Pumping Some Iron Into the Gridiron Giveaway

We all love free shit. Its part of human nature. If you bought any Topps Football over the last few days, you know all about the Gridiron Giveaway, the sister program to its immensely successful baseball counterpart. If you havent heard about it, things are pretty simple. Redemption codes are inserted into most of the Topps Flagship products, both retail and hobby, for collectors to input online at ToppsGridiron.com. When the code is entered, you are assigned a topps card that is now yours, spanning over 50 years of stuff. While most cards are dogs from the late 80s and early 90s, there are some vintage cards definitely worth your time. There are also mentions of memorabilia being given away, and considering this is all an add on to the already awesome set, its pretty nice that we have this chance.

Today on Twitter, Jeff from I Am Joe Collector made an awesome suggestion of adding exclusive rookies and autos to the program, and I sincerely hope that Topps takes heed and gets it done. Going even further than that, this is a wonderful opportunity to get people to buy as much of the product as possible, a la Baseball and the Strasburg 661 card that went for $300+ upon release. Although I would never buy codes to chase the exclusives or the autos, I definitely think there are thousands of collectors who would. Add in Chrome paralllels of the SP Variations for Topps Football and you have a hit like no other. Because Chrome will most likely have their own variations, it gives Topps a unique opportunity to create them. When you could also do autographs and exclusives of the rookies per Jeff's tweet, this program could be epic. The problem has to stem from the time and money needed to do that, mainly because the Gridiron Giveaway is a ridiculously cheap program to begin with.

Personally, I think the program needs more legs to succeed like it did in baseball, mainly because so many of the baseball collectors go for low end over high end. Football is a much different animal, and you need a lot of extra stuff to bring around collectors like me who could give a shit about base cards from 1988. This is the ticket, no doubt.

Examining Rarity in 2010 Topps Football

Now that Topps is out, I think its time to go over a few observations I have had, especially in regards to the rarity of a few different cards. Topps notoriously sells well the first few weeks when all the set collectors bounce off the walls trying to complete a master set, but after that it’s a crap shoot. One part of the product's slate that always sells well is the rare cards, and I think I have gained some insight with all the research I have done lately.

First, the crown jewel of every Topps Football release is the Rookie Premiere autos. This year we have a complete picture of the print runs thanks to the awesome addition of serial numbering, and I think it also gives us a clue to a few other things as well. In terms of the rarity, its pretty obvious that these cards are VERY rare. In a product with as many cards as this set has, a hard signed card numbered to 90 is going to be extremely valuable. More so than I think people expect. These cards not only hold their value through the entire card year, but there are more than a handful of collectors that chase them. That means for guys like Tebow, Bradford and Bryant, there is going to be a lot of competition. A Tebow Red Ink /10 is currently up for a TON of money, and to tell you the truth, it may actually be more correct in terms of current value than anyone would believe. In all reality, these cards are the first investment banks of 2010, and I have already started to acquire the ones I want as a result of the manufactured scarcity of this year's product.

The numbering of this year's RPAs are also a tell tale sign of the sheer number of fakes that are out there for previous years. There is a VERY good chance that previous year's versions are available in COMPARABLE quantities, which means that there are definitely not 800 Peterson red inks from 2007. Although people in the know have balked at the fakes for the last year or two, many people still refuse to believe that they are fake. Hopefully this will slap some sense into their stupid heads.

As for the Rookie Red Zone signatures, they are even more rare than the RPAs, despite having higher numbering. What people don’t understand is that the 100 signed versions of these cards are available over the entire calendar of Topps products, so there is probably only 10-15 per player in this product. One forum member broke 10 cases of jumbos and only pulled 1 of these cards, and I think its safe to say that these are as big of a pull AT THIS POINT in the season as the Red Inks. Once the entire calendar is out, they will be more common, but that shouldn’t effect the value due to the way they are spread out for 2010.

There is also a short print variation of every rookie in the 2010 Premiere Class, and many of them are much better versions of the cards for players who got shafted on their pic. They are seeded at 1 per case right now, so the cost for the top guys should end up being about 20-30 bucks and the lesser guys at about 10-15. I love the idea of having these variations, and I think that many of the rookies will also have similar cards in Chrome, so we definitely have that to look forward to. Unlike last year, there doesn’t seem to be veteran variations yet, but it may still be too early to tell.

