National ramblings

[wondo]

Originally Posted by Tennis13

Yes, it will blow over. As embarrassed as i am to admit this, it took me 40 years to realize people want to feel good and want to be sold the story and enjoy the story. They don’t want the truth. I have many theories why, but basically I believe the story and the myth allows them to escape and for whatever reason, if they are being scammed they would just rather not know.

I learned this in a class I took on sustainable businesses and farm to table restaurants which essentially dont exist. I sat there and listened to a restaurant owner spout off myth after myth and at the end a classmate says “I ate at your place and its the greatest fish I have ever had.” I almost interjected, but I am too tired to educate anymore. You think the baseball card industry is a fraud, the fish industry is a joke:

https://www.tampabay.com/projects/20...farm-to-fable/

But, people dont want to hear it. They want the story and to feel good about the experience. I have no idea why.....and it took 40 years for me to learn to just shut up and not educate, and l as much as I can, restrain myself.

Kinda like when my wife tells me I'm good looking.

[Snapolit1]

I get why people want to resist the terribleness of bad actors pervading collecting. I'm one of them. I come here for an escape from all the other bullshit. But at the of the day I guess it's just the same bullshit in a different package.
There's a deep mythology around here as to who the bad guys are and who the saints are. It's almost like pro wrestling. If your a heel you are the worst. But say something about one of the saints . . .well, better have a hard hat on. REA runs a fantastic auction. But people talk about them and certain others like they are running Doctors Without Borders, Smile Train or Catholic Charities.

[rhettyeakley]

I’m not sure what you think should be the prevailing sentiment? Should everyone be depressed and boycott the entire hobby because there are some shady people doing shady stuff?

Of course I am pissed! That being said this is a hobby for me and most people here and it is essentially an escape from my stressful daily life. I always have and always will enjoy my cards, regardless of the fact that there are douche-bags in the world. Brent and others will not take my enjoyable hobby away from me as I would still collect if the cards had little to no value.

I think a lot of people are changing the way they collect because of this debacle and that is probably a good thing. Eventually this will “blow over” in some way but exactly what that means remains to be seen. Personally I would love for Brent and others to be persona non grata in the hobby and not be part of it but again time will tell.

For a lot of people the National Convention is their “going fishing with the guys” type of thing that has become a tradition and every year they go and do this and get to leave their cares behind. Why would they not go do their favorite thing because some people are a**holes?

[Promethius88]

Originally Posted by rhettyeakley

I’m not sure what you think should be the prevailing sentiment? Should everyone be depressed and boycott the entire hobby because there are some shady people doing shady stuff?

Of course I am pissed! That being said this is a hobby for me and most people here and it is essentially an escape from my stressful daily life. I always have and always will enjoy my cards, regardless of the fact that there are douche-bags in the world. Brent and others will not take my enjoyable hobby away from me as I would still collect if the cards had little to no value.

I think a lot of people are changing the way they collect because of this debacle and that is probably a good thing. Eventually this will “blow over” in some way but exactly what that means remains to be seen. Personally I would love for Brent and others to be persona non grata in the hobby and not be part of it but again time will tell.

For a lot of people the National Convention is their “going fishing with the guys” type of thing that has become a tradition and every year they go and do this and get to leave their cares behind. Why would they not go do their favorite thing because some people are a**holes?

I think you nailed it right here. You can't let a few bad people ruin the entire hobby for everyone. If you enjoy collecting, collect. Just have to do it with a little more scrutiny. Of course this scandal doesn't affect EVERY single area of the collecting world either. If this scandal bothers you that much that it makes you want to quit.... great. I'll stand behind you 100%. But if someone chooses to continue collecting despite the scandal, I think that is great too. What is confusing to me is members that claim they are no longer going to collect cards but continue to come to this forum and spew hatred for the hobby. If you aren't collecting cards anymore, I would think coming here would be a waste of time unless you are more interested in the drama than the actual cards themselves?

[Ronnie73]

I'm not going for a number of reasons but card doctoring is not one of them. If I was going this year, it would be sad to think that some people I'd like to meet would not be there because of this card doctoring issue. Hopefully everyone relearns how to collect without a grading company telling you how to grade. And hopefully I see everyone next year in Atlantic City.

[kateighty]

Well said Tim. And a few others. Still waiting for an email from you bnorth!

