Upper Deck Faces Enormous Lawsuit

Per today's news via numerous sources on the web, Upper Deck is going to be facing some major heat thanks to some horrible business practices done by their Upper Deck Entertainment department. As said in the report, UD had taken the production of the once popular Yu-Gi-Oh! card game and re-printed many cards outside of the license agreement. This led to the creation of over 600,000 counterfeit cards outside of the international agreement with Konami and the other creators of the show, and brought about a major lawsuit.

Really, this could not be a more inappropriate use of legal licensing and manufacturing practices, and it makes me angry to think that this actually happened. Although UDE did admit to their mistake, they will still have to answer to the masses, and should have a large sum of money to pay due to their underhanded practices of handling this the way it was.

This isnt the first time UD has ventured outside the legal limits of manufacturing, either. In 1989, there were heavy reports of them re-printing the iconic Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card after the product had already hit shelves, thus giving employees and friends access to a rare and valuable card.

I have applauded UD in recent months for trying to improve upon an image that has made them the de-facto devil in this hobby to some collectors, yet I dont see that here. This is a terrible situation, and may even put a large dent in the company's card branches.

I will report on further developments as they occur.

Peterson Viking Head Number Four Now Up

I sincerely hope that people arent THIS stupid to bid on a card like the Viking Head Logo that was just posted on eBay. This is actually number four that has been listed, the third of the fakes. It could also be the worst ever posted, as you can see the colors, stitching, and material dont match any authentic jersey ever worn.

Of course, this one is so fucking bad, that Im not actually going to feel bad for the person who buys it. Now, the card still is a Peterson exquisite, so its worth something, but it shouldnt go for anywhere near the 21oo the last horrid fake went for. Considering that the people who buy on eBay are some of the dumbest people in the history of the world, I will not be surprised if this one ends in similar fashion.

Be sure to check out the other posts I have done on the Peterson fakes, including the Tuff Stuff article as well. Upper Deck better get on this shit before someone else burns a whole car worth of cash for clunkers money on a fake.

EDIT: Here is the counter auction, exposing him. H/t Kickstand.

EDIT 2: AUCTION HAS BEEN REMOVED

In The Times Of Great Douchebaggery, It Becomes Our Responsibility

Over the last year and a half, there has been a lot of stuff that I have written about in terms of the dark underbelly of the hobby. Much to the chagrin of a few people, Beckett has been the center of about 90% of it. I really dont think that people understand just how bad it can get, as its still unclear as to how far down the rabbit hole goes. Most people just think about it from a standpoint that its just a hobby and they dont care as long as they get whatever they usually do via ebay or the local shop. The issue is, that this hobby is one based on chance and random, so any dillution of those factors has an impact on anyone who participates in the purchase of cards. Therefore everyone should feel the effect with each card that is taken out of circulation.

One of the major pain points for people like me, is that the stuff that is given to people who have no business receiving it. Whether its product, swag, or just ad money in general, free stuff complicates everything, especially when you have done nothing to receive it. Since I first started up March 2007, Beckett has been the prime focus of my anger, mainly because of all of the stuff they do that compromises the integrity of their perceived place as THE hobby news source. Most of the time, with every product release, Beckett gets a box full of stuff to pass around to their lackeys, with wax being a main focus. I have gotten emails from former Beckett employees talking about all the stuff that comes through the door, and just how little of it actually makes it to the people its supposed to go to - you. So far this year alone, Beckett has received close to 50 boxes of product from companies that have actually made it onto video. There are many more that dont, according to my sources. This is completely frustrating to collectors once they find out how much money they are actually getting, in addition to the ad money for products in the magazine. Why is this acceptable for a "news source" to receive? It creates a huge problem.

Then we have the recent video, where Beckett has received a full case of Exquisite Basketball from Upper Deck. This is the first public box of Exquisite they have received from Upper Deck since the 2007 fiasco, despite the fact that we have been told a number of times that it wouldnt be happening again. When you think of the fact that a case of Exquisite can cost in upwards of $1,800, its a little bit more apparent how much money Beckett receives from the companies each year. I think this is a direct reflection of the companies themselves, as they should know better than to flaunt their subtle kickbacks to the magazine that can easily make or break a product. As for Exquisite, a product that features one of the lowest print runs of any product ever produced, it is also unfair to expect collectors to sit back and watch Beckett receive all they do, when so few of the cards actually exist. Its funny too, because they tell us how all these cards are going to be available for the public to win in contests, but I have yet to see how that is even remotely true. Sure, some the fifteen pulls of a lifetime and 1 of 1s they have pulled since 2007 have been given out to contest winners, but why are those enormous pulls even going to Beckett in the first place? What does that accomplish for the collectors in general? More and more are seeing through the practice of doing the video box breaks, so why even risk it?

Its become a disgusting display each time Hackler and the Giant appear on their vid player, as we can see the grease in the wheels being replentished with each turn. Its pretty much become a display of the constant arrogance and douchebaggery that Beckett displays every time. This is the same arrogance that makes them spit on the blogs saying they dont deserve the news, when in reality, many blogs are ten times the news source they are. On top of all of this, there is zero reason why Beckett cannot tap into the thousands of collector videos on youtube, or why the manufacturers cannot do the same. Video box breaks have reached a point of parody, as we have seen with "Packs to the People," a feature created to break the monotony of the breaks. Based on that premise, Beckett's breaks should go the way of the dodo as well.

As for the rest of the shipments that Beckett gets almost daily, its time for the general collector base realizes the giant conflict of interest at work. If Upper Deck decides that providing thousands of dollars worth of product in one shipment is worth the exposure when the boxes are broken for the world, its our job to continually voice our disapproval. Beckett has become an organization whose sole purpose is promote an agenda of certain interests that pad their bottom line. When you see that the only reason for their existence is to make money for the parent company, it becomes very clear that they have zero responsibility to maintain content that has informative purposes rather than advertisement purposes. Look down the product lines, and really see what is being sold to people. Is it information, or is it instead ways for the companies to garner more revenue on product sales resulting from what is laid out in the pages?

