Asking for an autograph

youd think the last place pete rose would want a meet and greet would be at a casino.....interesting.

 

Yeah, it was kind of funny. Not only was he in the casino, but most of the time he was there he talked to one of the casino reps about blackjack and other games. No sir, no gambling problem there! ;D

 

You forget Rose is low-class.

 

Gator, I can't tell this is a sarcasm font deal or not, but even while (kind of) trying to get reinstated, Rose has never been shy about going places where betting is happening, tracks, casinos, whatever.

 

I agree, and I've never felt that urge, but how about from the standpoint that an extra Tiger Woods autograph sold on eBay might give you the money to eat a nicer meal one day or take your kid on that vacation that was just out of your grasp.  Is it unethical just to get the signature and move on?

 

I believe the correct term is no-class.

 

A couple of years ago, when covering an NFL preseason game, a player came up to me in the locker room and asked to borrow a piece of paper and a pen so he could write down a phone number for someone. I handed him my pad, he wrote down the number, handed me back the pad and pen and walked away.

I look up, and one of the PR guys was just glaring at me. He said, "Were you asking for an autograph?" I had to explain to him what happened, because if not, I could have had my credential yanked.

 

Big difference between that and doing it in the lockerroom when people are trying to get their work done.

When I had a chance to interview Pele a couple months ago, everyone had an alloted time. The young TV moron whose slot was in front of we print wonks cut into our time because he kept asking for autographs, on a jersey, a shirt, a photo, three scraps of paper. I just blurted out "Hey, THAT'S professional!" but he deserved worse.

Not that I ask for autographs (because I don't), but if you must, at least you made the effort to do it when fans would also be asking.

 

Pele is one of those guys who getting an autograph from would be not exactly professional, but way fucking cool. I could see myself asking for (1) from him. Just one.

The only former athlete who I would consider on a god-like level as Pele is Johan Cruyff.

 

If somebody was new to the business, a warning and an explaination of how things are done would be the best way to handle it. Of course the "no autographs" rule is printed on most credential badges and in most media guides, so obviously it would behoove any newcomers to read those things.
I tend to think it's one of those things that most newcomers might not know is wrong unless somebody told them it was wrong. So somebody should tell them.

 

In 32 years of this business, I have exactly one autograph. It came from Tonya Harding, signed sin SAS business class omewhere over the Arctic on the way to Lillehammer for the Winter Olympics. It's a Newsweek with her on the cover, looking guilty as sin (which she was). She signed it with her name and a smiley face.

 

I asked Bo Schembechler to autograph a copy of a book once. He signed it to me, not just his name.
And I have sat one row and one seat away from Bart Starr on a flight and not asked....