Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Pictures of Melissa Lawson from August!
If you recall, I attended my very first Indians game this past summer. The singer of the National Anthem was none other than Arlington's own Nashville Star winner, Melissa Lawson!! My wife and I loved watching her beat out the other contestants with her incredible voice!
When I had posted about the trip to the game, Melissa's husband, Rick, left a comment letting me know that he had some pictures he could send me. I had not been thinking enough to take pictures myself....
Well, it turned out that Melissa had the camera and he was finally able to get the pictures off! In all fairness, I'm sure he had LOTS of other things to do other than pull pictures off the camera!! I am so thankful that he remembered to send them to me.
Thanks a bunch, Rick and Melissa!!
When I had posted about the trip to the game, Melissa's husband, Rick, left a comment letting me know that he had some pictures he could send me. I had not been thinking enough to take pictures myself....
Well, it turned out that Melissa had the camera and he was finally able to get the pictures off! In all fairness, I'm sure he had LOTS of other things to do other than pull pictures off the camera!! I am so thankful that he remembered to send them to me.
Thanks a bunch, Rick and Melissa!!
Nuthin' but .net
I was playing around earlier today, and decided to check out domain names that I thought would be cool for my site. Tribecards.com was taken, but Tribecards.net was wide open for the taking! Well, a few clicks later, and I secured my own tribecards.net domain name. :-)
For now, going to http://www.tribecards.net/ brings you right back here, but who knows what I'll do with it in the future. The hosting service I chose gives me web space, blogging, e-commerce and more. I'm pretty excited about it, and even if all I ever do is direct it back here, it's a lot easier to tell people to go to "tribecards.net" than the whole blogspot thing, right? :-)
Yeah, the economy is going to pot and I am securing a domain name for my little blog site.... That's about par for me... :-)
Since I'm plugging my own domains, a while ago, I bought http://www.theonlinebaseballstore.com/ in anticipation that I would corner the market in affiliate sales of baseball-related goods... LOL, man, that sounds funny even now... Well, so far, I think *I* am the only person who has actually purchased anything, and I'm not sure if I get the affiliate earnings if I buy from my own affiliate account... LOL. Yeah, the economy is going to pot and I am securing an online affiliate store... That's about par for me... :-)
For now, going to http://www.tribecards.net/ brings you right back here, but who knows what I'll do with it in the future. The hosting service I chose gives me web space, blogging, e-commerce and more. I'm pretty excited about it, and even if all I ever do is direct it back here, it's a lot easier to tell people to go to "tribecards.net" than the whole blogspot thing, right? :-)
Yeah, the economy is going to pot and I am securing a domain name for my little blog site.... That's about par for me... :-)
Since I'm plugging my own domains, a while ago, I bought http://www.theonlinebaseballstore.com/ in anticipation that I would corner the market in affiliate sales of baseball-related goods... LOL, man, that sounds funny even now... Well, so far, I think *I* am the only person who has actually purchased anything, and I'm not sure if I get the affiliate earnings if I buy from my own affiliate account... LOL. Yeah, the economy is going to pot and I am securing an online affiliate store... That's about par for me... :-)
Heeeeerrrrreeee's Jhonny!! Thorzul Contest card
Thorzul had a contest in which he asked folks to create Halloween-themed baseball cards. As soon as the contest was announced, I went to work. I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do!! (BTW, when did Blogger start uploading pictures in REVERSE order!?!?)
This is a scan of the card I made. This is an actual card and my stupid ink jet was on its last drops of ink, so the quality stinks. But, I knew right off the bat, I was going for "the Shining" theme as a play on words! I used Photoshop Elements and Paint to get things lined out. Looking at it now, I should have spent a little more time cleaning up some of the edges, but I kinda like the rough look of it all.
The back of the card was a lot of fun to do! The template I have already has the statlines on the back, so I just had to 'fill in the blanks.' I used the year of the movie as the 'birthdate,' and found Nicholson's actual height according to Imdb or something similar. The rest was just poking fun. The "Completions" refers to the number of novels... Yeah, a little 'I don't have a real english degree' humor there...
The thing that shocked me the most was that I actually got SECOND PLACE!! Honestly, after seeing the 3rd place winner, I was hoping for an honorable mention. Thank you so much to Thorzul for hold such a creative contest! I love doing goofy things with digital editing, and this was a perfect blend of Indians, humor, and Halloween!
Another sports-related edit I did came quite some time ago:
This is a scan of the card I made. This is an actual card and my stupid ink jet was on its last drops of ink, so the quality stinks. But, I knew right off the bat, I was going for "the Shining" theme as a play on words! I used Photoshop Elements and Paint to get things lined out. Looking at it now, I should have spent a little more time cleaning up some of the edges, but I kinda like the rough look of it all.
The back of the card was a lot of fun to do! The template I have already has the statlines on the back, so I just had to 'fill in the blanks.' I used the year of the movie as the 'birthdate,' and found Nicholson's actual height according to Imdb or something similar. The rest was just poking fun. The "Completions" refers to the number of novels... Yeah, a little 'I don't have a real english degree' humor there...
The thing that shocked me the most was that I actually got SECOND PLACE!! Honestly, after seeing the 3rd place winner, I was hoping for an honorable mention. Thank you so much to Thorzul for hold such a creative contest! I love doing goofy things with digital editing, and this was a perfect blend of Indians, humor, and Halloween!
Another sports-related edit I did came quite some time ago:
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Free Taco Day!
Did you get YOUR free taco today!? I'm at a training in Little Rock, so for supper, I hit the drive-thru at the nearby Taco Bell for my free 'steal-a-base' taco!
what does that have to do with Tribecards? Well, nothing. It's all about the FREE FOOD!!
And, so much for the Series tonight, eh... What a mess!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Thome, Dinged Corners, and did I just get tricked!?
