Upper Deck is barely off their ban, so what does Topps do? They do this:
Ah! Cute! An homage to the classic "Lou" Burdette card from the '59 set. That's pretty cool. Plus it's a variation card too? How quaint. So there's an extra short print in the set. Oh wait, it's not a short print, it's a super duper ultra whooper collectors take it in the pooper short print gimmick card? In a set marketed as a set builder's dream? A card that's impossible to find? In a set specifically marketed towards set builders?? IN A FREAKING SET WHOSE ONLY REASON FOR EXISTING IS BECAUSE SET BUILDERS, I.E. PEOPLE WHO ENJOY BUILDING AND COMPLETING SETS, ENJOY THE CHALLENGE OF COMPLETING THE SET SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT IS CHALLENGING YET COMPLETABLE?? SO YOU PUT IN A CARD IN A SET SPECIFICALLY FOR SET BUILDERS, OF WHICH THERE ARE A LOT OF SET BUILDERS, WHO HAVE BEEN BUILDING SETS SINCE YOU INTRODUCED THE PRODUCT IN 2001, WHICH IS A LOT OF BUILDERS AND A LOT OF SETS, SO YOU THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA - A GENIUS IDEA - TO PUT IN A SUPER SHORT PRINTED CARD SO THAT ALL THOSE SET BUILDERS WHO HAVE BEEN BUILDING SETS AND HAVE ALREADY BOUGHT SEVERAL BOXES OF YOUR PRODUCT IN AN ATTEMPT TO FINISH THEIR SETS CANNOT ACTUALLY COMPLETE THEIR SETS BECAUSE YOU PURPOSEFULLY MADE IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO SO? REALLY??? YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA???????
Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice. I apologize for my rudeness. What's that Topps? You can explain? There's more to the story? Do tell.
YOU MEAN THERE'S FREAKING IMPOSSIBLE ULTRA SHORT PRINTS IN A SET MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR SET BUILDERS????????Why? Why, Topps, why? Why did you do this?
Ok. I know why. Dumb question. Here's another question not quite as dumb.
Why should I buy any more of this product?
I'm serious Topps. Why should I bother.
I wanted to complete this set this year. I mean really complete the set. Really, really complete the set, no fooling this time. Commons, SP's, Variations, and the insert sets. The whole shebang. Maybe put it in sheets in a binder too. I've come close on a couple of older Heritage sets, but I'm still about 30 SP's short on the one I'm closest to completing. I really wanted to focus on this set and just knock it out for real this year. Now there are two cards in the set that will cost as much as a box each if I want to get them. So now I can forget about it unless I want to spend an extra $100-$150 on them. The fact that now I'll be tormented by a really cool Smoltz card that I have no chance of pulling is just a bonus. For the price these cards are going for on eBay ( and it's a little fishy to me just how quickly they settled in at $45-$55 a pop) I could get a nice looking Bob Feller or Phil Rizzuto or maybe even Yogi Berra for my 1953 set. Why should I try to complete this set instead of a vintage set, Topps?
Why did you change the game now, Topps? You had variations in the past, but they were just another short print. Why are they now ultra short prints? I know, I know. I'm asking a dumb question again.
I have two boxes of this stuff. I'm almost finished posting the first box. I've got a mostly completed post in my draft folder extolling the virtues of this wonderful set. I don't know how I'm going to write up the last five packs now, let alone do a whole other box.
Again, why should I bother buying any more of this stuff? Are you going to pull the same crap in 2008 Allen & Ginter or whatever retro product you throw out to us suckers next? Should I even bother buying that product the first day?
I'll ask the dumb question one more time:
Why?
There are no dumb questions, just dumb collectors apparently.
8 comments:
We're truly sorry for your set pain but dang you are funny.
There is a God and he loves this REDS fan. I pulled the Twins version thank goodness. Not the New York team card.
I've busted three boxes so far and no sign of either card.
I hate that Topps is bringing this BS to Heritage. Its bad enough in the base set. On the other hand, I'd love that card for my Smoltzie collection.
Nice rant by the way.
Damn, talk about a collector scorned. Topps screwed its fans big time!
I had to go back and read that a second time.
Its cool for me because I don't plan on building this set but ouch for everyone else this sucks.
I get the why of the Smoltz card though. I wish they hadn't done the Santana but the Smoltz is great because of the original Burdette.
The other bad side to this is having to look twice to make sure which version you have. I have overlooked variations before in my collection and then bought them somewhere else.
I know I complained in your comments about the regular ol' short prints being a pain in the rear for someone who just wants an ordinary set, but this is worse. Much worse.
At least Topps didn't SP any of the players I specifically collect. And, re your other post, thank goodness the Gorzelanny isn't SP, that would have been ridiculous. He's a Pirate.
Box number three and I have pulled both cards in the same box.Thank you lord for not making me go ebay to complete my set. Smoltz is 85.00 today on ebay, Johan is 45.00. I'm not lucky usually so there could be hope that it is not a super duper short print.
You are spot on with this assessment. And all I really want out of any of these "gimmick" sets is to assemble a Mets team set. I can't get a single damn Mets card from the 2001 Heritage set unless I want to sell my soul to do so, and now they nail me again with this Santana card.
The hobby as a whole has become a little too bloated for me, which is why I only collect Mets, for the most part, but man, suck more money out of me, why don't you? I'm not popping $40+ for this nonsense.
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