Blog Bat Around Post

I'm going to admit right off the bat, this post is going to suck. When I agreed to to do the Bat Around I thought I'd be able to rip out a post no problem, but once I saw the question my mind locked up. I'm just not up for writing a heartfelt well written origin story, ok? It doesn't help that there are a bunch of excellent posts out there already. So ya know what? I'm gonna mail it in. I've got card show purchases to post, High Numbers to rip, packages to address, trades to scan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder and Guilder to frame for it. I'm swamped. I gotta post something though, so let's just do it Q&A style, shall we?

Most of us classify ourselves as some type of collector in this industry.

I AM THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE SMAUG.

HOARDER OF CARDS.

EATER OF SNEAKSY LITTLE HOBBITS WHO MESS WITH MY BRAVES CARDS.

MORTAL MEN VIEW MY TOPPS COLLECTION AND TREMBLE.

NOW IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I NEED TO SO SACK GONDOR. THE MINAS TIRITH TARGET HAS BLASTERS OF STADIUM CLUB.

Player collector,

Yes.

team collector,

Yep.

set collector,

Absolutely.

auto collector,

Mmm-hmm.

first world,

Of course.

second world,

Sure, why not.

among thousands of other labels.

Yep, them too.

As you have navigated the hobby, what are the biggest challenges you face as that type of collector or label of hobby enthusiast?

Too many cards, not enough money, really not enough time, stacks of cards toppling and crushing me underneath, losing consciousness from lack of oxygen as the weight of the 1990 Donruss cards flatten my lungs. Typical stuff.

What have been your biggest successes

Buying oddball stuff cheap before they really took off value wise.

failures?

Buying everything else and watching as their value went straight into the toilet.

What would you like to see the manufacturers focus on to make your type of collector flourish in the hobby?

Just make quality cards for every price range in the spectrum. Don't mail in the inexpensive sets. Don't ignore the low end collector. Don't base your success or failure on a gimmick wholly unrelated to the cards themselves. Don't pull a GM and put all your eggs in the basket labeled "Let's Catch Some Whales" and fold when the market dries up for $300 packs. Actually the collector will flourish regardless. These suggestions will help the manufacturers flourish.

Feel free to provide blog examples, scans, poems, haikus, bar napkin messages, medical prescriptions, etc as complements to your posts.

The industry sucks
But I still love to collect
Bring back Topps Total.

If you feel your type has been covered on another blog, tell us how you do things the same or differently.

I think I'm the only bloodthirsty evil dragon card hoarder blog out there, actually. Well, there's Stale Gum, but Chris is more the Great Old One type.

If you don't identify yourself as a type, explain why, or explain how you think of yourself.

I AM LEGION. Of types. I'm complex. A complex card hoarding evil dragon collector thingy. Metaphorically, of course.

You do not have to answer any or all of the questions asked here.

NOW YOU TELL ME