Personally, I have a feeling that things like this are just the tip of the iceberg. People always accuse me of being annoyingly negative and just being a muckraker from behind my screen, but stuff like this only makes me more cynical about what goes on behind the curtain. So, Razor was just UD’s way of competing with Topps’ chrome products without actually breaking any terms of their license. Yeah, they can pretty much kiss all that license renewal talk goodbye if this holds water. Throw another log on the UD/Topps hate fire, right? Topps sues UD, UD messes with Topps, its all the same to everyone.

Despite the fact that its pretty underhanded of UD to pull something like this, its not surprising at all. McWillliam is a slippery snake, and he has done things to the hobby that would make most people grab their torches and pitchforks for a good ole lynchin if they knew the full extent. Regardless of how you feel, you have to admit it’s a pretty good plan. Start signing players away from Topps, cut into their success, and watch the fireworks. Stupidly, they didn’t cover the tracks, and the execution was poor, but ill tell you it seems like this coup was pretty well conceived.

Now, what does this mean for the industry? Im not quite sure, but Im sure that Sports Card File Steve will have a great write up. It should drum up some worthy backlash for sure, but considering my hatred for Topps and their cop out products, im not too concerned whether or not Razor goes away.

As for McWilliam, I can imagine that the hobby and the industry would be a better place without him, but you can bet he wont let go of his iron grasp over his company without someone prying it from his cold dead hand. This may just be another straw on the camel’s back, but I think that netminded people are finally starting to see that all is not what it seems for most of the shit that goes on. Yet, for every enlightened person out there, there are 10 that have a subscription to Beckett, an OPG subscription, and still think eBay is “too volatile” a pricing agent.

Oh well, on with your regularly scheduled negativity and muckraking.