Imagine my surprise when my daughter brought home a pack of 2009 Element from school last week. I had forgotten that I gave her teacher a bunch of old trading card packs to use in the class “treasure box” – a special box from which the kids get to select a prize when they behave all week. She was very excited when she opened the pack and found a Missing Element card. We decided that we would get on the computer after dinner and enter the card.
Except…the Missing Element redemption page isn’t up any more. The product is two years old and we’ve taken it down. So, now imagine the Press Pass Director of Customer Relations trying to console her 7-year-old who can’t redeem her card. Quite the lesson, huh? Some of you would say it serves me right.
Regardless, it was a good reminder that decisions must be made with the end-user in mind. At Press Pass, we know we’re one of the smaller trading card companies. We produce trading cards for niche products and entertainment properties and while we’re pretty successful doing it, we always remember that we have to do it better than the big guys.
Most of our customers see that in our customer relations policies. I can’t begin to tell you the number of times someone in our department has been told how refreshing it is to find out that yes, we will still honor your redemption card past the expiration date or yes, we will work with you to figure out what happened to your card. As much as possible, we want to fix what is wrong and turn a bad experience into a good one. We even try to fix it when it’s not our fault. (Chances are if you leave your just-opened trading cards next to your three-year-old who is coloring with markers, you will find interesting new art on your cards.)
As a retailer, I believe it is important to have the same strategy. The reason collectors like to visit hobby stores is to experience the fun of opening packs with a group of people who are as enthusiastic about the hobby as they are. They are also there because it is familiar – usually, they know you, they know your store and they know your events and promotions. Anything you can do to enhance their experience will only increase their loyalty.
Terri Rehkop
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Collecting Focus
Like many of you I have been collecting sports cards and memorabilia most of my life. The difference between us may be that I’m a little longer in the tooth and that means that I have had more time to “accumulate” things.
From time-to-time I find myself having to refocus my collecting habits. There are so many choices of things to collect in this day and age. When I was a kid there was one card set a year per sport so while you might collect multiple sports you were still capped at how many offerings were available to you in a given year.
Nowadays it is just like everything else in our world-sensory overload. And unfortunately when your mind (or your house!) becomes cluttered that can lead to a little less joy with your hobby. That’s because you spend as much time trying to figure out what to do with all of your stuff as opposed to being able to spend real quality time with it.
I am as guilty as anyone of falling prey to trying to collect everything. We automatically set ourselves up to fail as it simply can’t be done. Part of the joy of collecting is the “completing” aspect along with the “chase” aspect. But if all you ever do is chase then where is the fun in that? We are all competitive and we all want to win (finish) every once in awhile!
Even trying to collect a favorite athlete’s trading cards can be problematic. If you are a Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Derek Jeter fan then you’ll need to take out a second mortgage to try and amass all of their cards. It can almost be a curse to cheer for the most popular teams as they often have the most collectible players therefore ensuring a higher demand for the cards of those players. If you are a Kansas City Royals fan you are A-okay!
So what can we do to keep things interesting yet achievable? Focus! But we can make focus fun and affordable too. For example, here’s an approach I have taken to going back and collecting the baseball superstars from when I was a kid (Clemente, Aaron, Gibson and Mays to name a few). I have been collecting League Leader cards that feature these players (or not). Not only is it often a chance to have more than one of them pictured on the same card but they are affordable too! They often cost far less than the player’s common card from the same year. I have been trying to complete these by individual years, one year at a time.
Let’s talk about current cards. You love Dale Jr. but wow, there are a lot of cards out there. How about an approach of trying to collect all of his cards where he has a beard!? That focuses the chase a bit. Or maybe you want a little more variety with a challenge so you could go after non-memorabilia insert cards. That would provide a challenge but wouldn’t completely deplete your Daytona 500 trip money.
My purpose here is to point out that we collect cards and memorabilia as a hobby and an outlet. At the point it becomes overwhelming then it is no longer fun. So every time that I personally start to reach that point with my own collection I just refocus. Sometimes that means I purge some cards to allow me to begin a different pursuit. And that in itself is very exciting because one of the best parts about collecting as a kid was “trading” with your buddies. Think of a purge as just an adult’s way of trading!
One of the best things about our hobby and industry are the myriad of choices. Get creative with how you choose to continue your collecting quest and it will lead to more fun-filled times with family, friends and even yourself.
From time-to-time I find myself having to refocus my collecting habits. There are so many choices of things to collect in this day and age. When I was a kid there was one card set a year per sport so while you might collect multiple sports you were still capped at how many offerings were available to you in a given year.
Nowadays it is just like everything else in our world-sensory overload. And unfortunately when your mind (or your house!) becomes cluttered that can lead to a little less joy with your hobby. That’s because you spend as much time trying to figure out what to do with all of your stuff as opposed to being able to spend real quality time with it.
I am as guilty as anyone of falling prey to trying to collect everything. We automatically set ourselves up to fail as it simply can’t be done. Part of the joy of collecting is the “completing” aspect along with the “chase” aspect. But if all you ever do is chase then where is the fun in that? We are all competitive and we all want to win (finish) every once in awhile!
Even trying to collect a favorite athlete’s trading cards can be problematic. If you are a Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Derek Jeter fan then you’ll need to take out a second mortgage to try and amass all of their cards. It can almost be a curse to cheer for the most popular teams as they often have the most collectible players therefore ensuring a higher demand for the cards of those players. If you are a Kansas City Royals fan you are A-okay!
So what can we do to keep things interesting yet achievable? Focus! But we can make focus fun and affordable too. For example, here’s an approach I have taken to going back and collecting the baseball superstars from when I was a kid (Clemente, Aaron, Gibson and Mays to name a few). I have been collecting League Leader cards that feature these players (or not). Not only is it often a chance to have more than one of them pictured on the same card but they are affordable too! They often cost far less than the player’s common card from the same year. I have been trying to complete these by individual years, one year at a time.
Let’s talk about current cards. You love Dale Jr. but wow, there are a lot of cards out there. How about an approach of trying to collect all of his cards where he has a beard!? That focuses the chase a bit. Or maybe you want a little more variety with a challenge so you could go after non-memorabilia insert cards. That would provide a challenge but wouldn’t completely deplete your Daytona 500 trip money.
My purpose here is to point out that we collect cards and memorabilia as a hobby and an outlet. At the point it becomes overwhelming then it is no longer fun. So every time that I personally start to reach that point with my own collection I just refocus. Sometimes that means I purge some cards to allow me to begin a different pursuit. And that in itself is very exciting because one of the best parts about collecting as a kid was “trading” with your buddies. Think of a purge as just an adult’s way of trading!
One of the best things about our hobby and industry are the myriad of choices. Get creative with how you choose to continue your collecting quest and it will lead to more fun-filled times with family, friends and even yourself.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
26.2
First Marathon – Pilot Mountain Payback, Pilot Mountain State Park, North Carolina, February 19, 2011
Beginning in November 2010, I decided to begin training for my first marathon. Being an avid hiker, I wanted to choose a race held on trails. The race held at Pilot Mountain in February fit the bill and I had just enough time for a 16 week training schedule. Little did I realize this was not an ordinary marathon.
Several weeks prior to the race, I had built up to 19 miles on a couple of my long training runs. Most of these long runs were done on hilly trails at Morrow Mountain SP about an hour from home to try to mirror what I would face on race day. Then it was time to begin the taper – a 2-3 week period before the race of cutting back mileage for rest. During the taper though, I was very busy having two weeks of business trips to Pennsylvania and Texas. Not only is it hard to train while traveling, it is also hard to eat smart. Consequently during the last two weeks before the race, I had several nagging twinges and pains in my knees and feet. A week before the race the training plan called for an easy 8 miles, but I bagged it about halfway in due to the aches and pains and not wanting to do anything to keep me from race day. The next six days I decided to not run at all even though the schedule called for 3 easy runs of about 3-5 miles. I hoped it would help.
Race day rolled around and I felt about as good as I could hope. My wife Kristie was my driver and cheerleader for the day as we drove the 1.5 hrs to the race site. There were about 83 signed up for the full marathon and another 130 or so for the half-marathon. It was a chilly start somewhere in the 30’s but the sun was out. I was shivering before the race – probably from the cold and the nerves. Many runners were jogging or stretching. Being a relatively new runner I wasn’t sure what to do but I sure wasn’t going to go jogging and add any mileage to my day before the race! As the 9am start approached the race director said a few words while all the runners gathered around casually. I made sure I was standing out of the way near the back. Then out of nowhere we hear GO!!!
And there we all went and I was glad to finally get moving to build up some heat. And then we hit the first creek crossing at 50 yards; there was no avoiding getting your feet wet in this one. Following the creek was a nice, steep climb but it was short lived. The first mile or so the trail does a quick loop and comes back down a hill near the start/finish area before crossing a couple more creeks (there is a pattern here). At about 2 miles racers then follow the Corridor Trail about 6 miles to the base of Pilot Mountain. The Corridor Trail rolls up and down but the hills are short for the most part. The tread is nice, not too rocky but there are 4-5 more stream crossings. It was about 2-3 miles in when my right calve started tightening up like a cramp. It was strange because my calves have never cramped during training. At the 5 mile aid station(AS) I made a point to stock up on bananas and also refilled my water bottle with Gatorade. I had a handheld 22 oz water bottle which I drank and refilled 7 times during the race. The 5 mile point had taken about an hour which for me was a bit too fast so in the back of my mind I knew I needed to pull back my pace a bit. My goal was just to finish within the 7 hour cutoff.
