Brian Roberts, 2008 Upper Deck SPX #10

Yesterday I promised a two-part post, but I've already gotten sidetracked...as is my wont. Over the weekend I learned that card collector's worst nightmare had come true for a fellow blogger. While I've never had any dealings with The Collective Troll, I've never heard anyone utter an angry word about him. I've checked out his blog from time to time, and his collection is far-reaching and incredible. He is a Tampa Bay Rays fan, but also collects several players and many vintage sets. Last week he was traveling with a shoebox full of many of his most cherished cards (including 43 1951 Bowman cards and several stars from the 1965 Topps set that is so dear to me), and in an unfortunate moment of haste, left the shoebox in the back of his car with the doors unlocked. When he returned to his car after work, the whole box and a few other personal effects were gone. If you can bear to read his full account, do so here.

If there's anything that continually amazes me about the motley amalgamation of collectors here on the Internet, it's the endless generosity. This is the sort of situation that calls for a good Samaritan or twenty, and several bloggers have already answered the call. I don't have many Rays cards to send, but the Troll recently started writing about his favorite non-Rays player, one Brian Roberts. Suffice to say, I've got plenty of extra cards of that guy that will be headed to the post office soon. If you've got any cardboard to spare, think about hooking up a guy who would certainly do the same for you.