Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jean Beliveau.  Good health, my friend.

Signed Olympic jerseys may be tougher to come by this year, as it seems Nike seriously underestimated demand for their product. There are no jerseys to be had at the wholesale level right now, and apparently no more are being produced. I had a request to provide 30 Team Russia jerseys for the wives of the players to wear in the stands, but coming up with the jerseys was an impossibility. We are doing an autograph session with Phil Kessel this week, but have no access to Team USA jerseys.  We have a handful of Canada jerseys in stock, but are debating whether or not to save them for possible higher-dollar sales down the road.

I am sure that Nike had vast amounts of unsold product after the disastrous 2006 Olympic hockey results, and played it extra cautious this time around.  Hopefully there will be enough jerseys available to at least come close to meeting customer demand.

Sports Collectors Digest (SCD) has been the sports collectibles industry publication dating back to the 1970’s. It was a must read, and I remember eagerly anticipating each week’s issue and reading it cover to cover. In its heyday, some issues were over 400 pages thick.

The economic downturn has obviously hit the company hard. It was not unusual for issues in 2009 to peak at 36 pages, while they rarely exceeded 50.  SCD took to accepting ads from less than reputable companies in an effort to stay afloat. This never would have happened in the old days, when all advertisers were screened and the publication diligently followed up on customer service issues.

I let it go the first time, but there’s no way it’s going unmentioned again. The Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs AHL affiliate that is also owned by the parent club, sent out an email blast in November promoting their upcoming bobble head nights. I had to send the Leafs an email, making note that 3 of the 5 players listed had their names spelled wrong.

Vesa Toskula (Toskala)

Terry Sawchuck (Sawchuk)

Jonus (Jonas) Gustavsson

Remember all the Fabian Brunnstrom hype last year? Dallas won the sweepstakes for the free agent Swedish star, and he looked like an amazing find after scoring a hat trick in his first NHL game (only the 3^rd player ever to accomplish the feat).  This year, he has one goal and eight points and has spent time in the minors.

We can actually play this game with a lot of players.  Last season I called Kyle Turris a “Jonathan Toews clone” and picked him to win the Calder Trophy. After a disappointing 20-point year, Turris has spent the entire 2009-10 season playing in the AHL.  Viktor Tikhonov and Mikkel Boedker also spent the majority of last season on the Coyotes roster and had huge expectations thrust upon them. Right now, both are struggling to score for the San Antonio Rampage.

Other players having disappointing seasons include:

Shawn Horcoff – 19 points in 45 games and making $5.5 million a year

Chris Drury – 19 points in 47 games

Sergei Samsonov – 15 points in 40 games (so much for his re-birth)

Dennis Wideman - -8 for Boston after finishing with a +32 last season

Chris Higgins – 13 points in 51 games for the Rangers

Jonathan Cheechoo – 13 points in 51 games for the Senators – did he really win the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2006?

Rod Brind’Amour – 12 points in 49 games

Andrew Cogliano – 12 points in 50 games

Ethan Moreau – 8 points in 49 games

Ville Leino – 7 points in 42 games; Justin Abdelkader – 6 points in 48 games – see my comments on them in “The Pond Chronicle”

McFarlane Toys recently released a promotional photo of Jonas “The Monster” Gustavsson signing bases that are to be randomly included in packaging for their NHL 24 series being shipped in April.

My favorite part of the image is the framed autographed photo of Patrick Roy in the background.  That was actually my Christmas gift to Jonas.  He idolized Roy as a youth, and the photo is inscribed “To Jonas, Best of luck in your NHL career, Your friend, Patrick Roy”. Thanks for your help Patrick.

Some random observations that have been taking up space in my mind.

NHL hockey pucks from Sher-Wood (formerly InGlas Co) are made in Slovakia. This would just be the rubber puck itself, as they are printed and designed in Quebec.

We recently actually had someone return a signed puck they had ordered because “I wanted a Bobby Hull Blackhawks puck, not a puck from Slovakia.”

Along those lines, can I make a respectful request to customers in general?  Be nice.  If you wanted an autographed Doug Gilmour Leafs puck and got sent a Calgary puck by mistake, just let us know and we will correct he mistake.  It’s amazing when we receive emails saying “This is entirely unacceptable and I will never do business with your company again.”

By no means are these occurrences frequent, but they do happen.  It is extremely busy during the Christmas season, and quality control suffers a little in the process.  All you have to do is inform us of the situation and it will be rectified.  If your steak dinner is brought to your table with fries instead of a baked potato, do you storm out of the restaurant?  Mistakes are bound to occur in the course of doing business, and we appreciate everyone’s patience while things get sorted out.

We are big fans here of Toronto Maple Leafs rookie goaltender, Jonas “The Monster” Gustavsson.  Everyone that sees him play says he is the real deal.  He was an extremely late bloomer, not hitting the radar of NHL scouts until he was 24 years old.  At least twenty-five teams showed interest in him in the off-season, and after a marathon tour and a lot of self thought, he decided the Leafs were the best team for him.

He lost his father a few years ago, his mother over the summer, and has since had two heart procedures performed.  Mix in a groin injury and it has been a difficult start to his career on this side of the ocean.

But Cookie (I like to call him ‘Cookie Monster’) has taken it all in stride and has the attitude of a champion.  He is still projected as the Leafs goaltender of the future and we foresee him becoming one of the top backstoppers in the league.

In a recent auction of game-used jerseys from the November 7 Hall of Fame game, Gustavsson’s sweater sold for more ($1,550) than any other player on the Leafs.

So a professional athlete had an extramarital affair; what a surprise.  You are rich, you are famous, you are in shape, and you are on the road a lot.  What do you think these guys do with their nights?  By no means am I condoning cheating on your wife – I am just saying it is far more prevalent than you would think.  What would you do if beautiful women threw themselves at you on a regular basis?

So Brian Burke’s son is gay.  Good for him and it’s great that Burkie accepts him as he is.  Is this really newsworthy?  I suggest we keep the sexual orientation of celebrity relatives out of the sports pages. 

I wrote several months ago about the demise of the BC Sports chain of stores in the Northeast U.S.  I commented how that took away another autographed memorabilia outlet and was not good for the hobby.

On a positive note, some stores in the chain have emerged from liquidation proceedings and reopened.  On a negative note, I received an email from a former store employee saying they stiffed several employees on money-owed when they (temporarily) went under and have no plans to make good on these debts.

Has anyone checked out my predictions (made in September) in the current edition of The Pond Chronicle?

Joe Thornton will finish top-3 in scoring.  Ryan Getzlaf and Zach Parise will each get 100 points.  The Red Wings will take a huge step backwards.  The Flyers will have goaltending issues.  Tim Thomas will struggle.  Carolina and Montreal will not make the playoffs.  The Sharks and Flames in the Western Conference and the Capitals and Penguins in the East.

I am thinking of renting myself out as an oracle.  Just pay no attention to my pick of Nikita Filatov as top rookie and we are good to go.

Thank you for all the positive comments about my last blog, The Autograph Collector’s Manifesto.  Make sure you print out a copy and show it to anyone that questions why you collect what you do.

Hobby icon Richard Scott is back with a new collector’s magazine called The Wantlist.  Make sure you check out his new website and consider a subscription to the magazine.  And no, I am not only saying this because I am a columnist. 

Sorry Leafs fans, but it is true.  Phil Kessel was burned in a deal last year and has no desire to make any public autograph appearances in the near future.  This is too bad, because Toronto drives the memorabilia market and Leafs fans really need someone to cheer for.  Someone besides The Monster, of course.

Thank you to McFarlane Toys for moving up the release date of NHL Series 23.  The new projected arrival for the first week of January will get us the figures in time for our January 8 autograph session with Marc-Andre Fleury.  Heck – it saves me a trip to Pittsburgh to get them signed.

In the same series is a new Alex Ovechkin figure that has people raving about the unique pose.  While it is definitely a cool figure, am I the only one that thinks it looks exactly like ‘N SYNC’s Joey Fatone?

I attended last month’s HOF Induction ceremony in Toronto and in one way it was a very unique experience.  This was my seventh year enjoying the ceremonies, but it was the first time I had ever seen current and recently retired players in attendance.

A number of Devils’ players (Brodeur, Langenbrunner, White, Parise, Pandolfo, Clarkson) shocked Lou Lamoriello by flying in to attend the ceremony.  This was no small feat, as Lamoriello keeps tabs on EVERYONE affiliated with the team, and surprising him is not the easiest of tasks.  Lamoriello even noted their attendance in his speech and comically mentioned that he hoped they anted up for a private plane since they better be back in New Jersey in time for curfew (they had a game the next night).

 Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Chelios were in attendance to support Steve Yzerman, and I was able to spend some time with Mike Modano, who along with Brendan Morrow, came to see Brett Hull’s enshrinement. 

Obviously the NHL schedule played a part in allowing these players to attend, but it was a great bonus having them in the room.

I wrote several months ago about the Autograph Alert website and its commitment to exposing forgeries and fraudulent dealers within the hobby.  While not sports focused, this site is still a must read for anyone that thinks a company is reputable or beyond reproach just because their name is recognizable.  JSA, PSA/DNA, and a number of the large auction houses have been exposed and we commend the proprietors of the site (who are anonymous) for the work they are doing.  While the site often makes a great case, please remember that anyone mentioned in a negative light is innocent until proven guilty.

