Friendly reminder.

[TheGriceBoys]

I may be wasting my time but please try and keep it fun here, at least more then it has been the past year or so. Right now it's getting around early to the monthly apex of whining and bickering about hockey cards.

The hobby needs to be progressive. Stagnant and monotonous does not work. That mantra has forced more out of the hobby than it has retained.

Change is good and needs to continue to happen. As we all know, not every single person will be happy, but the majority of collectors have to be satisfied for this business to be sustainable for UD, Leaf, etc.

Discussion and banter are good, it's healthy. The same tiresome rants are not, especially for those of us that have heard every rant on this board in the "new hockey card era" 2005-06 to current day. If you find yourself continually complaining about the same thing over and over either it isn't being heard, it's being ignored, it's not going to change, or you're insane. Ha, obviously kidding on the last one.

But seriously, at some point you need to realize screaming at the top of your lungs and plugging the same "cause" ain't gonna change it. So move on, let the hate go and the happy flow. If you can't find it, maybe this hobby is not for you anymore.

I love this site. I care about it's owner and the members very much, I have made some true friends here. H.I. a small, but powerful beacon shining into the sometimes dark hobby. At the end we have this site and each other and hopefully can realize how great that is, hockey cards aside.

As always dudes and dudettes, speak with your wallet and collect what you like. It's just THAT simple to finding happiness in this funny little hobby we partake in.

Enjoy your weekend. Cheers. :beer:

 

[tuukkatime]

So true!

The hobby was made for fun. While I agree that there are issues in the Hobby, I really believe we can all be proactive and positive about what we've got! Plus, where are you going to find a cooler bunch of people!!

 

[yzerberg]

thank you for taking the time to type out this reminder! right now is a really fun time for our hobby, only one product left for 15-16 and already 16-17 product coming out is actually exciting. McDavid and last year crop mixed with this years, double the fun??
Always around this time of year i look at what i accomplished during that year and decide what i still need or if there are any other wants that i need to add. missing people showing off what they have gathered into their collections.
i'm still having fun, i hope others are as well.

i just want to add, our hobby is what we make it. i've had to remind myself of that when stuff from life happens and i turn around and get negative in the hobby or towards the hobby. This will be fun as long as we want it to be, it's like everything else... it takes effort.

Again thx for the post!

Sean.

 

[creasecollector]

This is great, and such a well needed post. Thank you for writing this!

 

[gomaz]

Thanks Barrie. Appreciate the sentiment and agree that it would be nice to read about more positive type hobby issues. Like we have Expo coming up for those who go regularly or are coming for the first time. And its a great place to thoroughly enjoy our hobby with each other. If you are coming please do stop by my booth and say hello or introduce yourself. Trust me I am way scarier on these boards than I am in person.

Here's a random hobby related story I just got to experience - My girlfriend has two nephews, 10 and 12, who live in Montreal. They are her sister's kids. They are big hockey fans and Habs fans of course. I haven't yet met them but she went back home a few weekends ago and I sent her with a 400 count box of cards for each nephew with as many Habs cards as I could muster up and the odd jersey card stuck in there too. Once she was there I received a phone call from the boys to thank me but better than that was when she told me later that they couldn't stop talking about the cards and looking at them and then saying how cool I was for sending them the cards. Loved hearing that! When I do finally meet them, which will be right after Expo as I'm going to Montreal that week to meet more of her family, I will of course take them more cards and will already have a decent little rapport with the boys. And we are going to see the Panthers vs. Habs game on the Tuesday too which should be a lot of fun. Perhaps I have recruited two future card collectors to our hobby and one day maybe they will be contributing members here. And if not, at least I get to enjoy hearing about, and eventually seeing them, enjoy playing with some hockey cards.

 

[Mack]

What I love so much about this hobby and industry is the passion we have. Whether it is over what we collect, chatting about fantasy leagues, or the good and bad about companies. We all have a whale of a card or memorabilia that we are looking for. Or have a story of find those whales.

I love seeing and hearing about peoples great experiences in this great hobby.

 

[BigBarracuda]

Full on agree Barrie! This hobby is for everyone and anyone. Watching people enjoy the hobby in their own way is what keeps it special; and I hope all of us always keep that in mind.

:beer:

 

[notoriousrob101]

Thanks Barrie. Appreciate the sentiment and agree that it would be nice to read about more positive type hobby issues. Like we have Expo coming up for those who go regularly or are coming for the first time. And its a great place to thoroughly enjoy our hobby with each other. If you are coming please do stop by my booth and say hello or introduce yourself. Trust me I am way scarier on these boards than I am in person.

