Cool or Weird?

[tonsofcommons]

I think this is weird for sure. It's like being obsessed with a girl and building her a shrine and then taking her to go see it. Sure she might be a little flattered but mostly she's gonna think you're a loon and wonder what you do in your spare time. But to each his own.

Not really the same.

I don't consider 5 cards to be a "shrine".

If you invited the player over to dinner and showed him where you have locks of his hair stolen from a brush on top of a maniquen's head with his face pasted to the front of it next to his first grade report card where he got an "S" for "Satisfactory" in Phys Ed, that would be weird.

When I was a player collector, I would have loved to even meet my player, let alone show him some of my cards.

When I was in college, for one of my beginning excel class, I had to do a document with formulas and stuff. I did one with the stats of my favorite player (Latrell Sprewell). I thought many times about sending it to him to sign for my collection.

This being said, I would LOVE to meet with Michael Cramer (former CEO of Pacific) and talk to him about how he came up with the great designs and weird numbering scheme of the MANY Pacific parallels.

 

[seitas]

I can understand being excited to meet a player and share your collection. But from a player perspective I would bet that 95% of these guys think it's weird. What do you think the player tells his teammate when he asks "what were you doing over there posing with those cards?" Do you think that player brags about how cool it was for them? I doubt it.

 

[TBTwinsFan]

I would do it if I saw Glen Perkins... I would explain that I don't love him but I just collect him for fun. I am sure he would take a photo and even sign it for me. The higher on the player scale you go the less they care (not all... just some).

If you were a lower end player wouldn't you (as a card collector) want to meet your biggest collector? I would. I would. I can also understand it may be a bit creepy for them

"HEY HEY! I HAVE LOT'S OF PICTURES OF YOU AND PIECES OF YOUR CLOTHES AND SOME OF YOUR WRITINGS! HOLD THESE WHILE I TAKE A PHOTO OF YOU!" is how some might look at it.

It all depends on the player I suppose.

If I meet Glen Perkins this winter at the Caravan or at the Fest, I might tell him that I am one of his biggest collectors, or at least that I am a big fan.

 

[Moonlight Graham]

not only do I think it's fine, but it would also be neat if he printed out the picture on nice photopaper and had Leake autograph it as well. I would not be surprised if Leake didn't offer to personalize it.

 

[FortyFour]

I see what some of you guys are saying but I have met Travis 4-5 times now and every time I have something new for him to sign he always ask about it and thinks its awesome that I have all of his Game Used Jerseys, Equipment and cards. And ask about some of the cards like the printing plates.

But I dont think I would ever bring the rainbow to take a picture with...Maybe to sign it.

 

[predatorkj]

Lance has a point. Its not weird nor gay. Its different. But not weird. And...in the end...most people who collect cards of a certain player do it for certain reasons. Mostly...they just liked watching the player. I'm sorry but if a player is egotistical enough to act like an ass because you enjoyed watching him play and collect his baseball cards...then let him just be a jerk. It doesn't make you wrong. Although it may make you not want to collect his cards anymore. Now...some of them may not care but the two most probable reasons are because he has probably been approached by a million people(granted its a good player) who say the same thing and also maybe because he just isn't into cards. I have shown friends some of my favorite cards...and most of the time they may agree it looks cool but they might not give it a second thought. I am the same way about some of their hobbies. Players may be that way too.

 

[predatorkj]

I don't understand why it would be weird? If you're ashamed of what you enjoy: I feel sorry for you. Hoping to get Iannetta with his superfractor, soon.

There are actually quite a few people who are embarrassed to collect cards or autos and there are even more people out there who consider themselves "normal" and try to make others feel embarrassed for their hobby. I say do whatever the hell you want(within legal limits of course) and to hell with everyone else. There is always going to be people out there who try to down talk your hobby. They are either jealous or just don't understand. Its not your problem to help them in either case.

