Corbin Carroll shows off some big pulls for the MLBPA Players Collection.

What's Buzzing: Collecting regrets, a big pull from an old box, NFL chatter, Phillies Karen and more in this Thursday edition.

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1 -- "No ragrets"

2 -- Eugenio Suarez and Cooperstown?

3 -- A win from an old box

4 -- Readying for NFL Week 3

5 -- Reactions to the MLBPA Players Collection 

6 -- Phillies Karen: The new offer stands

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Have you spotted a hot thread? Tell us about it in a comment or on Twitter.

Follow BlowoutBuzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz.

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 ... 

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SIX-PACK OF SHOTZI
The Cards: Shotzi Blackheart 2022 Panini Impeccable WWE Indelible Ink autographs (/99)
The Price: Between $30-40 each (but mostly on the low side of that)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This card is easily among my favorites from the entirety of the Panini WWE run so far with an on-card auto, a unique photo and simple crop for a colorful high-energy star who's known to bark at the moon and come to the ring on a miniature tank wearing a horned Army helmet atop her long neon green hair. (Really.) I picked off these on the lower side of things over recent months and need to find more, but opening of boxes seems to have slowed some recently with more new releases popping up. I like this one with its thick stock, too. Ideally, I'd like to run up my total to maybe nine or 10 ... maybe more if I spot them with the right prices.
Grab a box right here: 2022 Panini Impeccable WWE

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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The biggest weekend in pro wrestling is here with WrestleMania 39 set for this Saturday and Sunday from Los Angeles. We'll make today a big one for wrestling collectors right here on The Buzz with #BuzzMania6, a marathon of WWE wax box/pack breaks all day long.

This is our sixth break for today ... a showdown between five releases from the past -- it's a lineup that includes an oddball, an import with some key inclusions and one an NWA throwback, though a lot of that history features stars that are firmly part of WWE lore now. 

Battle of The Brands: 1985 Topps Cyndi Lauper (six packs) vs. 1987 Topps WWF (three packs) vs. 1997 Panini WWF Superstars stickers (one pack) vs. 1989 Wonderama NWA (bonus pack) vs. 1990 Classic WWF Series II (blister pack)

Where to buy: Will take some looking ... hit BlowoutCards.com for newer (and better) WWE stuff

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 1994 Classic Pro Line Live football cards
Where to buy: Will take some hunting ... BlowoutCards.com for newer NFL boxes

Keep reading to see a full breakdown and gallery of that was in this one.

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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 ... a mix of recent finds and some from throughout last year.

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LEADING OFF WITH A BARGAIN ... 
The Item: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. autographed 2019 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby 8-by-1o photo (Topps Authentics)
The Price: Around $80 (regularly $130)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This autograph is one I've never bothered with on cardboard mostly for how it typically looks (it's not the greatest sig) but also because the stock-pilers have stayed busy grabbing them up as he's one of MLB's better young hitters today and he's not cheap. I landed this with a sale combined with some discount certificates on one of the sites that Fanatics populates and went here since that price was strong and the image isn't bad -- it's from his dominating Derby showing where he didn't win but wowed many. This was cheaper than most if not all autos from where I typically buy most often ... and those were sticker autos. I'll probably go this route for ink of notables (or singles in some instances) vs. ripping to chase 'em with pack prices these days. Pro tip: Just because a box is old doesn't mean the autographs just vanish ... hunt him from 2016 prospect stuff forward and Rookie Cards/ink in 2019 forward.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one but MLB cards are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 1996 Pro Line National Edition NFL cards
Where to buy: Will take some hunting to find ... click here for newer NFL stuff

Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery of what was in this one ...

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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 it's a mix of really recent pick-ups as well as stuff found over the last year.

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A NEW CLASSIC ... 
The Cards: Roger Maris 2022 Topps Living Set five-pack (/5,722)
The Price: Bundle price via Topps
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Maris' name was in the headlines quite a bit with Aaron Judge's run toward his American League record 61 home runs -- also the New York Yankees' franchise record -- and Topps responded with a new Living Set card for this legend. The Jared Kelley piece includes some Easter eggs with the obvious one being a "61" on his bat and when I saw it I knew it was an instant buy. I grabbed a five pack with an eye on grading at least one, maybe two copies. (One is on its way to CSG as I type this and depending on how that goes a second might go there, too.) I haven't bought too many Living Set cards this year with lighter stock and centering issues straight from Topps happening too often even in my limited experience, but I think my one I sent in here should do well.
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... but MLB boxes are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 ... 