The one indisputable fact is this:

This whole situation is a double edged sword, bloodied by the wounds of the dishonesty displayed by both Beckett and the card companies. When the companies, like Upper Deck and the recent Exquisite break, send the boxes for Beckett to break, the collectors lose. Not just because the cards in those boxes are no longer available for collectors to pull, but because it creates an environment where people who dont know any better are preyed upon. Its obvious that Upper Deck didnt care how much backlash they would get from the people in the know, because they knew there would be thousands who would see it. Also, it may have begun to repair a damaged relationship with the magazine over relationships created with blogs like Wax Heaven and this one. Clearly Beckett didnt care about any voiced disapproval because they got those thousands to watch it and come to their site. Because of this, it is now our responsibility to call them out as publically as possible, just to show them the thousands who will now spread the word against their practices. I may only get 600 visitors here per day, but if 200 of those people tell one friend, and they tell another, you can see what I mean. Its time for you guys to really show what you are about.

Is It Really That Shocking?

Before March of 2008, the only known scam on the market was related to stuff perpetrated by secondary market collectors, mainly fake cards, fake patches, and trimmed cards, etc. Any manufacturer stuff, wasnt prevelant at the time. People just didnt have it on their mind. Mainly people focused their hatred of manufacturers through their thoughts about redemptions and how they were the devil because of the ridiculous time frame that was needed for them. There really wasn’t a widespread feeling of the industry operating under the table in underhanded techniques. Most people didn’t even think poorly about Beckett due to their enormous message board and magazine. Even though the guide was out of date and really didn’t make much sense, people didn’t really care.

Then we were exposed, almost brick in the face style, to what could happen when scams are perpetrated by the manufacturers rather than the collectors on the secondary market. It pained more people to see the magazine that they loved as kid be at the forefront of it, mainly due to their obvious prior notification of the reception of the scam boxes. This was a new era in cards.

Immediately, within hours, there were consipiracy theories that dated back pre-youtube and video breaks, automatically assuming that this was only the first UNCOVERED scheme of unethical behavior, and really there were tons of instances before that time which were never brought to light. Manufacturers were almost assumed to supply their best customers with loaded boxes and cases, and there were plenty other ideas that were thrown out there. It was always sort of a "my cousin's friend" type of thing, but it made sense at the time.

Simultaneously, Card Sharks became completely relevant again. What was McWilliams up to now? What scam was he pulling to fatten his wallet all over again, just like in 1989? The question was very relevant and still is. I had an epiphany at that time, and I consider myself a saved Joe Collector since that point when the house of cards (no pun intended) came tumbling down.

Personally, Card Sharks is/was not shocking to me in the least. Im sure there is stuff today that makes those 1989 scams look like an 8 track when compared to a CD. I have always preached that where ever there is money to be made, someone will be there to exploit it. When stuff comes to light, some people even shield themselves from it to prevent any preconceived trust from being destroyed. We are just not equipped to deal a leader in the industry also being the worst thing for it.

Whether its "game used" swatches that really werent used in games despite their labeling, or handing over the best cards to all the best customers instead of packing them out, I guarantee it has happened and it will surely continue. If you add in a guy like McWilliams, who's ethics have already been tainted by previous experiences that have come to light, anything becomes part of the realm of possibility.

That means, for me, when I see this stuff come to be known, I become happy that we get to see it. It doesn’t shock me, but it does make me angry. I will say that when something big does happen, and there is an inkling of proof of wrongdoing, it will not stop with me and this blog. Collectors are more informed now, the global community is tiny in the space between communication thanks to the internet, which means if you do something bad, its going to come out somehow. When it does, get ready for the shitstorm of anger that will rain down upon you in both words and wallets. The card industry is teetering on extinction, lets hope the execs realize this fact, and change their ways. It’s a pipe dream, I know, but I havent given up hope in change.

Yet...

First Look: 2008 Exquisite Football

Well, first off, I am quite disappointed with the way this was handled by UD marketing. After conversing with UD over the last few months about getting these previews, they decided that it was still a better option to go the Beckett route rather with the blogs. I think that with the position that Beckett is in, as well as the way they approach their blog, the established card blogs should have been just as viable a route to get them at the same time.

I am not advocating exclusivity or even that I get them first, just an understanding that the card blogs are just as much a part of the online face of the industry as the idiots at the hobby's number one authority on douchebaggery.

Regardless, here is the first look at 2008 Exquisite.






I must say these preview show a MAJOR upgrade over last year. I love the way that the cards look in every single way. They finally changed the super swatch design, THANK YOU, and the subsets even look much, much better. I dont like the helmet off look for the RC triple, so that is pretty frightening that other cards may be done the same way. All of that is definitely overshadowed by the awesome, awesome, design of the RC auto patches. I love it all the way. I just hope that the blue sharpie isnt as much of a problem as I expect it to be.

There were other cards that were released, some of which may be part of that special add on to the packaging, but it wasnt totally clear. As Gregg mentioned a few months ago, there will be a new part of exquisite called the "Exquisite Gold" in the form of a one card pack containing an auto or auto relic. I am really excited so far, congrats to UD on a great design this year.

Another Hand Seeded Product, Another Disgrace

Please do me a favor and check out the fucking pieces of shit over at Beckett's blog, watch the Razor video and sit back and fucking watch stupidity in action. I say stupidity, because you would have to be fucking retarded to post a video like that and not expect me to bring the pain all over again. At that point you just stick it in the "vault" and never let it see the light of day. Of course, Beckett is comprised of hundreds of arrogant fucks who think that only a "few people" dislike what they do, and therefore dont care if people think this is a scam of scams.

Now, in the video, they pull three cards out of three boxes that were PERSONALLY delivered by Brian Gray of Razor. They proceed to pull Pete Rose, Charlton Heston, and Lucille Ball (1/1), or three monster pulls out of a product chaulk full of unheard of actors and musicians. Three boxes, three great pulls, who would have guessed it right? Fuck that shit Mr. Gray, I hope your products fail like the shit they are.

I would challenge you to find people on this planet who have pulled as many monster pulls out of so few boxes than the cum dumpsters over at Beckett. Lets run down the new list after this box, and I will continue to add to it as they pull more whales. I say "when" because we all know they are arrogant and stupid enough to post more.

