Card Mensches E16 Approaches & Tips for the upcoming National

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SPEAKER 2: Hey, I'm Danny.

SPEAKER 3: Black and I'm John Newman. Welcome to Match.

SPEAKER 2: Well, I'm Danny Black and that's John Newman and we're, we're here.

SPEAKER 3: Eventually we come in and out as we please. But, we're gonna stick around, I think now, hopefully.

SPEAKER 2: What's going on, Chris? Well, I got, I got most of it right.

SPEAKER 3: So, what are you gonna do? No one's perfect.

SPEAKER 2: Yeah. Well, we are back with another edition of Card Mens. You're better at this. What episode are we on now?

SPEAKER 3: I believe this is 15.

SPEAKER 3: I think 15 or 16, I will figure it out. I, I only have two hands.

SPEAKER 2: With your shoes on. It really, it's really limited.

SPEAKER 3: It's, I have booties. I have booties that you can.

SPEAKER 2: Only get to 11. It's really awkward.

SPEAKER 3: I got booties.

SPEAKER 2: Did you wear onesie pajamas as a baby?

SPEAKER 3: Should I do the Aaron Rogers?

SPEAKER 2: No, you should. Definitely. I think that's the Rex Ryan if you show your feet.

SPEAKER 2: Yeah, and boom goes to Dina.

SPEAKER 2: Ruben. I got a feeling it's gonna be one of those nights.

SPEAKER 2: So right now just so everybody knows what's going on. I am in the middle of moving. I am staying with my in-laws who have no high speed internet right now.

SPEAKER 2: We also lost our air conditioning so I am an hour south at my mother's who's out of town and we are basically homeless chasing internet service.

SPEAKER 2: That's where I am right now. How are you John?

SPEAKER 3: So, on a sort of related note, I'm not at my in-laws but my mother-in-law me. So pray she doesn't.

SPEAKER 2: She doesn't watch card benches, does she?

SPEAKER 3: No, no, she wouldn't know what it was if it hit her over the head.

SPEAKER 2: What's going on. Mark.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah. So, yeah, my mother-in-law lives with me but we're not here to talk about in-laws. Right?

SPEAKER 2: II I hope, well, it, it depends because, you know, I said I'm moving and part, part, part of the reason that this is interesting is it turns out that my move weekend is gonna be the last weekend in July, John, you're gonna be in the, the dog house, man.

SPEAKER 3: And that would cause I'm gonna be, yeah, you're gonna be in the dog house with, with the wife I think at this point.

SPEAKER 2: Well, she's being supportive but we'll see what happens when we're in Chicago. You might tell.

SPEAKER 3: You to do one or two things. Stay in Chicago or drive to my house, stay with me.

SPEAKER 2: Well, I think she's just happy I'm gonna be out of the way.

SPEAKER 2: But you may end up with a solar room. So we'll say, so, you know, one of the reasons I was talking about that is because we're talking about, you know, you and I talk off camera about, you know, getting ready for the National and kind of things we want to accomplish at the National and, you know, different approaches, you know, different things.

SPEAKER 2: I can't believe that you don't eat lunch during the day. That's, that's, that's just not my approach.

SPEAKER 3: I'm sorry. Well, let's clarify that. I don't want people to think around. I mean, look at me, I'm not malnourished so I'm eating. So, so I'm not like a beef jerky and trail mix, snacky kind of stuff, a granola bar during the day at the National. It's dinner time that I make up for that.

SPEAKER 3: So I eat, I eat lunch and dinner at dinner. I just, like, pick at stuff because I, number one, I don't want to stop that long and, like, sit down and eat a meal and lose that time. And number two, what happens when you eat a big meal at lunch time? For most people kind of get loy tired. Right.

SPEAKER 3: I, you know, so I eat the protein stuff during the day. Nothing that's heavy, you know, like I said, beef jerky granola bars, some trail mix and, and I just keep moving. I can eat that as I'm, I'm going along and it's fun when someone says, hey, you got any more and I'm like, I do, but you can't have any. It makes sure.

SPEAKER 2: Mookie says every men needs, needs a, he needs a little, nosh.

SPEAKER 3: There you go. I absolutely.

SPEAKER 2: So I, I, that approach blows me away.

SPEAKER 3: And a fat guy can skip lunch.

SPEAKER 2: That halfway through the day. You don't just want to sit down for a couple of minutes.

SPEAKER 3: Well, I didn't say I didn't sit down for a couple of minutes. I just don't sit down and eat a big lunch. Well, they go hand in hand for me. I'Ll go to the VIP lounge and with, usually with somebody that I know and like we'll take a load off for 10, 15 minutes. That's an opportunity where I'Ll, I'Ll open my backpack and take some of that stuff out. I'm only kidding. I'm a sharer. So I'Ll, I share with nearby.

SPEAKER 3: But I'm just not having, like, I'm not going to the concession and spending like $50 for a hot dog. I could get a Frank Robinson card. You appreciate that for, you know, hot dog or, or a nice Frank Robinson card. I, I think I go with the, how long till somebody's grading hot dogs on site, set up with Mike Baker or do that?

SPEAKER 3: It's not, I'Ll heck, heck, I'Ll do that. Danny. It's not a Hebrew name. You know, it's not good. It's not authentic. That's my favorite brand. Yeah, I'm not even kidding. That's really the only hot dog I eat unless I have no absolute choice. Yeah.

SPEAKER 2: What's up, Mike Dylan said, hello? He says my biggest meal is lunch. I like to eat until I'm completely stuffed. Dylan. Any time I eat is, is, that is my biggest meal. So I, I'm with you.

SPEAKER 3: Well, I eat lunch. I just talked about the National, I skip lunches, Atlanta. Like if I'm not at the National, as you can see, I'm not skipping lunches, not National lunches, I'm not being skipped.

SPEAKER 2: And the other thing I learned today, which I got to tell you which II I think is the wrong approach is you only bring one pair of shoes.

SPEAKER 3: All right. So let, last year in Atlantic City, I drove, I brought more than one pair of shoes when I fly.

SPEAKER 3: Right. Maybe two. It depends how much luggage I have. If I can, you know what, I'Ll probably bring two because, you know, I have those, hey, dude, shoes, which are very lightweight and thin. I'Ll probably stick those in my luggage and wear my, my hocus.

SPEAKER 3: And, and that, so I have two pair, but normally, normally I, I could survive on one pair as long as they're comfortable. Right. Your feet are, listen, I don't care what anyone tells you, you know, get insoles, get the greatest shoes ever made to a human being. If you're at the National for more than a couple of days, I don't care what you're wearing, you could steal clouds out of the sky and put them on your feet.

SPEAKER 3: Your feet are still gonna hurt when you walk that much. And so, you know, sure, comfortable shoes, maybe they hurt less, but your feet are gonna hurt. And then when you're old, when you're 50 years old as I am, other things are gonna hurt too that you didn't even know you had like stuff hurts. I'm like, I don't even know what this is. It's hurting.

SPEAKER 2: Now, Ruben says John is a peak male performance.

SPEAKER 3: That was, that was about 15 years ago.

