Tuesday, December 15, 2009

More 2009 Triple Threads Cards Are Live, Worse Than Expected - UPDATED

Looks like the Triple Threads visual abortion that is the 24 piece relic is back, and worse than ever. Aside from being one of the worst concepts since the sticker auto on a letter patch, this card looks WORSE than it did last year. Just when you think the impossible couldnt happen, it comes up and slaps you right in the knob.


No player picture? Check.
Confusingly spelled out diecut windows? Check.
Overly excessive "game-used" relics STUFFED into the card? Check.
Fugly design and fold out orientation? Check.
Is a Joe Collector salivating over this card? Check.

Wow, thats five for five. Unbelievable.

Here is last year's diarrhea for reference.


EDIT: Here is one more card that I am just mortified by. Why in god's name would anyone want a card that spells out "PRIME" in diecut windows? At least last year, the cards had "RC" with prime diecut in the shield part of the cut out. It was still horrible, but this takes it to a whole new level.


Secondly, which would you rather have: The card above (foil board, die cut prime patch window, sticker auto, millions of parallels), or the card below (foil board, die cut prime patch window, sticker auto, millions of parallels)? Both feature almost identical elements, but in this case, I actually think Panini did well with what they had. At least the focal point isnt some big die cut "I." The bottom card also features a full player picture and the concept fits with the rest of the card's content. Just shows how important design is with a card.



11 comments:

  1. I don't understand what I'm looking at. It's one of the most visually offensive things I've ever seen.

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  2. I think my niece used her cookie cutter to help make these cards! haha Whoever is the designer of this card and manager of the Threads design department should be fired! Who can make sense of this card? There is absolutly NO continuity to these cards! Threads just wasted time, money and resources on this product!!

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  3. Crap set I agree. I'd never spend that kind of money on Triple Threads.

    Truth be told, I'd probably be kind of upset if I got a box as a gift with all that's out there.

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  4. Hey I count 25 if you include the comma in the top one.

    But yeah....gross. Those cards are horrible.

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  5. as a designer you should NEVER distort the orientation of a typeface, which they do on all those cards..."i.e. your not supposed to squish or stretch typefaces from their original design"

    even then these cards would still look fugly they just wouldnt be so awkward on the eyes

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  6. I hate that some collectors really believe there are more than 12 swatches on that first card shown. Just because there are 24 die cut areas does not mean there are are 24 pieces of fabric.

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  7. What the heck...that first relic is like a code that has yet to be deciphered by the experts. Terrible.

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  8. I'd take the TTT Harvin over the LL. The Limited card hides the patch with the tiny die-cuts. A sticker auto is a sticker auto, although you can see it much clearer in the TTT card.

    Most of you kiddies can't afford products like TTT anyway, so it's easy to bash it when you couldn't buy it in the first place.

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  9. McB, sometimes a higher price just means you're pissing more money away on a product that doesn't justify the price.

    Then again, that's me. I only collect hockey, and while I'll buy the odd box of SP Authentic or Series 1 for the Future Watch autos/patches and young guns respectively, I'd rather save for a few tins of The Cup, pull some awesome patches/autos and get the most value for my money.

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  10. I got burnt with TTT baseball, that's not going to happen with football...

    I mean, this product is all about showing as much fabric as possible on a card, using some ridiculous die-cuts. Maybe I didn't understand the concept, but the product is supposed to be a football card set no? That looks like a Fashion/crapbooking Card set.

    I don't know about you, but I don't feel closer to the player with 24 swatches and a sticker auto, than with one piece of patch and an on-card auto.

    And I'm not even talking about Topps' rather loose standards as to the authenticity or nature of their memorabilia, as stated in their disclaimer ( those 2000's NFL shields on Barry Sanders 08 TTT...)

    Apparently Topps lost the NFLPA license for next year, and as much as I will miss Chrome and Finest, if that helps them rethinking their approach to High End, I'd consider it a very useful kick in the butt...

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  11. I would take the DL Harvin over the TTT Harvin in a heartbeat. And no, there aren't "millions of parallels" for the DL Harvin. There are only 149 base and then whatever the spotlight version is numbered to, which is much lower. That's why it's called LIMITED. The TTT Harvin probably has 99-199 base and then the Sapphire, Emerald, Ruby, Diamond, and Pearl parallels all numbered from 10-50, and then the white whale 1/1!!!!!!1111!!!!

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