It all started off innocently enough... Mike Clark (a.k.a. Ronin... with a big "R") called me up and we talked about the slush fund and where he wanted the payment to be sent. Since the slush fund was my baby, I was ensuring the money got into the right hands... and, yes, I still have some $$$ left over for Leo (Bearabull, or whatever name he is logged on with) or Mike Clark. Anyways, Mike tells me of this great plan of his to drive straight from Chicago to Norfolk, VA and then back to Cleveland without a break. It did not take me too long to ask him to pick me up in D.C., realizing he would be whipped for a straight drive. So our journey began in Washington, D.C. I had two cans of snuff, two hundred dollars and no clue what lie ahead for me.

Mike explained on the ride that he also had a little work for me and asked if I would mind helping out. In typical fashion, I had no qualms at all about helping out with the program or the people supporting it. So began the volunteering and my label as a worker-bee (in the nicest possible terms of course). Leo was so grateful to see us he gave us beers and supplied us with some pizza, my first of three straight pizza nights. Mike and Jason (Masinick and N.Y. Porn Star) from CardTarget showed up as well to assist with some top secret project. Dwelling in the basement was Steve (a.k.a. "ePotts") who was well into "the" project. It started off about 5ish and about 2ish we had finished loading the 24-foot van and drinking most of the beer. Don't blame me for any nicks on any walls Leo! This was just day one. I had yet to check into my hotel and, in fact, would not until about 2:30ish. Then I got surprise number two from Ronin. He said to me, "See you about 7ish tomorrow." My jaw hit the floor and I sprinted upstairs to try and catch a catnap (and to think I thought I was on leave all this time).

Day 2 also went well. We had the truck loaded and it was en route to our area at the I-X Center (or the Title IX center as I called it). Then other people slowly started coming out of the woodworks to help out. I met Rabbit and his wife. Kingsnu showed up with his mother whipping him into shape. I also met a slew of others (Donutdoor my poker buddy, Cardguy, and those two CT clowns). It was a vision that Ronin and Bearabull had about how to get this thing into place that I was now begging to see but the towers?? Anyways, we slaved away during day 2 at the IX center ensuring we got the booth set up. However, we were a bit behind schedule. We had to build all the display cases, had to think about building the towers for tomorrow, and put up conduit and the high pieces… Then we had to eat like $100 worth of McDonald's. Have you tried those McGriddles?! They are awesome. So we worked and worked all day and then had to close up shop for the union guys at about 5 p.m. that evening. I thought we were closed up but there was quite a surprise! We ended up hitting the hotel bar with some Tracer Code guys and Diamond Jake, Todd Maynard (Todd something on the boards -- sorry stripper boy), Ronin, Jason from CT and Donutdoor. We were getting prepped for our little trip over to Leo's to work on top secret project #2. After several beers and a 4-pack of Colt 45's we were off and running. We worked, or I should say slaved, over some Fake Takes for awhile, ate our second night of pizza, and watched Zambrano get the Cardinals going (or that might have been the first drunk night). We worked and worked until DD gave us the international sign that we had reached mission completion. We then exited stage left and headed back to where else but the hotel bar. There Steve the bartender entertained us with his vast knowledge of the 50's and 60's Yankees. Todd and Diamond Jake (Little Jeffy whose mom called Ronin and told him to take care of her son) decided the hotel bar was not enough and they needed more… MORE! So off they went to who knows where but they did take the notorious Donutdoor who bent over backwards to show us a picture of him and his brother the Michelin Man. I held my own for a long time but finally cashed in after getting the stop drinking sign from the soberer Budly. So there ended night #2 for some… others continued to drink in the hotel bar until 3 or so and ensure that the guys who bolted for the big Cleveland excitement got home OK.

