5+1 Q&A With Andrew from @st._croix_cards
Andrew aka @st._croix_cards
When one of Andrew’s (@st._croix_cards) former students became a world-class soccer player, there was never a doubt that he’d become part of his PC. Andrew, host of Slabstox’s SlabstoxFC podcast, talked about his student, how his love of history influences his collecting, and much more in this edition of the 5+1 Q&A.
Q0: What do you consider your PC?
@st._croix_cards: I may have a slightly different definition of PC than others. When I jumped back into the hobby in 2020, I wanted to have a PC that connected the hobby to my everyday life. As a teacher, I have so many former students that go on to do incredible things. I was very fortunate to have Brooks Lennon in my middle school classroom. Brooks plays Right Back for Atlanta United in MLS. I wanted my PC to truly be personal, I wanted to know the person on the front of the card. When I started collecting he had one single card, the 2019 Topps MLS 22 under 22 when he played for Real Salt Lake. Over the past year he has added a Topps now, and has been in this year's Topps, Topps Chrome, and Topps Finest for the MLS product. I’ve been working on the rainbows of all his sets. I’m hopeful that he will continue to be in the product moving forward! It also has been really nice because he still has very few cards and its been manageable to try and collect them all. However, it won’t stop with Brooks. If any other former students make it to the pinnacle of their sport, I will be all-in collecting their cards as well. In a way it helps me to continue to monitor their carriers, and I also want to continue to support them long after they’ve left my classroom.
Q1: You recently shared a post about a conversation you had with a veteran collector about collecting the card vs. the grade. You seem to really value the collecting community, especially those who have been around for a while. There are some newer collectors who side-eye longtime hobbyists, but you embrace them. What have you been able to learn about the hobby from those who've been around longer than you?
@st._croix_cards: Wow, what a great question. As a history teacher, I think it is so important to learn from the past. One of my favorite ways to do that is through people talking about their experiences and not just reading it out of a book. The emotion of a first-hand account can be so much more impactful. I would always say in my classroom, “How will you know if you don’t ask?” I think for me, the community is THE most important part of the hobby experience. I collected cards very heavily in the late 90’s into the early 2000’s. I had very very few friends or people that collected around me. I think I really would have stayed in the hobby in high school and college if I had others that collected as well. I really collected by myself and I don’t think I have ever truely forgotten that or the feeling of loneliness. Now that I’m back in, I want to build a community of collectors and share in each other's passion for the hobby. I want to truly hear people's stories. How they got into collecting, what they collect, and how they have gone about getting their cards. I learn so much just through the stories of others. Yes, there are times when I ask direct questions to more experienced collectors, but most of the knowledge I gather is through the stories people tell. Have you ever asked a person about their collection? How people’s faces light up when I ask? The passion, joy, and excitement people speak with when talking about their collections is incredible. I think for many of us in the hobby we are waiting to be asked questions about our collections, our experiences, and our stories in the hobby. What I have learned most from the experienced collectors is … I have so much to learn! Knowing that, continues to drive me to be a lifelong learner in this hobby and make meaningful and lasting friendships along the way!
Q2: I follow soccer, but I don't collect it. What drew you to that part of the hobby? Also, where did the interest in MLS come from? The matches are fantastic, but from a reputation standpoint, it's behind international and Premier League. I'm coming from a place of raw naivety, and perhaps I'm playing a little devil's advocate, but wouldn't it make more sense to focus on the bigger names from the bigger leagues?
@st._croix_cards: Oh man! I absolutely love soccer! The funny thing was growing up I was average at best. I was finishing high school in 2004 when Arsenal had their Invincible season in the Premier League in England (only team to go unbeaten in a season 26 wins, 12 draws, 0 loses). As I began teaching, I started to take a real interest in the sport of soccer because of the passion my students had for the game. I feel my passion for the game really began to grow when I got into the FIFA video-game franchise. I was very involved in FIFA and their ultimate team. This part of the game play is all about opening packs, finding rare and highly rated players, and building squads to play others online. To say I was hooked is an understatement. If I wasn’t playing FIFA I was watching soccer on TV. My interest in MLS really comes from two places. The first being Brooks Lennon. I really continue to watch the games and watch his career develop. The second, in my opinion, the MLS has taken great strides in cultivating and producing class players that have gone on to play in the biggest leagues in Europe. The likes of Alphonso Davies, Miguel Almiron, and Ricardo Pepi began their careers in MLS. MLS has been and is a great launching pad for young American players who start their careers in MLS, and will be household names for the USMNT in the future. This is also where many of these players receive their first cards. This does provide almost a prospecting type opportunity if you’re able to find the players that will go on to make an impact for the USMNT! I think the bigger names in the bigger leagues are fantastic! Mbappe, Haaland, Vini Jr, Messi, and Ronaldo are amazing! However none of them will play for the USMNT. This way of tracking a player from the start of his career to the end can be a lot of fun! It also allows for most soccer fans to see games in person. We all can’t go overseas to watch the Premier League, but I can make the 3 hour drive to watch Minnesota United in St. Paul, Minn. I think it’s a way to grow the sport of soccer and its community in the U.S. I truly just love this beautiful game and this beautiful hobby. It is something that I do not take for granted and hope through my content and interaction with others it fosters a great experience for others in this hobby as well and grows the soccer section of the hobby!
