Ep.202 w/ Ben Smith of Midwest Box Breaks

8:00 PM
What is up episode 202? Sports card Nation. Hope everyone is doing great. I just did a another card show here in Syracuse did fairly. Well, I'll be doing a review of that. Monday's hobby quick hits great guest today, one of our sponsors but that's more coincidence and happenstance Ben Smith's or Midwest box breaks and not, not your typical Breakers, right? Doing some different things going, give an extra value to the service and building the community and this is a guy that loves I'll be loves people. Well and we're going to talk about the hobby. We're going to talk about things. We like to see improve or talk a little bit of life which is always fun as well. And you know, a great conversation with Ben Smith. So we go to we're going to do that. We could have talked a lot more, right? But great guy. I think you'll really appreciate them when you hear the interview. So without further Ado, let's get this. 

Show underway. Hey John. Want to have a catch time for all hobby. Is the people answer. 

Sup everyone its bro, either kid. Always remember the highly is the people peace out. If you'd like to be the hobbyist of people announcer of the week to a glass, or MP3 file and send it to sports coordination, PC at gmail.com, are you a new sports car to like her or someone returning to the Hobby? Maybe you're just looking for a friendly trustworthy hobby Community, to hang out with and enjoy collecting Midwest box. Clips has 

You can collect this together for many years with a portable race, helpful thread, and a Discord group pack with generous people who genuinely care about the Hobby and other collectors. Check out the brakes at Midwest box, braids.com. Our goal is to bring you as much value as possible. Also find us on Twitter at Midwest Mossberg. Hey folks. Jan here. Just wanted to remind you use the discount code and bb10 for 10% off your first order at Midwest box. Brakes cam. 

Happy to have my next guest on the sports card shop at Moko, gas line. He's from Midwest. Midwest box breaks one of our great sponsors. Glad glad for that and finally have them on here. Mr. Ben Smith. Welcome. Hey, thanks excited to be here. And everybody my group, once they knew I was coming on to the You high so well-respected member of the hobby community. So it's an honor to be here. Well, I appreciate that. I think that tag can be worn by both of us. So it's I'm glad I'm glad you here I guess. You know it's the the standard podcast question but you know it's your first time on the show. So for those listening that you know, kind of how you got your start in the hobby, we're going to get it made wax box breaks and how that was formed. But You yourself as far as? Your start in the hobby, kind of how that all came about. Well, I like a lot of people, I meet, I'm in my 40s and I collected back in the 80s as a kid and got my first pack in 83. And I remember, I had a Tony Gwynn, and I think Jesse Barfield at a time, people were more excited about the bar field but collected for a few years and then stopped a little bit graduated, adulthood took over, got out a little bit. Jump back in here. They're never really got rid of all my cards, but just kind of put them away, you know, everybody's been through this life going to goes front and center in the cards, get pushed to the back, but came back for good um, into. So 2017 about five years ago and started talking to some friends who collected and they told me about brakes and got exposed to that. And are we are so you have a bit off and on been collecting for a long time so I'm a dinosaur. Yeah. 

We get to pick whatever dinosaur we want to because I'm right there with you and it's funny because we're you know I think I'm a little older than you but you know I opened my first packet 79 you mentioned 83. So now you know four years off as far as start wise and stuff you know it's crazy and you know I've said breaking is really saved the industry when it was kind of down and wax was not selling at the pace. We now No, it does, you know, breaking and that Niche really kind of Save The Hobby saved companies or maybe save still strong a word, but definitely how business the Boom in the hobby to boom and Ike. I don't know if you, I'm sure you remembered to, if you would have told the younger version of me or the younger version of been like, hey, you know, beautiful by into What's called the break. Someone's going to open packs for you on the screen and then send you, you know, if 

