Wrestling Collectors?

[CubsFanKEC1982]

Went autographing with WWE’s Bowling Green, KY Smackdown card on 3/24.

It was slow going at my locale for quite some time, but finally Jamie Noble showed up. He signed two 8x10s for me and one 5x7 for my wife.

After that, we went through another drought until a group of a dozen WWE superstars showed up in rapid succession.

The first one I spotted was Ezekiel Jackson and as I was following him, I snuck up on the World’s Largest Athlete.

There was that awkward moment where I was reaching for my binder page to find Zeke and first saw The Big Show.

Needless to say, I aborted that mission and got The Big Show on a pair of promos. Show wasn’t exactly the most talkative outgoing guy, but he signed for me, so he’s good in my book.

Never did get back to Zeke, but I guess oh well. Hope he doesn’t hold it against me, the next time we cross paths.

Meanwhile, my wife was having her own time with a 7-footer as she nabbed The Great Khali on a trio of promos. My wife said Khali was nice, but was moving with the aide of a walker. I feel bad for the big guy.

Next I located Drew McIntyre and got him on a cover of FCW magazine and a 5x7 photo. Drew seemed real chill.

My wife then found Tamina and got her on four 4x6 photos, while I went in search of stragglers that got away as we were chasing the literal “big” guys.

I nabbed Tyson Kidd, who was trailing Natalya in the line and got him on a 5x7 and 8x10. Nat just kept walking. I’ve got a few autos of her, so I let her go.

I also let Sheamus walk past me as I have enough on him and I was trying to sort through my book to find some of others at the time he came through.

Then, Justin Gabriel was next on my voyage. I got him to sign three photos and we talked about the need for a new JG promo. He said the company releases them like five at a time nowadays, but he agreed. His last promo was during the Nexus days, though he has had a photofile released since then.

Said the latest promo to hit the market was Brodus Clay.

After talking to Gabriel, I located Hunico and got him to sign a Hunico photo and a Sin Cara picture (both 8x10s). Hunico asked me why blue Sharpie and I told him it came from the dealers of which I’m not one. We talked about how those guys are unbearable and how they mess autograph collecting up for the fans that actually follow the product. He said one tried to get him to sign 10 photos recently.

My wife also caught up with Hunico and got him to sign one 8x10.

Tamina and Alicia Fox were walking together and while my wife stopped Alicia to get three 8x10s signed, I was looking for my Alicia photos and a Tamina one popped out. I wasn’t going to try to stop her, but she had actually stopped with Alicia and said she wouldn’t mind signing it at all.

Alicia inscribed most of the photos “Beauty Will Save The World.”

After Tamina signed my 8x10, Alicia signed three photos for me and talked my ear off while she did. She’s very personable and sweet.

Jinder Mahal, who wasn’t in a good mood in Evansville when I met him in January signed a pair of 8x10s for me and seemed in much better spirits.

The last WWE Superstar I encountered was current World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan. I didn’t lose it like I did in E’ville in January. He signed the photo I had taken with him up there and also an 8x10 as ROH Champion.

He also signed two 8x10s for my wife.

In all, we ended up getting 34 autographs (two for a friend).

Not a bad day.

The only folks advertised for the card that I didn’t see were Mark Henry, Cody Rhodes and Beth Phoenix. Also didn’t see any of the referees or whoever the ring announcer turned out to be (Tony Chimel or Lilian Garcia.)

Cody and Beth could have been in the 12 or so that showed up at once and slipped past us while we were busy with someone else.

Mark Henry was spotted at the locale briefly before I got Big Show.

Here are a few of the scans of autographs I obtained:

[CubsFanKEC1982]

My counting stinks.. Was actually three Tamina 4x6s.

[Xboxguy]

Hey CubsFanKEC1982, Where do you go at the shows where they all walk by you? I've gone to RAW twice with no luck.

[bravesfan1515]

Great haul cubsfan !!

