2014 Stadium Series NY Rangers v. NJ Devils

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend today's game at Yankee Stadium to see the Rangers take on the Devils.  It was roughly 20 degrees at 11:45 when we arrived, and God only knows what the wind chill was, but thanks to Under Armor we were toasty.  Well, then they delayed the game an hour for sun glare.... Sun glare.  I would have thought this was a consideration taken when choosing a game to start at 12:30 instead of later but what do I know.

It was an amazing experience and one that only needs to be had once to be honest.  The sight lines are terrible unless you were in the upper deck (I assume they are better in the upper deck infield but I didn't go look).  We couldn't see one side of the ice, or the bottom of either net.  While the sight lines were bad, the atmosphere was amazing.  It was cool to see that many people pack into the stadium in the freezing cold to watch hockey.  Nothing is like seeing the Rangers at the Garden, but this was definitely worth the experience, the cost of extra layers, hand warmers, foot warmers, body warmers, and programs.  We managed to stay warm with the exception of our toes, that was pretty rough I'm not even going to lie.  

Yes, that is me and yes that is snow piling up on me.  The disposable heated blanket was pretty clutch though.

This was our view from Section 104, Row 27W.... (What might the stand for, you ask?)

It stood for wheelchair accessible apparently.... So we had a giant square of space all to ourselves.  I had no idea how my friend bought these, but I was happy to not be surrounded by people.

There was no giveaway at the gate which made me sad.  I was hoping for something free.  I like free stuff.  Right behind my section, there was a Panini booth.  Win.  They were giving away Sticker Albums and stadium series exclusive sticker sheets to start the album.  While this was cool, all I was thinking was thanks for sucking me into completing this.  Damn marketing!  They also had Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Brodeur Stadium Series exclusive cards.  So I grabbed a pile of Hank cards.  If anyone is interested in a contest to win a Henrik card, leave a comment and let me know so we can set up a contest.

Here are the rest of the pics I took today.  There weren't many because I was not taking my gloves off to operate my phone in the arctic.

The outcome of this game could not have been better.  Good guys win 7-3!

Time to search the old NES box

... if I had one.

As collectors, we know the concept of supply and demand, and the value of an item. A card is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

In this case, an old, rare NES game is apparently worth THOUSANDS ... and I mean, THOUSANDS.

Last I looked, a rare cartridge of Nintendo World Championship Cart was up to $41,000 on eBay (check the auction here). I shouldn't be amazed by this, but I really am. As someone who enjoys collecting and those rare "barn finds," I think this one ranks up there as pretty neat.

Despite the label being torn off and a scribble on the paper, it seems video game collectors have to have their hands on this item.

Of course, when something starts getting into this price range, you have to wonder if the seller is even going to get paid. It is eBay after all and there are enough buyers who squelch on $5 deals never mind those in five figures.

2013-2014 Score Hockey blaster

I picked up this blaster over the other hockey ones they had a Target because this had the most cards for the money.  Part of me regrets picking it based on that reason alone because it is a boring base set.  They had OPC, Black Diamond and some other Panini one that only had 5 packs or something ridiculous in it.

Anyway, here is what I got.  The highlights for me are the Rangers, and more importantly a shiny new card of my boy McD.

Could the back of these cards be any more boring?  At least put the logo in color.

Anyone have a Henrik Lundqvist net camera card they would part with?  Anyone else open one of these blasters and get anything good?  I bought a rack pack of these not too long ago and those came with a couple of red parallels.

Don't call it a comeback...

Greetings old and new friends.  Sooz wrote a post about what has been going on since our last posts and it was pretty spot on.  I got burnt out trying to post many times a day, write reviews and previews, etc.  Honestly, I have no intention of writing a preview ever again in my life.  I'd be willing to review a product, but no previews and checklist stuff.  Nope.

So in the last year I have been busy in school.  I went back and did a one year Bachelor of Nursing degree and now I can dress any wounds you get from sharp cardboard.  (No, I am not a naughty nurse.  No, I don't own a tiny 'nurse costume'.)  In that year and the previous year I stopped collecting for the most part.  I got bored with cards, specifically baseball cards and Topps.  They got lazy with products and I got bored, there was no excitement anymore when ripping packs.  Everything was the same year in and year out and I was tired of wasting money on it.