One of the Zenith 5x7 'cards-in-a-card' I pulled some time ago was a Mark Grace card. Well, fellow blogger, also named Mark, asked if he could trade for it, so I gladly sent it to him. In all fairness, Mark provided me a list of Thome cards he has, and I was too slow in getting my "stuff" in gear to pick cards off the list. So, he picked out three nice ones in exchange for the Grace. We've got a '93 Donruss, a 1997 Score Hobby Reserve "Goin' Yard" and a 1997 Pinnacle Inside! Thanks a bunch!! Once I get my trick-or-treatin' done, I'll be putting together some trades, and from the looks of it, Mark's got quite a stash of Thome sittin in Chi-town!
I also received a nice package of cards from Patricia! There was also a very sincere letter. :-) When I started "Tribecards," I never set out to touch people the way I apparently have, and it is honestly quite humbling to read some of the posts and letters I get. I thank you, all of you, from the bottom of my heart!
Patricia and the girls sent me quite a collection of Tribe cards!
As you can see, there were a lot of them... But, what is that you see? Yeah, that red one up there... The 2008 Topps Red Opening Day? Does that... say... Raul Ibanez!? IBANEZ!? Did I just get tricked!?!? For those that don't know, Ibanez helped the Mariners beat the Tribe back in August... Yeah, I think I got tricked... LOL, nice work! I couldn't be prouder. :-)
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Very late trade update
Way back at the beginning of the month, Stampman sent me a rather large stack of Indians cards. Somewhere in all my posting and trick-or-treating, I managed to forget the post with his trade in it. OY!
Well, this afternoon, I have been entering my stacks and stacks of Indians cards into the database to see which are new and which are dupes. I am still working through the Stampman stack as I write this, but I just needed to give a sincere apology for not posting a big THANK YOU earlier, and so that I could say THANK YOU for the cards you sent!
There are many duplicates, which is normal given how many cards I own, but the ones I need are set completers and cool oddballs I hadn't seen (like a 1989 Woolworth's Doug Jones!).
Thank you, Bill (Stampman), for a wonderful stack of Tribe cards! I owe you big time!
Well, this afternoon, I have been entering my stacks and stacks of Indians cards into the database to see which are new and which are dupes. I am still working through the Stampman stack as I write this, but I just needed to give a sincere apology for not posting a big THANK YOU earlier, and so that I could say THANK YOU for the cards you sent!
There are many duplicates, which is normal given how many cards I own, but the ones I need are set completers and cool oddballs I hadn't seen (like a 1989 Woolworth's Doug Jones!).
Thank you, Bill (Stampman), for a wonderful stack of Tribe cards! I owe you big time!
Friday, October 24, 2008
I don't dance... full MLB version
I know this is "old," but I just saw it on Disney Channel again, and since it shows off a great (er, uh, EX) Triber, I figured I'd share it:
"Why don't you sell all those?"
That was the question posed to me recently regarding the thousands (literally) of cards I have been sending out as part of the Trick-or-Treat giveaway.
I have one "rule" about my giveaways, and I suppose I should have made it clear when I wrote out the offer. My rule: You don't "owe" me anything in return. Don't get me wrong, if you've got Tribe cards (or oddball items) you'd like to find a home for, I am always a willing and welcoming collector! But, I hope no one out there feels like they owe me in exchange for their gifts (tricks OR treats).
I've been collecting cards for a long time. Because I focus mainly on Indians cards, I invariably end up with stacks and stacks (okay, they've actually progressed to boxes and boxes) of other teams' cards. I sold (or tried to sell) cards online for a while, but to be honest, that is just too much work for little return for me. I know people who make their living off of it, and I applaud them. For me, it was way too much hassle.
Then, I came across blogs like "The Baseball Card Blog" and "Cardboard Junkie" among others. It was then I decided to start up "Tribecards." As card blogs started growing, I was able to trade off the teams I didn't collect for Indians cards, and it was (and still is!) awesome! But, I still had (er, have) a TON of cards taking up space and making my wife generally crazy.
At the same time this was going on, I had a brainstorm of sorts while listening to "Bob and Doug MacKenzie's 12 Days of Christmas" and thus the "12 Days Giveaway" was born. The rest, as they say, is history.... Sort of.
See, along with all the reading, posting and trading, I re-discovered the joy of "playing" with cards. "12 Days," the Scratch-off Tourney, and now Trick-or-Treat, are ways that I get to "play" with the cards I don't collect (or in the case of Indians cards, are duplicates).
Yeah, there's some out-of-pocket expense with the tournaments and giveaways, but those are small potatoes in my book compared to the fun I'm having, and the fun I have seen others having, "playing" with the cards. :-)
So, why don't I sell them? It's a lot more fun to share them!!
I have one "rule" about my giveaways, and I suppose I should have made it clear when I wrote out the offer. My rule: You don't "owe" me anything in return. Don't get me wrong, if you've got Tribe cards (or oddball items) you'd like to find a home for, I am always a willing and welcoming collector! But, I hope no one out there feels like they owe me in exchange for their gifts (tricks OR treats).
I've been collecting cards for a long time. Because I focus mainly on Indians cards, I invariably end up with stacks and stacks (okay, they've actually progressed to boxes and boxes) of other teams' cards. I sold (or tried to sell) cards online for a while, but to be honest, that is just too much work for little return for me. I know people who make their living off of it, and I applaud them. For me, it was way too much hassle.
Then, I came across blogs like "The Baseball Card Blog" and "Cardboard Junkie" among others. It was then I decided to start up "Tribecards." As card blogs started growing, I was able to trade off the teams I didn't collect for Indians cards, and it was (and still is!) awesome! But, I still had (er, have) a TON of cards taking up space and making my wife generally crazy.
At the same time this was going on, I had a brainstorm of sorts while listening to "Bob and Doug MacKenzie's 12 Days of Christmas" and thus the "12 Days Giveaway" was born. The rest, as they say, is history.... Sort of.
See, along with all the reading, posting and trading, I re-discovered the joy of "playing" with cards. "12 Days," the Scratch-off Tourney, and now Trick-or-Treat, are ways that I get to "play" with the cards I don't collect (or in the case of Indians cards, are duplicates).