Lastly, the sketches (both artist and player) are interesting and cool additions to this product. The artist versions that have surfaced so far are incredibly well done, and they should bring very big numbers on eBay. As for the player done sketches, most of them are terrible, but that is why they are players and not artists. I think it was a good idea in concept, but I would have liked the signature on the front instead of the back, and maybe have just asked for a very cool inscription instead of a sketch. That’s my opinion, at least.

I didn’t get a chance to bust any yesterday because of lack of stock at the store I visit, but hopefully that will change coming up. Ill have a report on my luck when I get a chance to rip into some boxes.

My Initial Thoughts On 2010 Topps Football

When I first started to get into football cards, I could never understand why anyone would buy regular Topps when Chrome was SOOOOO much better. Well, Topps took this type of feeling to heart when they started to build on their flagship set, and this year is one of the most ridiculous Topps sets ever to be produced. Like with 2010 Allen and Ginter baseball, Topps incorporated well thought out high end concepts into their most popular product, and I must say, from what I have seen, its a touchdown and a two point conversion.

The first thing about this set that I need to comment on is the Rookie Premiere autos. For the last two years, this site has been at the forefront of battling the fakes that always show up with each of these sets, and this year, I can go on vacation. Topps, in partial response to the criticsm of people like me, has serially numbered ON THE FRONT OF THE CARD, each and every Rookie Premiere auto. The normal blue autos are numbered to 90, and the reds are numbered to 10. This is such an epic win for my interest in these cards, and I will not hesitate to congratulate Topps on a job well done. The hobby thanks you for taking a stand the RIGHT way.
Second, I commented a few days ago that a lot of the top rookies had TERRIBLE pictures for their Topps cards. After searching on eBay today, I saw that some of the rookies included in that group have some VERY cool variation cards. Clausen has a throwing one, Spiller has a catching one, and Bradford and Tebow also have theirs. Im hoping these cards have Chrome variations because they are a great addition to this set. Its really too bad that the close ups werent the variations, because the rarer ones are definitely 10000000% better.

Moving on to some of the other autographs in this product, I love the ones centered around the 75th NFL Draft. Rather than bordering the stickers like Topps loves to do, they have really done a great job hiding them in the design. For a low end set like this product, the autos are tremendous and should get a lot of money on the secondary market. I even have a slight draw to the Gridiron Lineage dual autos, even though the cards are done in typical Topps fashion. The difference between these cards and ones like in Topps Unique last year is that the borders actually work, and none of the players are covered up. The concept of the set features some good combos of players too, so the low numbered autos should get some nice coin if pulled.

I think another amazing addition to this set is the sketch cards that are randomly inserted, as these types of cards have become incredibly popular for good reason. This Montana sketch that showed up on ebay is so cool, that I may chase others if they look as good as this one does. How cool would it be to get a card like this autographed by the player at a show? I think it would make one of the coolest pieces ever.

Whether or not a box break lives up to everything that it can, the singles listed so far definitely live up to the billing and then some. Even venturing outside of the singles, into the addition of the Gridiron Giveaway, even more is put into this product. Like the Million Card giveaway in baseball, Football has a sister project, and the codes are inserted similarly to Topps baseball. Because football has down years, but nothing like 1987-1992 in baseball, the cards are probably going to be a little bit better in terms of what you can get. There wont be big pulls like the incredibly valuable vintage commons available in baseball, but there definitely will be some very nice cards that collectors can look forward to.

Lastly, Ill be heading to my local shop later today to break some of this product, hopefully with great results. I have had a pretty shitty week so far, and I am counting on a worthwhile and fun break to kick the blues away. Maybe ill get lucky, despite the fact that my wax prowess lately has shrunk to that of kitten. My want list is located here on Blowout, if you have any of the cards I need, count me among the buyers. Email me at the contact link up above, or PM me over there.

