JohnnyOnTheSpot Posted May 29, 2012 Report Share Posted May 29, 2012 I did the hotel thing once...ONCE. I felt really creepy and weird, and a lot of the players were very annoyed. We went for the Ducks so I could meet Teemu. Getzlaf and Perry were just...mean. Ryan, Spisa, Parros, and a few others were absolute gentleman. Teemu though was the nicest person ever. Most people go there, literally hold things out and say "(Player first name) sign?" I was there with outstretched arms, looking ridiculous wearing a Wildwing, and was just like "Teemu, you are one of my alltime favorite players." He bipassed everyone else, went up to me, started talking about my Wildwing and how hideous it was, signed a puck, my jersey, then ASKED ME if he could sign the WW. Then he asked if I wanted to take a picture, which of course I did. The next time he came out, I had swapped jerseys (had 3 on me just in case), I wasn't going to bother him again just said hello and thanked him again, he went up to me, asked how many jerseys I had of his then asked if I wanted anything else signed. Here's the picture. I tried to get him to wear the WW but he wouldn't haha. Pardon the double chin. Also, I got the only millisecond on film where he wasn't smiling. It was one of the greatest moments of my fan life, and he is forever embedded as one of my alltime favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerseymikea Posted May 29, 2012 Report Share Posted May 29, 2012 Creepy? Sending flowers and candy to his room before his arrival, thats creepy. The other players weren't annoyed, just jealous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Next One Posted May 29, 2012 Report Share Posted May 29, 2012 I own quite a few signed jerseys. Being the centre of the hockey universe, tons of players come to Toronto for a signing. What I usually do is get jerseys that I can't wear to get signed. So I'll buy and wear smaller sized jerseys. I enjoy the autograph jerseys, but also get quite a few signed sticks as well. I like buying the pro model sticks especially to get signed by those players. I'm going to set up a corner of my loft to show off all the memorabilia that I've been collecting for over 20 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wooten Posted May 29, 2012 Report Share Posted May 29, 2012 I have some signed but I bought them that way because either it was a charity thing or other factors outweighed the negatives of a signature to me. I don't really like autographs in general, so I would likely never have a jersey signed myself. I don't really care for the way it looks, but most of all, it makes taking care of that jersey a huge PITA. I like to wear mine, and since one with a sig can't be washed or in any bad weather, it's a pain. I tried to have my cake and eat it too and had an auto removed once. Once. I won't do that again. If I can't live with the auto, I'll pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYIJM29 Posted May 29, 2012 Report Share Posted May 29, 2012 I just started getting visiting team's autographs this season. I usually will go before the game and get the players walking from the Mariott to the Coliseum (they are on bordering properties -- you are allowed to stand on Coliseum property, if you are on the Mariott's property there is an elderly lady that will come out and yell at you to get off). I get the Isles leaving the game. If players do not want to sign, they will either take the team bus (visitors), walk and simply say no (Isles callups/visitors), or drive off and not stop (Isles after the game) I have great pictures of Ovi and Gaborik blowing everyone off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00xtremeninja Posted May 29, 2012 Report Share Posted May 29, 2012 ^typical of Gabby. dude looked miserable at the two autograph events I went to when he was with MN. Demitra on the other hand, great guy. So sad to see him gone. Brent Burns and I have run into eachother several times when he was in MN. Mall of America doing Xmas shopping and he walked by us for the U2 concert last summer. I like autographed pucks, and plain black pucks, not team ones because if they get traded. But thats about it on the autos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastadutchie Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 I just started getting visiting team's autographs this season. I usually will go before the game and get the players walking from the Mariott to the Coliseum (they are on bordering properties -- you are allowed to stand on Coliseum property, if you are on the Mariott's property there is an elderly lady that will come out and yell at you to get off). I get the Isles leaving the game. If players do not want to sign, they will either take the team bus (visitors), walk and simply say no (Isles callups/visitors), or drive off and not stop (Isles after the game) I have great pictures of Ovi and Gaborik blowing everyone off! This. Good story. Great tip too if for when I make it to Long Island for a game. The Greater NY area must be great for collecting hockey autographs. Hotels are still great in my books. I don't know why it's so "creepy" to some people here, especially if you are a guest. Creepy is stalking the hallways. Creepy is sneaking up on players. There is never a need to do stunts at hotels. The players are regular guys who like a little respect, and you just have to respect the rules of the hotel. Sometimes you meet the player you want, sometimes you don't. I have bad days where I tell everyone to ###### off too! I found most hockey players were surprised of the amount of attention they received in Toronto. And then there are just some jerks. You can't feel bad about pissing off a jerk. If you walk into the hotel with a jersey (or I guess a photo or a card) and they ask you to leave, then leave. I've stood in some lobbies and chatted with legends, while at some hotels you're not allowed on the property and you have to wait on the sidewalk by the bus. JohnnyOnTheSpot in the post with Selanne says he felt like a creep, but where else do you get an experience like that? I wish you luck running into Selanne at Jack in the Box while wearing your jersey. You popped your cherry! I felt a little strange the first time but I quickly got over it. There were a dozen other people waiting the first time I tried it in Toronto. BTW I totally agree that Selanne is a complete 100% class act. I'll never forget being able to meet and interact with the players and coaches at