Some Olympic stories from our recent autograph signing with Bruins star Patrice Bergeron. 

Bergie’s roommates in Vancouver were Sidney Crosby and Shea Weber, his 2005 World Junior teammates.  Each Canadian player was given up to 6 tickets per game, but requests had to be made by mid-January.  The players had to buy their own souvenirs.  Luckily there was a store set up in the Athletes’ Village, so the players did not have to spend four hours in line like most consumers.  While their daytime itineraries were pretty full with practices, meetings, and video sessions, the players were able to spend a lot of time with friends and family, usually after games.  Since Team Canada games started at 5:00 p.m. local time, games were finished before 8:00 which allowed for plenty of down time. 

 

After the gold medal game, Bergie said most players partied at Molson Canadian Hockey House for a while, before dispersing to do their own things.  He was up all night and got no sleep before he boarded a plane the next morning. 

Jonas Gustavsson told me that he received so much swag (t-shirts, caps, etc.) as a member of the Swedish Olympic team; he couldn’t carry it all home.  So he left a duffle bag full of goodies in his room when he checked out of the village.  AAARRRGGGHHH!!!  I lectured him that if a similar situation should ever arrive, to call me and I will send a personal valet to help him carry his items.  I love that kind of stuff, and can’t believe it went to waste.  How cool would it be to have an actual Team Sweden Olympic track suit or the like?

 

I told Patrik Elias this story, and he told me he did the exact same thing.  Elias bought so many souvenirs for people that he had to leave a pile of his Team Czech Republic goodies behind due to lack of space in his luggage.  I’m thinking whoever was responsible for cleaning out those rooms made out like bandits.

 

I learned that as a bowler, the aforementioned Gustavsson is a pretty good hockey goalie.  I was privileged to watch The Monster take on teammate Fredrik Sjostrom in a friendly post-season bowling match while they were stranded in Toronto awaiting the volcanic dust to clear over Europe.  Sjostrom beat Gustavsson by the menial score of 89-83.  Jonas told me he was just warming up, and I commented that was a good thing, since I didn’t think he could score any worse.

The 2010 Boston Marathon was won by Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot in a course record time of 2:05.52, breaking the previous record of 2:07.14 set by Kenya’s Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot in 2006.  Believe it or not, the two men are not related.  Wouldn’t that be akin to Wayne Gretzky’s scoring records being broken by another man from Brantford named Wayne Gretzky?

An oldie but a goodie – Clark, the Canadian Hockey Goalie.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdf4GeT4ELA

Hopefully everyone has received Frozen Pond’s spring mailing over the past few weeks.  We are offering the largest selection of 2010 Team Canada Olympic signed items available anywhere, and these items are HOT!!!  For those yet to receive a hard copy, a digital version is available at http://www.frozenpond.com/download/fp_spring2010.pdf.

A hearty “Mazel Tov” to our friend Vinnie Lecavalier on the birth of his first child.  Victoria Lecavalier was born May 3 and checked in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces.  She will be eligible for the NHL Draft in 2028.

Speaking of Vinnie, please enjoy this story about Frozen Pond friend Hayden Allison’s recent encounter with his favorite player.

A Bobby Orr rookie game-worn jersey recent sold at auction for the astounding price of $191,200 U.S. How long until a Sidney Crosby jersey surpasses this amount?

There are a lot of rumors circulating about the short term viability of Upper Deck.  The company that once dominated the sports card industry is now fighting for its survival.  They lost their license from Major League Baseball in 2009, but continued to produce cards regardless.  This resulted in a lawsuit that cost UD over $2.4 million in settlement fees.

 

This came on the heels of another settlement with Konami, where UD admitted they stole intellectual property by fraudulently manufacturing and distributing Yu-Gi-Oh cards without a license.  That settlement was also rumoured to be well into seven-figures.

 

Upper Deck also lost their basketball and football trading card licenses, as well as their exclusivity to produce NHL hockey cards.  This has left the company with only a fraction of their previous revenue streams.  Players are complaining about not getting paid for autographs signed, and the MLBPA went so far as to “strongly advise” players not to return any signed cards to UD until payments were brought up to date.  The union also recommended against signing any new agreements with the company.

