May 6, 2025 • 56 mins
The sports card hobby's Only Live Call In Show. Live every Saturday morning at 11am EST/ 8am PST.Features rotating guest hosts from some of your favorite hobby podcasts. Join us live or listen via audio afterwards.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, good Saturday morning, everybody. My name is John
(00:35):
Newman from Sports Coordination. It's time for another episode of
Hobby Hotline. I am not on this week's show, but
we are having a few technical difficulties, so I kind
of started the show.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
I'll be exiting, uh stage left.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Here, uh in a little bit here, and Chris will
take over. We're joined this morning obviously with as you
see him on the screen, Samuel Evans and the John Manchini.
So we'll be going to three to three person as
I leave, but I had to help with some technical stuff.
(01:13):
But before we get started, guys, and I think I
speak for all of us on screen and many in
the chat room, you know, tough, you know, I like
to think of Hobby Hotline has been around now four
or five years. We've had over twenty different hosts as
part of the show, and I don't know, maybe it's me,
(01:35):
but I always view everybody who's been part of the show,
current or in the past as sort of you know,
a fraternity, as family. And this week, that being said,
this week's been you know, kind of tough for the
family and for two of our hosts, if you will.
And let's start off with you know Orlando Collector's dream.
(01:57):
He posted a video on his YouTube channel about his
recent lung cancer diagnosis. On Wednesday, he had half his
lung surgically removed in efforts to stop this cancer.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
You know, anytime you hear that's s word, I don't,
I think I speak for everyone.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Again.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
We know the serious nature of that. And Orlando is
a great guy. We're thinking about him.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
I know.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
You know, he had initially told me a procedure. He
didn't go into details, so I didn't find out until watching.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
That video and hit me hard, hit me hard.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
You know, as we get up there in age, right,
this stuff becomes even more real. And so I think
again I speak for for everybody. We wish Orlando well.
We know we're going to see him again. He's a
strong dude, he's a tough dude. And you know I
told him if there's anything he needs, I'm a I'm
(02:56):
a phone call away. And you know, we we we
pray for him. I'm a I'm a person of fate.
So he's been in my prayers every day, uh uh
this week, and and.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
We'll continue to do so.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
And you know, keep him in your thoughts in prayers, uh,
as well as he recovers uh, and hopefully the prognosis
post recovery as well, that they got it all and
he can, you know, get start to progress, get back
on his feet and back in front of the camera again.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
And I feel like that's that's gonna be the case.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And then a day or two after that, Chris Carlin, UH,
another one of our hosts posted that his brother in law, Robbie,
I'm not sure her last name, but his brother in law, Robbie,
his wife's husband or wife's brother, was killed tragically by
an alleged trunk driver.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
UH.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
So our hearts, thoughts of prayers and condolences UH to
the whole family there for for Chris and family.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
UH.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
That's that's always a tough deal, losing any kind of
loved one, but even more so kind of in that
fashion as well. So thoughts prayers to to Orlando and
UH for recovery and and a good prognosis, and thoughts
and in prayers to Chris Carlin on the tragic loss
(04:26):
of his brother. So it's a tough way to start
the show. I wish we didn't have to do that.
No one likes, you know, these kind of things but
you know, sometimes in life, that's that's that happened.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
We have to deal with it and do the best
we can.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
So I've rambled on long enough, but uh, you know,
two guys, two great guys that are so crucial to
the hobby, to this show.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
And you know, we wish them the best we can.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
So, uh, guys, I'm gonna I'm gonna exit stage left,
and uh I might be back at the end by
the end of the show kind of kind of clean
things up.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
So again, uh, you know, but we have to keep going.
So we're gonna talk some hobby.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
I know some of the topics today is some of
the news coming out of the Pops industry conference that
they have with their dealers and new policies and program
uh their rolling as well. So all right, guys, I'm
gonna I'm gonna take you know, get off screen here,
but uh, uh you know.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
I think I want a second John's comments on Orlando
and Chris Carlin. I'll be honest with you, I've I
think I've only spoken to Orlando maybe a couple of
times here on Hobby Hotline. I don't really know him
that well. But having part of your lung remove that
doesn't seem like something I would want anyway. I know,
(05:56):
I know it's common to say thoughts and prayers and
condole and says it's not dead yet, so let's kind
of save that for hopefully far in the future. So anyway,
this is Hobby Hotline. It's May the third, It's episode
number three forty three. Interesting. That was the name of
(06:17):
my basic training flight, you know, when I was in
the Air Force. Three three. I don't know if that
means anything, but uh, I here with Sam. How you doing, Sam?
Speaker 4 (06:27):
How you knowing?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
How you doings fine?
Speaker 5 (06:30):
And from the Mangenie collection.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
How you doing, sir, I'm good, I'm good.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
Uh So, I don't know if you guys knew about
this this week, but TOPS had a little shindig in
Atlanta where they got most of their their real customers,
not not us collectors, but they're dealers and breakers and
got them around, uh wind them and dine them and
(06:57):
do some backslapping and give a little preview of what's
to come in twenty twenty six. And there was some
news that came out. I'm not sure if you're aware,
but TOPS is coming back with its bait with football
and basketball next year, and there was some news that
(07:20):
came out regarding what they're coming out with and when,
and I made a whole slide deck on this, and
now I can't bring it up. Let's see here.
Speaker 6 (07:29):
I know, for me, while you find it, I wasn't
really paying attention to what was going on. I've been
working on a bunch of like car projects for the National.
But I did scroll across my Instagram and see a
bunch of sad tire around, you know, certain people making
content about people posing for different pictures and all hanging
(07:51):
out together, and I chuckled a little bit. But you know,
I just it just slipped my mind because I was
focused on a bunch of other stuff. I know, for me,
when it comes, I would love to experience the TOP
conference one day, just to see it as like a
bucket list experience as a collector and.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
Someone who like those people.
Speaker 6 (08:12):
Who works in the industry. But in terms of like
everything that comes with it, it's so like, you know,
not in my purview as like, oh I didn't think
about these things are Oh, I didn't know these things.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Were going on.
Speaker 6 (08:28):
But I am excited to see what TOPS basketball looks
like now that they fully own the license and everything
because the other ones. I was not a fan of
it when it first came out. So that's my thoughts.
That's the only thing I can add for that discussion.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
Yeah, I think I'd like to go to one of
those industry conferences as well, but I don't think we
collectors are really that important enough. I know TOPS has
this little dog and pony show that they throw around
the national but I stopped going to that years ago
(09:07):
because it's pretty much the same questions, the same gripes,
the same thissa that there's always Oh there's always that guy,
the Santa Claus guy who's asking whether TOPS is gonna
come out with Santa Claus cards or year. I just
stopped going to that. But there was some news I
(09:32):
can't get my slide deck to come out, so I'll
just read you the slides that I have. So when
it comes to TOPS Football, it was revealed that their
license with the players Associated goes into effect on March
the first of next and their license with the NFL,
which will allow them to put logos on the card,
(09:55):
comes into effect on April the first, and they reveal
some brand names that they plan on coming out with
and I'm because y'all can't see the slide. These are
all labeled as twenty twenty five product. So we're gonna
get TOPS Chrome Finest, Cosmic Chrome, Black Chrome, and two
(10:20):
new products that I don't think have been released before
in any other sport signature class and Resurgence. Now. TOPS
has also said that they are planning to release as
many as eight products beginning April twenty twenty six that
will be branded as twenty twenty five products. So for
(10:42):
the first time, really ever since football went the exclusive
license route, we're going to have this twenty twenty five
rookie card class is going to have rookie cards from
two different companies, Panini and Tops. It's just that the
OPS rookies won't be coming until twenty twenty six. What
(11:05):
do y'all think of that? Having both and Pannini rookie
for one year? Anyway?
Speaker 4 (11:10):
Can they actually do that?
Speaker 5 (11:13):
I mean they will be able to do that beginning
April next year. So this time next year, we're going
to be seeing basically an avalanche of Tops of twenty
twenty five TOPS football product.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
I mean, I'm not much of a football collector. Doesn't
mean much to.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Me, But I think it's great you get additional but
I'm never I've never been a fan of TOPS releasing
rookie cards for twenty twenty five in twenty twenty six
the following year, and never makes sense to me.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Yeah, the second year in the league. Yeah, why not?
Speaker 5 (11:49):
Ending on the credit companies for constantly backdating products. It's
like Upper Deck is about to release just released a
twenty twenty three branded hockey product, and they're gonna release
another two twenty twenty three branded hockey products in the
in the next couple of weeks, even though the twenty
twenty four season is over and we're now in the playoffs,
(12:12):
right and even though TOPS just released twenty twenty four
Heritage high number in March of twenty twenty five. But
I think a lot of these twenty twenty five labeled
TOPS football products. Yes, they're gonna come after the twenty
twenty six draft, but not before the twenty twenty six
(12:33):
season starts, So there's a little bit of ambiguity there.
But you know, they're gonna release eight football products basically
in three or four months. Is that a little too
many products to have?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Of course, but that's the world we live in. What's
eight more?
Speaker 6 (12:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
I was gonna say they came up with a tennis
set what was it a year or two ago and
it was backdated like two or three years. Yeah, it
was absurd.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
Let me get some comments in the chat here. Man
Jeannie can't wait for the next Top's Cosmic Chrome release.
He loves it. Listen to the new names. He said,
it was out of this world. So I don't get
cosmic chrome. I mean, if you're trying to make a
(13:28):
product like the Skybox Metal sets from the nineties, make
it look like a Skybox Metal set from the nineties,
use etched foil and not chrome.
Speaker 6 (13:37):
I don't know why they just don't partner with Upper
Deck to say, can we borrow a license to keep
that like brand authentic instead of trying to like replicate
something that they fell over and over with again.
Speaker 5 (13:51):
Yeah, well, don't borrow, don't borrow the license. Just make
the cards on the etched foil rather than chrome stock
like it used to. Let's see what other else can
we use smaller words? Okay and Mookie Chilson, I have
a love love relationship with tennis cards. Now technically love
(14:14):
means zero in tennis. So you love.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Tennis cards or LU.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
Love Yeah, I'll wait for the Cosmo Kramer Tops Chrome. Yeah,
a card set out of made for nothing apparent. So
that's TOPS football.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
And man, that chat's on fire.
Speaker 5 (14:38):
And from what I understand from my sources that were there, yes,
there they are going to have a TOPS flagship football brand,
probably not a twenty twenty five labeled one, but even
though they didn't mention it in their in their presentation,
there will be TOPS Flagship Football, but apparently there will
(14:58):
not be Bowman football, not yet anyway, I'm not sure
if Bowman football has the kind of panache that it
does in baseball.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
So that'll be nine sets.