Yeah, there's some out-of-pocket expense with the tournaments and giveaways, but those are small potatoes in my book compared to the fun I'm having, and the fun I have seen others having, "playing" with the cards. :-)
So, why don't I sell them? It's a lot more fun to share them!!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Tricks and Treats finding their way to homes across the nation!
I'm starting to see (and receive) reports of the Trick-or-Treat mailings! I have another group of boxes going out this weekend, too!
This has been a lot of fun putting together, especially the 'tricks.' My son told me that next year I need to do way more tricks than treats... Guess we'll just have to see, won't we!?
I am eagerly awaiting the reactions from those who happened to have been tricked, too. :-) One package has something akin to a 'hidden trick' - that is, the trick is more about who or what's NOT in the box... :-) And, of course, most of the tricks really are about what *IS* in the box. :-)
The Trick-or-Treat giveaway is still in full swing, so if you've been lurking in the shadows, afraid to knock, slowly make your way up to the door and say those magic words: "Trick or Treat!" (And remember to let me know your favorite team(s)/player(s) or if you're REALLY daring, just ask me to 'surprise you...')
Thank you to everyone that's participated! I am already getting excited about this year's "12 days (of christmas)" giveaway!!
This has been a lot of fun putting together, especially the 'tricks.' My son told me that next year I need to do way more tricks than treats... Guess we'll just have to see, won't we!?
I am eagerly awaiting the reactions from those who happened to have been tricked, too. :-) One package has something akin to a 'hidden trick' - that is, the trick is more about who or what's NOT in the box... :-) And, of course, most of the tricks really are about what *IS* in the box. :-)
The Trick-or-Treat giveaway is still in full swing, so if you've been lurking in the shadows, afraid to knock, slowly make your way up to the door and say those magic words: "Trick or Treat!" (And remember to let me know your favorite team(s)/player(s) or if you're REALLY daring, just ask me to 'surprise you...')
Thank you to everyone that's participated! I am already getting excited about this year's "12 days (of christmas)" giveaway!!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Bartlett Brings Beef
The World Series is on, don't read this!
Seriously! What is wrong with you? Hello!? The Phillies and the Rays are on TV, playing the first game of the World Series right now (er, well, I do suppose it depends on what time you read this).
Get away from the computer. Close the lid to your laptop. Pedestriate away from your PC. March away from your Mac. Skip-a-dee from your Eee!
Tribe or No Tribe - It's the World Series we're talkin' 'bout here!
Get away from the computer. Close the lid to your laptop. Pedestriate away from your PC. March away from your Mac. Skip-a-dee from your Eee!
Tribe or No Tribe - It's the World Series we're talkin' 'bout here!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Lee snags a few 'treats' of his own!
Cliff Lee has racked up quite a few 'treats' ahead of Halloween:
2008 AL Comeback Player of the Year
2008 MLBPA Outstanding Pitcher in the AL
2008 Sporting News AL Pitcher of the Year
He is by far-and-away the lead player for the AL Cy Young award this year, too.
I may be giving away some pretty cool treats this year via the Tribecards blog, but I have to admit, they are nowhere near these ones!!
Congratulations, Mr. Lee!
Trickin-or-Treatin!!
What you see before you is the first shipment of trick-or-treat goodie boxes! I am still waiting for addresses from some folks, so yours will go out as soon as I get them.
You do NOT have to wait until Halloween to open these, by the way! Once they cross the threshold to your home, they are yours to open - if you dare!*
Update - As of today (10/20/08), Yankees and Cardinals requests will yield more tricks than treats! No worries, though, Fudgie, I got ya covered... Or do I!?!? Who knows what evil cards lurk in the boxes of Tribecards! (or something like that)
*Okay, seriously, it's just cards and some folks have other related items, but nothing that is going to jump out and get you. Really. You can trust me, can't you?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Trick or Treat! (UPDATE 10/18/08)
Update (10/18) - WOW! The response to the giveaway has been fantastic! There are some interesting 'tricks' heading out soon and a LOT of treats! Of course, if you know my MO, you know that even the tricks will have treats. And, some of what *I* think are tricks may actually turn out to be treats to some of you! So, if you get a 'trick,' be sure to look through ALL the items! Sunday, I will start emailing the folks that I need mailing addresses from. To let you know, I had my son and daughter decorate the boxes. They really loved being a part of this. As for the folks that haven't 'knocked' yet, I am out of any Yankees worth anything as of tonight. I have little to no Nationals. Other than that, feel free to knock away!
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Update (10/17): Thanks for the great comments! Dayf, you'll get yours for the mess I have to clean up!! :-) Lucy, thanks for the wonderful poem! I appreciate everyon who has responded so far!! I am building my mailing list and will be contacting those of you that I do not have mailing addresses for shortly!!
There've been a lot of knocks on the door and there is still plenty of 'trick or treating' to go around!!
Oh, Lucy, there is a box already headed your way - it's something I had already put together and is NOT your 'trick-or-treat' box!!
Also, there are a LOT of most teams and players, so there are no "dibs!" Several people may receive the same team, player, etc... You just never know what's in the ol' goodie bag!! :-)
In the spirit of Halloween, I'm having a "Trick or Treat" baseball card giveaway extravaganza! Well, okay, maybe it's not an EXTRAVAGANZA, but hey, it's free cards!
What do you have to do? Just knock on the door and yell "Trick or Treat!" For those that do not live close to my house in the boonies of southern Arkansas to actually knock, you can take advantage of the COMMENTS feature of Blogger! :-)
Leave a comment with an email address or send an email to my profile email address. Simply say, "Trick or Treat" and let me know what team(s) or player(s) you collect and where to send the tricks and treats. In return, you will get a trick, a treat, or both!
What's a trick? Maybe you get the arch enemy of the team you collect! What's a treat? A smattering of cards of the player(s) and/or team(s) you collect! What about both? Ah, well, that's the ultimate in "What The- did Tribecards send me THIS time!?"
