Card Profile: Extra Bases/NBA Jam Session - remember these?

Last night, I was looking through a small box of NBA cards I have to see if any would work half-decently for some TTM requests. I have thousands of basketball cards at my childhood home a few hours away and only a small stack at my current place. Anyways, I came across a few cards from 1993-94 Fleer NBA Jam Session. Remember these? The super tall cards?

The Webber stuck out to me because of the Photoshop job. At first, I thought the photo was from the NBA Summer League because it was the same colors that the Warriors would have worn. Except, why wouldn't the logos be there? Upon closer inspection, look at the fans in the background decked our in Michigan gear. Definitely a college game. I know I used to have the Shawn Bradley and Penny Hardaway rookies from the same set, so it would definitely be funny to see the Photoshop job on those.

I'm sure a lot of collectors had no use for these Jam Session cards, or their baseball counterpart, 1994 Fleer Extra Bases. However, I kind of liked them. The Jam Sessions came out in my first year of real card collecting and I got a few packs in my Christmas stocking, so I always sort of liked them. That Webber was going for like $8 when it came out too, partly because it one was one of his first rookie cards since Series 2's weren't out yet.

Obviously, these cards are a pain in the butt to store. They don't fit in average sized pages or top loaders without sticking out and looking goofy. But overall, I like them. Probably just for more sentimental reasons than anything else. On another note, the 1994 Tino Martinez Extra Bases #170 has always eluded me. If you have it, I'd be more than happy to take it off your hands.

Worst Robinson Cano card ever

Personally, I'm a fan of of Topps Heritage. I like seeing modern players on the old card designs. A lot of other companies tried to do this - like Fleer and Upper Deck - but it felt too forced. With Topps, it's natural.

Last night, I was looking at a few of my Yankees Topps Heritage cards...I never really collected them per se, but they have been part of a few lots of cards I've bought or received, and I've always loved them. Anyways, I was flipping through a few 2009s, and stumbled up this Robinson Cano:

Really, Topps? Since he has come up in 2005, Robinson Cano has lead the league in smiles. It's true. He is a real life Guy Smiley. And for a posed photo, this mug shot is the best that they could come away with? Oy.

I wonder what sort of approval process photos have to go through before one is chosen for a card. You'd think that there would be a few options, and a creative director of sorts approves the one that looks best. If this photo is the best of what they had, I'd love to see what got cut.

I love this set, I really do. It's just a shame that this is how Cano will be documented in it.