1978 Topps Football Cello Packs, a Bad Memory

The 1978 Topps Cardinals team set was had for $1 and was part of various Big Red team lots I won from the same seller for $2 or less-1978, 1979, 1980, and 1984. For the most part the cards were mint or near mint-a few where less than so which leaves me a few that I need to either up grade or replace.

The Big Red lost its first 8 games of the 1978 season including the first team to loose to the visiting expansion Buccaneers.  Needless to say they were out of the playoffs before the half waypoint of the season.

The 1978 team would contain most of the players that would continue their “winning” ways. However, this would be the final season and card of Jim Bakken. Not sure how the Hall of Fame votes him to the all 1960s Decade Team and not to the Hall of Fame? How is that possible?

I have to be straight up. I hate this set-hate it-well maybe not hate it but I am still feeling the effects of opening so many cello packs of this. When I was 11 years old and we would go to our local Venture store there was a display of 1978 Topps Cello packs in this huge square dump like you see with discounted videos at Kmart. My parents always bought me packs and I ripped many of them. Apart from this memory I really am not a fan of the design. Topps as would be the case for a few years didn’t have the license from the NFL for them to show team logos.

The fronts, where in the case of the Cardinals, framed in a brown-orange with the team name on the left, players name on the top, and position in a little football in the bottom right. Blah! Though in reviewing the set when it arrived I was able to reassess my position on the set and found the photography to show the grittiness that has long left the NFL-and is one of the reasons I don’t care for today’s game.

The reverse is dreadful, probably as a result of the lackluster green. A little cartoon is on the left, player info and bio in a pennant at the top, and statistics.

18 of 19 Cardinals