Welcome to the first week of football IPO's for the 2003 year of eTopps -- the fourth run for football. It is interesting because football started it all in 2000. It slipped through the cracks and really picked up steam around 2002 when eTopps advertising hit the web hard. The problems were only beginning in 2002, with multiple accounts and inflated stats for eTopps. 2003 is more of a reality-check year (check ourselves... before we wreck ourselves). 2003, in my opinion, is a very fine year for IPO's.

The card design looks good (minor changes but it still carries the nice, appealing look that past sets carried). It also is better because there are not as many multiple accounts; though they do exist. However, there is a true sense to the growth and it is not inflated, a 4 - 7% growth rate which is tied with the rate of inflation. Now that football is back there is a new murmur in the air. Everyone likes something new. Shoot -- right around the corner is basketball and our favorite, hockey. We all know baseball is the money winner; it is still the most popular "sport" out there today. NASCAR is still a debate away from being called a sport but it is the most popular in the U.S. by far. I will let my bud Champ tell you how it is a sport. I ride the fence on the NASCAR sports issue.

New draft picks means new rookies, new players with new teams, and our old stars back in uniform bring the smell of football to your computer monitor every Monday with the new football IPO's. I am excited about the new NFL season and hopefully my playoff-bound Seahawks will keep me excited about it! Now let's check out our picks for the week. Remember, do not trust my advice but use it as a tool along with other tools to invest smarter. Do your homework and invest wisely.

Ahman Green (3,000 @ $4.00)

This is the third eTopps IPO for this fine young back from Green Bay. Ahman made a name for himself in college at Nebraska, where he was an integral piece of the puzzle during their championship years. Originally drafted by the Seahawks, he was later traded to the Packers when Seattle started running Watters and then drafted Shaun Alexander. Ahman flourished in Green Bay, proving to be a great asset for Brett Favre. 2000 and 2001 were his most productive yards out of the backfield; however he still ran for over 1,100 yards last year while receiving for 393 yards. Since arriving in GB, he has scored 33 TD's (7 through the air and 26 on the ground). His career average out of the air is 7.9 yards and on the ground he averages 4.5 -- great numbers for this quick back. In the eTopps arena he has an '01 and '02 card. His 2001 card had a PR of 1,105 and is averaging $15.39 over the past seven days. His 2002 card had a PR of 3,730 and is averaging $3.41 over the past 7 days. This 2003 card is more attractive than the 2002 card but it doesn't compare to the 2001 card. If you're into sets go ahead and pick this card up. Otherwise wait until it hits the secondary market. On our buy scale of 1 to 10, I give this a 5... or BUY at your own risk.

Carson Palmer (6,000 @ $6.50)

This is the heralded rookie out of USC who is supposed to carry the Bengals to the Promised Land. The next Boomer Esiason....or so it is said. He will come in and get some good mentoring from Kitna, if we can call that good mentoring. Most likely this Heisman Trophy winner is going to be playing a significant amount of time this year as young Coach Lewis tries to establish a name for himself. I am not sure we have to question his college resume too much. I think he will get plenty of snaps to prove himself in the NFL but I am not sold on him being the "One" for Cincinnati. I like this card because it is his first and it is a rookie card. I am not pleased with the 6,000 PR because that means everyone will get at least three of them. So, for potential, this card is a moderate buy with some potential to gain 15 to 25% for our flippers. He is untested and will simmer as he plays less. But if he plays more and excels -- watch out! So I am going to give this card an 8 on the BUY scale.

Dallas Clark (4,000 @ $3.00)

I am sitting here watching Dallas sit on the bench with a bruised thigh. So much for making a big impact in the two TE set with the Colts. However, this rookie out of Iowa is tough -- real tough. He was one of the top TE's coming out of college last year and should be a big factor for the Colts. In the grand scheme of things he will take a lot of pressure off Harrison and James, by adding a third dimension to the team. I like this kid and expect him to catch about 4 to 8 passes a game and reach the 600- to 700-yard mark. Most likely he will be a short yardage option for Manning within the 20 yard line. As far as potential, you will not see growth out of this card like Shockey's. But you have to love the price and low PR for a rookie. I am giving this card a 9 on the BUY scale.

