Exciting Things Are Happening…stay tuned!
It feels like forever since I have cracked open a pack of cards, and honestly, it has been. I saw this tempting pack of 2014 Topps Turkey Red while I was running errands recently. I figured this would be a great pack to kick off my next round of pack cracking here on Wax Cracker since it had a guaranteed autograph hit in it…and not to go without mention, I have a weakness for the Turkey Red line.
It’s great to be back cracking. I have some more packs to open this week in my drive to 365 packs. I’ll be back with more crackings soon!
The main point of my website at the time of launch was to open a pack of sports cards a day for the entire year. In setting Wax Cracker up in this fashion I figured it would force me to make a post every day and keep me writing. I started this site to get me back into sports writing, something I have enjoyed for many years. I believe I didn’t miss my first post until somewhere in the low 200s. For me, making it over 200 straight days without missing a post was a huge win, and it was a great achievement for me to take the streak that long. As I’ve briefly touched on previously, I went through some major changes in my life in 2014. Life happens and we all have to figured out how to deal with everything that goes on. I’ve missed multiple post in my quest for opening 365 packs of sports cards.
I’m here tonight, however, to let you all know I will be finishing the 365 pack challenge I’ve held myself to. I know it would have been great to open the 365th pack on New Years Eve, but it didn’t work out that way. I am currently on Pack 311 in this wax cracking journey. I have stockpiled some packs and I will be having a large break soon to share all of my hits. I am also working with Sean from Steel City Collectibles to find a hard hitting pack to crack open as the 365th pack. Hang in there, I’ll get back to cracking some packs open this week.
In other news, I have been excited to have Sterling More and John Von Gunten back up and writing for Wax Cracker. I want to start sharing some more of Dinur Blum’s live action sports shots, and I will be checking in with Chris Shannon soon to see what he has in the works for shooting live action shots at State College Spikes minor league games this year. Mix that all in with some player interviews, wax crackings, and other topics I have coming up, and we have some exciting times ahead here on Wax Cracker.
Also, I may be spreading my wing some with an upcoming sports venture. I’m dying to share the news with you all, but I promise to have a post up soon with more details on that. I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend. Take care and keep on cracking!
-Casey
I will admit that as a kid, I wanted to see Steel. I remember when it came out in theaters, and seeing a big poster for it at my local video store when it was out on VHS. It might sound silly now, but recognize that Shaq was on top of the world at this point. In 1994 he was in the movie Blue Chips and had his own video game (Shaq Fu), and by 1996 starred in Kazaam. He was also successful on the court, going to the playoffs in 1994 and 1995 and winning a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics. He was a sure thing for producers of shitty media to make something instantly marketable. I saw Kazaam in theaters as a kid, and was hyped for Steel even though most of my friends had recognized it as probably not good.
They were right, but I didn’t believe them until I sat down to watch this movie. I again teamed up with my friend Josh because it was his idea to pair this with Steel Reserve. He explained that it as a malt liquor it was technically different from beer. I accepted the challenge so long as he had to suffer with me. We would both regret this move.
The movie starts with a solid two minutes of metal pouring behind the opening credits. Surprisingly, no metal music is playing during this time. The first scene is of the Army testing some fancy new weapon that shoots lasers and roman candles at things, melting them. Shaq is in the Army along with Judd Nelson (no really, Judd Nelson), the obvious bad guy. While testing some sonic weapon Judd tries to show off and turns it up too high which causes a piece of wall to fall on Shaq’s love interest. Shaq gets to do the classic “NOOOO” scene as he pulls the wall off her. Judd gets kicked out of the Army and Shaq quits instead of making more weapons because there are no gray areas in this movie.
Shaq returns to his Grandmother’s house (or aunt’s? Maybe mom’s?) in a rough part of LA to live with her and Ray J (no really, Ray J). Judd Nelson also goes to LA, but to hook up with a gun dealer he knows that uses arcade machines to transport guns. Honestly, not much happens after that. Or maybe it does, because here’s where I screwed up.
You see, when I watch these movies I take notes and time-stamp things that are funny or would make good screenshots. For Captain America and Fantastic Four, I had two and half pages of notes. For this, I had half a page of notes before I stopped writing things down. The last thing I have written is: “@12:30 – Decide on drinking game – 90s fashion”. The rules were simple, any time we saw obviously dated 90s fashion we would have to drink from our 8% ABV plastic bottle of what tasted like beer extracted from a hobo’s stomach. This was a bad idea, as we finished about half of the bottle in the next 5 minutes and were both so drunk that even if the movie made sense and was engaging, we wouldn’t remember it.
