tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48120931371643445522024-02-21T07:36:11.987-08:00Doug CataldoStuff and things... Things and Stuff. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-72557665571249405862018-03-19T13:31:00.001-07:002018-03-19T13:31:23.974-07:00Hmmm...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was going through an old computer and transferring some things when I saw a link to my "blog". I put blog in quotes because I just noticed that it has been more than three years since I put up anything here. Time certainly does fly.<br />
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I haven't talked with anyone in the trading card industry for quite some time. By talk, I mean actually hold a conversation with a person, not a comment or a like on social media. I still do that, but even less these days. I have really tried to put that chapter of my story behind me. I honestly could write a book about the people and personalities I intermingled with during that 15 year period, but it would sell about as much as factory sets of 1988 Fleer baseball.<br />
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So... how you doin? <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-41626773536229165902014-08-09T08:05:00.000-07:002014-08-09T12:32:18.307-07:0035th National Sports Collectors Convention Recap Part 5 of ? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When we had breakfast we knew we were in for a long day. Most people would assume that meant it would be bad, but we were extremely excited. We knew today we'd share the stage with our friends, the crowd would be bigger than other days, and we'd have a visit from legendary Hockey Hall of Famer, Bobby Hull. The evening was going to be stellar.<br />
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The Panini Grand Case Break featured the only case of National Treasures basketball in the building and a case of Prime Hockey. Both products contain mind-boggling, unreal hits. So as 11 a.m. rolls up we are ready to go, there is a good crowd forming and as I am talking to the people, I notice our friends from Tristar have Bobby already at the stage. How about that? A star that's not only on time, but actually early? Nice! So I walk Bobby up and begin to introduce him. He starts telling me a story about his playing days and I am a fan, so I am listening intently. As I go to shake his hand, he starts talking about forgetting something. It was his teeth! His front teeth are all a grill and he had them in his hand when he hit the stage. Now <i>THAT</i> is an entrance. An unforgettable National moment indeed and some of it is caught on video here as we walk up on stage and National founder Mike Berkus talks with those surrounding the Amazon.com Sports Collectibles Main Stage.<br />
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Bobby joined Tracy Hackler on the stage and they proceeded to break into Prime Hockey. Then something else happened that those watching won't soon forget. Bobby opened up his first pack of trading cards! This was a very cool moment for everyone, to hear Bobby tell stories about seeing his own cards and describing the quality of cards today. You can see him open up a pack of Prime in the video below.<br />
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Up next for me was a quick interview with ESPN's Mint Condition. They were getting some amazing coverage for upcoming shows, and no question, the National is the place to build up a series of future episodes. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of ESPN Mint Condition.</td></tr>
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We're big fans of the show because it gets great exposure for the hobby. Behind the scenes Kelsey Schroyer has put together some amazing segments, while on-air personality Michele Steele knows her sports! We chatted about who to watch out for from the 2014 NFL rookie class and picked one veteran that could have a breakout year. I won't tell you who I chose, but I'm hoping you enjoy it when it airs! That was really fun. I also love that Michele represents women in the hobby. She is a great ambassador for a growing demographic that deserves more attention from the manufacturers. <br />
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The Panini break was followed by something a little different. Beckett took the stage. That was interesting for us. I want to make something clear. What's done is done. I had to deal with a lot of garbage from that company over the years. They didn't want to even engage us in any way shape or form during the first 5-7 years of the 2000s. Sure we'd talk to some of their guys, but anytime we'd try to interview them on our show, they'd refuse. It was childish. They were so in denial about us that they would edit us out of Press Releases from the card companies and leagues that included our name in it. How do I know this? I received the same PRs. It was despicable. I looked up to that company as a kid and believe it or not, I wanted to work there. Two other times, they made inquiries about buying us. It was a waste of our time, and theirs. Then things started to change, Russ actually wrote for Beckett Hockey for awhile and an editorial change hung him out to dry. At that same time I was getting together info to do some writing for Beckett Baseball. Editorial change left me in the cold. Letting someone go is one thing, not communicating at all is lame and uncalled for. What we did do is pick on someone that gave us the cold shoulder, that's all we ever did, again childish... and it ended with a meeting and a photo at the 2011 National.<br />
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So when someone asks me why I am hesitant to do anything with them, there you go. Is that good enough for you? Now, all that being put out there. It is water under the bridge. What's done is done. I had the opportunity to meet a few of their guys at this show. Bill Dumas invited us on their radio show. Nice guy. I didn't think it would happen here as we were so busy we didn't even have much time to do our own show. I wouldn't rule it out in the future. I appreciated the offer. I also met their host Derek Ficken, he too was very cool and said some very complimentary things. It was appreciated. I hope that moving forward that's how things go. That's the kind of people Beckett should have representing their company, not some of the miserable people I've dealt with in the past.<br />
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So when Beckett took the stage it appeared as if they raided the Topps vault. They had plenty of packs and boxes, some Beckett promo items and instead of a case break, they did pack wars. They did a great job. All the kids were opening packs of 2014 Topps minis and the winners walked away with some great products.I hope their crew had fun, the kids did, no question about it. I wish I had time to think about how interesting it was to see us interacting, but the show was so busy, you just had to go with the flow and keep moving.<br />
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There were a couple of more breaks including a giveaway from Dave & Adams, and Scotty from Nastybreaks.com did a Panini Preferred Basketball case which is full of fun things. He was hilarious and owned the stage when he was up there.<br />
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Around this time (4 in the afternoon), I got a text from Tracy Hackler and it was about their big VIP event that was scheduled to take place later that evening. I had no idea where it was taking place. So finally I found out it was going to be at Cleveland's FirstEnergy Stadium. I was pumped, I already knew that Broadway Joe Namath, The Human Highlight Film Dominique Wilkins, Bash Brother Jose Canseco, 300-Game Winner and recent HOF member Tom Glavine, NBA Rising Stars Trey Burke and Kyrie Irving, and Dr. J Julius Erving were attending. How cool is that? Rumor had it that a certain rookie QB that was chosen by the Browns was also going to be there, but that was not yet confirmed.<br />
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It was a great stadium. The entrance was a shrine for the best to ever play for the Browns including a faux locker room. The staff was so friendly, they were amazing unlike some Chicago stadiums. When we got inside, it exceeded expectations. The room was full of industry peers, fabulous food and drink, there were all-new Panini girls, and soon it would be filled with top tier athletes. The Panini girls crack me up. They are eye candy for a bunch of guys that have been in a crammed into a convention center hall with 97% men for five days. Anyone that's offended by that is silly to me. If you can't appreciate a beautiful woman well...<br />
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The first star to hit the floor was Tom Glavine. He was just inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I was at his 300th win and it was very cool to see him after getting the top honor MLB has to offer. He was so humble. We chatted about the game and that it took him a couple of starts to get the magic win. He was a little self conscious and was telling people he was the least popular guy in the room. I can tell you that was not true at all. We may never in our lifetime see another 300 game winner. He was awesome! Andy Pettitte was closest, no one else is even in the ballpark. Sabathia needs 92. Verlander needs like 150. Glavine was<i> hardly </i>the least popular guy in the room. He was the guy that achieved perhaps the greatest feat of anyone in the room. What an honor to have seen it and to get to talk to him about it! #thankspanini<br />
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It was a wonderful week, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time this night. The next athlete out was Joe Namath and I was standing right in front of him when he walked out to the floor. As a kid, all I watched were the Jets. <br />
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Every Sunday I would so to my grandparents house in Rockaway Queens and watch the Jets. In fact one of the first collectibles I ever got was a ticket stub to Super Bowl III. My dad had gone to the game and when my parents divorced, I inherited the esteemed ticket. #thanksmom It was my first piece of memorabilia. I got to tell Joe that story and how I followed his career through his final season with the Rams. I still think he should've replaced Pat Hayden! Joe looked great and asked my name. He said, "Doug, thank you and that was some game, maybe the best in my career." He also told people that if we're suiting up he's on our team. I was so happy because sometimes you meet people and you get let down. Thrilled to say this was not the case. Joe 'Willie' Namath is as cool as they come.<br />
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Next up was another legend, Dominique Wilkins. As awesome as he is tall. Dominique made me like him even more. Most of the Panini reps were handing out signed photos for the athletes. The Highlight film took it up a notch He personally handed out his own photos while also making sure that anyone that got a picture, got a good one, something they were happy with. Kids, can you say impressive? Again, here is guy that I used to watch simply because you knew when he touched the ball, something outstanding was going to happen. He made an art of dunking and he put the Atlanta Hawks on the map. He made a fan for life on this night.<br />
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I've got a little more to share from this evening, but it will have to be in another post. Watch for it soon. If' you'd like to hear a little more recap that includes Panini America's Tracy Hackler. Listen to <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cardboardconnectionradio/2014/08/09/national-recap-part-2-this-week-at-panini" target="_blank">last night's Cardboard Connection Radio show</a>. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-49103449052413448832014-08-08T05:50:00.001-07:002014-08-09T07:54:04.763-07:0035th National Sports Collectors Convention Recap Part 4 of ?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We decided to something non-sports on Thursday evening. After the show we got something to eat, then we went to go see Guardians of the Galaxy. I am glad we did, it was amazing. I wanna see it again. I honestly thought that Dave Bautista stole the show. He was phenomenal as Drax. Michael Rooker was also pretty amazing, but then... when isn't he? The movie looked sensational, it was funny, the action and effects were top notch and we even got a little more of Thanos. The best thing that happened that night was when we got to the theater. Ryan who is from a remote planet named Hoth, er... Canada, was completely in awe of the machine that lets you select your own drink. It was one of those Coke dispensers where you could choose Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Powerade, etc and then add Vanilla, Cherry, Orange, Lime, Lemon or Raspberry flavoring. You can only imagine how he reacted when he found out that all of our seat at the movie were luxury recliners. <i>That was priceless.</i><br />
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Before that however we went to the Topps meet and greet.<i> </i>I have been a fan of this event because it gives collectors the opportunity to ask the questions of Topps that need to be asked. Unfortunately in the past those vocal collectors you see making horrible comments on social media<i> NEVER</i> ask those questions in person or try to initiate a conversation to get their point across. I was hoping this year would be different. Topps has had a rough year. Some major customer service issues have had some collectors taking their issues to the Better Business Bureau. They also just found out at the show that they were going to lose football beginning in 2016.<br />
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I'll say this. Alan Narz made that event. His energy and levity kept it fun and flowing so that some of the turbulence in the audience didn't escalate. We heard questions like, <i>Why do we see the same photos on cards all of the time?</i> The answer was that they use Getty Images and they only have a handful of photos of certain players that are suitable to be used on a card. If that were me, I'd do what it takes to change that. Cost also came into play, but to me if you are using legends in upper echelon products, make the investment. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money.<br />
