Archive for Football
We’re Golden. We Think!
Posted by: | CommentsI just finished up another rip-roaring Fantasy Football Draft with 11 of my buddies (or should I say colleagues?) here at Upper Deck. The UDFFL (Upper Deck’s Fantasy Football League) is chock full of guys who think they know exactly what they’re doing, but only time and some healthy campaigns posted by their top five or six picks will prove them right.
Which brings me to my first bone of contention: Was I really that foolish to grab St. Louis QB Sam Bradford in the 15th round with my own version of the “Mr. Irrelevant” pick? I mean really. But man did I get some ribbing from the boys. Granted, I already had Drew Brees as my starting QB and Vince Young as my backup, but what the heck? I had already drafted four RBs and five wideouts, along with my tight end (Antonio Gates), kicker (Nate Kaeding, thank god Fantasy ends before the playoffs begin), and the Saints “Dee,” so why not pick up some trade bait with my last pick? Think about it; I dropped my 15th selection on Bradford, the NFL’s overall No. 1 Draft Pick from this year. I’ll dump him in Week 3 for an emerging wide receiver when one of these chumps realizes that Philly’s Kevin Kolb isn’t turning out to be the second coming of Donovan McNabb or that Carson Palmer really is getting old in Cincy, even with T.O. lining up on the outside.
- Lots of hype surrounds Bradford. He may very well be the second coming of ‘Slingin’ Sammy’ Baugh.
But what struck me as interesting throughout the draft was everybody’s reluctance (or should I say well-honed strategy) to stay away from most of the rookies. Not surprisingly, Fresno State’s Ryan Mathews was the first freshman to get scooped up (with the 13th overall pick). Our lead designer, Neal, made the move, but since he’s a Chargers homer anyway, it didn’t faze me. With L.T. off to the Big Apple and Darren Sproles standing at five-foot-nothing, Mathews looks like the new workhouse in San Diego. He scored 19 TDs in college last year and posted eleven 100-yard games. He should be the real deal. At least Neal certainly hopes he is.
- Workhorse: The hard-driving Mathews should get to carry most of the load in San Diego’s backfield.
Which rookie was next, you ask? With the 38th overall pick, running back Jahvid Best was selected by one of our copy editors, Roger. Here’s a guy (Best, that is) who tallied 16 touchdowns last year for the Cal Bears and posted five 100-yard rushing games. He’s no Ryan Mathews, mind you, but he’s no slouch either. Granted he’s not a proven stud like many of my backfield picks (Jonathan Stewart, Joseph Addai and Brandon Jacobs, to name a few), but he’s got potential. We’ll just have to wait and see how often the Lions actually can get inside their opponent’s 20-yard-line. I’m thinking slim and none, for the most part. I mean, we are talking about the Detroit Lions, aren’t we?
Best is hoping to bring some versatility to Detroit's backfield this season. Only time will tell.
Okay, so who was the next rookie taken? With the 70th overall pick, Buffalo’s newest backfield acquisition, C. J. Spiller, was snatched up by one of the UDA guys, Steve S. The big man at Clemson is now supposed to be the new man in upstate New York. Lord knows, the Bills need some help, and C.J. could be the answer to their prayers. Steve S.’s office is next to mine, so I’m sure I’ll hear the roars from next door when the Bills start circling the wagons on September 26 against my team, the New England Patriots. Let’s not tell Steve how badly the Bills will get crushed on that fateful afternoon, but wish him well anyway with C.J. Maybe one touchdown and 60 yards on the ground from Spiller will be Buffalo’s big highlight from Gillette Stadium that day.
Six more rookies would be selected, including my gratuitous 15th round gesture for Bradford, before the UDFFL Draft ended. In order, they were Montario Hardesty (ninth round); Dez Bryant (10th round); Golden Tate, my second-to-last receiver taken (11th round); and both Demaryius “My Sore Left Foot” Thomas and Dexter McCluster (14th round).
Tate could be Golden in Seattle, just as long as Matt Hasselbeck can find him going deep.
What’s cool is that all of these first-year players will be appearing in Upper Deck’s fast-approaching 2010 Sweet Spot Football set, which is scheduled to launch next month right around the same time as Monday Night Football. All of the aforementioned rookies will be appearing in the set and every one of them will have autographed helmet cards to boot!
