Goodbye 2013 NASCAR Season -- Hello 2014 Press Pass Racing.

Amazing isn't it? Jimmie Johnson was just crowned 2013 NASCAR Champion for the sixth time a week ago and hot on the heels of the season close, we have the first 2014 racing product. Press Pass releases their flagship brand to keep a steady flow of racing cards throughout the calendar year. I've heard we are in store for some big changes in the near future and I am excited to see and experience what they may be. For now though, I am going to enjoy this 100-card base set product and the autographs and memorabilia cards inside packs.

The design is solid this year and features drivers from Sprint, Nationwide and the Camping World series. You'll find rookie cards of Austin Dillon, Justin Allgaier and Kyle Larson too.

My only beef with this product coming out so early is that it seems incomplete. You see, this year Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Brian Vickers and others are moving into new cars this year. I hope that Press Pass will seriously consider providing a series two for 2014, perhaps even an online exclusive box set with an auto and memorabilia card.

Here's a look at the video box break:

Parks and Recreation Trading Cards from Press Pass

Boasting one of the most impressive entertainment autograph checklists of any recent non-sports trading card product, Press Pass has obviously has put a lot of eggs in their picnic basket for Parks and Recreation. Big names including Amy Poehler, Rob Lowe, Aziz Ansari, Paul Rudd, Megan Mullally, and key cast members Retta, Aubrey Plaza, Nick Offerman and more have signed for the series. Each box included a memorabilia card and 2 autographs. Look for some fun inscriptions and a complete recap of the series.

SNAPPED! A SIGnificant Card Quickie - 2010 Press Pass Showcase Dale Earnhardt Jr. Auto

The drought ends, here's to hoping it's
 not so long for his next victory.

In my opinion, well, because yours doesn't really matter to me (unless of course you want to buy all of my cards for me), I think that Press Pass Showcase is the best NASCAR product ever made. Every year has been a home run release filled with amazing autographs, memorabilia and magic that isn't really found in any other racing product.

It's expensive, yes, but the results have usually been worth it, at least in my case. I've pulled some true gems out of the product including this one.

It's been 4 years and 143 races since Dale Earnhardt Jr. won a Sprint Cup race. He wasn't just hungry for a win, he's on a drought that would make the Mojave Desert look like the great lakes. He's been abused by the media, race fans, and collectors who doubted his greatness. At the same time, he arguably has the most dedicated fan base in the world of sports. Today, that drought ended and the losing streak has been snapped.  Ironically his last win was also in Michigan. While Earnhardt is time and again the popular fan favorite because of his deep family roots and good-guy persona, I always feared this card was going in the toilet because he just couldn't catch a break or win a race.

Glad, I don't have to worry about that for awhile. He's having an excellent 2012 season.

This is card #EEI-DE from the 2010 Showcase set and is one of my favorite autographed card series. I have an affinity for acetate cards and this happens to be one of them. I also love silver ink signatures. Not only is it a clean sig, it also has JR's authenticity sticker on it!

Great card, great day of racing. Congrats Jr.

Upper Deck Assembles The Avengers for New Entertainment Trading Card Set

As only the 4th film to reach the 500 million mark in the United States, the Avengers has been the hit of the year and it is going to take something bigger than the Hulk to take it down as the 2012 box office champion. Globally, the film is speeding towards the $1.3 Billion mark and its legacy will only grow with the upcoming Iron Man 3, Thor 2, and Captain America 2 films building up to an Avengers sequel.

As far as trading cards go, Upper Deck has been doing a fantastic job delivering quality sets for the founding fathers of Earth's Mightiest Heroes in their solo films, and they got their chance to play Nick Fury by assembling the Avengers for one autograph, sketch card, and memorabilia-filled collection.

Priced at $125-135, it is a huge hit, selling out at the Upper Deck store and many other online retailers. One of the gripes that collectors have had with previous UD movie sets is that they didn't nail the lead actors for autographs. That's been a gripe about this collection too, but it hasn't hindered sales. That's because Upper Deck loaded it with other interesting and collectible items including a guarantee of one sketch card per box. The sketch cards involve all of the Avengers too, they go far beyond the Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Iron Man.

Avengers Assemble also differs from previous releases in the sheer amount of cards that are on the base set checklist. Where many movie sets come in at 72 or 90 cards, this one goes to 11.. er, wrong movie... this one contains a mighty 180 cards.

You didn't necessarily have to have seen Iron Man, Thor or Captain America to enjoy the Avengers, but those fine films sure did lay the groundwork for the team to assemble and defend, no avenge the earth against Loki, the Chitauri and their leader who you don't see until midway through the end credits. If you left, shame on you, if you didn't, you'd know I was talking about the the Mad Titan -- Thanos.