I have explained this philosophy to people on so many occasions that I figured it was about time I put it in writing.  While the readers of this blog are by no means my target audience for this rant, I figure they can relate to the questions being asked and the rationale behind my commentary.

Why would anyone pay for an autograph when you can get one for free?

When you attend a public autograph session (at Frozen Pond or elsewhere), you are not just buying an autograph.  You are purchasing an experience. 

Non-collectors can not understand how any sane person could pay $100+ just to get a player to scribble on their keepsake, but let us put that into perspective.  How many people are paying that same amount just to attend a hockey game in most major cities?  10,000 per game?  15,000?  They pay several hundred dollars for tickets to the game and parking.  They get a couple hours of mediocre entertainment and then go home disappointed when their team loses.

Now let’s assume you are paying $100 to meet and receive an autograph from Gordie Howe.  For that $100 you get to meet one of the greatest players ever to play the game.  You get to talk to him for a few seconds.  You get your picture with him.  You get a beautiful signature; potentially personalized just to you.  You get an appreciable asset, something that will have value in the future.  Most of all, you get a memory, something that will never be taken away from you.

I can guarantee the person that attended the hockey game will not have any long-lasting memories, and unless their ticket stub holds some value, there will be nothing left over to show for their money spent.  Sure it’s great to watch Alex Ovechkin play, but am I wrong to assume that the majority of people in the seats would eagerly trade in their ticket for an opportunity to meet him in person and get a souvenir autographed photo and a picture with him?

Of course you could spend your day waiting outside the arena or the team hotel for the chance that you see the player and he stops to sign your item.  But is the opportunity cost of your time not worth something?  Will the quality of the signature be anywhere near what you receive at a formal autograph function?  What are the chances you receive nothing more than a scribble, potentially signed in the wrong color and in the wrong location on your item?  What if you don’t get to see the player at all?

Why pay for an autograph when you can get one for free?  Why go to a concert when you can listen to the same songs on the radio?  Why go to the Super Bowl when you can watch it for free on television?  Sometimes I find the ignorance of this question to be mind-boggling.  Sure you can wait for the chance opportunity that the athlete will be signing fee autographs at a local sporting goods store.  You can arrive four hours early and get the exact same experience as I described above; all the power to you.  But using the same logic, why buy a car or flat-screen television or iPhone when there is a chance it will eventually go on sale?  Do people not buy things because it makes them feel good?

Canadians and Americans are fascinated with celebrities.  I can guarantee that whenever you meet or see one, you tell everyone you know.  So why do some consider it such a bad thing for people to pay for something that brings them enjoyment? 

I read a quote in a chatroom where someone was comparing autograph dealers to the lowest forms of life.  Why?  If you do not want to meet Marty Brodeur or Joe Thornton or Guy Lafleur, that is your prerogative.  No one is forcing you to spend your hard-earned money on something in which you have no interest.  But when we have 1,000+ people show up for some autograph appearances and lineups that last for over five hours, does that really make us bad people?  Is giving people what they want not the definition of capitalism?

I don’t understand how a player can possibly charge for his autograph.  Am I not the one paying his salary?

In most cases, the player is not charging for his autograph; the promoter is.  I am buying two hours of Doug Gilmour’s time and then re-selling it to the public in the form of an autograph.  Is that bad?

If you want a player to appear in your commercial, you have to pay him for his time.  If you want him to speak at your function, he needs to be compensated.  Time is money and it is naive to assume that everything these people do should be free.  Professional hockey players make countless hospital visits and community appearances without being compensated.  They also donate far more to charitable causes than most of us ever will.  But what kind of life would they have if they were expected to do everything asked of them without being offered any kind of remuneration?

Sure you help pay their salary.  But you also pay the salaries of school teachers, bus drivers, and politicians.  Does that give you the right to show up at their houses and expect them to do your laundry?

Most collectors realize how lucky it is that there is a formal industry in place to make athletes accessible to their fans.  It is much tougher to get near actors and musicians, since there are rarely formal autograph sessions in those realms.  I should know.  I tried for years to meet Shania Twain (the future Mrs. Borenstein).  I have a bunch of friends in the music industry, but they could not get me near her.  She was just too big; one of the most popular people in the world at the time.  The closest I came was an offer to sit in on a MuchMusic “Intimate and Interactive” session in downtown Toronto.  But I had already been to her concerts and did not want to see her sing or hear her talk.  I wanted a picture of the two of us, a personalized photo, and a memory.

I eventually ended up with the high bid in a charity auction and enjoyed a quick “Meet and Greet” with her in Detroit in 2003, but the experience cost me a five-figure donation to Shania’s charity.  It was worth every penny, but if there were “Frozen Pond’s” in the music business, I could have saved myself an awful lot of money.

How many hundreds of thousands of tween Jonas Brothers or Justin Bieber fans would right now pay anything for the opportunity to meet their pop idols?  If such a service was available, would it not be beneficial for both parties?    

I went to a Hollywood Autograph show over the summer and met the cast of Happy Days and got them to sign my picture.  I was even able to spend a few minutes talking to Ralph and Potsie.  At the same show, I was able to speak with and get my picture taken with Davy Jones.  I love the Monkees – who wouldn’t want to meet the guy that sings Daydream Believer?  A few years ago, I went to a similar show in Burbank and met Don Knotts.  Now that Mr. Furley is no longer with us, this memory is more special than most. 

Do I chastise the promoters for putting on such a show?  Do I berate the celebrities for having a fee attached to their signature?  Of course not – I value the fact that I was able to meet the people that brought me a great deal of entertainment over the years.  My office is lined with photos of these celebs and I truly treasure my encounters with them.

We have a great hobby, one that pays my salary and keeps me entertained year in and year out.  I just wish the naysayers would tone it down a little.  Our industry provides a ton of enjoyment and keeps famous people clothed in Armani suits long after their playing days are over.  Is that all bad?

I apologize for the delay since the last “Hersh Blog” and I appreciate all the calls and emails asking for an update.  I hope to get back on a regular schedule of 1-2 blogs a week.  I have definitely gathered enough material over the past few months, now I just have to find the time to write the darn things.

The weekend of August 7-9 was very special to baseball fans in Toronto, as members of the 1992 and 1993 World Series Champion Toronto Blue Jays reunited for a number of events to raise money for the Children’s Aid and Jays Care Foundations.  I was thrilled and honored to be a part of it, as these may be the only Toronto sports teams to win a championship in my lifetime.  J

This was the first time these players had been reunited since the 1992 and 1993 seasons.  For many of them, it was their first visit to Toronto since the mid-90’s and the first time they had seen their former teammates in over a decade.

The Friday was spent getting 38 players to each autograph almost 300 pieces that were to be given to sponsors and donors, with the remainder sold off to raise money for the worthy causes.  Jimmy Key arrived at the hotel meeting room shortly before 8:00 a.m.  He wanted to get this done early as he had a fun day planned for his family.  Key was surprisingly quiet, but extremely accommodating.  The strange thing was that he signs his autographs with his right hand.  While well-known as one of the top left-handed pitchers in Blue Jays history (not to mention a no-hitter for the Yankees), Key does everything else right handed.

Apparently you do always have to watch out for the quiet ones, as Key was known as the prankster of the clubhouse.  Duane Ward told me how he once found his cleats nailed into the floor, with Key being the guilty party.

A short time later, the room was a zoo.  There were as many as twelve players signing at a time, accompanied by fifteen Frozen Pond staff, friends, and volunteers.  The biggest problem was that I didn’t recognize anyone.  These guys have definitely changed over the years.  I felt myself embarrassed to ask who players were. 

Joe Carter was an early signer.  He spearheaded the efforts to put this reunion together and deserves much of the credit for an extremely successful weekend.  Carter is still the most popular of all Blue Jays autograph guests, both locally and within the hobby in general.  

Candy Maldonado was extremely personable and funny.  With English not being their primary language, most Latin Americans are somewhat introverted and reserved.  Candy was the exact opposite.  The fact that he calls games for Spanish television probably has a lot to do with his bubbly demeanor. 

Where was Dave Stieb’s moustache?  The top pitcher in Jays history was as well known for his facial hair as for throwing the only no-hitter in team history (not to mention two other no-hitters and one perfect game broken up with two outs in the ninth).  Stieb was a great guest and definitely deserved his World Series ring.  But what was with that unnecessary comeback at the age of 40?  Both Stieb and Pat Tabler were upset that I took pictures of them wearing glasses, so I promised them both that neither photo would be published.

Woody Williams only retired from baseball last year and still looks like he could pitch today.  It bothers me that some of these guys are still roughly the same age or younger than me. 

Part-way through the morning, we had to take nine of the players a few blocks away to the TD BBQ; another of the sponsored events for the weekend.  Little did we know that we would be greeted at the 45-minute autograph session by almost 1,500 people in line and over 5,000 fans in total.  Some good money was raised for Children’s Aid, but a lot of people went away upset over their inability to obtain autographs.  One person actually brought his unused ticket into Frozen Pond the next day and asked for a refund.  Uh – sir.  That says TD BBQ on it, not Frozen Pond BBQ. 

