Samsdad 2013 IP Thread.

[samsdad]

I have been swamped with opening a new business and Sam is on two baseball teams, practing or playing every day of the week, so we have not had much time to graph nor post. We did hit a string of NBA games in January and did well:
Deron Williams
Tony Parker
Ricky Rubio
all among others in a 6 day stretch.

We also hit a Brian McCann signing and got 4 cards and a bobblehead done.

However we missed all of Braves caravan and there were many of our friends that had great success there. Oh well.


Today however we made to the Hawks v Lakers , packed from the get out. I could not believe the lines and the scene near the Laker Side. It felt like Yankees v. Braves. No player was out for the Lakers for the first 30+ minutes. Then Metta came out, no signing there.
A few rookies came out, an employee told me that Kobe and DH 12 had worked out before the gates opened so we were not too hopeful.
Sam and I actually discussed getting shut out for the first time ever, basketball or baseball.
But then, Steve Nash came out. We had an SI cover photo of him and Howard. Signed it with a Blue Sharpie he took from someone and ran with. But he put it right on the Uniform so it looks sick!!! He signed for 15-20 people anddefinetly picked who or what he signed. So guy had a ratty laker hat inhis face and he did not even look at it. But he did sign a Laker t shirt for a kid. He skipped me but signed for Sam. Good enough.Now we need Howard to sign with his home town team or a team that comes more than once and we can complete that thing.

We then got two of the rookies on a team logo sheet:
Darius Morris
Chris Duhan.

Then we stayed and watched the Hawks look sharp for a team sporting Al Horford, and no other regular starter.

Might hit the Mavericks next Monday.
I will try to get the rest of the NBA we did in a wrapup post soon.

[samsdad]

Dallas Mavericks at Atlanta Hawks
Monday March 18, 2013 7:30pm
Phillips Arena

Bad weather and bad play by the Hawks kept the crowd down and clearly everyone that was there was looking for Dirk lots of Jerseys.
We got:
Team Sheet-
Vince Carter ( And his infamous tough to decipher signature), + 12-13 Panini Hoops
Elton Brand + Panini '12-13 Threads, '12-13 Prestige
Shawn Marion
Jae Crawford ( pic with Sam too)
Mike James
Anthony Morrow + 12-13 Panini Hoops
Rodrique Beaubois
Bernard James

And then, Dirk came out, didnt sign on the way out. Everyone was giving him high fives. He was in a great mood or so it seemed, messing around in shoot around, and then came over, picked a guy with a Jersey on , took his Green Sharpie and signed the shirt and then went down the row. Unfortunately for a few fans to the left of the Green pen carrying Jersey wearing guy he did not go that way. Fortunately for Sam and I we were not there. Interestingly we were not there because someone took the spot Sam usually likes and we set up further up. Sam got him on an 8X11 with Jason Kidd with each holding a trophy. We willtry to get Kidd when the Knicks come next. I got him on a SI cover photo from 2011. Covers come out real nice on a photo printer.
We were psyched, needless to say. Overall very well, especially with free tickets.

[samsdad]

Tuesday We attended the third of three appearances that Al Horford was doing for Sprint/NBA 2K13. It did not go well. The store was empty, given that he had just appeared at a Gamestop across the street. We could not get there for the Gamestop appearance and the Sprint Store was not allowing him to sign any outside items. Oof. The color picture they had was nice, but it was on thin paper. We asked Al to sign our picture and he was ok with it but the Sprint guy came in and said NO! We decided we did not want to put Al in an uncomfortable situation, we will catch him again. Dennis Scott was there too but we passed as we so amazed by the Sprint Store's action and did not want a piece of paper signed,
Al Horford- 1/1, 1/1. 0/4

[samsdad]

Saturday March 30, 2013

We went to a car dealership that featured a baseball celebration prior to the season with former Atlanta Braves Phil Niekro, Javier Lopez, and Greg McMichael.
Niekro was up first- which is good because we really went for him. We had him sign the base of two bobbleheads we had from 2003. 2/2
We had to leave for little league before the other two came. But we got a friend to get us a Javy Lopez SGA bobblehead from circa 2002 signed. He smudged it a bit but it looks good. 1/2.
Might hit a game or two this week but we are primarily focused on the final four and the surrounding appearances.

