Night Owl Cards

  I've got a two-parter for you, starting today.   A little over 10 years ago I ran a blog series counting down all of Topps' flagship sets, from 1952-2015, dedicating a post four sets at a time (why don't I draw things out a little?)   I thought it's finally time to update that series, with 10 years gone by and 11 more flagship sets being produced.   Per usual, I ain't got time for this, so I'm breaking it up into two parts and hoping I'll have time for even that (looking at the clock as I write this). Today's post will re-rank the sets according to my updated opinions. The next post -- tomorrow or this weekend -- will include the sets from 2016 to 2026.   So, before I get to the re-ranking, here is how I ranked the sets back in 2015:   1. 1956, 2. 1975, 3. 1971, 4. 1983, 5. 1967, 6. 1972, 7. 1959, 8. 1953, 9. 1976, 10. 1965, 11. 1973, 12.  1962, 13, 1991, 14. 1988, 15. 1957, 16. 1978, 17. 1974, 18. 1952, 19. 1984, 20. 1980   21. 1977, 22. 2015,...

  During the 1960s, the Dodgers made the World Series three times, all within a four-year period. Throw in 1959 and they were in the World Series four times in seven years.   Currently, the Dodgers have been to the World Series four times in six years. It's a fairly similar run to the 1960s one, although this version of the Dodgers has been more successful winning Series. (Three compared to two).   I wonder if these Dodgers will be thought of in the way that the '60s Dodgers are, as a talent-laden team, filled with some of the best pitching talent ever, with some OK offensive talent -- though nothing like what L.A. currently has. They are respected. I don't think people got disgusted with the Dodgers showing up repeatedly in the Fall Classic -- something tells me that if fans then were disgusted by that kind of thing (I have my doubts), it would be toward the Yankees (five straight WS from 1960-64).   A lot of fans will jump in and say that the two scenarios are diff...

  Before I get to the main theme of the post, I wanted to poll the card bloggers -- at least the ones who use Blogger -- and ask, in the last two weeks or so, what time does your post show up on blog rolls and Blogger's reading list after you post it?   I'm asking because it's been very frustrating for me, hitting publish -- both here and the 1993 Upper Deck blog -- and then not seeing that post pop up on blog rolls/reading list for hours, sometimes a day ... or more.   A couple of examples.   My last post on Saturday, " Going to the Files ," didn't show up on either of those two Blogger notification systems for hours. I published it around 5 p.m., early for me. But it didn't show up until the next day after I got up in the morning -- then there it was, saying I published it 12 hours prior.   On Sunday, I made a post to the 1993 Upper Deck blog. I published it around 2 in the afternoon. At 8:30 p.m., my blog roll, which includes both of my blogs, said thes...

   Like several other bloggers I received a nice care package from Bob of the best bubble a couple of weeks ago.   I'm just getting to it because -- yes, life has reared its ugly head again. But also it took me a number of days to figure out exactly what I had once I spilled the contents. Lots of oddball stuff and other items I don't come across every day.   I'll separate these into "STUFF I KNOW," "STUFF I FIGURED OUT" and "STUFF I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS".     * STUFF I KNOW*   Yes, I know this is a 1996 Finest card. I have it already. But I've suckered myself into collecting both the cards with the coating intact and the ones with it removed. I need help.     A 2013 Gypsy Queen mini of former Dodgers reliever Paco Rodriguez. 2013 was the year for Paco Rodriguez cards. Rodriguez last pitched in the majors 11 years ago and he's now 35. We're all old.       Another Dover reprint card for the collection of one of my pre-war...