 

The above happenings coupled with the fact that UD laid off a good percentage of their staff makes you wonder how long they can continue to operate.  Established in 1989, Upper Deck helped revolutionize the trading card industry and became the most powerful player in the history of the sports collectibles hobby.  But some bad decision making and rumors of inappropriate business dealings has haunted them in recent years.  Look for Panini America to take over as the new company of choice for hobbyists.

Panani did make a brilliant move by hiring Al Muir as their hockey brand manager.  The former editor of Beckett Hockey Magazine has kept a low profile since being unceremoniously let go almost two years ago.  Muir has been in the industry as long as anyone and is extremely knowledgeable of the marketplace.  I’m expecting great things from this company.

 

The NHL Alumni took all the sticks from an end-of-season Leafs game and auctioned them off to raise money for their internal charities.  I love examining results such as these, because they are a near-exemplary “apples to apples” comparison of player popularity.  Here are the results:

 

Beauchemin - $300
Bozak - $151

Caputi - $110

Exelby - $132

Giguere - $215

Grabovski - $211

Gunnarsson - $142

Gustavsson - $721

Hanson - $142

Kaberle - $210

Kessel - $253

Komisarek - $142 (game-issued)

Kulemin - $170

Mitchell - $110

Orr - $120

Phaneuf - $1050 (plus helmet)

Schenn - $170

Stalberg - $130

Wallin - $100

 

Not counting Phaneuf, whose selling price was skewed due to the inclusion of a helmet, is it surprising that Jonas “The Monster” Gustavsson’s stick sold for almost 2.5X as much as the next popular Leaf?  Not to me.

This one is rated PG13, but had to be included here since it involves two of my favorite things – Hank Azaria and baseball.  It is also unbelievably hilarious.

http://www.funnyordie.com/hank_azaria

It’s nothing to do with anything, but I really like this song - Fireflies, by Owl City.  Not a huge fan of the video though. (I think this blog has set an all-time record for number of included links.)

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 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…

Places to purchase autographed sports memorabilia are becoming scarcer by the day, as the worldwide economic downturn continues to claim more victims.

 

B.C. Sports, once a thriving 50+ store chain in the Northeastern U.S. declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy last month and apparently liquidation has already begun.  B.C. Sports was a popular destination in Pittsburgh, amongst other cities, for obtaining low cost autographs of local stars.  They were good for the hobby and the impact of their closing will be felt by many.

 

Joining them on the sidelines is Elite Sports Marketing, which also announced their closing in March.  Now comparing the two companies is extremely unfair to B.C. Sports, since Elite has quite a checkered past.  A quick Google search will show you what I am talking about.  When I commented in a blog several months ago about uselessness of the company that represents Frank Thomas, these are the guys I was referring to.  Not sending merchandise, not giving refunds, and not returning phone calls does not define quality customer service.  If the recession will help rid the industry of companies such as this, there may end up being a ray of sunshine in our midst.

 

Also apparently having severe financial problems is U.S. auction house – American Sports Memorabilia.  The internet is rife with stories and complaints of non-payment to their consignors.  The concept is simple.  If you give me something to sell and I sell it, than you should be paid.  I do not understand how these auction houses are losing so much money (see Mastro).  When you charge a consignment fee (10%-20% of the selling price) and a buyer’s premium (15%-20% on top of the selling price), you are making money on both ends.  If the item does not sell or is not paid for, than you just return it to the consignor.  So what exactly is the issue with all these (supposedly) large auction houses?  Are their expenses too high?  American Memorabilia apparently is run out of the owner’s house.  Poor management?  Probably – but maybe they should take less in salaries and actually pay the people that supply them with the merchandise to keep them in business.  Or am I just being whacky here?

 

Celebrities, a controversial autograph store just north of Toronto, also closed their doors within the past couple of months.  As with Elite Sports Marketing, I do not think anyone is shedding any tears over this one.

 

Here is a great article from the New York Times about the authentication process that Major League Baseball goes through for their memorabilia –

 

Click here for NY Times article.

 

The dirt from opening game at the new Yankee Stadium was authenticated, as were the cans of insect repellant used to combat the bugs that swarmed the field during a 2007 playoff game in Cleveland.  With this kind of intense scrutiny, hopefully unauthenticated merchandise will not be as problematic in the future.  Now if we can only find a way to get rid of all the fakes in the hobby today. 

Believe it or not, Topps is honoring Bernie Madoff with his own card.  I am sure Sandy Koufax will be thrilled.