Knock on the door, if you dare.... I'm waiting..... Mwahahaha....
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Update (10/17): Thanks for the great comments! Dayf, you'll get yours for the mess I have to clean up!! :-) Lucy, thanks for the wonderful poem! I appreciate everyon who has responded so far!! I am building my mailing list and will be contacting those of you that I do not have mailing addresses for shortly!!
There've been a lot of knocks on the door and there is still plenty of 'trick or treating' to go around!!
Oh, Lucy, there is a box already headed your way - it's something I had already put together and is NOT your 'trick-or-treat' box!!
Also, there are a LOT of most teams and players, so there are no "dibs!" Several people may receive the same team, player, etc... You just never know what's in the ol' goodie bag!! :-)
In the spirit of Halloween, I'm having a "Trick or Treat" baseball card giveaway extravaganza! Well, okay, maybe it's not an EXTRAVAGANZA, but hey, it's free cards!
What do you have to do? Just knock on the door and yell "Trick or Treat!" For those that do not live close to my house in the boonies of southern Arkansas to actually knock, you can take advantage of the COMMENTS feature of Blogger! :-)
Leave a comment with an email address or send an email to my profile email address. Simply say, "Trick or Treat" and let me know what team(s) or player(s) you collect and where to send the tricks and treats. In return, you will get a trick, a treat, or both!
What's a trick? Maybe you get the arch enemy of the team you collect! What's a treat? A smattering of cards of the player(s) and/or team(s) you collect! What about both? Ah, well, that's the ultimate in "What The- did Tribecards send me THIS time!?"
Knock on the door, if you dare.... I'm waiting..... Mwahahaha....
2008 A&G Carroll "Custom" - worth 2.5 million?
Jamey Carroll got his $2.5 million option to stay with the Tribe in 2009. At this stage of the game, the Indians are going to need all the help they can get in the dirt. Let's hope he proves to be some of the help the Indians need! Are we heading for the Tribe of the 80's all over again? I hope not!
Sidebar: Yeah, I'm not too keen with the A&G edit there... What can I say? It was a quick 5 minute job... LOL
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Ten years ago, in a Universe far, far away...
I had actually thought about posting these to "Things Done to Cards," but since they are all from my collection, I figured I would share these here and come up with something else off-the-wall for over there.. :-)
These are 1998 Skybox Metal Universe cards. They are borderless, but border on being designed under influence of a six-pack of Jolt. The backgrounds feature some rather bizarre places to find your favorite baseball players... We have Jaret Wright using the earth for footing. You'll notice the designer had the forethought to at least place each foot on land! Next, Travis Fryman is jumping between what appear to be the turnstile corrals. I thought they were folding chairs, but that's not right. With the "wallpaper" in the back, it's almost like he's jumping between two old-school classroom desks... Then, Manny Ramirez (I hate the ManRam nickname... that just sounds... wrong) is standing on a country road in the middle of a hill, as the hapless villagers go on living their lives in the houses below...
Charles Nagy is pitching in front of an aircraft carrier or battleship. It looks a lot like the one parked in San Diego bay. The one I walked around on instead of going to the conference like a good boy... And the last one in my collection is Kenny Lofton. He is batting atop some serious construction, with the bat inches away from one of those springy-things you See on some power poles... Man, let's hope he doesn't foul off in THAT direction!
The players in the photos are very bright and colorful. Well, the pictures are, I can't vouch if the players are or not... The team name and player name are black-lettered in a silver oval, making it not quite difficult to read. I should have scanned the backs... The backs of the cards are all bright green and blue and purple with bright lettering, colorful photos... Oh, what the heck, see for yourself!
A word about Fryman. He is pictured in a "Detroit" jersey on the front, but his hat is red and blue with the logo not quite discernible. One would tend to think he was wearing an Indians helmet, then. So, for the sake of argument, we'll (that is me and the mouse in my pocket, I guess) say it *IS* a Tribe helmet. So, let's say the picture was taken while Fryman was "interviewing" for the job at Cleveland. Don't you think he could have stopped by Hibbet's or Dick's and picked up an Indians jersey for the day? I mean, don't they say dress for the job you want? Oh, wait, maybe he didn't WANT the Indians job.... LOL! (Just kidding, folks! If Mr. Fryman is watching, it was just a joke...though, it would be neat to know what was happening that day...)
These are 1998 Skybox Metal Universe cards. They are borderless, but border on being designed under influence of a six-pack of Jolt. The backgrounds feature some rather bizarre places to find your favorite baseball players... We have Jaret Wright using the earth for footing. You'll notice the designer had the forethought to at least place each foot on land! Next, Travis Fryman is jumping between what appear to be the turnstile corrals. I thought they were folding chairs, but that's not right. With the "wallpaper" in the back, it's almost like he's jumping between two old-school classroom desks... Then, Manny Ramirez (I hate the ManRam nickname... that just sounds... wrong) is standing on a country road in the middle of a hill, as the hapless villagers go on living their lives in the houses below...
Charles Nagy is pitching in front of an aircraft carrier or battleship. It looks a lot like the one parked in San Diego bay. The one I walked around on instead of going to the conference like a good boy... And the last one in my collection is Kenny Lofton. He is batting atop some serious construction, with the bat inches away from one of those springy-things you See on some power poles... Man, let's hope he doesn't foul off in THAT direction!
The players in the photos are very bright and colorful. Well, the pictures are, I can't vouch if the players are or not... The team name and player name are black-lettered in a silver oval, making it not quite difficult to read. I should have scanned the backs... The backs of the cards are all bright green and blue and purple with bright lettering, colorful photos... Oh, what the heck, see for yourself!