2010 Topps Is Live, Reports Are Still Early

Topps is live on eBay, even though many of the cards are base offerings from the retail version of the product. However, this Sam Bradford auto/jersey just showed up on ebay, and it looks to be of the hobby variety. So far, I think that the "Peak Performance" autos look pretty good for a low end subset, and I will definitely appreciate them much more than the "Career Best" ones for rookies that have yet to play an NFL snap.

On a related note, the Bradford seems to evidence something that Panini has failed on with just about every try. With this card, it looks like Topps started with the base card, added the auto, then added the swatch while continuously adjusting the design to incoporate them. It may not be perfect, but its better than the ridiculous cards that represent the alternative. Panini, on the other hand, starts with the jersey auto parallel and just subtracts each piece until they have a base card. The result is a hideous floating swatch card like this or this, where it looks like someone forgot to apply the sticker.

Once the first Red Zone and Rookie Premiere auto shows up, ill post them below, should be sometime later today. Keep checking back.

Topps Magic is Back, New, and Seemingly Improved

I hated Topps Magic in 2008, mainly due to the fact that it was a complete sticker dump. Aside from being all college jerseys, the cards themselves featured weird painted artwork, and it looked like it was just another retro product for retro product's sake. Obviously, a set composed of college jerseys isnt possible this year, but that doesnt mean Topps doesnt have a ace or two up their sleeve.

Topps tweeted a picture of the Joe Namath Mini from the set, and although it looks oddly familiar to 1997 Upper Deck Legends, it looks pretty good. I love game shots on cards, especially in place of stock backgrounds from Photoshop, and this appears to have that element in check. Hopefully this set will be everything that Mayo has never been, and maybe even show that Topps doesnt need a wake up call when it comes to producing retro sets not named Ginter.

Here is what we have so far, ill update as they tweet more pics.



UPDATE: I dont mind this dual auto, despite the fact that it looks like it will be stickers. Because of the style of the card, the borders on the stickers dont look horrible, and the painted style is very sleek. But, think of how cool it would be if the black part wasnt there and the green and orange continued on to the side with a hard signed auto? That would make this card that much more awesome.



The reason I think this will be cool is because the cards look to all be painted. Its almost like a retro Topps and Topps Chrome mixed together, and that isnt a bad idea. Even the bordered sticker doesnt bother me as much as it usually does. Low end Topps is where its at.



Here is another base card, the Namath is the mini version. Interesting what Magic is turning into.



Ahhh, here is the Topps we know and hate. Not Triple Threads bad, but I am convinced that Topps is incapable of producing a triple auto worth buying.



There are others up on the Topps facebook page now, but these are the meat. Im looking forward to seeing the final product now, but Im still not holding my breath on a retro set with sticker autos. Hmmm, I guess we will see.

Topps Chrome and the Quest for the Best

My love affair with Topps Chrome has been well documented on this site. Aside from my yearly boxes of SP Authentic and a few sporadic boxes here and there, it was the only product I spent a considerable amount of money on. With recent previews showing a new and improved product, I am confident that Topps Chrome will once again contend for product of the year, and here are the reasons why I think it will.

Product Additions

In terms of content versus price, Chrome has always led the way in most respects, mainly because of how much collectors value the hits and non-hit cards. This year, with the addition of Bowman Chrome, Dual Rookie Autos, Red Zone Rookie Autos, and the Flashback Signature cards, Topps Chrome has added a considerable amount of content to a product that was already at the forefront of the game. Its like adding the hellfire conversion kit to a grenade launcher - it just adds that much more awesome.

Although the addition of Bowman Chrome is great for this particular product, I think it detracts from the overall calendar that Topps puts out. Despite the similarities between the two products, Topps low end never disappoints, and I will say that adding more products like Platinum and Finest, takes away from the overall feel of what makes Topps, well, Topps.

