too bad baseball players aren't like this

just saw nadal win the match. #1 tennis player in the world right now. i'm not a tennis fan, right after he wins he throws his sweatbands into the crowd for a souvenier, then grabs his bags, and then moves over to the fans. With two bags on his shoulders, he starts signing autographs for everyone who has their item out. don't see baseball guys doing this too often, especially not the top guys in mlb
not comparing, just saying

J.O. said:

just saw nadal win the match. #1 golfer in the world right now. i'm not a tennis fan, right after he wins he throws his sweatbands into the crowd for a souvenier, then grabs his bags, and then moves over to the fans. With two bags on his shoulders, he starts signing autographs for everyone who has their item out. don't see baseball guys doing this too often, especially not the top guys in mlb
not comparing, just saying

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he plays tennis.

sethyarkony said:

J.O. said:

just saw nadal win the match. #1 golfer in the world right now. i'm not a tennis fan, right after he wins he throws his sweatbands into the crowd for a souvenier, then grabs his bags, and then moves over to the fans. With two bags on his shoulders, he starts signing autographs for everyone who has their item out. don't see baseball guys doing this too often, especially not the top guys in mlb
not comparing, just saying

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he plays tennis.

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::facepalm:: lol

Who cares what sport he plays, he's respecting his fans, the same fans that make what he does a reality. No fans, no sport, no job, pretty simple.

More players in all sports need to realize this. Baseball players play 162 games a year, they get paid insane amounts of money to entertain the fans. That said I don't think they owe anyone anything but it would be nice if they engaged fans and showed appreciation for the time and money the fans donate to following the sport.

ronfromfresno said:

Who cares what sport he plays, he's respecting his fans, the same fans that make what he does a reality. No fans, no sport, no job, pretty simple.

More players in all sports need to realize this. Baseball players play 162 games a year, they get paid insane amounts of money to entertain the fans. That said I don't think they owe anyone anything but it would be nice if they engaged fans and showed appreciation for the time and money the fans donate to following the sport.

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You missed the edit where JO accidentally posted that was a top GOLFER. Seth simply (and jokingly it seemed) pointed out it was Tennis, not Golf. No big deal.

GarkoCollector said:

ronfromfresno said:

Who cares what sport he plays, he's respecting his fans, the same fans that make what he does a reality. No fans, no sport, no job, pretty simple.

More players in all sports need to realize this. Baseball players play 162 games a year, they get paid insane amounts of money to entertain the fans. That said I don't think they owe anyone anything but it would be nice if they engaged fans and showed appreciation for the time and money the fans donate to following the sport.

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You missed the edit where JO accidentally posted that was a top GOLFER. Seth simply (and jokingly it seemed) pointed out it was Tennis, not Golf. No big deal.

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yes, jokingly.

Max knows.

I promise to sign every autograph request I receive if I finally get the MLB or MiLB contract I'm expecting... but they better hurry, I'm 53

He's a gent, but it's probably a bit easier for him than for your major sport athlete in baseball, football, or basketball. First, tennis fans are generally more civil (particularly at Wimbledon). There's less booing and heckling, and I'm willing to bet the fans are less pushy about getting autographs too. I'm appalled at the type of behavior I see during batting practice at the typical ballpark. "Fans" disrupting athletes as they're warming up to beg for autos, fans asking for multiple items to be autographed (particularly the grown ass men), and the rude language when an athlete as the gall to refuse an autograph.

If every fan was like the typical courtside Wimbledon fan, I think baseball players would be a lot less prickly.

they dont play 162 games a year

cgilmo said:

they dont play 162 games a year

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Actually, if you're speaking in tennis terms, they play more than that.

