Huddle Tip of the Day – Week 11-17 Awards On the Way!

Posted on January 7, 2015 by SCUncensored

As with every part of the season, Huddle has offered a reward card that is given to the collectors who can piece together every weekly set. There are more cards this time around because the reward timeframe is 7 weeks instead of 5. That means there are a lot of cards to chase down.

If you need a full checklist – it can be found on my frequently updated google doc.

Here are some breakdowns on some expectations of what the cards are going to come in at, including my feelings on whether or not they are worth chasing down.

Signature Series

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Cards: 7
Lowest Count: Demarco Murray (50)
Expected Reward Card Count: ~35
Collection Value: HIGHEST

People were very upset about Murray being so low, and they have every reason to be. Not only will it impact the season chase, but the weekly chase will be that much more impossible to complete. This card is literally one of the most valuable “non limited” cards in the game, being traded for insane amounts right now. I would guess that the super majority of people who have this card will have the set, but if you can track one down, consider yourself VERY lucky.

NOTE: This set only includes the cards released each Friday – NOT the holiday sigs. Watt is an exception as a holiday sig released on a Friday. This goes the same for thanksgiving sigs, with Murray being the Friday release. Refer to the checklist for player names.

Golden Moments

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Cards: 7
Lowest Count: 6 at 250
Expected Reward Card Count: ~125
Collection Value: HIGH

Being that is it is one of the best non-sig sets in the game, the GM cards are ones that many player collectors want to chase down. The last two reward cards have been really nice with Gronk and Ben Roethlisberger, so you can expect another big name.

Editor’s Choice

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Cards: 7
Lowest Count: 3 at 200
Expected Reward Card Count: ~100
Collection Value: HIGH

I really like these cards this year, as they have a very retro feel. I think that there are many people that have multiple copies of a few of the rarer ones, so that will mean that the count of the reward card will be lower. Last reward was Gronk, with Dez Bryant the one before that. This should be a nice card.

Players of the Week

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Cards: 28
Lowest Count: 14 at 200
Expected Reward Card Count: ~50
Collection Value: MEDIUM

This is easily the toughest set to complete, as it is clear that many of the people do not want to chase down 28+ cards for their set. Last time, the reward was less than 30, but with recent developments in pulling these from single card loosie packs, its going to be higher this time.

Rising Stars

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Cards: 14
Lowest Count: 4 at 350
Expected Reward Card Count: ~200
Collection Value: MEDIUM

I think that like POTW, the ease of pulling these combined with high card counts will make the reward card a bit more easy to get.

Fan’s Choice

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Cards: 7
Lowest Count: N/A
Expected Reward Card Count: ~150
Collection Value: LOW

These cards have no count limits and have no reward attached to them. This means that the majority of them will be easy to get. Last reward was Aaron Rodgers, so that is a hint that they will add a better player again.

Monday Night Series

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Cards: 14
Lowest Count: 4 at 200
Expected Reward Card Count: ~75
Collection Value: MEDIUM

I think that there is a big reason why these cards are easier to get, and it has to do with the player quality of the checklist being as weak as it is. This set has become a release of deeper cuts into the roster, which is both good and bad.

Remember, there is also a season long chase attached to each of these sets, so it will be in your best interest to keep singles you have acquired over the year. The season long card chases will be VERY tough to complete with some cards being the lowest in the game.

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New Class Headed to the Hall – A Big Day for Bunt?

Posted on January 6, 2015 by SCUncensored

Each year, the BBWA gets together and starts the process to vote in a new group of baseball’s elite to the MLB Hall of Fame. This year was a CROWDED year of amazing careers to consider, and out of the group we got some big names headed to Cooperstown. These names will also likely have a pretty profound effect on Bunt’s checklist next year, so here is a breakdown.

Randy Johnson – Pitcher

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Its hard not to love Randy Johnson, a guy who was known as much for his stature as it was his dominating slider. He was so menacing that many batters named him as the pitcher they least wanted to face, and it should be no surprise he is on his way to the hall.

John Smoltz – Pitcher

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A poster child for consistency, Smoltz joins his Braves brethren in Glavine and Maddux who were elected last year. He is a pitcher that was known both as a starter and a reliever, and was dominating in both facets of the game. Deserving indeed.

Craig Biggio – Infielder

Back when Biggio played middle infield, it wasnt the same power laden part of the roster that it has become in recent years. He is a hitter with speed on the base-paths and high average, as well as one of the better fielding 2Bs of all time.

Pedro Martinez – Pitcher

Its odd, because he is just as remembered for his meltdown against the Yankees in the playoffs vs the Aaron Boone led Yankees win, as he is for his top performance over a number of years. His fiery personality is only matched by his fireball fastball.

