Given that, I need to find alternate methods to get what I seek. So I began looking for flights for people I was interested in. I found everyone I wanted except for Joe Namath. So I decided on a good approach for CSA show. Try to get a table op by finding someone with multiple autographs, and if that doesn't work go to the airport.
Day 1
I had a flight for Michael Irvin, who was in the movie The Longest Yard. I was debating whether to venture for this as it didn't seem too worthwhile. But Bobby McFerrin, known for his hit "Don't Worry, Be Happy" was in town. Sadly the venue is iffy (I've heard stories of them kicking people off the property for waiting) and he is not known to be the nicest guy. However, I then discovered where Bobby was staying. Now I had reliable Irvin info and reliable-ish Bobby info. I decided to go out.
First stop is Irvin and there like like 7 sports collectors. He shows up people beg for autos but he denies saying he has a contract. He went in the elevator. When people cleared away to intercept him at the next floor I pleaded that I had nothing to get signed and wanted the photo op. He said I could get the photo op. He has hat and shades but you can make out it's him. So I'm not too worried about it.
Next up I meet up with another combo hunter at the Bobby spot. We wait and we are afraid that he wouldn't come back after his show, but by all evidence he was supposed to come back. And indeed he did. First the other hunter went for the op and Bobby began to quiz him asking for his name and his occupation. He then goes "some other time" but upon more pleading he agrees to photo ops. Good thing I didn't print for him because I don't think autographs would have happened.
I was going home, happy with a successful evening, then receive a call from markedout's adelta informing him that he scored Tom Selleck at an event (I knew of the event but Tom wasn't an announced guest)! This basically put a HUGE damper on me. I wanted to have a nice stress free day with CSA show after a successful evening, but now I had to go for Tom!
Michael Irvin
Bobby McFerrin
Day 2
Me and another combo hunter wait at check out for Tom Selleck. While waiting we score Reba McEntire. At this point the hotel manager (I assume he was some kind of manager) decided to be a real dick saying we need to get off the property. When Reba went out of hotel property I asked her for an auto and he tried to actually stop me but she told him it's ok.
He threatened me with arrest, probably hoping that it would drive me away. He waited next to me on the sidewalk and after a few minutes he began calling on a walkie for someone to call police. He made sure to do this within my ear range. I told him he could call who he wants I don't even have to speak to them because I broke no law. He goes "do whatever you want" and I respond "I will do whatever I want"
So a black woman in uniform is here. Not sure if she was full fledged police. She had a gun and badge but she may have been a traffic or metro police. I am not sure. I tell her my first name and say that this is all she will get from me. There is also a hotel guard (NOT a police of any kind) waiting. I even tried to stand somewhere else and they were trying to tell me this part is hotel property. That was bull shit because 1) there was a sewer cover and lampost there and 2) I along with many others have waited for people there in the past. They even PHYSICALLY moved me from there! How can this be legal especially for the security guard?
Since I didn't want to cause too much of a scene as I still had celebs to get, I bit. But I told the security guard that I have 1000s of celebs and if I listened to people like him my collection would be 50% less. I also told him some of the A listers I scored in the past. He tries to tell me they are tiered and wanted to go home I respond "that's not for you to say" and he tries to tell me that it is.
Finally I see Tom, I yell for him as they cock block him. Tom gets in his car. I then go across the street to try to get a roll down and they BOTH follow me! WTF? As the car moves away I follow on foot and they follow me back! I tell them I'm no where near hotel property and tell them to leave me alone. Remember one guy isn't a uniformed police man of ANY kind! At this point Tom checked out of the hotel and left hotel property so he has as much power now as he would if I were at the airport.
They follow me up the street and car is far away. At this point I run as fast as I could to both get away from them and hopefully catch up with the car. To my shock it's stuck at the next light. I plead and he rolls down and goes "alright just take it" at one point the car began moving as the light changed but then they stopped for me and I SCORED a shot that is both valid and not blurry!
With this shot there was nothing worth staying at the hotel for (Chad Lowe who I have and Buzz Aldrin who is a dick anyway). But I decided to go rub it in their faces before heading to CSA show. I show the shot with the hotel manager yelling to him "WOW, you guys made me WORK for that one" and then made sure I showed the photo op to the uniformed black woman as I began to walk away. The black woman calls for a police car to come and orders me to stay put, but I shrug that order away with my arm and say "Nahhhh" as I continue to walk away.
