JoLas' 2013 IP Success Thread

[JoLas]

January 19, 2013 - Anaheim Ducks in Vancouver

Went Duck hunting, but instead ended up with an Oil rush...

This was the Canucks' first game of the 2012-13 season since the lockout ended. I went to Rogers Arena for morning skate to try and get some autographs. I immediately found out that it would be difficult hounding at the arena as they had started the condo construction right beside the underground parking entrance. Players who wanted to sign found it difficult to stop their vehicles in the middle of the street and sign for everybody, as they would be blocking city traffic.

A few of the Canucks, including Andrew Ebbett, Maxim Lapierre, Dale Weise and Zack Kassian, walked to the arena and were willing signers. Canucks who stopped their vehicles in the middle of the street included Cory Schneider and Alex Burrows.


2011-12 Canucks Team Photo signed by Lapierre, Ebbett and Weise


Game Program Poster signed by Schneider

The Anaheim Ducks arrived in Vancouver early and had been staying in town for the past two days already. Players got dropped off by the hotel shuttle to the arena. I was able to get Sheldon Souray and Saku Koivu as they got dropped off. Teemu Selanne came with a different group and got dropped off at the ramp and the hounds chased him there. He signed one for everybody but I didn't have anything for him to sign as I ran out of stuff last season. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry arrived together but neither grabbed a pen. Bobby Ryan came in with another group and signed everything you had. Again, I had nothing for Ryan to sign.


Team issued cards signed by Souray and Koivu

Hounded the Ducks at the hotel pre-game and most of the Ducks signed except for Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf. Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu signed one each for everybody there. Bobby Ryan again signed everything you had for him. Selanne, Koivu and Ryan also posed for pictures with fans. Roberto Luongo stayed at the same hotel and only waived to the people waiting.


Saku Koivu posing with the Finnish Fowl

Jan. 19, 2013 - Edmonton Oilers in Vancouver

The Edmonton Oilers bus arrived at the same time as the Ducks were leaving for the game, but nobody knew they would be there right at that instance. There were about 10 people there waiting and no one got any autographs from any of the Oilers.

Five of us waited for the Oilers to go out for dinner. We didn't have to wait too long as the whole team left on the same bus for dinner about 30 minutes later. The Oilers came out in droves and you had to pick and choose who you wanted to go after. Came away with another Ales Hemsky McFarlane figure and finally was able to get a Ryan Smyth McFarlane figure done.


McFarlane figure signed by Ales Hemsky


McFarlane figure signed by Ryan Smyth

Got Magnus Paajarvi as he came out with another group of Oilers. Nail Yakupov signed but I didn't have anythign for him. Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall came out at the same time, only had cards for them to sign. Was able to call out Ryan Nugent-Hopkins as Eberle was signing. RNH commented to the hotel security that he thought he had slipped away from the crowd by going out as Eberle and Hall were signing. Too bad the signature came out crappy. I was expecting an RNH93 at least. The good thing is I don't have to go back there the following day which was a Sunday.


Trading cards signed by Hall, Eberle, Paajarvi and Horcoff


McFarlane figure signed by Nugent-Hopkins

January 23, 2013 - Calgary Flames Morning Skate @ GM Place in Vancouver

Arrived about 15 minutes before the Calgary Flames team bus got to the rink. Was able to get Jarome Iginla as he got off the bus. He was a strict one per as he asked me several times if I had already gotten one.

Was also able to get Sven Baetschi on an Abbotsford Heat game program. I got him while Iginla was signing for everyone else.


McFarlane figure signed by Iginla and program signed by Baetschi

February 3, 2013 - Shaun Alexander + Darren Woodson

My Bro and I attended the Official Super Bowl XLVII Party at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver. Scheduled appearances included Shaun Alexander of the Seahawks, Darren Woodson of the Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks Cheerleaders - the Sea Gals. Was able to get Shaun Alexander numerous times as he and Woodson mingled with the crowd throughout the game.

The venue was showing the big game on 3 large HD screens plus numerous big HD screens scattered around. They also set up numerous opportunities to get pictures taken with the NFL players, the cheerleaders and the Bud Light girls.


Seattle Seahawks Cheerleaders - the Sea Gals


Shaun Alexander and Darren Woodson

I was able to get Shaun Alexander on a McFarlane, two trading cards, an 8x10 photo, two footballs that were previously signed by different Seahawks from appearances back in 2006/07. They were also handing out autographed 5x7s of both players.


