My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Ray</b><p>The first part is for Dan, but I hope everyone reads and thinks about the second part...<br /><br />Dan, I know you are not Roy Huff or any other sleezeball out there. I would never hesitate buying a card from you, or Jay, or anyone else on this board... and I have in fact bought from some of you (including Jay's brother). I will never have the resources to make the kinds of purchases you do, so maybe in that regard, I have a hard time understanding it. LOL, You must have spent more on that SGC grading shipment than I have in the past 3 years on cards! I sincerely apologize for offending you. That's not what this board is all about... its about sharing a common joy. 35 years or 3, we both love this hobby, and that should be more important than anything else.<br /><br />That said, having only been in the hobby for just under 3 years, I think a lot of the original members of this forum are forgetting how many lurkers/posters haven't been here since the beginning, people like myself. Some of the original members are blasting into Robert for bringing up information that in their eyes is "old news". I honestly believe more than 75% of the people who read these posts never heard of any of these issues. We're new to the hobby, so old news to you is new news to us. The other thing I worry about is the fact that so many lurkers don't post, or maybe are afraid to post. When I'm singled out for voicing my opinion, and being told by original members that I am losing their respect or they see me in a bad light, even though the forum administrator in his next post agrees with me wholeheartedly... why would a newbie wanna post something on here with that going on??? They are afraid to get bashed for asking what they thought was a real and legitamate question. Ten years ago, I'm sure the wealth of this hobby belonged to about 100 or so people. But with people like me and Trae joining in, the dynamics are changing, and I think some of the members are forgetting that.

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Julie</b><p>that others were saying "No kidding--I never knew that." I think we always have to remember that 1) the readership (get THAT!) is always changing, and 2) there're a lot more readers than posters.

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Scott</b><p>Robert is not being blasted for bringing up old news - the minority (myself and a few others) who "blasted" him as you call it, did so because of the way he is going about it.<br /><br />I'm all for "public display" of dirty laundry in the hobby, if it helps improve things - I have even made suggestions to Robert to help him "display" his research in a more effective and productive manner. I honestly don't know what the best method is for getting this old information across to newer hobbyists without being unfair to people like James Spence who have already taken their licks for past mistakes.

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Joe P.</b><p>I've read some of your entries, and they have been right on target.<br />Don't let a minuscule handful discourage you.<br />You have to understand that this forum is made up of different factions that have one thing in common, and that is baseball cards.<br /><br />1. First you have the hopeful hopeless collectors.<br />Their cross to bare, is the addictive need to fill a slot within their means.<br /><br />2. Then we have the image lovers.<br />This is almost like life, a true and feverish love affair with an image until another image comes around.<br />Then we start considering polygamy.<br /><br />3. We now come to the vociferous and inquisitive entomber's.<br />AKA slabheads and numerologist.<br />From the above we have:<br />A: Those that are extemely protective of their cards.<br />B: Those that purchase their cards for investment.<br /><br />4. Also within the forum we find those that are in constant need of appreciation and attention.<br /><br />5. Then we have a couple of mal contents.<br />Mal contents that would be mal contents within any group.<br /><br />However, they all have something to contribute.<br /><br />Do not let the mal contents drive you off.<br />Say what you have to say.<br />Say it with conviction.<br />Stand your ground.<br />If a point of view is brought up that makes an adjustment to your point of view, stand tall and say so.<br />If they can't handle a different view, or opinion, ..... that's their problem.<br /><br />I'm not a beginner, but I'm always learning something new.<br />Welcome Aboard <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />Joe<br />

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>hankron</b><p>Ray, it's no problem. Most of us have said things we wish we hadn't on the board and have appologized or corrected for it. So don't worry about it.

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Joe P.</b><p>You left out your signature. <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Elliot</b><p>"why would a newbie wanna post something on here with that going on??? They are afraid to get bashed for asking what they thought was a real and legitamate question"<br /><br />One could always hope so. Let's keep the newbies down.<br /><br />Seriously, view the bashing as the price you pay for the knowledge you learn. We've all been bashed on these boards...it's the price of admittance.

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>jay behrens</b><p>At least you haven't been called a dunderhead yet.<br /><br />Jay<br><br>Wow upside down is Mom. Mom upside down is what dad wants to see.

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Scott</b><p>Say what you have to say and learn from it when you receive flak.<br /><br />For instance, I've learned to always agree with Joe P; otherwise he uses his powerful gift of prose to tear me a new one. So Joe did leave out another board type: dyspepsic poets who like tobacco cards and eat their young ('young' being a metaphor for less-experienced collectors who have the same interests as Joe P).

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Judge Dred</b><p>Ray, you dunderkopf... ok, now we've gone full circle.

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Joe P.</b><p>Don't pay any attention to the mal contents. <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br /><br />Poet Laureate w/o portfolio<br />

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Scott</b><p>...another bite out of my ass! <br /><br />I've probably said this before, but I met Joe P at a card show and he was very likeable - as you might guess, very intelligent and good with his sentence structure. And to be honest, I saw no signs of dyspepsia. Joe knows everything there is to know about t205's, t206's, and the "Doyle fiasco"...there, I've done my good deed for the day and can go watch the rest of the Rams game with a clear conscience. And if I'm lucky, Joe will remember me as a skinny guy behind a card display, selling absolutely nothing and praising his binders full of t205 and t206 cards.<br /><br />And before I get accused of spending too much time on the board, I'm researching a baseball article on the internet and I have tunnel-vision. My posts are made during brief interludes of writer's block. And thanks, Max, for providing me with an invaluable resource that will make my article much more successful (at least, in my own mind).

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Scott</b><p>I was drawn out temporarily.

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>dan mckee</b><p>Ray, you are golden with me, don't sweat it. I enjoy a good bashing now and then even at my expense. Yes, as Joe stated, you do have valid points. The comparison thing was the only bummer but I am over it. Anyway, I haven't had a chance to say this but, welcome to the board! When I started out, there was only 1 show a year back then and I would save my yearly allowance and drop it all in a matter of hours! The Pikesville Holiday Inn in the 1970s. I purchased my T206 Green Cobb in EX for $2.00 from a good friend Bob Geiss who is still around but out of cards. Dan.

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Ray</b><p>Dan, thank you for that. i feel better now. i remember my first purchase at a card show too. It was in 1986. I bought a 1983 Topps Wade Boggs RC. still have it, and it cost me a lot more than $2.00 unfortunately. <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>dan mckee</b><p>I don't care what Bill Mastro says, I ain't all bad.

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>Scott M</b><p>Dan,<br /><br />For what its worth, its good to see that you don't hold a grudge and that you didnt take things personally.. You handled things very well.<br /><br />Much respect to both you and Ray for not letting the thread break down into a war of personal salvos as some other threads have in the past around here.

My public apology & explanation
 

Posted By: <b>dan mckee</b><p>Thanks for the kind words Scott, I try to respect everyones opinions. God knows I am far from perfect. Have a super evening. Dan.