I hate me some Triple Threads. HATE HATE HATE. Hate is strong word, I know, but I wish there were a stronger word for my feelings on everything that comes out of the set. When almost every card in the set makes me gag, and then I see people fawn over the cards like women over cute little babies, my blood boils. I just wish it would go away.

That being said, two interesting things happened this past week, both of which bear mention here. First, Triple Threads produced a card that I think is pretty cool. Mark this day on your calendar, because it will probably never happen again. Its not just cool to the point where I would glance at it and say, “oh nice,” but one that I actually want. The reason has nothing to do with the fact that the card is a booklet with jumbo patches, the kind of card that all the Joe Collectors out their wet their pants over, but rather that it is almost a complete piece of autographed game used memorabilia. This Justin Morneau card looks like a typical Triple Threads card, but it is something that is much more because of what is contained on it. Not only do you have almost the whole autographed batting glove embedded in the card, but you have a picture of the item itself to boot! Finally, a card I want out of this horrid excuse for a product. Amazing.

Secondly, we have a card that takes everything that makes the Morneau card awesome and takes a huge watery loose dump on it. This Dual Cut of Mantle and Maris is interesting because it features two players that will forever be linked in history. However, because it has to be a booklet card, the seems of the folds are already showing wear, and looks absolutely ridiculous regardless of what is going on for the other side. I mean, Topps had two WHOLE fucking card faces to play with, and they still couldn’t fit the whole cut on the card, or player pictures bigger than a penny. Seriously, you have all that space, and you cant even put a full player pic on there SOMEWHERE? Ugh, its sickening to think how many people buy these boxes for $170 and up. I would MUCH rather own the full picture that mantle came from, or even an authenticated auto like this. That, my friends, is a terrible waste of 1,500 dollars.

Triple Threads is a unique set for the very reason presented in this post. Topps has so much to work with in this product and there is so few examples of awesomeness that I am continually surprised at the fails that make it out of this product each time it is released. Hell, Topps is too lazy to even update the design year to year, I guess its too much to ask to actually do more cards like the Morneau rather than cards like this pile of elephant crap.