Jeremy Shockey (4,000 @ $6.50)

This is our second Tight End IPO this week and the second card for this heralded sophomore out of U of Miami. Last year he took the NFL by storm with his brash style and no-nonsense play. He is a player off the field as well but what he does on the field is what matters. He caught a bucket load of passes (74) for over 900 yards but only 2 TD's. Don't focus on the small TD production -- he was still picked to go to the Pro Bowl by his peers. His average, last year, for yards upon reception was a healthy 12.1 yards and his long was only 30 yards. This kid gets the ball and runs it very well. His 2002 IPO sold all 7,000 cards offered and that rookie card is averaging $9.86 over the past 7 days. There is not the same attraction with this card, especially due to the high PR. I don't see a lot of growth in this card's future so pick it up on the secondary market for about $5. On the BUY scale I am giving this a weak 6.

Kelly Holcomb (3,000 @ $6.50)

Kelly is not the highest-paid QB on the Browns Staff but he is the starting QB because of his good pre-season performance. In his third year out of small Tennessee State (originally drafted by the Colts) he has a lot to prove this year. Kelly still has a long way to go to become the established star for the Browns. In the past two years he has started only two games and appeared in five games. In those five games he has performed well. Last year he threw for 790 yards, 8 TD's and 4 INT's while compiling a 92.9 QB rating. This is his first card. Although not a rookie, it is a good card to get. Kelly has potential and I like this card. I like the PR but not so much the price. I would have made this a $4.00 card. However, on our BUY scale I am going to give it a 7. Get it at IPO.

Nate Burleson (3,000 @ $6.50)

It is wait-and-see for this rookie out of Nevada-Reno. Tuesday is the big day for him -- to see if he gets cut or not. I don't think he will but he does have some good competition at Minnesota. He is definitely not the star on the receiver's squad, with Moss getting all the attention. He lacks some size, being only 6'0" and 190 lbs., which wide receivers usually possess and scouts and coaches covet. However, if he makes the team as a 4th or 5th WR, he should get some passes his way when Randy Moss is double-teamed. I don't like the price for this card at all. I'm not sure how he got a $6.50 price tag when he is nowhere near as heralded as Clark is. I would wait and buy this card on the secondary market. I am going to give it a weak 3 on our BUY scale.

Steve McNair (2,000 @ $4.00)

What a great card, both pricewise and in terms of PR. You gotta love it. This is his third eTopps card to go along with his '01 and '02 issues. His 2001 card is the class of these cards with a PR of only 341 and averaging $37.09 over the past seven days. His '03 card is about to vault past the '02 card and stand alone. The past two years he has shown extreme poise and skill in passing for over 3,000 yards each year and throwing for more than 20 TD's each year. He is a true competitor and plays all the time, even through extreme pain. This product of Alcorn State is true class and deserves any recognition that comes to him or the Titans. Of course he is surrounded by good players as well. So on our BUY scale I give this a strong 9. Watch this card shoot up, becoming the initial SP for the '03 NFL set.

Terrell Owens (2,500 @ $6.50)

Owens, like McNair, is getting his third eTopps card with this attractive '03 IPO. His past two IPO's have fared relatively well -- especially his '01 card which had a PR of 528 cards and has averaged $60.00 over the past week. His '02 had a PR of 5K and was IPO'd at $9.50. Since then his '02 has dropped to the $4 range. Don't expect great gains from this $6.50 card. It should mirror, in some ways, his 2002 card; I would expect it to drop 15 - 25% on the secondary market. Terrell saw a slight drop in his numbers last year (about 100 total reception yards) but he still has a lot of skill. This will be his 8th year with the 49ers. Expect another great year statistically, but not with this IPO. You're better off buying it on the secondary market. So on our BUY scale I am giving it a 6.