What to expect:

I would guess that there will be releases sometime today or this week that will commemorate their induction, as well as other cards when the ceremony actually happens. Both will be quite valuable sets of cards as there are a lot of team and player collectors that will want them.

UPDATE: Bunt has released 3 of the 4 newest members. They do not yet have rights to Biggio, but are working on getting them from what the article says.

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Gridiron Unwrapped – Playoff Signature Series Edition!

Posted on January 6, 2015 by SCUncensored

As we have come to find out, there are going to be a quite large set of Playoff Sigs, and I am one that could not be more happy. I mentioned yesterday how much I like the look of the cards and the variants, and I want to go through and talk about my favorites so far. These cards are more collection pieces than playoff boosts, but they cross over with the 9 and 10x attached to them. This only makes them more valuable. I expect the checklist to grow with each passing day, and with many of the sigs only at 40 or so copies, you still have a lot of chances left.

Dez Bryant Playoff Signature Series

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Card Count: 100
Play Potential: HIGH
Collection Value: HIGHEST
Cool Factor: Super Bowl Bound

I love this card. Easily one of the coolest sigs they have released so far, as Dez plays for a top team, and is a ridiculously exciting player to watch. Even though he can be a diva, he rarely disappoints on the field. Dez has only had two sigs this season, and both were on cards with multiple other players. This is his first single and it is fantastic. Well worth the wait.

Larry Fitzgerald Playoff Signature Series

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Card Count: 300
Play Potential: N/A
Collection Value: MEDIUM
Cool Factor: Wild Card Round

I get it, the Cardinals have no one on offense to really deserve a sig more than future HOFer Fitzgerald. The issue is that he had a down season and lost a lot of his popularity. There are Cardinals fans out there looking for this card, which means I would try to find them and get some nice stuff.

LeVeon Bell Playoff Signature Series

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Card Count: 300
Play Potential: N/A
Collection Value: HIGH
Cool Factor: Conference Championship Round

There was no more consistent back in the AFC than Le’Veon Bell and to see him hyper extend his knee the week before the loss was devastating. He is someone that definitely deserves a sig, and prior to this his only single sig was a Parallax 1/1 that someone chose. Steelers fans are clamoring for this card, even if he didnt play.

Ted Ginn Jr Playoff Signature Series

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Card Count: 300
Play potential: N/A
Collection Value: LOWEST
Cool Factor: Missed Playoffs

Ginn is a relative nobody, whose main mission is special teams. Although I understand he hasnt had many cards this year, I definitely would have gone with Michael Floyd – even as a collection piece.

Andy Dalton Playoff Signature Series

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Card Count: 100
Play Potential: N/A
Collection Value: MEDIUM
Cool Factor: Wild Card Round

Four straight playoff losses is not a legacy most want to have, but I think that Dalton is someone that doesnt deserve 100% of that blame. Playing without AJ Green and Jermaine Gresham hurt a lot, and the lack of performance on the field was a direct result.

Rob Gronkowski Playoff Signature Series

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Card Count: 100
Play Potential: HIGH
Collection Value: HIGH
Cool Factor: Super Bowl Bound

If you arent a fan of Gronk, you are missing something. Honestly, its too bad we didnt get a cat in this card somewhere. That would have been awesome. He is going to have his hands full this coming weekend, but he should have no issue tearing the defense apart as usual.

Joe Flacco Playoff Signature Series

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Card Count: 200
Play Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Value: MEDIUM
Cool Factor: Divisional Round

Although he may be deserving of a sig, his persona off the field, or lack there of, hurts his collectablility. If he had the personality of some of the other guys, I wonder if that dumb conversation about whether he is ELITE(!) is still as stupid? Probably not.

Justin Forsett Playoff Signature Series

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Card Count: 200
Play Potential: HIGH
Collection Value: LOW
Cool Factor: Divisional Round

A journeyman who finally gets his shot amid the biggest controversy of the year? Sign me up. The guy is fun to watch, and with the Pats run defense taking a step back this year, he could have a big game.

Antonio Brown Playoff Signature Series

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Card Count: 200
Play Potential: N/A
Collection Value: HIGH
Cool Factor: Super Bowl Bound

There might not be a more exciting guy to watch in big moments. Brown is a speedy guy who always seems to find a way to make a huge play EVERY SINGLE GAME. He had one of the better seasons all time for a WR, and I am really disappointed he didnt get more of a shot.

There will be many more to come, including some of the now playable playoff bye teams. Gronk is likely the first of his round, but wont be the last. My prediction is that we might get some of the more valuable sigs of the year in the next few days.

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Huddle Tip of the Day – How Important are Playoff Chases?

