Phillie Phanatic Boogies!!!

Phils are enjoying a few days off before Starting the Playoff Push on Wednesday. This is another related music post -- check out the Phanatic letting his hair down. Stay with it, the Phanatic doesn't come in until the 2:50 mark.

I love this - The guy with the biggest feet in the room dancing around with "Little Feat"

Go Phils!

Dewey Beach Music Festival

The Effects @ the Rusty Rudder, Dewey Beach DE, September 26 2008

Spent the weekend following one of my other passions, Music. Every year during the last weekend of September Dewey Beach, the best little party town in Delaware, hosts a music festival with well over 100 bands performing original music. Most of the bands hail from the Mid-Atlantic area and are playing for exposure. All events are free and plenty of adult beverages are consumed. We had pretty crummy weather but the festival was still great fun.

The best band I saw was Tulsa based the Effects, a hard rocking throwback band with a strong Led Zeppelin influence. I also enjoyed a Funk/Hip-Hop outfit from Philadelphia that goes by Da Rezarekt.

We saw several bands from the Virginia Beach area including a pretty good pop band the Influence as well as Jackmove who reminded me of the Squirrel Nut Zippers. I also caught a set by Songwriter JoAnna Lynne, which didn't exactly captivate me, but I did find her background and stories amusing.

Other highlights were the always dependable Fools and Horses from Baltimore, Nashville's Shirock, and the Milwaukee power pop duo Fever Marlene.

The Dewey Beach Music Fest is always a good time and if you're into checking out live bands or original music I highly recommend the event.

And Yes, all this fun did not interfere with us watching that great pennant clinching victory on Saturday.

Go Phils!

2008 National League East Champions

2007 Topps Co-Signers #1 Ryan Howard
2007 Bowman Heritage #193 Chase Utley
2002 Fleer Authentix #97 Jimmy Rollins
2006 Fleer #29 Cole Hamels

Congratulations to the 2008 NL East Champs. I have been out of town all weekend so I didn't get a chance to post this. Things are pretty happy here at Team Phungo Headquarters.

Go Phils!

Wally Hilgenberg 1942 - 2008

I was a little stunned to read about Wally Hilgenberg death due to Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS). It kind of also phased me when I flipped over his card and realized he was a few months younger than my father. Lately anytime I talk to my parents, it seems that they are going to a funeral or have been to one in the weeks past. I suppose you never really get used to it, but perhaps the funerals are therapeutic in some way.

Several years ago I read Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays with Morrie". Lou Gehrig's disease is pretty grim, but I enjoyed Albom's chronicle of his visits with his former mentor. The book was short and fit my attention span, uplifting and hopeful.

I found this article on Hilgenberg, with several quotes from Vikings teammate Stu Voight, pretty interesting. Voight refers to an "era when athletes were role models". I suspect Voight is correct and that there are not as many athelete role models today. I am hopeful that some are still out there and I am glad that Wally Hilgenberg was a good one in the short time that he was here.

Mickey Vernon 1918 - 2008

Mickey Vernon died at the age of 90 on Wednesday September 24th. I know little of Mickey Vernon's career, which spanned four decades, from 1939 through 1960, mostly with the lowly Washington Senators. He was somewhat of a local celebrity, who attended Villanova University and resided in the area. The seven time all-star and two time batting champ is on the 2009 Veteran's Comittee Ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Vernon was recently named to the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame and will officially be inducted this coming November.

Philadelphia Author/Sports Historian Rich Westcott wrote a biography of Mickey Vernon that was published in 2005. Vernon and Westcott made several appearances promoting the book at the time, but I never made it out to one of the signings. If my memory is correct Vernon also had a movie camera during his playing days and has a pretty impressive personal collection home movies featuring the baseball players of the 40s and 50s.

Mickey Vernon, by all accounts, was considered to be a gentleman and was well regarded in his community. It is good that baseball has such representatives and it is sad to hear of their passing.

Mickey Vernon Baseball-Reference

Mickey Vernon Wikipedia

Bomb Scare at Citizen's Bank Ballpark - Over

Comcast Sports Net (CSN Philadelphia) reported three suspicious packages had been found at Citizen's Bank Ballpark.

The bomb scare appears to be over. The Philadelphia bomb squad was called in and the packages were either removed or detonated. The stadium has been opened and tonight's game will be played as scheduled.

Hopefully no real bombs here.

It turned out that the mysterious packages were Hot Dogs wrapped in foil which had been left over from a photo shoot at the stadium.

Goudey Vs Goudey

07 Goudey v 08 Goudey

Actually it is more like Retail vs Hobby. I picked up 3 packs of 07 Goudey out of the Target Bargain Bin and 3 packs of 08 Goudey Hobby at a card show. Previously I had only picked up 1 pack of each product. The 07 Goudey was a bad experience, I was unimpressed with the cards in that first pack, and it appeared to have already been opened - I have avoided that hobby shop since. I chronicled my first 08 Goudey Pack a few weeks ago, it was awesome - read more here.

The 08 will probably have an advantage because it is Hobby over Retail - Lets see what happens.

First three 07 Goudey Packs

Red

19 Brian Roberts

54 Jason Varitek

61 Jimmy Rollins

68 Justin Morneau

75 Mark Mulder

124 Mark Teahan

126 Carlos Guillen

149 Raul Ibanez

150 Joe Crede

173 Konerko

197 Delmon Young

Green

10 Pettitte

27 Chipper

34 Jeter

38 Eric Chavez

62 Joe Mauer

97 Trevor Hoffman

116 Edwin Encarnacion

132 Ramon Hernandez

143 Luis Gonzalez

156 Scott Podsednik

157 David Eckstein

180 Moises Alou

250 Reggie Jackson SP Heads Up

Now the three 08 Goudey Packs

12 Kelly Johnson

13 Tom Glavine

17 Brian Roberts

19 Jim Palmer

36 Fukudome

39 Luis Aparicio

50 Adam Dunn

64 Garrett Atkins

65 Tulowitzki

70 Miguel Cabrera

91 John Lackey

105 Ryan Braun

114 Justin Morneau

123 Chien-Ming Wang

140 Ryan Howard

142 Chase Utley

143 Shane Victorino

149 Jack Wilson

166 Felix Hernandez

169 Raul Ibanez

180 Akinori Iwamura

219 Dave Winfield (SP)

YSL 1540 August 11th 1942: Charlie Keller, Boston Red Sox 3 @ New York Yankees 2
HPC-22 Nolan Ryan Berk Ross Hit Parade of Champions

Card Design - 2008 - I like the 08s better in general. I prefer the traditional card size, and the sharper color scheme.

Phillies - 2008 - 3 Phils with both Utley and Howard. Easy Win.

Base Cards - 2008 - slight Win for 08, 07 Ramon Hernandez was my one duplicate, and I think I may have 3 of that card now. Liked all of the HOF players in the 08 set.

Inserts/Short Prints - 2007 - Reggie Heads Up beats out Winfield SP and Ryan Berk Ross card. I am not sure what the other Hit Parade of Champions look like, but this one just looks out of place amongst the rest of the Goudeys. The small size makes it feel like a crummy cracker jack prize.

Price - 2007 - $5.06 for 3@ 1.59 each + 6% sales Tax. v 12.00 for 3 08 Goudey @ 4.00 pack

Winner 2008 Despite the price difference, I just like the set better in general. The Three Phillies really put the three 08 packs ahead.

I will be adding some of these to my personal collection, if any of the others are needed by set builders, I am open to offers.