#21: From Hobby darling, to NBA legend
👋 Hello, I’m Brett from the Stacking Slabs Podcast and welcome you each Hey week to my newsletter the Weekly Rip. The goal of this newsletter is to elevate the people who make the Hobby better.
This feels like the week before the Super Bowl.
The hype engine is in full effect and there is no shortage of ”How to Do The National” or “10 Helpful Tips at The National” type content at your disposal. People are excited and we are one week away from the biggest sports cards show of all-time.
Are you ready?
I love all of the energy and passion around this event. Regardless of the fall out there will be so many damn sales, stories, and connections that emerge on the other side of it. Chicago will be sweeping with optimism and everyone will be making their plays on sports cards that they believe in. I can’t wait to feel the energy. The passion is going to hit you in the face like the wind whipping off Lake Shore Drive.
Are you ready?
We’ve been waiting 2 years for this event. Remember last year?
The digital world is the only world that some card collector’s know. Whether it was news, influencers, or you couldn’t get your friends to shut up about cards, there are many first time attendees at the National...including myself.
We’ve bought base cards, we’ve sold base cards, we’ve ripped wax, bought into breaks, pumped the brakes, consumed content, dropped content, found friends, evolved, found a purpose, poured gasoline on it, and started buying with our hearts and mind.
My evolution back into cards is much like anyone who is new and reentered.
There’s been ups and there have been downs, but my curiosity has got me to stay.
There’s a never ending source of information that goes into sports cards and something new that can be learned every day. If you find someone who tells you they have it all figured out then go run the other direction. I’ve been a collector of collections my entire life and sports cards are without a shadow of a doubt the most interesting escape I’ve ever entered.
I’m sucked into learning.
I can’t wait to look at my phone when I’m done with work and see who messaged me.
I love staring at a card of one of my favorite players on eBay and asking myself, “Is this the card for me?”
I love how my wife likes cards because “they don’t take up a lot of space”.
I like the upside, but more importantly I like the symbols the cards that I purchase represent.
I think I could write a book about what sports cards mean to me….maybe I will someday?
For now, I’m focused on The National next week.
A convention center full of people who I can relate with.
On with the damn newsletter…
🏀Losing interest in a classic
Did anyone else hear about the 86 Fleer Michael Jordan PSA 10 that sold on PWCC for a record breaking $840,000 including the buyer’s premium?
I already know the answer.
Of course you did. We all did.
I try really hard to retrain myself from being a cardboard curmudgeon. When I got back into cards I remember listening to OG vets offer negative takes on the changes that were going on in the Hobby. I summed it up as people hate change and we just have to suffer listening to people complain about our escape.
What I’ve learned after releasing 130+ shows, spending thousands of dollars on cards, and meeting some of my new best friends around the passion is that it’s ok for it to not be all roses all of the time. My roses are still in bloom, but I certainly have a thorn on them.
My thorn this week is the 86 Fleer MJ.
The card is iconic. The card will forever be iconic.
It’s the true rookie (argh Star) of the greatest professional athlete (argh Tom Brady) of all time.
This card has critical importance to the Hobby. I’m not here to deny that.
What I am here to do is let all of you fantastic readers know that if I never have to hear about another sale of this card again I think that I’ll be better for it.
There’s too much hype, too much self-interest, and too many damn price analysts that have ruined this card for me. This card has exploded through the mainstream and wouldn’t be out of place to see this on an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashian’s.
Trust is critical in the Hobby and I’ve lost trust in this card.
Unfortunately, when you are the most iconic card you turn into the key piece in every owner’s narrative.
Do you want me to take my tinfoil hat off?
It’s off, but….
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND MANKIND…..
Can we relax a bit on this one?
I understand it’s like me taking on Brock Lesnar in the Octagon on this one, but I’m fatigued.
I’ll take myself to the bench.
Hand me the Gatorade towel.
I’m done….for now.
🏆Dropping a 50 piece, grabbing a 50 piece, and winning a ship
Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Greek Freak.
The Next Big Thing.
The New Face of the League.
The Choke Artist.
The Regular Season Guy.
MVP.
MVP.
NBA Champion.
There are an incredible amount of labels that we cast on our favorite stars. We live in a “what have you done for me lately” society. For the past few seasons Giannis has fallen victim to the negativity.
It didn’t matter that Giannis was MVP of the 2019-2020 season and closed out the year with the highest efficiency rating in NBA history. What mattered was that he got bounced in the bubble by the Miami Heat.
Giannis and the Bucks...choke...again.
Have you ever thought about why you connect with certain players?
Giannis has been one of those guys for me. It’s not his spectacular plays on the floor, pure dominance, or team loyalty. All of those things matter and contribute to me being a “Giannis Guy”. The biggest reason why I’ve been a Giannis fan throughout all of the early exits is because his run reminded me of Peyton Manning...my favorite athlete of all-time.
From pundits, Peyton Manning was always the best regular season quarterback that they’ve ever seen. You better watch out though. Every year it seemed to get colder in Foxborough and the losses seemed to get more severe. This brought out a lot of Peyton haters. I’ll never forget them.
It took Peyton 9 seasons to win his first Super Bowl. He had 2 MVPs before holding up the Lombardi Trophy.
It took Giannis 8 seasons to win his first NBA Champion. He had 2 MVPs before that.
Watching Giannis overcome adversity in such dominant fashion triggered so many thoughts of Peyton finally getting the gorilla off of his back. It’s funny how we draw connections with players.
So what’s this have to do with cards?
I think it has everything to do with cards.
I’m not sure there’s been another player talked about with championships already built into his card prices other than Giannis. The hype and momentum around this kid has been there, however, it seemed like a lonely time to be Giannis' collector after the Miami loss last year.
It seemed like one minute Giannis was the talk of the town and the next minute his cards were put on ice. Those who stood strong, blocked out the noise, and held true to their conviction are being rewarded.
I don’t like to talk about base cards, but from a liquidity perspective his 2013 Rookie Prizm is the easiest reference point. This card has seen an increase of $914.00 over the last two weeks. Will it continue to rise?
Probably not.
What we’ve learned through LeBron, Patrick Mahomes, and several others is that the supply goes up on liquid cards when players hit milestone achievements, which causes the price to go down.
What about his golds, RPAs, autos, and the other good stuff that we care about?
Only time will tell, but I think we can all expect for those cards to stay solid and rise over time.
Overcoming adversity and winning a championship is attractive. I’m not sure anyone has done it in greater fashion than the big kid from Greece.
He’s been Americanized. No gyro post win. He opted for a 50 piece nuggets.
Once a Hobby darling. Now an NBA legend.
Congrats, Giannis.
🔥Visit These Booths and People
We will close out this week short and sweet. These are people in my Instagram network that will be setting up at the show. Go visit these people and tell them SSP sent you.
IG: @flygraphs218
Booth: #903
Banger: 2019 Kyler Murray Contenders Cracked Ice Auto 9.5
IG: @dacaptain37
Booth: 155
Bangers: a lot of Brady, Mahomes, and Peyton
Booth:311
Bangers: Brady rookies
IG: @cardcollector2
Booth: 335
Bangers: Check out the pod to listen to some of his recent pick ups
Oh yea check out today’s episode with Ryan Johnson aka cardcollector2. If it doesn’t get you excited for The National I’m not sure what will!
I ask you two things in closing:
Do whatever you can to use your skills to give back to the Hobby - we need it more than ever
Please share this newsletter with whoever you think can benefit