What month is it?

Before I get to the meat of the post, allow me a mini rant.

Ok - I'm ready.

I have been reading a bunch today about how Topps and Topps Now missed the boat on the Odor vs. Batista card. How the company is not "listening to the market" or "ignored a great opportunity". Seriously folks? Are we that clueless to think that Topps, MLB, MLBPA or any entity would think "hey, we had a brawl on the field that violated every rule on the book and made our product look like hell - let's sell an official trading card commemorating it". Sports are brands, and the last thing one does is damage your brand. The news, month after month, talks about corporations and their attempt to increase their revenue and bury disparaging facts about the very item they sell. From the false claims by food manufacturers to the white washing of facts by the tobacco, firearms and automobile industries onto the outright lies from coal and petroleum - it's all about protecting the bottom line. The evidence is clear that football players get CTE, and that is a serious condition, but Goodell won't talk about it. NBA owners aren't rich enough so they will soon have ads on their uniforms while fleecing communities to build them arenas with tax dollars that would be better spent on oh, I don't know - Food? Schools? Roads?

So when Topps releases a card of that punch, I am sure it will be some short print in next year's flagship along with the PED insert set that is on the table. Cuz that's the image baseball wants you to remember - Bonds, Sosa, Clemens, McGwire, Palmero, A-Rod and Ortiz all in a set highlighting their alleged steroid use. Gavin, if you create and sell those PED customs, I get 25% of the profits.

Off the soap box.

So a few days about Night Owl posted about Wantlist Awareness Month, created by Dennis from Too Many Verlanders. I know pull tab awareness week comes on the 7 days after Shark Week (referenced Gavin twice in one post - now I get 50% of the profits). But I had no clue Wantlist Awareness Month was April. Well shoot - I blew it.  But I have 10.5 months to gear up for it come 2017.

I received two WAM mailings from Dennis totaling about 20 cards. Not only did every card clear a number on a want list, but I was forced to completely redo my Baker's Dozen list on the side panel after the mauling Dennis did to it. Without further delay...

Three from the Baker's Dozen. The Kellogg's Lopes has been a huge pain as I could never find it at a price I liked. Doesn't help that I prefer ridiculously low prices. But still, it was always on the 'bey for $3-4 bucks. No offense to the fourth member of GCRL, but I don't think that was a fair price. Kent is of course a double play. Hudson is a great throwback from the A's, harking back to their days in Philly.

20114-15 and 2015-16 Upper Deck hockey base sets complete. I'm always upset when the final card I need is a superstar. Look - Sid the Kid has been in the league 10 years. Base cards for players after 10 years of service, even the big names, are not worth as much as people think.

Last cards needed for 2015 GQ base. Could someone teach Hunter how to properly wear his pants. You look like you have cycling pants on. The Harper at the bottom has always been a card that I feel people overprice, so I hope you got a deal on it Dennis.

Technically, there is no exact want list of Koneko's sunset card, but it is in the most wanted section. I am sort of building the rainbow of the base and chrome releases, so these three go towards that goal.

And lastly we end on a couple Golden Age inserts. I miss Golden Age. I'm sure I am in the minority, but I loved that set.

Now that ends the first mailer. But about 2 weeks later, Dennis dropped a PWE on me.

Yes, I am trying to build 2008 Upper Deck. It's been on my want list just a few months, but any help would be appreciated. The Pitcher Perfect card of Chili Davis is one of my favorite broken bat cards. Classic fun photo from the mid 90's. Dennis - thanks again.

We should all take part in Wantlist Awareness Month next year and give credit where credit is due. I'm no Edison to his Tesla, after all.