From top to bottom: Joe Montana almost seeming to look at me while taking a picture, the line-up for Friday, March 31st, and Freeman McNeil posing with me as he signs my Jets mini helmet.
It was not something that my girlfriend had any interest in and, admittedly, I could completely understand her lack of enthusiasm and/or interest.
In fact, after having gone to it, I am actually rather glad that she did not come, because it was admittedly even more boring than I had assumed it might be. And I had assumed that it would indeed be quite dull, unless you were one of the relatively few people who were willing to pay rather exorbitant fees to get one of the autographs. Most of the prices were in the hundreds of dollars, which seems to me to be a bit much.
In my imagination, I thought there would be something more. I imagined some fancy hotel or something, a kind of huge convention center with luxurious curtains everywhere, and these fancy things for sell, sports-related items that only people with a lot of disposable income would even entertain buying.
And yes, it had all of that. Yet, it was still...well, even duller than that. I thought that maybe the players would be introduced with specially prepared videos of their accomplishments and the best highlights, followed (or perhaps preceded) by someone coming up and introducing them, talking up their accomplishments. I had seen a few sports heroes in other similar events, particularly at book signings. Before Julius Erving in Philadelphia, there was a fair length video of his highlights and accomplishments and someone spoke before he actually came out. When seeing Kareem Abdul Jabbar in New York City for a book signing, there was an introduction that included his career accomplishments, followed by an interview and question and answer session with former New York Yankees managed Joe Torre, and then the signing. Not that I was expecting something quite that elaborate. But maybe at least a few words and/or a video. But there was nothing. The curtains suddenly were moved slightly, and a player would come out, followed by a small entourage of two to three people. Then, they would sit down in their assigned area, and the signing would begin. Nothing exciting at all about it, and it seemed kind of...well, anticlimactic.
That is not what it was at all, however. It was just some guy droning on about tickets number one through ten, or sixty through seventy, and then people who had spent a lot of money would go to the signing areas and wait. And then, eventually, the players would come out from the curtains behind the signing area, without any real announcement or fanfare of any kind, and they would sit and get ready for the long line of sports fans who would try and engage them in some conversation, and reminisce about their personal favorite moments. In recent years, I have begun to go to some similar signings (admittedly, free ones), so I kind of have the sense of what these conversations go like, and how generally disinterested the former sports stars tend to be, having likely heard the same kinds of comments and stories over the course of many years, even decades.
Let me just say it: it was weird. Not what I was expecting. This was no different than some of those free signings that I started going to, where the players just suddenly show up, and they look so different from their playing days, that you sometimes just take them for normal, everyday people who are there for the signing themselves. I was approached once by Stephen Baker (one of the wide receivers who produced nicely during the Giants 1990-91 championship run) during one of these signings, asking me where the signing area was. I looked at him, and a common thought came to me: "Wow! This guy is really getting into it!" I mean, he was wearing all Giants paraphernalia, and he had a tote bag of stuff with him, presumably, I thought, stuff that he would want to get signed. I pointed to where I had seen the table earlier, and he said, "Oh. Okay, thanks!"
He had a big smile, and then he excused himself to go to the bathroom, which I had just come out of, when he stopped and asked me, seeing my Giants sweatshirt on (that was the extent of my getting into the event, in terms of wearing something). Then, a few minutes later, he came to the area, only he did not get in line, but went directly to the table, and starting taking out his stuff, which included some signing mini-posters from Stop and Shop with a Giants helmet or logo (cannot remember which), as well as a mini Vince Lombardi Trophy, and his Super Bowl XXV ring. And that's when I thought, "Oh! He's not just an obsessed fan! He actually is Stephen Baker!
This was not as much like that, but not all that different, either. It just kind of all of a sudden happened. There was Ronnie Lott, and there was Warren Moon.Then, they walk off, and nobody is there for a few moments. You step away for a minute, and then, there is Jerry Rice. Montana had not shown up yet, but the line is getting longer. You go to one of the nearby table, just to see what is happening, and then you turn around, and suddenly, there is Joe Montana, signing things. Then, there is Terry Bradshaw (I actually saw Bradshaw walk out), and he walks to his area and then stands and looks at the line for a second, before sitting, and then the signings start. Nothing really interesting to see, admittedly.
