Target Runs, Cinnamon Buns and Young Guns - Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays blog friends! 🎄

Last week, my wife sent me out to Target to pick up a toy for our youngest son for Christmas. It was a dinosaur that shoots something out of his neck or eyeballs or something. She also needed more all-purpose flour and some powdered sugar for the cinnamon buns she makes on Christmas morning for us. So, I hopped in my car and made the 12-minute drive out to Target while listening to my audiobook, "The Greatest Beer Run Ever" by John "Chickie" Donohue and Joanna Molloy. If you haven't read this book, I do recommend it. Shortly after I finished the book my wife told me it was made into a Zac Efron movie. I honestly had no idea. That is how out of date I am. 

When I made it to Target it was jam packed. I had to park near the Pool City store and walked 207 steps to the door of Target (per my Fit Bit). As soon as I went through the doors, I grabbed one of those red Target baskets and was on my way. Once I made it to the toy aisle, I realized I probably needed a cart instead of the Target basket I had grabbed. The dinosaur my son wanted was bigger than I remember it being from the commercial. So, I ventured back to the front of the store for a cart and gave my Fit Bit something to do. While wiping down the cart with a sanitizing wipe that Target generously offers, I spotted one of those multi-pack boxes out of the corner of my eye, you know the ones with the blue, yellow and red coloring. Previously when I bought one of these, I pulled a John Schneider Panini Golden Age auto. So, they really have been good to me. First things first, I needed a giant dinosaur and some flour and powdered sugar. Once I had all 3 of those items in my cart, I made my way towards the hobby section near the last register. As usual, all the baseball, football and basketball cards were completely wiped out (there are 2 guys in my area, who hit every restock and buy everything up - except for hockey 😉)

There were 4 of the hockey multi-packs left on the shelf. At first, I was going to buy all 4 but decided to just buy 2 of them. They were $17.99 each. Once I got home, my wife questioned the $36 dollar purchase of cards this close to Christmas, so I did what any blogger would do, I told her it was for a blog post! So, here is that post so my wife doesn't smack me upside the head. 

I positioned the boxes near the tree propping them up on my wife's bean bag chair for this photo and I take a look back at my wife and she's taking a picture of me taking a picture of cards in front of our pencil tree in our living room. Yeah, ok, I know I look a bit dorky. She then proceeds to make fun of me. Well, whatever, here is a nice photo for all my blog pals. I like it.

Ok Bryan, cool, but what's in the boxes? Well, let's have a look!

Box 1: 

2021/22 Upper Deck Extended Series Fat Pack 
2021/22 Upper Deck Extended Series Pack
2021/22 Upper Deck Series 1 Fat Pack
2021/22 Upper Deck Series 2 Pack

2021/22 Upper Deck Ice Pack

2022/23 Upper Deck MVP Pack

2022/23 Upper Deck Series 2 Pack

2022/23 Upper Deck Extended Series Pack

2 Loose crappy Upper Deck MVP cards

Here are the goodies once these packs were ripped open:

2021/22 Upper Deck Ice Jason Spezza Orange (my scanner makes it look red though)

2021/22 Upper Deck Ice Alexis Lafreniere Gold

2021/22 Upper Deck Ice Aliaksi Protas RC

2021/22 Upper Deck Auston Matthews

2021/22 Upper Deck Extended Series Young Guns Fabian Zetterlund RC

2021/22 Upper Deck Extended Series Young Guns Alex Turcotte RC

2022/23 Upper Deck David Jiricek Young Guns RC

2022/23 Upper Deck Extended Series Jack Quinn Young Guns Retro RC

Very happy with Box 1 so far! Young Guns galore, so I did really well with those. Protas wasn't a bad rookie to get from Ice either. He's having a nice season for the Capitals. Also, Zetterlund was a big score in the Extended Series Fat Pack. This is the first time I've hit ANYTHING in a Fat Pack. Seriously. The last 2 I purchased from my LCS were nothing but base. Not even an insert. I was very happy pulling the Alex Turcotte Young Guns since I do kinda collect the guy. Finding a Jiricek Young Guns was also surprising. I actually didn't own one of these, so I was happy to get one finally. He was just traded to Minnesota, and I am hoping he can finally receive the playing time that he deserves because Columbus wasn't giving it to him. As for the Jack Quinn Retro Young Guns....blah! I could do without all of these retro designs that card companies are pushing out in every release. Please stop. It's been done once, now come up with an original idea. Usually when I get anything retro I either trade or sell it. I don't have a lot of that sort of stuff in my collection. 