SPEAKER 2: I was about to say, I don't know which male you're talking about.

SPEAKER 3: But, yeah, let's make this a hymns commercial.

SPEAKER 2: That's hysterical. It is, it is a nice confidential conversation. I want one hymns dot com.

SPEAKER 3: My peak male performance. I won that on MTV. I think it was 18 years ago. That's fine on MTV.

SPEAKER 2: MTV.

SPEAKER 2: Yeah. Yeah. You didn't think I would know what those were.

SPEAKER 3: Did you? No, but you, I, I had a feeling you had an outside shot at.

SPEAKER 2: I've never watched one.

SPEAKER 3: I know I haven't watched them since they were good. Which was a long time ago. Here you go.

SPEAKER 2: Pete Mookie Peek, male performance is on time. Shit.

SPEAKER 3: I am, I'm a quick ship.

SPEAKER 3: You are? I am a super quick shipper. Ok.

SPEAKER 2: So you and I are gonna get to the National? Ok, Wednesday. What's the itinerary?

SPEAKER 3: Well, well, we got to meet up and, and check into our hotel room. That's when I'Ll warn you that, I am, I'm a Snorer. And so, like you said, I might have a solo room after, may not be by your wife's, doing, we got to check in at the show, get our badges.

SPEAKER 3: So I like to do that and, be all set for that.

SPEAKER 3: And then, you know, walk the show, right? And, and it's the first day that it's officially, open. You have your hobby news dinner, that night, at the, Murry Brothers, famous, Bill Murray's restaurant chain. I shouldn't say chain.

SPEAKER 3: He, he has two of them. It's not like it's Wendy's in there. You're probably right about that. So, you know, it's, it's, it's, it's five days, right? And it's gonna be the fastest, five days in the history of five days.

SPEAKER 2: John, I think there's a question for you. No.

SPEAKER 3: People, Dylan, people do walk the floor with beer in hands. That's not frowned a pot. I'm not a, I don't wanna say I'm not a drinker because that would be a lie and I don't lie.

SPEAKER 3: I don't drink during the show. No, I'Ll, I'Ll say that much. I barely eat during the show. I'm sure as heck not drinking beer. That would be interesting.

SPEAKER 2: Your drink is a, is a 40 trail mix.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, the 40 40 ounce is walking the floor like an OG with a 40 out, right? You know, with my hat backwards.

SPEAKER 2: You Lawrence, you and Lawrence Taylor can sit next to each other.

SPEAKER 3: So, I, I like beer. I just don't drink it during the show probably because my stomach is so empty. It's, I get lost in the Chicago Nationals anyway, without any liquid, alcohol. So I don't need to like up the degree of difficulty. So I, I, I won't do that.

SPEAKER 3: I don't have a problem with anyone that does the problem with that. Dylan and everyone else is, there is 200 square, 200 more square feet. There, there's this Chicago Nationals 600 square feet. Now, it used to be 400. So, let's see how much 100,000. Yeah, that's what did I say?

SPEAKER 3: Ok. So I'm drinking tonight instead of at the National.

SPEAKER 3: But, so there's 200,000 more square feet. Now, how open does that really look? We don't know yet. Right. I haven't been there. I haven't seen really a floor plan, but traditionally the two Chicago Nationals I've been to Danny. It's pretty tight in there.

SPEAKER 3: So someone's gonna bump into you, they're gonna spill your beer, maybe knock it on someone else themselves. And now you got that potential for brew, ha ha or hey, you spill beer on me, dude. And like, it wasn't my fault. This guy bumped into me. So, and you know, it, it, there's that element there too.

SPEAKER 3: But, we'll see. But yeah, they serve that stuff there.

SPEAKER 3: It's not cheap, as nothing is on the floor. The, the net. Well, I don't wanna say nothing but the food, food and drink is not cheap. You'll find some deals on cards. There are no deals on bad hot dogs and we go pizza.

SPEAKER 2: I'm thinking of a new strategy. I think if I find a card, I like, I'm buying the dealer beers.

SPEAKER 3: That, that listen, if I was set up, which I won't be, obviously, I'm all for free beer as a dealer, you know, I it might, it might loosen me up to give you a better deal on a card. Or cards. You're entertaining.

SPEAKER 2: Well, I don't drink anymore but, I, I will, I will carry you around if you get lost. And since the hobby is the people, we'll make this a PS A if anybody sees, if anybody sees John lost and wandering around, take away the beer.

SPEAKER 3: One of you thought about, one of the first things we do is I get a lost kid tag and I tie it to my wrist.

SPEAKER 2: Mike Petty. No deals on the Toms from indigestion.

SPEAKER 3: There's an idea of, of something to pack too along with putting your deodorant on Toms in the backpack. May not be a bad tip either.

SPEAKER 2: Breath, breath mint pearl.

SPEAKER 2: No, open to shoes.

SPEAKER 3: Can we, if you're going for five days, bring at least three underwear that way when you turn them inside out, you have six days worth of underwear. You've got to do the math before you get there.

SPEAKER 2: I'm, I'm splurging for a pair of day. I'm going crazy this year.

SPEAKER 3: I might do that. It depends how the laundry turns out that that week.

SPEAKER 2: Ok. So we're going to the show Wednesday. Are you planning on buying anything Wednesday or is Wednesday a break Wednesday traditionally?

SPEAKER 3: And you never say never. I never say never. Wednesday traditionally is a browse day for me. I'Ll buy 5 10 $20 cards. I might hit up the singles club and wearing their shirt, and buy some stuff out of that. You're gonna have to fight Doctor Jim, for the best cards. There, Ruben says you can go commando. You sure can. But if it's hot you risk, you risk a chafing incident and.

SPEAKER 2: It's a loss for everybody. Reuben just, just, you know.

SPEAKER 3: Go to Walmart. So does everyone, am I the only one that has like favorite underwear? Because that's what I packed for the National. I have favorite underwear.

SPEAKER 2: I mean, that's, I think that's pretty normal. All right. Yeah, that's the good stuff.

SPEAKER 3: You know, like, I probably have 14 pairs of underwear, but I really like seven of them and the other seven are like in case of emergencies.

SPEAKER 2: Do you keep them in glass.

SPEAKER 3: With a little? It's, it's in a drawer. But yeah, you could just pretend.

SPEAKER 2: All right, I think this has gone completely off the rails but unbelievably, Dylan says I haven't worn underwear in twenties in Hawaii.

SPEAKER 3: He's in the water half the time I get it.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah.

SPEAKER 3: Gold Gold Bond is another, I mean, I don't know if we're gonna talk about cards or like, or like hygiene tools and this.

SPEAKER 2: Is a big part of the National. So, no. Ok, Wednesday, you're not planning on buying anything.

SPEAKER 3: Nothing, nothing big. But listen, if I see a card that I really like on my list of five or six target cards, let's say, and the deal is in my mind not gonna get better than that or pretty, you know. That's then, yeah, I'Ll pull the trigger at something on Wednesday Mark.

