I dont spend a lot of time talking about Basketball here, mainly because it really isnt my sport to collect. A main reason is that Panini’s exclusive has huge ups and downs of the way the cards eventually turn out set by set, and it takes away from any interest I have. I think if Upper Deck was still involved, with Jordan and Lebron, I would have more interest in covering the day to day, but their departure in 2009 has been a huge loss for the sport.

Panini has tried to reclaim some of what left with the creation of Flawless, which has been somewhat successful in creating an ultra high end market. Last year’s version wasnt all that successful after the inagural set the ball in motion, but this year looks different with Wiggins and Parker to carry the set. Adding in USA Basketball is a similarly good idea, and its going to be interesting to see if collectors react well to it.

Since its release, it has had some very clean and simple designs that look really good:

2012-13 Flawless Kyrie Irving Auto Patch RC BGS 9.5

2013-14 Flawless Stephen Curry Jumbo Patch Auto BGS 9.5

2012-13 Flawless Kobe Bryant Dual Patch Auto

2013-14 Flawless LeBron James Jumbo Patch Gold

I want to pay close attention to the set, because the potential that some of these designs end up in Football is a really good thing. They look clean and sleek, and though there are some really confusing cards that look horrendous, the sell sheet looks damn good. Im still not convinced that Panini will get off their ass to actually produce a good football set this year, especially after the set under-performed in 2014. Maybe this year, the distributors wont try to jack up the MSRP well above where it was supposed to be, like they did last year.

I really like the base autos, and the jumbo patch autos also look really good. I am a huge fan of white background and minimal embellishments, letting the player stand out against the card front with a big bold signature. I also like when the patch is 1×2 instead of a square, as it gives a lot more space to play with. All of these things look to be in play for this set.

As for the multi signed cards, I dont get why Panini seems to haphazardly place players on in the places they do. It looks to confuse everyone as to where they should look, including the players themselves when signing the cards. The designs get cluttered, as we saw in Immaculate, which had some of the most terrible multisigned cards I have seen in a while.

Personally, I dont really like the ridiculous price tag that graces the boxes of Flawless out there. Without Jordan and without Lebron, it seems like those holes create enormous gaps in what could be done with a product like this. Taking out logos and other insane cards that could be possible is an even worse idea, making Immaculate look like the far superior product. To date, Flaweless has rarely offered any type of unique content that wasnt available other places, and that should NEVER fucking happen when a box costs more than 1000 per. There needs to be some crazy chase cards, and flawless rarely delivers that. Sure the cards look nice, but its basically everything you find in NT or other sets, but at 5-6x the box price.

Just thinking about what Exquisite would have delivered with this kind of budget is really a crazy thought, and I resent Panini for doing it this way instead. Shame on them.

Panini keeps trotting out products that have literally bombed every year they have been around. Like Spectra, sets like Playbook have almost never been successful in any way, with 2014 likely being the worst year of the entire run. For whatever delusional reason they have in their head, Playbook is back for another year, despite all the issues it has had in the past.

Now, in 2012 and 2013, I actually thought it was an interesting and cool product, if not only because there was plenty of other sets that Panini was offering that had true on card content:

2012 Playbook Andrew Luck Auto Patch Booklet RC

2013 Playbook Adrian Peterson Auto Patch Booklet

2013 Playbook Peyton Manning Nike Logo Booklet Patch

2014 Playbook Colin Kaepernick NFL Logo Shield Booklet

The design of the booklets was always pretty cool, using the silhouette style technology to showcase the rookies and vets. All of that basically went away in 2014, and the product was at half of dealer cost almost immediately. I mean, who doesnt love buying a box of cards when the auto hit is a hideous orange parallel from one of the worst sets of all time?

The biggest laugh of 2015 has to be that Panini already put out Clear Vision, which is basically a set of those horrible cards from 2014 Playbook. The signed acetate scrap game is large in both of these sets, and I just dont see the appeal when its done the way Panini is doing it. It also presents ANOTHER set without true hard signed rookie content. I dont know what the fuck is going on in Texas, but it seems like they have given up on getting actual cards signed by the rookie class. By the time this comes out, we will have had Bowman, Inception, Topps Flagship, Platinum, Finest, Hi Tek and more from Topps, all of which feature great looking on card rookie autographs. Nothing from Panini. Great job guys. Slow clap for the people on the short bus.

