2010 Topps Match Attax - kicks off new sets

Although the packs have been available for a few months now, I finally got around to opening the pack of 2009-10 Topps Match Attax soccer cards. The trade with my fellow blogger Jack at Pursuit of 80's is always great.

The first pack I opened revealed the online craze of playing football with trading cards. I immediately pulled an icard - with a code that gets you extra points plus more online cards for your team.

Here was the breakdown of 4 packs:

Pack 1:

Christian Benitez - Birmingham City

Hugo Rodallega - Wigan Athletic (icard)

Marc Wilson - Portsmouth

Julien Faubert - West Ham United

Hermann Hreidarsson - Portsmouth

David Edgar - Burnley

Nice start with the shiney insert card, but the others are all from the bottom clubs.

 Pack 2:

James McFadden - Birmingham City

Emannuel Eboude - Arsenal

Ayegbeni Yakubu - Everton

Jonathan Woodgate - Tottenham

Benni McCarthy - Blackburn Rovers

Liam Lawrence - Stoke City

Much better with a few international players in the mix.

Pack 3:

Gary Megson - Bolton Wonderers - Manager

Tomas Rosicky - Arsenal

Steve Finnan - Portsmouth

Emile Heskey - Aston Villa

Steve Sidwell - Aston Villa

Roy Hodgeson - Fulham United - Manager

More Portsmouth (last place team) and two manager cards. Oh well - a bit better.

Pack 4:

John Utaka - Portsmouth (blimey !)

Sir Alex Ferguson - Manchester United - Manager (a real Knight !)

Mark Hughes - Manchester City - Manager (former Man. Utd star)

Ryan Nelson - Blackburn Rovers (former DC United player)

Carlos Tevez - Manchester City (icard)

Karl Henry - Woverhampton

A very nice finish. Although now Hughes has been unceramoniously fired, Tevez to me is the player to watch in the upcoming World Cup. While many will be folloiwing Lionel Messi, Argentina's ace might just be Carlos Tevez.

Speaking of international sporting events - JD's Wild Cardz is having an Olympics contest with cool giveaways. So get there quick, check out his blog and take a flag (or a number) !

The Vancouver Winter Olympics begins this Friday.

A Card To Be Made Later ... and Black History Month

I really hate falling behind. I have made the trades, sent and recieved - yet I have not got around to scanning the wonderful cards I now have in my collection. I've also fallen behind in exhibiting some of the cards that readers have been wanting to see.

So .... I've finally finished two of the cards for fellow bloggers - Shane over at SHOEBOX LEGENDS - is a die-heart Hartford Whalers fans.

I love retro-historical cards, players and teams. Therefore his prize is a Ron Francis all-star card in the design of 1971-72 O-Pee-Chee hockey. (ONE OF MY FAVS)

Subsequent to my posts on the never-made fantasy cards of 1979 Topps NASL soccer - there was a hue and cry for Chicago's representation. Therefore I created this card for the former NASL Champions - CHICAGO STING  - in the style of the 1981 Donruss baseball set.

Karl-Heinz Granitza was the scoring wizard for the Soccer Bowl '81 winners. I hope  this satisfies Sal over at PUCK JUNK and my fellow traveller at JOHNGY'S BEAT.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH:

It often amazes me that when I travel abroad, foreign peoples' awareness to the prejudices that kept black American athletes from particpating in major sports leagues.

This collusion was rampant among many team owners - notably Washington Redskins' owner George Preston Marshall - who conceeded to finally sign a black player through pressures of the Kennedy Administration.

The player he eventually signed was Bobby Mitchell. You can read more about the NFL, Marshall, Mitchell and Black football players here.

PS - Happy Birthday Hank Aaron !