[folkertino]

Yesterday my local team Valencia played a big game against the number 2 in ranking, Real Madrid. The team has had a pretty bad season ranking around 9th, 10th spot but with the hiring of a new coach things have slowly come back on the rails again.

The club/franchise created quite a big buzz about the game all over the social networks and the stadium was packed. Despite the difference in ranking, our team stayed ahead from tip-off with the lead at one stage during the 3rd getting to 20 points. It was an awesome game with poor referees (in our disadvantage) and the crowd was ready for a barfight, KG-style. In the end our team won with 17 points different and we celebrated as if we had won the championship.

I waited after the game, initially to only pick up an autograph from Sergio Rodriguez who now plays for Madrid, but they all went running into the team bus and disappeared. After half an hour our team players came out one by one and I scored the following:

Victor Claver and Rafa Martinez on card (Panini ACB set)


Ukrainian national Serhyi Lishchuk self made card auto (showing front and back)


Portuguese national Vitor Faverani game program auto


And my old training Valencia jersey (which actually used to be signed by Fabricio Oberto when he played here 7 years ago, but we washed that out a long while ago, lol) now signed by:

top center: Nik Caner-Medley (former Maryland)
top right: Florent Pietrus (French national, brother of Mickael)
mid left: Nando De Colo (French national)
mid center: Stefan Markovic (Serbian national)
mid right: AJ Ogilvy (Australian national, former Vanderbilt U)
bottom center: Brad Newley (Australian national)



Knowing now that they're so easy approachable after the game I'll probably be harassing them a couple of more times to get autos on more self-made card booklets. I'll update ya'll on that when I get them.

Thanks for watching!

[filamuraireborn]

Very nice stuff! I like the Glasol Autographed Card!

[kevinr]

Man awesome stuff congrats.

[will23c1982]

I used to run an online basketball simulation league (a lot like Championship Manager or Football Manager, if you've played those games before). Victor Claver and Sergey Lishchuk were two of the superstars! Nice to see their autographs.

[folkertino]

I used to run an online basketball simulation league (a lot like Championship Manager or Football Manager, if you've played those games before). Victor Claver and Sergey Lishchuk were two of the superstars! Nice to see their autographs.

Lishchuk looks like ye ol' Eastern European or Russian big guy in the middle, but the man is actually quite quick and creative. People have a lot of love for him here, very humble and hard working player.

[will23c1982]

In my sim league, he was a sharp-shooting big man who could also score inside; he was an offensive juggernaut! But couldn't defend to save his life. He was a weird player. It's interesting to hear what he's like in real life.

Meanwhile, Victor Claver was a super-athletic slashing small forward in my league. I watched some videos of him aged about 16 in a dunk contest. He looked very promising and I thought he'd be an NBA player one day.