And for the record, just in case anybody was wondering, we conducted our fast-paced draft over the course of two well-orchestrated lunch hours by our resident ring leader, Big Ben. He looks like a cross between Junior Seau and Adrian Gonzalez, so nobody messes with Ben. Although truth be told, he’s the calmest, most courteous guy in the building. If higher management only was aware of what we were doing on our hard-earned lunch hours, they probably would have bought us lunch, right? Hey, it’s research after all. Come to think of it, maybe I’ll go upstairs right now and tell ‘em. Who knows? Maybe they’ll bring us bagels tomorrow.
Popularity: 2% [?]
I Got Lucky at the National
Posted by: | CommentsEvery few years my wife and I try to shake things up, and this year we did so by moving from Salt Lake City to Washington, D.C. Talk about change. But I was excited that pretty much my first week out there I would get the chance to see some old friends from Upper Deck. I’ve had a lot of luck with Upper Deck over the years. You see I won their Presidential Predictors contest two years ago and got the chance to throw out the first pitch at a Padres game. The next day I was able to tour the UD facility. It was awesome! I made friends with so many people at UD, I became a contributor to their Blog as well. And as luck would have it, I found out they would be in the neighborhood for the National Sports Collectors Convention the same week I moved in, so I just had to drop by.
I imagine heaven being a lot like a sports memorabilia convention. When I arrived at the show in Baltimore last week I met up with Chris Carlin, UD’s sports marketing & social media manager, and he walked me back to the company’s booth. The show was massive so we had time to talk as we made our way to the booth glancing at tables along the way. As far as I was concerned there were gold bricks lying everywhere. Autographed memorabilia, cards, paintings, cards, bats, cards, balls and more cards. You get the picture, I really love cards. I asked Chris how one could be sure they were getting an authentic autograph item even if they bought it here. He reminded me that even though it looked good you still had to do some research to make sure you were actually receiving something authentic. I guess that’s one of the good things about Upper Deck Authenticated, they witness every signature, but they were not around when Babe Ruth was signing so you’ve got to do your homework before making a big purchase, especially at a show.
Although the Upper Deck booth was not the biggest at the show, its presentation was perfect. There were two tall, well-lit glass displays with a myriad of UD product showcased. To me the most impressive was the complete set of Entomology cards from the 2009 Goodwin Champions set and also the Michael Jordan Curve display which included a piece of the United Center floor autographed by His Airness. Other items on display were an autographed Tiger Woods framed photograph and a card with actual cable from the Golden Gate Bridge. We also got a preview of the upcoming 2010 Sweet Spot Football and 2009-10 NHL The Cup cards which are coming out soon.
After being introduced to everyone in the booth I got to meet some of Upper Deck’s Diamond Club members who were trading cards and opening high-end products at the booth. They are just a great group of extremely passionate collectors who show their loyalty by collecting LOTS of Upper Deck product. In return for their loyalty, Upper Deck puts together a variety of events for them throughout the year to make sure they know they are appreciated. The Saturday morning I was in attendance UD had an informal meet-and-greet set up with Packers Hall-of-Fame quarterback Bart Starr. How cool is that? I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time as Chris asked me to join them for the event.
Since there are so many cards out there it is easy to have a huge collection without a lot of value. As a collector myself, I want to really focus on players I think will have some future value and for the time being I have narrowed my focus to 2005-06 NBA rookie cards of Deron Williams and Chris Paul. Not only do I think their rookie cards will continue to escalate in value, they are also two of my favorite players to watch. I found a booth that actually had some product from that year in stock at a reasonable price. I purchased a pack of 2005-06 NBA SP Signature Edition and picked the tin with Larry Bird on it. Tucked in between two common cards I found myself holding a Deron Williams Rookie INKorporated Autograph card numbered to 50. I couldn’t believe my luck and even some of the Diamond Club members were impressed. What a great find!
