Time to return to my blog

So, I've been away from my blog for a long time. Many, many reasons...in fact, too many to list. But, let's do a quick update. My autograph adventures have taken me to many places across North America. Meeting Joe Montana and Wayne Gretzky in Las Vegas. Meeting Adrian Peterson in Chicago, along with Peyton Manning, Ray Lewis, and Cal Ripken Jr. Meeting Mireille Enos in LAX. Meeting Stan Lee in Detroit, along with Reggie Bush, Mean Joe Greene, and Jerome Bettis. Meeting David Prowse in Niagara Falls. Meeting Jim Kelly in Buffalo, along with Stevie Johnson, CJ Spiller, and Andre Reed. Meeting Gerry Dee in Kitchener. Meeting Marshall Faulk, John Landis, and Graig Gass in Toronto. Meeting Troy Smith in Guelph, my home city in Ontario. My autograph adventures have also provided me with the opportunity to volunteer at AJ's Sportsworld & the Sportscard Expo, and help with signings with... The 1993 Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadiens, including Patrick Roy. Bobby Orr. Bobby Hull. Johnny Bower. Teemu Selanne and Ryan Getzlaf. Gordie Howe. RA Dickey, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, JP Arencibia, and Brett Lawrie. Theo Fleury. Guy Lafleur. Warren Moon. Joe Theismann. Brian Gionta, Max Pacioretty, Brendan Gallagher, David Desharnais, Brandon Prust, and Josh Gorges. Doug Gilmour. Martin Brodeur. and Rickey Henderson...just to name a few. I'll be bloggning more often, promise. To those who often make comment, tweet, or facebook me about the blog...Thanks! I look forward to hearing your opinions about it again!

Thanks for your time! CH

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain! Part 2

So, I had hopes of doing one or two entries per month this year. Not so much. Well, alot has happened with my hobby...I've worked with AJ's Sportsworld alot, and have had alot of experiences with celebrities. Since the 1st entry of "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" was well recieved, I decided to follow it up with another. This entry wouldn't happen without the trust of Andrew Goldfarb, owner of AJ's Sportsworld, who continues to let me help out with both his private & public signings. Without the access to the celebs, these types of entries couldn't happen. Thanks Andrew. So here we have it, experiences that have happened...working with the who's who of the autographing world! Let's roll...

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain! Part 2

Guy Lafleur, Darryl Sittler, Pat Lafontaine, and Bobby Hull, are the signers who press the hardest on Sharpies...they went through ALOTof markers, during their signings! Cody Hodgson, current Buffalo Sabre, asked Gilbert Perrault for autographs for his mom and grandmother, in the back of the 2012 Spring Expo! Pat Lafontaine, who was signing nearby, joked that Perrault was older than Hodgson grandmother! Believe it or not, Hodgson signed over 100 autographs publicly at the Expo...great turn out for a short-term Sabre! Gilbert Perrault arrived almost 2 hours early for his appearance...talk about promptness! When Pat Lafontaine arrived, he made sure to shake everyone's hand and ask their name...and surprisngly, said their names as he shook their names when he left for his afternoon flight! Kirk Mclean finished his mail order autographs about 20 minutes early, before his public signing at the Expo...for those 20 minutes, we chatted about growing up in Toronto, my time in the military, and his time in Afganistan during a "Support the Troops" tour! During his mail order signing, Gilbert Perrault, just randomly started singing Elvis songs! Bobby Hull greatly prefers to sign in blue over black...he'll tell you why, just ask! During a signing of a picture of Bobby Orr and Gordie Howe, I asked Orr if he was ever a victim of Gordie's elbow? Orr stopped signing, looked at me quickly, and simply responded..."Yup". Pat Lafontaine, one my all time favourite players, still resides in Long Island, NY. Kirk McLean currently works for the Colorado Avalanche. Guy Lafleur has restaurants in Quebec. Both Bobby's...Orr and Hull...have personal handler's named Ron! If you ever want to move to the front of the line during a Bobby Hull signing...bring a crying baby! He will personally fast-track you immediately to next in line! Former Leaf, Larry Hillman, often asked people where they got photos he signed, if he hasn't seen it before...and asked if they has an extra copy! Bobby Hull, agreed with former teammate Dan Bouchard, that the 1976 Team Canada entry into the '76 Canada Cup was the greatest team ever assembled. Guy Lafleur is a helicopter pilot, and went to Bell Helipcopters in Florida, the week after his signing, for more training! When I asked Bobby Orr if he'll ever do a public autograph signing, he answered "No". The rumour that Bobby Orr wont sign/add his "#4" to his autograph...isn't true. During his mail order signing, Guy Lafleur (along with a couple of employees) took a cigarette break! Oddest thing I've seen signed recently? ...Bobby Orr signed a sweetspot baseball! Funny enough, 2 days later...Bobby Hull signed a baseball also! (Not on the sweetspot though!). When I asked Orr to sign the "sweetspot", he knew exactly what I meant, and said "sweetspot, no problem!". Bobby Hull calls Winnipeg the coldest place on Earth! The item signed the most, after photos, during the Pat Lafontaine public signing? ...jerseys! Only other player that I saw as many jerseys as Lafontaine during a public signing was Gordie Howe. Dominik Hasek finished his public signing, and went into the backroom to finish his mail order signing at the Expo. When he entered the room, he spotted Ted Lindsay signing...and put his own signing on hold, to chat with the Red Wings legend and his wife privately for 10 minutes! Bobby Hull prefers to sign "1961 Cup Champs" over "61 Cup" as an inscription! Pat Lafontaine helped coach his son's hockey team last season, which was documented on the NHL network, and the team went on to win a national championship! Lafontaine was incredibly proud of his son, and told the story multiple times during his signing...and 'beamed' telling it everytime! Dominik Hasek took a break during his mail order signing, to walk around & check out the Spring Expo! ...so yeah, that was the Dominator checking out cards, if you saw him near closing time! Hope you enjoyed this quick blog! C

You Might Be An Autograph Hound...