It was kind of strange. I was by myself, because neither my girlfriend nor my son was interested in sports like this. But I thought, "Oh, wow, there he is!" Suddenly, there is Joe Montana, sitting there. There is Terry Bradshaw. I had seen Jerrry Rice once before, actually playing in a game (my brother and I went to see the San Francisco 49ers at the Pittsburgh Steelers in the autumn of 1996, and Rice was still on that team back then), but here he was, up close and personal, and I was not just seeing his form and recognizing him specifically only by his number. There he was, maybe forty to fifty feet away, and I could see him. He hardly looked like he had aged much from his final playing days (he had already shaved his head by then), even though Montana and Bradshaw, by way of comparison, looked much, more older, and signs of them having aged were far clearer. Bradshaw almost looked unrecognizable, and if he had not had his entourage with him, I would not necessarily have recognized him, except for his mostly bald head, and his forehead and eyes, which always gave him away on past videos, as well as Sunday morning football programs, these days.
This kind of made it difficult for me to remember exactly why I was here. Mostly, I had wanted to see Montana and Bradshaw, two star quarterbacks who both had won four Super Bowls apiece. Bradshaw I was too young to remember him playing, let alone winning Super Bowls. But who could forget Joe Montana?
Yet, apparently I did, because watching him signing was quite a bit boring. It might have been a lot more exciting if I were actually getting his autograph, but...well, I wasn't. So, he was sitting, and interacting with the fans. Some had jerseys for him to sign, some had helmets. One had a copy of the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which looked cool and symbolic.
Admittedly, it was not exciting, although it was cool to see him, and it felt right to see him with 49ers helmets, and with a Lombardy Trophy (admittedly, not a real one). It was only later that I began to remember some of my own memories of this guy. It was strange, because I am not, and was not, exactly a fan of the 49ers. In fact, I began to not be able to stand them following their Super Bowl XXIV triumph, when they demolished all comers in the playoffs, and humiliated the Denver Broncos in the big game itself. Up to that season, San Francisco had seemed like a damn good team, but not necessarily a truly dominant, or even an unlikable one, despite their having beaten the Giants many times, and knocked them out of the playoffs twice. Once it was clear that they were going to win that Super Bowl, however, they did not merely celebrate, like all other teams do when winning a major championship. They began to hold up three fingers, indicating their goal for a "three -peat." They could not even simply enjoy that championship, before they (many of them, not necessarily all of them) began to assume that they would win it all again the next year.
That was about the time that I grew truly sick of them.
But, I always like some members of the 49ers. I liked head coach Bill Walsh, who seemed like a more decent, and more intelligent, guy than many, if not most, football coaches. He had a rare human quality about him, sort of like Marv Levy of the Bills, that made him quite likable. Jerry Rice was also a very decent guy, and Randy Cross seemed like a decent guy, as well. And, of course, Joe Montana, the quarterback who I remember very well from the 1981 season, when I first got into football. He made me cry as a little boy, and not in a good way. He beat my Giants, and so I hoped Dallas could beat the Niners. Then came "The Catch," and I was heartbroken, but hoped the Bengals might stop them in the Super Bowl, but they did not. The 49ers won Super Bowl XIX as well, and in 1988, Montana orchestrated an incredible fourth quarter, coming from behind to beat the Bengals again in the first truly exciting Super Bowl that I can remember. Montana would win one more Super Bowl, slicing the poor Broncos defense, which was completely overmatched. It was the Giants who finally ended that 49ers dynasty in the 1990-91 season, preventing them from achieving the "three-peat."
