Reflecting on what I saw and heard after a week home, I have the following impressions:
--The show has shrunk. Not only was there sizable dead space at one end, there was a big gap in the middle where the ferris wheel is. The first few Cleveland shows I attended there were tables clustered around that space. This time, big open gap. I'd say easily 10% fewer tables than pre-2008.
--Showstopping quality material is not being offered for sale. At least not really. There were some great items on display but at prices that were essentially dares.
--So many auctioneers. Only slightly less common than a Bob Feller autograph. They've taken over for eBay in many ways. From a show standpoint it means there were a couple dozen more tables with nothing for sale than in recent years.
--The people were the usual assortment of misfits, weirdos and addicts. Many dealers with no interpersonal skills or sense of hygiene. This guy would have been right at home at many tables:
--One thing I cannot fathom are the pack breakers and modern card guys. I saw one group of youngish men break open a full box of cards at the eating area on one of the tables and just walk away from the contents--and the crazy part was that no one, not even a kid, bothered to pick up the cards. The manufacturers should just scrap the base sets entirely and package a dozen plain, unprinted white cards in every pack with the chase cards at random, or even better, just skip the whole thing and put one chase card in each box.
--I was actually pleased to see less manufactured crap memorabilia. I guess worthless consumer goods are finally ceasing their run at the show?
--I kinda missed the Olympics pavilion from Chicago. It's nice to see thin people [Europeans] and women at the show. Though the elderly German with the 1936 Olympics memorabilia was one I did not miss...