Got Good Ol JR for my Classic set today



This was a purchase that I needed for my Platinum set

[laura_uk]

Great haul cubsfan, I absolutley love the 'beauty will save the world' inscribed Alicia Fox ones :-)

[warlordforever04]

hey cubfan would u sell one of those bigshow auto to me

[CubsFanKEC1982]

hey cubfan would u sell one of those bigshow auto to me

You realize how hard Big Show is to get and the fact that I have a hate for the acts by those that sell autographs they obtain in-person because they ruin the hobby for the rest of us, right?

Surely, you've read my past posts here on those kinds of people?

The answer is a resounding no.

[warlordforever04]

ok i respect that thanks anyway great sucess

[luxzombie]

Great haul!!! I like using blue, green and red Sharpies myself just for the way they look. I have been asked if I am a dealer by some IPs because of this. Is this a new trend? I have only sold one auto, and that was only because I found out what a low life the signer was, and some one offered to buy it. I tried to GIVE it to him but he would not take it without paying. ( oh well ) Last time WWE was in town I scored Jerry Lawler, Sheamus, Brodus Clay, Kofi, Matt Striker, Scott Armstrong, and Dolph Ziggler. Not as many as a TNA show .

[JWLJN]

Did yet another TNA show last night and to me they seem to be trying to change their ways just a bit. Autographs and the like didn't feel as relaxed as usual at those shows.

Lying about the value of their merchandise didn't exactly endear me either. Their biggest "deal" of the night was a replica of the TNA title along with their other merch deals included and "backstage" access for four for $375. All well and good, but they were saying that the belt wasn't just a replica because it was "heavy" and that a belt like this would normally cost $1,500. Then it was said that they can sell it that cheap because they "bought the mold." I'm guessing that no diehard belt collectors were there, as those are the type of lying statements that would cause a riot among those folks. The "$1,500" belts are not made from molds. Then West had the nerve to say that the Angle/Anderson signed two-pack sold on eBay for $80 last week. They weren't even selling for $20, to be honest. At this show it was $20 to buy the pack and then "backstage" access to have them sign it. I've always liked West and taken his hyperbole in stride (Hell, it's his gimmick), but it was too much.

When I do the TNA shows I try to get more than my money's worth as far as autographs. After convenience charges our ringside/meet and greet tickets were $65. The meet and greet had Gunner, Garrett Bischoff, Ion, Aries, Magnus, and Gail Kim. A Gail photo was one of my main goals and she was freely posing with the belt with anyone who asked. Basing it off of convention prices, I got $30 worth from Gail. I was happy, but still a little disappointed that I knew any RVD, Angle, or Anderson autographs would be impossible unless we did one of the backstage deals. Mickie, Robbie E, and the Hebner's did merch table autos.

About twenty minutes before the show started, West announced that they would be selling the "backstage passes" for $50 which would enable two people to go back during intermission. A friend and I went in half on one and the boy at the merch table told us that we could go back right then, which is when the Angle/Anderson figure purchasers went back. We don't think we were really supposed to go to that one, but we did. No one even checked our pass. The always lovely Atlas guards seemed bound and determined not to allow WWE merch to be signed this time around. This is the first time that I can recall encountering this. I got multiple items done by both Angle and Anderson, so when the Atlas chap refused my WWE Angle card I wasn't upset. No one was even standing with Anderson and he signed his Kennedy card.

During intermission we went back again and Angle was there again (no guard, he signed the aforementioned card) along with Gunner and RVD.

Adding my half of the pass to my ticket, the total that I spent was $90. Considering we got multiple autographs from everyone on the show including higher end convention names like RVD, Angle, Anderson, Gail, and Mickie, it was well worth it. If I hadn't bought the pass, while I still would've got my money's worth, I wouldn't have come away feeling satisfied.

They've also chopped out the gimmick at the end where they do the "around the ring" meet and greet again. Since it was a fairly small show (only six matches) I thought this may have been because there really wasn't anyone to send around without making the meet and greet and pass holders feel slighted.

So all in all a good signing, as everything I was bound and determined to get signed was signed and I finally got a Gail photo op. It just wasn't what it used to be at those shows. I also may have been spoiled by the unreal deal that the Bound For Glory fest was.

-J\/\/