1. Vince Young Exquisite RC Patch Auto (Bigger pull out of the set at the time)
2. Joe Dimaggio Topps Sterling Jersey Cut Auto
3. Walter Payton/Brian Piccolo Dual Cut Exquisite Legends 1/1
4. Brady Quinn National Ridiculous Patch Auto 1/1
5. Adrian Peterson 1/1 Exquisite RC Patch Auto (Worth 5-8K)
6. Matt Ryan/Brian Brohm/Andre Woodson Triple Auto Rookie Progression (Best Card In Set?)
7. Charlton Heston Cut Auto Razor
8. Lucille Ball Cut Auto 1/1
9. Pete Rose Cut Auto
EDIT: 10. LaDanian Tomlinson Exquisite Base 1/1 (YES, the list is so long, I am beginning to forget cards)

How long will it be before we can no longer count the scams on two hands?

Seriously though, Im beginning to be more disgusted with their arrogance in these matters than the actual instances themselves. I mean the manufacturers are just as irresponsible. Its like Beckett just doesnt care why we think this is beyond awful, like they just dont understand how morally and ethically irresponsible it is to do what they do. They just assume that they are the number one source in the hobby, and because they are at the top they can fuck whoever they want to fuck. Since I am the only one who seems to present the evidence, it doesnt really go anywhere. I am small potatoes, I know that.

So, because I know that all the manufacturers read this blog, please, I implore you, talk to me for a few minutes before you send more boxes to these idiots. Send me an email and hear me out, hell, send an email to Mario at Wax Heaven, or Chris at Stale Gum, anyone - they will all tell you the same thing. We want this to end.

Its getting to the point where I may just say, "fuck all of you!" and start a petition just so you can
see how many people actually feel the way I do. Yes, 3,000 people may view your break on Beckett, but I can promise you that I can find JUST AS MANY people who will spit in your face.

The king of the douches may tell you that its only a few people because he is an arrogant disconnected fuck with no reason to tell you the truth, but I will not hesitate to spell it out. Fuck Beckett.

Exquisite Gold Box On Ebay

Well, as expected, another 1/1 gold box from 2007 exquisite football is up on TWGM. I have a few issues with this one, especially at the gigantic price he wants, for a few reasons. First off, I think this box has already been auctioned once, and this is the second seller. I would be pretty weary about buying this particular one. Secondly, there is no paypal accepted for the box. Seller claims this is to save him the fees, but I disagree, and I think it is to save his ass when the guy gets it (if it is sold), and there are nothing but regular cards inside.

Lastly, and most importantly, the best 1/1s have already been pulled - you know full well about THE 1/1s pulled by Beckett at the beginning of this awful sequence of events, the Quinn and Johnson 1/1s have also been pulled, and the Peterson quad logo, rare materials, and dual logo 1/1s are pulled too. What does that leave this box? Not much.

Either way, I doubt this will sell.

Another Comment On The Exquisite Golden Ticket Boxes

When Exquisite Basketball first came out, there was quite a buzz over the few people that got to go to UD HQ and package their own box. Per the rules, they were to pack a box that contained the same collation as a normal box, so obviously, no 5 logomen boxes were possible.

As far as I can tell, due to posts on message boards, this experience was a complete bust. There have been 2 boxes revealed, one box kept under lock and key for eternity, one sold with no report of what was in it, and a few others that were never posted about. Of those boxes, the one kept under lock and key was built by a collector who was not looking to make any money, but rather keep it for his massive exquisite collection. He paid around $8000 to get the coupon to go on the trip. Fine, whatever, ill get to this in a second.

The problem that I see with all of this was the deliberate and secretive plotting and scheming to help those people who wanted sell their boxes. From what has been revealed by the people on the trip, UD asked them to keep quiet until Exquisite hit the streets (understandable - no objection here), but the people took that to the Nth degree and I dont see why. Its like these people swore themselves to secrecy so some money grubbing "collectors" could make more money. That is bullshit, and the contents of the boxes are something that people should be able to find out, especially if they are purchasing the sealed boxes on eBay. Plus, if you were never going to sell the box, why dont you tell people what was in it? Inquiring minds would like to know, including myself, considering the junk that was in the two revealed boxes.

So far, the best cards out of these boxes were a Jordan/Bron dual auto /15 and an MJ Scripted Swatches /10. No logomen, no 1/1s. In fact, one person paid 6500 for the sealed box and pulled about 1000 in cards. That sucks. The fact that these boxes were allowed to sell, with the sellers knowing EXACTLY what was inside, is fucking crap. If the people who were there knew that the boxes were a duds, they had an ethical responsibility to say something. They didnt, and someone got screwed. Again, more proof that integrity in this hobby has no place. In my opinion, this secretive pact is just some bullshit way for greedy people to be more greedy, and for the collecting base to get screwed once more. I dont really know why this whole situation bugs me so much, but it just twinges those ethical bones in my body to the point of breaking.

To this day, only two of the boxes have been revealed, and the others are not surfacing despite all but one belonging to message board users and frequent posters. Its time to see what this experience brought, and I am looking at Upper Deck to tell us if the "collectors" wont. Hell, Beckett was there and they saw everything, possibly even building a box for one of the winners. Have they said anything? Fuck no, why would we expect any pertinent info from them? They never give it on anything else.

Sounding Off On Jersey Cards

So far this year, Topps has not used the term "event used" on their cards, but instead changed it to "Player Worn" to fill the gap (see below). This is plain deception in my mind, as new collectors have no idea that the rookie premiere is a sham when it comes to "relics." In fact, when it comes to the big three companies in the big three sports, I trust topps the least with their jersey cards. They never refer to them as jerseys, but rather as "relics" because they don’t know if the swatches are actually jersey stuff in some sports. It could be pants, it could be warm ups, it could be a fucking coat they wore on the bench.



Personally, I think event used jerseys suck. The players wear them for literally two seconds, if that, and then throw them into a basket. All of this is done in a tent, where the public cant see, and then they are labeled as "event worn." Some of the time, they aren't even their own jerseys. Sidney Rice threw on at least two different Tarvaris Jackson jerseys at the 07 premiere. You can guarantee it happened again this year. Also, you know that picture on the card? Those jerseys from that picture are never cut up, according to my source at the rookie premiere. They are given to the players to do as they please, many of whom have never worn or seen the official team issues yet.

