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PSA's ORLANDO GUILTY OF "SPORT" KILLING & BEASTIALITY? JOE DENIES ACCUSATIONS!
sando69
Posts: 276
my personal diary of the psa luncheon- friday 7/28 noon til 2 pm...
arrived about 11:30 & stopped by the psa booth to find out where the luncheon was to be held.
it was quite busy & while i was waiting i noticed that joe orlando was leaving the booth.
as he stepped away i approached him to ask about the luncheon...
(i had just met joe the previous day when i stopped to share a promotional "sample" psa slab i got in 1991 when they were just starting out.
i also wanted to ask some technically specific questions about getting a couple of items either re-graded or crossed over.
joe took the time to look at both pieces & give me a DETAILED explanation that was informative, honest & ended up SAVING me money!)
...so, joe says to walk with him since that's where he was headed.
well, as we're walking i'm trying to thank him for being SO responsive each time (which also included a few emails from the past) i contacted him.
somehow he didn't understand that i was trying to compliment him & his staff...
sure it had alot to do with me bumbling & fumbling & all the noise in the room, but it also caused me to realize that these folks are not conditioned to hearing alot of compliments...
at the very least, mr orlando deserves kudos for being respondent, available and genuine...
the whole staff deserves compliments for being (from my personal observation) EXTREMELY hard-working, as well as cordial, all while
we are being our obsessive, compulsive, neurotic, irrational, passionate selves about collecting pieces of cardboard with "pictures" on them...
these people assuredly deserve some credit for doing SOMETHING right...!
so, i walk into the luncheon room, about two thirds full, admittedly uncomfortable yet quite excited to be there.
understandably, my vision is not quite as acute as it might have been in the previous millenium, but i spot a table up front... only half full that appeared to be comprised of grizzled veteran collectors... kinda like myself...
so i saunter up to the table... enquire about the vacant seats & proceed to plop myself down, declaring that this seemed to be proper age group, yet careful not to sit too close to my newfound luncheon companions...
i introduce myself, then look around the table to see nametags enscribed with "levi 707," "don spence," "bill henderson," "john rumierz," & "ba murray"... HOLY CRAPPOLA...WOW!
was able to compose myself & convince myself this was NOT a oaxaca mushroom flashback, i was NOT re-creating some bizarre scene from "alice in wonderland"... i really WAS having lunch with these ICONS of card collecting! and best yet, they were all EXTREMELY friendly & accommodating!
we chatted about old times, old timers and just relished reminiscing, all while enjoying the finest banquet meal, from salad to dessert, i had ever been served! a very special THANKS to the staff that arranged such a classy & delicious meal!
joe spoke briefly about the usual corporate stuff... goals, innovations, growth, but also emphasized the importance of input from us, the psa community & encouraged all participants to express their opinions on such subjects as set registry weighting, and pack grading vs authenticating only.
it was then that the fireworks really started...
all went well while board member "davalillo" was being lauded as collector of the year, but when asked to speak, he started by recounting some gruesome tales of joe killing for sport & engaging in... um... "intimate relations" with a certain species of wild animal.
[let the record reflect that mr orlando vehemently denied EVER hunting for sport and admitted that he is an animal lover..."but, not in that way!"]
[my own agents & attorneys preclude me, personally, from commenting any further pending the outcome of book & tv rights negotiations]
suffice to say that davalillo is not just personable & humble, he is truly interesting & entertaining as well as generous with his time & his unbelievable collection... THANK YOU JIM C AND CONGRATULATIONS! please keep us informed about your continuing endeavors. i look forward to meeting you face to face next time.
then... awards are dispersed, pictures are taken & banter is exchanged...
after the ceremonies i had the honor of meeting "morrellman" who i consider to be a very bright, independent thinking leader on these boards. mark... it was truly a pleasure!
regret not being able to meet such luminaries as "griffins," "cmoking," "gemmint," et al...
things all start to become very hazy as the clock strikes 2:00...
suddenly, the room is EMPTY...
there's a voice over my shoulder... "mr sanders"...
i look over & just as i'm about to admonish the sole remaining character for his outlandishly outdated black & white attire, as well as his cigarette smoking inside i realize that i recognize both his face and distinctive voice...
"you've enjoyed your 15 minutes of fame & fantasy, mr sanders" says he... "it's time to go now..."
"ok, mr serling," i respond, "but promise you'll let me return some day"...
arrived about 11:30 & stopped by the psa booth to find out where the luncheon was to be held.
it was quite busy & while i was waiting i noticed that joe orlando was leaving the booth.
as he stepped away i approached him to ask about the luncheon...
(i had just met joe the previous day when i stopped to share a promotional "sample" psa slab i got in 1991 when they were just starting out.
i also wanted to ask some technically specific questions about getting a couple of items either re-graded or crossed over.
joe took the time to look at both pieces & give me a DETAILED explanation that was informative, honest & ended up SAVING me money!)