Been a looooooong time since I've posted. It's not that I've forgotten about my blog, it's just that life and time get in the way. Anyways over the past week or so, I've been reminiscing about my old autograph hounding days...and found myself laughing at my memories of the 90's....back when I did most of my hounding. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, let me tell you. An 'autograph hound' is a person who basically donates their entire day to collecting autographs (of athletes, celebrities, etc...) outside of one or many specific locations, like stadiums, arenas, hotels, theaters, etc... God bless 'em! :) Anyways, I've always to post a comedic blog here, so this is my shot at glory. I slightly borrowed a famous comedian style...but I hope you enjoy it. So, after 6 months away from here, let's roll. "You Might Be An Autograph Hound!" You Might Be An Autograph Hound when the player signs your item in his own black Sharpie, and you get angry because he didn't use your blue Sharpie. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you open the new Upper Deck card set, and think to yourself that you can get all 600 cards signed by season's end. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you know difference between a good 'Wendel Clark' autograph and a bad one. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when the first time you went autographing, you swore you weren't going to be one of those weird people...and 3 months later, you have 8 of those weird people's cell numbers on your phone. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when a player signs 3 of 4 cards, and you get upset because the unsigned card was a part of your set. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you know Brett Lawrie changed his autograph between his rookie and sophomore year. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you pass on a free autograph signing, because you have him on 'everything'. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when you arrive at the stadium and say hello at the familiar security guard, and he rolls his eyes at you. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when you get stuck in a jam on the way to the arena, and you text your buddies to see which athletes have arrived before you. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you arrive at a team practice and see alot of people...and get mad. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you know what hotel the Calgary Flames, Colorado Rockies, and Orlando Magic stay at, when visiting your city. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when you have 4 copies of the card signed, by the same player....just because he's nice. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you find yourself waiting at a 'optional' practice, 3 hours early. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when you know players by their vehicles. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if your starstruck by a scout. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when it's 30 below and freezing cold, but you can't leave the practice area's parking area until you get the 5x7 of you and your new favorite player signed, that you got printed at Walmart hours earlier. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when a players says no to signing your card, and you respond; Please...it's for my set. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when you ask the same player for an autograph before practice, after practice, before the game, and after game....all in the same day. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if someone bumps into during the autograph signing, and smears the autograph, and then 2 years later you still want to fight that guy when you see him. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you get angry upon arrival at the team hotel, to see a small mob of people near a bus...only to laugh at yourself when you realize its a group of Asian tourists, not fans of the Utah Jazz. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when you skip a paid signing of Dion Phaneuf, because you know you can get anytime you want for free. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you know the bus drivers name of any team. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if there's more pictures of you and celebrities together on your cell phone, than there pics of your boyfriend/girlfriend. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when you see a new guy trying to get autographs after practice, and don't offer him advice on his favorite player because you want that player to sign for you first. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you remove the blue autograph from your card during practice to get it signed in black, for your set properly, after practice. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you know off by heart, what particular cards players don't sign for their personal reasons. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you believe a personalized autograph is a waste of time. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you hop in a taxi to follow a player from the hotel to the stadium, to get something signed....after they signed for you at the hotel. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you travel to another city to collect autographs from players, that call your city home too. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if 3 well dressed men emerge from a cab, outside the arena, and you stare at them wondering how if they're visiting players. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when pack a lunch and dinner, when you leave home to collect autographs. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you thought staying at the visiting team's hotel overnight, might be good for your collection. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you lit up your last cigarette, only to throw it away quickly at the sight of a player, and thought it might look bad to ask for an autograph with a smoke in your mouth or hand. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if a player says I'm only signing one per person, and you have a meltdown at the thought, because you have 3 items. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you sell your autographs individually on the Internet, instead of trading. Sorry...not a joke. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when you ask a celebrity to roll down their car Window to sign for you. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you know that Roberto Alomar has multiple different autographs. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when you see your friend arriving late to practice, and instead of asking what happened, you start listing off players he missed. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when you recognize player's spouses. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you carry something of Wayne Gretzky with you at all times....because you never know when.... You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you believe every signing habit that you heard about any player is the truth. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you carry 3 or more Sharpies with you at all times. You Might Be An Autograph Hound if you bring your own Sharpies to a public signing. You Might Be An Autograph Hound when you walk away from a player, who asks; who do I make this out to? You Might Be An Autograph Hound if a player asks you how many they've already signed for you. AND FINALLY........... You Might Be An Autograph Hound when after 5 signatures, you throw away that new Sharpie, because it's all used up now. Hope you had a good laugh! C.

My Best of 2011!

So, 2011 was a great year for autographing for my collection!

There were more hits, than misses!

And I've decided to make a "Top 10 List" to show the highlights of my 2011 autograph adventures!

Let's get right to it!

"My Best of 2011!"
















10: Stevie Johnson helmet

In February, the young Buffalo Bills wide reciever made an appearance at Wegz, in Woodbridge, Ont. I was fortunate enough to win this awesome full size Buffalo Bills helmet and have him sign it, at the sports bar that day! That was one fo the best days this past year, as I got to play "Why So Serious!" himself in a Madden 11 video game challenge! He also signed photos and a football for me. Later in the year, I got to meet SJ13 again, and he was kind enough to sign a Bills jersey for me, adding his "Why So Serious!" inscription to it! Stevie Johnson is a favourite in my home! Go Bills!
















9: Corey Perry jersey

Being a Guelph Storm fan, I hated Corey Perry in his OHL days as a London Knight! But, love him or hate him...he's a great hockey player, and a future Hall of Famer! Having won a Memorial Cup ring, World Junior Championship Gold Medal, Olympic Gold Medal, Hart Trophy (NHL MVP), and a Stanley Cup ring...he's a proven winner! When he appeared at AJ's this past summer, my wife Corinna, got a Ducks jersey signed for me. He added "2010 NHL MVP" as a special inscription, to the jersey!


















8: Gale Sayers mini helmet

One of the greatest NFL running backs of all time, made a rare appearance in Novi, Michigan this past June, and Corinna and I decided to make a day trip to meet "The Kansas Comet" and do some shopping! He was incredibly nice, and was happy to meet some Canadian fans! Sayers was kind enough to add his HOF 77 inscription for no charge, to my Chicago Bears throwback mini helmet!

