Posted on January 5, 2015 by SCUncensored

If last week was any indication of the level of competition that will exist over the next few weeks, its only going to become more important as the playoffs progress. I want to take a few minutes to talk about how much fun these points chase elements can be, and also which ones are the best to participate in.

Weekly Chase

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I understand that many people liked to play the old “set it and forget it” routine with the regular season weekly chase. There are a ton of games, Sundays are usually time to relax, and it can be tough to keep up. Although I urged people to play along whenever they found themselves in front of the TV, it is something that not everyone was willing to do. With only 4 games per week, dwindling down to two for the Championship round and 1 for the Super Bowl, its worth playing along.

The reason I say that is because those helmet awards that you received for finishing higher in the chase have gone up exponentially, and the BoH cards that are going to be given out are actually chosen by the HUDDLE staff, not left to chance on the highest point player from that week. They are also packed with huge boosts, which get higher if you finish among the top spots.

Even if you have never really played along before, these two elements might compel you to try to reach the top 1000 players. Even if you arent invested in the playoff teams, there will be a plethora of people who will pay through the nose for your boosted card.

Game Throwdowns

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If you need to brush up on what these are all about, I have an article here that you can refer to.

To update – the two weekly throwdowns that used to happen on Thursday and Monday now are taking place for each day that playoff games are played. So, that means one for the entire slate of Saturday games and one for the entire slate of Sunday games. The great thing is that they still cost the same amount of money, and 500  coins is worth a shot to participate in Bronze if you are a lower tier collection score.

Even if you only want to play in one of the days, you can get 5x your money back in Bronze, just for finishing in the top 100. Many times, this is actually quite the easy task, as only 150 players participate in the lowest tier. I will say that just from looking at the ticket card counts, the two throwdowns were the top of the year. That is easily understandable with many users feeling comfortable with one game on at a time instead of 5-8.

Huddle Bowl

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During Wild Card weekend, the top 64 players squared off to see who would finish in the top 8 to go into next week’s bracket for the annual Huddle Bowl. I was lucky enough to squeak into the last spot for the tournament at 8, after finishing 9 for the season overall.

Although 99.9% of the user base is not participating in the tournament, it shows that the season long points chase is worth gunning for. Even if you dont make it to the top of your team’s leaderboard, you only need to get to the top 2, which might be more of a game of outlast than outplay. Because the app grew over the course of the season, some users had a VERY nice head start on late joining players. Even with boosted cards, that factored in, trust me.

Next year may be entirely different, but if anything, I see the Huddle bowl growing rather than shrinking. Worth keeping in mind.

Card Chases

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If you are a collector more than a gamer, Huddle is definitely bringing out the big guns for this time of year. From what Chris said in the interview last week, there will be more to come undoubtedly.

Right now, the Playoff Sig set is one that I have been eyeing since release back last week. With many top players getting immortalized, these cards are very hard to come by, made even more difficult by the long pack odds.

To see a guy like Dez Bryant FINALLY get a sig, all while looking as cool as it does, Im sold. The design is really a nice touch, as the cards are definitely going to be some of the more coveted sigs of the year. The scariest part for collectors is that each card also has a 9x boost, which means it will appeal to more people also involved in the points chase. You are going to have more competition than usual! Even if the players dont make the next round, its still worth picking them up.

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Here is the thing – this is the best time of year for football. I really like what the Huddle team has been able to do, and I dont even think we are close to getting started. Each game is more important than the next, and desperation usually leads to some amazing play on the field. With Huddle, the chases can come down to the last play, which means even a blowout can be like an overtime battle. I love it. Without a doubt, its the most wonderful time of the year!

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Special Announcement – Jon Hanford Joins the Bunt Team!

Posted on January 2, 2015 by SCUncensored

A few weeks back, I posted a cryptic message from TOPPSMIKE about the new team member that will be joining Bunt for the 2015 season, and I am VERY pleased to announce that Jon Hanford is that person!

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For those of you who have been on the app over the last two seasons, Mr. Hanford was someone that made his mark delivering some top quality content that I always found very compelling in the News Feed. To see that he has taken on a role in this capacity is an awesome thing for Bunt, as he is obviously very familiar with how things work.

There will be a Q&A (in the app) coming shortly to introduce him more formally to the community, and both Chris Vaccaro, Editor in Chief and Jon himself have offered these words for everyone reading along.

