You Will Be Assimilated!

Last week I got the latest edition of Sports Collectors Digest.  I get it in the physical newsprint form.  I generally like it.  They have some nice stories about vintage sets, less famous players, oddball inserts, food issues or other card products  made by other companies besides the usual ones, etc. etc.

I will say they do also carry a lot of content about high end auctions as well.  There are occasionally articles that are nothing more than promotions for a particular auction house's latest offerings.  And in other places, they list prices for sales of (mostlly vintage) items that boggle the mind.  People paying five and six figures for what I consider three digit cards at best.  I have no idea who these people are.

I don't let that deter me from subscribing and reading.  I know that there are collector's of all types and the magazine has to cater to all of them to some degree.  I'm not going to like everything they publish.  And the auction places are major advertisers, so the publishers have to earn their money.

But their article about the newly released 2017 Topps flagship set is utterly ridiculous.

It's not that I disagreed with their opinion of the design, or the appeal or quantity of the inserts, or even the configuration of the different boxes and the resulting collation.

No, it wasn't any of that, because they NEVER MENTIONED ANY OF IT.

The only facet of the 2017s that was discussed was the rookie content.

Here's what the page looks like:

Intentionally small so I don't violate copyright

The first line would have made me spit out my drink, but I wasn't drinking anything at the time.

Uh.....NO..

Sorry, I know I'm in the minority here, but I'm sorry, I don't care that much about rookies.  Unless they are the last few cards I need for the set (which they usually are). 

The author didn't say "card collectors" though.  The words used were "baseball fans".  Don't even know where to go with that.

I wouldn't have minded nearly as much if the rookies discussion was only part of a more complete review like most of their New Releases normally are.  (They are, I checked).  The entire thing is juat which rookies are in the set.  As if there is no other reason to buy any of the product. 

This is like communist propaganda to me.  Or media hype.  

"Nobody collects anything but rookies these days.  There are no real collectors, just prospecting flippers!  Every other card is worthless!"

 We will dictate how you collect or ignore all other facets of the hobby!

Fall in line!  Succumb to the power of the Sick Mojo Hitzzzzz with the Rookie Logo!  

You will be assimilated.  Set building is irrelevant.  Team collecting is irrelevant.  Inserts are irrelevant.  Your collection will adapt to become rookies exclusively.  From this Time forward, you will collect like us. 

 

 

 Whoo..... I guess I got off on a bit of a rant there.