A rare sports report from me, right on the MONEY

I set out to a boxing event with one main objective: To get a photo op with Floyd "money" Mayweather. 

As you will see in this report, begging and pleading was instrumental in the events that took place. 

I arrive close to the spot and find some free parking that is good for 2 hours. Since it wasn't metered parking I could even get away with parking a little longer. A good start to what would be an ordeal. 

I sat through the horrid event which bore me to death. Then finally the best part came. It ended. The action starts. It was announced that my reason for coming to this (ie Floyd Mayweather) was going to sign autographs. So I fight my way into the crowd, crushing people and being crushed. At one point me and some others were apparently playing a role in crushing a little girl, who was crying. 

I finally get to the point where they were handing items to Floyd Mayweather to sign. I manage to get two boxing gloves done. So far so good. But I still wanted that photo op. I tried to fight my way and plead my case to his guards but they were like "we're doing autographs not photo ops" and shoved me away. I then quickly exit the building to take my chances outside. 

Later on while waiting outside I would later hear he eventually did photo ops  But on to what happened outside. 

It starts with Canelo. He enters his car and does autographs. I had no more gloves sadly enough so no autographs for me. But I begged for the photo op to no avail as the security guard pushed me away. Later on he did more autographs through the other car window. Then a girl went up to his window asking for a photo op. He opened the window, THAT was my second chance. After a lot of begging and pleading he agrees to the photo op! I score my first photo op! Not a minute after I score that photo op, Oscar De La Hoya is rushing to his car. Some graphers get him and security shoves them away, while that is happening I loudly plead for a photo op and he agrees to it while security surprisingly doesn't harass me (I assume cause he was busy harassing others). It was a little strange to say the least. Without intense pleading this photo op would not have happened. 

Now while two photo ops from two apparently major boxers and two autographs from Floyd Mayweather is hardly a bust, I still didn't consider this "mission accomplished" cause a Floyd photo op was the main reason I got out of bed to suffer through all this. So the waiting game continues. And it is boiling hot and sweat is dripping from my face. 

Sadly when he finally does come out there are tons of people, tons of security, and even police! All signs point to a bust  Even as I try to approach I'm getting yelled at! Floyd's two cars then leave. On foot I then run to the next spot where one of his bodyguards opens the window of his car mocking me saying I'll never get it. Once I approach Floyd's car I take a page out of the many NYC graphers that I saw in action. I used my face and body to beg and plead like a motherfucker. And showcasing the camera indicating that I want a photo op. The first time he just raises his fist to me in acknowledgement  But I do not quit, I persist! The second time HE LOWERS DOWN HIS WINDOW  I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! There was one other guy present and he gets the photo op. Then I go next I take a shot and he goes "take another in case this didn't come out". By all reports he's a nice guy but I guess the unruly crowd can affect even the nicest. As other graphers saw what was happening they rushed to get an autograph. But he doesn't signal anyone to approach his car as his bodyguard yells from another car saying he wants the guy's ebay ID to see how much he gets for the autographs. I had my Wrestlemania 25 blu ray on hand just in case he did end up signing. The other grapher was begging for an autograph but I ceased begging at that point since I had already gotten what I really wanted and then some. Though in case he told us to come over I was ready. He did not and just drove off. 

Back to my car where I exceeded my 2 hour limit of free parking but had no ticket! 

Begging/pleading may not always work, but sometimes it is the difference between total failure and total success, and this round is a good example of that. If I could change one thing I guess it would be having stuff for Canelo to sign but I didn't think about it since he wasn't my main objective (in the case of Oscar it was either photo op or autograph no way I could have swung both). But I can't complain with how everything turned out, especially since I almost got no Floyd photo op. Lots of suffering, sweating, running, begging, pleading, shoving, pushing, getting yelled at, but in the end it all paid off. 

Floyd Mayweather photo op

Floyd Mayweather autographs

Full list of photo ops

Possibly the greatest meet of 2013 right here!

No rest for the weary as shortly after Legends of the Ring weekend I embark on a mission to meet a huge legendary name that is a known jerk: James Cameron! 

I was very uneasy about going for this name cause I've heard nothing but horror stories from him. But as big as he is, he's gotta be worth a try.


I got the info a day before, and he was doing 3 different things that day. I gathered up my items, I drove closer to the city the night before, and I set to get up very early to start this mission (and I so hate getting up early). 

I go to where the first event is, but with the info I have I could not find it. 