7: Matthew Stafford helmet

This autographed full sized helmet's story was so cool...I blogged the event! Matt Stafford, who threw for over 5000 yards this past season, appeared at Wegz in February. One of my best friends, Richard, won the chance to play Matt in a game of Madden 11, and recieved many prizes including this Detroit Lions helmet, which Stafford autographed! Richard, being the guy who he is, gave the helmet to me...and is one of my best football signed items! Thanks again Richard!

















6: Thurman Thomas jersey

If you know me...you know I'm a Buffalo Bills fanatic! So, when Thurman Thomas made an appearance in Rochester, NY in early Novmeber...we were there! Actually, Corinna and I were 2nd and 3rd in line for the Bills legend! I had Thomas sign a Bills jersey for me, and Corinna got a jersey done for my friend Ernie (who never seems to travel for autographs!), and I got the jersey authenticated through JSA afterwards (a 1st for me using this service). It was great to see one of my all time favourite Hall of Fame Buffalo Bills! Go Bills!


















5: Jim Kelly 16x20

Let's keep the Bills connection going! There are many Bills players that are among my favourites...Lee Evans, Marshawn Lynch, Andre Reed, Thurman Thomas, Fred Jackson, Stevie "Why So Serious" Johnson...just to name a few! But I do have one favourite, above and beyond all NFL football players...the legendary master of the K-Gun offense; Jim Kelly! Jim made a rare Toronto appearance, at a clothing store in November to promote the Bills in Toronto series that was happening the next day (they won that game!). A few of my good friends made the trip out to meet the great Hall of Fame quarterback! I was lucky enough to recieve a signed giveaway card, a Bills mini helmet...and a highlight of my autograph collection; a 16x20 of Jim, personalized to my family! Thanks to Ryan for the image! Go Bills!


















4: Martin Brodeur McFarlane

Late last year, Martin Brodeur made his first Toronto autograph appearance in a few years...and I was fortunate enough to work with him! AJ's Sportsworld brought the legendary goalie, along with Ilya Kovalchuk, in for a signing...and I helped with the event. In the back of store, during the private signing, I was privy enough to hear many awesome stories, and see Marty sign many fantastic items! I was lucky enough to have Marty sign a 12" McFarlane base for my private collection. It's now a highlight of my autographed McFarlane figures!

















3: Dick Butkis Mini helmet

In September, Corinna and I celebrated 5 years of marriage! We visited Las Vegas, for the 2nd time, and had an awesome time! We saw a few shows, including Penn & Teller! Corinna actually was a part of the show, and was brought up on stage! Afterwards we got to meet the magicians and get photos with them! Of course we got multiple autographs from the duo! But the highlight of the vacation, when it comes to autographs, was when we visited Field Of Dreams, inside of Caesar's Palace. This was our 2nd time to the store. The 1st visit resulted in Pete Rose's autograph...this new visit resulted in an legend's autograph! Dick Butkus, one of the greatest football players of all time, was signing autographs this day! I was lucky enough to sit down with the Hall of Famer, and talk Buffalo Bills football with him for about 5 minutes! Afterwards, he signed a Chicago Bears throwback mini helmet, and added 2 inscriptions...his "HOF 79" and "Monster of the Midway"! It really is an incredible piece! If you're ever in Vegas...go and meet this terrific man!
















2: Bobby Orr McFarlane

What a morning this was! Another awesome story, that was blogged about! In fact...it was my last blog of 2011! Please take a few moments, after this entry to check out the story! I got to meet the greatest defenseman of all time, with my friends Richard and Ernie, and have #4 autograph a 12" McFarlane base for me! The Bobby Orr autograph I recieved, that August morning, is one of the best autograph I own today! It's one of first I mention, everytime someone asks me "Who are some of the best autographs you have?"

















1: Jerry Rice helmet

In February, Corinna and I, along with Ernie and his wife, Michelle...attended a Super Bowl viewing party in Toronto. The highlight of the party was that it was hosted by the legendary, Hall of Famer, wide-reciever Jerry Rice! Although the 3 time Super Bowl champion was abit of a toughie, when it came to autographs that day, I was lucky enough to get 2 autographs from him. One on a football...and the 2nd on an awesome San Francisco 49ers full size helmet! Ernie actually recieved 3 autographs from him; a jersey, football, and mini helmet! This autographed helmet, which includes his #80, is priceless to me. To have an signed helmet, by the greatest wide reciever of all time, is the highlight of my 2011!














Thanks for the read! More to come!

Thanks to Richard, Ryan, Ernie, Bill, and my beautiful & loving wife Corinna for their help this past year with signings! Hopefully 2012 will be just as rewarding to everyone in the hobby!

Comments welcome, just leave your name!

All the best!
C

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!

Wow, it's been a very long time!

Let's get started then.

Recently, I've been fortunate enough to help out at AJ's Sportsworld's autograph signings. Volunteering there, had been both fun and rewarding to me. I've got to work with some very famous athletes, AJ's excellent staff, and have gotten to meet alot of cool customers. I've helped out with the mail order/private stock signings "in the back", and worked "in the front"...dealing with the public, as they get to meet the athletes. I've taken tickets, handled markers, taken pictures, answered questions, and many other jobs...with the public! In the back, I've helped with moving photos, moving jerseys, grabbing fresh markers, taking pictures, handling signed items, and many other cool jobs.

In the 3 or 4 months, I've had a chance to be privy to many cool conversations, heard awesome stories, and helped out with the athletes requests.

Here are some cool factoids that I've witnessed, and decided to share with you all!

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"













Gordie Howe's appearance at the Expo, I'm taking tickets, Vito's handling makers, and Richard is taking photos of customers!

Mike Keane wore his poppy on his hat! Dave Andreychuk has a foundation in his own name, and donated his entire appearance fee to his charity! A customer had a game-worn Canadiens jersey, and Steve Shutt verified that it indeed was his former jersey! ...Shutt then signed the Habs logo on the front! Mike Keane ran a charity hockey game, in Winnipeg, the night before his recent Expo appearance! Steve Shutt (claims) to have scored the winning goal, at Keane's charity game! ...Keane claims he, himself, scored the game winner! Mike Keane let his son bring one of 3 Stanley Cup rings to school for 'Show & Tell'! Dave Andreychuk resides in Florida, and works radio telecasts for Lightning games a few times during the season!

