A much anticipated card just arrived, but first a little rant...
After comparing the results of my recent Leaf Metal breaks to the amount of Panini product I'd likely have to bust to receive the equivalent return in 'value' (hit quality, enjoyment factor and not simply a monetary value) from Panini product - I now, more than ever, am praying that the monopoly on the NBA license is broken ASAP! There's only so many boxes I can endure - where stickers/redemptions featuring household names such Crowder, Plumlee, Leuer, Biyombo and more players of the same ilk make up the all 'hits' - before I close my wallet to Panini NBA for good!
Here's the reason for this mailday btw...
Where else are you able to snag something like this from a (currently) sub-US$100 box of cards?
Pulled the redemption for it last month, received today from Leaf
And I know it's a blatant Exquisite rip, but damn they look good together!
Now contrast that last card to this Blake Griffin from NT (ironically followed the Ewing in the mail today):
A streaky STICKER auto REDEMPTION from one of Panini's alleged headline spokesmen! This was also arguably the best hit from a US$600+ box!! Now I'm generally pretty docile when it comes to my box breaks, I take the good with the bad - and have experienced my fair share of both. But overall, the glaring difference in player quality & value-per-box between the two companies is worlds apart; to the extent where getting a Larry Bird - no offence Bird fans, using a real example here - sticker auto as your best hit from a $1500+ case of Panini is cause for jubilation (amongst some circles)!
Anyway, Leaf Metal Basketball gets my vote for product of the year - it's a fun, quality break, demonstrating that you don't need to spend what may easily amount to the price of a small car - i.e. NT, Immaculate, Flawless - in order to have an excellent chance at pulling on-card autos of some of the games greatest!
Before accusations of hypocrisy are directed my way; I have, and will, be busting said trio of (ugh) 'high-end' Panini product... only because I'm an admitted full-blown cardboard junkie... but it must be said that Panini are doing their very best to cure me of this affliction! All it will take - and I only half-jokingly say this - is for my Curry Logoman 1/1 redemption to arrive rocking a shiny new sticker autograph, and I'm done...
Rant over
Clearly, I've had too much time on my hands today... stay tuned next week for another Panini-loaded mailday/box break post!
After comparing the results of my recent Leaf Metal breaks to the amount of Panini product I'd likely have to bust to receive the equivalent return in 'value' (hit quality, enjoyment factor and not simply a monetary value) from Panini product - I now, more than ever, am praying that the monopoly on the NBA license is broken ASAP! There's only so many boxes I can endure - where stickers/redemptions featuring household names such Crowder, Plumlee, Leuer, Biyombo and more players of the same ilk make up the all 'hits' - before I close my wallet to Panini NBA for good!
Here's the reason for this mailday btw...
Where else are you able to snag something like this from a (currently) sub-US$100 box of cards?
Pulled the redemption for it last month, received today from Leaf
And I know it's a blatant Exquisite rip, but damn they look good together!
Now contrast that last card to this Blake Griffin from NT (ironically followed the Ewing in the mail today):
A streaky STICKER auto REDEMPTION from one of Panini's alleged headline spokesmen! This was also arguably the best hit from a US$600+ box!! Now I'm generally pretty docile when it comes to my box breaks, I take the good with the bad - and have experienced my fair share of both. But overall, the glaring difference in player quality & value-per-box between the two companies is worlds apart; to the extent where getting a Larry Bird - no offence Bird fans, using a real example here - sticker auto as your best hit from a $1500+ case of Panini is cause for jubilation (amongst some circles)!
Anyway, Leaf Metal Basketball gets my vote for product of the year - it's a fun, quality break, demonstrating that you don't need to spend what may easily amount to the price of a small car - i.e. NT, Immaculate, Flawless - in order to have an excellent chance at pulling on-card autos of some of the games greatest!
Before accusations of hypocrisy are directed my way; I have, and will, be busting said trio of (ugh) 'high-end' Panini product... only because I'm an admitted full-blown cardboard junkie... but it must be said that Panini are doing their very best to cure me of this affliction! All it will take - and I only half-jokingly say this - is for my Curry Logoman 1/1 redemption to arrive rocking a shiny new sticker autograph, and I'm done...
Rant over
Clearly, I've had too much time on my hands today... stay tuned next week for another Panini-loaded mailday/box break post!
