Stale Gum on the Fat Packs Podcast

At the recently concluded 2018 National Sports Collectors Convention, I appeared on the Beckett Fat Packs (or is it just one word like "Fatpacks"?) podcast.  Joining me, along with host Eric Norton, was my good friend, and a man who I am convinced is my long-lost Kanadian brother, David "Long Fly Ball" Wright.

We give our takes on how the NSCC can take a page from its past by "adding value" to The National experience with seminars, discussions, and social activities.  We also give our state of The Hobby and how legalized sports gambling might affect the nascent group breaking industry.  All with plenty of pro wrestling references thrown-in, for good measure. (Skip ahead to the 32:45 mark for our segment)







I also assisted Eric and Jeff The Pack Geek in ripping open a 1987 Donruss waxbox. Yes, the collation was shitty, but at least we got Bipped.

Why I'm NOT Renewing My Beckett Baseball Subscription

Yeah, I know. It's been a while since I've done one of these things.

Sue me.



Look, I'm not knocking Chris or Sooz.  But there's only so much content two people can put out in a month; and it's just not worth the $40/year anymore.

Pissing Away Beckett's Credibilty, One Tweet at a Time.

Some things just have to be said.  Even if they are unpleasant to say, and even if such unpleasantries are uncomfortable to write, you just have to suck-up and do what needs to be done.  So, let me take a deep breath.

(SIGH!)

OK then, here we go.

Over the last 24 hours, Chris Olds has managed to piss away about three buckets and a dram full of credibility.  (For those of you not familiar with the British Imperial measurement system, three buckets and a dram works out to about two shitloads and a pint, or just under forty liters.)  How you ask? It all started innocuously enough with this Tweet.

My Topps Archives base set is complete. Now just 23 SPs short.
— Chris Olds (@chrisolds2009) June 9, 2012

And it all degenerated from there.

I won't reprint the complete series between Olds and myself, The Cardboard Junkie, Those Back Pages, Long Fly Ball To Because..., and others, I'd be here all day if I did.  If you want to see all the fallacious arguments, pretzel logic, red herrings and attempted changing of subjects, you're just going to have to look for them yourselves.

All I'll say is, if the Editor of Beckett Baseball and Beckett Sports Card Monthly honestly believes that a full 241-card base set of 2012 Topps Archives is "complete" at only 200 cards and doesn't include the Bryce Harper RC, then we're all fucked.

(OBTW, if you're not following me on The Twinkah, why not?)

My "Face of 2010 SPx Baseball" Contest Entry.

So you think I have a shot at being the "Face of SPx Baseball?"

BREAKING NEWS "MLB grants UD new license."

Or at least it says so on page 18 of the new Beckett Baseball.

Don't believe me, see for yourself.

"Upper Deck announced in July that it has been granted a new trading card license from Major League Baseball."

Beckett: The Hobby's most reliable and relied upon source.

You have got to be kidding me.

Ummm, no comment.

Does Beckett bother vetting new blog contributors?

Warning, this link may not be SFW.

With that said, I'd like to meet this Ms. Shafer. (There, I said it. Don't judge me.)

Now Starting for your St. Louis Cardinals...

... First Baseman Albert Putta Playername!

And yes, this is what 2009 UDX will look like.

(h/t Beckett Blog)

The $250 EPIC FAIL.

First, go watch Beckett's break of two pack/boxes of Topps Sterling. (I'd post it here for your convince, they won't let me embed the video to this site.)

Go on, watch it.

While you watch, I'll keep myself entertained with this Tom the Ripper mash-up video.



Now, if you're a long-time Stale Gum reader, you've probably figured out that Topps Sterling is a product that isn't exactly geared toward my demographic. But if I paid $250 for a "pox" of Sterling, and my "big hit" is a framed multi-swatch jersey card of Tom Seaver numbered to ten copies, and the '69 on the frame WAS MOUNTED UPSIDE DOWN, I would not be a happy collector.

That is all.

No Comment Needed

Gellman "Idiot Bombs" Sheep Collectors.

If there was an award for "Rookie Cardblogger of the Year," then Gellman of Sports Cards Uncensored would be a cinch to win it this year. You may not like his style, you may not agree with all his takes, but his blunt frankness and brutal honesty have been a welcome addition to the cardblogosphere.