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Another question was, <i>Why aren't there more women in the company?</i> (to be fair, the front of the room was filled with at least 10 male Topps employees, and their newest team member, Susan, was not there). This was kind of a loaded a question, but it was valid. Topps has female employees, this I know for a fact, but from a female collector perspective, it was a sausage fest. I believe if Topps was really listening, they would make sure to bring out some of the women next time and to other events. Why? I can tell you that after sitting at a National for five days the crowd is like 75-25% male to female and all of the companies need to work harder to make collecting appeal to all demographics.<i> Say what you will, and note that I am a happily married man, but seeing the Panini Girls later in the week was probably the only female contact some of those people had the entire week.</i><br />
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The other moment that was addressed was the very <i>nonchalant language on the back of Topps memorabilia cards. </i>This one is all about accountability. Not putting any info about the relic piece virtually makes it nothing more than a base card to collectors. I can tell you it is not even a matter of having it dated and labelled to the specific game. It was a plea from collectors to assure that it is REAL and that it indeed came from an event that they can pin it down to. The language currently on the back of their cards is so vague it could've come off the rack at Marshall's for all we know.<i> I usually don't chime in at this event, I like to people watch, but here I did say something. I simply said, show collectors you care and change the language and then we will care about the relic cards again. </i><br />
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Hands down my favorite moment of the Meet & Greet was when one of our favorite collectors spoke up. This man is singly responsible for one of my favorite National moments. To us he is known as Santa Claus guy. Several years back, we were discussing the art (I use that term loosely) of including a Santa card into a product and how it expanded to using memorabilia and autographs of St. Nick in products. This guy literally runs up to our booth and starts going off about how he collects Santa and it created a moment we'll never forget. We thought so much of it, that we actually brought Santa Claus to the National the very next year!<br />
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It was funny to see him this many years later still pulling for more Santa cards. Maybe a Santa Claus and Rally Squirrel dual card is in the mix. Just so you know. I find a lot of things funny in this industry. However, this guy is a die-hard, so here is something to think about. One of the problems I have with Santa cards is that they aren't legit, you know why and I am not going to spell it out. But... what if instead of Santa being on a card by himself, he was part of an insert or box set with other people? I'd actually be into giving my kids a card of Anthony Rizzo with Santa or LeBron James with Santa. Make them all horizontal cards with dual autos or dual relic. Perhaps a holiday in store promotion like Black Friday, then all of those Santa hat cards could have some purpose... <br />
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Friday was going to be an extra busy day. Things kicked off at 10am and ran through 5pm. The only real gap was a hour at 3pm.We got to see Finest Box Breaks, Bighurt35 and more. There was some excitement for the Upper Deck break because they opened the first cases of Exquisite Golf. That was something to see. Truly some of the most impressive cards come from Exquisite. The designs are unlike any other company's cards. That has always set Upper Deck apart from the rest of the pack. This was no exception. We saw on card autos of Nancy Lopez, Arnold Palmer and a dual Cheyenne and Tiger Woods. UDs Chris Carlin said on the stage that the cases he sent over were ripped off by UPS. He worked with Dave & Adams to make sure he would have the product for the break, and they came through. Lots of ooohs and ahhhs during this one.<br />
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I had a chance to roam the floor a little more on Friday and picked up five boxes of WWE Heritage hobby boxes for $20 a piece. At that price, I decided I would put together a master set. I am pretty close actually, just missing 10 inserts, so that was pretty cool. <br />
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By evening time we had a couple of options and weren't sure what we were going to do. There were a couple of parties and we just wanted to go check out the city and maybe catch a ballgame. We wound up going to the Hard Rock Cafe for the Peach State event and man was it ever worth it. We got to really chat with some of the people we had been working with over the past few days and see them outside of the case breaker pavilion. That's always good to get a feel for what people are like.<br />
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We were eating when we looked up to see Jose Canseco walking in. Behind him were some Panini America representatives and former NBA great Mark Aguirre. That was an awesome surprise. I know a lot of people railed on Jose when he wrote his books. Not me. I thought he did the right thing. He told the truth and sometimes the truth hurts. I told him that then and I thanked him for it tonight. I also told him a funny story about how when my daughter met him in 2001 at the Big League Challenge in Las Vegas. She was 5 and I was waiting for a couple people at the signing booth for Upper Deck. He saw her and said, "Hey Princess would you like an autograph?" It turned into more than one, and I will never forget that. He was awesome then, and on this night, he was still a good guy. When I told him the story, he asked to see a photo and I said she's 18 now. He deadpanned, "Damn, I'm Old." I told him man, you still look amazing and I just wanted to say thanks for being genuine. You earned a fan for life.<br />
<br />
Mark Aquirre was equally nice. I watched him play often for some of the most amazing Detroit Pistons teams during the 80s and 90s. I love surprises, well good ones at least, and this was truly a surprise. I had thought we were just going to enjoy a dinner with friends, but Peach State and Panini America raised the bar while everyone in the Hard Rock razed the bar.<br />
<br />
Here we were 4 days in and the energy level was high and the memories kept coming.<br />
<br />
More to come... <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-54230403139936800532014-08-06T08:52:00.000-07:002014-08-09T08:02:05.195-07:0035th National Sports Collectors Convention Recap Part 3 of ?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I woke up Thursday feeling pretty good. I was really happy to have
spent some quality time with my co-workers and friends Rob, David, Russ
and Ryan. Each one of those guys just absolutely blew my mind this past
week with their ability to just completely adapt to whatever was
happening on the Amazon.com Sports Collectibles Main Stage. We did
trivia, raffles and told some funny stories in-between and during case
breaks to entertain. Trust me, its not easy,<i> but it was fun.</i><br />
<br />
We met so many great people in this segment of the show. I mentioned Scott
Bateson earlier and he was stellar, but I was completely humbled
meeting Joey and his Friendly Box Breaks crew. They were seriously, some
of the most polite people in the building. It was fun sitting in with
them for awhile on a break they did later in the week of Benchwarmer.
Sir, it was an honor. David and Jason from Finest Box Breaks were also
top notch guys that happened to be from Long Island, NY. The same town
in fact that I would visit 3-4 times a year when I was a kid, to see my
Dad's side of the family. Small world.<br />
<br />
David Gelfman's
group that includes Bryan Fillmore and Paul Milazzo were also just
troopers, breaking all week long. Abby and Grizz from the BreakKing.com
were also right next to us and we all became friends throughout the
week. To our right was someone I've known now for two or three years,
but ironically he has never been on Cardboard Connection Radio for one
reason or another. That was Rich Layton of Layton Sports Cards. Let me
tell you something. As I watched through the week, I saw a change in
him. We had an amazing week. I know he has stories that he'll never
forget, and that his breaks were very successful. You should have seen
him during the kids break, he was beaming. While watching him teasing
the kids for packs and hits, it was another moment I just felt that we
had made the right decision to work with this group. It took me 2 years
to find out he's from South Jersey, another place I lived for a long
time. I can tell you that we are going to have fun in 2016 if the show
remains in Atlantic City. We finally sat down with Rich for an
interview, and you <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cardboardconnectionradio/2014/08/05/35th-national-sports-collectors-convention-rich-layton--layton-sports-cards" target="_blank">can hear it right here</a>.<br />
<br />
You
could see that a lot of the people in the pavilion had no clue what to
expect. Neither did we. It could have been a giant cluster, but it was
nothing of the sort. In fact there was an area dedicated to breakers
that weren't even a part of the show. If one came in and decided he/she
wanted to break, they had a place to do it. That area wasn't dead, it
wasn't supposed to be filled unless breakers came in and claimed a spot
on the fly. With 40+ already part of the inaugural event, I think it is
safe to say that many of the best were there already. It was a place to
offer an olive branch to someone that was on the fence about
participating. I wish people would actually ask some questions when they
pretend to be so-called reporters instead of sneaking around or making
asinine comments. Do a little research, it could benefit you long-term.
These breakers were protecting their business, working to expand their
business and brought their A-game to make sure that breaking was
represented at and by its best. I applaud them all for working together to make
the event a success. Early signs show it will return in Chicago and be
even larger in scale.<br />
<br />
I had to leave the show for awhile
on this day, but boy was it worth it. Panini America had put together a
lunch for a huge announcement they planned on making. It wasn't much of
a secret at this point. They were going to announce that they signed an
exclusive partnership with the NFLPA. I wanna take you back in time
again. My very first event that I ever attended as media was one of the
most outstanding events of my life. Russ and I were the guests of
Donruss Playoff's Tracy Hackler and Taylor Pennington. The event was in
Washington and it was called Unsung Heroes. A young Brian Urlacher was
the star of the event and I got to meet Karen Bush-Austin, Pam Oliver
and many other NFL greats. I can remember Randy Cook did his podcast
from the show, I knew then, that was what I had wanted to strive for. I
wanted it to be us at those events. I wanted to make sure our name was
synonymous with any event that involved trading cards. I am still trying
to do that!<br />
<br />
Anyway, even then you could see that the
Texas-based company put their heart and soul into the relationship. They
transcended trading cards and put their stamp on things outside the
box. They gave a crap about that too. It showed. They did charity
events, they provided things for kids and families and they went way out
their way to build a bond with fans of the NFL. Now if I noticed that
several years ago, you can bet that a decade later the NFLPA noticed it
too. You can say its all about the money, and of course that's a huge
part of it, <i>but any good relationship begins with good will and it
continues to grow because you pay attention to the relationship, you
don't just take it for granted.</i> Trust me on that.<br />
<br />
So
here we were in the room with a lot of our industry peers and the vibe
was unreal. I felt a great sense of pride for my friends. They ALL
worked their collective asses off for this to happen. Let's be honest,
Topps locked up Baseball, UD Hockey and Panini already had Basketball, so why not go after Football? You can say Baseball is America's Pastime all
you want, but Football dominates the ratings. It is the most popular
American sport. If I was a maker of trading cards, I'd want my name
attached to the game that can get as many people watching their
commercials as they do the actual game!<br />
<br />
I went to sit
down with Ryan and we met up with our buddy Kelsey from ESPNs Mint
Condition. Kelsey himself looks like he could put on some pads and hit
the turf. He's a big dude, but as friendly as can be. Love sharing
stories with him. He did me a huge favor, so I owe him one. As I turn
around to scope the room about 40 kids from a local Pop-Warner team sit
down. These kids were pumped up, they didn't know what was going on, but
that something cool was about to happen. As they sat down, Super Bowl
winning QB and NFL Analyst Trent Dilfer walked in. Now Trent is a cool
guy and an awesome TV analyst, but he went above and beyond the scope of
anything I thought was going to happen on this day. He personally
introduced himself to every single on of the kids and asked them what
position they played. He genuinely took an interest in their comments
and excitement. He also won over just about anyone over the age of 12
with his actions.<br />
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I don't' even know where to start on
the highlight reel list from this event. It was actually difficult to
keep my composure for some of it because I was legitimately surprised by
some of the things that took place. No, not the announcement itself,
but other more tangible things. Ok, so how about this for instance. We're eating and
then Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz enters the room and sits right next to
us. I watched this guy every Sunday like clockwork. He was a living
monster at 6'6" during his playing days and here he was sharing his
stories about collecting with us. He was so nice, a truly awesome
representative of the Football Hall. He also got to comment on how he'd
deal with up-and-comers like Jadeveon Clowney.<br />
<br />
Trent
Dilfer and Jason Howarth did analysis on the top rookies in the draft.