Back to the hotel, and the place was a madhouse.  While all players had been given a designated time to sign, they pretty well just ignored their itinerary and showed up whenever they wanted.  So our well planned, evenly spaced autograph sessions turned into overcrowded rooms followed by needless periods of down time.  Major League Baseball was conducting interviews with all the players in the room next door, and several of the player’s friends and family members sat in on the festivities.  There was a lot going on.

Roberto Alomar was accompanied by his gorgeous wife, Maria.  I have always liked Robbie and feel he gets a bad rap in the press.  We have worked together previously and I find him to be extremely easy going and personable.  He is eligible for Hall of Fame induction next year and I would love to see him get in on the first ballot.

I was one of the million-plus people parading up Yonge Street after the Jays ’92 Series victory.  Co-incidentally, so was Rob Butler.  The local boy was celebrating with the rest of us in ’92, and in ’93 he was actually part of the team.  That’s a great story.  Butler finished his career with a .500 batting average in the World Series (1 for 2).

It was nice to see Pat Borders.  He and I hit the road a couple of times in 1993, appearing at Shopping Malls across southern Ontario to sign autographs.  He would draw 800-1,000 people each time and a ton of money would be made.  Ahhh – the good old days.  I had not seen or heard from Pat in over fifteen years, and today he is pretty much a recluse.  He lives in northern Florida, his eighth child is due next month, no one has his phone number, and he has no interest in reliving his past.  He is still a great guy though, and he definitely enjoyed rekindling some old friendships, especially with Todd Stottlemyre.

Numerous players told me that Danny Cox is the funniest guy you will ever meet and sometimes their sides would hurt from laughing so loud.  He also looks a lot like “East Bound and Down’s” Kenny Powers.

Dave Stewart taught me that his evil stare down was nothing but an act, as the guy could not have been any friendlier.  Stewart was the Jays Assistant GM for a while and is now a player agent.  He was the 1989 World Series MVP while a member of Oakland.

Alfredo Griffin is the first base coach for the Los Angeles Angels.  If the reunion had been two weeks later, he would not even have had to make a special trip into Toronto.  He told me that Damaso Garcia, my childhood favorite, is still fighting a brain tumor and is an “extremely strong individual”.  He did not make it sound like “Damo” had a lot of time left with us.

I will not comment on Kelly Gruber.

Tom Henke is extremely tall (they all are to me) and still has that down-home southern drawl that made him such a “regular guy” fan favorite during his time here.  I’m telling you, most of these guys were so nice that they could be classified as hockey players.

Dave Winfield works for ESPN and was basically in and out.  He signed a handful of pieces for the corporate sponsors, but his exclusivity contract with a U.S. company prevented him from affixing his signature to all the team-autographed product.  We did manage to sneak a few in though.

We tried to bring all the players in to Frozen Pond for public autograph sessions over the course of the weekend, but busy schedules and early-Sunday flights prevented a number of them from participating.  Some of these players’ signatures are in extremely high demand by Jays collectors because they are seldom seen in this neck of the woods.  Guys like Manny Lee, Mark Eichhorn, and Al Leiter would have drawn large crowds if they were able to stick around.

By about 4:00 p.m., the only player that had not signed all the merchandise was David Cone.  I had seen him at the BBQ earlier in the day, but he did not make his way into the hotel meeting room and no one was able to find him.  It turns out that he had a migraine and was out like a light all afternoon.  It’s too bad, because his is another high demand signature for Jays fans.  A perfect game and a Cy Young Award have obviously helped contribute to his popularity.

By the time the day was finished, almost 12,000 autographs had been signed. 

Randy Knorr was originally scheduled to attend, but an illness in his family prevented his participation.  Darnell Coles had to cancel when the Washington Nationals had coaching duties for him, and Mike Timlin was a last-minute scratch when the Colorado Rockies talked him out of retirement and signed him to a minor league deal.

Rickey Henderson was being honored by the Padres the same weekend, and David Wells had much earlier booked an African safari with his family.  Derek Bell was unable to attend as he is either in jail on possession charges or in rehab, depending on the source.

The Jays were honored on field at the Rogers Centre that night, and it would have been really great if more than 30,000 fans had decided to attend.  Back in the glory days, there were 51,000 plus people at EVERY game, as the Jays became the first team ever to draw more than 4 million fans in a season.  I watched the game with the players from a very large, fully catered private suite, which was a really cool experience.

The next morning, we had WAMCO (White, Alomar, Molitor, Carter, Olerud) in the store for a public autograph session.  The place was a mad house.  Collectors came from all over North America to attend, the first getting in line at 4:00 a.m.  I’m just angry that we did not have more time, since I would have loved to get a couple hundred pieces done for ourselves.  Since it was a charity event, the players were appearing for a fraction of their normal appearance fees, and our efforts were entirely donated.  Needless to say, a lot of money was raised on this morning.

John Olerud was easily the player most in demand.  The 1993 batting champion made one appearance at a Jays game in 2006, but aside from that has rarely been back to visit.  Olerud was always known for being one of the quietest and friendliest baseball players you could ever meet, and he did not disappoint.  He is also ridiculously tall and I truly enjoyed his company.  Olerud has a special needs daughter (as does Henke) and spends much of his time raising money for various charitable causes that target special needs children.  You don’t wish something like this on anyone, but John and wife Kelly feel blessed that their daughter Jordan has given them a unique opportunity to give back to others through the foundation they created in her name.

From WAMCO, we were off to the Gala Dinner, where another $45,000 was raised through the Live and Silent Auctions and the raffle.  It was a great night filled with video clips, interviews, and trips down memory lane.

Sunday morning had us at a hotel ballroom near the airport, where 11 more players were poised to take part in public autograph sessions.  Ed Sprague had originally refused this appearance, but then changed his mind six days earlier and was added to the list.  He ended up being our top-seller.  I had no idea how much demand there was for Ed Sprague signatures.

Pat Hentgen, the 1996 Cy Young winner, said that miscommunication was the reason he was not originally scheduled to appear.  He told me a day earlier that he would be driving Dave Stieb to the hotel for his autograph appearance, as they were going fishing immediately thereafter.  Since he was going to be there anyways, we may as well include him in the lineup.  I let Pat know that it was too late to include him in any ads and that we didn’t have any merchandise of him available, but he said he didn’t care and hopefully he could help raise a little money for the charities.

I was shocked when he ended up taking in over $1,000.  I asked him to imagine how well he could have done with 48 hours notice.

Duane Ward turned out to be the anti-Key.  Ward was a fire-balling righty, who signs autographs and does everything else with his left hand.  He said Dale Murphy was the same way, but what are the chances of having two of these guys on the same team?  Who writes with one hand and throws with the other?  Ward is an extremely knowledgeable baseball guy who would love to be a TV or radio analyst for the Jays one day.

In fact, most of the players would love jobs with the Jays.  Paul Beeston (the only guy ever to conduct an autograph session with an unlit cigar dangling from his mouth the entire time) estimated that at least twenty players would ask him about employment over the weekend, with Alomar perhaps being the most public one.  While these guys do not need the money (with a few notable exceptions), they all miss the camaraderie and really want to be part of a team again.  These were the most spoken words in interviews over the weekend; that they all miss the team concept.  These players spent more time with each other than they did with their wives and families, and constant winning made showing up for work every day a ton of fun.  They would love to be invited to Spring Training as guest instructors, even for nominal pay.  They live for Fantasy Camps and wish these reunions could be a regular event.

The Sunday concluded with Shopping Channel appearances featuring Rob Butler, Duane Ward, and myself.  A lot of money was raised through these shows.  The team-signed merchandise actually turned out quite well.  We had developed a lithograph to get signed, but the Blue Jays rejected it and came up with one of their own.  I still like ours better, but it would not have signed nearly as well.  We still have some multi-signed product available for sale (shameless plug), but I really wish we had done a whole lot more.  This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The weekend would have to be construed as an unqualified success. Huge crowds greeted the players at all public appearances and most everyone went away happy.  The players were thrilled, the sponsors were thrilled, and the fans were given a special treat.  Hopefully a similar event will happen in the near future.

We arrived at the 20^th Century Fox Studio lot shortly before 9:30 a.m.  Myself, my friend Jack, and my nephews Max and Eric.  Thursday, July 16^th was a day we had been waiting for.  We were going to meet The Simpsons.

I had won a charity auction in May.  The philanthropic Hank Azaria had donated the opportunity to sit in on a Simpsons script reading and then go for lunch with himself and Yeardley Smith.  There was no way I was going to miss this chance and my winning bid was much less than I was willing to pay.

But now the day had arrived.  The Fox lot is so large it has its own streets and you are given a map upon entering.  We parked in our pre-assigned space and were met by a production assistant who gave us a quick tour of the facility.  We saw the exterior sets for House, Bones, and How I Met Your Mother.  The same sets were used as far back as Hello Dolly and more recently, NYPD Blue.  But we didn’t really care about this stuff; we wanted to meet Homer.

