2001.
The Baltimore Ravens beat the New York Giants to become NFL champions, which some people actually care about for whatever reason.
The Los Angeles Lakers win another title, this time against the ’76ers. Michael Jordan also un-retired again and joined the Wizards but it wasn’t enough to get me to watch basketball again. On the WNBA side, neither Houston or New York made it to the finals. This time it was the LA Sparks over the Charlotte Sting.
Evander Holyfield loses the Heavyweight Boxing title to John Ruiz, but I don’t know if people still cared about boxing at this point.
Lance Armstrong wins the Tour de France. Again. Oh, oops. Wait. No he officially didn’t. Again.
Tiger Woods wins the Masters after missing out the previous year.
The New Jersey Devils are denied a third Stanley Cup as they lose to the Colorado Avalanche.
The Arizona Diamondbacks win their first title after only existing for 4 years, making Cubs fans everywhere collectively say “WTF”. The Yankees were on the losing end, and the Mariners couldn’t make it to the World Series despite 116 wins. Also, Barry Bonds hit an * amount of home runs.
And in 2001, card manufacturers released 274 cards of Greg Maddux that I deemed worthy of my collecting efforts.
Thanks to the generosity of reader Jeremy, originally mentioned in our landmark 500th post (and in my 1993 Overload post, and 1994 post, and 1995 post, and 1996 post and 1997 post and 1998 post and 1999 post and 2000 post), I now have 28 more of those cards as I did before.
2001 Before Jeremy – 20/274 cards – 7%
2001 After Jeremy – 48/274 cards (including zero upgrades) – 18%
2001 saw the third year of declining card needs in a row. This time it only went down by 30 or so, but having 274 cards for a year is a far cry from 659 in 1998. It’ll be all back uphill from here for another five years (and let’s not talk about 2007 & 2008 yet).
In the many years since Jeremy’s package, I’ve acquired 23 more 2001 cards, bringing my total to 71 for the year ’01, and putting me at nearly 26% for that year. Still, as always, there’s plenty of progress yet to be made. For now, let’s focus on what Jeremy sent.
Down, up, right, B, A, Start
As always, we start at the top of the alphabet and work our way down. Absolute Memorabilia had not become the behemoth it would later, although it does stay true to its name in that the other three cards I need are all relics.
Dust parallel
This is pretty much the same as a Pujols or Ichiro to me. Crazy that there aren’t regular refractors in this set (X and Gold).
Black and white means old
I think this was the first year of Bowman Heritage, which is no longer a thing. I need the chrome version of this to complete the product.
The open angle should point the other way
Even more Bowman. This time it’s the Best which has never actually been best. This set is already done because I guess they saved the numbered stuff for rookies and prospects.
Bunch of stars
Donruss is much more complex than Bowman at this stage. It’s also not very pretty.
And here are the stripes
If anyone can tell me if Donruss actually had a fan club thing you could pay for, let me know.
Just need the refractor
This is one of the Finest designs I’m least familiar with. I don’t know if Pujols and Ichiro were in these, but that could be why.
Error 404 – Good Design not found
Engage biometric scans. ENHANCE!
Not an actual RC
They don’t make cards for Shutouts anymore. I can’t possibly imagine why that would be.
Need a few relics from this set
I don’t know if Premium was a premium product in 2001, but it certainly doesn’t feel like one to me.
Step it up
Fleer Showcase. More like Fleer Staircase.
Not your tradition, Fleer
When I came back into collecting, I didn’t fully realize how much of a Topps rip-off these and the Upper Deck Vintage were. I know I had this photo filter on my computer – no special programs required for that garbage.
No one’s tradition
I don’t know what this is supposed to reference, but this fake plaque’s off-center text bugs me.
Need a few more of these made public
I’m missing a lot of Private Stock cards. 11 to be exact, including what appears to be three relics.
Buy 8 positions, get the 9th free
Ugh. I still don’t know why people like this set. It’s nothing but white on white.
Captured!
I thought that there was a chrome version of this, but I guess not. All that’s left for Stadium Club is a dirt relic, a couple low numbered parallels and a Diamond Pearls insert.
Need the gold parallel
I know some people don’t like foil on their cards, but I love this etched gold foil. The teal grows on me as years go on as well.
Nugget Anniversary
Great, now I want some nuggets. BBQ sauce for me. Ranch if we’re talking tenders.
Anime Maddux
Oh, Topps Fusion. The pre-cursor to Panini Chronicles. I wonder if this will ever be rebooted.
Nothing says gold label like stitched denim
I hope not. The cards look fine, but the customer confusion isn’t worth it.
That’s not his fan autograph
Well, now I don’t have to track down a box of the first Heritage release. 2008 and 2009 Heritage was a big part of how I came back to collecting.
Let me know if you bought packs of this back then.
It’s also the reason I quickly abandoned set collecting. Here’s the black back. I just need the New Age Performers and Chrome.
Consider it reserved for me
I need a jersey card for this too. That seems to be the shift. Instead of a bunch of parallels, I need hits (and the others).
Preview of Stadium Club 2021’s font
Oh, Ultra. How you still existed. 2 parallels and an insert to go.
Kids on the street. Kids on the beat.
This is a pre-Documentary card. It’s something that’s been done several times, but this is a good iteration of the newspaper theme.
Stats on the front
A one and done set for me. Nothing more to chase from Evolution, which is much more bland than the name would suggest.
Yup, Legend fits.
This one is also done. There was a jersey card I needed separately and I got that at some point over the past 10 years.
Feel the game
Any card that has texture is okay by me. This is another set that’s done as well. I need more of that.
Need one more from this set too
Look at that. We’re already at the end! Victory!
Give me a little more time and we’ll get this series finished yet. Thanks, as always to Jeremy – wherever you are. I’ll see you again in 2002.
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