Bad Ip signers

[Indian71]

Sorry, I didnt kow exactly how to word this but, how many of you have come across a superstar ( or not ) who just gives a hard time when signing Ip. I was looking at freedomcardboard and I saw this...

Not to me, but to a fan. A kid that looked to be maybe 5-6 years old.
The guy's name...Roberto Alomar.
Kiddo has an O's hat in 1 hand and a baseball card with a sharpie in the other. Alomar is grabbing things out of random people's hands, scribbling and then moving on as fast as possible. Alomar comes to the kid and the little boy reaches both hands out since 1 had the hat and 1 had the sharpie I figured. Alomar sees the 2 items the kiddo ultimately wants signed and days "I hate you greedy people wanting me to sign a bunch of things" and moves past the kid. Im about 3 people down from the kid but I can hear him start crying.

Best part of the whole story, after Robbie yells at the kid, everyone pulls their hands back and he's just standing there and everyone is staring at him, silent. He says "I dont need this, I have a game to play" and walks off. Would have loved it if he had 3 k's or an 0-for day, but I believe he went 2-5 with a HR.

I mean, I dont push or shove, but doing this to a 5 year old, thats mean. Do you guys have any similar stories?

[nubiggestfan70]

Nelson Cruz was a complete jerk to me and my friend. He was with the Oklahoma City Redhawks and they were at the Omaha Royals and it was a doubleheader day. The first game I am there (I was 14 at the time) with all my cards and I ask real nicely Mr. Cruz could you please sign my baseball card he looks at me and my friend and shakes his head and walks away. I see him about to take bp in between games I ask again Mr. Cruz could you please sign really fast im a big fan he looks and smiles and walks away. The third time was right before the second game me and my friend bothy say Nelson can you sign really fast and he starts mocking us saying how are you and starts babbling on in a really cocky voice and starts dancing and messing with us. Everytime I see his card now i rip it up.

[theRaineman]

was at the walter camp dinner in new haven years back, i was a sophomore in high school and my friends little brother was a 5th grader. the walter camp dinner is a dinner for the college football all americans if you are not aware, this is a black tie event and the only reason we were able to get tickets is because my friends father was high up for a cable company, anyways i went in knowing that this dinner is not so much for autographs but most players did not have a problem signing for us younger guys, especially my friends little brother. I am a huge iowa fan and dallas clark was gracious enough to pose with pictures with us and sign autographs, same thing goes with brad banks and even mike doss from ohio state, as well as mike "the mad dog" russo who was mc of the event. The worst thing that happened was the worst thing that has ever happened to any autograph seeker i have heard of. My friends little brother, lets not forget he is in 5th grade now asked willis mcgahee for an autograph and mcgahee told him to go himself, a 5th grader!

[BAM1984]

In the summer of '03, I just graduated from high school and caught a DBacks vs. Giants game with my then-girlfriend. I am one of the people that wait outside the gates for them to open and rush to get autos. I was standing around and there was these two kids (12-14 years old i think) standing next to me on the Giants side of Bank One Ballpark. Well, as we were standing there, the two kids were excited to get Barry Bonds' auto and it would have been nice to get a superstar's auto. As Barry walked past us, the kids asked, "Mr. Bonds will you sign my hat?" Bonds then turned his head and said "H*** No!" and kept walking away. The look on their faces and the fact that he had to testicular fortitude to treat fans like that has caused me to not collect any of his cards. I will never buy his cards or even keep them unless they are for a set. On the flip side to the "Bad IP Autographers," Mark Reynolds of the DBacks is one of the best I ever seen. He told a kid before BP that he would sign and after he finished BP he went to run off the field. He caught himself and signed for the kid next to me and signed my mini bat then gave his BP gloves to the kid. I was so shocked by his act of generosity that it has stuck with me to this day.

-BAM

[sigman101]

From doing IP autos in Detroit 2005-2009, I got one to share. Rasheed Wallace when he played for the Pistons was not very easy to get IP. There have been many times where he just ran out to shootaround before the game and run back in after shootaround and not sign for anyone. I heard he did the same thing on the road but he was always next to impossible to get on the road. I did the Pistons 3 years ago down in Orlando as they were in town around when I was down there for spring break. I saw every Pistons player at least sign once that one day I did them from the hotel to the game. The only one I didn't see pickup a pen...Rasheed Wallace.

Quite ironically, I have gotten Rasheed Wallace IP 3 times in the 5 years I have graphed the NBA. 2 of the 3 times I got him it was at the Pistons season ticket holder tip-off parties where he was suppose to sign autographs. Both times I got him, he acted like he didn't really want to be there. The 3rd time I got him was at a public signing which was his 1st and only known public signing he has done when he played for the Pistons. He acted the same way there and luckily I found out of that signing the day of it happened. That signing wasn't well advertised but thankfully a friend I have up in MI picked up the Detroit Free Press saw it advertised in some awkward spot in the newspaper and called me to notify me that he was signing that day.

I am sure I can think of others from when I graphed near Detroit those 4 years but that is all that comes to my mind for right now.

Since I been down here in West Virginia for school, I do have a couple more to share but they were from teams that I did in Charlotte and Cincinnati:

When I did the Suns in Charlotte last season, Steve Nash didn't sign at all when he was in Charlotte. He was a jerk about it at the hotel and ignored everybody at the game. I heard he was sort of the same way in Charlotte the year before BUT he signed one per and if anyone double dipped him he would get mad and stop signing. This past season he didn't sign at all.

When I did the Braves in Cincinnati about 2 weeks ago, Melky Cabrera was a complete jerk both days I saw him at the hotel. When we all approached him on the 2nd day in hopes he would sign, he yelled out loud to all of us telling us to "BACK OFF". I wonder if that guy has ever signed an autograph ever in his career. He is not very nice...