Either the cramp went away or I forgot about it. I was talking with another runner who I would later meet whose name was Jim. Come to find out later, his wife Jade and my wife just happened to meet each other at the start and decided to hang out together and meet us at various road crossings during the race to cheer us on. Crazy! I don’t remember much about the conversation other than one item in particular concerning the course. The marathon runs out the Corridor trail, then around and up Pilot Mountain, back down the back side of the mountain on a different trail than it went up, then rejoins the same Corridor Trail back to the start/finish. The point where the course leaves the Corridor Trail to begin the climb at mile 8, I knew there would be the chance that the lead marathon runners may already be done and back around the mountain to this point (mile 19.5) by the time I was just getting there. It was a small mental hurdle to make it to that point and not see those lead runners (I hear the winning time was 3:05, insane). That was also the turn around for the half marathoners. We met many of the half marathoners on their way back already with several of the leaders showing some serious pain and intensity in their faces.
The climb up the mountain was intense, very rocky at points. I had previously trained on the course once before which made it a bit easier from a mental standpoint. I walked almost all of the uphill portion of it as did many of the runners around me. Passed a few guys while walking up, one was a soldier from Ft Bragg. I thanked him for protecting our country. As the trail approaches the summit parking lot, it steepens further with many high wood steps. To my surprise, Kristie and Jade were clapping and cheering me on at the summit parking lot AS (mile 12.5). After grabbing more bananas and Gatorade for the 3rd time, I headed for the summit knob. The trail wraps around the cliffs of the summit knob and then descends the Ledge Spring Trail which runs along the bottom of a cliff with many high rock steps to descend. The views from here are amazing! I then passed two older runners coming up the wrong way; I meant to say something to them but didn’t. For some reason my brain didn’t make the connection. And then there was the voice in my head telling me I was the new guy out here, I might very well be the one going the wrong way.
Continuing downhill on the Grindstone and Grassy Ridge Trails, they wrap around the north, then east, then south sides of the mountain. Mile 17.5 AS came along and my hamstrings were feeling sketchy but I had more pressing issues. An extended restroom break was necessary, costing me about 5 minutes but better than the alternative. More bananas and Gatorade. The next section I was really wondering if the hamstrings would cost me the finish. They felt overstretched at times and I wondered how far I could push them. I prayed that the Lord would help me finish the race and kept moving. I didn’t see any runners during this section except for four guys running together coming towards me running an extremely fast pace. They didn’t have race numbers on so I nodded to them and they said Good Job as they passed. I was later told these were the course sweepers making sure all the runners were okay along the trails. Nice.
Making it back to the mile 19.5 AS where the course rejoins the Corridor Trail, Kristie and Jade were there cheering me on. I was tired but couldn’t help but smile. More bananas and Gatorade along with a shot of Mountain Dew and M&M’s this time at the counsel of my wife. While I was there, Jim (Jade’s husband) came up and we were formally introduced. He was in and out of the AS in a blink, while I messed around – what can I say, I’m a rookie.
The next 6ish miles were running the Corridor Trail back – the one with all the stream crossings. I managed to run (a very loose use of “run”) most of the rest of this with the exception of a handful of steep climbs that were walks. Things were starting to run together in this section but my hamstrings weren’t bothering me quite as much and I knew I would finish. Last full AS at 22ish miles I loaded up on, yes, Gatorade and bananas but also threw down some salty potato chips. I believe those may have been the best chips I’ve ever ate. Passed a few guys while walking the uphills and exchanged some encouragements. Nearing the finish, the course leaves the trail and onto the dirt road we’d started on. Only a couple stream crossings left and I didn’t even bother to find the shallow parts. Plow right through kicking up water on my legs. Oh yea. I can see the finish line and I just keep my steady slow pace. My wife sees me and runs out to run the last 50 yards or so with me. About 5 hrs and 45 minutes, 26.2 miles was finished! Thank the Lord! It felt great; great to stop. I had a couple pieces of cold pizza, some pretzels, and a can of soda while chatting with Jim and Jade and a few other finishers. For the next little while we watched as others finished. Several runners were using this race as a training run for ultramarathons. I was impressed. They were saying how crazy I was for choosing this as my first marathon and now that it is over I can see that. There were several other first timers out there though so at least I wasn’t alone. I hobbled over to the car and my wife drove us home. Time to pick out the next race.
Aaron
Beginning in November 2010, I decided to begin training for my first marathon. Being an avid hiker, I wanted to choose a race held on trails. The race held at Pilot Mountain in February fit the bill and I had just enough time for a 16 week training schedule. Little did I realize this was not an ordinary marathon.
Several weeks prior to the race, I had built up to 19 miles on a couple of my long training runs. Most of these long runs were done on hilly trails at Morrow Mountain SP about an hour from home to try to mirror what I would face on race day. Then it was time to begin the taper – a 2-3 week period before the race of cutting back mileage for rest. During the taper though, I was very busy having two weeks of business trips to Pennsylvania and Texas. Not only is it hard to train while traveling, it is also hard to eat smart. Consequently during the last two weeks before the race, I had several nagging twinges and pains in my knees and feet. A week before the race the training plan called for an easy 8 miles, but I bagged it about halfway in due to the aches and pains and not wanting to do anything to keep me from race day. The next six days I decided to not run at all even though the schedule called for 3 easy runs of about 3-5 miles. I hoped it would help.
Race day rolled around and I felt about as good as I could hope. My wife Kristie was my driver and cheerleader for the day as we drove the 1.5 hrs to the race site. There were about 83 signed up for the full marathon and another 130 or so for the half-marathon. It was a chilly start somewhere in the 30’s but the sun was out. I was shivering before the race – probably from the cold and the nerves. Many runners were jogging or stretching. Being a relatively new runner I wasn’t sure what to do but I sure wasn’t going to go jogging and add any mileage to my day before the race! As the 9am start approached the race director said a few words while all the runners gathered around casually. I made sure I was standing out of the way near the back. Then out of nowhere we hear GO!!!
And there we all went and I was glad to finally get moving to build up some heat. And then we hit the first creek crossing at 50 yards; there was no avoiding getting your feet wet in this one. Following the creek was a nice, steep climb but it was short lived. The first mile or so the trail does a quick loop and comes back down a hill near the start/finish area before crossing a couple more creeks (there is a pattern here). At about 2 miles racers then follow the Corridor Trail about 6 miles to the base of Pilot Mountain. The Corridor Trail rolls up and down but the hills are short for the most part. The tread is nice, not too rocky but there are 4-5 more stream crossings. It was about 2-3 miles in when my right calve started tightening up like a cramp. It was strange because my calves have never cramped during training. At the 5 mile aid station(AS) I made a point to stock up on bananas and also refilled my water bottle with Gatorade. I had a handheld 22 oz water bottle which I drank and refilled 7 times during the race. The 5 mile point had taken about an hour which for me was a bit too fast so in the back of my mind I knew I needed to pull back my pace a bit. My goal was just to finish within the 7 hour cutoff.
Either the cramp went away or I forgot about it. I was talking with another runner who I would later meet whose name was Jim. Come to find out later, his wife Jade and my wife just happened to meet each other at the start and decided to hang out together and meet us at various road crossings during the race to cheer us on. Crazy! I don’t remember much about the conversation other than one item in particular concerning the course. The marathon runs out the Corridor trail, then around and up Pilot Mountain, back down the back side of the mountain on a different trail than it went up, then rejoins the same Corridor Trail back to the start/finish. The point where the course leaves the Corridor Trail to begin the climb at mile 8, I knew there would be the chance that the lead marathon runners may already be done and back around the mountain to this point (mile 19.5) by the time I was just getting there. It was a small mental hurdle to make it to that point and not see those lead runners (I hear the winning time was 3:05, insane). That was also the turn around for the half marathoners. We met many of the half marathoners on their way back already with several of the leaders showing some serious pain and intensity in their faces.
The climb up the mountain was intense, very rocky at points. I had previously trained on the course once before which made it a bit easier from a mental standpoint. I walked almost all of the uphill portion of it as did many of the runners around me. Passed a few guys while walking up, one was a soldier from Ft Bragg. I thanked him for protecting our country. As the trail approaches the summit parking lot, it steepens further with many high wood steps. To my surprise, Kristie and Jade were clapping and cheering me on at the summit parking lot AS (mile 12.5). After grabbing more bananas and Gatorade for the 3rd time, I headed for the summit knob. The trail wraps around the cliffs of the summit knob and then descends the Ledge Spring Trail which runs along the bottom of a cliff with many high rock steps to descend. The views from here are amazing! I then passed two older runners coming up the wrong way; I meant to say something to them but didn’t. For some reason my brain didn’t make the connection. And then there was the voice in my head telling me I was the new guy out here, I might very well be the one going the wrong way.
Continuing downhill on the Grindstone and Grassy Ridge Trails, they wrap around the north, then east, then south sides of the mountain. Mile 17.5 AS came along and my hamstrings were feeling sketchy but I had more pressing issues. An extended restroom break was necessary, costing me about 5 minutes but better than the alternative. More bananas and Gatorade. The next section I was really wondering if the hamstrings would cost me the finish. They felt overstretched at times and I wondered how far I could push them. I prayed that the Lord would help me finish the race and kept moving. I didn’t see any runners during this section except for four guys running together coming towards me running an extremely fast pace. They didn’t have race numbers on so I nodded to them and they said Good Job as they passed. I was later told these were the course sweepers making sure all the runners were okay along the trails. Nice.
