This has to be one of the best images in the entire Signature Renditions set. There's so much awesomeness. A beaming, gap-toothed Mark Messier branding the Conn Smythe Trophy in the middle of an Edmonton Oilers locker room that appears to be in full Cup celebration chaos. A couple of hazy Oilers in the background, faces blurred as if they're part of an Impressionist painting. A just off-screen reporter holding the largest tape recorder ever made.
I missed out this card five times before finally wining it in an eBay auction. I can't tell you how excited I was to finally get it in hand...So excited, in fact, that I promptly dropped it. If you look down by Messier's left elbow, there's now a small but very noticeable -- to me, at least -- ding in this card. And it is entirely my own fault. I know it shouldn't ruin this card for me -- it shouldn't! -- but, honestly, it almost does. Hopefully, I'll get over my irritation at some point and be able to enjoy this thing because, boy, is it a beautiful card. Except for that damn ding.
Want to know what makes an extra special crotch kick? I was actually re-scanning the card. I already had a copy of it that I'd done with an older scanner, but I wanted to redo it with the better one. I was so annoyed with myself that I didn't even bother to rescan the back. So here's the old scan, which shows you that this celebrates Messier's performance as MVP of the 1984 Stanley Cup playoffs. That was an historic postseason. The Oilers finally ended early '80's New York Islanders dynasty and kicked off their own. Edmonton would go on to win four consecutive cups and five in six years.
Be careful with your cards, kids.
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