Speaker 5 (15:10):
I think they're gonna hold off until the actual twenty
twenty six season to make a flagship man.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
It'd be nice to have another eight Bowman set.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Oh oh yeah, oh me too. Anyway, let's moving on
Tops's plans for basketball. Now. They already have the players
Associate's license so they can include and you've noticed the
last couple of TOPS basketball products have had current players,
(15:40):
just not logo. The NBA license with logo goes into
effect on October first of this year, and there are
no plans for them to make any twenty twenty four
twenty twenty five products, but they did include a list
of brand for twenty five twenty six and those include
(16:03):
again Flagship, Finest, Cosmic Chrome but not Tops Chrome, Motif, Inception,
Diamond Icons, Tops three which is a brand that they
just introduced I think last month, Resurgence, and intern Eternity,
(16:24):
which you know some brands that were used to I
know Finest was a big brand for basketball collectors back
in the day.
Speaker 6 (16:34):
I'm looking for sources.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
They say that Cooper Flag is going to be heavily
pushed in a lot of the products next when they
get the license. So before I continue, what do you
guys think of that that lineup twenty twenty five, twenty
twenty six Tops Basketball.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
I know, for me, the only one I care about
is Finest because that was connected to, you know, my
childhood as a collector in the night. So I want
to see if they like stay true to like some
of those great insert cards that came out of Finance.
So I'm looking forward to that. And you know, I'm
not a big monitoring card collector. You know, I often
(17:15):
buy those cards and I give them away to my students.
But you know, I would love to like reminisce and
relive those moments seeing some finance. Finally for basketball, you
get your wish.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Apparently, all I can tell you is my head's spinning. Man.
You need to have like a PhD and calculus to
figure out all these new sets. It seems like a
lot of a lot of stress for a hobby that's
supposed to be fun in my book, But I wonder,
you know, with these products being gripped, you know, they
break them, and everybody's chasing the hits, and those are
(17:50):
the only things anybody wants. What happens to all these
other base cards of all these you know, thirty sets
a year or whatever, what happens to them? Are people
throwing them away? I don't see people set collecting. What
happens to those cards? What do you guys do with them?
I actually collected by a warehouse to store them.
Speaker 5 (18:08):
What do you do with them?
Speaker 4 (18:12):
No?
Speaker 6 (18:13):
I set collect some like modern like some Panini sets,
And like I said, oftentimes, like when I'm an educator,
I'm a principal, and I often have kids who collect cards,
so and you know they're fans of a lot of
the modern basketball players today, So I often like pass
them down to them, and you know, they fall in
(18:33):
love with the cards, you know. So I think there
are a lot of set collectors out there. I just
think for this new generation of collectors, there needs to
be that bridging of the gap to teach kids the
importance of like set collecting and the joy that comes
with that in the in the story behind it and
the experience. And I think we if we cultivate that
(18:56):
in the right way, there'll be you know, some response
inness and a change in that mindset. Because I know
often when I do card shows and our host trade nights,
especially in my area, the Philly Show, and when we
do giveaway my room for all the kids who stand
in front of me, you cannot throw away the base cards.
(19:16):
You actually have to collect them, and I give them,
I give them that history. And you see and as
an educator, like I've seen Arica moments in children when
they learn something new or they get curious about something,
and you see that like transfer over to them. And
then as you walk around the room, you see them
(19:37):
paying close attention to their base cards and they're taking
care of them, They're putting them in top loaders, et cetera,
et cetera. So I think I think as us, like
older collectors, if we spend the time and find those moments,
like even when I'm in like random card stores and
I happen to see kids.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
There and interact with their parents and them.
Speaker 6 (19:58):
You know, I tell the story of the base car
and the importance of it and that it has a
place in everybody's collection, and it's it's a door opener,
So don't discard it, take care of it and value it.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
What do you think breakers do with them all? Maybe
maybe some base cards are going to be rare because
everybody's throwing them out.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
I would hope that you know, they do the right
thing and like you can donate them, repractice them, because
there are a lot of like after school car clubs
popping up all around in different areas where you know
those kids could benefit from like having those cards.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Yeah. Absolutely, But you know the thing is is there's
millions upon millions of these things at this point. You know,
every year they're making so many, so many cards. There's
way more than enough to go around and certainly have
storage issues.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
Yeah, I I know, I see sam at I'm kind
of local I'm I'm in Delaware. I see sam It shows,
and I see a lot of kids go to these
shows like the Philly Show or the used to be
called the Sugar House with that Casino show. I see
a lot of kids that got their little Yeah, I
(21:14):
don't see a whole lot of these kids slumped over
a dollar box, going through the stacks and trying to
knock off a checklate.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
I was going to say, the kids that I see
at shows have more money than I do.
Speaker 5 (21:27):
Yeah, I think a lot of these kids disappointment later on.
And that's my two cents. I want to get into
some of the comments. Abel in Vegas says football diamond
icons does not make sense as a product. I don't
(21:49):
think no, that's actually going to be for a basketball product.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
Doesn't make sense for that either.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
Diamond icons and basketball. Also, they one out hard wood icon.
I think these may be just provisional products, but hard
structured like the baseball diamond. I think that's what they
meant by.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
That diamond makes sense in the modern grading world, because
you know everybody's looking through the loop like you do. Diamonds.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
Colonel Sanders Bucket of Chicken Top's finest chrome eternity diamond.
Don't give them any ideas because they might do that
basin landfill and chromium causes cancer. Well it doesn't if
you actually collect the cards and don't throw them away.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
I don't think it causes cancer if you don't eat them.
Speaker 5 (22:40):
If you don't need them. Yeah, lots of kids at Strongsville. Okay,
crazy that these kids walk around with five k I
do want to mention one last thing about tops plans
for basketball, and that is there was a lot of
rumor and innuendo going around from my horses were telling
(23:01):
me that they're not bringing back stadium club basketball, not yet,
and that's because they want to make a play to
get either or or prisimply both Kobe and or MJ
into the products. Now. MJ has been an upper deck
guy since time in Memoriam. Then again, so was Lebron,
(23:25):
and then Fanatics was able to get the rights to Lebron. Obviously,
Kobe's not going to be signing autographs anytime soon, but
having his image in your product would still be a
big deal. How big of a deal would that be
if Fanatics were to get one of those guys, much
(23:46):
less both of those.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
I really don't know, but they probably will. I mean,
they're taking over the world, I would guess they will.
I mean, I'm not a big fan of collecting, you know,
old players on modern cards. It's not my thing, so
I can't speak to it. Really, It's not something I
would personally chase.
Speaker 6 (24:04):
I like some relic cards we players, especially from the nineties,
and I collect a lot of Vince's basketball cards. So
if it like, I'm a Wilt Chamberlain collector, so I
have all of Wilt Chamberlain's playing year cards, his rookie
everything on my list and I have them all. So
oftentimes when I'm at a card show and I see
(24:25):
like a monitoring card of him in a Sixers uniform,
because there aren't any during his playing years, there were
no cards of him in his Sixers uniform, with the
exception when this when they were the Warriors, but they
moved to Golden State. So oftentimes I look for those
because they're like, they have some good photos of him
in that uniform. So I'm a fan of it. It
(24:47):
just has to like make sense to me, and especially
if it like captures that like ninety insert like connection, I'm.
Speaker 4 (24:56):
Like, all right, I can buy that I could like
add that to my piece.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
See, but not all all relic cards are equally made,
you know what I mean. There's some where they just
like making them to just try to make money off
the product. And there's some that I was like, Oh,
that was a that was a well made, like relic
card of Larry Bird.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
I could put that in mind.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
I agree.
Speaker 6 (25:16):
I'm a fan. Yeah, I'm a fan of Kobe being
in there. I just don't think Michael Jordan to ever
leave upper deck.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
Comment from Steel City d W about Bean Team basketball
and those inserts are are really iconic for basketball, Stadium
Club Bean Team, and my source was telling me that
that that's the reason why they're not going to bring
Stadium Club back until they get Jordan into the product,
(25:44):
because they want more Jordan Bean teams out there.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Hey do you have do you have the Wilt Chamberlain
you see it tops poster?
Speaker 6 (25:55):
I have a bunch of I don't have the tops poster,
but I have a bunch of magazines of world.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
Chamber Tops poster set is great, great images on there.
Speaker 4 (26:03):
You got it?
Speaker 6 (26:03):
You gotta send me a picture on Instagram so I
can check it out, all right?
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Yeah, I think I have the whole set, if not
close to it.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
All right, one other piece of news that came out,
actually two pieces of news. Other piece of news that
came out of the TOPS industry conference they announced, and
we kind of knew this was going to happen based
on what happened in Series one baseball. But they are
(26:32):
standardizing their parallel rainbow across all products. So from now on,
the serial number to five level will all be red,
the serial number to twenty five will all be orange,
the serial number to fifty level will all be gold,
and so on and so forth. This will be across
(26:55):
all chrome and all other products. And yeah, I'm one
that's criticized TOPS for putting out too many parallels and
too many parallels that none nobody really wants. But at
least they're making them consistent. Here, you pull them, it's
(27:16):
going to be numbered in ninety. No, you pull a suit,
you pull a purple refractor, it was two fifty, but
under this new system, it's now going to be seventy
five from now on. So that consistency. What do y'all
think of that?
Speaker 3 (27:33):
I love the uniformity always, you know, if you're getting
into the hobby or starting getting back in. You know,
do you take the nineteen seventy two TOPS designed. They
make all these cards that look like it. Some of
them come from archives, some of them come from heritage,
some of them are in the regular tops. They make
them every year, and you know, it's so hard to
identify all these cards. I love the uniformity. It's long
(27:56):
overduetto I agree.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
Someone in the comments said, MOOKI my standard rainbow is
roy GBIV. I'm not changing, and they kind of do
a roy GBIV. I mean the red is five, Orange
is twenty five, Yellow or gold in this case is
the next level up at fifty. Then green is ninety nine,
(28:20):
Blue one fifty, and it used to be purple was
two fifty, but now they've moved that to seventy fives. Whatever. Anyway,
one last item that came from the TOPS conference is
this new redemption plan program in Bowman Baseball. Bomen Baseball
(28:42):
comes out this week and the deal is on thirty
selected players who will have rookie cards. In Bowman. They're
going to make a small number of refractors where the
rookie card icon in the corner is going to be red. Okay,
now we don't know how common these red RC cards
(29:07):
are going to be. Are you gonna get one in
a box, two in a box, are they gonna be
case hits, whatever, But these are gonna pay for thirty cards.
If one of those thirty players wins the Rookie of
the Year this year, you would then be able to
redeem that for one hundred dollars in Fanatics gift certificate.
(29:28):
This this isn't gonna be like the Tops Chrome program
where you get store credit at your local lcs. You
have to the store owners are cut out completely in this.
In this transaction, you have to send it to Fanatics
and you get your one hundred dollars and you have
I think until sometime in October of next year to
(29:49):
claim your hundred dollars. But you can hold on to
that card and if that player wins a major award
over their career, such as an MVP or a Cy
Young Award, then Tops will then buy that back for
an additional two hundred dollars per award. So let's say
your player wins the Rookie of the Year and then
(30:12):
wins two MVP award, you can then trade that in
for five hundred dollars worth of Fanatics script. If this
player gets elected to the Hall of Fame, you can
get an additional one thousand dollars worth of script. So
theoretically your play you can twenty five thirty years from now,
(30:34):
when this guy gets elected to the Hall of Fame,
your card, you can then trade it in for as
maybe fifteen hundred to two thousand dollars worth of Fanatics
gift certificates program. I just want to know what you
guys think.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
I just said, with inflation, thirty years from now, that'll
be worth about twelve dollars exactly.
