The Weekly Rip 9.21.25 [Focus]
We explore the power of collecting with focus and intentionality in this week's edition.
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The Weekly Rip
Your Stacking Slabs Sunday Update
September 21, 2025
We all start collecting for different reasons. Some of us chase the players we grew up watching. Some of us chase the sets that defined an era. And some of us, without even realizing it, end up chasing the cards that pulled us through a tough season in life.
When I got back into cards, it wasn’t because I was on top of the world. I was trying to fill a void. I had walked away from some habits that weren’t serving me. My life felt unbalanced. And in the middle of that transition, I stumbled into a hobby that gave me something to pour myself into.
Those early days of re-entry shaped everything. I didn’t know what I was doing. I was trying to learn, explore, and figure out where I fit. Prizm was the first brand I locked onto. I’d scroll through Colts parallels and feel that mix of curiosity and excitement that every collector knows. At first, it was about having something new in my hands. But over time, it became something deeper: these cards became tied to a season where I was rebuilding.
That’s why, even now, when I hold a Colts Prizm Black Finite in my hands, it means more than cardboard. It represents clarity. It represents commitment. It represents the decision to focus on one lane and let everything else fall into place.
Here’s the thing: I’ve tried the other way. I’ve chased cards impulsively. I’ve filled boxes with random stuff that caught my attention for a week. And while it was fun in the moment, it didn’t build anything lasting. It left me with clutter, not clarity.
The turning point was realizing I didn’t need everything. I needed one thing. One priority. One North Star. For me, it’s Colts Prizm one of ones. For you, it might be your favorite player, a set that connects you back to childhood, or an era that changed how you felt about sports.
Once you name it, everything else gets easier.
You know what deserves your money and what doesn’t.
You know when to walk away from an auction.
You know when to save for the card that truly matters.
And maybe most importantly, you start attracting the right kind of energy. The more I focused, the more relationships opened up. Other collectors who shared my lane started reaching out. Private deals became possible. Opportunities came up that would have never happened if I was all over the place.
Just last week, I picked up two Colts Black Finite one of ones from a friend. It wasn’t a complicated transaction. It was a text, a fair number, and an immediate yes. That kind of moment doesn’t happen if you’re scattered. It happens when people know who you are and what you care about.
Focus changes your experience in the hobby. It takes the chaos and turns it into clarity. It makes every mail day feel like progress, not noise.
So here’s the question I’ll leave you with: if you had to protect one part of your collection above all else, what would it be?
Answer that honestly, and you’ll find your North Star. That’s where the fun begins.
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Reissue: When Focus Becomes Freedom
Greg (@jaxjagsmuseum) on Building a One-Parallel Jaguars PC That Means Everything
What happens when you stop chasing everything and start chasing something that actually matters?
That’s the mindset Greg (@jaxjagsmuseum) brought to the table when he committed to building a complete Jacksonville Jaguars Prizm Gold Vinyl run. Not the shiny cards-of-the-week. Not the "this guy might pop" prospects. Just one product. One parallel. One team. Five copies.
This isn’t just a rainbow—it’s a personal legacy. It honors Greg’s passion for his team, his family’s firefighting background (the gold vinyl lettering on trucks sparked the idea), and his desire to own something he truly loves. He’s halfway there. And he’s not rushing.
What stood out in this conversation was the clarity. Greg has no interest in distractions. No interest in flip culture. No interest in collecting for anyone but himself. That’s what long-term focus sounds like.
What We Learned from This Episode
Focus isn’t a limitation—it’s a superpower. Greg made a decision to collect only Jaguars cards numbered /10 or lower, eventually narrowing even further to Gold Vinyls (/5). That clarity unlocked long-term fulfillment.
Personal connection matters more than market hype. For Greg, the fire truck–inspired gold vinyl design isn’t just a flex—it’s a reflection of his family’s history in service. Every card is a reminder of where he comes from.
Being public about your chase invites the right kind of help. Instead of worrying about inflated prices, Greg shares his PC openly. It’s led to new friends, new deals, and a deeper connection with the Jags collector community.
You can build slowly and still build something meaningful. Some months Greg grabs four cards. Some months none. But with 49 of the 98 known Jags Gold Vinyls in hand, he's proof that patience leads to progress.
What This Means for Collecting in 2025
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the noise of the hobby right now, this episode is your reset button.
In a world of constant alerts, break schedules, comps, and "what's next?" mentality—Greg reminds us there’s power in saying no. Power in going deep instead of wide. Power in building something only you could build.
You don’t need to collect what’s hot.
You need to collect what matters to you.
I appreciate your support for Stacking Slabs. Tell a damn friend.
Take care,
Brett