Upper Deck wanted to assure that collectors got the whole story. They included key moments from all of the films leading up to the Avengers. These recap cards make up card numbers 1-90. You'll learn how Tony Stark became Iron Man, see the troubles of Dr. Bruce Banner as he struggles to control the beast within known as the Hulk, discover how Thor -- the God of Thunder came to be a defender of the Earth, and the birth of America's first super soldier -- Captain America. You will also learn about the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division and its key agents Nick Fury, Phil Coulson and Maria Hill. All three factor into the formation of the team most people never thought would grace the big screen.

Cards 91-180 chronicle the grand spectacle that Joss Whedon gave the world. You'll get a glimpse of what the Avengers will face when Loki, the evil half-brother of Thor, steals the cosmic cube that was last seen at the end of Captain America The First Avenger.

Three hobby-only insert sets provide even more backstory for collectors. With Classic Covers you will see years of Avengers comics from the very early days to the West Coast Avengers, and the more modern New Avengers. Enjoy 36 vintage covers from the Marvel vault. The team has gone through more members than the NY Yankees over the years, more name changes, more incarnations to keep them relevant with comic book fans. There isn't a major character in the Marvel Universe that hasn't had some kind of run in with the team fighting either with or against them. Believe me when I say that this movie only scratches the surface on what is possible to put on screen. But you know the saying, too many cooks spoil the broth? It happened with the X-Men franchise and no one wants to see it happen to the Avengers.

A 60-card set titled Heroes & Villains Evolve is a fantastic foil expedition that provides a look at your favorite heroes and villains and how they have morphed from their inception in comics to their larger than life realistic presence on film.  

If you'd like to get a feel for the behind-the-scenes work on costumes and storyboards for the film, you will no doubt enjoy the 9-card Concept Series cards. These black and white artist renderings are placed within a blueprint design and really pay homage to the people that did the grunt work for the Avengers Initiative.

All this and we've really only hit the tip of the iceberg. We still have autographs, sketch cards and memorabilia to discuss. Let's start with memorabilia. You will most probably find these more so than autos or sketches. There are single, double, triple and quad memorabilia cards. So far, anything with a swatch of fabric that touched the flesh of Scarlett Johansson are hot while the others, not so much. Her single swatch cards are closing at about $50-75 and her dual swatches hit upwards of $225. You'll find gear from actors Sam L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Clark Gregg, Coby Smulders, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, and Tom Hiddleston. This, Upper Deck did right.

The autographs are a whole different animal. You will find autos from several Marvel movies including Thor cast members Kat Dennings (Darcy Lewis), Idris Elba (Heimdall), Colm Fiore (King Laufey - Frost Giant) and Jamie Alexander (Sif). Captain America is represented by Bruno Ricci (Jacques Dernier). The only new autos from the Avengers movie cast are Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) and Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill). That hasn't stopped collectors from paying, and sellers demanding top dollar for the autographs. That's where UD has done it right. There aren't 5 per box and they aren't common. The rarity of the signatures is fueling large secondary market prices and demand.

While the collection is sans Evans, Scarlett, Sam L., Downey, Gregg, Ruffalo, and director Whedon, it certainly still packs a punch. Why they are missing remains to be seen. It could have been cost per autograph, it could have been timing, or it could have been the fact that because the movie was going to be huge, they didn't need the big names to push the product. Whatever the case, it still doesn't justify the absence of some or all of them on the checklist. Scarlett was actually supposed to be a part of the set albeit on a sell sheet or in someone in the product development area's dreams. Why didn't she make the cut? That's a question to ask directly to Upper Deck and I'll take care of that either via email or the next time someone from the company appears on my radio show.

The real drivers of Avengers Assemble are the sketch cards. You'll find a mix of pencil sketches mixed in with some colorfully complete images. Some are selling for over $300. You'll find single sketches, 2-card panels and 4-card puzzle cards with amazing art from the talents of Rhiannon Owens, Optic Nerve, Elvin Hernandez, Tom Hodges, Joe Rubinstein, Jim Cheung, Edward Cherniga, Charles Hall and many, many others.

Other items to be on the lookout for include Printing Plates. These rare 1/1 collectibles add a whole different dimension to collecting an entertainment set. UD doesn't even list the odds of finding the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow or Black plates, but they are fetching $50-100 in many auctions. It's not just the base cards either, look for these rarities of the insert collections too.