hotels. The players love having the support on the road, and as a guest I was always allowed to interact because I was a guest like the players. The best place for me for autographs was the ol' Aud in Buffalo. She was a public building and from what I remember many if not all (at least the ones I went to) were public practices! I crossed the border quite a few times when I first got my driver's licence! Also Buffalo is never as busy as Toronto with the hounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk3 Posted June 2, 2012 Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 I like autographed pucks, and plain black pucks, not team ones because if they get traded. But thats about it on the autos. I agree with the pucks, I have one, an NHL official practice puck from the 09 Tampa Bay Lightning Training camp signed by Steve Stamkos (who shot it off the post over the glass) The guys gunna be another class act, He was talking to a few of us, signing autos, for so long his coach cam and yelled at him to get into the dressing room and get changed haha, wish i had Stamkos cards then like i do now. There are a couple really nice NHLers I know of, and some douches. Edler, Bieksa, Ryan Shannon and Cory Schneider passed on two cabs to keep signing autographs with fans instead of go back to the hotel with the team after their Training Camp a few years ago, gotta love classy NHLers eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00xtremeninja Posted June 2, 2012 Report Share Posted June 2, 2012 I think most NHL players are genuine and nice guys because to only people who are fans of them, they blend in with any crowd of people. Like where I mentioned Burns and the U2 concert. 100's to 1,000's of people all walking to the stadium at a time to see this show, and nobody is talking to Brent or following him. Just him and a friend. My wife and I recognized him as he was passing as we are huge fans of his. Maybe it helps too that a majority of NHL players aren't making as much as their other pro sports counterparts and are just happy to have a shot at playing in the big league and the fan adoration is a big perk of the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyOnTheSpot Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 pastadutchie, I never addressed you. I said I felt creepy for numerous reasons and stand by them all. The company I had were creepy and weird robots who just lunged at players yelling "sign." It's also awkward to bombard players as they're just trying to get on the friggin' bus. I'm not at a stadium, a paid event, a sponsored even, hell even practice, I'm creepin' outside their hotel. That is one step away from going to their houses IMO. I did it because I knew it was my last chance at meeting Teemu. He's a once in a lifetime player for me since I've worshiped him since I was a child, and I knew I had 0 chance of meeting him any other way. For all I knew in a month he'd be leaving the country forever. I will never do it again, I'd rather pay money to meet them or just refrain. I felt weird the whole time because I knew I was intruding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk3 Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 Here's the picture. I tried to get him to wear the WW but he wouldn't haha. Pardon the double chin. Also, I got the only millisecond on film where he wasn't smiling. It was one of the greatest moments of my fan life, and he is forever embedded as one of my alltime favorites. What are you saying? You mean... you're NOT BOB SAGET? My life has been ruined Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastadutchie Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 pastadutchie, I never addressed you. WOW.....seriously? You realize you're posting on a publicly accessible internet forum right? I can comment on anything you post whenever I feel like it. God it feels good. I said I felt creepy for numerous reasons and stand by them all. The company I had were creepy and weird robots who just lunged at players yelling "sign." It's also awkward to bombard players as they're just trying to get on the friggin' bus. I'm not at a stadium, a paid event, a sponsored even, hell even practice, I'm creepin' outside their hotel. That is one step away from going to their houses IMO. I did it because I knew it was my last chance at meeting Teemu. He's a once in a lifetime player for me since I've worshiped him since I was a child, and I knew I had 0 chance of meeting him any other way. For all I knew in a month he'd be leaving the country forever. I will never do it again, I'd rather pay money to meet them or just refrain. I felt weird the whole time because I knew I was intruding. You keep telling yourself whatever you want to justify your actions. It wasn't the last, it is just your excuse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00xtremeninja Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sungod661 Posted June 17, 2012 Report Share Posted June 17, 2012 ok i think having autographs is cool, but i will never buy a autograph jersey or get signed game worn jersey. In the last classic auction i had 2 game worn Bourques up for auction 1 was a 99-2000 photomatch the other was a game worn bourque autograph jersey . Autographed by the entire team no less. I got killed on the autograph one.......Dont autograph gamers if you care about $$$$$$$ keep it for the replicas. Now if you don't care about $$$$$ then autograph away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hype Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 ok i think having autographs is cool, but i will never buy a autograph jersey or get signed game worn jersey. In the last classic auction i had 2 game worn Bourques up for auction 1 was a 99-2000 photomatch the other was a game worn bourque autograph jersey . Autographed by the entire team no less. I got killed on the autograph one.......Dont autograph gamers if you care about $$$$$$$ keep it for the replicas. Now if you don't care about $$$$$ then autograph away. Figures that you got killed on the game worn with the ENTIRE teams autographs. The value would only really stick if it only had the player who wore it's autograph. Everyone else's devalues it because they didn't wear it. Team signed jerseys should be blank, and signed on the front only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastadutchie Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 (edited) Figures that you got killed on the game worn with the