A word about Fryman. He is pictured in a "Detroit" jersey on the front, but his hat is red and blue with the logo not quite discernible. One would tend to think he was wearing an Indians helmet, then. So, for the sake of argument, we'll (that is me and the mouse in my pocket, I guess) say it *IS* a Tribe helmet. So, let's say the picture was taken while Fryman was "interviewing" for the job at Cleveland. Don't you think he could have stopped by Hibbet's or Dick's and picked up an Indians jersey for the day? I mean, don't they say dress for the job you want? Oh, wait, maybe he didn't WANT the Indians job.... LOL! (Just kidding, folks! If Mr. Fryman is watching, it was just a joke...though, it would be neat to know what was happening that day...)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Pronk to have surgery
According to Indians.com, Travis Hafner will undergo shoulder surgery in an effort to get him as close to 100% as possible for next season. Depending on who you talk to, the surgery is more exploratory than anything else. Evidently, it is 'too early' to say whether or not any kind of reconstruction is in order. Having said that, arthroscopic surgery will likely be the initial procedure and then a decision will be made after that's done (or during, I guess).
The Indians have a ton of cashola wrapped up in Pronk, so they are banking on getting him healthy for next year. Let's hope so! In the mean time, maybe they should have him eat some of these for energy:
The Indians have a ton of cashola wrapped up in Pronk, so they are banking on getting him healthy for next year. Let's hope so! In the mean time, maybe they should have him eat some of these for energy:
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Carving up the Tribe
No, I'm not talking about any trades going on... I'm talkin' pumpkins! The Indians are having a "spookiest Indians pumpkin" contest... Carve a pumpkin in an Indians-themed manner and submit it for judging. At stake is a Sizemore-auto'd bat and a Lee-auto'd ball... I may be buying a pumpkin...
More info: HERE
More info: HERE
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Is there really even a line?
I suppose it was a matter of time anyway. I mean, I really do visit the sites I have listed in my "Clubhouse List." I've seen some card bloggers trash each other, and after this post, I may find myself on the receiving end of some of that trashing. I can live with it. I'm a big boy.
What am I talking about? Sponsorship. Payola. Cash and prizes for posts and product reviews.
Some bloggers are adamant about NOT "accepting" sponsorships of "any" kind. Some bloggers are more than happy to have corporate folks sending cash or merchandise in exchange for ad space or a posted review. Frankly, I don't care one way or another. I mean, heck, if the Cleveland Indians wrote to tell me that they'd like to advertise on my blog in exchange for cash or Tribe-related trinkets, I'd have no problem accepting it.
Well, sure, that makes sense, right? I mean, that IS what I write about, after all. But what about Upper Deck, Topps, or Dave and Adam's? Or Tribalfusion? How about AdSense?
I have AdSense ads on here. Sometimes they match with my posts and, sometimes I shake my head wondering why I even bother to have them on here. Okay, honestly, I mostly shake my head. I've never drawn one red cent from AdSense ads. That's not for wanting to or for trying, but rather because no one really seems to ever click through. Oh well, that suits me fine.
I know that Mario over at Wax Heaven has been working with Upper Deck to do reviews of boxes that he'll be receiving. I think that's smokin' cool! Some people question his move - will his reviews be unbiased? Are they ALLOWED to be unbiased? Some folks, like Gellman at Sports Cards Uncensored, say they would never have sponsors on their blogs.
But, for me, there is a very thin line that is often indiscernible between sponsorship and 'targeted advertising.' Look at Gellman's site. See the ads down the right-hand side? TribalFusion. It means he gets paid if you click through.
So, what *IS* the difference between flat-out sponsorship and 'click-through advertising?' The main difference, in my opinion, is expectation. When you place the AdSense-type placeholders on your site, the expectation is that the server (in this case, AdSense) will be able to accurately place links on your page. Your expectation is that your readers will even bother to look at the ads and then click on them. You also expect to get paid if enough people click through. With direct sponsorship, the corporation sets out exactly what it expects - ad placement requirements, web page imprints, a review of a product, a POSITIVE review of a product perhaps. Your expectation comes in the form of cash or goods in exchange for doing your part.
Why is it that people question integrity when the revenue is tied back to a specific sponsor (Dave and Adam's, say), but seem to have no problem whatsoever when a third party (Google, say) serves out the ads seen on the site? I suppose in the latter case, the blogger can always say, "Well, that AdSense placement for Upper Deck's latest offering wasn't MY fault! THEY did it!"
I believe that a writer has to have already built up a reputation of integrity for a corporate sponsor to even pay attention in the first place. The fact that now the writer receives product to be reviewed without paying for it just shows how much the product's supplier trusts that writer. Having said that, if events were to occur such that I was approached about a direct-placement, I would make it perfectly clear to the company that I will freely express my opinion whether it be positive or negative in relation to the product(s) being reviewed. Additionally, I would make sure I had an out if I didn't like the way things were going.
The argument between accepting sponsorships or not seems to be growing as more bloggers must grapple with the decision. Some people claim to be for it while others are dead-set against it. But really, the line between targeted ads and sponsorship is only a matter of semantics.
What am I talking about? Sponsorship. Payola. Cash and prizes for posts and product reviews.
Some bloggers are adamant about NOT "accepting" sponsorships of "any" kind. Some bloggers are more than happy to have corporate folks sending cash or merchandise in exchange for ad space or a posted review. Frankly, I don't care one way or another. I mean, heck, if the Cleveland Indians wrote to tell me that they'd like to advertise on my blog in exchange for cash or Tribe-related trinkets, I'd have no problem accepting it.
Well, sure, that makes sense, right? I mean, that IS what I write about, after all. But what about Upper Deck, Topps, or Dave and Adam's? Or Tribalfusion? How about AdSense?
I have AdSense ads on here. Sometimes they match with my posts and, sometimes I shake my head wondering why I even bother to have them on here. Okay, honestly, I mostly shake my head. I've never drawn one red cent from AdSense ads. That's not for wanting to or for trying, but rather because no one really seems to ever click through. Oh well, that suits me fine.
I know that Mario over at Wax Heaven has been working with Upper Deck to do reviews of boxes that he'll be receiving. I think that's smokin' cool! Some people question his move - will his reviews be unbiased? Are they ALLOWED to be unbiased? Some folks, like Gellman at Sports Cards Uncensored, say they would never have sponsors on their blogs.