Speaker 5 (30:58):
That's what I'm thinking.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
I think it's brilliant marketing on their part, because what
they're really doing is they are capitalizing on both the
modern prospecting hobby and the gambling mentality of the hobby,
and they're kind of combining those and creating these chases
and in some way going back to the roots of
many baseball cards that were redemption cards in the early
(31:23):
days of baseball cards. For instance, in nineteen twenty six,
Spouting released the set and you could trade the cards
in for Spouting sporting goods, and it's kind of a
throwback to that too. My immediate question is what do
they do if with all the ones that are sent
into them do they destroy them? Did they put them
as inserts later? Do they flood the market with them
(31:45):
somehow and sell them later? I don't know, some of.
Speaker 5 (31:49):
The buy back chrome MVP cards stamping them and then
putting them in future year products.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Yeah, and I'm curious if most people would redeem them
or keep them. Most people redeem them, you could be creating,
you know, scarce cards for the ones that aren't redeemed.
If they're destroying them when they're sent in, or do
they just keep them the flood the market later. I
don't know, but it's probably good marketing on their part. Again,
not something I'm you know, I'm going to participate in.
(32:18):
But fanatics, man, they got they they're driving, you know,
they're driving people to their store and you know all
this cross marketing. We all knew this was going to
be happening.
Speaker 5 (32:29):
Sam, what do you what do you think of this?
Speaker 4 (32:32):
I mean, in my mind, I think.
Speaker 6 (32:37):
I don't know, I'm making this like historical connection because
it's like when you think about the different markets and cards, right,
people buy cards with the hopes of Some people buy
cards with the hopes of reselling them and making money
off of them.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
And the idea that they're like.
Speaker 6 (32:55):
Giving people like this credit to their organization as opposed.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
To like get the money. I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 6 (33:03):
It just seems seems strange.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
It's very complicated, like you have to really pay attention
and a lot of work on your part.
Speaker 6 (33:12):
Yeah, so I don't know enough about it, like I
would have to like literally sit down and like read
and understand it, and then that way I can formulate
like a real opinion about it. Like oftentimes, like I don't,
I don't really like put myself in the business.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
Side of the hobby. I don't know why.
Speaker 6 (33:31):
I think I do that on purpose because I don't
want like my joy of collecting to be skewed by
this idea of like, oh I need to sell my
collection or I need to make money off my cards.
So I purposely don't do that. But I do understand
that the idea that this is a business and they
want to find a way to capitalize off the business
(33:53):
side of it and sustain people's attention of collecting, because
history has taught us that oftentimes the hobby goes through
these loads where people don't care about cards, so it's
one way to get them to sustain that attention and
possibly like give them something to look forward to in
terms of like memabilia or if you want to buy
(34:16):
other stuff from the company, and you can use your
cards as a former currency. So that's my initial thought,
you know, given what Mangini said in his early you
know assessment.
Speaker 5 (34:27):
So here's what I think of this redemption program. Okay,
you take a look at a list of some of
the players that have won Rookie of the Year over
the last twenty thirty years. There are a lot of
players that were one year wonders and really didn't do
much else afterwork. Now, in order to be eligible for
(34:50):
some of the other buyback bounties or redemption values or
whatever you want to call it, the player first has
to win Rookie of the Year. Okay, So if you
pull a card of a guy that doesn't win Rookie
of the Year and then goes on to win multiple
MVPs and gets elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame,
(35:11):
you don't get anything from fanatic?
Speaker 6 (35:13):
Does this count fault? Like all cards are just the
modern ones, just these.
Speaker 5 (35:18):
Cards that are coming out in this year's Bowman.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
Wait, they have to win Rookie of the Year before
you're eligible for the other before.
Speaker 5 (35:27):
Yeah. And here's and here's why I don't think here's
why I don't think TOPS put a whole lot of
thought into this product because I looked at the checklist.
Of the thirty players that are going to have these
red RC icons, eight of them are not eligible to
win Rookie of the Year this year.
Speaker 4 (35:48):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (35:49):
And there's a ninth player who had Tommy John and
will not even play this year.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
The more you explain, some of.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
These cards are not even going to be eligible for
this buyback program. And I mean, only TOPS could do
something like this.
Speaker 3 (36:05):
I mean, let's all comments. It could anybody explain why
this isn't stupid?
Speaker 5 (36:10):
It is stupid.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
It seems stupid now that you explain it like that.
Speaker 4 (36:13):
I didn't.
Speaker 3 (36:13):
I didn't realize that. I thought you could hold their
cards if they want anything, you could redeem them.
Speaker 5 (36:18):
No, this year's Rookie of the Year and almost a
third of the players that they've selected are not eligible
for Rookie of the Year this year.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (36:28):
So the comment section, the comment sec the comment section
is just funny right now, you guys can check it out.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
Yeah. I wish I could put some of these on here.
But uh, suppose one of these guys does get elected
to the Hall of Fame twenty five to thirty years
from now. Who's to say that fanatic Fanatics even exists
twenty five or thirty.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
It's hard to get excited about what's going to happen
thirty years from now.
Speaker 5 (36:53):
Right, Yeah, and again you mentioned inflation. Is one thousand,
eleven hundred twelve, one hundred and fifteen hundred dollars worth
of Fanatics gift certificate. It's really going to be worth
really worth it. I mean, I would expect a rookie
refractor of a Hall of Famer is probably going to
(37:15):
be worth more than one thousand dollars cash thirty years
from now. That's just my opinion.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
That might buy a third of a hat.
Speaker 5 (37:23):
Yeah, a thousand bucks thirty years from now, the way
we're going buy a cup of coffee and one shoe
lobby packs of Boweman thirty years from No. Yeah, we're
not reading the chat or taking callers today because we've
had technical difficult Sorry, there's ziggy. We're not ignoring you.
Speaker 6 (37:45):
I have opened up some boweman, especially around like COVID times.
I'm not a huge bowman baseball guy. But you know, oftentimes,
if I find myself in a store, I see something,
I'll get a couple of packs at.
Speaker 4 (37:59):
All, open them up. But I don't really have no no.
Speaker 6 (38:02):
Stake in the game when it comes to this buy
back program.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
I think that's all collectors. We don't necessarily collect everything,
you know, certain things, but if we see them at
the store or pick them up, that's pretty much.
Speaker 6 (38:15):
I do love baseball cards. The first pack of cars
I've opened up was baseball cards. So you know, baseball
cards are my first my first love in terms of collecting.
Speaker 4 (38:26):
But you know, I.
Speaker 6 (38:27):
Pretty much when it comes to collecting baseball cards, I
pretty much live in like the vintage or like the
nineties and collecting a lot of my favorite players, like
you know Albert Bell, Joey Bell, and you know King Griffy.
Speaker 4 (38:40):
And you know those Atlanta teams and stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (38:44):
So yeah, you know, I have some modern I have
some modern stuff, but uh, you know, I'm not dying
to open up base modern baseball all the time, unless
it's like tops flag ship, because you know, some of
the designs I like for that.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
So yes, from the collectors I talked to and and
hear talk about it. You know, they're opening less and
less new product. It's it's it's being made for the breakers. Really,
I mean they're they're pricing your average collector right out
of that.
Speaker 5 (39:13):
I have something that's going to be published any day
now on on Hobby News Daily about why wax has
just become unaffordable for the typical collector.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
Yeah, I mean it's I will not spoil it yet,
you know, in the early two until that.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
Gets published to explain.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Yeah, and in the early two thousands when they started
coming out with the really cards and the signature cards,
I mean, the product was exciting and I would always
get great pools. You know, you put a Jackie Robinson
back card, Hannas Wagner bat card, Mickey Mantle jersey card,
like all kind of great pools back then. And I
don't pull anything anymore. And to pay that kind of
(39:53):
money and get some guy that you'll never ever hear of.
Speaker 5 (39:58):
About a green diamond dye cut Paisley nuclear fractor of
the I mean the Royals number.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
Yeah, with football value. With football, you want to pull
those quarterbacks that you you never even see. They never
even make the team, and in baseball players have never
heard of and never will, you know, because there's so
many prospects in those products and to pay that kind
of money and not get at least a decent pool
is very frustrating and just chases people away. So, uh,
(40:33):
you know it's the Breakers are going to do that
because they're going to make their money no matter what
they pull. You know, it doesn't matter. But zigg is
on fire. What do you have to say about it? Uh?
Speaker 5 (40:45):
Well, yeah, I mean I do blame Breaking on the
elevated price a wax. It's their business model. They have
to buy everything that comes down the pike. And so
if you know you have a class of consumer that
is part of their business model is has to buy
your products, you can afford to charge more for that product.
Speaker 6 (41:06):
I think at this point Breaking has become too big
to fill and it's something that I.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
Think that you're right. Oh, it's almost coming up on
the twelve o'clock hour. I know we we we were
late today by ten minutes. I don't know if you
guys want to go another ten minutes more? Do you
want to and in the show now.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
Or I'm fine with what you want to do, but
I'd love to hear Ziggy's comments. Man, Ziggy, No, I think.
Speaker 6 (41:36):
They're so Ziggy just said, I'm pro breaker. I think
there are some breakers so good for the hobby because
I've crossed paths with a lot of good breakers that
I still buy from every once in a while. Now,
I'm not in everybody's break because you know, for me,
it's a vibe, it's an energy thing. And if I
don't vibe with you, and I don't like your energy,
(41:58):
and I don't like your customer service and the experience
that you create, or you know, just some of the
things you say, like I'm not getting involved with you
or to spend my money. And you know, I do
think breaking has created another avenue to explore the hobby
because I'm an exploration guy when it comes to collecting.
(42:19):
You know, That's why I have the hashtag the hobby experience,
and I think everybody should enjoy the hobby in their
own unique way. However, when the industry tends to shift
its focus to one side of the hobby and funnel
certain products and you see certain things like oh man,
(42:39):
I can only imagine what it felt like if a
kid went to a store and open up that pack
and found that card that's worth X amount of dollars,
that's life changing for them and their family, or just
some nostalgic experience that he can tell his children thirty
years from now. And I think that's that's my only.
Speaker 4 (43:00):
Kind to like breakers, where.
Speaker 6 (43:02):
You don't get those those those intimate moments anymore that we,
you know, tend to see sometimes on on Instagram and
social media where a kid or someone or a family
or a dad, a daughter or someone finds that one
card that they've been looking for.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
Yeah, And I don't think we were saying anything negative
about breaking. We're just pointing out facts that breaking is
really the way if you're gonna buy the hot new
products and the expensive products, that's the way you're gonna
get it now. And the trading card companies are you know,
courting them. That's that's how you're gonna get your boxes,
(43:41):
because you're not going to pay thirteen hundred dollars for
a box. You don't get a you know, a hit on.
Only breakers are going.
Speaker 4 (43:47):
To do that.
Speaker 3 (43:47):
That's just fact. That's not positive, it's not negative. It's
just that's the new hobby. That's the way it is, So.