With 3 time Stanley Cup winner, Mike Keane!

















Doug Gilmour is a quiet guy, in the back. Curtis Joseph thoroughly examines each photo he's about to sign, publicly...and will tell you if he likes the photo! During a signing of photo, where Doug Gilmour was pictured with blood on his face and jersey, Corinna (my wife) said; "That's an awesome shot, I like the determination!"...to which Gilmour respeonded; "I wasn't happy at the time, just look at my bloody face!". Gordie Howe is a prankster! Cujo has no problem signing photos of "The Gilmour goal"...he says he understands how important it is to Leafs fans! Mike Keane doesn't sign the "Canadiens Captains" Upper Deck card! Ray Bourque was, also, very quiet in the back!

With Hockey Hall of Famer, Doug Gilmour!












Anton Stastny said to me, while signing a photo of him as a Nordiques rookie; "Look Chris, here I was young and good looking...now I'm just good looking!". Peter Stastny works for the United Nations! Anton Stastny resides in Slovakia! Marion Stastny, surprisingly signed alot of Leafs items...even though he played 70 games for the Blue & White! There is acutally 4 Stastny brothers...Vladimir, never played in the NHL! When the 3 Stastny brothers appeared at the Expo, in November, it was the first time all 3 former Nordiques were under the same roof in over 10 years! Marion Stastny currently resides in Quebec! Gordie Howe's son Marty, was in attendance for Gordie's Expo signing!

With former Quebec Nordique, Anton Stastny!

















Ilya Kovalchuk likes light beer! So does, his teammate, Martin Brodeur! Gordie Howe signed his rookie card for a customer...I was shocked to see one! Ilya Kovalchuk prefers Iphone! Again...so does Martin Brodeur! Dan Bouchard, former '76 Canada Cup goalie, puts a happy face in the "D" of his 1st name when he autographs an item! Martin Brodeur says he'll never sign another "exclusive" autograph contract again! Dan Bouchard says; "If there's no happy face in my autograph, then it's a fake!". Ilya Kovalchuk didn't put his "number 17" on the private stock...just his name!.

With legendary goaltender, Martin Brodeur!













At 83 years of age, Gordie Howe still has a beautiful signature, and will not rush it...he takes his time for each and every autograph! While at his Expo appearance, Curtis Joseph had many of his "Cujo's Kids Charity" recipients, in the autograph line...they all thanked him for his charity, to which...he thanked them for talking to him about the charity! (That was awesome to witness!). Drew Doughty was in Guelph this past summer, visiting his Guelph Storm billets! Ilya Kovalchuk asked me whom all the Russians were on the Toronto Maple Leafs currently!

With Olympic Gold Medal winning defenseman, Drew Doughty!

















Jonation Quick, goalie for the L.A. Kings, chewed tobacco during his appearance! Dan Bouchard adds a Bible verse to his autograph! Mikhail Grabovski introduced himself to me, pronouncing his first name as "Michael"! Nikolai Kulemin was very quiet in the back! Ilya Kovalchuk said that Nikolai Kulemin is a great hockey player, and is one of the best Leafs on the team! My friend Adam had Game-used skates of Mikhail Grabovski for him to sign...they turned out awesome in silver paint pen! When I asked Mike Keane, Dave Andreychuk, and Ilya Kovalchuk, what city has the most autograph hounds? They all responded the same...Montreal!

With Russian superstar, Ilya Kovalchuk!












The first person Ilya Kovalchuk ever asked for an autograph, was Viacheslav Fetisov! Doug Gilmour's appearance at the Expo in November, sold an incredible amount of tickets...3rd most in the history of AJ's! Bryan McCabe has the number 1 spot in tickets sold! Ilya Kovalchuk collects his own jerseys, and says one of his all-time favourites is his Atlanta Thrashers draft day jersey, when he was taken first overall in 2001! When Martin Brodeur signed a 16x20 for my son, as a Christmas gift, he inscribed "To Josh, Thanks for being a fan!, Martin Brodeur"!. Dan Bouchard said that the 1976 Canadian team of the Canada Cup, is the greatest team ever assembled...there are more 50 goal scorers on that Canadian squad than any other ever put together!

With Toronto Maple Leaf, Mikhail Grabovski!













I wrote an entry a few years back, about Curtis Joseph's appearance in Guelph...after signing autographs in Guelph, he played road hockey with some kids. I found out, after working with him, that the equipement he used...was NHL game-used! The bible verse that Dan Bouchard adds to his autograph is Psalm 139, and is too long for me to add here...look it up, it's beautiful! Although he doesn't live in Hamilton anymore, Dave Andreychuk donates alot of hockey equipement through his charity to youth hockey programs in the Canadian city! None of the athlete's that I've had the chance to work with, have worn their Stanley Cup ring to their signing! Surprisingly, in the back, Doug Gilmour signed alot of non-Toronto items! Anton Stastny's favourite memory was scoring 8 points in one NHL game, brother Peter added 8 points in the same game...what a night for the Stastnys! Dave Andreychuk is the biggest man, that I've had the chance to work with...also one of the friendliest!

With Stanley Cup winner, Dave Andreychuk!












Well, that's about it! Thanks for the read! Hope you enjoyed it! I hope to have alot more entries this year, than I did last year...sorry about that! I hope to write about; an update on my Hockey Hall of Fame 16x20 project, a Blue Jays prospect, and a special trip! When time permits it...I'll give my focus back to my blog! Thanks again for checking out my blog!

C

PS; Many thanks to Andrew Goldfarb, owner of AJ's Sportsworld, for trusting me enough to come out and help his business, during special events! Please check out www.ajsportsworld.com for their upcoming signings. I hope to interview Andrew soon, for an up close and insider's look into the world of promoting public autograph signings.

Number 4

I'm often asked, who've you met in hockey that's famous? I always reply, it's not whom I've met...it's whom I've haven't met. I haven't met; Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, or Bobby Orr. All stars and superstars in NHL history. Everyone else you can think of...I've met.

