GTSM Pricing Announced for April 2011 NJ Show

Will someone please bring Emmitt Smith back to Earth? Once again the Dancing with the Stars winner has pricing out of this world.

Full size helmet autograph: $350
HOF inscription: $175

http://gtsportsmarketing.com/nj2011/

Great Emmitt Smith Autograph Story

I'm pretty sure the keywords "great, Emmitt Smith, and autograph" will put this story #1 on the google search list because unfortunately stories like this are about as rare as riding a unicorn.


I'm a big Dallas Cowboys fan and I've been to several autograph shows that feature plenty of former Cowboys players (Aikman, Irvin, Dorsett, Daryl Johnston, Ed Jones, Bob Lilly, Mel Renfro, Drew Pearson, and the list goes on). In all of the events I've been to, I have never heard one collector tell a good story about getting Emmitt Smith's autograph. Never.

Then I read this article about a long-time Dallas fan who has his own Emmitt Smith museum and finally caught up with Emmitt to get his scrapbook signed.

Emmitt Smith's Autograph Price Dropping

It's not where it should be, but the price of Emmitt's autograph is dropping.

Next month Emmitt is signing at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the Mounted Memories show. His price for a Premium Autograph is $299 plus $189 for an inscription.

In September, Emmitt is signing in a Plano, Texas mall for a bit cheaper. His price for a premium autograph is $269, plus $150 for an inscription.

It's not a ton, but it is $69 cheaper.

Outrage Over Emmitt Smith Autograph Prices Builds

I've said here numerous times that I will not pay Emmitt's outrageous price demands for his autograph, but the emotions are now moving to the Hall of Fame blog.

Emmitt's individual prices on a full size helmet go for: $299 plus $189 for an inscription. The Hall of Fame is also selling a $500 super ticket that gets you an autograph of everyone going into the HOF this year. However, that $500 will only get you an autograph on a flat item for Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith.

I'm a huge Dallas fan and Emmitt was one of my favorites, but I won't pay this amount.

Maybe he would sign this transcript though:

Emmitt Smith Breaks Collector's Banks

We're in a recession, 10% unemployment, soaring deficits and Emmitt Smith wants all of your money for his signature.

Prices are out for the 40th Annual Chicago Sun Times Show and it's not pretty for Emmitt collectors. I knew he would be expensive, but this is insane. Emmitt's prices are:
Flats, up to 16x20: $249
Mini Helmets, balls, flats greater than 16x20: $299
Reg. Size Helmets, Jerseys, & Gator items: $349
HOF '10 inscription: $189

I have the autograph of every living Cowboys Hall of Famer on a full size helmet. For me to keep that, I'd have to pay: $538! I just can't do that.

Emmitt Smith Leaves ESPN and Saves the English Language

Sigh... Emmitt's one of my favorite Dallas Cowboys. I have several of his rookie cards, but haven't forked over the money for his autograph just yet.

His gutty performances helped Dallas win three Super Bowls in four years. He could carry the offense for stretches of a game and was the best at picking up the blitz allowing Troy Aikman time to complete passes to Michael Irvin. He was fun to watch (not counting his Arizona seasons).

As great as his NFL career was, his broadcasting career may be the worst since Magic Johnson's crapfest in the booth after his first retirement. It was fun (and sad) to watch Emmitt make up words and phrases during the football season.

But all good things must come to an end. I read on the Awful Announcing blog this weekend that Emmitt and ESPN are parting ways. Here's AA's top 10 Emmittisms and some honorable mentions.