SPEAKER 2: I couldn't agree with you more. I've learned my lesson passing on a card or two early in a, on a, in a shell.

SPEAKER 2: I will say if you find the right card, if you find it at the right price, just don't overthink it. To, to John's point, you never go in saying you have to buy something. But if you do happen to find the right card at the right price, but some else will see it and buy it if you don't.

SPEAKER 3: And leave that door open for sure. Like Wednesday, I kind of is like you're walking like the car showroom floor just looking at all the models. Which one do? I kind of want to drive out of here with that I can afford, but I have bought stuff on the first day. So last year I waited till the last day that I was there, which was Saturday.

SPEAKER 3: So I I wouldn't close that door if, if a deal is good, if a deal is good in your mind, it's solid. Why would and you want that card? And it's not a debate. I want that card versus like I want this card or cards. What, what are you waiting for?

SPEAKER 3: I, I've heard people say I don't like to buy the first day because I don't want to feel like I crashed my budget early and you know what I mean? I'm, I'm done for the rest of the show and I, you know, I don't know what to say to that. I don't know, everyone has a different budget so I can't answer. That's not a one size fits all type of question.

SPEAKER 2: Well, I mean, speaking right to that, Mike Petty says, see it by it, blow the budget early and Mike, this is all serious. Please put in the comments.

SPEAKER 2: Sarcasm's hard and text messages. But you know, I think there is something to be said for having the budget first of all and sticking to it. So, you know, and, and, and know what your goal is. And the biggest advice I would say when my approach to the National is, I have a specific kind of list of things that I want to go for. If you just browse, it's like going to the food store hungry, you know.

SPEAKER 3: That's bad. That's bad.

SPEAKER 2: It's real bad news. So I mean that, that's the only reason I say it's not that you can't discover something else but you, you do want to have kind of a target or it is gonna be overwhelm.

SPEAKER 3: And I will say this, I I don't disagree with Mike with the budgets over overrated, right? You gotta know what you're only have I spent more than I brought. Sure have I brought money home back? I've done both. So, it's, it's not, it's, it's, you know, it's to each their own. I mean, if a deal is good, you know, I, I've had this, I don't wanna say debate. I've had this discussion with Mike.

SPEAKER 3: So Mike, Mike, so, has the, you know, sustain your hobby with what you sell. Like your, what you make in the hobby, put, you can spend, I, I'm a guy that will spend more than I make if it's a great deal. And as a dealer I bought a collection that's gonna make me money 56 times full. You know what I mean? So, I don't think I'Ll never, I never subscribe exclusively to that.

SPEAKER 3: Only spend what you, what you necessarily have. That being said, I wanna, I want to put a disclaimer on here. I'm not telling people to run their credit card up, get into debt. That's, that's not what I'm saying for, for you. I'm, I'm, I'm done that before and then pay it back. But just because I don't, just because I've done that doesn't mean it's right for everybody now.

SPEAKER 2: Am I unusual in the fact that if I have a card, I want to say I'm doing my research and, and so III I can't stand pulling out a phone or go, you know, having to walk away to, you know, to, to check, you know, I appeal versus other cards or, you know, prices, you know.

SPEAKER 2: II, I think that's one of the advantage to having a target list is you can, you can kind of do some research in advance.

SPEAKER 3: I'm that guy. I kind of know what I'm looking. What grade I'm looking. If it's a great, if it's a graded card I'm looking to buy, I know kind of what, what the parameters between, what prices I kind of want this, to fit into.

SPEAKER 3: You know, so I don't have to pull out my phone, all the time. Hopefully the wifi is better than Atlantic City because you won't even have to pull out your phone, because you won't get any service.

SPEAKER 2: I, I heard they will not be using carrier pigeons so it'll be, it'll be an improvement.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, I'm here and the wifi issue should be, cleared up.

SPEAKER 3: As everyone in the chat room.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, I'm, I'm, you know, I had Ray on, you're gonna have Rayon shortly. I'm being told that shouldn't be, an issue this year.

SPEAKER 3: So, you know, but, you know, does people pulling out their phones bother me? Not really, because what are you gonna do about it? And you're gonna see plenty of it. So, if that bother, if that's nails on a chalkboard to you, you're going to the world's largest chalkboard and the world's largest nails because there are gonna be phones out all over the place.

SPEAKER 2: It's not that it bothers me that other people do it so much. I don't feel comfortable standing in front of a dealer.

SPEAKER 3: No, II, I full disclosure. I have check cops on my phone and, but what you just said is a great point. Danny, I won't block a table and do it.

SPEAKER 3: I'Ll walk kind of into a quite spot look and either come back and, and buy it or go with the price or not, come back if I just, we're not even close to where I want to be, but I just, I won't do it in front of a table. It's just sort of bad etiquette. I, I don't know if it's bad etiquette to me it's bad etiquette.

SPEAKER 2: I just know it's bad etiquette to block a table if you're not conversing or shopping.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah. Well, there's sometimes, you know, a lot of people I don't get this, I don't know what you feel about that. Or people in the chat room, maybe it's because I've done so many shows in my life since I've been 15 years old as a, like, I've seen small deals. I've seen large deals.

SPEAKER 3: Nothing fazes me anymore but people love watching other people make transactions. I don't really get that. I don't, I could care less. You could buy a $20,000 card right next to me and I won't bat an eye. I won't stick around to watch it. Like it's the first time I've ever seen it. It doesn't do anything for me, it doesn't like good for you.

SPEAKER 3: But I don't, I'm not gonna lie.

SPEAKER 2: I wanna see what the card is. If it's a big deal, I.

SPEAKER 3: See the car, you see the card but I don't have to, I don't have to stick around and watch the hundreds come out or them exchange paypal information like you made the deal. It's, you know, a Sandy Koufax graded eight and you know, it's $15,000 good for both of you.

SPEAKER 3: I'm on to the next table. God bless you. You know what I mean? I but people love that stuff and they gawk like, you know, like someone came out of a UFO it doesn't do that for me. So I don't waste a lot of time living vicariously through other people like that but teach their own right.

SPEAKER 3: So for me doesn't move my meter. Some other people's meters move all over the, the needle moves all over the place. If I really love that stuff, Ryan Nolan, our friend does a great job. Video logging that I'Ll just put that on. I like loop and watched that to my eyes.

SPEAKER 2: I think, I think the kids call it vlogging.

SPEAKER 3: What did I say?

SPEAKER 2: Video vlogging or blogging? I don't know. Yeah. Who needs shortcuts? Yeah, I don't know. I'm trying to learn John, what is your feeling on spending time in the autograph line? Do you know what my feeling is? I'm not a huge autograph secret shows it would take, if I take my kids that's different, it would take, I don't, I don't know who I would wait in line for.

SPEAKER 3: I've, I've never waited in line at a National for an autograph.

SPEAKER 3: I'm not saying I've never done that at any show ever. And it's been years since I did it at any show, but I've never done it at, at the net and I've heard horror stories, Danny, I'm sure you've heard them too. Maybe people in the chat, I've heard people wait five or six hours on a, on a longer line for a bigger time athlete or celebrity.