A short time later we were taken into a room with a long, thin wooden table surrounded by chairs.  More chairs lined the walls and were two deep in places.  This is the same room where all but one of the 458 table reads had taken place since The Simpsons premiered in December/1989.  

We were each given a copy of that day’s script, titled The Bob Next Door, and told to feel free to meet the cast and get autographs.  For the first time in modern history, I turned into an autograph hound.  It felt like Exhibition Stadium in 1983 and I was waiting in the parking lot for Damaso Garcia and Jim Gott to sign my cards.  But this was much more important, and much more satisfying.

I went up to Julie Kavner (Marge) and had to explain to her that my name is not short for “Herschel”, which happens to be Krusty the Clown’s first name.  I told Nancy Cartwright (Bart) how I had front row tickets for the Toronto appearance of her one-woman show.  I heard someone talking in a Milhouse voice and went up and introduced myself to Pamela Hayden.  And then, it happened.

My nephew Eric was reaching for a muffin at the catered affair when I leaned over and whispered to him, “Look to your left”.  There he was, in a strange blue hat.  It was Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer.  I told him he had brought us years of enjoyment and it was a thrill to meet him.  I can’t believe how geeky that sounds.  I have seen so many people unnecessarily fawn and gush over hockey players; it was strange to be on the other side of the table for once.  I even got him to do a “D-oh” for me.

Hank Azaria eventually arrived and greeted me with “I hear you’re my guy.”  Indeed I was, and I told him I was looking forward to our meal.

The script read was organized and quick.  You would think they had done this before.  All the producers, writers, cast members, and production assistants were present.  Everyone knew their cues and read their lines in character.  It was hilarious to see and an honor to be a part of.  We happened to luck into a Sideshow Bob episode.  Paul Reiser and his family were in attendance, viewing the reading just as we were.  Yeardley Smith had an audition and was not present.  Kelsey Grammar’s lines were read by a sound-alike.  The purpose of this undertaking is for the writers to hear their dialogue read aloud to see if the story worked and if jokes were funny.  They were then to gather and make necessary changes to the script.  Azaria told me that a bad read would result in a 50% rewrite, but this one would probably only have about 20% changed.  We thought it was great as is.   

At the conclusion of the read, I finished getting my script signed.  Creator Matt Groening sketched a Homer caricature along with his signature and told me that all the characters with big eyes were his creations, while most others were conceived by other animators.  Harry Shearer scribbled a quick signature and Tress MacNeille happily added a “Vocally yours” inscription.

Lunch with Azaria was nothing short of amazing.  He offered to take us to a real restaurant, but I was happy settling for “Moe’s Café” on the studio lot.  The guy is down to earth and cool and has enough stories to keep you occupied for months.  He is also one of the funniest people on the planet.  I told him that when you’re born with the initials “HA” you kind of have to be funny, and the four-time Emmy winner said it was a lot of pressure to be under.  Azaria was born in Queens in 1964 and is currently competing with the Red Sox’ Kevin Youkilis for the title of the world’s most famous Greek Jew.

His life-altering career opportunity happened by chance.  Another voice actor had recorded the voice of Moe the Bartender in several previous episodes, but the producers were unhappy with the results.  Someone remembered Azaria from an obscure audition and he was given the opportunity to read for the role.  Groening loved him so much he took him directly into the studio and had him record the lines right then.  Azaria said he was literally given $400 on the spot, but did not know if he would ever be needed again.    Twenty-one years later, he is still at it.

Recording episodes has become so easy for these guys that an average work week is no more than six-hours long.  Azaria didn’t even look at his script until earlier that morning, but had his parts mastered almost instantaneously.  The read through took less than half an hour and schmoozing took another twenty minutes.  On Mondays, they record as a group from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  Occasionally, Hank is asked to come back and re-record a line, but that takes no longer than a few minutes.  He has even recorded his lines (through an ISDN line) while filming a movie or vacationing in Europe.  It is that easy.  Azaria now voices over twenty different characters, including Apu, Chief Wiggum, Dr. Nick, Professor Frink, Disco Stu, and Comic Book Guy.

The key voice actors started out making roughly $25,000 an episode, but that soon increased (via two actor’s strikes – well described in a 2007 Vanity Fair article) to $120,000, $350,000 (est.), and now almost $500,000 an episode.  I asked Hank if this cast were the best hourly paid employees in the business and he said they just might be.  He very humbly said it took about ten years for them to start making serious money, but they have been making “obscene” money for the past five.  He mentioned that the salaries are a little misleading, as they include syndication royalties and other revenue streams.  He says the studio likes to announce the higher (misleading) salary numbers in order to gain support should the actors choose to go on strike again. 

The short work week has afforded him the ability to simultaneously undertake multiple projects, allowing him the opportunity for recurring characters on Mad About You and Friends, as well as starring roles on Herman’s Head and Huff.  His movie resume isn’t too shabby either – Tuesdays With Morrie, Dodgeball, Along Came Polly, The Birdcage, Night at the Museum, and dozens of others.  I mentioned Mystery, Alaska, and he apologized for it (it was a bust at the box office), even though I told him it was a hockey movie and I had no choice but to love it.  He was surprised by my commendation.

Azaria said his favorite episode was probably the takeoff on Cape Fear and the most memorable character he has voiced would be Frank Grimes.  Surprisingly, Azaria is not the Simpsons aficionado you would think he would be.  Because he does not have to memorize his lines, they do not stick in his memory.  He also does not usually watch new episodes until 2-3 years later, when he has no recollection at all of the storyline.  He said he enjoys them better that way.

While most celebrity guest stars do not record with the cast, some have, and Azaria counts Aerosmith, Johnny Carson, Mick Jagger, and Elvis Costello amongst the most memorable.   I would imagine that doing an episode with then-wife Helen Hunt would have to register as well.  He said Bruce Springsteen once reneged on an appearance, and they tried to get Arnold Schwarzenegger so many times that they finally relented and gave Shearer the character of McBain.  Hank also enjoyed meeting Steve Sax and a number of the other baseball players in the classic “Homer at the Bat” episode.

Michael Jackson’s uncredited appearance in Season Three made for a great story.  His table read was the only one to take place offsite, with Jackson insisting it be done at his manager’s house.  Azaria said he was friendly but quiet, and didn’t interact much with the others.  Most surprisingly, Jackson had a sound-alike in his entourage, and the singing done in the episode (Lisa it’s your birthday, Ben, Billie Jean) was actually this other guy.  Michael Jackson is a singer, but he had someone sing for him while he did the voice work.  Azaria said Jackson was never known for doing things normally, so this should not be surprising.    

Azaria had his first child, Hal, in early June.  He was born nine weeks premature and Hank has been “living at the hospital” for most of the past seven weeks.  There was a good chance Hal would be able to come home this week.  It was nice seeing this side of  Azaria.  He talked about going out with Hunt for eight years, but it all falling apart after only one year of marriage.  He is very dedicated to “Determined to Succeed”, the charity he co-founded to provide educational support to low-income, inner city youth.  He collects Simpsons animation art of characters he voices, plays in a weekly poker game ($5/$10 no-limit) with other Hollywood celebrities, and is a huge Mets, Jets, and Knicks fan, with Walt Frazier being his childhood idol.

Unfortunately, he is not much of a hockey fan, and that is problematic for me.  I spoke to Hank at length about my desire to be on an episode of the show.  This has been the number one item on my “Bucket List” for a number of years.  He wouldn’t say no, but he did say the chances were remote.  He told me how Hayden Christenson approached him a number of years ago about wanting to be on the show, and Hank arranged a trade with him for a small part in Star Wars.  When Azaria first approached the writers, they had no desire to write a part for Christenson, saying the most recent Star Wars movie had “sucked”.  But he finally talked them into it and called Christenson with the news.  He has not heard back from him to this day.  He was stiffed by the man that would become Darth Vader.

I reasoned with Hank that I’m no Anakin Skywalker, but maybe I could introduce him to the athlete of his choice.  Heck – what do you give the guy that makes a half-million dollars an episode?  Hank said to leave it with him, but pointed out that he’s repeatedly asked the artists to create an animated version of himself, and he can’t even make that happen.  Hmmmm – maybe I should be trying to befriend the writers.   

Ninety-minutes after we sat down for lunch, it was all over.  Hank had been very generous with his time, but he had to get to the hospital.  He recorded a voicemail for my cell phone, gave me his own script from the reading, showed us to the studio gift shop, and off he went.  It was an amazing experience, one I will never forget.  Working with celebrities has been my profession for a number of years, but for a few hours I got to be a fan.  I had forgotten how enjoyable it can be.

I apologize, but my post-playoff celebrations have caused me to fall way behind on my blog.  In order to speed things up again, I will provide brief summaries from a number of recent events.

The NHL Awards – Las Vegas, Nevada

It was an ambitious undertaking to try the league’s annual trophy presentation in a market where ice is most prevalent in hotel vending machines and casino drinks.  Nonetheless, there was great fan support at the function itself, even if the majority of cab drivers and casino employees had no idea the event was even taking place.

That being said, the televised show was a travesty, with endless poor choices and terrible production values.  Nothing says NHL Entertainment like Chaka Khan and Robin Thicke (roll eyes).  I mean – who comes up with these things?  Chaka Khan?  What the heck does she have to do with hockey?  Has she even had a paying gig since 1984?  With all the talent in Las Vegas, someone in some meeting somewhere actually said, “How about Chaka Khan?”, and got the approval of dozens of others.  What were they thinking?