But the movie isn’t engaging, and it doesn’t make sense. Judd’s bad guy crew starts using the gun designs he stole from the Army, Shaq finds out about it and decides to fight back for some reason. He busts his now-crippled girlfriend from a VA hospital and builds a suit of armor with Richard Roundtree (no really, Richard Roundtree) to fight crime. There’s no plot development for at least 30 minutes as both story lines just spin their wheels. Judd is bad and kills some of the bad people he was with because they aren’t bad enough. Shaq works on his armor and tech stuff while his girlfriend adjusts to life in a wheelchair. Finally Shaq takes on the bad guys, runs from the police, and kills Judd Nelson. Or maybe he doesn’t, I honestly can’t remember how it ends.
I don’t black out from drinking, I’m kind of proud of myself for knowing my limits well enough to have avoided that my entire life. This is as close as I’ve ever come. The beer – sorry “malt liquor” – wasn’t crazy strong and I didn’t drink that much of it. But it hit me weird and I knew I was drunk and slurring words. I browned out, I suppose. I remember certain things happening, but not entire details. I remember seeing people when we went out after the movie was over, but I don’t remember what I said to them. I remember something being funny and the plate I had a sandwich on almost falling off the couch, but I don’t remember what it was that was funny. This article would probably have been better if I did.
Thoughts:
- This was easily the worst movie I have watched so far. It’s one of the worst I have ever seen.
- There are a few references to Shaq’s basketball career, as he misses three different free throw shots during the film. Just like in real life!
- Shaq was so big they couldn’t get a stunt double for him. I have no idea how any professional team allowed him to do this under contract.
- Don’t drink Steel Reserve, it’s not worth it.
Bottom Line: Don’t watch this movie. Don’t drink this beverage. Even if you’re really broke and want to get lit, there are better options out there. Steel Reserve is the sweatpants of liquor and you should have some self-respect, even if you’re just going out to the store to buy milk. I lost the metaphor there at the end, but you get the point.
I’ll be back sooner rather than later with a slightly less-shitty movie and much less-shitty drink of choice. As always, feel free to hurl insults at me @captjohnstarr on Twitter or leave a comment below.
One of the elements of sports that I love is the scope in which it reaches, nations come together, people support each other, and strangers talk about the event(s). And sometimes, we are all touched by the actions and words of someone in the spotlight, like Lou Gehrig’s speech, or Stuart Scott’s words during his ESPY speech. I would be hard pressed to find someone I know who has not been affected by a friend, family member, or coworker who has fought cancer. We all know the hardship it can bring watching a once strong person fall. As many of you who follow sports and social media know by now, Stuart Scott said:
“When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live, so live. Live. Fight like hell. And when you get too tired to fight, lay down and rest and let somebody else fight for you.”
I only wish I was able to eulogize my grandfather in words so insightful; he, too died of stomach cancer. The take-away for me in this speech is the strength of the human spirit, the realization, yet determination to battle that which is seemingly out of one’s control. Some win, and many lose that battle, however the approach to do, all that one can, is remarkable. When my grandfather was dying, and knew his time was near, I hopped a plane and spent his last 2 days doing what we did, watching baseball and gesturing wildly during the highs and lows, like fans do. That time was part of how he lived, and we enjoyed the manner in which he lived, with good spirits and dignity. And when he was too tired, I fought for him.
Sports brings the masses together and when fans across the world can look to, although posthumously, a champion off the field, that is something we can all get together on and realize there are elements in heroes, in those who fight, that cross boundaries and touch us all who have a competitive spirit, in sports, and in life. RIP Stuart Scott, and thank you for your moving words that inspire many.
The Crab v. Primanti Brothers Challenge winner has been crowned and it looks like Pittsburgh’s best sandwiches will be heading to San Diego as Sterling More will have to pay up for the Steelers loss last night against the Ravens. The bet between Sterling More and I made the game even more entertaining to watch, and yes, it was easier for me to watch since my team won. Thanks for partaking in this bet, Sterling, and I hope we can do it again three times next year!
Pass the napkins, I’m getting ready for a Primanti Brothers sandwich with double egg!