Came or your player, you know, I would have, you know, the younger version of me would have said, you're crazy. You know, I remember opening text as a young collector young hobbyist and you know your buddies, hey let me open one, I'm like get your road and so if you would have told me, you know, that, you know, breaking would be like as big as it is, then. You know what I mean? I would have thought you were crazy. I didn't want anyone to open my stuff. I was like, you know, by your own box and get your own pegs kind of Kid, you know, and just because it was such a drag adrenaline rush, but, you know, the the hobby of olives. And and that's that's where are your thoughts getting on that Senator? Yeah, it's funny because when I was a kid opening, even half a box was a big deal. Even, you know, you think back 35, 50 cents and even when Upper Deck came to be in 89. I think they were like two bucks, a pack or something like that and it blew your mind that they were that Expensive. And, you know, I was a teen men and access to some part-time farm jobs and summer jobs to the event, but still buying a fox was a big deal and I lived in a small town and all my friends collected to and we got together and played some of those dice related games with, for, with baseball cards or, you know, rolling 11 was a homerun and crazy stuff like that. And it's so crazy before the internet, the way we collected and it was, it was so Thought it was amazing, and going back to that time, I guess it was fun, compared to how it is now, but there's so many more tools and resources available to us. And, you know, I remember, you know, collected in the 90 upper deck, Kevin Moss cards, and being excited about the bojack's and stuff. And, and I think as things move on a lot of people like us will go back to that and focus on that because ultimately, they enjoy it more, but the great thing about this hobby, as you can collect, however, you 

Whatever you want, whoever you want. And if you're in the right group, like ours, tries to be picky, it can increase in collecting experience. Far beyond the money you spend or the things you had or anything. So it's a exciting time to be in the hobby, honestly. Yeah, couple points. You made some great points. I want to piggyback off of is something I've said. And you said just the same thing, right? You can change how your hobby anytime you want. You can pivot. Something, you don't get enjoyment like you once. Did God say. You don't like the way something's going you can you can change the way you collect, whether it's a team player, what products, what sports, you collect that sort of thing. You change your, you know, I did a show on hobby quick. It's called your your own hobby CEO, you don't have, you know, individually. You don't have a board of directors to approve your decisions, that's your own decision, your own while at you get to choose to make those kind of decisions. Asians with and, you know, it's when you think of it like that, you know what? Someone, you know, everyone. So I'll bet I'll get someone a message me like, hey, I'm really the Hobbies got me down or it's not, you know, I'm not I'm not finding the same enjoyment. I once did, I'm thinking about getting out, I never tried to persuade someone. Yeah, you should leave. I always say think of different ways you can still stay in, having do different things and maybe it'll kinda, you know, 

We can do that fire if you will, and if you've tried everything and then then maybe if you know, you've exhausted sort of all the angles, but Dobby like dr. Beckett says writes the greatest Hobby in the world and maybe it's in. You just come at it with a different different perspective that could be, you know, a Difference Maker. So I always try to it doesn't happen a ton, but when someone does tell Me, they're leaning that way. I try to talk him off the ledge and maybe, you know, just kind of hang this different ways, you can still be active in the Hobby and maybe one of them will sort of, you know, like that fire again. And a lot of times I've gotten follow-up messages, like, hey, I'm glad I talked to you, I'm doing this and you know, it's better. I'm in a better spot than I was the last time we had a conversation and so it's a great point. 

You but in another great Point like we always go back to that Nostalgia, right? Like you said we always kind of remember how we got our start. We never really lose sight of it for the most part and again you can you can you know you can go back there depending on whatever you got start with and you you know, people open but it sweats and I've done it and I know you know, a lot of other people have done it too and so it's it's a lot of ways I have it. As you said, alright, it's time for a quick break but we'll be right back. But the athletes, we admired the sports car shop is changing the game. We're not launching three bombing drives or hitting dingers. But we have built a unique Gathering Spot for all collectors to trade cards, talk sports, play games and watch their favorite athletes on the big screens. Yes, we partner with panini Upper Deck, Leif Topps, Fanatics, Pokemon, and others, to bring you all the latest in sealed wax and singles, but the sports card shop in New Buffalo, Michigan is Much much more. Our recent expansion, brings collectible sneakers, Hot Wheels and more sports and entertainment memorabilia into the mix. Our new collectors cave game room is the perfect place to throw over. It party, bring friends, rip packs, trade cards, played Billiards and pong shuffleboard classic arcade and Xbox games. All while watching your favorite sport on TV. Visit us at the sports card. Shop.com follow us on social at underscore sports card shop or 

