Panini National VIP Party

I had an opportunity to go to the 2017 National Sportscard Collecting Convention in Chicago, which was the first National that I could go to.  While I was there, I talked with a couple of the great people that I had met through a card collecting forum, and a few things led to some other things, and I ended up going to the Panini NSCC VIP party.  It was a pretty neat affair, with a bunch of catered food, open bar, and a room full of video games and pop-a-shot mini basketball, and swag.  Lots of swag.  Oh yeah, a bunch of pro athletes as well.  Most people were star-struck by Lonzo Ball, but I really enjoyed talking more with Glen Rice, Latrell Sprewell, and Ladanian Tomlinson. 

Glen Rice was schooling people in pop-a-shot, which was hilarious to watch.  The most gruff was Pete Rose, but he was still pleasant in the few words he would utter between people.  I also thought that Kris Dunn seemed like a really nice guy.  All the athletes wanted to hang out with Tommy the Hitman Hearns and Deion Sanders, it was basically a general lovefest.  In the end, it was a neat shindig, and definitely something that I'd like to make part of my regular rotation in the future if I'm able to make it back to the National.