Like the film, there are very few flaws with the set. You know UD is always going to deliver a good looking design, they did just that with all of the cards included. They fell short with the auto checklist, but what they did put in is red-hot, showing that while collectors want the big names, a set like this doesn't necessarily need them to sell out. The only element that's missing in action? Where in the world are the vintage Captain America cards? You know, the ones Agent Coulson carries around to show he's not just an agent of Shield, but a fanboy just like you and me. UD missed a golden opportunity to put in a subset of clean, fake Captain America cards with a vintage design, along with a chase set with Coulson's blood, sweat and tears on them as it is his sacrifice that eventually forges the bond between the heroes.

A hobby box provided 131 of the 180 card set with 2 duplicates. Yes! Finally an entertainment set building option. You will need more than one box to compile the set. There were 10 of the 36 Classic Covers, 12 of the 60 Heroes & Villains Evolve set, and 2 Concept Series.

The hits were a single swatch of Tony Stark's blazer worn by Robert Downey Jr, a triple swatch card featuring movie costumes from Agent Coulson, Nick Fury and Tony Stark, and the final hit was an Optic Nerve sketch card of Spider Woman.

Avengers Assemble the trading card set is fun, much like the movie. It will leave you satisfied, but wanting more, much more. Luckily a sequel has already been announced and I for one can't wait to collect Thanos trading cards. Here's to hoping for Infinity Gems memorabilia cards!

That's it for this issue, as Stan Lee would say, "Excelsior!"

Tune in to Cardboard Connection Radio on Wednesday, May 30 for some discussion about the collection and be on the lookout for a video of the box break on YouTube!

I have received a box of Upper Deck's Avengers Assemble trading cards for the purpose of this review.

Oh The Thinks You Can Think or Living Your Dream

I've always believed that if you want something badly enough you can get it. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices, take chances and work extremely hard. I've tried to do that with any job I've had. I've done all of the above and more during the past 2-3 months and I have really enjoyed the results. Thoughts go through my mind and I wonder if I can make them a reality given the short amount of time I have to actually work on the Cardboard Connection show. I work a full-time job and manage a lot of side projects, but I've never felt like the show was ever work. Even on a business trip to Las Vegas, we had fun and the hours melted away into days.

I've never been more proud of the Cardboard Connection team. Working with the guys (Rob, Mike, Paul & Brad) at the Industry Summit was a blast and we were honored to assist Kevin Isaacson and Panini America throughout the event, especially with the GTS Distribution Ultimate Case Break. I can't tell you how much fun it was watching over $15,000 in product get opened and then having all of the participants come on camera to show us their hits.

Our sponsors have also played a huge part in our success. We owe a huge thanks to Memory Lane, Inc., Collectors Proof, Blowout Cards, Onyx Authenticated, ISA Grading, & Leaf Trading Cards.

Upon returning home from Vegas, we've delivered some of our best broadcasts since bringing back the Cardboard Connection Radio show. It has been a combination of elements that have made them so much fun. First off, the main ingredient has been our listeners, we have dedicated core group that always help make the show fun. Being live, it's always a blast to hear and see what they are thinking as we are discussing products or speaking with a guest.

The guests are also a huge part of the show. I liken it to Ric Flair wrestling. Ric is great and his opponent always looks good when the show is over. The result is even better when he wrestles someone of equal or nearly equal talent. Its been said that Ric could make a broomstick look like a million bucks in the ring. That analogy also works the same for radio. You need a good guest, or you have know how to bring out the best in a person to make them sound good on the air. Of late, we've had some top quality guests that are also top quality people. That's magical and a lot of times we don't know what some people are going to be like on the air.

We've added a few new segments too. Set of the Week is one that's become pretty popular. We try to make a regular segment on Friday nights, but sometimes there is just so much to discuss, it slips off the list of show topics. We also added a new Entertainment Card segment with Ryan Cracknell, a long-time blogger who now happens to be the editor at the Cardboard Connection. There are more coming, so stay tuned.

A couple of weeks back we were honored to have Armen Keteyian on the air. Armen had just completed an assignment with CBS Sunday Morning about the hobby and it wasn't good. Much of the news presented was true, but there was no mention of the current industry and how it has adapted, changed and grown over the years. It was produced with a negative tone and basically was predicting the death of the hobby.

Armen got an earful from collectors after the piece aired. What impressed me was that Panini America's Jason Howarth was the first person from a major trading card manufacturer to reach out and debate Armen.

