Triple Threads is gone from football, but alas, here is Spectra to ruin that absence with a set that looks worse than Triple Threads could ever dream of. Its literally the cardboard equivalent of Lisa Frank trapper keepers, with a design reminiscent of the way Disney treats stickers for their Princesses. Nothing I have seen has had as bad a track record in any sport as Spectra has had in football. The cringe is strong with this over priced trash, and for some reason a lot of people really like it. Im dumbfounded.

Check out this crap:

2017 Spectra Dalvin Cook Neon Green Auto Patch

2017 Spectra Kareem Hunt Neon Pink Auto Patch /15

2017 Spectra Christian McCaffrey / Curtis Samuel Dual Auto Patch 1/1 – This might be the ugliest looking design of the year so far.

2017 Spectra Mitch Trubisky Auto Patch 1/1

Lets start with the stock. Many of the cards, like last year, are printed on stock that features insanely busy patterns and prints, most of which make my eyes hurt. As cool as Chrome technology can be, this is the worst thing any company can do to it. At least the overall design that was used for the year’s card has improved in 2017, but man this stock is like dangling keys in front of a bored baby. Collectors inexplicably go fucking apeshit over shiny dumpster fires, and this is no exception.

Oh, but it gets better.

I can imagine the pitch meeting. Some dude talks about Spectra like its some new breath of fresh air. But the torture of that look wasnt enough, they decided that most of the cards werent going to be hard signed as they were in 2013. Not only that, they wanted the stickers signed in neon paint pen, which I just dont understand the reason for. Its crazy to me that someone threw that out as an idea, and others agreed it was a good idea. What a fucking joke. Yes, in the end, this is a $300 per box product that is built around stickers and neon paint pens. Im not making this up, as you can clearly see. Just let that shit sink in.

Overall, Spectra is as bad as it gets. To complicate things further, Unparalleled functions in a very similar space for a DRASTICALLY reduced price. Contrived scarcity is employed to “create” further value in unimpressive cards through most of Panini’s calendar, and Spectra is the worst offender. Just because someone signed a shitty looking card in pink and numbered it to 2 doesnt mean its unique.

I hope someday, Panini wises up. As good as Origins is (ripped off of a Topps product, natch), Spectra shows the ugly underside of what Panini’s team is severely lacking in talent.