An 8-foot card? Panini serves up tall order

Posted Apr 9, 2012 by Bob D'Angelo

Updated Apr 9, 2012 at 02:50 PM

We’ve heard football teams whose offense was three yards and a cloud of dust. But have you ever heard of a football card booklet that was so long, it could be said that it was nearly three yards and a stack of cards?

Well that’s Panini America has done.  In its 2011 National Treasures set, Panini has included five booklets it is touting as “world’s longest trading card.” It’s a 36-player fold-out booklet that includes 36 autographs and has 36 pieces of oversized memorabilia. When stretched out, the item measures more than 8 feet.

I can’t describe what this card really looks like, but Panini put out a video that makes things quite clear.

http://youtu.be/1K8nC8bDcZ8

One of the booklets will contain inscriptions next to each signature. Most will say something like “Go Giants,” or “Go Rams,” or (insert favorite team here).

And, you won’t find this card in an actual pack. Panini is issuing redemption cards due to the sheer size of the card. This is one time where I agree that a redemption card is a necessary thing. Besides, those pack searchers one sees at Target and Wal-mart would snag a pack like that in seconds.

Here are the players who will be featured: Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, Ryan Mallett, Vincent Brown, Jake Locker, Taiwan Jones, DeMarcus Murray, Torrey Smith, Blaine Gabbert, Mark Ingram, Christian Ponder, Jamie Harper, Stevan Ridley, Jerrel Jernigan, Leonard Hankerson, Shane Vereen, Mikel Leshoure, Bilal Powell, Von Miller, Colin Kaepernick, Austin Pettis, Delone Carter, Ryan Williams, Marcell Dareus, Jordan Todmer, Jonathan Baldwin, Kyle Rudolph, Randall Cobb, Alex Green, Julio Jones, Greg Little, Clyde Gates, Daniel Thomas, Kendall Hunter and Titus Young.

Wow, that’s a mouthful. Quite a list. Five people will be ecstatic when they pull those cards.