I made another trip out for the Sidekicks last night since it was their final regular season home game and thus the last chance to get my (and Ray's) team set cards signed. I ran into Brian as well-- as expected-- and we finally saw Gordon Jago up in the press box so he signed for us and chatted for a bit-- five cards for me. He did confirm that the Sidekicks will be back again next year. Apparently they didn't know for certain if they would have a team until about three weeks before the start of the season this year. Brian also gave me a bunch of extra cards of the local guys-- those came in handy later.
During the game, Brian messaged me that he was pretty sure he saw David Doyle talking to Jago but wasn't certain. We took a walk at halftime hoping to find him, but no luck. We did however run into Terry Woodberry who signed the four cards I had from Brian's stash.
After the game, Mike Jones signed a card I had for Ray and Brian told me he did indeed see Doyle, who signed the four I had. His signature was different tonight. I'll post a comparison later. On the field Dejan Milosevic and Patrick Shamu each signed two cards-- one for me, one for Ray. Unfortunately I missed out on David Kamali, didn't see Rubencho signing at all, and never saw the other four I needed (Fernando Garza, Michael Grba, Paul Hason, and Franck Mbemba). To finish off the night, Brian gave me one of the team logo cards from the 1991-92 Soccer Shots set, which Nick Stavrou and Doyle both signed. It looks pretty sharp signed in gold.
This week, I'm planning on getting a roll of stamps and sending out a good 50 requests. Most will be soccer with a few baseball and hockey sprinkled in. I'll post a list of who I send off to. Also Ray said he'll send me a few as compensation for getting most of the Sidekicks team set signed for him, so I'll certainly post what I get from him as well.
Friday, February 26, 2016
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Buy, Sell, and Trade
It's rare that I buy autographs. Part of it is that you can't guarantee authenticity without seeing something signed right in front of you. The top authenticators say up to 90% of what's on eBay is fake. Granted, they have a stake in that: by their fear-mongering, it makes people likely to flock to them even though the science of authentication is an inexact one at best and puts more money in their pockets.
Fortunately, fakes are rare in the indoor soccer world, if they even exist. When the top scorers of all-time are all VERY willing signers, there is no reason for fakes to exist. And so I don't hesitate to buy from other collectors if they have something I need.
This week I picked up a few major needs from another Baltimore-area collector, Jeff, who is a friend of Ray's whom I have mentioned on here before. Getting a Slobo Ilijevski, a Billy Ronson, a Preki, a Kai Haaskivi, and two Tatu certainly helps to lighten the load of big names and deceased players. I also grabbed a few others to whom I had written once and didn't include every single card of them in Gary Heale and Fernando Clavijo.
He also tossed in a 1992-93 NPSL Victor Nogueira. So I guess that means I need to start on that set next! Hell, maybe I should go for that 1991-92 Soccer Shots set eventually too.
Brian sent me an eBay auction for a signed Stan Stamenkovic card from the 1987-88 set. But at $50, I'll have to pass on it for now. If I'm too cheap to pay $5 for Ryne Sandberg for my baseball sets, I can't see myself spending $50 on Stamenkovic just yet. Maybe once I'm down to the last few...
I'm finally getting prepped to mail out all the 11x14 hockey photos I mentioned in my last post. So March 1 should be the next grouping of soccer mailings. I'll likely post a list later this month of who I'll be sending to.
Fortunately, fakes are rare in the indoor soccer world, if they even exist. When the top scorers of all-time are all VERY willing signers, there is no reason for fakes to exist. And so I don't hesitate to buy from other collectors if they have something I need.
This week I picked up a few major needs from another Baltimore-area collector, Jeff, who is a friend of Ray's whom I have mentioned on here before. Getting a Slobo Ilijevski, a Billy Ronson, a Preki, a Kai Haaskivi, and two Tatu certainly helps to lighten the load of big names and deceased players. I also grabbed a few others to whom I had written once and didn't include every single card of them in Gary Heale and Fernando Clavijo.
He also tossed in a 1992-93 NPSL Victor Nogueira. So I guess that means I need to start on that set next! Hell, maybe I should go for that 1991-92 Soccer Shots set eventually too.
Brian sent me an eBay auction for a signed Stan Stamenkovic card from the 1987-88 set. But at $50, I'll have to pass on it for now. If I'm too cheap to pay $5 for Ryne Sandberg for my baseball sets, I can't see myself spending $50 on Stamenkovic just yet. Maybe once I'm down to the last few...
I'm finally getting prepped to mail out all the 11x14 hockey photos I mentioned in my last post. So March 1 should be the next grouping of soccer mailings. I'll likely post a list later this month of who I'll be sending to.
Monday, February 1, 2016
Keeping on top of things...
Anyone who says hockey players are the most gracious signers in pro sports is full of it. It's indoor soccer players. And I say this as one who collects hockey first and foremost.
Sure, the MASL isn't one of the Big 4 Leagues (nor were the NPSL or MISL) but I'm sure most would put the NHL as a very distant fourth among those Big 4-- almost to the point of a Big 3-- and some might even argue to put Nascar or the MLS or even the PGA as the fourth.