All items signed by Shaun Alexander

Went to two card shops during the week but I could only find two cards of Darren Woodson. Should have grabbed a football.


Trading cards and handout signed by Woodson

[soc4yankees]

nice stuff!

[JoLas]

@soc4yankees: Thanks!

February 9, 2013 - Hockey Day in Canada 2013 (Vancouver)

This was the second annual celebration of Hockey Day in Canada held at the Richmond Olympic Oval (http://www.bossashows.com/aspx/m/1433306) . Hockey celebrities invited included former Montreal Canadiens HOFer Guy Lafleur and Vancouver Canucks alumni. The day's festivities included former NHLers and local celebrities playing ball hockey, Vancouver Alumni vs the Richmond Sockeyes Alumni, a PIJHL game, autograph signings by the Canucks mascot - Fin, Canucks alumni and Guy Lafleur himself. The organizers limited the Lafleur autograph signing to one item each either a trading card, photo or puck and inscriptions were not allowed.


Sports Illustrated signed by Guy Lafleur


Vancouver Canucks Alumni photo handed out before the signing

Guy Lafleur had an impromptu hot stove session on stage a few minutes after the signing. He randomly signed whatever items people could squeeze in before and after the hot stove session as he went on and off the stage. I was able to get him on an extra 8x10 photofile. I wished I knew that he would sign anything other than the items listed above. I really wanted an autographed McFarlane figure.


8x10 photofile signed by Guy Lafleur

Today, Feb. 9th, was also National Hockey Card Day (NHCD) in Canada. Select hobby stores throughout Canada were handing out free Upper Deck 2013 National Hockey Card Day packs (http://upperdeckblog.com/2013/02/eve...day-in-canada/). I wasn't able to visit a hobby store on the way to the venue as the stores didn't open until 10 a.m. Good thing was they were handing out free UD2012 NHCD packs at the door. Upper Deck also had a booth inside where they were handing out packs and you could trade your extras to build a complete set (minus the hobby store exclusive 16th card featuring Gretzky and Lemieux).


Upper Deck 2013 National Hockey Card Day set + 2013 extra packs + 2012 extra packs

Two big box retailers - Toys 'R Us and London Drugs were also handing out oversize cards from the set. I was able to score one from London Drugs and the others at Toys 'R Us at the end of the day as the store was closing and you could pick up the whole set plus extras.


2013 UD Oversize card set + oversize extras + regular card extras

[JoLas]

February 28, 2013 - NHL Legends Meet and Greet at BC Liquor Store in Vancouver

Peller Estates Wines and AM Team 1040 sports radio had NHL Legends Bobby Hull, Dennis Hull, Marcel Dionne, Charlie Hodge and Gordie Howe for an appearance and autograph signing at the 39th and Cambie BC Liquor Store location. They are all in town for Mr. Hockey's 85th birthday celebration at the Vancouver Giants game scheduled for today, March 1st.



The signing was scheduled from 4-6 pm. There was probably only about 50-60 people in line as it was another rainy day (plus a Pineapple Express weather system) in the city. Security came out and told the people in line that the guests wouldn't be signing outside memorabilia and no pics with allowed.

Dionne, Hodge and the Hull brothers arrived on time but Gordie Howe was late as his flight out of Toronto was delayed for 8 hours because of snow conditions (as told by the promoters). They started letting people through even though Howe wasn't there yet. At first the organizers didn't even allow those in line to interact with the guests. They were only signing posters and they were handing it to people in line.



I was able to ask Bobby Hull if he could sign a McFarlane base that I had for him. He told me to lay it on the table and that he would sign it. Score!



Gordie Howe arrived about 20 minutes late. Since I already had gone through the line already, I asked one of the organizers if I could exchange the poster I had with a poster that included Gordie Howe's signature.

[JoLas]

March 2, 2013 - LA Kings in Vancouver

Went to Rogers Arena for the morning skate in the hopes of getting autographs from the defending Stanley Cup Champions in their only trip to Vancouver this year. Again it was pissing rain as the Pineapple Express weather system was still pounding RAINcouver. Saw Jarrett Stoll as he came in by cab and was able to get him to sign a trading card. Jeff Carter also came in by cab at a different time but didn't acknowledge the crowd that was there. The rest of the Kings came in by bus and parked on the ramp, instead of by the doors, which made it difficult to graph as it wasn't roofed and raining hard.