10. "Last year there was a lot of things the Colts had to address. They couldn't stop the run, and all those. That was one of the biggest things they had to address."
9. "You have to have the personality to match up with the Patriots."
8. "He's giving them all the confidences they need. He giving them the confidence that he need."
7. "They do a very good job of flying around the Football field and carousing the Football carrier."
6. "Don't worry about the game you just won or the team that we just blew out. Uhhh... blown. Blown out. Let's think about what we need to do going forward, and they had blown out."
5. "Eli Manning has been given the rites of patches."
4. "This kind of inconsistency, against a team like New England, will get you completely blowed out."
3. "You cannot change the stripes of a leopard."
2. "Go to Arizona, sharp as a whistle, and do some finishing touches, so we can go down in the Super Bowl and play our best football of the whole entire season."
1. "The strength of the Patriots, their offense, got debacled."

Honorable Mention:

• "The NFC West is probably one of the weakest conferences in the whole NFC."
• "The leadership definitely have to come from the leaders."
• "I think it's his self-confidence in himself that make him so confident when it get down into the crunch time."

Emmitt Smith Rookie Card - Game Used Ball

1990 Topps Traded#27T

Game Ball from 10-27-02 game

All Time Rushing Leader

I'm not one for game used pieces in cards and such, but this one I had to get a few years ago.

After Emmitt Smith became the all-time rushing leader, Beckett introduced his 1990 Topps Traded, #27T rookie card with a 9.0 grade and a piece of one game ball from the October 28, 2002 game.

I like the card because it is one of his rookie cards, in great condition, and has some of the lettering from a game used football. It's not Emmitt's best rookie, but still a rookie.

One of my goals this year is to get Emmitt's autograph on my Cowboys Super Bowl Helmet.

You Too Can Sound Like an ESPN Fool

-credit to Awful Announcing Blog for this one-

It's the ESPN Sportscaster Microphone! I haven't read the back of the box, but I'm pretty sure it says something like this:

• Learn to make sentences without a subject or predicate like Emmitt Smith.
• Voice over your own "Coors Lite 6-Pack of Questions" and other corporate sponsor announcements.
• Tell tired jokes like Chris Berman.
• Pretend to know the game of football like Pam Ward.
• This can all be your for $19.99!

OK, what did I miss?

When You Have the Autograph of a Jerk

Chris at the Gavel Chat blog has a great entry about, "Is Your Hero a Jerk." It's a great article about the frustrations and disappointments we can have when we finally meet our football or baseball hero.

I heard numerous stories about Emmitt Smith when I was at the Triumph Show in Dallas a few weeks ago.

Check out the Gavel Chat blog on this subject.

Elway/Emmitt Smith Super Bowl Forum

Sprint did a great job all week getting fans in the Phoenix area excited for the Super Bowl (although it didn't take much).

They hosted sever "VIP" functions during the week:

• NFL Experience After Dark VIP Reception
• Backstage tour of media
• NFL Block Party access
• John Elway/Emmitt Smith forum

Q: How do you get to be a Sprint VIP?
A: Log on to your account online... that's it!

I went to the Elway/Smith forum. It was awesome - like you were sitting in the living room talking sports two great NFL players. John Elway came across very personable, friendly and was very honest with his answers. Emiit came across as pompus, aloof and a little too proud of himself. But it was still great to hear him speak.

The event was hosted by the NFL Network and the audience of 200 was able to ask about 10 questions.

The best audience question was for John Elway, "John, if ABC approached you to do 'Dancing with the Stars' would you do it?" Emmitt just put his head down and John said, "no way."

The Sprint/Nextel CEO was there to start the forum. He provided the line of the night. When testing his mic he asked, "can you hear me now?" Whoops, wrong cell company!

The forum concluded with one fan winning 2 tickets to the Super Bowl! It pays to pay your cell phone bill!

What did Emmitt say?

This could be a weekly series on the blog if I could find enough YouTube clips.

After watching Emmitt's MNF display last night, I had to look on YouTube to see if someone captured his . . . analysis. I didn't find last night's episode, but I did find this one from earlier in the year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlJqTIlfPFg

Disclosure: I was an Emmitt Smith fan before he decided to turn in his man card, Dance with the Stars, make a fool of himself on MNF, and charge $350 for an autograph.