Well, Black Friday is upon us, and with it another edition of the Panini set that is put out every year. Although I feel like free stuff is good as long as the price is what its, then there is a positive situation to this program. However at the same time, there is so many horrible back end things going on with Black Friday, which I also feel would probably be pretty negative if collectors had a real understanding of it.

Here are some of the bigger cards that have already been posted:

2014 Panini Black Friday Johnny Manziel Cracked Ice Auto Patch

2014 Panini Black Friday Drew Brees Auto Manupatch

2014 Panini Black Friday Andrew Wiggins Auto

2014 Panini Black Friday Jabari Parker Auto Patch Cracked Ice

2014 Panini Black Friday Russell Wilson Auto

2014 Panini Black Friday Teddy Bridgewater Auto Patch

In terms of the way the cards look, many of the base and base autos look pretty cool. I mean, they dont look awful like they have in the past. The autos and auto relics are a pretty simple design, and I am always a fan of simplicity. I even think the sideways stickers on some of the cards are a nice change.

However, there are also a ton of cards that I could easily say are some of the worst ones I have seen from Panini all year. These are all highlighted by new “Black Friday” Manufactured patch cards, which not only are not autographed, but are the ugliest design I have seen in any of these packs. Seriously, someone at Panini approved a manupatch card where their stupid piece of cloth is more important than how the card looks. Just fucking ridiculous.

I also hate all these stupid Santa hat cards and towel cards, as I have for years. Not only are they kitschy as shit, but they dont even do it in a fun way. Just players standing around looking crazy and goofy. That’s Panini for you.

The cards arent even the worst part of all this. Its the way Panini forces the local shops into a position that is borderline entrapment. Because so many of the dealers have the Panini products collecting dust on their shelves, they created a program to help their most important customers clear their shelves. If you are a shop that can afford to take on EVEN more of the product than you already have, then you are in luck. But, if you follow the program as intended, your CUSTOMERS now have to buy these boxes too. Its the products that are so bad that no one would even think about touching them without a free pack attached. BAD FOR EVERYONE BUT THE DISTROS.

Panini runs their business like a strip club, and it is beyond frustrating. It would be one thing if it meant they could produce better stuff, but they just end up sitting on the debt because they have so much money they can throw around. If you are a VIP customer, you get the VIP treatment – and I am not talking about favorite shops. Those are the people who end up footing this bill. Sad, because collectors just think this program is all about them. It isnt. Its making up for seasons worth of crap that Panini’s important “partners” cant get rid of.