Player Autographs Are Trash

[mq13]

I agree on the Cursive Writing skills but Crosby is the same generation and his is remarkable. When I sign unimportant documents I scribble. But if it is something that will represent my name I sign it neatly. I am not a Crosby fan being from Philly. But all due respect he acknowledges the importance of his autographs to his fans.

[RGM81]

Man, if you were to put a Nathan Mackinnon and a Zach Fucale auto side by side, and hide the numbers would people be able to tell who is who?

[nars101]

I can't post pictures yet but I just got a Seth Griffith auto back that's downright soul crushingly bad. If anyone has a sample please add

[Maggot]

Lol, my autograph is a little scribble and I don't even have to sign it 100 times daily. These guys are pro athletes, not writers. If that's how a guy actually signs his name, I'm happy. I am bummed though if it's a dumbed down version reserved for when they are forced to sign autographs.

[guy3050]

[creasecollector]

Lol, my autograph is a little scribble and I don't even have to sign it 100 times daily. These guys are pro athletes, not writers. If that's how a guy actually signs his name, I'm happy. I am bummed though if it's a dumbed down version reserved for when they are forced to sign autographs.

Same, my autograph is a little scibbly thing at best. It used to be good, until we needed to start signing things daily for our jobs. After a while, that'll take it's toll on your signature. Yeah, I may not be paid for my signature, but I still feel for those athletes having to sign all that stuff. So I give them a lot of slack on their autograph "look", especially if it's a player I collect. I started to collect them because of their play on the ice, not their signature craft off of it.

[Crosby 87]

The only bright spot is Drouin is at least consistent with his terrible auto. Same sig received in person on a puck from him.

[30ranfordfan]

Combine the fact that cursive hasn't been in school for years... there is no reason to have a signature (really) for these guys outside of autographs... and rookies end up signing 100s, even 1000s of them in their first year, is anyone surprised?


Crosby had someone making sure he looked after his brand early on, and he came up with a distinct, clear, and great looking sig right away. Most of the other guys? They don't have someone telling them it's important... and to them it's not.

[Chromagguy]

These guys are signing their names 10000+ times a year. Ya its nice when they look great but Im sure team ownership/management would far rather they work on their on ice game.

[creasecollector]

Combine the fact that cursive hasn't been in school for years... there is no reason to have a signature (really) for these guys outside of autographs... and rookies end up signing 100s, even 1000s of them in their first year, is anyone surprised?


Crosby had someone making sure he looked after his brand early on, and he came up with a distinct, clear, and great looking sig right away. Most of the other guys? They don't have someone telling them it's important... and to them it's not.

Very true, especially the Crosby part.

I have someone in my family who now plays Professional hockey. So when it came to signing things for fans, at first his signature was less than appealing. We've joked around about it, and it has since gotten better (a little bit), but I'm not blaming him at all, as he never had the hindsight to develop a proper signature when it came time to signing contracts and memorabilia for fans, which is why I give a ton of slack to these player signatures nowadays. Once I saw it from the other side of things, it definitely changed you perspective. These kids have a lot more to worry about than "what will my autograph look like when I make it to The Show?". Keep in mind, a lot of them are still struggling to make their own mark, and signing cards and stuff are just a cool little 'bonus' for them that they will probably tell their grandkids about. They don't know what kind of scope their autograph has on a piece of cardboard. Frankly, I wouldn't either if I was in their shoes.

They just don't know it's important. Which, in reality, it isn't. I mean, once they sign the stick, card, photo, they've done their part. The pretty signature expectations are our doing.

I just can't blame these players, especially with the lack of cursive writing in elementary schools, little to no penmanship expectations day-to-day, and the fact that even some of our own 'autographs' wouldn't pass the hockey card test, either.