Q3: You say you'd like to build a "community of collectors." How are you going about doing that?
@st._croix_cards: I think for me it has been intentionally putting myself out there in the hobby. I have made it an effort to get to a good number of local shows in Wisconsin. I try to meet dealers and collectors in the hobby. Get to know them, build relationships, and really try to help and encourage them in what they’re trying to do in the hobby. I also try to be available on social media (mainly IG) to answer questions, discuss specific players, and help in any way that I can. Finally, it was big for me to put myself in front of the camera and record with Slabstox. First it was the World Cup episodes and now the SlabstoxFC show. It really is a way for me to provide data on specific cards. My hope is that it creates a community where we can talk, discuss, and make great decisions in the cards that we are looking to acquire.
Q4: Given your passion for history and soccer, what do you think about combining the two and diving deeper into vintage soccer? I've heard other soccer collectors say they've considered it but find it daunting, because whereas vintage baseball or basketball cards are readily available throughout the U.S., vintage soccer cards might be sprinkled across the globe and harder to locate.
@st._croix_cards: I do have a big interest in getting more involved in the vintage side of the soccer market. With my love for history and appreciation of the players from the past, I would love to learn more about the vintage sets and educate myself on the vintage market. I have dipped my toe into the vintage world with a few cards I’ve picked up, but I am looking to learn, and I understand I know very little on the topic. I would love to sit down with an expert and just soak up knowledge. It also is not just that the cards are littered around the globe. Many countries have different stickers and it is hard to understand the rarity or more sought after stickers. It’s just a lot to learn and I need to really dedicate time to it. It is something that I would really like to do!
2022 Topps Finest MLS Brooks Lennon purple refractor /250
Q5: You strike me as someone who's proactive, who knows their values and knows what's important to them. You get after it. When you locate a card you want or find a new exciting lane to get into, what's your collecting approach?
@st._croix_cards: When I find a card or a set that I really am excited about I usually go all in. I tend to put blinders on and that really becomes my focus in the hobby. I have missed out on other cards and deals because I get so locked into the cards I’m looking for. I still have a bit of blinders on as I am really on a mission to finish the Brooks Lennon Topps Finest MLS Rainbow and I am searching for the Superfractor 1/1. I tend to place a lot of effort looking for that card and also trying to liquidate so that I have the money available if/when it shows up. I think the all-in mentality and being on the hunt is very exciting. The chase is the best part for me in the hobby experience. It is something that I really never got to experience as a kid. You could try to complete sets or get a certain card, but it was so difficult because the only way to locate the card was a local card show, a local card shop, or what you pulled. Now with ebay, auction houses, shows, IG, Facebook, etc. etc., it makes completing sets and rainbows attainable or it’s easier to locate those cards that you really want.
+1 Question: You're the third person I've had the privilege of talking to for this new Q&A interview series, and by total chance you're already the second history teacher/historian, along with Mark (@mjs_sportscards). Do you think it's a coincidence, or is there something about having an interest in history that draws people to this hobby?
@st._croix_cards: I really think there is a connection. I think a love and appreciation for history draws people to the hobby. I love the ability to hold a piece of history in a player and what they accomplished and contributed to the game they played. How they changed the game for the better or worse. It also keeps you connected to the sports we all love and the teams we have grown up rooting for. I think along with the history that draws people to the hobby, the nostalgia of the players we looked up to and enjoyed when we were kids plays a major factor in who and what we collect. The ability to remember games, plays, and experiences and collect players that were tied to those events is such a fantastic opportunity we have in the hobby.