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Posted By: Joann

It's way past time for me to be off of this computer, but I can't keep myself from responding here.


Know what I have seen from Jim C in the past few weeks?

- Interesting threads started

- Helpful comments and knowledgeable insights as to the world of high-grade collectors

- Awesome posts of high grade cards.



Know what I haven't seen from Jim C in the past few weeks?

- Insulting comments about the economic standing of lower grade collectors

- Hyper-defensiveness to perceived insults, even in the face of what I would call a few pointed jabs.



I really think Jim has added a lot to the board recently, and that he has not responded to a few comments that could almost be characterized as baiting.

So how is a high grade collector supposed to respond to low end cards? There are some cards that I just don't like to the point that the dislike is almost visceral. I don't like the cartoonish strip cards, and a few of Ruth and Cobb make me literally (and I mean literally) cringe a bit when I see them. For the most part, post-1915 black and whites make me go yuck (although no cringing).

Is it wrong to just plain not like some cards just because the appearance really puts you off? That doesn't mean I don't understand and respect strip card collectors or BW collectors. It just means that I don't like looking at the cards very much. To each his own, as Leon says.

So what is Jim supposed to say if he doesn't like looking at low and mid-grade cards? The problem is that inherent in lower conditions is the issue of income of the collector in many cases. So it has to be very hard to communicate a dislike for the cards without the collectors perceiving an implied comment about the money they cost, and the overall economic position of low to mid grade cards.

As long as the comments are limited to the cards, and no attached comments about the collectors and their place in the economic ladder, I can't see a problem and am stumped as to what else can be expected. I know that in the past there have been collector-directed comments given hand-in-hand with the card-directed comments.* The many and various Dorskinds have made a career out of this (yes, I am still rotting away in my little shack). But if there is no such comment, then I choose not to read one into a remark about cards. And I have seen no such comments in any of Jim's recent posts.

Finally, I think the "Stengel would be rolling in his grave" comment on the T210 graded VG was hilarious. It was clearly tongue-in-cheek, and a perfect example of the kind of relaxed, self-conscious humor (on Jim's part in this case) that can make arguments disappear.

Just my opinion. Sorry it's a long one, but for as much as some of the past arguments and behavior have resulted in many words against Jim - I have voiced offense by his comments on more than one occasion - I thought the recent tone of the board and his contributions and restraint deserved some equal comment. Fair is fair.

Joann

(Ted - you know I hold you in the highest regard because of the raw extent of your knowledge, so please don't take my comments as a repudiation of you and your strong beliefs. And it was good finally meeting you at the National, BTW.)

* This sentence will be my entry into the next use-of-hyphen contest in my area.