There was a long line of collectors wrapping around the hall to the Upper Deck booth for the wrapper redemption program they were hosting at noon each day. Upper Deck created a special series of cards specifically for the National Sports Collectors Convention and the only way to get them was by opening packs of current Upper Deck product in front of one of the UD team representatives. Each day there were different packs, and by coming back every day you could collect the entire set. Randomly inserted were autograph cards of LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Gordie Howe and more. I saw one kid get a LeBron James and Michael Jordan card out of two different packs. Apparently I’m not the only one who has luck with Upper Deck products.
Chris let me help a bit by passing out tickets for a raffle Upper Deck was holding that afternoon. Another huge gathering of sports fans converged on the Upper Deck booth for the raffle where UD was giving away a Mitchell & Ness jersey, 1-of-1 printing plate cards, a Zach Parise signed puck and a Peyton Manning signed Tennessee Volunteers mini helmet. Those who didn’t win received some Upper Deck sling packs as a consolation prize, which was nice to see so not many people walked away empty-handed.
I continued to visit with collectors throughout the afternoon at the UD booth and there was a common theme I heard over and over again. I heard them talk about how they love the quality of Upper Deck’s products. They shared how they miss Upper Deck making NBA products in particular. They liked how UD was there to help and had staff on hand to help them with any issues. But more than anything, the sentiment collectors shared about Upper Deck was that they really cared. This wasn’t news to me as I have been lucky enough to experience that all first hand on several other occasions.
At the end of the day I walked the show a little more and picked up some more unopened product just hoping I could make it home before I started opening the packs. It was a lot of fun to get to spend so much time with the Upper Deck team and their rabid collectors. I’m excited to see the products they have in store for collectors like me and I’m already making plans to attend the show next year in Chicago. To top off an already great day I found five bucks while I was walking to my car. What can I say, when it comes to Upper Deck, I’m just lucky.
Popularity: 5% [?]
I’m in Love…with the National Sports Collectors Convention
Posted by: | CommentsI couldn’t sleep at all Tuesday night. I was staying in Baltimore, at a great hotel, and while there had been a disturbance at the venue earlier that evening, that’s not why I had trouble sleeping. The sounds of the bustling city didn’t keep me awake either. Neither did the fact that I couldn’t fall sleep on my flight out from San Diego. The reason I couldn’t get unconscious was because I was excited. I tossed and turned like a little kid on Christmas Eve because I couldn’t wait for The National Sports Collectors Convention (NSCC) to begin.
When I attended my first NSCC, I felt like I had been sent to the Gulag in Russia for some crime for which I was wrongly convicted. As Upper Deck’s Customer Service Manager back then, I received a steady diet of off-the-wall complaints for all five days of the show. My blood pressure elevated every time I heard one of my co-workers say: “Oh, yeah, you want to speak to Chris Carlin.” After hearing people who appeared completely rational start complaining passionately about things like why Upper Deck can’t hand-package every trading card release to reduce flaws on some of the cards, to why we don’t make Jai-Alia cards, I realized one thing: People love Upper Deck cards.
And you know what? I do too. The 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card hooked me immediately and it was my dream come true to work for Upper Deck. Yes, I had to deal with complaints at the NSCC, but people don’t complain if they don’t care about your products. During one sleepless night during my first NSCC with all these complaints running through my head, that simple fact dawned on me. If they didn’t care, they wouldn’t take the time to complain, right? They just wouldn’t care. Each complaint is a proclamation of love for our products. I was comforted and soon fell into a deep sleep.
THE CARD THAT STARTED IT ALL: Upper Deck's 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card (#1).
I began to see the NSCC as an opportunity on several different levels. It poses an opportunity every year to listen to compelling ideas from people who care about Upper Deck products. It provides the chance to hear complaints about goods and services that are not perfect and what might work to make them right, while hopefully salvaging a relationship with a customer. It creates the opportunity to share how compelling and fun this hobby is with new and old collectors alike. As hard as it is to get yelled at from time to time about something I didn’t really have any control over, after my first NSCC, I knew I had to keep coming back every year. It’s simply not a show I would miss for the world.
If you are anywhere near Baltimore this weekend and have ever cared about any sport, you have to come. There are tons of crazy/weird things that will make you ask yourself, “Who would buy that?” and then the next thing you know you’re walking around with a framed signed photo of Don Mattingly posing with Donald Trump and his family because (let’s face it) when are you ever going to get the chance to own something like that again.
