2009 Topps Platinum Mark Sanchez White Refractor RC #477/499With football season just around the corner and the New York Jets gaining nationwide attention on "Hard Knocks", I figured that the time was right to admit, that yes, I am friends with Mark Sanchez.
Now you may be asking yourselves: how does a small-town boy become friends with a quarterback of one of the biggest and most popular programs in all of college football? Good luck I guess. One of my best friends in college went to high school with Mark and whenever the Trojans played in the Northwest (Seattle, Pullman and Corvallis) we would make the trek to see Sanchez and U.S.C. blow their opponents out of the water.
The first time I met Mark he was serving as back-up quarterback to John David Booty (where art though now?) at a University of Washington game. After a surprisingly close USC win, Mark hung out with us for about 30 minutes, laughing at my jokes ("Have you heard about the corduroy pillows? They're making headlines!) and sharing some of the team pizza and gatorades with us. He was incredibly down to earth, friendly and more than anything, motivated to succeed. Mark was even nice enough to send me a text thanking me for being there to support him and the team.
I got to see him play a few more times the next year (a devastating loss at Oregon State and a blowout win at WSU), but by that time he was a starter and media darling, and there was always such a crowd around him that we rarely got to spend more than few minutes together. Still, he always took time to say hi and thank us for making the trip to the game.
We were a bit crushed when the Seahawks passed on Mark in the draft, but it was great to see him enjoy success his rookie season with the New York Jets. He might be one of the biggest stars in football now, but I'll always remember him as the back-up QB who was willing to hang out with a couple of admiring fans.
Good luck in 2010 Mark!
Mark and I after a victory vs. WSU 2008
Mark Sanchez Rookie Variation #590/1459: After the first two packs of this blaster I was left staring at a Jason Smith Rookie Variation (we all know the resale value of offensive tackles) and a Jarrett Dillard (who?) refractor numbered to 999. Clearly, I made a mistake, and the card gods were punishing me for it. But in the third pack, a glimpse of hope emerged, shining bright in a sea of platinum. A numbered card of one of football's hottest rookies and a pro player I know personally (more on that in a Brush with Greatness type post); maybe all was not lost after all.
Ramses Barden Rookie Autograph #190/850: Well, Ramses Barden won't win any awards for penmanship (I bet Sign Here and Here would have a field day with this one), but an autograph from a blaster is nothing to scoff at, even if "the Pharaoh" only caught one pass all season. Barden was a third round pick, so there's still hope he turns out. After this card I figured the blaster was spent, but it still had one more treasure for me to unearth. Behold!
Mike Wallace RC Blue Refractor #50/99: Though the card may be blue I certainly wasn't after pulling a low-numbered refractor of one of football's most underrated rookies. Come football season this card alone would likely pay for the entire blaster but it's so pretty I might have a tough time parting with it. Mike looks great in blue.
Closing Thoughts: Just like Arnold in Conan the Barbarian I turned to the card gods, bought this blaster, and screamed "if you won't help me now...then the hell with you". Good luck or fate had nothing to do with it; I willed this box to be a winner and against overwhelming odds it was.
Will I punished for my insurrection with a 2010 Allen and Ginter hobby box full of Fred Lewis relics? Without a doubt. But until then I'll bask in the calming blue glow of Mike Wallace and the knowledge that my twenty dollars was well spent.
Bud out.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is the most loaded retail product ever. Out of two blasters and a handful of packs I've pulled two rookie autographed patch cards (including one of ROY Percy Harvin), tons of big name rookies (Stafford, Sanchez, Maclin, McCoy, Harvin, Cushing, Curry, Orakpo, etc), and this gorgeous Javon Ringer Red Refractor RC #10/25 that I scored yesterday. If I were looking to flip these cards (I'm not), I would easily make my money back. How often can you say that about blasters? I'm not getting compensated by Topps for this advertisement (although it sure seems like it), but rather just trying to help fellow collectors find a fun (and valuable) alternative to their usual card purchases.