Speaker 5 (43:54):
The hell with us? Then the collectors.
Speaker 3 (43:57):
Card manufacturers have moved, you know, moved away from the collector.
That's that's just fat. I mean if you go to
Target or whatever, you look for some cards, and you
know you might find some m v P hockey, but
you know you don't find anything good unless you might
be there the day they stock the shelves because it's
just moved to breakers and flippers. And I call it
(44:18):
the hot potato market where you get a card and
you got to pass it. You can't wait to sell it,
you know. Hell, I chase the the Paul Schimes signature,
how bought some some some you know, blaster box or whatever.
Why not it's a million dollar lottery ticket, you know,
life changing money. That's the modern hunt Good or Biggs.
Speaker 6 (44:39):
I do want to comment something on Ziggy said, and
I love Ziggy to death, but this is I think
this is the one moment I've ever agreed with him
in a hobby since I've been following him, especially on Instagram.
I do think breaking builds communities because, like I said,
there are people in the breaking community that I am
tethered to that I still like go back when I like, oh,
(45:01):
I want to join this break because I know this person.
They're awesome and I love the community that they create.
But the one part that I disagree with, I do
think community is still being built in local card stores.
There are a lot of card stores in the Philly
area that I frequent that has this bridge of like
a modern card store that appeals to kids and the
(45:24):
old timer card store that appeals to the collectors who've
been collecting thirty years. And as someone who's forty one
years old and is in the middle of that bridge,
I tend to like be on both sides and have
enjoyed my experience in both of those those spaces, like
going to an old timer store and like learning the
(45:45):
history and being in that richness, and then going to
a more modern card store where there's nothing but kids
in there and being able to connect in that family,
you know atmosphere. So I just I think the hobby
is what you make it and what you put in
your perview on what you want to define your experience,
you will be able to enjoy. But you know, I'm
(46:05):
not against breaking I just think community can be cultivated
on both sides, and we just got to take the
time to experience.
Speaker 3 (46:13):
Yea, and amen to that. That's very well spoken, that
the hobby is what you want it to be, what
you participate in, the areas you want to participate in,
and you don't. You can ignore all this other stuff
if you want.
Speaker 6 (46:26):
Well, and Ziggy, I do understand your last point and
what you said. I think that's that's prevalent too. And
you know, I'm not ignoring that because I know what
that feels like as a you know, not to bring
race into it, but the comment was made. I know
what that feels like as a black man, you know,
living in America. But also don't want to demonize every
(46:49):
you know, local hobby store because you know, as someone
who's been fortunate enough to experience local hobby stores as
far as Wisconsin. You know when one time I'm in
a store in Wisconsin and I buy this you know,
vintage you know, Roberto Clemente card and the guy charged me.
Speaker 4 (47:08):
You know, we came up with a fair price, but
he wound.
Speaker 6 (47:11):
Up charging me three thouars and you know, sixty cents.
And when I was outside looking at my receipt, I
was like, man, this is roll and he charged me
the row price, and I went back in the store
and you know, rectified the situation because he typed in
the roll you know, pin number on the on the
credit card machine, and that started a lifelong connection between
(47:34):
me and this card store. So oftentimes, you know, we
catch up on Instagram or ask when.
Speaker 4 (47:39):
I'm going to be in the area again.
Speaker 6 (47:40):
So I think, I think there's the good and bad
in the hobby. I've experienced people who didn't want me
nowhere near they showcase, and I didn't spend my money
with them and never went back to him. And I've
experienced people who treated me, you know, like a human being.
And I've also seen some breakers, seen some say some
outrageous things on their their live streams, and I'm like,
(48:02):
I never want to spend my money with you because
I don't like how you see people, or I don't
like how you conduct yourself, you know. So you know, again,
the hobby is what you make it. And I think,
you know, we need to have more of these conversations
like this, where we have this discourse so that way
we can ensure that our ecosystem is one for everybody
and everybody has access to it, and that there's you know,
(48:25):
some shared accountability around how we conduct.
Speaker 3 (48:28):
Ourselves in this space, and I'm the same way. I
vote with my money.
Speaker 5 (48:32):
Yeah, me too. Well, it looks like we've made up
most of that ten minute delay. Things worked out at
the end. Guy's got anything else you want to mention?
Plugs website if you want to.
Speaker 4 (48:48):
Know me.
Speaker 6 (48:50):
I'm working on a lot of cool stuff with the
National this year, a lot of things that would be
coming out like real soon. So I'm super excited it
for what the National experience is going to look like
over the next three years in Chicago, especially, you know,
given what I said about just like creating access and
(49:13):
belonging in the hobby and just trying to deepen the
hobby's reach so kids and everybody can have an experience.
So if you're going to be at the forty fifth
National this year, please check out a lot of the
experience stuff.
Speaker 4 (49:30):
That I'm going to be doing.
Speaker 6 (49:32):
And I hope to run into everybody and have conversations
and you could be a part of you know, what
we're creating for the National because it's it's it's it's
been fun and sitting in the meetings and the conversations
and the discussions and the things that I've been cultivating
with the people who are leading the national.
Speaker 3 (49:53):
You know, I'm going to give a little plug. I
started a series and I have a playlist with them
all in meant to be like kind of a Netflix series.
It's called Behind the Videos, and I've been engaging with
YouTube content creators and they've been doing videos, given a
like a look at their card room. I look behind
(50:14):
the scenes and things you you don't see when they're
just doing, you know, a video and showing cards. And
it's great. I've been getting great feedback from it. If
anybody wants to check that out. Other than that, it's
been an honor to be on with you guys. You know,
do something nice for somebody in the hobby, do something
nice for a kid. I had Ugly.
Speaker 2 (50:34):
I had the Ugly. I had the Ugly.
Speaker 1 (50:36):
The panel up here so that you know, listen real quick.
Speaker 2 (50:43):
Thanks to the chat room.
Speaker 1 (50:44):
Like Chris said, and I mentioned some technical issues we
couldn't put obviously, the the comments on the screen. I
know you guys tried to read some Samuel, Chris and
John and get involved.
Speaker 2 (50:57):
Thank you to the chat room for being patient with these
technical difficulties. If you will Uh, we appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (51:05):
If you were listening to the show after the fact,
just on an audio pod platform, we appreciate you as well.
Just kind of inclosing guys, you know again, Uh, keep
Orlando and the Chris Carlon family in your thoughts and uh,
you know, and hopefully we'll be seeing listen, maybe we'll
(51:26):
be seeing Orlando.
Speaker 2 (51:28):
Uh sooner than we think. Right right back on this
very program.
Speaker 4 (51:31):
Job.
Speaker 3 (51:31):
Yeah, I just want to say, you know, when there
was a big risk with that surgery, so you know,
I was, I was antsy until I heard how he
came out and it went well. So yeah, uh that
the first part went very well, and now he has
a long recovery, gonna be you know, recovering for at
least six weeks. And so I just want to let
(51:54):
everybody know that that first part did go well and
they got they got all the cancer and he just
has to be monitored now to make sure it does
nothing comes back. But really really really good news for
my friend or very happy to hear.
Speaker 5 (52:09):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (52:10):
If you you've seen that video, that was tough to watch,
Like I.
Speaker 3 (52:15):
Was like a gut punch man.
Speaker 1 (52:17):
Yeah, I'm an emotional guy. But that even got me
more than I thought it would have. And you know,
I you know, I know he alluded to this could
be my last video. I don't think it is, and
I'm glad that it sounds like it won't be.
Speaker 2 (52:33):
And that's good news. As John just pointed.
Speaker 3 (52:37):
Out, Yeah, and I'm like you, he had he had
told me I asked him to do something. I asked
him to come visit and he said, well, I have
a little procedure or something, so you know, maybe maybe
in a few months. And he didn't tell me what
it was. And yeah, I saw that video. I was like,
holy cow, I didn't really to his bath, you know,
and that.
Speaker 1 (52:56):
And that's it. That's the other thing. I got, the
same thing John, you know, didn't go into detail. Uh,
that's tough to share, like even with with like that.
Oh yeah, people deal with that stuff in their own
ways and they're not always the same way. And so
to make a video and kind of share his medical
diagnosis with the hobby community.
Speaker 2 (53:19):
Just the kind of person, Yeah, that's go ahead.
Speaker 3 (53:24):
I was just gonna say, that's a very difficult video
to make. It's something very difficult to share, and that
just tells you how much.
Speaker 6 (53:30):
The community means to Orlanda.
Speaker 3 (53:32):
That it was you know, important for him to let
us all know. And likewise, I think just in case
he didn't get a chance to say it. You know,
you never know.
Speaker 1 (53:41):
Yeah, and that's that's there's a lesson there, right, folks,
like enjoy the hobby, enjoy life. You sometimes you just
don't know, you know, you wake up on a Thursday
and you're fine, and you wake up on a Friday
and something isn't fine. So uh, you got to you
gotta just enjoy things and do the you I love.
Speaker 6 (54:05):
I think, I think to add to what you're saying,
like that's why it's very important for everybody to go
get a yearly physical. I just had my yearly the
other day. Do that blood work, Stay in tune with
your health, you know, take care of yourself because like
you know, I often say, like life is too long
to like not want to take care of yourself or
(54:27):
to be upset because you can miss out on moments.
But life is all too also short because you don't
know when when that time is going to come.
Speaker 4 (54:36):
So you know, I'm.
Speaker 6 (54:39):
Wishing him good health. I know that resonated with me.
Personally because my father died the young cancer, lung cancer.
And you know, I was twenty four years old, sitting
in college, finishing up my graduate year, my last year
basketball eligibility, and I had to, you know, prepare for
a funeral for my dad who died the lung cancer.
(55:00):
I get it, and and you know, I wish him
nothing but the best, and I hope he recovers and
is back to himself.
Speaker 3 (55:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (55:08):
I've sent some messages, I don't know, you know, I
haven't heard a response again. If you know his numbers,
you know, send him. I'm sure he'd be glad to
read him and respond when he when he's able to.
Speaker 2 (55:21):
You know that stuff. You know, the power community can.
Speaker 1 (55:24):
Go a long way, Uh, especially up here with the
mental power. So uh, you know, I look forward to
seeing Orlando back on this show when he's able, and uh,
that'll be a real fun day. And hope to see
it soon. But like you said, John, Uh, you know,
any surgery right, Uh, anytime you're you're having a surgery,
(55:47):
you never Yeah.
Speaker 3 (55:49):
My dad always said, you know the difference between minor
and major surgery is major surgery. Surgery? Is that's happening
to you? When it's happening to you, you never call
it minors.
Speaker 1 (56:00):
Yeah, exactly, so, so good news on that front. And
again can uh you know, continued thoughts to the Carlon
family during a tragic point in time for for that
family as well. We look forward to seeing both of
those gentlemen back on these airwaves as soon as uh
(56:20):
as soon as they're able. So guys, thanks again, chat room,
Thanks for for you know, your patients with with some
of the some of the technical difficulties that will happen
every once in a while. So we wish everyone well
and good rest of your weekend and we'll see you
here a week from today. Thanks everybody, see everyone,
All right, good Saturday morning, everybody. My name is John
(00:35):
Newman from Sports Coordination. It's time for another episode of
Hobby Hotline. I am not on this week's show, but
we are having a few technical difficulties, so I kind
of started the show.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
I'll be exiting, uh stage left.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Here, uh in a little bit here, and Chris will
take over. We're joined this morning obviously with as you
see him on the screen, Samuel Evans and the John Manchini.
