Group Break Loot from the Daily Dimwit

I love group breaks.  I try to get into as many as I can as long as it fits into my card budget.  The Daily Dimwit has been running a bunch of breaks lately and the most recent one had some intriguing products I missed out on in the past.

I'll consider this break a success since I didn't have the Cal Ripken from the set.    I really like the texture of the cards from this set since they actually feel like real paintings.  I can say the artist did a great job capturing Cal's likeness unless Playoff used some sort of photoshop filter.  Way better than some of those National Chicle abominations from a couple years ago.

Upper Deck Diamond Collection Pro Sigs is another set  I wasn't very familiar with until it showed up in Sam's break.  I'm pretty happy with these 2 Orioles since it encompasses the entire team set!  I'm sure there are variations of the foil signatures if I know Upper Deck cards. (see '90s Collectors Choice sets)

I only got one Oriole from the Standing O box but that's ok.  2003 was kind of a skunky year for the Orioles being featured on cardboard.  It's still a nice looking set regardless.  Hopefully I can track down Rodrigo Lopez and Daniel Cabrera to complete the team set.

So I didn't hit anything big time but I'm still happy with my spot.  I addition to the Orioles I also had the Blue Jays as my second random team.  I'm not going to show them here to keep the cards shrouded in mystery until they get to one of my trading buddies.

Box Break: 2 Blasters of 2009 Upper Deck Icons

I should have stayed far, far away from these. I paid 12 bucks a piece at Wal-Mart. What a waste of money. I guess I was hoping to get lucky and pull a Wieters Rookie or a good jersey card (1 was promised per box). I already got the one card in the set I really care about (Legendary Icons insert of Cal Ripken) but it's just another throw-away, mail-it-in, junk set from Upper Deck. Hell, UD didn't even care enough to write anything on the card backs. The guy that writes those things must have been on vacation that week!

Here are the so called "Hits" of the box

Box #1

Tony Gwynn Legendary Icons #971/999
Cole Hamels Foil Parallel

Joe Mauer Future Foundations GU Jersey swatch

Box #2

Roy Oswalt Icons #636/999
Roy Oswalt Foil Parallel
Billy Wagner Icons GU Jersey swatch

I got no, I repeat NO rookies out of the boxes and the Wagner jersey card is dinged on the upper right hand corner. I did nearly get a complete set but I feel no obligation to finish it (81/100 base cards) Why do I continue to fall into this retail trap when buying cards?

Both Oswalts are already spoken for but everything else is for trade for stuff on my wantlists.