[iowadoc77]

I had a tremendously great time at the National. I bought nothing today and was there for 12 hours enjoying catching up with friends and walking around and learning about all kinds of things. The hobby is what you make it. Today was awesome. And it would have been awesome had I bought some things. Despite all the doom and gloom there are a load of really good people in the hobby. If all you want is doom and gloom then that is all you will find. There is still a lot of good out there but if you aren’t looking for it I promise you won’t find it.

[ullmandds]

keep the updates a comin!

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by rhettyeakley

I’m not sure what you think should be the prevailing sentiment? Should everyone be depressed and boycott the entire hobby because there are some shady people doing shady stuff?

Of course I am pissed! That being said this is a hobby for me and most people here and it is essentially an escape from my stressful daily life. I always have and always will enjoy my cards, regardless of the fact that there are douche-bags in the world. Brent and others will not take my enjoyable hobby away from me as I would still collect if the cards had little to no value.

I think a lot of people are changing the way they collect because of this debacle and that is probably a good thing. Eventually this will “blow over” in some way but exactly what that means remains to be seen. Personally I would love for Brent and others to be persona non grata in the hobby and not be part of it but again time will tell.

For a lot of people the National Convention is their “going fishing with the guys” type of thing that has become a tradition and every year they go and do this and get to leave their cares behind. Why would they not go do their favorite thing because some people are a**holes?

Extremely well said, Rhett! Your "glass-is-half-full" approach is most refreshing! Having retired almost 12 years ago, card collecting no longer serves as the escape from work pressures it once did. But, now days, card collecting is just as beneficial to me, as it keeps me much more mentally active than mindlessly vegetating in front of the TV would.

I began my working career as an auditor way back in 1965, and I quickly learned the importance of the adage, "trust, but verify," which I have attempted ever since to incorporate into all aspects of my life. While it's impossible or very difficult to verify many things, I am sure this approach has saved me from being scammed many times.

I strongly believe that our hobby will not only survive this scandal, but end up eventually being better because it happened. Hopefully, the bad guys will "get what's coming to them," and the good guys will have even greater success. I refuse to take the alternative, "glass-is-half-empty" approach!

[timn1]

Btw, we missed you and your cards this week.

Tim

Originally Posted by rhettyeakley

I’m not sure what you think should be the prevailing sentiment? Should everyone be depressed and boycott the entire hobby because there are some shady people doing shady stuff?

Of course I am pissed! That being said this is a hobby for me and most people here and it is essentially an escape from my stressful daily life. I always have and always will enjoy my cards, regardless of the fact that there are douche-bags in the world. Brent and others will not take my enjoyable hobby away from me as I would still collect if the cards had little to no value.

I think a lot of people are changing the way they collect because of this debacle and that is probably a good thing. Eventually this will “blow over” in some way but exactly what that means remains to be seen. Personally I would love for Brent and others to be persona non grata in the hobby and not be part of it but again time will tell.

For a lot of people the National Convention is their “going fishing with the guys” type of thing that has become a tradition and every year they go and do this and get to leave their cares behind. Why would they not go do their favorite thing because some people are a**holes?

[samosa4u]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

People are into collecting regardless of how much criminality and fraud permeates it. I feel like screaming at some people acting like little kids rushing to The Disneyland gates for the first time, “you realize the National is full of crooks and criminals and many many scammers of all stripes who will rip you off blind given half the chance, right?”

Originally Posted by Fuddjcal

It boils down that people in general are morons. It's why a guy like me with a 2.5 college GPA after 10 years, can make a killing out there. I have just 1/2 a brain and some integrity. It's so easy to shut cards off after this. If you don't stand for something in this life, shame on you.

Originally Posted by Tennis13

Yes, it will blow over. As embarrassed as i am to admit this, it took me 40 years to realize people want to feel good and want to be sold the story and enjoy the story. They don’t want the truth. I have many theories why, but basically I believe the story and the myth allows them to escape and for whatever reason, if they are being scammed they would just rather not know.

Gentlemen, all those people going to the National have no idea about this Slabgate scandal. Remember, like one percent of us collectors read the forums.

I texted like ten of my collector-friends about this scandal and they were shocked. These are guys who work like twelve-plus hours a day and then just pass out when they come home.

Oh, and I was also recently chatting on the phone with one of my good American friends (who got me hooked on baseball again). He is a member on this forum, but due to his new job, he hasn't read the posts on here for a while, and he was stunned when I told him what happened.