So we'll be going to three to three person as
I leave, but I had to help with some technical stuff.
(01:13):
But before we get started, guys, and I think I
speak for all of us on screen and many in
the chat room, you know, tough, you know, I like
to think of Hobby Hotline has been around now four
or five years. We've had over twenty different hosts as
part of the show, and I don't know, maybe it's me,
(01:35):
but I always view everybody who's been part of the show,
current or in the past as sort of you know,
a fraternity, as family. And this week, that being said,
this week's been you know, kind of tough for the
family and for two of our hosts, if you will.
And let's start off with you know Orlando Collector's dream.
(01:57):
He posted a video on his YouTube channel about his
recent lung cancer diagnosis. On Wednesday, he had half his
lung surgically removed in efforts to stop this cancer.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
You know, anytime you hear that's s word, I don't,
I think I speak for everyone.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Again.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
We know the serious nature of that. And Orlando is
a great guy. We're thinking about him.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
I know.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
You know, he had initially told me a procedure. He
didn't go into details, so I didn't find out until watching.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
That video and hit me hard, hit me hard.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
You know, as we get up there in age, right,
this stuff becomes even more real. And so I think
again I speak for for everybody. We wish Orlando well.
We know we're going to see him again. He's a
strong dude, he's a tough dude. And you know I
told him if there's anything he needs, I'm a I'm
(02:56):
a phone call away. And you know, we we we
pray for him. I'm a I'm a person of fate.
So he's been in my prayers every day, uh uh
this week, and and.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
We'll continue to do so.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
And you know, keep him in your thoughts in prayers, uh,
as well as he recovers uh, and hopefully the prognosis
post recovery as well, that they got it all and
he can, you know, get start to progress, get back
on his feet and back in front of the camera again.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
And I feel like that's that's gonna be the case.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And then a day or two after that, Chris Carlin, UH,
another one of our hosts posted that his brother in law, Robbie,
I'm not sure her last name, but his brother in law, Robbie,
his wife's husband or wife's brother, was killed tragically by
an alleged trunk driver.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
UH.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
So our hearts, thoughts of prayers and condolences UH to
the whole family there for for Chris and family.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
UH.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
That's that's always a tough deal, losing any kind of
loved one, but even more so kind of in that
fashion as well. So thoughts prayers to to Orlando and
UH for recovery and and a good prognosis, and thoughts
and in prayers to Chris Carlin on the tragic loss
(04:26):
of his brother. So it's a tough way to start
the show. I wish we didn't have to do that.
No one likes, you know, these kind of things but
you know, sometimes in life, that's that's that happened.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
We have to deal with it and do the best
we can.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
So I've rambled on long enough, but uh, you know,
two guys, two great guys that are so crucial to
the hobby, to this show.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
And you know, we wish them the best we can.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
So, uh, guys, I'm gonna I'm gonna exit stage left,
and uh I might be back at the end by
the end of the show kind of kind of clean
things up.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
So again, uh, you know, but we have to keep going.
So we're gonna talk some hobby.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
I know some of the topics today is some of
the news coming out of the Pops industry conference that
they have with their dealers and new policies and program
uh their rolling as well. So all right, guys, I'm
gonna I'm gonna take you know, get off screen here,
but uh, uh you know.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
I think I want a second John's comments on Orlando
and Chris Carlin. I'll be honest with you, I've I
think I've only spoken to Orlando maybe a couple of
times here on Hobby Hotline. I don't really know him
that well. But having part of your lung remove that
doesn't seem like something I would want anyway. I know,
(05:56):
I know it's common to say thoughts and prayers and
condole and says it's not dead yet, so let's kind
of save that for hopefully far in the future. So anyway,
this is Hobby Hotline. It's May the third, It's episode
number three forty three. Interesting. That was the name of
(06:17):
my basic training flight, you know, when I was in
the Air Force. Three three. I don't know if that
means anything, but uh, I here with Sam. How you doing, Sam?
Speaker 4 (06:27):
How you knowing?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
How you doings fine?
Speaker 5 (06:30):
And from the Mangenie collection.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
How you doing, sir, I'm good, I'm good.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
Uh So, I don't know if you guys knew about
this this week, but TOPS had a little shindig in
Atlanta where they got most of their their real customers,
not not us collectors, but they're dealers and breakers and
got them around, uh wind them and dine them and
(06:57):
do some backslapping and give a little preview of what's
to come in twenty twenty six. And there was some
news that came out. I'm not sure if you're aware,
but TOPS is coming back with its bait with football
and basketball next year, and there was some news that
(07:20):
came out regarding what they're coming out with and when,
and I made a whole slide deck on this, and
now I can't bring it up. Let's see here.
Speaker 6 (07:29):
I know, for me, while you find it, I wasn't
really paying attention to what was going on. I've been
working on a bunch of like car projects for the National.
But I did scroll across my Instagram and see a
bunch of sad tire around, you know, certain people making
content about people posing for different pictures and all hanging
(07:51):
out together, and I chuckled a little bit. But you know,
I just it just slipped my mind because I was
focused on a bunch of other stuff. I know, for me,
when it comes, I would love to experience the TOP
conference one day, just to see it as like a
bucket list experience as a collector and.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
Someone who like those people.
Speaker 6 (08:12):
Who works in the industry. But in terms of like
everything that comes with it, it's so like, you know,
not in my purview as like, oh I didn't think
about these things are Oh, I didn't know these things.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Were going on.
Speaker 6 (08:28):
But I am excited to see what TOPS basketball looks
like now that they fully own the license and everything
because the other ones. I was not a fan of
it when it first came out. So that's my thoughts.
That's the only thing I can add for that discussion.
Speaker 5 (08:47):
Yeah, I think I'd like to go to one of
those industry conferences as well, but I don't think we
collectors are really that important enough. I know TOPS has
this little dog and pony show that they throw around
the national but I stopped going to that years ago
(09:07):
because it's pretty much the same questions, the same gripes,
the same thissa that there's always Oh there's always that guy,
the Santa Claus guy who's asking whether TOPS is gonna
come out with Santa Claus cards or year. I just
stopped going to that. But there was some news I
(09:32):
can't get my slide deck to come out, so I'll
just read you the slides that I have. So when
it comes to TOPS Football, it was revealed that their
license with the players Associated goes into effect on March
the first of next and their license with the NFL,
which will allow them to put logos on the card,
(09:55):
comes into effect on April the first, and they reveal
some brand names that they plan on coming out with
and I'm because y'all can't see the slide. These are
all labeled as twenty twenty five product. So we're gonna
get TOPS Chrome Finest, Cosmic Chrome, Black Chrome, and two
(10:20):
new products that I don't think have been released before
in any other sport signature class and Resurgence. Now. TOPS
has also said that they are planning to release as
many as eight products beginning April twenty twenty six that
will be branded as twenty twenty five products. So for
(10:42):
the first time, really ever since football went the exclusive
license route, we're going to have this twenty twenty five
rookie card class is going to have rookie cards from
two different companies, Panini and Tops. It's just that the
OPS rookies won't be coming until twenty twenty six. What
(11:05):
do y'all think of that? Having both and Pannini rookie
for one year? Anyway?
Speaker 4 (11:10):
Can they actually do that?
Speaker 5 (11:13):
I mean they will be able to do that beginning
April next year. So this time next year, we're going
to be seeing basically an avalanche of Tops of twenty
twenty five TOPS football product.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
I mean, I'm not much of a football collector. Doesn't
mean much to.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Me, But I think it's great you get additional but
I'm never I've never been a fan of TOPS releasing
rookie cards for twenty twenty five in twenty twenty six
the following year, and never makes sense to me.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Yeah, the second year in the league. Yeah, why not?
Speaker 5 (11:49):
Ending on the credit companies for constantly backdating products. It's
like Upper Deck is about to release just released a
twenty twenty three branded hockey product, and they're gonna release
another two twenty twenty three branded hockey products in the
in the next couple of weeks, even though the twenty
twenty four season is over and we're now in the playoffs,
(12:12):
right and even though TOPS just released twenty twenty four
Heritage high number in March of twenty twenty five. But
I think a lot of these twenty twenty five labeled
TOPS football products. Yes, they're gonna come after the twenty
twenty six draft, but not before the twenty twenty six
(12:33):
season starts, So there's a little bit of ambiguity there.
But you know, they're gonna release eight football products basically
in three or four months. Is that a little too
many products to have?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Of course, but that's the world we live in. What's
eight more?
Speaker 6 (12:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
I was gonna say they came up with a tennis
set what was it a year or two ago and
it was backdated like two or three years. Yeah, it
was absurd.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
Let me get some comments in the chat here. Man
Jeannie can't wait for the next Top's Cosmic Chrome release.
He loves it. Listen to the new names. He said,
it was out of this world. So I don't get
cosmic chrome. I mean, if you're trying to make a
(13:28):
product like the Skybox Metal sets from the nineties, make
it look like a Skybox Metal set from the nineties,
use etched foil and not chrome.
Speaker 6 (13:37):
I don't know why they just don't partner with Upper
Deck to say, can we borrow a license to keep
that like brand authentic instead of trying to like replicate
something that they fell over and over with again.
Speaker 5 (13:51):
Yeah, well, don't borrow, don't borrow the license. Just make
the cards on the etched foil rather than chrome stock
like it used to. Let's see what other else can
we use smaller words? Okay and Mookie Chilson, I have
a love love relationship with tennis cards. Now technically love
(14:14):
means zero in tennis. So you love.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Tennis cards or LU.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
Love Yeah, I'll wait for the Cosmo Kramer Tops Chrome. Yeah,
a card set out of made for nothing apparent. So
that's TOPS football.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
And man, that chat's on fire.
Speaker 5 (14:38):
And from what I understand from my sources that were there, yes,
there they are going to have a TOPS flagship football brand,
probably not a twenty twenty five labeled one, but even
though they didn't mention it in their in their presentation,
there will be TOPS Flagship Football, but apparently there will
(14:58):
not be Bowman football, not yet anyway, I'm not sure
if Bowman football has the kind of panache that it
does in baseball.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
So that'll be nine sets.
Speaker 5 (15:10):
I think they're gonna hold off until the actual twenty
twenty six season to make a flagship man.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
It'd be nice to have another eight Bowman set.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
Oh oh yeah, oh me too. Anyway, let's moving on
Tops's plans for basketball. Now. They already have the players
Associate's license so they can include and you've noticed the
last couple of TOPS basketball products have had current players,
(15:40):
just not logo. The NBA license with logo goes into
effect on October first of this year, and there are
no plans for them to make any twenty twenty four
twenty twenty five products, but they did include a list
of brand for twenty five twenty six and those include
(16:03):
again Flagship, Finest, Cosmic Chrome but not Tops Chrome, Motif, Inception,
Diamond Icons, Tops three which is a brand that they
just introduced I think last month, Resurgence, and intern Eternity,
(16:24):
which you know some brands that were used to I
know Finest was a big brand for basketball collectors back
in the day.
