I’m not trying to open a can of worms or anything, but did anyone else notice Canada had an unfair advantage at the Vancouver Olympics?  It seems that Scott Niedermayer was playing with a tree…

Here is another photo that I’ll bet you haven’t seen.  Do you think that the Prime Minister’s office will license it for distribution?  What is a Sidney Crosby/Stephen Harper signed combo photo worth?

While on the topic of the Olympics, here is a breakdown of the auction prices realized for the Team Canada’s jerseys worn for the game versus Switzerland:

 

Bergeron - $4,550

Boyle - $4,050

Brodeur - $5,100

Crosby - $35,100

Doughty - $3,750

Fleury – Game-Issued (not worn) - $2,609

Getzlaf - $3,302

Heatley - $2,850

Iginla - $5,655

Keith - $2,550

Luongo - $4,700

Marleau - $2,550

Morrow - $3,050

Nash - $2,950

Niedermayer - $4,401

Perry - $2,275

Pronger - $2,550

Richards - $3,800

Seabrooke - $3,550

Staal - $4,350

Thornton - $2,850

Toews - $8,839

Weber - $4,150

 

Not too shabby for jerseys that were only worn one game.  It’s interesting to do a comparative amongst the players.  Is Jonathan Toews really 2X-3X as popular as most of his teammates?  Should Patrice Bergeron be as valuable as Roberto Luongo?  Is Dan Boyle 50% more popular than any of his Sharks brethren?

 

For a similar comparable, Frozen Pond auctioned off a number of autographed Olympic pucks in the days after the Closing Ceremony.  Here are the results:

 

Brodeur - $170-$330

Datsyuk - $95

Doughty - $75-$151

Fleury - $57-$129

Gustavsson - $60-$77

Heatley - $67

Iginla - $127

Kessel - $49-$62

Langenbrunner - $264

Luongo - $89-$184

Malkin - $112-$153

Ovechkin - $200

D. Sedin - $45

H. Sedin - $74

Zetterberg - $51

 

All of which proves one thing – that Jamie Langenbrunner is the most popular player in hockey, by far.  J  Either that or two people really wanted the only signed puck of the U.S. captain that was available on NHL.com at the time.

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Did anyone else find it coincidental that Sidney Crosby’s missing stick and glove were both “found” on the same day?  Basic instinct told me there was more to this story than what was being let on, and a little investigating confirmed my suspicions.  Apparently the stick was on its way to a wealthy and influential Russian hockey stick collector named Sergei Afanasiev.  The Globe and Mail even reported on the incident, although for some reason, it was not widely distributed.

 

So a Team Canada equipment person (or someone closely affiliated with the club) “accidentally” puts Crosby’s stick into a bag bound for the “IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame in Russia”, even though no such entity exists. What do you suppose this “person” was paid for his transgressions, and why has this not turned into an international incident?  Why did Hockey Canada lie about it, since even Afanasiev admits the stick was given to him for his own collection?

 

Or was the entire episode nothing more than a series of innocent mistakes?  Since I may have to work with some of these people in the future, I will leave the conclusions to the reader.    

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I went grocery shopping at Sobey’s the other day, and the cashier would not give me a penny off on my $80 bill in order to prevent me from breaking a twenty.  So I asked for my cash back, and put the entire purchase on my Visa, thereby burdening the supermarket with a credit card expense of about $1.50.  I will also no longer shop at that location.  Kind of a high price to pay for a penny, don’t you think?

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So Vesa Toskala is traded to Anaheim, cannot get a Visa to work in the U.S., and then is traded back to a Canadian team (Calgary).  Why is a player who lived and played in the U.S. for a number of years suddenly being denied a work Visa?  Again – is this purely innocent, or is there more to the story?  Was Calgary just looking to clear cap space at the end of the season, or am I in a conspiracy theorist mood today?

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We recently had an Alex Ovechkin autographed puck up for auction and someone decided to send us a query under the “Ask Seller a Question” link.  The email read “Alex – did you really sign the puck?” 

