Tag Archives: Football Cards

2015 NFL Rookie Premiere List Announced

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Each year, there is no bigger event in the football card hobby than the NFLPA Rookie Premiere. This is the time where the new rookies for each team get to debut their new teams and take pictures for everything – from sports cards to Madden and other media. Its also the time where card companies get autographs, patches and material to use in their cards all year long. If you werent already aware, rookie memorabilia is all obtained at this event, not from the games played during the season.

This is also a time where many of the initial on card autographs are signed, some 1500 plus over the course of a few days:

2014 Inception Odell Beckham Jr Auto Laundry Tag Booklet

2014 Topps 40 Player Rookie Premiere Auto Booklet

2014 Elite Sammy Watkins Rookie Premiere Auto

2014 Topps Mike Evans Rookie Premiere Auto

2014 Elite Blake Bortles Inscriptions Acetate Auto

In previous years, the attendee list has ballooned from 30 to 35, all the way up to 41 attendees this year. As a result, this means that most of the skill position players drafted during the first 3 days will be attending, regardless of their potential for production on the field. Believe it or not, this isnt usually a bad thing, as it means that the one sleeper guy who will break out during the year will likely be among this group. It also means that there will be that many more duds that can kill your box.

I am counting a number of guys that could fill that role, including 5-10 WR alone. At the same time, this is a pretty deep class in both RB and WR, which would explain the invite list being more bloated with those guys.

Bottom line, if the guy your team drafted isnt on this list, there will LIKELY not be material cards for that player over the year. They also are UNLIKELY to have NFL jersey photos that arent retouched from their college days, or feature a shot from the pro day/combine.

Because all pictures and material is produced at this event, so much of any player’s year depends on premiere attendance. Most of those event worn swatches are from the jerseys they wear for a few seconds during the week, although Topps has done a good job bringing on more rookies who emerge as the season begins.

Here is the list:

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SCU Go-Live Report: 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Football

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There isnt many more adjectives that serve as a synonym for horrible that I can apply for this product. Being that this is the first set that is offered under their new exclusive license, you would think they would like to make more of a splash. Instead they have used an old design, sticker autos, and risked their biggest product's identity in the process. Its the equivalent of opening a restaurant and using a menu from the restaurant that was there prior to you buying it. I would even go so far as saying its probably the equivalent of using some of the old food itself as well.

Here are the bigger hits up so far:

2015 Contenders Draft Picks Marcus Mariota Cracked Ice Auto /23

2015 Contenders Draft Picks Amari Cooper Cracked Ice Auto /23

2015 Contenders Draft Picks Jameis Winston Auto Ticket

2015 Contenders Draft Picks Drew Brees Alumni Ink Auto

2015 Contenders Draft Picks Melvin Gordon Auto

Now, some of the big breakers want to equivocate the new draft picks set asking prices with the values from NFL contenders released a few months ago. They would love it if you can ask 1100 dollars for a Mariota Cracked Ice and get close to that price. At first, they might, because there is a sucker born every minute. However, every single aspect of this set, save checklist size, is inferior to their competition.

I have heard from people, “WELL, WELL, WELL, MY COLLEGE HAS MORE CARDS IN THIS SET!” This would be great if that meant those cards achieved a higher price just for existing. If the presence of more players meant a larger market would be interested in those cards, creating a demand for them above the 2 dollars they are getting, it might be a bit different. Instead, the checklist may be bigger, but all that means is that the bigger hits are further diluted more than they would be in other boxes.

Similarly, the fact that this is all sticker autographs compared to on card should indicate another reason why the checklist shouldnt give this product a pass. If Panini’s license prevented on card autographs from being made, who’s bright idea was it to release a product with the Contenders name attached? Why would you risk that? Makes no sense. Why not risk a brand that has no bearing in football like Elite Extra Edition or create something new like Rated Rookies?

It definitely hurts that the 2014 Contenders design is about as horrible as it has been over the last few years. The ticket design has off center logos, giant text and a weird bunch of numbers on the side that are supposed to make this a “ticket” but really just look out of place. This was all chosen instead of the Rookie Ink design, which believe it or not, ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE A FUCKING TICKET. I cant make this shit up, because they the did it all over again for 2015 draft picks.

Considering that this product inexplicably costs 130 dollars per box, makes me wonder why anyone would choose this box over a product like UD Inscriptions, which features a much more tightly organized checklist, on card autos and inscriptions! Hell, I would even bust Prizm next week at less than 70 instead of shelling out double for this crap.