 

The Topps Company, Inc. today announced that its 2009 Topps Allen & Ginter product will include an insert of cards that feature the “world’s biggest hoaxes, hoodwinks and bamboozles,” including disgraced ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff.  The cards feature 20 perpetrators of some of the most notorious pranks, dubious claims, and outright frauds of the last two centuries. In addition to the villainous Madoff, some of the other notable cards will include: Charles Ponzi, Enron, D.B. Cooper, and The Run Away Bride.

 

Just when you thought a company couldn’t stoop any lower to try and make a buck…

I was distressed recently to learn of the passing of former hockey player, Kent Douglas.  I got to know him through our Leafs Anniversary Dinner a couple of years ago and he was a very likable gentleman.  Our condolences go out to his family.

The Washington Nationals played a game last week where two players had the team name spelled incorrectly on front of their jerseys.

 

Success on the field begins with success on the sewing machine, does it not?

 

Chris Chelios played right wing for Detroit during their final game of the season.  Maybe he’s in training to become the next Red Kelly!?!

 

Why in the world did the Leafs win the last game of the regular season?  A loss to the Senators would have dropped the Leafs from 24^th to 26^th in the 30-team league and given them an 8.1% chance at winning the draft lottery and the opportunity to select local boy, John Tavares.

 

But the Leafs instead beat Ottawa in an otherwise meaningless game, hence assuring them the 7^th overall pick in the 2009 Draft.  A professional team should never play to lose, but they can occasionally play to not win.  You can quote me on that.

Meanwhile, TSN’s panel of “experts” repeatedly pointed out during the Draft Lottery show how it had been a number of years since a team other than the one that finished last overall had won the Lottery, mentioning how Tampa Bay had selected Steve Stamkos last year and St. Louis’ selection of Erik Johnson prior to that.  I’m wondering if any of them can remember that Patrick Kane was picked in between their two examples, by a Chicago team that had finished 5^th-worst overall and won the lottery to move up to first.

 

In case you weren’t aware, Frozen Pond’s 15^th Annual Hockey Spectacular Auction is now live.  It features some phenomenal pieces of hockey memorabilia and we hope you find something you like.  Signatures of most current and several deceased HOF’ers are available for bid.  Have you ever wanted to own Eddie Shack’s dentures?  Here is your chance.

Also available is a phenomenal selection of pop culture autographs, including merchandise signed by Walt Disney, Orville Wright, Stan Laurel, Moe Howard and Curly Joe DeRita (Three Stooges), Lucille Ball, George Burns, Jack Ruby, Charlton Heston, George Carlin, Jimmy Stewart, Adam West, Robin Williams, and dozens of others.  

Can there be anything worse for the organized hobby than Angel Cabrera winning the Masters?  We have not exactly been overwhelmed by people looking for Cabrera merchandise since his playoff victory.  The guy has about as much charisma as a can of shoe polish.

 

Time is running out to sign up for the Shoot for a Cure Celebrity Poker Tournament on May 8^th at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.  Come on out to meet some ex-hockey players while enjoying some munchies and supporting a great cause.  The prizes aren’t too shabby either.

In the Fall of 2005, I happened to ask Eddie Shack if anything was being planned to honor the 40^th Anniversary of the Maple Leafs last Cup win.  When he responded in the negative, I made similar calls to Johnny Bower and Bobby Baun, and eventually sat down for a meeting with Ron Ellis.  Soon after, the wheels were put in motion for a tribute dinner and autograph show featuring most members of this historic team.

 

On March 22, 2007, a gala dinner was held at Toronto’s Metro Convention Centre.  There were over 860 patrons in attendance, including 20 Members of the ’67 Leafs and 25 other celebrities.  When all was said and done, $171,000 was raised for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Leafs Fund.

This event was well covered in the press at the time and I am not looking to retell a story that a lot of you already know.  But two years have passed since this great night and I thought it might be fun to share some of the “behind the scenes” happenings that have never found their way into print.

 

Firstly, you learn a lot from running an event like this, such as who your true friends are.  I was amazed at the support we received.  Several people from whom I had zero expectations stepped up and bought tickets or donated merchandise.  Friends, co-workers, acquaintances, and customers all lent their support in various ways.  In general, I was extremely proud of those I surround myself with.     

