Topps Bunt Top 5 of 25

This post finishes up the series of Top 5s of three Topps Digital platforms. The Topps Bunt sets are massive compared to Marvel Collect and Star Wars Card Trader. I found that it is much more challenging to pick a top 5 in Bunt than on the other platforms. Generally, I flip through my sets and add to the favorites that I already marked throughout the year. With Marvel and Star Wars, I usually end up with 8-9 favorites that I need to weed down to the top 5. With Topps Bunt, I had over 20 cards in the favorites that needed to whittle down to a top 5. I left a lot on the cutting room floor, but I hope you agree this is good top 5 list and as a bonus I always include my lowest card count card of the year. So, here we go with my top 5 Topps Bunt of 25.

5. Rickey Henderson, Topps Chrome 25, Series 1 - Ultraviolet All-Stars, Super Rare, Card Count 2515

This groovy card stands out! There isn’t a single player style that I don’t like, but Rickey Henderson is a classic. When a baseball card looks like the next baseball card, this one brings it. I love the classic action shot of Henderson with the circle cut-out with a face image, and his name shooting out of the top of the wavey checkerboard is his name Rickey Henderson.

4. Pete Crow Armstrong, Creature Feature 25, Series 1 - Moonlight, Rare, Card Count 11,355

Holiday cards are a ton of fun, and this creepy motion shot with the broken screen, static view, vampire castle in the background of this PCA card is great. What more is needed for some Halloween spooks?

4. Riley Greene, 12 Days of Topps 25, Special Event - Relic, Super Rare, Card Count 1,419

Seems like I made a mistake and have a tie. I mean, I did say it was hard to narrow down to the top 5. It is fitting however, because they are both special event, holiday cards. Like the Halloween card, this card is a motion with snow falling and every now and then Santa flies by on his sleigh pulled by reindeer. It even comes with a little present uniform patch in the card.

3. Tarik Skubal, Postseason Match-ups 25, Wild Card Round - Gold, Super Rare, Card Count 909

There is so much cool stuff happening on this card. First the text, making it feel like the playoffs with “The Matchups,” “Tigers Vs. Guardians,” and the Wildcard Logo. Yes! This is a playoff card! The feature player, Tarik Skubal, prominently displayed on the front and in the back a Guardians opponent waiting for the pitch. This design does exactly what it is supposed to do, build anticipation in the playoffs.

2. Greg Maddux, Icons of the MLB 25, Series 2 - Bronze, Uncommon, Card Count 25,780

Yes, clearly this top 5 is heavily dominated by Tigers and Cubs (don’t worry, #1 isn’t either). But, it really is more about the design of the card than the subject…until this card. This is all about the subject. I love this entire set that celebrates some of the best from the past like Carlos Delgado, Trevor Hoffman, Larry Walker, and Frank Thomas. I chose the Greg Maddux card because he is one of my top 3 pitchers of all time. I really like the late 1980s uniform and his high kick delivery. This card is also a motion card where the boarders slide in to frame the Icon of the past.

1. Squirrel, Topps Now 25, August - August 22, Uncommon, Card Count 24,041

I promised that the number one card of 2025 would not be a Tiger or Cub, so here you go, it is the cute squirrel that snuck into Yankee Stadium on August 22. I don’t recall if they caught him or he got away, but this Topps photographer caught the whole thing. This has to be one of the most unique cards celebrating the human or natural side of the game. It is my #1 Topps Bunt card of 2025.

Bonus Entry: Lowest Card Count of 2025

Jason Varitek, 1990 Topps Baseball 25, Series One - Gold Signature, Legendary (Super Premium Pack Exclusive), Limited Edition Count 50

Marvel Collect: Top 5 Cards of '25

This is part two of a three-part post highlighting the top insert cards on Topps Digital platforms from 2025. Last week, I took a look at the top cards from Star Wars Card Trader. This week, I look at Marvel Collect.

5. Magik, Gold Label 25, Series 1 - Golden Stars - White, Uncommon, Card Count 25465

This is a really sparkly card for the Queen of Limbo. The action pose Magik keeps is pretty awesome, with the sharp edge of the sword taking center stage. The gold sparkle and lettering on this card really bring it to life.