Well, a few weeks ago...I got to scratch one off of that short list.

Let's do this, with a timeline.

Let's roll.

"Number 4"















7:41am; Sleeping, quite nicely. Then the bloody phone rang. It's Ernie's number. I decided to answer my co-worker's way-too-early call.

7:42am; "Chris, wake up man. Bobby Orr is going to be at 570news, for a 9am appearance" Ernie yelled at me! "What?!!" I replied, still half-asleep. "Buddy...Bobby Orr is in Kitchener, and is going to be at 570news...we need to go and try for his autograph!". I instantly went from neutral to 5th gear, in a nano-second!"















7:43am; The conversion continued. "Alright man, I've got a 12 inch McFarlane figure, I'm going to try to get him to sign the base" I said. "I've got a puck and a 6 inch McFarlane base, I'm trying for" Ernie responded. "You know, I heard he only personalizes autographs and is strict one per person!" I mentioned. "Gotta try!" Ernie responded. "Alright, let's try to get him on the way in...I'm grabbing a quick shower and I'm out" I said. "See ya there, he's supposed to be on the air for 9am". "Ok, see you there". I said, hanging up.











7:44am; I decided to text my army buddy Richard to see if he wanted to come along. "Going to try for Bobby Orr, leaving in 10 minutes, coming?" I texted him. I text my friends Ryan and Bill with the news also.

7:46am; Stepping in shower, my Blackberry went off. "Yes!" Is all Richard said!

7:57am; Out of shower, deodorized, and dressed.














7:59am; Got McFarlane base, heading out the door.












8:03am; Picked up Richard, about to turn Highlander in Kitchener's direction.

8:10am; Hitting traffic on Hwy 7. Very common between Guelph and Kitchener. Big pain in the butt though!

8:22am; Searching for parking spot, 570news building is in our sites...one hound outside.

8:25am; The Highlander is locked up, and is safe. Richard and I quickly walked across King St., headed for the front door.


















8:26am; No sign of Ernie yet. Funny...he lives in Kitchener!

8:27am; The hound says that Orr went in, and his manager said no autographs to him. Orr is just with his manager, and no other entourage. The fact that Orr didn't sign for one person...makes my heart sink.

8:30am; I call Ernie to see where he is, and to give him the update.

8:33am; No sign of Ernie, but people are walking out of the 570news building with signed Orr stuff. Starting to feel upbeat again.
















8:37am; Richard and I scout out the building for exits, finding only 2. If Orr leaves out the back door...we'll see him!

8:40am; After chatting with the hound, Richard and I decide to investigate which vehicle Orr came in.

8:43am; We discover that Orr and his manager has parked on King St., in a new Equinox. Now we know, where they're headed after Orr's interview!

8:45am; Sitting outside 570news, enjoying the sunshine.

8:47am; Guess who shows up?! Ernie comes walking down King St., Richard gives him a hard time about showing up late! Lotsa laughs!

8:51am; More people coming out with autographs. Maybe it's time to try going into the radio station?

8:54am; Ernie and I consider going up...but pass, as it's time for his interview. Maybe afterwards.

9:04am; Ernie tunes in 570news on his iPhone (Boo!) and we all listen to his interview.

9:06am; Both Ryan and Bill respond with "good luck" on getting Orr. They can't make it.

9:09am; Richard decides to help Ernie get his puck signed. Ernie's going to try to get his 6 inch McFarlane base signed.



















9:14am; We're sitting around chatting about Orr's website and authenticating company that handles his autographs.

9;21am; Ernie show us the pictures he brought along. If he can, he'll try for more. I'm content with my base, at this point.

9:28am; Take a walk showing Ernie the back of the building, and Orr's ride.

9:30am; Orr's interview ends. Now the nerves are jumping.

9:31am; A mother and her 2 daughters show up, trying to meet Orr also. Now our group is at 7.


















9:36am; Ernie and I decide to make a leap of faith, after hearing on the radio that "Bobby Orr wanted to know, how many people are outside?". My heart sinks again. If Orr wanted to know how many people there are...he probably won't sign leaving! Ernie and I make our move. We enter the building.

9;38am; In elevator heading up to 570news office.

9:41am; Turned away at the front desk! Secretary repeats what we just found out...Orr wants to know many people are outside.

9;44am; Back out front, in the sunshine. I love summer!

9:47am; Action! Out walks Orr's manager! No Orr though. Not good.

9:49am; The manager walked out to the car (we were right!), and drives off. I figure he's going to bring to the back of the building...so we walk to the rear of the 570news building.

9:51am; I was right. The car pulls up. Suddenly, the garage door opens...and the car heads underground.

9:53am; With the car now out of sight...it's gone from tough to impossible. I explain to everyone, that Orr will just hop in the vehicle...the car will drive out...and keep going. He won't stop for our group, which now has 2 more people...as a young couple arrived with a McFarlane figure of their own.

9:55am; Ernie's nervous. I'm panicked. Richard was cautiously optismitic. "Don't worry guys, Bobby will see the 2 young daughters and their signs, and stop and sign. Hopefully he'll sign for everyone else too!" The retired soldier said. I liked Richard's attitude.

9:59am; No sign of Orr. Another person joins the group. He's wearing a Orr jersey. This is getting far too big, I think to myself.

10:04am; We hear a car start, inside the building. The 2 young girls stand near the garage door...good move, as Orr would see them, and their Orr signs first!

10:06am; Things start to move in slow motion for me. Here we go, I thought, as the garage door began to open.

10:07am; The GM product began to roll forward towards the exit and our group, with the manager driving, and the greatest defenseman of all time in the passenger seat. For the first time in my life, I saw Bobby Orr! I grinned at the sight. That grin turned into a full blown smile, as I saw something that made me feel great. Bobby Orr reached down, and lifted up...A BLACK SHARPIE!

10:08am; Bobby Orr rolls down his window and greets the 2 young girls, thanking them for their cool signs! After a second...he says "This isn't working for me!" and opens the door, and steps out of the car to sign autographs!

10:09am; Richard spots a pin on Orr's shirt, and asks him if that's a 'Support the Troops' pin? Orr said yes! Attaboy Bobby...support our Canadian Heroes!

