Fairfield Repack Box #1

I got suckered into buying one of those Fairfield repack boxes at Target.  I could see that one of the packs was a hobby pack of 2015 Topps Platinum Football.  For $15, I figured it would have more value than a regular retail box break due to the hobby pack.

Upon opening the box I was pretty disappointed.  Most of the packs in there were junk.  There was some old Notre Dame pack, junk Score packs, and a bunch of 2013 Upper Deck USA Football packs.

I basically was hoping to just get lucky and hit something in the one pack of Platinum since all the other packs were worthless.  I even contemplated throwing all the other packs away without even opening them.

My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to open up everything.  I started the weird Notre Dame pack of cards.  It was junk.

Then I picked up the 2013 Score Football retail packs.  One pack was thicker than the other.  I just figured it was one of those decoy cards.  To my surprise, there was actually a hit in there!

It was a Ryan Mathews Future Franchise Fabrics relic jersey card!  It even had a little pen mark on the fabric too.  Has Ryan Mathews become a franchise player?  Nope.

I then started to open up the rest of the junk packs.  I had no idea what these 2013 Upper Deck USA Football packs were.  They looked like high school or college cards.  Either way, I figure it to be more retail junk.  But then...

I hit this crazy triple autograph!  What?!  I was shocked.  My jaw hit the floor.  I've never pulled a triple autograph before.  This was nuts.  Even if it was a triple autograph from some off the wall set with some unknown players on it, this was still pretty cool!

The three players picture are Addison Olah, Chad Taylor, and Damian Halstead.  Apparently they were Canadian high school football players.  Now they're playing in college, but none of them appear to be at any top football schools so there is little hope that any of them will be NFL prospects.

For $15, this is one of the most surprising breaks I've ever had.  My expectations were practically zero, and I ended up getting way more than I bargained for.

Oh, and that 2015 Platinum Football hobby pack?  Yeah, got nothing.

2016 Panini Classics Football Box Break #2

I finally got around to opening up that second box of 2016 Panini Classics Football that I had ordered from Blowout Cards like six months ago.

The hits were a Larry Fitzgerald relic card, and a Tyler Ervin autograph.  Blah.  I do like the relic cards.  They have a simple but nice design, and the relics are game-worn.

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #6

Well, I think I did a good job turning $60 into $10.  $10 is probably about the value in cards I got from the last six hanger boxes.

Rookies: Malik Beasley, Kay Felder.  Rookie Holo: Ron Baker.  Rookie Kings Gold #/199: A.J. Hammons.

At first when I saw the gold card I got all excited thinking it was numbered to ten like in football... but it's numbered to 199.

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #5

No, wait.  This is a bad box.

Rookies: Jamal Murray, Sheldon McClellan.  Hall Kings Holo: Scottie Pippen.

Only two rookies, and one notable insert.  Definitely a bad box.

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #4

This looks like it was a bad box.

Rookie: Chinanu Onuaku, Henry Ellenson.  Rookie Holo: Taurean Prince.  Court Kings Holo: Dwayne Wade.

You'd think that the Dwayne Wade holo might be worth something, but it doesn't look like anybody is buying (or even selling) these inserts.

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #3

I can't really say much about how I'm fairing on these hanger boxes since I don't know the players, but the cards sure are nice.

Rookie Kings: Dario Saric.  Rookie Kings Purple: Thon Maker.  Rookies: Malachi Richardson, Alex Abrines, Dragan Bender.

All I gotta say is that these basketball players have badass names.  Dragan Bender?  That sounds like a medieval slang word for getting drunk.  And as for Thon Maker?  He should change his first name to "Shot."

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #2

I've seen some people (seemingly) hit autographs in 50% of the hanger boxes that they've purchased.  Those people are probably the super rare lucky ones, so I wasn't getting my hopes up for an autograph.  Well, I got an autograph.

Rookie: Caris LeVent, Diamond Stone.  Base Purple: Kent Bazemore.  Signature Series: Ian Clark.

First off, let's just discuss this Diamond Stone guy.  His name is... Diamond Stone.  In case there was any confusion about whether a diamond is a stone, all you have to do is look to his last name.  This guy has an amazing name.  It's like naming your kid Carrot Vegetable or Ford Car.

The Ian Clark autograph is kind of cool.  It doesn't seem to be worth much but it's an autograph so I shouldn't complain.

2016-17 Panini Optic Basketball Rack Pack #1

I decided to branch out a little bit and break some basketball.  I read on the basketball forums that Optic Basketball was hot.  It seems like everyone was snatching up whatever Optic retail they could find.  I decided to do the same not knowing much about who is who and who is good.

All I know is that Ben Simmons was the number one draft pick last year and that apparently his rookie cards are pretty sought after.

Rookie: Ben Simmons, Brice Johnson.  Rookie Holo: Damian Jones.  Rookie Kings Holo Insert: Denzel Valentine.

It looks like you only get three to four rookies per retail hanger pack (rack pack) whereas in football you usually get nine rookies.  This is a little disappointing, but I think there are only 50 rookies in the set so that makes sense.

I think I got lucky in my first box with a Ben Simmons rookie card.  He's the guy everyone wants apparently.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #18

Okay box.  

Rookie: Jarran Reed, Emmanuel Ogbah.  Rookie Holo: Kelvin Taylor.  Rookie Purple Holo: Maliek Collins, Kendall Fuller.  Rated Rookie: Leonte Carroo, Keenan Reynolds.  Rated Rookie Purple: Joey Bosa, Kenneth Dixon.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #17

Can't lay off the sauce.

Rookie: Kendall Fuller, Jonathan Ballard.  Rookie Holo: Adolphus Washington.  Rookie Purple Holo: Jarran Reed, Emmanuel Ogbah.  Rated Rookie: Joey Bosa, Jacoby Brissett.  Rated Rookie Purple: Christian Hackenberg, Braxton Miller.

2016 Panini Optic Football Rack Pack #16

So addicted.

Rookie: Reggie Ragland, Mackenzie Alexander.  Rookie Holo: Deion Jones.  Rookie Purple Holo: Kenny Clark, Kamalei Correa.  Rated Rookie: Kenneth Dixon, Joey Bosa.  Rated Rookie Purple: Paxton Lynch, Nick Vannett.