Random Question

Have you ever rated a product higher then it should have been rated because you pulled something unexpected like a relic, autograph, limited card, etc.

WWE Superstar Swatches

My son came across these 2010 Topps WWE Superstar Jumbo Swatches on the Beckett Blog and he asked me to post them up because he thought that they are the coolest patches ever. Of course I have to start with his favorite wrestler of all time, John Cena.


John Cena


Rey Mysterio


MVP


Kofi Kingston


CM Punk

The Big Show

Random Blaster Box- 2009 Topps National Chicle

This product was one of the sets I liked from 2009 and grabbing a blaster at $12 is a pretty good bargin. There were some issues because the cards are based on the artist's depiction so some of the players came out looking a little less then expected. Some players had odd coloring or no necks, some had bulging eyes and we can not forget Jamaal Charles' mountainous forehead

First up are a couple of Arizona Cardinals that will be leading the team well in to the future.

A couple of New York boys. I really like the Eli Manning background, a couple of the cards have similar skyline silhouettes, which is pretty cool.

Pulling a JaMarcus Russell card is like pulling a Sam Bowie card. You should be holding an Adrian Peterson card but got the F-U instead. Next time we see Russell in a uniform it may just be the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League, apparently they currently hold the rights for him.

I am actually happy to pull the Heyward-Bey relic card. I have hopes for him in the future, you know... when he actually leaves Oakland and lands on a team with an actual Quarterback. Could you see him lining up in New York Giants blue or for the Saints or Colts? This guy hopefully can prove to be an asset to a team with potential.

2010-11 Panini Limited Basketball

Schedule Release Date: October 27, 2010
Box Configuration: 1 pack per box, 7 cards per pack
SRP: $100/box (Blowout Cards is pre-selling them for $90 right now)

Box Break:
3 Autographs or memorabilia cards (1 autograph guaranteed)
1 Legend or Parallel #/199 or less
3 Common, Insert or Parallel #/199 or less

My Thoughts:
Looking at the set made me cringe. These are your typical Panini over-designs that make you wonder who actually green lighted them. Floating dime-sized patches do not help and each card contains way too much information jammed in to the design. There is no real hierarchy and since they used multiple fonts the card does not flow.

My interest is peaked by the 5 card Limited Cuts insert. I am unable to find any images of the cards so I figure that these are cut signatures, which in this case may work very well as long as the design looks good.
The checklist:
George Mikan
Red Auerbach
Wilt Chamberlin
Dave DeBusschere
Chuck Daly

Pros:
A solid checklist including rookies, stars and legends

On card autographs

Very limited (low numbered) inserts/parallels

Cons:
Parallels and more parallels

Horrid designs with floating designs


Rating:
I have to rate this at 3 out of 5 because while there is a great checklist and the autographs are on card autographs the problem lies in the design.

The images of the John Wall, Evan Turner, Jeremy Lin and Wesley Johnson autograph rookie cards are courtesy of SportsCardRadio.com

2010-11 Donruss Hockey

Schedule Release Date: November 17, 2010
Box Configuration: 24 packs per box, 5 cards per pack
SRP: $96/box

Box Break:
2 Memorabilia or autograph cards
1 Press Proof
6 Rated Rookies
3 Boys of Winter
2 Ultimate Draft
1 Les Gardiens
1 Tough Times
1 Fans of the Game

My Thoughts:
This set is all about the past. Starting with the classic Donruss lowercase “d” logo to some of the inserts focusing on the players from the 80s and 90s.

The “Tough Times” inserts showcases some of the most fearsome enforces from the 1980s and the parallels contain on card autographs.

The “Les Gardiens” showcases some of the greatest goaltenders from the 1990s and they come 1 per box.

Pros:
Nostalgic

Fans of the Game insert is back (not sure if they come in autograph version)

Ice Kings insert is back too

Cons:
Sticker autographs on most the auto inserts

Too many inserts


Rating:
I am leaving this as an uncertain. The information about the set is still pretty limited and the images I have seen are all of the same 6 cards and I would like to see more before deciding.

2010 Leaf MMA

Schedule Release Date: September 15, 2010
Box Configuration: 8 packs per box, 8 cards per pack (7 base cards plus 1 autograph)
SRP: $120/box

Box Break:
8 Autographs (1 per pack)

My Thoughts:
I know that Leaf is just a re-branding of Razor Collectibles but as a martial artist and a fan of MMA I feel that Leaf got this right. Topps has done a decent job with their UFC license but I really thing that Brian Gray did right by this product.

The cards are clean and the designs that are used work well with the seriousness of the sport. You get to see the fighters and only the fighters, which is the reason you want this product. The sticker autographs are a bit if a downer, hopefully Leaf learns from this and goes on card autographs next year.

Pros:
Includes a competent checklist ranging from up and coming fighters to established and even proven winners.

Amazing close-up photos, so close you can see the fighter’s determination

1 autograph card per pack

Mutli-signed autographs including dual and quad-signed cards

Only 1 type of insert and that is autographs but there are parallels of each autograph set.

