Some thoughts so far on 09 SP Authentic...
- Thread starter Kenny Hall
- Start date
JohnnyDrama
Verified Trader,
Just chiming in with a quick question: is it just me or does it seem like the rookie reviews/future watch patches are popping up with more frequency? Did UD cut the number of cases it produced of SPA?
numbern9ne
Verified Trader,
One of the reasons I started buying more ITG and less UD this year is because they are pounding rookie jerseys into every product, bc they arent game used, they can just have the player have his photo taken in 3, 4 however many of them, UD has them all year to use for UD2, SPA, SPx, Champs, BAP, OPC Premier, Ultimate, the Cup.. If you notice if most UD products this year, rookie jerseys and old timers game jerseys account for a good deal of the jersey cards now.
FrozenInferno
Resident Bluenoser, Verified Trader,
I'm turning to ITG for any memorabilia cards I pick up, not only because of what you mentioned but also because I know the jerseys are coming from where ITG says they're coming from. I wholeheartedly trust the authenticity of the ITG memorabilia, where with UD you never know if they even put the right swatch in. Plus ITG made the Super-Sized pad cards, so I'm officially sold on their memorabilia cards
numbern9ne
Verified Trader,
Yeah, I was reading ITGs site last week, and Dr Price was talking about chain of command of their mem. cards... that they never leave the company, they do all finishing work in house.
Plus they dont use photoshoot or oldtimers jerseys
Plus they dont use photoshoot or oldtimers jerseys
richie.rocket.cards
Verified Trader,
Actually, I think the rookie selection is quite good for this product. Of course, not everyone can have Mason and Stamkos, but I've seen lots of James Neal, Okposo, and Blake Wheeler (among others) pulled; and though some rookies like Vrana may seem like a 'scrub' now, there's no telling what he'll become in a few years. (See Green, Mike; Versteeg, Kris; Burrows, Alex =)
As for SOTT, or inserts in general, I'm personally ok with the selection. Perhaps, seeing that rookie autos are less welcome, they should bring back Rookie Update (and insert all sorts of rookie related stuff there). But while that may take care of the rookie autos, what exactly constitutes a star auto? I see so many people completely deflate after pulling a Simon Gagne auto, or quality players like Dustin Brown or heck, even HOFers Federko and Shutt. Some days I think the only real 'stars' in the hobby can be summarized in a 5 name list: Gretzky, Howe, Orr, Crosby, and Ovechkin.
Overall though, I have to say I like the product. And sure, it may seem similar to other years of Sp Authentic...but, it 'is' still Sp Authentic. There should be similarities carried over because that's what made the name for this brand. Thank goodness there is no HUGE flying A in the background like they did with the X in SpX and Ice.
Cheers
As for SOTT, or inserts in general, I'm personally ok with the selection. Perhaps, seeing that rookie autos are less welcome, they should bring back Rookie Update (and insert all sorts of rookie related stuff there). But while that may take care of the rookie autos, what exactly constitutes a star auto? I see so many people completely deflate after pulling a Simon Gagne auto, or quality players like Dustin Brown or heck, even HOFers Federko and Shutt. Some days I think the only real 'stars' in the hobby can be summarized in a 5 name list: Gretzky, Howe, Orr, Crosby, and Ovechkin.
Overall though, I have to say I like the product. And sure, it may seem similar to other years of Sp Authentic...but, it 'is' still Sp Authentic. There should be similarities carried over because that's what made the name for this brand. Thank goodness there is no HUGE flying A in the background like they did with the X in SpX and Ice.
Cheers
JohnnyDrama
Verified Trader,
While you left off a few obvious mainstays (Roy, Lemieux), I get the point and whole-heartedly agree. It's amazing to see how badly non-rookies do unless they're stars. Although, it's probably for this reason that I've amassed as many cards of my PC players as I have.
Stadium Sports
Verified Trader,
It is my understanding that UD infact did reduce the production of this and many future products based on pre-orders (just like ITG did with BTP). It does make sense - supply/demand.
brcw99
New Member, Must Send First
I'm quite surprised by the number of high calibre non-auto rookies. Varlamov, Porter, Alzner, Gerbe, Pacioretty, Bishop, Schneider, Ebbett and Pogge(already mentioned). It would have been nice to see those guys sign.
Also I think the FW autos have lost some of their value in recent years because of the across the board serial numbering to /999. I would like to see UD tier the FW autos on the high end players somewhat. Maybe to /199, /299 or even /499 but not as short printed as Ultimate.
Also I think the FW autos have lost some of their value in recent years because of the across the board serial numbering to /999. I would like to see UD tier the FW autos on the high end players somewhat. Maybe to /199, /299 or even /499 but not as short printed as Ultimate.
FrozenInferno
Resident Bluenoser, Verified Trader,
I agree with you on using a tier system for the FW autos, maybe the same as SPx even with /499 and /999.
As for what constitutes a "star" autograph to be pulled, besides the obvious big ticket players I'd be happy with guys like Iginla, Kovalchuk, Hossa, Zetterberg, Nash, Lundqvist, Lecavalier, Lidstrom, Kopitar, Vanek, Backstrom, Kane, etc etc. Doesn't have to be a megastar, but at least somebody above average.
Funkmobile
Verified Trader
His usual pairing is Bergeron...but I believe Bergeron has told UD he will not be signing in mass quantity anymore. His only auto in SPA is the penned perfection /50 and it's redemption to boot.
Kenny Hall
New Member, Must Send First
As someone suggested, and someone else confirmed above me, the patches are being hit more often, which must be attributed to lower production levels. In previous years it was 1 or 2 patches per case, then 2 to 3, now this year it seems like 3 to 4.
Kenny
Kenny
cards-gotta-go
Banned User
Just makes you wonder about how many folks are no longer cracking wax...
numbern9ne
Verified Trader,
Its great for the people who are cracking wax though
Sacrebleu
Upstanding Member,
I like the product a lot.
The design isn't for everybody but they gave the players decent signing area and they are hard-signed (except for some of the multis) so the autographs are nice. Also every case that I've witnessed opened has had 4 patches so that is a nice thing as well.
The SOTT set is missing some names but I like the fact that its back down in the mid 50's as far as subjects as opposed to the very bloated number from last year.
I give it a solid "B"- I think its a hit from UD- I have been very pleased with this, Champs, OPC, SP Game Used and UD Black from this year's selections.
Dave
The design isn't for everybody but they gave the players decent signing area and they are hard-signed (except for some of the multis) so the autographs are nice. Also every case that I've witnessed opened has had 4 patches so that is a nice thing as well.
The SOTT set is missing some names but I like the fact that its back down in the mid 50's as far as subjects as opposed to the very bloated number from last year.
I give it a solid "B"- I think its a hit from UD- I have been very pleased with this, Champs, OPC, SP Game Used and UD Black from this year's selections.
Dave
triggz79
Verified Trader
UD Needs to stop with pushing no name auto's in the sott set. Who is to say that guys like Daniel Carcillo needs to be in every insert auto set, common ud, its not the like the products are getting any cheaper especially for the canadian customers. Can anyone tell the difference between the SP Authentic and SP Game used base cards? they almost look identical. Just cant wait to see the pricing on the cup this year, I cracked open 7 cases last year, and this year especially with the crop of rookies and for what they are selling from other high end products count me out.
