The MATTen Curse

If you have any knowledge of video games at all or have heard of the Madden NFL game, you have heard there is something called the "Madden Curse." This is when a cover athlete on the game will get hurt the season they are on the cover of the game.

I have come to realize I have my own version of this curse when it comes to buying cards.

This summer after looking how crazy card values have gone, I told myself, why not grab some cheap parallels of good quarterbacks while they are affordable that way if they go up I can "flip" them by trading them for something of higher value. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Then the season started.

CAM WARD:

I thought to myself, well, here's a guy that is with a quarterback guru in Brian Daboll. He may not be a good head coach, but he can coach a quarterback.

So far the Titans are 0-3, he lost to my Giants yesterday by throwing a terrible interception (I celebrated) and hasn't thrown for more than 200 yards at all this year. Really rough start.

JAYDEN DANIELS:

I thought to myself, Washington has some good weapons around him now for him to throw to. He might get his rookie year self back.

He had an okay start, then he went and disloated his elbow and his out again with that injury.

Oooof.

DRAKE MAYE:

He had a superb sophomore year leading the Patriots to the Super Bowl and was MVP runner up. You then give him a still dominant AJ Brown and it's looking like another great year.

Maye has been nothing but disappointing so far and that AJ Brown connection, well, that hasn't been there since he has been hurt. Maye continues to just turn the ball over and the Patriots right now are far from the team they were last year.

BO NIX:

Bo was looking to play well off from his injury last year that kept him out of the AFC Championship. He still has the brilliant Sean Payton as head coach and an up and coming offensive coordinator in Davis Webb. They also added Jaylen Waddle. Things were looking up.

 

The Broncos did pull out a big win last night and the offense seemed to had come to life in that second half, but, it's been a tough start I think for Nix up to that point. Maybe last night's big win over the Super Bowl favorite Rams will lead to bigger things.

And finally....

JAXSON DART:

This one makes me the most sad. I picked up a ton of his cards for my Giants season, not for any other purpose other than PC, but I was hoping he would be the man especially with a new coaching staff and new weapons.

 

He played amazing in Week 1 protecting himself from concussion, then Week 2 came and he got nailed by the Rams and tore his meniscus for season ending surgery. 

The pain. The heartbreak.

If you don't call this a curse from all of these guys, I don't know what you call it.

I need coffee.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Dewey Decimal System Not Needed

Remember before computers were used having to flip through drawers of card catalog cabinet in the library? Remember having to run your fingers through index cards looking for the books you needed for research that most were sorted by using the Dewey Decimal system?

Well, BCW Supplies brought back that fun but actually made it fun.

It's called the 6-Drawer Card Catalog.

This is a place where you store sports cards instead of library ones.

Each very durable stackable drawer can hold up to 700 loose sports cards, 1,150 loose gaming cards, 210 standard toploaded cards, or 45 cards in 35 pt. BCW Magnetic Card Holders. Which is very useful for any card collection.

The drawers have these pull tabs, you attach yourselves by snapping them on, for easy pulling open of the drawers.

Inside, you will find plenty of storage room and each one comes with six clear plastic dividers.

I have actually had this for a couple of months trying to find the best use for such a wonderful item.

Then I finally decided this would make a perfect home for my NY Giants future studs collection. I had thought about storing my toploaded Rodney Hamptons in here, I still might use the bottom part of this for that, but guys like Malik Nabers, Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo will call this home for now.

There is even a part on the front of this where you can add a toploaded card, toploader already included, of the player or whatever you choose to put in each drawer as a way to label them.

I have added both Dart and Nabers so far. Still have four drawers to go and plenty of room in the two I already added.

I will add more cards to this soon. But, I may have to find a place to put it first. It was actually quite heavy already before adding cards to it, well, at least heavier than I expected. It would probably make a great place to also set my coffee on because I know it's not moving anywhere!

If you are looking to add one, you can find yours on the BCW Supplies website, HERE. Remember to use code MATT10 at checkout to SAVE 10% off your purchase!

I hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday!

Let me know your thoughts on this product or memories of using the card library system.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Trending This Week In My Hobby

Welcome to Week 4 of Trending This Week In My Hobby.

It's been a couple weeks, let's see what has changed.

If you missed a previous week or you are curious what this segment is about if this is your first time seeing it, I will be posting my Top 10 things I have been either adding or seeking the most. In other words what has been trending in my hobby, hence the name. Next week, the list could change and some things could disappear with new things added or move up and down my interests list.

