Upper Deck ePack, Trading Card, “Breaks,” and the Question of Just What the Future Holds for Sport and Nonsport Cards

It started in early 2024, or so. I didn’t follow any sports besides Hockey, and figured I would dabble in hockey sports cards. I’d mainly collected some nonsport cards at other times in my life, such as superheroes (I’ve always loved comics) or things that were funny, such as the Garbage Pail Kids. I saw on some internet forum/Reddit/Twitter/whatever that because Upper Deck was the sole company with a hockey license, you could buy the physical boxes and packs in stores or do this thing called, “ePack.” It was a way to buy the cards online–but not some weird digital card/currency. You couldn’t do much with, “Base,” cards, but could always mail any inserts home. Plus, you could easily trade with anyone on the site–no more waiting for mail or worrying someone will flake and rip you off! Plus, besides the hockey, there was nonsport from X-Files to James Bond, Marvel (then, when Topps got Marvel, Upper Deck started doing DC-themed stuff), and more. Almost any boxes in stores (that were Upper Deck-branded) could also have packs, boxes, or a whole case bought online; how great! Right?

A great infographic from a Nova Scotia organization.

Let’s take a step back and talk about slot machines. They are designed to make you want to keep playing. You get a bad spin and mumble to yourself, “One more try.” You get a big win and say, “Well, now I’m on a hot streak!” It is gambling, and the lights, sounds, and so forth make you want to keep playing as well. Trading cards are gambling-adjacent to a degree, no matter what some claim. People buy a pack or box, rip it open, and hope they get something good. Perhaps to trade, sell, or keep. Unless you only buy singles or sets online, if you ever buy a pack or box with nothing more than the hope some odds are in your favor, you’re engaging in a gamble. Once you open up your cards, however, you’re done. Now, what happens when you combine the thrilling sights and sounds of the slot machine with trading cards? A perfectly addictive and patented process (Topps can't do it) cocktail known as ePack.

If you pull a card most would subjectively consider, “Good,” on ePack, it will glow red and make a sound effect. With hockey, it is the horn of a goal; with nonsport cards,  it is a bit like a triumphant symphony. It is easy for some to buy a pack or back, digitally, “Rip,” it and be done. However, what if you rip a pack or two and get nothing? All you have to do is charge your credit card the price of another pack (which can vary immensely depending on the set) and see what happens. Then again. Maybe once more, because at this point you’re chasing something, anything. Perhaps you do get a, “Flasher,” and a sound effect, but it is not that great of a card. You could keep going, and before you know it, about an hour has passed where you just dropped a few hundred dollars on thirty bucks worth of cards–that you’d have to ship home to then list! That, or you can transfer the cards to a digital storefront also associated with ePack, who takes a cut of your profits as well, of course.

It adds up quickly.

If you’re not big on using the internet for much more than checking in on family or reading the news, this all sounds complicated and unwieldy to have these digital-but-physical cards, and it is! When you sit and think about it logically, the only benefit to ePack is that you’re saving space with thousands of cards in some warehouse instead of your house, and trading stuff is a bit easier with its little trading marketplace. Otherwise, it is a hassle to get the cards in your actual hands. That’s logic, however. Once you get that first amazing, “Grail,” card, sensibility melts away. You put another twenty in the trading card slot machine and hope luck is on your side. As with all gambling, however, the, “House,” eventually wins.

Spend even more money and get extra bonus cards as thanks for the debt!

You don’t end up totally empty-handed when you do ePack. You always get some trading cards, and you can get cool ones! Autographed cards, sketch cards, and so forth. The thing is, outside of a small number of ePack-exclusive sets and pricey, “Achievements,” for acquiring certain cards…you generally can buy a physical pack/box/whatever of the thing you like for cheaper. It is the ease of access where you just hop on your computer and smartphone that is the, “Blessing,” that is more of a curse for those with an addictive personality. You don’t have to find a liquor store like with booze. You don’t need to be 21 and go to a casino, or be in a state with legal online gambling, because this is totally not gambling, right? I mean, never mind the sounds and flashing when you, “Win.”

