Clyde Drexler autograph story!!!

This past weekend on Sunday, I went to get Clyde Drexler to sign a basketball for me.It was quite the struggle!!!

They had him at Best Buy for a HP promotion.Now, when I called the day before they said he would sign posters.Then, on their website, they said he would only be signing photo sleeves(a sleeve is just like a makeshift holder for photographs...kind of like they give you at a theme park when you get a photo taken).So nobody knew exactly what to expect.When we got there it was way before the store opened because me and my friend felt it would be packed.We saw the lady who was obviously running things and so I asked her what the deal was.

She said that they would indeed be doing the photo sleeves but that it was up to the actual player as to whether or not they would sign outside items.She said that some of the other players from some of their other promotions actually did sign outside items.So she said when he got there...she'd ask.Well several hours go by and then when he got there she said that he would not be signing outside items.We were all pretty bummed.We all figured he was too crabby to sign.

So since me and my friend were at the front of the line...we didn't even bother to ask for his auto.But as we waited to the side for the photos they took to be developed...we noticed several people, before they got their picture taken, were handing him items to sign.Needless to say...we got pissed off about it.And the funny thing is the lady noticed it too and went running over there like a mad woman and told him to stop immediately.So everyone got even angrier because now, not only are we not getting autos, its because of her.She lied to us.I was bummed I have to admit.But if the answer was no oh well.But for them to allow others to get them, especially when the people at the front of the line had been there several hours before any of these others...it really left a bad taste in our mouths.

Needless to say we all just stood there and I even called out to him that we wanted autos.He said after the line died down...he would sign some.Luckily, before the lady could stop him...he actually did.I was the first one in the mosh pit to get anything signed.He signed my basketball.But as he kept signing, he actually started asking for driver licenses to personalize the item.He even got mad at one guy for telling him name was such and such and come to find out the one on the driver's license was different.

The lady finally pulled him away and as she did...he was still trying to sign for people.My friend who had been standing in line with me the whole time never got him to sign his item.I felt kind of bad for him because he really wanted something signed.But at least he got the photosleeve.He told me he was mad though because he didn't stand in line that long for a damn photosleeve. But I told him he knew we didn't know going in what it would be like.But its why I hate these kinds of events because you never know and they will do anything possible to keep from telling you what is going on.I wish to hell they would just be straight.I can handle no.But I can't deal very well with a poorly run event.This event was run piss poor and it will be a long time before I buy any more HP products or even anything from Best Buy.I'll just go to Fry's.

I even told the lady that it was run poorly and she told me it wasn't her fault that people gave him items to sign.I told her she lied to us and that, was clearly her fault, for sure.I have no idea why she was so against letting him sign but from his behavior...he clearly wanted to sign.He may have wanted to personalize which is no big deal to me.But why they try to stop him I have no idea.And why they feel the need to misinform everyone is also beyond me.

In any case...here is a pic of me and him .He is a heck of a lot taller than I figured he would be.



And here is my hard fought for autograph!




I also figured this was as good a time as any to post my other two old school Rockets auto's.I also have a Luis Scola signed BB and a Rafer Alston signed one as well but these are the prize of my signed BB's.

Calvin Murphy. He is actually very approachable and signs huge and makes it really nice.I was very appreciative of this one!



This is Robert Horry.Met him at a T-Mobile and he was also very nice and tried his best to make it look clean!



Thanks for looking!

Cool story! Sometimes it's not the athletes fault that they can't please everyone, as in this case, but nice to know that there are some that try.

Seemed like Drexler did what he could for his fans. Great story

Nice job on getting the auto. I also saw your thread about Matt Schaub and it is weird how the promoters act by not telling you the details about the event and not letting you get your own items signed.

predatorkj said:

In any case...here is a pic of me and him .He is a heck of a lot taller than I figured he would be.



And here is my hard fought for autograph!

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:lol: To the Bolded.

Awsome story man but look like you are a bit upset in the pic
Thank you for sharing!

Wehttam6 said:

Nice job on getting the auto. I also saw your thread about Matt Schaub and it is weird how the promoters act by not telling you the details about the event and not letting you get your own items signed.

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Yeah.Its common knowledge that some guys just don't like to sign.Some even think you are going to sell it.But the promoters are starting to become worse than any athlete I have run across.It can get ridiculous.The other week they had N.D. Kalu signing here at a Verizon store and the promoter was asking people and making sure they weren't going to sell stuff.I am sorry but there is no way on God's green earth you could make much, if any, money on a lot of the crap people get signed.And some of the players who get crabby really need a reality check.I could see if you were a superstar but whatever.