10:10am; After almost 20 years of waiting, I finally get to meet (arguably) the great hockey player of all time! I said "Hello, Mr. Orr!" He replies "Hello, whom do I make this out to?", as I hand him my McFarlane base. "My name is Chris, and thank you for stopping to sign for us!". "My pleasure" Number 4 answers. I looked down, and watched him sign "To Chris, Good Luck Always, Bobby Orr". And in the span of about 3 or 4 seconds...I got Bobby Orr's autograph! I thanked him, and stepped aside for Ernie!










10:11am; Things kinda turned into a blur at this point. Call it shock...happiness...whatever! I was just stunned looking at my autograph! Ernie got his base signed...and a picture with Orr. Richard got Ernie's Boston Bruins puck autographed.














10:12am; Instantly, my mind clicked. I didn't get a photo with the Hall of Famer! Orr was autographing for the man with the jersey, when I asked Bobby directly for a picture with him! "Sure, just give me a minute...I need to sign for everybody!" Incredible answer! Simply incredible.

10:14am; With my Blackberry in his hand, Richard zoomed in on Bobby Orr and I. I was standing next to the legend, with our arms around eachother...when Richard took our picture together!












10:15am; Looked at Richard's pic...and loved it!














10:16am; We all thank Bobby Orr, as he finished signing for every person waiting...and hopped into his car, waving goodbye as we watched the GM pull away!














10:17am; We highfived eachother on our success!

10:20am; Still on a personal high, we walked back to our vehicles! Ernie discovers something...his picture didn't turn out! Oh no! Well...at least he got 2 autographs in total!

11:00am; Back home, with a new autograph. The autograph of number four...Bobby Orr. A new highlight of my large collection.


































Epilogue; Many thanks to Ernie for tuning into 570news, so early that wonderful morning, and waking me up! Thanks to Richard for coming out, staying positive, and helping us out! And the biggest thanks to Mr. Orr, for being incredibly kind...when most would've driven on by their fans!


















Thanks for the read! As always, your comments are welcome! (Don't forget to leave your name!)

Ps- Just a side note...Ernie finally did get that picture with Bobby Orr, after all...as we met Orr the next day in Waterloo! (No autographs)

Autograph Questions With...Wendel Clark

I'm sitting here, finally on vacation, on a rainy day...thinking, I've ignored my blog long enough.

Let's roll.

So, awhile back...I went to Wendel Clark's Restaurant. The Oakville location was celebrating it's one year anniversary, and had an open house to the public. So, I decided to go with a couple friends. Richard, Ernie, and Ryan all wanted to check out Wendel's restaurant, and the event that was planned.














Normally, I would talk about the celebrity...but hey, it's Wendel! Everyone knows Wendel! Captain Crunch! Number 17! Bleeds Blue & White! Yup...you know whom I'm talking about!


















A few former NHL players were to attend. Johnny Bower, Tom Fergus, Gary Leeman, Doug Gilmour, and Wendel Clark, himself, were scheduled to attend. When we arrived, Wendel was already there, greeting guests!

We sat at the bar, enjoying the restaurant! They had free food, beer, power drinks...they were doing it up!

After pictures and autographs with Wendel, I decided to approach him again and talk about my blog...hoping he'd agree to a quick interview about autographs. He agreed to answer a few questions.














I was very, very surprised about his attitude on autographs.

Here's the interview, enjoy!

"Autograph Questions With...Wendel Clark"

Who was the first person you ever asked for an autograph?
"I've never asked for an autograph. Just not my thing, I understand why people ask for autographs, I just don't collect them."













What's the coolest thing, you've ever autographed?
"To me...it's just an autograph."


















What's the weirdest thing, you've ever autographed?
"I've autographed people's skin, and had them come back and show me that they had it tattooed onto the them!"













What item do you autograph most? Cards, photos, equipment?
"Hockey cards, by far."


















Did you ever collect other player's memorabilia like...sticks or jerseys, during your playing days?
"No, not at all. I know other players collect stuff like that, but not me."



















Did you keep your own memorabilia things like cards, sticks, jerseys, and other equipment?
"Not really, I do have important goal pucks and sticks...but that's about it."

















"Thanks for your time, Wendel!"
Thank you!


I would love to say it was a interview that he wasn't into, but he was. He gave honest answers, but he made his point clear that...he understands why people ask for autographs, and that he signs no problems...but for him, he's not a collector!










And that's fine with me...just as long as he keeps signings!

Thanks for the brief read!

The Next Johnny Bower Or Eric Fichaud?

Welcome back.

This is one of three entries I'm working on.

This blog entry is about 'the hype', as I refer to him.













James Reimer, the rookie goaltender of the Toronto Maple Leafs, has captured the attention of 'Leafs Nation'...dragging the team to the doors of the NHL playoffs, only to miss the dance by the narrowest of margins...8 points.

I, for one, was stunned the Leafs made it so close to the playoffs. But, unlike most Leafs fans, I'm a realist when it comes to the 'Blue & White'...but once I looked at Reimer's numbers, I quickly knew the truth about the Leafs. He was almost single-handily pulling the team along.

Reimer made his NHL debut for the Leafs on December 20th, 2010. He was put into the game, against the Atlanta Thrasher, when Jonas Gustavsson was pulled...after allowing 5 goals on 18 shots. Reimer played 14:09 of that game, stopping all 4 shots he saw. The Leafs lost, surprise...surprise.















Reimer would finally get into another NHL game, this time starting for the Leafs against their rival...the Ottawa Senators, on New Year's day. On the 33 shots he faced, Reimer let in one goal. Toronto destroyed the Sens, 5-1 that day. Strangely, he wasn't one of the three star selections.

James Reimer has gone onto to play in 37 games for Toronto, this season.

He has won 20 of them.

Currently his personal statistics are; 20 wins, 10 losses, 5 OTL. 2.60 goals against average. .921% save percentage. And 3 shutouts.

He's played in less games than the season holds, put has more wins than all the other Leafs goalies...COMBINED. Funny enough, he has less losses than both of the other goalies too.

It's plain to see, the Leafs are just a better team, with 'Optimus Reim' in the net.