Bye bye money.

From 2024 through 2025, I spent more than I should have on ePack. I didn’t drive my family to bankruptcy, but I was irresponsible. I had to talk with my wife and other loved ones about how it was becoming an issue. I quit at the start of 2026 for a good six months, and tried to dabble in it just a little this Summer, but saw there was no way for myself to just barely engage in it when there was always some sale, promotion, or cool new metaphorically shiny thing to pursue. I am not opposed to ePack for those who find it easier to do or like the social aspect of it. I met some really nice and cool folks I am still friends with whilst doing ePack–and some of them quit it as well eventually or still enjoy it with healthy moderation of their spending. For me, however, ePack doesn’t make sense. I don’t have the funds for it, it takes up a ton of my time, and the fact that it is so easy (too easy) to open a browser and rack up a big ol’ credit card bill in less than an hour is worrisome too–for me at least. 

"Breaks," are getting to be a big thing.

One thing that nags at me about ePack, though, is whether it's a niche of the trading card industry or a sign of what is to come with the gamification of sports cards, especially, but nonsport to a degree as well? For those of you who seek out the newer releases of stuff and aren’t just buying the older sets, you’ve probably seen, “Breaks,” on Facebook, the Whatnot app, eBay Live, or other spots online. People buy dibs/a reservation of sorts on a specific character/insert/whatever, and when the, “Breaker,” opens a box or case, should that person/character get pulled, the person who purchased the mere chance of such a card gets it. Yes, someone could spend a bunch of money to guarantee they get any cards with, say, Wolverine in a new Topps Marvel set, only to find nothing gets pulled they put up all that cash towards. I, personally, think breaking is inane, even more equivalent to gambling (it is currently a legal gray area), and even worse than ePack. You may as well simply throw your money down a sewer drain. Some card companies, the aforementioned Topps especially, have really embraced this, “Trend,” however. 

He makes some good points.

We’ve got Upper Deck with ePack, Topps with breakers, and the whole idea of trading cards has become less about, “Trading,” to make a fun little set and more about, “Winning,” some notable card that you can sell for a big payday. It all starts to sound more like buying a lottery ticket and praying for the best than it does a hobby about actually, you know, collecting! Is this how sport and nonsport card collecting changes with the times, or does it create a new bubble reminiscent of the, “Junk Wax,” era of the 90’s–for all cards, not just sports? Some may say, “Card collecting needs to evolve, sports and nonsport.” Sure, but is this an evolution, or does it put the hobby on a path to extinction?

Shoutout to Jesus for getting me a pack!
I'm not making a silly joke either; it is his name.

I still enjoy buying a pack or box of nonsport cards when they’re inexpensive (getting rarer and rare these days) and something that interests me. I was excited when a friend picked up a promotional pack of, “DC Absolute Universe,” cards at the latest Comic-Con International/SDCC and sold them to me for retail plus shipping. It was something I liked, for a good price, with little worry about it having any kind of big resale value or such. Is buying a card/some cards for cheap simply because you enjoy them an outdated idea now, however? Will sports cards manage to, “Flourish,” in this new gaming-styled ecosystem, but us nonsport folks will see our hobby fade away except for the handful of fandoms (superheroes)  that lend themselves to gambling-style methods of breaks or ePack? 

Is a market like this sustainable?

As for me, I quit ePack and refuse to ever, “Invest,” in a break. I know that I would love to see more people in their teens or twenties getting into nonsport cards (besides Pokémon) and picking up a publication like, “The Wrapper,” as I've discussed before, to learn fun facts about nonsport cards, do physical trades, and build relationships with other collectors. There has to be a happy medium in all this where everybody enjoys the hobby in their own way; I just have no clue how that happens. Do you? 