On to Box #2...

Box 2: 

2021/22 Upper Deck Series 1 Fat Pack

2021/22 SP Retail Pack
2022/23 Upper Deck MVP Pack

2022/23 Upper Deck Series 2 Pack x2

2022/23 Upper Deck Extended Series Pack

2023/24 Upper Deck MVP Pack

2023/24 Upper Deck MVP Fat Pack

2 Crappy Loose Upper Deck MVP cards

When I opened this box, I was disappointed to see 3 Upper Deck MVP packs, but they made up for it with two Series 2 packs. Let's see if my luck continues...

2021/22 Upper Deck Honor Roll Marc-Andre Fleury

2021/22 SP Rookie Authentics Alex Barre-Boulet RC

2022/23 Upper Deck MVP Auston Matthews

2023/24 Upper Deck MVP Ice Reps Jared Spurgeon & Nordy

2023/24 Upper Deck MVP Ridly Greig RC

2022/23 Upper Deck Extended Alexis Lafreniere Black Diamond Retro Double Diamond

I saved the Series 2 packs for last, but after opening all of these packs and the above being the noteworthy pulls, I had to admit, I was a bit disappointed. By this time, both of my kids were in my office telling me about something cool they were doing in my basement, so I took a break and saw that they had made a Hot Wheels racetrack and had connected a bunch of the racetracks my oldest got for his 3rd birthday and finally decided to use. It made me happy, so I played with them for a bit before venturing back into my office to finish this post. So, I cracked open the first pack and immediately I noticed the blueish bottom of the card in the middle of the pack, so I knew I had a Young Guns card. So, I flipped through the base until I got to the Young Guns and 

BOOM!

2022/23 Upper Deck Young Guns Juraj Slafkovsky RC

Suddenly I didn't care about the last pack. After putting this card in a sleeve and toploader, I ripped the last pack. OH! Another Young Guns card! Cool! So, I sift through the base and

BOOM!

2022/23 Upper Deck Young Guns Wyatt Johnston RC

I sat back in my computer chair. I just sat here for a second and laughed. What are the stinking odds of this? I'd honestly like to know. The Slafkovsky was a double. I had pulled one a while back, but the Johnston was a new one for my collection. I'd have to look at the checklist, but I'm pretty sure these might be the 2 best Young Guns you can pull from this product. 

I'd say I did really well in these packs. For $17.99 each I certainly got my money's worth. 

So, I'll leave my blog friends with this...

T'was the night before Christmas and as you can see

No one was ripping Upper Deck MVP

Parallels were pulled all numbered and rare

And all your eBay shipments were packed with great care

The Bowman Refractors were Autos and Red

Buy another Hobby Box is what our wives said

Oh Look! A Goodwin Champions City Heroes Map

Toploaded so many cards that I needed a nap

Posted your hits and they made such a chatter

Your collection is one that surely will matter

Wemby's galore and all were so mint

PSA 10 is what they will print..

Once they are graded and off in the mail

Soon you will pull that one holy grail

Wow, I got Skenes and it's auto'd to boot

All of these cards will nab me some loot

We trade and give RAK's to collectors in need

And hope these Bowman Prospects sure will succeed

Rookies, patches, autos and sets

Can't believe Soto signed with the Mets

McDavid patch pulled from a pack

A Trent Dilfer auto was used in a RAK

The Prizm parallel was Sparkle and White

Good luck in your rips and to all a good night!

Merry Christmas everyone! Good luck if you get cards as gifts! I hope everyone pulls some awesome stuff.

Thanks for reading.