From the way the previews look for the main box hits, they may be introducing a new shape of booklet, which actually doesnt look all that horrible, except for the way the player is inexplicably down so far on the right side of the card. I dont think the faded player shot is as necessary when it makes the design look that unbalanced.

The down and dirty cards are back, which is one of the only consistently awesome part of this set over the last few years. However they are so freaking tough to pull its almost a non factor. I also liked them a lot more in white, but then it would just be the same design as the previous years.

As for the jumbo logo, I think they had a unique opportunity to create a booklet that had silhouettes on both sides similar to the Game of Inches cards that were so cool before, and yet, here we are with half a Funchess instead of bunches of Funchess (Sorry, had to do it). Just looks weird, like he has half a body. Missed a big splash with these cards as a result.

When you see the base cards for this products are booklets, all I could think was that this was an unnecessary cost to add to a product that already has an unnecessary existence. There are so many decisions like this that Panini makes on a regular basis that makes me question how much they actually know about football cards. More importantly, when you see what Panini does in Basketball, both in terms of content and on card autographs, it really makes Football seem even trashier than it already is for Panini.

What a fucking disgrace.

I think the creation of Inception changed the game for products that are released this early in the year. By using the design, format and signing process that Topps has done for this product since 2011, it has made on card autographs and super high end content available very early on in the year. I could not be more happy. Lucky for us, 2015 Inception looks like it might be the best version of the set to date, and it comes with zero redemptions. Here are some of my favorite elements.

Black Matte Cards – Inscription, Gold and Silver Autos

Im going to be honest here and say that these are one of the main reasons that I buy Inception year after year. The way the black matte cards are done is amazing to see in person, as the player and signature seem to pop off the card. Adding in special inscriptions and drawn plays, and these become chase cards even at a level reserved for sets later in the year. If you cant see from scans, the player is a glossy cut out against the matte stock, which adds to the visual appeal. They are just awesome cards in every sense.

2015 Topps Inception Jameis Winston Auto Inscription /10

2015 Topps Inception Todd Gurley Inscription Auto 1/1

2015 Topps Inception Kevin White Inscription Auto /10

Booklet Cards

Normally, you cannot get relics with on card autographs done in time for a release this early on in the season. It takes too long to get the cards printed and built, and then arrange the signing to have them completed by the athlete. This is why on card relic autos dont usually pop up until December en masse.

2015 Topps Inception Marcus Mariota Booklet Laundry Tag Auto 5/5

2015 Topps Inception Jameis Winston Auto Booklet Jumbo Patch 4/5

Topps found a way to do it with Inception that allows them to get the book signed before it is actually a book. The results are stunning, and include the first NFL Shield high end hits of the year. The Mariota was recently pulled and shown off, and it looks absolutely incredible.

Relic Autos

If you are looking for more readily available relic autos, the ones in this year’s set look tremendous. My only complaint is is the odd mixture of color parallels that dont always work. Brand logos, team logos, crazy glove patches and more are all back again, and when they are pulled, they are really disgusting cards. If I had unlimited funds, these cards would be in my collection over a lot of the other sticker auto relics coming in the next few months.

2015 Topps Inception Jameis Winston Nike Logo Auto Patch 1/1

2015 Topps Inception Amari Cooper Auto Patch Pink Parallel /50

2015 Topps Inception Melvin Gordon Auto Patch Pink Parallel /50

On Card Content in General

Panini should be ashamed of themselves. They have yet to preview a set with on card rookie autographs in any of the products so far shown on their adverblog. When you see the sheer volume of on card content in Inception, it makes you wonder what the fuck they were thinking. I guess they thought it was more important to have the rookies sign acetate scraps and sketch cards than sign actual cards that look even close to what Inception delivers every pack.

