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

12/09/2025 1h 26min
192. Slabs, Stories, and Farewell: Honoring The Grading Authority

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Episode Synopsis

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




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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

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