Brian Gray from Leaf Trading Cards also spoke out as did Upper Deck's Chris Carlin. We also opened a dialog with Armen, and were fortunate to get him on the show. It turned out to be a great segment, and with any luck, if he tackles the hobby again in a future piece, it will have some more active and current sources within the industry. Not only did he admit that it was done in a very short time-frame, but he also said that the story could have been a little longer with some mention of how the hobby has changed. Regardless, whether you agreed with Armen or not, the segment got the hobby some attention and it saw collectors unite to make people aware that the hobby is alive and kicking.

Cardboard Connection Radio with guest Armen Keteyian

A week before that we had on Shawn Witt. Shawn is the Executive Producer of the new memorabilia/collectibles show on ABC called Ball Boys. It's a carbon copy of Pawn Stars but only involves the sports memorabilia finds found at the store Robbie's 1st Base in Baltimore, MD. Shawn was awesome. He gave us some great insight on what to expect and how the show would shape up. So far, it's pretty good. I'd like to see some more about trading cards, but after a couple of episodes, I've continued to tune in.

Cardboard Connection Radio with guest Shawn Witt

This past Friday we were thrilled to have Jeremy Brown from Ultimate Sports Cards & Memorabilia in Las Vegas on the show. His shop is thriving in Las Vegas. It's a tough market to have a store in because there are no pro teams and the population is melting pot from all parts of the globe. You need to be diverse and keep a stock of many different teams and players on hand because you never know what kind of collector or fan is going to walk through the front door. If you didn't know, Jeremy is also the go-to guy for Rick Harrison's Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. So if you are a fan of Pawn Stars, check out our archives for a great segment on the health of the hobby in Vegas and learn how Jeremy got involved with the History Channel's smash hit.

Cardboard Connection Radio with guest Jeremy Brown

To quote rock icon Paul Stanley, "We are just getting started." We look to deliver the best guests on a weekly basis that we can. If you think you've got a great collectible product, are a big-time collector, or know of someone you think we should be talking to on the Cardboard Connection Radio show, let us know. We want your feedback too. You may contact us at radio@sportsology.net.

Thanks for all of your support, us collectors have to stick together!

Oh, and a special thank you to the many people that celebrated April Fools Day with us. Our "new" show Bottlecaps & Dumpster Divers was a huge success!

Bottlecaps & Dumpster Divers World Premiere

A History of a Beloved Hobby - Collecting Trading Cards

Ever wondered about the long history of the trading card? It's come a long way since its inception. Once packed out as a perk or advertisement to help sell tobacco, it's now a multi-million dollar business that involves collectors of all ages.

Enjoy a visual history of the development of trading cards with this hour-long presentation from long-time collector, writer, and Cardboard Connection Radio Show Host Doug Cataldo. From vintage to video cards, you'll see these collectibles in a new light. Learn about grading, authenticity, and the manufacturers that make the cards. Participate in a Q & A session at the end of the presentation. We'll even give some trading cards away before it's over!

For more details and bookings contact Doug at dcataldo@cardcornerclub.net.

SIGnificant Cards - 2003-04 Pat Riley Upper Deck Legends Basketball

I'm pretty sure that when the average person is asked about NBA coaches that Pat Riley's name pops into their heads. He might not be the first choice for older NBA fans. Red Auerbach, Don Nelson or Phil Jackson are among some of the other well known coaches that could be considered the very best. However there was a special flair with Riley that made him a household name, as much, if not more than some of his players. Riley has five NBA championships under his belt, and has won the NBA coach of the year honors three times with three different teams.

His years with the Lakers and the Knicks provided many a headline, and his work with the Miami Heat brought that franchise its most recent NBA title.

Riley though is much more than just a coach. He was also a player, and a 1st round draft pick to boot. Selected 7th overall out of Tennessee, he enjoyed playing for nearly a decade with San Diego, Los Angeles and Phoenix. He got his first taste of championships winning one in 1972 with the Lakers.

While his stats on the court might not have been Hall of Fame worthy, his autograph most certainly is worth adding to any collection. Riley has done it all. He's a television commentator, author, coach, motivational speaker, and the guy is well known for his fashion etiquette. You probably couldn't tell by the 70s era photo on the card. He looks more like a gym teacher or race-car driver. Saying he is just a coach is kind of like saying Filet Mignon is just another slab of beef.

Many despise him, many love him, but you can't deny the man and his accomplishments. Finding this card in a pack was a great collecting moment for me, especially as a fan of Riley and many of the great players that he has coached. Yeah, I rooted for those Patrick Ewing led Knicks teams and it killed me every single time they choked...