I realize now that the 49ers were, in many respects, the perfect rivals for the Giants, back when that was actually probably the best rivalry that the NFL had. It had the East Coast-West Coast dimension, and the two teams really were fairly evenly matched most of the time from the mid-eighties until the eaely nineties. They also just seemed to bring out the best in one another, leading to some classic battles between them, especially from the late 1980's into the early 1990's. Ironically, one of my favorite Montana moments came at the expense of my team, the Giants, during the 1988 season. New York had been trailing in that game throughout, until a seeming fourth quarter when Phil Simms hit Lionel Manuel for what seemed to be the game-winning touchdown with a little over one minute left. But Montana hit Jerry Rice on a bomb, and two Giants defenders collided into one another, allowing Rice to go untouched into the end zone with 42 seconds left.
Ball game. It was a prelude to what Montana would do in the Super Bowl against the Bengals later that year. That loss effectively knocked the Giants out of the playoffs, even though it was the second game. If they win that, I believe that they not only go to the playoffs, but they win the division (both Philly and the Giants were 10-6, but the Giants did not qualify as the Eagles swept them), and they even get a playoff bye, with a real chance at advancing to the NFC Championship, and possibly going back to the Super Bowl themselves. So, that was a devastating loss. Yet, you just had to admire Montana's abilities.
Really, it was amazing to see him, and to be this close to Montana and Rice. I had seen Rice from the upper rafters at the old Three Rivers Stadium, but this was a completely different experience. And for now, this was free of charge, for tonight.
I also went on Sunday, and again, got to see some amazingly talented guys giving autographs. That included Drew Brees, who I had seen twice, both times in preseason games against the New England Patriots, in 2010 (when New Orleans were the defending champions) and again in 2012 or 2013. But again, that was from a distance. Now, I could see him quite up close and personal, although he looked tired and bored, which is generally not how he looks when you watch him on television during football games. It was amazing how many Saints fans were there!
There were a ton of Saints fans, easily identified by their black and gold jerseys and Saints apparel. But before long, Dan Marino came up, and suddenly, there were just a ton of fans of the Miami Dolphins. Marino, unlike most of the guys who were there signing on either day that I went, stood most of the time. He is obviously quite tall, and his face is quite red, so he clearly stood out. I looked at the cost of his autograph, and I marveled at how many people were so willing to shell out big bucks for premium signings. For the biggest names like that - and the biggest one had been on Saturday, the day that I did not go, the prices and lines were supposed to be completely outlandish. Apparently, the biggest draw was Patrick Mahomes, presumably because he is the hottest commodity in the NFL right now. Given how young he is, how strong and accurate his arms are, and how fast his legs are, everyone expects very big things from him. The line for him was supposed to be completely crazy, and the hall was supposed to be incredibly busy. Plus, he was very expensive, something that surprised me, because - let's be honest - he has not had a long and storied career. Yes, he had an amazing year, but what if he suffers injuries and is a shadow of what he was last year? What if he becomes one of those guys that you think could and should have been really good and done great things, but does not actually get to do them? Would not all of those signed helmets and jerseys and such significantly devalue? How could this guy get more money and fans (he was the biggest draw, apparently by far) then Joe Montana or Joe Namath? Maybe I am a rookie at this signing business, but that hardly seemed to make sense to me at all.
How was it possible that neither Montana nor Rice were bigger draws than Mahomes? I mean, granted, Mahomes is obviously a great talent, with a very promising future. If he continues playing on the level that he was playing last year for a long time - a very big if - then indeed, he very well may have all of the meaningful records imaginable. But Montana and Rice won four Super Bowls, and both are considered two of the greatest football players in history. Plus, Joe Namath apparently was in the shadow of Mahomes, which seemed absolutely ridiculous! How could this be? Was I the only one not understand this? I understand the potential, as well as the desire to be current, and all of that. But come on!
Another thing that caught me off guard - although perhaps it should not have - was just how much these kinds of places nickel and dime you. Apparently, there really are a lot of fans willing to shell out big bucks - often really big bucks! - in order to get these autographs. But you have very specific differences. It is a lot of money to get the big names to sign your stuff, either helmets or jerseys or photos or whatever else you have. But then, if you want an inscription (specific information, such as Super Bowl number that the player won, or year that he won the MVP or got into the Hall of Fame), then you have to add a bit more to that. There is a big price difference between getting a helmet signed or getting other things signed, such as photos. And you have to spend some big bucks in order to get a photo with him, often almost as much as the signing, which seemed a bit high to me.
