1999 UD Retro Football - Its Colorful

I've been eyeing this set on the shelf for a long time.  For some reason when I look at it I think of Fleer Tradition.  Not only that, but the resemblance of 1969 Topps football also comes to mind.  Being that the 1969 set is one of my favorites I feel like I should like this set more.  Maybe it's the all white card stock, or the UD logo in the upper left, or possibly because it says it's "retro" right there in front of you.  I just can't quite put my finger on it.

Don't get me wrong, I like the set enough to keep one in my collection.  But when I go to my happy place, this isn't one of those sets that take me back.  I just think if a company is doing a retro design, it shouldn't say "retro" on it.

Overall the colors pop, the photos are nice and the logo is a nice addition.  Then the design gets awkward.  The large bold font of the last name is OK, but then why is the team/position so tiny?  Remove that "retro" word and increase the bottom font and you might have something. 

For a small set (165 cards), it features many HOF players, including a few "retro" players.  However, not all teams were blessed with a retro Hall of Famer.  Unfortunately, someone at UD couldn't tell the difference between Jim Brown and Terry Kirby. 

The set is also loaded with all the rookies including a couple here that many fans will remember.

The backs are just so-so.  Nice colorful front...and then you get this.  Maybe I expect too much.

There are a few insert sets, including the Inkcredible autographed cards that could do some damage to the budget, but the base set is very affordable.  I'm glad I was able to find the set for less than $20 and didn't waste money buying packs.   A quick glance around ebay tells me collectors weren't all that enthusiastic about this, which is fine by me.