We all know that Rookies and Stars is rarely ever worth paying attention to. The set hardly even lives up to its horrible name most years. Even so, its rare that a product is released that is done so without the typical sell sheet and pre-sale info that goes out to every distributor. 2015 Rookies and Stars looks to be the first football product in years that seems to have gone that direction, although it might be because the set ends up as retail only. Its probably better that as few people as possible are subjected to it from the looks of the way it turned out.

Over the last few years, and really since the product’s inception, Rookies and Stars has been the Ford Pinto of the trading card world. So bad that it is a punch line. Not a good brand identity, but Panini keeps on using the paddles to shock another few beats into its heart. I dont think I have bought a pack of this product, ever. That’s how bad it is.

This set has been inexcusably bad for almost a decade:

2014 Rookies and Stars Odell Beckham Patch Auto

2011 Rookies and Stars Tom Brady Auto Relic

2012 Rookies and Stars Andrew Luck Auto Patch RC

2011 Rookies and Stars Colin Kaepernick Auto Manupatch RC

This year’s product is so boring looking that it might not even be worth talking about. If you saw these cards in a large search on eBay, you wouldnt even notice them. It has always been a forgettable set, but this year is an exception to how bad it gets. Not even going into the horrid looking die cut cards, and even more stupid content than one could imagine. It even has manupatch cards – ones that dont feature a team logo or even anything worth making a manupatch of. It has the set logo as a manupatch. I cant even make this shit up. Of course, this is the set that originated those awful signed pieces of scrap cloth that Panini loved for so many years, so maybe its destiny?

It makes you wonder if this is like those movies they dont screen for critics because they know how bad they are. That’s definitely 2015 Rookies and Stars, a set that is about as worthwhile as making another Mummy movie. 2015 Rookies and Stars: The Mummy Attacks! This is what we have come to. Remember, there had to be someone who looked at this set and said – YES! PRINT IT! I loathe that person.

Before I show the pictures, here is a running list of Panini products that will hit shelves before the first set with any significant on card rookie autograph content. Yes TEN FUCKING PRODUCTS:

• 2015 Prizm Draft
• 2015 Contenders Draft
• 2015 Prestige (1 set of same day cards)
• 2015 Clear Vision
• 2015 Spectra (1 set of HOF)
• 2015 Certified
• 2015 Rookies and Stars
• 2015 Donruss
• 2015 Panini Playbook
• 2015 Gridiron Kings

Wow, someone needs an award made up. Holy shit.