As I wrote previously, condominium construction right beside the vehicle ramp has made it difficult to get the Canucks to stop. They would be blocking city traffic if they decided to stop and sign for the crowd there. Henrik Sedin stopped and only signed for the kids. Daniel Sedin stopped and signed until he could. Finally got Daniel Sedin to sign the McFarlane puck from the Canadian Tire exclusive, which were signed previously (last season) by Mason Raymond and Ryan Kesler. It's rare for those to ever stop so I got them while I could.


Daniel Sedin McFarlane signed on puck with Raymond and Kesler on the base


Daniel Sedin Canadian Tire Exclusive in box

Found out that the HNIC crew of Don Cherry and Ron MacLean were in town. Didn't know that they would be there, luckily I had a blank puck with me and got Cherry. Cherry signed and took pictures with even though he was in the cab already.

After the Kings morning shoot around the rain stopped just in time as the Kings players were headed to the bus. Dustin Penner, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty, Jordan Nolan and Ron Hextall came over to where we were standing and signed for everybody. Also got Bernie Nicholls at the gate as he came in with the Kings media personnel.


Don Cherry, Ron Hextall and Bernie Nicholls on pucks. Stoll and Penner on trading cards


Drew Doughty 8x10


Jordan Nolan 8x10


Dustin Brown 8x10

[JoLas]

April 1 - Seattle Mariners Open House @ Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington

The Seattle Mariners invited their fans to an open house at Safeco Field to watch the season opener between the Mariners and Athletics in Oakland, on their new HD screen. Fans who RSVPed the event were handed t-shirts at the door. Everyone was free to roam along the field and the dugouts. Edgar Martinez made an appearance as they opened Edgar's Cantina inside Safeco Field. There wasn't any scheduled autograph signings, fans were allowed to get autographs and pictures with Edgar Martinez as he toured the Cantina. Was able to get Edgar on a cheap baseball that I brought along just in case there was a player appearance.





April 6 - Trevor Linden appearance @ CIBC and Johnny Bower @ PastimeSports Collectibles Store in Surrey, British Columbia

The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) had a Grand Opening celebration at the Fleetwood neighbourhood of Surrey, BC. They had Trevor Linden as the special guest which included an autograph session from 11 am - 1 pm.

I was able to snag a couple of Linden McFarlanes off of Craigslist from a seller who lived close by to the bank. Got to the event at around 10 a.m. and was 22nd in line. The event was very well organized. They gave numbered autograph tickets to the first 20 people that were in line and gave them the freedom to walk around and come back when the signing started. I was part of the 2nd batch of 20 and got my ticket a few minutes later.

The organizers had a barbecue going with hamburgers, hotdogs and pop for a minimum donation of $2. Free CIBC merchandise, etc. So anybody that already had a ticket was free to mingle around.

The signing promptly started when Trevor Linden arrived. The first 20 were sent in and they announced the next 20 numbers to start getting back in line.They collected the ticket and reminded everyone that there was only one autographed item per person allowed. You were also allowed to take a picture with him. I was able to get Linden on a Series 8 McFarlane base and he also gave me an autographed Thank You card.

I found out about the Trevor Linden event just two days prior and what made it even better was I was headed in that area anyway for the Johnny Bower signing which was a 10 minute drive away.

Johnny Bower had a paid signing at the Pastime Sports Collectible store inside Surrey Central City Mall. The event was scheduled from 11 am - 1 pm. I paid for my ticket and was number 39 in line. The autograph ticket included a picture with Johnny Bower taken by professional photographer which you were allowed to download off of their website. The organizer handed him the items and told him where to sign each item. Mr. Bower was very cordial and spelled out what he was writing on the item.

Knowing I could still go back to the Trevor Linden signing, I drove back to the bank. There wasn't a huge lineup for autographs anymore and was able to get Linden to sign another McFarlane base for me. That makes it 9 autographed Trevor Linden McFarlanes for me now. Hoarder. cough. Hoarder.











April 6 - CW TV Series 'Arrow' filming in Downtown Vancouver

Went to the location shoot of Arrow (DC Comics), which has been filming in Vancouver for quite sometime now. Was able to spot the cast and crew doing interior shoots inside the Telus Tower. Was able to spot the main cast including Stephen Amell (Oliver Queen/Arrow), John Barrowman (Malcolm Merlyn), Willa Holland (Thea Queen) among others. John Barrowman stood outside the building in between takes and signed as he left after filming his scenes. Stephen Amell came outside to sign for people who were waiting by the building doors. Then Stephen Amell went back inside to finish filming. After filming her scenes, Willa Holland signed and took pictures with, as she was leaving the building.