8:12 PM
Our yet, visit Person to learn about special events, party packages, new products and everything we're doing for you. The sports card shop, Connecting People Sports and the hobby around the world. Fourth card nation has returned with Ben Smith. Talked about Midwest box, breaks, kind of you mentioned kind of 2017 and the coming back strong, but take us there, like, how Midwest box breaks was, was born and, and The trajectory to to where you are now. Okay, so I really enjoyed breaks. I mean I really enjoyed them so check out a bunch of great Breakers at you know, I was on some eBay brakes and then I got into like top-shelf Buck City, all great guys and vintage breaks and I love seeing that the old stuff too but next thing I know I got a ton of stuff that came in and I'm like okay you know a lot of this stuff especially you know, if your random team breaks 

He's got your eyes. Okay. Now what? So I thought I really enjoy this, and I'm a community team oriented person based on my past, work experience, a business experience stuff. And I thought there's got to be a better way to recycle and reciprocate. Some of the break related funds and not have it just flow one way. So, and I was in a couple Facebook groups to that kind of did this stuff too, and I don't do a lot of Facebook now. I don't there's a lot about it. That goes against. You know what, we just talked about that we enjoy about it and I've had some good experiences on Twitter but it got in my head to create my own break group and I couldn't let it go. I could not let it go and up, you know, I went to went to a Cubs game with Chris. From top shelf, great guy picked his brain a little bit and it was just this thing that was Haunting me that I had to get this going. And I started the group and in the big part about what we do, in our break club, and we'll get him some that's up to is that I wanted to be full circle. I also 

Obligation. If somebody spends money through our group and through our business, I've got an obligation to try to help them, you know, recoup some of those funds, for the things they don't want, or they decide they want to sell, or things like that. And that's really how our Discord started in some areas have to do with you, the Twitter sales thread and I'm involved in a selling market place called ISO, that's just launched recently but that's a big deal to me that I don't I don't want to I really have a problem. Oblem with people that treat the hobby, like an ATM, you know that there are only here to sell their only here to sell. You know, one of our most successful threads is the set builder thread. And I've sent, I sent a guy 521 tops, Chrome base cards, that are going to complete his set and he'll get those in the mail. A few days would be tickled to death and it goes back to what we talked about before. There's so many cheap and sometimes even free ways to enjoy the hobby as a community and work together Network. And that was a thing for me. I'm like, I want to create a solid community and I 

Join groups where, you know, hey, that carts, stupid, or that's a three dollar card. I've been in breaks, where people? Yeah, guys, I'm not on the team anymore or they kind of bash people's PC and things like that and even outside of the hobby, I hate those environments. And I wanted to create something where everybody like we talked about every collector can come in and feel good till positive have somebody to lean on and really when the pandemic hit it was a big deal. I still get messages from people. People and say, hey, just let me know. Things were tough during the pandemic and stuff. I watch your videos. I got into some breaks and join your Discord and and thank you. Thank you for what you've created. And it's a nice Escape for people that I'll say as healthy as long as you can, you know, it's like anything you need to do to manage a budget yourself, but it's more therapeutic and healthy than say, going to the bar, you know, drinking turning the other avenues of escape and it's a fun inclusive group. 