But, for me, there is a very thin line that is often indiscernible between sponsorship and 'targeted advertising.' Look at Gellman's site. See the ads down the right-hand side? TribalFusion. It means he gets paid if you click through.
So, what *IS* the difference between flat-out sponsorship and 'click-through advertising?' The main difference, in my opinion, is expectation. When you place the AdSense-type placeholders on your site, the expectation is that the server (in this case, AdSense) will be able to accurately place links on your page. Your expectation is that your readers will even bother to look at the ads and then click on them. You also expect to get paid if enough people click through. With direct sponsorship, the corporation sets out exactly what it expects - ad placement requirements, web page imprints, a review of a product, a POSITIVE review of a product perhaps. Your expectation comes in the form of cash or goods in exchange for doing your part.
Why is it that people question integrity when the revenue is tied back to a specific sponsor (Dave and Adam's, say), but seem to have no problem whatsoever when a third party (Google, say) serves out the ads seen on the site? I suppose in the latter case, the blogger can always say, "Well, that AdSense placement for Upper Deck's latest offering wasn't MY fault! THEY did it!"
I believe that a writer has to have already built up a reputation of integrity for a corporate sponsor to even pay attention in the first place. The fact that now the writer receives product to be reviewed without paying for it just shows how much the product's supplier trusts that writer. Having said that, if events were to occur such that I was approached about a direct-placement, I would make it perfectly clear to the company that I will freely express my opinion whether it be positive or negative in relation to the product(s) being reviewed. Additionally, I would make sure I had an out if I didn't like the way things were going.
The argument between accepting sponsorships or not seems to be growing as more bloggers must grapple with the decision. Some people claim to be for it while others are dead-set against it. But really, the line between targeted ads and sponsorship is only a matter of semantics.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Keeping my day job...
Contests for cards (updated 10/10/08)
Right now, Thorzul is having a Halloween contest (HERE).
Treasure Never Buried is having a "Pay It Backward" contest (HERE).
Edits/Updates:
10/10/09 - Bad Wax is having a "House of baseball cards" contest (HERE).
10/09/08 - TheNennthInning is hosting a "Pick the NL Cy Young Winner" contest (HERE).
10/09/08 - Dayf is considering posting a football pick 'em contest next week, so be sure to check out the Cardboard Junkie (HERE).
-------------------------
I know for a fact there are a couple other card-related blogs that are having contests, and I have searched through the sites I visit, but I cannot find the ones I know I saw recently posted...
If you're having a contest on your card-related site, respond here and we'll help spread the word! :-)
Treasure Never Buried is having a "Pay It Backward" contest (HERE).
Edits/Updates:
10/10/09 - Bad Wax is having a "House of baseball cards" contest (HERE).
10/09/08 - TheNennthInning is hosting a "Pick the NL Cy Young Winner" contest (HERE).
10/09/08 - Dayf is considering posting a football pick 'em contest next week, so be sure to check out the Cardboard Junkie (HERE).
-------------------------
I know for a fact there are a couple other card-related blogs that are having contests, and I have searched through the sites I visit, but I cannot find the ones I know I saw recently posted...
If you're having a contest on your card-related site, respond here and we'll help spread the word! :-)
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Indians Mascot Heading for the Hall...
Slider, the Indians mascot, was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame on September 28, 2008. Yes, you read that correctly - there is a Mascot Hall of Fame. It covers all sports and was started up in 2005. And, of the mascots inducted, Slider is one of only four MLB mascots! The others are the San Diego Chicken, Mr. Met, and the Philadelphia Phillie. I'd say Slider is in some VERY good company!
The official site is HERE...
The article on Indians.com is HERE...
WAHOO Slider!!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Game-Used Goodness
I am gearing up (yes, pun completely intended!) for the 2009 Tribecards Scratch-card Tournament that will take place next season. In the process of securing autographed, game-used, and serially-numbered cards, I bought a group of about 20 cards. Not all of the cards were listed in the auction, so I only had a vague idea of what I was getting. In among the other cool cards were TWO TRIBERS!!
I got Pronk'd! The top card is a 2008 Upper Deck "A Piece of History" Franchise History game-used ... umm... well, I don't know. Is it a jersey? Pants? Sock? All we know from the back is that it is a 'piece of memorabilia.' Works for me!
The bottom card is Victor Martinez, who spent the season watching Shoppach kick some serious catching butt! His card is also a 2008 UD "A Piece of History," but this one is a Stadium Scenes card. The image in the background says "Jacobs Field" (the way it should be), but on the back it reads "Progressive Field." There's not even an asterisk on it. You know, something that says, "*The name of the stadium was changed after the Indians decided they wanted to receive a huge chunk of change from a corporate sponsor in order to finance players that will mature into great ballplayers immediately before or just after they are traded away." Something like that...
I got Pronk'd! The top card is a 2008 Upper Deck "A Piece of History" Franchise History game-used ... umm... well, I don't know. Is it a jersey? Pants? Sock? All we know from the back is that it is a 'piece of memorabilia.' Works for me!
The bottom card is Victor Martinez, who spent the season watching Shoppach kick some serious catching butt! His card is also a 2008 UD "A Piece of History," but this one is a Stadium Scenes card. The image in the background says "Jacobs Field" (the way it should be), but on the back it reads "Progressive Field." There's not even an asterisk on it. You know, something that says, "*The name of the stadium was changed after the Indians decided they wanted to receive a huge chunk of change from a corporate sponsor in order to finance players that will mature into great ballplayers immediately before or just after they are traded away." Something like that...
Monday, October 6, 2008
And to think, I have a Master's Degree...
I jumped on the computer as soon as I saw Thorzul's Halloween contest. In fact, I had the idea in my head for a card before I could even stop to think of an idea for a card! I will not tell you what I did, but will let him display my entry when the time comes.
