Theme Week: Better Know a Blogger (Weston from Fantastic Catch)

Welcome to "Better Know a Blogger" Theme Week here at Nachos Grande.  About a week or so ago, I put out a call to any interested bloggers to answer a short questionnaire that I had prepared.  The goal of the questionnaire is for all of us to get to better know some of the various personalities on the blogs!  I hope you find this Theme Week as much fun as I did - and hopefully you'll learn something about your fellow bloggers as the week progresses!

1. Your name (or alias):  Weston DeShon (Superduperman99)
2. Your blog website:  http://fantasticcatch.blogspot.com/
3. What kind of collector do you consider yourself (team collector, player collector, set collector, etc.). Why do you collect that way?

Team Collector (Cardinals!), Rookie Card Collector (As a young collector I like to get closer to the games youth), TTM Collector. I like getting closer to athletes and sending bible verses to them as well.

4. In your opinion, what could the major card companies (Topps, Panini, etc.) do to make your style of collecting better for you?

 Get creative! Stop doing to same boring crap like Gypsy Queen or Opening Day every year.

5. What is your favorite part of your collection?  This could be one specific item, or a binder of cards, etc.

My Cardinals Autographs

6. Most of us have a favorite song that we like for no good reason – heck, it might even be embarrassing.  Do you have a favorite baseball card that might fit that bill?  

That’s a tough one. I really like the 2002 Fleer Showcase Albert Pujols autograph that I have.

7. If you were forced to part with your entire collection except for one card, which card would you keep?

My signed 2012 Upper Deck MLS Wells Thompson card. Every since I wrote to him, I have met with him face to face and also text quite frequently. I don’t think I could part with that card. It just means too much to me.

8. Many of the blogs (including my own at times) seem to decry Topps’ lack of vision and creativity.  Can you think of something creative that could be done for an upcoming card set?  

Revival of Topps Total. Don’t reuse the same images over and over. That one really grinds my gears. Get more creative with the photo selection. Do away with drab products like Opening Day, Archives, and Gypsy Queen. Make products cheaper whether it be less hits or whatnot because being 15, I don’t have too much extra money for cards.

9. What is your profession?  How did you end up there?  If you are in school, what do you plan to major in and/or what job do you hope to get after graduating?  

High School Student/Amateur Soccer Player. Spending way more time playing soccer than blogging about baseball cards. Sports Management. I would really enjoy partaking in the business end of sports.

10. What is your favorite place that you’ve ever visited?  Why?  

Another tough one. Probably a Seattle Sounders vs Real Salt Lakegame. There were almost 50,000 people watching a soccer game at CenturyLink Field. It was incredible.

11. Many of us have favorite foods or customs that are somewhat local to where we live.  Do you have any such things that you particularly love?  A website link to specific products would be spectacular.  

Being into soccer and with all the training that goes on with it, I LOVE Clif Bars. My favorite flavor is Chocolate Chip and I would definitely recommend them. http://www.clifbarstore.com/

12. Do you have any other hobbies besides card collecting?  

 I’m addicted to playing soccer and collecting baseball cards, Let me just say I’m not your average High School Student.

13. Tell me something interesting about yourself (that we haven’t covered in the first twelve questions).

 I have been blogging with my best friend Andrew (andrewsbaseballcards.blogspot.com) since I was 12 and I also travel 1 hour and 30 minutes 3-4 times a week to go to soccer practice to play the best competition Indiana has to offer.

Thank you to Weston for participating in my Better Know a Blogger series!  I think that it's awesome that we have bloggers of all ages - and I'm sure Topps, Panini, etc. are excited to know that there are actual high school students who collect cards.  That bodes well for their future bottom line!  

As for Weston's answers, I like his passion for soccer.  I used to play soccer in high school (intramural in college) and I agree that it can be a lot of fun.  I have not, however, ever tried a Clif Bar.  Maybe if I had, I would have been a better soccer player!

I also think Weston was right on in regards to making products cheaper.  Topps seems to have fallen in love with the high end including making sets that I have no business being high end, high end (Tek and Stadium Club come to mind).  I know a lot of people love Topps Total (I'm not one of them) - and I wouldn't be surprised to see Topps go back to that well soon too (much like they did for Tek and Stadium Club this year).  

Thanks to Weston for participating - and to all the others who have sent in their answers as well.  I'm pleased to say the turnout was great (much better than I could have hoped for) so stay tuned for more from the Better Know a Blogger theme as the week progresses!