As if all of that were not enough, there was a huge line to get these signatures authenticated, assuming that you wanted it. And again, maybe I should have been aware that this, too, cost still more money. I spoke to some of the people on the line, asking questions, and they said that it was $10 per item. In fact, it was more than that. It was $10 per autograph, meaning that if you had multiple autographs on, say, a helmet, then you had to pay for each of those autographs individually. I hardly need to mention that this adds up in a hurry, right?
Anyway, on Sunday, I got some of the cheaper guys. A couple of Jets were there for fairly affordable prices ($15 any item), and one member of the New York Giants, as well. Freeman McNeil and Wesley Walker were there, and I remembered watching those guys when I was a kid. The Giant was Mark Ingram, who was not as big a draw as his son, who was a member of the New Orleans Saints, and one of the hot running backs in modern times. However, Mark Ingram (the father) had made that unbelievable catch and run, dodging numerous Bills players in Super Bowl XXV. It had been 3rd down and 13, and he dodged and weaved and hopped his way, carrying some Buffalo players along with him, to pick up the crucial first down that kept a drive alive, one that the Giants would get a much needed touchdown from. Given that New York won that game (and thus, the championship) by a single point, it hardly seems a stretch to suggest that without that drive, and without that particular play, the Giants might not have won that Super Bowl.
Ingram actually laughed when I gave him my old Giants helmet to sign. He laughed about it being "old school" and told everyone around laughingly that "this is the reason you let the paint dry" (a reference to the slightly blurred autograph specifically of Stephen Baker, who had indeed gotten blurred). Whatever. Just sign the damn thing, man. For the Jets, I had purchased an old-fashioned green Jets helmet with the logo and face mask from the 1980's, when I first started to follow American football, and the Giants had been my favorite, but the Jets my second favorite. It was rather amazing to see those guys up close and personal, although despite there being many Jets fans in attendance, these guys had relatively few people on their lines, compared with current Jets players, like Sam Darnell, who was going for a lot of money, and drawing huge lines himself (although not on the level of Mahomes).
That got me into the signing area, and I saw some of the other prominent guys there. Marcus Allen, who was the MVP of Super Bowl XVIII, and he brought out some of the Raiders fans in attendance. As much as I was surprised with how many Saints fans there were, I was equally surprised how relatively few Raiders fans were there. Back in the 1980's and early 1990's, the Raiders seemed to be one of those teams with legions of fans like, say, the Dallas Cowboys, or the Green Bay Packers, or the Miami Dolphins (who no longer seem to have quite as many fans, although their fans were really out in full force on this weekend, at this show, for Marino and other members (including Mark Ingram, who went to the Dolphins after winning the Super Bowl with the Giants). There were not too many Raiders fans there, in comparison to other teams. But Allen had been brilliant in Super Bowl XVIII, and had helped power the Raiders to a very convincing win. At that time, it had been the most lopsided Super Bowl win ever.
For me, it was a thrill to see some of the other prominent Giants, including Ottis Anderson, the Super Bowl XXV MVP, and Lawrence Taylor, one of the most dominant linebackers in the history of the game (if not the best ever). Both of those guys had been members of the two Super Bowl championship squads for the Giants back in the Parcells era, winning XXI and XXV. But I had managed to get Anderson autographs for free with the Stop and Shop signings during the autumns in recent years, so I felt glad not to pay the rather exorbitant fees that they were asking. Not for the first time, I found myself very glad to have been as disciplined as I was in going to the Stop and Shop signings when the chance arose. I had gotten some autographs that likely would have cost a whole lot more than the gas to get to these locations and back, in comparison to an event like this. I had gotten Rodney Hampton and Ottis Anderson, both of whom were at this show, and surely going for quite a bit of money. I had also gotten Carl Banks, who had been prominently featured at another show like this, possibly the same show last year. And other prominent (and admittedly, some not so prominent) members of those Giants teams of the past. That had clearly been a lot cheaper than what this place was asking, which seemed simply ridiculous.
