[rjcj2017]

OK, so I'm a big Kings fan, and one of my favorite things to do collecting-wise is to drive to Sac for these free signings the Kings do at various restaurants, car dealerships, sponsors, etc. ...

In the past three years, I have gotten IP autos of Tyreke Evans, DeMarcus Cousins, Jimmer Fredette, Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Thornton and Hassan Whiteside.

(These are big names if you're a Kings fan. Well, maybe not Hassan, LOL, but he was a very good guy.)

I have been on the lookout this whole season for a Thomas Robinson signing ... meanwhile, in the past couple of months my 6-year-old son has really gotten into basketball, so I was stoked about three weeks ago when I saw that Robinson was having a signing last night at Bella Bru Cafe.

I've never taken him with me before, but since he is now a basketball nut I thought it would be fun for us to do something totally different and special.

I picked up my son from school yesterday and we made it to Sacramento by about 4:30, got a table for dinner and were the second people in line for T-Rob's auto.

Everything was perfect!

He was supposed to be there at 6 p.m. ... but got traded to the Rockets at about 5:30.

Suffice it to say, he did not show up for the signing, and the Kings staffers at the cafe were trying frantically to get someone else to show up — by that time, the line was wrapped around the building.

No one was available. They did get everyone's email addresses to send them a couple of free tickets, but we already have tickets for the game they want to send us to.

Anyway, it goes without saying my son was disappointed — he really wanted to meet a "real basketball player."

One good thing was that Grant Napear (Kings announcer) was there at the cafe doing his afternoon drive show ... I used to work at the station with Grant, so we were able to chat with him for a couple of minutes.

He even signed an auto for my son.

But ... now I'm determined! I will check the Kings' web site EVERY DAY to see when the next signing is, and my son and I will be there front and center.

Any fellow dads out there know there aren't many worse feelings than letting your kids down — especially when it's out of your control.

By the way, if anyone has made it this far, LOL, I am looking for a Patrick Patterson auto now since he was traded to the Kings for Robinson.

Feel free to PM me, check my bucket or send an open offer.

Thanks! RJ

[SHowley2003]

Man that stinks! On a more positive note it is great to live in a community where the pros are so accessible. Here in Boston the only way to go to a signing is to buy a ticket to a collector's event and wait in line for an athlete that was paid big bucks to show up. Now I know the reverse side of that is Boston wins a bit more than the Kings, but still a worth while time for you and your son. This story brings home the value that a sports franchise can have in it's community. For your sake I hope they don't go to Seattle (though I do want the Super Sonics back).

[rjcj2017]

Man that stinks! On a more positive note it is great to live in a community where the pros are so accessible. Here in Boston the only way to go to a signing is to buy a ticket to a collector's event and wait in line for an athlete that was paid big bucks to show up. Now I know the reverse side of that is Boston wins a bit more than the Kings, but still a worth while time for you and your son. This story brings home the value that a sports franchise can have in it's community. For your sake I hope they don't go to Seattle (though I do want the Super Sonics back).

Trust me, you do not want the Kings — and I'm not just saying that because I want them to stay.

After the luster wears off in a couple of years, the Sonics fans will realize that there are no Durants, Paytons, Kemps, etc., on this team.

They would be much, much, much better off waiting for an expansion team ... that way, they could at least start fresh with the players they sign and draft.

But yeah, these free signings are awesome ... well, they were until last night.

The thing that kept bothering me was, what was the rush to get the deal done last night?

The deadline wasn't until today, and it's not like any of the players involved are franchise-changing superstars ... anyway, the players come out fairly often (about once a month or so), so we'll keep our eyes peeled.

The funny thing was, in all the other signings I've gone to, I've only brought the specific card of the player I was going to meet ... and never failed to get what I came for.

But yesterday morning I spent a decent amount of time looking for cards of every player on the team ... the thought process being, if Robinson didn't show up and they subbed someone in for him, my son and I would be prepared to leave with a nice auto no matter what.

And it still didn't work! Oh well, there are bigger problems in life ... though the hour-plus ride home was a long one last night, LOL.

[SHowley2003]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-d...--nba.html

[rjcj2017]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-d...--nba.html

Yeah, couldn't have said it better myself. Like I mentioned, I had been on the lookout for a Robinson signing all season ... like, checking the team website every day, literally.

While my son and I were waiting at the cafe and the trade talk started circling the room, a guy behind us said, "Well, that's just the Maloofs giving us the finger one more time ..."

I mean, I like a conspiracy theory as much as the next guy, but it just seems really strange that the trade happened within the hour he was supposed to make a public appearance ... with fans literally lined up around the building ... but every other team in the league waited until the next morning to make their trades.

Oh well. What's done is done. I was even in the Beckett basketball magazine (with Kyrie on the cover) in one of the poll questions, talking about how I believe(d) that Robinson was the best player in the draft.

Anyway, that's the problem with the Kings ... not one player on the roster is used correctly.

I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if Robinson gets a lot of minutes with the Rockets and starts becoming a double-double machine.

Oh well, Patterson is supposed to be pretty good, but man ... the No. 5 pick, gone in a little more than half a season? Boooooooo ...

[SHowley2003]

The part about making trades to screw the fans and save a few bucks reminds me of when the C's traded for Vin Baker. It handcuffed the team for a couple of seasons, but it saved the old ownership about a million bucks on their way out the door. They had already sold he team and did the move to lower the salary figures they were responsible for in over their last few months.

[rjcj2017]

The part about making trades to screw the fans and save a few bucks reminds me of when the C's traded for Vin Baker. It handcuffed the team for a couple of seasons, but it saved the old ownership about a million bucks on their way out the door. They had already sold he team and did the move to lower the salary figures they were responsible for in over their last few months.

You'd like to think better of people, but that's way too early to give up on the No. 5 pick.

Although, one thing I've always wondered about Robinson — and again, I'm a big fan, so I'm not picking on him — but why is it that he couldn't get many minutes on such a bad team?

[hellsbells]

I'm also in Sacramento (live about 1/2 mile north of the Arena) and just picked up my first Thomas Robinson AU in a trade - the card hadn't even arrived in the mail yet when the trade w/Houston happened -

So if any Houston fans want to trade a Patterson for a Robinson - let me know!

[antriarc]

Im a dad hoping that my son gets into basketball... I just recently pulled a robinson auto from limited. Its a shame because I like the kings as a young up and coming team, they just dont seem to make the best decisions.

[rjcj2017]

I'm also in Sacramento (live about 1/2 mile north of the Arena) and just picked up my first Thomas Robinson AU in a trade - the card hadn't even arrived in the mail yet when the trade w/Houston happened -

So if any Houston fans want to trade a Patterson for a Robinson - let me know!

I know how you feel ... try being at a Robinson signing within the hour he gets traded! With your son! Who has been so excited about "meeting a real NBA player" it's all he had talked about for three weeks!

Man, what a punch in the junk!

As for this:

"So if any Houston fans want to trade a Patterson for a Robinson - let me know!"

You are going to have to make your own thread, sir, because I am trying to do the same thing ... and this is my thread! LOL

---

Im a dad hoping that my son gets into basketball... I just recently pulled a robinson auto from limited. Its a shame because I like the kings as a young up and coming team, they just dont seem to make the best decisions.

PM sent! Thanks! RJ