Jon on taking the new role with BUNT: 

“After writing on a freelance basis over the last two years for Topps BUNT, it is hard to put into words exactly how excited I am to join the team as a full-time member of the app’s production team. Baseball has been my life since I was about six years old, when I went to my first baseball game. From the moment I set foot inside the Kingdome, I just knew that baseball would occupy a certain place in my heart — I’d say right now it occupies at least three of the four chambers. I have spent the last two seasons, in addition to BUNT, interning in baseball operations and player development, most recently for the New York Mets. Having that background is something of which I am very proud and plan on using while on board as an associate producer with Topps BUNT. It’s really the same idea; just like I pursued baseball operations to impact a team’s on-field showing, I plan to hit the ground running with BUNT and help make this an essential — and fun — part of every smartphone-using baseball fan’s life!”

Chris R Vaccaro on hiring Jon to join the team:

“We’re more than excited to bring Jon onto the Topps Digital team in a full-time capacity. The BUNT community is well aware of his work as a writer for us over the last two seasons and he is a welcome addition to our growing team here in New York. Between his knowledge of the game, intimacy of our product and journalistic ability, he’s a perfect fit to join ToppsMike in the trenches and help take Topps BUNT to even greater plateaus.”

For those of you wondering – you can follow Jon on twitter through his new handle @TOPPSHANFORD!

Welcome to the team Jon, the community is excited to have you!

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Huddle Tip of the Day – Breaking Down the Playoff Set Potential

Posted on January 2, 2015 by SCUncensored

To say I am a fan of the new playoff cards would be the understatement of the year. I am enamored with the design, and feel they are worth chasing down regardless of the playoffs. Either way, with these cards being 8x and so difficult to come by, I realize you might have to pick and choose which ones you chase. Here is my breakdown now that the Wild Card Weekend cards have all been released.

SR Andrew Luck – COLTS

Playoff Run Potential: Divisional Round
Points Potential: HIGH
Collection Potential: HIGH
Verdict: Top Priority

Luck will have some nice points and could make a run. I still think they will have trouble getting past the divisional round with no running game.

SR Larry Fitzgerald – CARDINALS

Playoff Run Potential: Wild Card Round
Points Potential: LOW
Collection Potential: MEDIUM
Verdict: Low Priority

I would have chosen Floyd over Fitz, but I know the Huddle team likes to pick Larry over anyone else because he is going to be a HOF guy. The problem is that his production has dropped to record low amounts over the year.

SR Antonio Brown – STEELERS

Playoff Run Potential (Bell Plays): Divisional Round
Playoff Run Potential (Bell Sits): Wild Card Round
Points Potential: HIGH
Collection Potential: HIGH
Verdict: Top Priority

In all likelihood, this could be the top card of the bunch, save Dez Bryant. The issue is that Bell hyper extended his knee and may be out. Ouch.

SR Dez Bryant – COWBOYS

Playoff Run Potential: Conference Championship Round
Points Potential: HIGH
Collection Potential: HIGH
Verdict: Top Priority

Dez is going to get a lot of looks because the Lions defense is not going to let Murray beat them. The Packers were able to run on them last week, but that game was relatively different in Lambeau.

SR Joe Flacco – RAVENS

Playoff Run Potential: Divisional Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: MEDIUM
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

The Ravens have played their way into the playoffs, but Flacco hasnt necessarily been tremendous. However, he is a playoff QB like no other, so this is a good card to pick up.

SR Calvin Johnson – LIONS

Playoff Run Potential: Divisional Round
Points Potential: HIGH
Collection Potential: HIGH
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

Here is the thing. Rather than picking up this card, I would chase down one of the million other Calvin boosts at close to 8x. The Candy Cane has 12k copies and is 6.5. Not bad. I think the Lions are good, but they wont beat Green Bay or Seattle in an away game.

SR Jeremy Hill – BENGALS

Playoff Run Potential: Wild Card Round
Points Potential: HIGH
Collection Potential: LOW
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

I love me some hard-nosed running. Jeremy Hill has been a beast, but his team is still going to find themselves sitting on the couch for Divisional Round games for the umpteenth year.

SR Cam Newton – PANTHERS

Playoff Run Potential: Wild Card Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: MEDIUM
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

The Panthers should not be playing right now. Thanks to a seeding system anomaly they are. Im going to be shocked if Cam can rise to the challenge.

SCR Matthew Stafford – LIONS

Playoff Run Potential: Divisional Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: MEDIUM
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

Stafford is going to have his hands full with a Cowboys defense that has played well above their pay grades. Going to be a tough game.

SCR Justin Forsett – RAVENS

Playoff Run Potential: Divisional Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: LOW
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

The one thing this card has going for it is that Forsett has so few cards available. He could have a good game though, so its worth picking up.

SCR TY Hilton – COLTS

Playoff Run Potential: Divisional Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: LOW
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

Hilton has been hurt, and the Colts have suffered since that point. I am hoping he has a monster game because he is exciting to watch.