I can understand that, but it won't change my emotions towards those that let others frown upon something of theirs, that has no intrinsic wrong-doing.



I agree, to hell with them.

Yeah but trust me...it can make your life a living hell. Its why I don't talk about it at work or amongst my "normal" friends. In fact its why I have very few "normal" friends left. I'd just as soon not hear any s--t about it. And its hard for your friends not to find out unless they never come over or just aren't around you that much. I got tired of the smartass remarks. A lot of people do. Some people just clam up though and totally shut down and won't talk about it.

If collecting cards makes your life a living hell because your "normal" friends make comments....why keep the friends?

Why keep your hobby from your "normal" friends? It sounds like you are quite a bit insecure about your hobby.

I've had friends not understand it, mock it, what have you. The "friends" that kept at it, I cut them off. The friends I do have now actually have some interest, more in just looking at what I have and asking me questions about the hobby that it is now, with the occasional smart ass remark, but that's how we roll. We mock each other, make smart ass comments and get on with our lives.

I can tell you I would NEVER hide my hobby, regardless of what others have to say about it.

To the bolded...no...I am not insecure per se. I am just ...the best word would be cautious. You put three guys in a room, let them talk about themselves for an hour, and pretty soon they are cracking jokes about each other. No harm no foul. Now take three guys in a room and two of them are into something similar and the third guy kinda sticks out...now they crack jokes on the third guy. No big deal right. Until they keep dragging it on and on until it becomes more of a problem. That's just how it goes.

And...if you are at work...I find it best to just keep all outside business you can to yourself. There have been times I have told a coworker something in confidence and two days later I have some ******* I barely know cracking a joke about it to me in front of a bunch of other people I don't know so well.

But to get to the bottom line...collecting cards, or even comics like I used to, can draw a lot of jokes. To a point...they aren't a big deal. But if they go on forever...they become more than just good natured ribbing. Most people don't collect them and they won't understand. And they always remember. So if you ever get in a financial debacle in the future and are talking to them about it...they want to ask you why you don't sell your collection, or tell you you wouldn't have any problems if you didn't waste all your money on collectibles(which none of us probably do that anyways...its kinda hard to spend every bit of your money on just cards). Or they will find something else negative to say about it. What people don't understand, they pick at. Its odd to them and for some weird ass reason, they don't like it. Everyone can be that way. And since you're not going to meet a ton of card collectors in your normal everyday life, chances are you are going to be surrounded by people who don't understand and you will stick out. And they will make you verbally pay for it.

As far as "normal friends" I do have friends that I have shed in the last few years. I grew very tired of them and realized a lot of them were just a-holes. Some of them were the gossipy types and some were the nosy types and still others were the types that just seem to know everything and try to invade your life and tell you what to do and how to do it. Most of the people I still hang out with aren't into cards but like I said...I just leave it alone. I may mention it from time to time but never make a big deal of it or go on and on about it. IMO...that's the best way to go about it. If they want to know more I'll tell them but I don't really go further than that. I figure why try making someone who doesn't care about your hobby understand?

 

[TBTwinsFan]

[quote="Superfractor":1kk2v2u2]I don't understand why it would be weird? If you're ashamed of what you enjoy: I feel sorry for you. Hoping to get Iannetta with his superfractor, soon.

There are actually quite a few people who are embarrassed to collect cards or autos and there are even more people out there who consider themselves "normal" and try to make others feel embarrassed for their hobby. I say do whatever the hell you want(within legal limits of course) and to hell with everyone else. There is always going to be people out there who try to down talk your hobby. They are either jealous or just don't understand. Its not your problem to help them in either case.

I can understand that, but it won't change my emotions towards those that let others frown upon something of theirs, that has no intrinsic wrong-doing.



I agree, to hell with them.

Yeah but trust me...it can make your life a living hell. Its why I don't talk about it at work or amongst my "normal" friends. In fact its why I have very few "normal" friends left. I'd just as soon not hear any s--t about it. And its hard for your friends not to find out unless they never come over or just aren't around you that much. I got tired of the smartass remarks. A lot of people do. Some people just clam up though and totally shut down and won't talk about it.