Flashback Friday: Seven Years Ago the Saint Louis Blues Won the Stanley Cup

This week in 2026 has a lot of sports events occurring. The NBA Finals are ongoing with the Knicks having completed an astonishing comeback in the most recent game. The World Cup has kicked off, and the Stanley Cup Finals are five games in, with the Hurricanes one win from clinching it and the Knights needing to push things to a Game seven if they want the cup. Funny enough, with so much going on now, my mind on this day specifically wanders back to seven years ago. You see, on this day in 2019, the Saint Louis Blues went from starting January of that year dead last in the NHL standings to winning the Stanley Cup in game six. Things have changed quite a lot since then, with Saint Louis having had some solid seasons and some stinkers. That game, though, it was an event.

I've been forthright on this blog about how the only sport I follow much is hockey, and that was such a wild thing to witness when Saint Louis hoisted the Cup. Afterwards, I remember the parade here in STL (which I watched on television because I wasn't about to brave traffic to get over there) and just how happy everyone was--and drunk, a lot of people were quite gleefully drunk. I do not have a strong preference regarding whether the Carolina Hurricanes or the Vegas Knights win. It would be pretty exciting if there were a game seven as an excuse for one more opportunity to watch the NHL this season. Of course, it isn't as exciting as back when the region I happened to live in managed to win it all, but one can always imagine that day coming again. Hopefully, not too many years from now.

April 2025 Pieces of Assorted News and General Interest

April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, so I will say we are due for a ton of flowers this May at the rate the month has been going where I live. While I'm rained in I thought sharing some interesting links would be fun/spread some metaphorical sunshine.

Superman Day just occurred on April 18th. It commemorates the first appearance of Superman in, "Action Comics, "#1 which was published on the 18th of April way back in 1938. I continue to look forward to the upcoming, "Superman," movie this July, and I was excited to see it will have some cool McFarlane-branded toys--that Mr. Terrific is snazzy!

A game called, "Tempest Rising," was supposed to have a special edition version that could be played a week early. A mistake was made, however, and all versions of the game let everyone play right away, basically moving the release date up a week! The developer, to their credit, just let things roll and has promised those who bought the pricier special edition will get extra features. This goes to show how silly these delayed releases can be. I'm not referring to Early Access games, of course, just when a game is done but the full-on release is staggered for no other reason than to make money.

"Speed Racer," is a manga that has had many adaptations from anime to that one zany live-action flick by the Wachowskis that was maybe underappreciated for how quirky it was. Now, there will be a Western take on the series in an interesting new twist. Mad Cave is publishing it with David Pepsoe writing and Davide Tinto on art, so between a quality publisher and great creative team, I'm intrigued.

A, "Full," trailer dropped for, "Fantastic Four: First Steps," and I liked it. There was a cool retro-futurustic vibe and the cast all seem to have great chemistry. I also appreciated it wasn't overly-quippy as some Marvel trailers (or movies, admittedly) can be. There was no attempt to undercut the danger posed by Galactus (who we see a shadow and the feet of) via a joke.

The NHL Playoffs begin today, with many thinking the odds are stacked against the Blues getting to (let alone winning) the Stanley Cup. That said, Saint Louis has its latest good luck charm yet, and possibly the weirdest in some time, Jobu. A fanciful homage to the movie, "Major League," Jobu appeared one day in the locker room out of nowhere (so the story goes) and since then the Saint Louis Blues have been (generally) playing fantastically. Whether it is the song, "Gloria," or Jobu, if the Blues are winning let's not question the superstitions helping them do it.

"Sinners," is a new movie by the talented Director Ryan Coogler and is getting glowing reviews. It also had an intriguing contract clause where, after 25 years, the rights to, "Sinners," will go to Coogler, himself. This is a rare occurrence for a studio flick, and one wonders if it'll start a trend.

Tariffs being on-and-off-and-on-and-off and so forth has played havoc with the economy. Everything could go up in price, and businesses could close. It is already happening as, "Renowned board game maker and publisher Greater Than Games has laid off staff and suspended operations," as a result of tariffs. Many may shrug at a board game company shutting down, but it is just one example of how things could rapidly get worse and snowball into a massive mess.

Finally, over at The Comics Journal, they broke down all the Diamond Comics Distributors bankruptcy drama so far in superb detail, thanks to writer Brigid Alverson. I've blogged about this fiasco off-and-on but Alverson summarizes everything expertly.