You get to enjoy sports and the camaraderie and see that the meetups at National, and some of the cool things we've done as a group that I think that's the thing. I'm get most excited about and honestly, all of days. John, I don't even consider myself a breaker. I feel like I'm this community manager, facilitator, to just bring people together in. It's such a rush to do that and see people make friends. See if meet up through it be, you know, Leon people we've done fundraisers for Someone that needed help with funeral expenses for a loved. And you see the stuff that goes on on Twitter, you know, as far as the racks and, you know, the other random acts of kindness and the things we do and that feels so good. And it completes me more than any personal card I could own myself. And I've got, you know, I'm a Yankee guy. I've got some nice mantels mirrors. I'm a huge Mattingly fan things like that, but I feel so much better when I see that happen for other people. Especially people that are down, you know, I've been through a divorce and 

And things like that. And I know there's times when people feel like they have nobody in to create a group for something. We enjoy, where people can come in and relax, escape and feel good, and feel positive. In some cases, you know, get through the day. So really proud of what we've done in the last, you know, here we are four and a half years later. We've launched an entity group. We've got a Discord. We've got a partnership with FanDuel. I've met some amazing people. The hobby of that's celebrities. I've worked with some, Professional athletes. And we do some things with the Fort Wayne 10 caps here or the Padres High affiliate, their present, like, Nutter is in our break group, he loves it and we change the way people collect, and we also change their whole hobby out. Look at and I love the positive experiences. We bring to the people and I'm so much more passionate about it versus you know, I graded this and it's a 10 and blah, blah blah. You know my collections a little weird in that I like older stuff. 

My I said, my favorite players Mattingly, I don't do much prospecting. I've got some robber hassle because he played here in Fort Wayne, but again, that's the thing. Nobody's going to come to me and say, why are you collecting like that? You know, it's again, it goes back to doing it. However, you want and enjoy. Well, you know, kudos to for building that community and being sort of the force behind it, like you said, you know, listen, there's no shortage of Breakers, right? It's that, that Extra value with that extra stuff that you build around that and like you've done, right? And you see, you know, not that there's any not that they're bad guys. And, but some people are like you, like you said, it's sort of, it's just sort of a bank account, or a way to generate funds for themselves. I mean, it's not illegal, but you've went past that and you wanted to build a community and expand upon it. Like you said, you get that. That enjoyment from doing something for someone else and maybe a little bit down on their luck if you will. And I agree. I've done a lot of that stuff through this show was well and hearing you say that I'm not in my head because you know, it's night. I've gotten stuff too because of the show truth be told and I appreciate all those things but given back and doing stuff for others. I know it's cliche but it's 

It's really good. Feeling to know that maybe if you didn't do it or you didn't organize it it would have never happened and it was able to happen. It's crazy. Now, honestly we'll get some hard-hitting stuff here. Have you ever had moved to tears? Because I have a couple times now. Yeah. Is it is my crazy? Yeah, I cry. I might cry mores and older. You make it. An impact, right? You're making a difference to me how many you know anytime you get to do that and care how old you are. Teenager young, a young kid. Hello, do any time you can make a difference for somebody in there like whatever way it might be so cards or any other way it is moving, you know, I did a show. I know I've talked about this. It's the first thing that really pops up when I hear stuff. When you know it's sometimes you do it indirectly like doing it on. Purpose is 

Probably almost. But, you know, I did a show where I have my dad on and were originally from Brooklyn New York and my dad grew up going to the Dodger, Brooklyn, Dodger, gaze and Ebbets Field. And so I had him out is how many times you know, are you going to be able to have someone on a podcast that can like first Hancock about getting up close with the players and what they were like and what it was like watching the game at Ebbets Field and how were the fans torch Jackie and the early going and how That that tide change. And so I had my dad on It was right, you know I had the guy right in my backyard so to speak and he got emotional doing the show but you know wasn't my most downloaded show been but what it was was the show. I got probably the most feedback I got emails and direct messages from folks who said hey John I heard the show. What your dad was a great show. Me and my dad sort of had a falling out, we had a disagreement and argument have a talk. To him, you know one I got like three of those. One was like seven years. One was like double-digit like 10 or 11 or another was. He said almost 20 years and all three of them said after hearing you know me talk to my dad and him get choked up and reminiscent and real out. You know, my dad was a team, you know, is 84 now 183. Then like you know how, we don't know how long. Our dads might be around if they still are all three of those cheap gentleman that 