If collecting cards makes your life a living hell because your "normal" friends make comments....why keep the friends?

Why keep your hobby from your "normal" friends? It sounds like you are quite a bit insecure about your hobby.

I've had friends not understand it, mock it, what have you. The "friends" that kept at it, I cut them off. The friends I do have now actually have some interest, more in just looking at what I have and asking me questions about the hobby that it is now, with the occasional smart ass remark, but that's how we roll. We mock each other, make smart ass comments and get on with our lives.

I can tell you I would NEVER hide my hobby, regardless of what others have to say about it.

To the bolded...no...I am not insecure per se. I am just ...the best word would be cautious. You put three guys in a room, let them talk about themselves for an hour, and pretty soon they are cracking jokes about each other. No harm no foul. Now take three guys in a room and two of them are into something similar and the third guy kinda sticks out...now they crack jokes on the third guy. No big deal right. Until they keep dragging it on and on until it becomes more of a problem. That's just how it goes.

And...if you are at work...I find it best to just keep all outside business you can to yourself. There have been times I have told a coworker something in confidence and two days later I have some ******* I barely know cracking a joke about it to me in front of a bunch of other people I don't know so well.

But to get to the bottom line...collecting cards, or even comics like I used to, can draw a lot of jokes. To a point...they aren't a big deal. But if they go on forever...they become more than just good natured ribbing. Most people don't collect them and they won't understand. And they always remember. So if you ever get in a financial debacle in the future and are talking to them about it...they want to ask you why you don't sell your collection, or tell you you wouldn't have any problems if you didn't waste all your money on collectibles(which none of us probably do that anyways...its kinda hard to spend every bit of your money on just cards). Or they will find something else negative to say about it. What people don't understand, they pick at. Its odd to them and for some weird ass reason, they don't like it. Everyone can be that way. And since you're not going to meet a ton of card collectors in your normal everyday life, chances are you are going to be surrounded by people who don't understand and you will stick out. And they will make you verbally pay for it.

As far as "normal friends" I do have friends that I have shed in the last few years. I grew very tired of them and realized a lot of them were just a-holes. Some of them were the gossipy types and some were the nosy types and still others were the types that just seem to know everything and try to invade your life and tell you what to do and how to do it. Most of the people I still hang out with aren't into cards but like I said...I just leave it alone. I may mention it from time to time but never make a big deal of it or go on and on about it. IMO...that's the best way to go about it. If they want to know more I'll tell them but I don't really go further than that. I figure why try making someone who doesn't care about your hobby understand?[/quote:1kk2v2u2]

I've kept the hobby to myself ever since in the 6th grade, my friend said something about "I have a card with a piece of Puckett's bat in it" (this was shortly after he died) so what did I do? I pulled out a Brady Anderson bat card to show the teacher... at that point I realized "Hey, not a lot of people collect" so I kept it to myself up until my 9th grade year when a freind and I started discussing the matter. I still though keep it to myself. Some people find it cool, some people are like "Why do you do that?"

Only my closest friends know that I do, and I might get a jab once in a while but I don't take it personally. I jab them about what they like once and a while. They like rap and I hate it so when we are messing around with our car stereos, I might tell them that rap sucks... I have a friend that would jab me once in a while about cards, but we went to TwinsFest and he bought more than I did. I ended up with them after I bought all the good stuff and he realized he couldn't get much for them...

When people ask me "How do you know so much about prospects (which I don't know a lot, just the names and teams, more than anyone else that I know)?" I simply tell them, it is my buisness to know, it's what I do. They may think I sit with a book and read up on all of these guys... it is mostly because of cards that I know the names that I do. When I joined this site I didn't know half of these guys. You could have asked me who Donovan Tate or Aroldis Chapman is and I would have looked at you funny...