Tried even asking some security guards about it, but apparently I was the first they'd heard of the event 

Since the event was close to ending, I decided to cut my losses on this one and go to the second event. As I would later find out he would do nothing for no one at the first event so no loss there. 

Now I see him outside the second event and I ask him for a photo op. He simply tells me to come to the event. I quickly reply "ok" and back off. This wasn't a direct shoot down, and the room where the event was wasn't big. So we were still far from the "begging" stage, cause at this point it would just hurt my chances, not help it. 

I sit through about an hour of his event, which made me a little nervous cause my car's parking was on a time limit. It was free 2 hour parking although in that type of spot I've stretched to 3-4 hours and never got a ticket. 

Finally his event ends and then I go up to him. He goes "you've been waiting a while" and takes a picture with me!

I also got him on a laserdisc of the first Terminator movie and a Terminator 2 exoskeleton action figure! Besides me there was only one other grapher but he did photo op with anyone there who asked. 

As he left in the hallway, he was back to his normal self and did nothing for no one. 

Additionally, his wife was with him and I remembered that his wife was an actress. So I got a photo op. She was nice as can be. I then left and didn't bother with the third even.

I went back to the car, and I thankfully got no parking ticket, despite stretching the rules.

According to wikipedia, and I quote

Highest-grossing films^[10]

Rank	Title	Worldwide gross	Year	Ref
1	Avatar	$2,782,275,172	2009	[# 1]
2	Titanic	$2,185,372,302	1997	[# 2]
3	The Avengers	$1,511,757,910	2012	[# 3]

With the addition of James Cameron, I have photo ops with the directors of the top 3 highest grossing movie of all times. 

James Cameron photo op

James Cameron autographs

Full list of photos

Yet another NYC round plus Legends of the Ring

A few days after Wizard World and the sour NYC round, we gear up for yet another round of combo hunting A few things made me decide to undertake the trek. Joresky and one other guy wanted to go for it. I wanted to get a Jonathan Coachman photo op and correct a mistake I made a few years back (when I was mostly about autos). He was after all an integral part of the attitude era so having no Coach photo op was a black mark in my wrestling collection. And I also wanted to add another major Back to the Future character to my collection: Crispin Glover AKA George McFly. He was doing two book signings that weekend and from what Joresky told me photo ops are pretty much guaranteed with him. Plus some other celebs I wanted to get (and the fact that we may get tips for celebs while there). 

The Friday before LOTR we arrive in NYC and it is pounding rain. Probably more rain than I ever saw. So it made perfect sense to do an indoor event. We arrive at the museum and according to security we cannot go downstairs to the book signing cause it's closed  Considering I wanted to get Crispin Glover and I had other plans for Saturday night when it won't be raining, this was something I did not want to worry about the next day. Sitting through his films, attending the Q&A, etc would cost me a lot of combos! So no George McFly Friday night was just not acceptable to me, regardless of security's wishes. 

Joresky decided to go to McDonalds while I just sat down 10 minutes, gathered my thoughts, and began to think how I could do things. I tried to find a glitch in the mannerisms of security, in the setup of the building, praying to the mooching Gods, basically something! Then I realized people were going up to the restaurant in the top floor. So I ask if I could go to the restaurant and they say yes. Instead I go to the theater where the book signing is taking place. YES! VICTORY WAS MINE!  To add to the sweetness of the victory, admission to the museum is $20 and the charge to see his movie was $15. So that's $35 I did not have to spend. That plus the fact that we could not get in, I essentially orchestrated a pretty damn good mooch  Thank you oh mooching Gods. I did pay for the book though as a way to guarantee me a spot in the book signing and in case anyone says anything I can wave the book in their faces and say I paid money. I choose the book that looks the nicest (which was tough given these books) and by sheer coincidence, of the three books that were on sale I picked the one with Swastikas in it 

Now there was another problem. My phone had no reception and Joresky was not here. But I wasn't about to leave the area and jeopardize my spot. Thankfully someone lent me his phone and I managed to text Joresky and another friend on how to get here. Told them exactly how to do it, and bam! Here they were. Joresky also bought a book.

Sadly the sweeping victory came with a disappointment. Glover himself was sporting a stupid beard ruining his George McFly look 

As is the case many times, gotta take what you can get in the world of combo hunting.