Anyway, I pulled this sweet sig of Pat Riley out of a box of 2003-04 Upper Deck Legends Basketball, a product that is loaded with great, easy to acquire autos of some of the all-time hardwood icons. It is card #LS-PR and there isn't a sticker in sight.

SIGnificant Cards - Kris Humphries 2004-05 Bowman Signature Edition Rookie

Just when I thought the friggin' Kardashian family couldn't possibly get any more TV time or tabloid covers, they shock the world with the divorce announcement of Kim and her husband for 72 days -- Kris Humphries.

When this card came out in 2004, Kris was drafted by the Utah Jazz #14 overall. He got a lot of praise coming out of Minnesota, and at the same time many thought he was a selfish player that didn't have his team's best interest at heart. Either way, whatever stock he had coming into the NBA dropped quickly. He has become somewhat of a journey man playing for four teams over a span of seven years. He was most recently a member of the New Jersey Nets and became a free agent after the 2010-11 season. Now with the lockout, he's without a team, and with his divorce he's without a wife.

Now without being too harsh, did anyone think this marriage was actually going to work? I have never seen a single minute of any of their television adventures (luckily), but didn't this girl get famous by releasing a XXX video of herself? Do I really need to say anymore?

This card was worth about $10 when it came out and it is worth about the same today. No amount of press can change that. The only way this card is going to become more valuable is if the NBA lockout ends and his skills all of a sudden improve. However, one could find many other uses for this card that's slabbed in a Topps sealed holder. Doorstop? Table leveler? Anyone? Anyone?

SIGnificant Cards - Mike Tyson Sportkings Autograph

One of my first jobs was as a valet attendant at the Trump Regency Hotel. It used to be the famous Playboy Club, and was always a blast to hang out at and kill some time with friends. Atlantic City has always had its ups and downs and the Playboy Club just couldn't cut it with Steve Wynn and Donald Trump creating the ultimate beach resorts. Eventually Trump bought the struggling hotel and it functioned without a casino. I moved from the outside in, becoming a bell desk, oh who am I kidding, I can't even remember what my job title was...

Anyway, I worked with some very interesting people and met a lot of celebrities and athletes during my time there. One of the great things about the Regency was that it was host to almost all of the boxers that fought at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Many of the celebrities that would attend the fights would also stay there.

I met a ton of people and it was a great experience. When Mike Tyson came in for fights, his entire entourage stayed at the Regency. So for many months, I got to see the champ multiple times a day. Most times he would have a set of headphones on and would ignore nearly everyone in his path. Some days, more than likely you would get a glimpse of the Mike Tyson that people came to know from his turbulent career and on a good day, you'd get to see him be more like the man he has matured into today.

It was at the Trump Regency that I met my long time friend and co-host Russ Cohen. We attended many fights together including some that we'll never forget such as James Toney versus Mike McCallum I, Ray Mercer destroying Tommy Morrison, and nearly any and all Evander Holyfield, George Foreman and Mike Tyson fights that took place in the city.

As a lifelong boxing fan, I was a huge fan of Mike Tyson and watched him pick apart and annihilate his opponents on his way to the Heavyweight titles. He looked untouchable and put fear in people long before the bell rang. Just watch this clip of him decimating Michael Spinks.

That was just one of the insane events that involved Tyson in Atlantic City. Here's another brutal beating, this one suffered by Alex Stewart...

That was his comeback fight after losing to Buster Douglas. He was angry and fought like it. But this fight was the blueprint on how to beat him. He didn't utilize any of the skills he learned, it was all ferocity. Skilled fighters that weren't necessarily stronger, but ones that were better conditioned took him apart later on down the road. I don't know what his punch count numbers were after this fight but if he landed 20% of his punches I'd be shocked.

I'm glad Mike has his stuff together these days and he was hilarious in both of the Hangover movies. There's no doubt that this Sportkings card is one of the gems in my collection. It comes from Series C and card # A-MT1 is the Silver Version complete with the guarantee of Dr. Brian Price that it is authentic.

I write this as I just learned of the passing of another boxing icon -- "Smokin" Joe Fraizer. Joe also has a Sportkings auto and I wish I had that one in my collection, he will be missed by many. RIP Joe.

Just after I finished writing this, I saw this on TMZ. Seemed fitting to link to it.

SIGnificant Cards - Rittenhouse Archives John Noble Stargate SG-1

I've had a few favorite television shows over the years. From Hong Kong Phooey when I was like 5 and more recently the FX Cop Drama the Shield, it takes a lot to get me to sit down and actually watch something week in and week out. Since complete seasons and series have come out on DVD, I find myself borrowing them from my local library to avoid commercials and cliffhangers. Time is of essence!