But the attitudes of the players is night and day with most others. Saturday night, I went out to Allen and saw the Sidekicks get stomped to the tune of 13-4 against the league's top team. Afterward, the players still came out and signed at two tables set up on the concourse. Other players who weren't scheduled to be at the table signed as well while walking around. And several more signed out in the parking lot as they left. And I even ran into a much-needed alumni player inside.
Saturday night was trading card night, with Panini sponsoring a 20-card set of players in their Donruss design. Looks sharp-- and I'm not just saying that as a Panini employee, then genuinely look good. After the game, I was able to get 12 signed for myself and also for Ray in Maryland. Clint Ritter, Juan Gamboa, and Cody Ellis were at the first table, with Gamboa even apologizing for the bad scoreboard result. I told him it happens, as a goalie myself in floorball I've been on the short end of a 15-2 score in a tournament. While waiting for them, VcMor Eligwe and R.J. Lauvano signed as well while walking around. On my way to the other table, I ran into Willie Molano, who signed six cards I had of him. This made up nicely for me misidentifying him four weeks prior on Alumni Night.
The other table had Arthur Ivo, Ray Aguayo, and Ricardinho. Cameron Brown, who got hit cheaply from behind resulting in a concussion was even still there, chatting with and signing for fans despite the injury. I was surprised, I thought for sure he'd be in a dark quiet place but there he was. I've gotten a concussion before in hockey-- but that was with a helmet and cage and even with it I was still a bit loopy after the game. My best friend at the time came to the game and afterward I asked when she got there... she rode to the rink with me. She swore she'd never go to a hockey game again.
Anyways, after that the group of us there headed outside and to the back where Jamie Lovegrove, Mike Jones, and Fabinho all signed. Jones was battling a shoulder problem as well-- same guy who took out Brown caught him with a bad hit. At least that one got whistled for two in the box instead of just a free kick. And the guy later got thrown down right in front of the ref with no call.
Meanwhile today I got my first success via mail in a few weeks as Zoran Karic completed my 1991-92 Crunch All-Stars triple, my 1990-91 Karic-Goossens ASG dual, and three others. I'm planning on getting crazy with the mailings again pretty soon. Not sure who I'll go for first; Brian recommended referee Gino D'Ippolito, so I may try all the referees. I also need to find an address for J.P. Dellacamera to go on my other checklist.
Sure, the MASL isn't one of the Big 4 Leagues (nor were the NPSL or MISL) but I'm sure most would put the NHL as a very distant fourth among those Big 4-- almost to the point of a Big 3-- and some might even argue to put Nascar or the MLS or even the PGA as the fourth.
But the attitudes of the players is night and day with most others. Saturday night, I went out to Allen and saw the Sidekicks get stomped to the tune of 13-4 against the league's top team. Afterward, the players still came out and signed at two tables set up on the concourse. Other players who weren't scheduled to be at the table signed as well while walking around. And several more signed out in the parking lot as they left. And I even ran into a much-needed alumni player inside.
Saturday night was trading card night, with Panini sponsoring a 20-card set of players in their Donruss design. Looks sharp-- and I'm not just saying that as a Panini employee, then genuinely look good. After the game, I was able to get 12 signed for myself and also for Ray in Maryland. Clint Ritter, Juan Gamboa, and Cody Ellis were at the first table, with Gamboa even apologizing for the bad scoreboard result. I told him it happens, as a goalie myself in floorball I've been on the short end of a 15-2 score in a tournament. While waiting for them, VcMor Eligwe and R.J. Lauvano signed as well while walking around. On my way to the other table, I ran into Willie Molano, who signed six cards I had of him. This made up nicely for me misidentifying him four weeks prior on Alumni Night.
The other table had Arthur Ivo, Ray Aguayo, and Ricardinho. Cameron Brown, who got hit cheaply from behind resulting in a concussion was even still there, chatting with and signing for fans despite the injury. I was surprised, I thought for sure he'd be in a dark quiet place but there he was. I've gotten a concussion before in hockey-- but that was with a helmet and cage and even with it I was still a bit loopy after the game. My best friend at the time came to the game and afterward I asked when she got there... she rode to the rink with me. She swore she'd never go to a hockey game again.
Anyways, after that the group of us there headed outside and to the back where Jamie Lovegrove, Mike Jones, and Fabinho all signed. Jones was battling a shoulder problem as well-- same guy who took out Brown caught him with a bad hit. At least that one got whistled for two in the box instead of just a free kick. And the guy later got thrown down right in front of the ref with no call.
Meanwhile today I got my first success via mail in a few weeks as Zoran Karic completed my 1991-92 Crunch All-Stars triple, my 1990-91 Karic-Goossens ASG dual, and three others. I'm planning on getting crazy with the mailings again pretty soon. Not sure who I'll go for first; Brian recommended referee Gino D'Ippolito, so I may try all the referees. I also need to find an address for J.P. Dellacamera to go on my other checklist.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)