[barrysloate]

I've been in the hobby for thirty years and a sport's fan for a lot longer than that, and I have to say I have never ever understood why anyone wants to stand in line to pay an athlete for his autograph. It just baffles me to no end. Added to that, many fans stand in long lines and pay very high prices to be insulted by some of the surly athletes who don't even give a crap about those fans. How many horror stories have we heard about Willie Mays's rudeness, or Frank Robinson's, or so many others who won't even give their fans the courtesy of some eye contact? I mean where is one's self respect? Are there really fans willing to be pay big bucks to be abused by these ungrateful athletes?

How much do I think a Tom Brady autograph should sell for? Around zero, give or take. I've gotten exactly one in person autograph my entire life. It was Joe DiMaggio's, he was signing at the Bowery Savings Bank in Brooklyn, there was no line, and he didn't charge anything for it. He even chatted briefly and cordially with me. And that I felt was a fair exchange.

I understand paying money for an autograph for something that is decades or centuries old, those are collectibles that have been saved and have stood the test of time. But walking up to somebody and paying him to sign something in a face to face meeting? Not as long as I live and breath.