SCR Patrick Peterson – CARDINALS

Playoff Run Potential: Wild Card Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: LOW
Verdict: Avoid

Even if he has a pick, there is no reason to play this card. It just goes to show how few people the Cardinals have. This is a card created solely for name recognition.

SCR Ben Roethlisberger – STEELERS

Playoff Run Potential (Bell Plays): Divisional Round
Playoff Run Potential (Bell Sits): Wild Card Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: HIGH
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

Sing it with me! “Because it all depends on Bell, depends on Bell, no trouble.”

SCR Greg Olsen – PANTHERS

Playoff Run Potential: Wild Card Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: LOW
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

I like Olsen. He is a good guy with a high motor, and he never quits. He wont be the reason they lose though.

SCR AJ Green – BENGALS

Playoff Run Potential: Wild Card Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: MEDIUM
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

If Dalton plays well, it will be because of AJ. Bicep injury can be tough though.

SCR Tony Romo – COWBOYS

Playoff Run Potential: Conference Championship Round
Points Potential: HIGH
Collection Potential: HIGH
Verdict: Top Priority

Romo should get consideration for MVP. He wont because he bobbled a field goal snap a few years back and lost the playoff game. Still haunts him.

R Tedd Ginn Jr – CARDINALS

Playoff Run Potential: Wild Card Round
Points Potential: LOW
Collection Potential: LOW
Verdict: Avoid

Really? Over Michael Floyd or even Stephan Taylor? Cmon. He had 14 catches all year! Gross. Better pick up a few just because I said that.

R Steve Smith – RAVENS

Playoff Run Potential: Divisional Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: MEDIUM
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

He has had a good year when it mattered. Smith will come through again.

R Golden Tate – LIONS

Playoff Run Potential: Divisional Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: LOW
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

I think the Cowboys will let Tate beat them to make sure Megatron wont. Keep that in mind.

R Demarco Murray – COWBOYS

Playoff Run Potential: Conference Championship Round
Points Potential: HIGH
Collection Potential: HIGH
Verdict: Top Priority

We should all thank Topps that Murray isnt a SR, but he is going to have his hands full with a Suh empowered Lions defensive line. If Martin and Frederick play well, so will Murray.

R Luke Kuechly – PANTHERS

Playoff Run Potential: Wild Card Round
Points Potential: Medium
Collection Potential: LOW
Verdict: Avoid

Not only is he a rare and the most common, but he is defense. Pass.

R Adam Vinitieri – COLTS

Playoff Run Potential: Divisional Round
Points Potential: LOW
Collection Potential: LOW
Verdict: Avoid

Kickers are worthless, even if they never miss. Through this whole season, I have played a kicker card maybe 3 times.

R Le’Veon Bell – STEELERS

Playoff Run Potential (He Plays): Divisional Round
Playoff Run Potential (He Sits): Wild Card Round
Points Potential: MEDIUM
Collection Potential: HIGH
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

Here is the thing. You have to pick this card up just in case he plays. He says he feels great, but that could be a tactic. I think he is 50/50 right now, but he could be MUCH better next week if they win. That’s the issue in itself.

R Andy Dalton – BENGALS

Playoff Run Potential: Wild Card Round
Points Potential: Medium
Collection Potential: LOW
Verdict: Worth Picking Up

I put this at worth picking up, because he might figure out how to play in the post season just to spite all of us. Dalton is notorious for being terrible in this time of year though.

To all those in the Huddle Bowl – good luck! To all of you just playing along in the throwdowns to have fun – good luck as well. Ill post a second round next week when they release the rest of the cards and we find out who they are going up against.

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2014 Topps Digital Year in Review – Huddle and Bunt

Posted on December 31, 2014 by SCUncensored

When 2014 started, I was what was classified as a casual user. I wasnt huge into Bunt, and I only did a “set it and forget it” approach to Huddle. When the playoffs got into full swing for the NFL, that all changed, and all of a sudden, I was hooked. It was a combination of the collecting and competition aspects of the game, and it turned me into a multi-month VIP on both apps. There hasnt been a day in 2014 where I didnt check in to Bunt or Huddle, and it was all because it offered such a pleasant distraction from the hustle and bustle of my life.

When Bunt started up in late april, I was not expecting to dive in head first. I wasnt a huge baseball fan, but I knew it had to be as good as Huddle. I was shocked at the evolution of the app year over year, and after spending some time talking to TOPPSMIKE, TOPPSIAN and others on the team, the passion for the game was clearly present. During the course of the season, there were a lot of hiccups, but the good times FAAAAR outnumbered the bad.

I remember starting off and trading all my pitchers for hitters, because like all the chicks out there, I dig the long ball. Of course, that was ENTIRELY the wrong approach, and I paid dearly for it. I also saw major differences in the way the Bunt community was functioning compared to 2013, but through my own involvement with the boards and feeds on the app, I learned quickly how to hold my own.

