Archive for April, 2010
Brag Photo: Working at UD is Sweet!
Posted by: | CommentsWorking for a company with a legendary history like Upper Deck is a thrill. There are a lot of perks that go along with the job too. Many who work here appreciate our location as we are based in Carlsbad, California, just a few miles away from the ocean. Many of the sports card purists here appreciate being able to develop some of the most legendary sets in sports card history for collectors to enjoy. Others enjoy getting up close and personal with some of their favorite athletes.
I’ll be honest, there are a lot of things that make working at Upper Deck great, but for me, nothing beats working with shop owners and collectors to make sure they are enjoying our products. We often get thank you letters from customers and sometimes, even treats* from time to time. One of our larger retailers in Hawaii wanted to thank the Customer Service, Sales and Redemption teams for some assistance they provided recently and sent in some chocolates and other goodies from the islands. Helping out and getting recognized for it is pretty sweet to say the least.
Tasty treats from one of Upper Deck's Hawaiian admirers.
Unfortunately sometimes when the treats are this good, some people might want to take more than their share. Therefore we have to bring in someone to keep an eye on things. Taking a break from another run to the Stanley Cup, we entrusted those duties to Sidney Crosby. Check it out, it’s almost like he’s saying, “I dare you to take two…”
With "Sid the Kid" watching, everybody gets their fair share.
*At Upper Deck we work hard to treat every customer on an individual basis. Sending thank you letters or treats are appreciated, but will not necessarily result in special treatment. As our customers, you are all special.
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Is the NBA getting too soft?
Posted by: | CommentsOkay, I’ll admit it. I’m a Celtics fan; have been for more than 40 years. Blame my dad. He brainwashed his kids early on to root for all teams Boston, despite the fact that we grew up on Long Island. He was a born-and-bred Bostonian and proud of it. For the most part, it’s been a lot of fun. With 17 NBA titles, seven World Series rings, five Stanley Cups and three Super Bowl wins to Beantown’s credit, it’s actually been quite bountiful.
Which is what leads me to my latest observation: Is the NBA getting too soft in its efforts to police its own players? As the Celts battle for their 18th ring this month and next, I couldn’t help but notice Kevin Garnett’s latest flare-up and subsequent suspension for winging a solid left elbow to the left cheek of Miami’s Quentin Richardson during Sunday’s Game 1 of their Eastern Conference opening-round series. After trailing by as many as 14 points, the C’s came back and took control of the game in the fourth quarter. Then, with less than two minutes remaining, Boston Captain Paul Pierce pulled one of his Oscar-winning routines after dropping a bounce pass off to Garnett from the left side.
He landed on the floor near the Heat’s bench where Garnett and the curiously interested Richardson came to check on Pierce’s status (he was fine, like he always is). But when Garnett told Richardson to mind his own business, several other players converged to see what was up. In a matter of seconds, pushing ensued and then Garnett flung an elbow to make a point: Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. With adrenaline pumping and tempers flaring, it’s very difficult to get athletes (NBA or otherwise) to go quietly into the night. That was certainly the case in point here with Garnett. Now I’m not condoning his cheap-shot elbow to Richardson, but I am questioning the one-game suspension that followed. It was surprising to me as well as a lot of other basketball watchers.
Bill Laimbeer: The definitive crybaby.
Because I can remember a certain game during the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and Pistons – you know, when men were men and body bruises proved it – when a loudmouth by the name of Bill Laimbeer got leveled by one Robert Parish and the zebras didn’t call a thing. Maybe they didn’t see it, or maybe they just didn’t like Laimbeer. Or maybe they saw everything, including Laimbeer’s constant whining and earlier mugging of Larry Bird, and just decided to let “The Chief” put an end to things. Parish, as you may recall, was an imposing figure back then and did project a rather intimidating presence with his stoic stare. But more than anything, it was just part of the game and play went on. No “T” was called, no ejection followed, and certainly no one-game suspension took place. It was simply overlooked, conceivably for the good of the game.
Robert Parish was one tough cookie.
Which brings me to my $64,000 question: Do you think the referees in NBA games are too quick to call fouls, ticky-tack or otherwise? As it turns out, the Celtics blasted the Heat in Game 2 (minus Garnett) by a 106-77 margin. I was surprised by that outcome too, but I’d still like to hear your opinion on NBA refs. What do you say?
