Why sports autographs will never lose value
In the United Kingdom, sports, sporting teams, and sporting achievement are valued as highly as religion. It wasnt for kicks that numerous famous writers, philosophers, artists and musicians all delineated football as equivalent to a working class faith. Its equally true, in 21st century terms, that the lives and actions of the people we call “celebrities” are up there with our contemporary deities. We eat, breathe and sleep fame in all its guises. The totems of that fame, the autographs of celebrities from all walks of life, be they famous sports men and women or media giants (and giantesses), are sought with enthusiasm as the chance to own and hold something that has, however briefly, been owned and held by a person whose achievements we all hold dear.
The sports autograph has a particular resonance, probably because it relates to an activity that the nation has held in high regard for so long. People who are famous for appearing on TV, for playing and singing in bands, or for acting in films, are of course held in equally regal status but the football player, or the boxer, has been an object of public adulation for so long that the autographs he delivers have become practically cult objects. There will never be a drop in value for these items, because they speak so closely to the heart of the British citizen. There, but for the vicissitudes of circumstance, goes any one of us and so we are fascinated by that small physical trace left on a photograph, on a match ball or boxing glove, by the person who has climbed to the top of the sporting ladder.
A sports autograph written on a match ball or boxing glove, on something that has actually been kicked or used in some way by the player or sports person in question, holds a particularly high value for the same reason that the first edition of a book that subsequently became famous is held in such treasured regard by the aficionados of literature. Sports autographs written on items of kit used by the sports person in question offer a real, solid connection between the owner of the artefact and the person who signed it. Theres a recognition there that this ball, or this glove, was actually used in the commission of the feats that the public has found so inspiring during the persons sporting career.
That isnt to say, mind, that the autograph of a famous movie star or pop celebrity is less valued. Its much harder to find physical objects used by these people that can be sold on in any meaningful way so the non sporting celebrity signature is placed on a photograph almost by default. Celebrity autographs of this kind are just as loved, and offer just as much of a feeling of connection, as sporting kit. Its simply that sporting kit is readily available, and that sports people have been public heroes for much longer.
Any item of sports memorabilia that has an autograph on it, then, becomes a superb investment for the buyer. Signed sporting gear will never lose its attraction or value and that makes it the perfect way to marry enthusiasm with financial sense.
Super Bowl XLVIII Interview with Obama – Will O’Reilly find the Character or paint a Caricature
Obama says Fox makes a -caricature’ of him – is there no truth in parody?
In the late eighties I had the good fortune of having for my friend, a Bavarian born caricature artist who was formerly the head of the art department for a major U.S. newspaper in Texas. He was going through a Bohemian lifestyle period in his life and could be found daily in the French Quarter of New Orleans setting up to do caricatures of visitors and natives alike.
Black and white pictures were the cheapest, but people were more apt to ask for the full color renderings which amplified their particular features and qualities. My friend was a master of color and shade and the pictures almost had a portrait effect laid hard into the caricature that people seemed to love.
I will not forget the answer he gave me, when one day, I asked him how he decided what features he would accent about a person to produce the uniqueness of each drawing.
He said there were two ways to decide what features to amplify. The first was, to decide for himself based on what he saw and what he heard as he engaged his subjects in conversations about where they were from, their jobs and careers, and other personal information. Very few people trusted him to decide what features he would choose to clinch the drawing. He said that deciding for them, was only used as a last resort, but why?
More often than not when he decided, they were not pleased with the final result. In fact, in some cases they would be offended. Although he was brutally honest in his artistic product, it wasn’t always exactly how his customers perceived themselves. If they were snobbish he caught it, if they were sloppy he caught that, but they wouldn’t accept that kind of honesty about themselves.
He solved the problem of the dissatisfied customer by asking them what they wanted to see exaggerated and blown out of proportion. The result was almost comical and at times – totally embarrassing.
Men with slight builds were depicted with barreling chests and powerful muscles. Women who were not so good looking were cast as luscious beauties. That is the point.
If we look at Mr. Obama through his own eyes to decide how well he is doing or what image he thinks he is impressing upon us, he will doubtless look just fine to most and great to some.
Is that what news organizations and agencies are supposed to do. Should they resort to a party line, a controlled access report or a pile of pre-pandered propaganda to inform us of what is going on with the President? If that is what we want; there are plenty of networks offering just that and little else.