It was bad enough that they had her perform TWICE during the televised portion of the show, but those in attendance had to agonize through three additional performances during commercial breaks.  Needless to say, the washrooms filled up quickly each time she was announced.  The Super Bowl gets Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones; we got Chaka Khan and the son of Alan Thicke.   Ugh!!!

There were some high points though.  The appearance of Vladimir Konstantinov as a presenter was a great treat.  Turning the event informal was also nice.  Why should people be sweating in tuxedos in the Vegas heat.  The attire ranged from three-piece suits to t-shirts and shorts.  As Daniel Negreanu said to me, “In Vegas, you are never overdressed and never underdressed.”  I would have to think that those in t-shirts were definitely underdressed.

Entourage’s Kevin Connelly introduced the Stanley Cup, but forgot to mention Coach Dan Bylsma, who escorted it in.  I hope he didn’t fly to Vegas just to be forgotten.  Alexander Ovechkin concluded his acceptance speech for the Pearson Trophy with, “What a life”.  Watching this guy in action both on and off the ice, he may be the happiest person on the planet.

What can be done about speeches from Russians at the Awards?  Ovy speaks pretty well (unlike at the MuchMusic Video Awards), but both Evgeni Malkin and Pavel Datsyuk struggled.  They both tried and were somewhat entertaining, but it did not make for good television.  Kirk Muller may as well have been speaking in Russian since you couldn’t understand a word that he said.

It was a nice change last year when they decided to hand out the Jennings, Ross, and Richard Trophies during the Stanley Cup playoffs.  Why bore an audience by introducing a trophy where the winner has already been pre-determined?  This year, they went back to boring us. 

For the majority of awards, they did not even show the nominees in the audience.  Would it not make sense to have their images on screen, a la the Oscars and Emmy’s, so you can see reactions once the winning name is announced?  I was not even aware Martin St. Louis was in the room until I saw him afterwards in the hotel.  I did see plenty of shots of Brian Burke chewing gum and Pavel Datsyuk walking past a seat-filler to accept his awards.

There were numerous Poker Stars commercials played during the broadcast, each featuring Torontonian Daniel Negreanu.  The charismatic Negreanu is well known for wearing Leafs or Team Canada jerseys when he plays poker events, and is probably better known across the U.S. than any hockey player that was in the room.  Negreanu was in the room as a spectator, but was not included in the telecast.  Why?  Michael Buble was brought on stage twice, but was not asked to sing.  Did they not want to hurt Chaka Khan’s feelings?  Connolly and Jeremy Roenick were also brought on stage two separate times.  Did they not have enough presenters?

Were you aware that the World Series of Poker (WSOP) commissioner, Jeffrey Pollack, is the brother of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman?  And that the Stanley Cup was part of a WSOP bracelet presentation?  Is poker not gambling, and is there not a fine line being crossed when the Cup is being used to promote a gambling event being run by the commissioner’s brother?  Somewhere, Rick Tocchet has a big smile on his face.

Tim Thomas is a true showman and made everyone laugh on a couple of occasions.  He said that over the years he’d been more concerned getting his name on a roster than on the Vezina.  It’s nice to cheer for the underdog.

The Bridgestone NHL Leadership Award was presented to Jarome Iginla.  I’m not sure I like that concept.  Next year, are they going to introduce the GoDaddy.com Hart Trophy and the Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Calder Award?

The after-party was a lot of fun, as the giant pool area of the Palms Casino was a unique setting.  Only a handful of players stayed for an extended period, but they were each given their own catered cabana.  Getting near Ovechkin’s cabana was quite an undertaking, but I eventually was able to get in and congratulate one of my favorites.  I was given a hug in return.  Mike Green and Pavel Datsyuk were much easier to get near.

The next two Awards shows are in Vegas as well, as the NHL cut a three-year deal with the Vegas Travel and Tourism Bureau.  Lucky us.

 The NHL Draft

I got to Montreal early on Draft day morning to do an autograph session with Marc-Andre Fleury.  This was his first post-Cup autograph event and his merchandise is prevalent on our website.  I am still really happy for the kid and had no problem giving him copies of each photo that he requested for his father.

I stuck around for five hours awaiting the start of the picks and intended to stay for the entire first found.  It did not work out that way.  Not only did every team feel the need to congratulate the Penguins on winning the Cup and thank the Canadiens and the city of Montreal for their hospitality, but this year it seemed each club had to send up their token Francophone employee to speak to the crowd in French.  Then there were in-arena interviews broadcast over the scoreboard with each of the top picks.  Add in the fact that each team seemed to take their full allotted time frame to head to the stage and it really became a monotonous affair.  It was so boring it was painful.  I waited until the Leafs called out the name “Nazem Kadri” with the seventh pick, then headed for the door to drive back to Toronto.  Luckily there was endless construction near the airport in order to ensure my arrival after 2:30 a.m.

Recent Signings

Doug Gilmour was an autograph guest a few weeks ago and he is still a great guy.  He talks to everyone, writes whatever you want, and comes around the table to you for pictures.  “Killer” is still immensely popular in the Toronto, although his coaching gig in Kingston has severely limited his time for this kind of event.

Dave “The Hammer” Schultz followed Gilmour’s appearance and Schultzie is also a treat.  How many guests do we get to sign hammers?  I thought his career was cut short by injury, but Schultz said that wasn’t the case.  Scotty Bowman hated him in Pittsburgh and he was never given a chance to play.  I will have to yell at Scotty for that one.

Larry Robinson made his third appearance at “The Pond” and he is still amongst my favorite guests.  He is also amazing with everyone and does whatever is asked of him.  Larry has taught me about hunting and polo and other topics that were foreign to me.  When Larry was given the Cup for a day following New Jersey’s 2003 Stanley Cup championship, I spent several hours celebrating with him and his family.  That day will always hold a special place in my memory bank.

Finally, Bobby Hull was our in-store guest last week.  Bobby has been packing them in since we first met in the mid-90’s.  He is one of the greatest and most popular players in the history of the sport, and always takes the time to repay the fans that come see him by speaking to each and every one and regaling them with stories from his playing days.  Bobby is not healthy these days and he signs very slowly.  His body has been through a lot, but his personality continues to shine through.  All hockey fans should own a Bobby Hull autograph.

1992-93 Blue Jays World Series Reunion Dinner

I am thrilled to be involved with the planning of the 1992-93 Toronto Blue Jays reunion weekend.  I was there when Joe Carter hit his Series-winning home run and it may be the last Toronto sports championship I get to see in my lifetime. 

Information on the August 8 gala dinner is available on our website and I hope to see a lot of you there.  So far there are 37 members of these teams that plan to be in attendance.  Team-signed product will be available, and WAMCO (White, Alomar, Molitor, Carter, Olerud) will be making an in-store appearance at Frozen Pond.  Net profits will be directed to the Children’s Aid and Jays Care Foundations, so please come out and support some great causes.

Free Agency

What’s with the Blackhawks only offering Martin Havlat a one-year contract?  That’s a nice way to treat your team MVP.

I’m surprised that no one has made an offer to restricted free agent Jiri Hudler.  He has a great future and Detroit’s salary cap issues would probably prevent them from matching any reasonable offer.

I’m happy that my friend Rick Nash signed a $62 million contract, but I still have no clue why he wants to play in Columbus.  This guy has repeatedly proven that, given the proper linemates, he can be amongst the best players in the league.  Unfortunately the Blue Jackets refuse to give him anyone to play with.  Their big free agent signing this season – the offensively challenged Sami Pahlsson, coming off an 18-point season.  Nasher’s supporting cast is one of the worst in hockey.

An idea for Jim Balsillie.  Why not start up your own team by signing a pile of the remaining free agents to “personal services” contracts.  Then the NHL will have to pay attention to you.  Think about it – he could put together a pretty good team for under $40 million:

G – Biron, Nittymaki

D – Beauchemin, Boucher, Schneider, Sydor, Zubov

F -   Afinogenov, Comrie, Koivu, Kovalev, Kozlov, Lang, Marchant, D. Moore, B. Morrison, Peca, Satan, Sundin, Sykora, Tanguay, Zednik

Sure they would be old and slow, but just look at how many All-Stars and Stanley Cups are on this roster.  And they would still finish ahead of the Leafs.

Roger Federer

The guy wasn’t even sweating.  Is he superhuman or something?

Facts and observations you won’t find anywhere else.

Prior to Game 1 in Detroit I learned I had super powers.  A group of five of us, including Gordie and Mark Howe, were standing at ice level having a discussion when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman happened by.  Bettman stopped to shake the hands of Gordie and his friend Felix.  He then turned and shook the hands of Mark Howe and his friend, and then continued on his way.  I turned to Gordie and said, “Wow – I didn’t realize I had the power to turn invisible like that.”  Everyone laughed, but I had to promise to use my special power only for good and not evil.  I may soon be joining the cast of “Heroes”.  Bettman continues to walk with a bodyguard, even in the secure sections of NHL arenas.

