Wild Card Weekend: Why This Matters More Than Most Years

When I look back over the season, I cannot believe the playoffs are already here. Its like preseason was just starting last week. Personally, im pissed, as now its basically three days until the Vikings season is over - a week and a half at the VERY most, and then I will be left to my mock drafts and other junk until next year.

Until that time, Wild Card weekend will be a crazy weekend for collectors. There are two RC QBs that are leading their teams into the game, and more than a couple RC RBs that are part of the focus of their teams this week and next week. Hell, there could be a lot of movin' and shakin' if both Ryan, Flacco, Stewart, and Chris Johnson all have amazing games. I have already seen quite a few auctions that end just after the games will end, Im guessing they are hoping for a nice boost with a win too.

Funny enough, WCW (yes!) is not just about the RCs either, this year. We have Adrian Peterson in his first playoff game as a Viking and Donovan McNabb in possibly his last as an Eagle. We also have Peyton and Addai going for the Colts, and Tomlinson for the Chargers. All of these guys stand to gain ground in the hobby or lose it for good depending on who you are. You can bet your ass that if LT has a great game for the Chargers, his value may climb back to where it was at the beginning of the season, but if he tanks, that may be the nail in the coffin for his 2008 values. Peterson, on the other hand, has held steady all year, and I expect that if the Vikings win, with or without his help, it will mean quite a deal for his value.

Here is my take on things when it comes to people like Ryan and Flacco. Right now, there is a good chance that the value they will attain after their run in the playoffs will be the biggest jump they will get for a while. If you are sitting on their stuff, it should be on eBay after this first win, ending after the second game is over. There is no reason to sit on it, when you can probably buy it back much cheaper next year. If you are holding Forte's stuff, you missed the boat already, and Stewart and Johnson's boats are docked in the harbor. Unless you are a player or team collector, its always nice to strike while the iron is hot. Dont wait for more value to accumulate, they are still a few superbowls away from being outside your price range.

I think playoff football is great, and with even more than pride riding on the game for me, having invested a little in all of the above for the entire 2008 season, makes it that much more fun. I know the Vikings will probably be killed at home, but at least they got there, and that gives me one more week to watch. I have my beer and brats ready to go, and my spot on the couch will definitely be warm come Saturday and Sunday.

Green Bay Proves Themselves As Complete Idiots

So, Adrian Peterson (Bears) throws Blackmon out of bounds with a wickedly stupid ass penalty that should have ended the season, but, as usual, the ridiculously lucky ass Bears defense comes through to block the FG attempt.

Fucking Neckbeard and the entire Bears offense cant move the football all night, bailed out by the defense the whole fucking game, and yet they still win. Only in fucking Chicago.

I seriously hope the Vikings kick some Giant ass on Sunday, as it is going to be a cold day in Viking hell for me if they cant even beat the scrubs. 2000 41-donut anyone? I think this looks eerily familiar to many Vikings fans.

WAIT - NATHAN POOLE JUST SIGNED WITH THE GIANTS?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Value Bumps: Week 14

Wow, its been a while since I have done this, and I am finally getting back into the swing of things, as you can tell. Thanks to the list of shit I need to do dwindling down to only a few things, I think I am ready to get back on the horse. This edition of Value Bumps will be more of a collaboration of a few weeks, but it was still a pretty good week for a lot of the main players in the hobby.

Matt Forte

My nemesis, the bane of my 2008, the guy continues to produce, much to my chagrin. The guy has had a better RC season than Gale Sayers, and that is impressive. The problem I have is more with the team he plays for, as the Bears continue to nip at the heels of my Vikings. His cards have flustered with the top of the 2008 class due to the economy, but he is still one of the bigger RCs of the year.

BUMP: UP

Matt Ryan

Matty Ice is ROY without question. The guy is maybe the best RC QB since Marino, and trust me, Akili Smith is quite jealous. His cards are huge right now, and over the last few weeks, he has shown that his team is ready for the show in the next few weeks. His success only shows how important a good QB is to a winning team - just look at Peterson.

BUMP: UP

LaDanian Tomlinson

It looks like his season has plummeted alongside the Chargers' playoff hopes, and his card values havent done much better. Tomlinson will always be a valuable pull, but this year just wasnt his year. Too bad really, as his success was well documented, and to see him falter is tough to watch.

BUMP: DOWN

Chris Johnson

Besides Forte, this guy was one of the bigger surprises of the year, and last week, he was like a stock car at Daytona. The guy runs like freight train, and his yards and TDs keep piling up, even with LenDale White at like 40 TDs as well. His card values are at the top of the class, and I hope the Titans can do well enough to get him some additional value.