I started writing this site as a result of the fun I had experienced, and it heightened my awareness of the help many users desire in understanding the nuance of the game(s) they play regularly. Everyone had questions, and I found a voice in bringing my perspectives and answers as best I could. It was a labor of love, and it has been paid back to me by the readers ten fold. I still wanted to go further though. Mediocre is never enough for me.

Through continued conversation with the digital team, I was floored by the amount of effort it took to run the apps. So much went into picking checklists, maintaining the functionality and keeping people happy. Even though many users will forever be upset with some aspect or another, they would probably have a significantly worse experience without the team putting in the countless 80 hour work weeks they do. Once it became obvious how much they had put into the game, I started to appreciate the fun a lot more.

Around the end of August, the 2014 Huddle release loomed over my head. Having focused so much on the site and Bunt, it was physically overwhelming to think about the effort it would take to start over with a brand new season of football the way I did with Bunt. Thanks to the understanding I had gained through Bunt, I knew I wanted to go hard into the first weeks of the game and decide how it suited me.

What I didnt foresee was how much more invested I had become in Football as my main sport than I had with Baseball. In Bunt I focused on getting enough to be competitive and collecting what I liked. In Huddle, I had to have everything, and I knew it would take more than I ever gave in my previous months.

To see that the Huddle team put in the extreme effort to retouch hundreds of photos for use in the app without a league license was tremendously impressive. Because I had seen what went into Bunt, my gratitude for the choice to go full action shot was that much more immense.

When I was named Fan of the Week for Huddle week 2, I thought things literally could not get any better. I had put in a ton of work to the site, and over those months, I never did it for the recognition, I just wanted to help people. That has always been my nature. When the recognition came that week, I felt overjoyed to be recognized, and that feeling stayed with me for a long time.

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Then it happened.

First, Huddle was forced to reroute their entire plan from the wonderful action shots to the less appealing head shots due to a number of challenging situations. That same weekend, my favorite player had just been indicted for an ungodly horrible act, and was immediately removed from the team. It was a double whammy that definitely put me into a very tough situation. I stayed in the game, despite being extremely disappointed in the switchover, and I am glad I did.

Although Huddle never FULLY recovered from Week 1’s glory, the team pulled some pretty big rabbits out of hats, and put together a hell of a season’s worth of cards despite it all. TOPPSMARC is a huge reason why that is the case, as his creativity and desire to deliver compelling content on a constant line is unparalleled. After connecting on Twitter a few times, I built a nice rapport with his Huddle team. Like TOPPSMIKE in Bunt, it was abundantly clear that he has a matched respect and appreciation for what goes on.

Overall, this year was a blast, and my commitment to delivering content here and playing along on the main apps is unwavering. With recent revelations that a new app is on the way for 2015, that commitment may actually need to increase.

My hope is that for 2015, we see further growth in the digital space in ways we hadnt seen prior. If 2014 is any indication, that should be a no-brainer. The community can be rabid and unforgiving, but they are the way they are because of how much they put into their experience. Although I think the team does a great job on keeping us engaged, I think 2015 will be the year of integration. I say that because I think for the growth to truly reach potential, the community needs to be more at the top of the list than it has been in the past.

If TOPPSMIKE (and the person that joins him), TOPPSMARC, TOPPSIAN and TOPPSCHRIS can continue the trajectory they are on, while finding ways to energize the user base in new ways, 2015 will end up being a banner year that we all deserve.

Happy New Year everyone – here is to another great year of good times, community and competition!

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Huddle Bowl Bound – DCC Playoff Preview With Digital Editor in Chief Chris Vaccaro!

Posted on December 31, 2014 by SCUncensored

If you havent had the pleasure of talking with Topps Digital Editor in Chief, Chris “TOPPSCHRIS” Vaccaro, you are missing out. Not only is he responsible for apps covering 3 sports, but he is quite knowledgeable about each of them down to minute details. Pretty impressive. Being that this is Huddle’s biggest time of year, not only did he take the time to answer some questions, but also preview some EXCLUSIVE cards!

The playoffs were the first time last year where I literally spent every game playing along on the app, and I think it got me hooked for good on the competitive aspects of the game. I had so much fun during the playoffs, it is a big reason why I have spent as much time and effort this year trying to get to the top of the pile.

This is a special time of year for me, and I know it is special for Huddle too. That is why I wanted to give TOPPSCHRIS the opportunity to sound off on some of the things that I know are going to make this year better than the last.