 

The Good

- We had a great committee, most of whom worked their asses off to ensure a successful evening.  These people put in 13+ months of planning and their efforts showed in the end result.  Ron Ellis, Larry Jeffrey, Brian Conacher, and Bobby Baun were key in getting the other players on board.

- I managed to talk Aut Erickson into attending.  Erickson played one game in his entire Leafs career, and it was in the ’67 playoffs.  Hence, he is in the team picture and is one of the more difficult autographs on the team to obtain.  He was almost impossible to track down, and came in from eastern California for the event. 

 

Milan Marcetta played three games in his Leafs career and is also in the team photo.  Emphysema prevented him from flying in from B.C., but he did sign all the team-autographed lithographs that we gave out to the guests.

- Jeri Horton-Joyce was in attendance representing her father, while five-year-old  Terrance Gordon Sawchuk III was there representing his grandfather.  Both can be seen in the reunion photo taken at the event.

- We made some members of this team very happy.  Each of John Brenneman, Wayne Carleton, Kent Douglas, and Brit Selby were members of the ’67 Leafs, but did not participate in any playoff games or play enough regular season games to get their names on the Cup or their images onto the team photo.  We invited them nonetheless, and it was the first time they had ever taken part in a team event such as this one.  Brit Selby’s family told me he was thrilled to be a part of it and nervously anticipated the evening for months.     

- When Jimmy Holmstrom, the current Leafs organist, heard that former Leafs organist Ralph Fraser was going to be in attendance, he asked if he could come meet him.  We left a special pass and Holmstrom got to spend time with his hero.

- Phil Pritchard is a good friend to have.  When I first spoke to the NHL about the availability of the Stanley Cup, they told me the laborious process I would have to go through to requisition it.  We would have to start with the League office, have to prove it was for a charity event, check on the availability, get permission from the proper departments, etc.  It was going to be a long, drawn-out procedure. 

 

My next call was to Pritchard, curator of the Hall of Fame.  He asked me to confirm the date, and then said, “Okay – it’s booked for you.”  Thanks Phil.

 

- As with any event, we had a number of last-minute celebrity cancellations.  Since we had promised every corporate table would have a luminary sitting with them, we had to scramble.  Dan Shulman, Tony Gabriel, Sandra Post, and Damon Allen all agreed to attend within the last 48 hours.

- The evening itself was beyond phenomenal and wildly exceeded even our most optimistic expectations.  Some email comments I received after the fact included, “I have never been to such an amazing event like this in my life and probably never will”, and “It was better than sex”.

 

- Every player I asked to donate their time for a meet and greet came through for us.  Lecavalier, Thornton, Fleury, Roy, Shack, Bower, Jagr, Mahovlich, Howe, and probably a few others that I can’t think of.  As a result, our auction revenue was mind-boggling.  Those in attendance were willing to spend and we appreciate them for it.

 

- Mike Palmateer called me after the fact to say he was proud of me and that I created history.  That was pretty cool.

 

 

The Bad

- I spoke to Mike Walton six months before the event and he confirmed he would attend.  Over the next several months, I left 15-20 messages for him and never received a return call.  As the dinner drew near, I had no idea whether or not he would be attending.

 

I had a reporter friend contact him a few days before the dinner, and Walton explained that he “thought he might be on vacation that day so he didn’t want to commit to attending.”  Basically, Walton was in Toronto the evening of March 22, 2007, but decided not to attend (with his ex-teammates) a charity fundraiser that he had already committed to. 

 

I have learned a lot more about Walton in the meantime, but do not deem it fit to print here.  Needless to say, I am not a big Mike Walton fan and he will not be invited to appear at Frozen Pond anytime soon.

 

- There were two minor celebrities I invited to the dinner and autograph show as a favor to one of the players.  One of the two arrived at the facility and asked for more money, even though I had a signed contract in my possession.  The other submitted an expense receipt for a sandwich he bought the day before the dinner.  This event could have easily proceeded without either of these gentlemen in attendance.  It is obvious that no good deed goes unpunished.

- We invited Michael Burgess, best known for his role in Les Miserables, to sing the National Anthem and he confirmed his attendance on no less than four separate occasions.  We could not find him the week of the event and left several frantic messages to call as soon as possible.  We were finally greeted with a return call that went something like, “Oh – is the dinner this week?  I am in Winnipeg.  Tell you what – if you pay me more than I’m making here and pick up my flight, I will make sure I am back in time.”  Needless to say, Michael Burgess did not sing “O Canada” at the dinner.

