Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there's some traditional stuff and some odd stuff.

--

CHECK IT OUT ... 
The Item: Pro Football Hall of Famer Deacon Jones autographed 1984 Warner Bros. payroll check
The Price: Less than a blaster box
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I haven't ever really dabbled with signed/canceled checks except for a few school ties names (Roll Tide!) who don't have a lot of stuff and where other items are pricey. One example? Former Yankees broadcaster Mel Allen ... a signed ball can be expensive but a signed check is still pricey but not as bad. In this case, I stumbled upon this check during a curiosity dive online and it seemed unique -- a Warner Bros. studio payroll check (pre-printed signatures on the front) made out to and signed by a Pro Football Hall of Famer on the back. The amount isn't massive, so I figured it was probably a royalty payment for some TV show appearance or movie re-run and he had a few in films and spots as himself on TV through the years. I wish I could figure it out, but IMDb only had an appearance on Super Bloopers and Practical Jokes in 1984 and an appearance on The Fall Guy in 1983 with other past projects also possible. (I didn't do a deep dive on figuring out who owned what for studio/network properties back then ... but it's probably do-able.) What do I know? This is something different compared to a lot of the stuff out there signed by "The Secretary of Defense."
Grab a box right here: None for this ... but NFL boxes are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →

It's a simple concept that can add a lot of surprise and some good value and it's back for another go in packs of 2022 Donruss NFL cards from Panini America.

Fans of the Game cards are just that -- cards of notable fans who've signed on to show the collecting world their other teams away from those that they might be known for. It's a set that, in some ways, loosened things up in sports cards almost 20 years ago when Donruss included Sopranos star James Gandolfini in packs of 2004 Donruss Elite along with rare inked versions. It sparked interest to where nearly every subsequent release from the company included a handful of famous fans and other sports sets started including ink from all around the collecting world.

This year? There is a small stack -- seven stars on either seven or eight basic cards -- but there are some A-list sports stars and some other A-list talent to be found ... with autographs once again in play.

Continue reading →

Have you looked at your 2019 Bowman Draft card backs yet?

It's fine if you haven't -- we know you're busy looking for the new big names, their colorful Chrome parallels and, of course, their autographs -- but there's always one part of this Bowman release that can surprise with either basic stuff one might not know (since the players are new to cardboard) or some downright trivial things that mean nothing when it comes to the field of play.

It's those "Up Close" blurbs that are worth a look.

The card of top pick Adley Rutschman actually has one of the simpler and more straight-forward items on his card. He's not one of those cards who drops references to Fortnite, Taylor Swift, Coke vs. Pepsi, Chick-Fil-A, Game of Thrones or even an interest in nuclear engineering. One card even notes a top prospect who had a specific walk-up song at age 10 ... what were you doing at that age?

Let's take a look at the backs of some 2019 Bowman Draft baseball cards ...

Continue reading →

Long-time readers of The Buzz probably remember California-based illustrator Cuyler Smith whose "Trading Cards" bring the stars of the reel world (memorable movies and TV roles) to real life using nods to memorable sports card designs from the past.

He's back with a fourth series and a new show -- all-new cardboard -- arriving tomorrow in Los Angeles.

Continue reading →

More than a dozen past and present hit TV shows are coming to the toy aisle soon after Funko revealed more than 60 new Pop! figures set to arrive this year.

The lineup? The Big Bang Theory, Rick & Morty, Cheers, Sanford and Son, Hercules, Xena: Warrior Princess, The Addams Family, Community, The Office, Dawson's Creek, Billions, Jeopardy! and even Wheel of Fortune.

The Big Bang lineup, for example, includes new looks for Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, Rajesh, Amy, Bernadette, Stuart and even a memorable one where Penny becomes addicted to online gaming -- a figure complete with Cheetos in her hair.

Continue reading →