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Digital Card Central: From past experience, anytime there is a big event, game or time in a sports season, we see a huge focus from the digital apps, how has this mentality shaped your approach for the NFL Playoffs?

Chris R. Vaccaro: This is the approach we must have to stay competitive in the digital marketplace. As things are happening in the sports world, our team has to be quick and nimble to produce content. I come from a traditional journalism background where we produce content as events happen, and the strategy is the same with our apps, only the content is not news articles in a sense, it’s digital trading cards that are accompanied by news. Sports fans expect digital media to react as big games, moments or events are unfolding and it’s a priority for our team to meet those demands.

DCC: What are some of the amazing things you guys have on tap for us?

CV: We’ll have a bunch of exciting releases during the football playoffs. Everything from new playoff base and boost cards to specific inserts for the Conference Championship Series and Super Bowl. We’ll also retain some of the daily insert ideas like Fan’s Choice, Signature Series and others and everything we release, for the most part, will be playoff-themed. Be sure to log into the app daily to see what we’re releasing.

DCC: The annual Huddle Bowl is a big deal for the players who have been Sunday warriors all season, can you talk about what it means to the Topps team as well?

CV: We started this tournament and elimination style of play last year with 32 teams and we wanted to expand to 64 to include more die hards. I really think the best part for the overall winner is the actual card they get of themselves on the HUDDLE cardsheet. The 1 million coins are nice and the HUDDLE Bowl ring is cool, but the actual card with your own image in the app is pretty sweet. We really get akick out of the competition and love the competitive nature everyone brings to the app on a game-by-game basis.

DCC: For people not in the Huddle Bowl, recent articles said that there will still be a slate of events for everyone to participate in. What can we expect?

CV: We’ll continue to do HUDDLE Throwdowns each round of the playoffs, plus continue Best of HUDDLE with card giveaways, and we’re hoping to do some other things with the leaderboards, which we’ll talk about in the app as the playoffs get into full swing.

DCC: Sounds like a lot of fun. I know I still have a few battle scars of Throwdowns past! With the recent release of the playoff cards, the aesthetics aspect has definitely evolved this year. What were some of the things that influenced your design?

CV: Our design team, led by the incomparable Neil Kleid, is top notch and they get better every day. Our directive to the designers is always to be different, have fun and give the fans something to crave and desire. We gather inspiration from previous card designs in the Topps lexicon, and new and modern trends in the design world.

DCC: Neil is awesome, and just from talking to him on Twitter, I know he is dedicated to making the apps look incredible. They outdid themselves with the design this year. Its been tremendous. Seeing that this is new year’s eve and all about new beginnings – What is the one thing you are most excited about for the next four weeks?

CV: The arrival of my first child! My wife is nine months pregnant and due any day, so life is about to change. In terms of football, I’m excited to see the execution by TOPPSMARC to give the HUDDLE fans something to chase everyday. I also think the quality of football this time of year is unbeatable. From the big college football bowl games to the pro football playoffs, there are so many good games on in January that it’s hard not to enjoy every second.

DCC: Congrats! Fatherhood is only slightly more challenging than running the apps, so it shouldn’t be too much of a big deal, right? Considering you might be called into action any minute, I know playoff time may be about more than setting your line up this time. Either way, we know that you and the team plays along for fun – who is the stud player of your lineup for the wild card round?

CV: My stud player in general is always Marshawn Lynch. Week in and week out he has proven to be one of the best backs in the league and is on his way to a legendary career. We’re excited he’s having such an amazing season, while also being on the HUDDLE app icon. But specifically for the Wild Card round, it’s a toss up between Andrew Luck and Antonio Brown. Both have been absolute studs this season and should be the difference makers in their respective games this weekend.

DCC: Okay, now the most important part – give us your Super Bowl picks and 2014 champion!

CV: Tough. Always tough. I’ll say New England over Seattle. And if I’m wrong, so be it. I’m fine with that too. I know one thing is for sure, that we’ll see great football and make memories out of it.

Just for some extra fun, here are two of the Platinum Game Only Boosts that will be available for next week’s divisional Games. They look awesome, and I cant wait to see what Topps  have in store. Definitely going to be a blast.

HUGE thanks to Chris for taking the time to stop by and give us the scoop!

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Gridiron Unwrapped – Breaking Down the First Playoff Cards of the Year!

Posted on December 30, 2014 by SCUncensored

ITS THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!

Forget the holidays – NFL Playoffs are SO MUCH better. We got our first batch of playoff cards yesterday, and I want to take an opportunity to break them down. The cards look awesome, and its looking like Huddle is breaking out the big guns for the post season.