-Casey
The bet:
Casey and I go back a few years, meeting at work; I remember one of our first discussions was about ‘The Office’, then music, and finally sports. As I got to know him more, I realized what a good dude he is, and when meeting his parents while helping him move out of his Pittsburgh apartment, I made sure to tell them what a great job they did raising a good person, except for being a Ravens fan! They knew I was joking and we all had a good laugh, but ever since, we have always respected each other’s fanaticism and never really talk shit. On the day of this year’s playoff matchup with the Ravens and Steelers, I would like to make a friendly wager: should my team win, you owe me a Baltimore House seafood dinner, and should I lose, I will acknowledge whatever you would like from the Steel City. Good luck my friend, and whatever happens, I hope one of us represents the AFC North well!
-Sterling More
Thank you for offering this bet, Sterling, and I accept the wager! In taking your wager I fully support my Ravens. However, I cannot hide that I am considerably worried about Roethlisberger completely obliterating the Ravens struggling secondary tonight. To build off of that, though, the Steelers will be without running back Le’Veon Bell. This will be a huge blow for the Steelers. This matchup, especially since it is a primetime night game in Pittsburgh, has me worried. Even with that said, I have to be true to the PURPLE and pick my Ravens by 3 on the road. Start figuring out now how you plan to ship me some Chicken Latino burritos (don’t forget the green sauce!) and Primanti Brothers sandwiches, Sterling, and I want them fresh!
If you are out and about in San Diego today, I will be at Dan Diego’s off of Morena Blvd. sporting the PURPLE. Come on out and join me my fellow Ravens fans!
-Casey
On the eve of the NFL playoffs, I bunker down into my superstitious rituals to prepare for the Steelers run. Had you asked me what I would be doing for this year’s playoffs, back in October, I would have told you rooting for anyone playing the Pats, since Pittsburgh looked out of sync and it appeared to be a year of rebuilding. I’m a realist, always a fan, good years or bad, but I will also assess the reality of the situation and although still continued to root for what might happen, I knew a playoff run was a long shot.
Part of my neurosis for the playoffs is making sure the wife, daughter, and dogs are in their gear at least 15 minutes prior to kickoff. I have all my collectibles along the buffet under the tv, and hold my lucky mini football and a yellow replica penalty flag I got during my years of bartending from Miller Light that is embroidered with the statement “That’s a good call” – which I use during the appropriate times, throwing across the living room and mimicking the phrase. Nachos are for just before the kickoff, and some type of crock-pot dish for halftime. I must drink a shot and beer chaser before the game begins and when things don’t go well, I adjust my hat, for my nerves, and for luck. I will text during commercials, but will not accept phone calls during a game. A gallon of distilled water sits chilled in the fridge next to the beer, to keep hydrated. I’m very open about being set in my ways, and a little obsessive compulsive, but that’s how I do. I keep a cigar and bottle of champagne on hand if there is victory, the second of which I regret the next morning but will never learn. Sports mean a lot to me and I am naturally very competitive, plus its just fun to dig in and enjoy the moment; here in Pittsburgh we have been very fortunate to have many playoff runs in 3 sports. And I have many memories of those, some one and done, others last second heroics that bring home the hardware.
So fans, enjoy however you do, but remember to start some tradition to build on and have to look back on as your team(s) move forward in their attempts to become part of history. What I love about sports, especially playoffs, is you never know what can happen, through the course of a game, things occur that change the outcome that you may not have seen coming. Take for example the Michigan St. vs. Baylor playoff game, Cook couldn’t hit the side of a barn for most of the afternoon and the Spartan’s defense was frozen, letting Baylor air it out as they pleased…until something happened and things turned around, and despite the stats and the ebb/flow of the game, the Spartans pulled out a win they looked completely incapable of in the earlier quarters. That’s what keeps a fan hoping, for what might happen, and when it does, grab that cigar and champagne and go to town!
Wax Cracker, at least as far as my writing, has been dim since Thanksgiving. As with all of our lives, many things have changed in mine. I won’t go into detail about all of the happenings in my world, but I would be remiss in not mentioning a few of the changes. A perfect storm of changes have come to play in me not living up to my writing responsibilities for Wax Cracker. However, those changes have led to a stronger, happier, and better me, and through all of the new in my life I know Wax Cracker will be better off. You will see this reflected in my writing ahead and I am anxious to get back to posting on a normal basis.
