New Collectible and Playoff Picks

Ten days until Christmas and three weeks left in the regular season! It has been a great holiday shopping season around here at the Hall and the last 10 days will be a mad rush to get all of the Christmas shopping done in time. We have been busier than ever with the Internet sales and promotions. Today is the last day of our “12 Deals of Christmas” which has been a huge success. We have had a different deal each day and the response has been overwhelming. With three weeks left in the regular season there is the usual mad rush in the NFL to make the playoffs. See more on this with my final predictions at the end of this blog.

{GALLERY}Two weeks ago we launched our Bronze Bust card collection. This is an amazing limited edition collection of cards that is unlike anything else we have ever had here at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. More than 130 cards in each set will be signed by a Pro Football Hall of Famer! This is the ultimate collection for the avid collector.

Here are the details:
• Only 150 limited edition sets available
• Each card is hand-numbered and adorned with the Pro Football Hall of Fame hologram
• Each card is 3 ½ x 5 ½
• Each set includes all 253 enshrinees, including the Class of 2009
• Original signatures of more than 130 Hall of Famers
• Cards are displayed in an exclusive collector’s-edition binder with the Pro Football Hall of Fame logo
• The complete set is offered at $5,000

This is obviously a very special collectible set which has already created a tremendous buzz in the collectible industry. We have sold a number of sets right off the bat to collectors who realize the value in this set. Each signature comes to about $35 a card which is a great value versus what one would pay on the open market. The limited amount of sets is also something very special and unique. You can read more about the sets here.>>>

So, I have updated my picks for the playoffs with three weeks left in the regular season. I have included my picks from the quarter and halfway point of the season as well to see how I have done. It looks like my original picks from earlier in the season have held up very nicely which is a surprise because I have done terribly in a friendly weekly pick-em pool this year.

Here were my picks through week 4:
NFC - Saints, Eagles, Vikings, 49ers win their divisions as the 1-4 seeds and the Giants and Falcons are Wild Cards (maybe a bit of a homer on the Eagles prediction to win the NFC East). AFC - Colts, Ravens, Patriots, Chargers win their division as the 1-4 seeds and the Steelers and Texans are the Wild Cards (I am taking a wait and see approach on the Jets and Broncos).

Here were my revised picks through 8 weeks:
NFC - Saints, Vikings, Eagles (yes they will finish ahead of the Cowboys despite last week’s loss), and the Cardinals (replacing the 49ers) to win their divisions as the 1-4 seeds and the Giants and Cowboys (replacing the Falcons) as Wild Cards. AFC - Colts, Patriots, Steelers (replacing the Ravens, although the Bengals could end up here very easily if they beat the Steelers again this weekend) and the Chargers to win their divisions as the 1-4 seeds and the Bengals and Broncos as the Wild Cards although I still really like the Texans.

Here are my picks with 3 weeks left:
NFC - Saints, Vikings, Eagles, and Cardinals to win their divisions as the 1-4 seeds and the Packers (replacing the Cowboys) and Giants as Wild Cards. AFC - Colts, Chargers, Bengals (replacing the Steelers) and Patriots to win their divisions as the 1-4 seeds and Broncos and Ravens (switching to a Wild Card as Bengals will win the division) as the Wild Cards.