Lack of Relevant Competition

With Upper Deck not producing licensed products, Topps was able to reenter the football market again. Yay for us, no joke. Because SPA, Ultimate, and Exquisite will not function in the same capacity again (if at all), Topps has the opportunity to hit it so far out of the park that it should land in the street. Because the availability of hard signed veteran signature cards has dropped from a whole calendar's worth with Upper Deck to nothing with Panini and Topps, the second age of sticker autographs has been crowned. Therefore, products like Topps Chrome and Bowman Chrome, as well as Topps Flagship no longer look like they are behind the times. Though people like us, who are very on top of the way the general calendar shakes out, the general collector probably wont be able to recognize the shift - at least consciously. Topps Chrome will be more visually appealing as any foilboard riddled set from Panini, and that registers with even the Joe-est of Joe Collectors, even if they don’t understand why. Its because when you compare a rookie focused set like Elite and Classics to a rookie focused set like Chrome, its like comparing a Kia to a BMW. I would even go so far as to say that Limited and National Treasures are the only products remaining on the ENTIRE calendar from Panini that have a chance at living up to what Chrome is going to provide for the money. Now, Upper Deck isnt completely out of the game, and we have yet to see the direction of where they are heading. SP Authentic, even with a focus on NCAA stuff, could still rake, and at that point, all bets are off.

Refractors

If Topps ever had a trump card, it’s the refractor. Refractors are like crack to most people, and even someone like me who HATES rainbow foil, loves what they bring. It has to do with the stock and the way the cards themselves are printed, and when it comes to the "chromium" tech that Topps made famous in 1993, accept no subsitutes. I think that fact is even more evident when you hold up a parallel from any Panini foilboard product next to a refractor. Again, there is no comparison.

Then when you factor in that refractors have the ability to maintain a great premium price despite a lack of autographs or jerseys, and it only furthers the point that they are at the pinnacle of low end collecting.

Price

I don’t think there is a better price point for any product in any sport than Chrome in football. When it comes to value in cards outside of the box hit, Chrome is in territory all by itself due to the content of the base and base parallel cards. This is just as much a result of consistency and follow through each and every year of release, as well as collector loyalty to the brand as a direct correlation. The autos, when they are of good rookies, are some of the most valuable low end cards in existence, and that only adds to the allure of the miniscule price tag. When a box of Elite (more of a mid-end product) costs 60-70 dollars more for cards that aren't worth half as much, things start to come into focus. With Topps adding further content this year, it only makes more of case for why Chrome remains a collector favorite.

Photography

With the exception of 2008, Topps photography for their base set and Chrome tends to be amazing. Dynamic rookie poses (the sell sheet cards are mock ups, not finals), great design, and awesome game shots lead to display worthy low-end cards. How often does that happen? Rarely ever.

Notoriety

Even my mom knows what Topps Chrome is, and its because its been the best for the longest. For most people, due to the basic human characteristic of vanity, building a collection has as much to do with gaining notoriety among your peers as it does with loving the cards. You can deny it all you want, but being able to display your rainbow is pretty awesome when you see the oooo's and ahhhh's from the peanut gallery. Topps Chrome carries that through with each new year, and it has been pretty evident when you see the sales trends in the hobby going in the wrong direction for everything except cards like that.

When it comes down to it, buying a box of Chrome is a great time. Building the set is fun, and displaying your top singles is great. Then to find out that doing so is very inexpensive in most cases, makes it that much more appealing.

My name is Adam Gellman, and I am an addict of the worst kind.

A Topps Announcement That Makes Topps Football Worth Everyone's Time

Over the last few years, its rare that I bought into base Topps over a product like Topps Chrome. I am not a set collector, and I do not collect Topps products because of the brand, and most of the time the Rookie Premiere autos are the only draw. This year is different. This year, Topps is adding more content to their flagship product that is proving to make buying a case of jumbos worth my (and everyone's) while.

First, they are going to be offering the sister program to the Million Card Giveaway for their vintage football products. This has the potential to be cool, but vintage football just doesnt have the appeal as vintage baseball. Im not saying there arent cards that are awesome (Topps Montana or Rice RCs), but its not going to generate as much buzz as baseball. Is it cool? Yes. Is it the difference maker? No. They are inserted at 1:6 Packs, and function exactly like the MCG.

Second, for the first time, the rookie premieres are serially numbered, as has been covered numerous times here on SCU. It should help us all avoid complete traveshamockeries like these, and it will finally solidify the print runs in case there are questions about how many there actually are. I sincerely hope Topps has this down to a fucking science, because I hate having to question every goddamn RPA from past years.