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I'M A BELIEVER ... IN BARGAINS
The Item: Tua Tagovailoa autographed and framed 10-by-18 photo (Fanatics Authentic)
The Price: Under $150 (on sale and with a rewards discount)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I started to scour autographed cards for this QB who I think might have a strong year and, well, I was a little surprised at how his stuff can still be pretty pricey despite plenty of available options and despite the negative chatter that oddly still comes with him having a record-breaking receiver last year and then an elite speed guy added into the mix for this year. Sure, it's still the Dolphins, but since I'm an Alabama guy I'm good here either way ... though I would have preferred a quality photo like this in Crimson. But ... the price was right for an oversized and already-framed piece and the photo and crop here was unusual and a little dramatic, too, vs. a lot of other options. I wanted something different that wouldn't break the bank to start a new season and this one hit the spot. (Regular price is around $180 plus shipping, tax, etc. on top of that.)
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... but 2020 NFL boxes are here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ... a pretty deep mix with some pricey pieces (at least for Buzz) this time.

BIG BOOK LEADS OFF
The Book: The Amazing Spider-Man #361 -- first full appearance of Carnage
The Reason Graded: One of my goals this year -- something already under way -- is to grade a number of the notable comic books I have had stashed from back in the day (the early/mid 1990s) when I dabbled somewhat regularly with comics. Back then they were re-emerging in pop culture with a revolution of big-name artists taking on iconic characters and then branching out to make their own brands -- and they were also a lot cheaper to collect with cover prices like you see here. Also born in those years of polybags, gimmicked covers and many publishers? Big-name characters like the one making his full debut here, Carnage, who is one of Spider-Man's big villains like Venom and others before them. I picked up a couple copies of this one back then since I liked the cover art and it was a start of a run for the new character. Over time, he has become a favorite and that has made this a pricey book.
The Grade: CGC 9.6 (Universal)

Reality Check: My main reason for grading a lot of my books from this time is that many of them are rarer newsstand copies (UPC bar code) which are harder to find in top condition and can carry a premium vs. direct copies. I wasn't (and still am not) a big comic reader so my copies are as razor fresh as they were then. I liked the art and I was very picky about what I would and wouldn't buy when it came to condition. I didn't check the pop report here when subbing -- and I have sent a second one into be slabbed since getting this one back -- and it's (shocker!) a heavily graded book. A 9.8 isn't easy here and a newsstand copy recently sold on eBay for almost $1,700. This grade? Well, it's a $600 sale among completeds but asking prices for UPC copies are as high as $1,450 with several above $900. Over the long-term, I think newsstand copies are going to remain rare in top grade, though for some reason CGC doesn't break them out on its pop report. (I wish they did ... it would have to be a shocking divide.)

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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Fast Five is a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's perhaps something to ponder.

This time? Five autographs I'd be chasing right now ...

LEGENDARY INK
Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -- click here to see his autos on eBay
This NBA legend is on my daily saved eBay search because, well, I've taken too long to find one of his autos and they have really, really taken off. Why I hadn't landed one yet is because I'm just too picky -- I want an on-card auto with a clean sig and a relatively good photo for the former Lakers and Bucks star who has six championship rings, 19 All-Star nods, six MVP awards and still ranks first in career scoring, third in blocks and fourth in rebounds despite having retired more than 30 years ago. (What makes his 38,387 points even more remarkable? Zero three-pointers for his career.) He also was part of the legendary UCLA program with John Wooden -- he won NCAA titles all three years he was eligible and the Bruins lost just two games in his three seasons as a player -- and he is seemingly always a wise voice on social issues today (and that's not a new development). Another plus. His autographs have really taken off in price in recent years when I could have found a quality one for around just $100 not that long ago. He's been a steady lower-volume signer for years with more than 1,200 different options out there for fans ... and there are many apparently seeking them out. He can be found in many NBA releases in recent years with his highest volume of autos in high-end brands like Flawless, National Treasures and Eminence.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

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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.