SPEAKER 3: Imagine staying out. You're at the National, you got this, you know, 600 square feet to cover, maybe not in one day, obviously, hopefully not in one day. And you're there for six hours in a line probably next to some guy from Des Moines.

SPEAKER 3: You know who you don't know. I don't know. Not my idea of fun, right?

SPEAKER 3: So very, very.

SPEAKER 2: Few of those guys. That's your only opportunity to get an autograph. It's very rare.

SPEAKER 3: That shit.

SPEAKER 3: And I think, I mean, I guess if you want to meet them, I, that's a different story. If you're just, you can get the autograph without even waiting on line, you can actually purchase it. If, if all, if all it is to you is, hey, I wanna own a Mike Tyson Auto.

SPEAKER 3: You can get that without waiting online. If it's, hey, I wanna, I wanna with Mike Tyson with my fist up against his cheek. Like I'm gonna kick his butt, then you might have to wait six hours to do it.

SPEAKER 3: It's kind of a fair trade and I don't fault no one. I don't fault anyone for that man. If that's, that might be the biggest thrill in their lifetime or one of them. Right. I met Chris Mullin last year at the collectible party. I didn't even get his autograph.

SPEAKER 3: I just talked to him for 10 minutes about being from Karsi Brooklyn. We're both, that was the bit, that was the, I already have with Chris and Chris and I go with Yeah. Well, I, we're both from the same borough in Brooklyn. So you, you'll never take that away from us.

SPEAKER 2: Joe says, 00, come on, John, I'm from demon and I'm gonna.

SPEAKER 3: I, I, most people from, I've probably been saying that wrong and I apoe is a nice guy and I think most people are probably a nice, I, I just picked a obscure city. I could have said I should have said Syracuse New York to be politically correct.

SPEAKER 2: So if the whole idea is for us to talk about the approach and, and we, we, we want to talk about all sides of the approach. How about the logistics? How many people are coming from multiple days? Are they, were they able to get hotels. I heard a, I heard a, you know, some people are staying in Chicago, not in Rosemont.

SPEAKER 3: And going back, I gotta warn you, I gotta warn people. Some people probably already know this. Chicago and Rosemont are not like super close. I don't want to make them out like they're in different states either. It's, I think about 2030 minute drive if not longer with, if.

SPEAKER 2: You save $100 a night on a hotel and that's worth it to you, you know.

SPEAKER 3: No, you, you got to do it. If you have a car, you can't. Uber, because III, I looked at an Uber from Rosemont to Chicago for an event. I was invited to attend and it was like a $60.01 way. Uber. So that would have been 100 20 bucks for me to get back to my, to get there and then back to my hotel to some, 100 20 bucks might be it.

SPEAKER 3: You know, that's a couple of collateral the show. Yeah, collateral damage. I just think I couldn't justify that for a three hour event. You know what I mean? So just keep that in mind if you're not driving or not renting a car and you have to get to Chicago or you have to get the Rosemont from Chicago.

SPEAKER 3: Now, maybe there's a hotel, the hotel you're staying at in Chicago has a shuttle to Rosemont in the Convention Center. Then you're in good shape, but if you're on your own and you don't have a rental car or your own car, Uber is gonna listen, I drive for Uber in my spare time, it's not going to be a cheap bill.

SPEAKER 3: And so, but maybe it, maybe your budget will and that's, you know, that's, that's there and back, that's one day. If you're there three or four days, you're looking at 3, 400 bucks, someone can argue and say John, if I rented a car, it might be three or 400 bucks for the week. That's exactly what it is. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, but there's.

SPEAKER 2: Parking and valet and, you know, whatever, real quick because, I know they're gonna have quite a presence at the National this year. Let's hear from.

SPEAKER 4: Our experience, quality consistency and the quickest turnaround times in the grading industry, we are proud to partner with SGC grading, check them out at www dot go SGC dot com experience.

SPEAKER 2: So, I've heard and I don't know if how much you've heard, but I've heard all the grading companies are gonna have quite a presence this year.

SPEAKER 2: That, that it's gonna be a step up from the last couple of years when they were backed up in the pandemic.

SPEAKER 2: And, and companies we're just getting started. I've, I've heard the major grading companies are gonna have a massive presence. What do you hear?

SPEAKER 3: I've heard the same thing. I believe every single one of them, at least the major ones will be grading live on site. So, COVID kind of knocked that out of commission for most of them. That should be back up and running with their staff. So if you, whatever grading company you're fond of or your weapon of choice is, I like to say, and you want to have something graded, on site, that opportunity should present itself.

SPEAKER 3: If you're not getting same day grading, here's a little tip. If you're not getting, you know, you're not paying that that 2, 300 bucks for the same day grading, and get as the, as soon as you get there, get to your grading choice and sub your card. So you have them by the end of the show.

SPEAKER 2: So you can, that's, that's probably on the Wednesday list.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah. So get with, if you're grading cards where you're not doing the one day, you know, high price, level, get there as early as you can get your cards in. So they're ready before you get back on the plane or drive home. And you have them to take back with.

SPEAKER 2: I don't know if they're out if anybody in the chat knows, please, let me know is what anybody's gonna be charging.

SPEAKER 2: And I'm very curious for, like you said, the, the, the one day and then, you know, the two or three day show, spec show special.

SPEAKER 3: You're gonna pay, you're gonna pay for that on site more than I'm, I warn you. I, I don't usually grade my cards there.

SPEAKER 3: I'm not saying I've never done that. It's not what I usually, do but they're, it's, it's, they're gonna make you pay for their expenses and getting their equipment there and bringing more staff. Right.

SPEAKER 3: The, that expense is gonna be baked into their, their prices. So if you don't mind sending it to them, you know, not during the show, that'll be your cheaper route. If you're impatient, I want this, this week, they're gonna make you pay for that convenience.

SPEAKER 3: There we go. There we go.

SPEAKER 2: Here we go. Joe is 100 and 50 for the National Express 2 50 for the National Super Express. Well, there, there you go. So, you know what if I happened to break a pack of cards and hit something when I was there?

SPEAKER 2: That was worthwhile. I would do that in a second.

SPEAKER 3: The kind of car that makes your hand shake. Yeah, man. How do you know? That's what they, all the kids say?

SPEAKER 2: Oh, I have tremors. That's what I thought, handshake it.

SPEAKER 3: I can't believe this. My hands shaking.

SPEAKER 2: I thought you were making fun of my trimmers.

SPEAKER 3: Well, no, I, I'Ll let you do that to yourself.

SPEAKER 2: Here's a good question. Well, which grading company has the biggest opportunity to gain ground change, a narrative at the National. I think there's.

SPEAKER 3: Two that's sort of cheating. But go ahead.

SPEAKER 2: Well, I would, I would say SGC and CGC.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah. Listen, no one's, I don't care what you think of them or don't think of them. No one's overtaken PS A at this year's National. Right. So, it's like a NASCAR race, right. That, that first cars got this race locked up. They just get, don't crash, right.

