Bo makes me long for the years 1995-1999 and card displays

Bo from Baseball Cards Come to Life! recently messaged me with a great idea - he'd send me his leftover basketball stuff, which he had no use for, for me to send to COMC.  In return, I'd send him stuff for his collection.  Sounded like a great deal to me - I make some COMC credit, he gets some wanted cards for unwanted cards.

I didn't realize what a nostalgia trip late 90's basketball cards would be for me though.  I mean...damn.

It all started with this kid:

I was a little younger than this kid when this card came out (actually just 7), and not quite in my collecting stage yet.  1995 Topps is what really drew me in, and once it bit me I was addicted, especially for those late 90's years that many collectors despise so much.  But man, I loved it.  And while I didn't have a neatly framed player collection like the kid above with David Robinson, I did have one of these from a big box store (mine was 5 by 5 though):

I remember that deciding what 25 cards in my collection would go into that thing was always such a challenge.  Which players did I show?  Which sports would I pick?  Do I really want that nice rookie card (usually just a first year card) to go into one of these snap cases or would I rather put it in a top loader (no penny sleeve, just naked into the top loader - I was not good to my cards even though I thought I was)?  And once I picked a setup, it'd change a few days later when I decided it needed to be all Atlanta Braves, or it needed some positional pattern, or whatever else fancied me that week.

I thought I'd dig through some of my personal keepers from Bo's cards to see what would've made the wall display (at least for a bit).  So without further adieu, here we go.

We start with some Fleer Metal universe.  Great set - I loved it then (even though I had maybe two cards) and love it now for its pure insanity:

But would it make the wall display?  Yes and no.  Back then, when I had like two cards, it would, because you can't collect a set with two cards.  Likely those two cards would've been the middle Austin Croshere with one missing photoshopped leg and the top left first year Derek Fisher card (I was obsessed with first year cards - I didn't realize they weren't true rookie cards).

But if I had the makings of a set, like I do here, it wouldn't make the wall display.  Set cards went in 800 count boxes and binders.  Boxes were reserved for "vintage" cards (aka 1993 and before).  Binders for 1994 and later.  It's all 1994 Topps Baseball's fault...that was my dividing line for older cards versus newer cards (and I know 1993 Topps has a nicer stock to it than 1992 Topps...but young me still didn't count it until 1994 got kinda glossy).  So these universe cards would've been bindered alongside 1995 Topps.

Moving on - some weird college cards of stars and then some real oddball cards including an Apex card and some Scoreboard entries:

Who doesn't love oddballs?  The top three cards here immediately stood out to me from Bo's package, because they're so damn odd.  I think the Flames one would've made the wall display, at least for a bit, just because it's a fairly epic card.  Corliss Williamson also had a shot, given the oddball nature and my love of the Kings in NBA Hangtime.

As for the pros as prospects cards, these cards just look amazing, and there is a 100% chance that Shaq would've made the wall, as well as probably Zo and Ray Allen.  The other Shaq would've definitely been traded for some Braves cards as well to my littlest brother.

I had to grab some late 90's Celtics cards from Bo's package - they always hold a near and dear spot to my heart:

The Celtics weren't good during my childhood, but Dino Radja, WAL-TAH McCarty, Kenny Anderson, and Tony Delk sure made themselves watchable at times.  Dino's middle card definitely would've been in the wall display, as well as Tony Delk's first year card (if it wasn't in a top loader).  Pops Mensah-Bonsu was never 90's Celtic (he was a kid like me) but he's one of two athletes to ever retweet me so he's the man.  That's all.

Had Tyronn Lue been around in the 90's, he would not have made the wall:

With very few exceptions (read: Ken Griffey Jr.), players I collected went into binders.  So Lue would've been there.  On a side note, every time Bo finds a Lue, he asks me if I want it since I used to collect him.  As a result, I kinda feel like I should collect him again.

We shall see...I already have another collection on the way, for the meantime I'll hold onto these Lues just in case...

As I mentioned above, oddballs almost always made the wall at least for a bit.  So these 3 cards would have a great chance:

The Kukoc first year card was definitely destined for my Bulls loving brother.  But Frank Brickowski?  Oh HELL YEAH he'd make the wall.  I loved weird names then like I love them now...and you can't beat Brickowski.

Oddballs had to be appropriately sized though - so these oversized cards would've gone to my brother instead:

These are like 1.5 times the size of a regular card.  Fairly epic - but no good for a wall display!

That said, and to finish - some big cards can get smaller - and I'd make those fit, like this Shaq:

This was a pack insert, and is the height of three cards when folded out entirely.  I'd just keep the top fold (where Shaq's head is) and throw this in the middle of the wall display.  Because who didn't love Shaq?

Bo sent me some PC needs as well, and inspired me to start a new PC, but those cards will be shown off another day.  Thanks as always Bo!