So why was I so excited, exactly? Because I knew what would happen. It’s almost the same every year and I love it. But to let you in on the secret, here are just some of the reasons why I’ve enjoyed the show so far and why I can’t wait for the rest of the weekend.
The Set Up – Getting to the show before anyone else is an electric environment. Booths are being erected. Displays are going up. Deals are quickly being struck with vendors already set up. And at the Upper Deck booth we are unpacking like crazy, hoping that everything sent reached its destination in good condition. We went all out this year. We have some amazing pieces to see. We brought out several unique insert cards from our upcoming 2010 Sweet Spot Football and 2009-10 NHL The Cup releases which will hit in late August-early September. People have been drooling over those cards. The Michael Jordan autographed Curve Display has been a traffic stopper as well, but there is one eye-catcher that stops both young and old collectors in their tracks every time. It’s the 2009 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions complete set of the Entomology, Landmarks and Thoroughbred Hair Cuts inserts. It is really amazing to see all these cards together and it’s commonplace to see people’s jaws drop when they stop by for a look.
BUGGY DISPLAY: At the Upper Deck Booth this weekend in Baltimore, swing by to check out the company's Entomology insect/insert cards!
The Hotel View – I didn’t realize just how central downtown Baltimore really is. All I knew about Baltimore prior to my first visit this weekend is what I learned on HBO’s critically acclaimed show The Wire and it certainly didn’t paint the best portrait of the city. Goes to show you can’t believe everything you see on TV. Our hotel is situated right next to Oriole Park at Camden Yards and beyond that on the skyline you can see the field where the Baltimore Ravens play. Oh and you can see into the ballpark from the hotel. How cool is that? Additionally the convention center and harbor are all within walking distance and with the exception of the humidity, I’ve loved this city so far.
ROOM WITH A VIEW: I can almost see Cal Ripken Jr. doing his victory lap back in 1995.
The Frowns Turn to Smiles – I’ll never get tired of this one. So many times at these shows and even at this show already where I’ve had someone come up to the booth so upset (which is a good thing; remember, they care). Getting to spend some time with them face-to-face explaining why Upper Deck does things a certain way, giving them that sneak peek behind the curtain, it is just really special. Nine times out of 10 I can have a passionate collector who comes to our booth upset but leaves happy. It’s just really gratifying to get the chance to listen to concerns and have the opportunity to educate collectors or share plans we have in place to fix things in the future. It’s so important to let them know that the people who make the brands they care about actually care about the people’s opinions who buy those brands. That is really special.
The Shaking Hands – Upper Deck spends a lot of money and time each year in producing a special wrapper redemption program for every NSCC. There is a different set of cards available at our booth each day provided collectors open up five packs of a new Upper Deck product at our booth. Randomly inserted into these packs are rare autographed cards from all sorts of sports legends like LeBron James, Gordie Howe and Michael Jordan to name just a few. When you see someone open the packs and find one of those cards, their hands immediately begin to shake. They want to show it off, but the excitement and thrill of finding one of these limited cards of a superstar athlete absolutely knocks them off their feet. It’s probably my favorite part of the show. It is such a special privilege to get to provide those moments to sports fanatics.
SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE: This collector couldn't stop shaking when he pulled this MJ beauty from a pack of cards at our booth.
The Friendships – In just two days at the show it is just so great to see so many familiar faces. With the dawn of email, Facebook and so many other ways to keep in touch with friends and colleagues, there is nothing quite like the face-to-face experience you get with seeing customers and business partners who you have cultivated friendships with over the years. The caring and brutally honest dialogue that takes place between me and fans, collectors, shop owners, show vendors, distributors and league reps is really special. There is nothing quite like pressing the flesh (handshake) and spending time with people you may be totally different from outside the show, but in that great hall, you share the common bond of a true love for sports cards and memorabilia. It is very special.