[samsdad]

Thursday April 4th, 2013
Braves v Phillies
Turner Field

Bad weather it was very cold. Got there late as the gates were already open. Sam was solo most of the time, I got there 15 minutes before first pitch. It was soo cold we left at first pitch anyway.
Chad Durbin (1/1)- For some reason Sam didn't have his card with him and he was tough last year so Sam sweet spotted him on a GU ball that he got at BP. Not sure what he will do with this as it won't be displayed.
Antonio B(you can't put his name)o (2/2)- 2 Cards I do not have the years
Ben Revere- 4/4- I know there was an International League card from our sets we bought at a Gwinnett Braves game and two 2012's. Very nice guy, signed right before first pitch even though he was starting.

I heard virtually no one signed at the dugout the first two nights. Wednesday was rainy, and Monday was opening day so it was packed. We do not see the Phils again until August, I wonder what this team will look like then.

[samsdad]

Friday April 5, 2013
Brackettown- Final Four Fan Fest
Georgia World Congress Center

Tony Gonzalez- (0/3)- First appearance of the day, only 15 or so people and he refused to sign. He took pictures with though. Oh well the day got alot better
Danny Manning- (2/2)- Two SI covers one of the 86 Final four and we are hoping to add Johnny Dawkins to it on Sunday
Clyde Drexler (1/3)- Would only personalize your item or you take the promo item. We had an 92 Dream team shot so Sam had him personalize it. Looks nice. Added to it later:
Christian Laettner (2/3)- An 8X11 of him after the Kentucky Win and The 92-93 Dram team
Gary Williams (2/2)- 8X11 of him coaching and a 8X11 Litho of the 2002 championship.
Bill Walton (1/1)- 8X11 reprint of an SI with Len Elmore from college days.
David Robinson (1/1, 1/1)- This is the only one I got there for, the line was very long and we had to get next door for the Hawks v Sixers game as my Daughter was performing with her school pregame. We got a shot of him dunking on an 8X11, he inscribed a biblical verse, which I thought was an HOF inscription, oh well. We also got him on the 92 USa picture, bringing the first day total to three on it.

An excellent first day. There were many other signings that we missed Tom Creen, 4 members of the 1976 Indiana Championship team, not sre who or what else.
We are missing today as Sam has a baseball game today but we will be there tomorrow for Dominique Wilkins, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and David robinson again, among others.

[samsdad]

Saturday April 6, 2013
Brackettown-Final Four Fest

On my way to Sams game I stopped by Brackettown to drop off some pictures to some friends in hopes they can get them signed. I had time for a quick Graph:
Dick Vitale: (2/1)- I have a bobblehead that says "theRock" and is of Dicky v. He signed the head. Nice. I also got a promo picture signed. Nice 8X10, just very flimsy.

Also signing today but I couldn't make it for:

Marc Fox
Lenny Wilkens
Dominique Wilkins
Dennis Scott
Christian Laettner
Elgin Baylor
AJ Green

The final two were not allowing outside items to be signed except floor boards for Elgin Baylor that had to be personalized. Odd. Anyway, i missed all of them and headed to Sam's game. he played well, game ran late, we had to race up to Gwinnett cool ray field afterwards for Brandon Beachy Bobblehead night.

Charlotte Knights v Gwinnett Braves
Cool Ray Field

we came for the Brandon Beachy Bobbleheads and got a few. Trades available. Pm Me
We were not prepared to graph and had nothing for Brett Morel et al. We also had nothing for the Baby Braves so we hit the Gift shop and grabbed a couple of 2012 and 2011 team packs at half off. But it was too late to graph pre game. It was a double header today so we waited to graph between the two games.
Seam Gil Martin- (1/1)-
Signed a program as we had nothing for him. He has a prety lame signature but he signs alot, so we will get some cards as he is projecting nicely
Jose Costanza (1/1)- a 2012 Gwinnett Braves Card. He is a great signer , we got him a bunch last season with the big club. He is a terrific personality that belongs int he bigs but the Braves ahve no room for him and he comes off as very happy to be in AAA.
Joey Terdoslovich- (1/1)- '12 Gwinnett Braves card. He signed alot too.