BUMP: UP

Aaron Rodgers

I guarantee that there are at least 20,000 Packer fiends that are screaming at themselves for giving up on Fah-ve. Rodgers has led his team right out of contention in the North, and I am sure his card values have been feeling it lately. Personally I am loving it because I hate the Packers, but I know this is something that a lot of recent Rodgers investors are pretty pissed about. Its been a rule of mine to never get involved in a contract year, but that doesnt stop anyone usually. Look at Adrian Beltre!

BUMP: DOWN

Joe Flacco

Ryan isnt the only game in town for RC QBs, and Flacco has been exceeding expectations for months. The guy, like Ryan is leading his team into the playoffs, and has a great defense to help him go very, very far a la Roethlisberger. Look for big things.

BUMP: UP

Harry Douglas

Or the wonder that is Harry Douglas, for sure. He was a nobody at the Rookie Premiere earlier this year and since has become an integral part of the Falcons' offense. If you talk about great catches, he comes up twice in the conversation. I was lucky to pull an auto of his out of BC, but it was a redemption, so I would say wait on picking those up. Regardless, he gets a bump.

BUMP: UP

Calvin Johnson

If the Lions ever become a good team again, this guy will reap the benefits. His play has been the only bright spot this year for the Lions, and now with the loss of Roy Williams, this guys career may go somewhere if the motor city kitties ever find a way to win again. He gets an even bump on a team that has nothing but downs on it. Good for him to hold his value in that shithole.

BUMP: EVEN

Jared Allen

Allen could be the most vocal and visible defensive end in Vikings history, and I love every minute of it. The guy is a walking punchline, and its not because of his play on the field, thank god. Of course, he loves every minute of it too. The problem? He has one auto that has ever been made and it is tough to get. 40 dollars to the first person to send one to me. That card has gone steadily up over the season, and now its close to impossible to find it for under 40 bucks. That is impressive for a DE on a Minnesota team. Plus, he signs through the mail, so a bump for him.

BUMP: UP

Jonathan Stewart

Sadly DeAngelo has taken over as the top guy, but I still see good things in the future for him. His cards have dropped recently, but should go up again when he gets his carries in the playoffs. Keep an eye out for his upcoming SPAs and Exquisites, they will have some big values attached to them - you watch.

BUMP: DOWN

Thats about it for now, more to come as the weeks progress.

Value Bumps: Week 4

Not much happened to the rookies this week, but there were quite a few suprises in terms of the rest of the league. Dallas lost, Philly lost, and a lot of people had some great games.

Brett Favre

I dont know how he fucking does it, but he continues to be a force despite having the body age of 85. 6TDs is a monster and a half, and I was shocked to see that he did it in such awful jerseys. Also, I dont know how his cards can get any more of a bump, so ill say his Jets stuff just gained a head of steam.

BUMP: UP

Matt Forte

I told you Philly would kill him. 19 for 43 when the offense was moving is a pretty bad game. He had 40 receiving, but those were nothing special. I wish people would just see him as a mediocre starting back rather than a guy whose SPA Patch Auto will break $300.

BUMP: DOWN

Chris Johnson

He puts up two TDs against the league's stingiest defense? Thats impressive. He did okay for the game, and he is quickly becoming the front runner for OROY. Too bad his auto didnt pass 2nd grade, a real loss for the collecting base. Hopefully the manufacturers will ban him from products until he signs with a number or something. Its embarassing.

BUMP: UP

Adrian Peterson

I am putting him on this list because it is a feat to keep even with the bumps he got from last year. He is in the top 5 in yards and has 3 TDs on an offense that barely makes it close to the red zone each game. He is doing it with no QB and no WRs, and I gotta give him props for accomplishing as much as he has.

BUMP: EVEN

Darren McFadden

Wow, he dropped off the face of the earth due to that injury. 7 for 20 gets you a big downer, especially when Michael Bush gets your carries. Not necessarily his fault, but not my problem either.

BUMP: DOWN

Larry Johnson

Where oh where have you been lately? Oh, thats right, stuck on a shitty team and injured. Well, its nice to have you back, have a few TDs. I guess now would be a good time to buy in because his prices are WAAAY down and he is showing that he wont be the next Priest Holmes. Its nice to see he can make it back to where he was. Dominant on the league's worst. Good job.

BUMP: UP

Ryan Grant

I totally loved seeing this guy crash and burn. People were paying in upwards of $225 for a sweet spot rookie, and now he is all over every product. I complained back in the beginning of the offseason how much I loathed the fact he was given so much attention in products, and I now have a hearty laugh reserved for the idiots who bought in before he actually accomplished anything outside of half a good season. It only goes to show how much Favre meant to the Packers, as everyone benefited from his dangerousness.

BUMP: DOWN AND A HALF

Michael Turner

Man, what a crappy game that was overflowing with nothingness for him. You can be the burner all you want, but with a rookie QB, I am not going to let you beat me at all.