The Chance to Help a Small Business Owner – There are so many great hobby shop owners out there who come to this show as a service to their customers. Some are set up and selling/buying/trading to make new customers, but many walk the show to trade items from dealers they know in other regions in order to get items in their region that their customers will want. They sell cards for their customers. They share what their customers are thinking and want with manufacturers. Quite simply, they come because they care. And to get the chance to talk with them about promotions Upper Deck can do in their store is very valuable to us. There are not as many hobby shops left as there were in the early ‘90s, but the ones that are know exactly what they’re doing. And they care. So make sure you make time to visit one if you haven’t been in awhile.
The Healthy Competition – I went to dinner last night with some customers and on the way back we came upon a guy who works for Panini America, one of our competitors. No glares or ill words were spoken. Instead smiles and high-fives were shared. Leaving we came upon some members of the Topps staff. Again, we had a nice conversation about the show and the industry. When we returned to the hotel, we came upon some of the Press Pass crew and again, we just enjoyed pleasant camaraderie. As competitive as our business is, I believe it is a healthy competition. I wake up every day motivated to beat Panini, Topps and anyone else at making the best sports collectibles, but it is a healthy competition. Or maybe I just like keeping my enemies close.
The Opportunity – More than anything else, to me and the Upper Deck staff in attendance, we treasure the opportunity to meet the thousands of collectors who have purchased Upper Deck products over the years. It is so helpful to get to hear your thoughts (except about Jai-Alai cards, that’s most likely not going to happen). It means the world to us to be able to spend time with collectors and to see their eyes light up as we share what we are coming out with next. And from the bottom of my heart, I just want to say, “THANK YOU!” We know you have a choice when you are choosing what company’s cards to purchase, but the fact that people choose Upper Deck means so much to everyone at 5909 Sea Otter Place. We love bringing fans closer to the game and we will continue to come in early and work late to meet and exceed collectors’ expectations. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH: This weekend will continue to be a blast for lucky collectors...and me!
By the way, I wrote this entry between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Friday morning because I couldn’t sleep. I can’t wait for the next day of the show and I hope you are there to experience it with me.
Popularity: 8% [?]
Sometimes Nice Guys Finish First
Posted by: | CommentsThe annual ESPY Awards have almost become the Academy Awards for sports. Like most sports fanatics, I tuned in last night to watch the greatness that transpired over the last calendar year. It was a very entertaining show with moments of comedy, amazement, sadness and inspiration which is basically everything we look to sports for. One of the things that made me happiest while watching the presentation was seeing a man receive the attention and appreciation he deserves for always trying to do things the right way. The athlete I’m referring to is Drew Brees.
I remember watching Drew Brees playing for Purdue at a USC game when he was younger. He was awesome back then, which is why he was a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist. At the time, I never realized he would become the player he is today or that several years later our paths would cross and Drew would bail me out of a serious jam.
The 2010 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Signature Drew Brees cards will be in packs in late August.
It was 2007 and I was hosting an event for Upper Deck where we brought in around 70-80 of the top collectors in the world to say thank you to them for their support. We had a tour planned of the corporate headquarters, presentations set up to go through new products, a trip to Petco Park to take in a Padre game and the big event was a meet and greet with a famous athlete. I found out only a few hours before this special meet and greet that everyone was looking forward to, the athlete we had booked was not going to make it.
That’s a pretty stressful situation as I knew I had a lot of great customers counting on us to provide them with a very special experience. Our Legal team immediately went to work to find a replacement and luckily in planning for this event we had the perfect person already in mind. Drew Brees was playing for the Saints then, but he was still living in San Diego during the summer. He agreed to do the event, but I was still worried because in my experience, most athletes can be a little stuffy or quiet at events like this where they are around so many passionate fans. Within five minutes of Drew’s arrival, all of my fears had been quelled as I immediately became aware that not only was Drew Brees a special athlete, but he was a special man as well. He sat and shared with everyone in attendance as if they were lifelong friends that he invited over to dinner moving from table to table and posing with each member for a picture he later signed. Drew was able to provide those customers with a truly memorable experience, so much so that many began collecting his cards and memorabilia immediately after that night.
Drew Brees sat with Upper Deck collectors, answered their questions and shared with them his dream of winning the Super Bowl.
Later in the evening Drew took time to pose for pictures with each of the customers and then later lent his signature them.
What makes this even cooler is that Drew had plans to have dinner with his family that night. So what did he do? He brought them. They ate right outside the ball room while he met with the group. He met up with them right after. He knew we were in a bind and came through for us.
