Category Archives: Upper Deck

Why 2006 Exquisite Baseball Makes Me Excited For 2010 Exquisite

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Back in 2006, there was about as much demand for a high end baseball product as there is now for another version of Topps Moments and Milestones. So, instead of producing a standalone product to meet the small demand of a hobby geared more towards traditional collecting, UD produced the now infamous 2006 redemptions for the Exquisite baseball set inventory in their products for the year.

I absolutely loved 2006 Exquisite Baseball, if not only because I completely avoided the unredeemed redemptions until I saw the actual cards. I know there were as many people who were pissed about the cards they got, but for those of us who stuck to buying singles, it was a fucking blast. Still, to this day, the cards I purchased from the set are still my favorite baseball cards in my collection. They may have been stickers (the norm at the time), but the cards looked better than anything else on the market.
To this day, I still have a bunch of the Twins cards that were part of the set, my favorite being the two Mauer patch autos that I obtained when the product was released. At the time, I spent more money than I had ever spent on a card to get both, and since that date, they have not left my shelf. I still am pretty much in the school that believes the cards are some of the best looking cards of the decade, especially the ones based on the iconic 2006 Exquisite football set. Dont get me wrong, there were a lot of drawbacks to doing it the way it was done, but the results are sure impressive by 2006’s standards.
Today, looking back on these cards, I am definitely glad to see them take another shot at Exquisite, this time with on card sigs and live cards in the packs. Chris Carlin said that card previews should be coming later this year, and I cannot fucking wait to see what they have in store. So far, it looks like they are going to be sticking with the formula they had for 2006, a good mix of vets, HOFers, and rookies, as well as cuts and stuff. Considering that all of the cards will be available right away, this could get ridiculous very quickly. If you see the Jumbo patch cards from the first set, as well as some of the retired player relic cards, they have a lot to live up to even with the bottom part of this set. Then, since they are also going to have to fill the shoes of the autograph cards of last time, UD better be aiming to please.
The only hope I have is that they dont overload this with dual rookie autos and other crap, which poisoned a lot of people’s view of the last set. Then, when the random redemptions started to be assigned, and people waited months for a dual Brian Bannister auto with some other junk rookie, those opinions headed further south. However, after reading the press release and getting some preliminary explanations from UD, this seems like they have addressed all of the problems that plagued them the first time around.
Its been made pretty obvious here that I live for High End autos, and Exquisite is the granddaddy of them all. After constant disappointment from Triple Threads and Sterling, I hope this ends up more in the direction of a better looking, on card auto version of Prime Cuts, rather than a rehashed stale product that has no legs or inspiration. It cannot be all action and no substance. It has to be what we have come to expect of the Exquisite brand, complete and utter awesomeness. If it cant play ball, its going to be a VERY long year for UD baseball.

Product Review: 2009 Upper Deck SP Threads Football

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Last year, I really like SP Rookie Threads’ theme of having cards that looked like they were sewn together like patches. However, the product still had an absolutely ridiculous price point at over 200 dollars. This year, the configuration has changed, the price has changed, and so has the overall set.