SPEAKER 3: So it's two and three that are jockeying for position, right? And, hey, do I pit here and get new tires now and win this race late. You're right. I, I agree. I think those are the two, right? You could throw Beckett in there. I, I guess I'm cheating by it.

SPEAKER 2: II, I think Beckett has quite frankly not gotten their act together enough yet to make a difference in this year's National. If you ask me about next year, I would put them on the list.

SPEAKER 3: They don't exist at next year.

SPEAKER 2: There, there is, there.

SPEAKER 3: Is that, I think this is, you know, the clock is ticking for them, man. It's like that they're on, they're on, you know, death row dead man. What? Like they need a big net to me, they need a big National. They got new leadership with a, with a hobby experience. The guy's worked there before they need to impress.

SPEAKER 3: They need people who walk in and a National and say, hey, I wrote Beckett off but after I seen them and their kiosk and their booth and their set up and there was a little, I'm not writing them off for dead yet. I'm not, I'm not chilling out their, their gravestone just yet. They need that sort of impact at the National to make people hold off on their own.

SPEAKER 3: If people are starting to write it, they need people to put the pens down. How does that happen with a good showing at the National? Right. I'm not saying I expect it. They need it.

SPEAKER 2: Well, I think it's a quick turnaround and it's not a comment on the new leadership. It's, it's just that they came in fairly quick.

SPEAKER 3: I would listen, I don't know if they're listening, I don't think and, and even if they, I don't know if they're, they, you know, I'Ll see what I would do if I'm them, I'd, I'd undercut everyone else's prices and even if I lost money to a certain extent, even if my margins were bad, like, get those cards and PB and BGS holders get those people posted from the National on social media.

SPEAKER 3: Just had my card graded at Beckett, check it out.

SPEAKER 2: But do they, should they even be grading right now or should they be working on their image and maybe doing questionnaires and talking to people and you know, maybe, why can't you do both?

SPEAKER 3: Why can't you do both simultaneously?

SPEAKER 2: Because I don't know that people want to agree with them right now and I think it would be embarrassing.

SPEAKER 3: You go to a restaurant, right. You go to the restaurant? You, you have a meal, right. What happens? Sometimes the manager comes to your table. Right. Hi, I'm, you know, I'm John Newman. I'm the manager. I just checking in folks. How was the food? How was your experience? Right. You can do both. We serve, we cooked and I asked you how it was.

SPEAKER 2: I don't know that enough people want to grade with them. I think it would be embarrassing to have that.

SPEAKER 3: But you're making my point, you're making my point. You need to lower your prices. Like where, where, you know the price entices people. So you know what, what do 50 100 on, on quick. I would do 12 bucks for the show.

SPEAKER 3: They're probably like, you know, just John.

SPEAKER 2: John has definitely got an open can tonight.

SPEAKER 3: You don't know what's in this cup. Exactly.

SPEAKER 3: But no, I, I don't know, a 12 bucks, 15 bucks just be the lowest on-site non like same day grading price and get people grading, grading, getting cards and Becket holders again. Man, that's the problem. There's no buzz. There's no one doing YouTube. Look at my Becket reveal my 20 card sub is bad.

SPEAKER 3: They need to get their names.

SPEAKER 2: With them because nobody's graded with them for two presidential administrations.

SPEAKER 3: That's the, well, you're making my point.

SPEAKER 3: Are you on?

SPEAKER 2: Yeah, here's Beckett just gives out GM tens on.

SPEAKER 3: Only to Joe Clements. Right.

SPEAKER 2: You gotta be a former employee. Which grading company did the above. Last year's National was an SGC coming out party with that. 52 men, Mickey. 95. Or do I have that wrong? Well, that they graded that, but that was a heritage auction item. Yeah.

SPEAKER 2: And that was, that was an Al Rosen find and that was a special situation.

SPEAKER 3: That's my buddy.

SPEAKER 3: Quick story. 12 year old John Newman, East Coast National, right? I'm, I'm at the show. I go up to his table. He's got a 52 tops pack, like in a glass, little mini case. And I said, how much is the 52 taps pack? He goes, you can't afford it, kid.

SPEAKER 3: That's my brush with with Alan Rosen. But, well, here you go.

SPEAKER 2: Dylan says that $10 a card he would send them cards.

SPEAKER 3: That's a lot of people would send them cards.

SPEAKER 2: And Dylan and Dylan, I mean, this is a compliment. You're a discerning collector.

SPEAKER 3: Dylan's got quite a collection, vintage guy, like, you know, checks all the boxes as far as I'm, I'm concerned.

SPEAKER 2: It's not the commemorative one that would be a little flat, but I do, I do have those in storage whenever I get into a house.

SPEAKER 3: Who helped themselves, going back to, Mookie's question. Who helped themselves out of the grading companies last year. I think SGC got a lot of great pub with that, with that Man card.

SPEAKER 3: You know, I think, I think what heard SGC last year? Listen, I love SGC. They're a sponsor of towards our nation. I sub with, I'm a bulk sub form. They didn't grade on site. I think that hurts you a little bit when you don't do that.

SPEAKER 3: I think that it won't be an issue. Actually, I'm pretty, I'm pretty sure it won't be an issue, this year, probably from all the grading companies. So that playing field will be equalized in level. So I think it's, it's who puts on the best, the best appearance, maybe who has the best prices? Who, you know.

SPEAKER 2: I remember CGC just has their merger so they're almost revealing themselves as a new company.

SPEAKER 3: So they're, they're gonna, they're gonna put on and I it's gonna, you know, it's a, it's gonna be the thing.

SPEAKER 3: It is gonna be, it is, it is, it's gonna be interesting to see these grading companies. What kind of atmosphere they have, how over the top they go.

SPEAKER 3: You know, might we see like zero cool smoke, dry ice smoke, coming from these, these grading card, setups. I'm kidding. Although you never know what you might see.

SPEAKER 3: Giveaways. Chris swag swag.

SPEAKER 2: Chris wants to know what's in the cup.

SPEAKER 3: Honestly. It's San Pellegrino. Water. I love, I love, sad. I, I wish it was more exciting than that, but that's what it is. I, if I was feeling a little more, 100% there might have been some crowd royal, but I'm not there yet.

SPEAKER 2: Tag. That's an interesting one. I'm, I'm curious to see what, what, what they're, what they show the public because I know they've been taking small submissions. I'm curious on what they, what they show because it'll be a big coming out party for them so that, I don't know if they're gonna jump into the top three or four, after the National, but they could make a name for themselves.

SPEAKER 3: I listen, we both, we both like Jeremy Lee, he's part of that. I'm not rooting against them.

SPEAKER 3: It, listen, this is not against tag. This is just, it's hard to enter the arena now and compete. I, it's, it's hard, it's hard.

SPEAKER 3: And so I'm not saying it's impossible but it's very difficult. You know, everyone thinks CS G now CGC is new. They, they, they were, they were doing other things like comic books and like, they're not brand new, they just added the sports card element to their rep or twice. It's hard.

