I don't like wishing my life away, but I really want my vacation to stop dawdling and get here already. I need one in the worst way.
Work is so oppressive lately that it's difficult to write a coherent post. Mostly what I want to do is eat and goof-off. So this post will be more aimless than usual.
I'm sure you were alarmed when you saw "playing games" in the title and then, immediately after, a Yu-Gi-Oh wrapper. Don't worry, I still haven't the slightest idea what Yu-Gi-Oh is about -- this is just the wrapper for the latest Zippy-Zapping from Torren' Up Cards!
Kenny -- or, ahem, Luis Torrens as the return address stated -- sent a few random cards that are perfect for aimless writing.
Such as:
A couple of these Japanese cheerleaderish cards. I don't know who Kana is but she is not sitting ladylike, which, of course, is why I like her.
A Cody Bellinger rookie card that I've naturally left in the top-loader because I must protect my investment. I think I have four of these now. The retirement fund is set.
A nice illustration of the best of Ron Cey and the saddest of Ron Cey.
At left is the best possible card, a '75 mini Cey (did someone actually try to TAPE mini Cey?) at his most powerful and promising in the exact right uniform. At right, it's the wrong uniform on a played-out design and Cey knows it. Look at him on his final base card. He's had it and going home.
This where things got a bit weird. The rest of the package was Sabres. But I forgot that ZZ recently got into hockey.
This is an excellent chance to play SABRE OR NO SABRE with my limited knowledge of my favorite team.
For the first card, I don't need to guess because it's my first Jack Eichel card, the savior of Buffalo hockey. You can see Buffalo's downtown in the background. It's telling Eichel he's in for a long haul.
Tyler Ennis.
I'm guessing NO SABRE. I recall him getting traded fairly recently (something that all Sabres go through).
*Checks all-knowing internet*
And I am CORRECT. He is now a Minnesota Wild (Wilder? Wildman?).
Sam Reinhart.
I know that he is a SABRE, mostly because every single time I hear his name I think of Sam Wainwright (Hee Haw! Hee Haw!) from "It's a Wonderful Life". Every. Single. Time. So this is a holiday-appropriate card ... for me only.
*Checks all-knowing internet*
And I am CORRECT. Reinhart is currently seventh on the team in scoring. Hee Haw!
Ryan O'Reilly.
This is a name I know, too. SABRE. These canvas cards from last year's Upper Deck set are very cool in look and feel. These are how you get me to collect hockey cards, if I had money to do both sports.
*Checks all-knowing internet*
Once again, I am CORRECT (I'm doing much better than I thought I'd do). O'Reilly, who I'm sure I knew during his Colorado Avalanche days, is third on the Sabres in scoring.
Kevin Haller.
NOT A SABRE. I know this mostly because this is my favorite hockey set and this version of Pro Set came out way back in 1991. Only Jaromir Jagr can play that long. However, if you threw the name at me and said, "Is he still playing?", I might have panicked and said "Yes! Why are you grilling me??"
*Checks all-knowing and by now highly overconfident internet*
I am CORRECT. Haller last played in 2001-02.
Matt Moulson.
Moulson's stuck in my head because someone named after a Canadian beer company is required to play hockey. And I was thrilled the day he was traded to the Sabres. SABRE.
*Checks all-powerful internet*
I am CORRECT. Of course. Have a drink on me.
Daren Puppa and Dave Snuggerud.
Hockey names are the best. I know these guys are NOT SABRES because I was saying "Puppa, Puppa, Puppa!" before some of you could walk. Same deal with Snuggie who is rocking the '91 O-Pee-Chee design.
*Checks all-knowing, all-seeing internet*
Of course, I am CORRECT.
Snuggerud last played in the NHL in 1993 and Puppa in 2000.
Jason Dawe.
All right, I was ready to declare him a current Sabre when I snuck a peak at the back of the card and saw it was made in the mid-1990s. Time moves too damn fast. NOT A SABRE.
*Checks internet that is now demanding my first-born*
CORRECT. Dawe hasn't played in years and has held a hockey camp in the Buffalo suburbs for quite awhile. See? If I was living in Buffalo like I'm supposed to, I would know these things.
Yuri Khmylev and Brad May.
I'm ending with an easy one. The card designs are a dead giveaway but both of these guys were from when I followed hockey and the Sabres a lot more closely. NOT SABRES.
*Checks internet, which is now confirming I am unbeaten in this game.*
I have sailed through this exercise. CORRECT. Brad May of course retired from his goon days and is a broadcaster. Khmylev is a scout with the Sabres and his family lives in the Buffalo area, which again, I would know if I lived in the proper area.
Anyway, that was amusing. But now I have to work.
What other games can I come up with over the next few days?
Don't say Yu-Gi-Oh.
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