From: dahoov2@cox.net   
      
   I personally feel that if a person is a true collector, they'll   
   collect what they love.  Some are sports fanatics and that's cool.   
   Others Music lovers or some like me, sci-fi geeks.... we all have our   
   things.  Along the way, we also beceome autograph fans... not just   
   fans of that thing but like you said, everyone has a favorite team or   
   group or "other person" that interests them.  I would collect graphs   
   and get ALL the Star Wars I can get, or Potter or Rings etc.  However,   
   on other projects, if I don't like it, I don't collect it.  I extend   
   that sort of to music. My rule to collect that is to collect only the   
   groups I see in person, and try to get them in person first; if I   
   can't, then I if there's a shot in the dark, I might start emailing or   
   mailing things out with hope.  I don't buy stuff.  I have bought one   
   or two but it's because I got a legit item at a song and was hard for   
   me to get all myself (like a Little River Band signed 8x10 with the   
   whole band on it for a few dollars).  Basically the fun for me with   
   the music is the act of meeting them!  I mean it brings me back to my   
   teen years when music and school was your life and all we did was have   
   a blast......... on sports, unless it's my hubby's or my team or an in   
   person event, I don't get anything.  But certain players from the 70's   
   I have a special fondness for (mostly Red Sox and Bruins) because of   
   the connection of watching those to my dad and how excited he was.   
      
   So in effect, it's different things that connect us.  I will admit, my   
   lust for certain movie graphs has me getting a few most people won't.   
   The drive of that is to have a monster collection that people awe   
   (I'll admit it).  Not many people can touch my Star Wars collection   
   and those that could quit or sold off stuff or sold out to become   
   dealers more than collectors.  See, becoming a crossover fan to graphs   
   themselves, does that!  So you can't fault people; there's a very fine   
   line I've been tempted to cross a number of times.   
      
   On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 23:09:46 -0400, "AutographPros.com"   
    wrote:   
      
   >Well, sports athletes for the most part are overpaid egomaniacs who have the   
   >audacity to think it's ok to complain about someone selling their autograph   
   >for $50 while they have 3 houses and 5 cars and their job is a "GAME" that   
   >they don't even work every day at.  Seriously, that and the combination of   
   >the 'dealers and collectors' who can actually tolerate these athletes would   
   >drive me postal.  Sorry, it's just a different breed out there.  Don't get   
   >me wrong, I'm not saying all sports guys are bad both in the field and for   
   >dealers but when I went out it just wasn't as enjoyable as say meeting BB   
   >King for the first time, or Steven Tyler, etc..  Those guys bring you right   
   >into their world and it's a memory that I'll always cherish, and for the   
   >most part the competitors (Both dealers and collectors) are more mature and   
   >more laid back.  Again, not always, like I remember McCartney at the Rock   
   >and Roll HOF induction in NY when I was next to get him on a guitar and too   
   >many people pushing caused Sir Paul to stop with marker in hand and about to   
   >sign for me.  Some memories are not so great too, and some musicians are   
   >foul and rude yelling ebay or are like John Mayer (signing wrong names),   
   >etc.  To me if I could meet Hank Aaron or Derek Jeter, etc. and try to   
   >compare that to Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton, is there really any   
   >comparison?  I think slowly the market is going to have a newer respect for   
   >music autographs as well.  There really are so few authentic music   
   >autographs out there when compared to sports and I think there are close to   
   >as many fans for each.  Most people have a favorite team as well as a   
   >favorite band.  The difference is, these bands are not out there doing   
   >public signings or even paid mail order signings so the sports is just   
   >flooded and music is pretty scarce.  The current sports guys are out every   
   >few days for months and also every year while bands often tour once every   
   >few years and less frequent stops.  Now if we can just get an "OPERATION   
   >BACKSTAGE" like they did the "Operation Bullpen" we'd really start to see   
   >the prices skyrocket on music items.  For those of you who don't know,   
   >operation bullpen was the major FBI sting into the sports autograph industry   
   >which busted countless forgers.  My hope is they will start looking at the   
   >X-List more closely and acting on what is clearly an epidemic costing   
   >unknowing customers billions.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)