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I was at the mall today waiting for my wife to do her shopping when I stumbled into borders to grab a cup of coffee. While I was enjoying myself, I heard a large chuckle coming from one of the other patrons. I look in his hands and see he is reading the latest issue of Beckett and typing on a computer. Funny enough, he is a student at California State and is writing a paper on the poor effect that price guides are having on hobbies, including looking at Wizard Magazine for comics and Kelly Blue Book for Cars.
I went over and started up a conversation, and he started feeding me lots of economic models about the ill effects that price guides have on collectibles as well as reasons that advertisers make money off the contributions to the mags. When I told him who I was, he recognized my name from the blog. He even said that they made reference to card blogs in the recent issue of Beckett as good, but basically just a fun place to go to talk to other collectors, as long as you still get all the info from the "true" hobby reporters.
As I read what he was referring to, I saw it was a little more drastic. First, in an article from recently laid off David Lee, I saw that he had taken a good five inches to explain how the rumors of the Panini sale were exploited on the blogs before it was considered "confirmed." He took a classic sports reporter approach and said that blogs were something he "liked," but should basically be written off as credible news sources due to speculating about events before they are reported on by the big dogs. This is coming from the former editor of a magazine who hasnt published a REAL expectation of card value EVER, and used half the magazine giving a printed blow job to their boyfriends at Panini. Oh, but wait, it gets better!
Later in the magazine, they published "30 reasons to smile" about card collecting. Number 17 was about the blogs, though it was said that some of them could be "cesspools of misinformation" and full of "uneducated ranting." Really? So its something to "smile" about even though its been "reported" that the 90% of the total blogosphere who bash Beckett like a job are loathed by the evil empire. Im so glad that the blogs are making a mark on a magazine headed for the recycle bin so much that they need to trash us as reporters for the hobby. Yeah, if you are getting your ass fucking kicked by amateurs who do it for free, I would take every chance to discredit them too.
Mike at Borders, thanks for the fun hour we had.
I need to get a scan of that.... but who even buys Beckett these days?
ReplyDeleteI asked if I could tear it out, but he needed it for his presentation. I wasnt going to buy it for anything more than free. Its the front page of the David Wright Beckett, and in the main article.
ReplyDeleteAnother hilarious part of their article: "Panini Takes Over" was one of the other 30 things. Right, good call there. This was on the back of a five page Panini spread.
Here is the wording from the Beckett:
ReplyDelete17. MORE BLOGS AND MESSAGE BOARDS TO COMMUNICATE WITH COLLECTORS
"It seems that everyone has a blog these days. While some blogs can often be a cesspool nof misinformation and uneducated ranting, they also can be a fun and entertaining way to enjoy the hobby with other collectors. Getting in touch with collectors who may have cards you need and vice versa is at the core of the hobby, and these online tools take it to a new level. Plus, who doesn't love voicing their opinion."
Thanks for the wording, glad that trading is the only thing blogs are good for.
ReplyDeleteI think the wording of the second to last sentence is totally a fail. Its almost like they are calling bloggers tools. I know thats not what was meant, but still funny.