Buzz Break: 2008 Topps Mayo football cards (retail pack)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: 2008 Topps Mayo football cards (retail pack)
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... BlowoutCards.com for new NFL

Keep reading to see a full breakdown and gallery of everything that was in this one.

Cards per pack: 6
Set completion: 
5 of 330 (2 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards – Paul Gauguin, Archie Manning, Jerricho Cotchery, David Patten

Rookie Cards – None

Insert/short-print cards: 2 (everything from pack in gallery below)
Short-prints (1) – Andre Johnson
Mini parallels (1) – Lamont Jordan

Autographs/Memorabilia: None

What's Buzz-worthy: Topps' attempt at Allen & Ginter for football didn't last long -- it was this one and then a stronger, white-bordered 2009 release -- and this one doesn't really give you a good taste of what was possible here, though a French painter from the 1800s might give you an idea. I recently picked up a few oddballs and single-pack samplers for some slow days and that's what we have today ... and that's not that bad of a thing to remind us all that not all sports and products age that well. What's in this one? Well, back in the day I pulled my only Drew Brees autograph and other ink possible here included Eli Manning, John Elway, Matt Ryan, Peyton Manning and Tony Dorsett. Those biggest names are on the rarer side -- Brees, for example is /90 -- so they aren't the norm. This one also included some oddball ink with NFL Network's Rich Eisen and Funkmaster Flex among them ... so there's that. Ink in retail? Not easy but they are in there. The Rookie Card crop in this one is a little funky, too, with James Harrison, Joe Flacco, Jordy Nelson, Darren McFadden and others who were names but now are not all in play. (Not a single RC in this pack.) It's pretty rough. But the appeal here, to me, is the weird stuff. Names in the base set include not only Eisen and Flex but also Susan B. Anthony, Buffalo Bill, Norman Rockwell, Milton Hershey and Thomas Edison among others and a bunch of NFL legends, too. (Those, really, a bigger draw.) Like Ginter, there's also some weird stuff among inserts like horses and famous ships -- and some cut autos -- and then the minis have an array of possibilities. This pack? Nada. I like the second set better but there are some gems to be found here ... I'd dabble if I found a box on the cheap side but that's probably not happening these days.

Product Grade: B
Pack Grade: C- (it can happen with a single pack ... only an SP saved this one)
Fun Grade: D (not much in this one at all)

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy cards on BlowoutCards.com