Topps has been known to use jerseys from non-official games, that’s why they are called "relics." You know those stark white jersey pieces from a guy who played in the 50's? Yeah, those aren't game used. Topps buys numerous jerseys from old timer games and public appearances to insert into their cards. As said before, older jerseys are becoming more expensive and more scarce, so rather than conserving what they have, they find other ways to do it. They have cut up Mickey Mantle's suits, ties and pants, among other stupid excuses for swatches, and for this reason I don’t buy Topps jersey cards. Right now, every single Topps Triple Threads card is labeled, "This relic was not used in any specific event, game or season." What the fuck is that? Seriously! I just paid 170 bucks for this box, and you cant even guarantee that this shit is game used? Give me a fucking break.

I have stated before that there is a possibility that the jerseys on the cards are not real. There is no promise other than the word of the manufacturers that the jersey came from the player on the card, and there is no reason to believe that they are being 100% honest with us. As recent as a few months ago, a Michael Jordan UNC warm up jersey was sold by Mastro Auctions for 11,000 dollars. The problem was that authenticators believe that the real nameplate was ripped off and Jordan's was put on. What does that say about the companies that buy from these places?

Lets face it people, this industry is more scam ridden than most of the idiots believe. The reason I first mentioned the (now retired) Joe Collector was because he was the person who refused to believe that nothing was going on behind the curtain with Beckett, UD, Topps or anybody. I can guarantee that is not the case, as any time there is money involved, douchebags migrate to that place like its a fucking pilgrimage.

The funny thing is that no one seems to care that they are being scammed. Instead, they live their existence believing that the Event Worn card they have in their hand is from an actual game, or that the auto they have hanging on the wall is actually real, or that the graded BGS card they own is actually the low 8.5 it says on the tag. Bullshit, that’s what it is. Those people make the hobby a shitty place because they help to blur the line when it comes the things you don’t do to people. Because they keep buying, the companies will keep finding ways to screw people, spend less money doing it, and will eventually ruin the things we love for good.

Could This Be The Best Ever?

Holy shit. This card is the most fucking "REDYKOLOSE" card I have seen in a long time. First off, you have a Jim Thorpe cut autograph, a person whose signature sells at or around Ruth when in good shape. Turn it over and you have a cut of Payton signed as "Sweetness." In all truthfulness, the Payton cut isnt that good, but at least its not a phone card.

Right now there is a reserve on it, so I doubt it will sell, but you could maybe expect that this may break the 10K mark if it had no reserve.

After viewing this auction, Im guessing the seller is just using eBay as his glorified photobucket, but seriously, he fucming deserves it after pulling this. The question is, how much did he spend breaking Exquisite to get this? Second question, how did Beckett not end up with THIS card in their boxes?

Five for Fighting

After reading this blog for the few months its been in existence, you may think that I hate the way the hobby is heading. You are pretty much 100% correct, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think that it is a bad time to get involved in collecting cards. I think collecting SOMETHING, whether it is cards, comics, stamps, or whatever is a great way to spend time away from your work or school, and I think that collecting cards is one of the better ways to do it of those mentioned. The reason is pretty simple, as most employers gravitate towards sports and the world of sports, one can gain a great knowledge of that world by starting up a card collection. I cant count the number of times my card expertise has helped me make connections at work. Because my job deals with each and every state in the union, talking to the clients about their favorite team/player is a great tactic. I can thank my love of football and baseball cards for that.

With that, here are two top five lists on why I think it is the best time to get into the hobby, and also the worst time.

Top 5 Reasons Why It Is a Great Time to Start Collecting Cards

1. eBay

Ebay has allowed every collector access to almost every card out there at any possible time. It has also provided us with a way to determine price without looking at some douchebag's idea of what a card is worth in a monthly publication. It has become the stock market for sports collecting and has shrunk the hobby expanse into one singular website where you can find exactly what you want at market price at any time. It also gives people access to those 1/1s that normally wouldn’t see the light of day, and makes show dealers who price gouge collectors almost obsolete. There is a dark side to everything, but ill get to that later.

2. Wide Range of Products

Today, unlinke the golden age and silver age of collecting, you have a ton of products to choose from when deciding what box/pack to buy. If you want to spend $500 bucks, there are products out there for you, just like those of us who want to spend $1.00. Each product has different sell points and features, and you no longer have to buy a product just to collect the base set. With so many options out there, it has also benefitted the collector in mid range products because the companies will fight to give you the most bang for your buck. Products that once had one hit for the hundred bucks, now will have three to make sure they can compete with the other products at the same price point. Believe it or not, we benefit.

3. Blogs

Thanks to the interweb, collectors now have other sources for hobby news that don’t stem from people that accept money from the manufacturers themselves. People like Chris Harris have been braving the blogosphere for 10 plus years now, and he has yet to sell out to Topps and UD - as far as I know. Other blogs like this one, Wax Heaven and others have taken it upon themselves to make sure that the wool is not pulled over our eyes without a fight - making it harder for the donkey rapers and scam artists that litter this hobby to get one over on people. Thanks to the blogs, card companies realize that the collector is not silent any more, and have actually made strides to please us by instituting ways to contact them other than through customer service. Also, it seems that some companies actually send their reps to read the blogs, even if they may publish disparaging remarks. I know for a fact that this blog is read by the three biggies, without a doubt. Thanks sitemeter!

4. YouTube

Ever want to see what it is like to bust three cases of Exquisite? Done. Ever want to see what a product is like before you bust it? Done. Thanks to YouTube, collectors now have a haven where they can show the ups and downs of the box break and show other people what they have been wondering for years prior to its creation. Dr. Wax Battle has been filming breaks since at least 2005, and his videos are watched by thousands. His customers have become the stars, while the products are shown in a raw state with no interference from the producers themselves. Chri5784 has also created a way to see the products opened through his store, Cards Infinity, and even offers ways for people to have their boxes opened on camera by purchasing the boxes online. This would be higher, but the Joe Collectors have taken it upon themselves to make YouTube more of a burden than a blessing.

5. The Companies Actually Listen

Since I have gotten back into the hobby a few years ago, a lot of bad things have changed for the better. Redemptions are no longer taking 2-3 years to fufill, UD is going to let collectors choose replacements online rather than having it randomized, DLP is authenticating patches from their products with a special technology, and more and more auto cards are becoming on card rather than stickers. You know how all of this happened? Collectors from blogs, message boards and other venues have all said how much the above makes us fucking pissed off. For all the bad things that are STILL going on, its good to see that some of them listen to us.

