CyberErik's Success Thread- just starting out, feedback and help welcome!

[jtbruds9]

When you doing the rockies I need Moyer? I'll meet up if you want and help you out

[cyberer]

forgot about moyer. I'll let you know as we get closer what I'm planning...

[JerseyInk]

Little late but congrats on snagging 2 Harpers!

[cyberer]

Thanks guys! Looks like Moyer was DFA'd so there goes that Rockies plan. Also, kemp won't travel with the dodgers in all likelihood so I won't be graphing the dodgers much if at all. Really wanted Kemp. Oh well.

I put in 2 hours with the Marlins last night on arrival. I was the only one there when the bus arrived.

I was a little annoyed by all the snubs, seeing as I was literally the only one standing on the street not 2 feet away from these guys.

Hanley walked by and ignored me. I didn't mind so much because last series I got him on the sweet spot ROMLB and on a mini-bat, so I didn't need him too badly.

Reyes had his headphones on and ignored me (he was the main guy I needed for my SI cover). He pretended not to see me so I moved such that I was right in his field of view and said loudly that I was the only one here cmon man. He shook his head no and kept walking. At least he acknowledged my existence.

Mark Buehrle came off the bus and signed when I called him over on a card (I was woefully underprepared for these guys and only had cards for the most part- I decided to go on a whim).




Josh Johnson came off and ignored me.

Finally Giancarlo came, the last one off the bus. I called him over and he nodded and came over. I agonized over this decision all day- I have him already on a ROMLB, but he side-paneled it. But since I don't sell I couldn't rationalize spending the 17 bucks to get him on a sweet spot ball since I already had him on a ball.

So I had him sign a card. I told him "I have a stack of cards, how many can you do today?" He laughed and replied "Ok, you have 2 cards." So he lifted it up and signed the one underneath it.

So I guess it all worked out, I didn't get him on a ball, but he did multiples for me. Pretty good sig too (by Stanton standards)



I got all these sigs in the first 20-30 minutes of waiting, so I spent the next 90 minutes or so wasting my time, as Reyes didn't come back out.

Still a pretty nice haul. I won't be hitting their hotel any more this series, so Reyes will have to wait until next time, if at all.

[bronxbomber33]

Very nice, the Stanton cards look nice!!

[yankssss98]

love the Stantons

[SLNoble13]

Nice pick ups!

[Autofreak2842]

Nice stuff! As a Marlins fan living in Minnesota, where theyhaven't played as long as I've been into baseball (from what I can remember), I am jealous! Lol I'd love to make it down to their new ball park, soon. Last time I went down there I was stupid enough to graph the Twins (whom the Fish were playing) all three games. Lol

Congrats on the successes!

[cyberer]

A bit of a frustrating night last night. I had decided not to graph the dodgers because kemp was hurt and didn't travel with the team on Sunday.

But as I'm watching the Phillies game last night, lo and behold, Kemp is in the dugout. I texted some guys and they told me that he had been in for a few days now, but hadn't really been signing.

Either way I decided to take my shot, I went postgame to get them off the bus. They came in 2 buses, but since this was so poorly planned on my part on the spur of the moment I had only one ROMLB that I was reserving for Matt Kemp. So when Mattingly got off the first bus and started signing, I was debating whether or not to give him the ball, since I knew for sure I could get mattingly but didn't know about kemp.

I decided to get Mattingly on his 1984 topps rookie card, and it came out pretty well:



Then a few minutes later ethier came back out for a cab and signed for us. Again I had the same dilemma, do I save the ROMLB for Kemp off the second bus, or get ethier on it? I decided to get ethier on a "junk" ball since I didn't have any cards of him with me:



There was a girl there who manages the sports accounts for the hotel and she was like "Oh matt kemp signed earlier, and he's a big sweety- I'm sure you'll get him." So I got excited. The 2nd bus rolls in, kemp gets off but he's talking to another player. We call out to him, but he just nods and says "hey what's up guys!"

UGH!!!!

I had a CRAZY week at work this week, so I couldn't have really gone any other time even if I wanted to or had known, but still, I had my one shot and he snubbed me. I'm so upset over this, much more on tilt than the usual snub.

Kemp is my brother's all-time favorite player, and he's up there on my list too (though not my favorite), so this was a sig I really wanted. Also, the dodgers obviously don't come in again so I have to wait until next year. ARGGGGG!

It's kinda funny that I call a night where I get Mattingly and Ethier a colossal failure, but I didn't accomplish my primary objective, so it was...

[jyosi]

Another awesome night in person at the 76ers game. This really has been a hot streak for the ages.

I get there early when the gates open and make a mad dash for the 76ers shooting around on the court. I am depressed because Brand and Turner, two of the good signers I came to get, aren't warming up, and only Nocioni and Iguodala (the jerk who never signs) were working out. Well to my astonishment after workouts Iguodala stopped and signed for everyone there (like 4-5 people) and even posed for a picture with a little kid.



My friend who I was with was a big Portland fan, and he was by their tunnel. So I ran over to show him the Iguodala. To my astonishment again, at the exact moment that I got over to show him the autograph, Andre Miller the former 76er on portland was signing! Talk about the right place at the right time.



Right after this the usher came by to throw us out. I saw Eric Snow, former player and current announcer, about 20 feet away on the court. I say to the usher "Cmon man I'm trying to get Snow right there!" He's like, "Snow is going the other way you're never going to get him, and you have to get out of here and get to your seat." Then he paused and said "Here give it to me and I'll get it for you." And with that, he walked out to Eric Snow, waited patiently until he finished his conversation (about 5 minutes) got the auto and walked back and gave it to me. WOW an usher assist, the rarest of all possible autographs...



So with that the game started. Sixers rally from 8 points down at one point to win by 8, great game. I had a lot of work to do tonight when I got home, so I almost didn't go to the parking lot. However since it was nice out and since they won, I decided to go to the parking lot. Hey, I have to press my hot streak, right?

So I go there and Elton Brand promptly blows past us in his Gold Mercedes without stopping. Andre Iguodala followed shortly thereafter in his Land Rover.

We got some mediocre successes- Nocioni and Spencer Hawes stopped (all awkward white guys look the same). Also, Lou Williams pulled over in his SWEET ferrari.



Suddenly, 2 black SUVs blew past us. The kid near me said Evan Turner drove a black SUV. However one of the SUVs instead of exiting the stadium instead moved to the front door of the stadium and waited. The kids near me took off running hoping that it was Evan Turner. I followed. When we got there Thaddeus Young rolled down the window and signed for us, saying that we chased him down so we deserved his auto.

We were depressed though because we thought that Evan Turner left in that 2nd black SUV. We were just about to pack up shop when a car pulls up, another big SUV. The window rolls down. Jrue Holliday says "hey" to us. And what's more, the kid near me yells "look in the passenger seat!" I look and see EVAN TURNER sitting in the passenger seat. They were blasting rap with 3 girls in the back, but they signed for all of us- 1 auto each.



Turner has an awesome Sig!

Wow I am so glad I went to the parking lot, and so glad that we waited for that last SUV!



Thaddeus Young, Jrue Holliday and Lou Williams on the same card from the encounters above.

Funny how things change when you taste success in graphing, isn't it? This was an "awesome night in person" for you a couple years ago. Nice Mattingly, but I'd feel empty handed if I didn't leave with a Kemp or Kershaw, too.