Friday, January 08, 2010

National Chicle Baseball has "FAIL" written all over it.

As much as I like retro-themed sets, Topps may have pushed it a little too far with 2010 National Chicle Baseball.

Seriously, do we really need... this?

That's supposed to be Babe Ruth (although it looks more like a bloated Chipper Jones) depicted in the uniform of a team that did not exist until 18 years after his death.

But wait there's more...



Yes it's Ichiro, but in a Seattle Pilots uniform.

Why? Why not just airbrush a Brewers uni on the guy and be done with it?

And then there's this crime against cardboard...



So, is NCB supposed to be based on a 75-year-old football card set, or a 20-year-old baseball one? And who is this even supposed to be? Obviously it's not Frank Thomas, but it can't be Gordon Beckham either because he doesn't play first base. Paul Konerko?

What the fuck is this? What was Topps thinking?

(h/t Beckett Blog)

17 comments:

TJ said...

Wait, let me guess. The release date is April 1st. For every one product that Topps puts out that I love, it seems like there a five behind it that are just ass.

Anonymous said...

I'll wait to see whether the ones you picked are the real cards, or just some silly inserts.

If the main set looks like the Jackie Robinson card Beckett pictured, I'm much more interested in National Chicle than I am in Heritage.

You're right about one thing, though. I don't see a reason for Heritage, National Chicle, Allen & Ginter and Heritage High Numbers -- four retro sets in a year is at least two too many.

Peterson said...

have mercy, they are really tanking it here and it's only the 8th day of the new year.

Captain Canuck said...

why is that Sox dude giving a cup check to that minor leaguer?

Unknown said...

Topps sucks! And that's why, after more than 20 yrs of collecting...I'm done!

Voltaire said...

Well, actually...I like it. Ichiro gets the Pilots uniform because it's the prior Seattle team. Seems simple enough to me.

If the players are pictured with teams/uniforms for which there is some sort of connection, I think this set could actually be pretty cool.

Anonymous said...

I've got a comment for each one of those.

A. Ruth looks like he should be tagging along with "Our Gang" and peering into a backfiring tailpipe ala Moe Szyslak.

B. That Ichiro card is indeed the closest he'll ever get to a Brewers uniform.

C. Since when does John Cena play baseball? And where's his trademark chain and lock?

dayf said...

I am terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.

dayf said...

Hey, where the hell did the '87 Donruss border go? You can't spring the freakish love child of Babe Ruth and Chipper Jones' mom on me and take away the secure comfort of '87 Donruss all at the same time!

night owl said...

It doesn't look promising, but at least Topps is giving us PICTURES.





....Uh, Upper Deck?

Jeffrey Wolfe said...

um yeah i won't be buying any

Steve Gierman said...

Fugly!

Corky said...

Ruth played for the Boston Braves in 1935, not sure how the Atlanta logos works in but apparently the artist (sadly) felt there is a connection.

Ichiro is wearing a Throwback uniform, in 2006 the Mariners wore the Pilots uniform in a Turn Back the Clock game so it is at least feasible.

The Frank Thomas card, while seriously messed up, is based on the 1990 Topps Frank Thomas "No Name" error card. Additionally the artist for some reason put Thomas in a White Sox jersey where in his true 1990 Topps card he was pictured in his Auburn uniform. Surprisingly enough the runner is depicted in the proper uniform.

Overall the set seems to be a rushed attempt to carry on the National Chicle label in to baseball. They should have let the label die when they lost football instead of spewing out crap.

dayf said...

Yay! The '87 border is back!

Booo! That Babipper Jonesuth card is still fugly!

The Baseball Card Snob said...

Can someone re-fresh my memory?

Topps gets the BB exclusive, why?

I pity the poor trees that gave their life for this, actually had their lives taken.

smeister said...

I like your blog but think you may have jumped to your position a little fast. The images look like they might be fun. Why not Ichiro in a Seattle Pilots uniform? That team is still beloved up here in the Pacific Northwest. What would be wrong with Cal Ripken in a uniform of my all-time favorite dead team - the St. Louis Browns. The colors are primary. The idea is different. I love the fact that these images are drawings not photos, like some of the great sets of the past. You're too dug in to change your opinion I guess, but I think you may be wrong.

Unknown said...

This is the worst looking card set I have seen in 30 years.
Wow