So, it was an experience. A bit expensive for many people, but apparently, there were also a lot of people who were willing to shell out big bucks to get the most expensive equipment and photos, or other souvenirs and such, to get them signed. A small thrill to see some really cool sports heroes from the days of yore, although mostly, they were sitting around and signing. No video presentation, no big event or anything, at the New Jersey Expo and Convention Center in Edison, NJ.
Here are some pictures:
Admittedly, it was not exciting, although it was cool to see him, and it felt right to see him with 49ers helmets, and with a Lombardy Trophy (admittedly, not a real one). It was only later that I began to remember some of my own memories of this guy. It was strange, because I am not, and was not, exactly a fan of the 49ers. In fact, I began to not be able to stand them following their Super Bowl XXIV triumph, when they demolished all comers in the playoffs, and humiliated the Denver Broncos in the big game itself. Up to that season, San Francisco had seemed like a damn good team, but not necessarily a truly dominant, or even an unlikable one, despite their having beaten the Giants many times, and knocked them out of the playoffs twice. Once it was clear that they were going to win that Super Bowl, however, they did not merely celebrate, like all other teams do when winning a major championship. They began to hold up three fingers, indicating their goal for a "three -peat." They could not even simply enjoy that championship, before they (many of them, not necessarily all of them) began to assume that they would win it all again the next year.
That was about the time that I grew truly sick of them.
But, I always like some members of the 49ers. I liked head coach Bill Walsh, who seemed like a more decent, and more intelligent, guy than many, if not most, football coaches. He had a rare human quality about him, sort of like Marv Levy of the Bills, that made him quite likable. Jerry Rice was also a very decent guy, and Randy Cross seemed like a decent guy, as well. And, of course, Joe Montana, the quarterback who I remember very well from the 1981 season, when I first got into football. He made me cry as a little boy, and not in a good way. He beat my Giants, and so I hoped Dallas could beat the Niners. Then came "The Catch," and I was heartbroken, but hoped the Bengals might stop them in the Super Bowl, but they did not. The 49ers won Super Bowl XIX as well, and in 1988, Montana orchestrated an incredible fourth quarter, coming from behind to beat the Bengals again in the first truly exciting Super Bowl that I can remember. Montana would win one more Super Bowl, slicing the poor Broncos defense, which was completely overmatched. It was the Giants who finally ended that 49ers dynasty in the 1990-91 season, preventing them from achieving the "three-peat."
I realize now that the 49ers were, in many respects, the perfect rivals for the Giants, back when that was actually probably the best rivalry that the NFL had. It had the East Coast-West Coast dimension, and the two teams really were fairly evenly matched most of the time from the mid-eighties until the eaely nineties. They also just seemed to bring out the best in one another, leading to some classic battles between them, especially from the late 1980's into the early 1990's. Ironically, one of my favorite Montana moments came at the expense of my team, the Giants, during the 1988 season. New York had been trailing in that game throughout, until a seeming fourth quarter when Phil Simms hit Lionel Manuel for what seemed to be the game-winning touchdown with a little over one minute left. But Montana hit Jerry Rice on a bomb, and two Giants defenders collided into one another, allowing Rice to go untouched into the end zone with 42 seconds left.
Ball game. It was a prelude to what Montana would do in the Super Bowl against the Bengals later that year. That loss effectively knocked the Giants out of the playoffs, even though it was the second game. If they win that, I believe that they not only go to the playoffs, but they win the division (both Philly and the Giants were 10-6, but the Giants did not qualify as the Eagles swept them), and they even get a playoff bye, with a real chance at advancing to the NFC Championship, and possibly going back to the Super Bowl themselves. So, that was a devastating loss. Yet, you just had to admire Montana's abilities.
Really, it was amazing to see him, and to be this close to Montana and Rice. I had seen Rice from the upper rafters at the old Three Rivers Stadium, but this was a completely different experience. And for now, this was free of charge, for tonight.