Luckily the name of the blog encompasses all cardboard because I have taken a liking to collecting hockey cards.  They are exciting to open and they have more design "wow" factor with inserts, autos and game used.  My PC is mainly Ryan McDonagh of the NY Rangers, and I pick up other Rangers here and there.  I actually started my own blog a while back and got bored real fast trying to write alone and with all of like 4 people who read it.  It felt more like a diary than a blog and that made me feel like a giant loser.  If you want to check out some of my PC you can go to A Girl Walks Into A Card Shop and check it out.  I may or may not get around to posting it here but it's out there.  I mainly collect McDonagh autographs, I don't even bother looking for base cards or SN cards.  If I saw them at a show I would probably pick them up but I have no interest in creating more spreadsheets and driving myself bananas collecting 40 color variations of a card anymore.

I just opened a blaster of hockey cards and scanned them and was also reminded that I hate scanning cards.  I will post that later or tomorrow.  I just wanted to say hello now that Sooz got your attention and got the ball rolling.  Maybe in the spring Sooz and I will do a card shop road trip, maybe if I get a passport we can play in Canada so I can get hockey cards and stalk my new pal Stephane Matteau (more on that another day).  See, I have a few stories.  Oh, plus we will have to discuss Robbie Cano at some point here.

Adios Contaminos.

Getting back to the basics

A Cardboard Problem has been dead for two years.

Marie and I started doing other things in our lives after becoming entrenched in the hobby blog community. Blogging took a back seat until we just completely stopped driving the car.

But two years can change perspectives.

I remember toward the end my run on A Cardboard Problem I was unhappy with the site. It changed from what it initially was supposed to be – two friends who enjoyed collecting.

Sure, we wrote about that but we started writing about previews and reviews of products. We looked for ways to monetize the blog. It felt more like a job than a way to express ourselves. I write about cards for a living now at Beckett. I enjoy the fact that I actually do get paid now to do previews and reviews.

However, there is something that’s happened. I keep asking myself: “What happened to the fun?”

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed going to card shows and hearing people ask “Hey, aren’t you Sooz from A Cardboard Problem?”

Marie and I had fun days when we chased cards. We drove around southern New Jersey and southeast Pennsylvania looking for new card shows and card shops. We actually became friendly with shop owners in Hammonton, N.J. (where the store has since turned into a mortgage lender). I found a really great shop in Central New Jersey all because we followed some addresses in the Yellow Pages.

In short, we had fun.

I want to get back to that place where collecting feels like more than work.

Of course, working for Beckett means it is my job, but writing on A Cardboard Problem feels like a way to start enjoying the hobby again. Not worrying about what autograph is in a product or if the latest checklist has been posted.

For our former readers who have stuck around – thank you.

For new readers that may stumble upon our blog – welcome and hope you enjoy your stay.

(By the way, the photo is of Marie and me at the final game at Yankee Stadium. Another adventure of ours.)

What steroid problem?

A day after Alex Rodriguez was suspended for 162 games is a good time to reflect on steroids that were prominent in baseball in the late 1990s and 2000s -- maybe even now.

Talking about it is no fun though. The best way to look at it is through pictures.

So, I send you off to another blog to check out an amusing, informing and sometimes cringing view of the "Super Sluggers" of baseball.

Dan Good Stuff has 25 top moments from this VHS tape that won't go away. Check it out and let me know what you think. 

Nominate your favorite blog for Best Blog of the Year

The blogging community really helped me enjoy collecting more when A Cardboard Problem first started. It was great meeting new collectors and trading with them.

It was also fantastic knowing that my collecting habit didn't make me weird. Honestly, it took some time for me to admit being a card collector for many years. The weird looks some people gave -- especially being a woman -- made me keep my hobby a secret except to my close friends and family.

Blogging, and those collectors I met through it, made me realize that this was OK because it was MY hobby. It was what I wanted to do and there were so many people out there I could share it with who liked the same things I did.

On that note, I want you to head over to Jaybarkerfans's Junk. He's holding a yearly blogging contest for you to vote for the best blog on the web. Go nominate a blog who you enjoy following. Even if they don't win, the bloggers will still know that you enjoy reading.

Happy New Year!

Just wanted to take a moment to say ... hello :)

Hope collecting has treated you well.