One would think, especially in this day and age, that I wouldn't have to supply insight on the proper manners needed when it comes to collecting autographs. Unfortunately, I often see instances of poor manners.
Not only do these episodes of boorish behavior ruin that person's chance for getting an autograph, but the cumulative effect often prompts an athlete to stop signing at all.
When asking hockey players for autographs, please try to keep these three suggestions in mind:
~ Learn how to correctly pronounce each player's name. You'd be surprised at how quickly a player will respond once he hears his name pronounced correctly. Checking player profiles at any NHL team's Web site will provide a straight-from-the-source guide to pronouncing names.
~ Respect their privacy. If a player is talking on his phone (yes, I know it's a trick that some players use), eating dinner or spending time with family or friends, just be patient. Let the player complete the task at hand and then, and only then, politely ask for his autograph.
~ Be courteous. As simple as it sounds, saying "please" and "thank you" go a long, long way to scoring an autograph. I'm surprised at just how many people (mostly dealers, in my experience) don't show their appreciation.
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1 comment:
knowing a nickname helps a ton. a couple years back, my ex and i were outside the stars hotel in tampa getting autographs when her favorite player, sergui zubov, came out of the hotel. as several people approached him, he never broke stride, not even considering signing for anyone. that is, until my ex screamed out "ZUBIE!!". he stopped dead in his tracks, turned with a big smile, and signed for her, then went on his way, not signing anything else.
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