SPEAKER 2: But we're doing Pokemon for, for forever.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah. Would you agree? It's hard. Like if me and you started Danny and John's Grading card company, it, it's hard to just throw your hat in the ring and, and compete. I don't care what you do. You know, I, you know, even, you gotta be careful, price wise. We could start a grading company and say, hey, it's five bucks a card. We're not making any money. We're just, we're just breaking even.

SPEAKER 3: And what would people say? Oh, it's just another G ma, it's hard. It's, it's, it's hard, man. You know, it's hard to start a new selling platform. Now. There's so many and the hobby is in a different place than it was a year and a half, two years ago. It was, it's not that crescendo, it's not the might touch where everything turns to go. People have tighter budgets.

SPEAKER 3: So it's hard. It's hard. I don't root against people.

SPEAKER 3: It's not in my nature, as a human and how I was raised, but I'm not gonna sit here and say it's easy and you're guaranteed success and I don't care whose names attached to it, you know.

SPEAKER 2: So, so that's the, so that's the approach of the grading companies, but you wanna, you wanna impress, right?

SPEAKER 3: You want people at the show talking about you, you want people leaving the show going home and thinking about sending cards to you even when you're at, when they're out of sight. But that out of mind. Can you see, can you see this quote to because this is what you were saying, you want the market down people you think, I don't know how to read.

SPEAKER 3: Is that what that was about? Watch this, watch this, Captain Danny. Even with the market down, people still want to see record prices. It's hard to get excited about these new companies if they sell for less than PS A and the other incubates, incumbents, by the way.

SPEAKER 3: In, that's what you put, I didn't know if.

SPEAKER 2: You could see the size of font for the record.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, it's getting, it's getting harder every show.

SPEAKER 3: He, he's right. It, it, it's, it, it's right. Right. People, I have friends that are not really in the hobby but that know, I'm in the hobby and they think I have, like, $20 million cards here and it's not true. I have seven of those, not 20 million.

SPEAKER 3: So, but they think, because they saw all that stuff on the news that, you know, oh, man, you got a Jackie Robinson. I just saw one go for, a million dollars. Well, yeah, you did that? One's an eight, mine's a 1.5. Mine's not that million dollars.

SPEAKER 3: So, people that don't know the hobby, like people in the hobby know, you know, will think along those lines, you know, going to Brian's point. I'm a dealer. Right. Some dealers are frustrated that the cops have come down. I don't want to sell that for that. Right. So, they'll put cards in their showcase at higher prices.

SPEAKER 3: Than, than comps. And that's the, that's one of the bug of boos about the National guys is, you know, the dealers and I'm not trying to stick up for them, but I'Ll stick up for them a little bit here. They gotta stay in a hotel, they got to get all their, their, their stuff there.

SPEAKER 3: They, you know, they got all their expenses, they try to, you know, they, they gotta try to sell to, to recoup that.

SPEAKER 2: But you know, the truth, the truth of it is most people don't care about that.

SPEAKER 3: They don't, I it's funny you, you are, you, I was what I was gonna say but as consumers and I'm one of them, I'm not, I'm not set up at this show. I don't care about that. I mean, I do care. I, I have, I have, you know, I have empathy to that fact as a human being and as a fellow dealer that doesn't set up at the National, but I'm not gonna overpay just because I get it. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER 3: Like my budget has no, doesn't have no limit because, you know, you wanna eat steak dinner and, and you had to run a U haul to get your stuff there. So, but I'm understanding towards it, I'm also, you need to expect that, you know, you're gonna have to look harder to find the deals at a National maybe than a local or even a regional, show. It's a whole, it's a whole different show.

SPEAKER 2: I wanna throw this out and, and people live tonight or people in the comments on, on the replay, for those people going to the National, you know, do you have a goal?

SPEAKER 2: Are you going for something specific or, or do you just go to enjoy the National in general and see what happens because, you know, II I wonder, how many people do have a target or how many people just go for the environment and go to be part of the, you know, the event? Because I, that I, I absolutely have gone to a National where I'm not looking to buy a specific card and I'm going, you know, for the event.

SPEAKER 3: Well, for me, man, a National just is it wear so many hats? Right? If the National was a person that wears so many hats for, to me, number one, I'm looking to get two cards for my PC, which is Hall Of Fame graded rookie. I come in sort of with a list of five or six. I wanna leave with two. If, if possible, no guarantees of that. Right?

SPEAKER 3: Seeing everybody, right? Some people for meeting them for the first time, person shaking a hand, hugs, handshakes, talking, laughing, eating dinner, with people we enjoy spending time with. Right. You know, it's been called a Hobby Family Reunion. I, I can't agree more. Right. It's not just cards for me.

SPEAKER 3: It's all compasses, whole thing. It's there to rep the content I create. I mean, that's probably lower on the list, quite frankly, especially now five years into it and sort of being established. But you're still there. Not everyone, either listens or even knows about your show.

SPEAKER 3: So, you know, I'Ll wear some of my shirts and, and free advertise and walk around like a fat billboard guy.

SPEAKER 3: But you know, that, that is how we met and the rest is history. But, you know, that's just, that's a very small part of it to me now. Maybe it was more of a part of it for five years ago for me, for me. Now it's grab a couple of cards that I really wanna own.

SPEAKER 3: See you guys see a lot of people in the chat room, conversate handshake. Hey, what you get, what you pick up so far, couple dinners, couple after hours events, maybe catch a white Sox game in, this year.

SPEAKER 3: It's a whole bunch of a lot that goes into one big ball called the National, right? And it's fun. It's the quickest five days, of the year and it's gone and then you're counting down to the next one in Cleveland, next year.

SPEAKER 2: Yep. And I would say just kind of as we head on the home stretch here on the approaches to the National.

SPEAKER 2: And I and I know you when this one's done, if you're going next year to Cleveland, start looking into the hotels, as soon as you can, and, and book it on your own, you don't have to book it through the conference, you know.

SPEAKER 2: If you want to be in the, everybody always wants to know how to get into the Convention Hotel.

SPEAKER 2: A lot of people, a lot of people I know book it really almost the full year in advance.

SPEAKER 3: And, and, and another thing when we talk about budgets, Danny, you know, the earlier you book everything, even airfare. I'm not an air fare expert. So this may not be entirely accurate. But the earlier you book anything, the cheaper it generally is. I don't know where airfare sort of falls in that.

SPEAKER 3: But, it's like anything else, right? You wait till the last minute they got you by the, you know what? And they, you know, unless you want to stay a half an hour away from the venue, which then adds more expensive, most likely, book it early if you know you're going another tip. If you book early, buy, buy, cancellation insurance, it's cheap.

SPEAKER 3: It's like seven bucks, right? It's, they can't buy a pack of cards for seven bucks. Get the cancellation insurance. God forbid someone in the family gets sick. You, you lose your job, whatever something happens, you can't attend the National and you have to cancel your airfare, your hotel.

SPEAKER 3: You're not out your bucks, you can get it back.

SPEAKER 3: What day are you leaving? I'm leaving Wednesday morning. No.

SPEAKER 2: What day are you leaving? The National and heading home?

SPEAKER 3: Oh, Sunday morning, Sunday, late morning. Ok.