The pre-game media meal the Wings put out for us scribes (or wannabe scribes in this case) is a great bargain for $5.  There is a full buffet consisting of salad bar, chicken, macaroni and cheese, potatoes, rice, vegetables, beef, and of course, an endless supply of Little Caesars pizza.  Beverages and desserts are also plentiful.  Even though the signs say that everyone except Red Wings management must pay the fee, head scout Mark Howe says he doesn’t get charged.  But Howe said the food in the wives’ lounge is even better.

Joe Louis Arena is so small that the Red Wings staff sit out and eat their pre-game meal with the rest of us.  A number of fold-up tables and bridge chairs are put out in the lower concourse, with the first two sporting hand-written placards reading “DRW”.  Ken Holland, Jimmy Devellano, and the rest of the Detroiters are treated no different than everyone else.

The arena is so tiny that Don Cherry was seen having his make-up put on in a car in the parking lot just outside of the media entrance.  They do not have a dedicated room inside the building for such frivolities.  Joe Louis only has two exit areas on the concourse level and probably has the least number of washrooms of any sporting venue on the planet, including your local neighborhood rink.  Once the Penguins move into their new arena in 2010, the “Joe” will be the oldest building in the NHL, not including the renovated Madison Square Garden.  The Wings could really use a new building, but that is obviously not going to happen until the local economy picks up – considerably.

I have never seen more neck tattoos than I did at Game One in Detroit.  That unusual observation aside, I still think Detroit has great fans.  The atmosphere in the building is always electric and the city really loves its team.  The fans are knowledgeable and friendly, more so than in Pittsburgh where I witnessed two different scuffles involving drunken Penguin fans harassing patrons in Wings jerseys.

When Octopi used to get thrown on the ice, their removal would involve maintenance crews coming out with a shovel and bucket.  Now, prepared staff members just skate over and scoop them up by hand.

Gordie Howe conducted the opening faceoff and had the puck in his jacket pocket at the conclusion of the game.  I tried to steal it but he grabbed it back. 

I wish every arena had a store like Hockeytown Authentics.  While their prices are often far from reasonable, at least they attempt to cater to memorabilia collectors.  Nicklas Lidstrom’s game-used skates were on sale for $400 and a strong selection of used gloves, pants, training camp and regular season jerseys were available.  A Scotty Bowman autograph on a cheesy Red Wings puck was on sale for $60, a far cry from the $45 Cdn that Frozen Pond charges (shameless plug). 

While walking to the games along the Detroit River, it’s interesting to see several people fishing off the walkway.  On my way back to the hotel after one game, I witnessed a Hibachi out while several people enjoyed that day’s bounty.  Downtown Detroit is still depressing at night.  Unlike most major urban metropolis’ that have a bustling nightlife, Detroit is a ghost town.  People work downtown and play elsewhere.  If it makes the Motowners feel any better, downtown Pittsburgh (surprisingly) is even worse.   

I enjoy watching the teams’ practice during the playoffs, as much to view the media as anything.  Autograph hounds would have a field day attacking those in attendance, including such well-known names as Ed Olczyk, Craig Simpson, Larry Murphy, Mike Emrick, Don Cherry, Ron MacLean, Mike Milbury, Elliotte Friedman, and Kelly Hrudey.  My Pittsburgh hotel was a similar hot spot for stargazing, especially with the General Managers meetings going on.  I rode elevators with Brian Burke and Jim Rutherford and visited with Luc Robitaille in the lobby.

Is it just me, or are the majority of Penguins players unrecognizable?  The playoff beards surely do not help, but often a group of players will walk by and I will have no clue who they are.  Does anyone know what Kunitz, Scuderi, Cooke, Eaton, Fedetenko, and Satan look like?  The Wings had fake playoff beards on sale for $5, while the Penguins gave all fans a team t-shirt and a towel upon entering Game Three.

On the drive from Detroit to Pittsburgh, why is it that every radio station that has a clear signal either plays country music or rap?

One of the functions I truly enjoyed at last year’s Final was the Prospects luncheon.  The media was invited to a showcase of the top player’s available for the 2008 Draft at an event hosted by Pierre Maguire.  Bios and video were presented and the players were made available for individual interviews.  I found this to be extremely entertaining and informative and actually wrote several articles from what I learned.  For whatever reason, there was no presentation this year, although five of the top prospects (Tavares, Hedman, Duchene, Kane, B. Schenn) were made available for a brief time period.  I’m sure it was a huge thrill for Duchene and Schenn when Sidney Crosby came over and talked to them for an extended period after Game Three. 

I was able to spend some time with Jeff Schenn, father of Luke and Brayden, for the second year in a row.  Could he be the first parent this side of Henry Staal to be lucky enough to go through this twice?  Schenn Sr. said it would be great if the Leafs drafted Brayden.  “What parent wouldn’t want his kids playing together?”  I also learned that Viktor Hedman has a big birthmark on his face, something that unfortunately will definitely take away from his marketability.

A sampling of the cars in the Penguins player’s parking lot – BMW M6, Lexus SUV, Porsche (2), Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Sentra, Mercedes (2), Escalade, and a Range Rover.  Sentra?

Walking through the bowels of Mellon Arena I witnessed Mark Messier run into Ed Olczyk and give him a big hug.  He then introduced him to his son as “This is Eddie.  He played with me in New York when we won the Cup.”  Eddie asked the junior Messier. how old he was and was told “5 ¾”.

I love the way the Penguins put a giant screen in front of Mellon Arena and let ticketless fans watch the game.  By 1:00 p.m. on the day of Game Three, there were already 50 people camped out on lawn chairs.  Apparently up to 5,000 watched some of the games.  Unfortunately, NBC would not allow their games to be shown, which was an extremely petty move from the peacock network.

Last year I visited Honus Wagner Sporting Goods in downtown Pittsburgh looking for a Marc-Andre Fleury t-shirt.  I was surprised to see the only players they carried were Crosby, Malkin, and Jarkko Ruutu.  I tried again this time around, and found t-shirts in stock for Crosby, Malkin, and Brooks Orpik.  These guys must be anti-goalie or something.  I did buy myself a “Malkin in the Middle” t-shirt though, which featured the Conn Smythe Trophy winner surrounded by #’s 87 and 29.

I also paid a return visit to Pittsburgh’s only downtown card and memorabilia store.  Last year I made note of the ridiculously bad autographs they were passing off as authentic.  This year was no different.  The shopkeeper heard me talking to a cohort and asked which autographs I thought were fake.  I asked him if he really wanted my opinion and he said he did.  I showed him two Sidney Crosby pucks with completely different signatures.  He said he buys them from “the kids that hang out at the arena”, and they would “know better” than to sell him anything that wasn’t real.  He then made note that he didn’t really like the Crosby autographs either, but they were “pretty close”.  Did he just tell me that he knew these autographs were fraudulent, but bought them because they were almost real?

The same gentleman was also selling some legitimate Mario Lemieux and Bryan Trottier autographed photos that were in the same binder as Lemieux and Trots signatures that look like they were scribbled by a six-year old.  If you are going to sell fake autographs, would it not make sense to ensure you did not have legitimate signatures nearby for comparison’s sake?  I was told that James Spence Authentication is brought in twice a year to authenticate all their autographs, and sure enough a JSA sticker accompanied every fake item.  I do not think this topic needs any more discussion. 

The only books on sale in the Penguins souvenir store were a Penguins history book with Lemieux and Crosby on the cover, a book about Herb Brooks, and of course – Dave Hanson’s Slap Shot book – The Man, The Foil, The Legend.  You could also get a Penguins Official Game Puck for only $20, considerably more than the $9 Frozen Pond charges for the same item.  Pittsburgh/Carolina Semi-Final t-shirts were available at 50% off and I’m sure there was huge demand for those.  I tried to buy some souvenirs about forty-five minutes after the conclusion of Game Three, but was told they could not sell me anything because they had already counted the money.  Yeah – that makes sense. 

Game Seven at Joe Louis Arena was a phenomenal experience for me.  I met Marc-Andre Fleury as an eighteen-year old just weeks into his rookie 2003 season.  I make no secret of the fact that he is my favorite player and one of the nicest people I have ever met.  He has an infectious personality and just oozes charisma.  If the Maple Leafs can’t win the Cup, then I cheer for Fleury.

A group of eight of us rented a limousine and headed down for the game.  I was not smart enough to properly requisition tickets through the NHL or either team, so I was stuck buying from scalpers.  The Red Wings were allocated 450 tickets for the final game while the Pens were given 250, but those went quickly.  Upper bowl tickets were selling for $500-$800 a couple of days before, but were well over $1,000 by game time, with some scalpers quoting $3,500 a pair.  At that point I did not care; I just wanted to see the game and I paid through the nose.       

The pre-game atmosphere was amazing, as everyone knew they were going to see the Stanley Cup awarded that night.  Penguins jerseys abounded (including a game-worn Fleury on my back) while dozens of Detroit fans paraded around with mock Cups.  But all the jest was good-natured and everyone was getting along.  These were hockey fans through and through.

We stood by Will Call and saw people try to get in with what turned out to fraudulent e-tickets.  Last I saw, a group of four middle-aged gentlemen were looking for a cop.  Welcome to the internet age. 

