Random Blaster Box: 2012 Topps Strata Football

I grabbed a blaster of 2012 Topps Strata Football, a new 2012 mid-level brand for Topps.  The base cards have a mechanical design, almost as if they were designed by engineers, and are outlined with foil. The fronts include an action shot of the player, their name, team logo and position. The backs continue the mechanical styling and include the standard player bio, last year’s stats (college or pro) and 4 Strata-Spheric Stats about the player.

 

For example Adrian Peterson’s Strata-Spheric Stats are:

-Converted 7 of 8 carries for first down on 3^rd and 1
-Leads NFL with 186 double-digit ground gains since 2007
-Needs 67 yards to eclipse Robert Smith’s team rushing standard for career and 92.5
-YDS/G career rushing average tops Vikings chart by 22.9

 

A couple of things of note about the product, almost every card (base and inserts) in the set has a parallel or variation, retail base cards are on a thinner stock than the hobby cards and retail rookie cards are different from the hobby versions.

 

On to my 8-pack blaster box:

I only pulled three players from the Seahawks and Cardinals, Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin from the Hawks and Kevin Kolb for the Cards. I actually pulled duplicates of Kolb and Turbin. In all I pulled 8 duplicates out of 8 packs, pretty bad collation.

A couple of guys in their new uniforms, to bad Tebow fans did not get much of a chance to see him play in 2012.

 

I think that card companies should include more throwback uniforms in their sets, even as a variation/SP card. I know that some of the throwback uniforms are pretty bad but I think many collectors would be pretty excited to chase down their favorite players in a throwback jersey.

I pulled 20 rookie cards, not bad when you figure that is 2.5 per pack, the problem being that there were 5 duplicates. In the end though I pulled three of the five rookies I was hoping to pull; Nick Foles, Andrew Luck and Robert Turbin.

 

In all it was a nice break, I like Strata Football and I am considering picking up a hobby box. I did end up with a nice bonus, a Bernard Pierce Clear Cut Auto relic Rookie redemption card. Pierce is not a huge hit by any standard, but the Clear Cut Auto cards are extremely cool and with odds at 1:445 retail packs (1:56 blaster boxes) this was an unexpected and pleasant surprise.