Beckett

Panini’s 2011 NHL All-Star Video Diary

Making the trek out to Raleigh, N.C. for the 2011 NHL All-Star Fan Fair, a small but dedicated Panini America crew — including the one and only Tracy Hackler — managed to capture some great footage over the weekend. From a behind-the-scenes Panini Adrenalyn spot with Jamie McBain to signing sessions with Tyler Seguin, Taylor Hall and others, these videos give us a glimpse at just how involved the manufacturer was at the event.

Enjoy the rest of Panini’s video diary after the jump.

Rising Rookies: Topps’ First 2011 NFL RCs to Land in May

By Andrew Tolentino | Assistant Editor

Topps revealed this morning that its first 2011 NFL Rookie Cards will be released in May with the Rising Rookies set.

Featuring the to-be-determined top 2011 NFL Draft picks, Rising Rookies comes 10 cards per pack in every 24-pack hobby box. Each box yields  21 inserts and four hits (including two-per-box autographs) which could fall in the following forms:

• On-card Rookie Autograph NFL Draft Logo Patch cards
• On-card Rookie Autograph NFL Shield Logo Patch cards
• Autographed jumbo Relic cards
• Autographed jumbo patch cards
• Rookie 1/1 parallels
• 1/1 Rookie and Base Card printing plates

Each pack should shake out four rookie cards and one rookie parallel. With 100 players appearing on their first Topps Rookie Cards and a base set filled with proven players, this line is designed to satisfy prospecting and veteran collectors alike.

As we continue to fend off Old Man Winter, Topps will continue to prune and grow Rising Rookies  for its May, 2011 release. Stay tuned here and on Beckett.com for more blooming details.

Pulling With Everyday People: Kansas City Travel Edition

By Andrew Tolentino | Assistant Editor

This weekend, I had the pleasure of taking a trip to Kansas City, Mo. to visit my childhood best friend and long-time collecting comrade Aaron Ott. As seen in my three days of incessant travel tweeting, the Midwestern journey included a stop at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and a stroll through other must-see K.C. sights.

Most importantly though, the great state of Missouri gave me the opportunity to reminisce with my old friend.

Remembering how much fun we had riding to local card shops in the back of his dad’s white Ford Ranger pickup, we dusted off an old binder and traveled to today with a 2010 Donruss Rated Rookies boxed set….and then we stuffed our faces with Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque.

Thanks to a handy laptop camera and Aaron’s very understanding wife, I managed to capture both memories and deliciously prepared meat in this episode of Pulling with Everyday People.