We got off the elevator at our suite level and were greeted by none other than the champ – Muhammad Ali.  He was barely recognizable and emotionless while sitting on back of a golf cart.  It’s sad to see what the years have done to this once-vibrant being, but it was a thrill to be in his presence nonetheless.

The building was extremely quiet with Pittsburgh holding a 2-0 lead, but when Jonathan Ericsson scored with six minutes left, the fans came to life.  I was so nervous I was shaking.  It seemed like the last thirty seconds took about twenty-five minutes to play.  Why was Jordan Staal taking the final faceoff when he had only won 4 out of 12 to that point?  But Fleury was stellar and the Penguins won it all. 

I could not believe it was happening, but I actually got teary-eyed when Fleury lifted the Cup.  There is a lot of pride involved in seeing your friends succeed, and that moment gave me a sense of satisfaction different from any I have felt before.  I know that several Frozen Pond friends and customers were feeling the same way. 

We made our way down to ice level where at least 3,000 Penguins fans had gathered behind the net.  The players took turns celebrating with us – Bill Guerin even spraying champagne through the glass.  I saw Fleury hug his parents and his girlfriend and I will always remember the smile on his face, as mine was probably just as large.  I love the fact that families now come onto the ice to celebrate; a tradition born only in the last few years.  Prior to that, most of the celebrating took place in the locker rooms.  Now they are out in the open for all to see.

We stayed at ice level for another half-hour and then made our way to the exits.  Detroit fans were congratulating us the entire time.  I am sure they were disappointed but they remained cordial.  It was a great series and it is too bad only one team could win.

Next year – Leafs vs. Penguins.  Yeah – I know they are both in the same division, but a man can dream.  Now if we can only find a way for the Leafs to win it without Fleury giving up any goals…

Being in this business, I have to remain impartial.  Therefore, I don’t care who wins the Stanley Cup, as long as it is Marc-Andre Fleury.

Go Pens!!!

All I have to say is that the Wings seem only able to win on weekends, which should make Friday’s game a lock.

(I apologize to all our customers that are Wings fans.  I have known “Fleurs” since he was 18 and he is my favorite player in the NHL.  Also – a Penguins win would be immeasurably better for the sport of hockey, plus I will get to go to the parade.)

Through my twenties and into my early-thirties, I would spend Sunday nights at my sister’s house watching “The Simpsons” with my two nephews.  This became a ritual I truly enjoyed and rarely missed.  As a result, I have always maintained a close bond and special relationship with Max and Eric and we have Homer, Bart, et al, to thank for it.

We went to the World Premiere of the Simpsons “Toronto” episode together.  We went to see Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart) perform her one-woman show.  We went to The Simpsons Movie on opening night.  We’ve been to multiple Simpsons animation art shows.

We also buy each other Simpson gifts with regularity.  The kids brought me back a hand-made Homer puppet from Italy this past Christmas, and I have “gummy” Simpsons from Mexico.  I own several bottles of “Duff” beer, a can of “Flaming Moe”, and an actual “Squishee” machine.  Needless to say, my collection of Simpsons merchandise is quite extensive.

The City of Glendale (Arizona) is trying to prevent the Phoenix Coyotes from moving to Hamilton by claiming to the court that such an action would cost the city in excess of $500 million, consisting of lost jobs, tourism dollars, and embarrassment to the local economy.  I don’t think the city councilors are seeing the big picture here.  Would they rather the team went bankrupt?  All the same things would happen in that scenario.  Does it not make sense to sell the team and at least recoup some of the money owed to creditors, most of which are likely Phoenix-based?

In a perfect world, the Coyotes would be sold for $200+ million to an entrepreneur that intends to keep the team in town, but this is not going to happen.  The team is bleeding $30-$40 million a year and no rational individual will willingly sustain those kinds of losses.  Instead of crying to the courts, why do the cities of Glendale and Phoenix not do everything possible to try and sell more season tickets or whatever is necessary to make the team more attractive to its residents?  If none of the locals care about the franchise, than why are they attempting to save it, and why should anyone care?

I believe Muhammad Ali’s last public autograph appearance was at the 2003 National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago.  My friends at Steiner Sports were running the autograph area and told me I could get a personalized 16X20 photo and my picture with “The Greatest” for the sum of $400.  It wasn’t the money that scared me off, but the fact that the lineup at the time was at least an hour long and I did not have the patience to wait.  So I bypassed the opportunity.

Fast forward to the present day, and Ali autographs have almost completely dried up.  We are talking about a guy that signed a TON of autographs over the years and was a steady seller for us until around 2007.  I always had Ali product in stock and we were sure to bring at least one item to each charity auction in which we participated.  Then the prices started going up - considerably.  A framed Ali photo that once sold for $999 was now retailing for double that.  Boxing gloves and robes disappeared entirely.  Charities were getting upset because we were no longer able to provide their most profitable raffle items.  I was under the impression Ali was still participating in at least one private autograph session per year, but I now believe these events have ceased as well.

We recently had a customer inquire about an Ali autograph, so I went looking to see what I could find.  The cheapest signature available to me was $1,800 U.S. and went up to $4,000 U.S. for a signed punching bag.  These prices were wholesale.  I know Ali’s battle with Parkinson’s disease has had an effect on “The Champ’s” ability to pen his signature, but I would be curious to know if his autographing has stopped altogether.  At $2,000-$4,000 per signature, Ali would easily be the most expensive living autograph.

More than anything, I’m really angry at myself for not standing in line for an hour back in 2003.

Do people still say that defense wins games?

Last year, the Toronto Blue Jays had the best pitching staff in the baseball and finished in the middle of the standings.  Until mid-May of this season, their offense was the best in baseball, their pitching staff was being held together by threads, and they were first in the American League.

The Minnesota Wild had the second-best defense in the NHL this season and finished 19^th overall.  I think it’s time to change the old adage – defense keeps you in games, but you can’t win without scoring.

There are a lot of fans that think HOF broadcaster, Bob Cole, should have retired a number of years ago and I am starting to join the masses.

After Detroit clinched their Quarter Final series versus Anaheim, Cole said they “would be on their way to the Western Conference Final against the winner of the game between Boston and Carolina.”  Uh – Bob.  The last time I checked, both Boston and Carolina played in the Eastern Conference.  Maybe a map of the U.S. would come in handy.

How come Detroit and Chicago haven’t worn their Winter Classic jerseys for any of the playoff games?  Oh yeah – they were sold off and in the hands of collectors within seconds of the conclusion of the January 1^st game.

All Toronto fans of my generation are shocked and saddened by the loss of Peter Zezel.  It seems like the fan-favorite played 8-10 years for the Leafs, but it’s surprising to learn he only skated in 204 games over 3 seasons.  He visited Frozen Pond as a customer on a couple of occasions and now I’m kicking myself for never bringing him in as a guest.  44 is much too young an age for an admired athlete to leave us.

In case you were wondering, these were the best-selling NBA jerseys over the past season:

1. Kobe Bryant

2. Lebron James

3. Chris Paul

4. Kevin Garnett

5. Allen Iverson

6. Dwyane Wade

7. Paul Pierce

8. Nate Robinson

9. Pau Gasol

10. Ray Allen

Allen Iverson and Nate Robinson?  I realize there’s the whole regional thing to take into account, but does Dwight Howard not play in the NBA.  Tim Duncan?  Yao Ming?  Tony Parker?  Dirk Nowitzki?  When I think of a Top Ten list, Nate Robinson is not a name that comes to mind.

My boy Marc-Andre Fleury goes for Lord Stanley’s hardware once again.  I am off to Detroit (probably) and Pittsburgh and will give you a report upon my return.  I will also have a follow up on Coach’s Corner and Sports Collectors Digest, which will definitely make for an interesting read.

One company that I have yet to touch upon in any of my rantings is Coach’s Corner Sports Auctions out of Souderton, PA.  This may be the most controversial company in the hobby right now, and not in a positive way.

I had one dealing with the company in the mid-1990’s.  At the time they were known only as Coach’s Corner and had not started their auction business.  The experience was mind-numbing.  I was only sent a fraction of my order, but charged for the whole thing.  The quality was terrible (smudged autographs), they massively overvalued the shipment for insurance purposes (resulting in a HUGE brokerage bill), and no one would return my calls.  They eventually sent random merchandise, without discussion, to make up the balance of my invoice.  Obviously they did not have what I ordered in the first place.  Would it not have made more sense to just credit my Visa, or to have charged me only for what shipped?

I dealt with a gentleman named Lee Trythall who called himself the General Manager but I am pretty sure is the owner.  Almost fifteen years later, it seems little with this company has changed.

They now run what are easily the largest sports memorabilia auctions in the industry.  Once a month, they buy roughly 23 full-page ads in Sports Collectors Digest (SCD) to advertise their latest 4,500+ lot offerings.  The listings are vague, the display is amateurish, and the prices realized are a fraction of what the items are worth.

SCD gives this company a lot of credibility by reporting on each upcoming auction while giving results from their previous sessions.  They have also been bestowed Coach’s Corner with the formerly prestigious “Krause Publications 15-Year Customer Service Award”.  Coach’s Corner is easily SCD’s largest advertiser and it seems that enhanced editorial coverage is part of what they are purchasing.