Fox news has some loud mouths self-absorbed commentators and a few outright cornballs in their roster, but as far as the slogan -fair and balanced,’ can meet with any reasonable expectation, they are the only kid on the block and by no means the new kid on the block.
They can motivate without trying to mesmerize, they can expostulate without expletives and extraneous hyperbole. We are not stupid. We know O’Reilly is a hot headed Irishmen who sometimes ought to tone it down, but we are sure he is showing us his real character and not his feigned caricature.
We can disagree with him and others at Fox, but we know that they are trying to offer us an un-impeded view of events as they come down in real time. They don’t always get it, but they never ask those who they are reporting on – how they want to be depicted.
This is what makes our president insecure with Fox. What we must all remember is that, this is the president’s problem, not Fox’s problem, and by no means, is it our problem.
In the first Super Bowl interview O’Reilly kept pounding the president with the now classic, -Why do so many Americans hate you.- Mr. Obama squirmed away from directly answering that question and re-directed O’Reilly’s questioning with labored if not nervous subtlety.
With five years of his administration behind him, that question has already been answered. Now, we can only hope that Bill might ask for an explanation about why it has gone sour and what the president intends to do about it.
If the top dog at Fox doesn’t get all mushy in the presence of the Chief, perhaps this time he will paint the caricature based on what he actually sees and not what Mr. Obama wants him to see.
-And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.- (John 8: 32)
American Prophet.org has since 2005 featured the articles and reports of journalist Rev Michael Bresciani along with news and reviews that have earned this site the title of The Website for Insight. Millions have read his timely reports and articles in online journals and print publications across the nation and the globe. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
[Top]Sports Medicine Helping Athletes to Recover From Injuries
Sports physiotherapy is important for any athlete because it addresses the root of the problem and hastens the recovery process. After the athlete is diagnosed and treated by a sports doctor, physiotherapy is usually the next step to help the player get back into the game. This rehabilitative programme is customised for individuals based on their injuries.
The most common sports injuries that are seen among athletes are joint and ankle sprains, hamstring pulls and Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears. Most people who play contacts sports that involve running and turning with one foot are likely to get sprains and ligament problems.
Often, ice therapy and Interferential Current (IFC) therapy are administered by the sports physiotherapists to help reduce swelling and treat sprains. The physiotherapy sessions also involve soft tissue massages to relieve pain; joint manipulation or mobilisation for realignment; exercises to strengthen muscles; and programmes to rebuild core stamina endurance.
However, although the possibility of reconditioning the body back to the pre-injury level of fitness with regular and disciplined physiotherapy is about 90 per cent, it is dependent on several other factors – level of injury, the player’s fitness level, weight and nutrition.
Many people have the misconception that you should not exercise after sustaining an injury but this is not true. Not doing an appropriate amount of exercise will slow down the process of muscle recovery.
Though it is important to stay active despite the injury, this is a process which cannot be rushed. You have to be disciplined and patient during the physiotherapy process. Being over eager will just make things worse and this is also the greatest challenge for sports physiotherapists working with enthusiastic and dedicated players.
Athletes are no strangers to sports-related injuries but even weekend ‘sports warriors’ need to careful to avoid hurting themselves. Non competitive players are often eager to play and they forget all about strength, flexibility and their fitness level. However, not having proper training will also mean you’re more likely to get injured if you don’t exercise with caution.
[Top]Outdoor Sports Facilities Help You Enjoy Different Games
Proper sports gear is important for play, not just because you want to look the part, but also because of safety issues. But what if you are all kitted out and ready to play, but the match gets cancelled due to a soggy pitch or field? The disappointment is acute. Nothing can beat the feeling of playing on Natural grass sports surfaces, however, there are limitations. Natural grass cannot withstand extreme weather conditions owing to its delicate and fragile nature. As a result, artificial playing surfaces have gained popularity, which allow players to enjoy and play their game irrespective of the weather conditions. This is so because artificial sports surfaces are made from synthetic materials like polypropylene. This material is unaffected by rain or extremes of temperature. Furthermore, the construction of the pitch is such that proper drainage channels are built into the foundation, so that the pitch does not get flooded or soggy even after heavy rains. The artificial turf is filled with sand or rubber which provides stability to the surface. The base is made up of an impermeable material, making it weather proof and safe to play on.