No, this post is my own reflections on his exuberance over the package I sent him. Literally, the package. More precisely, the amount of postage on the package. A few years ago, I bought a postage scale in order to help myself figure up the cost of sending eBay items and card trades. The scale I have was a Wal-Mart special that cost about 10-15 bucks. In everyday English, that means it weighs things. It does not calculate the cost, nor does it tell you how many STAMPS one might need. Those things are left to the user of the scale to decipher.
So, when I put together my package for Thorzul (after thinking myself so clever for the contest entry and the ensuing additional items), I turned my brain off for the evening. Unfortunately, I still had some math to do.
The package should have cost about $1.50 or so to mail. I cannot even begin to explain why, but for some reason, I had it in my head that the number of stamps required was going to be around eleven. Now, here's where things break down. My very first thought was, "I can remember when America's Funniest Videos would tell people to send the video with 10 stamps. I can't believe this will take 11..." You would THINK that should have set off the red flags. Nope.
I loaded the package with the new "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" stamps and quickly realized those were too big for the package. Nevermind that the row of stamps more than covered the cost of shipping. I broke into my wife's stash of stamps and stole, er, borrowed, SIX MORE stamps.
It was not until I saw the post on Thorzul's site that the light came on above my head (it turned out NOT to be the lightning flashes from the storm outside). I thought, "Holy cow, that's a lot of postage..." Only THEN did I bring up the calculator on the old computer. How $1.50 turned into needing more than $4.00 is beyond my own comprehension.
I have to be honest. I don't even know what the current rate for Priority is without checking USPS.com... I can only assume by the speed at which he received the package that I adequately covered the cost of getting it there almost before actually sending it...
Did I mention that my degree is in Liberal Arts-English? Yeap, and I troubleshoot wireless networks, Exchange servers, EeePCs, etc, while teaching teachers how to use all the technology in world for their classrooms, but evidently I can't think far enough ahead to stop and calculate the number of stamps it takes to get to $1.50... Go figure.
No, this post is my own reflections on his exuberance over the package I sent him. Literally, the package. More precisely, the amount of postage on the package. A few years ago, I bought a postage scale in order to help myself figure up the cost of sending eBay items and card trades. The scale I have was a Wal-Mart special that cost about 10-15 bucks. In everyday English, that means it weighs things. It does not calculate the cost, nor does it tell you how many STAMPS one might need. Those things are left to the user of the scale to decipher.
So, when I put together my package for Thorzul (after thinking myself so clever for the contest entry and the ensuing additional items), I turned my brain off for the evening. Unfortunately, I still had some math to do.
The package should have cost about $1.50 or so to mail. I cannot even begin to explain why, but for some reason, I had it in my head that the number of stamps required was going to be around eleven. Now, here's where things break down. My very first thought was, "I can remember when America's Funniest Videos would tell people to send the video with 10 stamps. I can't believe this will take 11..." You would THINK that should have set off the red flags. Nope.
I loaded the package with the new "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" stamps and quickly realized those were too big for the package. Nevermind that the row of stamps more than covered the cost of shipping. I broke into my wife's stash of stamps and stole, er, borrowed, SIX MORE stamps.
It was not until I saw the post on Thorzul's site that the light came on above my head (it turned out NOT to be the lightning flashes from the storm outside). I thought, "Holy cow, that's a lot of postage..." Only THEN did I bring up the calculator on the old computer. How $1.50 turned into needing more than $4.00 is beyond my own comprehension.
I have to be honest. I don't even know what the current rate for Priority is without checking USPS.com... I can only assume by the speed at which he received the package that I adequately covered the cost of getting it there almost before actually sending it...
Did I mention that my degree is in Liberal Arts-English? Yeap, and I troubleshoot wireless networks, Exchange servers, EeePCs, etc, while teaching teachers how to use all the technology in world for their classrooms, but evidently I can't think far enough ahead to stop and calculate the number of stamps it takes to get to $1.50... Go figure.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
A surprise from John across the pond!
I have traded with John, who lives in merry old England, back in September. The other day, I received a padded envelope via "Royal Mail!" Inside was a stack of Indians cards for me! WAHOO!
I usually like to spell out the cards I receive as trades. Not because I want to gloat or anything, but because I like to acknowledge the effort the sender has put into getting a series of Indians cards to me. Now, last month with the scratch-off tourney going on, I felt a bit overwhelmed to enumerate all the cards I had received from several trades. I hope no felt slighted by that, and I did give props to the folks that sent me cards! :-)
The stack that John sent has a few duplicates, which has never bothered me. As I've stated many times before (and will most likely state again), I love getting Indians cards in the mail! It's like busting packs knowing every 'pack' has your favorite team in it!
Some (and I am fighting to keep the list short) of the standouts in this gift are the 2006 Upper Deck Gold Jason Johnson (#d 178/299), the varied Shoppach rookie cards, the 1986 jumbo Donruss Ken Schrom, and the prospect card. I'm a sucker for a prospect card and always have been. Even with the abundance of minor league-based sets these days, getting a prospects card in a regular set of MLB cards just means something different. For me, it is usually the guys I should really be watching for, or discovering guys that no one will ever hear from again.
Thanks, John!! I'll be putting together some more Red Sox for you soon!
I usually like to spell out the cards I receive as trades. Not because I want to gloat or anything, but because I like to acknowledge the effort the sender has put into getting a series of Indians cards to me. Now, last month with the scratch-off tourney going on, I felt a bit overwhelmed to enumerate all the cards I had received from several trades. I hope no felt slighted by that, and I did give props to the folks that sent me cards! :-)
The stack that John sent has a few duplicates, which has never bothered me. As I've stated many times before (and will most likely state again), I love getting Indians cards in the mail! It's like busting packs knowing every 'pack' has your favorite team in it!
Some (and I am fighting to keep the list short) of the standouts in this gift are the 2006 Upper Deck Gold Jason Johnson (#d 178/299), the varied Shoppach rookie cards, the 1986 jumbo Donruss Ken Schrom, and the prospect card. I'm a sucker for a prospect card and always have been. Even with the abundance of minor league-based sets these days, getting a prospects card in a regular set of MLB cards just means something different. For me, it is usually the guys I should really be watching for, or discovering guys that no one will ever hear from again.