Cons:
$15 a pack may be a bit high for fair weather fans/collectors

Sticker autographs

The National Pride autograph set is only available in the “International” release and not in the US release


Rating:
I give this set a very solid 4 out of 5 because of how well Leaf did putting it together. Leaf says the set has been a year in the making and it looks like they did their homework and put out a winner. Had the cards been on-card autographs I would have rated this at least a 4 ½ if not a 5 on my scale.

A quick listing of some of the fighters from the checklist:
Randy Couture
Chuck Liddell
Gina Carano
Brock Lesnar
Georges St-Pierre
Rich Franklin
Anderson Silva
Frank Mir

Random Blaster Box- 2009 SP Football

With the start of the NFL season officially beginning Thursday with a replaying of the NFC Championship game (Saints vs. Vikings) I decided to bust a blaster of 2009 SP Football. This is a pretty solid set and the base cards are simple, though teetering on the edge of a Panini design with the random lines and angles, which I liked and the major rookies of the year were all available. I felt I really could not go wrong with the purchase... boy was I wrong.

This box turned out to be a dud with a capital “D”. I was fortunate enough to pull my favorite Wide Receiver, Fitzgerald, along with one of the leagues top Running Backs, Peterson. Had I paid more then $10 for the box I would have felt cheated, heck I feel cheated paying $10 for the box.

I pulled one rookie, Nate Davis. A 2009 NFL 5th Round Draft pick who was actually cut yesterday after only 1 season with the team and he never even played a down outside of pre-season games. That is how you know someone has little to no talent. Maybe the Texans can sign him and use him as a useless 4th stringer to back up slightly less useless 3rd stringer Matt Leinart?


I am wondering which photographer at Upper Deck thought it would be a great move to pose Davis as a receiver stretching out to catch the ball?

To finish things off with a real bang I pull a card of a guy I have seen quite often. I pulled my 4th Limas Sweed Game Day Gear jersey card (3 have been black jersey pieces and 1 white jersey piece). So I have pulled almost as many jersey cards as he has career receptions- 4 jersey cards to 7 career receptions. Who the heck is packing out these cards Sweed's dad?

Random Blaster Box- 2009 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions

Next blaster box is the 2009 Goodwin Champions. I love this set and was one of my favorite sets of 2009, not just from baseball but from all releases that year so when I saw a couple of blasters sitting in a cart waiting to be put out I grabbed a box.

Unfortunately there was nothing special that I was looking for, mainly I was hoping to pull the Ken Griffey Jr night version card. I wish I could say I came across some highlights but my biggest interest was in the cards of Hall of Famers. I pulled a handful with Nolan Ryan and Ozzie Smith being the biggest names.

I also pulled A Buffalo Bill Cody card, I know a lot of people are not big on non-sports people appearing in baseball sets but I love the historical connection.

The “Hit” came in the form of a Todd Helton white jersey swatch with a purple pinstripe.

Random Blaster Box- 2010 Topps NFL

Being a recent release I figured I would grab a couple of boxes of 2010 Topps NFL. I love football and Topps does the base set well. They select some great images and nothing is over done (except to many inserts but that is a different story).

I decided to use the Collins card because seeing the retro Bucs uniform reminded me of the days when the "Battle of the Bays" game meant nothing to anyone.

I pulled some of the top rookies (ok, well not Bradford) and I love the Spiller card. Look at his intent, the determination... the background? Yup, Topps designers made an tad of an error when they photoshopped the background. The seats behind the endzone should be perpendicular to the field not at an angle.

One of the nicer inserts is the 1952 Bowman Football inserts. I think Topps did the original set justice. The cards have a painting or drawing look to them, but they have a glossy finish like the base set.

Just like the 2010 Topps Baseball release there are rookie reprints, Gold, Peak Performance and Lineage inserts. I was fortunate to pull a Drew Brees reprint from the 2001 set, a Gold Jerry Hughes RC #/2010, a Gridiron Giveaway code card (My code was for a 2005 Topps Doug Gabriel... oh well) and a handful of the other hits.

Not part of the regular checklist, but the Throwback Patch is a manufactured patch that is included in blaster boxes at a rate of 1/box. It is not that bad of a card, a decent two-toned card with a simple design and the patch. I like the throwback connection and Peyton Manning is one of my favorite players so I am very happy.

A Random Blaster Box- The Beginning

I hate to say it but blaster boxes have become a part of the bobby, partially due to pricing and partially due to ease of access. Like many collectors I’ll grab a blaster of a new product so I can get a first hand look before dropping $100 or more on a hobby box. Given the odds are worse then most hobby boxes and often the “guaranteed” hit is a generic relic but to be honest I would rather drop $20 on a box with a cheesy manufactured patch then drop $100+ on a box that gives me 2 jerseys from a third-string offensive lineman for the Detroit Lions and a practice squad player from the Texans or a couple of autographs from rookies that will never play a down.

So on to the topic… I have been picking up blaster boxes when I hit retail stores and tossing them aside with the intent of writing something about the various sets during down time. I now have a stack of blasters, some older/clearance product and some new releases, and my wife has made it clear she wants me to “finish” my project or the kids get to bust the boxes. My plan was to use the boxes in a manor similar to “A Pack A Day” or “A Pack To Be Named Later”. I just want to post images of the various base cards and inserts. No review really, just a basic description of what I found. Let the experiment begin.