Quote:
Originally Posted by Redskin Rich
Actually, most players do these events.. at least a majority of the one's with names.
I would agree with your post if it were not that Landry has done this to multiple places on multiple occassions. I believe Tidewater Sports several times, PS Game Gear twice, Collector's Showcase twice. I also think there is one other place. Of course, these stores/promoters bear some responsibility at this point, since Landry has a history of doing this, why do they keep booking him? I believe he has only shown up twice, both times to PS Game Gear.... after blowing of the original schedule without letting them know ahead of time.
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You are right, of course, and some of the comments - especially the characteristically banal ES thread - just don't make sense to me. I don't know how much you want to blame the promoters here. I've dealt with PSGameGear and they are good people and a whole bunch of players have signed there (Cooley, Monk, Portis, Sean Taylor, etc etc). CSA is tops among autograph shows and the list of guys who have signed there is longer than you can mention. They are acting rationally (to a point) since Landry is a draw and the point for them is to make money. If Landry doesn't want to sign then he should just stop signing on to these things, or tell his people to stop signing him on. He doesn't need the money (though it would seem like a pretty easy gig; sign your name for 250 people at $35 per and that is $9000 in a fairly short period of time and you probably end up with a nice portion of that but whatever, he doesn't need it) so if you don't want to do it don't say you will.
I've never tried to get a Landry autograph, but if I had I would be pretty upset. He certainly doesn't owe it to anyone to show up and sign autographs, but if you say you are going to do a signing and sign on to do so, allow the business to promote the signing and then just don't show up, that is pretty indefensible. Once would be one thing, but this is more than five times. I find it hard to believe that he had really legitimate reasons for blowing off events that he knew about months in advance on so many occasions.
It's really simple calculus. He is wrong for doing that, just as it would be wrong if anyone of us made multiple commitments and then failed to follow through. I don't know why anyone would bother defending that sort of action. He's a good player, and I don't really care if he signs or not, but don't say you will and then not follow through. It is disrespectful to the fans and its not like he is doing these signings out of charity, there is serious money involved.