Third, for the first time, as well, they are including sketch cards in the product. Sketch cards have become extremely popular, and I see exactly why after seeing some recent examples out of baseball. This is a great addition and should be ridiculously cool to chase.

Also, they are finally changing the autograph program in their boxes, this time offering the red zone autos instead of the lame and terrible performance highlights autos that have plagued the product for the last few years. Hopefully they are on card, but probably will be stickers. Either way, they still look to be a million times better than any of the others from past years. They are also doing the Ring of Honor Drew Brees autos, and also an auto set that features top draft picks from previous years. Im sure there will be more content in terms of autographs, and so far things are looking much, much better.

Lastly, they are bringing back the Variations that were so popular last year, and I think that the variations are what make some of the rookies in this product worth chasing. I immediately went after the Peterson variation in both this set and Chrome last year, both of which I think were great ideas.

If Flagship Topps is looking to be this good, I can only imagine what is in store for Chrome.

First Look: 2010 Topps Football - More Images

I just got an email with a bunch of images from 2010 Topps football, and I must say, this could be one of the best looking flagship Topps sets I have seen in a long time. Not only do the Rookie Premiere autographs look like they could be a great looking part of this product, they are finally SERIALLY NUMBERED!!! YES!!

In addition to a new draft focused subset, it also seems like they may do a new on card rookie auto set for this product as well, something that joins the Rookie Premieres in the cool looking designs for this year. All of this makes me feel pretty bad that the Vikings wont have a top rookie this year to collect, because their cards would look great in this design. Oh well, I have already adopted Toby Gerhart as my target, and Im sure I will add others like Eric Decker as the year goes on. Both are scheduled to be at the premiere.

Lastly, this just goes to show you how great low end Topps stuff is. Low end Topps always looks cool, has great structure to the products, and rarely misses the mark when living up to the hype. WHY CANT THEY TRANSFER THAT TO HIGH END?!?

Here are the images, lets hope the final product is as awesome as these look.

First Look: 2010 Topps Football

After getting wind of a recent deal stating that Topps is back in the football game, I also got the press release and first pics of 2010 Topps Football to help spread the good news. This should be official in the coming hours or days, and here is the proof.

Its basically the same design as the 2010 baseball set, which is great, and after seeing this I am that much more excited for Topps Chrome. Cards like this is one of the reasons I am extremely happy Topps is back, lets hope they learn from past mistakes when moving on in the calendar.

After reading a little more closely, it also looks like the Million Card giveaway will have a sister program in 2010 Topps football. Considering the success of the first giveaway, this is something that will be great news for collectors who loved collecting the codes and redeeming the cards. Im sure more details will become available as we get closer to the rookie premiere, but either way, I am pumped.



NFL AND NFL PLAYERS ANNOUNCE NEW MULTI-YEAR DEAL WITH TOPPS


Multi-Year Deal Begins with the 2010 NFL Season and the Release of

Topps Football

New York, April 29, 2010 – The Topps Company, a leading creator and marketer of sports cards, today announced a multi-year trading card licensing agreement with the National Football League and NFL PLAYERS (the marketing and licensing arm of the NFLPA). This deal will allow Topps to continue its strong history of offering collectors the industry’s most sought-after football cards.

“We are excited to continue our deep, long standing partnership with the NFL and the NFLPA,” said Ryan O’Hara, CEO of The Topps Company. “Topps will bring innovative, exciting and fun products to the marketplace to serve consumers and customers well.”

“For more than a half century, football fans have been able to connect with the NFL and their favorite players through Topps football cards,” said Leo Kane VP of consumer products at the NFL. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with Topps, bringing our fans collectibles for many years to come.”

“Topps has been instrumental in establishing the player-fan connection for more than 50 years,” said Keith Gordon, President of NFL PLAYERS. “We’re excited about the direction Topps is headed and are eager to see new products that will further enable football collectors to connect with our players.”

Topps is set to unveil its first product of the season, Topps Football, just prior to the start of the 2010 NFL season. “This year’s Topps Football will be our best ever as it will be loaded with amazing content and truly deliver NFL rookies and stars,“ said Warren Friss, Topps’ GM of Sports and Entertainment. “It will also include a special Gridiron Giveaway promotion, which will allow collectors to unlock vintage Topps football cards and win various football prizes.”