Making it back to the mile 19.5 AS where the course rejoins the Corridor Trail, Kristie and Jade were there cheering me on. I was tired but couldn’t help but smile. More bananas and Gatorade along with a shot of Mountain Dew and M&M’s this time at the counsel of my wife. While I was there, Jim (Jade’s husband) came up and we were formally introduced. He was in and out of the AS in a blink, while I messed around – what can I say, I’m a rookie.
The next 6ish miles were running the Corridor Trail back – the one with all the stream crossings. I managed to run (a very loose use of “run”) most of the rest of this with the exception of a handful of steep climbs that were walks. Things were starting to run together in this section but my hamstrings weren’t bothering me quite as much and I knew I would finish. Last full AS at 22ish miles I loaded up on, yes, Gatorade and bananas but also threw down some salty potato chips. I believe those may have been the best chips I’ve ever ate. Passed a few guys while walking the uphills and exchanged some encouragements. Nearing the finish, the course leaves the trail and onto the dirt road we’d started on. Only a couple stream crossings left and I didn’t even bother to find the shallow parts. Plow right through kicking up water on my legs. Oh yea. I can see the finish line and I just keep my steady slow pace. My wife sees me and runs out to run the last 50 yards or so with me. About 5 hrs and 45 minutes, 26.2 miles was finished! Thank the Lord! It felt great; great to stop. I had a couple pieces of cold pizza, some pretzels, and a can of soda while chatting with Jim and Jade and a few other finishers. For the next little while we watched as others finished. Several runners were using this race as a training run for ultramarathons. I was impressed. They were saying how crazy I was for choosing this as my first marathon and now that it is over I can see that. There were several other first timers out there though so at least I wasn’t alone. I hobbled over to the car and my wife drove us home. Time to pick out the next race.
Aaron
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Here We Go Steelers!
Recently I had to help my daughter with a project for school. She had to make a timeline of her life. Obviously she needed help with her early years but it was a fun exercise. The timeline of my life is littered with the love of the Pittsburgh Steelers and their accomplishments (and occasional failures). I’ve been a Steelers fan for my entire life. My dad is from Altoona, Pennsylvania and in Western PA the Steelers are closer to a religion than just a football team to root for on Sundays. My parents have a picture of me as a toddler with a “My First Steelers Shirt” on. Like most people I have vivid memories throughout my life of various different things, when I got married, when my daughter was born, when I graduated, or when a loved one died. I also have a lot of vivid memories that pertain specifically to the Pittsburgh Steelers. I remember being very sick and struggling to stay awake on a bunch of medicine to watch my first Steelers playoff game in 1989. I remember taking my brother to a game in 2005, watching the Steelers win the Super Bowl that year, and having my mother buy my daughter a Steelers cheerleader outfit. I’ve had numerous conversations with various family members that started off as an “obligatory family update” and quickly turned into a long conversation about the Steelers.
During the Steelers playoff run before Super Bowl 30 my girlfriend (who is now my wife of almost 13 years) was irritated that our ‘date’ that week (we were in separate schools and I had a full time while in college so our time was limited) was a Steelers game. Most of my family and a bunch of our friends were over at my parents’ house to watch the Steelers destroy the Buffalo Bills and Julie was visibly displeased at my choice for our date. My mother told her “don’t make him choose between you and the Steelers, he’s loved the Steelers a lot longer than he’s known you.” It was good to get the priorities of the relationship out there in the open at the start. We’ve been together for over 16 years and she does her best to not get in the way of the Steelers. I do my best take out of the trash, the compromises you make being married.
My favorite Steelers memory is taking my mother to the season opening game in 2006 to see the Steelers play the Miami Dolphins. My mother grew up in Miami and grew up a Dolphins fan. Marrying someone from Western PA means that your team is now secondary to the Steelers but she still liked the Dolphins a lot. The 2006 season opened for the Steelers on as the Super Bowl champions customarily open the regular season on Thursday. It was a great experience; there was a concert beforehand, fireworks after and a great game in between. Before the game we also go to see Jerome Bettis help unveil the 5th Super Bowl banner. It was a bittersweet experience because on that trip mom told me that was sick and not going to get better. Regardless of the bad news it was amazing to see the Steelers game with my mom and then eat at Primanti Bros. the next day waiting for our flight home.
Mom always taught me to be myself and like millions of other people worldwide being a sports fan is part of who I am. Sports are the ultimate reality TV, the events aren’t scripted and the outcome frequently makes you go “oh man, that was great”. Other Steelers fans don’t care what my race, religion, age, or anything like that, the fans care that I love the Steelers and dislike the rest of the AFC North. That’s it. I’m friends with people who outside of our mutual love of the Steelers we have nothing in common. Yet we’ve grown to be good friends outside of just the Steelers. It doesn’t matter if you’re rooting for the NFL, MLB, NASCAR, or your local high school football team; being a fan is just fun.
Obviously I had hoped to have a better memory from this past Sunday but that’s part of why the NFL is great; a six-seed team lead by a quarterback who was passed over by many teams in need of a QB wins the Super Bowl and is positioned to have a championship team for a years to come. If a movie was written that way the movie studios would reject as too impossible for the audience to believe.
Next weekend if you’re a fan of Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. or any of the other drivers in the Daytona 500 make sure you show your fandom. If NASCAR isn’t your thing then and you want to wait for Opening Day in April to root for your MLB team or next September to root for your NFL that’s fine as well. Just make sure you do so with pride, show your colors and have a great time while doing rooting for your favorite team, driver or athlete.
Trevor McGregor
During the Steelers playoff run before Super Bowl 30 my girlfriend (who is now my wife of almost 13 years) was irritated that our ‘date’ that week (we were in separate schools and I had a full time while in college so our time was limited) was a Steelers game. Most of my family and a bunch of our friends were over at my parents’ house to watch the Steelers destroy the Buffalo Bills and Julie was visibly displeased at my choice for our date. My mother told her “don’t make him choose between you and the Steelers, he’s loved the Steelers a lot longer than he’s known you.” It was good to get the priorities of the relationship out there in the open at the start. We’ve been together for over 16 years and she does her best to not get in the way of the Steelers. I do my best take out of the trash, the compromises you make being married.
My favorite Steelers memory is taking my mother to the season opening game in 2006 to see the Steelers play the Miami Dolphins. My mother grew up in Miami and grew up a Dolphins fan. Marrying someone from Western PA means that your team is now secondary to the Steelers but she still liked the Dolphins a lot. The 2006 season opened for the Steelers on as the Super Bowl champions customarily open the regular season on Thursday. It was a great experience; there was a concert beforehand, fireworks after and a great game in between. Before the game we also go to see Jerome Bettis help unveil the 5th Super Bowl banner. It was a bittersweet experience because on that trip mom told me that was sick and not going to get better. Regardless of the bad news it was amazing to see the Steelers game with my mom and then eat at Primanti Bros. the next day waiting for our flight home.
Mom always taught me to be myself and like millions of other people worldwide being a sports fan is part of who I am. Sports are the ultimate reality TV, the events aren’t scripted and the outcome frequently makes you go “oh man, that was great”. Other Steelers fans don’t care what my race, religion, age, or anything like that, the fans care that I love the Steelers and dislike the rest of the AFC North. That’s it. I’m friends with people who outside of our mutual love of the Steelers we have nothing in common. Yet we’ve grown to be good friends outside of just the Steelers. It doesn’t matter if you’re rooting for the NFL, MLB, NASCAR, or your local high school football team; being a fan is just fun.
Obviously I had hoped to have a better memory from this past Sunday but that’s part of why the NFL is great; a six-seed team lead by a quarterback who was passed over by many teams in need of a QB wins the Super Bowl and is positioned to have a championship team for a years to come. If a movie was written that way the movie studios would reject as too impossible for the audience to believe.
Next weekend if you’re a fan of Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. or any of the other drivers in the Daytona 500 make sure you show your fandom. If NASCAR isn’t your thing then and you want to wait for Opening Day in April to root for your MLB team or next September to root for your NFL that’s fine as well. Just make sure you do so with pride, show your colors and have a great time while doing rooting for your favorite team, driver or athlete.
Trevor McGregor
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Listen, Sympathize and Care…
The more I work in Customer Relations at Press Pass and answer telephone calls from people everyday the more interesting it becomes. I always anticipate what will be on the other end of the phone call – will it be pleasant, will it be an angry customer or a happy customer? Most people would dread answering the phone when it rings and hesitate picking it up. But actually, some days I look forward to it and look forward to helping that person in hopes that they will be satisfied at the end of the call. You can usually tell what the conversation will be like, within their first few words, and in the tone of their voice. The customer can also tell what type of mood the customer relations people are in too; just by the way we answer the phone call or talk to them.
I always try and answer the phone with a smile or at least an upbeat voice.
It’s interesting to know how many different personalities there are out there, dealing with NASCAR trading cards and die-cast each day. I sometimes wonder how many are really into the collecting of our trading cards and how many years they have done so. It’s kind of like making new friends or relationships that will continue for years with Press Pass - which is important to our company. So it’s important for me to sympathize, listen and care about what they have to say. It always works better than getting upset or frustrated or answering the phone like you’re having a bad day.