Trent likes to compare athletes to cars, so we saw some Jaguars,
Porsches and Rolls Royces, thankfully no Jalopies. Dilfer was high on
the Raiders QB Derek Carr and also noted that Johnny Football if he can
slow down to even 2nd or 3rd gear can be a player.<br />
<br />
Speaking
of Johnny, you read a lot of crap in the news. True or not true, you
never hear enough good things about people. Critical, headline grabbing
sensationalism sells. That doesn't work for me. Negativity breeds
negativity, I don't live on a cloud or in a closet but I can tell you
that my life is pretty damn good. So that said, here's a <i>GREAT</i> Johnny Football story.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97CbZo0e91uZyo8BHjtvi8vA-Lb-iiziT5WuYuYh3DFRrAe4ioWtoYt4i0ihUbdaDqukdT248g1A5vkXT6mQGCVWiHOocbW_NlBPvfLpGI1jkqMJ3T3PHol4FqAafzP0-n63bVHVEx9tJ/s1600/IMG_3764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97CbZo0e91uZyo8BHjtvi8vA-Lb-iiziT5WuYuYh3DFRrAe4ioWtoYt4i0ihUbdaDqukdT248g1A5vkXT6mQGCVWiHOocbW_NlBPvfLpGI1jkqMJ3T3PHol4FqAafzP0-n63bVHVEx9tJ/s1600/IMG_3764.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Remember the kids I told you about? Panini and Johnny Manziel awarded a helmet equipment grant to Pop Warner’s Northeast Ohio Pop Warner Association. The team got up and held
this giant check. They had been to two Pop Warner Super Bowls and come
up short. They are hoping for a chance to make a third appearance in the
big game. They were ready to play right there in the hotel ballroom. In
fact, if they do something like this again, I say a little scrimmage
would be a blast!
<br />
<br />
Panini America CEO Mark Warsop also spoke
about the partnership and what it means for Panini. He is thinking
outside the box and he said that this deal gives them the ability to do
things they couldn't before. I am curious to see how they shape my
personal favorite category in this industry. They haven't let me down
yet. In just the past few years, they've improved designs, improved
content, and if they can move away from stickers and bring in some new
brands to fill up the schedule, I am confident more great things are
ahead. Kind of makes you wonder though if they might look to fill some
of those holes with some already established brands or products? Only
time will tell. I know some people live and die by Topps, but hey they
have Baseball right? Why can't Panini have Football? <br />
<br />
After lunch I finally got to meet someone
I'd wanted to speak with for a long time. Mr. Keith Gordon of the
NFLPA. I told him the story of how it was fun to watch this relationship
grow all those years ago. He was very proud of the partnership and said
some wonderful things about Panini.
<br />
<br />
We feel very confident in Panini America’s ability to deliver quality and value to consumers at all levels, while
providing long-term stability to the football trading card category, said NFLPI
President Keith Gordon. Significant investments in product innovation, quality, authenticity and creative player marketing have endeared Panini to the existing fan base, while actively cultivating the next generation of collectors.<br />
<br />
I look forward to speaking with him more in the future.
<br />
<br />
As we walked out, Tracy was interviewing
Trent for a piece on the Knight's Lance I would assume, and I can tell
you that their relationship is just getting started. Trent & Panini
America have some fun things in store for kid collectors.<br />
<br />
I'll be back with more from the National, but if you want some more insight, be sure to listen to the Wednesday, <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cardboardconnectionradio/2014/08/07/wednesday-cardboard-connection-radio" target="_blank">August 6th edition of Cardboard Connection Radio</a> tonight at 10pm EST.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-39739296369971239652014-08-05T20:50:00.001-07:002014-08-09T07:57:18.676-07:0035th National Sports Collectors Convention Recap Part 2 of ?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of the things about being a small company is that you have to do a lot of things yourself. It's not that I don't trust other people to do them for me, but I am pretty sure my care level exceeds someone I'm paying to do something for me. So, I loaded up the SUV with all of the radio show equipment, promo items, giveaways and more and headed on over to Cleveland. I was looking forward to seeing the rest of our crew. You see, while we are with each other every Wednesday and Friday, and talk plenty of times a day, we never see each other because we are located in different parts of North America. Modern technology, gotta love it.<br />
<br />
Once I got into Cleveland from Chicago in about 5 hrs and change, Rob met me at the IX Center and we began setting up the booth. As we are setting up, it kind of hits me that we are not going to be spending a lot of time at the booth. The schedule for the week was jam-packed. Things kicked off right after the VIP party and we were amped up.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
At the VIP party, I met a family that had won a VIP experience through the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Actually there was one winner, her name was Chris Kirsch. She brought along some family members, and boy were they excited. I watched the National's own Ray Schulte take them on a little tour that included a stop at the Memory Lane Inc. booth to hold onto an authentic Babe Ruth bat. From there they went to the front of the line to meet Dale Murphy and Carlos Baerga who were the special guests. Hundreds of other collectors were chowing down on food and snacks while waiting for a couple of their baseball heroes to arrive.</div>
<br />
Show founder Mike Berkus kicked off the festivities with a short speech and handed the microphone over to Dave & Adams CEO Adam Martin and Upper Deck <span class="st">Sports Marketing Manager </span>Chris Carlin. Both proceeded to give away a lot of Upper Deck products while announcing the companies 25th Anniversary celebration. I have seen Adam for the past 15 years at event after event, he NEVER remembers my name. It's like a running joke with me and Russ and he didn't know it this year either. Oh well, I guess I didn't make much of an impression.<br />
<br />
I had to leave the VIP Party a little early so that I could get set to make our debut on the Amazon.com Sports Collectibles main stage. The event was kicking off with a break of Topps Allen & Ginter. Topps Marketing Manager Marc Stephens joined us to break the case. Ginter isn't an easy break, nor is it thrill-centric in the hit department, but the people in the crowd hung in there. At the end of the day, a sweet booklet bat knob/auto of Steve Carlton and a rip card were the highlights of the case. Several collectors went home with a variety of cards.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
It was followed by one of the most amazing breaks I've ever seen of any product -- Super Break Box Breakers Edition with my new friend Scott Bateson of NastyBreaks.com. He was joined by Super Break's Scott Allen and we saw some absolutely NASTY items come out of the box, including an authenticated Beatles photo signed by John Lennon, George Harrison and Pete Best. The evening closed with a break of Panini's Elite Football that was specifically for kids. When we were on the stage, the place was hopping.<br />
<br />
After the events on the stage were completed, I sat down and just soaked it in. I had caught up with some friends and here we were just doing our thing in front of a bunch of collectors. Everything was right in the world. In one room, under one roof Upper Deck, Leaf, Panini America, Topps, Heroes of Sport, Super Box, Beckett, Cardboard Connection Radio, PSA, JSA, etc, etc all co-existed. Did some people get snippy? Yep. Did things ever spiral out of control? Nope.<br />
<br />
I really loved the set up of the floor plan this year. The Leaf booth was enormous. Possibly too big. But they had a display case full of future product and Leaf Originals Wrestling II is going to be unreal. Everyone from Sting to Goldberg, to Maria Kanellis is included. The art is much better, and wait until you see what the PURE autos of Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair look like.<br />
<br />
The Upper Deck booth was also just amazing. They had a spot where you could get your own card made. You could play vintage video games in their faux man-cave, and you could celebrate their 25th anniversary with cake and balloons. It was a blast, but I think the UD crew never got a chance to relax the entire time they were there. <br />
<br />
Panini had an amazing looking booth too. Filled with fun events and games and some live case-breaking, it was non-stop action. They were looking to make a statement at this show and let's just say that they went home -- mission accomplished. I am a big fan of their triple-threat marketing team and was pleased to meet the newest member of the franchise -- Sheri. I was thankful for the opportunities to have some great conversations with Jason Howarth, Tracy Hackler and Scott Prusha. Jason is a frickin' dynamo. He is one guy that continues to amaze me with his ability to raise the bar, an asset indeed. Tracy is always the consummate gentleman. After 15 years, he is the same guy I met in Washington DC all those years ago. Scott, well I can't say enough about him too, again after all this time, and a multitude of interviews, I think our best one took place this weekend at the National. In talking about the rich history between Panini and the NFLPA we got to chatting about his role at Panini. It goes back to the year 2000, when the company was still known as Donruss/Playoff. Tracy Hackler was instrumental in bringing him into the fold. That conversation got a little serious and some eyes may have been reddened and teary. You can decide for yourself <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cardboardconnectionradio/2014/08/01/35th-national-sports-collectors-convention-morning-show-8-1-14" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
It was also great seeing another team supreme in action. Another guy I just can't say enough good things about is GTS Founder Lloyd Kee. What a crew he has amassed! Joe Fallon, Karvin Cheung, and now David Reel? Are you kidding me? All well schooled hobby guys that should create new ways for the the business to improve and thrive.<br />
<br />
Another one of my favorite people in this business is Jim Grant at Peach State. I don't know him nearly as well as I do a lot of other people, but he makes a very solid impression. He's a guy that will shoot straight with you. It was great seeing him again.<br />
<br />
I know some of you are thinking I am name dropping. I am, but it is only because I get to see some of these people once or twice a year, and I know they aren't nearly as excited to see me and I am to see them. It is a thrill for me when you can look out to a certain vanishing point in the IX Center, and you can walk in any direction and run into a friend.<br />
<br />
I didn't even get started on my fellow collectors. Seeing listeners of the show and friends like Eric, the dual Chris', Kirk, Kenny and kids that I watched grow up into adults over the years is one of the true highlights for me. You can't touch that. I was also pleased to see my longtime friend Stephen Laroche in his Beckett jersey. He's a good guy, even though he left us out of his National recap! I am happy he found a slot after leaving ITG, It is simply a natural high to enjoy this week among peers and friends.<br />
<br />
Before we left for the evening, I took a short walk around looking for some deals. I didn't have to walk far to find them. I picked up some ridiculous wax boxes including Fleer Star Stickers, Bill & Ted, the Rocketeer and more. My total spent and out the door was like $13. (The Benchwarmer box was a purchase from another day, more about that later).<br />
<br />
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<br />
Before I left I also found some WWE Heritage blasters for $5 and picked
up 4. So now all I had to do was check in to the hotel, open some
packs and have dinner. We ate at this Italian restaurant inside our hotel. It looked OK so we ordered and sat around catching up, seeing as some of us hadn't seen each other in well over a year. I ordered Veal Parmigiana and the other guys ordered some kind of mixed dish that included meat and pasta. Well after about 40 minutes they came out and said they were out of Veal. I then ordered a sausage dish, and about 30 minutes later our food came out. The others got their plates without pasta and mine was pretty good going down, however about 3am, it all came back up. I was sick as a dog, but you know what? As soon as I got it all out, I felt fine. I went back to sleep and luckily was fine for Thursday's events.<br />
<br />
I'll recap that day for you soon.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-29087020076315629882014-08-05T08:46:00.001-07:002014-08-09T07:56:40.162-07:0035th National Sports Collectors Convention Recap Part 1 of ?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Evolve. That was the word I chose to be the focus of the 35th National Sports Collectors Convention. I am pretty sure this will be a multiple post recap. I have a week's worth of happenings to recap and here, I just write, no structure, no deadlines, no nonsense. So get ready for a lengthy, wordy adventure.<br />