The Romy said they're going to, they're going to, you know make the first move, call their dads up. So what are we, what are we fighting about? This is stupid, it's not worth it. It's sort of, you know, try to rebuild those relationships. And so without truth, be told when I did that show, I'm not gonna lie about it because I had no idea that one might be something that occurred from it. That's just a collateral thing. That's a positive. 

8:22 PM
People repairing, our relationship with the father and anytime you hear that, whatever the reason is, from a hobby podcast, or whatever, whatever caused this to happen, you know? It's just that stuff really moves me. It's funny, my wife doesn't know much about card. She's supportive, don't get me wrong, but I showed her those like those three messages. I got ya, check this out from Heaven, you know, pops on, look, look what I got. And she's she even said, holy smokes, wow, from, you know, doing a car, a baseball card, five kids and yet I said, yeah, you never know. You never know. I guess it's the, you know, kind of bringing this to a close on my, you know, you never know whether it's I that says something or a guest on the show that can Inspire somebody. You never know who's listening out there and what it might, you know, sort of the, the Ripple that turns into a bigger. 

If you will, and that's that Community stuff and you know, that's why I take what I do say that's I don't, you know, I love it, I never swear on this show. Now listen, I'm not going to see here and said, I don't swear, I'm just not swearing on the show and people said, I appreciate that job because I know I can listen to this with my son or daughter in there in the car. Not have to worry about something slip it out and they hear it. And I just, I'm just real Cognizant of the effect we can have and the difference we potentially can make and not every show obviously, does things like that, but you just never know when that's going to be safe. You were listening to the sports card Nation Podcast. We'll be right back after this break, Zion cases of the best car cases in the hobby one, quick walk around the national or even the local card. Show will bear that out whether it's a case to protect your 

Well card or the holders, protect many of your precious cards look no further than the Zion cases and don't forget our backpack cases have no equipped. Check us out at www.sciencedenmark.com and remember to use promo code SC and 10 to save an additional ten percent off your order. Zion cases. We protect the hobby. Let's go. You are listening to the sports card Nations will cast, they were what you're doing with mbb and and the community and the Outreach and all the stuff you do. Looking out for other people in and not only are you helping the person you're helping but you know, others. You see that say Hey I want to work it out. What can I do? Like you did that. Can I add to it? Or can we go even going in different directions? Someone else 

Can help as well. And, you know, the crazy thing about that too is that I fall out of the picture and there's other people doing those things, and I get a lot of credit for the amazing things, our community does, but it comes from them. It's, it's our Core Group in our nucleus and, you know, I've got off days where, you know, I'm in a bad mood or I'm not feeling it and I miss an opportunity and someone will step up and say, you know what? Hey, we're going to do this for you or we're going to do that for You know, other people that group and really honestly, you know, I'll be 48 then of the year but I'd like to build something that can sustain when I'm gone. You know that something that and it's so great to see that, you know, our Core group and then a layer outside of new people. You know, to set the example for the next round of guys. Wow, look how awesome that was, you know, I want to do that. And I've had people show out some pretty decent coin to help. 

