The Importance Of Staying Focused

Another championship game, another loss in the last minute. You know with all the talk about shortening the length of baseball games, we could also shorten hockey and football games as well. Let's make them....oh, how about 58 minutes long instead of 60? The Bruins and Patriots could probably add a Stanley Cup and 2 Super Bowl victories in the past 6 years alone. And if you knock a few minutes of an NBA game you could add another Celtics championship as well.

When the Blackhawks tied the game at 2-2, I knew it was only a matter of time before it became 3-2 and Chicago would be Stanley Cup champions. I hate having this kind of attitude regarding Boston teams, but it happens way more than it should. And I'm usually right. It's one thing to be negative, but to be negative and correct is depressing.

So I'm not as upset about it as I was when I was younger, just more used to it. In fact when the Patriots won their first Super Bowl against the Rams, after Vinatieri kicked the game-winning field goal, my then-girlfriend excitedly turned to me and said "They won!" I told her, "No, you don't understand. The game can't be over. The Rams have to run the kickoff back for a touchdown first." And I was dead serious.

Maybe I should just be happy that Boston teams are at least competitive every year. But I'm not. If you're going to make it all the way to the championship in your sport, you might as well win it. At least don't lose your focus in the last minute of the deciding game.

Anyways...you came here read about cards, not to feel sorry for me (which you probably aren't anyways). A few weeks ago I posted a 100-card Fairfield repack I got which featured a Zack Greinke 2102 Topps Heritage Black Parallel. You can read about it here.

What I passed up to purchase that was another 100-card Fairfield repack which had a Dustin Pedroia 2012 Topps Heritage Black Parallel. When I got home I had no explanation as to why I went with the Greinke as opposed to the Pedroia repack. Lack of focus in the last minute perhaps?

Although in my case, I went back to Target the next week and Dustin was still there waiting for me.

Here's what this repack contained:

2010 Topps David Price (Rays)
1989 Donruss Vince Coleman (Cardinals)
1989 Donruss Ken Dayley (Cardinals)
1989 Donruss Chili Davis (Angels)
1987 Donruss Chris Brown (Giants)
1990 Topps Ellis Burks (Red Sox)
1989 Donruss Mike LaCoss (Giants)
1989 Donruss Rafael Ramirez (Astros)
1992 Fleer Shawn Hillegas (Indians)

1989 Donruss Kevin Brown (Rangers)
2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Troy Glaus (Angels)
2010 Topps Jose Guillen (Royals)
2010 Topps Jayson Werth (Phillies)
2010 Topps Kerry Wood (Indians)
2010 Topps Kyle Blanks (Padres)
2010 Topps Trevor Crowe (Indians)
2010 Topps Jack Wilson (Mariners)
2010 Topps Andrew Bailey ROY (A's)

2010 Topps Jeff Suppan (Brewers)
2010 Topps Jason Grilli (Rangers)
2010 Topps Marlins Franchise History
1987 Topps Manny Trillo (Cubs)
1987 Topps Dodgers Leaders
1987 Topps Matt Young (Mariners)
1987 Topps Ken Phelps (Mariners)
1987 Topps Ricky Wright (Rangers)
1987 Topps Mets Leaders

1987 Topps Sparky Anderson (Tigers)
1987 Topps Jeff Russell (Rangers)
1987 Topps Keith Atherton (Twins)
1987 Topps Lance McCullers (Topps)
1991 Donruss Luis Aquino (Royals)
1989 Donruss Kevin Gross (Phillies)
1989 Donruss Lance Blankenship (A's)
1988 Donruss Jim Winn (White Sox)
1989 Donruss Nick Esasky (Reds)

1990 Bowman Steve Farr (Royals)
1991 Leaf Steve Frey (Expos)
1990 Bowman Rob Murphy (Red Sox)
1989 Donruss Scott Fletcher (Rangers)
1991 Leaf Bruce Hurst (Padres)
1992 Donruss Mackey Sasser (Mets)
1992 Donruss Walt Weiss (A's)
1992 Donruss Bobby Ojeda (Dodgers)
1992 Donruss Juan Guzman (Blue Jays)

