The first NFL set of 2011 was Panini Prestige, and after a blitz of pictures on draft day to preview, it was released to a collective groan from many of the people who bought it. One of the things that Panini tried to do was create rare variations on the cards to make them more collectible. In addition to the normal draft day variations, which were expected, they put a different stripe on a the helmets of players like Cam Newton to signal a rarer card. I laughed, because I could not think of a more asinine idea to use for a variation. It’s a black line versus an orange line, and that is just stupid.

Fast forward to yesterday, when Panini gave themselves a standing ovation for their now public variations for the ticket autographs. Instead of changing the pictures like they have done for years, they tweaked incredibly small elements of the photographs. A logo whited out on the facemask of the helmets, a missing wrist band, among other things. Just when I thought it could not get any more lame from the 2011 Prestige debacle, Panini goes above and beyond with these.

The worst part? Collectors are paying more! The graphics team breaks out the almighty eraser tool and the card is worth more? Cmon.

2011 Contenders Christian Ponder Helmet Logo Variation

2011 Contenders Mikel Leshoure Wristband Logo Variation

2011 Contenders Jamie Harper Nike Logo Variation

I cant determine which is the worse offense, doing the variations themselves, or the act of exclaiming their existence like it was the best idea since the jersey card. Both are equally insane, and the continued lack of effort isn’t even shocking anymore. I mean, why put in the minor work of switching the photos when you can just white something out, right? “Take the easy way out” – definitely a true mantra for Panini’s way of producing cards, and this pile of excrement is past the point of stinking to high hell.

This truly displays exactly how Panini feels about collectors and their intelligence as mindless sheep of the retail outlets, which is only made worse by the fact that it is working. Im not sure if this speaks more to rarity of a card than anything, as we all saw how well the diamond sparkle cards sold for Topps in a very similar sort of awful gimmick.

Don’t get me wrong, I love variations to the point that I will chase them, but they have to provide a reason to do so. It can just be that in one photo Michael Vick is kicking a pitbull puppy, and in the other one it’s a poodle. There has to be something worth buying another card of the same player.

I have already commented on how much of a flier that Panini took on this design, and this type of semantic crap is further evidence on how much they mailed it in this year. We are starting to see that they will make an effort on everything but football, and with as many competitors as they have, I cant understand this practice.

Industry professionals and collectors alike are wondering why fans are dropping like one dollar bills on a mainstage when Pacman Jones is in the club, and examples like this should do nothing but make it more clear. As long as quality and content are replaced by complacency and apathy, things around the hobby will not improve.