4. Thor vs. Hercules, Fight of the Week ‘25, Series 1 - Green, Uncommon, Card Count 48,971

I always like the weekly sets, but this card really stood out. Yes, the “Fight of the Week” theme of this card is cool. Yes, the art of these two muscle-bound heroes is awesome. But the win of this card is that it brings back the classic childhood arguments of the “who is tougher” or “who would win if…” conversations with friends on the walk to school or on the bus.

3. Symbiote Spider-Man, Web of Heroes - ‘25 Season 1, Series 1 Base - Free Pass, Card Count 25,273

There are three things I love about this card. 1. The perspective looking down from above on Spidey, with the lines of the buildings and street below giving us a sense of danger that he faces every day. 2. The color theme highlights the colors of Spider-Man but it seems off and misplaced in some way with the symbiote suit. 3. This card highlights Spider-Man.

2. Galactus, Midnight ‘25, Seres 1 - Horizon, Base - Uncommon, Card Count 33,736

I don’t have much to say about this card because it speaks for itself. Galactus, power, cosmic, goliath. The coloring with what appears to be a star shining on him as he sizes up a planet that is likely to be the next victim of his insatiable hunger really pops on this card.

1. Warlock, Convention Collection, NYCC ‘25, Series 1 - Black, Uncommon, Card Count 28,807

This is a special card. I love the look of this convention set with the star field border. The subject of Warlock is pretty rare. I only have 4 other Warlock cards other than this one. Warlock is such a unique character and creates a very dramatic image in this card making it my favorite Marvel Collect card of 2025.

Bonus Entry: Lowest Card Count of the Year

Spider-Man #12, Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing! Series 1 - Homage - Red, Epic, Card Count 265

Star Wars Card Trader: Top 5 of '25

Every year since 2020, I have been reviewing the Topps Digital Card Trading apps, digital cards, and offering up my top 5 favorite insert and award cards from my own collection. This is Part 1 of a series where I will review the top 5 cards from the Star Wars Card Trader (SWCT), Topps Bunt (Bunt), and Marvel Collect digital card platforms. Since I am only reviewing the cards I personally collected, my list may be vastly different from another’s list. Also, we have different appreciation which is what makes these lists so much fun to share and discuss.

In Part 1, I will share my favorite SWCT cards from 2025. Here we go! May the Force Be with You!

5. Fourth Place, Boonta Eve Classic 2025, Award Card, Card Count 14,140

Yeah, let’s get over the fact that my team got 4th place! It was well worth the ridicule if this is the card I got. This is a seriously colorful and imaginative card. For 4th place, I’ll take this award any day.

4. Skeleton Crew - 2, Cards Watch Party, Uncommon, Card Count 22,877

First, I love the watch parties that SWCT hosts from time-to-time. It is fun to watch the show/movie, check the app to see others’ comments and to collect cards along the way. I love this “film poster” style card for one of my biggest shows that shocked me with how great it was. Don’t judge, I just didn’t think it would be such a hit; however, this card was a no doubt winner.

3. The Death Star Destroys Jedha City, Season 16 Moments, Uncommon, Card Count 30,103

I have always loved the cards from the “Moments” series from the other 15 seasons, but in 2025, this particular card is a top 5 for me. It is a horribly beautiful image of the Death Star demonstrating its awesome power. This is one of the most dramatic moments in Star Wars films, and therefore, it is one of my favorite cards from 2025.

2. Too Strong for Blasters, 2024 Topps Star Wars Chrome Galaxy, Uncommon, Card Count 56,261

The look of this card is spectacular and takes me right back to the tension and excitement of The Empire Strikes Back. Luke is facing down the goliath AT-AT. I love how this card tells a story with the hazy snowy atmosphere and the second AT-AT looming in the background. This card is gold.

1. Victory! Vintage - 2025, Uncommon, Card Count 14,930

I went classic with my top card of 2025. We all know the scene, and I can hear the music building to the award ceremony. I chose this card because I enjoy the art style, the border, the font type, and the coloring. It is also a unique image for a card and really captures this moment from the film.