About The Topps Company, Inc.

Founded in 1938, Topps is the leading creator and marketer of sports and related cards, entertainment products, and distinctive confectionery. Topps entertainment products include the National Football League, MLB, UFC, WWE and other trading cards, sticker album collections, and collectible games. The Company's confectionery brands include "Bazooka" bubble gum, "Ring Pop," "Push Pop," "Baby Bottle Pop" and "Juicy Drop Pop" lollipops. For additional information, visit www.topps.com.

About NFL PLAYERS
Formed in 1994, NFL PLAYERS is the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association. Representing more than 1,800 active and many memorable former NFL players, NFL PLAYERS "takes the helmets off" the players and markets them as personalities as well as professional athletes. Through an exclusive sponsorship agreement between the organization and the NFL, players are integrated into NFL sponsor activation programs. In addition, under an exclusive agreement between NFL PLAYERS and the NFL, NFLPLAYERS.COM, the company's official website is part of the part of the NFL Internet Network. Each year, NFL PLAYERS negotiates and facilitates extensive player marketing opportunities for players. NFL PLAYERS activities include retail licensing, corporate sponsorships and promotions, special events, radio and television projects, publishing and internet. For more information, please visit NFLPLAYERS.COM.

© 2010 NFL Properties LLC. Team names/logos are trademarks of the teams indicated. All other trademarks are trademarks of the National Football league.

Why Parallels Work In Chrome

I just bought the Harvin Red Refractor yesterday evening, and it got me thinking. Why do I do this every freaking year? Why do I value these parallels when every other type makes me cringe?

Chrome may be the only product left that you buy not because there are hits in a box. With only one autograph in each box, and still carrying a price tag over 50 bucks per box, the product is banking on the value of more than just the value of the auto. With more than 50% of the boxes containing an auto of a non-premiere rookie, its almost a surprise that collectors still love this product as much as they do. In fact, there are a few explanations including price, value of the base cards, but also importantly, the parallels.

In every other product during the course of the year, non-auto parallels of veterans of rookies rarely take more value than the parallels in chrome. A base parallel of a guy like Tom Brady numbered to 24 in Donruss Elite versus a red refractor numbered to 25 of him in Chrome are not comaprable in any way. Elite costs more per box, has more hits per box, but the base parallels are pretty much worthless. What makes Topps Chrome parallels work?

First is design. Always design. The base chrome parallels in Topps always are some of the best looking cards of the year. Simplicity rules the game, and there are never any lightning storms on the cards. Second, they have been around for fucking ever, and collectors value the history as much as the brand itself. However, Elite has been around a long time as well. Third, I believe the name has something to do with it, as Refractor has become synonymous with rarity and cool technology. Lastly, I think the Topps brand has a lot to do with it too. Topps collectors are never going to hesitate to go to extreme lengths to complete a set. When you have people like that, who have been collecting the set since my father was a kid, you are going to have demand. Where there is demand, there is value.

I think nostalgia has a good factor in this as well, as most of the older collectors out there can remember back to 1993 Finest baseball. When you have a pedestal like that in your head, its easy to justify value of a card that has very little basic differences than other base parallels.

Also, when you have EASY to follow color schemes, the parallels become idiot proof. For instance, which sounds better? Elite Status or Red? More people can identify with a color than a word. Color is the most basic common denominator out there. If you ask anyone out there which they perceived to be a more valuable parallel, copper (/649), or gold (/10), they would always say gold. It crosses boundaries.

Im not saying you should go out there and chase rainbows, but I will say it will be fun if you do. I have collected chrome since I was a child, and I can say that I have never had many complaints about the basic concepts of the product. For every player I have collected, I have a chrome rookie, usually multiples. The fact that there are thousands of people out there like me will mean that the brand will never lose its bang. Chrome is king, even in football.

SCU Breaks: 2009 Topps Chrome Three Box Break

My three boxes of Topps Chrome came in today, and I think I did pretty good. Not great, but good enough to be happy. I ended up with a few really nice refractors, and one nice autos. Ive laid out each box, the third definitely being the best.