   

- Some potential attendees were turned off by our $250 minimum price ticket fee, but I don’t think people realize the costs involved with undertaking a high-profile event are quite prohibitive.  We decided to hold the dinner at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, located at the base of the C.N. Tower, right between the Air Canada Centre and the Roger Centre.  Dinner costs came to over $88 a person.  Add in drinks and taxes and we were in the $125-$130 range.  This was just for food.  Sound, lighting, electrical, a nurse, and garbage removal were all additional.  If a patron did not show; we still had to pay for their meal.  The above are just the facility costs.  I haven’t even mentioned advertising, centerpieces, travel, hotel, gifts, etc.

 

- I like to think that I am somewhat well connected, but getting the appropriate permissions from the National Hockey League and the Toronto Maple Leafs was time-consuming and painful.  It really should be much easier to raise money for charity.

 

- Due to various personal and business reasons, each of Joe Bowen, Andy Bathgate, Phil Esposito, and Allan Stanley were forced to cancel their appearances at the last minute.

 

- A family became violently ill the next day and was convinced they contracted the Norwalk Virus at the dinner (they didn’t).  Executives at the Convention Centre assured me they take reports like this extremely seriously and there would be a thorough investigation.  I never heard from them again.  

 

 

The Ugly

- Believe it or not, we had someone con us out of a $7,500 table.  A gentleman called two days before the event to purchase the table and had the tickets couriered to a downtown lawyer’s office.  He then never paid his bill.   

 

After doing some research, we found this gentleman was a professional con artist and had been pulling this trick on charity events for at least ten years.  He had nothing to do with the downtown law firm and just showed up at their door the next morning asking if an envelope had been delivered for him.  We contacted the local police division and they deemed it unworthy of investigating.  It takes a unique kind of individual to make a living of defrauding charities. 

 

- We received and turned down a media request from the 1970’s editor of the Toronto Maple Leafs game program.  Having him there would not earn any extra money for the charity, so it did not make sense to give him a free meal.  Nonetheless, this gentleman snuck in and helped himself to a complimentary dinner, as well as multiple gifts that did not belong to him.  I left a REALLY nasty message on his voice mail.  Again, what kind of person willingly defrauds a charity?  Was his cheapskate free enjoyment really more important than making a wish come true for a terminally ill child?

     

- Our sound, lighting and video guys did a very poor job, starting with not showing up for the trial run a few days before the event, and then not having a video monitor that was viewable by our head table guests at the dinner itself.  Post-dinner, I made a list of 14 things that I was unhappy with, but never received any kind of return correspondence.  I eventually offered to split the $8,000 that was remaining on a $15,000 invoice, and was turned down.  So they ended up with nothing. 

 

- Some people just don’t think of the big picture.  I asked one of my suppliers for an auction donation and was rudely greeted with “I don’t donate”.  I have not bought anything from this supplier since.  Just think, a donation of a $100 item that was sitting gathering dust would have resulted in the continuation of $5,000-$10,000 in annual sales to us. 

 

 Fun Facts

- Invited guests included die-hard Leafs fans Mike Myers, Prime Minister Stephen Harper (I handed an invitation directly to his aide), Gordon Lightfoot (who said he would perform for $15,000 but did not respond to an invitation to appear as a guest) and poker great Daniel Negreanu, who really wanted to attend but could not work the date into his schedule.

- At one point, we considered having The Monkees perform at the event, the reason being they performed at Maple Leaf Gardens just before the start of the 1967 playoffs.  Not to mention the fact that I’m a big fan and really wanted to hear Davy Jones sing “Daydream Believer”.

 

- I sat George Armstrong’s son down about a year before the event and explained the entire concept. He told me, “It sounds like a great event, I’m sure you’ll make a ton of money, and I can guarantee you my father will not be attending.”

- I was repeatedly asked what was in this for me.  The day after the dinner, I received an email from the provincial director of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  It stated, “…thank you for a truly memorable evening and the generosity you have shown toward our foundation.  The contribution from last night will fund over 20 wishes and will change the lives of those children and families forever.”

 

Tears streamed down my face as I read this at 2:30 a.m. the next morning.  That is what was in it for me.