Uncategorized

Orakpo, Brian (4)

CARDS: Topps Magic 2009, Topps 2014, Score 2019, Panini Donruss 2018, Score 2014, Bowman 2009, Panini 2019, UT Upper Deck 2011 HACK
ACQUIRED: IP, 2025

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

NOTES:

Brian’s been really good to fans over the years appearing around Austin for signings. I got a really late notice of this one, and had to choose between this signing and two to three others- proof positive that maybe, just maybe 5 years after COVID we’re getting back to normal with signings. After getting the blessing from my wife to go, I arrived a little early and then waited downstairs at the HEB. He then passed me by on the escalator so I went into hot pursuit mode and followed him to the event.

He was in a great mood. I gave him one of my Upper Deck UT 2011 HACK cards, and he loved it! I demonstrated that it was a ‘real card’- glossy and not with some flimsy thickness by banging it slightly on his arm. It was a last second idea to get these cards signed in bronze, but it turned out to be a stroke of genius as these autographs came out spectacular!

I had to dig to find the UT HACK card I did. I wasn’t too happy with how it turned out as the marquee was darker than I expected. Nonetheless with the autograph it vaults into my top three customs with an autograph.

We then talked for a few minutes about the card market, since he knows I’m a collector. (I got the impression he was thinking about investing in it either through participating in breaks or co-hosting one.) I am firmly of the belief based on the sets I collect and watch through eBay that the market is tapering off and I shared that with him. Also the fact there are just too many people making it too hard just to collect the sets they want, and how it used to be you’d go to the store, and buy a 20-30 dollar blaster and get 2 autographs. Now you’re lucky to get a parallel… Anyway it was such an illuminating conversation that I decided to take a photo with Rak!