So why the missed posts? Wow, where to start? I’ve ridden life’s wave of late and it has been pushing me to happier places and calmer waters. This week I will be moving into a new studio that will be a more comfortable and homier spot that will serve as the perfect base camp for Wax Cracker. Also, I have been working with Andy Waplinger and Brad Chuy to build a solid foundation behind the scenes as I look to push Wax Cracker further down the path of what I envision the site becoming. Soon you will start to see the fruits of our labor of which I can’t wait to share with you all. So Wax Cracker may have seemed stale over the last few months, but we have been scurrying behind the scenes to build everything out. The site content alone in the coming months will be fresh on a daily basis and you will see more writers than just me posting. That’s all I can share on that front for now.
Along with the new pad, I am excited to share with you all that I have recently been lucky enough to find and welcome a new love into my life. Through the mid to last half of 2014 I had sworn off looking for someone new and I declared that what was left of 2014 would be the Year of Casey. Yes, I know in declaring the YOC that it may have seemed self-centered, but I did it for the most part privately. I wanted to get back to the core of who I am as a person and in most ways I wanted to ‘peel back the skin on the onion’ and find what at the most basic form makes me happy. That journey turned out to take 8 months, and when I least expected it or even wanted it, I found someone that has left me happier than I have ever been. One of my best high school friends, Season, who actually was closer to a sister to me in high school, once gave me the best advice anyone has ever given me…and at the time she was a mere 17 years old when she dropped the following knowledge on me. Season shared with me during a time when I was feeling down about dealing with the opposite sex, “The minute you stop looking for something or someone is when it will find you.” I have never forgotten that and in the years that have followed Season has been spot on. I stopped looking and just went about trying to make new friends and in that process I completely stumbled into what I have spent years looking for.
Through my newfound relationship I have found a refreshed drive for writing and I cannot take credit for finding it on my own. I have to in large part give that credit to Karina, my new girlfriend. I admitted to her early on that I had hit a roadblock in my writing. I had started to experience my first bout of writer’s block since launching Wax Cracker. I knew some of the reasons I had lost my ability to write publicly, but it was through talking with Karina that I learned to get over them. I had vowed when I launched Wax Cracker not to worry about writing perfectly or leave myself to fearing what others thought of my writing. I gave in slightly to that during the second half of 2014 and I let life’s outside worries take away the joy and passion for writing from me. That and everything that encompasses it is fully on my shoulders and in working through it I have become a more confident writer even though I wasn’t writing.
Shortly before I flew home to the east coast to spend two weeks with my family for the holidays, Karina presented me with one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever been given. She was able to gather from what I mentioned about not being able to write that I need a kick in the behind to jump start my writing again. One chilly and Christmas-time night, we got together to talk over coffee and in turn surprise each other with small gifts for Christmas. Karina presented me with a writer’s journal inscribed with the following:
Karina challenged me with writing in this journal during my long journey home to the east coast. I agreed I would and enjoyed some much needed free writing on the plane during my 6,000 mile roundtrip home. Through that free writing I was able to find my writing groove again and get excited to continue my Wax Cracker posts. I truly enjoy sharing my writing with you all and I very much appreciate the comments and private messages you all send me. I’m back on the tracks again with my writing and I wholeheartedly have to give Karina the credit for awakening my drive for writing again…and for that I owe her a huge thank you!
There were a few other reasons that held me from writing. I had planned to write from my home back on the east coast, but the lack of reliable/modern internet kept me from posting from the mountains of south-central Pennsylvania. I attempted to post a few articles but the internet was so slow that I couldn’t even get an article to go live on Wax Cracker. I decided to sit on a few article ideas until I got back to San Diego and over the next few days I will start to share those stories with you all.
For now, it’s great to be back and I want to wish you all a Happy New Year. Exciting things are ahead for Wax Cracker and I hope you all will continue to stick with me and help spread the word about my site. Keep an eye on WaxCracker.com over the next few weeks as I start to fill you in on what has happened over the last few months as I share with you all what has left me so excited for the future of this project.
From Steel City Collectibles, to Andy Waplinger, Dinur Blum, Sterling More, John Von Gunten, Chris Shannon, Patrick Fortin, to everyone else associated with Wax Cracker, I want to thank you all for believing in me and supporting/participating in the success of Wax Cracker! I am looking forward to kicking it up a gear and strengthening the presence of Wax Cracker in the sports and collecting genre. Time to kick it up a notch boys and I couldn’t be more excited to ramp things up with a better group of writers and photographers. Let’s get cracking away!
-Casey
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