Topps Murad is basically the Allen & Ginter idea for basketball cards. I saw a fair amount of reviews of this stuff when it first came out, and although I try to avoid spending money on basketball cards so I don't get hooked, I knew I needed to try a pack of this stuff. This set has one of the craziest designs I've ever seen on trading cards. And they really have to be seen in person to get the full experience. Basketball cards seem to have a miniscule presence on blogs, so I like to throw one up here once in awhile.
31 - Gerald Wallace (Yes, the Charlotte Bobcats are an actual NBA team. Gerald Wallace was once the understudy to Chris Webber at Sacramento, but he's become a fairly well-rounded and unsung quality player. Unfortunately, Wallace had his season come to a grisly end around the time I purchased this pack, when a flagrant foul by Laker Andrew Bynum caused him to suffer a partially collapsed lung as well as a broken rib. Karma came back to get Bynum, as he's been out for quite sometime and his availability is a question mark for the playoffs. Incidentally, Bynum was taken out by his own teammate, some chump named Kobe Bryant. By the way, I hate the Lakers.)
16 - Josh Smith (Oddly enough, there is an entire chapter of
this book dedicated to both Gerald Wallace and Josh Smith and their combined oddities and intrigue. Atlanta is a dangerous team this season and they could certainly make some noise in the playoffs this year.)
177 - Eric Gordon (Gordon is a rookie, as indicated in the upper right hand corner of the card, so he is required to carry two basketballs wherever he goes. Baron Davis will do something unmentionable to him if he doesn't.)
174 - Russell Westbrook Mini (Speaking of unmentionable, he's another rookie, Russell Westbrook, playing for a team that shall not be mentioned. They used to be the Sonics. Now they're a walking, balling disgrace in uniforms that look like some kid messed around with PhotoShop using Bobcats and New Orleans Hornets unis. The minis, I'm assuming, are one per pack like A&G.)
73 - Rasheed Wallace (Part of me really missed the days when Sheed would spot up around the perimeter at the Rose Garden to a chorus of "Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed!" prior to nailing another 3-pointer. The other part of me laughs when hearing that he just got suspended for earning his 16th technical foul of the season, in his first game back from a two-week injury layoff. He's still in my Top 5 Blazers of all-time, but he could get pushed out soon as the entire current Blazers team is so likeable.)
1 - Elton Brand (Brand played 8 games last season and somehow signed a high dollar 5 year contract with a new team, the Sixers. He played in 29 games this year before being shut down with another season-ending injury. It has to be rough being a Sixers fan these days.)
Topps Murad is basically the Allen & Ginter idea for basketball cards. I saw a fair amount of reviews of this stuff when it first came out, and although I try to avoid spending money on basketball cards so I don't get hooked, I knew I needed to try a pack of this stuff. This set has one of the craziest designs I've ever seen on trading cards. And they really have to be seen in person to get the full experience. Basketball cards seem to have a miniscule presence on blogs, so I like to throw one up here once in awhile.
31 - Gerald Wallace (Yes, the Charlotte Bobcats are an actual NBA team. Gerald Wallace was once the understudy to Chris Webber at Sacramento, but he's become a fairly well-rounded and unsung quality player. Unfortunately, Wallace had his season come to a grisly end around the time I purchased this pack, when a flagrant foul by Laker Andrew Bynum caused him to suffer a partially collapsed lung as well as a broken rib. Karma came back to get Bynum, as he's been out for quite sometime and his availability is a question mark for the playoffs. Incidentally, Bynum was taken out by his own teammate, some chump named Kobe Bryant. By the way, I hate the Lakers.)
16 - Josh Smith (Oddly enough, there is an entire chapter of this book dedicated to both Gerald Wallace and Josh Smith and their combined oddities and intrigue. Atlanta is a dangerous team this season and they could certainly make some noise in the playoffs this year.)
177 - Eric Gordon (Gordon is a rookie, as indicated in the upper right hand corner of the card, so he is required to carry two basketballs wherever he goes. Baron Davis will do something unmentionable to him if he doesn't.)
174 - Russell Westbrook Mini (Speaking of unmentionable, he's another rookie, Russell Westbrook, playing for a team that shall not be mentioned. They used to be the Sonics. Now they're a walking, balling disgrace in uniforms that look like some kid messed around with PhotoShop using Bobcats and New Orleans Hornets unis. The minis, I'm assuming, are one per pack like A&G.)
73 - Rasheed Wallace (Part of me really missed the days when Sheed would spot up around the perimeter at the Rose Garden to a chorus of "Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed!" prior to nailing another 3-pointer. The other part of me laughs when hearing that he just got suspended for earning his 16th technical foul of the season, in his first game back from a two-week injury layoff. He's still in my Top 5 Blazers of all-time, but he could get pushed out soon as the entire current Blazers team is so likeable.)
1 - Elton Brand (Brand played 8 games last season and somehow signed a high dollar 5 year contract with a new team, the Sixers. He played in 29 games this year before being shut down with another season-ending injury. It has to be rough being a Sixers fan these days.)
I saw the Sixers few weeks ago and they were terrible. Poor shot selection and no defense. Hardly any highlights in the game against the Warriors.
ReplyDeleteI saw the Thunder play near end of January and they have a very solid core of young players including Michael Westbrook who had 31 points in the game. They matched up with Warriors "Doug Moe Innovation of Offense" and got by with last second shot from Jeff Green. One of best games I saw live.
yea, i hate the lakers too.
ReplyDeleteWallace top 5 blazers of all time? ( including current?) Come on you can do better then that! but I agree I miss the sheeed! when he was here and when you could afford tickets to the game. Course I miss the old stadium so what does that tell you! Just given ya a hard time but as a fellow blazers fan wallace does'nt make my top ten! And yes the Lakers are a disgusting team it's just to bad their good : ( makes me hate them more.
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