Bi-Weekly Market Report - January 10, 2007

A Fresh Look at Sports Collectibles News

From McFarlane:

"McFarlane's Pop Culture Masterworks is proud to present a 3-D re-creation of Rocky's original one-sheet movie poster. Our sculptors painstakingly crafted the image of Rocky raising his fists in triumph atop the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The 3-D wall hanging measures approximately 8 1/2 by 12 1/4 by 2 inches, and can be displayed on a wall or any flat surface."

My take:

McFarlane never does cease to amaze me. Every collector and sports fan would love to have this amazing collectible on their wall. Check out the photos to see what I'm talking about. Gotta love how McFarlane can turn a 30 year old movie poster into a jaw dropping collectible.

[read release]

From McFarlane:

"The new year brings a whole new NBA Sports Picks lineup from McFarlane Toys. NBA 12 features the Finals MVP, the Rookie of the Year, the biggest trade of the current season, and five players from the All-Star teams."

My take:

The set includes the first figures of Gilbert Arenas, Tony Parker, and Chris Paul, and the second figs of Allen Iverson (in his new Nuggets uni), Elton Brand, and Dwayne Wade. Most of the poses are good, but I'm not a fan of the Arenas pose passing the ball....Gilbert Arenas passing the ball? He's Agent Zero, he's the little Hibachi, he yells "quality shot" every time he shoots - he's known for jacking up shots from anywhere on the court. I love the guy, but a figure of him pulling up for a 40 foot jumper with two defenders in his face is a bit more accurate.

[read release]

From Tuff Stuff:

"Sweet Spot may be a little gimmicky, but at least it's unique. The signed helmet-shaped pieces of plastic are back. There are more than 40 this year, with the best ones limited to 299 or 199. Some of the signatures are hard to see on top of the team logos. The designs are nice, but the super thick card stock makes then very difficult to store. They are also more prone to chipping and corner dings."

My take:

I'll be honest, I don't give a crap about Sweet Spot Football. What I care about are these video-game-esque product reviews and ratings. Normally I'd rip something like this, but for some reason it seemed to work well. I watched the video review and I got a ton more out of it than I would have a written review. The rating system is equally as effective - good job rolling with technology Beckett.

[read article]