Wow – the fun we could have had replying to that one.  “Dear Sir – Yes, my $120+ million contract (not to mention endorsements) barely covers the cost of my vodka and caviar bill, so I have now taken to signing pucks and selling them myself via internet auctions. You can be assured that the signature is real as it includes a COA from a third-party authentication service.  Sincerely, Alex.  P.S. – I have to go score lots of goals now.”

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I am a Pierre Maguire fan, but there are those that say he talks too much and says far too little.  This great quote came while talking about Drew Doughty during the Canada vs. Switzerland Olympic game – “He tries to be strong but he doesn’t be strong.”  I couldn’t have said it better myself.

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This email was sent to us a couple of months ago.  Talk about a bargain, and just look at that quality signature…

Thank goodness for their lifetime guarantees and third party autograph authentication, otherwise I would have been really concerned about the legitimacy of this piece.     I see Muhammad Ali and Mickey Mantle autographs being offered all the time for $99 each and wonder what kind of ignorance it takes to purchase something at five-to-ten cents on the dollar and assume you are acquiring a legitimate signature.  That is assuming that any of these items are actually being sold.

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Tim Tebow – an exceptional college quarterback with marginal professional prospects who may end up in the CFL – recently had his first-ever public autograph appearance at a mall in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.  The former Heisman and national championship-winning quarterback is admired by the masses in Gator country for his accomplishments on the field and his clean-cut nature and religious devotion off it.

Regardless, many felt the asking price of $160 for an autograph and $75 for a photo with Tebow was a tad bit excessive.  Apparently this wasn’t the case for the 900 people that showed up and kept Tebow at the appearance for over 4 hours.  Wow – they either really love their college football in Florida or this guy is beyond larger than life.  That price is astronomical and possibly the worst autograph investment I have ever heard.  But alas, I have preached many a time that sports collectibles should be purchased due to love of the game and not for ROI purposes, so congratulations to those that waited up to 7 hours and received a thrill by meeting their hero.  I wonder if any of these folks are Leafs fans?    

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Jersey collectors better be prepared to shell out some big bucks come Fall, as eleven NHL teams will be wearing new sweaters next season.

 

The above Sabres jersey has by no means been finalized and may only be worn for the team’s 40^th Anniversary season in 2010-11.  Anaheim, Calgary, Columbus, Dallas, Nashville, NYI, NYR, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Toronto will all be altering either their home/road or third jerseys in some way.

 

For the Penguins, the baby blue third jersey will be replaced, while the Leafs are keeping their thirds intact but updating the striping and patches on their home and road uniforms.  Nashville’s third jersey will become their home sweater and their alternate jersey will be scrapped.  Several other jerseys will not be a surprise, such as the Flyers Winter Classic and the Flames retro jerseys becoming standard attire.  Expect a number of press releases over the summer months to officially debut the new designs.

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It was disheartening this past December when Paul Henderson informed me that he was in the early stages of leukemia. He had not gone public with the news and I respected his privacy in the matter. Now that he has announced his illness, I think some of Henderson’s story should be told.

Paul Henderson is a remarkable man and I have never seen anyone handle such a tragic situation as well as he has. He is the first member of the Henderson family to live past the age of 60 (he is 67) and is thankful every morning he wakes up. He is in the best shape of his life and credits his faith for helping in this time of need. He has an email list of 500 friends and supporters that pray for him every day.

 

It is too early in his illness to diagnose a strategy, so he is actually not taking any medications and his lifestyle has not changed. He has read about some radical treatments taking place in Germany, but says it is far too early to start considering them.  He is banking the knowledge though, should he need it at a later time.  He is in no pain.

 

Henderson is a national treasure in Canada and we wish him the best on his road to recovery.

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.

 

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?

“meh” – from ‘The Simpsons’ - an expression of indifference or boredom, or an adjective meaning mediocre or boring.