BOX 1

Rookies:

Darrius Heyward-Bey

Andre Brown

Jason Smith

Zack Follett
James Davis

Josh Freeman

Aaron Brown

Mike Mickens

Jeremy Maclin

Nate Davis

Brian Cushing

Marko Mitchell

Refractors:

Rhett Bomar

Roddy White

Senderrick Marks

Matt Hasselbeck

Rashad Jennings

Jeremy Shockey

Mike Goodson

Ernie Sims

Copper Refractors:

Marques Colston

Keith Bullock

Rookie Autograph

Shonn Greene

BOX 2

Rookies:

Tyson Jackson

Tiquan Underwood

Brandon Gibson

Michael Johnson

Brian Orakpo

Kevin Ellison

Brandon Underwood

Andre Smith

Pat White

Larry English

Michael Hamlin

Cornelius Ingram

Refractors:

Drew Brees

Hakeem Nicks

Kevin Smith

Vernon Davis

Chase Coffman

Jerod Mayo

Brandon Tate

Kenny McKinley

Copper Refractors:

Anquan Boldin

Michael Crabtree

Rookie Auto:

Brian Cushing

BOX 3

Rookies:

Matthew Stafford

Alphonso Smith

Austin Collie

Mike Wallace

Brandon Pettigrew

Manuel Johnson
Connor Barwin

Beanie Wells

Everette Brown

Louis Delmas

Robert Ayers

Peria Jerry

Refractors:

Manuel Johnson

Brandon Pettigrew

Robert Ayers

Peria Jerry

Chad Ochocinco

Chad Pennington

Aaron Kampman

Brandon Marshall

Copper Refractors:

Percy Fucking Harvin (YES!)

Chad Pennington

Red Refractors:

Ray Maualuga 12/25

Rookie Autograph:

James Laurinaitis (Pulled in every product so far)

If you would like any of the non-rookie base cards, please email me so I can give you the address to send a self addressed stamped envelope to. If you are interested in any of the bigger hits, let me know as well.

I am pretty fucking excited to pull the Harvin copper, as I can add it to my collection I have so far. I have the auto, the refractor and the copper now, making three out of a billion.

Pretty cool to break this much product in a row too, as the first box was not making me happy. Of course, pulling fucking Crabtree as my copper right after he pretty much solidified the fact that he is going back for seconds in 2010, was also pretty disheartening.

Im happy regardless, though. Thats gonna be it for a while, so Im glad I got it out of my system.

PICS FROM THE BREAK:

Product Review: 2009 Topps Football

When it comes to Topps products, much of their success hinges on the content of their base set and Chrome series. Both Base Topps and Chrome this year have looked promising, and we get our first taste starting today. Before I move into the review of the set, I want to say that this could be the first time I would support buying any of the base product instead of chrome, as it seems as though topps has really took stock of the necessity for having content in the base set.

Design/Creativity

I applaud the Topps designers for the great design this year for the base and for Topps chrome. I really like it a lot, and I especially like that each card is team color coordinated. The border on the design gives maximum space for the picture, unlike 2008, and you can really tell that the photos have benefitted from it. The 2008 cards suffered from cramped pictures taken from a mile away, where 2009 seems to be more up close and personal. I cant tell you how much better this makes the product, as what is true for base is true for chrome.

Topps has also gone with a number of variations in the base set, something I think is necessary to show collectors that the base set is worth your money. Before, it was almost stupid to buy this product unless you always collected the base set or if you were going to go after the rookie premiere autos. Now, it seems like there is more content for you to go after, mainly because the extra content seems to be very, very rare. I wholeheartedly support this, as I never thought of Base Topps as worth my or anyone's time, but these could do a lot for the set.

They have also included throwback retro cards that resemble the famous National Chicle Bronko Nagurski card, which is how I wish most retro sets would be done. No need to do a whole fucking National Chicle set when they look just as good as add ons to a set that never has anything worth getting. Im still not quite sure why 2009 is the year of the National Chicle invasion, but I am much more apt to support it as an insert than a focus of a particular product.