<br />
<i>A little over a year ago I was sitting in Las Vegas trying to get an Internet connection to work at a very important event. It was the second time I was doing the exact same thing with the exact same result. I made a decision that I would not be doing it a third time.</i> I knew that there were some big changes looming in the trading card industry. I began to contemplate what the future would look like. After 14 years of reporting on this industry, I took a look back and thought about our accomplishments and whether or not I wanted to continue doing what I do, take on more, or just kind of fade away into the sunset.<br />
<br />
I thought about doing something I wouldn't normally do to acquire tickets to a private NHL event in 2001 to show them how serious we were about becoming a major player in this industry. I remember the direct result of that was being invited to be the hosts of the Rawlings Gold Glove Awards show. When we met resistance with our radio partners, we learned what we needed to do to survive and evolved to be able to do what they couldn't -- take our show on the road and broadcast clean, clear shows from anywhere, anytime. I think about how Sportsology changed the way trading card news was delivered to collectors. Thanks to an Intranet that we could edit anywhere there was an Internet connection, we didn't have to wait on an editor to approve it, we could share it with you immediately. Some companies didn't adapt and they aren't here anymore.<br />
<br />
Our show has always been about you, the collectors. We did it for a long time without making money. Anything we did make, we put right back into the show and for travel expenses. It just made sense to broadcast from events like SportsFest, MLB Fanfest, NFL Experience, NHL Draft etc, etc. But to us, there was no place better than the National to do what we do.<br />
<br />
<i>Back in Las Vegas, as I was watching the Internet cut in and out during a broadcast with the Soup Nazi to the point that we needed over an hour to try to edit the audio to make even remotely worth listening to, I began planning our events for the 34th and 35th National.</i> Both of those events were a tremendous success for us, but the 35th was unlike anything I could have ever anticipated. We knew we wanted to do something different and we put out a couple of feelers to see if any of those ideas could come together. If you are an avid listener of the show, you know how much I'd like to create a trading card product. One of the things on my bucket list was to have our logo on a set of cards. I simply cannot put into words how cool Tom Geideman at SA-GE is for making my dream come true. I think that set looks awesome, and I loved that I got to see people trading them and listing them on eBay at the National!<br />
<br />
We also are very passionate about our friends in this industry. Look we may not agree on everything. My personal stance is that I don't need to say it on the show, but our opinion is not always the opinion of the guests we have. Many times I sympathize with the small guy or the underdog because I believe fair competition breeds better products. At the same time, I am in awe of what you can accomplish when you assemble the best team in the business. Lucky for me, freedom of speech is the First Amendment. It is NEVER my goal to piss people off, just have a forum for conversation. Got it? I don't know everything, I don't claim to. I make mistakes, and sometimes I get hot and things come out of my mouth that I should probably keep to myself. Again, it is because I LOVE this industry and can't stand seeing some of the things happen that can be easily fixed.<br />
<br />
<i>In 2013 we met this artist that painted the most amazing images in a very retro style onto baseball gloves.</i> Rob, Russ and I were so enamored with his work that we invited him to to join us in Chicago in 2013. So it was a no-brainer to have Sean Kane back for 2014. He is one of the most talented artists I know and his product has to been seen to be believed. This year, he provided a Cleveland Indians glove for a collectors to win and it was so beautiful, I am surprised no one walked off with it.<br />
<br />
The other thing we enjoy is informing people about cards, sports and whatnot. The Ladies of Baseball and the Negro League have never gotten the attention they deserve. Rob had reached out to Cleveland's Baseball Heritage Museum to see if they would be interested in coming out to the National and we could help spread the word about their cause. When we found out that former Indians 2B Vern Fuller was the Executive Director of the museum, we knew we had to see if he'd sign at our booth. Another no-brainer. Cleveland rocked as we raised some money for their cause and Vern, who thought no one would remember him, signed a bunch of autos for fans.<br />
<br />
About 2 weeks before the National took place I had scheduled both David Gelfman from RippingWax.com and NSCC Founder Mike Berkus on back-to-back Cardboard Connection Radio shows. We were so excited for this year's show. I am not sure what it was. Perhaps the rumors of change? Maybe it was because 2013 was such a success for us? I think it was more of the fact that we just love being in front of an audience. It's much more fun than doing the show from a studio. As the announcements trickled down we just continued to get excited. After both of those shows aired, I had a phone call with Mike Berkus about our availability at the show. We had scheduled some broadcasts and events and after-show fun, but he asked us to be the hosts of the newly formed Amazon.com Sports Collectibles Main Stage. It was the centerpiece of the first-ever National Sports Collectors Convention Case Breaking Pavilion. Another no-brainer! Of course we said yes. We had no idea what to expect. We could picture it in our heads, you know? A huge area of tables set up with the country's best breakers with a center stage to show off their skills. Add in a couple of athletes like Carlos Baerga and Bobby Hull, and a couple of the top manufacturers including Panini, Topps, Upper Deck and the new repack sensation -- Super Box and you've got yourself one heckuva party. Factor in some excited collectors, outstanding products including Prime Hockey, Five-Star Football, Exquisite Golf, and Super Break Greatest of All-Time Edition, the event just blows up beyond your wildest imagination. There were breaks all week long, a couple were specifically for kids. Even Beckett got on the main stage. Yes Virginia,<i> there is</i> a Santa Claus (we brought him to the National in 2011). We shared a stage with Beckett. Miracles happen. We almost took it to another level, but that will have to wait for another time. <br />
<br />
I have always had fond memories of previous National events, I added several in 2014 that I will never forget. For instance, I got to chat about baseball with Carlos Baerga. To hear what he collects, to hear how he feels about sharing a stat with the great Rogers Hornsby... wow! How about walking Bobby Hull up to the stage and when you go to shake his hand you are greeted by his pearly white grill, not in his mouth, but in his hand! To see all of the happy kids at the Panini and Beckett breaks was a blast. You can't take back the first time a kid sees cards or opens a pack. I got to enjoy that with several hundred children... and believe it or not Bobby Hull. He opened his first pack of cards on the Amazon.com Sports Collectibles Main Stage!<br />
<br />
My hat is off to David Gelfman and Mike Berkus for putting that segment of the show together. Amazing. Nearly 40 breakers, all in one place showcasing to their online users and to the 40,000 or 50,000 that showed up to the National. It was an honor to be a part of history. <br />
<br />
We truly have been blessed. Look for more to come, there were five days of madness and mayhem. I'll try to get them written soon. In the meantime, check out some images on our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.688106231268018.1073741838.154058394672807&type=1" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> and be sure to listen to our <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cardboardconnectionradio" target="_blank">radio shows from the show floor.</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-44387317969047502472014-07-09T05:38:00.002-07:002014-07-09T05:38:19.698-07:00The Cardboard Connection Radio Upcoming Schedule<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Upcoming show schedule and guests:</span><br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><br /> <b>Wednesday 7.9.2014: </b>What's New at <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=213749078685959" href="https://www.facebook.com/Leaftradingcards">Leaf Trading Cards</a> and David Gelfman from Ripping Wax will give us the lowdown on the <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=89162691976" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Sports-Collectors-Convention-Inc/89162691976">National Sports Collectors Convention Inc.</a> Case Breaking pavilion. Segments include Set of the Week and Hot in the Shop.<br /> <b><br /> Friday 7.11.2014:</b> This week <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=222529787789625" href="https://www.facebook.com/ThePaniniAmerica">Panini America</a> kicks off the show, and we'll be joined by the National Sports Collectors Conven<span class="text_exposed_show">tion founder Mike Berkus and <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=128968117287928" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chatograph/128968117287928">Chatograph</a> founder Randy Rovegno to discuss his upcoming event with <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=45084588507" href="https://www.facebook.com/Dodgers">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> great Steve Garvey. Segments include: 5 Guys, and Entertainment Expose if time permits.<br /> <b><br /> Wednesday 7.16.2014: </b>What's New at Leaf Trading Cards with Brian Gray and the return of <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=163892683685587" href="https://www.facebook.com/TheAutographCard">The Autograph Card</a> founder Brian Flam. Set of the Week and <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/page.php?id=260459984011463" href="https://www.facebook.com/GTSdistribution">GTS Distribution</a> Hot in the shop are our weekly segments.<br /> </span></span><br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show"></span></span><br />
<b>Wednesday 7.30.2014 - Sunday 8.3.2014:</b> Live from the 35th National Sports Collectors Convention at the IX Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Live shows all days. Special guests, events and more at the largest trading card and collectibles show in the world.<br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> Tune in to live shows and our archives at: <a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cardboardconnection.com%2Flisten&h=WAQGIvgwl&enc=AZN2-LdPHj-SLo-TgnF9Q_KoJD4n9wdE81zuoosqro4v-7bUqvL13clS1qfIqcn5DlxryEld3IuimprKpD6Eice6IuKaj2bTzDnLGU0J4KVFt-0-bKrZxCky7dl7YqUQV-0Ftb7BBTpIMjjs_SKwE5EJ&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.cardboardconnection.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>listen</a>.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show">View our National plans here: <a href="http://dougcataldo.blogspot.com/2014/07/cardboard-connection-radio-celebrates.html">http://dougcataldo.blogspot.com/2014/07/cardboard-connection-radio-celebrates.html </a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show">Get your National Sports Collectors Convention Tickets here: <a href="http://www.nsccshow.com/vip_tickets.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.nsccshow.com/vip_tickets.shtml </a></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-53395829034254925882014-07-09T05:17:00.000-07:002014-07-09T05:31:02.958-07:00Cardboard Connection Radio Celebrates Collectors in Cleveland at 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="userContent"><i>Popular Trading Card Radio Show to broadcast live from the show floor of the largest trading card and collectibles event of th</i><span class="text_exposed_show"><i>e year. Special events planned during 5-day extravaganza.</i><br /> <br />
The 2014 National Sports Collectors Convention is shaping up to be one
of the best in its storied history. Cardboard Connection Radio, the
longest-running, weekly radio show dedicated to the hobby, will
broadcast live throughout the 5-day event at Cleveland’s International
Exposition (I-X) Center. Friends of the show and special guests will
talk trading cards with hosts Doug Cataldo, Rob Bertrand, Russ Cohen and
David Wright as events unfold.<br /> <br /> VIP and Super VIP ticket
holders will also receive an added bonus. In cooperation with SA-GE
Collectibles, collectors can chase a 10-card set of football cards
(images attached). Each VIP or Super VIP bag will include one of the
nine-card set. The 10th card, a checklist, may be picked up at the
Cardboard Connection Radio booth (M-1) by showing your SA-GE/Cardboard