I think the promoters are trying to promote a product...whatever that may be.The verizon shows are to promote a radio station and also Verizon phones.I see that.The Drexler thing was to promote HP products.The events they have at Academy are to drum up business for the store.I understand that is their goal.I really do.But one thing I don't understand is what they expect from people.I mean...honestly...if you have an athlete signing autographs...or even making an appearance at your store, while it may drum up some business or interest in whatever product you are hawking, its not going to really have that much of an impact.At least not from what I have seen and I have been to probably 50+ events like this over the last three years or so.I do the Texans training camp, the astros caravan, the rockets crap they do at Academy.I do them all and also do every player appearance I can provided its somebody I need to get an auto of.Very rarely do I see it affecting store sales or interest in products.Mostly its at Academy or Sports Authority where people are more prone to spend the money because what they are buying can and will be used to get signed.

But even at Whataburger, most of the people who go there for the autograph event they host for various Texans and Astros players don't even seem to get anything to eat.They come, stand in line, and leave immediately after.I will normally grab a Dr. Pepper and maybe a bite to eat but I am the only dang one it seems.

My point is if people know that an athlete will be somewhere, they normally come with the thought, and the sole thought, of getting an autograph or at least meeting the athlete.I think some of these promoters are trying to strictly promote their products and leave it at that.I think they will eventually realize that it won't always work.Not with athletes anyways.

mlbsalltimegreats said:

Awsome story man but look like you are a bit upset in the pic
Thank you for sharing!

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I kinda was.They were acting pretty rude and he was trying to talk to me but the guy holding the camera was like "hurry up so we can get the pic" so the look is for the camera guy...not so much the camera. :lol:

Hmm... a best buy employee not knowing what they are doing? Sounds odd...

Glad you got a nice auto and a story out of it. I guess you never really know what you're going to get at those types of signings.

Here is my Clyde auto.

Another great story.

Glad you got it. Clyde looks like a giant compared to you :lol:

Daltonb1219 said:

Another great story.

Glad you got it. Clyde looks like a giant compared to you :lol:

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Yeah...I am not exactly a midget either though.I was kinda shocked.Horry was even bigger though.Or at least it felt that way.That's one guy I wouldn't want to piss off.You ever got into it with him...you'd never even get close enough to throw a punch. :lol:

Tomlinson21RB said:

Hmm... a best buy employee not knowing what they are doing? Sounds odd...

Glad you got a nice auto and a story out of it. I guess you never really know what you're going to get at those types of signings.

Here is my Clyde auto.

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Sweetness.I would like to get Hakeem on a ball since the only auto I have for him is on a card but from what I have heard he is pretty crabby about signing.

Nice pickup getting Clyde. Even though she told you he wasn't signing outside stuff you still should have asked him since you were first in line.

Also, the problem with promoters/handlers is that most of them don't have a clue about the autograph market/collectors and actually think that everything that is signed is a. selling for a large amount of money and b. going to ebay. That, or they are just some schmuck that enjoys having a little bit of power for once in their life.

andyduke86 said:

Nice pickup getting Clyde. Even though she told you he wasn't signing outside stuff you still should have asked him since you were first in line.

Also, the problem with promoters/handlers is that most of them don't have a clue about the autograph market/collectors and actually think that everything that is signed is a. selling for a large amount of money and b. going to ebay. That, or they are just some schmuck that enjoys having a little bit of power for once in their life.

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Yeah but the question becomes: why do they care?I don't sell any of my stuff.I could.But I just don't and the truth is...I'd lose my rear end on most of it.I have told a few of the event promoters that people aren't making the kind of money on this stuff that people think they are.

I do agree about the power trip though.I have seen some of that action taking place.

predatorkj said:

andyduke86 said:

Nice pickup getting Clyde. Even though she told you he wasn't signing outside stuff you still should have asked him since you were first in line.

Also, the problem with promoters/handlers is that most of them don't have a clue about the autograph market/collectors and actually think that everything that is signed is a. selling for a large amount of money and b. going to ebay. That, or they are just some schmuck that enjoys having a little bit of power for once in their life.

Click to expand...

Yeah but the question becomes: why do they care?I don't sell any of my stuff.I could.But I just don't and the truth is...I'd lose my rear end on most of it.I have told a few of the event promoters that people aren't making the kind of money on this stuff that people think they are.

I do agree about the power trip though.I have seen some of that action taking place.

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The real money is in forging the autos, not buying an item to be signed, getting to a signing, waiting in line for hours, getting one autograph, putting it on ebay without a COA, and paying ebay and paypal fees.

mlbsalltimegreats said:

predatorkj said:

In any case...here is a pic of me and him .He is a heck of a lot taller than I figured he would be.

Click to expand...

:lol: To the Bolded.
Awsome story man but look like you are a bit upset in the pic
Thank you for sharing!

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I think he's pissed because the red background clashes with his jersey. And it also hurts my eyes.