Personally, I think low end is the last thing that Topps has going for it when it comes to football, and I am glad to see they did a really good job with it this year. Color me very satisfied.

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Autograph Cards

In base topps there are two types of autos that one can always expect. The first is always one of the most anticipated cards of the year in the Rookie Premiere autos, and this year they are great. I stayed far away from the 2008 RPAs because of the weird flag they used in the background of the pictures and the lack of a good border design, but 2009 has cured all and made it better. The way they incorporated the autograph into the new design is great, thus alleviating the concern that they would just draw a white line above the bottom of the border and fill it in with a white space for the player to sign. I think that of the last 5 years, 2009 could be the best of all of them when it comes to these cards, and you will see that the value will follow.

When looking at the duals and the quads, the way they adapted everything was very cool. It seems as though over the last few years they just made the multiples look like multiple cards pasted together, however, this year its different. I really like them a lot, and I may even have to put in some cash on a Moreno/Staffford one.

As for the second type of auto, the unfortunately named Career Best autos look so much better in terms of design this year, something which makes me that much happier about the product. Last year they looked ridiculous, while this year they look polished and well put together. Even though they are stickers, the stickers are done well. I have said before that a sticker should be produced as if it were on card, and topps has definitely made strides in making this the case. Still not 100% awesome, but so much better.

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Relic Cards

Topps has tried to make a push with Manufactured Non-Autoed Letter cards in this set, which was something I hoped would stay quarrantined in UD Icons. I said before that I really dislike the use of these cards, though the design in Icons this year had alleviated some of the gag reflex I had over them. In Base Topps, the cards may have well been put into Triple Threads as they opted for a tiny little picture and homage to the 2009 base design. Why even do this? I have no Idea. Plus, it looks like they included many of the 2008 rookie premiere players, even though many of them DO NOT deserve a second year card, let alone a fucking letter patch. See Andre Caldwell for example.

They have also included the Career Best relic cards, which actually were much better in 2008. The have some floating swatches that obstruct player pictures, which always make my blood boil as to why they were even included in the first place. Last year, they just put the swatches into the base design, which would have worked much better this year. I think we may need to get rid of these types of cards all together. They arent Donini level crimes against my eyes, but they are pretty bad.

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Value to the Collector

I think when it comes to the acutal worth of the base cards and parallels, the set will always hold value to the purists who have closets full of Topps sets that go back however many years. Individually, they arent worth much. However, this year, the variations and low numbered parallels seem to be getting a lot more value on eBay, so maybe things are on the up and up for Base Topps.

As for the RPAs, they are always going to hold their value, as the red inks, duals and quads are some of the most valuable rookie autos of the year. If you are lucky enough to pull a good auto, consider yourself to be in possesion of one to hold onto for the season. Otherwise, be sure to sell early enough to get top dollar.

If you are considering a box or two, I would actually hold off, as box prices for base Topps always drop dramatically as the new prodcuts come out. Stick to singles, as you can avoid astronomical group A odds on the autographs, and not have to worry about paying for a bunch of cards you don’t want.

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Overall Impressions

I would say that Base Topps has been the best its been over the last half decade. I congratulate them on creating a good way to bolster value, and I applaud them for doing such a good job with the RPAs. I still think Chrome is going to be the true test of how far this design can go, but I have high hopes after seeing some of the great looking cards that are coming. I would have liked to see some Chomies inserted into this set, but they have at least made other changes to make up for not having Chome aspects of the set. I still think that the Parallels of the base set need a revamp, but base topps parallels have never been too much of a focus as they are in the chrome. Maybe next year we can see some sweeping changes.

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2009 Product Leaderboard (SO FAR)

1(t). Topps Football (3/5 GELLMANS)
1(t). UD Icons Football (3/5 GELLMANS)
1(t). UD Heroes Football (3/5 GELLMANS)
1(t). UD Draft Edition (3/5 GELLMANS)
5(t). Donruss Classics (2/5 GELLMANS)
5(t). Donruss Elite (2/5 GELLMANS)
5(t). Playoff Prestige (2/5 GELLMANS)
5(t). Bowman Draft Picks (2/5 GELLMANS)
9. Score Inscriptions Football (1/5 GELLMANS)