I’m learning that trading card redemptions are a big deal for some who are avid collectors - and not so much for others. Most just want some results for their card or money spent, while others want that specific card and nothing else! It’s nice to know that on most occasions, I can finish the call and know that the person is satisfied and happy. It is rewarding to me that I have left our customer feeling good, and that their issue or problem has been solved to their satisfaction. I enjoy being a member of our Press Pass Customer Relations Department. Hum, what will tomorrow hold? Who will I have the pleasure of speaking with? Will it be you?
Have a great day!
Lisa Shelby
I always try and answer the phone with a smile or at least an upbeat voice.
It’s interesting to know how many different personalities there are out there, dealing with NASCAR trading cards and die-cast each day. I sometimes wonder how many are really into the collecting of our trading cards and how many years they have done so. It’s kind of like making new friends or relationships that will continue for years with Press Pass - which is important to our company. So it’s important for me to sympathize, listen and care about what they have to say. It always works better than getting upset or frustrated or answering the phone like you’re having a bad day.
I’m learning that trading card redemptions are a big deal for some who are avid collectors - and not so much for others. Most just want some results for their card or money spent, while others want that specific card and nothing else! It’s nice to know that on most occasions, I can finish the call and know that the person is satisfied and happy. It is rewarding to me that I have left our customer feeling good, and that their issue or problem has been solved to their satisfaction. I enjoy being a member of our Press Pass Customer Relations Department. Hum, what will tomorrow hold? Who will I have the pleasure of speaking with? Will it be you?
Have a great day!
Lisa Shelby
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Field Fillers
It doesn’t matter if a race car driver has a day off. They won’t take it. Talk about stubborn! *smh* I’m beginning to see this first hand as my boyfriend Jonathan Lovero, aka my Love Muffins (ha) is a dirt track racer. They have to be CONSTANTLY doing something that revolves around speed. Whether its playing video games/simulators from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed or racing go karts on Sunday, the need for speed is something born only to a true race car driver.
It was at the suggestion of up and coming driver and 2011 Press Pass Undiscovered Elements participant Brandon McReynolds to come and check out the latest in local go-kart racing at Field Filler Fairgrounds in Concord, NC. Two Sundays ago, Johnny and I layered our clothes and braved the cold wintry conditions and attended the “JUSTIN BONSIGNORE MOTORSPORTS 51”, the first race in the 2011 year for FFC.
Televised by Weekend Warriors TV, crowds gather behind the Joie of Seating (owned and operated by two-time Busch Series champion, Randy LaJoie) headquarters to watch these karts battle it out. The karts get around this little bullring in about 6.6 seconds. Sponsored by NOS Energy Drink, Weekend Warriors TV and the Joie of Seating, the events at this track are growing more and more with the next race scheduled for Sunday, March 13th.
www.weekendwarriorstv.com/home/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Field-filler-Fairgrounds/151295604893003
It was at the suggestion of up and coming driver and 2011 Press Pass Undiscovered Elements participant Brandon McReynolds to come and check out the latest in local go-kart racing at Field Filler Fairgrounds in Concord, NC. Two Sundays ago, Johnny and I layered our clothes and braved the cold wintry conditions and attended the “JUSTIN BONSIGNORE MOTORSPORTS 51”, the first race in the 2011 year for FFC.
Televised by Weekend Warriors TV, crowds gather behind the Joie of Seating (owned and operated by two-time Busch Series champion, Randy LaJoie) headquarters to watch these karts battle it out. The karts get around this little bullring in about 6.6 seconds. Sponsored by NOS Energy Drink, Weekend Warriors TV and the Joie of Seating, the events at this track are growing more and more with the next race scheduled for Sunday, March 13th.
www.weekendwarriorstv.com/home/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Field-filler-Fairgrounds/151295604893003
Tonya Clarkston
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Should you be online?
The trading card industry is fascinating. It’s one of the few industries left that is still resistant to the idea that change and new technology can make a business more efficient and effective. Granted, many advancements have made doing business more challenging, but I believe that’s because of how retailers and distributors are implementing these changes, not because the changes themselves are bad.
I have been asked more than once by people in the industry if they should be on the Internet. I have danced around the question in the past because of the negative implications of the question. However, if I were asked that today, I would answer yes. The key objective of any business is to reach its customers. If a big percentage of your customers are on the Internet, how can you justify not being there yourself? As a business, you have to make your decisions based on how you can make it easier for your customers to do business with you. Anything else is counterproductive.
Of course, the question of whether or not you should be on the Internet is driven by price. Early adopters in the trading card industry have made ripples because everything they do is driven by being the lowest cost option for customers. While this strategy can give a short-term bump to profits, over time it erodes both the product value (extremely important for everyone in the trading card industry) and the value your business provides to its customers.
By competing solely on price, you guarantee that your customer will look around before making a purchase. If they find a better deal elsewhere, they will buy elsewhere and you have lost a sale. However, if you look at the Internet and your overall business strategy as a way to build loyalty with your customers, you can go a long way toward ensuring that you keep the largest share of your customers’ trading card spending.
Everyone needs to take a hard look at their business and decide if they are doing everything they can to make their customers loyal to them. Are you talking to them on a regular basis? Are you tracking their preferences and what products they buy? Are you making sure it’s as easy as clicking a mouse to do business with you? All of these things are accomplished by an Internet presence. It doesn’t have to be sophisticated or fancy.
Just think about the companies you do business with. What do you like best? What do you not like? Take that information and apply it to your business. The trading card industry is definitely unique…running a customer-centric business is not.
I would challenge everyone in this industry to make their New Year’s resolution finding ways to make their businesses work harder for their customers instead of the other way around. The more you do for your customers, the more likely they are to resist spending their money elsewhere.
Terri Rehkop
I have been asked more than once by people in the industry if they should be on the Internet. I have danced around the question in the past because of the negative implications of the question. However, if I were asked that today, I would answer yes. The key objective of any business is to reach its customers. If a big percentage of your customers are on the Internet, how can you justify not being there yourself? As a business, you have to make your decisions based on how you can make it easier for your customers to do business with you. Anything else is counterproductive.
Of course, the question of whether or not you should be on the Internet is driven by price. Early adopters in the trading card industry have made ripples because everything they do is driven by being the lowest cost option for customers. While this strategy can give a short-term bump to profits, over time it erodes both the product value (extremely important for everyone in the trading card industry) and the value your business provides to its customers.
By competing solely on price, you guarantee that your customer will look around before making a purchase. If they find a better deal elsewhere, they will buy elsewhere and you have lost a sale. However, if you look at the Internet and your overall business strategy as a way to build loyalty with your customers, you can go a long way toward ensuring that you keep the largest share of your customers’ trading card spending.
Everyone needs to take a hard look at their business and decide if they are doing everything they can to make their customers loyal to them. Are you talking to them on a regular basis? Are you tracking their preferences and what products they buy? Are you making sure it’s as easy as clicking a mouse to do business with you? All of these things are accomplished by an Internet presence. It doesn’t have to be sophisticated or fancy.
Just think about the companies you do business with. What do you like best? What do you not like? Take that information and apply it to your business. The trading card industry is definitely unique…running a customer-centric business is not.
I would challenge everyone in this industry to make their New Year’s resolution finding ways to make their businesses work harder for their customers instead of the other way around. The more you do for your customers, the more likely they are to resist spending their money elsewhere.
Terri Rehkop
Friday, December 17, 2010
What Do I Have To Do To Get You People Like Me?!
Meet Jimmie Johnson, the best NASCAR driver in the world for the past five years. Is he really that good behind the wheel? Oh yeah. Is he a nice guy? He is indeed one of the nicest and most genuine guys in the sport. But when he’s introduced before the race, do fans go crazy over him? No.To many, it seems odd that Jimmie has not been as successful at capturing fans as he has been at capturing championships. Jimmie may have a lot to offer, but he’s missing something that keeps him from being a driver fans can really latch on to. Perhaps a trip to Oz is in order so that the wizard can give Jimmie what he’s missing: an imperfection.
Think back to the “good ol’ days” of NASCAR and you think about guys like the Intimidator, the Ironman, the Bandit, the Silver Fox, Jaws, and the King. Back then, drivers seemed more genuine and thus fans made connections with them. The drivers were regular people who had imperfections and weren’t afraid to show emotion on and off the track. Nowadays, drivers are “brand ambassadors” that are programmed to thank Chevy, smile, compliment their teammates, smile, and take a drink of Coca Cola (remember to turn the bottle so the logo is showing for those practicing at home). Fans aren’t ignorant, and they see through the charade, and I imagine that it only frustrates them as it does me. Stop talking like robots and tell us how you really feel before I change the channel back to Swamp People!
In the current crop of NASCAR drivers, only a handful of drivers break this mold. Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, and Kevin Harvick are three that come to mind, although Carl Edwards gets a nod for his creative sponsor plugs and occasional “choke hold”. You can hear signs of emotion from these drivers when they talk, and you see their tempers get the best of them on the track. Fans get this, and it is part of the reason Kyle’s fan base has grown so quickly. When someone cuts me off on the highway, I get mad and want to retaliate, although laws often prohibit this. When you see a driver do that in a race, it excites you because you understand his frustration.
Unfortunately for Jimmie he is just too perfect, and it’s hard for fans to relate. Jimmie is like that overachieving friend…the one who got his PhD and has a weekend house in the mountains before he turned 30. People that are “perfect” only make you feel bad about yourself, so we tend to avoid them. Think about your close friends. Are they ten times better than you at everything, or do you tend to surround yourself with people who have just as many faults as you? Being a fan works the same way. I like Carl because I get his sense of humor, I understand his rage, and he seems genuine.
