Episode Overview

Podcast: Trading Cards & Collectibles Podcast
Host: Ryan Alford (Radcast Network)
Guest: Brian Ludden
Episode Title: Thanksgiving Card Rips, NFL Predictions & Hobby News You Need Today
Date: November 28, 2025

This Thanksgiving-themed episode blends personal holiday traditions with the latest in the trading card and collectibles world. Hosts Ryan and Brian share hobby customs, discuss this year’s sports card market trends, rip open holiday packs, preview major NFL and NCAA football matchups, and provide an inside look at the Mantle Awards. The discussion is light-hearted, engaging, and loaded with both nostalgia and actionable hobby insights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Thanksgiving Traditions & Hobby Customs

• Ryan and Brian reflect on holiday routines, especially how collecting cards merges with family gatherings.
• Brian hosts 35 people for a Saturday post-Thanksgiving celebration, focusing on food, wine, and cleaning up.
  Quote:

  "I buy, I go to the liquor store and buy liquor. Because that's more important than food." — Brian (05:34)

• Ryan talks about starting a new “Thanksgiving Pack Rip” tradition with his kids.
  Quote:

  "I can't think of a better time than watching football, eating turkey, and ripping some packs." — Ryan (31:52)

2. Card Collecting Real Talk: The Hits and the Misses

• Both hosts urge listeners to send in videos of their favorite—and not necessarily most valuable—pulls. For them, stories and connections matter as much as dollar value.
• There’s a candid discussion about the highs and lows of breaking boxes—sometimes turning $350 into almost nothing. Quote:

  "I'm gonna do a magic trick. I'm gonna take 350 and turn it into zero." — Brian (09:39)

• They discuss how big hits are rare and why the “hunt” is essential to keep the hobby fun.
  Quote:

  "If they were all hits all the time, it wouldn't be as fun, right? It's got, it's, it's the chance..." — Ryan (10:11)

• Humorous commentary about how kids today are "snobby" when it comes to commons—reflecting changes in the culture of collecting.
  Quote:

  "Kids have gotten so snobby now they don't want the commons..." — Ryan (13:01)
  "It's like the dude on Halloween that gives you a penny." — Brian (13:08)

3. NFL and NCAA Predictions & Football Nostalgia

• They reminisce about Thanksgiving NFL games and speculate about the outcomes (which listeners already know on release day).
• Discuss the tradition of Detroit Lions football and the addition of a third night game.
• College football talk includes disappointment with underperforming teams like Clemson, Penn State, and high expectations for Ohio State and Texas A&M. Quote:

  "Watching a lot of college football, I don't see anyone beating Ohio State. I mean, they're just so good." — Brian (16:34)

4. Mantle Awards Preview and Category Picks

Categories Discussed:

• Best Sports Card Product

• Best Non-Sports Card Product

• Best Hobby Shop

• Innovation Award

• Best Sold Memorabilia

• (Possibly) Best Podcast

• The hosts debate their picks (often favoring products or shops they know personally) and joke about the nomination/fan voting process.
  Best Sports Card Product:

  • Ryan: “I’d probably still take the Otani… National Treasures is a great product. …Give me the NFL National Treasures for, for five, Brian.” (21:33)
  • Brian: Agrees National Treasures will likely win.

• Licensing Issues: They lament the uncertainty of Panini's future with certain licenses and discuss how manufacturers could be more creative in product photography to mask the absence of logos. Quote:

  "If I was the non licensed guy. I am getting very strategic in the product shots..." — Ryan (23:43)

• Non-sports Product: Both pick Gary Vee’s VeeFriends.

  "Gary's doing big things and more motivated than anyone on the planet...He's got my vote." — Ryan (25:58)

• Discussion on the uniqueness of hobby shops, especially their desire to have a store overlooking a major league stadium.

• Voting for innovation awards obviously favors Ludx (which Brian is part of).

• Light-hearted banter about campaign-like voting, mail-in ballots, and super PACs, poking fun at the process.

  "Oh, we could take over the Mantle Awards..." — Ryan (31:15)

5. Market Trends & Hobby Data

• Discussion about scan data around holidays: Hobby activity spikes the days after Thanksgiving and during Christmas. Quote:

  "Our scans go way up on Thanksgiving...Friday and Saturday. Sunday is probably our biggest days..." — Brian (33:37)

• Rankings by sport for scan volume: Baseball leads (~40%), followed by football and then basketball/Pokémon, as per the latest trends.
• The impact of quarterback classes on football card prices and scan volume.

6. Personal Card Stories & Notable Pulls

• Ryan remembers scoring hot Donruss Megaboxes at retail and joking about flipping for profit.

  "I became a scalper. I'll admit it. I bought every one…" — Ryan (36:13)

• Discussion of favorite pulls: Drake May, Bryce Young, Caleb Williams, Color Blast cards, Mahomes, etc.
• Brian: "I got a Patrick Mahomes." (38:09)
  Ryan: "That's a cool card." (38:12)

7. Positive Reflections & Community Thanks

• Both express gratitude for the holiday, the country, and the hobby community in a heartfelt close. Quote:

  "It's just really a great time of year to just reflect on how lucky we are in this country..." — Brian (38:43)
  "Never forget how lucky we are and, you know, just don't take it for granted..." — Ryan (39:13)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Thanksgiving & The Hobby:

  "I personally can't think of a better time than watching football, eating turkey and ripping some packs." — Ryan, 31:52

• On Big Break Losses:

  "I'm gonna do a magic trick. I'm gonna take 350 and turn it into zero." — Brian, 09:39

• Cultural Shift in Collecting:

  "Kids have gotten so snobby now they don't want the commons." — Ryan, 13:01

• Hobby Awards Banter:

  "Oh, we could take over the Mantle Awards. I don't know. But hopefully, if nothing else, if you didn't vote, you know, feel bad about yourself. Yeah." — Ryan, 31:36

• On Being Grateful:

  "It's just really a great time of year to just reflect on how lucky we are in this country..." — Brian, 38:43

Important Segments & Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------|------------| | Thanksgiving Traditions & Hobby Talk | 00:24–06:07| | Card Ripping – Highs & Lows | 09:28–13:43| | NFL & College Football Predictions | 14:15–17:25| | Mantle Awards Discussion & Picks | 17:49–28:37| | Scan Volume & Market Trends | 32:33–35:05| | Personal Pull Stories/Notable Cards | 36:13–38:12| | Gratitude & Closing Thoughts | 38:43–39:13|

Final Thoughts

This episode is a Thanksgiving feast for trading card and hobby enthusiasts, highlighting both personal and community traditions. Ryan and Brian’s rapport shines as they mix market info, football debates, collecting wisdom, and authenticity (“we keep it transparent”). Their playful, honest tone makes it an engaging listen for new and seasoned collectors alike. Listeners are invited to reflect, participate in hobby awards, and—above all—remember to enjoy the chase, the stories, and the time spent with family, both at the table and in the hobby.