Connection Radio trading card that is found in the VIP and Super VIP
bags -- while supplies last. The set contains 7 rookies and 2
second-year players.<br /> <br /> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/n1">#N1</a> Le'Veon Bell<br /> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/n2">#N2</a> Blake Bortles<br /> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/n3">#N3</a> Teddy Bridgewater<br /> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/n4">#N4</a> Derek Carr<br /> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/n5">#N5</a> Jadeveon Clowney<br /> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/n6">#N6</a> Mike Evans<br /> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/n7">#N7</a> Eddie Lacy<br /> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/n8">#N8</a> Sammy Watkins<br /> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/n9">#N9</a> Terrance West<br /> <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/n10">#N10</a> Checklist<br /> <br />
As always, collectors will find a variety of cards and other goodies
including t-shirts, and supplies from our friends at UltraPro at the
Cardboard Connection booth beginning on Wednesday, July 30. They will be
available while supplies last. </span></span><br />
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQj-HWke9KWDO3vW-7v4KHQFo89W6N0-OVGtXOkJwhH8l0YIDJIZZl-z15WK7yKcxjhjSyTWLwEornm6v6DnlcCCKRuxG0zebMSjyRa1SnkaOT5KgSFNKfR2aapu3cIbQ0BaH2x8dXVWm/s1600/Vern-Fuller-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQj-HWke9KWDO3vW-7v4KHQFo89W6N0-OVGtXOkJwhH8l0YIDJIZZl-z15WK7yKcxjhjSyTWLwEornm6v6DnlcCCKRuxG0zebMSjyRa1SnkaOT5KgSFNKfR2aapu3cIbQ0BaH2x8dXVWm/s320/Vern-Fuller-web.jpg" height="200" width="142" /></a></span></span></div>
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"> On Saturday, August 2nd,
members of the Baseball Heritage Museum in Cleveland will appear at the
Cardboard Connection Radio booth. The Baseball Heritage Museum showcases
the contributions that the Negro, Hispanic and women's leagues made to
the game of baseball. The museum’s executive director is Vern Fuller,
former second baseman for the Cleveland Indians. Vern will sign
autographs that afternoon (exact time TBD). To help the museum, which is
a non-profit, a donation of $5 for Vern's signature is required with
all proceeds going to the museum.<br /> <br /> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrjeba-JzcaYrAlfMOE2w_V4jgmSj1jheGPSN_OswA9CxRZd7MuxpqGgNhLRwGiXgYPN2sRqDgx4Erlgj6vF4ZkcJOMRapPX-XTUWTGl9pBO2uDBY5gV7XrH6FdVRMtn1N9ogyilQ3rKt/s1600/sean-kane-indians-glove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrjeba-JzcaYrAlfMOE2w_V4jgmSj1jheGPSN_OswA9CxRZd7MuxpqGgNhLRwGiXgYPN2sRqDgx4Erlgj6vF4ZkcJOMRapPX-XTUWTGl9pBO2uDBY5gV7XrH6FdVRMtn1N9ogyilQ3rKt/s1600/sean-kane-indians-glove.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></span></span></div>
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">On Sunday, August 3rd, our guest will be artist extraordinaire Sean Kane. Sean is the founder of Painted Glove Collectibles (<a href="http://www.seankanebaseballart.com/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.seankanebaseballart.com/</a>).
Sean will demonstrate his artistic talents and show how he produces one
of his unique, one-of-a-kind collectibles. Sean has graciously donated a
glove with a Cleveland theme to put in the hands of a lucky collector.
Stop by the booth to find out how you can participate.<br /> <br /> Let’s Talk Trading Cards Cleveland!</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-53117769195394544382014-04-11T08:19:00.000-07:002014-04-11T08:19:05.476-07:00It's Been Awhile... Time for a Content or Culture Burst!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It is not often that I have any free time these days. With a family, a radio show, a full-time job and many side projects, I often ignore the blog. Luckily I have no deadlines, or people breathing down my neck to come up with creative cardboard quips. If you are interested in seeing where my so-called "spare" time is being spent, you can by simply visiting <a href="http://www.cultureburst.com/">www.cultureburst.com</a>.<br />
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I've always been fascinated by Pop Culture and am a walking encyclopedia full of useless info and trivia, so why not put that to some use? Everyone needs a little culture!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-50697327502367791332014-02-04T20:02:00.001-08:002014-02-04T20:02:16.778-08:00Who Doesn't Like A Good Surprise? There is no illusion -- Topps Magic is Magnificent<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
With so many products to choose from, it is always a great rush when a product that wasn't on your radar proves to be not only a great value, but also strikes a chord with the reasons you love to collect trading cards. 2013 Topps Magic really took me by surprise and I'll give you some insight on the set and why it made an impact on me.<br />
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This year's edition of Magic can be found for just under $70. It is very similar to the 2012 edition which was presented as a traditional hobby product after a year of being an online exclusive.<br />
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What sets Magic apart from recent NFL releases is that you get today's players on a vintage style card design. Vintage is such a multifaceted term though. These don't look like cards from the 1800s or event the early 1900s, they are very reminiscent of the late 70s and early 80s Topps baseball sets. This one reminds me of one of my favorite Topps designs -- 1980 baseball.<br />
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I think its refreshing once and awhile to lose all the glitz, the shimmer and the shine. Of course, if you lose those popular elements, you've got to have a very strong design to make up for it. Sometimes it is a level of simplicity that makes a great design and that's exactly what Topps nailed here. Subtle, clean layouts, combined with outstanding photos stood out among many other 2013 products for me.<br />
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Magic has a 330-card base set that includes a mix of veterans, rookies and all-time greats. It also contains a whopping 110 short prints. This box contained 148 of the 330-card set for 44%.<br />
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While Magic leaves the glitz and glam behind, it has some striking features that accompany the base set. There are 5 levels of mini parallels. Border colors are white, black, blue, green and red. You should find a mini in every pack for a total of 24.<br />
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On top of the autographs there are several insert sets to collect. But before I get into that,you should know that there are over 100 different autographs to chase. There are also dual and six-up signature cards!<br />
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Ground and Pound (25 cards) and Aerial Attack (25 cards) are more cards printed in traditional stock with the look of a set from 2 or 3 decades back. Ground and Pound are seeded 1:6 packs, and Aerial Attack are found 1:4 packs.<br />
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I think it's safe to say that when you look at the 1948 Topps Magic set, that qualifies as vintage. Topps included, like last year, mini '48 inserts seeded 1:12 packs.<br />
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Rookie Enchantment (1:6) are framed inserts featuring the 2013 rookie class.<br />
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The autos in the box are stickers, it would be great to have them on card, but, cost could rise if they were all on-card. Perhaps it is something the could look at doing earlier on the calendar and they could be on-card...<br />
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Our autographs were: #76 Josh Boyce, #203 Jamar Taylor, & #205 Robert Lester.<br />
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This box had one additional insert, a Magic Rookie Relic of the Green Bay Packers Johnathan Franklin #'d to 99. <br />
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No doubt the 2012 edition had the better checklist, but at least for me, 2013 struck a chord. Perhaps its simply because this has been the year of shiny, shiny, and more shiny. Maybe it is just a great value, and I like the underdog. The underdog in this case meaning that there are some great players in this draft that are not touted like the ones from last year... I guess we'll see in a couple of years.<br />
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Thanks to Topps for providing the product, and be sure to tune in to Cardboard Connection Radio for a little discussion about Magic and a chance to win the autographs from the box.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-24266002202206268122013-11-26T09:07:00.001-08:002013-11-26T09:07:36.666-08:00Goodbye 2013 NASCAR Season -- Hello 2014 Press Pass Racing.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Amazing isn't it? Jimmie Johnson was just crowned 2013 NASCAR Champion for the sixth time a week ago and hot on the heels of the season close, we have the first 2014 racing product. Press Pass releases their flagship brand to keep a steady flow of racing cards throughout the calendar year. I've heard we are in store for some big changes in the near future and I am excited to see and experience what they may be. For now though, I am going to enjoy this 100-card base set product and the autographs and memorabilia cards inside packs.<br />
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The design is solid this year and features drivers from Sprint, Nationwide and the Camping World series. You'll find rookie cards of Austin Dillon, Justin Allgaier and Kyle Larson too.<br />
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My only beef with this product coming out so early is that it seems incomplete. You see, this year Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Brian Vickers and others are moving into new cars this year. I hope that Press Pass will seriously consider providing a series two for 2014, perhaps even an online exclusive box set with an auto and memorabilia card.<br />
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Here's a look at the video box break:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="276" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Bjp1OUc1wZw" width="490"></iframe>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-83946826807901197442013-10-15T07:05:00.000-07:002013-10-15T07:10:53.033-07:00Cardboard Connection Radio Enters The Squared Circle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Over the years we've gone toe-to-toe with some of the greatest grapplers in the world. Are you a wrestling fan? Here are links to our interviews with some of our favorite grapplers:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><a href="http://goo.gl/ExRVCc">Lisa Marie Varon</a></li>
<li><a href="http://goo.gl/RgRfkh">Maria Kanellis </a></li>
<li><a href="http://goo.gl/sSg1Dv">Lex Luger</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_271784020"></span>Diamond Dallas Page<span id="goog_271784021"></span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://goo.gl/ZuYPwg">Trish Stratus</a></li>
<li><a href="http://goo.gl/QDT358">Ultimate Warrior, Bobby Heenan, Nikita Koloff</a></li>
<li><a href="http://goo.gl/Vv5cIm">Booker T</a></li>
</ul>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-62562663377490006602013-10-11T05:49:00.001-07:002013-10-11T05:49:07.015-07:00What's Inside: 2013 Panini Prizm Baseball<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It seems like only a few days ago (OK, months) 2012 Prizm hit the streets running. Collectors loved it and they didn't have to wait for more. 2013 Prizm is here with its shiny goodness, 4 levels of parallels and 2 autographs per box.<br />
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I was eager to check this one out. Not only was it a good looking set, both autographed card were actually in the product! That alone scores some points with me. So, what was in the box? Let's go to the videotape!<br />
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<iframe width="490" height="276" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/yRMH-rb_cjQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-20932992672568362322013-10-10T06:11:00.000-07:002013-10-10T06:12:28.665-07:00Last Night Mars Attacked, Tomas Hertl Lit the Lamp and Collectors Rejoiced<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On last night's episode of Cardboard Connection Radio we brought Topps Mars Attacks Licensing Manager Adam Levine in to discuss the continuously growing brand of one of the hobby's most unique trading card brands. From a team-up with Stan Lee to the upcoming Mars Attacks Invasion product, 2013 has been the year of Mars Attacks.
We also spoke with Chris Carlin of Upper Deck about a variety of topics including the first cards of the NHLs Tomas Hertl who lit the lamp four times against the NY Rangers at only age 19. Hertl's 4th goal was one of the all-time greatest goals in the history of the league.