The Saint Louis Blues Are On An Amazing Winning Streak

The one sport I follow (like, at all) is NHL hockey, and I am quite fond of our city's team, The Saint Louis Blues. The Blues last won the Stanley Cup during the 2018-2019 season and in that year they had their longest winning streak ever at one point of 11 games. Currently, after a shaky start to the season, they've been on fire as of late and hopefully have earned a wildcard sport in the playoffs whilst currently having a winning streak of 10 games! The Blues managed to beat the Detroit Red Wings in overtime for a score of 2-1, yesterday, and it was an intense game to watch! 

The game was scoreless until late in the 3rd period when Detroit got a goal, the Blues managed to squeak a puck into the net with barely 30 seconds left in regulation, and then Cam Fowler sunk an overtime goal with an assist from Robert Thomas and the whole stadium went wild--besides a handful of Detroit fans who were present and looked a bit despondent.

It is always fun when our town has a team doing well as it gives the city something to be proud of and celebrate. When the Blues won the Stanley cup for the first time back in 2019 it made Saint Louis so proud and that celebration parade was a hoot to see. the Blues play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. I know many people around here (and fans nationwide) will be rooting for an 11th straight win!

The 2025 4 Nations Face-Off Begins Today

A fun International-themed hockey event is starting today. Hosted by the NHL (so it only features NHL players), it is called the 4 Nations Face-Off. A bit like a special All-Star game (which it has replaced) it will involve four teams representing Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States playing round-robin style before a final game, with the two top-placing teams going at it in a championship match. This is a great way to see players who normally wouldn't play together on the same team--for example, we can enjoy the STL Blues' Jordan Binnington in the net as the goalie for Canada with Connor McDavid as a fellow player going against Kyle Connor and Auston Matthews on team America. 

Some people are bummed about various nations not being involved (a notable missing entity is Russia which was purposely excluded due to its war on Ukraine), but this isn't a huge auspicious thing like the Stanley Cup, it is a cool showcase of talent, and being done for fun--although I'm sure it will draw a good deal of viewers for the NHL, too. I look forward to the first game coming up soon tonight between Canada and Sweden!

Upper Deck Partners with DC to Produce Trading Cards

Upper Deck is a big name in trading cards. They own the sole rights to the NHL, so anytime I buy, "Official," hockey cards they bear the Upper Deck name. They also work extensively with Marvel to make trading cards that draw from the comics as well as the movies/shows. Just this week, Upper Deck announced they have partnered with DC. There are already plans to do card sets similar to the Marvel ones such as the, "Annual," and, "Masterpieces," plus boxes focused on key characters like Batman and Superman. It has been decades since there have been official DC trading cards so this is pretty cool. 

The first sets seem focused on the comics but as the new Gunn/Safran Universe of movies and shows gets into gear that'll probably result in some tie-in cards too. You can already buy a, "Preview," card on the Upper Deck's ePack site. Those are cards that you buy and open virtually but the can be shipped to you as soon as you've opened them or once the physical copies are produced if they aren't yet manufactured (so thank God they are not like NFTs in that there is an actual item). The debut Preview card is Superman and can be purchased for just a week before--one assumes--a new preview card will occur to make a little set. Observe:

Readers of the blog are aware that in late 2023 I got into hockey cards as well as some of the Marvel lines. I enjoy DC too so this is snazzy news and I look forward to whatever cool stuff Upper Deck and DC put out via this new partnership!

314 Sports Cards is a Stellar Place to Buy (What Else?) Sports Cards

I've gotten into hockey cards as of late (and sometimes I'll dabble in other entertainment cards as well for fun) and National Hockey Card Day was this last Saturday. I was unable to make it out to any stores on the day itself but had the chance today to visit one I'd heard good things about and had been meaning to visit, 314 Sports Cards.