For an example, check out this must-read post where he calls out the scourge of The Hobby and the guy who has single-handedly made the Beckett newsgroups unreadable for the last five years: "Joe Collector."

What, you don't have a non-sports section?

Question: Why are Donruss-Playoff press releases showing up on the Beckett Baseball website?

Some thoughts on Beckett-Gate.

Normally, I do not comment about "Lotto Pack" products, but recent events have led me to reconsider. First, take a look at this video of 2007 Upper Deck Exquisite Football.



You get the idea.

Now it would be one thing if it were isolated to just 2007 Upper Deck Exquisite football. Maybe Beckett got lucky, maybe not. But if you look at some of Beckett's other video box breaks, they've seem to be getting "Hit of a Lifetime" cards out of all sorts of UD, Topps, and Donruss-Playoff products in all sports (and non-sports).

All of which leads me to wonder: W.W.J.D. What Would Jim Do? Say what you want about Jim Beckett, but no one (and I mean, NO ONE) ever questioned the man's integrity. Beckett truly was "The Hobby's most reliable and relied upon source," and part of that had to do with the man in charge. But no more.

Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with Beckett (or anybody else in The Hobby media) doing video box breaks and product reviews. Objective consumer reporting is a vital component to any respectable journalism outlet. Nor should Beckett be held to account 100% for this debacle. Topps, UD, Donruss, et al, may very well be sending Beckett loaded boxes. (And it's not just Beckett either, as this video from Dr. Wax Battle shows.) Beckett probably is an unwilling accomplice, and we should give them benefit of the doubt. But Beckett should have never put itself in this position in the first place.

May I make a proposal? From now on, anyone in The Hobby media who reviews product should no longer accept free samples from card manufacturers, and the manufacturers should no longer offer them to the press. If you're going to review wax, and expect your reviews to be taken seriously, then pay for your box like the rest of us.

I'm proud to say that in my 9+ years of reviewing wax, I've never received any free cards from the manufacturers. And I can say to you with full confidence, that every single product I've ever reviewed on this site was paid for out of my own pocket at current market prices. I don't think it's too much to ask of Beckett -- or anyone else who reviews wax -- to do the same. W.W.J.D.?

Thoughts on the "New" Beckett.

I just got first issue of the new Beckett Sports Card Monthly in the mail today, and I have to say I'm it bit disappointed.

I understand why Beckett restructured their magazine lines. And I also understand the need to appeal to new collectors. But only one year's worth of prices for baseball cards? Come on!

And if that wasn't bad enough, still no pricing on any 2008 Baseball card products.

I'm signing up Beckett Baseball Plus -- or whatever they're going to calling it.

Beckett Baseball Card Monthly is dead. Long live the new price guide.

They've been saying for months that things were going to change in 2008. Well, I guess Beckett wasn't kidding around.


I'm sad to see the monthly mag go (especially since I've been a subscriber since '92). But the state of The Hobby no longer justifies a monthly single-sport price guide.

How does this effect current Beckett subscribers? I have no idea yet.

Beckett.com Enters the 21st Century

It may have taken them a while, but Beckett finally has a blog. From the looks of it, they're not really blogging about The Hobby, per se. But, as the title suggests, it's just a bunch of Beckett employees, blogging about the comings, goings, and absurdities of working in The Hobby Media.




Oh and one other thing. As any self-respecting Glengarry Glen Ross fan knows, Second Prize is a set of steak knives. "Third Prize is YOU'RE FIRED!"

The End of an Era at Beckett

Bob Brill reports that Rich Klein has left Beckett Baseball. Klein spent 17 years at Beckett/Aprise, and speaking as a collector, he will be missed.

Gripes about the new Beckett

I received the new Beckett (Apr. 2007) on Monday Mar 19th -- about a week later than usual. I hope this an abberation, but in the dozen years I've been a Beckett Baseball subscriber, I don't recall ever getting it this late. Am I the only one?

Nonetheless, I was very disappointed with this month's issue. I figured that the reason Beckett was late this month was that it was being held up to include pricing on 2007 Topps. Well, guess what set isn't in the new Beckett?

Not only that, but there are no new reviews and previews for two products (Fleer and Topps Heritage) that have been out for weeks now -- one of which your correspondent has already reviewed!