ENTIRE teams autographs. The value would only really stick if it only had the player who wore it's autograph. Everyone else's devalues it because they didn't wear it. Team signed jerseys should be blank, and signed on the front only. Good point, that might be. When I was 14, I got one of those replica half home/half away replica jerseys finished with Gretzky #99 and I managed to get it signed by the entire LA Kings team on the white home half. Today I might follow your suggestion and get a blank but I love the way it turned out. The jersey is one of the few replicas in my collection but it is a true treasure. Edited June 18, 2012 by pastadutchie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sungod661 Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 by the way i have sold other jerseys autographed and not autographed and the autographed ones always sell for less.....always Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hype Posted June 18, 2012 Report Share Posted June 18, 2012 by the way i have sold other jerseys autographed and not autographed and the autographed ones always sell for less.....always Could also be because of who bought them. Myself, I think having a game worn jersey signed by the guy that wore it would be sweet (provided it's signed on one of the back numbers only!), and I know there are other people out there that think that too. That being said, this forum has shown me that some of the more serious collectors prefer leaving them exactly as they are, and that doing anything to them takes away from the value. The more casual collectors I'm guessing might just like the former, but then they aren't the guys buying the majority of the game worn jerseys. Just a thought. Oh and those half and half jerseys are AWESOME. I got a Mighty Ducks one for Christmas the year they first came out and despite some ice cream stains it's still a prized possession. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperTheGreat Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 I did the hotel thing once...ONCE. I felt really creepy and weird, and a lot of the players were very annoyed. We went for the Ducks so I could meet Teemu. Getzlaf and Perry were just...mean. Ryan, Spisa, Parros, and a few others were absolute gentleman. Teemu though was the nicest person ever. Most people go there, literally hold things out and say "(Player first name) sign?" I was there with outstretched arms, looking ridiculous wearing a Wildwing, and was just like "Teemu, you are one of my alltime favorite players." He bipassed everyone else, went up to me, started talking about my Wildwing and how hideous it was, signed a puck, my jersey, then ASKED ME if he could sign the WW. Then he asked if I wanted to take a picture, which of course I did. The next time he came out, I had swapped jerseys (had 3 on me just in case), I wasn't going to bother him again just said hello and thanked him again, he went up to me, asked how many jerseys I had of his then asked if I wanted anything else signed. This is a FANTASTIC story. So much to say. This is one of the biggest reasons why I love hockey! The players are great guys - at least there is a much higher concentration of great guys than in other sports. Large absence of divas and me-monsters. Teemu, like Joe Sakic in Denver, the biggest stars are the coolest guys in this sport. As I'm reading this thread I'm agreeing with what's being said, how it's about the enjoyment and each person's interpretation of that is different. I'm also thinking that for me, an autograph has zero to do with value or resale, it's the story. And your Teemu story is a great one. I have two autographed jerseys. I did not - never would- buy them, but I was also not present for either. My neighbor was an NCAA hockey scout and knew many of the Avs players and coaches and turned out to be good friends with Peter Forsberg's dad's friend in Sweden. We talked across the fence about the '09 draft and it came up. I asked if he wouldn't mind holding onto my jersey and if he ran into Peter again, have it signed. He offered to send it to Sweden and have his friend get the sig. 2 months later, he hands me a box across the fence and inside is my jersey, signed and personalized to me with a letter from the friend to authenticate (which I care nothing about, other than it's part of the story). The other is a Sakic 3rd replica I had a student of mine get signed. My student played with Joe's son here in town and I asked if he wouldn't mind asking Joe to sign. He took it to practice and Joe signed, of course. I plan to have each framed and they will hang in the hockey cave in my basement (when that gets done). I love both of those stories. The willingness to do for someone else is something I love about hockey culture and speaks volumes to the character of the guys who signed and the guys who were willing to do something cool for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyOnTheSpot Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 WOW.....seriously? You realize you're posting on a publicly accessible internet forum right? I can comment on anything you post whenever I feel like it. God it feels good. You keep telling yourself whatever you want to justify your actions. It wasn't the last, it is just your excuse. What in the dickens are you talking about, Senor Loony? I was just saying I wasn't directly referring to your post. I never said "I did not address you therefore don't you dare respond, child." I simply meant I wasn't referring to you. And I'm not really trying to make myself feel better about it, I thought it was creepy and don't want to do it again. I didn't know how creepy it'd be going in. Sheesh, you're a feisty one. And SuperTheGreat yea it definitely makes for a good story. I wrote him afterwards to thank him and sent a puck and two cards, explaining that 1) the auto I got on the puck was in black ink so I couldn't see it so I asked for a new one with silver and sent the market, and 2) sent the two cards as an offer to him explaining they were my favorites as a kid. He signed everything and returned it. Teemu is the man. And I'm sorry to all who thought I was Bob Saget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYIJM29 Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 And I'm sorry to all who thought I was Bob Saget. Sorry isn't enough. You ruined my year on this message board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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