I scrubbed my eyes and looked at the clock… day three and we were setting up and going hot tonight for the VIP's. I was a little excited to get my VIP package and my free pizza and soda from NAXCOM until I saw those items. The VIP package is going to occupy some space in my trash… oh, that is right, most of it is already there. The free pizza and soda looked good but how could you trust anything that a scantily clad stripper was serving? I passed on the pizza and went to the Fleer booth and got my first big score of the weekend. I bought two packs and spun the wheel. I won another pack with a 4-bat card of Sheffield, Pierre, Baldelli, and Cabrera. It was a feeling like when you walk into a casino and win right off the bat… but I never stop in the casino so why should I start now. I did not and most people did not. Today the big drama was centered on the Towers… or at least the drama in my sandbox. Nick and Rob tried to teach me how to use a power drill while skipping screws off my retina! Rabbit took his place as the Classics seller. Ted ensured everyone knew he was in charge of the money and that only he could wear 32 different badges. Someone was nice enough to get us lunch and 156 cases of diet soda. It went down so well for the next three days with my junk food! You ask if I'm kidding… yes, I am. I met a lot of new people and I am not sure who or when they all phased in but I will try and capture it. Day 3 I think was Jahala, Jimijam, Caesarandcleopatra and his brother frozentundra. One neat thing was there was a huge group of people who did not post that much or at all but still got the word and came out. These numbers increased each day. We busted our tails all day long until the night set. Then it was time to do the evil again. I went around and began negotiations with Allison until I was relieved by Ronin and Bearabull. They secured us a small room to play our poker in, without drinking or eating of course. However, Leo went right back to Allison and asked her… "If I were to get some pizzas around here, where would I go? And what number would I call?" She gave him the details and then it was all set. We launched right into a debauchery that was aided by about 10 cases of beer for about 10 or so guys. Ronin was the first one kicked to the small poker table and we had not even gotten around the table twice. As soon as we did get around twice, Allison came back with her Boss and tossed us for being a bunch of larcenous, debaucherous, shamockeries. I took exception to her kind words and invited the gang back to 739 for our first of three nights of poker (or was it 4?). Anyways, I forgot to tell you about our pizza dinner (surprise!). So we continued on until about 3 am and had an absolute blast getting ourselves into a proper battle rhythm for the days to come. That means getting my body accustomed to slaving all day and walking 42-odd miles at the title IX center to staying up all night and drinking about a case of beer. Did I mention we had a good night in sales for eTopps with the VIP's? It was a clear sign of the things to come. The sales were strong and the interest was heavy and this was just a crowd of 1,500 - 3,000.

Day 4 got off earlier than day 3 or so it seemed. Each day it got harder and harder to wake up. My bank rolled into town (my father COOKSTK). Numerous other new faces showed up at the booth and collected their hat and polo shirt. Boysofsummer was there and made a huge sale that day, something like 800 or 900 to one person! Great job. Sharksfan was there with his wife pimping hockey cards to anyone that had an ear. I think Ronin, Sharksfan, and I were the few hockey fans there. NASCAR fans were even more scarce but nonetheless helped sell a lot of NASCAR. Classics were flying off the shelves along with the '01 Pujols that sold out early. Clemente was the next one to sell out. Day 4 was a big day with autographs and people started to see some of the bigger stars that showed up. WYZ joined us straight from the airport tracking down his roommate Budly, who was out driving or at the airport as the sign guy. Rossinmi (who I labelled as Ron for some reason in my cell phone) was there and was a huge help in selling cards and getting the rules of poker straight (cheater!). The Fake Takes booth might have gotten one sale in their bad location but the word was surely spreading as people came by to laugh first at Masinick and then the cards, in that order. Day 4 ended a lot earlier than day 3 and we were all so relieved. However, we finished breaking everything down at 1730ish then told everyone to link up at the hotel to carpool to Kingsnu's house at about 1735. I think this was the first full day of Diamondjake's spending spree… more were sure to follow. I linked up with my wax crack buddy (sorry, drawing a blank for names here) and we began cracking wax and letting DD bully us around the booth. So I figured the best way to get my wax crack on was to go to the Donruss box wars and try to win something (yeah right!). I had a better chance of winning in poker... That never happened either.

Continued in part 2