This year, my family and I decided to take a spring break trip to Florida for my son’s first birthday, including a day at Disney and a trip to Ft Myers to watch the Twins in Spring Training. Being that I am a huge Twins fan, and its been 15 years since I have gone to ST, it was going to be nice to see the new facility and spend some time watching the team up close and personal.

We knew it was going to be much more access to the team than we could ever think of at a normal game, even more so on a Wednesday morning before the crowds show up for the main slate of games that starts this week. What we didnt know was just how much access we would have and how amazing the players would be to us as they got ready to rock for the 2016 MLB grind.

We got there at about 10, which from what the suggestions we got from veterans was perfect timing. The players would all be out and practicing, and it would only be a few hours before they started to walk inside and we could meet them. The facility is brand new and gorgeous, with some nice practice fields and cages that the players used the whole day. You can literally go up to the chain link fence while they are playing, and talk to them if they are up to it. Overall there were about 100 people there, mostly Twins fans who live in the area, and fans making the trip to participate. It was like being there right along side them as they prep.

Around 10:30, Kyle Gibson and Jose Berrios did some bullpen work, which was awesome to see literally standing next to them. You really dont appreciate how hard they throw the ball until you can feel the ball whip past you as they throw it. Both were very nice, and teased my son about his strong arm when he threw a ball back to them that got away from the catcher. He was pretty proud of that. They were super nice and tossed him a ball when they were heading back to the clubhouse.

Around 11:15, the players started winding down, and signed for everyone as they walked off the practice field. Torii Hunter was there hanging out with the team, and having a good time knowing he was only there for fun for the first time in many many years. He signed for everyone as he was standing around, doing soft tosses for the players who wanted to hit in the cage. He spent some time hanging out with Tony Oliva, who was also there with the team – something very cool to see. Not every day you get two of the teams most recognizable guys hanging out and talking shop.

Brian Dozier was there taking some light hitting, and he made it a point to stop and sign for my son, take pictures and chat for a moment. He is my son’s favorite player, especially now. Literally the most personable guy on the team, making it a point to spend time with the 5-10 kids that were all there. Just amazing.

The guy everyone wanted to see was Joe Mauer, and I was a little surprised how much popularity he still has despite the few down years in a row. He was a superstar at the facility, and everyone there jammed the walkway when he came off the field. I had met Mauer a number of times, but my son said that he HAD to get Joe to sign his ball. Luckily Joe stopped for a second when my son reached out, and made sure he was having a great time.

Overall, if you are a baseball fan, and want to get closer to your team, this is literally heaven. I dont think I have spent time like this so close to a group that is actively training, and not part of an event. To see them make spring training an experience for everyone was literally one of the best experiences we have had.

Plus, the kids go right to sleep on the drive home! That is a true gift.

Here is the question that I dont really understand for Black Gold. Panini obviously put a lot of money into the production of this product over the last two years. Acetate everywhere, multi layer cards, lenticular approach, lots of funky crap in the box. Yet, with all of that, why did no one think to go in and actually spend time on making the design better than it is? Baffles me.

Here are some of the minimal listings for 2015:

2015 Black Gold Marcus Mariota Sizeable Signatures Auto /99

2015 Black Gold Maxx Williams Sizeable Signatures Auto NFL Logo 1/1

2015 Black Gold Jerry Rice Jumbo Relic Auto /49

2015 Black Gold Jameis Winston Sizeable Signatures Auto Patch RC /49

2015 Black Gold Odell Beckham Jumbo Relic Auto

Not only did Panini use horrible photos, cut signatures of rookie players on black cardboard, and those lame ass metal hood ornaments, but they basically took all the technology that went into the product and shit on it with a stupid layout for most of the cards. I mean, sticker autos on clear acetate just look dumb, and that’s not even accounting for all the other stuff mentioned above.

I really do like some of the cards, despite the garbage that surrounds it in the box. 2015 does look better than 2014 in many ways. However, outside the on card autographs and the base cards, the rest of the product looks like the mangled face of someone who just opened a case of this.

Watching breaks of this is like watching a guy get punched repeatedly in the balls. The boxes of Black Gold are so brutal that its literally hard to watch. Topps recently released Strata, which I would argue is an inspiration for Black Gold, and for 60 bucks a pop, you get a shot at cards that are very similar to those offered in Panini’s version. Additionally, Strata has no sticker autographs, and the plexiglass hits are much better than the ancillary box content in Black Gold. Why waste your time on a box costing triple the price?

I dont think I am among the minority, as I have yet to see many boxes broken on any of the message boards. Group breakers are even having trouble selling spots, as I see many unfilled breaks just about everywhere.

Glad this is the company that the NFL chose to be their exclusive partner. Just fucking wonderful.

We all knew Topps was going to go out with a bang when Definitive collection was previewed a few months ago. This will end up as their most expensive football product of the entire run of their history in the sport, and it is delivering like nothing I have ever seen. Each box has something just insane, and some have more than one card that just about every collector would love for their collection.