Located at 9640 Olive Blvd in Saint Louis, MO (63132 area code), 314 Sports Cards is a fun shop! They've got all the fandoms represented that others know and love as well as the one I follow, hockey! Everyone there was extremely nice when I visited and I appreciated how they gave me some of the free cards for National Hockey Card Day that they still had leftover! You can buy hobby boxes of a variety of products and individual packs of some items too. There are notable single cards for sale as well. With, "Sports Cards," in their name it makes sense they have plenty to offer!

Matt (left) and Devin (right) posing with some of their awesome wares!

314 Sports Cards is a great spot to visit in the Saint Louis region whether you're an expert in the hobby or a relatively newer person like myself when it comes to sports cards. I'd recommend stopping by their shop or buying from them via their website; I know I'm excited to have another great sports card shop in the region to frequent!

The Machinists Hall Sports Cards & Collectibles Show is Really Cool!

I've written about how I got into hockey the past handful of years and then late last year began really enjoying hockey cards. When I saw that Machinists Hall was going to have a sports card show, I reached out to them and asked if I could come and cover the event for my blog. They said yes, so today I attended my first-ever sports card show! The Machinists Hall Sports Cards & Collectibles Show was a little intimidating to think about going to as while I know a ton about comics, I will not pretend to know even 10% as much about sports cards (although I've learned a lot about hockey cards these past months). That is why I appreciated how of the many dealers at the show everyone was incredibly friendly and not at all judgemental at my, "Newness," to sports cards.

There was a range of cards from tons of baseball and basketball to a chunk of football, and hockey had some representation along with fandoms from Pickleball to Pokemon (and a bit of wrestling). Everything from expensive single cards to cheap bundles was for sale, along with sealed packages from the past to the present. If you were looking for a specific sport or era, it was likely represented by a number of dealers here!

It wasn't just cards, of course. There were balls, pucks, and Funko Pops plus old magazines that (mostly) related to sports in some fashion. I even saw a comic or two along with the occasional Marvel trading cards. The vendors were eager to talk about their varied wares and it was really fun to interact with this card fandom that has similarities to the one I know quite well (comics) but is also very different. 

Gibson came with me and enjoyed the show too!

All my pictures you see in this post I was able to snap before the show kicked off and it got busy, fast. The Machinists Hall Sports Cards & Collectibles Show runs through Sunday, so try and go this weekend if you live in the area (or can make the trip). It's only $3 to get in tomorrow and free on Sunday! Here is the link again for the show so you can check it out too!

The Latest Beckett Hockey Card Price Guide is Extremely Useful!

I am someone who is fully aware that we can use the Internet to find the price of items. I use many apps to help me keep on top of comic-book trends and prices, after all. That said, I always write about having a fondness for big paperback price guides. My soft spot for the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide has often been discussed on the blog so considering I have been getting into hockey cards, why not try out a price guide for those? Enter, the, "2024 Beckett Hockey Card Price Guide."

I didn't have a lot of hockey cards so I had minimal need for the price guide, but when a friend gifted me a massive box full of random hockey cards I needed something concise and clear to help me out. This big ol' book by Beckett says how it is great for pros or, "Curious beginners," and I'm definitely the latter. While hockey cards can fluctuate in value just like comics, it is always good to have a reference guide and the, "Beckett Hockey Card Price Guide," seems to be the gold standard. I also have been enjoying the monthly, "Beckett Hockey," magazine which discusses trends with the newest hockey cards so between that for fresh stuff and this massive guide for older stuff, I'm set anytime I get some hockey cards that are newer or older.

The guide itself is quite straightforward and easy to navigate. It separates listings alphabetically by the card line and then the years within said line. So, the 2021-2022 Artifacts cards are earlier in the book than any 1990-1991 O-Pee-Chee cards if that makes sense. I also appreciate how many card lines have a little picture to show you what that brand of card looks like. The price guide does not have any fun articles or such unlike Overstreet, so I kind of miss that, but I suppose when you have over 800 pages dedicated to listings anything else would feel like filler. I did notice that the Four Sport line--which did include hockey along with basketball, football, and baseball--is not in this guidebook, which I understand as hockey only made up a fourth of it, but that absence is noted (even if most of those cards are basically, "Junk wax," as people say). Minor quibbles aside, this is a stellar book and very handy to have when you want to look up a hockey card. If you dabble in hockey cards at all, I'd highly recommend the, "Beckett Hockey Card Price Guide," with the 2024 edition having come out pretty recently. You can get it on Beckett's official website or from various retailers--I'm pleased I picked up a copy!

