The Sixth Blog Bat Around

Thanks again to everyone who participated in this edition of the Blog Bat Around, it is always awesome to read the collective posts of everyone involved. This time I messed up completely, this should have been up two days ago, my fault completely. Either way, this time was still cool to read inspiration for the blogs you read on a daily basis. I know I learned quite a bit of stuff about some of you that I didn’t know, and it was quite fun to do so.

Here was the topic for this time through the order:

All of the people who are participating in this have a blog, or at least something similar. For this question, I just want to know about the reasons you do what you do. Why do you blog? What made you choose Sports Cards as your topic of choice? What got you started? What has been your favorite post from your own work?

Here are the responses from around the Card Blogger Network.

Sports Cards Uncensored - My post as I am host.

Sports Card Info - SCI was started as a resource to collectors on which cards not to buy, and has turned into a resource on everything cards. He loves the interaction from the collectors who read the blog, and I agree that is a great part of being involved. Plus, he said, that its always nice to catch a scammer, one of the best things in the CBN for sure.

White Sox Cards - Steve started blogging after reading about a site in a magazine, but became addicted to the community aspect of it, and quickly met a lot like minded people who helped him out. Of course, the joy of writing about something you love is a huge part of it for Steve, but as a White Sox fan, that has to be pretty tough to endure, haha.

Night Owl Cards - Night Owl is a writer who likes to blog just like myself, only he does a much better job of it. He mentions that it was the newest innovation in writing that got him to start to pass time by blogging, and it’s the craziness of some of the weird cards of the 70s and 80s that inspire him to keep going. The examples provided are hilarious. Airbrushing is not our friend indeed!

Beardy's Card Blog - For a NKOTB, Beardy wrote a novel on his inspiration for blogging, totally mirroring a lot of the great reasons many of us blog. He talks about something that has become commonplace on the CBN - trading - and I think that has been a great add on to being a blogger. His credo of "If you write it, and have decent pictures, they will come", is pretty much 100% correct. He also has a love affair with a person we all tend to put on a petestal, ourselves, and that explains many of the things you read here too.

Capewoods Collections - Capewood has a cool top ten, just the way we like it, with pictures! I think he has great reasons for blogging, opinion giving, highlighting his collections, lack of shops in the area, all of which are things that people experience quite a bit. I think that the pictures were distracting at first because I wanted to play where's waldo with the numbers, but a great post when you stop looking at the cards.

Blue Heaven - For Ernest, like some of you, blogging was a stumbled upon utopia of online diaries. He saw how easy it was to do and was determined to write about his favorite team. He has been a different type of blogger than some of the other team sites out there, someone who focuses on the sport aspect as much as the card aspect, and he has highlighted some great posts to check out as well.

The Other World - Dan is a lurker, something I love to be too, and finally started frequently updating his blog earlier this year. He says he can go through site evolution with subject matter changes, defintely something I want to hear about. Dan also mentions being shy, a trait I would never attribute to a blogger, but he did want a place to share his interests. I agree.

Thoughts And Sox - Another person who stumbled on the blogs through links, and has started a site based on his Red Sox fandom. He is a trader blogger, so if you have some Red Sox, Im sure he will take them off your hands. I never knew how big of a practice it was to trade with the other bloggers, but that is a great idea.

Paul's Random Stuff - Like SCU, Paul's blog was started due to message board participation, his was originally about autos TTM back in 2004. He has branched out lately, im sure because the message board he started from is no longer in existence, and because he likes to associate with other people in the hobby.

Mark's Ephemera - Mark blogs for the people, and loves those comments. He likes writing and definitely has a passion for the subject matter he covers. He may not be the best wordsmith (his own words) but he is always happy to offer his opinion. I felt the same way when SCU first started, so here's to keep pluggin along Mark, its never bad to add your voice to the fray.

Wax Heaven - If there is a blog out there we all read, its Mario's, but I was surprised to learn why he does some of the things he does. After being spurned by the big evil, he has found new goals in making the execs at the big three notice his criticisms, as well as hopefully taking heed. He also wants to inform as well as show his distaste for fugly ideas for cards.

Cardboard Junkie - Dayf rushed to get his post in at the last minute, a week before it was due. Thank god for preparation huh? Funny enough, his current blog was not the first one, and he sure seems to be self depricating about his past posts. We all love Cardboard Junkie, even though sometimes he weirds us out with Spongebob references. Dayf has had some personal setbacks, as many of us have lately, and we are glad he didn’t let it affect one of my favorite blogs.

bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog - JayBee started as another lurker on a message board over at Topps. He started the blog as a way to enjoy his collection and to share his "stars" with other people. It doesn’t hurt that his Sports Card Blogroll has been great for many fledgeling blogs, and that the cards arent the only star of his site.

Card Buzz - Laurens blogs about cards being the last link to a past childhood, and I feel that this is a reason that many people blog as well. Although the site started per a now defunct board, it has now become a reflective way for Laurens to share a love a collecting. Of course, other sites have played a part in shaping the blog, but the favorites on Card Buzz are always the reflective posts.

Acheiver Card Blog - Motherscratcher loves weird movies, and also loves weird cards. His dad made him get his cards out of the basement one day, and he wanted to know something about a hobby that had long passed him by. After googling the current state of the hobby, he had some originally negative experiences but eventually started blogging to get answers to his questions as a returning collector.

Shot Not Taken - This blog was originally started as political/current events site, but that idea was canned due to boredom. Since then, blogging has been like joining the conversation, and the current topics are a result of that. An enjoyment of collecting has taken the blog past the original limits of the previous topic, and we are glad it has.

Wrigley Wax - As another team collector and returnee to the hobby after being away, its always nice to see people who decide to get on the blogs and start writing. He understands that people have unfavorable opinions about Cubs fans, but he still enjoys sharing his opinions. He originally started after answering that little voice in his head, and the ability to write from work is a plus without a doubt!

Houston Card Collector - Mr. Astro has been a person that has been very involved in the comments of many blogs and even stopped collecting for a period. Now that he is back, he has had some great success and continues to write because of his love for all things houston sports and the hobby.

Indians Baseball Cards - I got lost in the story of the many incarnations of this site, but his story from back in the beginning of the internet's history was interesting to read. I had a Tripod page too, but it was dedicated to stuff totally unrelated, I think its always a triumph when card blogging extends so far back in one's life.

Okay, thats all I see for right now, if I missed your link, please let me know so I can add it. As always, I am looking for someone to host next month's venture, preferrably someone with a larger readership. If you have the means, please let me know. Thanks again to all the people who participated.