Design/Creativity
There are a few parts of this set that I like, and others that look pretty boring. Unlike last year’s set, there is no real theme to this product, and I think it really detracts from the feel of it. I think that the patchworks style really worked for the SP Threads brand, and I am disappointed that it was only brought back for two of the subsets.
The first thing that I like is the use of the acetate photos in the rookie jersey cards. Without the acetate, these cards could easily have been a disaster. First, the swatches are no longer the focus of the card, but more the full color player pic that looks really cool in a solid stock. When I was able to buy some of this, I pulled a Robiskie jersey card that I thought looked really cool compared to being a complete throwaway without the acetate.
Secondly, I LOVE the die cut throwback cards that they brought back. I cant tell you how much I loved this design as a kid, and I have been waiting for them to do an entire higher end throwback product with the original SP, SPX and SPA designs. There is also an auto parallel that looks even better, which has a few cards I may have to go after.
Also, I really like what they did with the letters in this product. Because they couldnt go with a pro design because of the amount of time they had to get the cards signed, Im glad they went with a college theme instead. It prevents non-team built letters like 2007, and non-colored boring letters like in Donruss Threads. Instead you have a set that actually makes sense, as there are a lot of people who like the letters, a few people that collect the college players, and a good number of people who appreciate good designs. They arent perfect, but for a box hit, it isnt bad.
As for what I dont like, there are still a lot of college number stickers floating around in many different products with pro jerseys. I cant explain how much of a turn off this is, and sadly SP Threads is pretty much a dumping ground for what seems to be the last of them.
This set also has a lot of cards that just seem like they are uninspired. The dual and quad relic cards, the non-letter dump autos, and the base set itself. The trade off, though, is that the price point is completely different from last year, and that brings us back to a worthwhile product. Icons has become a collector favorite because of what you can get per box for the price, and I feel like this could have a similar following. Its affordable, and you get two autos with one being a letter. Not half bad.
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Autograph Cards
First off, I love the diecut SP parallel autos, mainly because it brings me back to when SP was it, rather than an umbrella. Back when I started collecting, you saved for the SP packs, and to see that they have adapted them for now is amazing. If only they could bring back the holoview autos, right?
I also like the scripted in time autos in some cases, because it reminds me of the patchwork theme from last year. The cards are well conceived, and look good, but the checklist looks very weak.
As for the letters, they do what they are supposed to do. They are there to garner interest in a cheaper product, and should carry value until Black hits like a nuclear bomb. After that, they are going to be pretty much forgotten, but will still give people a reason to buy this product for a cheap thrill.
When you add in the chance to pull duals, triples and up from a box, the product gets a little boost. They look good, but have proven to be exceedingly rare. I would say that if you are lucky enough to pull a triple, go buy a lottery ticket.
Basically, this SP Threads product is not going to turn any heads, or have people rushing to buy cases, but at least it has a good enough content value in the autographs to convince people to buy a few boxes.
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Relic Cards
As usual, the basic relic cards are pretty boring, at least outside of the acetate rookies. They are continuing to be a needless addition to any product, and really have become completely monotonous. At least with the acetate rookies, the relics are part of a cool idea. The plain swatch cards could be removed and I dont think many people would notice.
The basic patch cards do look really well designed, if not only because they are the other cards that have carried over from last year. They are low numbered, but arent anything special, and really just blend in with the rest of the set. Its really too bad.
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Value To The Collector
The value in this product stems from the fact that you can buy a 60-80 dollar box and get an auto letter, an auto, and a jersey. None of the cards are going to blow your socks off, but it seems to be a fun rip.
When Black hits next month, all of the big whales are going to drop this like a Panini on card auto. There just isnt enough to sustain interest for people who like the chance at good looking, high value cards. Its not going to compete with Limited either, but the cost may lure mid range collectors away. Considering that Limited is going back to a one pack box for 100 bucks, it will quickly price itself out of the mid range menu. Thats where SP Threads will succeed.
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Overall Impress
ions
As much as I hated the price point of the last product, this left me wondering if it were better. At least before, you had the opportunity for some amazingly cool cards, of which I own a few, where with the current set, those have disappeared.
All I can think is how bored I am with these filler sets. SP Threads, Topps National Chicle, Icons, Elite, blah blah blah. Im pretty sure that its time to rethink the ideas of what consists the middle of the card year.
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2009 Product Leaderboard (SO FAR)

1. Topps Chrome (4/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). Donruss Certified (3/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). Upper Deck Football (3/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). UD Philadelphia (3/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). Topps Football (3/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). UD Icons (3/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). UD Heroes (3/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). UD Draft Edition (3/5 GELLMANS)
9(t). Upper Deck SP Threads (2/5 GELLMANS)
9(t). Upper Deck SPX (2/5 GELLMANS)
9(t). Playoff Absolute Memorabilia (2/5 GELLMANS)
9(t). Bowman Sterling Football (2/5 GELLMANS)
9(t). Donruss Threads (2/5 GELLMANS)
9(t). Donruss Classics (2/5 GELLMANS)
9(t). Donruss Elite (2/5 GELLMANS)
9(t). Playoff Prestige (2/5 GELLMANS)
9(t). Bowman Draft Picks (2/5 GELLMANS)
18. Score Inscriptions (1/5 GELLMANS)
19. Leaf Rookies and Stars (0/5 GELLMANS – NR)