5 out of 5 Stars.

Is Fighting in the NHL Something of a Bygone Era and Outdated?

Sports evolve. Rules change. The basketball of today is nothing like its original format. Football has changed a lot too. Hockey has seen many alterations, but one thing that has persisted is a fondness for, nay an endorsement of, fighting. It is somewhat in the sport's DNA. Players will get irritated enough with one another they, "Drop the gloves," and engage in a good ol' bout of fisticuffs. The NHL will itself lean into how this attracts attention while ignoring how a number of enforcers suffered the same traumatic brain injuries from fighting that we see in other physical sports such as boxing or football. The NFL has made some effort to address CTE and other concerns but the NHL basically shrugs when certain guys want to throw down. Is fighting in hockey--and the NHL in particular--outdated and something that should be discouraged or outright punished

There is no easy answer to such a question. Hockey is a game of grace and speed, but it is a very physical sport too. Certain actions are verboten (boarding) and others will get you slapped with a penalty, but while fighting will get you in the box it isn't as big a deal as if a baseball player or basketball player threw a punch at someone. The, "New York Post," is a bit of a tabloid paper, but I'll be darned if Phil Mushnick's article, "NHL’s promotion of fighting is sick and out of touch," doesn't make some valid and calmly-presented points in discussing how two men punching each other should be less of a draw for the sport and more of an embarrassment (also, a player discussed in that a piece is now in trouble for a dirty hit some days later). Now, when I was a kid and would watch some hockey I'll fully confess I was eagerly awaiting someone to get pissed off enough they took off their gloves and started throwing haymakers. I'm a grown-ass man now, however, and I enjoy hockey and want to see people playing a game of skill. I don't have a problem with the sport getting physical or a fight happening. I also don't crave it as some fans seem to do. I'm not sure what the solution would be for fighting and how it is treated in the NHL, but I think sooner than later something official will need to be said or done.

Today's New Hockey Card Release is the Biggest One Awhile; The "Upper Deck Series 2, 23-24," is Causing a Ruckus

There are a variety of hockey card lines that exist. From the official NHL-branded ones Upper Deck does to Leaf with their cool cards. There is a, "Main," line that lot of folks collect with various releases throughout the season. Somewhat unimaginatively titled, "Upper Deck Series 1, Upper Deck Series 2, Upper Deck Extended Series," this is the go-to for folks who want to dabble in hockey cards but have less interest in more esoteric lines such as, "SP Game Used," "Artifacts," "Allure," or the like. Today, March 6th, 2024, was a huge day for card collectors. The official rookie card (or as it is called in this case, "Young Gun,"card) for Connor Bedard became possible to find in boxes/tins/blasters/etc. of, "Upper Deck Series 2 23-24," product. It has caused long lines, insane prices online, rage-filled internet posts about the prices, and generally is a wild time to be into hockey cards. Why? One person is to blame/thank, Connor Bedard.

Connor Bedard was the first-round draft pick and at only 18 years old plays at a level in the NHL that shows an amazing degree of skill usually found in more established players. Those prone to hyperbole have said he's this generation's Gretzky (that remains to be seen) or that he's at least already at the level of Auston Matthews or Sidney Crosby despite being so new to the NHL. There are plenty of times when players come out of a minor league with potential but can't manage in the big-name league (I was living in Cortland, New York when Tim Tebow joined the New York Jets as an NFL player and was there for Summer Camp with everyone convinced that would be the Jets' year). Bedard has been doing amazing stuff, however, with an admittedly awful team, the Chicago Blackhawks. He is the shining beacon of hope for that team right now and even though a jaw fracture took him out of play for some weeks, he's been back and continues to impress. 

The front and back of the card everyone is after.