Here's a random hobby related story I just got to experience - My girlfriend has two nephews, 10 and 12, who live in Montreal. They are her sister's kids. They are big hockey fans and Habs fans of course. I haven't yet met them but she went back home a few weekends ago and I sent her with a 400 count box of cards for each nephew with as many Habs cards as I could muster up and the odd jersey card stuck in there too. Once she was there I received a phone call from the boys to thank me but better than that was when she told me later that they couldn't stop talking about the cards and looking at them and then saying how cool I was for sending them the cards. Loved hearing that! When I do finally meet them, which will be right after Expo as I'm going to Montreal that week to meet more of her family, I will of course take them more cards and will already have a decent little rapport with the boys. And we are going to see the Panthers vs. Habs game on the Tuesday too which should be a lot of fun. Perhaps I have recruited two future card collectors to our hobby and one day maybe they will be contributing members here. And if not, at least I get to enjoy hearing about, and eventually seeing them, enjoy playing with some hockey cards.

Lies. I saw girlfriend and stopped reading

 

[geschrocks33]

What I love so much about this hobby and industry is the passion we have. Whether it is over what we collect, chatting about fantasy leagues, or the good and bad about companies. We all have a whale of a card or memorabilia that we are looking for. Or have a story of find those whales.

I love seeing and hearing about peoples great experiences in this great hobby.

Pretty much nailed it right here.

The #1 thing that keeps me coming around is the people. I have made some awesome relationships in this hobby, whether I've met the people in person or not as I've only had the pleasure of meeting a few people face to face, I consider a lot of people on this site and in this hobby my friends. One member in this thread might have even received back seat chauffeur service to Tim Hortons once..... :laugh:

I enjoy a thread of someone picking up a white whale of their lesser known player PC 100 times more than I do seeing another McMuffin auto pulled. The Show & Tells, the stories, the passions for collections, and most importantly, the constant rotation this is the generosity that comes around here, 90% of which I'm sure goes unnoticed. The people are what makes this hobby so much fun. :dance:

Thanks for posting this B, sometimes we all need a little reminder. Stay positive folks. :beer:

 

[TheGriceBoys]

These are great stories and thoughts, good to see.

I am sure there are many more hoping others will share the POSITIVES. 650+ views, so you know people are seeing, hopefully more positive stuff coming.

It wasn't always easy for me to be positive as often as I liked. I'm as guilty as anyone of starting BS and also inflaming crap when I could have just stepped back and left it alone, but my pride and alpha genes got the better of me.

Despite ups and downs in this hobby, I've always tried to lend some teeny bit of insight or constructive thoughts to this site and help grow it and be a productive and useful member, help the hobby grow.

I don't post show and tells anymore and am very limited in my activity with regard to dealing or trading cards, those were actually becoming negatives for me, so I revamped things. I was able to still find happiness and enjoyment on this site in what I found to be most important to me: the friendships and banter.

I love to talk shop, it's fun seeing where we are at from 25 years ago when UD changed the landscape with a "premium" hockey card brand.

I enjoy talking about the sport in general. I enjoy seeing old faces still plugging away at their hobby goals and passions. I like seeing new faces who bring new blood and enthusiasm to the site. I enjoy seeing people blow it all up and start over anew, but still wanting to be involved the hobby. I love seeing people complete sets or find a "whale". I like hearing the personal stories and connections between board members through hobby dealings or personal connections. I love seeing people's kids grow up and become active in the hobby. I enjoy seeing the random acts of generosity between members. I like seeing the joy of someone hitting a big card. I like seeing people come back who said they would never touch the hobby again. I like seeing a card that means nothing to one person become a treasure to another. I love so many things about this hobby and site and I will continue to be here and hopefully enjoy it with as many of you as I can.

Thanks again to all of you who make it great here and here's to the start of anew NHL season tonight! Love is in the air! :laugh::dance::goal::beer:

 

[SNobles]

I do my best to stay positive in the hobby but it can be hard from time to time. All of the behind the scenes stuff that goes on between the companies, players, NHLPA, distributers etc can really drag you down if you let it (and I have let it from time to time).

Lately I have tried to just not post something if it cannot be somewhat positive or as Jeremy pointed out in another thread backed up with facts or knowledge.

I am still focused on the fun I had when I was 8 years old and opened my first box of Upper Deck and pulled both of the Patrick Roy cards in the set. I am excited to add a base card from the 90's if I don't have it.

I have met and dealt with a lot of great people via this hobby and this site especially so I am glad to see a thread like this. Thanks for the reminder Barrie.

Happy collecting everyone and enjoy the Expo, hope it is booming with all the craze around the Leafs this year!

 

[56Parkies]

Fantastic post and discussion. Can't really say it any better than Barrie and the rest have said, other than there is a great passion at this site, and even when I take a break from coming on here, I always find my way back because so many of you are top notch people, collectors and dare I say experts in the field in so many ways.