Top 5 Reasons Why It Is a Horrible Time to Start Collecting Cards

1. eBay Scams

Due to the faceless transaction created by eBay, it has become commonplace for people to scam others by a number of ways. Whether it is trimming cards to make them seem like they are in better condition than they are, resealing crap autos and jerseys into packs and calling them "hot packs," or inserting fake patches into cards to make them more valuable, it is no longer 100% safe to buy anything anymore. Personally, due to this fact, I wont buy from overseas, I wont buy ridiculous looking patches unless it is obvious that they are real, and even PSA/BGS cards make me think twice now. It sucks how many people there are that take advantage of others. What sucks even more, is that the more money the scam artists make off the Joe Collectors, the more likely they are to continue, and the more likely eBay is to do nothing due to their own interests in the deal. For shame…

2. Card Companies and Hobby Authorities Using Our Mediums Against Us

If you think that blogs and YouTube are a blessing, you are only partially correct. Thanks to these mediums, people like the manufacturers have the ability to peddle their products and make it seem like they are giving us what we would normally get from a regular non-affiliated collector. Beckett and UD consipired to shit out the worst thing to happen to the hobby in years with their awful staged Exquisite break on YouTube, that made it seem like what they got was actually possible for all us regular people out there. Most of the Joe Collectors thought it was all 100% luck, and therefore Beckett and UD accomplished their goal. Beckett also has a blog and a message board where "collectors" can go and speak their mind. What most people don’t understand is how much the manufacturers are actually involved. It is no longer a collectors voice like it used to be.

3. Graded Cards

Ebay created a necessity for collectors to know what they were getting in terms of condition without actually looking the card over themselves. Who were the first people to jump on that idea? Why, Beckett of course! They turned condition into a business by starting to grade cards that were submitted to them by collectors. The problem? Well, despite selling their own graded cards for profit, Beckett created a way for more and more people to make this hobby into a business venture. High graded cards have started to carry an enormous premium, and there are thousands of collectors out there who believe there is no marketing element involved in letting a third party grade cards. Not many people question the grades from BGS and PSA, but they should. The cards are not looked over as thoroughly as you would expect, and the bigger the order, the less time is spent on each card. Another way Beckett screws you over.

4. The Dumbing Down of the Joe Collector

Most of the bad things about the hobby are easier to spot than a black guy at a Knicks game, yet the Joe Collectors out there are getting dumber by the day. Every single day I see posts on the message boards or I get emails from people who just don’t get it, or refuse to get it. My favorite are the latter. They refuse to believe that they are being scammed or had, and even when presented with overwhelming evidence, they couldnt care less. I documented their life in my post earlier, so please check that out before going any further here. Plus, they have more money to spend than ever because they think that card collecting is the best possible way to make money. Forget stocks or gold, they want jerseys and autos and they wont stop until their PC is filled with "Sick MOJO cardz!"

5. The Card Collecting Kids We Grew Up As Are Pretty Much Dead

Cards are a multi billion dollar industry for the people involved, and they are no longer focused on bringing in the kids we once were. The average box price has jumped almost 80 dollars over the last 10 years, and the average pack price is no difference. Since the way cards are produced is changing, the people who collect are changing too. Of course, the old school guys are still around, but many of them are as old as your father, or are fathers themselves. You used to be able to buy the best pack on the market for your week's allowance and still have a shot at the big boys. Forget it now, those days are over

Cardboard Goes...Hollywood?

Well, I just saw the preview for the new movie "Dimished Capacity" which is about a man and his crazy uncle finding a ridiculously expensive card in their attic. The card is very representative of the T206 Wagner, and I would expect that the aura of that holy grail is what they were shooting for. Of course, the whole operation is cursed from the beginning, as selling the card seems to be a big fucking problem for both the main characters in the movie.

One of the characters in the preview, Dr Connors from Spider-man, answers "How much are your memories worth?" when asked about the value of cardboard, and to tell you the truth, I think a lot of us feel that way about our cards. Some of us have them for sentimental reasons, others as investments, but all of us have the collections to contain the memories we attach to them. From what I have read, this movie explores the outsider's view of a hobby based around a kid's dream, and also what the insiders have turned into in the process. Personally, I think this movie looks great as Mattew Broderick and Alan Alda seem to work well together in the preview as the outsiders looking in. Virginia Madsen was great in Sideways, and I have a feeling that this movie will take a similar soul searching approach as that movie did.

I think its pretty funny that it has taken this long for a movie about such an old hobby to surface, or maybe I am just missing the boat on some oldies but goodies. Either way, I hope a lot of people take the true value of hobby from this movie - that cardboard really isnt worth anything but what we as collectors put into it. Its not about making money, steals on eBay, or even pulling that 1/1 from a box you bought, its about having fun collecting things you love. Most of the manufacturers and other gurus of the hobby *cough* Beckett *cough* have lost sight of the kid in many of us, mainly resulting in a souless hobby full of cards that are only designed to seem valuable. If I catch the drift of what I have heard about this movie, I think I will be pleasantly suprised by my own reaction to a movie about the hobby I have invested so much time, money, and energy into.

We All Lose

Its official, the second winners box from the Beckett Exquisite Fraud fiasco has been broken. Again, it was an awful, awful box just like the other. The best pull was a Kolb Patch Auto, but that wouldn’t even cover the box. Honestly, Im actually kind of pissed that this has happened.


Oooo, sassy!

Despite calling EXACTLY what would happen, knowing that the two boxes were just the other two from the AD 1/1 case, I know what most of the other non-believers and non informed clueless collectors must be thinking. Its just fucking ridiculous to me that people are too stupid to figure this out. Anyways, see my posts here and here where I discuss this.

Fuck you Tracy Hackler and Fuck You David Lee, I hope you people get what's coming to you one day.

Your Bad Hit May Not Be So Bad! What?!?

When you pull a hit out of your favorite product, usually its going to suck, unless you work for Beckett. Yet, those hits may be the key to the future of the sports autograph collectibles industry, believe it or not.

