January ‘25
Matt's Phind
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Matt's Phind -
Gshock MRG100T
If you love cheap watches like I do, you’re aware of Casio’s iconic, and sometimes ridiculous G-Shock line. Kikuo Ibe created the first ones in the early 80s, which sold like hotcakes (whatever those are). They were pretty affordable and made great gifts for kids and grownups who wanted to emulate Hollywood action stars. By the mid-90s Ibe I guess was bored and put together a small team to work on something new that they would find fun to design and develop. Are they still hiring? Sounds fun, tho not sure if passion projects are greenlit much these days.
The consensus idea was a newer, modern G-Shock made out of metal instead of the traditional black resin. Still needed to be just as strong and durable but with a completely different look, which might also appeal to a wider (and now older) audience. So, not so much Henry VIII iconoclast, but more Steve Jobs’s approach.
Fast forward a few months and the MRG-100 was born, in mid-‘96. Here it is in all its chunky glory:
I phound this one on ebay in great shape for a little over $200. I was shocked (no pun intended) at how lightweight it was when I first put it on, but titanium be like that. It’s also got a really nice glow backlight and a comfortable bracelet.
Might cop the MRG-110 next, which has analog hands and is very MIB/Matrix/early 2000s looking, tho it’s a bit more expensive and I don’t have a job so probably not right now.
Luke's Phinds
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Luke's Phinds -
Shawn Kemp, Allen Iverson & Cliff Robinson Starting Lineups
I went to a Windy City Bulls game where they got absolutely crushed by the Westchester Knicks. The final score was 143-110, which is a blowout, but I swear it was worse than that. They had no answer for Donovan Williams, who had 33 points, and Moses Brown, who looked like Wemby out there. The game was brutal, but interestingly, the day I went was the Windy City Bulls' first-ever Cards & Collectibles Show. Throughout the stadium, there were vendors selling NBA cards, football cards, sports memorabilia, and even Pokémon cards. Looking back, I wish I had bought way more, but the card-collecting craze hadn’t hit me yet.
One booth that I stumbled across was full of sports memorabilia. The table was filled with Mattels, Starting Lineups, McFarlane figures, and more. The old dude (it’s always an old white guy who sells Starting Lineups) was offering three for five bucks each. I’m a huge fan of the tracksuit Starting Lineups, so I’m happy with these pickups.
Corey Kispert BobbleHead
On January 1st, Wizards fans received two amazing presents: a win over the Chicago Bulls and a Corey Kispert bobblehead! Considering that at this point in the season, the Wizards only had 5 wins, the better present was probably the victory over the Bulls. The final score was 125-107, with Jordan Poole dropping 30 points and Kispert nailing 3 threes for a total of 13 points. A highlight for us poor Wiz fans out there!
I was not in attendance or one of the lucky 10,000 fans at Capital One Arena who got the bobblehead, so I had to go the old eBay route. I was able to get one of these for $20, which I thought was a decent deal until John found two at Goodwill for $3.99 each a week later… I may have overpaid, but on the bright side, the Wizards rookies have been showing some great promise as of late, especially Alex Sarr. My Kispert bobblehead is nodding in agreement right now.
