Awesome read so far.
Have been away from the hobby (and the forum, unfortunately) for a while, after I got rid of my entire collection 2-3 years ago. Having said that, I have always been and always will be a massive fan of the game. And, eventually, here I am again, looking to start collecting again, slowly and at my own pace.
Because, at the end of the day, I realised that collecting for me was never about investing, or completing a set, or having the most cards or the best cards. It is a part of the game I love. Some cards are reminders of a different era, some cards have a little piece of history and many of them mean something special to me, for completely personal reasons.
I haven't bought a single card yet. I'm planning on purchasing some packs tonight, and probably a couple of boxes down the track. Nice and easy, no rush. I am not sure what the current situation is like, but I would bet good money that the crap that used to turn me off is still around today: Speculators, people trying to make a quick buck, overpriced garbage and a market that is over saturated and literally impossible to keep up with. I don't even want to think what next year is going to be like, when Zion and co cards start hitting the market.
Down the track, I might regret my decision to start over again. I definitely am in a different place compared to a few years ago and my priorities have slightly changed, but collecting is something I have always loved (comics and cards), and a hobby I can share with my kids now that they're older.
I really don't know where the hobby is heading. What we don't realise sometimes is that the hobby changes as the game changes. And the NBA has blown up in the past few years (not necessarily always in a positive way), and that will reflect on everything surrounding the sport, cards included. I'm not terribly optimistic about the future, but what do I know?
But, hey, as I said, for me, it's all for the love of the game. Plus, few things beat cracking open a new pack or box and discovering what's inside
PS. Good to be back.