Other topics include Andy Pafko, Set of the Week, the Chicagoland Non-Sports Card Show and more!
<a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cardboardconnectionradio/2013/10/10/wednesday-cardboard-connection-radio">Catch the replay!</a>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-34681716850720325062013-10-10T05:58:00.002-07:002013-10-10T05:58:35.426-07:00What's Inside: 2013 Panini Certified Football<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As the 2013 Football products continue to hit shelves, one long-running product, Certified gives collectors 4 hits, a mix of memorabilia and autographs, a little lower price and lots of colorful parallel cards. What's inside? Take a look:
<iframe width="490" height="276" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/MhVgVlXJq58" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-18137791472316671782013-10-10T05:51:00.001-07:002013-10-10T06:01:33.465-07:00With A Label Like Finest You Better Bring Your A Game and Leave The Redemptions At Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For 20 years Topps Finest has been my favorite consistent product from Topps. It always brings out the best from the Topps designers and has continued to evolve into one of the best looking products. It's also been a source of many incredible autographed memorabilia cards. When Topps began producing cards for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, they added Finest to the lineup because like it's baseball and football counterparts, it showcases the best Topps has to offer.<br />
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The 2013 edition is no exception. It boasts an outstanding design, a perfect balance of Octagon ring generals and some incredible memorabilia and autographs from fighters and fans of the sport. Broken up into 2 mini-boxes you'll get a whopping 6 hits in the product, a mix of fighter gear, ring mats, ring girl kisses and autographs!<br />
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One thing though hits collectors like a kidney shot, too many redemption cards. A brief count after the products release showed over 15 key cards as redemptions in the product. Believe me, Topps doesn't want it that way, but it is, and if you are dropping $85-$95 for a product and the two main hits in the box are not actually in it, I believe you have a valid beef. Have a look inside a box of 2013 Topps UFC Finest...<br />
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<br /><iframe width="490" height="276" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/OOJIyo8q_Eo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-38737821162838709772013-09-20T06:23:00.003-07:002013-09-20T16:07:32.753-07:00What's Inside: Topps Tier One Baseball<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ah, Topps. Collectors either love or hate them. There doesn't seem to be much in-between does there? The company with the greatest legacy in sports cards is sort of an enigma. They do many things well and some other things not so well. In a day and age where customer service should be everything, it isn't. With social media, collectors have made and broken companies. It isn't the largest portion of the hobby by any means, but it is the direct lifeline for many to reach out and get their opinion heard. I've seen careers and companies ruined by stories told on Twitter and Facebook. Faith in a company should be the #1 reason why you put your hard-earned dollars behind a purchase. Why anyone would buy something they aren't happy with is beyond me. They are the company that is supposed to be the industry leader. This year, my confidence in them has wavered. It truly bothers me. Perhaps it is just me wanting something from my childhood to live on the way I've always remembered it, or simply because I want collectors of today to get the absolute best service they deserve. Maybe, I expect them to live up to the legacy. I've had my ups and downs with some of the recent Topps releases, but I can tell you that with Tier One, it's nothing but love from me. <br />
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Tier One shoots straight. It's a box with 3 cards in it (some contain 4). On average 2 autographs and one memorabilia card. It features outstanding designs, some unique takes on past Topps releases and contains one of the best mixes of past, present and future MLB stars that you can have. There are a couple of more greats I'd like to see on the list, but this one is nothing to sneeze at. I'd also like to see them up the basic relic cards here to be a little more high-end. I'm not saying 4-color patches, but maybe save the good stuff for this product next time around. There are unreal patches included, but a basic relic is sort of mundane in a product that could make an even bolder statement with collectors. I was very happy with my box. So happy, I bought more. Have a look at what I found:<br />
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<br /><iframe width="490" height="276" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/YgNsnqEsusU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-20117693729513394082013-09-19T22:30:00.001-07:002013-09-19T22:30:10.452-07:00What's Inside: 2013 Press Pass Showcase Video Box Break<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Consistency means something in the world of trading cards. I don't take a lot of chances purchasing a product that I don't believe will provide me something I absolutely won't keep in my collection after opening it. I mean if I wanted that kind of gamble, I'd head to Vegas. Do you ever think about that when making a trading card purchase? You see for me, I go in with the thought of getting something I'd like to add to my collection. Many people go at it from a completely different perspective. They go in hoping to get something great to sell. If I had a dollar for every time I've heard the only good trading card is a sold trading card, I wouldn't be talking about trading cards...<br />
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There are a small handful of go to products that will deliver something worth keeping or that will deliver something of significant value to use as trade material for another collector. Two of those products are manufactured by Press Pass. They are Redline and Showcase.<br />
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As the chase for the Sprint Cup gets underway, Press Pass delivers one of the most potent racing products of the year. Showcase is loaded with some of the most diverse racing gear and plenty of outstanding autographs. Would you like to see what's inside a box? Watch this:<br />
<br /><iframe width="490" height="276" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8cB08NX794Q?list=UUJxvD2r2DVJXjc8LEpd33tw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-52997137035661259592013-09-19T20:32:00.002-07:002013-09-20T06:01:30.233-07:00SIGnificant Autos - Getting Old Sucks - Dying Is Even Worse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There is no doubt that life is precious. Every minute is a blessing. I've lost loved ones and there is no greater pain. It is amazing how fast time passes. It seems like yesterday that I was sitting in the Atlantic City Convention center watching Tommy Morrison manhandle Ray Mercer until he got gassed and Mercer delivered an unforgettable beating. That Morrison came back and fought after that showed how much heart he had. That he defeated George Foreman for a heavyweight title was another example. I was a fan. You see, at that time in my life I worked at Trump Regency (formerly the Playboy Club) and Trump Plaza. I got to meet all of the boxers of that era that came through town. Tyson, Foreman, Holyfield, Ruddock, Bowe, Seldon, Stewart, Holmes, etc. With all of the fights in the city, it was also a great opportunity to meet celebrities that loved the sweet science. Ah, the good old days.<br />
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I was fortunate enough to acquire a lot of great autographs during that span, and one of my favorite was Morrison. As Tommy Gunn in Rocky V, the most maligned chapter of the Balboa saga, Morrison became a star. That recognition translated well to his actual boxing career, but many thought of him as just another great white hype. Tommy was good, and what should have been a promising career was derailed when he tested HIV positive in 1996. 10 years later, that diagnosis would be reversed and he resumed a boxing career, but it was nothing like the early years. Some of the big names Morrison beat include James Tillis, Razor Ruddock & George Foreman. When he eventually retired it was with a respectable record of 49-3-1 with 44 KOs.<br />
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Here's an 8x10 I acquired in 1991 just before the big fight with Ray Mercer. I was truly saddened by his passing as he was only 44. I am 44. That is simply way too soon to leave this amazing world. RIP Tommy.<br />
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Minutes before going on the air for the 9/19/13 episode of Cardboard Connection Radio, I was informed that another one of my favorite pugilists passed away. This time it was the legendary Ken Norton. Norton was a monster in the ring. He defeated Muhammad Ali, not many men can say that. It was quite a feat to beat Ali in his prime. His fight with Larry Holmes in '78 was one of the best heavyweight fights of all time. Norton was 42-7-1 with 33 KOs. Check out round 15 of the Holmes fight, it is a classic.<br />
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His son Ken Norton Jr. became the first player in the NFL to win 3 consecutive Super Bowls. It was clear the family had some good genes.<br />
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I had the privilege of interviewing Ken a few years ago. I am and always will be a fan. He was a very cool guy in and out of the ring. Here's a link to listen if you like...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="370" src="http://player.cinchcast.com/?show_id=2222461&platformId=1&assetType=single" width="400"></iframe><br />
<div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;">
<a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sports">More Sports Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cardboardconnectionradio">Cardboard Connection Radio</a> on BlogTalkRadio</div>
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On that day, Ken being the consummate professional signed this Everlast glove for me, free of charge. It will never leave my collection. RIP Ken.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-25689471226556698652013-08-17T09:50:00.002-07:002013-08-17T12:05:41.418-07:0034th National Sports Collectors Convention -The Final Chapter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's time for part 3 of my NSCC Trilogy. I promise there won't be any Ewoks. On the same night as the Topps meet and greet, there was dinner party taking place with the members of the vintage group Net54baseball.com. Of the members of the forum that I met that night, and the ones I sat with during the dinner, I enjoyed the company of a great group of guys. The night led off with a couple of speakers, one was very well spoken, one sounded like an infomercial, and one made me laugh out loud several times for all the wrong reasons. I felt bad, but I had to leave before the final speaker to attend the Topps event. Many thanks to <span class="st"> Leon Luckey for his hospitality, I hope to have him on the show soon to talk more about Net54 and vintage. </span><br />
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<span class="st">I'd be cheating you out of a good story if I didn't at least elaborate on the speaker that made me laugh. It was Josh Evans. Josh is the founder of Lelands. He's done tremendous things for the industry in my lifetime, and I am a fan. His story is a good one, he is easily one of the most recognized leaders in the memorabilia and auction category. Somehow in his speech, he was telling a story that for the most part made sense. It was about his origins, and he infused a little testosterone to toot his own horn. That happens at the National. The story somehow kept focusing on Charlie Sheen and a deal that Evans was trying to close with the former Two & A Half Men star. So what was funny about it? Well at first it was about a specific item Sheen wanted and Evans found it. He basically used his savings to purchase it and needed to sell it ASAP. As the story progressed, the item started being referred to as <i>stuff</i>. He also kept saying he has sold Sheen <i>a lot </i>of <i>stuff</i>. When Evans went to deliver it, Sheen was not at home, but in rehab. Before he could mutter another sentence, everyone at our table was making interesting guesses as to what <i>stuff</i> Evans was delivering to Sheen, and what <i>stuff</i> Sheen was doing to get into himself into rehab. The funny/sad part of the story is that we never learned what the <i>stuff </i>was. However the <i>item</i> Evans sold to Sheen was Babe Ruth's world series ring. I was laughing so hard that I swallowed an ice cube whole.</span><br />