I see the police car. As I see him I run down the street then I go into a corner to hide. I wait for about 5 minutes then begin walking to my car. As I walk the car manages to spot me. He says he wants to speak to me and I tell him I did nothing wrong. I say I will listen to him. He tries to ask me for ID but I tell him that since I did nothing illegal I don't have to show him ID. He had a moment of silence and bewilderment in his face when I said that.
So in the conversation he said that I couldn't stay on their property. I explained that I did leave and said how they assaulted me on the sidewalk and I explain how they were harassing me and cock blocking me even after I left their property. I also pointed out that if the celeb said yes it's between me and them and they have no say. He actually agreed with me on that point and also said that he understands why I'd be upset if they harass me even on the sidewalk. He then proceeded to ask me about the event and what celebs were there, which I told him. And that was basically it. Honestly under normal circumstances I would have gone back to the hotel just to spite them, but if I did that I would have missed people at CSA show.
Back on track with CSA show, I first score Lar Park Lincoln (F13th 7) and then David Pollock of the Bad News Bears. I mooched the other two at Chiller so I figured might as well get him. Then I found a guy getting a Dan Marino auto who didn't care about the photo op. Offered him $20 to stand with him. He accepted. I know Dan Marino best from the classic Jim Carry movie, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. When it was time for Marino I got my shot then the guy asked for "one more" and Marino was more than happy do oblige. I also got the guy a proof photo. When leaving the guy declined my money since I took his photo op. I took his email address and I thanked him. This ended my day as I no longer had to go to the airport for Marino.
Tom Selleck
Dan Marino
Full list of photo ops
Autograph
Day 3
This day starts with me dropping my mom to a family Easter function. Sadly this threw me off timing wise as it meant I had to miss Pete Rose's autograph session. This was upsetting but would eventually work out perfectly. More on that later. Since I had to do Rose at the airport, this meant I had 3 spots to hit up. CSA show for Joe Nameth (no flight on him), Airport for Pete Rose leaving, and at another spot for the Asian child actor from the movie Ready Player One, Philip Zhao.
My first try is Joe Nameth, who has been in various movies. He was $300 for a pro op and $200 for an autograph. As stated, too rich for my blood. Now I know I'm not into sports but how is it that Joe Nameth's con prices is comparable to that of major movie actors like Ben Affleck and Michael J Fox and more money than most major celeb at a con? Even Stallone, one of the biggest movie names you can ever score, was $800 a combo at NYCC. Yet here Joe is $300 less than that.
Anyhow, security seemed to be stopping people from taking table ops. One combo hunter tagged with someone and failed to get a valid shot. But this didn't stop me from trying. I offered someone $25 to stand with him but he declined my money and said I could come up with him. Perfect! We were near the end, I got the guy a proof shot for his item. When I asked for the op they were trying to stop me but he posed. I was trying to be quick and sadly shot is blurry and sub par. However it is valid and you can easily make out who is posing. I guess free is free and most people paid $200 for an auto and got NO shot so I still got the long end of the stick.
Since the Zhao event was not supposed to start till later I had time to go to the airport for Pete Rose. Or so I thought. I drive 10 minutes from CSA show to the airport, park for free, and wait. Then I get a text from another combo hunter telling me the time Zhao is supposed to arrive at the venue and it was much earlier than the event start time. WTF? Since I was already in position for Rose I begrudgingly decided to stay then try for Zhao leaving. But not 2 minutes after this conversation I see Pete Rose limping to his gate. I had to move fast because I thought he was entering the first class lounge (he didn't). I ask him for a photo op and he is happy to oblige, upgrading my sub par shot from 11 years ago! Wow what luck! This meant I could get Zhao going in cause his spot is about 10 minutes away from the airport!
I rush there and go in (30 minutes free parking after that it's $15). As I enter I get a call from the other hunter telling me he is literally on the tail of his car and they are pulling up front. I quickly park and RUSH to the front. I see the child signing and I go up and try to ask for a picture. Security tries to stop me saying I can take pictures of him but the parents say "just one" and I get the selfie! I was quickly in and out before I would get charged for parking!
Wow it's not often that timing works out so flawlessly when you combo hunt! But indeed it did here. With that victory I was able to join my mom at the family Easter function, eat some good food, and after that drove back home to watch Wrestlemania
(via a mooched stream of course)Joe Namath
Pete Rose
Philip Zhao
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