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GIVE 'EM A HAND ...
The Piece: Calvin Ridley 2018 Panini Instant Instant Impressions autographed hand print (/10)
The Price: $60 (shipped)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I picked this one up earlier this year when Panini had a half-price sale on Panini Instant stuff and I think it was a gem of a find considering he's had some strong showings for the Falcons. (Beyond that he fits one of my collecting niches.) What is this? It's a huge card -- not a card, really but it does have a full back so it's a card that's a couple feet tall -- with his handprint and autograph worked into the mix. The signature is slightly more full than many of his cards (believe it or not) but the uniqueness of the whole package drew me in ... especially at half price.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but you can find NFL boxes here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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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 a little bit of everything.

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REEL BIG FISH
The Card: Mike Trout 2020 Topps Project 2020 -- Artist: Ben Baller (/34,950 made)
The Price: Factory cost from Topps (bought bundle of five)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: It's probably no secret that Project 2020 is the runaway winner already for Set of The Year with most cards selling thousands of copies a pop at $20 apiece and a number of those re-selling for far, far more than $20. (This one, last I looked? Add on a zero.) Some of the prices are as volatile and logic-defying as it gets if you're looking at things from a cardboard-volume perspective -- rarer ones that weren't that popular at first are now very-pricey ones -- but that's just one part of the equation. The players have fan bases, the artists have fan bases -- and prices for their art may not be as soft as collectors might think them to be. In other words, a style you might not like could have thousands of people wanting them because they know their work elsewhere. (Ben Baller, for example, has more than 260,ooo Twitter followers and 1.4 million on Instagram. Both dwarf most hobby industry accounts and definitely tops them all.) The set has garnered a lot of mainstream media attention, too, meaning non-collectors are buying cards up, too. As I type this, the Trout here is still the No. 1 best-seller but others have come close. This one was the first break-out card volume-wise and is my favorite of the bunch so far this year. Even if others sell more, it will likely remain my favorite unless something to come really wows me.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of this one ... but MLB boxes are here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →

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.

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THE CORRECT COLOR OF PRIZM
The Card: Tua Tagovailoa 2020 Panini Prizm Draft Picks Red Prizms
The Price: $20
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I didn't pull anything for this guy in a number of retail Prizm boxes and packs so far this year, so I opted just to grab the parallel I wanted the most -- the one with the right color for his team on this card that should have been found in one of my mega boxes but wasn't. I had an eye on slabbing this one but it has a surface issue that nixed that idea ... so we'll see what happens from here on out. Once new cardboard starts flowing, I'm sure there will be more options out there. Maybe I'll grab and slab one of these ... or maybe something else.
Grab a box right here: 2020 Panini Prizm Draft Picks

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

Continue reading →

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 that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ...

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PROJECT 2020 GOT ME
The Card: Ken Griffey Jr. 2020 Topps Project 2020 -- Artist: King Saladeen (/2,504 made)
The Price: $19.99
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was my first card I picked up in the recently launched Project 2020 series from Topps, which is a higher-end premium-stock card set that takes a look back at 20 memorable players' memorable cards through the eyes of 20 different artists. They start at $19.99 with combo and volume discounts available, but I'm going to be on the boat for selected cards here and there as I don't heavily collect any of the players and all artists' styles aren't for me. That said, this card is a memorable take of a memorable Rookie Card for one of the biggest players of the last 40 years so I grabbed it. There are 400 cards in the set with each having Artist Proofs (/20) that vanish instantaneously as well as a Gold 1/1 that's randomly inserted into direct orders from Topps. You'll see more of these cards here throughout the year and you can see the ongoing gallery that updates every weekday right here on The Buzz. I have more of these incoming but this is the only one I presently have in-hand.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this set ... see MLB boxes here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...