Bonus 2025 Card Highlight:

The Song of Four Wings - 2, Visions Season 3 premier, Epic, Card Count 115

I always like to add as a bonus the highest-tier card with the lowest card count from the year. If you note the card count from the cards above, the count of 115 is remarkably small. I also really enjoy the look of this Visions Season 3 card. It is really striking with the black background, orange horizontal paint swipes backing a feature character in season 3 of Visions. I even like the design of the Visions logo on the bottom left of the card.

I have a double copy of two of these cards that I am always willing to trade for an equal value trade. Follow me, JEDIGROSS, in the app to expand your collection with a trade.  

The Kamino Clone Kids Played for 2025 League Champion: Fantasy Football Recap

It was a good season for the Kamino Clone Kids. Two weeks before the playoffs, the Kids were sitting in first place! They lost the final two games, but went on to play the Khofar Nights for the league championship. It was a bad week to have an average week. The Kids receivers, 3 of the top 5 receivers in the league this season, had pedestrian weeks and the Kamino Clone Kids fell 191.02 to 156.47.

The Kids received admirable play from QB Dak Prescott (33.25) and RB Chase Brown (31.60), but the trio of George Pickens, Amon St. Brown, and J. Smith-Njigba totaled 42.80 points, combined. Jaylen Warren, who scored 37.40 points the week before, came in with 7.32 points in the final game. Alas, this was a competitive league and the Kids was in the heat of it the entire season.

The league completed its sophomore season, and the Kamino Clone Kids have emerged as a team to contend with. In 2024 the Kids finished in third place and now, 2025, they ended in second place. While it would be nice to walk away with the big trophy, the front office is happy with the first two seasons’ results.

Kamino Clone Kids Final 2025 Roster:

QB: Dak Prescott, Dallas

RB: Chase Brown, Cincinnati

RB: Jaylen Warren, Pittsburg

WR: George Pickens, Dallas

WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit

TE: Jake Ferguson, Dallas

W/R/T: J. Smith-Njigba, Seattle

W/R/T: Darius Slayton, New York Giants

W/R/T: Tyler Warren, Indianapolis

DL: Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas

LB: Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay

DB: Jordan Battle, Cincinnati

Bench:

QB: Sam Darnold, Seattle

QB: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville

RB: Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles, Chargers

WR: Keon Coleman, Buffalo

TE: Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh

DL: Jonathon Cooper, Denver

DB: Budda Baker, Arizona

Want to check out the season for the Kamino Clone Kids?

Weeks 1-8

Weeks 9-14

League Champion Crowned: No It Isn't The Coca Cola Kids Football Club

With the real NFL season heading to the Super Bowl, it is time to check on theFantasy Season for the Coca-Cola Kids Football Club. It didn’t go well.

Actually, the season ended well, but by the time the team leveled out, it was too late. Before the Kids hit a 5-game win streak to end the season and playoffs in 7th place, they were 3-9 in week 12. What was the difference? First, Joe Burrow returned in week 13. Second, the Kids running backs, Derek Henry and Kenneth Gainwell, started playing like the studs they are. Third, the Chargers’ defense was added to the team and made a solid contribution to the late-season scoring. Finally, Brock Bowers was placed on the IR, and rookie Colston Loveland found his groove with Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears.

While 7th place in a league of 10 isn’t where the Kids would like to finish the season, the last five weeks of the season culminated in a 7th place match-up, where the Kids finished the season with a dominating win, 204.47 - 85.09, over the Rittz Boyz Blitz. In fact, no one in the championship week came close to scoring as many points as the Coca-Cola Kids that week. This is something to build on for next year, I suppose.

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Final Roster of the Coca-Cola Kids:

QB: Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay

WR: Courtland Sutton, Denver

WR: Jauan Jennings, San Francisco

RB: Derrick Henry, Baltimore

RB: Kenneth Gainwell, Pittsburgh

TE: Colston Loveland, Chicago

W/R/T: Troy Franklin, Denver

Q/W/R/T: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati

K: Jason Myers, Seattle

DEF: Los Angeles Chargers

Bench:

WR: Rome Odunze, Chicago

QB: Geno Smith, Las Vegas

QB: Cam Ward, Tennessee

WR: Kayshon Boutte, New England

RB: Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta

RB: Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville

IR: Garrett Wilson, New York Jets

IR: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas

Check in each week of the playoffs to see the results for the Coca Cola Kids.