The line was moving slow as he was taking his time with everyone. We finally get to him and he asks us to line our items on the table and knock out the photo ops. We each get a photo op. Then I get my items done. I had the book and two 8x10s. I ask just for his name and character on my George McFly 8x10 but he says he signs it a certain way to avoid fakes. I didn't care to argue with him. Now with Joresky he wanted to get his poster out of there, and this really upset Glover. Most celebrities are normally happy to be doing less, not so in this case. 

He said he was going to do a nice thing and sign his poster and Joresky was rude for taking it away after asking him to sign it. He said he found it weird that he wouldn't want his item signed in a very personal way and with info about his film event. And that Joresky treated him like an object named George McFly and not as a person. Eventually Joresky gives in and lets him sign his poster. He says he wants to do nasty things to his poster but he won't. 

During this whole thing, I was just enthralled gazing upon them with this face  as I simply could not believe all I was seeing and hearing. 

After this mind blowing conversation we then left the same way we came in so security would think we did in fact go where we said we were going. Now back in the rain. 

We get a good tip for a movie shoot featuring Eric Bana (Bruce Banner in the 2003 Hulk movie, Star Trek reboot) and Joel McHale (Ted). Sadly it was still raining BUT we knew someone that got him earlier in the day and it was raining just as bad. So apparently he is nice. It made sense to wait despite the rain. We stayed under an awning so we were somewhat dry. 

Now the location of the filming really was a  neighborhood. So I did not want to park my car where I could not see it. I parked it illegally across the street. I figured better to risk a parking ticket than risk a break in. We were four and one of us had already met everyone on this set so I placed him in the driver seat to minimize our chances of a ticket. He of course was sleeping while we were waiting in the rain. As it turned out the NYPD passed my car like 3 times during the course of the evening and no one cared. 

At one point while we were waiting a  began acting like movie security asking what we were doing here. I just said we're hanging around. He asked if we were with the movie crew and according to him, and I quote, we "don't look like we're from these parts" and we were being suspicious. I don't know if he was actual movie set security or just a random guy being a smart ass but these are the type of people they normally hire to play security for movie sets. He even threatens to call the cops and of course I tell him to go ahead and call them. Most people would be so afraid if someone threatened to call the police but not me. I just say to bring it on because I know better. He moved along and I wondered if he was going to report us to the movie crew, but we would not hear from him again. 

A few hours later it stopped raining and shortly after Eric Bana shows up. Sadly he blows us off for photo ops and says he can't right now  But a few minutes later he comes out of his trailer and does photo ops  Next up we see Joel McHale walking down and he was very nice and does photo ops as well!

At this point it was super late and we were super tiered. So we head out to the Legends of the Ring hotel. Sadly our socks were wet so we needed some dry socks before napping. We found a CVS and painfully bought a pack of 3 socks for $8 (when you can buy a dozen or more for that price at Walmart and Target). But I did not feel like wasting an hour finding a Walmart or Target and I needed sleep and dry socks. Me and Joresky split the cost of those socks. We then parked by the LOTR hotel and got some much needed sleep. Luckily I could sleep for some time because I did not need very many people (and needed nobody from the first superticket block). It was a long and grueling night in the rain, but overall well worth it as I got 3 first time photo ops. 

After that evening I got every living Bruce Banner in some form:

Eric Bana (photo op)

Edward Norton (autograph)

Mark Ruffalo (photo op)

As for as actual Hulks go there is only one and that is Lou Ferrigno as the rest are CGI'd.
I wake up and it's now time for LOTR. My want list for LOTR was very small. Basically 911 from the vendor line up, and Coach from the superticket line up. It's truly a wonderful feeling. So most of the time I could just BS with everyone and say hello to everyone. Conventions are actually stress free when you don't need any combos. I got a photo op with 911 and he did awesome chokeslam photo ops. Most people are all smilies in their pictures but I actually acted like I was in distress while being chokeslammed. While I didn't need Edge I went in the Edge room with another friend who did need him. He bought the $250 VIP ticket. While I didn't get any autographs or photo ops with Edge, I did actually mooch some face time with him. He was very cool and talkative. Then when the time came I took my friend's photo op. After Edge I went to the second superticket block for Coach. He was very cool and talkative with people and I got a combo. Had  him sign my WWE_E V1. 

After LOTR we had to Carteret, NJ for a Chinese Buffet. For $8 I was able to feast like a king and it tasted and felt so good, especially after I had eaten nothing during the day or the night before. After stuffing myself it was back to the city for more meets. 