Facilitate you know, an awesome Rack or free spots or charity events, things like that. And it's funny because when things are going to happen, you miss it in that moment and so I've had a few guests on and stuff. Well, I don't know what it was, two years ago, something like that. We had Pedro Gomez on from ESPN and Pedro will put him in a break. He's he watched during the break but he called in and he talked to me and talk to our group for over and out and then it wasn't, you know, however, long it was 

After that, where he passed? Way it in our group, you know, it hurt us. We remembered those interactions that conversation and very little that had to actually, to do with baseball cards. But again, he talked about his love of the game and, you know, relationships with his family and things. He's learned through, you know, Decades of experience. And again, it comes back to our joy that so much more. And if you look, you know, the hobby lived fat, in a little bit of 19 big-time at 20, and even a little bit last year. And I spent a lot of time on Twitter. You'd be amazed you get think about your like what happened to so-and-so, as the money became harder to get? Or wasn't there? A lot of people disappear and you look now at the people are still there every day. So doing the things they do and and that's, I guess that's why we're here and I enjoy that again. I enjoy that so much more than we pulled some big hits. And, you know, there was a Dominguez and sold at auction. Jason Dominguez 101 sold at auction for like 60 Grand, things like that. 

I've seen some crazy stuff but the stories that keep within our group longer are, you know, the interviews of Pedro, Gomez the stuff we give away. And I really want people to come to us expecting that versus the screaming and the craziness the shaking over huge hits and all the sensationalism and the other is we're going to talk a little bit about that. You do it. But but you know, No, and you said something like, hey, you know, sometimes you know, someone else will do something and I'll get credit for but it's really good and you know, which it which is humble on your part and modesty. But at the end of the day, better was your example that kind maybe that set the tone. And so, you know, while you might not want to Pat yourself on the back, I could do it for you. When you do things and other people notice, it dat stuff can be contagious that No, that whole Ripple into a wave while it's cliche. It's there's an element of Truth there so we sometimes not always want to take the credit and I'm with you, I get it. But, you know, sometimes, you know, out of sight out of mind and it's someone seeing someone else whether it's, you me, who knows to do something. And it just, it likes to, you know, the light bulb up above their head and they say, I want to do this or I can do this and that's All gay someone just leading by example, and I'll say this too before we move to the next topic but there's honestly done. There's a hidden message there in everything. I do it. Sometimes on Twitter I'll throw up a little meme of you know a wink or something. You know I had a business before and I've always done something on the side. I was a manager in a factory for almost 20 years before I quit, I quit and May of last year to do this full-time but at one point, my first wife left me with four kids and they were all 

In school and it was literally my rock, bottom and everything fell apart and the selfish side of this is at this point where I am in my life, this is my celebration, my return. And the hidden message to people is no matter what they're going through divorce and similar situations, you can come back, you can come back. You just have to, you know, I told my, you know, my adult sons this to you just have to keep working grinding doing the right thing and you know, I've had, you know, men and similar Situations, you know, come to me and, hey, you know, I heard because I bring it up once a while, talked about a lot. I've been remarried. Almost five years. She's amazing. Like yours. She does, she doesn't know a lot about the hobby but she supports me 100%. Yeah, she, she supported the jump to full-time but I want people that feel down and then I'll say, depressed, people that I want them to know that you can still make it and you could still do it and you just have to keep going and find people to lean on. So yeah, the word that comes in. 

Persevere persevere Earth. Brite got to keep going as some days. You you, like you said, maybe he hit rock bottom or you, you think you hit rock bottom and you kind of want to give up and and but you just got to sort of pick yourself up off the mat dust yourself off and just say tomorrow can't be any worse than today. So let's let's keep plugging and keep going and I think everybody has been to some point in that area, you know in And I've had a rough day, or what? Time or even be even more than a day or a rough couple years or whatever the time frame. Maybe. But again you got to just keep going. Knowing there's there's, you know, maybe a brighter day around the corner, you just gotta get there, you got to keep going. If you give up you'll never you'll never know if it was there. You know you said like you know, even with your your divorce and being, you know a single dad would for school kid. You just get You know, congrats to you for, for being there, for them and being a dad. And now, you know, here you are, like you said, what a great wife and things have obviously are more positive and, and you're sort of paying that forward and trying to be an example, like, Hey listen, I've been there, you know, maybe may not look like it today, because I'm in a better spot, but it doesn't mean, I don't know, sort of kind of how you feel or what you're going through with and to help it out. 

