Quarter Box Raid

The local card shop we frequent has quite a large selection of quarter boxes. Usually when I take the boys, we spend so much time plowing through those that we never get to looking at anything else. Oh well, I suppose it's better for my wallet that way. The last time I went, I decided to focus on basketball, since it is the middle of basketball season after all. Here is a small sampling of what I picked up.

The "Worm" Dennis Rodman. Now that was/is one weird dude. I loved his appearance on the last season of Celebrity Apprentice, though I don't know weather to feel sorry or disgust for him sometimes. Dennis seems to be one messed up dude, but man could he play basketball. One of the best rebounders and defenders ever, his on court play was as flamboyant as his hair colors. Notice I got 3 cards and 3 different hair colors. Dennis is now appearing on Celebrity Rehab on VH1. Hopefully, Dr. Drew can help him get his life back together.

Next up is the "Dream", Hakeem Olajuwon. Hakeem spent almost his whole basketball career in Houston, first as a member of Phi Slamma Jamma at the University of Houston, then in the NBA for the Rockets. He ended his career with the Raptors, which was strange, but he never quit wearing the knee pads. What was up with those anyway? Hakeem. Patrick Ewing. Robert Parrish. How come nobody wears them anymore?

Steve Nash, both as a Mav and a Sun. I prefer him on the Mavs, of course. I still can't believe Cuban let him go for nothing and Steve has shown very little signs of needing to hang them up any time soon. As much as I love Steve, he creeps me out a little. Watch him shoot free throws sometime. He'll smooth his lick his fingers, wipe his sweaty hair out of his eyes, wipe his dusty shoes with his hands, then lick his fingers AGAIN! Yuck! Gives me the willies. He's an awesome point guard though, so I'll let it slide.

In high school I was as tall as Reggie Miller. I had a lifesize Milk growth chart poster of him in my room to prove it. I was just as skinny as Reggie too, but not nearly as good a basketball player. The Pacers weren't that great when I lived there, but after I moved to Texas they had a nice run at the top of the Eastern Conference. I used to love Reggie's verbal sparring with Spike Lee at the Garden, stick it to him Reggie!

The "Mailman" Karl Malone once ate at a Red Lobster near my home. At least that's what my mother in law told me one day after my wife and I had just arrived at said Red Lobster to meet her parents for dinner. She said Karl Malone had just left. Yeah, right. I'm not sure she'd know Karl Malone if he walked up and said, "Hi, I'm the Mailman", but maybe it was him. I wish I had gotten there a few minutes earlier, at least then I'd know for sure.

AK47. Do you think Andrei Kirilenko wears the number 47 because of his nickname, or did he get his nickname because of his number? You know, the chicken or the egg? Would he be called AK23 for example if he changed his number? Would he be called AS47 if his name were Andrei Smith? Anyway, he's a good shot blocker. See the third card? I told you.

Jason Kidd is back in Dallas and since we don't have Steve anymore, I'm glad. Kidd is a great elder statesman for a young team, too bad the Mavs aren't young anymore. That's okay, he's good for older teams too. Jason must have spent a lot more time in the Sun in Phoenix than he did in Dallas or New Jersey, check out the tan. Don't you just miss Skybox and their flaming basketballs? I do.

Manchild Dwight Howard is one of the newer players I collect. He's a beast. Though I keep waiting for him to be an even beastlier beast than he already is. I wonder if he'll make that shot in the middle card. Dwight's got great leaping skills for a big guy. Check out the dunk contest from a few years ago when he stuck that smiley face sticker of himself on the top of the backboard while dunking. Classic.

Quick, somebody call the news. I think I see an image of Jesus playing basketball on a Bowman Chrome card. Pau Gasol is my favorite Spaniard, though I hate that he plays for the Lakers. I still can't believe the Lakers swindled the Grizzlies like they did, though, Pau's brother Marc is turning into a decent player himself.

Last up is Michael Finley. He was always one of my favorite Mavs, though he did get bagged on quite a bit by the local media at times. Michael was a ferocious dunker in his earlier years as you can see on the cards above. He began to drive less and less and turn more to just shooting jumpers and a lot of people gave him grief for that. Still, I was sad to see him go and to the Spurs no less! Sheesh, I can't root for the Spurs.

I guess that's all I got for now. Later.