In order for Jimmie to win over fans, I have decided to start a list of things he can do to prove he isn’t perfect:
- Arm-wrestle Joey Logano’s dad
- Start the tradition of doing a cartwheel after a victory
- Do his victory burnout before the race
- Thank Home Depot during post-race interview
- Pay people to vote him as the Most Popular Driver (similar to Dale Jr’s method of winning eight titles in a row)
- Divorce Chandra and propose to Danica
- Kidnap Carl Edwards baby
We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think Jimmie should do to win over some fans. We may even pick the best idea and send you a prize…wink, wink!
Jesse Leadbetter
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Playoffs!
The 2010 NASCAR recently ended with Jimmie Johnson winning his unprecedented fifth consecutive championship. This was a little different for Jimmie because on the final race he wasn't in the lead and had to come from behind to win. The Chase for the Cup was created to help give the NASCAR season a bit more excitement towards the of the season but this was the first time it achieved its goal. I like the idea of making a playoffs for NASCAR but personally I'd wish that NASCAR would make it even more of a playoff atmosphere.
NASCAR is having a bit of a ratings slump and it carried over into the Chase as well. The races for the Chase had less ratings that previous year and even less ratings that earlier races in the season. The ratings were down even with three different drivers having a legitimate chance to win the championship on the last race. This is just a weird phenomenon to me, in other sports the playoffs and championship games or tournaments get much higher ratings.
I think the solution lies in the differences between other sports and NASCAR. In other sports it is win or go home in the playoffs. In NASCAR if you qualify then you get to race any of the Chase races, even if you aren't in the Chase. Why not make an actual elimination-style playoffs. You take the top 16 drivers and the last seven races and make it a true playoff tournament. The two lowest finishing drivers get eliminated every week and then the final four race in the last race to see who is crowned champion. Don't worry about points, the best finish takes the trophy. You could even have a wild card type event leading up to the last seven races so you could have ten races in the Chase.
In my opinion this would get more people to watch the Chase and help get NASCAR back some of the its lost ratings. It would also make for some great television.
Trevor McGregor
NASCAR is having a bit of a ratings slump and it carried over into the Chase as well. The races for the Chase had less ratings that previous year and even less ratings that earlier races in the season. The ratings were down even with three different drivers having a legitimate chance to win the championship on the last race. This is just a weird phenomenon to me, in other sports the playoffs and championship games or tournaments get much higher ratings.
I think the solution lies in the differences between other sports and NASCAR. In other sports it is win or go home in the playoffs. In NASCAR if you qualify then you get to race any of the Chase races, even if you aren't in the Chase. Why not make an actual elimination-style playoffs. You take the top 16 drivers and the last seven races and make it a true playoff tournament. The two lowest finishing drivers get eliminated every week and then the final four race in the last race to see who is crowned champion. Don't worry about points, the best finish takes the trophy. You could even have a wild card type event leading up to the last seven races so you could have ten races in the Chase.
In my opinion this would get more people to watch the Chase and help get NASCAR back some of the its lost ratings. It would also make for some great television.
Trevor McGregor
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
One Race To Go!
Well folks, it’s down to one races and three drivers. With the excitement of the beef between Gordon and Burton two weekends ago in Texas, (Did you guys see the brawl? It was AWWWWE-SOME!) and the excitement in Phoenix fans are sure to tune into the Homestead events this weekend to see if Denny Hamlin holds onto the points lead or if Kevin Harvick or Jimmie Johnson can catch him.
Hamlin started off the year a little rough with him having to have knee surgery in April. Amazing everyone, Hamlin got in the car the next week and got his first win of the year two weeks later, all the while still nursing his knee back to health. Quite a feat I have to give him the credit for. Not quite sure I could’ve handled 250 laps with a “peg leg” that’s for sure.
Needless to say it’s going to be an interesting last race! Can the young overtake the old-er? Can Jimmie and the #48 crew do the unthinkable and take back the lead to win consecutive championship number five? A feat that’s never been done once in the history of NASCAR? Or will a quiet third place Harvick step up and capture the title? I for one will be glued to the TV watching to find out.
Tonya Clarkston
Hamlin started off the year a little rough with him having to have knee surgery in April. Amazing everyone, Hamlin got in the car the next week and got his first win of the year two weeks later, all the while still nursing his knee back to health. Quite a feat I have to give him the credit for. Not quite sure I could’ve handled 250 laps with a “peg leg” that’s for sure.
Needless to say it’s going to be an interesting last race! Can the young overtake the old-er? Can Jimmie and the #48 crew do the unthinkable and take back the lead to win consecutive championship number five? A feat that’s never been done once in the history of NASCAR? Or will a quiet third place Harvick step up and capture the title? I for one will be glued to the TV watching to find out.
Tonya Clarkston
Monday, November 8, 2010
Life After Five...
Let me start off by saying this is not going to be your typical Press Pass blog about trading cards, die-cast or NASCAR racing, I have worked for Press Pass Inc. for about 12 years and have moved through the entire office working in all departments except the Art Department and trust me you don’t want me to go there! I am now located in the Customer Relations department and look forward to excelling there and making my knowledge stronger with this business.
With that said, I do enjoy my work at Press Pass Inc. although my greatest passion is animals. After a long busy day I exit the Press Pass building and head north on I-77 towards Lake Norman where I reside and I retire to taking care of my 2 dogs and cat Macy, Biff and my adopted dog Major whom I rescued from a neighbor from being PTS! Major was severely abused at the young age of 2 or 3 by a mean male person, so he has issues with certain men but loves women. Since I have adopted him he has changed so much and has become a great companion. His only flaw is that he is terrified of thunderstorms! During one storm back this summer he ran out of the house and down my neighborhood street. I looked for hours for him and just knew he was gone. I continued to call out his name over and over again and finally heard his cry coming from a home under their deck, he was so afraid he would not come out! So the homeowner allowed me to go under their deck and coax him out, it took a lot of time and reassurance on my part but he finally jumped in my arms like he was holding on for dear life. That’s when I knew I made the right decision to take him in.
Along with my animals I also care for pets working my second job “Pet Sitting”. When I got into pet sitting it was something I thought I would like to do in my spare time (what little I have) and boy have I loved it so far. I have been at it for almost 2 years now working week nights and weekends for clients that are on vacation or just have another occasion to be away from home. It is really rewarding to visit the pets at their homes or stay over night with them and make sure they are well and happy for the hour or night I am with them each visit.
Most of them are really glad to see you when you arrive, just to see someone, anyone since their masters are gone away. Its fun and relaxing for me because you get the calmness and unconditional love from these pets no matter what kind of day you are having and no matter how many times you have to poke them with medication or injections for what ever they may need it for. I have found myself on occasion saying I will feel a lot better about whatever is bothering me that day or night once I visit “Cody, Maddie, Roxie, Tinkerbell or any of the other 114 pets I care for regularly. They have become like my step children and I find you can have the greatest love for those little fur babies and miss them when its time to leave that visit, but knowing you will be back the next day, night or in a few weeks gives me a good feeling.
The pet sitting is not limited to just dogs and cats, I also care for a 40-50 pound pot belly pig named Daisy, who has finally warmed up to me and stopped charging at me when I let her out of her luxury room to go outside and an African Grey bird named Pickles that recites to me the “Meow” sound of the owners cat Spooky! The first time I heard that bird say “Meow” and “here kitty kitty” I thought someone else was in the home. I have had so many laughs and fun times with this part-time job to fill my spare time.
So there you have it my life outside of Press Pass trading cards! It keeps me busy and sometimes when I don’t want to be busy but I love it and knowing those little ones need the care of someone when they are home alone!
Lisa Shelby
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Five Star Autographs
I’m not a writer by any means. I don’t blog, I rarely tweet; it just isn’t something I do often. Funny for someone whose job is opening her big mouth everyday and communicating with people to get cards approved huh? Give TC a pencil to draw- I’m good for hours. Give TC a pencil to write – not only is the paper in front of me blank but so is my mind. Don’t ask me to write copy, EVER! That’s like asking Kyle Busch to quit whining, it’s never going happen! Because I love our PP peeps SO much, I’m going to take a stab at this thing called blogging and tell all you out there what I’ve been up to for the past month.
I’m sure you’ve all heard and are SO excited about the upcoming release of our Five Star product. Who isn’t right?! I know I am! Timing has been everything with this product. With the sport deep within the Chase and the year almost over, most of our drivers’ schedules are bombarded with public appearances and 2011 photoshoots. Not the most perfect timing to request an autograph session that’s for sho! Thankfully we have great licensors that we work with in the industry who’ve made it happen for us to get these special cards signed in time for the product release in November. What would we do without our licensors?!
Didn’t mean it hasn’t taken any sweat or tears on the PP side of things though…the tears, you’ll have to ask Jesse (NASCAR Product Manager) about. ;) Jesse and I have both worn the soles off of our shoes traveling around getting cards signed. We’ve been all over the South, as far as Daytona, FL and Palmetto, SC to smaller towns like Randleman and Kernersville, NC meeting up with drivers. I would still be lost in some small country town in South Carolina if it hadn’t been for my Garmin.
As a true follower of the sport since I was a wee one, I’ve had opportunities to sit down with some of the best ever in the sport the past few weeks. Something not many people can say they’ve had the chance to do or will ever do. Something I can’t wait to talk to my own chitlins/grand chitlins about. I’ve met up with Legends like Richard Petty, The Silver Fox, Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough to current Legends like Kevin Harvick and Danica Patrick. Yes I got to meet Danica Patrick! You can freak out now. I’ll give you a minute to calm down. ;) And yes, she’s as short as you think she is and a real fireball.