Product Review: 2009 SPX Football

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Yesterday I had the chance to spend a few hours with my friends as they broke a case of SPX and a few other things. I was very eager to see the SPX because of the bad taste I had in my mouth after the initial eBay auctions, and im not sure it got all that much better. Sadly, SPX has been a dissappointing experience to me ever since they went to the new format in 2007, and this year I was hoping for more than just a bunch of needless relics.

Design/Creativity

There are two parts of this set I love, one part im good with, and a bunch that I hate. The first of the parts that I love is the Shadow Box cards. They are fucking sweet, and you really have to see one in a non scan format to appreciate it. The cards almost look 3D, and the way they are put together highlights a few different full sized player pictures. My buddy pulled the Peyton Manning, and it was the best looking card he pulled. Its one of those parts that a lot of people will be after, so be ready.

The second part of the set that I love is the autographed version of the Rookie Materials subset. The pics arent my favorite, but the design may have been a better choice for the base rookie autos. They are a balanced card with some cool elements, opting more for simple lines and features rather than filling it with needless paint spills and the like. I would definitely go after a few of them, but helmet off pictures are not my thing.

I also gained a little bit more appreciation for the base rookie autos after seeing them, as the design isnt all THAT bad when you see it in person. The problem is that its still a gaudy example of gold foil, but at least its dulled so that it doesn’t distract from things like the normal Panini fare. I would love to see on card autos on these, but with the time between the premiere and the release, that is just impossible. At least these cards look better than last year, which is a plus, but still not at the standards I expect from Upper Deck.

Outside of those three elements, SPX is just plain boring and poorly designed. If they went back to the format from 2006, it would prevent a lot of mediocrity that has seeped into this set. The jersey cards are horrible looking, like they forgot the autos, and the non-base rookie autos are a snoozefest. I almost tuned out after the main hit was pulled from each box, because of how bad some of the cards are.

I would say that SPX looks rushed at the very best. You can easily tell where the focus is, and the rest is a graveyard of floating swatch windows and Panini-style design elements.

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Autograph Cards

I don’t have many complaints about the autograph cards, because they arent the downfall of this product. They don’t bring this product to another level either, so its pretty much indifference here. The stickers do detract from things, but at least they arent covered up by dark colors either.

The rookie auto jerseys arent as horrible as I thought, but they arent that great either, a running theme for this year. Thank god the windows look like footballs instead of spelling out SPX like they have for the last 2 years, one of the main welcome changes for the set.

The base scrub autos arent horrible either, they just look like the filler they are. They fit in with everything in the product, and they really arent something you are going to have as that one memorable card from your box. Most of them suffer from the Brady effect, or getting every rookie to sign some cards just so you can have a card of the one guy like Brady or Romo who breaks out from the later rounds.

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Relic Cards

Man, Im wondering if someone from Panini designed the relic cards from this set. They are the worst I have seen out of a UD product in a LONG time. Floating swatches, backwardly designed cards, and boring concepts litter the product to the point of nauseum. At least they are better than the weird die cut numbers and shapes of the last few years, but not on the level they should be at all.

When many of the relic only cards look like you forgot to add the autos, there are major problems. Panini does this on a regular basis, but we have yet to see UD break the golden rule of designing the relics as stand alones and finding a place for autos later. Otherwise they end up like crap when you have 10 parallels to fill the set.

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Value to the Collector

SPX as singles will actually hold value pretty well, especially the rookie autos and the shadow boxes. These are the first cards that really will hold through the year, even with other releases, and its not a bad idea to buy now on the cards you like. The parallels that are created on the rookie autos are always collected by a lot of people, so if you pull one, consider yourself VERY lucky.

