Welcome to Card Culture with Triple J — the on-deck circle where we break down everything happening in sports and the hobby. From legendary on-field performances to the newest cardboard releases, this is your weekly destination for passionate sports talk and insider card culture conversation.
In this week’s episode, we lead off with a story that’s rewriting baseball history: Shohei Ohtani’s season for the ages.Jason and Jack go deep on Ohtani’s unbelievable 2025 campaign — a year where he became a World Series champion, NLCS MVP, and the face of modern baseball. With a .282 average, 55 home runs, 102 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases, Ohtani dominated offensively with a jaw-dropping 1.014 OPS. But that’s only half the story. On the mound, he posted a 2.87 ERA with 62 strikeouts in just 47 innings, then unleashed superhero-level performances when it mattered most — including three homers and 10 strikeouts in six shutout NLCS innings.
We unpack the stats, the strategy, and the legacy — from becoming the fastest player to ever reach 250 home runs and 150 stolen bases to leading MLB in runs (146), total bases (380), and walks (109). Ohtani isn’t just a star — he’s transforming how teams build rosters and how fans define greatness. And 2025 may go down as the year he cemented himself as one of the greatest to ever step on a field.
Then, we shift gears into what’s next on the hobby calendar with our Sports Card Release Rundown — everything you need to know for the week ahead:
📅 Upcoming Releases – October 2025:
- Oct 22: Topps Diamond Icons Baseball, Panini Impeccable Football, Leaf History Book Sports Edition – Chapter 2
- Oct 23: 2025-26 Topps Basketball, 2024 Panini Eminence Football, 2025 Donruss WNBA
- Oct 24: Topps Knockout UFC
- Oct 27: Topps Holiday Baseball
And we wrap the show with one of the most significant hobby headlines of the year: Topps’ return to NBA trading cards. After more than a decade away, Topps has inked a multi-year exclusive deal with the NBA and NBPA — and they’re not coming back quietly. This new era introduces game-worn “Rookie Debut” patches that will be embedded into 1-of-1 autographed cards, along with gold Logoman patches for award winners like MVP and Rookie of the Year.
We explore why this is such a big deal — from how it could transform rookie card value and break demand, to how it blurs the line between memorabilia and standard cards. We also discuss what this means for collectors, shops, and the future of hobby innovation.
Whether you’re chasing grails, flipping slabs, or just love the intersection of sports and collectibles, Card Culture with Triple J is where the conversation starts. Grab a seat in the dugout — because in this episode, we’re swinging for the fences.
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