Let me explain:

Right now, if you go to UDA or Steiner to buy a piece of memorabilia, you will have to pay for the market price of the autograph plus the market cost of the authentication name on the certificate. Usually, the authentication is worth more than the signature itself, mostly because of one cold hard fact: 80-90% of the autographs available on the internet are fake. Due to the number of scam artists out there, even PSA slabbed stuff is not safe for the average person anymore. On the other hand, despite the above fact, no one will question an auto'ed sports card as long as it was meant to be one. Thousands upon thousands of auto cards end up on the secondary market each day, and most collectors (with a few exceptions) believe that there is no question as to the authenticity of the player's signature. Due to the awful state of the market, as real autographs become harder and harder to prove as authentic, I see a growth in the worth of the standard auto cards of today. Its crazy to think about that now, but the donkey rapers out there are coming up with some fucked up ways to make money, and eventually PSA authentication will mean about as much as a scoreboard letter of authenticity. You saw that news report that said they got a fake through the JSA people, right?


This football was 100% guaranteed to pass authentication. It wont.

To tell you the truth, it really blows a goat that most people are only out there to make money, regardless of who they hurt in the process. They don’t care if the fake auto of Alex Rodriguez you bought hangs on your child's wall, because to them, all they see is $$$$$.

Just as an example, I had an autograph of Vince Carter that my dad gave me for my birthday a long time ago. Being a UNC grad, my dad got caught up in the vinsanity and it rubbed off on me too. Of course, my dad wasn’t as versed in the ways of the donkey raper as I am now, so he bought from some guy who had a cool picture signed in bold silver pen. He paid to have it framed, and it hung on my wall until last year. Around graduation from college, I went back and took a look at it. I realized right away what my dad had bought, and I was so pissed that I threw my suitcase across the room. I wasn’t mad at my dad, I was mad at the guy who felt that scamming people out of their hard earned money was more important than dignity - something that has become commonplace in the market.

People ask me why my view of humanity is inherantly bad, and the reason is quite simple. Humans only care about one thing in general and its being better than the next guy. By most societal standards that means having more money, and they will not stop until they have the maximum available. For most people, its not an issue to make money the correct way, but for others, a quick buck is more tempting than sex. These people know its easy to create and sell fake autos when you arent seeing the buyer face to face (sometimes even if you are!). They also know that its easy to pull the one color jersey out of the DLP card and put in a logo patch. They for sure have no doubt that someone will pay to buy it, because there is a sucker born every minute. Funny enough, this happens in every industry because people are never hestitant to take advantage of a simple customer with no knowledge - double if you are a woman. Whether its mechanics, car salesman, drug reps, even politicians (especially politicians), they all have their bad apples.

Because of the nature of this argument, eventually cards may be the only reliable source for autographs. That is a scary fact, ladies and gents, especially with people like Beckett and UD out there doing basically the same thing as the donkey rapers. Lets hope that somewhere down the road a great enlightenment happens and these guys take it in the ass. That would be awesome.

Beckett Doesnt Learn

Not only am I sick to my stomach from the awful camera work in this video (J'isthat Youma must have been fired), but also from the fact that this shit is still happening regularly. Again Beckett gets two boxes before the release date, and I still wonder why manufacturers give them the products despite knowing that collectors are extremely fucking angry that it happens. I posed a question to Scott Prusha during my interview, but he included it in the questions he couldnt answer. Scott, I must say, I am disappointed that this is still being allowed by you.

I am also disappointed by how much swag they accumulate around their offices. For a magazine that (wrongly) sets the price for cards in circulation, accepting gifts from manufacturers is a terrible conflict of interest. The fact that there arent any other people taking this issue head on, makes me a little concerned as to the type of people that collect these days. I mean, this hobby is full of scams, top to bottom, and the most public face in the industry is a walking contradiction to everything we love.

Funny enough, bad comments are starting to show up on the video and I encourage that to continue. Hopefully with a little work, the collecting base can make sure that this stops, for the love of what you hold dear. For those of who doubt that Beckett isnt a cancer on this industry, you are walking around with blinders on. If they were to go out of business tomorrow, the hobby would be a better place - no doubt about it.

Also, because I know for a fact that people from UD, DLP and Beckett all read this blog, feel free to drop me an email and explain to me what is being done to stop these beckett box breaking assclowns from carrying on with their pathetic existence.

Beckett is NOT Vindicated!

For those of you who were watching, one of the guys who won the Beckett contest busted their Exquisite box on the BMB. I predicted the box would be nothing special because it is just one of the other boxes from the All Day 1/1 RC Patch auto case. It contained normal stuff, a nice Olsen patch auto, a Stanton Auto and a Rivers quad patch.

For those of you who missed my prediction, I said that Beckett was sent 4 boxes with a special note. The note explained which boxes to bust and which to save for the contest. They were sent the full case containing the AD 1/1 and a "special" box containing the two 1/1s (Payton/Piccolo cut, Tomlinson 1/1 base). Explanation can be found here.

If you still think this is all luck, I hate you. You make this hobby a shitty place. And dont you fucking say that this proves anything, because it doesnt prove shit. I just dont get the people who refuse to believe that they were had by the biggest bunch of assfaces in the industry. At the very least, when was the last time someone pulled three, yes three, 1/1's in a two boxes? The answer is never, because its fucking impossible. Whats even more suspect is why Beckett was sent the 4 boxes instead of the normal three boxes in a case of Exquisite. Gee, I wonder why?

Either way, Im done with this shit. You guys know how I feel. Ive already wasted too much space explaining this crap to the stupid people who dont know their ass from a hole in the ground. Fuck me.

Diamond is a Wax Buster's Best Friend

Okay, ill admit, I worked at a card shop in Minnesota one summer in 2006. Every day, I would come to work and sit behind the counter until our delivery came, usually around 10am. I would sort through the boxes of Magic and Pokemon cards and see what the new products were, then venture out into the store to place them in the correct places. Around noon each day, a guy would walk into the store and hover over the basketball and football case looking at the packs through the plexiglass. After about 10 minutes, he would come over and ask me to open the case. He would pull out 2-3 boxes, all Upper Deck products, and bust them with me while we bullshitted. Steve, is a lawyer for one of Minneapolis' top firms, or so he said, and I knew he had tons of extra cash to spend on whatever he wanted. No wedding ring, rolex watch, drove a Mercedes. He was a VERY nice guy and always made sure to toss me some Twins, Timberwolves and Vikings cards when he pulled minor stuff.

