It is difficult to evaluate any product based on a single
pack. That problem is compounded
when the product is “High Risk, High Reward” because you don’t get a good sense
of how well the risk is distributed.
For 2011 Bowman Sterling Football, I only opened a single mini-box of
five cards so while I can talk about the design and my impressions of the hits
received, the majority of this review will involve a break down of the checklist
and a scouring of several message boards with other people’s box break results
to try and get a feel for the expectations you should have when purchasing a
box.
Bowman Sterling Football comes in at the high end of our
premium cards category. Each hobby
box contains 6 mini-boxes with 5 cards each and a box topper bonus card. Each mini-box should yield 1 Autograph
and 2 Relic Cards.
Here are the 5 cards we pulled from our mini-box.
Tandon Doss, not numbered, and Brooks Reed Ruby Refractor #/299
Edmund Gates Relic, not numbered.
Titus Young Blue Refractor Autograph #/99
Cecil Shorts III Pulsar refractor Relic #/15
Overall Look
This is solid design along the lines of Premium and
Finest. There was some slight
bowing on the two base cards but the hits were nicely laid out and construction
seems solid except for the askew sticker placement on the Titus Young
Autograph. The pulsar refractors
fit really well with the other types of refractors.
Quality and Variety of Players
The base set is made up of 50 rookies who did not make it to
the Premiere with standouts being Roy Helu, Ryan Kerrigan, J.J. Watt, Jeremy
Kerley, T.J. Yates and Denarius Moore.
On average, 4 out of the 6 autographs will come from a checklist of
about 70 players that include non-Premiere and Premiere rookies with a handful
of veterans that include Ahmad Bradshaw, Arian Foster, Malcom Floyd, Marshawn
Lynch, and Peyton Manning. The vast
majority of the relic and autograph relic hits come from the 36 Premiere
rookies.
Do the Hits satisfy?
If it were just based on this box alone, it would be a tough
call. On the plus side, the pulsar
refractor is stunning plus the addition of a blue refractor auto provides the
makings of a superior box, but Cecil Shorts III... well... at least he has a
cool name and Titus Young and Edmund Gates seem to pop out of almost every box
we open. But that is our luck of
the draw, not everybody’s. Any of
the ultra desirable names and booklet cards will provide an awesome hit worthy
of the hunt. From what I’ve seen,
the box topper dual hits are nice too.
Will you keep coming back for more?
Our box shows the “risk” part of the “High Risk, High
Reward” equation. But based on the
various breaks out there this seems to fall within the normal odds of this type
of product. Rookie prospectors willing to roll the dice on this one will want
to spread the risk over a minimum of a hobby box, f not a case to increase
their chances of a hitting a low numbered card with the right player on it.
Rating
4 out of 5
2011 Bowman Sterling Football can provide the big hits you
are seeking but some patience getting there will be required.
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