One of the shows I missed when it made it's television debut is the Fox Sci-Fi thriller Fringe. On a whim, I saw season one was on sale at Best Buy for $9 and I bought it. I had heard some good things about the show and since I was a little child, I loved the idea of a parallel universe, time-travel and the science behind it. It sounded like my kind of show, and after watching a couple of episodes I was hooked.

With a great cast including Anna Torv as Olivia Dunham, Joshua Jackson as Peter Bishop, Mark Valley who was awesome as Brad Chase on Boston Legal and the quirky John Noble as Walter Bishop (you might know him from Lord of the Rings, I never sat through them), I really got caught up on the show and couldn't wait for more.

When they finally progressed the story to the point of having characters from one earth inhabit the other earth, it became my favorite show that's currently airing. Yeah I am a total geek and I know it! So I figured I'd check out what actors on the show had autographed cards. It was just about the time that Wizard World's Comic Con was hitting the Chicago area and I wondered if I might have some luck trying to find some of the cast members autos there.

Of all the many dealers and vendors present at the show (no major trading card manufacturers) I did find one non-sport card dealer who had binders and binders of memorabilia and autographed cards for sale. I flipped through several binders and found a few amazing signatures (many of which will end up as a SIGnificant Cards column).

Among the group I purchased that day included this Rittenhouse Archives Stargate SG-1 signature card of John Noble a.k.a Walter Bishop from his time in the long-running series as Meurik. It was a steal at just $5.

With the over-saturated market for sports autographs, this is one of the aspects of the hobby I love most. Many actors/entertainment personalities have autographed cards in sets that don't reflect their current work. Either they get too busy to sign, are uninterested in signing or the show or movie they appear in doesn't get a card set made. But I could rattle off a list of actors/actresses in my collection that have signed cards for different projects than the ones they are most known and famous for. This is but one of them.

SIGnificant Cards -- 2009 Press Pass Premium Tony Stewart Premium Signatures

It's been awhile since I posted, I took a vacation, and quite frankly didn't want to return to writing on a daily basis right away. I've been busy with life, trying to get some priorities in order, in addition to adding a second night of programming for the Cardboard Connection Radio show, so I took some time to regroup. I'm excited about today's entry though, because it's about a card I had wanted to add to my collection for several years and finally did. Best of all, it came from a pack, and to me, that always makes it better than buying it from the secondary market.

With a victory in Texas this afternoon, Tony Stewart edged closer to overall points leader Carl Edwards, now only trailing by 3 points with 2 races left to determine the Sprint Cup Champion. It was Stewart's fourth win in eight races and he is either going to be the 2011 champ or go down fighting until the last lap.

I've been a fan of "Smoke" since his Indy days and he is one of a handful of signatures I have sought out of Press Pass Racing Products. In 2009 I finally scored the Stewart auto. It came from a pack of 2009 Press Pass Premium and while it is a sticker, it is a nice, clean auto on a great looking card.

Ironically, I am also a huge fan of Kyle Busch and his autograph was pretty much the only major racer from NASCAR who has eluded me since I've been opening racing product back as far as 2001. However, his actions this weekend (intentionally wrecking Ron Hornaday) have made me rethink being a fan. You see, my 6-year old son loves him. It began with the car. Of course he loves the M&M car, but then Kyle started to win big and dominate. He nearly shed his bad boy, punk attitude until he tried to kill Hornaday. Try explaining that to a little kid!

Much like my feelings towards other sports, I like to watch and root for individuals other than teams. So I'd be happy to see either Stewart or Edwards win because throughout the year they have been the most consistent. I'll be posting more NASCAR autos with the SIGnificant Cards column, look for them soon!

SIGnificant Cards- 2009 Panini NFL Draft Matthew Stafford

The Detroit Lions are 4-0. Right along side of the Green Bay Packers, they are the best in the NFL. Interestingly enough, I chose the Lions to win their division. I know I just jinxed that, but I did.

For the past three years, they have been building on both sides of the ball. Drafting Matthew Stafford #1 overall in 2009 was a huge move. Each time the payoff looked solid, Stafford got hurt, mainly due to a pretty weak offensive line. For two years they've waited and it seems that after the first quarter of the season, they are finally reaping the rewards of a few strong drafts.

Stafford has a lot of targets to hit, mainly Calvin Johnson who already has 8 TDs, 4 shy of his entire 2010 total. Javid Best already has 5 TDs, he's a result of the Lions second 1st round pick of 2010 (Ndamukong Suh was their first at #2 overall), and he also has Brandon Pettigrew (22 catches) who was drafted behind Stafford at #20 in 2009.

