Do you agree with ESPN columnists' take on The National crowd?
While some may debate whether this year’s National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, was larger or smaller than its 29 previous years, there’s no doubt that the 30th version of the show included some added positive exposure via ESPN.
Two ESPN columnists — Bill Simmons and Paul Lukas — reported from the show for ESPN.com. Simmons is ESPN’s Sports Guy, while Lukas is the king of the Uni Watch, “the obsessive study of athletics aesthetics.”
While both may characterize collectors in a certain way — one perhaps more outrageous than the other — I’ll let you decide whether they are off-base or not.
Read Lukas’ take here.
Read Simmons’ take here.
In a hobby where more than a few collectors take themselves way too seriously (The Hobby Hook-up, anyone?), something tells us that you might not agree with the take from these writers.
Tell us what you think.
I think both are legit stories, even though the SG story is mostly pictures. I wouldn’t consider these entirely pro but much more pro than anti-collecting. I think we all need to laugh at ourselves from time and time and face it, I bet that everyone who has been to a major show has found something humorous about it. When “outsiders” come, they probably find much more funny. I think it’s good publicity for the hobby too–I don’t see these guys going to any coin shows.
I loved Bill Simmons story, especially the pictures with the captions. Great pub for the convention! Anytime anyone says “you have to go” is great news for future conventions.
I also loved his take on the “no pictures” guy and the unfriendly dealers as well. I’ve been to many big shows and 4 National Conventions and like Bill Simmons I can count on one hand the dealers who have been friendly and nice to me at each show, which is a sad state in this hobby.