Rippin' Retail: Eight Packs of 2010 Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects

This May Be The Worst Topps "Relic" Screw-Up, Ever.

I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money, and I'll be honest with you, Topps Sterling isn't a product that I'd ever buy anyway.

But if I plunked down $250 for a box of Sterling and pulled this ... I'd never buy a Topps product again.



There was a time when crimes like this were dealt with accordingly.



(h/t The Mojo Beard)

Card-Ola: 2010 Topps Magic Football

Bad Newz Video Box Break: 2010 Topps Prime

Yeah, I went to the site of Michael Vick's dog-fighting operation and did a box break. Sue me.

A Very Special Hanukkah Box Break: 2010 Triple Threads Football

Card-ola: 2010 Topps Sterling

I'm sorry, but $200/box products should not have redemptions.

Mysterious Silver Topps Pack-Jo!!!

Card-ola: 2010 Bowman Chrome

A special shout-out to Topps for giving me this box to review, and to the Plank Road Brewery for making Icehouse Beer.

Card-ola: 2010 Topps Update

Part One:


Part Two:

Post-NLCS Box Break: 2010 Topps Chrome

I'm just too upset, and too drunk, to comment any further.

Card-Ola: 2010 Absolute Memorabilia Football

So, now that Tracy Hackler is working for PanPlayRuss, or whatever they're calling themselves now, I now have two (count 'em, two) different card companies sending me unsolicited wax boxes.

Since I only collect baseball cards, I had been five years since I ripped any wax from this company -- not including Panini World Cup stickers, of course. So with this box, I was curious. Donruss-Playoff baseball sucked, and I was glad when they had their MLB/MLBPA licenses pulled. But have they changed in the five year's since?



More rainbow foil. More gimmicked rookies. More mindless parallels. New name, same ol' Donruss.

Memo to MLB Properties and the MLBPA: Please do not give this company a license. Ever.

Card-Ola: 2010 Pro Debut Series Two

Since Topps didn't put much effort into Pro Debut, I didn't put much of an effort into this video.

The 2010 Finest Football Drinking Game.

It's real simple to play. Here's what you'll need:

* One Hobby Box of 2010 Finest Football

* A six-pack of the brew of your choice

* A fifth of Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea-flavored Vodka (with the mixer of your choice)

How to play:

* Everytime you pull a Refractor, take a drink of your beer.

* Everytime you pull an autograph, drink some Jeremiah Weed.

I recently played this game with a box of Finest Topps sent me. For some reason, I stupidly recorded it for your enjoyment.

Card-Ola: 2010 Topps Platinum Football

Base Set: 111 of 165 (67.27%)
Vets: 68 of 110 (61.81%)
Chrome Rookies (two-per-pack): 43 of 55 (78.18%)

Parallels

3 Rookie (thick) Variations (55 cards, 1:6): T. Tebow, J. Skelton, E. Decker
2 Chrome Rookie Refractors (55 cards, 1:16, numbered to 999): J. Gresham, J. Graham
1 Chrome Rookie White Refractor (55 cards, 1:34, numbered to 499) D. LeFevour

Autogamers

1 Autographed Chrome Rookie Refractor (55 cards): A. Dixon /900
1 Autographed Chrome Rookie Red Refractor (55 cards, 1:1575, numbered to 10): M. Easley
1 Autographed Patch Chrome Rookie Refractor (55 cards): R. Gronkowski /800

Observations:

I don't ever recall a set were the "short-printed" rookies are actually easier to find than the base cards. Can you?

I still don't get the plain foil veterans and chromium rookies. And what's the deal with scattering the foil cards with the Chrome cards throughout the set?

Is it possible that an single "event-worn" NFL player jersey can yield 800 usable swatches of patch material?

Product Rating: 3 Gumsticks (out of 5)

Pissing on the grave of your meal ticket.

By now you've seen the video, on read about it on ACP, SCU, or FCB. (Warning, clicking on the links may cause projectile vomiting.)

The question I have is this: How does the Mantle family allow Topps to desecrate The Mick like this?

Look, we get it. He's been retired for 40 and dead for 15 years. The supply of Mickey Mantle autographs and (real) gamers is finite.

But c'mon.

"MICKEY M?" How do we even know this is from a real Mickey Mantle autograph? For all we know, that could be Mickey Mouse.

Absolutely disgraceful.

Card-Ola: 2010 Topps Football

Part One:



Part Two:



Base Set: 269 of 440

7 Golds (1:5, numbered to 2010): J. Pierre-Parl, M. Pouncey, M. Hardesty, D. Reed, T. Pike, J. Skelton, Z. Robinson

32 Topps Attax (50 cards, one-per-pack)
2 Drew Brees Ring of Honor (1 card, 1:36)
4 Topps Reprints (20 cards, 1:9) A. Johnson, D. Marino, D. Brees, F. Gore
12 1952 Bowman (50 cards, 1:3) G. Tate, A. Rodgers, T. Tebow, B. Marshall, R. Moss, C. McCoy, B. Tate, S. Bradford, J. Beason, M. Turner, M. Austin, D. Brees
6 NFL Draft 75th Anniversary (50 cards, 1:6) R. Lewis, T. Tebow, V. Young, E. Manning, D-Jack, P. Harvin
8 Gridiron Lineage (20 cards, 1:4): Aikman/Romo, Dawkins/Berry, Dickerson/Jackson, Montana/Brady, Namath/Sanchez, Sayers/Forte, Smith/Tomlinson, Thomas/Spiller
10 Peak Performers (50 cards, 1:4): D. Bryant, P. Manning, R. Rice, K. Winslow, J. Dwyer, J. Mayo, B. Favre, C. Johnson, D. Clark, G. Tate
6 Gridiron Giveaway (1:6)

Product Rating: 2 1/2 Gumsticks (out of 5)

Want to complain about the "diamond-cut" Topps 206 minis?

Direct your complaints to this guy...



His name is Tom Mozeleski and his title is "Director of Manufacturing & Quality" at Topps.

And yes, this is a real, unannounced, gimmick card in Topps 206. (Notice how the "Director of Quality's" own card is perfectly centered?)

You have your assignment. Have at it.

Card-Ola: 2010 Topps 206

Base Set: 140 of 350 (40.00%)
short-set: 135 of 300 (45.00%)
"Hat" SPs: 5 of 50 (1:4): M. Mantle, R. Halladay, J. Upton, S-S Choo, M. Kemp

18 Bronze
6 Piedmont Minis: D. Span, V. Wells, K. Slowey, J. Beckett, N. Ryan, C. Crawford
5 American Caramel Minis (1:4): R. Zimmerman, K. Suzuki, C. Figgins, T. Lincecum, KosFu
2 Polar Bear Minis (1:10): S. Victorino, K. Slowey
1 Old Mill Mini (1:20): A. Soriano
1 Gold Chrome Piedmont Mini (1:245, numbered to 50): H. Wagner

5 Historical Events

1 Piedmont Framed Relic (1:40) Y. Escobar
1 Polar Bear Framed Relic (1:638) K. Slowey

Product Rating: 2 1/2 Gumsticks (out of 5)

Dual Video Blaster Break: 2010 Topps 206

Card-ola: 2010 Topps Tribute (Dynasties & Rivalries Edition)

WARNING: This may very well be the single-worst box break I've ever had the misfortune of recording. You have been warned.