DiscoverSpecial Conditions - A Pokémon TCG Podcast192. Slabs, Stories, and Farewell: Honoring The Grading Authority
192. Slabs, Stories, and Farewell: Honoring The Grading Authority

192. Slabs, Stories, and Farewell: Honoring The Grading Authority

Update: 2025-09-12
Share

Description

This week on Special Conditions, we step away from the usual gameplay and collecting chatter to honor a community staple—The Grading Authority (TGA). After years of serving the hobby, TGA is officially closing its doors, and with it comes the end of an era in card grading. Adam shares his heartfelt thoughts on what TGA meant to him personally and professionally, from the shows he attended with them to the friendships he made along the way.


It’s not just about slabs and grades—it’s about the people, the stories, and the passion for Pokémon that connected everyone at TGA. Adam opens up about his experiences working alongside them, the lessons he learned, and the emotions that come with saying goodbye. While it’s tough to see them go, this episode is as much a celebration of their contributions as it is a farewell.


Of course, we still bring the heat with our usual segments—talking about the latest TCG buzz, strategies for the upcoming season, and the art of the game. But at the heart of it all, this episode stands as a tribute to TGA, a company that left a lasting imprint on the Pokémon community.




  • 00:00 – Catching Up & This Week in TCG




  • 04:20 – New Releases & Wild Products Hitting the Market




  • 09:45 – Collector Struggles & Market Surprises




  • 15:30 – Meta Talk & 2026 Rule Changes




  • 22:10 – Strategy Spotlight: Prepping for Events




  • 28:35 – Card Art Favorites & Community Shoutouts






  • 35:50 – Honoring TGA: Impact on the Hobby






  • 43:20 – TGA Memories & Emotional Farewell






  • 57:40 – What’s Next: looking forward in the hobby




SpecialConditions@PokemonProfessor.com 


Voicemail, Text, and Picture Line - 732-835-8639


https://linktr.ee/PokemonProfessorNetwork 


Music provided by GameChops and licensed through Creative Commons


▾ FOLLOW GAMECHOPS ▾


http://instagram.com/GameChops


http://twitter.com/GameChops


http://soundcloud.com/GameChops


http://facebook.com/GameChops


http://youtube.com/GameChops


http://www.gamechops.com


Intro Music


Trapped In A Pokéball


Dj CUTMAN and Belthesar


GameChops - Ultraball


http://gamechops.com/ultraball/ 


http://soundcloud.com/DjCUTMAN


http://soundcloud.com/belthesar


Break Music


He Walk - Furret / Accumula Town Remix 


Dj Cutman


http://soundcloud.com/djcutman 


http://twitter.com/videogamedj 


http://youtube.com/djcutman


Outro Music


Kanto Trainer Battle


Mykah


GameChops - Ultraball


http://gamechops.com/ultraball/ 


https://soundcloud.com/mykah


Hosts


Adam Tuttle


Justin Keller


Pokémon And All Respective Names are Trademark and © of Nintendo 1996-2024Pokémon Professor and Special Conditions are not affiliated with Niantic Inc., The Pokémon Company, Game Freak or Nintendo


#pokemon #pokemontcg #podcast





Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comments 
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

192. Slabs, Stories, and Farewell: Honoring The Grading Authority

192. Slabs, Stories, and Farewell: Honoring The Grading Authority

Pickaxe