There was plenty of excitement in anticipation of late-January’s Montreal All-Star festivities, but my expectations remained reserved.  While a lot of people LOVE Montreal as a party town, it is far from one of my favorite cities.  By the end of All-Star weekend, there was no shortage of people that agreed with my sentiments.

 

Downtown Montreal is plain dirty.  They don’t clear the streets or sidewalks.  There is snow and even more bothersome, slush everywhere.  Walking the few blocks from the hotel to the All-Star Jamboree show repeatedly involved your feet getting sopping wet in frigid temperatures.  Oh yes – the temperature.  Montreal in winter is far from wonderland.  The temperature on consecutive days went from -17 to -25 to -8.  Add in another -15 each day to account for the wind chill, and you can imagine why it was not fun.  Wrigley Field on New Year’s Day was positively tropical compared to what we went through here.   

 

As well, smoking is still allowed in public places in Montreal, and I was not the only one who noticed the cabs smelled like ashtrays. 

 

Now my constant complaining is not baseless.  I have been to ten previous All-Star festivities and have frequently written how much I have enjoyed myself.  The NHL treats its partners fabulously well, and I have thoroughly enjoyed most previous events.  But this year’s showcase was definitely tempered by the world economic climate.  Parties and hospitality rooms that were past fixtures were conspicuous by their absence.  Free programs and pucks did not exist.  My hotel was also tame in comparison to the activity at some of the other NHL hotels.

 

On the bright side, All-Star is still my favorite weekend for socializing.  I got to spend some time with Patrick Marleau, Roberto Luongo, Ryan Getzlaf, Ovy, Mike Modano, Zach Parise, Rick Nash, Joe Thornton, and Dany Heatley.  We did an autograph session in Heatley’s hotel and the first thing I noticed was that he finally replaced the front tooth that got knocked out during his rookie season.  I asked “Heater” if he could explain his signature to me, and his response was “The letter “D”, some easy stuff (a scribble) and my number.”  So there you have it.

 

Sean McKenna played several years in the NHL and actually holds the record for the most career games played (414) without getting his own regular-issued hockey card.  Sean has been our InGlasCo/Sher-Wood sales rep for the past several years and it is always nice to reconnect in person.  I would not have believed it had I not seen it with my own eyes, but someone actually approached him in the lobby of the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth and asked if he was Sean McKenna.  When Sean nodded accordingly, the gentleman pulled out multiple newspaper clippings and other items for him to sign.  I was impressed.  Shocked, but impressed.

A few minutes later, I was speaking with Cup guru Phil Pritchard, when the same gentleman approached and told Phil he looked familiar.  He then queried, “Are you Orland Kurtenbach?”  Now – that was funny.  Phil actually has little downtime at these events, estimating he gets asked to pose for at least one-hundred photos a day.  I wonder if he would draw as an autograph guest?!?

 

The All-Star Jamboree was just “meh” as well.  I miss the days of All-Star Fantasy, when tens of thousands of people showed up for several hours’ worth of entertainment, including interactive games, autograph sessions, and a memorabilia marketplace.  The Jamboree actually had all those components, just to a much lesser extent than past.  I mean – are Shawn Anderson and Daniel Marois really worthy as autograph guests?  The last All-Star Fantasy event was in Minnesota in 2004.  After the lockout, it was deemed that all the games and displays needed upgrading, complete with the new NHL logo.  An NHL decision was made to keep the event low key for All-Star weekends in non-traditional hockey cities Dallas (2007) and Atlanta (2008), and they would return with a bang in Montreal.  But then the economic crisis took over and there were no sponsors to be had.  With next year’s game postponed due to the Olympics and the 2011 event in Phoenix (if they still have a team), the future of All-Star Fantasy is looking bleak.

We did meet a ton of nice people though and sales at the Frozen Pond booth exceeded our expectations.  The player’s red carpet entry to the Saturday night events came near our booth, but the crowd was so dense we could not see any of the festivities.