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You Have to Love College Sports
Posted by: | CommentsI’d be hard pressed to think of a time when I enjoyed myself more than when I was in college. Maybe it was because of that liberating feeling of freedom. Maybe it was because of all the great friends I met who I still keep in touch with (thanks Facebook). Or maybe it was because I was a good 30 pounds lighter. Whatever the reason, college was the time of my life which made college sports something I gravitated to from Day 1 in the dorms to the present day. On the eve of the NFL Draft, where collegiate stars are on the verge of becoming millionaires, I thought it might be a good idea to talk a little about my love for the purity that defines college sports.
College football has always been my greatest passion and growing up in southern California, I’ve been a lifelong USC Trojan fan. I know there are plenty of USC haters out there and I think that’s another reason college sports are so much fun; taking part in the spirited verbal jousting that takes place when USC plays UCLA or Notre Dame, in particular. It’s very juvenile, but a lot of fun. For me there is nothing better than being in that festival-like atmosphere of tailgating adjacent to Tommy Trojan a few hours before game time and then heading into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to see the men of Troy take the field.
Me with my two cousins tailgating before a USC game. Sorry guys, they’re both taken.
The other thing that makes college football so fantastic is just how passionate the fans really are. I mean, we get into the games and if our team loses, well, let’s just say fans can sometimes take it worse than some of the players or coaches. Just take a look at some of these completely dejected fans after their team lost. All I can say is thank goodness there wasn’t a camera on me when Texas QB Vince Young ran it in for the go ahead touchdown to beat USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl. I was CRUSHED!
The passion goes both ways in college sports, however. You can experience the lowest of lows as a fan, but you can also experience the highest of highs. Only in college sports are celebrations like this socially acceptable and part of what makes the experience great, especially if you are there in person.
And without college sports, the No. 4 would have much less meaning. Events like the Final Four and Frozen Four are becoming more and more a part of Americana where everyone’s got a bracket in hand and these young players get to showcase their talents in the biggest arenas in the land.
And lastly, at least for now, let’s take a moment to appreciate that more than anything college sports equals fun. When it’s all said and done, these are just young kids doing what they love. Just look at how much fun college baseball players can have during a two-hour rain delay. What’s not to love about this and could you ever see the pros having this much fun during a rain delay?
I could go on and on about all the things I love about college sports, but we’d like to know what it is you love about them? There’s no shortage on my list, but I’m sure fans of our Blog have plenty of favorite memories to share. Feel free to rush the field with your thoughts. In fact, it’s encouraged.
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The NHL: Not as Easy as it Looks!
Posted by: | CommentsTalk about parity. The NHL is one of the most generous sports leagues going, as it always accommodates a total of 16 teams in the playoffs. Just like the NBA, the NHL likes to see just about everybody get a chance to dive into the deep end and fend for themselves. Well, this year’s postseason is shaping up to a be a great representation of not only superb play out on the ice, but equally matched teams that like to stretch games into OT more often than not.
But before I make my predictions for this year’s playoffs, I’d like to share some personal background on why I’m starting to like the NHL more and more. First off, I’m a former collegiate wrestler, so I never really laced ‘em up with guys like Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin or Zdeno Chara. I liked to tie up with my opponent, shrug him a couple of times and then shoot in for a single-leg takedown. It seemed to work more often than not. I never took shots on goal or body-checked anybody into the boards. I liked to grapple. But having graduated from Oswego State University in New York, I did get to see plenty of good NCAA Division III hockey action during my time at O-State. And now I have newfound respect for all of these guys, from college hockey players to the pros. And it’s all because I took my four-year-old daughter, Dylan, skating over Christmas. It had been years since I put on skates, but I figured I’d at least be able to make some turns and enjoy the overall atmosphere. Boy was I wrong.
Not only did I have trouble just maintaining my balance, but I was pretty much useless in assisting my daughter during her first exposure to a skating rink. Sure I was able to hold her up and help her down the straight-aways, but we routinely crashed into the boards at either end since I seemingly forgot how to stop gracefully, or at least slow down upon arriving at the wall. After about 20 minutes of inflicting this personal punishment, Dylan was soaked and my ankles were screaming. I discovered muscles in my feet that I never knew existed based on the excruciating pain I suddenly felt. I couldn’t wait to put my shoes back on.
