Cardboard Mania is closed

Dear readers,

I want to thank everyone for the support you've given to this blog since I launched in January. Sure, I am not as large as some, as controversial as others or even as well written as I would have ideally liked, but I am happy to know that I have broke some cards news and given some new insight on many different card related topics. I had my controversies, and I had my moments in the sun. But as Brett Favre tearfully explained to us earlier in the year, "all good things must come to end."

It has occurred to me that there is no possible way for me to keep this site at the high level that it deserves to be maintained at. Therefore, I am closing down Cardboard Mania for now. There is a good chance that this blog never gets revitalized, but I am pretty certain that I could appear on another sports card blog in the future. Whether it is on Blogger, Wordpress or somewhere else is yet to be seen. Heck, maybe I'll become the next Chris Olds someday when I work at a real newspaper.

For those wondering what the reasoning for this sudden change in state is, it is very simple. I now work on a real newspaper and have many more difficult college courses. You see the blog I currently write for here. Juggling all of this, enjoying the other nuances of college life and having chill time to stay sane means I had to take some things out of the rotation, and unfortunately, Cardboard Mania is one of the things to go.

Another reason for this is that hobby writing has become dry for me. Being a sports writer at the paper, I need to be focusing more on sports than sports cards. While Cardboard Mania is sitting on the shelf, I am debating on rekindling a generic sports blog like I used to do. Sports Talk 55 was never a huge success which is why I turned to a more narrow topic like cards, but it may be in my best interest to re pursue that type of blogging. If that does happen, the link will be posted here for everyone to see. There still will be card related posts at that blog, but it will mainly be a sports blog.

So again, I thank everyone who has taken time out of their day to read Cardboard Mania over the past nine months and wish you all the best of luck in your future card adventures. You'll still see me around leaving comments on others' blogs when I have that opportunity, so don't feel like I am just going to disappear from the blogsphere all together.

Best wishes and thanks again,

Harner

Dear readers...

...I know some of my regulars are probably wondering where in the world I have been. In a nutshell, I have been very busy. Things started to slow up some and then the weekend came and I had plenty of stuff to do. Hopefully, I can get things going again in the next couple of weeks.

I do have one post that is forthcoming and that is why book value is still somewhat relevant in today's hobby.

This guy drives me nuts

This guy has always bothered me, but I've never actually came out and said it before. This guy is finatic719.

You probably know him as the guy who produces cards of top rookie prospects and then tries to sell them on eBay to people who don't know much about collecting. Thankfully, most of these cards go unsold, but every now and then, some do sell.

Sometimes, he does sell legitimate cards, but he does most of his business off of cards from the GEM brand, OMR brand or the GTC brand. I'm fairly certain that he creates these himself and he doesn't say that they are licensed. However, he also doesn't say these are legitimate trading cards.

His listings usually are filled with errors and gluttony like "most sought after rookie card" and "rare."

While he does bother me, there's nothing to stop him from doing what he is doing. There is no rule on eBay saying you can't sell stuff you make. He gives the brand and the year as well as the print run, but he does it in a way that is deceiving to novice card collectors.

Jeter, Griffey, Longoria...who knows?

For as much as I hate intentional gimmick cards, I enjoy a good old fashioned error card. I'm not really sure how I missed this one way back when Goudey dropped, but I just got word of this card this morning.

The Evan Longoria card from Goudey has an interesting error, considering it interchanges two of the most popular players in all of baseball: Ken Griffey Jr. and Derek Jeter.

On the bottom of every Goudey card, there is a cut-out of either Griffey's or Jeter's head along with script text stating "Ken Griffey Jr. says" or "Derek Jeter says." However, on the Longoria's card, there is a picture of Jeter, but the text "Ken Griffey Jr. says."

How this error went unnoticed is hard to say, but it doesn't appear that it will be corrected or is short printed.

Seriously

This is taking it one step too far if you ask me.

Topps at least has a decent amount of creativity in their gimmicks, but this is just a recycled photo. The only new thing is Joe Namath's face in the background.