1991 Topps All-Star Glossy Len Dykstra (Phillies)
1991 Topps All-Star Glossy Roger Craig (Giants)
1991 Topps All-Star Glossy Will Clark (Giants)
1991 Topps All-Star Glossy Jack Armstrong (Reds)
1991 Topps All-Star Glossy Steve Sax (Yankees)
1987 Topps Tony Gwynn AS (Padres)
2012 Topps Heritage Black Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox)
1993 Ted Williams Card Company Monte Irvin (Giants)
1989 Score Neal Heaton (Expos)

1987 Donruss Opening Day Joe Carter (Indians)
1992 Donruss John VanderWal (Expos)
1987 Fleer Glenn Davis (Astros)
1990 Upper Deck Mike Davis (Dodgers)
1987 Donruss Ron Oester (Reds)
1990 Upper Deck Rick Rhoden (Astros)
1990 Upper Deck Glenn Wilson (Astros)
1983 Topps Joe Cowley (Braves)
1988 Fleer Wally Joyner (Angels)

1983 Topps Chris Welsh (Padres)
1984 Topps Paul Owens (Phillies)
1986 Topps Ken Landreaux (Dodgers)
1985 Topps Doug Frobel (Pirates)
1990 Donruss Rich Yett (Indians)
1985 Topps Johnny Ray (Pirates)
1992 Topps Mell Hall (Yankees)
1992 Fleer Rudy Seanez (Indians)
1992 Topps Derek Bell (Blue Jays)

1989 Donruss Rick Rhoden (Yankees)
1985 Topps Gary Carter (Expos)
1989 Fleer 1988 World Series Game Winning Home Run Mark McGwire (A's)
1990 Score Update Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd (Expos)
1987 Donruss Drew Hall (Cubs)
1990 Score Update Gary Pettis (Rangers)
1990 Score Update Claudell Washington (Yankees)
1989 Topps Checklist
1989 Topps Roger Clemens AS (Red Sox)

1989 Topps Frank Viola AS (Twins)
1989 Topps Garry Templeton (Padres)
1989 Topps Randy Kramer (Pirates)
1989 Topps Greg Gagne (Twins)
1989 Topps Andre Dawson AS (Cubs)
1989 Topps Tom Lasorda (Dodgers)
1989 Topps Barry Jones (White Sox)
1989 Topps Rafael Belliard (Pirates)
1989 Topps Bob Forsch (Astros)

1990 Score Update John Candelaria (Blue Jays)
1990 Topps Company Store (...weak)
1990 Score Update Willie Blair (Blue Jays)
1988 Donruss Rob Nelson (Padres)
1991 Topps Rookies Glossy Todd Zeile (Cardinals)
1991 Topps Rookies Glossy Ben McDonald (Orioles)
1991 Topps Rookies Glossy Frank Thomas (White Sox)
1991 Topps Rookies Glossy Steve Avery (Braves)
1991 Topps Rookies Delino DeShields (Expos)

....and the final card

2010 Topps ERA Leaders Greinke (Royals)/Hernandez (Mariners)/Halladay (Blue Jays)

Ok, I suppose that since Fairfield was generous to include the Pedroia parallel, they felt an expired 1990 Topps Company Store card should be included as well. So next time you complain about getting a stack of some overproduced junk wax in a repack, there is something worse. Apparently people were saving these.

And what is it with the 1991 Glossy Rookies and All-Stars? I have never seen these up until the past few months and now they are everywhere! Did a 1991 Topps hoarder finally give in and say "These will never be worth anything!" and unload them all? I didn't have these, but it is odd that with all the different repacks I've bought over the years, I haven't seen these more often.

I do like this repack better (because of the Pedroia), and I'm sure I'll need some of the 1989 Donruss and 2010 Topps as I still have a ways to go to complete either set.

I haven't posted much lately, because I'm still not feeling all that great. My nose will not stop running and I'm still coughing a lot, so whatever I have is kind of just lingering. Hopefully, I'll feel better next week, and post more regularly. So anybody who's waiting for cards from me, or trade offers, please bear with me. I haven't forgotten about you, and I'll get to you as soon as I can.