One day, after busting 5 boxes of 2005 Reflections Baseball, I noticed the stack of redemptions he had pulled. He laughed and told me that he had over 1300 pending with Upper Deck and had been waiting on some for a long time. Now, I knew he busted a lot, but just didn’t know how much that was. He said he only comes into the shop because he likes to talk to people and he hates waiting for his UD shipments. On average, he said he broke at least three cases of product per week, hence his massive amounts of cards on wait. He also mentioned something that I had forgotten about until now. Every week, along with his cases that are delivered straight from the manufacturer, he got a special care package of cards to make up for his wait on his redemptions. He showed me four Jordan Autos, Seven LeBrons, 3 Favres, a Jeter/Griffey dual auto 1/1, and 10 Reggie Bush's that he had gotten over the past month or two that he was bringing to his safety deposit box across the street. Steve said that he was a member of the Diamond Club, but I had no idea what that meant. I was just shocked by the cards that he had in his possesion.


A Picture of the 2007 Diamond Club - From UD's Website

Yesterday I received an email from John, a reader, talking about the Diamond Club and all the perks they get for busting the wax they do. His shop has 2 members, and they always come in with bags full of stuff they had gotten from Upper Deck. He thought it was a little out of the ordinary and thought it was something that the general public should be aware of. Basically, these invitees to the club are given stuff based on how much they spend, and are invited to the international meeting of the 110 or so members every year in San Diego. There they participate in focus groups, talk to the execs, and most of all, get free stuff.

Personally Im not surprised that this happens, you gotta reward your best customers. On the other hand, I cant understand why UD would have all these cards laying around that are supposed to be in the products. That’s a little fishy. Also, why are the biggest buyers the ones that get to speak for the general collecting public? Either way, these people get a lot of perks that make me wonder how much of a chance we actually have when buying product. The odds of a big pull are already miniscule, but could it be that it is tougher than we thought?

Hey, if UD wants to give their best customers bags full of UDA memorabilia, please go ahead, that is available to everyone, and its only fair that they get some rewards for spending thousands on wax each month. If UD wants to give these guys bags full of Jordan, Bush, Favre, and Jeter autos from product that the public is supposed to have a shot at per random odds - that’s where I draw the line. Everyone deserves a chance at those cards when they bust, not just a select few. I pray that I am wrong here, but something inside my brain thinks I am closer than most would care to believe.

After doing some research, I have come to a conclusion on this subject. Hopefully manufacturers will realize over the next few years that their customer base is a brand loyal bunch. Some day, bad stuff is going to leak - more so than the Beckett Box busters - and the fit is going hit the shan. At that point, the brand loyal collectors will simply choose another brand, as I have already.

Good luck UD, you're going to need it.

Hey Mario, I Write For Beckett Too! Ugh.

Click on pic for enlarged version.

Okay, I know, I know, I have gotten like 15 emails today from people pointing this out. The douchebags at Beckett decided that my review of Exquisite was good enough for them to publish in their little magazine this month. They obviously got to it before I edited it after the whole Exquisite Fiasco, so there you go.

Here is what they unknowingly, or knowingly, published:

1. Comments from someone who thinks their magazine is the cancer of the hobby
2. Comments from someone who spoke out very vocally against their practices as a magazine for breaking boxes
3. Comments from someone that constantly calls them out for being fraudulent
4. Comments from someone who will never buy the product they are commenting about ever again.
5. Comments from someone who posted these articles, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

In the words of Nelson Muntz, "HA HA!"

This is Beyond Ridiculous Pt 2: Even More Ridiculous?

After reading the second part to "For the Love of Sitting Around and Flipping Through a Price Guide" I might just stop going to baseball card shops all together, just to spite this guy. Holy fucking shit, man! The Baseball Card Blog (no link on purpose), has created a world where Baseball Cards have ceased to exist all because, wait - sit down for this, price guides have stopped their publication. It begins with the descripion of a pure utopia in collecting (my commentary, fire joe morgan style in italics):

"Here’s the situation. The list prices in price guides have been deemed useless on such a massive scale that Beckett and FW have ceased their publication. With no widely available prices, the majority of collectors now consult eBay for accurate card prices."

I love it. No longer will a douchebag ridden magazine set the prices for the 50% of uneducated idiots that still consult beckett for prices.

"Dealers do the same. And after they view the umpteenth autographed patch 1/1 card go for less than $20–pulled from a box that dealers paid a premium on to sell–they stop ordering high-end products from the manufacturers. The dealers understand that if they’re seeing these auctions on eBay, their potential customers are winning them."

Ba-what? Dealers who see the card pulled from a 500 dollar box stop ordering wax because their customers cant sell their pulls for a lot of money? How hasnt the customer part not happened already? I guarantee that the dealers will not stop ordering boxes because people are going to eBay to sell what they get. You know why? It already happens every fucking day, you arrogant ass. Dealers like Northridge Sports Cards and Santa Monica Sports Cards make their bread and butter selling boxes where people pull nothing and sell them for nothing. Do they fucking care that their customers cant sell them for shit on eBay? Sure, but only on a personal level. What they care about is that it has become more convenient for their customers to buy WAX on eBay rather than paying INFLATED prices at a shop. Once again, Im sorry that it sucks you cant spend 30 minutes bullshitting with Blowout Cards, but it is a necessary evil. Despite this trend, both the shops are doing fine. Seriously, if your shop is relying on singles to function, they NEED to go down with the ship.

"So many dealers stop ordering these cards that the manufacturers have a difficult decision to make: finally listen to dealers and put more value in each box of product, or dismiss dealers altogether and work exclusively with big box stores like Target, Kmart and Wal-Mart. It comes as no surprise when the manufacturers go with the latter choice."

This could be the worst paragraph ever written in the history of sports card blogs. Manufacturers will never go with the second choice because Target, Kmart and Wal-mart will NEVER, EVER, EEEEEEEVAAAR pay 500 bucks for a box of cards. They have flat screens and plasmas to sell rather than that bullshit. I would see UD and DLP sell to eBay directly before they do this.

Upper Deck to Target: Umm, yeah, we want to market Exquisite directly to Target.
Target: Sounds great, how much does it cost?
Upper Deck: At cost, about 400 bucks a box. You would probably want to mark it up to 599.
Target: *Click*
Upper Deck: Hello? Hello?

You dont think they have enough problems with security and shrink on their current stock? Now they gotta worry about protecting this shit, let alone SELLING it to collectors like me that would MUCH rather buy it from a trusted source without weirdo 50 year old men fondling our prized investment every 5 minutes...Ugh, it gets worse.