I also went on Sunday, and again, got to see some amazingly talented guys giving autographs. That included Drew Brees, who I had seen twice, both times in preseason games against the New England Patriots, in 2010 (when New Orleans were the defending champions) and again in 2012 or 2013. But again, that was from a distance. Now, I could see him quite up close and personal, although he looked tired and bored, which is generally not how he looks when you watch him on television during football games. It was amazing how many Saints fans were there!
There were a ton of Saints fans, easily identified by their black and gold jerseys and Saints apparel. But before long, Dan Marino came up, and suddenly, there were just a ton of fans of the Miami Dolphins. Marino, unlike most of the guys who were there signing on either day that I went, stood most of the time. He is obviously quite tall, and his face is quite red, so he clearly stood out. I looked at the cost of his autograph, and I marveled at how many people were so willing to shell out big bucks for premium signings. For the biggest names like that - and the biggest one had been on Saturday, the day that I did not go, the prices and lines were supposed to be completely outlandish. Apparently, the biggest draw was Patrick Mahomes, presumably because he is the hottest commodity in the NFL right now. Given how young he is, how strong and accurate his arms are, and how fast his legs are, everyone expects very big things from him. The line for him was supposed to be completely crazy, and the hall was supposed to be incredibly busy. Plus, he was very expensive, something that surprised me, because - let's be honest - he has not had a long and storied career. Yes, he had an amazing year, but what if he suffers injuries and is a shadow of what he was last year? What if he becomes one of those guys that you think could and should have been really good and done great things, but does not actually get to do them? Would not all of those signed helmets and jerseys and such significantly devalue? How could this guy get more money and fans (he was the biggest draw, apparently by far) then Joe Montana or Joe Namath? Maybe I am a rookie at this signing business, but that hardly seemed to make sense to me at all.
How was it possible that neither Montana nor Rice were bigger draws than Mahomes? I mean, granted, Mahomes is obviously a great talent, with a very promising future. If he continues playing on the level that he was playing last year for a long time - a very big if - then indeed, he very well may have all of the meaningful records imaginable. But Montana and Rice won four Super Bowls, and both are considered two of the greatest football players in history. Plus, Joe Namath apparently was in the shadow of Mahomes, which seemed absolutely ridiculous! How could this be? Was I the only one not understand this? I understand the potential, as well as the desire to be current, and all of that. But come on!
Another thing that caught me off guard - although perhaps it should not have - was just how much these kinds of places nickel and dime you. Apparently, there really are a lot of fans willing to shell out big bucks - often really big bucks! - in order to get these autographs. But you have very specific differences. It is a lot of money to get the big names to sign your stuff, either helmets or jerseys or photos or whatever else you have. But then, if you want an inscription (specific information, such as Super Bowl number that the player won, or year that he won the MVP or got into the Hall of Fame), then you have to add a bit more to that. There is a big price difference between getting a helmet signed or getting other things signed, such as photos. And you have to spend some big bucks in order to get a photo with him, often almost as much as the signing, which seemed a bit high to me.
As if all of that were not enough, there was a huge line to get these signatures authenticated, assuming that you wanted it. And again, maybe I should have been aware that this, too, cost still more money. I spoke to some of the people on the line, asking questions, and they said that it was $10 per item. In fact, it was more than that. It was $10 per autograph, meaning that if you had multiple autographs on, say, a helmet, then you had to pay for each of those autographs individually. I hardly need to mention that this adds up in a hurry, right?
Anyway, on Sunday, I got some of the cheaper guys. A couple of Jets were there for fairly affordable prices ($15 any item), and one member of the New York Giants, as well. Freeman McNeil and Wesley Walker were there, and I remembered watching those guys when I was a kid. The Giant was Mark Ingram, who was not as big a draw as his son, who was a member of the New Orleans Saints, and one of the hot running backs in modern times. However, Mark Ingram (the father) had made that unbelievable catch and run, dodging numerous Bills players in Super Bowl XXV. It had been 3rd down and 13, and he dodged and weaved and hopped his way, carrying some Buffalo players along with him, to pick up the crucial first down that kept a drive alive, one that the Giants would get a much needed touchdown from. Given that New York won that game (and thus, the championship) by a single point, it hardly seems a stretch to suggest that without that drive, and without that particular play, the Giants might not have won that Super Bowl.
