2006 Greats of the Game - Packs 1 to 3

So, after all my crabbing about working to complete too many sets, I went out and  bought a box of 2006 Greats of the Game by Fleer. I shouldn't have, but I love the 2004 Greats so much, I couldn't resist.

I should have.  I really don't like this set.  What made the 2004 set great, in my mind, was the understated but attractive design, coupled with an embossed card. I am not sure if embossed is the right word, but the border on the 2004 cards was slightly raised above the center of the card.  It was, for lack of a better word, a 3D card..  The 2006 set borrowed many of the same design elements from 2004, but wasn't as attractive. Furthermore, the cards were printed on normal flat card stock.  I suppose I should have expected differences.  Between the issuance of the two sets, Fleer was acquired by Upper Deck.  2006 looks like an typical Upper Deck card, with poor use of Fleer design.

So, for what it is worth, I am not going to build this set and all the cards shown, unless I specifically note, are available for trade.  See something you want? Hit me up.

Pack 1

64 - Mark Grace - Chicago Cubs

 The image border here is similar to the card border detail from 2004.  I think the dark green color, coupled with the smaller image and larger nameplate really turn me off from this design.  It doesn't help that in 2004, the border detail was raised above the card level.  That 2006 is on card stock makes it look like a cheap knockoff of 2004. And, as I think about it, it really is a cheap knock off.  Too bad the hobby box prices for 2006 are almost double that of 2004.

82 - Rusty Staub - NY Mets
CHC-MG - Cubs Greats Mark Grace
DEC-MS - 80s Decade Greats Mike Schmidt Bat Relic

First pack and the first (of four) hits, a bat card of Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt.  This box was supposed to come with two relic and two autograph cards.  The checklist had some great names on it.  This is a pretty sweet card, but it has no emotional appeal to me and since I am not going to build this set, I'd love to put this into the hands of a Phillies fan.

Pack 2

40 - Garry Maddox - Philadelphia
99 - Willie McCovey - San Francisco
DEC-RC - 60s Greats Roberto Clemente

 
This insert set is ugly.  The "decades" part of the design doesn't appeal to me and, consequently, seems to take too much space away from the photo. The yellow shift on the back ground of the image doesn't really work either.

BOS-FL - Red Sox Greats Fred Lynn Jersey Relic

Second pack and second hit.  I sure hope I don't get all four hits right up front.  This box isn't really holding my interest.  If I pull all the hits early, I may never make it all the way through the series of posts on the box. Sort of like I did with my BOBOC series - I got bored and never finished it

Pack 3

26 - David Cone - NY Mets
43 - George Foster - Cincinnati
80 - Ron Guidry - NY Yankees

82 - Rusty Staub - NY Mets
BOS-JR - Red Sox Greats Jim Rice

I am off to a poor start. This post basically sucks, but I don't know how to fix it.

Between my ambivalence with the set, and my summer struggles (I sleep poorly when it gets hot and the longer the heat hangs on, the grumpier I get), I am just going to publish it and go take a nap. Maybe I feel better later and can knock off a better post.