Night Owl Cards

It's time to put this box of A&G out of its mis-er-ee. With no hope of victory and virtually no hope of another hit, I am officially in Detroit Lions mode -- play out the string and hope for a No. 1 draft choice next year. Last year I finished with 268 points. That would be damn fine this year, but I think it's a little more difficult to score this time around. I am at 150.6 with three packs to go, and there is no way I am breaking 200 -- which seems to be the indicator of top 5 box in Gint-a-Cuffs II. So let's see what assortment of bones, stars and champeeens I can pull from Packs 22-24: PACK 22 1. #172 - Ian Desmond (0 points) 2. #22 - Lucy (0 points) Real name: Australopithecus Afarensis. I can see why she changed it. 3. #170 - Adrian Gonzalez (2 points, favorite player list). Nice card. Team playing over its head. But at least they're still not bastards like the Giants. 4. #147 - Cristian Guzman (0 points) 5. #77 - Ricky Romero (0 points). Sam...

I bought a blaster of 2010 Allen & Ginter Sunday. If you remember, the point in which a set ceases to be "new" is when I find a blaster of the stuff in my neighborhood. So that means all we're showing on Gint-a-Cuffs now are cards everyone has seen a zillion times before: "Oh, geez, there's that guy surrounded by flames again. When is someone going to show something interesting ?" I hear ya. But I'm in the middle of a contest here. It's a contest I won't win, but that never stopped the Cubs from finishing a season did it? So I am continuing on, but first I'll show you the highlights of the blaster. It wasn't too bad for the first blaster, even if I pulled a few short-print doubles, which annoys me to no end. There was one of those World's Biggest minis, which apparently are retail only. I like this one. You can't get much bigger than a mountain or Mount Everest. So I think I've got the King of Big here. Awes...

With a bit of resignation, I return to Gint-a-Cuffs, knowing that the best is behind me. I have no idea what it will take to win this year's competition. I just know that I don't have it. What I do have is another hit waiting for me. That's something. And there could be some more Dodgers. There's another thing. And there could be arbitrary champions of tree-climbing or reptile-wrestling or something. Does the Guinness Book of World Records have a say on who gets in this set each year? If so, where's the most tattooed woman? That would make an interesting card. OK, babbling is over. Instead, time for ridiculous commentary on the cards contained herewithin this box. It's Packs 16 through 18. PACK 16 1. #38 - Tiago Della Vega (0 points). The fastest guitar player in the world. This set is filled with freaks, I tell ya. 2. #292 - Chris Pettit (0 points) 3. #194 - Nyjer Morgan (0 points) 4. #218 - Todd Helton (0 points). The other guy who follows me eve...

We have reached what is the traditional apex of a box of Ginter freshly purchased by me. Unlike your typical dramatic novel, the peak of a "night owl box" is not near the end but dead center in the middle. That way, we can crawl to the finish, all crippled and pathetic-like. But that's getting ahead of ourselves. And I wouldn't want you to get ahead of yourself. Remember, no peaking at the card that "somebody will want" later in the post. We'll get to it all in good time. Put on your patience pants. (Hint: It's not the Mike Leake card). OK, I'm at 72 points. Let's try to break 100 here with Packs 12 through 15. PACK 12 1. #3 - Ryan Braun (2 points, favorite player list). Otherwise known as the only player to receive more N.L. All-Star outfielder votes than Andre Ethier. 2. #272 - David Blaine (0 points). The guy who does all those magician shows. Personally, I think he's starved for attention. 3. #33 - Bengie Molina (0 points...