Group Break Info

This is all the information about the group break. Team sign ups will be tomorrow (Monday) at 9:00 pm EST. I figure this will be the best time for everyone to get a chance to be available to sign up.

2 boxes 2009 Topps Unique
Spots are team related
$12 per spot
Multiple teams may be claimed


To claim a team, leave a comment on tomorrows post. First to comment on a team, claims that team. I'm accepting payments via PayPal or if you would like to pay by check that will also be fine, just please email me first. Payments will be due by Friday November 12th, unless you plan to pay by check in which case you must email me and let me know by Friday OR email me if you can't make your payment by the 12th but would still like to participate. Send PayPal to joemiench (@) yahoo.com and include you name, address and which team(s) you are paying for. If a claimed team goes unpaid for, it will become open for grabs again.

I will claim the Mets, but to be fair an additional slot will be available for any Mets doubles that may (and most likely will) show up. This doubles slot will be free. That means any base cards, inserts, parallels and/or hits that are doubled up between the two boxes will be free (Minus a 2nd David Wright card due to my needing doubles to fill both the team set and Wright collection. This will only count towards the base, however, if any Wright parallel, etc is doubled it will be counted toward this slot.) That means if we pull for example a parallel #/25 and it's of the same Mets player, it's free. If we double up on the same 1/1... it's free! PLEASE try to keep this slot reserved for a Mets collector. Thank you.

This is a higher end product. There are the potential for some HUGE hits to come out of this break. With that said, this break will NOT be done on video. (what!?!?) I don't own a video camera and have no plans on going out and purchasing one when this would be the only time I'd ever use it. Please understand that I'm not here to screw anyone. You all paid for your teams and will get every card you paid for, if not more. Besides, most of you know where I live... so why would I take that chance.

Hopefully I haven't come across as too much of a prick and you're all still with me at this point. I mentioned before that there will be an inner contest with this break. It's as simple as can be for you guys. When you sign up for a team, you get a spot in the contest. Each team holds one spot. You buy 2 teams, you get 2 spots. You buy the 29 remaining teams, you... well, win... I guess. I got this idea after watching Nachos Grande's latest break and thought I could do something fun with it if I added some of my own elements to it. I'll try to cover everything, but I'm sure I'll miss something, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Just to be clear, this does not affect how many/what cards you receive. You will receive all the cards you paid for!
Here it goes:

If your familiar with the playing card game "War", then you're already half way there.
If your familiar with the rock band "War", that is of no help here.
Here's how it works-
-After both boxes have been broken, all the cards will be sorted into their teams.
-This includes all base, inserts, parallels and "hits" with any doubles being removed, including those of the same parallel etc tier.
-Teams will then be separated into their respective leagues and divisions, minus the Mets (there is no way I could do this even halfway fairly if the Mets were included).
-Position players and Pitchers will be separated within each team.
-Teams will then go head to head against each other, one card at a time as you would if playing the card game "war".
-To put it simply, the better card wins. Example- Albert Pujols against Carlos Quentin, Pujols wins. However, if the same match up occurs only the Quentin is a parallel, insert or hit, while the Pujols is a base then the Quentin wins. So, on and so on. Ruling will be judged on card rarity, player caliber and slight consideration on player collectability.
- ANY Alex Rodriguez card automatically LOSES. Example- base Alex Rodriguez against base Carlos Quentin, Quentin wins. 1/1 auto patch Alex Rodriguez against base Denard Span, Span wins. Etc.
- There can be ties. Example- base Cliff Lee against base Roy Halladay, tie. Next card for each team will be put down and whoever wins that proceeding round keeps both cards while losing team loses both cards.
- At the end of each "match" whichever team has the most pitchers eliminates one card from the other teams final total. At this point it doesn't matter if it's an insert or base.
- The team with the most cards wins and moves onto the next round. All cards are available.
- This continues on until we are down to 2 teams. 1 National, 1 American.
- The best National League team and the best American League team will then go against each other.


That should cover just about everything. Whoever claims the winning team will have their payment FULLY REIMBURSED with the arrival of their cards! Reading the rules, it may sound like alot, but it's rather simple and all the effort is on me. This is meant to be fun for everybody (except Alex Rodriguez) and I will try to be as fair and just as possible (except to Alex Rodriguez). But also keep in mind my own personal feelings will most definitely leak out when the likes of Hamels, Rollins and Chamberlin show up, but I'll try not to get carried away (except with Alex Rodriguez). Hopefully everyone will have a good time and even a laugh or two. I can't wait to get this started and remember, sign ups are TOMORROW!!!!


(except for Alex Rodriguez. He's not invited.)
(...Joe)
P.S- feel free to ask any questions if something is unclear. Thanks!!!