This is by no means Bedard's first card. A little, "Draft day, " card was included as a surprise in some, "Upper Deck Series 1 23-24," sets and goes for $500, easily. His cards from when he played in the Canadian Hockey League are popular too. There have even been other NHL-affiliated sets with a Bedard card featuring him decked out in his Blackhawks uniform. People don't care though, they want that, "True," rookie card and are hunting the Young Gun. Boxes that could contain his card were preselling for $300 or so with the 22-23 years boxes about $100-$150 upon release (of any of the series), to give you an idea how much this box is inflated by Bedard-mania. Some stores are selling whole cases for thousands, blaster boxes (little mini boxes with a handful of random packs) that normally cost $25 are going for $50, and so forth. 

Anything that might have Bedard's Young Gun card included is being price-gouged by many stores because as of this minute when I check eBay his regular Young Gun card goes for anywhere from $780 to a little under $1,000. People could pull even rarer variations of that card but it is all random, making this like a lottery where you maybe will have a lucky ticket for a small win, could randomly find a jackpot, or most likely end up with a bunch of other cards of minimal value (at least compared to Bedard). Buying packs of sports cards is a gamble, but up until recent years, it was a cheap gamble with hockey, at least. While baseball cards have always garnered insane money and their hobby boxes are wildly priced, hockey cards have been mostly ignored and cheap outside of quite old cards, rookie cards of big names (e.g. Gretzky), and so forth. Bedard has drawn a lot of attention to hockey cards, however, and there is only so much supply to meet the demand. Hence, people are either sitting out this box due to feeling priced out of the hobby, paying crazy prices, or if they're lucky know of a retailer/friend who will sell them a box for a reasonable price.

Recent confirmed sales, not just asking prices, but cards actually selling for that!

Will Bedard-related cards keep their value? I do not know. Barring some sudden career-ending injury he should have many productive years in the NHL and could very well lead a team to the Stanely Cup; I'd wager that will happen when/if he gets traded at some point to a team with better players because besides Seth Jones on the Blackhawks (a solid defenseman), Bedard is kind of alone in his talent. I suppose if someone goes and buys a Bedard Young Gun for $800-ish that could very well be a smart investment or end up looking foolish in a few years. That's all long-term though and for the short-term it is all about Bedard. God bless anyone with the budget to invest in him.

I Bought Some Hockey Cards!

As readers of the blog are aware, I for a long time had zero interest in sports. Some years ago I did find myself getting into Hockey. Unlike other athletic pursuits, Hockey kept my attention. After all, Football had too much starting and stopping. Basketball only got interesting in the last few minutes. Soccer kind of was fun to watch but lacked something I couldn't quite put my finger on. Golf was boring as Hell. Rugby was confusing. The list went on. That said, Hockey was different. It was fast. It had agility and grace yet was a bit brutal too with the players crashing into each other and sometimes fighting.  Around 2016/2017 I started watching NHL hockey a bit more and then in 2019 my local team, the Saint Louis Blues, won the Stanely Cup and that was incredible. Since then I have continued to enjoy hockey and thought I would try something I'd never done before in my 35 years of life: I bought some sports cards.

Back when I was young I dabbled in Pokemon cards but I sold them before the market crashed (and then came roaring back decades later with those cards now worth even more, but so is life). I never really fiddled with, "Magic: The Gathering," as I knew to build a good deck to play with you can spend an absurd amount of money. I might try, "Magic," in the future with Marvel-themed cards on the way, however. All of that said, I like Hockey so why not get some Hockey cards? I will tell you that sports cards are a lot more complex than you might suspect.

Where to even start?

These days you can buy some sports cards at a retail store or a hobby shop, but generally a hobby shop will have the better boxes/packs of cards. I am aware that Baseball and Basketball cards can be absurdly expensive, but Hockey thankfully is a bit more of a niche in sports cards and less pricey when it comes to buying packs, boxes, or even sought-after single cards. I did some research about sports cards in general online and learned how among your regular ol' cards you can get ones that have limited numbering, autographs, and even pieces of game-worn jerseys! When you get a special card that is a, "Hit," and you never know what you might get. 

