2011 Topps Gridiron Legends
Box Contents:
18 Packs Per Box
8 Packs Per Pack
What We Pulled:
112 out of 165 cards - 67.9% Complete
2 Duplicates
15 Parallel Cards
Inserts:
15 Total Insert Cards
Aspiring Legacies (1:5 Packs) (4) - Bilal Powell, Stevan Ridley, Jerrel Jernigan, Shane Vereen
Gridiron Legacies (1:4 Packs) (5) - Tony Gonzalez, LaDainian Tomlinson, Drew Brees, Michael Vick, Matt Ryan
Legendary Combos (1:10 Packs) (2) - Calvin Johnson/Titus Young, Adrian Peterson/Christian Ponder
Aspiring Legacies Relic (1:10 Packs) (2) - Delone Carter, Colin Kaepernick
Aspiring Legacies Relic Parallels (1:250 Packs) (1) - Andy Dalton
Autographed Rookies Base Redemption Card (1) - Anthony Castonzo
Our Thoughts:
I started hanging my head with the first pack that I opened when seeing the Delone Carter Aspiring Legacies Relic. And when I finished the box, that disappointing feeling that I had was still there and it grew throughout opening the packs of this box. I hadn't done my due diligence before buying this and I assumed that something that has the name Gridiron Legends would focus on the legends of the NFL. But this product doesn't do that. It throws some legends in the base set cards and doesn't worry about them anymore. I am starting to hear more and more rumblings from collectors about Topps products not being very good. This is a fine example of that. If you are going to use the word legends for this product, then label it as Topps Future Gridiron Legends or something similar. But the title for this release gives images to the collector of something different.
As for the base set cards, I do like the design. It is a simple yet effective design and Topps also put on old time logos for the legends. The Rams and Chargers both had the football helmet with their logo on it for the Legends for their teams and the newer logos for the players of today. I also like the fact that the Rookies in the set are an actual part of the set. In the Carolina Panthers team run, Cam Newton is included around the veterans. They don't make them the high number cards and insert them 1 out of every 4 packs or something like that. As for the insert cards, they look like base set cards that Upper Deck put out at least a decade ago. On one edge of the card, the card is colored in the team colors and the player is on the rest of the card. Reminded me of Upper Deck Game Gear cards from 2001 I believe. The relic cards are nothing special. The Dalton is a gold card numbered out of 50. And as always, I do not like redemption cards in a product. The card companies need to understand that it is like laughing at the collector. You don't have enough respect for us to actually get players to sign beforehand and have the signatures ready to insert even though planning of this product probably started at least a year earlier? I also like that if you are trying to complete the set, that almost 70% of the base set is in one box. If I do decide to buy another box, the completeness of the set is almost guaranteed. If it doesn't happen, I will be one or two cards away from the set and that is an easy fix.
Overall, It isn't the worst box that I have ever opened, but it really isn't one of the best either. If you can find a box for around $50, then you might want to buy it. But when this product came out at more than $100 a box, then I am sure that people felt cheated. The Hits included aren't impressive and the insert designs remind you of base set cards from yesteryear. And in future releases of this product, I would hope that Topps pays attention to the word Legends in the product name. If this was from a fledling company, I would say that it was an adequate product. From Topps, I expect something better.
Box Value: 1.5 out of 5 Stars.