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<span class="st">I can't say enough about Panini America's NSCC presence. I'll get to the VIP party in a bit, but even before that happened, they had plenty of events going on. From having Jared Sullinger signing at their booth to case breaks and a massively popular redemption program, it was a constant barrage of cool. They had a large group of staff present ranging from marketing and product development to sales and VPs. We spoke to many of them on the <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cardboardconnectionradio" target="_blank">Cardboard Connection Radio Show</a>. Use that link to check out the archives. Here's a look at a couple of the cards from their VIP set. It includes cards of EJ Manuel, Geno Smith, Nail Yakupov, Oscar Tavares, and the mystery cards were Ben McLemore & Nerlens Noel.</span><br />
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<span class="st">They brought former Buckeyes and current Celtics power forward Jared Sullinger to sign at their booth which created a nice buzz among attendees.</span><br />
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In addition they crafted a huge redemption set for those busting the many Panini products over the weekend. It contains 24 base cards, 23 rookies #d to 499, 13 Diamond/Court/Gridiron Kings, 10 Team Colors, a variety of Tools of the Trade, and Staff memorabilia cards of Tim Franz, Tracy Hackler, Jason Howarth and D.J. Kazmierczak. There are parallels of many of the cards, as well as the extremely limited Print Progressions.<br />
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There were two additional big events that Panini had planned for the week. One was a meeting with distributors that would address any issues with the removal of MAPP pricing, and unveil their plans for a new incentive program called the Panini Round Table program. It would put branded Panini items including box cutters, shirts and more into the hands of shop owners. You can listen to Panini's D.J. Kazmierczak discuss the Round Table program, and more by using <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cardboardconnectionradio/2013/08/02/day-3-live-from-the-national-show-1" target="_blank">this link</a> (FF to the 16 minute mark).<br />
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The other event was their VIP party. To enter you had to purchase $7500 worth of Panini products, or if you were insanely lucky you could have won entry via a Blowout Cards contest or the Ultra Pro and Cardboard Connection Radio contest.<br />
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Scott and Tammy (the winners) pictured below, had a fantastic time at the party and really had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Here they are together at the VIP party shortly before enjoying the company of Dan Hampton, Chris Chelios, Thomas Robinson, Pedro Martinez, Johnny Damon, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, & Yasiel Puig.<br />
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<span class="st">This was truly a special evening. First class all the way. As you walked into the event you were given a gift bag. It was a beautiful Panini back pack with a 1/1 packaging printing plate, a redemption to use later for a Yasiel Puig autographed photo, a special VIP only Black Box, and some great Ultra Pro items to store your cards including storage boxes and one-touches. I was thinking to myself that was enough, a more than generous gift. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike Trout Cracked Ice #'d to 5.</td></tr>
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<span class="st">Then
as you walked in you were given an additional redemption for a box of
golden packs. Inside these packs were some pretty fantastic trading
cards. Extremely limited editions of the Panini NSCC redemption sets
with some amazing 1 of 5 and 1/1 memorabilia and autographed cards
sprinkled in. Also seeded into these packs were instant redemption cards
for items Panini had on hand including signed photos, memorabilia and
more. DJ Kool was spinning jams, while some lovely ladies dressed in Panini gear, <i>very tiny</i>, Panini gear mind you, were dancing the night away. It was great to see some of our friends in a non-working environment for a change. Getting to spend some time talking about non-work things was a highlight for me. Make no mistake about it though, between tweeting, taking photos and filming interviews, it was was FUN work too!</span><br />
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<span class="st">Pictured here are some of the cards from the event I pulled out of the gold
packs. I like collecting cards of the guests we've had on Cardboard Connection Radio, so the Tom Wilson card was a must keep. Wilson recently discussed being drafted and living out his dream of making the NHL. </span><br />
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<span class="st">The
food was outstanding capped by a giant ice Panini logo that was
surrounded by shrimp, oysters and crab. In addition there was Sushi,
sliders, salads and even more delicious deserts. </span><br />
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<span class="st">Throughout the event athletes made their way in to socialize with the VIPs. It began with former Blackhawks great Chris Chelios and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist snapping photos and with each passing moment, it seemed another guest made their way in. Before you knew it, the room was buzzing about who would be next. The final two players to enter the room were former Red Sox and Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez and current Dodgers phenom -- Yasiel Puig. Both appeared to have a great time, laughing and dancing while mingling with their fans, and also the Panini girls. It will go down as one of the premiere events of this and any other National, past or future. Just wanted to say thank you to all the Panini peeps for making it a great event. They are a great group of people to work with.</span><br />
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<span class="st">This was a busy NSCC for me and the CCR crew. Sorry it took so long to jot down the meaty highlights, but there was so much to discuss and still I don't feel I covered it all. </span><br />
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<span class="st">One last note. I always leave the National wondering what comes next. Time to put on the thinking caps, and try to outdo ourselves for next year in Cleveland. The show was a great success for Cardboard Connection Radio, and for that I thank anyone reading this, those that listen to our show, and visit our website. You make it worthwhile! While you might think I care more about all of the cool things I picked up, and they are cool, the best takeaway from the National is when we leave making new friends, business partners, and know that we've helped one or more of our friends make a connection within the industry. I am so excited to tell you we did that a few times over, and I cannot wait to see the results. 2014 is going to be a fantastic year. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-52271835426640177702013-08-15T05:51:00.000-07:002013-08-15T05:59:33.557-07:00Diamond Dave - Someone Get The Guy To Sign A Trading Card!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Collecting autographed trading cards is one of the easiest ways to find certified, authentic autographs of almost anyone. While not 100% policed, there have been some issues of autopen over the years, and I've heard a story or two about someone allegedly stepping in to sign someone else's trading cards. Still to me it is the safest route to go when you can't get the signature yourself. Also, I'm not keen on those situations where you stand in a line and wait for your 3 seconds of time with someone while they are signing your item. If I add a signature to my collection, it usually has a story attached to it that lasts longer than 3 seconds.<br />
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Sometimes collecting cards of musician autographs can be limiting. With products like Pop Century, Music, Music, Music, Allen & Ginter, Americana, and sets featuring Elvis & KISS that changed. We began seeing amazing autographs from artists like the Beatles, Billy Idol, Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Henry Rollins, Lita Ford, Johnny Cash and many, many more. A few names that I have yet to see are ones that I think are must haves if you are putting a music set together. Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth. Along those lines, how about Joan Jett? I could keep naming names, but if I had to pick 3 those would be the ones I'd want to see.<br />
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Since there are no official autographed cards of Diamond Dave, I had to take a different route. I think Dave is the man. He played the rock n' roll game by his rules. Who the heck leaves the biggest band in the world to go solo? If you've seen any of his music videos from the 80s, the man set the bar for what music videos would become. California Girls, Just a Gigolo, Yankee Rose and Goin' Crazy are iconic, comedic and just plain awesome. Now gimme a bottle of anything, and a glazed donut to go!<br />
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I was lucky enough to get this autograph when I wrote music reviews back in 1996-97. I hope to add a trading card autograph of Dave and Eddie at some point in my life, but for now this will do the trick. I get to enjoy the signature and the best of David Lee Roth.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-10482553255705911722013-08-13T18:23:00.001-07:002013-08-13T21:00:55.492-07:00National Sports Collectors Convention Takeaways Pt.2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So many interesting things took place during the 34th National, I needed more than one post to cover it. Tons of highlights and some seriously ridiculous lowlights. Our interviews with Tracy Hackler, Brian Price, Brian Gray, Scott Prusha, Rick Klein, Jonathan Dalton, Chris Carlin, D.J. Kazmierczak, Will Jaimet, were a lot of fun. Sorry if I am forgetting anyone, we covered a lot of ground, but there were more events that just didn't make it onto the radio show.<br />
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A lot of people came up to us and asked why we weren't in the corporate area. Here is your answer. We didn't want to be. Imagine if you were next to us, and paid X amount of money for your spot. For 90% of the show you had speakers blaring towards your setup, and you couldn't hear your customers -- you'd be pissed, correct? Well I would too, and I didn't think it would be fair to do that to whomever surrounded us. Also, if we had a guest like Lisa Marie or Sean Kane, and a line formed, would you want it in front of your space, hindering people from seeing what you have at your booth? I didn't think so. I was grateful for Mike Berkus and his crew for finding us a great spot that didn't do either of those things, yet kept us right out there where people could see, hear and talk without taking away business from another company or dealer.<br />
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A true highlight of the show for me was to meet some of my artist friends including Jared Kelley, Brian Kong and Sean Kane. Catching up with Jay Pangan and Paul Madden was also a treat. All are uniquely talented individuals, and have done some amazing work for their respective manufacturers. Seeing Sean Kane's work up close was mind-blowing. It looks good online, but when you see it in front of you, WOW! Watching Jared's processs of painting a card from start to finish was also an amazing thing to see in person. I hope Dr. Price has him and Paul at the booth again, dueling artists was AWESOME! Jay, well he's one of the nicest guys I've met and generous. I only wish I had more time to spend with them all. Oh, and if you are a fan of MLB mascots like I am, be sure to check out Brian's work on Trolley Dodgers, Pinstriped Yankees, Wearing Redsox. He stayed through the week to also appear at Wizard World's Comic Con (more about that in an upcoming post).<br />
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You'll see a thousand complaints about the littlest and biggest things that took place at the National. It doesn't matter what you do, you will NEVER please everyone. If you can learn to live with that, you'll sleep better at night.