"Because the majority of shops deal primarily in new cards, they start to close. Collectors don’t notice right away, as most of them are tuned to eBay. And besides, the hobby’s gone through this before and survived, so what’s the big deal? Also, everybody’s got a Wal-Mart near them, so who cares if one more shop goes out of business? Shops sell off their inventory and shutter."

Again, this has already happened, but guess what? Shops are still open. Ebay is currently the hobby's biggest card shop. Other shops survive because they have found innovative ways to stay open and because they know what to sell: WAX and lots of it.

"Dealers at baseball card shows don’t feel the same pressure right away, though many of them do feel their brethren’s plight. Instead, without book prices to consult on every transaction, desperate, frenetic dealers result to using their best judgment. Collectors, fully aware of the situation dealers are in, refuse to be charged “judgment call prices.” Many dealers, citing lack of meaningful sales at shows, stop booking booths. What few shows remain shrink in attendance until they cease to exist. The National is the lone exception, chugging away, though it’s a magnet for news media to lament the hobby crisis. “Ain’t in the Card$,” is the New York Post headline."

Or better yet, dealers use eBay prices and collectors finally find a great marketplace - outside of the scam ridden internet - to buy their cards. Or even better than that, Dealers, who have paid eBay prices to get their cards, stop marking it up and decide to open shops rather than booking tables at shows and sell their cards back to the collector on ebay. Now, because the New York Post would never write such and awful headline, nor post an article on collecting with this as its subject, I wont even address it.

"Without dealers, the manufacturers are no longer in the dominant bargaining position. They’re at the whim of the big box stores. Product’s gonna be late? OK, we’re diminishing your shelf space. The manufacturers are not used to their role as ‘just another product.’ What happened to all those dealers they used to push around?"

I dont understand the point of this. So without dealers they decide to stop producing despite having a perfectly good marketplace in eBay where they can still make the same, if not more, money? This is pure dribble. I dont even know where to go. Oh, but wait, there's STILL MORE!

"If I haven’t given my critics enough fodder already, here’s some more:

• The future of the hobby most certainly will not play out the way I’ve got it, though certain aspects of it are very close to happening now."

Trust me, you have given me a gold mine of material. However, thanks for acknowledging that your above written was basically a practice in stupidity and was not worth the space it was printed on (nothing).

"• No matter how much we distrust the prices within price guides, they’re essential to the well being of the hobby. If you’ve got a plan for injecting realistic card values into the hobby without killing hobby shops and show dealers off, please, I’m all ears."

First of all, they are FAR from "essential." They are a way for a magazine to justify their worthless existence on the planet. Other than that, price guides are worth less than nothing to the hobby. As for the second part, do you enjoy paying inflated prices for your cards? Why are you set on keeping shops and dealers in this hobby if they continue to sell you cards at twice the price you can get on a true free marketplace? I love the way you support dealers and shops PAYING eBay prices to get their cards but selling them to you at double.

My plan? Hobby shops should get out of singles. Period. Then, they should focus on selling two things: guaranteed autographed memorabilia and wax. I say this because wax prices are the only thing that eBay cant guarantee as the lowest price. With shipping prices at 10 dollars plus, stores can compete with using their own mark ups. As for guaranteed memorabilia, eBay cannot compete due to scams. Fake autos are so rampant, Im weary of even buying PSA/DNA authenticated stuff anymore. Shops have the ability to get their own materials and and get them auto'ed. Buy from PSA and other authentic sources and save me the trouble of going through places I dont trust for my auto'ed stuff.

"• One last thing: I wanted to work graded cards into this somehow, but never found a good spot. If raw singles aren’t really worth their book value, what about graded cards? I know that entire price guides cater to graded specimen, but will/should these prices be combined with prices for unslabbed cards? Or would that negate the values assigned to those that have been slabbed? Also, why does it feel to me that dealing in graded cards is going to be what saves shop owners and show dealers?"

This whole "one last thing" makes no sense, but what else is new? Graded cards are pretty much one big conflict of interest to begin with. Besides, it was solely created as a mechanism for, *gasp*, eBay and the like. It protected the buyer from unforseen........oh forget it. Just look here and here.

I know its against my better judgement to take on one of the biggest blogs out there, but still, who wants to put up with this shit? I hope the sheep dont take what he says as gospel. Just to set a precedent: after this, I will not be reading his blog without a very strong bias, and I encourage you to do the same.

As collectors we are thrown to the wolves almost daily by the very sources that are sworn to be our advocates. Why is this guy supporting everyone's enemy? His platform supports paying higher prices because it keeps the good ole days in tact, it supports price guides because they supposedly provide a non-existant backbone to the hobby, and lastly it supports underhanded dealers and shops who do their best to scam you out of your hard earned money because they dont have any.

Thank you, Woody Paige of sports card collecting, you have opened my eyes!!

More Beckett Douchebaggery

Did you enter the Beckett contest for the Adrian Peterson 1/1 Exquisite that was fraudulently obtained in a box break scam? No? Me either. However, a lot of people did enter, much to my chagrin, and guess what? No winner has been announced despite the expected reveal being two days late. Im sure they will announce the winner, and that person will be happy to have made 7,000 dollars for filling out a lame survey instead of actually purchasing the product. Here is poetic justice for you: they announce the winner as one of the people who posted a support video for the original YouTube response that I posted. That would be so great, I cant even tell you how happy I would be. Oh well, add it to the laundry list of complaints against the hobby's number one scam magazine.

As far as I am concerned, there are two major enemies for every collector out there:

1. Beckett
2. Fake Patch Card Makers/Sellers

Yes, I group them as one and the same. First, Beckett makes me sick with the masks they put on the hobby and collecting. They show collectors a possibility in their video breaks that isnt really possible, among other things they present as the truth. What's most sickening to me is that they are the end all and be all for pricing within many collector's minds. Doesnt that seem dirty to you? For 50% of the people out there, Beckett sets the price of their collection. Bullshit. BULLSHIT. Each time I hear someone refer to them as the #1 source for the hobby, I die a little inside. At least Upper Deck, who most people blame for the current state of the hobby, does do SOME good for some people.

As for fake patch sellers, I think the situation they have created has made it impossible for people to purchase any multicolored patch card with any certainty anymore. Granted, there are some OBVIOUS ones, but some are fucking good and you wouldnt know it wasnt real. That scares me.