Getting Teknical

I like oddball sets.  That’s not completely true.  Let’s say I have a love-hate relationship with them.  The quirkiness of a product like Moments & Milestones or Topps Tek intrigues me greatly and makes me want to open multiple boxes.  The player collection mentality urging me to seek out and horde what is essentially 20-200 copies of the same card annoys the ball hairs off of me.  Take that for what you will.

Each of these sets poses a different, less important dilemma.  How do I write about 20-200 copies of virtually the same card?

I’ve found a work around for UD Documentary in tracking the team’s record across the course of my players’ cards.

For Moments & Milestones, I decided to give mini-box scores.  With the help of baseball-reference, I give a play by play (or I guess just play) of that strikeout or home run.  Takes some research, but it’s more fun than saying “Yup, another one of these. This one says 82.  Next we have…”

Tek is a newer animal for me.  I’ve only ever posted one card.  I didn’t really consider I might need a hook at that time.

Well, the best I can think of is to rip-off Night Owl and do a “Name the Pattern.” thing.  You all are welcome to help me out.  I’ll throw out my random thoughts, but if the group outwits me (a strong possibility) I’ll change it.

Sound good?  Let’s get started, shall we?

1999 #5A

Pattern #5A – Logo Blinds.

The lines remind me of a window shade and the plastic, see-thru cards tell me I’m looking outside.

1999 #21B

Pattern #21B – Sketchy Diamond

Most of these won’t really require an explanation, will they?

2000 #1

Pattern #1 – The Exclusive License

Logos! Logos everywhere!  I’ve been trying to follow the Industry Summit a little bit, and the most interesting part wasn’t that Topps got extended to 2020, or that UD was giving an MLBPA license, but that Brian Gray said they consider cards periodicals and plan to push the envelope and take the fight to the Supreme Court.  Expect to start seeing logos on their cards and to start seeing a lawsuit frenzy.

1998 #54

Pattern #54 – Grandma’s Couch

This one I like, but also think it may be best reserved for a future pattern.  What say the masses?

1999 #9A

Pattern #9A – 1920’s Business Card

I get an art deco vibe from this thing.  The “W” looks a hell of a lot like my wedding cake topper, too.

1999 #13A

Pattern #13A – Lumber River

Somebody flushed a lot of bats down the toilet.

1999 #21B

Pattern #21B – Sketchy Diamond

The problem with this exercise is that multiple players will have the same patterns, and when talking about 1999 Tek, each player will have 2 versions for each pattern.  We’re bound to run into repeats.

1999 #5B

Pattern #5B – Logo Blinds

I also noticed that within the same box you get a lot of recurring patterns.  I’m sure it has everything to do with collation for this behemoth of a set.

2000 #8

Pattern #8 – Sign Here…and Here

1999 #8A

Pattern #8A – Team Treads

I could have also gone with Tire something something or NASCAR blah blah.

1999 #1B

Pattern #1B – American TriForce

I want to play Zelda by just looking at this card.  Strikeout Gannon, get a piece of the TriForce and the raft.

And that’s just about everything I have.  Most of these came from my Topps group break and the box that almost all got traded to sruchris.  I do have a few other Maddux Tek, but I’d rather keep them with their original groupings.

Besides it gives you something to look forward to for next time.  Right? Otherwise, I may need to find another hook.