Is starting a sports card podcast in your 40s a midlife crisis? According to Mike’s 9-year-old son, Grant, it absolutely is—and it is hilarious. This week on Wicked Good Pulls, the boys tackle the hard-hitting issues in the hobby: funding podcast animations, draining social batteries, and the ultimate betrayal at the local card shop.
The $699 Animation Budget
Joe had to cancel his animation software subscription after his 7-day trial ran out because the upfront cost is a steep $699 for the year. Naturally, Mike and Matt fully support keeping the podcast cartoons going, under one strict condition: Joe has to pay for all of it and continue doing 100% of the work. Joe is practically begging for just a little help storyboarding the clips for YouTube, but his brothers aren’t exactly rushing to the drawing board.
Whatnot Jealousy & Desperate Affirmation
The Whatnot streets are tough, especially for your ego. Matt (“Coach Hoops”) admits he gets incredibly desperate for affirmation while hanging out in streams. He shares a devastating story of watching a streamer completely ignore him to shower Mike (“Retro Ripping”) with praise instead. Matt was left throwing desperate comments into the chat just trying to get noticed.
Social Batteries & The Flea Market Queen
This episode features a deep dive into how the guys manage their “social batteries”.
Recharging Solo: While their spouses might recharge by being around friends, the boys prefer to recover alone in their basements, happily sorting through stacks of mail and cleaning off cards.
The Look of Disgust: Matt brought up his ultimate romantic dream of turning his wife, Jen, into the “Flea Market Queen” so they could hunt every booth for cards together. Her response to this dream date? A look of absolute disgust.
The Ultimate Betrayal at GOAT Card Shop
The tension hit a boiling point regarding the GOAT Card Shop in Plymouth Harbor. Matt has been a fiercely loyal customer, visiting the shop roughly 30 times over the last two months. Yet, it wasn’t until he brought Mike along for a visit that they finally got invited into the elusive VIP “back room”.
The back room was a retro wax paradise, filled with incredible, high-end boxes worth four to five grand each. The VIP trick worked, too, because they ended up completely blowing their budgets and buying a box from the back.
We need your ruling: What is the coolest thing you have ever found in a card shop back room? Let us know in the comments below!
Follow the madness on Whatnot: @retroripping & @coachhoops