You just never know because I never know where my head will be week to week.

So, the next post will feature the list of stuff for that week and then will compare it to this week for a breakdown of the trending ways and why. If I have an explanation for it.

Hopefully I will.

Without further ado or more rambling, here is the very first list of what's trending in my hobby this week,

1. Ken Griffey Jr Cards
2. Jaxson Dart Cards
3. 90's Inserts Any Team, Any Sport, Any Player specifically 1995-99
4. NY Giants Cards
5. 2025 Wild Card Splat Eli Manning Cards
6. Eli Manning Cards
7. Non Sport Autograph/Relic Cards
8. Rodney Hampton Cards
9. 1995 Pro Line Autograph Cards
10. 2025 Topps Chrome Pigskin Parallels NY Giants

Ken Griffey Jr, just like in the 90's, coming in very strong for my PC the last few weeks. I have picked up quite a few through trades. Same with Jaxson Dart, now that the season has ended, his cards have been a little bit more attainable which is what I was hoping for.

Outside of those two and a couple dropping off, there isn't a lot of change. I haven't added any 1995 Pro Line Autographs in a long time but they are still big time wants. As for the 2025 Topps Chrome Pigskin Parallels for the Giants, I would want one of each player but I highly doubt I can land the rookies. So, I will just chase what I can just like I did with the Panini parallels that were similar.

The Eli Manning Splat cards are falling, despite them being plentiful. It's really hard to add them to TCDB as there are hundreds and takes forever to add them. I guess you can call it me being lazy.

If you were curious about last weeks list and how it changed, here it is again,

1. NY Giants Cards
2. 2025 Wild Card Splat Eli Manning Cards
3. 90's Inserts Any Team, Any Sport, Any Player specifically 1995-99
4. Ken Griffey Jr Cards
5. Jaxson Dart Cards
6. Eli Manning Cards
7. Non Sport Autograph/Relic Cards
8. Rodney Hampton Cards
9. Mikaela Shiffrin
10. Allan Houston Cards

Who knows what next week will bring or where the wind will take me next. I guess you will have to come back and see.

While you wait, let me know what you are collecting this week or what's been trending in your hobby below!

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Coffee Break:2025 Mosaic Football Blaster Box #2

Well....well...well...what do we have here....that's right box #2 in my trade break.

I am beginning my show off of retail wax that I got in the 9-card lot of autograph Daniel Jones cards I traded away. If you missed that, here is the ARTICLE.

I thought I would start out with the football blasters first and now it is time for the second football one.

Without further ado, let's start to rip and take a sip with these highlights,  

 

My first Woody Marks rookie card. Yeah, that was supposed to be exciting, this is the best excitement I have for a guy with a unique name.

Dart Variation! Bad part, I already had two of these....this one will be going to a friend.

Sadly, that was it for the rookie highlights.

Now inserts.

This is a subset and a player I strongly dislike, but wanted to show it off to add some meat to this post.

This guy has been playing lights-out good, despite how bad this season has gone for the Giants, he has been a bright spot. This card is also a new PC piece.

Now onto the parallels.

Ughhh another Eagle. This time A.J. Brown. This is a "Mosaic" parallel.

Another "Mosaic" parallel. This time a rookie insert of McMillian who has played really well in Carolina.

Will Campbell. Another team I despise and an offensive lineman, ugh.

This guy started on my fantasy team but it wasn't long before I cut him.

Team color match on this Elevate. This is the one-per-blaster Orange Fluorescent.

Silver of Audric Estime. I have seen and heard the silvers seem to be the tougher pulls this year.

 

And finally, Justin Jefferson green parallel. Good player, bad team. Seems there is a lot of that.

There you have it. Another break and another kind of dull one at that but at least two Giants were in this one. To put these into perspective. Each Mosaic blaster box was $29.99. I have a feeling I didn't lure that back with either box break or even combined.

But, let me know in comments what you think.

In the meantime, I will finish my cup and get ready to seize the day.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

BEFORE I CLOSE OUT, DON'T FORGET TO VOTE FOR YOU FAVORITE BLOGGERS AND TRADING CARD PRODUCTS IN NACHO GRANDES END OF THE YEAR AWARDS.

DETAILS ON THIS LINK:

https://fanofreds.blogspot.com/2025/11/tcdb-monday-turkey-day-approaches.html

Which by the way, I did not vote for myself in any category. I want this to be a real vote. It's no fun if I do it myself. I want to hear what the readers think.