Each and help folks that are in that spot where maybe we were at one point or another. It's always nice to have that ability and kind of being example, like, I know. It doesn't seem like it in this moment but things can get better. You just got it. Don't give up and keep plugging away. I maybe can help you a little bit in this category or this way. But you know, you know, don't don't stop, you know, trying to improve and get Get into a better spot. They going to step aside for a real quick break, but we'll be back with more with Ben Smith and Midwest box breaks for nearly 50 years. Sports collectors digest has been the voice of the hobby. Bringing you comprehensive coverage of the sports, collectible industry from industry news auction results, market analysis, and in-depth, stories, about collectors, and their collections. Sports collectors digest, has everything you need to know about the, huh? 

8:34 PM
Card shops card shows and the latest from the industry's top companies to check out all the latest news or to subscribe to the Hobbies. Oldest magazine visit sports collectors digest.com or call one eight hundred eight to nine 5561. 

You know, you mentioned some of the breakers rather do. I'm not going to mention by name. I don't I don't want to give them any free plugs. It's we we all follow kind of of the news but we've seen some breakers, do some unscrupulous things, some underhanded, things some quite frankly. I've said it on the show pad, just downright, illegal things, and criminal things. And I think what happened. I don't want to speak for you. That's why I'm going. 

Ask you is sometimes when we see that, maybe not me because I know how this process is, and that one breaker, one bad breaker does is is, you know, 1% less than 1% of, you know, Breakers are doing it the right way and above board and doing stuff like you're doing even going that extra mile. But what some people do is they see that and they just sort of sort of paint the whole niches, that's what you know. Talk about how that affects you, your thoughts on it. You know what, maybe even if you know, if you could do something about it or maybe even like I've said, I want to see the companies, which will pretty much be mostly phonetics and upper deck that are making these products, right. Panini won't put them obviously, but like fun. If someone does something unscrupulous downright criminal like this should be repercussions for that. 

Should be able to do, you know, if I'm, if I'm in charge of Fanatics, if I Michael Rubin, I don't want that person sort of aligned with my product, my brand my company. So I'd like to see more accountability from the card manufacturers to, at least punish, you know, folks that do these kind of things. We've seen, just talk about kind of what, you know, how it affects you went these Things pop up. And what what if you know, if you had a breaking magic wand and can kind of know what you would do or why the seat done to change change that aspect? Well, you know, we've seen this movie before, you know, it starts with, you know, somebody gets busted and there's a tweet about it. Describing it. And I think like you said everybody lumps Breakers into this, you know, I guess a dark sleazy 

Um, image that they don't like it. And it had somebody do this to me that at a show Once where I was talking to my said, yeah, I do breaks. And the guy next to me is like, oh, you guys are what's wrong with the hobby today. And I'm like, dude, you don't even know me. So I think it does affect us all, you know, in the, in the real business world, if company, X brick, and mortar does something shady and, and underhanded, you gets bad publicity and does something that doesn't It goes against the other beliefs of principles and what their customers what's in their best interest. The only times I go under and those customers go somewhere else. And honestly, I don't think you see that the Hobby and we've all seen the tweets of, hey, tag. Your favorite breaker. Let's focus on the positive Breakers. I'd love to see the numbers on the people that take that information and go on somebody else. And I think a big part of it is, there's a lot of people that just don't care. They're like, yeah, you know, whatever it didn't happen to me. 

I'm going to keep breaking at XYZ and there are so many great Breakers that I'm friends with. And I know that I see the hundreds of thousands of dollars, collectively a year that they donate to Great causes. And I see the same guys still trying to fill their stuff and it blows my mind and I don't even care if they come to me, you know, we do a lot of great charity work and things like that, too. But there's a saying, you know, how do you kill a clown? You don't laugh at it. The same thing, Goes with these guys, stop giving them the attention, the tweets, the retweets and stop giving them your money. Especially people that treat the hobby, like an ATM, that give nothing back, do nothing for the hobby Community, except take their money and some of these businesses honestly I don't know if I would call businesses some of these. These guys I don't know how there's they still exist and again we're not going to name names but there's so many great people out there to support and it just floored. 