Most sessions have taken anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour to do. During this time, amongst the rumbles and grumbles of everyday shop talk, I’ve chit chatted about everything from the emergence of the Dodge Charger and Ford Mustang into the sport down to what local store serves the best hot dogs. If you’re ever in Charlotte for the race, Richard Petty highly recommends the dogs at Celebrity Hotdogs in Concord. Their walls hold as many autographs as our products do! And he’s right. The dogs are pretty dang good.
But I wouldn’t change all the hectic, chaotic work that has went into the project for anything! I grew up watching these guys fight it out on the track for years. Some of them were watched fighting it out off the track. But they are who have made this sport what it is today and with that said I am honored and very privileged to have worked with them all.
Peace and chicken grease my PP peeps,
Tonya Clarkston
I’m sure you’ve all heard and are SO excited about the upcoming release of our Five Star product. Who isn’t right?! I know I am! Timing has been everything with this product. With the sport deep within the Chase and the year almost over, most of our drivers’ schedules are bombarded with public appearances and 2011 photoshoots. Not the most perfect timing to request an autograph session that’s for sho! Thankfully we have great licensors that we work with in the industry who’ve made it happen for us to get these special cards signed in time for the product release in November. What would we do without our licensors?!
Didn’t mean it hasn’t taken any sweat or tears on the PP side of things though…the tears, you’ll have to ask Jesse (NASCAR Product Manager) about. ;) Jesse and I have both worn the soles off of our shoes traveling around getting cards signed. We’ve been all over the South, as far as Daytona, FL and Palmetto, SC to smaller towns like Randleman and Kernersville, NC meeting up with drivers. I would still be lost in some small country town in South Carolina if it hadn’t been for my Garmin.
As a true follower of the sport since I was a wee one, I’ve had opportunities to sit down with some of the best ever in the sport the past few weeks. Something not many people can say they’ve had the chance to do or will ever do. Something I can’t wait to talk to my own chitlins/grand chitlins about. I’ve met up with Legends like Richard Petty, The Silver Fox, Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough to current Legends like Kevin Harvick and Danica Patrick. Yes I got to meet Danica Patrick! You can freak out now. I’ll give you a minute to calm down. ;) And yes, she’s as short as you think she is and a real fireball.
Most sessions have taken anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour to do. During this time, amongst the rumbles and grumbles of everyday shop talk, I’ve chit chatted about everything from the emergence of the Dodge Charger and Ford Mustang into the sport down to what local store serves the best hot dogs. If you’re ever in Charlotte for the race, Richard Petty highly recommends the dogs at Celebrity Hotdogs in Concord. Their walls hold as many autographs as our products do! And he’s right. The dogs are pretty dang good.
But I wouldn’t change all the hectic, chaotic work that has went into the project for anything! I grew up watching these guys fight it out on the track for years. Some of them were watched fighting it out off the track. But they are who have made this sport what it is today and with that said I am honored and very privileged to have worked with them all.
Peace and chicken grease my PP peeps,
Tonya Clarkston
Monday, November 1, 2010
Fall Spectacular
Aaah, fall. After 90 plus summer days of temperatures above 90 degrees, this is a long awaited time of year. This is my favorite time of the year – it’s brisk, cool and with that comes more energy and a desire to be outdoors.
I had a short time this weekend to experience up close and personal – a different kind of sport - Hot Air Balloons.
The first Hot Air Balloon flight was on June 5th, 1783 in Annonay, France by the Montgolfier brothers. (Did they play golf too?)
Fast forward 227 years . . . . . . .
My hometown hosted the 37th Annual Carolina Balloon Fest on Oct. 22 – 24, 2010. The National Balloon Rally got its start in 1974 at Aerial Ascensions in Statesville, NC. The owner at that time - invited Balloon Works customers from across the US to come to Statesville for a week of camping, flying and telling ballooning tales.
In 1978, the facility moved near Love Valley, NC – and thus began the week-long gathering of balloon enthusiasts, and local spectators. Curious about love Valley? Take a peek: http://www.townoflovevalley.com/
Anyway, late Friday afternoon I took a short ride up I-40 West, and like all the other cars around, in front, and in back of me – I had to pull over. There were 37 of the most awesome, and beautiful balloons – drifting right over the Interstate. More were coming! Some were low enough you could talk to Balloonist in the basket. What a color spectacular!!! What a breath taking experience.
If you’ve ever been to a Balloon Rally, you know what I mean – and it can’t really be described in words. It’s an experience. If you’ve never been to one – you just have no idea what you are missing. (Don’t think because you’ve seen “a” hot air balloon in the distance somewhere that you have an idea of what it’s all about. You don’t)
The next few Rally’s will be the Taos Mountain Balloon Rally 10/29 – 10/31 in Taos, New Mexico; Ballunar Liftoff Festival 10/29 – 10/31 Houston Texas; and Balloons Over Anderson 11/5 – 11/7 in Anderson, SC.
If these aren’t close to you, you can check the following site, and look up the schedule to hopefully find one near you:
www.festivals-and-shows.com/hot-air-balloon-festivals.html
You never know – you might find a new sport to watch.
Debbie Smith
I had a short time this weekend to experience up close and personal – a different kind of sport - Hot Air Balloons.
The first Hot Air Balloon flight was on June 5th, 1783 in Annonay, France by the Montgolfier brothers. (Did they play golf too?)
Fast forward 227 years . . . . . . .
My hometown hosted the 37th Annual Carolina Balloon Fest on Oct. 22 – 24, 2010. The National Balloon Rally got its start in 1974 at Aerial Ascensions in Statesville, NC. The owner at that time - invited Balloon Works customers from across the US to come to Statesville for a week of camping, flying and telling ballooning tales.
In 1978, the facility moved near Love Valley, NC – and thus began the week-long gathering of balloon enthusiasts, and local spectators. Curious about love Valley? Take a peek: http://www.townoflovevalley.com/
Anyway, late Friday afternoon I took a short ride up I-40 West, and like all the other cars around, in front, and in back of me – I had to pull over. There were 37 of the most awesome, and beautiful balloons – drifting right over the Interstate. More were coming! Some were low enough you could talk to Balloonist in the basket. What a color spectacular!!! What a breath taking experience.
If you’ve ever been to a Balloon Rally, you know what I mean – and it can’t really be described in words. It’s an experience. If you’ve never been to one – you just have no idea what you are missing. (Don’t think because you’ve seen “a” hot air balloon in the distance somewhere that you have an idea of what it’s all about. You don’t)
The next few Rally’s will be the Taos Mountain Balloon Rally 10/29 – 10/31 in Taos, New Mexico; Ballunar Liftoff Festival 10/29 – 10/31 Houston Texas; and Balloons Over Anderson 11/5 – 11/7 in Anderson, SC.
If these aren’t close to you, you can check the following site, and look up the schedule to hopefully find one near you:
www.festivals-and-shows.com/hot-air-balloon-festivals.html
You never know – you might find a new sport to watch.
Debbie Smith
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
You Never Know...
I grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. Raleigh is the home of North Carolina State University and is the capital city of North Carolina. Athletes and coaches like Bill Cowher, Lou Holtz, Phillip Rivers, David Thompson and Jim Valvano have made their way through N.C. State. But Raleigh has also turned out some other celebrities as well. Emily Proctor (who currently stars in CSI Miami) and Sharon Lawrence (former NYPD star) are also from my hometown.
But two of the funniest people around today lived a few houses away from me. David and Amy Sedaris grew up a rock’s throw from my front door. Their older sister Lisa was my family’s babysitter. Never heard of them? Google the two of them and you’ll discover that they are both major celebrities. Amy pops up on David Letterman’s show with regularity and David is a staple on NPR. Both are playwriters.
My parents still live in the house I grew up in. Lou Sedaris (Amy and David’s Dad) still lives in the house they grew up in so our parents are still friends. Dad and Mr. Sedaris both worked together for years for IBM.
So what’s my point here? To let you know I know the Sedaris siblings? Nope…growing up I can honestly say I never in my wildest dreams would have predicted that either of them would become famous people. They just seemed like the rest of us kids. Okay that may not quite be the truth (Amy in particular was always very dramatic) but there wasn’t something that just cried out “a star is born.”
We all walk through live surrounded by extraordinary people (we ourselves may be extraordinary.) Extraordinary can be demonstrated in a number of ways but its meaning is obvious. Whether it is a famous doctor, actor or athlete they all come from somewhere. Perhaps the next Justin Bieber is hanging out at your local Mall…
I’m currently reading David’s latest book Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: a Modest Bestiary and that’s what prompted this blog. Every time I see Amy cracking up David Letterman I wonder when did it happen? When did she discover that she had “it”? Because when we were kids she was just a neighborhood kid like the rest of us. But read one of David’s books and you’ll wonder how in the world I did not notice that he was a bit different than the rest of us!
DJ Kazmierczak
But two of the funniest people around today lived a few houses away from me. David and Amy Sedaris grew up a rock’s throw from my front door. Their older sister Lisa was my family’s babysitter. Never heard of them? Google the two of them and you’ll discover that they are both major celebrities. Amy pops up on David Letterman’s show with regularity and David is a staple on NPR. Both are playwriters.
My parents still live in the house I grew up in. Lou Sedaris (Amy and David’s Dad) still lives in the house they grew up in so our parents are still friends. Dad and Mr. Sedaris both worked together for years for IBM.