2015 Topps Inception 6 Auto Booklet – Mariota, Winston, Gordon, Gurley, Parker, Cooper

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-Topps-Inception-Quad-Auto-Rc-J-Strong-B-Perriman-N-Agholor-T-Lockett-22-25-/321831509055?hash=item4aeea71c3f

People will complain about the 00 jerseys on some of the players. I literally couldnt give a flying fart in fucksville about that. Zero fucks given. On card autograph content is worth the trade, especially when you see that the only rookies who really have the 00 are ones who dont have top billing. Mariota, Gordon, Winston, Cooper, and others are all non-00. Amari is an odd situation with the 19 over 89, only because his number changed well after the print deadline had passed. Either way, the cards look great regardless.

The 00 is in place due to the NFLPA and frustration over using college numbers to fill gaps for teams who are slow at getting numbers assigned. To have cards ready by the Rookie Premiere, where almost all the cards are signed for Inception, they have to be submitted for print likely a week or two after the draft. Some teams dont have the numbers done by that point. Happy trade for me to get hard signed. Any day of the week.

If the rookie you collect has a 00 on their hard signed cards, chances are they will have their correct number for any card not done at the premiere. Amari shows 89, Gurley shows 30, and so on and so forth. Either way, this is Inception’s last year in its current format anyways, so any suggestions for next time are moot regardless of how you feel.

Inception is just a fun product, and its even more exciting to see someone rip through a bunch of boxes live. The chance for some fireworks in every pack is a cool thing to watch this early in the year, as that feeling is usually reserved for the big bopper products later on after the season is already done. Too bad this is not going to happen again this way, maybe ever again.

If you collect modern baseball cards, the reveal of the new Topps Baseball design is always something to check out. Even if you arent a fan of the way things are done now, the way the cards look is always of interest. Yesterday, Topps revealed their first glimpse at 2016 baseball, and they are taking a VASTLY different approach than they ever really have.

Gone are the borders and the usual construction of their typical base design, replaced by dynamic full bleed photos and a sleek and modern nameplate. The overall design is very simple in its initial impression, but further study reveals there is more to the card that might serve to replace old constructs. In fact, Stadium Club's popularity may have played a big part in choosing this version, if I had to guess.

Either way, I cant help but love the new look of the set, including how it might transfer into the digital world with its transition to Bunt. I think the Topps editors will have their work cut out for them, as they will desperately need to choose some incredible photography to reach the potential this design has. The more action oriented the photos are, the more attractive the set will be.

For as long as I can remember the Borders have been the focus of the design, whether Topps wants to admit that or not. The bordered design also serves as a vehicle for Chrome and other subsets, which will be very interesting to see how they work through the changes.

With 2016 being the first time that Baseball is the only Topps fully integrated sport with both league and player licenses, it is imperative that Topps hit all the high notes. This is looking like they might be willing to take some risks to ensure that the loyal customers have something fresh to chase, and some of the other people who have left might come back just to see what things are all about.

It might work better than people think, especially if the product has more surprises in store that have yet to be revealed.

With the 2015 NFL season a month away, the soft market for football cards should start to pick up. People will get excited and in transit, the value in many of the cards that have dropped over the offseason will return to their normal state. More visibility for the NFL will mean more casual collectors looking to get back into the hobby. With that, here are some players I will be watching this year, outside of the normal crop of top picks in the draft.

Odell Beckham Jr – WR GIANTS

I have never seen a WR take the hobby by storm the way Beckham did in 2014. Funny thing is, he didnt even have a full season and still blew away every other rookie. His fabled catch on national TV catapulted him into the drivers seat with collectors, which is one of the first time a WR has done so in the QB era of the last five years. He has two main issues that are going to plague him in the hobby this year, both of which are significant. The first is how many of his cards remain unfulfilled redemptions, and whether or not they will be signed anytime soon. From all rumors around the mill, the answer is no. The second is whether or not he can live up to expectations which have been draped around his neck. Big question mark with Eli Manning as your QB.

