I won another one of Johnny's almost-daily giveaways and received the goods a few days ago.
The majority of the cards that I needed (4 of the 9 were needs) are from what I'm thinking is my candidate for best set of the year.
The only problem is the set is from 2021.
I like the 2021 Chrome Platinum set more than I should. I've already detailed the reasons why I like and also the reasons why a product like this shouldn't be for me. I know a few bloggers have wondered what the big deal is about this set, and I see their point. But that doesn't keep my brain from marveling over these cards. There is just something about them that makes me happy.
It's the shininess combined with a classic design combined with the photos chosen. Those close-ups, that '52 feel, with very modern gloss, appeals to me. Nothing about this is new. The '52 set has been beaten senseless by Topps and that goes for chromed-up versions of the '52 design, too. But something about it has me a little bit hooked (but not enough to try to complete this 700-card monster).
The reason that it might win 2022 Set Of The Year for me is that the delayed product was released well into 2022. That makes many of the images in the set outdated -- another strike against it -- but what else am I going to declare winner of the crown, as we enter the final two months of the year?
Not a lot of products have been released this year, relatively speaking, including one that almost always is in contention for Set of the Year, Stadium Club.
Let's review the contenders:
2022 Bowman: Bowman will never be Set of the Year material
2022 Bowman Chrome: See above
2022 Panini Donruss: Never in a million years.
2022 Panini Absolute: I disregard Panini in the Set of the Year ballot every year.
2022 Panini Diamond Kings: Set is kinda gross this year.
2022 Panini Select: I don't understand at all why some flip out over this product.
2022 Topps: It's OK. The effort hasn't been there for a long time.
2022 Topps Archives: Tough to impress the judges with regurgitated designs.
2022 Topps Chrome: Shiny dupes!
2022 Topps Fire: no.
2022 Topps Gallery: This set doesn't offend me anymore but there's not much point to it.
2022 Topps Gypsy Queen: Nothing I will ever like.
2022 Topps Heritage: Always decent but it's Oct. 22 and I'm still waiting for Kershaw's Heritage card.
2022 Topps Opening Day: I'm ready for this set not to exist.
I skipped high-end sets because they're not available enough to be considered.
That's all that's been released 10 months into the year. No Stadium Club or Allen & Ginter or Update or Finest or Chronicles. There is nothing on the above list that gives me Set of the Year vibes.
So, yeah, I think a 2021 set is the Set of the Year right now. Topps (or Panini, hah!) has two months to knock 2021 Chrome Platinum back to 2021.
Anyway, that's the other card from Johnny's send that I needed. I thought I had it already but the one I had was a parallel.
It looks like I'm in the middle of arranging another deal for some more Chrome Platinum Dodgers, we'll see if they still make me swoon upon their arrival.
Clock's ticking, Stadium Club.
Comments
If Topps adheres to its current schedule, it's gonna be really strange to see 374 different sets come out the next few months.
I always have thought that 2022 Topps just has the best design of a Topps set since the 2014 set and that is enough to have it be the set of 2022 for me, although Topps Chrome and the Aqua or Blue refractors are really impressing me.