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A banner day


Perhaps you've noticed.

I've changed my banner. Or header. Or whatever you call the image that leads off one's blog.

Good gosh the thing is big, isn't it? I don't know if I want to keep it that way. I kind of like that it's the FIRST THING that people see when they hop on the blog. But it's a tad alarming. If anyone knows how I get the image to be like it was before -- a little smaller and subdued -- please let me know.

Aside from that, I like the card arrangement. I've been meaning to change it for awhile. I finally got the chance, what with the family out of the house, baseball done for the season, and no cash to blow.

So let's move on to the agonizing breakdown of why I chose the cards that I did:

1. Fernando Valenzuela, 1981 Topps Traded: One of the first cards I ever pined over. It took me decades to land it, too.
2. Mr. Met, 2011 Opening Day: I had to get a night card up in the banner. It was one of the old banner's greatest flaws. This is one of my favorite quirky night cards, so it's perfect.
3. Clayton Kershaw, 2008 A&G: My favorite player on my favorite card set. Perfect.
4. Ron Cey, 1975 Topps: My first favorite card. No-brainer.
5. Jim Fregosi, 1971 Topps: I had to get a '71 card up there as it's one of my all-time favorites. The horizontal cards are a special treat in the '71s.
6. Roy Halladay, 2009 OPC: Probably the best card in the OPC set, which is perhaps one of the last modern sets that I'll ever complete.
7. Jackie Robinson, 2010 National Chicle: A lot of people bagged on Chicle, but when it was good, it was very, very great.

So, here's what I like about the new banner:

1. It's a better representation of the cards I collect and the cards that I like. Many of my favorite players and sets are pictured here.
2. It's presented better. It drove me nuts that the lettering in the old banner blacked out Greg Maddux's eyes. So I made sure that Halladay's Robinson's eyes were peaking through the "D."
3. It's not drastically different from the old one. I like to keep things consistent.

Here's what I don't like about it:

1. The "Night Owl Cards" lettering is shifted too far to the left. I think this banner takes up more room, left to right, and I didn't realize that when I started the lettering at the same point that I started the old banner.
2. The lettering isn't as bold as it was before. But I'm lazy, so I don't want to go back and do it again. So I went back and did it again.

If you have any issue with the new banner -- it's too big, it's got a Mets card on it, there aren't enough ponies -- let me know. I do have the old banner around and you may see it back again. Especially if I don't like the new one anymore. In fact you could see the old one before the day's done.

But for reading through all that banner talk, here's your reward:


It's an Awesome Gloamin' Card from slangon!


It's been a long time since I've received a homemade card. I love me a custom-made night card.

Very nice work.

All right, I'm going to ponder this new banner some more.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Lovin' that the banner represents your blog better, but I'm not lovin' the size or the "busy-ness" of it. There's too much going on, and it is pretty jarring right off the bat.

I'm more of a code guy than an image guy, but I know the image can be resized easily in a photo editor. I don't know much about whether blogger has a place where you can decine the size of the header image or not. If it's in an image tag or if you can use CSS on it, then yeah... it can be resized easy without further editing the image.

Although, I suggest you make it less... less... all over the place. If the blog title was above or below, or somehow slipped in between cards or something, I think it'd be a lot better. You know?
Hackenbush said…
It's very big. "That's what she said". ;) Gets me thinking that I should update mine.
Greg Zakwin said…
My only issue is that it is severely lacking in Matt Kemp.
Nachos Grande said…
I like it, even sans Reds.
Captain Canuck said…
I like it! except for mr met... for obvious reasons.
Plus it's the first thing you see.

but I still like it.
Tony said…
I'm missing the Billy Martin card....
Anonymous said…
New banner, old banner. I mostly read in Google Reader, so it's all the same to me.

PS, like Frank Costanza, "I'm back, baby!"
night owl said…
OK, I figured out how to make the image smaller. Got it down to a size that I like. Have to ruminate over the lettering now.
You forgot a Russell Martin card. Kidding. It looks good.
John Bateman said…
No!!!. The problems. 2 painted cards and one non player. Does not mesh.

I dislike upper deck but the old banner was better. Card by Crd

Cedeno over Fernando by slight margin

Billy over Billy Met by a decent margin

Orel edges Clayton barely

75 Cey wins here

Fregosi ties Tim Wallach

Roy over Phil Hiatt barely/maybe

Greg beats Jackie because vertical cards on the painted sets look odd.

Here is what could be the ultimate banner

Cedeno, Martin, Orel and 75 Cey on top

Wallach, Fregosi, Maddux on bottom.
Ryan G said…
Where's the Will Clark cards? And you call yourself a baseball card blog...

BUT SERIOUSLY... I'm surprised you put Mr. Met over one of the Stadium Lights cards, even if it is a good night card. You may still want to shrink it down a bit more since it feels more like a front page than just a top image. On a card-by-card basis, Chicle is fantastic. It wasn't exactly consistent in art style, but I like the variety. It's probably not worth the effort, but I would have put the white-bordered Jackie between the black-bordered Fregosi and Halladay cards. I like the banner though!
night owl said…
I've shrunk the image a little more and re-lettered with bolder letters.

Still not loving it, but the card selections are so much better than what was there before that I'm keeping it for now and will tweak when I have time.
Jim said…
A Phillie Phanatic night card in Mr. Met's stead would perfect the banner. (I like it, even with Mr. Met.)
dayf said…
I like it. Mr. Met transcends the awfulness that is Metitude. Good choice of cards all around. If you do decide to tweak it I know of a horizontal night card and a Dodger Hall of Famer card that should be in a package for you.

I'm planning on tweaking my banner too. Too much drinking on there. Time to kick the habit.
TJ said…
I like it. I say change it up every once in a while.
Dinged Corners said…
"Mr. Met transcends the awfulness that is Metitude."

Harsh.

Good selection...everyone on earth has the Fdo Valenzuela, no doubt...and the Halladay is a classic.
Fuji said…
Sweet banner... but I'm sad to see the 81 Donruss Billy Martin go. The 81 Topps Traded Fernando more than makes up for it though... one of these days, I'll pick one up.
Spiegel83 said…
The Fernando card is a great touch. The Mr.Met is a little distracting but, great new logo, none the less.
jacobmrley said…
Mr. Met rules, screw all of you. I like the banner, if it shrunk, I would hate to see how big it was before. I also like the positioning of the letters, even if it isn't "perfect" - Jackie's head poking out of the D is great.
I don't know how big the banner was before, but I like it like it is now. It's bold, it's in your face and it says "Hey, this is Night Owl Cards."
Brian said…
See, Night Owl, this what happens when people want to fix things what ain't broke! You're all in a kafuffle now and I hadn't even noticed it until you mentioned it.
Dante said…
LOVE THE NEW BANNER!!!
EggRocket said…
Great new banner. I'd say keep it for a few months and switch it again. That's what card collecting is all about: short attention spans 8^)