Monday, July 15, 2013

The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Pants On: The 2013 National Sports Collectors Convention

The National Sports Collectors Convention (NSCC) is like a Wesley Willis album. You've heard one song, you've (literally) heard them all. But that doesn't mean they all don't rock.

The NSCC is the same way. Year in and year out, you buy your NSCC ticket and know exactly what you're going to get: The World's Greatest Card Show. The NSCC is card collecting's Hajj. In fact, it was written by The Prophet Jefferson Burdick (peace be upon him) that all sports card collectors are required to visit the NSCC at least once in their life. It was further written in The Scriptures that one must circle a T-206 Honus Wagner seven times in a counter-clockwise fashion, drink a pint of Old Style at a Wrigleyville douche-bar, stay a minimum of three days at an overpriced airport hotel, spend twice as much money as you've budgeted, and ritually stone to death a Topps employee. Animal sacrifices are optional, but encouraged.

With that said, the upcoming NSCC (July 30th-August 4th in Rosemont, IL) will be my seventh and if it's anything like the previous couple of National's, should offer few surprises. Like I did the last time the NSCC was in Chicagoland, I'm carpooling to the show with Chris Thomas -- whom you may know as the co-owner of my side project baseballcardpedia.com. We'll probably arrive sometime Wednesday, and right now don't know if we'll be attending the "preview session."

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I can say, for sure, that I'll be on the convention floor. So if you see me, don't be afraid to say hello or punch me in the face or whatever. I'll also be live Tweeting the festivities for your fun and amusement.

Chris Thomas has to be back home in Ohio by Sunday, so we'll have to leave Saturday Night; but three days of The National should be plenty. Besides, Sunday is the worst day to go since half the dealers pack up early.

With that said, The NSCC is the most fun you can have with your pants on -- legally, anyway -- and I look forward to seeing some of you there.