BIG-TIME PULL
The Card: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2019 Topps Chrome Orange Refractors #201 (/25) Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: This one came out of one of the best Topps Chrome boxes I've ever seen -- in fact, it might have been one of the best non-high-end boxes I've ever seen for any brand -- and I knew instantly that the two big cards from it would end up slabbed. This one is up first and I actually had it graded awhile back but held it a little closer to baseball season -- and we're here. This guy could be set for a big season after a rookie campaign that was closely watched but perhaps not as lofty as was expected. With so few copies of this one made, I figured it was a no-brainer no matter how he fares this season.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: I was glad to see this grade, and it turns out that two of the three that were slabbed were graded on the same day -- I just missed out on "first-graded" status. The Series 2 short-print (which looks just like this) is probably going to be the long-term iconic card for Guerrero, but rare Chromes like this one figure to be very strong, too, even if in a lesser grade. Interestingly only four copies have been graded by PSA -- three 10s and one PSA 9.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 8 in 8 -- a series of a eight breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in as many hours today. We'll post one every hour ... this is Hour 5.

The box: Supreme Rewind Football Error Edition (repack)
The cost: Varies where found ... click here for new NFL boxes

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals just might be to rip fewer blasters this year 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. Would they capture yours? I'd be interested to know -- sometimes they might, sometimes they won't and that's fine. It's a buyer's market out there with plenty of options and bargains as well as high-end gems to chase.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there are a dozen weird, cheap or interesting cards.

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BEFORE THE NBA CAREER ... 
The Card: LeBron James 2003 Sports Illustrated For Kids #264 (BGS 9)
The Price: $11
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: There was a time when this was a popular card in the hobby -- maybe not Tiger Woods SI For Kids big, but popular. What is it? It's a card pulled from a perforated sheet in an issue of the kids' magazine, something it has done since the 1980s, showcasing countless big-name athletes and many others who don't have much -- or any -- cardboard. Everybody knows how much hype there was for James back then -- and his first cardboard from SAGE was huge -- but this one was one of only a few options until his NBA cardboard arrival on Rookie Cards (and plenty more) on 2003-04 releases. Ultimately all those early cards don't command as much interest as NBA stuff, but I liked the look and price on this one for a slab -- especially when you consider higher-graded cards can push $50-100 and 10s can be quite big at auction even today ... at least for a card found in a magazine.
Grab a box right here: No boxes for this one ... click here for NBA boxes

Keep reading for five more interesting items ...

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Good baseball discussions, Bowman Mega Boxes deliver big, The National and old "Refractors won't spoil."

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...

The Card: 2017 Donruss Rookie Gridiron Kings #2 Patrick Mahomes II
The Reason Graded: His break-out campaign started off so strong I had to revisit my past pulls from Donruss last year -- I busted a ton -- and I submitted a trio of his cards. You saw one last month, you see this one here and you'll see another in March. (Call that a spoiler.) This insert isn't the most-striking of cards but it looked very clean in my pre-examining of cards so it made the cut.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: None have graded higher but this one is not alone on the pop report. That surprises me a bit as grading seems to be all about standard RCs, rare numbered parallels and the ol' big mojo hits, but it seems that a season like the one he had could be prompting anything from his first year on cardboard to get another look. (Ironically you can still grab boxes of this one and others relatively cheap, too. To me that all spells fun ... and wax will dry up over time.)

Keep reading for the rest of this month's new grades and additions.

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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 12 in 12 -- a series of a dozen breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour all day long ... this is Hour 11.

The box: 1996 Score Board NFL Special box
The cost: $5 (seriously)

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 12 in 12 -- a series of a dozen breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour all day long ... this is Hour 1.

The box: 1996 Score Board Autographed Collection
The cost: $43 (Expect to pay more ... if you can even find one.)

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more -- or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Leaf Buyback Wrestling autograph cards
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 1
Cards per pack: 11
Base set completion: 
N/A

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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 12 in 12 -- a series of a dozen breaks of past wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour on the hour all day long today ... this is our finale for today.

The box: 1993 Classic Pro Line Live NFL
The cost: $29

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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Cortez Kennedy was a mainstay for the Seattle Seahawks for 11 seasons, starting 153 of 167 games every year beginning in 1990.

Along the way, Kennedy signed just two certified autograph cards for a trading card company and did just one more signing after he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

The 48-year-old died on Tuesday, according to the Orlando Police Department.

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