We go to a spot where we hope to see Berenice Marlohe from Skyfall. The 3 members of my crew decide they want to go to a Starbucks to drink some water and use the bathroom. I on the other hand decide to stay right where I am. While they are all gone I spot Anton Yelchin (I had just googled him 2 minutes before to see how he looks like) and I score a photo op! That marks my second actor who played Kyle Reese, as I already met Michael Biehn. I see Olivia Thirlby but she does nothing. I don't really care as I got her twice already. When Joresky and my other friend arrive the movie crew guy fends us off and rushes the stars away. But personally I can't complain as I already got my score. 

Now there were other bigger things I could have tried after that, but I chose to set my sights where the odds of success are one step short of a paid convention or signing. Namely, a good spot with two ultra friendly celebrities, Jenna Fischer and Leslie Bibb. I already met Leslie Bibb before but never got Jenna. And I had 8x10s for them to sign. They were both as nice as can be. I got a combo from each plus an extra from each, and I also got a Josh Hamilton photo op. Though my Leslie photo op is actually a downgrade as she was wearing a stupid hat. We see Jesse Eisenberg randomly but I already had him so I let my friend who did not have him get the photo op. We then rush to another spot to get Michael Cerveris and John Glover but unfortunately we missed them by minutes. We did get Stephen Kunken though. 

However, these misses were made up by an unexpected surprise. We saw actress Holland Taylor (The Truman Show, Legally Blonde, Two and a Half Men, among others). She was overly ultra nice making sure she stood in front of a nice background and making sure we all got good photo ops. When holding my camera she even asked ME if I wanted a photo op before I got a chance to ask her. How refreshingly nice! 

While nothing that I would call epic or extravagant this time, all in all this round tasted so damn good especially after the bitter failure that was the last round after Wizard World. 

Eric Bana

Crispin Glover

Anton Yelchin

Jenna Fischer

Holland Taylor

The Coach

Full list of photo ops

Crispin Glover autographs

An instance of the Swastika in the book

Coach autograph

Jenna and Leslie autographs

Post Wizard World NYC round

After Wizard World it was time to head to the city for some meets. Sadly, despite some successes this round would end up as an overall failure (though 90% of which was not our fault). 

We tried a spot but it already let out as traffic was against us coming into the city. We try another spot where we see Meg Ryan and John Cougar Mellencamp together. Sadly they blew us all off, although I already have Mellencamp so that one was no loss to me. We see Will Arnett but notice him too late  So the first evening was a total bust. We go to sleep and hope for better things the next day. 

The morning starts off with Alyssa Milano. The last time I got her she was pregnant and had short hair. So I wanted to try for non-pregnant long haired Alyssa Milano. Despite a sizable crowd she was accommodating and I got a photo op without even having a good railing spot (as I wanted to get a bit of much needed sleep). That photo op was a nice thing to get, but I already had her so nothing extravagant  Though it was cool getting two Charmed actresses within a two day span. 

Next up we try for legendary book author Stephen King. Sadly no one ever saw him (not even dealers) and no one knew how he went in and out. Another bust! 

At this point is was pounding heavy rain. So we go into a hotel and mooch a free breakfast  which felt awesome and fulfilling. 

After this we decide to try for a big one, one that would have made everything worthwhile. Meagan Fox at the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set. 

We arrive and they were still shooting. We meet the actors portraying the four turtles. Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, Noel Fisher and Alan Ritchson. Two were first time meets. So a good start. They were being all chatty and BS-ing with us. We even got a background that will be a setting in the movie. They also insisted we get that in the background for better photo ops! Sadly that would be the end of the good at this spot. Despite playing our cards right, security being cool with us, the movie crew being cool with us, the Turtles being cool with us, Meagan was a cold hearted bitch blowing the three of us off multiple times. 

While it hurt on so many fronts, what really hurt the most about this whole ordeal was not the fact that we wasted 7h on her as failure is definitely possible doing these things, nor was it the fact that we had to forego an all but guaranteed Neil Patrick Harris spot and another shot at Stephen King as this is also the nature of the beast, it was the fact that we know multiple people who have had success in getting that Meagan Fox before us. Yet here we were basking in failure. Whilst pretty damn awesome getting the two remaining Turtles I didn't have (and all four in a background of a setting in the movie), they are likely going to be at every con come 2014. 

We then go to the next spot, but it was totally blown. We leave this spot figuring nothing good can come out of it, but in hindsight that was a bad move cause some people did get some stuff. At the next spot we would see some success, most notably actress Teresa Palmer. 

