there for me I will definitely consider picking up more.   

A.J. Reed Diamond Collection Relics Card

I'm thinking I'll take another shot on these some day.  I won't rush out to get them but I definitely won't shy away from them either. 

A while back I purchased my first repack boxes - a baseball and football at a Walgreens for $4.95 each.  This is the football box.  With the football cards I did get many cards from sets I've never actually had before so that was definitely a bonus. 
There were 75 cards in the box as well as one unopened pack.  I'd never opened repacks before but had a good idea of what I was in for.  Not a ton of stars but I won't complain.
I probably knew 95 % of the players and there were plenty of names to make it fun.  The Jadaveon Clouney card was definitely a nice surprise but unless you are O.K. with just opening these for the fun of it, I would move along. 
Is it worth the money?  No.  But I enjoyedit and pulled probably 10 cards I'll add to my personal collection.  My next post will look at the baseball repack box.       

I displayed my old sweatshirt at work in the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl.

I am, for the most part, over the Super Bowl loss hangover dished out on my Falcons.  As you never know what the future holds for Atlanta or any team I picked up some new swag.  Above left  is a sweatshirt I purchased back in 2000 after the Falcons lost to Denver in the Super Bowl.  To the right is my new hoodie that showed up today commemorating last year's NFC Championship.






I also grabbed a t-shirt as well.  Again you just never know when these things will happen.  I waited almost 20 years for this one and it may never happen again.  Hard to believe that I know but there are plenty of teams who have waited longer.  Anyway I just wanted to show off some of my new, and old, gear. 

 

2005 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites #78 Carl Yastrzemski