I'm 12 again!

WOW!

"WOW?" you ask? "WOW!" I say.

Coming up this weekend I'm going to a minor league baseball game followed by one of the largest sports card trade shows in the U.S.

Well, baseball fever is back. I'm 12 again!

The Chicago White Sox have just acquired one of the greatest sluggers of all-time, and future H.O.F., Ken Griffey Jr. They're also in first place, 1 1/2 games up on the ever nagging Minnesota Twins, in the AL Central.

To top off the Jr. trade in which the Sox sent RP Nick Massett and utility infielder Danny Richar to the Reds; the Brew Crew picked up last season's Cy Young Award Winner (it's like the Heisman Trphy for MLB Pitchers) from the Sox rivals, the Indians (they're from Cleveland); the north side homos (Cubs) copied off of their NL Central rival Brewers and got Rich Harden from the land of pitchers (Oakland); and as of the last few minutes, Manny "I'm a fucking douche" Ramirez has been sent to the west coast to play for Joe Torre and the LA Dodgers, while the Red Sox pick up Jason Bay (he's from Canada and hits the ball like Pete Rose) from the Pirates and the Pirates picked up four minor leaguers (2 from LA and 2 from BOS).

That was a hell of a lot of trading.

Speaking of trading, remember when you'd sit in your room and trade cards with your neighbors/friends/classmates? No? Well I do. I stalked you, I had no friends. No, of course I'm kidding. You're not good enough for me to stalk. But, I did spend hours cataloging and organizing and trading my massive (by massive I mean cheap) card collection.

After moving from Wisconsin ( land of Packer fans = FUCK) to Indiana, no one seemed to collect cards anymore (well, there was only 1 person who collected in WI that I traded with, by the time I left). That is, until I went away to college. Where, me and my delinquent roommates began collecting/selling/trading cards again.

Now, 18 years later, I'm going to mecca. That's right, the Chicago Sports Memorabilia Trade Show (or whatever they call it). I don't give a fuck. I call it Mecca.

My collection was made for Frank Thomas, the then almighty slugger for THE Chicago White Sox. Well, Frank and White Sox parted ways a few years ago after an '05 World Series victory (it's like the Super Bowl, but for baseball). I never found my "Moby Dick," my "Holy Grail" if you will:






















Well, it looks like I've got a new "Holy Grail" on Saturday:


















Here's to being 12 again!