My Epic Battle With A 2004 Leaf Rookies And Stars Brock Lesnar GAI Gem Mint....
Dpeck100
Posts: 10,912 ✭✭✭✭✭
Being a lifelong wrestling fan I was blown away when Brock Lesnar debuted in the WWE in 2002.
I remember vividly calling my dad who was traveling at the time and saying there is this guy Brock Lesnar that is an absolute monster and he is going to be the champ.
Brock went on to have a very fast rise to the top and quit right after signing a 7 year deal for $35 million dollars and an unheard of move in wrestling.
When word started circulating that he was going to make a run in MMA I was extremely excited and began telling anyone who would listen that he was going to be the next heavyweight champ.
What brought me back into the card collecting hobby was Brock Lesnar. I knew he had tried out for pro football and so I began searching to see if he ever appeared on any cards. He had indeed.
I started buying all of the cards I could find of his from both football and wrestling and remember thinking spending $50 or so on one was a lot.
This is how I stumbled upon the Wrestling All Stars after randomly searching for Hulk Hogan.
One of the cards I purchased was a GAI Gem Mint 2004 Leaf Rookies and Stars.
Today I decided to crack open the card and put it in a card saver. It looked similar to the SGC slab and I thought it would be a walk in the park.
Boy was I wrong. The GAI slab is the heavyweight champion. There is no slab more difficult to crack open. The slab is not flat on the back and trust me these are very dangerous to crack. I had to snip off five different spots on the card and pieces were flying everywhere and I thought for sure I was going to damage the card.
GAI may be an irrelevant grading company at this point but one thing they did well is build a tough slab. Fortunately I got the card out safely and here it is.
I remember vividly calling my dad who was traveling at the time and saying there is this guy Brock Lesnar that is an absolute monster and he is going to be the champ.
Brock went on to have a very fast rise to the top and quit right after signing a 7 year deal for $35 million dollars and an unheard of move in wrestling.
When word started circulating that he was going to make a run in MMA I was extremely excited and began telling anyone who would listen that he was going to be the next heavyweight champ.
What brought me back into the card collecting hobby was Brock Lesnar. I knew he had tried out for pro football and so I began searching to see if he ever appeared on any cards. He had indeed.
I started buying all of the cards I could find of his from both football and wrestling and remember thinking spending $50 or so on one was a lot.
This is how I stumbled upon the Wrestling All Stars after randomly searching for Hulk Hogan.
One of the cards I purchased was a GAI Gem Mint 2004 Leaf Rookies and Stars.
Today I decided to crack open the card and put it in a card saver. It looked similar to the SGC slab and I thought it would be a walk in the park.
Boy was I wrong. The GAI slab is the heavyweight champion. There is no slab more difficult to crack open. The slab is not flat on the back and trust me these are very dangerous to crack. I had to snip off five different spots on the card and pieces were flying everywhere and I thought for sure I was going to damage the card.
GAI may be an irrelevant grading company at this point but one thing they did well is build a tough slab. Fortunately I got the card out safely and here it is.
1
Comments
I had no idea he played football!
This is one of the insert cards that is numbered to 75.
This is the silver version numbered to 100.
This issue has a lower print run and the base card is numbered to 425.
Any thoughts on getting them autographed? Is he a difficult autograph?
Robert
I do not know how tough he is to track down. Rob The Wrestling Card King has one signed in his collection and perhaps he can weigh in.
Brock Lesnar has proven to be a total specimen and I think his attempt at the NFL proves what a true elite athlete he is.
He had never played organized football at all and made the final cut. Very impressive in my book.
Robert
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
<< <i>He had never played organized football at all and made the final cut. Very impressive in my book. >>
After playing in the preseason, Lesnar ended up being a late cut from Wikipedia
Given his background I always wondered why he made a run at the NFL instead of the Olympics
<< <i>
<< <i>He had never played organized football at all and made the final cut. Very impressive in my book. >>
After playing in the preseason, Lesnar ended up being a late cut from Wikipedia
Given his background I always wondered why he made a run at the NFL instead of the Olympics >>
uhhhhh.... drug testing?
He went from a big 265 to nearly 320 in two years. That takes help.
In the pic you can see he is just a total beast.
Picking up the Undertaker like a sack of potatoes.
Brock and The Rock
Looks like he is picking up DDP, Diamond Dallas Page not the Undertaker in that second card
<< <i>uhhhhh.... drug testing? >>
NCAA and NFL have drug testing
In UFC he would cut weight to 265, so more like 285. College and heavyweights go up to 285, doubt the national champions are giving up any weight to their opponents. Gaining weight after forcing yourself to stay in a weightclass doesn't come with much difficulty, with or without drugs
<< <i>uhhhhh.... drug testing? >>
WWE has testing as well. They suspend stars all the time for it. It is a result of the lawsuits so its legit.
Then like so many of us, once he was older, he wanted to put all that stuff behind him, stop abusing his body with chemicals and live clean. Which is why it took until he was in his 30s to move into the UFC
Obviously all speculation, but it almost all fits together too perfectly. If there is any truth, wish him the best overcoming his past
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
I do not know him personally obviously, but I know enough about him to know he is not going to take the time to sign the cards you send him and to put them back in the mail.