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So here's my take on the Topps redemption program. The Yasiel Puig Gypsy Queen card was easily the most popular and sought after at the show. I'll take the high road unlike some of you that just shoot from the hip. They are short-handed. I don't know why, I won't pretend I do, but they are. They need a few more bodies and minds over there. They have a solid crew with Clay, Mark, David and Jeff, but their redemption program is ALWAYS big time and they need to staff it like it is big time. That they let dealers get in line before the show opened to the public, well that needs to be fixed too. It's not rocket science. Do a dealer redemption line, and an attendee line. Don't start the attendee one until at least an hour after show opens to the public. VIPs should be able to get in line first. At the very least, someone should be checking badges and monitoring the situation. When you keep it limited, expect madness. Something had to change, and it did by the third day. Hopefully collectors left happy and not frustrated.<br />
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As far as their meet and greet. It continues to astonish me how many people won't say the stuff they say online once they are face-to-face. I watched people that completely disrespect that company on a daily basis act like they were best friends in that room. It was sickening.<br />
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Some of the comments made were gold. I loved the collector that asked about more Santa cards. His comments totally validated us bringing him to the National 2 years prior. Clay at Topps said he's tough to get to sign. We had him at the National in 2011, and he signed a ton of autographs! They were pretty upfront at this meet and greet stating that cost is something that stops them from doing things. I suppose I can understand that, but would it really have killed them to bring in a UFC guy or girl to sign, or even a WWE person? No it wouldn't have. I'd like to offer assistance to them in the future if they need another person at events. I have loved the Topps brand since I was 5. I can't stand seeing some of the flak they take, but some of it is justified. I bet once they address the redemption issues and, get customer service back on track, some of that criticism will subside. For those that think they don't care, they do, but where some companies can turn on a dime, make a decision in a snap, or make an instant change, Topps may not be able to because of corporate. I am fans of their staff, they are all very intelligent guys and I think they just need some help. One last bit of advice for them, if they are reading. When you get that many Topps collectors in a room, don't let a single one of them leave with nothing. Throughout the evening they had a raffle for people to win prizes. Some walked out with 3 or 4 boxes of product. Some left shaking their heads with nothing. Considering those people hung around for 2 hours after the show closed, throw them a bone for being a dedicated enough fan. A pack probably would've sufficed. Topps brought 2013 mini to the show. For the second consecutive year, they have created a mini set based on their flagship product. Many people love them, including me. I skipped the minis this year. Why? Last year there was an awesome bonus mini pack only available at the NSCC if you bought a box. That was the tipping point for me. This year, that wasn't available, thus I didn't bite.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_ct_iuPZAgFeJOegieN8tWqj9tf0cFTJIoCHkLLwPHzIPWBdPT8ryfFdqXCzeNytkHu44xkjRr6W9qVbNcIQA0d3I4A5Ktq7Jjz7bvASrajQxlPfzi5G-gMbhJOR_NKEIvqRs7bdvqub/s1600/will-card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_ct_iuPZAgFeJOegieN8tWqj9tf0cFTJIoCHkLLwPHzIPWBdPT8ryfFdqXCzeNytkHu44xkjRr6W9qVbNcIQA0d3I4A5Ktq7Jjz7bvASrajQxlPfzi5G-gMbhJOR_NKEIvqRs7bdvqub/s320/will-card.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son Will made a card at the UD booth.<br />
He even tried to replicate the logo. Nice!</td></tr>
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Upper Deck had a firm goal to reach a lot of different collectors. The fantastic "Make Your Own Trading Card" booth was a smash hit. It allowed kids to make their very own card using markers and a blank canvas. It was simply awesome to see kids partaking in this trading card goodness. In addition, they were essentially a loading dock for Cards2Kids. Dealers, retailers and collectors could drop off their unwanted cards at the UD booth and they'd go directly to the charitable organization. Simply spectacular! We dropped off a huge box of singles for them. On top of that, they had quite the rousing success with their Fleer Retro redemption promotion. When the National was ready to come to a close, they held a raffle for many of the items on display at their booth. They really didn't want to take anything home. Rumor has it that at one point during the show, they bought everyone at their booth ice cream. Why? Because collecting Upper Deck cards is COOL. You know cool, like Ice Cream. Shame I missed that, but I need an ice cream cone like I need another chin. <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cardboardconnectionradio/2013/08/01/live-from-the-national-sports-collectors-convention" target="_blank">Listen to Chris Carlin on Cardboard Connection Radio</a> (skip to the 51 minute mark).<br />
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I was happy to see Collector Revolution set up at the show. I like what they are doing. Their customer base is growing and I continue to hear nothing but great things from the ones we talk to. That's a good sign. I will continue to observe their growth. The man in charge, Jonathan has a solid game plan, and the sky is the limit.<br />
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Some of my favorite people in the world are affectionately known to our group as the Brian Triad. That would be Brian Price, Brian Gray and Brian Wallos. You know them as the President of In the Game Inc., the owner of Leaf Trading Cards, and the man behind Benchwarmer. I often ask myself what would happen if the three of them merged. Now that would be something, wouldn't it? All three brought something special to the National. ITG put a fantastic cut signature autograph featuring all 4 of the Beatles. Yeah. John, Paul, George & Ringo on a single card. Amazing collectible. Check out the video of the presentation with special guest assistant Benchwarmer Mary Riley.<br />
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ITG's Chicago-centric redemption set was sharp too. Featuring great art of popular Chicago Blackhawks, it was on my must-have list. It was also great to see my friend Stephen Laroche and spend some time with him, as well as catching up with Allan Levine.<br />
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQK5SBwqdHONxbimIH6J6QxhJDNLhf2JKPkqwqJLiBLF2Jzw8ToHgCm1MGqFu4aR8j-t1H2swZ1gqroJpU_24Xs19x4CItSNPCU9iuWR2BlbVbs0aSrq8WLXwC4FPVhgFN5Ugq1N4BDw8/s640/sportkings.jpg" width="456" /></div>
At the same time ITG was doing their promotion, Leaf was also doing something special. They had the Lucky Clover drawing for a Josh Gibson autograph. I told you we were busy right? We captured that on film too. Bringing the National home for collectors since 2000, yeah that's us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDuf-q3Hxd7TkhgJpn0FUOmMlhxjquZFN6LChyphenhyphentfCTFRd7c98iDwwQ2wxGPFLKl4thFaN8c9Ocas-poFGc6R1kLXJahSTT0MNeS3vyzI7cLy6n25CB2jGbYvKbDc84JKJNdQkz6qusvVm/s1600/powers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDuf-q3Hxd7TkhgJpn0FUOmMlhxjquZFN6LChyphenhyphentfCTFRd7c98iDwwQ2wxGPFLKl4thFaN8c9Ocas-poFGc6R1kLXJahSTT0MNeS3vyzI7cLy6n25CB2jGbYvKbDc84JKJNdQkz6qusvVm/s320/powers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As for Benchwarmer, Brian Wallos brings his lovely ladies to the show and the lines for them to sign cards is consistent throughout the entire weekend. Lots of people claim to have the best booth. Brian by far has the best looking booth. The one man and multi-woman show adds a dynamic to the National that no one else can pull off. As dedicated as his ladies are to the Benchwarmer cause, some of his collectors are even more dedicated. Some Benchwarmer super collectors were at the show, and they had some jaw-dropping cards in their collections. Me? I usually try to get all of the girls on the National exclusive cards, but again I was WAY too busy, so I snuck by and grabbed a Billie Jo Powers autograph. She was one I didn't have in my collection. <br />
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So, think I am long-winded yet? I've got more. Look at least one, if not two more posts about the National coming soon, or when I find some more time.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-11921047893648701192013-08-12T21:05:00.000-07:002013-08-12T21:11:25.747-07:00Takeaways from the National Sports Collectors Convention<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
With a week to process everything and recover from the 34th National Sports Collectors Convention, I finally found some time to jot down some notes from the show. I've pretty much said all I can say on the 8, yes 8 Cardboard Connection Radio shows that we did LIVE from the show floor, but even that didn't provide enough time for everything that went on. It didn't help that <a href="http://dougcataldo.blogspot.com/2013/08/wizards-comic-con-converges-on-chicago.html" target="_blank">Wizard World's Chicago Comic Con</a> was in the same exact building less than a week later.<br />
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Before I get into the recap of the National, I often get asked which event is better, so here's my standard answer. I enjoy them both, but as far as meeting people and the amount of traffic at the show, Wizard World owns the Donald E. Stephens convention center. The show continues to grow. I think the main difference is the interaction with the celebrities. That kind of access doesn't happen at the National. Instead of a pavilion, the guests at Wizard have their own table and staff, so the process is not only fast, but a more personable experience. The National could learn a lot by attending a comic-con to see how it could continue to grow. Opening the show up to a few new ideas could go a long way. It's also a different crowd. There is a lot of crossover, but for the most part it is two different audiences, in two melting pots of pop culture.<br />
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I picked up some fantastic new additions to my personal collection at both shows. Some, I had no idea I either wanted or needed until I saw them in front of me. At the National I was not expecting to find vintage non-sports wax boxes. I usually make it a habit to pick up supplies and singles towards a couple of older sets I am trying to build. I also go out of my way to find a fun junk wax box to open with my kids. When I saw a dealer with a table full of vintage non-sports wax, most for less than $10, I couldn't help myself. Here's a sampling of what I bought.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyUDmhNXn-K9YWyU1uGHfTzLVSJ_t9nkW6BNuGvyhSk3k_WQgh2F3pu_F7dpsTn2-0OiEfKcMf_R3zgKnUWR6mxz9T3cccu_FnqvMm1rq6N1nZ4Sa9gYZ9C3pZoaiUMY80ixJizkNzlLg/s1600/IMG_1162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqyUDmhNXn-K9YWyU1uGHfTzLVSJ_t9nkW6BNuGvyhSk3k_WQgh2F3pu_F7dpsTn2-0OiEfKcMf_R3zgKnUWR6mxz9T3cccu_FnqvMm1rq6N1nZ4Sa9gYZ9C3pZoaiUMY80ixJizkNzlLg/s400/IMG_1162.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">O-Pee-Chee Batman Returns: $3, Rocky IV: $12, Teenage Mutant Ninja <br />
Turtles:$5, Robin Hood: $5, Back to the Future: $10.</td></tr>
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One of the other additions came from the awesome case break of Panini America Rookie Anthology Hockey. I am a Red Wings fan and there were some amazing pulls from the break including a redemption for a Steve Yzerman #'d to 5. I have his autograph a few times as he is my favorite hockey player, so I didn't really pursue that card, but up until now, I hadn't added a Pavel Datsyuk autograph to my collection. Now, thanks to a loyal <a href="http://www.cardsmithsbreak.com/">www.Cardsmithsbreak.com</a> customer, I made a deal and now own a pretty sweet one. Have a look, and thanks to the member of the Cardboard Nation that hooked me up!<br />
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Just as the show was ending, I stopped to look around just a little more. Believe it or not, I had very little time to check out the whole floor or the show. We were BUSY! I did pick up a half a case of Leaf History of Baseball for $150. I also opened up a box of Leaf Inscriptions. Here's what was inside:</div>
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The final autograph I picked up was easily my favorite of the show. Two years ago, we brought our first autograph guest to the National. It was Santa Claus. People thought we were crazy, but I knew it would be something fun and unforgettable. Santa signed nearly 300 autographs in just over an hour, and he took a ton of photos with collectors, and industry pros at the event. This time I wanted to bring in someone that would be a fan-favorite, with a little local flavor. When I called Rob to discuss our National plans, the first name that came up was professional wrestler, Squared Circle owner, and friend -- Lisa Marie Varon. Luckily her schedule was open, and we couldn't have been happier as she was amazing with her fans, and our listeners. Here's a sample of what attendees that stopped by our booth received: </div>
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I can't talk about the 2013 National without mentioning the Panini America VIP party. It was truly an unforgettable experience. It's going to need a post of its own. Watch for it soon.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-64559804480096779902013-08-12T19:39:00.002-07:002013-08-17T15:34:18.675-07:00Wizard’s Comic Con Converges On Chicago<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Donald E. Stephens Center was PACKED for Chicago Comic Con.</td></tr>
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Once a year a large portion of humans descend upon the venue known as
the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center to gather for a small event
known as the Chicago Comic-Con. This microcosm, aw who am I kidding…
this enormous event continues to reach astronomical proportions with
each passing year. 2013 was by far the largest Comic-Con I’ve seen in
Chicago. The event took up two stories of the Stephens Center’s floor
space, to facilitate the exhibitors and the attendees.<br />
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<a href="http://www.comixcorner.com/Wizard-World-Takes-Over-Chicago" target="_blank">>> Read more at Comix Corner</a> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4812093137164344552.post-77156665664464776232013-08-12T05:55:00.001-07:002013-08-12T05:55:57.358-07:00What's inside a box of 2013 Press Pass FanFare Racing?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Over the years, I've had some outstanding autographed cards come out of packs of Press Pass Racing cards. In fact, a large part of my personal collection is made up of NASCAR Champions and the current crop of starting Sprint Car drivers. Of late, their products have been absolutely stellar. Redline has become my go to product when looking for autographs to add to my collection, and FanFare has such a wide assortment of drivers from all facets of NASCAR signing, that it to has become a huge fan favorite. The 2013 edition of the product is no exception, its loaded with great graphs.<br />
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Have a look at what I found inside a box of the new racing product:<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134588077422327990noreply@blogger.com0