Artificial turf first came to prominence in 1965, when AstroTurf was installed in the newly-built Astrodome in Houston, Texas. Since then, these sports surfaces have gained popularity.
Some of the reasons why synthetic sports surfaces are preferred over natural grass are:
Artificial sports surface are more economical in the long run
It is weather resistant
It requires minimum sports surface maintenance.
It exhibits uniform playing characteristics
It offers protection to players from injuries due to sliding and falling, because of an inbuilt shock pad.
In addition to these advantages, one of the main features of synthetic outdoor sports facilities is that it can be designed as to exhibit different playing characteristics, to meet the requirements of different sports. Different types of outdoor sports pitches include In-filled artificial turf made of polyethylene, In-filled artificial turf made of polypropylene, Sand-dressed artificial turf, and Unfilled artificial turf.
In-filled artificial sports surfaces can cater to a wide variety of sports. This is because these pitches exhibit different kinds of playing characteristics by varying the length and the density of the synthetic grass fibres. Not only this, these artificial outdoor surfaces are natural in appearance, skin and joint friendly, and possess shock absorption features. Thus, their use has also been approved by international sports associations like FIFA and UEFA.
[Top]New Lexus Sports Car, Emotionally Distinct
Toyotas luxury division has earned reputation for refined and sophisticated luxury sedans and sports utility vehicles and this reputation will be lifted once again with its new vehicle, the Lexus IS F. It will belong to Lexus line of reliable but elegant family and commuter vehicles.
The Lexus IS F sports car will go on sale in spring causing shakeups with cars of the same platform from European premium brands like BMW, Porsche, Volvo (makes original Volvo catalytic converter), Audi, as well as the American Chevrolet Corvette.
Lexus doesnt have a halo vehicle, and in the luxury automotive world thats important, said Michael Robinet, an automotive analyst at consultancy CSM Worldwide.
The IS F is a vehicle that wont necessarily drive up Lexus bottom line, but it will drive traffic to showrooms and bolster the companys image. Lexus is looking for younger buyers right now, and so they want to make a big splash with this vehicle.
Starting to gain fame, last week the new Lexus vehicle was featured in the annual Neiman Marcus holiday catalog, the Christmas Book being one of the costliest items on its list. Its tag price of $68,000 comes from its black leather interior, hand-polished wheels and Special Build Badge.
The BMW 3 Series, Audi RS4 and Porsche 911 will have quite a formidable foe in the Lexus IS F when it joins its club of performance-tuned sports sedans. So far, it is the fastest production Toyotas luxury division has ever built.
You can mistake the Lexus IS F to be carrying a German DNA with its performance of zero to 60 mph in just a matter of 4.9 seconds. 20 miles per gallon is boasted by its powerful five-liter V8 engine producing 400 horsepower, says its Japanese automaker. For a sports car, its mileage is already a respectable one considering the EPA mileage standards of Audi RS4s 15 mpg and Porsche 911s 18 mpg.
According to Toyotas domestic operations manager, Akio Toyoda, their Lexus division is envisioning to inject its reputation some emotion with the IS F more than what the LS 430 luxury sedan did.
Lexus has long been renowned as a luxury, high-quality brand, he said at the cars unveiling last week at Fuji Speedway, the automakers racing circuit near Mount Fuji in Japan.
But to be recognized as a true global premium brand, we knew we needed more emotional vehicles.
As Lexus equipped the IS F with its supercharged technologies and premium substance, Toyota expects that the car will give its consumers the peak satisfaction to raise sales to 7,000 models globally next year even with its premium price. According to Paul Newton, Lexus is maintaining a good stand in the auto market for producing the best luxury cars making the sales target very feasible.
There appears no reason why the brand will not reach its targets based on the styling and early reports of its performance, he wrote in a research note, adding that the models prospects in Europe and Japan are less clear.
A sporting halo model cannot harm its somewhat staid image in Europe, he said, but the brand needs time to gain traction in Japan, where it has only been present for the last three years.
The exchange rate of the dollar versus the Euro will help Lexus beat the European vehicles which are becoming pricey although European maker resisted price increase.
Now is key time for luxury Asian brands because of the strength of the euro, which is making it hard for the luxury European manufacturers, he said. Any time the value of the dollar falls, import prices rise, and the import manufacturer has to take a haircut on the sales margin to keep the price of the vehicle the same.