Today we get our first look at this year’s version of Threads, and though original mockups look promising, I am cautious before giving Panini any praise until the final product hits shelves. I will say that if everything holds up the way it is being previewed, Panini has finally taken a theme and concept and done it well. The running “thread” (pun intended) that is in these previews is that each of the cards uses the motif of jerseys and pieces of jersey as the background idea for the set. This is something I absolutely love, especially when done well, and hopefully, these cards will end up that way.

I will say that for 2010 threads, the full game shots on the base set were a welcome change from the usual photoshop backgrounds that Panini is infamous for using. This year, it looks to be a similar approach which is awesome, even though the parallels are usually done in the hideous rainbow foil board that Panini must have stockpiled in a secret warehouse somewhere. I also like the design of the three inserts with the pro players on them, if not only because the cards wont look ridiculous if the jersey swatch stays where it is for the non-auto’ed version.

I still very much think the manu-letter autos are not worth anyone’s time in the way that they are done. There is ABSOLUTELY no reason that they just cant take the name of the team and have the premiere attendees sign those instead of the black and white “teamless” nameplates. I would much have a Purple and White signed “VIKINGS” nameplate than a Black and White “PONDER” name plate. Its beyond stupid.

Overall, im sure Panini will find a way to screw over everyone on these cards. They did it with the great design and Contenders last year, and this probably wont be much different. You, as well as I, probably noticed that the cards that drive this product are eerily absent from the preview, something that I hope was NOT on purpose. Ill guess ill just have more fodder for criticism as soon as the rookie collection cards are finally previewed down the road.

Here are the images:

When the rookies were hobnobbing around LA a few weekends ago, I knew I had to employ some help. Living in San Antonio instead of California meant I had to make up for the fact that I wouldnt be at the premiere this year. One of my friends who still lives in LA was going to go hunting, and I asked him to search out Christian Ponder, the Vikings top pick, to get me an auto – at least if it were at all possible. He did that and then some, with a personalized auto that made me EXTREMELY happy.  However, because of the nature of the event, could only get a signed piece of paper. I knew exactly what I had to do with this awesome addition to my personalized autograph collection, so I employed Sergio of www.bustingpacks.com to do what he does best.

Here is the amazing finished product now that I have it built. A big thank you to both of the people who helped make it happen.

Its a 5×7 that I glued onto some mat board, and I think it turned out better than I could have expected. Im going to put it in a frame and display it proudly, even though this was one auto I wish I could have gotten in person.

If you havent checked out Sergio’s site, be sure to do so, he has some of the best graphics work in the blogosphere. I think this proves it.

There is a trend in this hobby that has become quite disturbing to me, especially as someone who values design and look over memorabilia in the cards I buy. Since 2007, the patch and jersey card has become so commonplace, that the companies are looking for more ways to stretch this idea until it is completely worthless. Rather than improving the visual appeal and ideas behind the cards themselves, they have just made the jersey swatches larger and larger, sometimes covering the whole entire card. When this happens, it no longer becomes about the player on the card, just how “OMG SICKZ MOJOS!!!11!” the patch is. Barf.

I hate this practice so much because, most of the time, the people who design the cards shrink the player pictures to the size of a dime, or in some laughable cases, just cover up the player altogether. Its terrible. In fact, on some cards, the product’s logo is larger than the picture of the player.

Topps has found a way around this situation with Rising Rookies this year, as well as Finest and Platinum last year. They have maintained look and design, all while appeasing the growing need among collectors for huge pieces of memorabilia.

Here are some examples:

Sam Bradford 2010 Platinum Jumbo Patch Auto

Sam Bradford 2010 Finest Jumbo Patch Auto

Ryan Mathews Rising Rookies Jumbo Patch Auto 1/1

Mike Kafka Rising Rookies Eagles Logo Jumbo Patch Auto

Mike Williams Rising Rookies Jumbo Patch Auto 1/1

Marcus Easley Rising Rookies Jumbo Patch Auto 1/1

You can easily see in these cards that the oversized patches fit perfectly within the confines of the design, and they still have room for a generous player picture AND an autograph. Although the autos stickers, it works extremely well.

