What I didn't get at the card show

It turns out I seriously bollocksed just about everything having to do with Sunday's "card show that never was."

First of all, I should have made an attempt to drive through the lake-effect storm. I talked to someone today who drove the same route, and he said that you couldn't see for maybe 5 miles. He settled behind a tractor trailer for a little bit and before he knew it, the sun was out. I've driven through worse for longer to get to places I didn't even want to be.

Secondly, since I didn't end up going to the show, I should have exhibited a little patience and done some online card buying instead of hitting the card shop and Target. But given my state of agony, I was in the mood for nothing but instant cardification. And I paid for it with a load of dupes.

So, the highlights aren't nearly as numerous as they would be if I reached the card show or went on an eBay spree. And there isn't a vintage card in the lot that I'm about to show, which is very depressing. But there a couple of key items.

I grabbed yet another blaster of Stadium Club because it's the only thing left from '08 that has me hooked, and then I bought a hobby box of Allen & Ginter to go mini chasing. Actually, it was only 20 packs, because that's all they had left. But that basically means I didn't get the box-topper, and I never know what to do with oversized crap like that. I've still got 5-by-7 Topps glossy cards from 1981 somewhere that I never look at because they're cards on steroids.

I'll start with the Stadium Club first:

This is a great card. It's not the Longoria base card, which is a bitch to get for card numbers divisible by three (the Longoria card is No. 108), but it doesn't make me like it any less. And as far as I'm concerned, I have the Longoria card for the set. Player collectors can worry about that other stuff.

This is the non first-day issue card of Max Scherzer. It's one of those variation rookies. Each rookie has cards with two different poses, sharing the same number. And they have a first-day issue card, also sharing the same number. And whoever thought of this idea should be forced to watch the Jonas Brothers on a continuous loop for, oh, infinity.

There's the back. You can see it's short-printed. No. 976/999. I suppose I'm supposed to be elated over this. I'm not.

I do like this card, though. I make exceptions for the Dodgers. This is the rookie variation card of Blake DeWitt, the first-day issue version. His other photo shows him throwing in the infield. I'm really rooting for DeWitt to stick at second base. I want him to do well, and I'm not terribly crazy about this Orlando Hudson talk.

This is the autograph I pulled. Burke Badenhop of the Marlins. It's also a photographer's proof (yeah, there's a lot going on on this card). The card says it's No. 10/50, but I don't know if that means there are 50 autographed Badenhop Stadium Club cards or 50 autographed photographer's proof Badenhop Stadium Club cards. Variation madness strikes again.

About all I know about Badenhop is he came from the Tigers in the Willis-Cabrera deal. I hope he turns out to be good. I've pulled enough of his cards this year.

Moving on to the Allen and Ginter (by the way, I'm hoping these are the last 2008 purchases I am showing since Topps '09 will be out next week. Although who knows how long it will take for it to get to my outpost. First they've got to find enough huskies to hook up to the sled).

Two state flag cards that I needed, including the newest Dodger, Brad Ausmus. I think I still need six or seven of these cards.

A black-bordered mini of the departed Mr. Saito. It's always nice to have a black border card of a Dodger.

Hee-hee. I already HAVE this card. How cool is it that I have two of the Baseball Icon Campanellas?

The first autograph card I've pulled from Allen & Ginter. It took long enough. I'm a little bummed that it's not a baseball player. But it's better than getting the autograph of a hot dog eating champion.

And lastly, a wood mini of Ryan Church. This is the first wood mini I've seen in person. It's not exactly what I thought they would be like. I thought the backs would have the wood finish, too.

But the back looks pretty much like any other mini card. Except for that notation on the bottom.

Yup, you're reading that right. That's my first 1 of 1 card. It's cool. But not cool in a 1971 Topps Gates Brown kind of way. More like a nice consolation prize.

I may have pulled a 1/1, but hindsight is 20/20, and I should've made it to that card show.