Thanks for starting this thread, and thanks to Gomaz for continuing to allow this place to exist so we have somewhere to come and share in our mutual love of the hobby. This thread should be required reading for everyone who logs on here!

 

[Captain Canuck]

Wait a minute... wait a minute!

Hold on.



This is supposed to be fun?

 

[TheGriceBoys]

116 posts about Mark and his Cup breaks with SO much negativity in the thread.:duh:

I'm bumping this to close out the New Year because a lot of you need a head check.

It's no wonder so many of he great ones in this hobby are leaving or are barely involved. It's not we don't have the financial means, it's because we don't want to waste our time and deal with all the infantile, high-school level pettiness.

GTFO! :|

Let's hear some more GOOD about this hobby and the boards. And GO! :beer:

 

[GabbyGuy]

What's good in the hobby is what is in the picture in your signature, Barrie. THE KIDS!!!

A friend gave my son Connor a box of 2016-17 Artifacts for Christmas. When he opened it, it had a 4-jersey card of the Oilers with Connor McDavid. Connor saw that, shouted "McDavid" and the smile alone was worth it. Get kids involved in the hobby...they'll love it. And if you don't, then it will get stagnant and die off. They are the hobby's future.

Peace...Love...Happy New Year!!!! :beer:

 

[cburt]

I totally hear people regarding the reality that sometimes or at times, that the negativity can really creep up on things in here and in certain threads. But overall I'd have to say that without question HI is a positive place with tons of great members and people who will have your back. I remember about eight years ago when I joined - I was among the many who joined the great Beckett boards exodus to flee which were some of the ridiculous policies that site was employing at the time - i.e. making people pay for trading, etc. But one of the realities I found with the Beckett boards, and there were also many great people there too, was the much higher than HI-level of trash talking and negativity that was there at that time. Some of that spilled over into HI a bit after the initial exodus, but eventually the initial negativity withered away. But even from the get-go I could see this was a much different place and a much better, collector friendly place. Sometimes one has to look back at a site like Beckett and their boards, to realize how good this site really is. "Donate. Donate. Donate!"

 

[711ofovertime]

Thanks for the reminder Barrie! Happy New Year to you and yours. Hoping 2017 is filled with great health and happiness for you all.

 

[webottew]

book'emdano posted a touching thread a year ago about donating cards to his local YMCA (Original Thread + Project Update). I had a few emails with Dan about the mechanics of his project and I followed his lead for this Christmas.

I chose my local Family & Children's Services of Waterloo Region. We started off with a 10 binder commitment of 15-16 UD Series 1 base sets to test the interest, with the possibility of creating more binders if there is a demand. When I dropped off the binders, I did not get a chance to talk to the coordinator that I had been corresponding with, but I did receive an email from her the following day. In her email, she provided this update:

We've already been in touch with our workers to get the card sets out to the hockey enthusiasts on their case loads before Christmas. You're definitely going to bring some smiles to faces this Holiday Season.

In our region, the coordinator told me she may be able to use the binders all year round, not just at Christmas. Reach out to your local charities and see if they can use any off your cards.

It does not appear he has logged on recently, but I want to pass along my "Thank you" to book'emdano for motivating me to do the same.

Happy New Year, all! Make it a good one. :beer:

 

[dalecasey]

This thread brought to mind something I wrote in my weekly sports column back in 2009:

I'm sure some of you can relate to losing a friend who shared your passion for collecting. Mike Canavan, known as navanac (his surname spelled backwards) on eBay, died last week.
I had just dropped off a stack of sports magazines to him in late January. He said, "Keep them coming. I enjoy reading them." Now here it is early March and he's gone.
Mike lived down the street in my old neighborhood. Six years ago, I was trying to track down all the McDonald's hockey card inserts for my son Aiden, who was eight at the time.
By the time Christmas eve arrived, I only needed three harder-to-pull inserts to complete the master set. Mike had just finished his set and said, "I'll give them to you for Aiden and you can put them in his stocking as a gift from Santa."
That's the type of guy Mike was.
He had a roomful of collectibles, joking "I have a little bit of everything and a whole lot of nothing."
In early 2005, when I first started selling on eBay, I didn't have a scanner, so Mike told me to come over anytime to use his. I did this for a few weeks (until I bought a scanner of my own). My number on eBay is 2,100 now and it all got started when Mike said 'You've got a lot of nice stuff there. You should try eBay.' "
I just thought I'd share this with you and pass on my sincere condolences to Mike's wife Nancy and the rest of the family. He'll be missed by all who knew him.

P.S. When Aiden opened his stocking and found those cards, he was thrilled and surprised: "I can't believe Santa knew these were the ones I needed!"