The Skills Competition and the Game itself were somewhat entertaining.  I loved it when Ovechkin put on the sunglasses and hat for his trick shot, since I knew that photo would make a great autographed item in our future product line.  Did you notice it was his sworn enemy, Evgeni Malkin, that helped him with his shtick?  Apparently the two happened to be at the same restaurant the night before, and went outside after dinner and worked out their differences during a forty-five minute discussion.  They are far from best buddies, but I think the days of Ovy running Gino every time he has the puck are over. 

 

The shootout showdown, featuring all 42 players in a last-man standing competition, is a great idea in theory, but actually turned out to be death.  It just went on way too long and put the majority of the crowd to sleep.  The game ending in a shootout with hometown hero Alexei Kovalev scoring the winning goal made the fans happy, so I have nothing to complain about there.  Habs fans are loud and loyal to their own, including other French Canadians.

 

Right after the game, I jumped in the car and made the trek to Quebec City for a Monday-morning autograph session with the venerable Patrick Roy.  I was assured that the -35 degree temperature was not normal and had only been that way for the past few days.  The signing took place at the Pepsi Centre, former home of the Quebec Nordiques and current residence of the Roy-owned Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL.  Roy is pretty quiet and spends a lot of time talking in French, but there’s nothing about him not to like.  He told me he has all five of the goalie masks he used throughout his career and asked what I thought they would be worth.  I guesstimated $10,000-$25,000 each and he thought that was a bit low.  What would everyone pay for Roy’s goalie masks?

He asked me when demand for his signature would end.  I told him never.  He reached a level of popularity matched by few and that will carry him through to his death.  We also spoke about Patrick Roy night this past November 22.  I asked if the Canadiens had spoken to him previously about retiring his number and he said they had not.  When I asked if he would have accepted if they asked five years ago, he stopped signing and thought about it for 15-20 seconds.  “I really don’t know” was his response.  I then asked if he had to think about it this time around and he said he didn’t.  “It’s been long enough and the time was right.”  We are big fans of Roy and look forward to doing autograph sessions with him every 1½ -2 years.  I know there will always be demand for him.

 

How come the Grammy’s are the only Awards show where they don’t play music when the winners are announced and are walking up to the stage?  Kind of ironic, don’t ya think?

 

So Michael Phelps is caught smoking a bong and the world at large gives a collective shrug.  But Ross Rebagliati has a minute amount of marijuana show up in a drug test after his 1998 Olympic snowboarding victory, and a huge international incident develops.  Please discuss.

 

 

So does baseball commissioner Bud Selig really deserve an $18.35 U.S. million annual salary in an era when owners are preaching fiscal restraint?  His yearly stipend is more than all but a handful of players have ever made in a single season.  That just is not right.  Why pay him that much when there is no shortage of qualified businessmen that would take the job for a fraction of that amount.  The same goes for Roger Goodell ($11.2 million), David Stern ($10 million – est.), and Gary Bettman ($5.59 million).

 

Coach and GM salaries are entirely out of whack as well.

This NFL “Pick Me” video is really cool.  I think all the feats are manufactured, but it is enjoyable to watch nonetheless.

Do you know what this is?

Yes – that’s the Stanley Cup as viewed on an airport x-ray machine.  Cool.

Firstly, I must admit that I am a snob.

 

I may be the only person on the planet that did not enjoy the 2009 Winter Classic.  Detroit beat Chicago by a 6-4 score in the outdoor game that seems to have received universal acclamation as an unqualified success.  The game was the highest rated U.S. hockey broadcast in thirteen years and there is already talk that an annual New Year’s Day encounter will replace the outdated All-Star Game as the NHL’s yearly showcase event.

 

I, though, did not enjoy myself.  I had already been to a Winter Classic where I had a rooting interest in the Penguins.  My seats were great, the weather was tolerable, the atmosphere was electric, and I had box access for when I needed to warm up.  This time around, my experience was not the same.

