I just wanted to add to the conversation about the sketches being sold on ebay.<br>I used to own a card shop. I carried all sports and even some non-sports cards.<br>I even had a couple boxes of GROO cards! Anyway, several other card shop <br>owners used to pay athletes for signing sessions. The owners would pay the<br>players (very well I might add) for an hour or two, and the players would sign<br>non-stop until the time was up. Then the card shop guys would sell the items<br>for a huge markup. At one session (which I didn't pay for, but was allowed to<br>attend) I spoke to a couple of players about the selling of their signiture on items.<br>One very nice guy, a quarterback for the Green Bay Packers told me that he<br>donated some of the money to charity. He also said he loved to freely sign<br>for fans, but that unauthorized dealers selling his autograph was upsetting. He went on to say<br>that many players were becoming
reluctant to sign for fear it would be sold for<br>profit. The greedy ones were mad because they were missing out on income<br>(mostly unreported income) while the others felt "prostituted" by greedy fans.<br> My own take on the sketches is the same as the autographs. To me it<br>is a personal favor for an artist (athlete or otherwise) to sign or sketch for<br>someone. I have tried to only collect autographed items that I have received<br>myself. While I would absolutely love a sketch from Stan, Sergio, or many<br>others, I would definitely never sell it. The fact that they are willing to delight<br>us with a sample of their work is just another reason we hold them in such<br>high regard. I hope some time in the next year to attend a convention to meet<br>and possibly receive a small skecth from Sergio. I just hope these profiteers<br>don't ruin a good thing for the rest of
us.<br><br><br> Just about the time I convince myself I can wait on a GROO hat, I get to <br>actually see one! (thanks for the pictures, my first look at them) <br><br><br> Wayne S<br><br><br><br><br>