Kate Upton does show up but is her usual unfriendly self. When she leaves that spot I make an alliance with a known NYC dealer/ebayer. Some have called him the top dealer in NYC. Basically he took me to the next spot where Kate Upton was at. In exchange I would try to get him an auto (that he would pay me some cash for if I got it) and I have a shot at the photo op. Sounded like a fair arrangement to me. The next spot as it turned out was a strip club of sorts. Kate Upton's handler said she would sign on the way out. 

While there the bouncer would get all threatening with me and the dealer, threatening to punch us while the dealer threatened to call the police. Technically we were on the sidewalk so we were not in the wrong, and we did stay away from the door of the club. After a heated exchange we were across the street but we would approach if someone was there. I got the dealer one autograph of a model that I got a photo op with at the previous spot. Then when Kate Upton came out the handler said she would take stuff in the car, but again this was a no go and Kate did nothing for no one. The dealer was not deterred and went to her hotel, where again she did nothing. I was dropped back to the original spot where my car was parked, the dealer thanked me for helping him, and this ended the trek. 

While we did not leave empty handed, for the total time, work, and effort we dedicated to this whole thing, I would declare it a failure that was cushioned by the guarantees we had at Wizard World. 

Alyssa Milano

Teresa Palmer 

Jeremy Howard (Donatello‎)

Alan Ritchson (Raphael)

Noel Fisher and Pete Ploszek (Michelangelo and Leonardo)

Full list of photo ops

While on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set we saw lots of foot soldiers running about (ie extras). They were actually carrying guns this time! Sadly they weren't allowed to do photo ops in costume but one of them got friendly with me and requested I take a photo of him doing a backflip (doesn't show his face). I also emailed him the photo. 

Wizard World Philly Report June 2013

It was beginning June, and I pick up Joresky on Sunday to start our journey to Wizard World Philly, a con I seem to attend every year (and one of the very few I do attend). Before the journey started I had one autograph out of it. Joresky picked me up a Jack O'Halloran autograph at the con he attended (Non in Superman 1 &2). I figured for $5 you can't really go wrong. In all other cons who but the ECW Zombie ever charges $5. This way if he dies tomorrow I would at least have something over nothing. 

We arrive at Philadelphia Convention Center and find free parking. A good start. I paid a discounted price for admission as I was hooked up with a vendor pass from a friend. So some money saved right there. 

Sadly for the con itself the mooching Gods would show us very little mercy. Not to say they abandoned us though. For example I only had to bite the bullet for two of the so called "professional" photo ops and one was a very rare splitted mooch (more details on that later). Let us begin.    

The first celebrity meet is Brandon Routh. I elect to get a combo (and to save a lot of money the only autograph I would obtain at Wizard World Philly this year). Despite attempts to mooch a photo op, they were vigorous in checking. So that was a fail. This marked my second actor that played Superman. 

Next up is Lauren Holly from Dumb and Dumber. When we came up to her she was on the phone and told us to wait a minute. Really  in a paid setting we're supposed to wait? WTF?? But it wasn't a waste cause we got free energy drinks! Got a photo op with her. 

Sadly I had to get a dreaded "pro" photo op in Holly Marie Combs from charmed, somebody I missed multiple times in the past. Also got a free photo op with Michael Golden who is the co creator of X-Men character Rogue. From what I could see we were the only ones that asked for photo ops and he was more than accommodating. I also got photo ops with Shawn and Aaron Ashmore. Shawn (who played Iceman) was somebody I missed out on at NYCC last year, so it was good to get a photo op with him. I got Aaron just because he didn't cost much and he's the identical twin of Shawn. So it's a fun novelty.

Me and Joresky decided to split a "pro only" Charisma Carpenter photo op (Cordelia from Buffy and Angel). When we got up to her she wanted BOTH of us on one side. My reaction was this face  Why would anyone want people to stand on one side and not the other? Makes no sense. Luckily in a paid setting you can easily stomp you foot and say that is unacceptable. Joresky asked if he could buy his own separate op but then Charisma said that she would "buy it" and gave us separate photo ops  Essentially making this a splitted mooch because we split but got individual ops! 

The final meet for this event was Summer Glau, who I know best as Cameron from Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles. She had tons of people in line for her, and each buying like 3-4 autos at $40 an item! Me and Joresky decided to split the photo op. 

After Wizard World we headed to NYC for more meets. 

Holly Marie Combs

Charisma Carpenter

Brandon Routh

Shawn Ashmore

Summer Glau

Full list of photo ops

Autographs