So what’s my point here? To let you know I know the Sedaris siblings? Nope…growing up I can honestly say I never in my wildest dreams would have predicted that either of them would become famous people. They just seemed like the rest of us kids. Okay that may not quite be the truth (Amy in particular was always very dramatic) but there wasn’t something that just cried out “a star is born.”
We all walk through live surrounded by extraordinary people (we ourselves may be extraordinary.) Extraordinary can be demonstrated in a number of ways but its meaning is obvious. Whether it is a famous doctor, actor or athlete they all come from somewhere. Perhaps the next Justin Bieber is hanging out at your local Mall…
I’m currently reading David’s latest book Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: a Modest Bestiary and that’s what prompted this blog. Every time I see Amy cracking up David Letterman I wonder when did it happen? When did she discover that she had “it”? Because when we were kids she was just a neighborhood kid like the rest of us. But read one of David’s books and you’ll wonder how in the world I did not notice that he was a bit different than the rest of us!
DJ Kazmierczak
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
My Sports Life
I love this time of year. It’s absolutely insane – for some reason life heats up to a crazy pace on October 1, but it’s worth it. Not only is does the weather improve (although I admit that I am not looking forward to the cold winter temps), but fall is the apex of the sports year.
I love sports. Not all of them equally, but I will watch just about anything on TV. It’s amazing too, when you consider the recent and not-too-recent track records of some of my favorite teams. I’ve been a Royals fan ever since I went to college – I’m dating myself, but it was 1985 and the Royals were at their peak. It’s been a long painful slide since then.
My two NFL teams are the Carolina Panthers and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are actually showing a glimmer of respectability this year, but it’s going to be a long cold winter in Charlotte.
The Charlotte Bobcats are (still) an expansion team – not much else to say about that.
I’ve had more luck with college sports…my beloved Jayhawks won the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship two years ago. They also won in ’88 when I was in college – it’s a feeling that is beyond description. The football team won the Orange Bowl in 2008. If you know anything about the history of football at Kansas, you know what an accomplishment that was. I’m not even going to talk about this year’s football team.
And then there’s NASCAR. It’s never been a sport that I followed or watched and when I started at Press Pass, I had to take a crash course in drivers, sponsors and fans. In my almost nine years here, I have come to appreciate, not just the skill and talent of the drivers, but the passion and enthusiasm of the fans. I believe that the people who buy our NASCAR trading cards are more than collectors – they are true fans of the sport and the drivers they follow.
I think that’s the best part about what we do. We help people who are already fans become even bigger fans of their sport. It’s why we have (sometimes) heated discussions in our office about who attends the National and other opportunities to talk to fans – it is an incredible feeling to find out how excited people are about the product we produce. It’s not an opportunity many companies have. Of course, the downside is when people are not happy about an experience with our product, but that is also part of the job. You listen, you learn and you make the next product better.
We love hearing from you. Keep the comments and thoughts coming – through phone calls, email, Facebook, etc. Good and bad, we want to hear from you.
Terri Rehkop
I love sports. Not all of them equally, but I will watch just about anything on TV. It’s amazing too, when you consider the recent and not-too-recent track records of some of my favorite teams. I’ve been a Royals fan ever since I went to college – I’m dating myself, but it was 1985 and the Royals were at their peak. It’s been a long painful slide since then.
My two NFL teams are the Carolina Panthers and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are actually showing a glimmer of respectability this year, but it’s going to be a long cold winter in Charlotte.
The Charlotte Bobcats are (still) an expansion team – not much else to say about that.
I’ve had more luck with college sports…my beloved Jayhawks won the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship two years ago. They also won in ’88 when I was in college – it’s a feeling that is beyond description. The football team won the Orange Bowl in 2008. If you know anything about the history of football at Kansas, you know what an accomplishment that was. I’m not even going to talk about this year’s football team.
And then there’s NASCAR. It’s never been a sport that I followed or watched and when I started at Press Pass, I had to take a crash course in drivers, sponsors and fans. In my almost nine years here, I have come to appreciate, not just the skill and talent of the drivers, but the passion and enthusiasm of the fans. I believe that the people who buy our NASCAR trading cards are more than collectors – they are true fans of the sport and the drivers they follow.
I think that’s the best part about what we do. We help people who are already fans become even bigger fans of their sport. It’s why we have (sometimes) heated discussions in our office about who attends the National and other opportunities to talk to fans – it is an incredible feeling to find out how excited people are about the product we produce. It’s not an opportunity many companies have. Of course, the downside is when people are not happy about an experience with our product, but that is also part of the job. You listen, you learn and you make the next product better.
We love hearing from you. Keep the comments and thoughts coming – through phone calls, email, Facebook, etc. Good and bad, we want to hear from you.
Terri Rehkop
Friday, October 8, 2010
Goodbye
I’m sure this will shock most of you but before I came to work here at Press Pass I didn’t even know that NASCAR Trading Cards existed. I know, I know, for most of you that doesn’t make sense because you’re so passionate about NASCAR Trading Cards. Even though I lived in Charlotte, which to some is the center of the NASCAR world, I was blind to almost all things NASCAR and that included NASCAR trading cards.
I never collected trading cards myself and I didn’t know much about the trading card industry in general. I quickly learned that my husband, my father, my brother in-law and pretty much all the men in my family had their share of old shoe boxes and notebooks filled with trading cards that they collected during their youth; which I thought was pretty cool. They each had their favorite card and stories about how they got it. Listening to them talk made me realize that working for a trading card company was going to be pretty cool.
I had originally thought that the trading card industry had gone the way of eight-track tapes and pet rocks. It wasn’t until I started researching Press Pass and trading cards that I realized how alive and active the trading card industry is today. I didn’t know about all the blogs, forums and v chat sites that were solely dedicated to trading cards. It was quite an eye-opening experience and helped get me really excited for my new job.
On my first day at Press Pass I was given a box of 2008 Speedway to open. I will be honest, it was the first time I’d ever busted wax before...and it was great. I loved the rush and the excitement of not knowing what I was going to pull. I marveled at the amazing design and how the cards seemed to grab your eye. I was jumping for joy (on the inside of course) when I pulled an autograph; a Greg Zipadelli autograph which I still have at my desk and I will take with me on my future endeavors. Again I will state I didn’t know anything about NASCAR, but just the fact that I pulled an autograph I thought that was awesome. When I was done opening the box I realized how lucky I was because I had been given a new experience. It was that joy and excitement that I tried to think of every time I talked to a collector. For the last two years I talked to a lot of collectors and have truly enjoyed getting to know them and help them with their collections.
There are a lot of things that I have gained from working at Press Pass, but one of biggest things that I’ve gained is a love trading cards.
Thank you Press Pass and the Press Pass collecting community for everything over the past two years, I will miss you!
Allison Ranson
I never collected trading cards myself and I didn’t know much about the trading card industry in general. I quickly learned that my husband, my father, my brother in-law and pretty much all the men in my family had their share of old shoe boxes and notebooks filled with trading cards that they collected during their youth; which I thought was pretty cool. They each had their favorite card and stories about how they got it. Listening to them talk made me realize that working for a trading card company was going to be pretty cool.
I had originally thought that the trading card industry had gone the way of eight-track tapes and pet rocks. It wasn’t until I started researching Press Pass and trading cards that I realized how alive and active the trading card industry is today. I didn’t know about all the blogs, forums and v chat sites that were solely dedicated to trading cards. It was quite an eye-opening experience and helped get me really excited for my new job.
On my first day at Press Pass I was given a box of 2008 Speedway to open. I will be honest, it was the first time I’d ever busted wax before...and it was great. I loved the rush and the excitement of not knowing what I was going to pull. I marveled at the amazing design and how the cards seemed to grab your eye. I was jumping for joy (on the inside of course) when I pulled an autograph; a Greg Zipadelli autograph which I still have at my desk and I will take with me on my future endeavors. Again I will state I didn’t know anything about NASCAR, but just the fact that I pulled an autograph I thought that was awesome. When I was done opening the box I realized how lucky I was because I had been given a new experience. It was that joy and excitement that I tried to think of every time I talked to a collector. For the last two years I talked to a lot of collectors and have truly enjoyed getting to know them and help them with their collections.
There are a lot of things that I have gained from working at Press Pass, but one of biggest things that I’ve gained is a love trading cards.
Thank you Press Pass and the Press Pass collecting community for everything over the past two years, I will miss you!
Allison Ranson
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Main Event Fight Nights
Press Pass set up the Main Event Fight Night to celebrate and promote the release of Main Event in September. I actually attended a few fight night events in the greater Chicago area. This was the fourth trip I’ve taken this year to visit stores in various parts of the country and it is easily my favorite part of my job.
I really enjoy the chance to get out and meet our fans. It is awesome to give out prizes to our fans while they’re opening packs looking for cards of their favorite driver or for a ‘hit’. I attended two Main Event Fight Nights, one at Matt’s Sports Cards in Joliet and one at Chicagoland Sportscards in Arlington Heights. Multiple rounds of prizes were given out at both locations for various criteria such as driver with the most wins or tallest driver (all based on the information on the cards you pulled in a pack).
Both events were well attended and I got to see multiple boxes of Main Event opened. I also visited a few other card stores in Indiana, Wisconsin, and in the greater Chicago area. Overall in four days I flew 1500 miles and drove another 750 miles to visit a total of seven stores in three states. I got to meet a few dozen fans NASCAR Trading Card fans.
