By Jesse Holland
As we reported here last Saturday, Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia was making what was being billed as a “rare appearance” at the Raritan Expo Center tonight in Edison New Jersey.
Living 10 minutes from Edison, I knew this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. Believe it or not, I’m actually a fan of “Big Tim” because I believe beneath that abrasive exterior is a guy who loves the UFC and wants nothing more than to be champ.
That may not mean much to some people, but I for one can appreciate that mentality. In fact, it’s beginning to look like a lost commodity after seeing some of the fighters being churned out of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 5.
The autograph signing was scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. I arrived about 30 minutes in and, to my surprise, the Expo was also featuring Joe Montana and Emmitt Smith. My heart raced with excitement as I envisioned an autographical hat trick.
Little did I know how out of touch I was.
Wasting no time I walked right up to the PSI table that featured Mr. Sylvia. They had a nice stack of glossy photos of Timmy in action and I pretended not to notice the cash register immediately to my right.
Since there was no line to speak of, it was impossible to sneak past, so I just bit the bullet and whipped out a double-finsky.
Cashier: That will be 40 dollars.
Jesse: Bye.
Five dollars for a picture and $35 for an autograph?
For a guy who’s battling a negative public image, he sure isn’t helping his own cause. I’d pay $40 for Couture. Maybe for Liddell.
But for an ex-champ facing back surgery?
I don’t know if he’s looking to cover his insurance deductible for the procedure or his agent is Scott Boras, but nobody is getting that kind of money from me unless there’s a happy ending.
And this goes a long way toward explaining the reason his appearances are so rare.
In an act of defiance, I marched past the booth and headed straight for Smith and Montana. They had a pre-pay area set up for pictures and autographs and they started at $350.
Suddenly, a signature from “The Maine-iac” seemed thrifty in comparison.
The UFC is still a long way from catching up to the other sports. For once I thought to myself it wasn’t such a bad thing.
46 Comments »
Un-effing-likely
For any of them
hahahah, happy ending, thats priceless…40 bucks is crazy, i wonder if he signed any at all, i like sylvia, but i wouldn’t pay 20 bucks for his autograph, shit i wouldn’t pay 10…
You did the right thing. When are athletes going to learn that fans are why they have a job and that they need to treat them right, not make them dish out more dough for their signature.
That’s freaking funny. I agree that Couture or Chuck even Royce or someone like that, but not someone that isn’t overly liked, will never be a Legend and shoud be trying to garner some kind of fan base back. Not too bright really.
Whats the point of announcing a special aperence when you have to pay, I guess the good old days of free Autograph sessions are over. Oo
I can’t believe this guy. I picked up an autograph photo of Tim at UFC 63 when Hughes fought Penn. It was a mad house but not one fighter pulled a forty dollar stunt. Actually every autograph was free. You just had to tolerate the people and arrive kinda early. The nerve of Sylvia
that truly is the most out rangiest thing that the most hated person in the ufc would have the gall to ask 40 bones foe his auto graph. i mean i wouldnt pay for the others but tim talked s–t about randy and lost his a–!
what the f. since when do people have to pay for autograph signings? actually, i dont remember ever asking for an autograph, so i wouldnt know. come on, timmy, use that big noggin of yours.
I wouldnt pay him shit for his autograph,that is the biggest load of shit I have ever heard!
If I was there I would of gone and took a dump, nicly wraped it in foil wrap, placed it incide a pretty gift box and gave that to Tim.
that is all hed get from me,as for his autograph the only use for that is for when there is no toilet paper left.
fookin’ hell, i wouldnt pay shit for anyones autograph whos still alive - what a dick sylvia is.
mcanena - hes got the idea lol!
So, let me see, you sign your name and turn it into $40 or $350? So why is counterfeiting illegal again? Damn, it’s like printing money.
If Emmitt was charging $350 then Montana should be somewhere under that. Timmy should be $25. I’d shell out $25 as long as I got to ask him a few questions too. He’s a good guy, just a little soft. I hope he looses the baby fat and comes back pissed off. Then all of the sudden everyone will be on the bandwagon again.
Go to a UFC event …. if you can.