Thanks, John!! I'll be putting together some more Red Sox for you soon!
When you give a 6-year old a camera...
My daughter had a birthday party to go to today. On the way home, she turned on the camera I had in the truck and started taking pictures. In addition to the radio, the power window controls, trees, and everything else, she took pictures of various Indians things in the truck and around the house:
Have you ever tried to get your picture taken by a child while you are driving down the road? It ain't easy...
She asked me if I had ever taken a picture of my "cool Indians phone." I don't believe I have any pics, so she snapped one for posterity...
These headrest covers are each of the front seats. Since we were bouncing down the road, she had a hard time taking the picture...
It's my wallet... Hey, it's got an Indian on it, so she took a picture. :-)
Once we got home, I had laid my Indians hat on the couch next to me... A remote and a Tribe hat - what else is there for an afternoon of Razorback football and Division Series baseball? :-) (The blue fuzzy socks are my wife's. Really.)
Have you ever tried to get your picture taken by a child while you are driving down the road? It ain't easy...
She asked me if I had ever taken a picture of my "cool Indians phone." I don't believe I have any pics, so she snapped one for posterity...
These headrest covers are each of the front seats. Since we were bouncing down the road, she had a hard time taking the picture...
It's my wallet... Hey, it's got an Indian on it, so she took a picture. :-)
Once we got home, I had laid my Indians hat on the couch next to me... A remote and a Tribe hat - what else is there for an afternoon of Razorback football and Division Series baseball? :-) (The blue fuzzy socks are my wife's. Really.)
Friday, October 3, 2008
How'd you like a Mustang?
Indians prospect Matt LaPorta is selling his 2002 'stang. He found out his Mom has MS and he'll donate a portion of the selling price to the Ryan Zimmerman MS foundation. Plus, the winning bidder gets a signed bat, ball, and card.
The auction is here: eBay LaPorta auction.
Opening bid is $4999.99 and the auction ends on October 12, 2008. If only I had five grand laying around... A guy can dream can't he?
Thursday, October 2, 2008
You can "Dare" all you want...
If you happen to follow "Cardboard Junkie," "A Pack A Day," or "Things Done to Cards," then you have probably recently seen posts about the 1998 Pinnacle Zenith "Dare to Tear" 5x7 baseball cards with cards embedded in them.
Well, I recently bought an unopened box of these (3 cards per pack, 18 packs per box), hoping to find a few Tribers to add to my collection. And, sure enough, I sure did!
Sandy Alomar Junior looks like he might need to wash of his catcher's equipment... Unless that's from some weird slide... Either way, I was pretty stoked when I pulled an Indian out of one of the packs. The little card packed inside this one will never see the light of day...
The next Tribe card I pulled was a few packs later. David Justice (you're looking at the back of the card here) has just completed a swing on the front. Here, on the back, he is in his warm-up jacket. At leas, I hope that's what he's wearing. LOL!
And, the box was packed in such a way to save the best for last! I pulled a THOME! Now, that is SUH-WEET! Poised here in his classic swing pose, he appears to be watching a ball sail foul down the first base line.
These are very nice cards, worthy of sticking into a cool set of 5x7 Indians frames. And, as I mentioned before, the regular-sized cards buried inside will never be revealed so long as I own them... :-)
Oh, I almost forgot! I looked up the phone number listed on the back of the packs... It's now an employment agency - how appropriate!
Well, I recently bought an unopened box of these (3 cards per pack, 18 packs per box), hoping to find a few Tribers to add to my collection. And, sure enough, I sure did!
Sandy Alomar Junior looks like he might need to wash of his catcher's equipment... Unless that's from some weird slide... Either way, I was pretty stoked when I pulled an Indian out of one of the packs. The little card packed inside this one will never see the light of day...
The next Tribe card I pulled was a few packs later. David Justice (you're looking at the back of the card here) has just completed a swing on the front. Here, on the back, he is in his warm-up jacket. At leas, I hope that's what he's wearing. LOL!
And, the box was packed in such a way to save the best for last! I pulled a THOME! Now, that is SUH-WEET! Poised here in his classic swing pose, he appears to be watching a ball sail foul down the first base line.
These are very nice cards, worthy of sticking into a cool set of 5x7 Indians frames. And, as I mentioned before, the regular-sized cards buried inside will never be revealed so long as I own them... :-)
Oh, I almost forgot! I looked up the phone number listed on the back of the packs... It's now an employment agency - how appropriate!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Making things easier...
Whew! Well, I think I have finally amassed my list of frequently visited clubhouses. If you were on my list before and you're not on there now, please let me know so I can get that taken care of! If you're not on the list and never were before, drop me a line and I'll be happy to start visiting!
Here is what I learned from this experience:
1. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
2. If you want to change your layout, make sure you have a GOOD backup.
3. Blogger Elements are NOT backed up when you save your XML file!
4. Use Google Reader to maintain your feeds and then just add that list to the blog roll to make life easy on yourself.
5. Thome rocks! (Okay, I already knew that)
6. The Cubbies don't.
7. The Tribe ended up 50/50 exactly. I don't know if I should cheer or cry.
8. I love the hood stripe on my truck.
9. Never be afraid to experiment - no matter what, you learn something.
Here is what I learned from this experience:
1. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
2. If you want to change your layout, make sure you have a GOOD backup.
3. Blogger Elements are NOT backed up when you save your XML file!
4. Use Google Reader to maintain your feeds and then just add that list to the blog roll to make life easy on yourself.
5. Thome rocks! (Okay, I already knew that)
6. The Cubbies don't.
7. The Tribe ended up 50/50 exactly. I don't know if I should cheer or cry.
8. I love the hood stripe on my truck.
9. Never be afraid to experiment - no matter what, you learn something.
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