Speaker 6 (16:34):
I'm looking for sources.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
They say that Cooper Flag is going to be heavily
pushed in a lot of the products next when they
get the license. So before I continue, what do you
guys think of that that lineup twenty twenty five, twenty
twenty six Tops Basketball.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
I know, for me, the only one I care about
is Finest because that was connected to, you know, my
childhood as a collector in the night. So I want
to see if they like stay true to like some
of those great insert cards that came out of Finance.
So I'm looking forward to that. And you know, I'm
not a big monitoring card collector. You know, I often
(17:15):
buy those cards and I give them away to my students.
But you know, I would love to like reminisce and
relive those moments seeing some finance. Finally for basketball, you
get your wish.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Apparently, all I can tell you is my head's spinning. Man.
You need to have like a PhD and calculus to
figure out all these new sets. It seems like a
lot of a lot of stress for a hobby that's
supposed to be fun in my book, But I wonder,
you know, with these products being gripped, you know, they
break them, and everybody's chasing the hits, and those are
(17:50):
the only things anybody wants. What happens to all these
other base cards of all these you know, thirty sets
a year or whatever, what happens to them? Are people
throwing them away? I don't see people set collecting. What
happens to those cards? What do you guys do with them?
I actually collected by a warehouse to store them.
Speaker 5 (18:08):
What do you do with them?
Speaker 4 (18:12):
No?
Speaker 6 (18:13):
I set collect some like modern like some Panini sets,
And like I said, oftentimes, like when I'm an educator,
I'm a principal, and I often have kids who collect cards,
so and you know they're fans of a lot of
the modern basketball players today, So I often like pass
them down to them, and you know, they fall in
(18:33):
love with the cards, you know. So I think there
are a lot of set collectors out there. I just
think for this new generation of collectors, there needs to
be that bridging of the gap to teach kids the
importance of like set collecting and the joy that comes
with that in the in the story behind it and
the experience. And I think we if we cultivate that
(18:56):
in the right way, there'll be you know, some response
inness and a change in that mindset. Because I know
often when I do card shows and our host trade nights,
especially in my area, the Philly Show, and when we
do giveaway my room for all the kids who stand
in front of me, you cannot throw away the base cards.
(19:16):
You actually have to collect them, and I give them,
I give them that history. And you see and as
an educator, like I've seen Arica moments in children when
they learn something new or they get curious about something,
and you see that like transfer over to them. And
then as you walk around the room, you see them
(19:37):
paying close attention to their base cards and they're taking
care of them, They're putting them in top loaders, et cetera,
et cetera. So I think I think as us, like
older collectors, if we spend the time and find those moments,
like even when I'm in like random card stores and
I happen to see kids.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
There and interact with their parents and them.
Speaker 6 (19:58):
You know, I tell the story of the base car
and the importance of it and that it has a
place in everybody's collection, and it's it's a door opener,
So don't discard it, take care of it and value it.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
What do you think breakers do with them all? Maybe
maybe some base cards are going to be rare because
everybody's throwing them out.
Speaker 6 (20:21):
I would hope that you know, they do the right
thing and like you can donate them, repractice them, because
there are a lot of like after school car clubs
popping up all around in different areas where you know
those kids could benefit from like having those cards.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Yeah. Absolutely, But you know the thing is is there's
millions upon millions of these things at this point. You know,
every year they're making so many, so many cards. There's
way more than enough to go around and certainly have
storage issues.
Speaker 5 (20:52):
Yeah, I I know, I see sam at I'm kind
of local I'm I'm in Delaware. I see sam It shows,
and I see a lot of kids go to these
shows like the Philly Show or the used to be
called the Sugar House with that Casino show. I see
a lot of kids that got their little Yeah, I
(21:14):
don't see a whole lot of these kids slumped over
a dollar box, going through the stacks and trying to
knock off a checklate.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
I was going to say, the kids that I see
at shows have more money than I do.
Speaker 5 (21:27):
Yeah, I think a lot of these kids disappointment later on.
And that's my two cents. I want to get into
some of the comments. Abel in Vegas says football diamond
icons does not make sense as a product. I don't
(21:49):
think no, that's actually going to be for a basketball product.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
Doesn't make sense for that either.
Speaker 5 (21:57):
Diamond icons and basketball. Also, they one out hard wood icon.
I think these may be just provisional products, but hard
structured like the baseball diamond. I think that's what they
meant by.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
That diamond makes sense in the modern grading world, because
you know everybody's looking through the loop like you do. Diamonds.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
Colonel Sanders Bucket of Chicken Top's finest chrome eternity diamond.
Don't give them any ideas because they might do that
basin landfill and chromium causes cancer. Well it doesn't if
you actually collect the cards and don't throw them away.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
I don't think it causes cancer if you don't eat them.
Speaker 5 (22:40):
If you don't need them. Yeah, lots of kids at Strongsville. Okay,
crazy that these kids walk around with five k I
do want to mention one last thing about tops plans
for basketball, and that is there was a lot of
rumor and innuendo going around from my horses were telling
(23:01):
me that they're not bringing back stadium club basketball, not yet,
and that's because they want to make a play to
get either or or prisimply both Kobe and or MJ
into the products. Now. MJ has been an upper deck
guy since time in Memoriam. Then again, so was Lebron,
(23:25):
and then Fanatics was able to get the rights to Lebron. Obviously,
Kobe's not going to be signing autographs anytime soon, but
having his image in your product would still be a
big deal. How big of a deal would that be
if Fanatics were to get one of those guys, much
(23:46):
less both of those.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
I really don't know, but they probably will. I mean,
they're taking over the world, I would guess they will.
I mean, I'm not a big fan of collecting, you know,
old players on modern cards. It's not my thing, so
I can't speak to it. Really, It's not something I
would personally chase.
Speaker 6 (24:04):
I like some relic cards we players, especially from the nineties,
and I collect a lot of Vince's basketball cards. So
if it like, I'm a Wilt Chamberlain collector, so I
have all of Wilt Chamberlain's playing year cards, his rookie
everything on my list and I have them all. So
oftentimes when I'm at a card show and I see
(24:25):
like a monitoring card of him in a Sixers uniform,
because there aren't any during his playing years, there were
no cards of him in his Sixers uniform, with the
exception when this when they were the Warriors, but they
moved to Golden State. So oftentimes I look for those
because they're like, they have some good photos of him
in that uniform. So I'm a fan of it. It
(24:47):
just has to like make sense to me, and especially
if it like captures that like ninety insert like connection, I'm.
Speaker 4 (24:56):
Like, all right, I can buy that I could like
add that to my piece.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
See, but not all all relic cards are equally made,
you know what I mean. There's some where they just
like making them to just try to make money off
the product. And there's some that I was like, Oh,
that was a that was a well made, like relic
card of Larry Bird.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
I could put that in mind.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
I agree.
Speaker 6 (25:16):
I'm a fan. Yeah, I'm a fan of Kobe being
in there. I just don't think Michael Jordan to ever
leave upper deck.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (25:23):
Comment from Steel City d W about Bean Team basketball
and those inserts are are really iconic for basketball, Stadium
Club Bean Team, and my source was telling me that
that that's the reason why they're not going to bring
Stadium Club back until they get Jordan into the product,
(25:44):
because they want more Jordan Bean teams out there.
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Hey do you have do you have the Wilt Chamberlain
you see it tops poster?
Speaker 6 (25:55):
I have a bunch of I don't have the tops poster,
but I have a bunch of magazines of world.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
Chamber Tops poster set is great, great images on there.
Speaker 4 (26:03):
You got it?
Speaker 6 (26:03):
You gotta send me a picture on Instagram so I
can check it out, all right?
Speaker 3 (26:08):
Yeah, I think I have the whole set, if not
close to it.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
All right, one other piece of news that came out,
actually two pieces of news. Other piece of news that
came out of the TOPS industry conference they announced, and
we kind of knew this was going to happen based
on what happened in Series one baseball. But they are
(26:32):
standardizing their parallel rainbow across all products. So from now on,
the serial number to five level will all be red,
the serial number to twenty five will all be orange,
the serial number to fifty level will all be gold,
and so on and so forth. This will be across
(26:55):
all chrome and all other products. And yeah, I'm one
that's criticized TOPS for putting out too many parallels and
too many parallels that none nobody really wants. But at
least they're making them consistent. Here, you pull them, it's
(27:16):
going to be numbered in ninety. No, you pull a suit,
you pull a purple refractor, it was two fifty, but
under this new system, it's now going to be seventy
five from now on. So that consistency. What do y'all
think of that?
Speaker 3 (27:33):
I love the uniformity always, you know, if you're getting
into the hobby or starting getting back in. You know,
do you take the nineteen seventy two TOPS designed. They
make all these cards that look like it. Some of
them come from archives, some of them come from heritage,
some of them are in the regular tops. They make
them every year, and you know, it's so hard to
identify all these cards. I love the uniformity. It's long
(27:56):
overduetto I agree.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
Someone in the comments said, MOOKI my standard rainbow is
roy GBIV. I'm not changing, and they kind of do
a roy GBIV. I mean the red is five, Orange
is twenty five, Yellow or gold in this case is
the next level up at fifty. Then green is ninety nine,
(28:20):
Blue one fifty, and it used to be purple was
two fifty, but now they've moved that to seventy fives. Whatever. Anyway,
one last item that came from the TOPS conference is
this new redemption plan program in Bowman Baseball. Bomen Baseball
(28:42):
comes out this week and the deal is on thirty
selected players who will have rookie cards. In Bowman. They're
going to make a small number of refractors where the
rookie card icon in the corner is going to be red. Okay,
now we don't know how common these red RC cards
(29:07):
are going to be. Are you gonna get one in
a box, two in a box, are they gonna be
case hits, whatever, But these are gonna pay for thirty cards.
If one of those thirty players wins the Rookie of
the Year this year, you would then be able to
redeem that for one hundred dollars in Fanatics gift certificate.
(29:28):
This this isn't gonna be like the Tops Chrome program
where you get store credit at your local lcs. You
have to the store owners are cut out completely in this.
In this transaction, you have to send it to Fanatics
and you get your one hundred dollars and you have
I think until sometime in October of next year to
(29:49):
claim your hundred dollars. But you can hold on to
that card and if that player wins a major award
over their career, such as an MVP or a Cy
Young Award, then Tops will then buy that back for
an additional two hundred dollars per award. So let's say
your player wins the Rookie of the Year and then
(30:12):
wins two MVP award, you can then trade that in
for five hundred dollars worth of Fanatics script. If this
player gets elected to the Hall of Fame, you can
get an additional one thousand dollars worth of script. So
theoretically your play you can twenty five thirty years from now,
(30:34):
when this guy gets elected to the Hall of Fame,
your card, you can then trade it in for as
maybe fifteen hundred to two thousand dollars worth of Fanatics
gift certificates program. I just want to know what you
guys think.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
I just said, with inflation, thirty years from now, that'll
be worth about twelve dollars exactly.