When you see the way other cards have been done, like some of the ones I equate to visual diarrhea on Panini’s side, these look like freaking Picassos.

There have already been previews showing that Topps is going to use this style more frequently this year, which should do wonders for making people like me very happy. Regardless of the way the rest of 2011 turns out, this is a hot start for sure.

I have already commented extensively on my distaste for this year’s cop out attempt at Elite Football, especially the hideous on card auto set that was previewed at the premiere. We also got a pretty awful look at the mock ups for these cards back a few months ago, which is basically the sign that this is not going to be pretty when it hits shelves.

Today, Panini released the first photo gallery of the rookie cards that will be the main focus of this set, seemingly in NON-mockup form. Bascially, what you see here is what you are going to get. That is where the problem is based.  Let me preface my feedback with this:

I didnt hate the look of the Elite rookies last year. Even with all the foil, the cards still had a nice look to them. The autos were okay, and the on card set was a pleasant surprise.

When you look at what is going on here compared to cards like this from last year, it makes you wonder what the hell Panini was thinking when they designed the rookie cards this year.

First, why are they horizontally oriented? On cards like this it makes no sense because it limits the picture placement, and it also looks weird when the rest of the cards are vertically oriented.

In fact, someone posted what the cards COULD HAVE BEEN, if they were vertical. Its still not a “great” design, or even “good” design, but its SOOOOOO much better than what is in the product currently.

Secondly, There is ZERO REASON to slap the word “ROOKIE” in 175 point text crawling up the side like that. We know its a rookie with a smaller, or washed out version that doesnt immediately draw your eye like a car accident. Hell, we know Panini loves washed out text, because they ruined Prestige’s rookies with it.

Speaking of text crawling up the side, it looks like someone didnt care about text orientation or design composition, because they obviously didnt switch the player name and team on the right side of the card. It looks ridiculous, and its only going to be made worse by my last point.

When we got the previews, it looks like Panini was PLANNING on adding a HUGE WHITE BOX to house the autos. I sincerely hope this doesnt happen.

Here is the preview:

If there is one thing I absolutely despise about the way Panini’s sets are structured, its the fact that they build the cards backwards. What I mean by this is pretty simple. Panini parallels the hell out of every single insert in just about every single set they put out. They have a base card that has 8 parallels from 1500 to 1, a jersey parallel, a patch parallel, an auto parallel, an auto jersey parallel, and an auto patch parallel. If you believe it, the number of the parallels is only PART of the problem.

The main portion is the fact that Panini doesnt start with the base card and start adding on jerseys and autos until they get to the final parallel, they seemingly start with the jersey auto, and remove elements until they get to the base card. What collectors are left with are base inserts and jersey/patch cards that look incomplete, like someone forgot to finish designing the card. It looks amateurish and stupid, and yet it is done CONSTANTLY every single year.

Topps Rising Rookies is hitting shelves this week, and for the first time, they look like they are starting to employ a similar practice. Although the cards arent as bad looking as some of Panini’s visual abominations, I see a disturbing trend on the horizon if it continues.

Check out these cards:

Reggie Wayne Playmakers Patch Auto – this card also has a jersey parallel and a base parallel from the looks of it.

CJ Spiller Patch Auto Second Year – this card has a patch parallel, an auto parallel, a jumbo patch parallel, and a jumbo auto patch parallel. All look very similar like Panini does, but the patches dont look as incomplete as they do on Panini’s side.

Vincent Brown Rookie Auto – This card has a base parallel as well, although if it were a Panini card, there would probably be a floating swatch somewhere on this card in a ridiculous place.

I sincerely hope that Topps reconsiders this practice for future sets, because it does NOT reflect well on product and checklist quality. Im hoping that we get more products like Five Star out of them and less products like the disgrace that was also known as National Treasures.