[Gretzky268]

I hate when you get ask players & they act as if you were not even there (meaning no response , no answer practically acting as if you were invisible , etc..) to name a few...........Justin Morneau , Josh Beckett , Jon Lester , Justin Verlander , B J Upton , ........ Be a man & say..... "No" ..... " Not here , at the park " ... "Not now , maybe later "

[white2128]

My friend used to be a security guard at Yankee Stadium. He'd escort players from the stadium to their cars. He'd speak to Jeter, Mariano, Andy, Bernie Williams, Jorge, Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, etc. He would never bother them for autos except once for his little brother's birthday. Literally everyone he asked signed for him *(Jeter, Mo, Andy, Bernie, Tino, Paul, Jorge)*. They were all happy to sign and most of them wished his brother happy birthday too! Roger Clemens come out and my friend asks him for his auto. He says his name and Roger says "if you ever speak to me again I'll talk to your supervisor and get you fired". I'm one Yankee fan that is praying Clemens gets nailed on his charges. I'd love to see him in jail.

[white2128]

Forgot to add this story too. I was at a Mets game maybe 2 years ago and I bought a Marlins hat and a baseball to the game because I was on the third base line. Hanley Ramirez stopped to sign. Signed one thing, and then looked at me. I tossed him my baseball and he dropped the ball and walked into the clubhouse. I got the clubhouse guy to give me my ball back, but Hanley never came back out. He was cursed out the rest of the night every time he came walking back to the dugout. Pretty sure he struck out 3 times that night and the entire section of fans let him hear it.

[JVazz29]

This one is the complete opposite of sports...I came out a winner in this one, but was met with a terrible attitude.

I used to collect comic books and years ago I went to a pretty big convention in Philadelphia. I noticed 2 of the biggest named artists in the industry signing at a random booth, it certainly wasn't advertised in the program so their were harldy any fans around. These guys are brothers, Adam and Andy Kubert. If it is a big name comic book...they've probably worked on it. Each had their own lines, and since I had met the incredibly nice Adam previously, I decided to get into Andy's line.

I was the second-to-last person in line and there were only about five people in front of me.

Even though I only had a few people in front of me, it took a little while because a few of those people had ungodly amounts of comic books to get signed. That is the worst part of these conventions, most of the time, they NEVER limit the fans and I've seen people with upwards of 30 or 40 items to get signed!

Finally, my turn comes. I have TWO...TWO books to be signed. He signs them beautifully in the perfect spots. I also have a sketchbook ready. Figuring I am one of the last people, he might do a quick and basic sketch of a superhero.

So...I politely ask him. A simple, "I'm sorry, no or I don't have the time, sorry" would have been fine. Instead, he gives me a dumb, angry look and says, "C'mon man whattaya want from me? Give someone else a turn. Jesus, I've stayed longer in this place than I was supposed to!" I thought one person was behind, but I didn't realize that another 3 or 4 hopped into line. I felt bad. I apologized, telling him I hadn't realized the other people. He said, "Yeah sure you didn't buddy," with a smirk across his face.

I did not expect him to do a sketch for me, but his attitude was very uncalled for, making me feel like 'evil incarnate.'

I stepped off to the side to put my books away, and I watched as he signed gigantic stacks of books for the few fans that followed me. I was happy to get his signature, but they seem a little "tainted" after the horrible encounter and attitude he showed.

[DeadHorse]

That stinks, but I know what you mean. I met Brandon Phillips back at Reds Caravan tour in February. He was OK, the PR guy with him was a real horses butt. In addition, they limited me to one autograph although I have two sons, who were ages 3 mos and 2 years at the time and had to leave for dinner as they had already been waiting for 2 hours. A quick second scribble would not have held up the line any longer. I am appreciative for the glove my oldest son has in his bedroom signed by Brandon. I am just sad for my littlest that he does not have anything to show for the time he waited with me.

This one is the complete opposite of sports...I

came out a winner in this one, but was met with a terrible attitude.

I used to collect comic books and years ago I went to a pretty big convention in Philadelphia. I noticed 2 of the biggest named artists in the industry signing at a random booth, it certainly wasn't advertised in the program so their were harldy any fans around. These guys are brothers, Adam and Andy Kubert. If it is a big name comic book...they've probably worked on it. Each had their own lines, and since I had met the incredibly nice Adam previously, I decided to get into Andy's line.

I was the second-to-last person in line and there were only about five people in front of me.

Even though I only had a few people in front of me, it took a little while because a few of those people had ungodly amounts of comic books to get signed. That is the worst part of these conventions, most of the time, they NEVER limit the fans and I've seen people with upwards of 30 or 40 items to get signed!

Finally, my turn comes. I have TWO...TWO books to be signed. He signs them beautifully in the perfect spots. I also have a sketchbook ready. Figuring I am one of the last people, he might do a quick and basic sketch of a superhero.

So...I politely ask him. A simple, "I'm sorry, no or I don't have the time, sorry" would have been fine. Instead, he gives me a dumb, angry look and says, "C'mon man whattaya want from me? Give someone else a turn. Jesus, I've stayed longer in this place than I was supposed to!" I thought one person was behind, but I didn't realize that another 3 or 4 hopped into line. I felt bad. I apologized, telling him I hadn't realized the other people. He said, "Yeah sure you didn't buddy," with a smirk across his face.

I did not expect him to do a sketch for me, but his attitude was very uncalled for, making me feel like 'evil incarnate.'

I stepped off to the side to put my books away, and I watched as he signed gigantic stacks of books for the few fans that followed me. I was happy to get his signature, but they seem a little "tainted" after the horrible encounter and attitude he showed.