Now...is he the real deal? ...or just a flash in the pan?

We've seen this before, with Leaf goaltenders. Bring up a kid, let him win a few games...burn him out. Or have the Leafs done it right this time? Keep him in junior, then mature him in the AHL, and finally give him a shot?

Reimer could be the next Johnny Bower...cool under pressure, no fear, and led the Leafs to the promised land, winning 4 Stanley Cups...in the Leafs final dynasty.













Or could he be the next Eric Fichaud? Drafted 1st round, 16th overall in 1994, by the Toronto Maple Leafs. In his draft year, he led his team to the Memorial Cup finals, winning a host of awards, including the top goaltender and playoff MVP awards. A classic butterfly goaltender in the Patrick Roy mold, Fichaud looked to be a future NHL starting netminder. Fichaud never lived up to the lofty expectations his fantastic junior career had led to, bouncing between the minor leagues and the NHL. In only 95 NHL games, Fichaud won 22 games, losing 47.

















Time will tell.

However, the 23 year old is hot.

...And he's doing a free signing.

That's just enough fuel, for me to get his autograph!

It was announced that on Sunday, April 10th, James Reimer would be making his first ever public autograph appearance. Pickering Flea Market is hosting the free event.

I decided instantly that I would go. Hard part is...I figured every other Leafs fan out there will be going too.

I also decided that I would blog my travels...in a different format. I decided that I would make this entry, 'real time based'. Hope you like it.

Let's roll.

The Next Johnny Bower Or Eric Fichaud?

Saturday, April 9, 2011 (Day before autograph signing)

12:35pm; Freshly out of shower, deodorized, and fully dressed, I find myself on my laptop seeking out images of James Reimer...suitable for signing. I decided that I would print out a 16x20 of Toronto's hottest rookie, in years, and have him autograph the large picture.

12:38pm; Found the image I wanted. It's abit different...but definitely cool!













12:43pm; Finished searching internet for JR pics, loaded image onto flashdrive.

1:12pm; Absolutely beautiful day! Glad I'm in t-shirt and shorts for the first time in 2011! Arrived at Wal-mart, hitting up the Kodak printers.

1:29pm; After realizing that the Guelph Wal-mart is apparently now allergic to McFarlane figures, time for a quick lunch at McDonald's. Gave this stuff up months ago, just having 2 Chicken snack wraps, while 16x20 is being printed.

1:55pm; With 16x20 in hand, and happy with it's turn out, I'm out of Wal-mart. I'm now ready for the signing.

4:15pm; 16x20 is now in spare top-loader for safe keeping. Safe from Caesar's sharp Chihuahua teeth!


















7:31pm; My great friend, Richard, just messages me from New Brunswick saying he found 2 McFarlane variants for me! What a guy! He's now going to bring a Jimmy Howard (Detroit Red Wings goalie) and a Dion Phaneuf (TML Captain) home for my collection! I tell him thanks...and that I'm going to Reimer's signing tomorrow, he mentions that he'd like JR's autograph on his Leafs jersey. Not a problem for my, retired soldier, friend.














11:49pm; After watching dozen's of episodes of Battlestar Gallactica, I just found out the Leafs lost to the Habs. Now, I'm going back to update all the stats I listed earlier about Reim's!

Sunday, April 10, 2011 (Day of autograph signing)

8:40am; Alarm goes off.

9:02am; Awake. Kind of.

9:27am; Hit shower. Super hot...loosen up sore, tight muscles. Meh.

9:55am; Walking out front door, with 16x20...in need of caffeine. Something feels off though.

10:07am; Hitting the 401 eastbound (and down!), looks like rain. Still feeling weird about something.

10:09am; Text both Bill and Ryan, to see if they're on their way, and to save a spot in line.

10:11am; 680news says smooth sailing throughout Toronto, however there seems to be alot of traffic this morning. Making good time. ETA is 11:10am, for Pickering.

10:18am; Both Bill and Ryan, respond...on their way to Reim's. Am I breaking the law, here?

10:28am; Fully caffeinated. But, something is still off.

10:36am; Feel bladder filling up. Not good. Passing Yonge Street, starting to rain. Also, not good. Glad I put the 16x20 in a top loader, where it should be ok from the rain.

10:43am; Passing the Scarborough Town Centre, and it hits me like a tonne of bricks...I suddenly realize what's wrong! I FORGOT RICHARD'S MAPLE LEAFS JERSEY, BACK IN GUELPH. Frak.

10:44am; Feeling terrible, can't turn back.

10:51am; BBM from Corinna; "You forgot Richard's jersey". The return of the guilty feeling, again.

11:01am; Entering Pickering. Downpour. Meh.

11:07am; Text from Bill; "Hurry up!". I knew it...it's going to be a madhouse!

11:20am; Parked, not easy. At least I'm here. Pickering's current population...plus one.

11:22am; Inside the Flea Market, shaking off rain from myself and pic. Still glad I wore t-shirt and shorts, though. Gotta love the spring!


















11:25am; Find Bill and Ryan in line. Not too far back, good spot. Line is massive already though. They're both chatting with the promoter of the signing, Aaron. (Of The Heritage Stick Co.) Free plug.














11:28am; Just dicussed that I have to pay for my 16x20 to get signed...because of its size, but if I purchase an 8x10...that'll get signed for free. Well, I'm buying the 8x10 photo...I owe that much to Richard. I'm thinking I'll get it personalized to him, too.

11:31am; With our spot saved in line, we check out the photos available for the rookie. Looks like 6 different images. I select the 'licensed NHL/NHLPA' image. Acutally, I really the pic...that's why I selected it. Man, they have alot of pics here, to purchase. They also have game-model goalie sticks, and tonnes of pucks. Hope they sell a few.

11:35am; Looking at promoter's old signed stock. He's selling autographed 8x10's for $5 bucks, and signed pucks for $10. Nice looking stuff. But I'm a 'in person' guy. Unless, someone gets it signed for me. So, I pass on various signed items...however Bill and Ryan make a healthy donation to Aaron's company!

11:41am; Wandering around the market, with Ryan, looking at the various booths...searching for a ATM for him, and the washroom for me.