All in all a decent day. And a big day Sunday ahead of us at the Fan fest.

[samsdad]

Sunday April 7th, 2013
Brackettown- Final Four fan Fest
Well quite a day today:

Chritian Laettner (1/1, 1/0)- Another Olympic picture in case others were an option later and a promo card for my daughter, she likes them for some reason
Dominique Wilkins- (1/1, 0/1, 1/0)- We have had a jersey we bought for him to sign for awhile and at Hawks games he scribbles to fast, so we were waiting for a good sit down signing. Then Sam forgot some 8X10's we had and his cards. We got the Jersey signed, not the best signature, but a good one, I got a jersey for a buddy signed and My Daughter got the giveaway promo 5X7 ( 4X6?) card signed.
Next, we managed to get into the Kareem Abdul Jabbar Line even though it had been cut off, it seems that people "in line' for Dominique we able to finagle something. Truth be told, Sam did it. I do not know how. Then they told us, like yesterday he will sign his promo card only. But we waited it out anyway. Luckily, they decided to let him sign a "Personalized item" per fan. No jerseys, mini balls and Wilson balls only. Anyway, we had 8X10's so we were pleased. THen a friend managed to convince the security to give me a ball to get signed explaining that he went and bought it. They thought he meant upon the announcement and Let him in too!!!. Good for him.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar (1/1, 1/1, 1/1) SI Cover, Sky hook shot that he wrote sky hook on, and a shot with Bill Walton that I failed to get Walton on later in the day. UGH!!! No complaints though Kareem is a great get!
Next up we skipped Johnny Dawkins ( forgot about him) as we had an SI cover for him to sign. and Julio Jones as we felt like we had him and he might sign promo cards only ( he did) and we decided to go for David Robinson again. We should have divided and conqueres as I should have gone to get Bill Walton. Oh well, Hind sight is 20-20.
we got:
David Robinson ( 2/2) on two pictures one from Friday with Sam and on an SI cover.
Bill Walton (0/1); Cut the line 10-15 people in front of me.
Knowshown Moreno (3/3, 1/0)- 2 different pictures of him on the Broncos with Go Broncos on it and then one as a Dawg, "Go Dawgs" on it. Promo Card too
Mateen Cleves(2/2, 1/0)- A Michigan state action shot with "GoState" inscribed, a shot of him and Izzo crying after winning the championship, inscribed ' 2000 Champs' . I told him I was at the game (which is true). Not a big fan just happened to be in Indy the week it was happening. He told me it was the "best time of his life". And we got a promp card.

Thats it for today. Not sure if Sam will make it tomorrow we are dead tired. But Dave cowens and James Worthy might get him to rally.

[samsdad]

Friday April 12, 2013
Milwaukee Bucks at Atlanta Hawks
Phillips Arena

Hawks Side:
Al Horford: 1/5- 12-13 Prestige, He was using a Black Sharpie that Security gave him ( as usually happens) so we pulled back our 8X10's and got a card signed.

Bucks Side:
Team Sheet-
Drew Gooden
Samuel Dalembert

JJ Redick ( 1/1, 1/1)- 8X11's of him in a Duke Uniform. A kid next to us was wearing a UNC sweatshirt and Redick went to cross it out. Pretty funny.
We are trading one Redick to a friend, anyone want the other?

[samsdad]

Today, Saturday, April 13, 2013 we went to an appearance by the Atlanta Hawks, point guard, Jeff Teague, and got him on 3 8X10's and 2 12-13 Prestige cards. We also got a funny headband of Anthony Davis's unibrow and an AD tshirt. The whole thing took 20 minutes, well worth the trip