They are a talented young group and that's not to say they aren't going to make mistakes, but that was their undoing last season, well that and the injury to Stafford.This year, they have cut down a little (not a lot) on the stupid penalties and they are taking advantage of turnovers.

Here's a look at the hit from Julius Peppers that put Stafford out:

I was a fan of Stafford while he was at the University of Georgia, it was hard not to be. He was hyped like crazy and he was THAT good. So I was pretty pumped when my Cardboard Connection Co-Host Russ Cohen called me up and told me he was sending me a present. It was a pretty awesome one that he won via a social media contest from Panini. The card pictured here is 1 of only 7 in the world.It was made for the 2009 Draft, contains a full NFL logo patch and a beautiful, hard-signed auto from Matt Stafford. What I really like about the card in addition to its rarity is that it is also stamped with a seal authenticating the autograph, something I think would be great on ALL autograph cards.

By now you are probably thinking, man this guy is a Lions fan. The answer to that is yes and no. I root for a few football teams. I grew up on the Jets, like the Raiders and sometimes root for the Da Bears. Like baseball, I like specific players. There is no loyalty from many players to stay on a team, so I think I should enjoy my fan free agency and be comfortable liking whoever and whatever I like. Besides Stafford, I collect Aaron Rodgers, Matt Forte, Kurt Warner, Brett Favre, Tim Brown, Jerry Rice, LaDainian Tomlinson, 70s Cowboys & Raiders and a few Jets.

Now all I need to do is hope Stafford survives the season and the Lions don't choke. I'm not expecting a Super Bowl win or even an appearance, but ya never know.

SIGnificant Cards - Jose Canseco 2001 Upper Deck Vintage

While it looks like the regular UD Vintage Card,
notice the small hologram on the bottom left.

What's the weirdest thing you've ever done for an autograph? When I was a kid, I did a lot of odd things. I remember going to men's clothing stores just to meet ball players. I had the good fortune of meeting both Joe Torre and Hank Aaron that way. I am always respectful and don't interrupt them, it usually pays off.

Have you ever gone to an event though knowing you would be able to get autographs but were in such a hurry you forgot to bring something to get signed? That happened to me at the 2001 Big League Challenge in Las Vegas.

The Big League Challenge was the home run derby contest. It took place at Cashman Field, a minor league ballpark. At the time Jose Canseco was still in baseball. There was no steroid scandal and everyone's secret was safe. Jose had bounced around from team to team and at this time was on the Yankees. Other players in the tournament were Rafael Palmiero, Barry Bonds, Troy Glaus, Mike Piazza, Frank Thomas and many others. The big boys came out for the event and so did the trading card companies. That year Upper Deck had a big presence and there were autograph sessions too.

I did not have a Jose Canseco autograph in my collection at that time. I had his Bash Brother teammate Mark McGwire on a card I got him to sign for me during Spring Training and because I was in a hurry, forgot the card I wanted Jose to sign. As I am driving to the event, I kept thinking to myself, I'll pick up something there for him to sign.

I brought my daughter along for the event. She was 5 at the time. And just as I was about to pick something up, she had to use the bathroom. They were handing out the tickets for Jose and I got mine and rushed her to the restroom. The tickets were sweet, they were 2001 Upper Deck Vintage cards with a numbered hologram. When I got back to line it was moving steadily and I didn't have squat for Jose to sign. My daughter sees my panic and says, "Daddy have him sign the card in your hand." Out of the mouths of babes...

There was only one problem, when it was your turn to get your autograph you were supposed to give the guy watching the line your ticket. I was screwed. Then something magical happened. Jose saw my daughter and saw she was little timid. She was a fan because her daddy was a fan, but yeah she was shy. Jose, and yes I know he spouts off on Twitter like he's crazy. Yes, I know a lot of players hate his guts for ratting them out. I also know a lot of fans love him because he told the truth. I am one of them. Back to the story...

So Jose sees my daughter and starts talking to her and telling me about his little girl. He calls her Angel without even knowing that is her name and she said, "how did he know my name?" (Her name is Angelica) She immediately softened up. The usher walked us up and Jose cleanly signed my ticket/card. I had a great conversation with him about his career and we even talked about him hitting his 500th homer, which sadly never happened.

So when anyone says anything derogatory about him, I have this story that I tell and while it might not make them change their mind about him, it did happen and I have continued to be a fan ever since.