Dont get me wrong, this product could have been even better than it already is. Right now its missing a huge chunk of the run thanks to player signings not getting done. That being said, even though the product is overflowing with redemptions, the boxes are churning out hits that dreams are made of. We all know that Topps likely had to rush the release of this set due to the pending Panini exclusive, but if they can come even within a hair of fulfilling everything that is out there, good god there will be some amazing cards.

Inscriptions

If a company puts Inscriptions in their product, it will capture my attention. There is nothing that gets me more pumped than cards where a player adds a personal touch. I dont know what it is, but they are my favorite cards that are made today. Keep your patches and your relics – I WANT INSCRIPTIONS. After last year’s Five Star excluded them from the product, I was pretty sad that we might not ever get them back. Boy was I wrong. Not only do the cards look beautiful, but the inscriptions themselves are nice. Great cards.

2015 Topps Definitive Collection John Elway Inscription Auto /10

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Todd Gurley Inscription Auto /25

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Ameer Abdullah Inscription Auto /10

Framed Rookie Auto Patches

This hasnt been done before in Football, and Definitive KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK with these. Not only is the design among the best of this card type since jumbo patch autos were invented, but they are framed like Museum. I wish there were veteran versions of these, because they might be the best auto patch cards of the modern era. Cool swooping patch window, large signature area, faded team logo, and a big player picture. I hate using this word, but these are fucking sick.

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Todd Gurley Framed Jumbo Patch Auto /25

2015 Topps Definitive Collection TJ Yeldon Framed Rookie Auto Patch /10

Multi Signed Cards

This is where the product gets really cool. The person who came up with these pairings should be given a hearty handshake, because they are fucking incredible. Barry and Tomlinson? Peyton and Rodgers? Gurley and Faulk? Wilson and Luck? Elway and TD? Pinch me, im dreaming. These just get better and better, and though some arent live, they will be eventually. To think that someone is going to end up with some of these pairs of NFL giants, Im jealous. Interestingly enough, there are many of these pairs that have never been on a card together.

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Todd Gurley Marshall Faulk Dual Auto

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Jerome Bettis / Hines Ward Dual Patch Auto

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Russell Wilson / Richard Sherman Dual Auto

Football Leather Booklets

I wasnt aware that they were going to do this, but a few of the rookies have booklet autos that are bound with football leather. Its been done in Triple Threads before, but not like this. They look like the booklets from Treasures only much more premium in design, and I wish there were more. Cards like this make me angry that this set is one and done.

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Jameis Winston Jumbo Patch Auto Football Leather Booklet /5

Super Bowl, MVP, and Champions Autos

I have said for years that the game’s biggest event needed more attention. Definitive ran with a similar concept bringing some really top level MVP cards. I really love the simple design, and the large autograph space lends itself well to pretty stunning looking approach. These are low numbered, and very much something I want.

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Aaron Rodgers SB MVP Auto /10

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Barry Sanders MVP Auto /10

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Steve Young SB MVP Auto /10

Again, if you dont mind being patient, Definitive will be a set that Topps can be proud of. Redemptions do sting, especially with multiple per box. Yet, when you see that the bigger names of the rookies are mostly live, its not too big a deal if you have to wait for a hit that is a pull of a lifetime. Im a patient man when it comes to good looking shit. VERY patient. Dont write this product off because of the redemptions, you will miss out. Trust me.

If you are a fan of motor sports, you probably know about Press Pass and their dedication to NASCAR during its immense popularity over the last 5-10 years. When Press Pass closed up shop last year, it left the NASCAR license relatively abandoned, something that many collectors hated to see. In true Panini fashion, they announced a limited product line that would be released under a newly acquired NASCAR License, including a return to high end with a National Treasures NASCAR set.

Here are some of the cards from Press Pass’ reign over NASCAR. I like a lot of these as a budding fan of the sport:

2014 Press Pass Red Line Jeff Gordon Relic Auto /15

2015 Press Pass Pit Road Dale Earnhardt Jr Triple Relic Auto

2015 Press Pass Upper Cuts Jimmie Johnson Logo Patch Booklet Auto 1/1

2014 Press Pass Red Line Danica Patrick Auto Red Ink /10

Because racing is a big deal to a lot of people, this deal has people talking. However, Im not so sure its the cow Panini is making it out to be. Press Pass went out of business for a reason, and it wasnt because they made shitty products. Its because the license didnt deliver. Panini seems to think its not too worth the risk either, as they are only committing to four products, three of which are established brands.

Here is the thing. I hope Panini does this right. They bit off a ton with the NFL and further stuffed their mouth with NCAA exclusives. This isnt an exclusive, but its still four more product. If they go into this and churn out tons of sticker based garbage like I am expecting. They will reap the rewards of their previous failures in other sports. Right now, NASCAR fans dont appreciate cardboard, but the driver branding is unlike anything that exists in team sports.