What makes this all the more interesting is that several years ago, Coach’s Corner ran into deep financial difficulties and SCD was a large creditor.  SCD ran a story how they were going to work with Coach’s Corner to rebuild the company and over the years it has become obvious that a close partnership has ensued.  As a publication, SCD is only a fraction of what it used to be and the advertising revenue derived from Coach’s Corner may be the only thing keeping it afloat.  It was not unusual for weekly issues of SCD to top 300 pages in the 1990’s, while an average issue these days is 40-45 pages.  But it has now become obvious that SCD is far from objective when they report on Coach’s Corner auctions, and a definite conflict of interest should be brought to the reader’s attention.

The internet is full with observations and accusations about the auction house.  Their listings contain blurred or no images at all, yet the majority of lots seem to receive bids.  They advertise the “lowest consignment fee in the hobby”, yet their 20% charge is on the high end of standard.  They also willingly and publicly allow shill bidding on their items.  A direct quote from their auction site reads “Consignors may bid on their own lots (reserves) however will be charged the full commission if the item does not sell to another bidder.”  Interesting.

They seem to have a never ending supply of high-end merchandise that is not available anywhere else, yet it sells for pennies on the dollar.  A Neil Armstrong signed baseball recently sold for $61 when the market price for such an item would be $1,500+.  Coach’s Corner claimed they went to his house and obtained the signature in person, when it is common knowledge that Armstrong would never sign under this circumstance.  J. K. Rowling signed Harry Potter books generally sell in the $1,000-$3,000 range, but a July/2007 Coach’s Corner auction had one hammered down for $50.  Other recent auctions have included the sale of Abraham and Mary Lincoln autographs for $725 and a LBJ and JFK combo photo for $662.  Both these sale prices border on laughably low.  Why would anyone sell legitimate valuable autographs at a minute percentage of what they are actually worth?

Another major problem with the company is their seemingly indifferent attitude to sell just about any item consigned to them, regardless of its authenticity.  Take a look at these different Three Stooges items sold over the years and make note that both were authenticated by STAT Authentic.  If both items were deemed legitimate, should the autographs not at least look the same?

http://www.myccsa.com/Lot.aspx?LotID=87304

http://www.myccsa.com/Lot.aspx?LotID=85457

In the second photo, there wasn’t even any attempt made to differentiate the handwriting between the two Howard brothers.

How could both of these Thurman Munson baseballs be legitimate?

http://www.myccsa.com/Lot.aspx?LotID=86056

http://www.myccsa.com/Lot.aspx?LotID=87008

Just to deepen the conspiracy theory a little, STAT Authentic is run by a gentleman named Ted Taylor who has been involved with SCD as a friend and writer for over 30 years.  Taylor apparently also works for Coach’s Corner as their head of Public Relations, and is quoted in a testimonial on their website as saying they are his “number one choice for buying and consigning”.

A collector in an online chat room made the following observation about this arrangement:

“How can the authentication done by one of their own employees – who also writes for SCD – and also buys and consigns to them?  How can an independent authenticator buy and consign at the same auction house at which he is employed as an authenticator?”

Good questions.  Here’s another post:

1/30/2008 4:38:01 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
”There’s been a lot of discussion in the past about Coach’s Corner, and the fact that they seem to routinely sell autographed baseballs of guys like Josh Gibson, Amos Rusie, Jim Thorpe, etc. — balls that should be worth tens of thousands of dollars if real, but typically sell in the high hundreds. There’s also been a lot of discussion in the past about the fact that SCD lends credibility to Coach’s Corner by running their multi-page ads twice a month.

I had always assumed that SCD agreed to run Coach’s Corner’s ads for one simple reason — SCD needed the money. But I noticed today that the connection between SCD and Coach’s Corner appears to run much deeper.

 

Coach’s Corner’s autographs are usually authenticated by Stat Authentic. The Amos Rusie in their current auction is authenticated by Stat, as are dozens of others. Who operates Stat? It turns out that one of the two owners / authenticators is Ted Taylor. Ted Taylor writes for SCD. In fact, he writes “news” stories for SCD about Coach’s Corner’s auctions. The stories he writes are full of fawning praise, using phrases like “fully certified” to describe the autographs in the auction. Coach’s Corner uses the same phrase in its ads, so it may be that the “news” stories are actually written by Coach’s Corner, with Ted Taylor’s name just added by SCD. There’s also a link on Stat’s website to Coach’s Corner’s auctions.”

The other authenticator used by Coach’s Corner is a gentleman by the name of Christopher Morales.  Mr. Morales states on his resume that he was employed in the Department of Forensic Sciences at George Washington University, but this claim has turned out to be completely fraudulent, as has the majority of his bio

To put it a little more succinctly, I found the following quotes:

“We will never use Morales,” says Rob Lifson, president of Robert Edward Auctions. “If somebody says they have a piece they want to consign that has been authenticated by Christopher Morales, we choose not to pursue it. I’m not saying it is bad. I’m just saying it’s not a valuable use of our time.”

Lelands president Mike Heffner is even more dismissive: “I can’t tell you that I’ve ever seen anything he’s authenticated that is actually real.”

The marketplace, moreover, apparently also does not value Morales’ opinion. Autographs that Morales has authenticated routinely sells for a fraction of the price similar items authenticated by others fetch.

“A ball signed by Hall of Famer Mel Ott and authenticated by Morales, for example, sold for $2,315 in Coach’s Corner’s February auction; an Ott ball sold by Mastro Auctions in 2004 sold for more than $52,000. A Lou Gehrig autographed ball authenticated by Morales sold in Coach’s Corner for $3,100; less than half the $7,000 a similar ball fetched through Hunt Auctions.”

But that means someone still shelled out $2,315 for a likely fraudulent Ott ball and someone else is out $3,100 for a fake Gehrig.  There is a recent sale of a Babe Ruth single-signed ball authenticated by Morales for $2,641, which is about 10% of the current market value.  A January/2007 auction featured a Josh Gibson autographed baseball selling for $1,158, a ridiculous bargain for the Negro League superstar whose autograph is one of the rarest in the business.  Lifson was quoted as saying he once had a Gibson autographed postcard that sold for $81,000.

Another collector had the following to say on a bulletin board post:

“I’ll make it real simple:
Coach’s Corner + Stat Authentic = Christopher Morales x Value = worthless.

If there is any doubt to this equation, please find me an authentic autograph on the newest Coach’s Corner auction that is authenticated by Stat. I’d be forever in debt to you if you do as I’d love a signed Joe Jackson baseball for $1,500 or a signed Beatles Sgt. Pepper LP (There’s one about every 2 months on there) for $750.

Why is no one doing anything to stop these people?  The answer is simple.  Coach’s Corner is apparently very good at refunding money to unhappy customers, and doing it quickly.  So if they sell 2,000-3,000 items in an auction and 100 people complain, those people immediately have their money sent back.  As a result, who is left to follow up to higher authorities?  The rest of the bidders are obviously happy with their purchase.

Coach’s Corner has sold the only known “signed” Beatles guitar to come to market for $15,000, when a truly legitimate example would sell for $100,000+.  They sold an obviously doctored Robert E. Lee check from 1866 for $278, which is 1/10 of their estimate.  They sold a James Dean signed picture with an imprinted copyright date from a year after he died (a letter from the buyer to SCD about this went unanswered).  In fact, they advertise that they have sold close to 1 million items over the years.

Another online collector made the following post:

“we’ve seen it before, but this is past ridiculous.  got my coaches corner auction brochure in the mail today. give me a break. someone call the cops on this. sitting bull, davy crockett, george bush 911 comm NYFD sign cap, marciano signed magazine, walt disney hand drawn sketch??!!!! please, we’re talking about items worth serious money here. Their website lists items but does not show photos. signed baseballs, joe jackson, babe ruth, honus wagner. including a ball signed by mantle, maris, satchell paige and jackie robinson. come on, someone got the 4 most valuable autographs on 1 ball and MB is 200 dollars. beatles, JFK, marilyn monroe, george custer. would 60 minutes please investigate these guys.”

There is a gentleman who is so fed up with Coach’s Corner that he has taken to filming videos and posting them on You Tube.  Yes – he is dedicated to proving to the collecting world at large that Coach’s Corner and their authenticators are knowingly and willingly selling fake autographs.  He has done 15 videos so far and they are well worth watching.  You would think that if an auction house was going to put multiple autographs of a player in the same auction that they would at least make sure the signatures are somewhat similar.

This gentleman is great for the hobby.  He asks what kind of collector would purchase these items and analogizes the gentleman bidding several years ago on a Don Drysdale signed Starting Lineup figurine from 1995, when Drysdale had passed away in 1993.

Here is one last chatroom link about the company. I find it humorous that in Coach’s Corner’s rules to consigners, they state that “Any lots returned due to authenticity will be the responsibility of the consignor. The consignor will pay the full commission for the item in question.”

That basically means that if your STAT Authenticated Walter Johnson ball (worth $25,000) that sold for $368 gets returned by the purchaser, you still have to pay Coach’s Corner their $73.60 commission.

Quite a company.