I get it, my complaining does nothing, because the sheep will line up for bad products every time. Hell, look how many people busted Black Gold, which might have been one of the worst looking products of the year.

At least they wont be taking over the exclusive license for the NFL….oh crap. Kill me now.

On the Radar: 2015 Topps Chrome Football

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I am sad. I am sad because this will be the last time I get to talk about a Topps Chrome football preview.

With Panini taking over the NFL license next year, Topps Chrome will likely unable to be made in the same capacity as it will be this year, thus forcing 2015 to be the brand’s farewell tour. Chrome has always been a product I go nuts over more than any other product, save Five Star maybe, and its frustrating that it will be gone next year. Exclusives fucking blow, and now my favorite set of the year will be a casualty of that new deal. Wonderful.

Knowing that this is such a cheap break, its insane what comes out of the boxes:

2014 Topps Chrome Odell Beckham Superfractor 1/1

2014 Topps Chrome Kelvin Benjamin Auto Superfractor 1/1

2014 Topps Chrome Peyton Manning Base Auto Variation SSP BGS 9.5

2014 Topps Chrome Teddy Bridgewater Black Refractor Auto BGS 10

2014 Topps Chrome Andrew Luck Base Auto Variation SSP BGS 9.5

I think that this version of Topps Chrome is going to have a lot of questions, mainly stemming from the wax breaking train wreck of 2014’s edition. Because of a massively inflated production run, Chrome’s box breaks suffered to the Nth degree. It was close to impossible to pull anything of worth, and even harder to pull one of the better cards in the product. Although Topps Chrome Mini was significantly better in almost every way, it wont curb the collectors from questioning their stance on the product. It could have a lasting effect, as no one will want to buy in until they see the checklist and the odds, and I can guarantee that it may impact how 2015 Chrome goes into play.

Now, Chrome is still the undisputed king of football cards, regardless of wax issues in 2014, but at the same time, the cards could be the coolest design ever and it wouldnt matter. Wax breaks are just as important to the people that break this product, almost above and beyond design. Last year's product looked amazing, but because of how bad it performed on the breaks, the whole thing came apart at the seems. This year, I would have to guess we will get a run somewhere in between where it was last year and where it was in years prior. I dont think Topps wants to sit on closeout product from their last year in the game.

This could also serve as an opportunity to produce a larger veteran and retired autograph checklist, as they will want to clean out the stickers in the warehouse. Vet autographs have been a valuable part of the set over the last two years, and I would be interested to see how they play it out. This can be both good and bad, as a sticker dump may not be the best situation for a product with a knack for low performance in the box format. It could also be a cool way to finish out the run with some top autographs.

Either way, I love the 2015 design, and I love the way it looks to transfer to Chrome. The autographs will look stunning, as they always do, and the inserts look great too. I love the 1976 throwback cards, and to see the added content is pretty damn cool. There is a lot of dreariness and downtrodden feelings floating around football right now, as I dont see many people happy that Panini is going to be the only game in town. Seeing cards like this really does provide a momentary relief from that impending doom, but its just that – momentary.

Panini is going to fuck up the football hobby like never before, thanks to a number different reasons, and to see Topps and sets like Chrome disappear is nothing but disappointing. You hate to lose that history, and you hate to lose what Chrome brings to the table. Its not every day that one of cheapest boxes of the year delivers the top chase card of the year, and Panini still hasnt figured out how to make a similar concept work. The Superfractors are the cards that all the big buyers want, and pay more than Treasures and Flawless, sometimes combined. All of it will be gone in 2016, and that should be a testimony that things arent going in the right direction.

Its going to be a bitter goodbye for Chrome, and yet I still cant wait for it to come out.

On the Radar: 2015 Topps Finest Football Preview

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Over the last few years, Finest has been one of my favorite releases of the pre-season. It comes out right as things are getting hot with the new class, and the cards look great on the Chrome stock. It is also the first of the pro-uniform Superfractors of the year, and that creates a lot of collector interest. This year will be the last version of the set as it is structured currently, which is easily a bittersweet situation to be in. I am still very upset that we will not get licensed Topps sets in 2016 as it stands now.

