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So back in November I pulled a Bryce Harper auto refractor out of a blaster of Bowman Chrome.

I was ready to swear off buying cards, especially retail, because I knew I would never do better.

Of course, that lasted about two weeks.

Since then, I have been sub-zero, freezing, North Pole, ice cold on my pulls.

I don't really have a LCS in our area so I mostly buy retail, and I always fall for the little "gimmicks" like WalMart or Target exclusives in the blasters/rack packs, etc.

Today, for example ... I have been hounding the local stores the last couple of days looking for Opening Day baseball.

I know, say what you will, but I actually like this product because of the player 'updates' and the mix of guys that won't be in regular Topps until Series 2.

You can't beat the price, either.

Anyway, I found five blasters of Opening Day at WalMart today, assuming I would pull an Albert Pujols in his Angels uni.

Guess how many I pulled?

Zero. Out of 55 packs.

That's not to mention last week when I buzzed through three blasters of Upper Deck World of Sports, looking for the first Jimmer Fredette "rookie" you could pull out of retail.

Guess how many Jimmers?

Zero. Out of 33 packs.

Though I did pull a couple of lacrosse jersey cards. ???

Or, the week before that when I buzzed through 90 — yes, 90! — retail packs of Topps football at a couple of Targets looking for one of those Bowman Cam Newton rookies with the red border.

Guess how many Newtons?

Zero. Out of 90 packs!

So, basically, out of the last 178 retail — RETAIL! — packs I have purchased, for basically $300, I have gotten ZERO of the players I was looking for.

Brrrrr.

This is ridiculous on so many levels, given the fact that I could have bought all three cards on the Bay for less than 20 bucks.

(I actually gave up on the Cam and bought one.)

Or the fact that I could have bought two or three really nice hobby boxes for the same amount.

Not to mention the time, gas and mental anguish I went through/am currently going through right now.

That's the definition of insanity, I guess.

I should have quit after the Harper.

Anybody else?

dont wish too hard......just open packs and be satisfy.....it helps alot

My plan was to support my habit with the hits I pulled from hobby and retail. I should have stopped buying a few thousand dollars ago. I haven't had anything since mid summer of last year. It is an addiction and I need to detox for a while. I enjoy building sets so it's not a total disappointment when I don't get a hit but almost a year w/o something to make me say, "far out" is too long.

(03-07-2012 05:14 PM)randall617 Wrote: [ -> ]My plan was to support my habit with the hits I pulled from hobby and retail. I should have stopped buying a few thousand dollars ago. I haven't had anything since mid summer of last year. It is an addiction and I need to detox for a while. I enjoy building sets so it's not a total disappointment when I don't get a hit but almost a year w/o something to make me say, "far out" is too long.

I hear you ... I know a lot of people are thinking 'boo hoo, you just pulled a Harper auto a few months ago' ... and I agree, but my thing is I've never really been about the big hits.

That's why I buy retail ... I'm more of a player/team collector than a big hit guy.

I can't tell you how many boxes of hobby cards I've bought where the one or two hits was some completely lame auto or jersey ... and it's like, it would have been a lot more fun just to bust a retail box of Topps.

Hopefully we both heat up again ...

My hit was a Strasburg rc chrome auto. from a blaster. problem was, it was long after the market had cooled on him so I couldn't flip it. I am waiting util the season starts and hope he is back to form.

(03-07-2012 05:23 PM)randall617 Wrote: [ -> ]My hit was a Strasburg rc chrome auto. from a blaster. problem was, it was long after the market had cooled on him so I couldn't flip it. I am waiting util the season starts and hope he is back to form.

Holy cow, that's an awesome hit. I think he'll be really good - most of the pitchers come back as good or better than before, because they've basically got a new arm (like a new belt in a car engine.)

I've been ice cold my entire life. that's why I don't rip many boxes at all anymore. one of my best boxes was my last, 2010 Platinum where I pulled the Hewyard green patch auto. I used to rip 6-8 boxes a year but now I'm down to maybe 2. not gonna get anything until archives comes out this year and maybe by waiting I'll get lucky with the few boxes of that I bust. with my luck I'm way too scared to bust some Triple Threads or Tribute to find any monster hits.

(03-07-2012 05:23 PM)randall617 Wrote: [ -> ]My hit was a Strasburg rc chrome auto. from a blaster. problem was, it was long after the market had cooled on him so I couldn't flip it. I am waiting util the season starts and hope he is back to form.

he looked really good in his spring debut, i hope he does good this year to, idk why but i like the guy

Once you stop having fun with this hobby, then it's time to take a break for awhile...I think that's what MJ did. Lol

Heck, I stopped cold turkey a few of years back and picked things back up about 4 or 5 month ago. Honestly, I'm enjoying it more than I did back then.

Sometimes that's what we all need when times get frustrating. Hope things turn around for you.

If it makes you feel any better I have never, NEVER hit a big name auto or anything. I hit a Gehrig Retired Ring in a recent jumbo box and that's about the best I ever hit. Not bad, but no Harper Refractor Auto.