Speaker 5 (30:58):
That's what I'm thinking.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
I think it's brilliant marketing on their part, because what
they're really doing is they are capitalizing on both the
modern prospecting hobby and the gambling mentality of the hobby,
and they're kind of combining those and creating these chases
and in some way going back to the roots of
many baseball cards that were redemption cards in the early
(31:23):
days of baseball cards. For instance, in nineteen twenty six,
Spouting released the set and you could trade the cards
in for Spouting sporting goods, and it's kind of a
throwback to that too. My immediate question is what do
they do if with all the ones that are sent
into them do they destroy them? Did they put them
as inserts later? Do they flood the market with them
(31:45):
somehow and sell them later? I don't know, some of.
Speaker 5 (31:49):
The buy back chrome MVP cards stamping them and then
putting them in future year products.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Yeah, and I'm curious if most people would redeem them
or keep them. Most people redeem them, you could be creating,
you know, scarce cards for the ones that aren't redeemed.
If they're destroying them when they're sent in, or do
they just keep them the flood the market later. I
don't know, but it's probably good marketing on their part. Again,
not something I'm you know, I'm going to participate in.
(32:18):
But fanatics, man, they got they they're driving, you know,
they're driving people to their store and you know all
this cross marketing. We all knew this was going to
be happening.
Speaker 5 (32:29):
Sam, what do you what do you think of this?
Speaker 4 (32:32):
I mean, in my mind, I think.
Speaker 6 (32:37):
I don't know, I'm making this like historical connection because
it's like when you think about the different markets and cards, right,
people buy cards with the hopes of Some people buy
cards with the hopes of reselling them and making money
off of them.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
And the idea that they're like.
Speaker 6 (32:55):
Giving people like this credit to their organization as opposed.
Speaker 4 (32:59):
To like get the money. I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 6 (33:03):
It just seems seems strange.
Speaker 3 (33:06):
It's very complicated, like you have to really pay attention
and a lot of work on your part.
Speaker 6 (33:12):
Yeah, so I don't know enough about it, like I
would have to like literally sit down and like read
and understand it, and then that way I can formulate
like a real opinion about it. Like oftentimes, like I don't,
I don't really like put myself in the business.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
Side of the hobby. I don't know why.
Speaker 6 (33:31):
I think I do that on purpose because I don't
want like my joy of collecting to be skewed by
this idea of like, oh I need to sell my
collection or I need to make money off my cards.
So I purposely don't do that. But I do understand
that the idea that this is a business and they
want to find a way to capitalize off the business
(33:53):
side of it and sustain people's attention of collecting, because
history has taught us that oftentimes the hobby goes through
these loads where people don't care about cards, so it's
one way to get them to sustain that attention and
possibly like give them something to look forward to in
terms of like memabilia or if you want to buy
(34:16):
other stuff from the company, and you can use your
cards as a former currency. So that's my initial thought,
you know, given what Mangini said in his early you
know assessment.
Speaker 5 (34:27):
So here's what I think of this redemption program. Okay,
you take a look at a list of some of
the players that have won Rookie of the Year over
the last twenty thirty years. There are a lot of
players that were one year wonders and really didn't do
much else afterwork. Now, in order to be eligible for
(34:50):
some of the other buyback bounties or redemption values or
whatever you want to call it, the player first has
to win Rookie of the Year. Okay, So if you
pull a card of a guy that doesn't win Rookie
of the Year and then goes on to win multiple
MVPs and gets elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame,
(35:11):
you don't get anything from fanatic?
Speaker 6 (35:13):
Does this count fault? Like all cards are just the
modern ones, just these.
Speaker 5 (35:18):
Cards that are coming out in this year's Bowman.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
Wait, they have to win Rookie of the Year before
you're eligible for the other before.
Speaker 5 (35:27):
Yeah. And here's and here's why I don't think here's
why I don't think TOPS put a whole lot of
thought into this product because I looked at the checklist.
Of the thirty players that are going to have these
red RC icons, eight of them are not eligible to
win Rookie of the Year this year.
Speaker 4 (35:48):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (35:49):
And there's a ninth player who had Tommy John and
will not even play this year.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
The more you explain, some of.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
These cards are not even going to be eligible for
this buyback program. And I mean, only TOPS could do
something like this.
Speaker 3 (36:05):
I mean, let's all comments. It could anybody explain why
this isn't stupid?
Speaker 5 (36:10):
It is stupid.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
It seems stupid now that you explain it like that.
Speaker 4 (36:13):
I didn't.
Speaker 3 (36:13):
I didn't realize that. I thought you could hold their
cards if they want anything, you could redeem them.
Speaker 5 (36:18):
No, this year's Rookie of the Year and almost a
third of the players that they've selected are not eligible
for Rookie of the Year this year.
Speaker 3 (36:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (36:28):
So the comment section, the comment sec the comment section
is just funny right now, you guys can check it out.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
Yeah. I wish I could put some of these on here.
But uh, suppose one of these guys does get elected
to the Hall of Fame twenty five to thirty years
from now. Who's to say that fanatic Fanatics even exists
twenty five or thirty.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
It's hard to get excited about what's going to happen
thirty years from now.
Speaker 5 (36:53):
Right, Yeah, and again you mentioned inflation. Is one thousand,
eleven hundred twelve, one hundred and fifteen hundred dollars worth
of Fanatics gift certificate. It's really going to be worth
really worth it. I mean, I would expect a rookie
refractor of a Hall of Famer is probably going to
(37:15):
be worth more than one thousand dollars cash thirty years
from now. That's just my opinion.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
That might buy a third of a hat.
Speaker 5 (37:23):
Yeah, a thousand bucks thirty years from now, the way
we're going buy a cup of coffee and one shoe
lobby packs of Boweman thirty years from No. Yeah, we're
not reading the chat or taking callers today because we've
had technical difficult Sorry, there's ziggy. We're not ignoring you.
Speaker 6 (37:45):
I have opened up some boweman, especially around like COVID times.
I'm not a huge bowman baseball guy. But you know, oftentimes,
if I find myself in a store, I see something,
I'll get a couple of packs at.
Speaker 4 (37:59):
All, open them up. But I don't really have no no.
Speaker 6 (38:02):
Stake in the game when it comes to this buy
back program.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
I think that's all collectors. We don't necessarily collect everything,
you know, certain things, but if we see them at
the store or pick them up, that's pretty much.
Speaker 6 (38:15):
I do love baseball cards. The first pack of cars
I've opened up was baseball cards. So you know, baseball
cards are my first my first love in terms of collecting.
Speaker 4 (38:26):
But you know, I.
Speaker 6 (38:27):
Pretty much when it comes to collecting baseball cards, I
pretty much live in like the vintage or like the
nineties and collecting a lot of my favorite players, like
you know Albert Bell, Joey Bell, and you know King Griffy.
Speaker 4 (38:40):
And you know those Atlanta teams and stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (38:44):
So yeah, you know, I have some modern I have
some modern stuff, but uh, you know, I'm not dying
to open up base modern baseball all the time, unless
it's like tops flag ship, because you know, some of
the designs I like for that.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
So yes, from the collectors I talked to and and
hear talk about it. You know, they're opening less and
less new product. It's it's it's being made for the breakers. Really,
I mean they're they're pricing your average collector right out
of that.
Speaker 5 (39:13):
I have something that's going to be published any day
now on on Hobby News Daily about why wax has
just become unaffordable for the typical collector.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
Yeah, I mean it's I will not spoil it yet,
you know, in the early two until that.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
Gets published to explain.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Yeah, and in the early two thousands when they started
coming out with the really cards and the signature cards,
I mean, the product was exciting and I would always
get great pools. You know, you put a Jackie Robinson
back card, Hannas Wagner bat card, Mickey Mantle jersey card,
like all kind of great pools back then. And I
don't pull anything anymore. And to pay that kind of
(39:53):
money and get some guy that you'll never ever hear of.
Speaker 5 (39:58):
About a green diamond dye cut Paisley nuclear fractor of
the I mean the Royals number.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
Yeah, with football value. With football, you want to pull
those quarterbacks that you you never even see. They never
even make the team, and in baseball players have never
heard of and never will, you know, because there's so
many prospects in those products and to pay that kind
of money and not get at least a decent pool
is very frustrating and just chases people away. So, uh,
(40:33):
you know it's the Breakers are going to do that
because they're going to make their money no matter what
they pull. You know, it doesn't matter. But zigg is
on fire. What do you have to say about it? Uh?
Speaker 5 (40:45):
Well, yeah, I mean I do blame Breaking on the
elevated price a wax. It's their business model. They have
to buy everything that comes down the pike. And so
if you know you have a class of consumer that
is part of their business model is has to buy
your products, you can afford to charge more for that product.
Speaker 6 (41:06):
I think at this point Breaking has become too big
to fill and it's something that I.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
Think that you're right. Oh, it's almost coming up on
the twelve o'clock hour. I know we we we were
late today by ten minutes. I don't know if you
guys want to go another ten minutes more? Do you
want to and in the show now.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
Or I'm fine with what you want to do, but
I'd love to hear Ziggy's comments. Man, Ziggy, No, I think.
Speaker 6 (41:36):
They're so Ziggy just said, I'm pro breaker. I think
there are some breakers so good for the hobby because
I've crossed paths with a lot of good breakers that
I still buy from every once in a while. Now,
I'm not in everybody's break because you know, for me,
it's a vibe, it's an energy thing. And if I
don't vibe with you, and I don't like your energy,
(41:58):
and I don't like your customer service and the experience
that you create, or you know, just some of the
things you say, like I'm not getting involved with you
or to spend my money. And you know, I do
think breaking has created another avenue to explore the hobby
because I'm an exploration guy when it comes to collecting.
(42:19):
You know, That's why I have the hashtag the hobby experience,
and I think everybody should enjoy the hobby in their
own unique way. However, when the industry tends to shift
its focus to one side of the hobby and funnel
certain products and you see certain things like oh man,
(42:39):
I can only imagine what it felt like if a
kid went to a store and open up that pack
and found that card that's worth X amount of dollars,
that's life changing for them and their family, or just
some nostalgic experience that he can tell his children thirty
years from now. And I think that's that's my only.
Speaker 4 (43:00):
Kind to like breakers, where.
Speaker 6 (43:02):
You don't get those those those intimate moments anymore that we,
you know, tend to see sometimes on on Instagram and
social media where a kid or someone or a family
or a dad, a daughter or someone finds that one
card that they've been looking for.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
Yeah, And I don't think we were saying anything negative
about breaking. We're just pointing out facts that breaking is
really the way if you're gonna buy the hot new
products and the expensive products, that's the way you're gonna
get it now. And the trading card companies are you know,
courting them. That's that's how you're gonna get your boxes,
(43:41):
because you're not going to pay thirteen hundred dollars for
a box. You don't get a you know, a hit on.
Only breakers are going.
Speaker 4 (43:47):
To do that.
Speaker 3 (43:47):
That's just fact. That's not positive, it's not negative. It's
just that's the new hobby. That's the way it is, So.
