Jumping The Proverbial Shark

If there is one thing I hate, its people who take the idiot 10 commandments to heart. If there is one thing I hate more than that, its people who do it regularly on YouTube. Thus, it got me to thinking, has YouTube box breaks and card collecting jumped the shark to the point where it is better to just avoid it completely? The nennth inning has a good post with his feelings, and I feel generally the same way.

As it seems for this moment in the YouTube space/time continuum, there are 2000:1 odds of people who are mind rapingly annoying versus people who arent annoying. I have found, much like the nennth inning says, that there are more middle and high schoolers than I ever remembered there being. These 13 year olds videotape everything from their collections to their maildays, and they very rarely post anything relevant to other users. When they are done with this annoying practice of idiocy, they go on everyone else's videos and leave nothing but comments like "FIRST!!!oneone" and "Nice MOJO!"

Now, if they dont like anything about the video or cant identify with it, they immediately leave some of the most evil and gross comments you will ever read. That is pretty fucking sad to see, especially if you are new to collecting, or god forbid, new to youtube. Personally, they exhibit everything I despise about the hobby, boiled down and separated until you have the raw makeup videotaped before your eyes. They are Joe Collectors before the age where they can actually be considered such. If you wonder where the idiot conglomerites come from, they come from these people.

The scary thing is, I can only think of two people I can watch on youtube on a regular basis. The first is Chri5784, only because he doesnt focus on anything other than the box. Its a minimalist approach, and I can handle that. The second is arplatinum, only because he breaks so much stuff, and does it by the case. His breaks are minimalist too, but the commentary is that much more annoying.

You are probably wondering what I am doing promoting box breaks on YouTube if I can barely stand it. Well, to tell you the truth, its the easiest and free-ist way to show people you arent scamming them on the group breaks we do here. You cant just post scans, that would be too easy to leave out a good card. So, I use it for help with SCU Breaks. I also use it as a way to reach a lot of people when I need to get out a message, but that will cease pretty soon.

All in all, I would say that YouTube has brought a new element to card collecting, but it has also made for a way to help fuck faces get their face on people's minds. On whether or not the shark has been jumped, right now, if you are a regular box breaker, consider it jumped. We have far entered the parody stage of the spectrum. For specialized usage, ill keep it for my selected viewers.

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.

Donruss Must Be So Pissed

They're baaaaaaaaaack. And they are worse than ever. Don’t believe me? Click here.



For this disgrace, they decided to ditch the formality, the room, and from what I can see, all pretenses of their dignity.

Luckily SCU had a spy with a hidden camera in the conference room during the set up meeting/table reading for the script. Here is the transcription:

Beckett Director: Ok, so DLP didn’t learn their lesson and they sent us another "box" of 2008 Prestige to open on video. After last time's clusterfuck, you guys are lucky to have jobs, let alone the chance to make another video. Lets not fuck this one up gentlemen, okay?

Tracy: You said fuck.

Beckett Director: Who let Hackler in here? He is supposed to be in daycare.

Beckett Lackey 1: Umm, you did.

Beckett Director: Fine, whatever, someone give him his passie before he gets fussy. Anyways, this time we hired someone to do the video for you so you guys don’t "beckett" this one up. (Aside to his assistant: Like that one? I put it on the message boards so people could think they have their own term. I am a god!) Right. So his name is J'isthat Youma.

Beckett Lackey 2: Who is that, sir?

Beckett Director: Remember the film of the tanks in Tiennemen Square and the guy? Yeah that was his. One of the most famous clips of all time. I got him for you. He said you can call him J'isthat Youma for short. Don’t piss him off. These assholes are all yours man. Im off to finish my "massage." (leaves)

J'isthat Youma (through translator): Gentlemen, you have sullied your honor and we must reclaim it like the ancient empire did in 1419. I have a plan.

Beckett Lackey 1: We are at your service.

J'isthat Youma: The focus of this clip will be the ancient Chinese sport of Ping Pong.

Beckett Lackey 2: Nice! We use our table all the time. We can move it into the break room for this.

J'isthat Youma: SILENCE! I will open on a glorius work of art and move into this, how do you say?, break room. There you will be playing and you will look happy like a lotus flower on the water of the pacfic.

Beckett Lackey 1(raising hand with the fear of a thousand jackals): All we have is this drawing by a guy we kept waiting too long.

J'isthat Youma: Fuck. You Americans are the scum on my sandal. It will have to do. When you are opening the cards, make sure you show more feeling. I have been told this was a problem last time. In fact, make sure you express emotions as if you were making love to a beautiful woman for the first time.

Tracy: I don’t know what that is like.

J'isthat Youma: Fake it. Miss - what ever your name is (points to lackey 1). Make sure you interrupt us to make this seem like it is filmed during the work day. I know you guys don’t work, so come dressed like you do. Now. Lets get on with the script reading. I know the company has inserted cards with names of players that are hard to pronounce for you heathens. They will be spelled phonetically on the back - take notice.

That’s about all the interesting stuff we got. Im surprised at how much of an idiot Tracy hackler is. Wait. No im not.

Eh, well I guess the guy filmed it just like the clip he is famous for. They sure didn’t convince me of anything other than they are ignorant douchebags. Well, that wasn’t too hard. Speaking of directors, I need one for my sisters birthday video. I wonder if they got J'isthat Youma's number. He did wonders making Hackler look like an adult, his next canvas can be her. Later!