His values have been high for a long time:

2014 Topps Five Star Odell Beckham Jr Auto RC

2014 Flawless Odell Beckham Jr Auto RC BGS 9.5

Teddy Bridgewater – QB VIKINGS

As a huge Teddy fan, he is obviously someone I want to see succeed. Interestingly, the success of his year might be impacted more by how well Adrian Peterson returns to form, rather than his potential growth over the offseason. If AD is the old monster he was in 2012 and 2013, look for Teddy to have a breakout performance. He will be facing man coverage all year with 8 and 9 guys in the box, and that should open things up considerably. His completion percentage was already crazy high with no one to throw to, going to be interesting to see what happens with Mike Wallace joining his corps. Behind Beckham, he was the other top guy in the class, and with Panini so brutally fucking up the NT release, his cards were only more valuable. Going to be interesting to see if collectors take him seriously.

Here are some nice ones to check out:

2014 Topps Five Star Teddy Bridgewater Jumbo Patch Auto /5

2014 Immaculate Teddy Bridgewater Jumbo Patch Auto

2014 Strata Teddy Bridgewater Shadowbox Auto /50

Cam Newton – QB Panthers

I have never been a Cam Newton fan, but I can definitely see where he has the raw talent to be a great QB. He has never been able to put it together for a sustained period of time that allowed for the Panthers to go anywhere meaningful, but this could be a year where he can determine how his legacy will be formed. Collectors love loudmouthed showboats, which I must say I usually like too. People who are outspoken usually get more media coverage, which means more people want to collect their cards. Cam will get plenty of attention, however its yet to be determined if its good or bad. The hobby is just about on the verge of making a final decision on him, so this could end up being a make or break year.

He can still be had for good money if you are looking to stock up:

2013 National Treasures Cam Newton Jumbo Booklet Patch Auto

2014 National Treasures Cam Newton Notable Nicknames

Demarco Murray – RB Eagles

Here is the thing. RBs have no value in the hobby anymore unless your name is Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch. Even then, value is fleeting. Murray put up a TREMENDOUS year last year, but the knock was that it was more the offensive line. Moving out of Big D could be a huge mistake for him, as he might have set records had he stayed for less money. This could have a signficant impact on his hobby value as well, as any dropoff in production could damage value irreparably. Running backs are as disposable in the hobby as they are in the NFL.

Murray’s cards are up and down, but he has some nice ones as of late:

2014 Flawless Demarco Murray Auto Jumbo Patch

2015 Clear Vision DeMarco Murray Eagles Acetate Scrap Auto

Andrew Luck – QB Colts

There is a very specific reason I am going to be paying close attention to Luck this year, and it might not be the reason why everyone else is. If you take a look at the trajectory of Luck’s value, it has literally taken a path straight up. Collectors are enamored with his potential. His cards are so expensive, that they are starting to outperform Brady and Manning, which is territory that should not be taken lightly. Luck has already reached the playoffs in each year since 2012, and he is looking poised for another deep run with a Colts team getting stronger with each draft. Im paying attention to see if he can live up to the hype. I cant remember hype like he has. It hasnt happened maybe since Reggie Bush coming out of college. We all know how that turned out, even though I dont think that is the ending we will have here. Not even close. Can you imagine what might happen to his stuff with a Super Bowl berth? What about a win? Good god.

Insane prices at the moment:

2012 National Treasures Andrew Luck Rookie Auto Patch

2012 Contenders Andrew Luck Auto Ticket BGS 9.5

2014 Museum Collection Andrew Luck Framed Auto BGS 9.5

Russell Wilson QB – Seahawks

Well, he got his deal. He is now among the top paid QBs in the league, which only means one thing for the Seahawks – they gotta trim the fat to pay for it. Its clear that they have depth up the wazoo, but they will need guys to step up if they are going to continue their run. Russell Wilson is actually a pretty polarizing player, as some collectors dont really buy that he is as good as he looks. A great defense, a great running game and other factors provide a lot of cushion for his stats. Its going to be interesting to see how this plays out, and whether he can add to his already impressive resume.

2012 Topps Finest Russell Wilson Auto Relic Red Refractor BGS 9.5

2012 Contenders Russell Wilson Playoff Ticket Auto /99

This is going to be a VERY fun season. There is a deep rookie class with a lot of top talent at skill positions. I cannot wait to see how the hobby responds after a surprisingly lackluster year in 2014.