Autographs under $1

Sports memorabilia has become a growing industry over the last 25 years. Companies such as Upper Deck, who have exclusive contracts with athletes like Michael Jordan, Joe Montana and Kobe Bryant rake in millions every year. A single signed Michael Jordan basketball can bring in as much as $1000 to a dealer. That's probably one of the reasons the Jordan autographed is one of the most plagarized in the market. Firms such as PSA/DNA and Spence Authenticators, help in flitering out such fakes.
That is why I'm here to offer autographs for under $1. I don't actually provide the autographs, but I will tell you quickly how to grab one for under a dollar.

1. Find a sports card of a player that you would like an autograph of. Chances are always better with a B-list player. Feel free to take your chance with the A-list player though. Probably not a good idea to send a Derek Jeter rookie card in. Jeter most likely will never see it, and neither will you.)
2. Two cards is ussually the maximum a player will sign. Ussually the card the player doesn't sign will accompany the signed card.
3. If you are sending a glossy card, sprinkle baby powder on the card and then wipe away the residue. There is nothing more upsetting then getting a card back in the mail and the signature is smeared. The baby powder helps tremendously. Top loaders are not necessary. They cost money and some players have been known to sign the holder or damge the card when placing it back in.
4. Include a personal, brief note to the player telling him why you enjoy watching him. Stray from corney phrases like "You're my favorite." Just be honest and try to include a personal memory of the player's accomplishments.
5. Send the card in an envelope that will stick out. I personally use "loud" envelopes that say "Hey...open me." Address the envelope to the teams stadium, which can be found at www.mlb.com . Make certain you include: C/O Your Players Name Here.
6. Most importantly: send a SASE, or self-addressed stamped envelope along with your card and note. You do not have to use a "loud" return envelope. They cost money, and you would rather save them for sending out your cards.
7. Lastly: Wait for the mail. Turnaround times can be as quick as one week, or as long as a year.

Happy Returns! In the last two weeks: Jim Thome and John Danks. Turnaround time was roughly 1 1/2 weeks.

CL(ASS)-less

OK, so I deviated. I couldn't help myself. The trash-talking, chest-thumping, swear-machine known as Kevin Garnett made me. And to be honest, I have no desire to be in front of a keyboard right now. None whatsoever. I could give two "hoots" about all of Garnett's moral blemishes, but his continued taunting and blatant bad mouthing of opposing players is gutless. Garnett's recent injury has made him a suit and tie cheerleader for the Boston Celtics during their best of seven playoff series with the Chicago Bulls. He has been a bit more than a cheerleader. More like a ring-leader. Watching the game the other night with my family, my seven year-old asked me "why is that angry man yelling at the Bulls' player?" I was just relieved he didn't ask me "what is he yelling?" I had no answer for my young basketball fan. Why would a grown man (presumably) dressed in a suit and tie (clip on?) yell obscenities at another grown man? Every night we see the same embittered Kevin. This is the same psychopath, who in the 2004 NBA Playoffs made references to guns, artillery and some other nonsense, when talking about preparing for his game. "This is it," Garnett said. "It's for all the marbles. I'm sitting in the house loading up the pump, I'm loading up the Uzis, I've got a couple of M-16s, couple of nines, couple of joints with some silencers on them, couple of grenades, got a missile launcher. I'm ready for war."

I have read a plethora of posts and replies from those claiming that trash talking is just part of the game. Absolutely. Moreover, some people are claiming Jordan was at the top of the "trash- talk" chain. He was, but he never did it sitting on a bench. In the years I followed Jordan, I do not recall seeing him shouting disgusting obscenities at opposing players and coaches. Certainly not from the bench. When Garnett dresses for a game----trash talk away. Until then, please sit down, stay seated and shut your mouth!

All in the Family

Twenty games into the 2009 season, one glowing concern for the Sox has been sub par middle relief pitching. Jack Egbert (27.00) proved as efficient as his predecessor and the Lance Broadway experiment is awaiting. Clayton Richard is still a question mark with an ERA just under 5, while D.J. Carrasco is pitching a modest 3.48. So where does Don Cooper and manager Ozzie Guillen go from here? For Guillen it may be as easy as climbing his family tree.
Sun-Times Sox beat reporter Joe Cowley hinted in a recent post that former Southsider Freddy Garcia again has the interest of Guillen. Garcia was recently let go by the New York Mets and now is in search for a job. Garcia has only 14 starts to his credit since leaving the Sox in 2006. Of those starts, Freddy is 2-6. In 2005, Garcia was 14-8, with 228 innings pitched. Freddy tossed three complete games during the Sox World Series championship season; one of which was hurled during the ALCS. So what can an injury prone, 32 year-old bring back to the Sox? To speculate- much needed middle relief. It's not a role Freddy Garcia is accustomed to, but it is a role that Don Cooper can custom mold for the aging Garcia. In addition, if there is any hope for Garcia's future, Ozzie Guillen will find it. "I need to talk to him [Wednesday], see where he is, if he's hurt, how he's doing,'' White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen admitted. "I guess [general manager] Kenny [Williams] and the scouts know more than I do. I have to ask them and see how he's doing. I know he will find a job and hopefully he pitches better for the next team, I don't want to say us yet because I don't know anything about it.''