...so, joe says to walk with him since that's where he was headed.
well, as we're walking i'm trying to thank him for being SO responsive each time (which also included a few emails from the past) i contacted him.
somehow he didn't understand that i was trying to compliment him & his staff...
sure it had alot to do with me bumbling & fumbling & all the noise in the room, but it also caused me to realize that these folks are not conditioned to hearing alot of compliments...
at the very least, mr orlando deserves kudos for being respondent, available and genuine...
the whole staff deserves compliments for being (from my personal observation) EXTREMELY hard-working, as well as cordial, all while
we are being our obsessive, compulsive, neurotic, irrational, passionate selves about collecting pieces of cardboard with "pictures" on them...
these people assuredly deserve some credit for doing SOMETHING right...!
so, i walk into the luncheon room, about two thirds full, admittedly uncomfortable yet quite excited to be there.
understandably, my vision is not quite as acute as it might have been in the previous millenium, but i spot a table up front... only half full that appeared to be comprised of grizzled veteran collectors... kinda like myself...
so i saunter up to the table... enquire about the vacant seats & proceed to plop myself down, declaring that this seemed to be proper age group, yet careful not to sit too close to my newfound luncheon companions...
i introduce myself, then look around the table to see nametags enscribed with "levi 707," "don spence," "bill henderson," "john rumierz," & "ba murray"... HOLY CRAPPOLA...WOW!
was able to compose myself & convince myself this was NOT a oaxaca mushroom flashback, i was NOT re-creating some bizarre scene from "alice in wonderland"... i really WAS having lunch with these ICONS of card collecting! and best yet, they were all EXTREMELY friendly & accommodating!
we chatted about old times, old timers and just relished reminiscing, all while enjoying the finest banquet meal, from salad to dessert, i had ever been served! a very special THANKS to the staff that arranged such a classy & delicious meal!
joe spoke briefly about the usual corporate stuff... goals, innovations, growth, but also emphasized the importance of input from us, the psa community & encouraged all participants to express their opinions on such subjects as set registry weighting, and pack grading vs authenticating only.
it was then that the fireworks really started...
all went well while board member "davalillo" was being lauded as collector of the year, but when asked to speak, he started by recounting some gruesome tales of joe killing for sport & engaging in... um... "intimate relations" with a certain species of wild animal.
[let the record reflect that mr orlando vehemently denied EVER hunting for sport and admitted that he is an animal lover..."but, not in that way!"]
[my own agents & attorneys preclude me, personally, from commenting any further pending the outcome of book & tv rights negotiations]
suffice to say that davalillo is not just personable & humble, he is truly interesting & entertaining as well as generous with his time & his unbelievable collection... THANK YOU JIM C AND CONGRATULATIONS! please keep us informed about your continuing endeavors. i look forward to meeting you face to face next time.
then... awards are dispersed, pictures are taken & banter is exchanged...
after the ceremonies i had the honor of meeting "morrellman" who i consider to be a very bright, independent thinking leader on these boards. mark... it was truly a pleasure!
regret not being able to meet such luminaries as "griffins," "cmoking," "gemmint," et al...
things all start to become very hazy as the clock strikes 2:00...
suddenly, the room is EMPTY...
there's a voice over my shoulder... "mr sanders"...
i look over & just as i'm about to admonish the sole remaining character for his outlandishly outdated black & white attire, as well as his cigarette smoking inside i realize that i recognize both his face and distinctive voice...
"you've enjoyed your 15 minutes of fame & fantasy, mr sanders" says he... "it's time to go now..."
"ok, mr serling," i respond, "but promise you'll let me return some day"...
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Comments
PSA of course isn't big #1 for nothing. And it seems from the luncheon that they have every intention of keeping it that way.
<< <i>somehow he didn't understand that i was trying to compliment him >>
I had the exact same experience. I had exchanged emails with Joe a couple of times in the week or two prior to the show regarding a grading issue which he and his crew were perfectly responsive to, and I thanked him - his reply was "Thanks for bearing with us." Frankly, I find this humility incredibly refreshing - for the number 1 grader of cards to not act like they're doing us a favor. Thanks again to Joe and the gals (BJ, Cosetta and Gayle, the classiest bunch of dames in town!)
BTW, sando69, it was a pleasure meeting you as well; thanks for the kind words.
"All evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
PS: thanks for sharing the story.. i wasn't at the national, so its fun to read about it..
I have no idea what these icons do(lol went with the self explanatory 1), this is a compliment
Thank You
I hope to make next year's festivities.
I will totally concur that I think Mark aka MorrellMan is a great individual who I look forward to meeting; I have met Anthony aka Griffins when he came to San Antonio - it was a total pleasure!
And, I had others say that Dav did a fine job with his presentation and found him to be very nice to talk with.
This is a super hobby with some incredible members/supporters to engage and spend time with.
Thanx again,
mike
Nice writeup, maybe in the next century, I'll be able to attend a National!
HaHa..Me too, Very witty title.
First thought was witty humor, but regardless.... I thought hurry up copy & paste
Again a great read!!