SIGnificant Cards -- Reggie Jackson 1994 Upper Deck Buyback

This is the start to a feature you can expect on a daily basis from me. I know others have done the, "Card of the Day" to death, so I am trying a different take on it. These are cards that I have acquired, that are important to me and why.

I am kicking it off with one of my all-time favorite cards.

Backstory: As a kid I grew up in the New York area. For most of my life I was shuttled back and forth from NY to NJ because my parents divorced when I was 3. I was really a resident of both the Garden State and the Big Apple for most of my young life. I had a choice to make, either the Yankees and their storied history of winning or the Mets and their storied history of sucking.

Television really made the choice for me. WPIX hosted the Yankees and had way better programming than WOR who played the Mets games. So I started at a very young age watching the Yankees. I watched in 1975 when they stunk, in 76 when they almost took it all, but I was captivated in 1977 by the awesome play of Mickey Rivers, Chris Chambliss, Graig Nettles, Bucky Dent, Thurman Munson, Roy White, Willie Randolph and Reggie Jackson.

There was unreal talent on the team and it showed. Getting Reggie from Baltimore put them on a whole different level. The friction between Reggie and manager Billy Martin is legendary. Ron Guidry had a terrific season and as a lefty myself, he became my favorite pitcher.

I would go to the stadium before the games and wait for the players to arrive. I will always remember the yellow police barricades that were supposed to hold me back. I could easily slip under them to get close to the players.

One particular incident is what makes this card so special to me. I was waiting and waiting and waiting for Reggie Jackson to show up. I hadn't gotten his signature yet and desperately wanted to add it to my collection.

Autograph from the great Mel Allen circa 1977.

Famed announcer Mel Allen walked out of the stadium and was heading to his car. I practically grew up listening to his voice on "This Week In Baseball". I caught his attention and I asked him for his autograph. He was an amazing guy. He tells me to follow him, so I did, right into the player parking lot. Mel signs the autograph for me and starts asking me questions about the Yankees. Of course I answer them all. Then he sees a bunch of players walking towards the stadium and calls them over to sign for me. Ron Guidry was one of them, Fran Healy, Ed Figueroa and Fred Stanley were the others. I was absolutely jazzed. I still to this day have the autos.

Ever see a Reggie Jackson autograph in pink?

When I got back to the barricades, I was discussing what had just happened and these two gorgeous ladies informed me that I missed Reggie coming in while I was gone. I was devastated. You want to talk about going from a high to a low with no drugs ingested? My sadness didn't last long, the women gave me a gift. I am pretty sure it is one of very few, if not the only Reggie Jackson autograph signed in pink ink.

Reggie went on to be a Hall of Famer. His three homers in the 1977 World Series made up one of MLBs most unbelievable moments. The Yanks repeated in 1978 and well you know the rest...

This Reggie Jackson card contains the auto of my favorite baseball player ever. Reggie and the Yankees got me into collecting. When he was with the A's I followed his career and their championship runs. The first library book I ever checked out was a short kids biography about him. This card epitomizes how autographed cards should be handled today. It comes with a certificate of authenticity, it is hard-signed and it contains a clean, full signature. Full disclosure, it's called accountability. You don't see it much in the hobby today. Companies should demand these kind of sigs from today's stars. Of course I grew up to do a collectibles radio show and the first guest on my show bucket list was Reggie. I got to do that interview at the 2004 National Sports Collectors Convention.

Video Box Break - 2011 Topps Finest UFC

Those of you who have followed me for the past 10 or so years whether it was at www.sportsology.net, Card Corner Club or now at www.cardboardconnection.com, you know my favorite Topps brand is Finest. For years it always seems that Finest lives up to its name with spectacular designs and solid content. Now for the first time, Topps brings the UFC to Finest.

For around $90 a master box contains 2 mini-boxes, each with 6 packs. You should find 6 big hits among the 12 packs and you get a mix of former and current champs and plenty of top contenders.

Take a look at the video to see what you can expect in a random box.

Video Box Break - 2011 Press Pass Wheels Main Event

Today I take a look at 2011 Press Pass Wheels Main Event racing cards. I caught wind of the changes to the set at the 32nd National Sports Collectors Convention when they showed collectors the sell sheet. I was immediately drawn to the black and chrome design elements and the studio photo shots are exceptional.

For $85-$90 you'll get 2 memorabilia and an autograph in each box and a solid start to compiling a 90-card base set. A great mix of Sprint, Nationwide and Camping World series drivers is combined with some great racing gear including race-worn gloves and shoes. Check out the video for more details about this red-hot, new set.

Video Box Break - 2011 Topps Chrome Baseball

Video Box Break - 2011 Topps Finest Football Cards