The Shadow Boxes, especially the auto’ed versions will sell well because of the way they look and because of the rarity. I would think this type of idea will be repeated in other ways, and that its pretty cool to think how it can be used. Black already somewhat uses it with the Lustrous cards, but now it may be taken in another direction. I really like that, and so will the people who will chase these cards.

Outside of the rookie autos and the rare case hits, there isnt much value. The jersey cards are throwaways and the other stuff is junk. It’s the reason you should stick to singles over buying a box. The fact that this product is carrying a 150 dollar price tag is borderline Triple Threads territory.

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Overall impressi
ons

This set was held back by the non auto jersey cards, plain and simple. Without the relics and with a cheaper price tag, this could have been a great product a la 2006. I think things are definitely better than 2008, but not to the point where it deserves any praise. SPX needs a major redesign, as it does in baseball, hopefully with figuring out ways to get rid of the swatch cards that are completely worthless.

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2009 Product Leaderboard (SO FAR)

1. Topps Chrome (4/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). Upper Deck Football (3/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). UD Philadelphia (3/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). Topps Football (3/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). UD Icons (3/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). UD Heroes (3/5 GELLMANS)
2(t). UD Draft Edition (3/5 GELLMANS)
8(t). Upper Deck SPX (2/5 GELLMANS)
8(t). Playoff Absolute Memorabilia (2/5 GELLMANS)
8(t). Bowman Sterling Football (2/5 GELLMANS)
8(t). Donruss Threads (2/5 GELLMANS)
8(t). Donruss Classics (2/5 GELLMANS)
8(t). Donruss Elite (2/5 GELLMANS)
8(t). Playoff Prestige (2/5 GELLMANS)
8(t). Bowman Draft Picks (2/5 GELLMANS)
16. Score Inscriptions (1/5 GELLMANS)
17. Leaf Rookies and Stars (0/5 GELLMANS – NR)

2009 SPX Football Is Live!

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2009 SPX is live, and they have already eclipsed last year’s horribly conceived neon foil cards in my opinion. Of course, they are still produced on gold foil this year, and im not quite sure how I feel about the final product quite yet. These cards notoriously scan very badly, so I may have to wait to see a few more examples in person.
All I have to say is that the Rookie Materials autos (like the Maclin below) look amazing. I commented that these would be the best back when the previews were released, and so far it looks like I was right. I dont really consider myself an SPX fan usually because of the cost and the design, though the cards do look better than they normally do. Lastly, I would have liked on card sigs for this product, but I know that isnt possible with a pro-uni product this early.

EDIT: Cards like this just look awful, and there may be a lot of them in the set from what are popping on Ebay. I have no idea why anyone would produced a card like this, let alone buy it. Not a good start.

First Look: 2009 Topps National Chicle Football

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(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

The sad fact is that Topps opted to make this set after the Chicle cards in Topps Flagship, Topps Chrome, and UD Philadelphia were already out on the market. The even sadder thing is that these cards dont even compare to the ones from their base set, and they sure as hell dont compare to the ones in Philadelphia, so why even try?

The bordered sticker spaces on the autograph cards cut into the picture, and just draw attention to the fact that there is a sticker on the card. Why not just slap the sticker on the card without the border? It would look a little better than it does, right? With UD Philadelphia offering hard signed cards with better designs, this just isnt going to compete.
The dual looks borderline racist for the Moss painting as he kind of looks like those 20’s era depictions of black people on theater posters. Of course, it wasnt meant that way, but im not sure why they would use that particular painting for the card. Then when you factor in that BOTH the Brady and Moss paintings look weird, and feature bordered sticker spots, the card just looks even more awful.
National Chicle is going to suck from what this is showing, and I think I should use an example of what the autograph cards should look like versus what they do look like. Its a stark comparison.
EDIT: I just saw this one, and I almost spit my coffee all over my computer. Obviously Topps’ wonderful design team wasnt thinking too clearly (The Perez Hilton crap is my addition, though I think it adds to the overall presentation).