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Want to look back on the season?

Weeks 1-8

Weeks 9-14

The Flat Soda Bombers Basketball Club Fantasy Basketball Weeks 14 - 20 (updated 3/2/26)

The Flat Soda Bombers Basketball Club is a Fantasy Basketball team in The Library basketball league. This is the inaugural season of both the Bombers and the league, which lives on the Yahoo Sports NBA Fantasy platform.

Reflection of Weeks 1-13:

The inaugural season for the Flat Soda Bombers fantasy basketball club is a season of learning, for sure. Injuries would be the theme of the first 10 weeks and the aimless direction from the front office has led to a near the bottom of the league dwelling team. The owner of the Bombers is an experienced fantasy manager with several titles and top three finishes but has never curated a basketball team. This is a learning year.

There were some positives at the end of the first 13 weeks as the Flat Soda Bombers won two of the last three weeks. In those two wins, the team put up numbers that would have been competitive with most of the teams in the league. Now, the Bombers are looking for consistency to squeak into the playoffs.

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Weekly Results:

Week 14: Flat Soda Bombers (57-117-8) vs. Siddy’s Neat Team (94-82-6) 10-4  "Bombers are 3-1 in the Last Four Weeks!"  

Week 15: Flat Soda Bombers (67-121-8) vs. 67 Dino Nuggets (137-55-4)  4-10  "67 Too Much for the Bombers" 

Week 16: Flat Soda Bombers vs. Forum Blue and Gold  3-10  "Bombers Let this One Slip Away...And Slip Away...And Slip Away"

Week 17: Flat Soda Bombers (74-141-9) vs. Mello Ballerz (73-138-13)  5-8  "Bombers Let This One Slip Away: Making the Playoffs Looking Bleak"

Week 18: Flat Soda Bombers vs. Less Than Lucky  11-2  "Bombers Come Alive to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive"  

Week 19: Flat Soda Bombers (90-151-11) vs. D's Dominate Dunkers (151-92-9) 

The current (1/19/26) Flat Soda Bombers Roster

PG: Dyson Daniels - Atlanta Hawks

SG: Julian Champagnie - San Antonio Spurs

G: Ausar Thompson - Detroit Pistons

SF: Jaden McDaniels - Minnesota Timberwolves

PF: Kyshawn George - Washington Wizards

F: Onyeka Okongwu - Atlanta Hawks

C: Giannis Antetokounmpo - Milwaukee Bucks

C: Zion Williamson - New Orleans Pelicans

U: CJ McCollum - Atlanta Hawks

U: De’Aaron Fox - San Antonio Spurs

Bench:

C: Nikola Vucevic - Chicago Bulls

G/F: Zach LaVine - Sacramento Kings

G: Coby White - Chicago Bulls

IL: Anthony Davis - Dallas Mavericks

IL: Devin Vassell - San Antonio Spurs

Reading/Viewing Stats 2025 Final

Another year has passed, and I have now recorded five years of Reading/Viewing stats.  I have added a few categories and taken some away over the years, but the core of how many movies and streaming shows I have watched and how many books and comic books I have remain the core of my reflection.  

Looking at the statistics, I am down in all the categories except movies watched.  Thinking about the year, there are a few possible reasons for that.  First is the new category that I added.  I did not multitask (reading or watching things) when I was listening to the baseball games.  Many of the 80+ games I listened to would have been spent reading or streaming a show.  Second, I did read a ton of gaming rulebooks.  I don't count those unless I read them cover to cover, but I usually read only the parts I need or are interested in at that moment.  

I do have some standout favorites of the year.  My top novel is I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys.  Her works are so well-written and researched, and I Must Betray You is my favorite of all her books and a standout this year.  This book about the Romanian Revolution in 1989 really highlights the fear of living in a regime built upon lies and violence.  

My favorite movie experience this year was watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off with my family.  My wife and I laughed at the out-of-date references and jokes, but our favorite was the relationship between Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) and Grace (Edie McClurg).   Even more was how our high school graduate daughter caught many of the references.  

