I have never been too big a fan of Certified in any one of its many iterations, especially over the last few years. The cards have always been really ugly, save a few years here and there, including one of the ugliest modern sets of all time in 2006
. Bottom line, Certified should have been axed years ago, but like many of Panini’s products, the beatings will continue until morale improves.
Witness the Carnage Yourself:
2015 Certified Rob Gronkowski Auto Jumbo Relic
2015 Certified Phillip Dorsett Mirror Red Jumbo Patch Auto
2015 Certified Eli Manning Gold Team Auto /10
2015 Certified Todd Gurley Auto RC
Just taking one look at this design, all I can think is that someone dropped an iPad and they used it for inspiration. That, or Spider-man prematurely blew his wad, and it landed all over the printing plates. Not exactly the best feelings to instill in your customers. OH BUT IT HAS COLORZ AND BIG PATCHEZ! AWWWWWW YISS.
Certified is a product for those people who have no other desire than to get big patches. Regardless of how the cards look, they just want the CAR-AY-ZAY MOJOZ! and they dont care about anything else. These cards are some of the most hideous fucking train wrecks I have ever seen, and that’s being light. The jumbo patch autos are just horrible in every single way, and the base autos are worse. The cracked glass/Spidey Spooge approach takes this product to a new level of shittiness.
There is one part of this set that deserves some attention, and it might be the only reason to even consider joining a group break, let alone a box. The on card Super Bowl autos are a cool addition to this dumpster fire, and the cards are some I would pick up if there was someone in the set I collected.
As mentioned before, Panini did not get any cards signed at the rookie premiere, and Certified continues to suffer from sticker shock on every card in the product. The relic autos are not possible to be on card at this point in the year, but to see every card a sticker without a single on card offering is a slap in the face. As recent as 2011, Certified had on card content. Now? Might as well put it in the bargain bin before it even goes on the regular shelf.
After the last few years, this is pretty much how it is.
Stickers autographs and event used trash are a blight on the industry. Those two inventions are the enablers of awful, watered down products. In isolation that’s fine. However, they cheapen the on-card autograph, game-used material cards they imitate.
I don’t work for a card company, so talk is cheap and I don’t have to worry about hitting any sales goals. Sure, maybe I’m not even their target consumer. However, I have my preferences and I don’t support poorly conceived and produced products. If Panini’s NFL division was ever a 5th Avenue shop, then they’ve long since sold out and moved operations to China Town.
Every Panini set looks like some sort of bland insert continuation or half-assed mirror of the set that they released last week. There is never any distinction. If the cards didn’t have what set it was from on the front, no one – NO ONE – would ever know that it wasn’t just some sad offspring or extension from the prior set. It’s nothing but the same old rehashed shit again and again with these guys. Luckily, this is not my future as I am terminating my new football card collecting next year. It’ll be time to finish old Topps sets, look at stuff I missed from earlier Fleer and Upper Deck, and put my money where my mouth is: no panini products ever.