A number of years ago Mike
(Chemgod) from Bad Wax wanted to set up a blog as an outlet for artists of all
types to get together and present their custom cards. On August 15, 2009 the Custom Card Blog went
live, Mike’s intent was to run the blog by committee in a similar fashion to the A
Pack A Day or A Pack To Be Named Later blogs where the members would submit
their own posts frequently so that readers would be able to get a multifaceted
view of the custom card world. Sadly within 6 months the posts became less
frequently and by May 2010 the last post was made and the site has gone
dormant.
I
was a member of the blog and one of my favorite type of cards to make are the “What
If?” cards where I changed cards to represent what would have happened if a
specific event went a different way. I still enjoy designing cards but I have
not done many “What If?” cards lately so the other day when I was reading a
story about the worst draft picks ever I came across a pick that surprised me,
Derek Jeter in the 1992 MLB Draft. Now Jeter is not a blown draft pick by
anybody’s definition, the failure was the teams that passed on him before he
was taken #6 by the Yankees.
The
Montreal Expos had the #3 pick, according to many reports they were actually
leaning towards Jeffrey Hammonds (Taken #4 by Baltimore) they also had eyes on
Jeter but they ended up passing on both because they feared that both players
would demand to much of a signing bonus. They went the penny-pincher route and
selected B.J. Wallace. Jeter signed with the Yankees and built a legendary Hall
of Fame career while Wallace never made it to the pros and is now in prison for
manufacturing meth.
So I decided to make a card representing Jeter's Expo rookie card last night.
1993
Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter
What
if the Expos had drafted Derek Jeter instead of B.J. Wallace? Would there still
be a team in Montreal? Would the Expos have 5 World Series trophies? Would the
1996 AL ROY be their long time captain anchoring an all-star team?
Here
are some of the “What If?” cards that I had posted on the Custom Card
Blog. In order of card year:
1969-70
Topps Lew Alcindor
What
if the Suns won the coin flip?
In
1969 the NBA held a coin flip between the two worst teams, Phoenix Suns and
Milwaukee Bucks, which the Bucks won and they drafted Alcindor out of UCLA. With
Lew Alcindor on their roster the Bucks won 4 Division Titles, 2 Conference
Titles and an NBA Championship while the Suns won only 236 games over 6 seasons
with a miserable .480 winning percentage.
1984
Topps John Elway
What
is Elway sacked up, quit his whining and stuck with Baltimore?
In
1983 Elway was drafted by the Baltimore Colts, a team he insisted that he would
never play for, starting off a media he said/she said tiff with the team. He
threatened to play for the Yankees if he wasn’t traded. There are reports that
the 49ers were interested in a Montana-Elway trade, the Chargers were
interested in a Fouts-Elway trade and that the Patriots wanted him too. In the
end he went to Denver, going to 5 Super Bowls and winning two along with a
collection of hardware and records. The Colts ended up moving to Indianapolis
the next year, the Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore, becoming the Baltimore
Ravens, 12 years later.
1984
Fleer Michael Jordan
What
if Portland decided to bring in a young kid at guard to back up Jim Paxson?
In
1984 the Portland Trailblazers selected Center Sam Bowie because they already
had an All-Star Guard with Jim Paxson as well as another young Guard, Clyde
Drexler who they drafted the year before.
The
Bulls, who lost out on Magic Johnson on a coin flip prior to the 1979 NBA
Draft, jumped on the opportunity to draft His Airness. The Trailblazers went on
to have some success, even making it to the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992, but
nothing like what happened in Chicago. The Bulls went on to win 6 NBA
Championships, set a ton of records and add a nice collection of hardware to
Jordan’s shelves.
1997
Topps Chrome Tim Duncan
What
if Boston won the NBA Draft Lottery with their 36% chance?
During
the 1996-97 NBA season the Celtics ended up with the second to worst record
behind the Vancouver Grizzlies, but because they had two Lottery picks they
actually had the best percentage chance of winning the #1 position. Instead the
Spurs picked #1 taking Duncan while the Celtics selected Chauncey Billups (#3)
and Ron Mercer (#6), both were traded within two years.
The
Spurs have won 5 Conference Titles and 4 NBA Championships since that draft
while the Celtics have had success, winning two Conference Titles and 1 NBA
Championship it was with a whole new group of players including Garnett, Allen,
Pierce and Rondo. With Duncan I would think there would be a couple more
banners hanging from the rafters in Boston.
2000
Upper Deck SP Authentic Tim Duncan
What
if Duncan took the big free agency money and signed with the Orlando Magic?
Following
the 1999-2000 NBA season the Orlando Magic were working to build a team around
a super star, that man was Tim Duncan. The Magic brought in Duncan, Grant Hill
and Tracy McGrady to talk. They opened the checkbook to make the signing happen
including enlisting Tiger Woods and Dr. J to make a sales pitch. They used
Epcot Center and laser light shows to make it sparkle in the Magic Kingdom all
for Duncan and Hill. Hill signed, McGrady too but after spending time with
David Robinson, Tim Duncan decided to remain a Spur. The Spurs won 3 more
titles since retaining Duncan while the Magic had some success, even making it
to the NBA Finals in 2009, but the whole Dwight Howard fiasco over shadowed
much of their success.