Speaker 5 (43:54):
The hell with us? Then the collectors.
Speaker 3 (43:57):
Card manufacturers have moved, you know, moved away from the collector.
That's that's just fat. I mean if you go to
Target or whatever, you look for some cards, and you
know you might find some m v P hockey, but
you know you don't find anything good unless you might
be there the day they stock the shelves because it's
just moved to breakers and flippers. And I call it
(44:18):
the hot potato market where you get a card and
you got to pass it. You can't wait to sell it,
you know. Hell, I chase the the Paul Schimes signature,
how bought some some some you know, blaster box or whatever.
Why not it's a million dollar lottery ticket, you know,
life changing money. That's the modern hunt Good or Biggs.
Speaker 6 (44:39):
I do want to comment something on Ziggy said, and
I love Ziggy to death, but this is I think
this is the one moment I've ever agreed with him
in a hobby since I've been following him, especially on Instagram.
I do think breaking builds communities because, like I said,
there are people in the breaking community that I am
tethered to that I still like go back when I like, oh,
(45:01):
I want to join this break because I know this person.
They're awesome and I love the community that they create.
But the one part that I disagree with, I do
think community is still being built in local card stores.
There are a lot of card stores in the Philly
area that I frequent that has this bridge of like
a modern card store that appeals to kids and the
(45:24):
old timer card store that appeals to the collectors who've
been collecting thirty years. And as someone who's forty one
years old and is in the middle of that bridge,
I tend to like be on both sides and have
enjoyed my experience in both of those those spaces, like
going to an old timer store and like learning the
(45:45):
history and being in that richness, and then going to
a more modern card store where there's nothing but kids
in there and being able to connect in that family,
you know atmosphere. So I just I think the hobby
is what you make it and what you put in
your perview on what you want to define your experience,
you will be able to enjoy. But you know, I'm
(46:05):
not against breaking I just think community can be cultivated
on both sides, and we just got to take the
time to experience.
Speaker 3 (46:13):
Yea, and amen to that. That's very well spoken, that
the hobby is what you want it to be, what
you participate in, the areas you want to participate in,
and you don't. You can ignore all this other stuff
if you want.
Speaker 6 (46:26):
Well, and Ziggy, I do understand your last point and
what you said. I think that's that's prevalent too. And
you know, I'm not ignoring that because I know what
that feels like as a you know, not to bring
race into it, but the comment was made. I know
what that feels like as a black man, you know,
living in America. But also don't want to demonize every
(46:49):
you know, local hobby store because you know, as someone
who's been fortunate enough to experience local hobby stores as
far as Wisconsin. You know when one time I'm in
a store in Wisconsin and I buy this you know,
vintage you know, Roberto Clemente card and the guy charged me.
Speaker 4 (47:08):
You know, we came up with a fair price, but
he wound.
Speaker 6 (47:11):
Up charging me three thouars and you know, sixty cents.
And when I was outside looking at my receipt, I
was like, man, this is roll and he charged me
the row price, and I went back in the store
and you know, rectified the situation because he typed in
the roll you know, pin number on the on the
credit card machine, and that started a lifelong connection between
(47:34):
me and this card store. So oftentimes, you know, we
catch up on Instagram or ask when.
Speaker 4 (47:39):
I'm going to be in the area again.
Speaker 6 (47:40):
So I think, I think there's the good and bad
in the hobby. I've experienced people who didn't want me
nowhere near they showcase, and I didn't spend my money
with them and never went back to him. And I've
experienced people who treated me, you know, like a human being.
And I've also seen some breakers, seen some say some
outrageous things on their their live streams, and I'm like,
(48:02):
I never want to spend my money with you because
I don't like how you see people, or I don't
like how you conduct yourself, you know. So you know, again,
the hobby is what you make it. And I think,
you know, we need to have more of these conversations
like this, where we have this discourse so that way
we can ensure that our ecosystem is one for everybody
and everybody has access to it, and that there's you know,
(48:25):
some shared accountability around how we conduct.
Speaker 3 (48:28):
Ourselves in this space, and I'm the same way. I
vote with my money.
Speaker 5 (48:32):
Yeah, me too. Well, it looks like we've made up
most of that ten minute delay. Things worked out at
the end. Guy's got anything else you want to mention?
Plugs website if you want to.
Speaker 4 (48:48):
Know me.
Speaker 6 (48:50):
I'm working on a lot of cool stuff with the
National this year, a lot of things that would be
coming out like real soon. So I'm super excited it
for what the National experience is going to look like
over the next three years in Chicago, especially, you know,
given what I said about just like creating access and
(49:13):
belonging in the hobby and just trying to deepen the
hobby's reach so kids and everybody can have an experience.
So if you're going to be at the forty fifth
National this year, please check out a lot of the
experience stuff.
Speaker 4 (49:30):
That I'm going to be doing.
Speaker 6 (49:32):
And I hope to run into everybody and have conversations
and you could be a part of you know, what
we're creating for the National because it's it's it's it's
been fun and sitting in the meetings and the conversations
and the discussions and the things that I've been cultivating
with the people who are leading the national.
Speaker 3 (49:53):
You know, I'm going to give a little plug. I
started a series and I have a playlist with them
all in meant to be like kind of a Netflix series.
It's called Behind the Videos, and I've been engaging with
YouTube content creators and they've been doing videos, given a
like a look at their card room. I look behind
(50:14):
the scenes and things you you don't see when they're
just doing, you know, a video and showing cards. And
it's great. I've been getting great feedback from it. If
anybody wants to check that out. Other than that, it's
been an honor to be on with you guys. You know,
do something nice for somebody in the hobby, do something
nice for a kid. I had Ugly.
Speaker 2 (50:34):
I had the Ugly. I had the Ugly.
Speaker 1 (50:36):
The panel up here so that you know, listen real quick.
Speaker 2 (50:43):
Thanks to the chat room.
Speaker 1 (50:44):
Like Chris said, and I mentioned some technical issues we
couldn't put obviously, the the comments on the screen. I
know you guys tried to read some Samuel, Chris and
John and get involved.
Speaker 2 (50:57):
Thank you to the chat room for being patient with these
technical difficulties. If you will Uh, we appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (51:05):
If you were listening to the show after the fact,
just on an audio pod platform, we appreciate you as well.
Just kind of inclosing guys, you know again, Uh, keep
Orlando and the Chris Carlon family in your thoughts and uh,
you know, and hopefully we'll be seeing listen, maybe we'll
(51:26):
be seeing Orlando.
Speaker 2 (51:28):
Uh sooner than we think. Right right back on this
very program.
Speaker 4 (51:31):
Job.
Speaker 3 (51:31):
Yeah, I just want to say, you know, when there
was a big risk with that surgery, so you know,
I was, I was antsy until I heard how he
came out and it went well. So yeah, uh that
the first part went very well, and now he has
a long recovery, gonna be you know, recovering for at
least six weeks. And so I just want to let
(51:54):
everybody know that that first part did go well and
they got they got all the cancer and he just
has to be monitored now to make sure it does
nothing comes back. But really really really good news for
my friend or very happy to hear.
Speaker 5 (52:09):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (52:10):
If you you've seen that video, that was tough to watch,
Like I.
Speaker 3 (52:15):
Was like a gut punch man.
Speaker 1 (52:17):
Yeah, I'm an emotional guy. But that even got me
more than I thought it would have. And you know,
I you know, I know he alluded to this could
be my last video. I don't think it is, and
I'm glad that it sounds like it won't be.
Speaker 2 (52:33):
And that's good news. As John just pointed.
Speaker 3 (52:37):
Out, Yeah, and I'm like you, he had he had
told me I asked him to do something. I asked
him to come visit and he said, well, I have
a little procedure or something, so you know, maybe maybe
in a few months. And he didn't tell me what
it was. And yeah, I saw that video. I was like,
holy cow, I didn't really to his bath, you know,
and that.
Speaker 1 (52:56):
And that's it. That's the other thing. I got, the
same thing John, you know, didn't go into detail. Uh,
that's tough to share, like even with with like that.
Oh yeah, people deal with that stuff in their own
ways and they're not always the same way. And so
to make a video and kind of share his medical
diagnosis with the hobby community.
Speaker 2 (53:19):
Just the kind of person, Yeah, that's go ahead.
Speaker 3 (53:24):
I was just gonna say, that's a very difficult video
to make. It's something very difficult to share, and that
just tells you how much.
Speaker 6 (53:30):
The community means to Orlanda.
Speaker 3 (53:32):
That it was you know, important for him to let
us all know. And likewise, I think just in case
he didn't get a chance to say it. You know,
you never know.
Speaker 1 (53:41):
Yeah, and that's that's there's a lesson there, right, folks,
like enjoy the hobby, enjoy life. You sometimes you just
don't know, you know, you wake up on a Thursday
and you're fine, and you wake up on a Friday
and something isn't fine. So uh, you got to you
gotta just enjoy things and do the you I love.
Speaker 6 (54:05):
I think, I think to add to what you're saying,
like that's why it's very important for everybody to go
get a yearly physical. I just had my yearly the
other day. Do that blood work, Stay in tune with
your health, you know, take care of yourself because like
you know, I often say, like life is too long
to like not want to take care of yourself or
(54:27):
to be upset because you can miss out on moments.
But life is all too also short because you don't
know when when that time is going to come.
Speaker 4 (54:36):
So you know, I'm.
Speaker 6 (54:39):
Wishing him good health. I know that resonated with me.
Personally because my father died the young cancer, lung cancer.
And you know, I was twenty four years old, sitting
in college, finishing up my graduate year, my last year
basketball eligibility, and I had to, you know, prepare for
a funeral for my dad who died the lung cancer.
(55:00):
I get it, and and you know, I wish him
nothing but the best, and I hope he recovers and
is back to himself.
Speaker 3 (55:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (55:08):
I've sent some messages, I don't know, you know, I
haven't heard a response again. If you know his numbers,
you know, send him. I'm sure he'd be glad to
read him and respond when he when he's able to.
Speaker 2 (55:21):
You know that stuff. You know, the power community can.
Speaker 1 (55:24):
Go a long way, Uh, especially up here with the
mental power. So uh, you know, I look forward to
seeing Orlando back on this show when he's able, and uh,
that'll be a real fun day. And hope to see
it soon. But like you said, John, Uh, you know,
any surgery right, Uh, anytime you're you're having a surgery,
(55:47):
you never Yeah.
Speaker 3 (55:49):
My dad always said, you know the difference between minor
and major surgery is major surgery. Surgery? Is that's happening
to you? When it's happening to you, you never call
it minors.
Speaker 1 (56:00):
Yeah, exactly, so, so good news on that front. And
again can uh you know, continued thoughts to the Carlon
family during a tragic point in time for for that
family as well. We look forward to seeing both of
those gentlemen back on these airwaves as soon as uh
(56:20):
as soon as they're able. So guys, thanks again, chat room,
Thanks for for you know, your patients with with some
of the some of the technical difficulties that will happen
every once in a while. So we wish everyone well
and good rest of your weekend and we'll see you
here a week from today. Thanks everybody, see everyone,
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