11:47am; Various McFarlane dealers/booths are distracting us, from our goal! I just saw a Buffalo Bills Drew Bledsoe variant for 8 bucks! I have one opened...but I'd love another is mint packaging!

11:48am; Bladder wins, I pass on the DB variant. Another time, Drew...another time.

11:52am; Ryan has cash, and I have an empty bladder. Back to the line.

11:56am; We're not good at this...we keep getting distracted! We just spotted a James Reimer painting, framed, for $90 bucks. Ryan is checking it out. Then turns to me and says; "It was $60 earlier". Nice.

11:59am; Return to the line, tell Bill about the painting. Then find out, Ryan can get it for around $20. He might be on to something here.

12:05pm; BBM Corinna that I'm getting Richard an 8x10. She agrees with the idea.

12:17pm; Various chats about current Leafs, and their signing habits. James Reimer? Great signer.

12:24pm; Find out that Bill is going to the Marlies game tonight, against the Heat. No, not Miami...the other Heat. The Abbotsford Heat. He's hoping to get Leland Irving. Another goaltending prospect.

12:26pm; Quickly counted we're around 60th in line. Impressive. I'm guessing there is around 500 people here now. Good for the promoter!

12:31pm; Bill, Ryan, and I are checking out what we brought to get signed by Optimus Reim. Bill has a Marlies giveaway, cards, and a photo. Ryan has a team jersey, photos, and cards. I still only have my 16x20 and Richard's 8x10.

12:34pm; Ryan shows the Leafs jersey...looks great! Already has Dion Phaneuf, Clarke MacArthur, amongst others.

12:35pm; Bill has been here since 10:30am. That's commitment to a hobby, baby.

12:41pm; Line moves forward. No JR isn't here yet, it's security moving line tighter together. Meh. Bill notices the line has actually circled where we are.

12:46pm; Part of line that circled us...just moves forward now! Bill notices this, we all share a little laugh in amazement!

12:47pm; I mention that I'd like a picture of the line for my blog...Bill says why don't you go for walk along the entire line and video tape it to for the amount of time to walk the length of the line! Great idea...not sure if I have the memory available for the walk on my Blackberry! This is one monster line!

12:49pm; I take a quick pic of the line.
















12:51pm; Bill shows us a picture he had taken at a travelling "Wipeout" display, promoting the Canadian broadcast of the TV show. It's Bill getting punched in the face, along the boxing glove wall! Hilarious! All free!












12:56pm; Bill and Ryan step outside for a quick cylinder of tobacco. Still raining.

1:00pm; Start of signing. However, James Reimer still isn't here yet! Actually Bill & Ryan are still outside.

1:09pm; Hearing applause from front of the line. Guess I know, who's here!

1:10pm; Bill & Ryan return. Bill says he walked in behind Reimer!

1:14pm; Line is moving. Good news.

1:22pm; We find ourselves in front of the booth selling the merch. All the photos are sold out! Incredible! Simply incredible! Good for Aaron's company! Seems like this is a total success! We're about 10 feet away from TML's goaltender of the future.

















1:23pm; It's Ryan first, myself second, and Bill third. Two people in front of us.

1:24pm; One person. They got the "Optimus Reim" inscription...that's great!

1:25pm; Uh oh...Ryan is having problems getting his stuff out of protection! He remains calm, and tells me to go ahead. I quickly hand my ticket to the handler, pull out both the 8x10 and 16x20 out of protection, and step in front of the signing table...where Aaron is sitting beside James Reimer. It's my turn.

1:26pm; It put my 2 items down, putting the 8x10 first to get signed...Richard first. Then the 16x20 image. Aaron comments that the 16x20 is really a cool shot! I agree, and pull out my BB and get the camera going. I greet James Reimer with a hello! He says hello, and I quickly ask him to make the autograph out "To Richard". Instantly he starts with the personalization! He signs it afterwards, near the bottom right corner. I took a quick shot of JR signing for Richard.














1:27pm; I move the 16x20 in front of JR, and he stops to check it out. I told him, this is the final shootout of the season, where you won the game for the Leafs! I mentioned; "I like the picture, because it has you buried in the net, looking up to the Lord...thanking him!". James smiled at that, and reached for the blue Sharpie. I quickly spoke again. "James, can you sign a large autograph and add the Optimus too?". "Sure" he said. James Reimer signed a large autograph in the perfect spot on the 16x20, adding the 'Optimus Reim' inscription! I took another quick shot of JR signing for me.

















1:28pm; I gathered my items, and thanked James for signing for me. He looked at me and said; "No problem...that's a real cool picture!" I smiled and said thanks again.

1:29pm; It's Ryan's turn with Optimus Reim. I took a quick shot of Ryan getting his stuff signed by the rookie.
















1:31pm; Finally, the last of out trio is up. Bill is now with the goaltender. I took a quick picture of Bill getting his items signed...however Bill moves like the '6 million dollar man', and blurs the shot!














1:33pm; As we do after every signing, we show eachother our stuff signed. Ryan isn't too happy with some of his cards. A couple of them bled, making the autograph kind of watered-looking. We try to figure out, if the problem is because of the gloss, Sharpie, or if Reimer signed it too quickly. Bill showed his cards...not as bad, but a few thin parts in JR's auto. I'm chalking it up to a quick signature.

1:36pm; We all agree, that was pretty cool. I throw out the idea of lunch. Bill mentions he has to run to the Marlies game, and that Ryan has to head home. Oh well, next time.

1:40pm; We say our goodbyes, shake hands, and part ways...all with our newest additions to our ever-growing collections.


















1:42pm; Started up the Highlander, and BBM Corinna..."I'm on my way home". Looks like the rain has passed.















Epilogue;
For the record, I think that Reimer is a fantastic piece to the Leafs puzzle. Will he be a Cup contender goalie? Time will tell. However, I hope the Leafs don't burn him out, like they have with rookies of the past. If the Leafs can add a touch more firepower up front, continue to develop youngsters (like Kadri, Colborne, McKegg, etc...), and use Reimer and Gustavsson properly next season...The Toronto Maple Leafs will make the 2011/12 playoffs. You heard it here first.

Thanks for the read.
C.