When I had my experience in meeting Drew, he had already accomplished so much as a quarterback having won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award and twice having been named to the Pro-Bowl. It’s inspiring to see how much more he’s been able to accomplish since then.
Drew and his team had a memorable season this year that helped to heal a lot of wounds for the city of New Orleans and the “Who Dat Nation.” They certainly racked up plenty of awards last night at the ESPY’s. When the award for the Best Male Athlete of the Year came up, I smiled that Drew was included in the category, but surely he couldn’t beat the likes of Kobe Bryant, Albert Pujols and LeBron James. And then I thought, “Why can’t he? Just because someone is a ‘nice guy’ that doesn’t mean they can’t win an award like this.” That little voice inside me was right.
All class, Drew Brees accepts the ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete of the Year.
Drew accepted the award with an honest and humble speech giving thanks to everyone but himself. I couldn’t help but smile. If you ever get the chance to meet Drew, you will be a luckier person for it. He’s one of the good ones and he’ll give you hope that nice guys don’t always finish last.
Popularity: 3% [?]
On Independence Day, Remember Those Serving in Harm’s Way
Posted by: | CommentsOne of our country’s Founding Fathers, John Adams, believed that today, July 2nd, would be considered this nation’s Independence Day. Adams once wrote to his wife Abigail: “On July 2, 1776 the Association known as United Colonies of America officially became the United States of America.”
Adams went on to write, “I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more.”
It sounds like John Adams really knew how to celebrate. What he failed to realize however is that there would be a brief debate over language in the Declaration of independence and that it would take some time to have it written up on parchment so that it could be signed by the Founding Fathers. Thus it is July 4 that the Declaration of Independence was signed, but it was today that the blueprint for this country’s future was agreed upon.
So much has come since the days of John Adams. Despite decades of peace and prosperity, our country continues to battle in foreign wars. Brave young men and women continue to serve this great nation at home and abroad. You may question whether we should be involved in these conflicts in far away places, but you certainly cannot question the courage of our troops. Far too often their sacrifices go unnoticed, especially for those serving on foreign soil so far away from those they love. How lonely and worrisome must their nights be wondering if all is well back home and if they will make it back safely to those they love.
What if you could give those brave men and women a little piece of home? What if you could help take their mind away from all those worries for just a bit? Wouldn’t it be nice to just say thank you for their service?
For the last several months, Upper Deck has been working with Operation Gratitude, a non-profit organization that sends 100,000-plus “care packages” annually to U.S. service members deployed in hostile regions around the world. Upper Deck is asking collectors to donate sealed packs of trading cards to Operation Gratitude that will be included in these care packages. Believe it or not, trading cards really help bring a little piece of home to those serving abroad as it helps them reconnect with their favorite sports. Just read this soldier’s story if you don’t believe me.
To donate you can either visit a participating donation center or send the packs directly to Operation Gratitude at the address listed below:
Operation Gratitude/California Army National Guard
Attn. Upper Deck’s Million Pack March for the Troops
17330 Victory Boulevard
Van Nuys, CA 91406
In the coming weeks we will be doing more to help promote Upper Deck’s Million Pack March for the Troops by sharing a special set we produced for the National Sports Collectors Convention in Baltimore this August. Many of your favorite athletes served honorably in different branches of the United States Military. And some in the set, like LeBron James, are just plain patriotic. Check out a couple sneak peeks of some of the cards we put together featuring them.
To incentivize our fans to donate to this worthy cause over the Independence Day weekend, we will be giving away FIVE game-used memorabilia cards of the player everyone seems to be talking about right now: LeBron James. These cards are from Upper Deck’s recent “Greats of the Game” Basketball set.
For your chance to receive one of these special cards, all you need to do is take a picture of your donation package addressed to Operation Gratitude or of you giving packs to a store owner at a donation center and post them on the Wall of our Facebook page. We will randomly select five different winners to each receive one of these cards on Tuesday, July 6 at 4:00 PM PDT. So please, donate today! For more information on Upper Deck’s Million Pack March for the Troops, please visit www.millionpackmarch.com.
Popularity: 6% [?]
