Oh, 1991, how you haunt me

To me, cards from 1991 are like a song on the radio that you have heard at least 40,000 times and never want to hear again. 1991 Fleer is like "Boys of Summer" by Don Henley, and 1991 Donruss is like "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor. Whether overproduced or over played, they all need to find a place to disappear.

But like being suckered into turning back to the classic rock station, knowing I'm going to hear the opening to Eye of the Tiger within a half hour tops (Dun. Dun Dun Dun. Dun Dun Dun. Dun Dun Dunnnnnn), I find myself returning to 1991 cards with the same sense of dread.

This time, I was reading a post by Steve at White Sox Cards. He was lamenting how he can always find White Sox needs from 1991 even though it was probably the peak of the overproduction era. As I read the post, I nodded in agreement. Steve purchased the entire 1991 Score Traded set because he needed some White Sox out of it. And I understood.

I knew that I also needed most of the Dodgers out of set. The only one I had was the Kevin Gross card up top. I felt myself reluctantly typing a comment, admitting that I needed some '91 Dodgers. Then I waited a few minutes to see if the card collector police would break down my door and take away my collecting badge.

Shockingly, I still have my badge.

Almost as shockingly, Steve sent me all the Dodgers from the set in a matter of a couple of weeks. There was the Gross card again, and this:

Wow. Look at all that red ... er, maroon ... er, burgundy. Anyway, it puts me in mind of 2008 Opening Day. And cough syrup, for some reason.

I don't have fond memories of most of these guys, because the early 1990s was a lousy time to be a Dodger fan. But I am happy to polish off some 1991 needs, as embarrassing as it is to say that I need cards from 1991.

I know there are still '91 Dodgers needs out there. A couple Stadium Club cards. A couple Bowman. More than a couple Classic cards. But I long for the day when I won't need a single '91 card.

Steve also sent a few other Dodgers to balance off the '91s. Here are a couple:

An Upper Deck '06 insert of the Dodgers' MVP last year.

And one of those 2008 Topps 400 insert things of Russell Martin. Don't like these cards that much, but I'm glad to have this finally.

As for 1991s, I hope the day exists in the near future when I won't want a single card from that year. The remaining Dodgers are in sight, and as far as set needs, I already finished off the underappreciated '91 Topps set.

But I have no interest in the other sets, Fleer/Donruss/UD/Score, etc. When I see them, all I can hear is this.