tennis is not a sport
if you cannot bet a 3 team round robin parlay then it is not a sport
(just kidding)

this isn't meant to sound lie its going to come out so hopefully i dont offend anyone but if you look at the 4 big sports (NFL, MLB, NBA<, NHL). just look at the players (physically look at them person not their name or position, etc.) you will see nba players players are more a-holey for autographs and interaction than hockey players, all i'm saying is certain ones are taught by their parental units to be humble and thankful for what they have and others are taught to take it and screw everyone else... now there are a lot of players in all sports who stay until the last fan gets an autograph whether it is IP or at a signing, others tell fans, even little kids to piss off, and at signings if they are schedule for 12 -2 and roll in at 1245 they will still get up and leave at 2 even if they still have a 45 minute line... the to best signers i have known of or seen in person are jeremy roenick and bobby hull, both hockey guys and both have said repeatedly that the fans are the reason they were able to play their game and pay their salaries so they owe themthat much and both will sign autographs ntil the last one is done...

cgilmo said:

they dont play 162 games a year

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Isner/Mahut played 163 games in 10 hours

:lol:

I wouldn't nessecarily say ALL MLB players are like this... in my first time graphin at a pro ball park, a pair of kid (they must have been 7 or 8) brothera were trying to do the same thing, graph, from a Royals player, who in turn for talking to them, threw each kid 1 batting glove. That same 2 game stretch I went to, Fransisco Liriano signed for a row of about 3 people, went under me and about 3 others, and a kid or two was pretty upset that their favorite player by-passed them. They were yelling FRANSISCO! YOU ARE MY FAVORITE PLAYER! FRANSISCO! and he signed for them (they were legitimate requests, we don't have super big graphers around here, usually just kids and a few dads who are spending time with their kids, no kids graphing FOR their dads)

Anthony Lerew was the only person to come into the outfield. He signed for me and about 6 other people. As always when I get an IP I said "Thank You" very politely. Even when they are scheduled to be there and you have to pay through the nose. I try not to be an obnoxious grapher. Rarely do I ask the player, I hold my item out and if they sign it or not, I don't live and die by it. I never scream for a player. If the player is walking away (during a public event, or a radio conference) I may ask them. MAY ask them. The only time I really asked was when I was really little (just starting out) or when I was at senior day at the Gophers, where I was hurrying to get the players I wanted because they might get drafted, which 2 of them did. Also I got Terry Ryan (I asked him) because I wasn't going to smother him with a ball and pen. If I have to ask, it is a simple *first name*, can you sign this *item* for me, please?

It doesn't get me very much, but I don't have a large stomping ground when it comes to autos, so I don't want to build a reputation among the players, not that I think many remember me, but just in case, it is smarter to play it safe.

Watt said:

cgilmo said:

they dont play 162 games a year

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Isner/Mahut played 163 games in 10 hours

:lol:

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each game nott 2-3 hours

by next week, 90% of the public won't be able to name either of those 2 tennis players

I have only been to a few tennis events but I don't think I have seen a tennis player refuse to sign at least a few autographs, even the person who lost. In tennis this seems to be the norm while in other sports players that sign seem to be the exception. I know here in Cincinnati there normally seems to be 2 players a year that will sign on a constant basis and these players immediately become the fan favorites. Ryan Freel and Sean Casey come to mind.

I do believe athletes owe a bit of gratitude to their fans. I am not saying that a player must stay for an hour after the game and sign. But some of these guys act like they are too high and mighty for the peasant fan and those are the ones in particular that I have a problem with. I don't know if Tampa Bay still does this but they had player days where two players before the game would sign a set amount of autographs (fans were given tickets to the guys so they had to hand their ticket over in order to get whatever item they wanted signed). I think all teams should do this for every sport. Granted football and hockey would be more difficult but there are always at least a couple guys on the IR in which they could has sign on the concourse area.

As someone who has been asked for their autograph, the people you sign for really appreciate it, and when you look at them and ask if they want it personalized, they enjoy it even more.

I used to bowl in PBA regionals and at each regional, there always were fans wanting autographs and I would ablige knowing that more than likely, it would end up in someones box, stuck in a closet or the garbage when they got home.. But I knew that when I was signing, I had their attention at that moment, and it made that moment special for them..

I know it's just bowling, but you could replace the word bowling with any sport, and have the same impact on the fans..

If all athletes would remember that they started out doing what they do for fun.. then maybe they would treat the fans better..