2006 Topps Total Football
What I pulled--
Rookie Cards and Parallels:
Blue Parallels - 37
Red Parallels - 25
Silver Parallels - Robert Ferguson, Kevin McMahan, Ed Reed, Frank Gore/Ken Dorsey, E.J. Henderson/Erasmus James,
Asante Samuel/Eugene Wilson/Ellis Hobbs
Gold Parallels - Mike Anderson, Ryan Moats/Correll Buckhalter, Jeff Ulbrich/Derek Smith/Jamie Winborn
Black Parallels - Bobby Carpenter (#45/50), Eric Green/Robert Griffith/Adrian Wilson (#28/50)
Sports Illustrated For Kids - 24
Checklists - Shaun Alexander, Larry Johnson, Jake Plummer, Clinton Portis, LaDainian Tomlinson, Checklist #5
Total Topps - Tiki Barber, Larry Johnson, Carson Palmer
Award Winners - Derrick Burgess, Chad Johnson, Ben Roethlisberger
Total Production - Tom Brady, Peyton Manning
Review:
Set builders rejoice.
With 550 cards featuring 900 players, Topps Total Football is a dream for anyone who enjoys
putting together a large set. The premise harkens back to the old days of collecting cards, where
the most important thing was putting together a full set.
Total is a no-frills set, but there are still plenty of frills in a box. For starters, each of the 24 packs
contains 30 cards, making for an exhausting experience when breaking a box. Each pack comes
with a Sports Illustrated for Kids insert, plus a handful of parallels and possibly an insert. The parallels
come in numerous colors, making for an even greater challenge for set builders inclined to put together,
say, the gold parallel set. The inserts are fairly basic and, to be honest, really aren't necessary, since this
box really isn't about that.
This set is all about the base cards, and that needs to be stressed. 900 players on 550 cards. Multiple
players on many cards. Loads of rookies, all in their new uniform. There is so much to look at, so many
pictures to take in, that just opening a box of Total isn't enough. You need to kick back and take the time to
really see what you've got.
One other note - somewhere along the way, Topps ran out of their intended stock for the set. All the rookie
cards are on a slicker stock than the regular cards, but in manyt cases, a full pack of cards also came on the better quality
stock, rather than the flimsier type. I am not sure if is possible, but a serious set builder might actually want to try and see if a
full set of slick stock cards can be put together.
Total Football is just that - a total collecting experience. If you just want to open packs and enjoy the thrill of possibly putting a
set together, it is for you. If you want bells and whistles, you are better off heading somewhere else, though...........
B
