Boy, these cards sure are tall...

See what I did there?

What? They can't all be gems.

Hmpf.

At the card show last weekend, I was rummaging through a box that had the most mixed bag of cards in it. No top loaders or sleeves. Just card board. There was '60's through to today. No danger of cutting myself on the corners. Condition was not at a premium.

But above the rest, were four cards. Standing tall as it were. (*ahem*)

I picked out this beauty with an eye towards sending it off for an autograph request.

It's a little rough... but it's perfect for what I want it for. I asked him how much and he replied that he didn't care, whatever I thought was fair. So I offered $1 and he couldn't say deal fast enough.

I reached in my pocket and all I had was a toonie. ($2 coin for you Yanks...) He said, you want the change, or you could take the other three and use them for more autographs?

I took the other three cards for $1. I didn't have the heart to tell him that Mr Provost had passed away 30 years ago....

still a great card though.

Claude Provost has the most Stanley Cup wins of any player who is NOT in the Hall of Fame.
Nine.
The man has nine Stanley Cups, and isn't in the Hall. Go figure.
He also won the Bill Masterton trophy in 1968.

Also included were a couple of the currently hated Rangers.

Rod Gilbert was the first Ranger to have his number retired. He is also in the Hall.
With no Cups. none.

and good ole George Sullivan. We'll call him Red.

 He played from '49-'61 then became a coach.
After coaching the Rangers for 4 seasons, he became the first ever coach of the new Pittsburgh Penguins, lasting two seasons, before being one of three head coaches for the first year Washington Capitals.
That was enough to make him retire.

I love these'64/65 OPC Tall Boys... I'll send out the Talbot. Keep the Provost. And probably send the Rangers to commishbob.
If he wants them.

Not bad for $2.

Killing them slowly...

or is that softly? Whatever.

This past weekend saw Calgary host their version of a huge card show. It's not really that big. But everything's relative. And around here, we'll take what we can get.

It's always good to see new sellers. After seeing the same group lug around the same stuff for a year, anything different is extremely appreciated.

I managed to spend a little bit of cash with almost all the sellers. I try to support them for coming out, some of them a long way.

One of the nice surprises was being able to jump on some cards that have been on my want list for quite some time. In the age of the latest and greatest 17 colour autographed game used patch mojo sickz L@@K! cards that are all the rage with the kids nowadays,  I was really pleased to knock off some older set needs.

My NRMT 1979-80 OPC set is almost complete.

 

 I have a couple of EX condition sets, but now after adding this Flames TC, I only need the Winnipeg Jets TC and my nice one is done. Finished. So close and yet.....

Speaking of upgrading.... I found a stack of NRMT-MT 1977-78 OPC glossy inserts (rounded corners). I've been needing to upgrade two of them and now I have.

Mr Dionne

 and Mr MacLeish.

 These are pack fresh. Really sweet. You can get complete sets of these online cheap, but I enjoy the chase, and was happy to finally cross these off my list.

And talk about the chase... after what seems like years, I found someone selling 2010-11 OPC black bordered retro inserts /100.
He had about 40 of them in a binder on his table. I didn't need any of those, but I asked if he had any more. He said he had a bunch more, but not with him. He'd bring them in on Sunday. So back on Sunday I went, and snagged five more cards towards completion.

 Not exactly big names....

 but to a set collector, one is as important as another.

I was thrilled with finding these.

All cards seen here cost a total of $15. A very cheap high to be able to cross off so many cards off of my old, worn out list.

Playoffs. No one does it better.

This is how you do it.... no brain bleeding club music. No stupid human ice bowling. Just tradition, class. And a wee bit of modern 3D effects.



Time to get it on.

Are you ready?

If this doesn't get you ready.... you're dead.



It's the best time of the year.... playoffs baby!

Last card show booty. Yes, I said booty.

The last monthly card show of the season was last weekend. And for good reason. Nice weather and a general malaise over what's out there to buy resulted in  not many sellers attending, and even fewer customers.

However it was a good chance to wish everyone a "Have a good summer" and pick up some last minute deals.

I had hoped to leave there not spending any cash at all... but a few cards forced their way home with me.

There were some outstanding deals in the $2 and $1 boxes. I could've bought all of the boxes... but restrained myself into just thirteen hockey cards. (and three baseball)

Here we go. A lot of scans, not a lot of chatter.

2013-14 SP Game Used dual $1

2013-14 SP Game Used Rookie Gallagher jersey $2

2013-14 SP Game Used Nathan Beaulieu Rookie jersey $1

2013-14 Totally Certified Nathan Beaulieu Rookie jersey $1

2013-14 Totally Certified Max Pacioretty Clear Cloth /100  $2  (the space around Max's head is clear acetate.)

2013-14 Totally Certified Brendan Gallagher rookie card. $2

2013-14 Titanium some sort of metallic parallel  /76  PK Subban  $2

2013-14 UD Oilers Devan Dubnyk auto  $1 (since he's minding the cage in Hamilton, I had to)

2013 ITG BTP Damien Rhodes auto.  $1 (my first Rhodes auto..... I think....)

2012-13 ITG Forever Rivals Jim Dorey auto   $1  (slowly building this set... s.l.o.w.l.y.)

2012-13 ITG Forever Rivals Lanny McDonald jersey SP  /20  $1  (see above)

2013-14 Select Gold parallel /10 Guy Carbonneau   $2

2013-14 Select Gold parallel /10 Thomas Vanek  $2

oddly enough, both of those are numbered 10/10...

There you have it... quick and easy.  All for $20. Or I could've bought a blaster for between $25 - $30.

Nope.

a special day...

There is absolutely nothing about this picture that isn't The Awesome.



and I am unanimous in this.

Happy Birthday Gordie.

They just never change......

Tonight Montreal went into Boston and beat the Bruins as they usually do. That's their sixth straight win in the Garden.
Tuukka Rask can't beat the Habs, 3 wins in 20 games, and both Carey Price, 7-1-1 in his last nine against Boston, and tonight's starter, Peter Budaj, own very good records against the Bruins.

More of the same this evening. Budaj stoned the Bruins in a 2-1 shootout victory.

But of course, with Boston there's always drama. Known league wide as a team with more than their share of cheap shot artists and a club that likes to intimidate their opponents.... except Montreal. It just doesn't work on them lately.

Case in point early in the first, Montreal's Alexei Emelin hit Milan Lucic with a beautiful hip check at center ice. Lucic went up and over landing hard on the ice. 6'9" Zdeno Chara came rushing over to cross check Emelin from behind, earning him a two minute penalty.
Lucic got up and speared Emelin, albeit a glancing blow. Can't blame a guy for trying. Better luck next time Milan!

After the game, Lucic called Emelin "a chicken". This from a guy who never hits a guy from the front, always from behind. Similar to Chara. Nailing Emelin from behind.

the Bruins like a lot of things from behind.

Too bad Beantown....