If you hadn't noticed, there are a number of boxes with discounted prices right now right here as the new wave of Blowout Cards' Black November sales is here

Many of the discounts were dramatic enough that Buzz once again had to ponder the possibilities in many of the boxes and cases -- and here are five that caught this collector’s eye ... and there's far more that just might suit your tastes in the big sale.

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MY SAFE PICK
2015 Topps Football factory set (Retail)
There's plenty to find in this set -- you get everybody -- but there's one basic card inside that's a Rookie Card (but not noted as one) with a lot of attention. It's the Pat McAfee Rookie Card. The NFL punter turned media mogul turned WWE commentator turned ESPN talker and now a full-on brand for that empire. I'm not a big fan but he doesn't have a boatload of cardboard and this is the home of the RC. It didn't get a RC logo as he had some medallion-looking insert the year before and then this one -- they weren't thinking about RCs for veteran punters -- but it's still a RC. Each set comes with some variations for rookies, a bonus hit and everything. When it's on sale, that's the time to grab ... it's a safe pick but there's still a little variety with that bonus hit.

Keep reading for a few more boxes you should consider (and are likely to end up in Buzz's cart).

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing: The National nears, remembering Clark Haggans, NBA Draft chatter, new MLB pulls, Pat McAfee's Rookie Card and "card prices and your ego."

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...

BAD IN BLACK!
The Card: Julio Rodriguez 2022 Topps Allen & Ginter X
The Reason Graded: I ripped a pair of these boxes and haven't even sniffed at the regular stuff -- a first for me in its run since 2006 when I used to clear everything I saw on every shelf -- but instead I opted to grade a couple of key pulls from this and other postseason releases with notable newcomers in play. Why this one? It just looked perfect even vs. others I pulled -- and since I only pulled one and have really no plans at this moment to even dabble with regular Ginter I put it into my bulk sub.
The Grade: CSG 10

Reality Check: CSG may have a flub in its system as this didn't even show in the pop report (perhaps it was tagged as a regular card) but I'll present it here* with what I know ... and that's that I know at least this one exists. He's the face of 2023 Topps, so he's on the minds of a few fans right now -- and that's why he's batting lead-off despite this pop report anomaly.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ... and it's one of the biggest months ever.

A MONSTER MONTH ...
The Card: Bo Bichette 2020 Topps Archives Snapshots Archives Autographs
The Reason Graded: I've been buying up Bo Bichette cards relatively heavily by my standards -- second perhaps only to some top favorites and people with school ties -- but of all my pick-ups only one was an autograph. These were, I believe, via a redemption and that's how I landed mine -- at least in a sealed Topps top-loader -- and I opted to slab it in a recent submission. (Even though I generally don't grade a lot of autos as I don't want to get a dreaded grade on a card I like.)
The Grade: CSG 9

Reality Check: I'm fine with nines, but this one seemed like a slight bummer as I didn't see anything dramatically wrong with it -- so there must have been a couple of minor issues that dropped it down in tandem. The design here is one that doesn't have a lot of perfectly center-able features ... so maybe part of that was just a judgment call, too.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... 

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I'M A BELIEVER ... IN BARGAINS
The Item: Tua Tagovailoa autographed and framed 10-by-18 photo (Fanatics Authentic)
The Price: Under $150 (on sale and with a rewards discount)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I started to scour autographed cards for this QB who I think might have a strong year and, well, I was a little surprised at how his stuff can still be pretty pricey despite plenty of available options and despite the negative chatter that oddly still comes with him having a record-breaking receiver last year and then an elite speed guy added into the mix for this year. Sure, it's still the Dolphins, but since I'm an Alabama guy I'm good here either way ... though I would have preferred a quality photo like this in Crimson. But ... the price was right for an oversized and already-framed piece and the photo and crop here was unusual and a little dramatic, too, vs. a lot of other options. I wanted something different that wouldn't break the bank to start a new season and this one hit the spot. (Regular price is around $180 plus shipping, tax, etc. on top of that.)
Grab a box right here: Nothing for this one ... but 2020 NFL boxes are here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL ICONS
The Card: Paul "Bear" Bryant & Knute Rockne 2010 Panini Century Collection Souvenir Stamps Sports Combos (two stamps dual material) (/100)
The Price: More than I'll admit ... but it's a keeper.
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is just the second time I've grabbed one of these key memorabilia cards with a piece of a fedora worn by Bryant and a jacket from Rockne -- two of the greatest coaches in the history of college football. Rockne has a number of memorabilia cards out there (more than 50) but Bryant only has a literal handful of cards -- and almost all of them were in this release. Why? Hats aren't all that big. As far as I know, all but a 1/1 card or two is in this release ... meanwhile, the prices for the few Bryant fedoras that may exist -- if they ever hit the market again -- won't be card-conducive in the future since they are pricey. The last two Bryant houndstooth fedoras auctioned? Together, they topped $100,000 on the auction block. These are limited to only 100 copies and I hadn't picked up one of these in a long time. Why this time? You never know when more might pop up.
Grab a box right here: 2010 Panini Century Collection (when available)

