Nonsense Newsletter No 50! The NBA, MLB Rookie Review and More
Sponsored by SGC Cards gosgc.com
We’ve reached our Golden Edition here at Nonsense Newsletter, and we’re celebrating this occasion with a pair of incredible articles! The first is an honest look at the NBA season, by yours truly, and the other is an MLB rookie review, by the talented gentleman and scholar of our staff, John Dudley! Of course, there’s more info and insights in this momentous edition (as usual)! So, you know the drill now — kick back and enjoy another (the 50th) edition of Nonsense Newsletter!
Contributor: John McTaggart
I’m going to be completely honest here, for the first time in a very long time, the start of the NBA season doesn’t not have me jumping for joy and giggling like a schoolgirl.Â
For the past few weeks, I’ve wondered secretly to myself why this is so.
Then, I started wondering this outwardly to friends, particularly those within the hobby, why I’m in such an NBA funk?
Believe it or not, I wasn’t alone in this sentiment.
And believe it or not, these feelings weren’t only found amongst my middle-aged friends either. I found it in several members of the younger crowd as well.
We chatted for a while about it, recalling seasons past when we couldn’t wait for the year to tip-off. Seasons when we began tracking the progression of the top rookies from training camp on, following each game, stat, play, and player closely, then clamoring to get the top rookies of the class.
But this season, not so much.
Contributor: John Dudley
The Braves losing to the hated Phillies means that the baseball season is over. Well, maybe they are still playing. I do hear scuttlebutt about the ALCS and the NLCS, and some confusticated thing called the World Series. Regardless, the postseason hopes and dreams are over for this SCN Newsletter writer and that means it is time to look back on the season, survey the proceedings, and analyze what it all means for the hobby. This week I’m turning to the rookies and trying to answer the question of what rookies from 2022 will have the biggest hobby impact going forward.
There are a lot of great lists about what rookies performed the best. This one aims to be different by focusing mainly on the potential hobby future of the rookies and not just their current performance. That means that age, pedigree, performance, and intangibles all matter here. Sorry, Joe Meneses, you played well, but 30-year-old rookies don’t work in the hobby. The other big notable omission was Spencer Torkelson who was left on the outside of the honorable mention club (top 25).
Quick Hits
Grading News- Many are bemoaning the decline in grading on social media, but everyone forgot to tell PSA. PSA had a record-breaking September with over one million cards graded. Along with solid numbers from SGC and CSG, BGS finally is showing signs of life with a big increase due to improved turnaround times and a substantial sale.Â
Vintage- If you accept the fact that a 1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripkin Jr. rookie is now considered a vintage card, well, then, this article is for you. Read more about this iconic piece of cardboard by clicking here.
Hobby News- There are a lot of scammers out there, but this one is at least facing justice. While he was convicted of selling over $40,000 in fake or resealed packs, he had over $7,000,000 in fakes ready to be sold. Especially troubling is the fact that he admits he has been doing this for years. Be cautious and skeptical out there folks! If a deal is too good to be true, run the other way.
Pop Culture News- Upper Deck’s upcoming Marvel Fleer Ultra Avengers (yes that is five brands in the title) is taking a kitchen-sink approach to the product as well with pretty much every kind of card or insert crammed into boxes. Autos, sketches, die-cuts, film cells, parallels, vintage-themed inserts (Jambalaya), comic clippings, Marvel value stamp cards, and a surprisingly well-thought-out base set make this one of the most packed releases of the year. It’s a decent strategy for a brand that needs a major card release hit.Â
The Sports Card Nonsense newsletters reflect the opinions of only the authors and contributors. They are for informational purposes only, and are not a recommendation for purchases or of an investment strategy or to buy or sell any assets.