One nice thing is you can get a common card of almost any player for dirt cheap, so it is easy to make a set of basic cards with your favorite players. When you're looking for the rare variants that have those autographs or pieces of clothes that's when things can be pricey if you're out buying single cards. I did a bunch of research on sports cards and was ready to buy some Hockey cards from a hobby shop, but where could I go to find someone patient with a sports card newbie like me? Thankfully, I found a cool local place.

Sports Card Market is located in Manchester, Missouri, and not too far a drive for me at all. I called them one day and explained that when it came to comic books I knew a ton but in regards to sports cards I was pretty green. They talked with me for a good 15-20 minutes on the phone reviewing with me what I had read online as I asked a variety of questions. I went in the next day and the kind employees there showed me various options of cards to buy, discussed what was interesting about different kinds, and helped me settle on buying an, "Artifacts," box as it sounded the most fun and I had read good things about the line on the internet. I cannot emphasize how patient they were with me as I asked a metric ton of questions about sports cards. I took home my Artifacts box, opened it up, and got some cool stuff!

My box had several, "Hits," with the coolest thing probably being a Kent Johnson card featuring a piece of jersey material and an autograph of which only 10 cards were produced out of thousands of other cards. I was perfectly happy to get some, "Worthless," cards as well of players I like such as Jordan Kyrou, too, but it was really neat to get some rare stuff. It is fun to be able to own cards featuring players you like and even snazzier when you have an autograph or piece of jersey. It is a cool way to feel extra connected to a sport I enjoy. I would recommend that if you want to buy sports cards of any kind you visit the folks at Sports Card Market either in person or buy from them online as they'll ship anywhere in the U.S. too! Oh, and please note they aren't paying me to promote them or anything (I don't have any affiliate links or such), I just really appreciate how nice they were to me as I slowly got an understanding of how sports cards work these days with all the, "Parallels," cards that you redeem online, and so forth.

Quite the, "Hit," I'd say!

It was fun buying Hockey cards and I plan to buy more in the future. I can see how it can be a pricey hobby though, so I'll have to practice moderation in the same manner I do with comics. I want to again thank the good people at Sports Card Market for their assistance as I bought my first-ever cards and I'm excited to continue watching Hockey and collecting cards!

The World Series Got Really Cool for a Minute

I am not a big fan of baseball, or sports in general. The one sport I do enjoy and follow to some degree is hockey, because the mixture of grace, brutality, and its fast-pace keep my interest. Baseball however bores me, which can cause people to gasp when I say that here in Saint Louis, where folk really love the Cardinals. Hence, while last May and June I was incredibly excited to see the Saint Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup I had a general disinterest in how the Cardinals were doing in their attempt to get to the World Series (they didn't make it) and I was unsure which teams were even playing. Well, I know now, because last night the World Series got really cool for a minute. The Washington Capitals are competing in the World Series against the Houston Astros and were playing a game in Washington D.C. last night. Donald Trump showed-up, and in Washington D.C. itself, in a stadium filled with a lot of middle-aged white-folk (his supposed bread-and-butter), the crowd spontaneously began chanting, "Lock him up," loudly. Trump looked displeased.

It was glorious, and I don't care what people say who think it was some kind of hoax, conspiracy, or whatever, I believe this was just proud members of our Country expressing their opinion about the worst President ever. As for anyone who insists we should at least respect office of the President and, "Be civil," or whatever, I find it interesting many of the folk saying this also were relentlessly negative about Barack Obama for reasons they didn't want to fully admit (he was black, and this made them never recognize him as a legitimate President with lame made-up ideas he was somehow not really American, was a secret Muslim Extremist, or other nonsense). Trump is an awful human being, which admittedly does not disqualify him from being President, but he also has been committing numerous crimes and abuses of power, which means those acts should lead to his impeachment. The man frankly belongs in prison, so he should be locked-up, honestly.. If it is petty to be giddy a crowd at a baseball game chanted, "Lock him up," then I guess I'm just petty. At least it made the World Series (and baseball) really cool, even if for a brief moment.