Playoff Set Release

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Man do these cards look boss. When you compare them to last year’s cards, which were a bit cartoony in the design, these look like a freaking Ferrari. Although it looks like there will only be 3 per team if the release schedule is spread out from the article, its going to be a fun chase when they look as good as they do. At 8x, they will be tough pulls, but it also allows for two things I am very happy about.

First, regular season cards will still matter, as the 8x will not nerf those higher boosts to the point of not playing them. With only 3 per team, plus the 2 GO boosts that I am guessing will come for every game, its not to the point where YOU MUST have these cards to win anything. In Bunt that was almost entirely the case, and I am glad that isnt the direction for huddle.

Secondly, there are no count limits on these cards, which means the value will be ever decreasing to acquire the set and the Million coins that come with it. If you consider that there are 32 cards, and I am likely not opening any other type of pack for the rest of the season, it shouldnt be impossible to get the ones you need.

WORDS OF WARNING: Right now, these are hard to pull. There are only 6 cards, and the odds are definitely not in your favor. However, as more are released today and for the rest of the week, there will be an easier time to get them.

Changling Boost Card

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This is a really cool idea, but one that isnt as functional as the playoff set release. Its a card that from what I understand will only be playable in the Super Bowl at 20x, and it will shift players as the game goes on.

For that reason, I would advise to wait before trying your hand at these packs. Its very tough odds, and trade value is the only reason to pull it now vs later. If you are acquiring the card, there will likely be much more worth your time over the next few weeks. I would hold off.

Despite its lack of functionality at the moment, it looks really cool and will likely be a very coveted card come the big game.

Gold 1/1s

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Now this is my kind of set. I have been advocating for Superfractor set cards since day one, and this is the Huddle version of those cards. Each team gets a 1/1 and they are easily going to be the most insane chases in the history of the base cards.

The first batch sold out in MAYBE 10 minutes, which shows the type of demand for these cards, and I assure you all, they are worth trying to pull at 10x if you are a team collector.

I can only imagine what I will have to give up if I want to chase down the Vikings ones.

Advice to Free to Play Players

If you are not someone that pays to play, it is in your best interested to look very closely at where you want to spend your coins. Releases will be non-stop over the next few weeks, and you will have to choose between being a points player and a collector. If you want to participate in the throwdowns that will be attached to the playoff games, find the packs that give you the best chance. Dont waste coins on ones that have impossible odds, instead try to maximize your buys.

Hell, I would give the same advice to everyone else too!

Good luck to all in the Huddle Bowl – I will be playing alongside you in all aspects of the playoffs.

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Special Announcement: Huddle Bracket O’ Rejects Information

Posted on December 29, 2014 by SCUncensored

If you havent already seen the official postseason format from the recent post in the news feed, its definitely worth your time. Basically – the 32 team champs, plus the top 32 will all be going against each other in a special bracket to determine the winner of the 2014 Huddle Season.

To help everyone have a chance to be included, last year’s Huddle Bowl runner up and 2012 Huddle Bowl winner Addemsubtractem will be hosting his annual “Reject Bowl” for 64 non-qualifiers to play along too. Adam is an encyclopedia of Huddle knowledge, and is graciously hosting this opportunity for the masses, and I really think its a fun idea.

Here are the official details:

The 2nd Annual ADDEM’S BRACKET O’ REJECTS for Topps HUDDLE

The playoffs for HUDDLE Bowl are right around the corner, and Topps has promised tons of ways for everyone to compete, and earn coins, cards, and awards. Sounds fun!

For those of you who did not make the cut for HUDDLE Bowl, and want to be included in a playoff, you can still compete in the 2nd Annual ADDEM’S BRACKET O’ REJECTS. What is it? Think NCAA basketball tournament – 64 FANs competing in head to head matchups. The FAN that scores the most points in HUDDLE during the matchup advances, while the other is eliminated. The first 64 to sign-up are in (so long as they are not eligible for HUDDLE Bowl), and the seeding is completely random.

There will be 2 eliminations during the Wild-Card Round – one after the Saturday games on January 3rd and one after the Sunday games on January 4th. There will also be double eliminations during the Divisional Round – one after the Saturday games on January 10th and one after the Sunday games on January 11th. From there, the final two pairs will battle it out during the Conference Championship Round and the winners will meet in a head to head matchup during the Super Bowl.

Essentially, the Reject Tourney is a chance for those who did not make the HUDDLE Bowl tournament to continue to compete. And, the winner will be crowned King Reject, just like last year’s winner, HARRISF21. Also, just like last year, there may be prizes awarded to the winner from ADDEMSUBTRACTEM.

If you want to sign-up, either send a 1-1 message to ADDEMSUBTRACTEM or let him know on Twitter @AddemSubtractum before it’s too late. Later this week, the pairings will be revealed on Twitter.

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