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warshawlawI flew in on Wednesday evening and got in a few hours then did 9:30-6:00 on Thursday, 9:30-3:30 on Friday, and 9:30 -3:30 on Saturday before going home that evening. Here are my impressions, acquisitions, etc.:
Probably 50% of the tables are pure garbage--modern cards (inserts, mostly) and manufactured memorabilia. Another 25% sell the same 1948-1975 graded cards. How any of them make money is beyond my ability to understand. Another 5% or so have nothing for sale; either they are auctioneers showing off their consignments or dealers with a smattering of cards and lots of buy signs (isn't it interesting how many dealers advertise "Top prices paid"?). The remainder of the tables have the good stuff. I covered about 1/3 of the floor Wednesday evening, the whole floor on Thursday, and spent the rest of the time revisiting the worthwhile tables.
While I agree that prices were generally too high, there were good deals to be had and there seemed to be a lot of room to haggle. I was getting prices knocked down 25%-40% on virtually every deal I made, with very little work. It also is definitely worth it to attend a National despite the abundance of auctions and ebay because you can truly find stuff in the nooks and crannies of showcases that either never makes it to ebay or that shows up rarely. There is something really great about locating a particularly tough item and knowing you will have it, then actually bargaining down the seller on it. I found a card I'd been chasing for years (see below) and was smiling ear to ear the rest of the day. There are also decidedly pronounced regional variations in prices that show up at the National, and there are a good number of dealers who are part timers who do only the National. Some of the dealer displays are truly astounding; a couple built enormous structures out of milk crates, display cases, string and whatever else they had; looked like shanty towns in Mexico. I did come home with about 20% of my funds still intact, so it was nowhere near as strong a show as in the past.
Among the finds: A 1930 Exhibit card of Jim Thorpe from a very rare entertainment set that I'd been chasing for the better part of three years (made my day Friday); a bevy of Dodgers cards at very low (for me) prices, including three nice 1958 Bell Brand cards; several vg and vg-ex T206 and E95 Hofers for about $100 each (slabbed); a handful of those fun T206 miscuts and misprints, including an Ira Thomas missing a layer of red ink; A great T207 misprint and miscut card (a real mess 
); an Obak miscut; a nice lot of T219 Miners Extra boxers (scarce back); half the 1966 Good Guys and Bad Guys (western history) set for under $3 a card in stellar condition; around 75 sharp commons for my 1971 Topps set; a Dixie lid of Al Rosen and an autographed 1951 Topps Al Rosen. There were many other items too, but these were the highlights.
One that got away: a 1924 Dominion Chocolates Joe Wood. The dealer could not ID the card for me but wanted $125 and by the time I saw another card from the set ID'd I was basically out the door to catch the plane.
I also managed to have several items graded and/or authenticated. Kudos for SGC for setting the standard again for friendly, conscientious service. Boos to PSA for not having its act together at all. FYI, PSA, 2 hours is 120 minutes, not 3 1/2 hours.
The IX Center: a pit in the middle of nowhere. Has all the appeal of a cattle auctioning facility. Supposedly walking distance from the Sheraton, as long as you like walking down a freeway to get there. Plumbing from the 1950's, drafty even in the summer. Food was the worst crap I've ever had in a show; the stuff prison riots are made of. I think the CIA interrogation people had a role in the "entertainment"; I was ready to talk after the horrid band Wednesday evening and the first day of listening to a combo of a ferris wheel in the middle of the floor that sounded like a truck starting up each time dozens of times a day and really bad music over a tinny PA system. The VIP lounge was a bunch of tables in a room. Think Ramada Inn convention facility without the charm.
Social: Had a great time. Dinner was great fun; we had so many people show up that we took over an entire dining room in the restaurant. Lots of good conversation and BS'ing. Leon's traveling card museum is worth the visit alone; did the guys ever get that "any card $20" sign up there?? Bill, Elliot, Robert and I went to Jacobs Field Friday night and laughed our way through a re-enactment of "Major League" then got completely lost looking for their hotels. Turns out exit 235 and 240 have the same damned hotels in the same row. Robert has me chasing all over the area at exit 240 then says "Wait, this is where Ryan's hotel is, not mine." Classic. Among the hilarity at the game: Robert went to buy a yearbook and was told that they'd not bothered to print one this year, they played "You And Me and a Bottle Makes Three" to welcome in their closer, their inspiring motto was "let's do this", Just a sucky team going nowhere. And playing an even suckier team (KC). They had over 20 hits and only 4 runs in 9 innings. Nice stadium; amazing scoreboard. Lousy food. Never, ever order the chili cheese dog. I was remembering that one for 36 hours.
Cleveland: Everything you've heard about it is true. The mistake by the lake. Bad food, bad accommodations, lots of fat chicks, basically nothing to do but drink. You know it's bad when McDonald's tastes good. But, cheap. Our dinner tab for all those guys was like $600.
Chitown is a great place to hang out, so I've already got the days on my calendar. See you in '05.