BUMP: DOWN

Jonathan Stewart

Not bad, not great. Show me some big games or ill give up on your chances of hitting OROY for this year.

BUMP: EVEN

Possible Bumps For Next Week

Laurence Maroney- I hate the system you are in. If you could be on a normal team, I would love you. Right now you are heading down a long and lonely road.

Jonathan Stewart - You get KC next week, be happy. Run happy.

Anthony Gonzalez - I see big things for him next week, but he is a WR, and WRs are never worth anything.

Chris Johnson - Good luck with Baltimore. You're going to need it.

Matt Forte - You get the Lions, you lucky fucking bastard. I hope you have an awful game so I can forget about you.

NFL Week 3: Value Bumps

Im kind of glad week three is over because it was a make or break week for some teams, and some lived up to what they were supposed to do, while others continued their slide. Regardless of how the teams themselves did, there were a few players that had the same clause on their week 3 performances. Here is my opinion on what will happen to the value of their cards:

Michael Turner

Again he puts up a monster game with three TDs, but again he was playing one of the worst teams in the league. I would have been suprised if it didnt turn out the way it did. There will be very few running backs who look bad against the Chiefs, but idiots who will keep buying his stuff high wont care. They play Carolina next week, which could be a test of his true ability.

BUMP: UP

Matt Forte

I hate to keep putting him on this list, but people keep buying his stupid fucking cards at high ass prices. Guess what idiots? He is an average RB who will probably be replaced in next years draft. Look at his stats: 27 for 89yds? Thats awful in this league. If you cant break 100 on more than 25 carries, you arent going to be very good.

BUMP: DOWN

Ronnie Brown

Holy fuck, he ran wild. I cant believe the Dolphins used the direct snap as much as they did, I guess they didnt even trust Chad Pennington to pass the ball those 2 inches on a handoff. Either way, the Pats are falling apart, and fast, especially losing AT HOME to an awful team like Miami. Ronnie Brown gets OPOW and a bump.

BUMP: UP

Matt Cassel

Here is my chance to laugh at the people who bought in at 80 bucks for his Contenders, despite the fact that he will no doubt be a backup again next season. People dont seem to understand what stoploss QB is, so they buy when he beats a few teams. He looked like a backup and his crappy pocket presence led to a lot of offensive woes for the Pats. If you have his shit you are a week late in selling, so watch for the floor to drop out this week - FINALLY.

BUMP: DOWN

Darren McFadden

Wow, he looked AWFUL on that injured foot. He slipped left and right because he couldnt plant on a juke, I guess his R2 button was stuck, or broken. His "turf toe" could become a huge problem, especially for a rookie who was already stuck with an awful team. If you buy in now, you might as well stamp "idiot" in permanent ink across your forehead.

BUMP: DOWN

Matt Ryan

Another good performance against an awful team. Its expected. Dont buy in until he can prove that he doesnt need to have a bad defense to have a good game.

BUMP: EVEN

Steve Slaton

Another Matt Forte in a bottle. He rushes for over 100 and a few TDs and all of a sudden he is worth millions to every card collecting idiot out there. The only difference is that he did it against a Titans D that isnt bad. It makes me feel good for AD next week, as the Vikings definitely have a better OLine. Save yourself the heartbreak and dont pick anything up of his - it wont stick. If you have his shit, now is the time to sell. The Texans offense is bad, and he will succumb.

BUMP: UP

Chris Johnson

This was his first week without doing anything. Keep on him, he didnt do horrible. Plus, LenDale White will get most of the goalline carries, so his TDs will only happen on longer runs. I see him being the next Julius Jones in this situation, but that isnt necessarily a bad thing. His stuff should stay where it is or inflate, depending if he can stay in the OROY race. Plus, with McFadden out of it in my mind, this guy will benefit.

BUMP: EVEN

Felix Jones

This guy is slowly emerging as a great pickup in big D. His return skills are way above average and his TD total is coming along nicely. He had a good game, and I expect more. Still way too high to buy in at over 100 for most autos, but surrounding yourself with one of the best offenses in the game is a big plus for anyone.

BUMP: UP

Eddie Royal

Wait until a few more games pass before buying in. WRs are never good investments.

BUMP: DOWN

Brandon Marshall

He is the real deal, but off the field issues and the above fact make me weary of touching his stuff at all.

BUMP: UP

Possible Bumps for Next Week

Matt Ryan: Going up against Carolina could easily hurt him big time. Watch out.
Aaron Rodgers: I see a good week for him coming up. TB has big holes in the secondary.
Matt Forte: Philly will kill him, I hope.
The 1986 2008 Denver Broncos: KC makes everyone look great.
McFadden: Watch that injury. Could be big.