Ingram actually laughed when I gave him my old Giants helmet to sign. He laughed about it being "old school" and told everyone around laughingly that "this is the reason you let the paint dry" (a reference to the slightly blurred autograph specifically of Stephen Baker, who had indeed gotten blurred). Whatever. Just sign the damn thing, man. For the Jets, I had purchased an old-fashioned green Jets helmet with the logo and face mask from the 1980's, when I first started to follow American football, and the Giants had been my favorite, but the Jets my second favorite. It was rather amazing to see those guys up close and personal, although despite there being many Jets fans in attendance, these guys had relatively few people on their lines, compared with current Jets players, like Sam Darnell, who was going for a lot of money, and drawing huge lines himself (although not on the level of Mahomes).
That got me into the signing area, and I saw some of the other prominent guys there. Marcus Allen, who was the MVP of Super Bowl XVIII, and he brought out some of the Raiders fans in attendance. As much as I was surprised with how many Saints fans there were, I was equally surprised how relatively few Raiders fans were there. Back in the 1980's and early 1990's, the Raiders seemed to be one of those teams with legions of fans like, say, the Dallas Cowboys, or the Green Bay Packers, or the Miami Dolphins (who no longer seem to have quite as many fans, although their fans were really out in full force on this weekend, at this show, for Marino and other members (including Mark Ingram, who went to the Dolphins after winning the Super Bowl with the Giants). There were not too many Raiders fans there, in comparison to other teams. But Allen had been brilliant in Super Bowl XVIII, and had helped power the Raiders to a very convincing win. At that time, it had been the most lopsided Super Bowl win ever.
For me, it was a thrill to see some of the other prominent Giants, including Ottis Anderson, the Super Bowl XXV MVP, and Lawrence Taylor, one of the most dominant linebackers in the history of the game (if not the best ever). Both of those guys had been members of the two Super Bowl championship squads for the Giants back in the Parcells era, winning XXI and XXV. But I had managed to get Anderson autographs for free with the Stop and Shop signings during the autumns in recent years, so I felt glad not to pay the rather exorbitant fees that they were asking. Not for the first time, I found myself very glad to have been as disciplined as I was in going to the Stop and Shop signings when the chance arose. I had gotten some autographs that likely would have cost a whole lot more than the gas to get to these locations and back, in comparison to an event like this. I had gotten Rodney Hampton and Ottis Anderson, both of whom were at this show, and surely going for quite a bit of money. I had also gotten Carl Banks, who had been prominently featured at another show like this, possibly the same show last year. And other prominent (and admittedly, some not so prominent) members of those Giants teams of the past. That had clearly been a lot cheaper than what this place was asking, which seemed simply ridiculous.
So, it was an experience. A bit expensive for many people, but apparently, there were also a lot of people who were willing to shell out big bucks to get the most expensive equipment and photos, or other souvenirs and such, to get them signed. A small thrill to see some really cool sports heroes from the days of yore, although mostly, they were sitting around and signing. No video presentation, no big event or anything, at the New Jersey Expo and Convention Center in Edison, NJ.
Here are some pictures:
Terry Bradshaw - Four-time Super Bowl champion (IX, X, XIII, and XIV), Two-time Super Bowl MVP (XIII and XIV), NFL MVP 1978
Jerry Rice - Three-time Super Bowl Champion (XXIII, XXIV, and XXIX), Two-time NFL Offensive player of the year in 1987 and 1993, Super Bowl XXIII MVP
Joe Montana - NFL MVP in 1989 and 1990, Super Bowl MVP XVI, XIX, and XXIV, four-time Super Bowl champion, and NFL Hall of Famer
Freeman McNeil, former NY Jets running back great
Lawrence Taylor - Two-time Super Bowl Champion (XXI and XXV), 10-Time Pro Bowler, NFL Most Valuable Player 1986, Three Time NFL Defensive MVP in 1981, 1982, and 1986
Marcus Allen, Super Bowl XVIII MVP
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