SPEAKER 2: So Sunday would you, would you say is not, not the, not the biggest day. More of a Friday, Saturday.

SPEAKER 3: I will tell you that to someone who's left later on Sunday, which I won't be doing this year. Unfortunately, just the way the flight works for me. Sunday is not a big bad day. If you're buying to buy some stuff, dealers, you know, especially wax, all the wax places.

SPEAKER 3: David Adams blow out Steel City, they're blowing out all their wax on Sunday. So if you have room, especially if you drove, you don't have to like and you don't have to worry about buying a case of wax and trying to get it on a plane.

SPEAKER 3: Sunday is your best day for wax deal deals.

SPEAKER 3: But it's also good for car deals. It's also the lightest day of the show. Traffic wise. A lot of people have left Saturday so you can really spread your, your hands out and not hit anybody. And so there's less competition for deals.

SPEAKER 3: Dealers, maybe dealers had a bad show and Sunday is like his maker, his or her make or break day, right? Hey, listen, this has not been a great show for me. But this guy, you know, wants this card, it's nice card. I'm gonna give him a deal.

SPEAKER 3: You know, because I, I wanna, I wanna not to be as bad of a show. It is right at this moment. So Sunday is a great day. If you're gonna be there for the, the, the.

SPEAKER 2: But you are dealing, you are dealing with what's been picked over.

SPEAKER 3: You are, I mean, if you're looking for something pretty rare, chances are it's already been bought or it's way overpriced and it's still there and you're not gonna deal on it anyway. So, but you know that, you know, that's self, sort of self.

SPEAKER 2: And one of the things I think most people know, but we should say for a person, the National is, you know, if, if you don't know, cash is can, if you have not been to a, you know, a car show recently, there are digital payments accepted but cash is king. It just leave it at that.

SPEAKER 3: It's a great point. Let me take the other side of the coin. It's the same difference. If you're paying via paypal or credit card, be prepared to pay 3%. So you, let's say you're buying a $2000 card. I'm just using that for an example and you're not paying cash, you're gonna pay 3% on, on top of that most likely.

SPEAKER 3: So that adds up. You might say 3% big deal. Right. That's 60 bucks. I, I believe in my maths. Right on. You know, 60 bucks is 60 bucks. Right. They get into, if it's more money now you're dealing with, you know, even more. So, keep that going.

SPEAKER 2: I had a client that made a purchase and was caught off guard by that.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, I've seen people, I've seen a deal. Speaking of like, not watching deals go down at a table. I wasn't there sticking around. It was a $30,000 deal. The guy that was buying, it wanted to pay with not cash and, and the guy, the dealer said, I'm, it's gonna be 3%. So, 3%.

SPEAKER 3: What is that? 900 bucks? So now it's 30,000, 900. And the guy was like, you won't eat the 900 bucks for the $30,000 sale. He's like, no, he goes, how about this? Let's make a 30,000 $900 sale and I'Ll eat the $900 or, or however he said it was, you know, so, so just keep that in mind.

SPEAKER 2: Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER 2: I would also say, times of day definitely matter.

SPEAKER 2: There's usually a line to get in right at, right at the beginning. So if you're planning on coming, when they open, either get there really early to get there at the front of the line or, or maybe wait an hour and let the line clear a little bit.

SPEAKER 2: Otherwise you, you will be standing in line specifically Friday and Saturday, you know, but that doesn't bother me and I think it doesn't, you don't, you don't, you don't eat lunch, your own trail mix.

SPEAKER 3: Not even, not even that Danny is generally people are, are with other people. So when you're standing there, you're talking to people you like or know and it's not, you don't even notice the time.

SPEAKER 3: I know. Well, I, I hear you. You're not the only one good point by Gregg ef here.

SPEAKER 3: I did not know this. There is a Chicago subway train line from Rosemont to Chicago. So there you go. I wonder how close to the Convention Center that actually it's, it's gotta be real close, man.

SPEAKER 3: So, yeah, I mean, I did, I did not know that I don't really necessarily need it, but maybe in the future for a future one, potentially it's good to know and for other people, it may be good for anybody going to a white Sox game.

SPEAKER 2: Who knows? Yeah.

SPEAKER 2: All right. Any, any other words of wisdom on your approach to the National.

SPEAKER 3: Have fun, man. I mean, we could give all the tips in the world, right? There's so many ways to have fun at the National, right? Whether that's hanging with your buddies, meet people for the first or or again buying great car cards, selling your cards. There ain't nothing wrong with that.

SPEAKER 3: People like to make people feel guilty for, for selling their stuff. Listen, you sell your stuff, you got more money in your pocket to buy stuff. Right. It's like the Mike. So self-sustaining model, which is actually pretty good. Right. So, there's no wrong way to hobby. Have fun. Enjoy yourself. It's gonna be a quick five days, believe me.

SPEAKER 3: Here's another tip. If you've taken off from work to attend the National, try to take off the Monday after the National because you are gonna be tired the buffer day. Yeah, buffer day. So, if you can, I unfortunately can't do it. But what was it?

SPEAKER 2: I said II, I like this, talking about, Cassius King and the train. Don't ride the train with $30,000 cash. That, that's probably a good, yeah.

SPEAKER 3: You know what? You gotta be careful, man. It's a big city. I'm a New York City kid born and raised in, in New York. Head on a swivel. Be, you know, don't advertise always what you have.

SPEAKER 3: You know, there's, you never know who's listening.

SPEAKER 3: I'm a front pocket wallet guy. My stuff's in my front pocket.

SPEAKER 3: So, you know, just be careful to tell everybody that. Well, what difference does it make? It's on you one way or the other, right? You just now you got to come in front of me. So, but, everybody can grab John's front pocket grab and I'm gonna move, I'm gonna move strategically.

SPEAKER 3: So, ah but you know, have fun, right? Sum up in two words yeah, don't, you know, people love to do that on social media. You definitely don't want to do. There is all, listen, if you don't think there's bad people at the National go through social media and how many times you see people arrested at the National stealing from dealers, you think they're gonna do?

SPEAKER 3: You think they're gonna not steal cards from a dealer and not slip money out of your pocket if they can, can do it. Don't fool yourself. Right. I'm not saying you gotta walk around paranoid but just don't, you know, be smart, be smart.

SPEAKER 3: And have fun. But for even more than be smart, have fun. If you went to the National, whether it's for one day, Danny or five days and you didn't have a good time. I want to know what happened and hopefully it's not terrible or something, you know, tragic.

SPEAKER 3: But what, where did you go wrong? You know, are we going into overtime tonight or are we gonna say I, I got nothing better to do and I still got a little San Pellegrino left.

SPEAKER 2: Well, I'm gonna give my last tip. How's that? Go ahead. Make your plans in advance to meet up with people once you're there, it's very hard to try to randomly run into people, you know, if, if you're, if you're, if you're expecting to just bump into somebody and that's your plan.

SPEAKER 2: It, it, it's, it's a, it's a much bigger room than if you've never been there.