To me, that that doesn't happen more. But yeah, when something bad happens and I read The through the threads, you know, and they want all Breakers in that category. And it's like, no dude. And I don't, you know, I, in our group, I've opened packs off camera and posted the results. It Discord, four guys from something hit, and I hit a matically one of one at a Stadium Club, you know, my PC Isaiah congrats, you get this Mattingly and you know, Houdini and she fun breaks cracking wax. The buck City guy. So many leaders and Members of the hobby that give back and those guys should be just buried in break customers and cards cards to rip because they're such good people. And, you know, these other guys, you know, guys threatened in their employees on camera people objectifying women people flat-out stealing, you know, it's it's it's turned into the like the old days WWE there is stock, you know? And 

So well here's your answer because I'm pretty serious about this. Here's your answer. If these guys are going to get their product from wherever they're getting them from, they agree and they sign paperwork that they will uphold a code of conduct and they can't be punished and cut off if they're in violation the other side of that to is. And this was one of my, this is an item on my road map for our break Club group and is a collector advocacy group. I'd like to create a group that can 

Help the collectors and take problems in the hobby to company. XYZ, you know? Hey, I represent 10,000 members, you know, what are you doing about situation? X, or what are you doing for this? And I know like the summit and some things that National and some of these other industry meetings have made great strides to make the hobby better. But I think a lot of people think they don't have a voice and I think a lot of people when they see something, they don't like in the hobby, they Push as hard as they should because I compared to this, when people in this isn't political because I don't, I don't do politics. Remember, back in the day, the Facebook post that, you know hey let's so nobody buy gas today, you know any laugh because you're like, yeah, right. That's going to happen because, you know, it's the same thing when I was in a union environment, you know, hey if they do this, here's what we're going to do, you know? It's not going to happen because if one guy says no, I'm done of draw the line. There's ten guys Guys pushing him out of the way so they can get to it. And that's the same thing with collecting with breaks from Bad Breakers, you know, some poor hobby products and soon as they say no everybody out know, I don't care if I don't care. Yeah and I think if we stuck together and fought a little harder to wear a little bit more, vocal organized. I think we could make some great strides, but again, we've got people that aren't in it for that. They aren't in it for the hobby. You know, it's about you know, how much am I going? 

Make off of XYZ and and that's their, that's their thing. And that's how they want to participate. And that's on them because it is an ecosystem and everybody plays a role but those are some of the things I'd like to see change. I'd like to see us more organized as collectors. I loved a lot of I agree. It was nothing. I disagreed there been. And I even love the idea of having like almost like a breakers like group where I'd sign it right now. Yeah, and like we're that there can be a media mediation between that breaking group and the card companies, whether it be Fanatics upper deck and Panini job, whatever, whoever wants to get it while we're with that group can say, hey this you know we're doing what we're supposed to be doing. But so and so is not and then someone from the car company can get they can have you know even someone dedicated to following up on that checking it out. 

Let me know this stuff's on video. It's not it's not going to take a long time. You know what? All the the car detectives is all over. It's blowing up all over the Internet so it's there for them to find and then like you said, like I said for that card company to say, you know what? Well you're not getting any product direct from us and even go further than that then because, you know how this works, if I, if me and you were in, cahoots it. And we're both Breakers and you get suspended from four. Nanak's, then you just say John hey you can you get me to stay For through through you and feed me. Yeah, I would go. I would take it a step further that not only is, you know, are they suspended? But anyone who sells our product to them, the sort of try to circumvent that, you're jeopardizing, your own ability to buy, buy from us and I think if they, if they did that it would go a long way, you know, it's time for a quick break but we'll be right back. Aaron Swartz guard is your number one source, for all y