With the pro leagues, players usually hate the public persona they have to maintain. Signing autographs for many is seen as a pain in the ass. Press Pass never seemed to have as much of that problem, as the drivers are as much of a business as the teams they race for. Being there and being visible with the fans is not only expected of the individuals in the sport, its required. The fan loyalty to a driver is so similar to a fan’s loyalty to a team, that many sports collectors may identify with the way collectors behave. However, not many NASCAR fans care or want to care about cards. Im just saying this should be an easier player group to work with. Hopefully that means fewer stickers, but we all know Panini.

If Panini thinks they can waltz in and put out half-assed products, they will not only be negatively compared to Press Pass products of years prior, but they will fail to bring any new interest to the hobby. Panini has to do this right, and frankly, im not sure they can or even want to dedicate the capacity needed to make the sets work on the level they need to.

Shit, it might just be a slow play to eventually get into NASCAR digital, where I see the biggest push to bring this license into a profitable state. Think about a digital app that you pull the different parts to a car, pull the drivers, and pull the sponsors. Then, based on your build, you can get points in a gameplay format. It would be nuts, and it might even be the first app where gameplay dominates the landscape so much that collecting isnt as important. I would play the fuck out of that app.

I digress.

Panini is slowly trying to get deeper and deeper into a market that I see as a high risk low reward venture as a whole. I think they know the hobby isnt performing the way it used to, and may have some egomaniacal approach that thinks they can turn it around. In my opinion, its a losing game unfortunately. Taking on more and more just doesnt seem like the best thing to do when you already over-invested in the NBA, vastly over-invested in the NFLPA, and did so again with both NCAA and NFLP. Why not focus where there is still some money left? The collectors deserve more than the trash pile Panini currently calls a product calendar. So far, I see little to show they are headed in any sort of a right direction.

There arent many superlatives left to describe a product of premium quality. I mean, Panini is going as far as calling things Immaculate and Flawless. When I heard Topps calling their last figurative hurrah in the super high end market “Definitive Collection,” I thought they had better live up to the name. Seeing the cards live is a statement for sure. Five Star remains one of my favorite products of all. Same with Exquisite collection pre-2009. They set a precedent. The question is, can Topps do the same with a product that will last 1 year? Definitive Collection is going to try to do just that.

Check out the cards up so far, they pack a punch:

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Jerome Bettis Auto Patch /5

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Emmitt Smith Pro Bowl Auto /10

2015 Definitive Collection Phil Simms Auto Inscription /10

2015 Topps Definitive Collection Marcus Mariota Auto

2015 Topps Definitive Collection JJ Watt Auto

2015 Definitive Collection Russell Wilson / Richard Sherman Dual Auto

The cards themselves look tremendous. The level of detail and checklist quality speaks to the fact that Topps didnt want to go quietly into the good night. When you see how much better most of the set looks than Flawless does, its curious what the fuck Panini is spending all that money on? Melee gems dont cost THAT much.

Dont get me wrong, this is a VERY costly product. Think Dynasty baseball in a normal box format. That expensive. For the most part Topps delivered in ways that no other company has really delivered, well maybe ever. Big names everywhere, great looking cards, HUGE patches, cool inscriptions, framed autographs, the list goes on and on. Its like they actually knew what they were coming up short with Five Star and built it up. Made it better for everyone to finally see what they were missing in a super premium set.

That’s not saying the product doesnt have drawbacks. The colors used for the parallels and the level of saturation is horrendous. It looks awful. Because of the way the cards’ color palate were printed, its almost like they chose pastels, which very much clash with the team colors of the league. Not good.

Similarly, the checklist has its fair share of redemptions, which isnt going to make people happy. When you do a full on card product like this, redemptions are part of the game. However, if the quality is high on the finished product, I know quite a few people that are happy to wait. Hopefully the signers fulfill their promises, because some of these cards are fucking balls to the walls ridiculous.

Im going to close with this. Sets like this make me sad. Sad that we dont get to see the future iterations of the product in football. Instead we are left with a Flawless product that costs 1500 but doesnt deliver unique content, or an Immaculate product that has a lot of nice cards, but at a crazy low seeding rate. We need more products that people open the box and think WOW. This is just nuts. Definitive, down to the intricate patterns embossed on the cards, is the first set to do that in a long time. Its gone in football next year. Topps is out.

Last time I checked, Panini is too busy trotting out products that have yet to measure up. They may own the exclusives, but they arent ever going to reach what both Topps and Upper Deck managed. People bought Exquisite because they LOVED it. People bought Five Star because they LOVED it. I feel like people buy Panini’s stuff because they want to make money, not because they think its a great product. I dont get how such value can be attributed to sets that dont look good, and havent measured up to others in the space in theme or concept. It makes no sense. Definitive brings the checklist strength and design, and I am hoping that people give Topps the sendoff they deserve.

Is this going to pan out well for a product with no future? Im intrigued. I really hope people support a set that looks to be done very very well. I think the industry’s future isnt enormously bright, so maybe people will see that its best to live in the moment. Definitive is definitely a great moment, and a nice way to close out Topps’ run. We still have Diamond and other sets to go, including Supreme, but this is the meat. This is the big dog. It barks like a big dog should.