This year I’ve also visited New Hampshire, Texas, California, and of course the National Sports Collectors Convention in Baltimore, Maryland. It was quite a fun year of meeting our great collectors throughout the country. Look for us to continue these trips in 2011.
I really enjoy the chance to get out and meet our fans. It is awesome to give out prizes to our fans while they’re opening packs looking for cards of their favorite driver or for a ‘hit’. I attended two Main Event Fight Nights, one at Matt’s Sports Cards in Joliet and one at Chicagoland Sportscards in Arlington Heights. Multiple rounds of prizes were given out at both locations for various criteria such as driver with the most wins or tallest driver (all based on the information on the cards you pulled in a pack).
Both events were well attended and I got to see multiple boxes of Main Event opened. I also visited a few other card stores in Indiana, Wisconsin, and in the greater Chicago area. Overall in four days I flew 1500 miles and drove another 750 miles to visit a total of seven stores in three states. I got to meet a few dozen fans NASCAR Trading Card fans.
This year I’ve also visited New Hampshire, Texas, California, and of course the National Sports Collectors Convention in Baltimore, Maryland. It was quite a fun year of meeting our great collectors throughout the country. Look for us to continue these trips in 2011.
Trevor McGregor
Here are some pictures from my trip to Chicago.
Friday, September 24, 2010
The NASCAR Trading Card Monopoly
We have a monopoly on the NASCAR trading card market. We have no competition. There isn’t another company making better NASCAR trading cards. If someone wants NASCAR trading cards, they have to buy our products. So we can just put the company on cruise control and churn out run-of-the-mill products, right? Wouldn’t that make our lives simpler?!Earlier in the year amidst all of the discussions about the pros and cons of exclusive agreements with leagues and trading card companies, several people echoed the concern that if a company doesn’t have competition, they have no incentive to be creative and come up with new ways to excite collectors. As a Product Manager for a company that essentially has a monopoly on the NASCAR trading card market, this statement struck a chord with me, and I constantly find myself thinking about all of the reasons why that statement is wrong…and here are a few of them.
Competitiveness – I hate losing. I have to win the race off the line when the red light turns green even though the car next to me has no idea we’re racing. The term “self-motivated” is seen on résumés a lot, and to me it means “paranoid”…paranoid that somewhere out there someone is doing my job better than I am. That paranoia drives me, and as a result I want my products to be perfect, and I want you to love them. I want each release to win some sort of “Best Product in the History of Trading Cards” award, though that has yet to happen. This competitive drive is shared among many others in the office, and it keeps us on our toes and motivates us to constantly improve our business.
Customer Focus - Over the past two years, we have spent a lot of time talking to customers on the phone, through email, in focus groups, and in hobby shops. We have asked you to give us feedback on what we’re doing right and what we need to improve on. Many of you have praised our company for our customer service, and it is this customer-centric approach to our business that helps us produce products that you enjoy collecting. By focusing on what the consumer wants, rather than what another company is doing helps ensure our customers stay happy.
The Press Pass Family – Nestled a few miles north of the Queen City, Press Pass occupies roughly half of one floor of a six-story office building. There are 18 of us: Kevin, Kevin, Terri, Terri, Kristen, Kirsten, Allison, Trevor, Debbie, Lisa, Tonya, Eric, Robert, Aaron, Nick, Tom, DJ, and Jesse. None of us owns a Mercedes. We all just have one home, and $2.50 Healthy Choice meals are the preferred lunch fare. We are a family of simple, honest, hard-working, happy-go-lucky people, and I’m proud to be a part of it.
Much like within a family, there is a bond between us that ties us all together. In fact, I see these people more than I see my own family. The members of this family are my incentive and motivation to produce good quality products. We all rely on each other to do our jobs and there is a sense of duty and accountability to make this company better than it was the year before. When the economy took a downturn a few years ago, I started thinking about my role in the company and how it affects everyone else. If I make a bad product, you don’t buy it. If you don’t buy it, people in my “family”, including me, may lose their job. That pressure motivates me to work harder and smarter.
Press Pass’ focus was never to become the exclusive manufacturer of NASCAR trading cards. We didn’t shell out millions of dollars to push other guys out of the sport. We didn’t undercut everyone’s prices to make them go away. We just built a business that people could rely on. We listen to our customers, and we make products that deliver value, excitement, and authenticity. Our products are our “kids”, and we love them all. However, rest assured that next year’s “kids” will be way better.
Jesse Leadbetter
Friday, September 10, 2010
“Playoffs? Playoffs!!?
As the NASCAR schedule continues with tomorrow night’s race in the smoking mecca of Richmond, it also signals the last race of the “regular season”. This is the last of the 26 races drivers can qualify for NASCAR’s version of the playoffs, “The Chase for the Cup”.
As you may recall NASCAR implemented “The Chase” back in ’04 to help drive excitement, intrigue and exposure during the end of professional sport’s longest season winds down during football season. It started with only 10 drivers qualifying for the postseason, but has since been expanded to 12 to increase the chances of popular drivers (i.e. Dale Jr.) making the field.
Personally I think 10 is the perfect number pun intended. Most lists are the “Top 10”, not 12 or 15. In college the number 10 works as The Big 10 conference has 11 teams, 12 next year, but they have kept the same moniker. X is cooler than XII, ten is easier to spell than twelve, most people have 10 toes and fingers, and, well you catch my drift.
While 12 seems a little high from a participation standpoint, it’s actually low when comparing playoffs against stick and ball sports.
With 43 drivers in the field for each race and let’s assume they are the same 43 for every race. For all intents and purposes, six to seven of the bottom 43 drivers are interchangeable. Can you tell the difference between J.J. Yeley and Michael McDowell? Using this math (12 out of 43), only 28% of drivers make the playoffs.
Consider the following sports:
• NBA: 16 out of 30 teams: 53.3%
• NHL: 16 out of 30 teams: 53.3%
• NFL: 12 out of 32 teams: 37.5%
• MLB: 8 out of 30 teams: 26.7%
Out of the so called four major sports, three (75%) have a higher qualifying percentage than NASCAR. NASCAR has floated the idea of expanding the field in future years and I for one hope it remains at 12 or decreases to the magic number of 10. I’m afraid if they expand the number, although making it closer to other sport’s participation %, it will dilute “The Chase” and will have Jim Mora proclaiming once again “Playoffs? Playoffs!!?
Kevin O’Neil
Thursday, September 9, 2010
A Football Fan from the Beginning
Let me start off by saying that I love sports – all sports. I grew up in the country, and playing sports on the weekends or watching them on network television (we didn’t have cable in my community when I was a kid) was the way you filled your time. I really didn’t have much of a preference, either; baseball and basketball were my favorites, but I also enjoyed football and soccer immensely.
When I was 10 years old, my dad took me on the 30-minute drive to Knoxville, TN, and I attended my first real football game at Neyland Stadium. I’d been to see the Pittsburgh Steelers play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a preseason game in the same stadium when I was 4, but that doesn’t really count. I was too young to know what was going on and it was only an exhibition.
That Saturday, everything changed for me. As much as I enjoyed watching and playing the other sports, the electricity of the crowd that day, coupled with the speed and power of the game, led to football becoming my favorite sport to watch going forward, hands down.
As I began to follow the sport more closely, I realized how important every game was in college if you were going to have a shot at the national title, or at least a New Year’s Day bowl game. We also landed cable shortly thereafter and I began to follow my Dad’s beloved Steelers more closely and recognized again how important each win was in terms of playoff and Super Bowl aspirations at the pro level.
On top of the impressive athletes and enormous collisions, the importance of each weekend’s game was incredibly appealing to me, and that was the issue that further separated football from the other sports – where any single game was inconsequential – in my eyes.
Fast forward to today, and nothing has changed for me. I go into a funk after the Super Bowl ends, realizing that while I still have basketball and hockey to watch and although baseball is about to crank up shortly thereafter, my weekends will have a huge void for the next seven months.
I geek out over the draft in April, watch OTAs with bated breath through May and June and become giddy when training camps kick off in late July. Still, there is nothing quite like the feeling I get in early September when football returns to dominate the sports landscape. I love waking up on the Saturday before Labor Day to watch Herbie, Corso and the rest of the “GameDay” crew dissect the weekend’s games and, if possible (like last weekend), I’ll head into Knoxville and watch my Vols roll some undeserving opponent in the greatest college stadium in the country.
That’s just the appetizer, though. When the NFL returns the second weekend of September, things really get going. I’ve already made plans to watch the Steelers this Sunday, even though I’ve got some trepidation about how they’re going to perform while Dennis Dixon is under center. Every game is so important that the team has to play well over the next month – while Big Ben Roethlisberger is sidelined – if they’re going to have a shot at the postseason.
Between the college games on Saturday and the pro games on Sunday, I find it difficult to get much done this time of year. Heck, I’m having a hard time sitting here writing this. I’m ready to head to the house and get things ready for the Vikings/Saints kickoff game tonight.
Between the college games on Saturday and the pro games on Sunday, I find it difficult to get much done this time of year. Heck, I’m having a hard time sitting here writing this. I’m ready to head to the house and get things ready for the Vikings/Saints kickoff game tonight.
That I have this much excitement and energy about a game featuring two teams in which I’m not emotionally invested just goes to show how passionate I am about this sport. It’s almost like . . . a sickness.
Yeah, a sickness! One that requires me to take the rest of the day off to, you know, “get better.”
Tailgating starts in 30 minutes. I’m outta here…
Nick Matijevich
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)