I thought last Sunday was an unbelievable day as a sports fan, but it was no comparison to all the wonderful events that happened yesterday.

After staying up past 1am to see my Red Sox take a commanding 3-0 lead in the World Series, I was more tired than the both Red Sox and Rockies bullpens. The braniacs who run MLB need to realize that starting games at 8:37pm EST is a bad idea, especially Saturdays and Sundays - they can still get the primetime audience starting one hour earlier and actually have more people see the ending of games (not to mention their postgame shows). Come on Bud Selig, is this not in the best interest of the game?

I forced myself to get up at 8:30 to get an early start. The plan was for me to pick up Mike D. and got a card show at Hofstra (about 40 minutes from my place).

We arrive at the show a bit after 10:00 after a little bit of confusion which building in was in - we knew our first destination was wrong when we entered a room filled only with college aged women and what looked to be their mothers. Once we got to the correct building, we paid the $6 admission (which also got us each a free issue of Sports Collectors Digest and a ticket for a free Paul Blair autograph).

One of the big reasons I wanted to go this show was to get an autograph by former Red Sox slugger and hopefully future HOFer Jim Rice ($25 per autograph). I had this very cool card that I had signed by Mike Schmidt in the 1980s, that I was able to get Jim to sign later that day:

Jim was looking extremely clean cut these days, and not having the helmet head afro and bushy stache like in the card.

While I was purchasing the autograph ticket, I got to talk a bit with the promoter who put the show together - Brian. He told me that the day before was really packed as Sparky Lyle was the free autograph guest. I quickly realized that Brian promoted the very busy White Plains show I went to in August where Bob Feller was the free guest and I paid to get Gaylord Perry on my 1967 Topps Wins Leaders card. Brian told me how great Feller was, and how he was happy to sign for every person in line - and he is in his late 80s.

I have mixed reviews about this show overall, but certainly was happy with it. The room was the college fitness center, so it was a very good size room. The 250-300 tables were well spaced out and there were nice wide aisles, so you could easily walk around without bumping to the tables and other collectors. There was pretty decent variety of products available, with far more really high end graded vintage baseball than I expected - fun to look at.

I wound up buying about $8 in dime cards from various dealers throughout the show.   I saw this binder filled with 1957 Topps basketball, including multiple copies of all the HOFers other than Bill Russell. I picked the most beat up versions of 4 HOFers that I am planning to send them to get signed:

After the show, Mike showed me his haul from the show. He picked up a nice group of 50s and 60s football with a bit of hockey sprinkled in. Since George Foster was signing there (for only $10), Mike got Foster and Rice to sign the 1978 Topps HR Leaders with both of them. I was so jealous that I totally forgot about that card and should brought it.

I dropped Mike off and grabbed sushi lunch for my wife and me, this was about 3:30. Good Stuff, King of Dragon roll was yummy.

I knew the Patriots vs. Redskins game was coming on at 4:15. After some begging and negotiating, my wife let me run to the local bar to watch (as it was blacked out in NY). Boy I am a lucky man to have married so well...

This was a big game, the Skins had a good defense and running game. The spread was Pats by 16 for a home, and I saw quite a few experts taking the points.

After a quick out by the Skins, Brady and Maroney march the Pats down the field and score a TD on their opening drive - they have TDs on their opening drive in all 8 games so far this season.

The next series features a touchdown by the NFLs most dangerous goal line tight end, linebacker Mike Vrabel. Pats up 14-0. Vrabel is the game's MVP, with 9 tackles, 3 sacks, t forced fumbles that all became turnovers, and the offensive TD.

My favorite moment of the season came with about 8 minutes left and the Pats up 38-0. Belichick goes on 4th and 2 on the Redskins 15 yard line. Of course they make it and then score a TD moments later. I can just imagine this conversation Bill having with himself, "this is what you get when you catch me cheating and then question why we ran up the score on Miami last week... We get pissed and now we are going hammer everyone all year long! Eff You All"  Joe Gibbs looked as beaten down as his team was.

So Bill finally shows mercy at 45-0, and puts career benchwarmer Matt Cassel. I guess he figured that lead was safe. The only problem for the Skins was that Cassel got a very short field, completed a big 3rd down pass, and scrambled in for a long TD run to make it 52-0.

The final score was 52-7. This a world class level beating, even worse than the 1985 Bears-Pats Super Bowl that tormented my childhood. This video game, me vs. The computer on advanced mode bad. I hate to compare anyting to this, but it was like Mike Tyson laying the smackdown on Michael Spinks in 91 seconds.

So next week's battle is set, it's the 8-0 Pats (Justice League) vs. 7-0 Colts (Legion of Doom). Tom Brady is our Superman and Peyton Manning their Lex Luther. I know, I know - I have finally taken my sports and cartoon obsessions too far by combining them.

Darrin called me with his official prediction, "I think your Patriots are going to spank the Colts". I don't know whether to take his vote confidence positively or fear it as a jinx from bandwagon supporter.

Now the day's activities so far would already put it past last Sunday (the previous Dream Day for a Sports Fan). The big thing to remember is it's only 7:00 and there is still Game 4 of the World Series with my Sox up 3-0.

Before the game started at 8:30, I chatted with a few members on the SCN Chat and had some eBay auctions ending. I lost out on a 1957 Topps Tom Gola in NM condition, it went for $13.56 (I'm happy I lost, as I didn't realize that Gola hasn't been signing consistently since I last wrote him in 2003). I did win 4 signed cards I need for sets from a seller I trust - 91 Proline John Roper, 92 Proline Leon Searcy, 92 Proline Rob Burnett, and 89 Hoops Sidney Green. Now I only need Don Warren, Dan Marino, and Mark Clayton for my 1991 Proline set.

The Sox game starts, I am excited but completely beat. It's Jon Lester pitching a shutout for 5 1/3 innings and the Sox are up 3-0. After Delcarmen gives up homer to Hawpe, fellow redhead Bobby Kielty answers back off Fuentes to make 4-1. Atkins then belts a 2 run bomb off Okajima to make 4-3 in 8th with one out. Francona calls on Papelbon, who gets the next 5 outs to finish off the victory.

Sox win, Sox win.Two rings in four years... I know a whole lot of Yankee fans that won't be talking to me for a while. I never thought I'd see them win one before 2004, forget two. As excited as I am to see Beckett join Papelbon for the Riverdance Duet, I was just too beat and went to sleep with a big grin on my face. Hopefully I can find in the future on YouTube.

Now I could spend the next 30 minutes (or 3-9 months) going on and on about great the Sox are and how obviously the best team won, but I won't since I am tired and Bill Simmons took care of it. 

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