I am seething mad right now. First I want you to know I am not some self important douche bag. I understand my place in the sports card blogosphere. I understand that I have quite a few dedicated followers and I enjoy writing the blog. I enjoy sharing my opinions and listening to theirs. I got home from work today and got my new Beckett Sports Card Monthly magazine. I looked at the cover, thought about it for a second and I realized David Lee at Beckett Magazine really likes my blog.
On October 12th 2008, I started writing a list of cards that I consider must have cards. Everyday for the past 4 months I have reviewed a player and his rookie cards. The idea was to start with baseball, progress to football, then go to hockey. I’ve never been a big fan of basketball so I wasn’t going to do the basketball list. So you can imagine when I saw the title of Beckett’s front page story, “40 Cards You Always Wanted . . . and Should Buy Right Now”, I was taken back, surely they didn’t just take my idea and compress it to 40 cards over the four sports. So I went to the article and BAM, there it was. It even had a very similar format to my posts. Instead of “Beckett Value” Mr. Lee uses “Glory Days” and in place of “Ebay Value” he uses “Get it Now”.
I emailed Mario and Adam of Waxheaven and Sportscardsuncensored respectively and asked them what they would do. I haven’t yet heard back from Mario or Adam, but my wife said go nuts and call Beckett out on this ridiculousness. Routinely I see bloggers get articles in Beckett published and I am so happy to see that. It was not my intentions to ever have my stuff published. If it happens, then great. If not, I’m OK with it. What I am pissed about is that some shit head over at Beckett had writers block, read my posts and morphed it into a cover article for Beckett Monthly. I feel like my project has now been tainted. I feel like by continuing it I’m copying Beckett. Don’t worry I am continuing it until I completely finish all the sports. I am just letting off some steam.
So I throw it out to you, my readers who I respect, to tell me, am I going overboard? Do you think I am reading into this too much? What would you do?
Confidential to Mr. David Lee at Beckett, I would like to mention that when you copy my “Ridiculous Rookies” segment, you should use “Righteous Rookies”. That changes is about as much as you need to and still has the great alliteration.
I think some compensation is in order or you should take action.
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”
I’m in the newspaper business, and newspapers constantly copy ideas from other newspapers, magazines, etc. It’s accepted, and considered a compliment when you see your idea in print somewhere else.
Plagiarism is another thing. If you find that there were parts of the Beckett article lifted directly from your blog, I’d be on the phone to Beckett if I were you.
But otherwise, I’d hold my head up high and continue what I was doing. Obviously some people like what you do. That’s all you can ask for.
These guys are a freakin’ joke. Day by day it becomes more apparent.
Can you scan the pages from the magazine that copy the format of your posts? I’m with you – it sucks that Beckett did this – but I want to see it in more detail…
Yeah, that’s kinda stupid. But in your favor, I have no intentions of ever picking up a Beckett and reading that article. I’m happy just refreshing my blog mainpage and seeing if you’ve updated your blog. I agree with night owl about imitation. But if you read it and find any plagiarism, I would indeed raise hell.
Yeah, unless they just copied word for word from you blog I doubt there’s much you can do.
Beckett is lame though, and I’m a big fan of your blog.
I agree with you, I know he changed it a lot but you know where he got his idea from, I just would have liked a mention in there, maybe something like for more information concerning the definitive list of cards see badwax.net.
I just want people to know out there, that ideas from your blog may be taken next time. Imagine how pissed you would be if your idea made the front cover of Beckett with no mention of you or your site.
If it is your list of cards, then its an issue. If its just a similar list of cards – they’ve done such things before with varying themes.
There was a hockey one a while back with a ‘Best value for $20 theme’ that had three different people with lists of what they would spend $20 on for rookie cards.
I’ve also seen the subheadings ‘cards you should buy’ on several occasions. They do it almost every time they feature a player in the magazine.
Its a great idea and results in interesting stories, but I think it has been around for a while.
Get over it pansie. By the way- we are using “Rockin Rookies” in the next issue.
Man I had a hard time coming up with a R to go with rookies but rockin’ is much better and Ret Hot and Righteous.
Complete BS but what do you really expect anything less. We know the high moral and ethical standards they hold themselves too. I’m going to hurl. F-them
Legally, I’m afraid you are SOL. Additionally, if you were seeking to impinge on Beckett’s credibility, I’m afriad they lost that in 1994, therefore you’re a little too late. I understand your anger, but hey – consider with whom you are dealing.
As a note, I’ve read the whole article, and much of the trest of the publication this month. It is my opniion that anyone who is well educated must agree that the magazine is so poorly written in general, that absent stealing ideas like yours … they may have little to nothing to fill pages before reaching a meaningless price guide.
I’m a fan of your blog, but you’re taking this a little too far. Beckett has run many stories like this over the past few years…plenty of them before your blog was even created. I really like your site, but come on, they did not copy you. It would be like if I were to write an article “The Top 10 Rock Albums of All Time.” Could I sue Rolling Stone when they do their top 10 list?
Sorry man, but I don’t think you can get too upset over this.
Well, you know what I would do, but I saw that on the cover of the mag and I decided to take a gander inside. Based on what I saw, their article is a complete joke. Plus it takes your idea and desicrates it in a very uncomfortable place.
Adam, I agree, but I’ve decided to let it be. I’ll just keep coming up with great ideas and see where Beckett decides to take them.
If it makes you feel any better, I’m still waiting for them to pay me for two articles I’ve written for them, including one in the issue you mention.
Continued problems can be brought to the attention of the Dallas County District Attorney’s civil cases office at (214) 653-7358.
Good luck.