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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Fast Five is a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's something to think about.

This time? Five boxes Buzz would be ripping right now ... all from the bargain section.

BACK TO SCHOOL ... RIGHT NOW
2021 Onyx Vintage Collection College Football box
These aren't actually out yet -- it's merely in pre-order mode for a November release -- but this one is Onyx's take on the new NCAA NIL rules that allow current athletes to make money on their name, image and likeness right now rather than when they are done with their college days. College football and college basketball figure to be the biggest deals on this front and this one includes a pair of autos in a box along with two other cards. Bryce Young's start has the word "Heisman" attached already and the other certified autos of his all have had pro-type dollar signs attached, not mere college award-winner prices. These boxes figure to be a bit hit and miss -- the big names will pay for a few boxes, others probably won't -- but at their present price I think they are worth the risk moreso than a lot of other releases out there. College NIL autos will have a longer shelf life than your typical draft picks cards as the booster crowd will be interested as well as the school fans -- and they won't have NFL cardboard to trump them until further down the line. I'm sure more stuff is coming but the other other one of these releases on the tarmac is a multi-sport approach. This one is solely football so that gives it the edge for me. Once Panini America's fully licensed NIL stuff starts, those will be the first-look but these are not far off.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: MLB discussions, Project 2020, big pulls, Pat McAfee signing, a run on repacks and ... the next big bump? (?)

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Have you seen the latest cool cards from a new release? With so many options for collectors of all kinds arriving every week it's possible you haven't. That's where Buzz comes in -- well at least on one brand you'll see here from time to time in what we're calling Buzz's Pick Six. Simply put, here are six cards from a new arrival that seemed interesting to this collector and we think they might interest you, too.

This week's release: 2019 Donruss Elite NFL football cards

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DON'T CALL HIM A SLEEPER, BUT ... 
The Card: Josh Jacobs 2019 Donruss Elite NFL Pen Pals (or any ink)
The Price: $118.51 for this one (/25) 
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This guy shouldn't be seen as a sleeper but he might be compared to some of the first-rounders' autos out there -- and he's my pick for a player with potential this season. Why? A few reasons. First, the OakVegas Raiders were a trainwreck last year so somebody has to matter when it comes to cardboard this year -- and it can't be the coach. There are star players there but they've had injuries, baggage and there's no guarantee they won't be traded off somewhere for a box of rocks (OK, OK, draft picks) at any time. A look at Jacobs' college stats probably won't tell the story, either, as he ultimately only had a breakout year last season despite playing three for Nick Saban at Alabama. He had 120 carries for 640 yard last season but scored 11 TDs. He also added 20 catches for 247 and three TDs. His other two seasons top those for yardage but not much else. He was the first RB taken in this year's NFL Draft at 24th overall so there could be one reason for attention for his cards. One more that's still to come? The Raiders are the team for this year's Hard Knocks series in HBO that kicks off on Aug. 6. That has helped guys' cards in the past -- well at least ones who don't have a ton of card appearances. (He's not that guy this time -- already over 400 different.) His cards are worth a look when they're on the cheap side.

Keep reading for five more interesting items in this week's roundup ...

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