SPEAKER 3: Than I will tell you this because I've used this, this step before. There's a VIP lounge, that most people can, I can get into with the ticket. They have, let's say someone texts you and the internet's working and they're like, hey, hey man, let's meet up.

SPEAKER 3: I'm at the show where you at, you know, text back, hey, meet at 2 15 VIP room. And you can meet there, there's a table to sit down, and do all that. So I get what you're saying, but then there are, you know, there's loopholes to sort of, but that's.

SPEAKER 2: What I'm saying. You want, you want a plan where to meet in advance? Yeah. Yeah, you can't just say I'Ll, I'Ll run into you and we'll grab lunch, you know.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah. No. Yeah, that is your point. Yeah, make, you can make plans like, hey, let's meet at this table at the main stage area, the VIP lounge, the bar, you know, the 10, the $20 hot dog stand, wherever that place you determined to meet up.

SPEAKER 3: Well, at this, I caught a guy to 2021 National from pick packing myself there. You have it guys, I'm not making this stuff up again. I don't want you to be scared. I don't want you to not go to the National. Just know that those people are in the crowd.

SPEAKER 3: Right. And, there's some people are there to, to have fun and have a good time and some people are there not to do that. And, unfortunately we have to deal with those folks don't make it easy for them. That's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER 2: And the last thing just because I'Ll have, I'Ll have an anxiety attack at the National dealers. Cases are not tables. Please don't put your Zion case, your pelican case, your, your £300 whatever. Don't put your drinks on there. Don't, don't carry open beverages around cards. Just you use, use common sense and that stuff also just out of respect for everybody around you.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, as a dealer myself, Danny, that's, I don't complain about too much. I've done shows since I'm 15 years old. I've seen probably just about everything. One of the things that does bug me is when someone and I'Ll buy from people come up to my table.

SPEAKER 3: That's not what I'm saying. But don't put, like you said, don't put a case on the glass. It's just a risky proposition. I had a dealer friend that I was set up true story real quick where I know we're in overtime.

SPEAKER 3: Young man came up to his table, put his ca his, his, you know, card carrying case on his glass. Allstate case, it didn't crack right away. They were talk, you know, he didn't say nothing and all of a sudden you could hear it crack.

SPEAKER 3: His glass case broke. Young man picked up this case said, I'm sorry and walked away. Holy so and yeah, so, so when I, when I have someone either, if I see him start to put it down, I'm just like, please don't put anything on the cases.

SPEAKER 3: And you know, I just etiquette, it's just an etiquette thing that young, that young man didn't mean break the case. That's not what I, but.

SPEAKER 2: They call that a hidden run.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah. And so, you know, I'm sure he felt bad but he didn't make any sort of, you know, hey, how, how can we, how can we resolve this type of deer? Just said my, he did to, er, did I do that and then walked away? You know, he said, I think he said, oh, I'm sorry about that.

SPEAKER 3: Literally walked away. Yeah, not a mensch, not a mensch. But so I just, I just don't allow that. And I'm very polite when I, I don't like, I'm not like, get your case up. I don't do that.

SPEAKER 3: I'm just like, hey, I rather you wouldn't, you know, I appreciate if you wouldn't put, you know, the case on the glass, it could, it could break, you know, and most people get, either people get it, don't do it or if you ask polite, they don't do it. It's a win-win, sort of for everybody but I still see it, walk around the National, you're gonna see it.

SPEAKER 3: You know, so, and a lot of these cases now are what the ones I use are the bulletin boards, cases with the plexi glass and that stuff is actually not as strong as the glass. So you definitely don't want to do that.

SPEAKER 3: And if you believe me, that happens at the National and you try to walk away, that deal is probably gonna flag down officer and said that person right there just broke this case. So you're not going very far. It's very hard to run, in the National if you wanna run.

SPEAKER 2: Are these really the tip shirt we're giving now?

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, it's hard to run. It's a degree of difficulty running, add your card carrying ca case running with that great difficulty goes the size of the building alone.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah. So, so don't break anyone's cases if you, if you can prevent it and have fun. That's my two tips.

SPEAKER 2: Oh, it's hard. It is hard to top that on tips, I think. II I think I'm gonna end on that one.

SPEAKER 2: John, I will see you in two weeks.

SPEAKER 3: It's, I'm a quick 18 days away for listening right now. Yeah, today.

SPEAKER 2: Right. And we'll have, I think a mens right before and a mens right after. I think we missed it.

SPEAKER 3: Somewhere that we'll do a match. We'll just do a men. We'll break out and me at the National too.

SPEAKER 2: Absolutely. All right. Well, yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER 2: Thank you to everybody and definitely, on, on the podcast and on YouTube, leave comments and, looking forward to meeting a lot of you at the.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, I want, yeah, I want, I know we're already in overtime. What's another minute? Right? It's like, there, there's no Academy Award music to play us off or somebody to, you know, go to commercial.

SPEAKER 3: All joking aside, right? I, we really do. The show is doing great on audio downloads. We had a nice crowd tonight. I know I speak for Danny and saying this, we appreciate you guys. We try to incorporate you and use your comments and, and mention you, you know, you don't have to be here tonight. You could be somewhere else and, and, and you here. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

SPEAKER 3: If you, if you're not watching us live, nothing wrong with that. We appreciate you if you, if you listen to us on podcast form, as well, believe me. And I wanna say that and if you're going to the National, you better believe again, I'Ll speak for Danny here. We would love to meet you. Chat with you. See what you picked up, talk shop, talk, life, talk, whatever, talk, favorite underwear, whatever the, the topic.

SPEAKER 2: We see and if you're going commando, we'll take your word for it.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah. You know, we'll just, it'll be an honesty policy we believe for.

SPEAKER 2: Exactly.

SPEAKER 2: Mookie. Thank you for the final comment. I'Ll give him the last word on here. Thanks for everything to you guys. Wi wi without you and John, thank you know.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, and that's not lip service. Sometimes you hear that it's, you know, because it sounds good and I wrote that down and here's what I say. No, that, that for me, believe me, there's a lot of other things people could be doing on a Friday night or even on, on a, on Friday night. We're listening to the show wherever you listen to it. We appreciate your time so well.

SPEAKER 2: And, and I'm glad you said something because the the podcast and the downloads, we, we've been very blessed the, the, the last couple of months.

SPEAKER 2: You know, we just want to thank everybody who's listening because you know, we know you're, we know you're listening. We, we see the numbers and we're gonna keep trying to get better and make an entertaining show.

SPEAKER 3: Listen. And I understand why the, the downloads are higher than the live show. Way higher. A lot, lot higher. There's nothing we can do. This is this is as pretty as I get, which is not very pretty. It is what it is. So I get the audio downloads too. I get it. Believe me, I have a mirror, I have a mirror in my house.

SPEAKER 2: Yeah, we're, we're definitely made for audio.

SPEAKER 2: All right guys. Well, thank you. Thank you for everybody for joining us and we, you know, we'll, we'll see you in the next episode. But if you don't catch us next week, please, please come say hi at the National.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, don't forget Billy Joe.

SPEAKER 2: Don't worry. Say good night John. Good night, Jad.