 

The shuttles from the hotel were running late due to excessive traffic around Wrigley Field.  They crammed 1.5 times the regular amount of patrons onto my bus in order to make up for the huge lines that were forming.  The normally twelve-minute commute was claustrophobic and took over 45 minutes, and the bus let us off in the middle of the street a ways from the stadium.  Traffic was at a standstill, and pedestrians were wandering everywhere.  I overheard two police officers say they were going to lose their intersection at any minute, as no one was paying attention to the traffic signals.

 

It then took another twenty minutes to get through the masses of fans and into my seats.  The third level balcony overhung my second-level seats, so the outdoorsy feeling I enjoyed previously was somewhat tainted.  A giant supporting beam also blocked my view of a good portion of the ice.  Did I mention it was freezing?  I had several layers of clothing on, but they did little to protect my hands and feet.  Dress shoes were not the smartest choice.  Some people are made for cold weather – I am not one of those people.

 

With my toque, my scarf, and my hood, I could not hear a thing that was being said.  I missed all the announcements and had a lot of trouble following what was going on at ice level.  I also did not care about the game itself.  I know Marty Havlat and Hank Zetterberg a little, but not enough to care either way who won the game.  Once the puck was dropped and once Daniel Cleary got crunched into the Blackhawk bench, I was pretty well ready to leave.  I made it through fifteen minutes of game action, and then left to go watch the balance at Dave and Busters.  Warm weather, hot food, a big screen, and good commentary; what else could one ask for?

 

The experience wasn’t all bad.  I had never been to Wrigley Field before, so it was great to visit the second-oldest stadium in the Majors.  I walked onto Waveland Ave., where all those home runs are hit, and loved seeing all the bleachers built on top of housing units across the street.  I enjoyed visiting “Wrigleyville”, the area surrounding the field where at least 20 sports bars are filled for all events.  There were easily 5,000-10,000 non-ticket holders within a few-minute walk of the stadium, all having a great time.  I was told this was normal for all Cubs games as well.

 

Those with tickets seemed to be having a great time, and the National Anthems were loud and memorable.  Most people enjoyed decent sightlines and the ice surface held up well; there were not frequent delays like last year.

 

But lucky as I was to have had complimentary NHL tickets and prime seats for a sporting event that over 200,000 people could not get tickets for, I did not have a good time.  Yes – I am a snob and am spoiled rotten.  But that does not mean I won’t be at Fenway Park or wherever the 2010 game takes place.  Heck – these events are historical and I love being a part of history.  I will just make sure I am much better prepared for the conditions, and hopefully will be able to come up with box seats.  I mean – that is the best way to watch an “outdoor” game, is it not?

 

 

Baltimore’s Le’Ron McClain scored a touchdown against the Dolphins yesterday.  Isn’t this how Quebecers refer to Don Cherry’s broadcast partner?

 

One of our best selling product lines this holiday season was McFarlane’s NHL Legends 7 wave of figurines.  We have almost completely sold through the 60 cases of product that was delivered in November.  It was generally a very strong year for McFarlane sales overall.  I know the economy is causing problems everywhere, but McFarlane has not raised their wholesale price in years (if ever) and retailers such as ourselves are very appreciative of gestures such as this.  Keep your eyes open for a Marc-Andre Fleury figure at the end of 2009, as well as a Habs Centennial two-pack that is bound to be extremely popular with collectors.

 

Speaking of Fleury, he was our best-selling player from October-December, dropping Alex Ovechkin down to second place.  These two have been at the top of our Best-Sellers list since right around the time of Steve Yzerman’s retirement.

 

While I may not have been a big fan of the Winter Classic, I have found this year’s World Junior Championships to be incredibly entertaining.  I don’t know if our American neighbors realize that this tournament is akin to March Madness in this neck of the woods.  These kids are the NHL superstars of the future and we are all watching so we could say we remember when…

 

Canada’s game against the U.S. was one of the most entertaining I have ever seen, and the last-second comeback against the Russians was the stuff of legends.  I just wish they could get our friend’s name correct; it is pronounced Alex Pit-rangelo, not Petra-angelo or Peter-angelo.