Temptation

 
I told myself I was done collecting at the end of 2026. Everything lined up perfectly: 40 years of collecting sports cards, 10 years of blogging and plugging away at the 1956 Topps set (which is 70 years old this year), 75 years of Topps. 

But that wasn't why I was looking toward 2027 as a time when I no longer collect cards. For one, I'm so much busier now. I'm raising two teenage daughters by myself, and I want to spend as much time(and money) as I can on them. Lamenting the countless hours spent on my collection that would have been better spent with D has led me to value time more than money, and sports in general has taken up too much of both. 

Sidebar: I'm spending over $200 a month on cable when my oldest daughter stares at her phone or tablet and my youngest only watches YouTube. Honestly, so do I. I'm keeping cable for what? Live sports. 

And yet - I have no interest in this year's NBA or NHL championship, I haven't watched a baseball game in 3 years, and half the decent NFL games are on streaming now. Plus the Packers are going to suck because Micah Parsons is still injured and our running back just Ray Rice-d his wife allegedly. 

Pro athletes are assholes. 

Something that's been a part of my life since I was six years old should be difficult to give up, right?

There are very few players left to cheer for; the only active MLB player I PC has been on the IL for the past two years. We're headed for a long labor dispute because the players union will never accept a salary cap - not even one with a $170 million floor. And I could not care less. Not just because the Red Sox are in last place, or the Yankees are in firs----what's that? Tampa is in first? Pfft. That wont last. Are they still playing at Steinbrenner field? 

You see. I dont even look at the standings anymore. Apparently Cal Raleigh is ass now? And... he probably jinxed himself in the WBC. Front toward enemy huh? Look in the mirror, dipshit. 

If I did PC an actual current player it might be Randy Arozarena. He seems like a cool guy(do not tell me if he isn't.) 

This spring I've been hard at work trading my 2,000+ duplicate cards for set fillers. Before Christmas I went on a bit of a card buying spree and started four different 2025 baseball sets - the most I've built in a single year since 2018. But.. why? I don't even know who most of these guys are:

2023 Topps is complete. 2025 Topps is complete (I'm 65% done with Update). 2025 Topps Heritage is nearly done - except for the SPs and high numbers. 2024 Topps is very close; I'm less than 20 cards away.

I might try to complete 2010 and 2022 Topps Update, but that's all I have room for on my shelf. 

The last Topps flagship I'm going to work on will be 1986 Topps, after I buy myself a box for my birthday/40th year card collecting anniversary. End with the same set I started with. 

So why am I even thinking about buying any 2026 baseball products?

For a while I was planning to restrict myself from acquiring any card printed after 2025. Because if I keep adding new cards I'll never stop. I've got to stop sometime.

Even when Fanatics released the initial photos of the flagship design, I resisted. It looked better than any Topps set in years. But I knew that if I started it, I'd want to finish it. 

In my TCDB trades I added a few 2026 Topps singles to my wantlist. I couldn't resist that rookie class. But a baker's dozen of series 1 singles won't tempt me to start yet another set build. 

No, but you know what will? My nearby Barnes & Noble carrying these special Megabox things:

Oh, and they have 2026 Bowman blasters and Megaboxes, too. Those aren't hot items or anything, are they? Even if I don't open them I could hoard them and flip in a couple years. But then .. what if there's a huge prospect to chase and by the time he makes his debut the singles are so expensive that...

You're right Joe. It's not worth it. I'll refrain from purchasing either of these. No more 2026 cards. No new set projects. No chasing prospect cards of players I don't know or care about, just to make a buck. 

But... how much were those megaboxes again?!?

I think I have a $5 credit at Barnes and Noble... and maybe even a gift card...

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