Trade with Joe

I contacted Joe over at Cobb and Halladay a few weeks ago about filling some of his needs for 2010 Topps Magic Football. I sent him a stack of Magic and he sent me over some Astros, Texans and even a Penguins card to top it off. Joe mentioned a Steve Slaton auto but I had forgotten he included it in the trade until I opened the package, wow it's gorgeous. Here are just a few of the cards:

Since I'm new to the sports card world I wasn't in the game when 2010 Topps Finest came out. I like the design and this refractor is pretty cool. I didn't expect to get any #'d cards in the trade but Joe gave me a couple and this is one of them, 390/599. CJ may not be a top-tier third baseman but he's had some good at-bats this season.

Just look at Super Mario's face right there, a mean mugging beast. I like the overall design of any Heritage card and this is actually my very first football Heritage. The 2006 NFL Draft was a big one for the Houston Texans. They had the #1 overall pick and Reggie Bush, Vince Young (hometown boy) and Mario Williams were the front runners. After the draft many people questioned the pick but after 5 seasons in the NFL I think it's safe to say it was a smart decision.

Domanick Davis here with another #'d card, 02/25. This is my first time seeing this series of cards too and I have to say I really like the refractor effect. It's a simple looking design but it still stands out and pops. The scan doesn't do it as much justice as it should. Davis was a pretty decent runner during his time with Houston and put up some good numbers.

I'm a huge Steve Slaton fan but the Topps Chrome RC of him just isn't my favorite design. I like simple designs yes but this one looks kind of weird to me with the black border. I felt horrible for Slaton two seasons ago when he kept fumbling the ball. As a fan of his I wanted him to do well and help the Texans win some games. He eventually lost his starting position as we all know but he did contribute with some decent runs last season.

Now for the surprise in the package that I was extremely excited to see. This Slaton auto just looks fantastic on the beautifully designed card. This series of cards is another I may have to collect eventually due to the simple yet elegant design. Not only is the auto fantastic but the card is #'d 18/100. What a way to end it.

I just want to thank Joe for a great trade and for going above the expected. If you get a chance stop by and see if you can help some of his set needs.