My Totally Sports Themed Bday Presents...

...from the bestest gf ever!

My birthday was almost two weeks ago but I've been too busy (lazy) to post this. Bless Amy's heart for appeasing and dealing with my sports obsession. Thankfully, she realizes I grew up in a household where ESPN was on every waking minute. Growing up, we once stayed in a cabin in Yellowstone sans TV - my dad looked like a lost puppy. I think he read the sports section of the local paper multiple times. In any case, I'm grateful Amy was already a Cubs fan when I met her. Growing up in Iowa, she would go to a Cubs game in the "big city" every summer with her family. She wasn't much of a hockey fan, but I've dragged her into it the last couple of years and I think she really enjoys the game. Too bad she didn't watch it much as a kid since fights are her favorite part. Where we go our separate ways is football - she hates it, I can sing the "Super Bowl Shuffle" in my sleep. Luckily she usually does something else in the apartment during Bears games or joins the other football widows at Target. So here is a pictorial of her gifts to me - with a special bonus at the end.

I have not worn the shirt above yet, but the hat has found its way to my head several times - too bad it'll soon too warm to wear it, but that's what my collection of ball caps are for. Amy gave me the pucks the afternoon before we left for the Rockford game in the hopes I could get them signed. We all know how that turned out, but I'm sure I'll have other opportunities to get them autographed by someone.

A little change of pace...

I had mentioned to Amy several weeks ago that the Chicago Sun Times was putting a whole slew of original photographs on eBay. I took a brief look and didn't really find anything, but Amy found one lone picture of my all time favorite Cub: Jody Davis. This is from the infamous season of 1984, which shall not be discussed on this blog in addition to 1989, 2007, 2008 and especially 2003. What is even more interesting to me is the back of the photograph:

I think I'll get one of those frames that is glass on both sides to view it in. The back is too cool for a nerd like me to cover it up.

Moving on to the last and best present....

An entire box of 1989 Topps Hockey Cards! As you can see I have only opened about 1/3 of the box. Here are some of the "good cards":

Ah memories...Brett Hull sure was rocking that mullet. Joe Sakic has his "I'm too sexy for this Nordiques sweater" face. Pardon this crappiness of the pictures - I don't have a scanner (yet). Here are some cards I found amusing:

I loved Andy Moog just for his name: Mooooooooooog. I don't know what Rick Vaive is wearing on his neck - I think my brother had one of those when he played youth football. Zarley Zalapski is an awesome name. Greg Adams is here for the sheer awfulness of his Canucks jersey. The other cards are actually stickers.

I think it's kinda cute - Amy says I should put them on my bike helmet.

Do you know the reason Amy got me cards from 1989? Here it is folks, the holy grail:

The Alain Chevrier Blackhawks card! 

Anyone who reads Second City Hockey - chevrier30 is my screen name. He was my first favorite hockey player. As you can see, his stats um, sucked. But he did pretty good in the playoffs. Let's just say I was 13 and thought he was cute. So sue me.

I have a lot of doubles already, so if anyone has a player they want me to look for, or just some cards for shits and giggles let me know. I was going to be very pissed if I didn't get at least one Chevy in the box.

Finally, the bonus material:

Yes, these packs came with gum, and as you can see some was still intact. In the interest of science, I decided to try a piece. Here are the results:

It was really crunchy and broke into little shards. It tasted like paper. Not the grossest thing I've ever tried, but it did all go into the Kleenex. There would be more pictures if Amy wasn't laughing so hard. I'm glad I amuse her.

Overall, this was one of the best birthday presents I have ever received. Thanks, Amy (I'll leave the mushy stuff off the blog as to not induce vomiting).