Dilly and Daddy trying not to crash into the boards (again)!
But enough about me, and Dylan. Although, truth be told, she’s a quick study and would have been happy to stay out on the ice for an hour or so. Now it’s time to recap where we are at with the NHL playoffs. In the Eastern Conference, we see the Penguins, Flyers, Bruins and Capitals – surprise, surprise – are all leading their best-of-seven opening round series, 2-1. Likewise, in the Western Conference, the Kings, Avalanche and Coyotes (the Coyotes?) are all one game ahead in their respective series, while the Blackhawks and Predators are playing their rubber match tonight. And even though Chicago finished with three more wins than Nashville during the regular season, I’m predicting an upset by the Predators in this particular opening-round battle. You see, a kid by the name of Colin Wilson is playing for Nashville and he’s somebody I got to meet last August at the NHL Rookie Photo Shoot in Toronto. He was a good kid who seemed destined to do great things in the NHL. And while he’s just getting warmed up (two shots on goal, no scores, through two games), he’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come. His taping ability, however, left something to be desired. Check out this YouTube video Upper Deck produced earlier this season starring none other than Mr. Wilson.
As for my Stanley Cup winner, you ask? That’s easy: the Boston Bruins, of course. It’s been way too long since guys like Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Johnny Bucyk and Derek Sanderson hoisted the Cup for Beantown back in 1972. Now it’s time for that monster, Chara, along with the likes of Mark Recchi, Patrice Bergeron and Tuukka Rask to bring Lord Stanley home. Besides, the Pats, Celtics and Red Sox have already won it all this decade!
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Remembering an American Hero
Posted by: | CommentsI grew up collecting trading cards because my father and brothers collected trading cards. I liked players like Bob Horner because I read on the back of his card he hit four home runs in a single game and George Foster because he had really cool sideburns. My brothers all had their favorites as well and the names would change based on a variety of nonsensical factors that makes being a kid so great. I can still remember asking my Dad who his favorite player was and the reason why I remember it so well is because I always got the same answer: Jackie Robinson.
He would tell me the stories about Jackie and what he overcame, but I was so young I really did not realize the gravity of it all. To a kid, the idea that you weren’t allowed to play baseball because of the color or your skin just seems silly, which it really is. Robinson’s contributions to the sport of baseball and society as a whole became more amazing to me as I grew older learning about prejudice, bigotry, civil rights and black history. There are so many life lessons you can learn by reading about Jackie, and one of the biggest I think is to never give up.
We’ve had our share of challenges at Upper Deck as of late, but like Jackie, we will stay the course and never give up. As I sat at my desk writing this entry I caught myself looking up several times at a memorabilia item I have hanging on my wall that I just love. It’s inspiring, but also really cool. It’s a piece Upper Deck Authenticated did back in the day that features the emblazoned nameplate from actual game-used bats. It’s very inspiring to be greeted by this Jackie Robinson keepsake each day as I open the door to my office.
Today as we celebrate Jackie Robinson Day I encourage you to take a moment to pause and just think about his impact on the world. It’s amazing to think about how different things would be today if he didn’t come along when he did or if someone else would have been the first player to break the color barrier. Would Tiger Woods be allowed to play at the Masters? Would Barack Obama have been elected President of the United States? What else would be different? These are questions we probably don’t want to know the answers to.
One of the things I think that made Jackie so great was just the fact that he was such a wonderful role model. He had the type of talent that made you want to watch every game he played. He was sharp and had great messages to share. So if you don’t want to go out and learn more about Jackie, just take a moment now to read some of the words spoken by the man, one of the most influential sports figures in history.
“A life if not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”
“I’m not concerned with you liking or disliking me… All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”
“Life is not a spectator sport. If you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you’re wasting your life.”
“There’s not an American in this country free until every one of us is free.”
“The right of every American to first-class citizenship is the most important issue of our time.”
Those really are the types of statements you would expect from a leader, an American hero. It’s hard to imagine a player today of any race making statements like these, but maybe that’s what made him so special. And maybe that’s why I find inspiration every time I look on my wall to see Jackie poised to make this world a better place. Thank you Jackie!
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