Finest has always had some cool cards:

2012 Topps Finest Andrew Luck Die Cut Auto Red Refractor /25

2012 Topps Finest Russell Wilson Blue Refractor Patch Auto BGS 9.5

2008 Topps Finest Tom Brady Auto

2006 Topps Finest Emmitt Smith Auto BGS 9.5

2014 Topps Finest Jimmy Garoppolo Superfractor Auto Jumbo Logo Patch 1/1

This year’s design is very futuristic, something that Finest has always used as a theme. It has a combination of swooping lines and blocky modern patterns, all of which work very well. Last year’s design had a few issues with the way thick borders and elements conflicted with the main subject matter, all of which have been corrected in the 2015 preview. The only major complaint I have is on the Amari Cooper preview, where the design inexplicably features a stupid box around the sticker. Since Chrome mockups never do the cards justice, ill have to wait to see the final product. Either way, that box looks like poop, and hopefully it will be corrected.

Topps is also previewing autographs and retro Finest content from 1995, which is a Finest set that I collected the shit out of. It was the set that had a portion with that protective coating still on the cards, making it one of the more interesting of the run. As a kid, I immediately ripped all of that coating off, which was obviously a mistake. That year of Finest was definitely a fun one, and it only adds to the reason why I love this idea. Its unfortunate the autographs are stickers, but it is what it is.

Lastly, and most importantly, Finest looks to be going back to on card autographs on some of the non-relic rookie cards. I could not be more happy that this is the case. Last year’s versions were less attractive because they were stickers, something that I really was upset about. Glad they are going back to the way they were in 2013 and 2012.

Overall, as mentioned above, I am sad to say goodbye to a set that has been with me since I started in the hobby. I have always loved Finest’s cards, save a few of those awful “dead” years like 2008, and I wish that there was a way to keep it going. At least the product will be going out looking good.

Update: 2015 Contenders Draft Picks Previews

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I thought that there was a huge opportunity to do some major damage in draft sets for Panini, especially with Upper Deck being forced out of the college game. Its an exclusive that may not make them a bunch of money, but it could bring more people to their products if used correctly. Instead of using retouched photos like their competition will have to use, they get the full breadth of the spectrum, including non-rookie players. Now that we are getting more of a clear look at their flagship product, its safe to say that they fucked up big time.

We knew early on that Prizm was going to be stickers. Its par for the course with that set anyways. We also knew that Contenders was going to have stickers for the older players – which has always been the way Upper Deck approached this part of the year as well.

To this point, in order to compete with other companies, they needed to match the success of these on card examples:

2015 Upper Deck Inscriptions Jameis Winston Auto RC

2015 Upper Deck Inscriptions Marcus Mariota Auto RC

2015 Leaf Ultimate Draft Amari Cooper Red Auto /5

2015 Leaf Metal Draft Melvin Gordon Red Refractor /5

Even though other smaller sets have featured some really nice cards, Panini did not change course on their publicity. They refused to address whether or not the rest of the rookie stuff would be on card to compete with the other companies who have already put out some pretty awesome stuff. Today, it looks like Contenders is going to be stickers as well as Prizm.

So, lets lay it out there:

  • New license
  • New opportunities
  • Old design?
  • Sticker autos?
  • Competition looks better?

How do you not put your best foot forward in this situation? How do you not want to start your brand off right? This is an exclusive license that could add some flavor to your products in the coming years and instead of going balls out, you want to use an old design and sticker autos? Cmon. Really?

I mean, Upper Deck's Inscriptions product will lay waste to this shit, and Leaf Trinity is going to make both look like inferior turds. It has been a great looking product for years. If your competitors and their tiny operations are going to make you look like bush league amateurs, that is not the way to start your line. If the license’s start date puts a limitation on the way your products can be built, adjust your calendar or dont risk the biggest brand in your arsenal. Horrible decision making.

Personally, I would say Elite Extra Edition is ripe for this territory. Its a new brand for football, it doesnt damage other brands if it tanks, and Elite Football can be pushed back to allow for a buffer zone. I dont get Panini’s plan here one single bit.

If you are looking for a draft product to buy, I would highly suggest Upper Deck Inscriptions or Leaf Ultimate Draft. Both have great looking cards with on card autographs. Dont waste your time and money on a set that offers nothing special. In less than 2 months, there will be pro products on the shelves, and college stuff will drop. If you have to open something, at least find a box that offers unique content. Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota will have THOUSANDS of sticker autos all year. These ones from Contenders and Prizm wont even make the top 100.