Night Owl Cards

The last time I featured Ryne Sandberg in a tux, I listed the 100 things that I had learned about card-collecting in 2008. I was just four months into blogging then. By some people's standards I am a grizzled blogging veteran now -- I have the bronzed trophy of a dude in his underwear sitting at his computer to prove it -- but I still have a lot to learn. Although it's obvious I enjoy a good list, I'm not going to do that this year. I'm just going to look back at my favorite posts from '09 here at Night Owl Cards -- you know, just in case I have to pad the resume . I do still write for a living, so you never know when I'll have to dash off a copy of that ode to 1984 Donruss to a prospective employer. So these are the posts that I liked. These are the posts that didn't make me go, "god, what a load of crap THAT was." First are the posts that showed how great this blogging community is. Feb. 6: Thanks to Brian at 30-Year-Old Cardboard, I made m

Today, Russell Martin is handing over the crown. He has reigned for a full year as "The Best Card of 2008." But now it's time for a new card to take on all the responsibilities that are necessary with such a lofty title. Like I promised before , I am going to count down the best cards of 2009. At one point I had thought of posting a poll so folks could vote on their favorites. But I do enough damn polls. I'm sick of them. So, I'm going communist on this blog. You're going to accept whatever card I determine as the best and you'll LIKE IT. The ruler has spoken. This list is restricted to cards that I pulled during the past year. And I'm not including "hit" cards -- relics or autos. They're too unique -- well, relatively speaking. It's hard to compare them to regular cards. The list didn't change a lot from the first one I did back in August. That's because I did the bulk of my 2009 card shopping in the first eight months

I spent my Christmas money today. Most of it anyway. Oh, what a lovely day that is. It's the only day of the year that I enjoy shopping. It's like I suddenly become a male version of Rebecca Bloomwood . It's alarming. Baseball cards will bring that out in a guy. Thank goodness this day comes around only once a year. Otherwise I couldn't stand myself. The first think I bought were some binders and some pages. As dull as those things are, I am very happy to have them. I can really do some damage on the stacks of cards I have piling up. But then I'm going to have to figure out where to put the binders. I might have to pull a Wrigley Wax and build some shelves in the basement. That will definitely get the shopping willies out of my system. After that, I went to the hobby shop, and I swear that will be the last time. First, the place was awash in football and basketball. Even the boxes with loose packs. Yawn. Secondly, I was dying to buy a box of something. But every