Pressing the easy button!

Guelph's Sleeman Centre, is the easiest place on Earth for autographs. This story will help you understand why.

Pressing the easy button!











As you probably read in my previous blog entry, "22 in 15", I'm trying to gather a few autographed photos for Corinna's work. Her work is going to be holding an auction to raise money for 'The United Way', a wonderful charity that addresses community issues and problems. I love to help out...by donating autographed items, as they've done well in past auctions at her work.

In the previous blog entry, I've gathered 2 autographed photos to donate. Former Toronto Maple Leafs, Nik Antropov and Pavel Kubina, autographed individual photos that I'm donating. You see, most people at Corinna's work are Leaf fans and love to see Toronto Maple Leaf autographed 8x10's! My only fear is this...the two signed photos I'm donating, are 'former' Leaf players...and I'm afraid her co-workers won't bid often or very high because they're not Leafs anymore.

So I figured...I'll give more.

Let's get to the adventure, shall we?

After the Thrashers signings, which was incredible to be a part of, Corinna and I talked about trying to get some current Leafs or 'superstar' players autographs to donate to the auction. We talked about some upcoming signings, but most of them were pretty expensive. We wanted to keep a tight budget for this, as we already have 2 items to donate.

Then we started to talk about the Guelph Storm. Was there any players on the OHL's Guelph Storm team, that the common hockey fan would bid money on? Sadly, we both came up with nobody. There are great players with the Storm, but they're not household names...yet. Then it hit me.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had recently sent down their 2009 1st round pick, Nazem Kadri, to the London Knights (of the OHL). There has been some controversy about the move sending the 19 year old down to the juniors, as the Leafs have been simply terrible during their first 10 games. Some journalists, commentators, and fans, wanted the Leafs to give Kadri a chance, saying that it couldn't hurt giving the 7th overall pick some ice team...on this bad team. Most of those nay-sayers had a point, as the Leafs gave rookie Luke Schenn a chance last season...which turned out to be good move, as Schenn was solid in his rookie campaign.













Personally, I like the move send Kadri to London. Why? Simple...there is no need to expose Kadri to this type of losing, this early in his career. Send him to juniors, and let him dominate the OHL, and hopefully gain a spot on Team Canada for the World Junior Tournament. There is no need to rush Kadri, let him enjoy his final season as a junior...and give him a solid shot of making the Leafs next season.

As I write this, Kadri has 8 goals in 13 games! He's off to a great start!

Back to the story. After talking about trying to get Nazem Kadri's autograph, for a second time (see my 'Future of the Franchise' adventure for my 1st encounter with him), this time for a charitable donation...we decided that this was the road to go...for charity.

You see, the London Knights play (my hometown) Guelph Storm multiple times during the season...and Guelph is INCREDIBLY easy to collect autographs in. Guelph's Sleeman Centre, home of the Guelph Storm, has easy access for friends, family, and fans of the Storm to meet the players. It's also the same way for visiting teams.

Outside the arena, where the visiting team bus arrives and parks, is a set of doors that leads into the Sleeman Centre's foyer. On the opposite side of these foyer doors, about 30 feet, is another set of doors that leads into the visiting team's dressing room. The Guelph Storm's dressing room is also through these doors, just further down a corrider.

So, with that said, any player that arrives at the Sleeman Centre has to walk through the foyer to get to their dressing room...passing by friends, family, and fans. This is the only way in! Which means, if you want autographs...just wait in the foyer, the player you want...and the player WILL WALK BY YOU!

Cool eh?

Corinna and I have got ALOT of hockey players here.

Here's a few big names; Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, John Tavares, Corey Perry, Rob Schremp, Dan Paille, Dan Girardi, and my personal favourite, Ryan Callahan (pictured with me).














...And they all sign. More importanly, they're all very nice! Except John Tavares...he's not very nice, but he did sign.

So, Corinna and I decided that we would attempt getting Nazem Kadri at the Sleeman Centre, when the Knights came to town next.

The Knights were playing the Storm on November 1st, 2009 at 2pm, and after a couple weeks of waiting the day came.

I had already printed off two cool 8x10 photos at Wal-mart, that I found off of Google. The picture showed Kadri, on draft day, in a Leafs jersey pointing a stick at the camera, with stats about the prospect going around the sides of the image. I really liked it, when I saw it. So after spending less than 9 dollars, I had two photos to get signed. One for me, one for charity.














Game day arrived. I gathered up some necessary items...the photos, a binder to keep them in, a bag for storage, a camera (so you can see what happens!), and the single most important item of all...a silver Sharpie.

Corinna and I hopped in the Highlander and drove 4 minutes (yes, 4 minutes), to the Sleeman Centre around 11:50am for the 2pm game. We hoped to beat the team bus to the arena, that way we could catch Kadri as he arrived in from London, Ontario.

No such luck this time.

(I seem to be having bad luck with team buses this year)

After parking and entering the foyer area, we saw that the bus had arrived before us. That meant that the players were already inside their dressing room.

But, we didn't panic.

The visiting players, with no decent room to warm up before putting their equipment on, often come out of the dressing room and do some stretching in the foyer area.

This is what we were banking on, for Kadri to do.

After waiting for about 5 minutes, two Knights come out and went for a jog outside. Kadri wasn't one of them. 2 or 3 minutes later, another player came out and went for a run. He wasn't Kadri either.

A few minutes later, the London Knights head coach came out. Dale Hunter, a former NHL player, came out of the dressing room heading for the team bus. As a Storm fan, I'm not too fond of 'Hunter hockey'...the rough and tumble style of the London Knights. However, I did like the 'tough guy' hockey that Dale Hunter played, when he was in the NHL. I told Corinna to take our photo, and she got our camera ready as I approached the Memorial Cup winning coach.

"Dale, can I get a picture with you?" I asked him. He seemed surprised to be asked that, but he froze in his tracks and said yes. We stood together and posed for a photo, while I mentioned that I liked his play when he was with the Capitals. Afterwards, I thanked him for his time.


















After our time with Dale Hunter, a few of the players who left earlier...returned, and went into the dressing room.

I started to wonder if we were going to see Kadri before the game.

After thinking that...I switched into overdrive.

Out of nowhere, the dressing room doors opened fast...and Nazem Kadri come out very fast.

I looked at Corinna for a milli-second, our eye contact proved to me that she knew who that was.

I spoke immediately.

"Nazem..." I began, as he looked towards me...about to start a jog. "...Can I get your autograph?".

He stopped suddenly, and walked towards me and spoke..."Sure!".

I brought out my binder, from my bag, that I had the 2 8x10's in. I opened the binder, exposing the two photos, and reached in my pocket for my trusty silver Sharpie. I pulled the cap from the marker, and handed it to the first round pick of the Leafs.
















I didn't say a word about getting both items signed by him. I didn't have to explain that one was for my personal collection, but the second...and more importantly, was for a charitable auction to help the wonderful 'United Way". I didn't speak about any of that.

He signed both, without any hesitation.

...And seemed happy to do!
















After he placed his autograph on both 8x10's, I asked him for a picture with him, which he agreed to do.

I quickly placed my stuff in corner, and stood beside Nazem Kadri. He put his around me, and did the same...as Corinna took our picture together.


















After the picture, I thanked him for the autographs and for his time...which he smiled at and mentioned "No problem".


















He went for his run, and I walked towards Corinna.

"Just like that, we're done" I said smiling. She laughed and looked at her watch, "Not even 20 minutes!" she responded.

We walked towards the Highlander, and I said; "Man...Guelph is the best place on Earth for autographs!"

She laughed and said; "It's just so easy here!"

It is.