At least out Favre in a car or something.

Crazy for Matt Forte

As mentioned yesterday, Matt Forte is one of the players who's week one play will effect the hobby world.

Sure enough, a quick scan of eBay proves the point.

There have been almost 400 new Forte listings since the game last night, which accounts for just about half of his current listings.

One card of his that has really taken off is the 2008 Topps Chrome Rookie Autograph. At the end of August, the card could be had for around $20, but today, this card is selling for around $50 (with some pushing the $70 range last night and this morning.

I don't really see Forte becoming this year's Adrian Peterson so I don't see him maintaining this hobby prominence. Remember how everyone flipped out on Ahmed Bradshaw and Kolby Smith during last season? It seems people don't learn their lesson very well.

Michael "The Burner" Turner torching the card market

With 331 new eBay listings in the past 24 hours, Michael Turner has become the newest short term hobby darling.

Every single year, there are several running backs who go off for one or two games and become the hobby story of the week. In week one, Turner was the guy after finishing with 220 yards and two touchdowns in his Atlanta Falcons debut against the Detroit Lions' weak defense.

Let me stress that point once more: the Detroit Lions' weak defense.

Yes, Turner did make them look silly, but the Lions weren't tackling anyone, so why should I be all excited over Turner's cards? He is bound to have a good year, but I don't think his Playoff Contenders autograph will be commanding nearly $200 at season's end (barring him leading the Falcons to the playoffs or rushing for 200 yards every game).

In the past 30 days, Turner had 234 eBay auctions. Currently, he has 394 listings, and he had around 70 before the game. I am staying away from anyone who's listings increase by almost 500% just because of one incident and waiting for a time when the market is less demanding.

Other notable week one performances that will affect the card industry:

Matt Ryan - 161 yards and a touchdown
Kevin Smith - 80 total yards and a touchdown
Willie Parker - 138 yards and three touchdowns
Matt Forte - 141 total yards and a touchdown (8 minutes remaining at the time of this post)
Chris Johnson - 127 total yards and a touchdown
Tom Brady - Out for season with a torn ACL
Vince Young - Sprained knee and two interceptions

Legends revealed for Stadium Club

The following legends will be included in 2008 Stadium Club baseball:

Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, Honus Wagner, Nolan Ryan, Roberto Clemente, Ted Williams and Tom Seaver.

Adding legends to Stadium Club makes me a little more interested in the product, but I am still so frustrated with the fact that this is now an unaffordable, high end product that is doesn't make me want to buy packs any more than before.

While there is no doubt that Stadium Club will still be a beautiful set with the best photography in the business, I don't see myself chasing anything but these legends cards. And honestly, I'm not even going to be hitting them that hard because it won't be worth the price I will have to pay for them.

One thing I like about the legends cards is that they are in color. I have always been a fan of seeing old black and white photos transformed into color. As much as I like black and white photos, I think that more companies should make the effort to colorize black and white photos for cards.

What's your take?

A nice mailday

Sorry I don't have any pictures. All my AAs are dead.

There's nothing like a dual mailday. What is a dual mailday you ask? It's a mailday split between two addresses. In my case, home and my college dorm.

I'll start with what I got at my dorm. This was a trade from Sports Card Forum.

-Omar Jacobs Press Pass Legends Bronze /999
-Omar Jacobs SAGE Silver Level Jerseys /50
-Omar Jacobs SAGE Hit Jerseys (2 color) /50
-P.J. Pope Bowman Chrome Printing Plate

In exchange for:

-2007 Topps Chrome Xfractors Trent Edwards
-2007 Topps DPP Calvin Johnson RC
-2007 Ultra Retail Lucky 13 Marshawn Lynch

I would have to say that I got the better end of that deal, agree?

At home, I received a jumbo box of 2008 Score football and I guess my Topps redemption from earlier this summer arrived. It was supposed to be a Craig Davis Topps Co-Signers autograph, but apparently it is some kind of Michael Robinson autograph, which is just fascinating news.

The worst part is I don't get to open that box for at least two weeks. But more on that later.