This guy lives in a remote area of MINN and has a large farm. In between spending time with his smoking hot wife Sable (Rena Lesnar) he trains and also operates his farm and lives a very simple life.
Brock is a generational athlete and you just don't see someone with his athleticism pop up very often.
Check out this link and you will see something crazy. He is actually able to finish the match which is absolutely insane.
Brock Lesnar
I am curious to see how some of these grade.
<< <i>Interesting to see Brock's football cards going up some in value. I have never sent any of these in due to the thickness of a few but will now that the holder can handle it.
I am curious to see how some of these grade. >>
I had (and subbed) some of these same cards but for Jared Allen (as it was his rookie year as well). The foil is veeeery tough. I popped a few 10's, but I cherry picked the hell out of what I subbed.
Within a short period of time I will know what my best Sweet Spot example graded. I was wondering why I never see these on EBAY in graded form and I tracked down the pop total a few moments ago and there has only been one copy graded.
I will post a scan once it is graded.
<< <i>such condition sensitive sets right out of the pack >>
Thanks for that info.
2004 Playoff Honors
I just snagged this one. I only have one copy and it is a little beat up and I didn't submit it. It is the 425 version and when I was searching for his cards at the time they seemed to never surface.
This one looks nice and I will send it in soon.
<< <i>He had never played organized football at all and made the final cut. Very impressive in my book. >>
Not true, if you count high school.
<< <i>
<< <i>He had never played organized football at all and made the final cut. Very impressive in my book. >>
Not true, if you count high school. >>
Lesnar
He did play high school so you have a point.
I admittedly didn't realize he had even played high school.
Either way it is still extremely impressive.
I collect: 80’s Rookies and 86 Fleer Basketball
<< <i>A quick Lesnar story.....I was in Orlando on business and staying on IDrive at one of the nicer hotels. I was walking in from dinner and talking to a friend of mine when this beautiful woman comes walking off the hotel. As I am trying to stuff the eye balls back into my head I see Brock Lesnar come out of the same elevator clearly catching me checking out this woman. I immediately recognize him and he comes up to me and asks me if I was checking out his wife! As I am gasping for words he starts laughing and says he got me and says its cool! We proceeded to talk for 20 minutes in the lobby of the hotel. He was MMA at this time, and was incredibly personable and down to earth. >>
WOW
Love the story!!!!
<< <i>Either way it is still extremely impressive. >>
Absolutely!
I purchased this box this morning.
Can any football collectors confirm that this is the correct box that the Brock Lesnar might be found in?
I looked at the checklists this morning and it appeared to me that he has two cards in this set with one being numbered to 100 and the other to 425. I will have a copy of each once the one I purchased arrives.
There are so many sub sets that is why I ask.
Thanks.
I have read in two articles that the Lesnar is only available in retail packs.
Anyone know how to tell the difference?
I found this.
I need to do some more searching before I bust the box I bought when it comes.
Here is a hobby box and I can see it says 6 and 12 on the front.
They don't show a photo of the retail but it does say 24 packs which is the kind I bought.
It will be ripped for sure!
The cute and curvy blonde 20-something had no idea what she was getting herself into. In her barely-there halter-top and her glossy red lipstick, she slithered into the giant's arms, set her chin on his chest, looked up into his eyes and delivered the message she had been sent to ask.
"My friend Shawn thinks you're kinda cute," she said.
Brock Lesnar was a bigger-than-life star of professional wrestling, ...Not Shawna. Not Shana.
Shawn.
The 6-foot-3, 290-pound Goliath, the guy who benches 475 pounds, squats 695 pounds, steamed.
"Yeah?" the former pro wrestler said, his voice growing louder, his eyes getting bigger. "Well you tell that ..."
To print what Brock Lesnar said might make even John Rocker blush. But after his curse-laden outburst, he turned to a nearby reporter and explained, "I don't like gays. Write that down in your little notebook. I don't like gays."
Here is the Brock I got in the mail today. I am very pleased with this card. My other copy with the higher print run has a good deal of corner wear and this one is sharp. The two bottom corners are just barely touched but otherwise the card is great.
If any of Brock's cards will ever be valuable it is clearly the football cards.
Here are the scans.
I couldn't recall if it was the Silver numbered to 100 or the base example numbered to 999 and checked the population report this morning and it is the 999.
In my collectors club special submission I have two others so hopefully those do well.
I emailed the seller twice to get more info on the corners since they are cropped out with no response. I put in my final bid of $151 and thought I had it and someone else came in higher. I would have gone higher if they had responded back that they were sharp. These cards easily show corner wear.
2004 Gold
I collect: 80’s Rookies and 86 Fleer Basketball
<< <i>Bummer David, I saw your FB post on it last night. I think you can take some solace in the fact that the seller didn't get back to you regarding the corners. I would take that to mean that they were probably blemished to some regard. Happy Hunting! You planning on coming to CHI with Michelle this summer for the National? >>
I hope you are right! Perhaps the realized sale price will bring out another copy or two. It always fascinates me to think how many of these numbered cards are still in packs and may never surface if people continue to hold un opened material for the long term.
We might head out to Chicago this year. I mentioned it to Michelle after reading your post and she would be game. If we do go I want to have a day where I can spend a little more time at the show. She got bored pretty quick.
Brock is staying in WWE. Good move on his part I think.
I for one am thrilled. Brock is my favorite by far.