Two streaming programs stood out to me this year Andor: Season Two and Taylor Swift: End of an Era.

Andor: Season Two brings the story of Andor and the Rebellion up to the events of Rogue One.  Additionally, this series sheds light on the evil and dangers of the Empire that continues to bring cost and depth to the original trilogy.  Taylor Swift: End of an Era is an excellent documentary of the Eras tour and who Taylor Swift is on a personal level.  It documents the behind the curtain life of not only Swift, but many of her dancers, singers, and band.  It humanizes this group of people whom we otherwise only see as stars of the music industry.  

I continue to read through the 1980/1990s X-Factor run.  It is taking me forever to do this as I am only reading in spurts instead of buckling down to just finish it.  Regardless of how I am reading this series, I am enjoying it.  I have also enjoyed the current run of The Amazing Spider-Man as it is making its run up to issue 1000.  

	2025,	2024
Movies Watched	21	16
Rewatch	12	8
First Time	9	7
In Theater	4	1
TV Series (Streamed)	128	138
Rewatch	22	49
First Time	106	89
Podcast Episodes	30	37
Time Listened	1742	1561
Books Read	13	21
Graphic Novels
Fiction	9	18
Non-Fiction	4	3
Pages Read	3281	4480
Audio Books	0	2
Fiction	0	3
Non-Fiction	0
Hours Listened	0	16:50
Books Abandoned	3	2
Fiction	3	2
Non-fiction
Pages Read		258
Short Stores Read	0	0
Fiction	0	0
Non-Fiction	0	0
Pages Read	0	0
Comic Books Read	175	189
Print	73	123
Digital	102	66

Book Titles:  

Void Rivals: Vol. 1 More than Meets the Eye by Robert Kirkman Art by Lorenzo de Felicia (Graphic Novel)

The Salt Thief: Ghandi's Heroic March to Freedom by Neil Bascomb

The Library Mule of Cordoba by Wilfred Lupano and Leonard Chemineau, art by Christopher Bouchard (Graphic Novel)

Phandel we and Below: The Shattered Obelisk 

The Davenports (abandoned)

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetya

Dungeons and Dragons: Worlds and Realms by Adam Lee

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Meirlich and Oga's by Annabelle Hiel

Star Wars X-Wing: Rogue Squadron by Michael Stackpole

Operatic by Kyo Maclear art by Byron Eggenschwiler (Graphic Novel)

X-Men: Bizarre Love Triangle by Peter Milligan Art Salvador Larroca

Starfinder: Era of the Eclipse by Tim Pratt

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Movies Watched:

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Wicked

Captain America: Brave New World (Theater)

Inside Out  2

Rogue One

Star Wars: A New Hope (theater)

Elemental 

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

Thunderbolts (theater)

Hamilton

Avengers: Infinity War

Superman (theater)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Back to the Future

Fantastic Four

Home Alone

It's a Wonderful Life

White Christmas 

T.V. Series Watched: 

Skeleton Crew

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man 

Music By John Williams

Andor season 1

Fur Babies

Disney Treasure

Light and Magic season 1

Andor Season 2

Star Wars Rebels

Dance Moms Season 2

Dead to Me season 1

Dead to Me season 2

Dead to Me season 3

Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld

Pepsi, Where's my Jet?

Star Wars Visions Season 3

Vox Machina Season 1

Stranger Things Season (various eps.)

Stranger Things Season 5

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2

Wizard of Paws season 2

Taylor Swift End of an Era

Podcasts:

Rebel Base card Podcast (3)

60 Songs that Explain the 90's (2)

The Colbycast (4)

Teachers in the Dungeon (1)

Lost Ballparks (13)

Classic Baseball Radio (5)

Coffee with Kenobi (2)

MLB Team's Games listened: (min 5 innings)

Chicago Cubs (34)

Detroit Tigers (27)

San Francisco Giants (5)

Seattle Mariners (4)

New York Yankees (2)

Texas Rangers (2)

New York Mets (2) 

Kansas City Royals

Washington Nationals

Pittsburgh Pirates (2)

San Diego Padres 

Miami Marlins

Milwaukee Brewers 

Boston Red Sox (2)

Philadelphia Phillies 

New York Mets

Tampa Bay Rays