ALL the autograpghs are free, the fighters are approachable and even encourage it. I got Sylvia’s autograpgh at 67, I also got Hughes, Jardine & GSP’s, Cost me 30 mins of time in a line.
How Pathetic ! You did the right thing.
He’d have to pay me for my autograph for me to admit that I’m a fan.
I’m actually one of the last fans of Tim Sylvia, and I think it’s a joke to charge $40 for autograph. His last 4 fights have been a joke. Plus Emmitt and Montana have made enough money and charge 350 for auto. If it weren’t for the fans they would be bums. It’s there duty to sign. There all scumbags to me.
i’ll bet the human love handle ended up owing money for the glossies. i cant beleive anyone would pay for his autograph unless they didn’t know for sure who he is and thought he was a pro wrestler or something. the retardiac needs a reality check.
I read an interview with Sylvia and the Baltimore Sun, this was before the Couture fight and everyone thought he was going to be champ forever.
I believe Mr. Sylvia said something to the effect of “I’m going to continue to defend the belt not because of money but because I want to continue my fighting legacy”. That’s not a correct quote, but I swear he said something to that purpose.
Quick question to the moderator, Was Sylvia donating the money he was making to a good cause? Because if such is the case, then it is understandible…… or are steriods just getting expensive?
He knows his fighting money is in jeporday. He must not see a optimistic future making money fighting.
I too like Sylvia… but god damn!
Although, I doubt it was him charging for autographs… Usualy they are members of a marketing agency, get so much $$ to sit around and sign autographs, wether it be people paying for them or not.
The name amongst names! I must be SLIPPING in my old age!
i wouldn’t give a dime 4 anyones autograph… noone in the world is as important than family. $40 4 what?!!!!
I WOULDN’T TAKE HIS AUTOG IF YOU PAID ME $40
He should just go and work on Hughes’s farm. Hughes might pay him $15 an hour and he would make more money there and he would hear Hughes saying “I am loving this” all day long.
What a rip. Contray to this story, Randy Couture visited Omaha just two weeks after his defeat of Tim. He was at a local sports nutrition store that carried his line of supplements. He was there for around 4 hours, was extremely nice and patient, and did autographs and picture taking for free! The only thing he charged for was if you wanted a glossy 8×10 from his table, and that was only $10. There was no cashier either, just Randy taking the cash and putting it in his back pocket…priceless.
He was so accomadating, that I got a digital picture taken with him, went right to a local Walgreens, had an 8×10 printed out, went back to the shop and got in line, and had him sign it!!! How cool is that! I explained what I did, and he just smiled and was cool with it! Randy rocks!!!
Since when is Tim Sylvia popular enough to charge anything for his autograph. A guy with “an image problem” as Dana said, should be out there handing out autographed pictures and kissing ass…
I wouldn’t even lend my sister $40 in grocery money the other day. I think if you are retired, out of play and actually have a name for yourself, then you can charge if you want, but for someone who is still active and just got his ass handed to him on his last fight and still has potential for a horrible future, well f–k you buddy.
that douche better pay me 40 bucks to take his autograph althoughi bet i could sell it to mainiac i mean redneck
[quote comment=”49173″]i wouldn’t give a dime 4 anyones autograph… noone in the world is as important than family. $40 4 what?!!!![/quote]
40 bucks 4 a hooker thats what
[quote comment=”49171″]I too like Sylvia… but god damn!
Although, I doubt it was him charging for autographs… Usualy they are members of a marketing agency, get so much $$ to sit around and sign autographs, wether it be people paying for them or not.
The name amongst names! I must be SLIPPING in my old age![/quote]
How did this guy coming to MY mall get by me? I must br slipping in my old age! oh by the way theres these new cookies at the cookie stand, there awesome you’ve got to try them!
Wow. When GSP was in my mall, I don’t *think* he charged anything for autographs. For posters/t-shirts/photo ops you had to buy a specific amount of some Spike product, starting at $30-$40 and above. And that was GSP after he beat Hughes!
I met Randy Couture at a local Promo for Max Muscle…Both my wife and I got separate pics with him and he had Pics of him for 10 bucks which he signed for 10 bucks that and my Tapout T-shirt….And had a good short chat about the GSP/Hughes fight…Great Guy………..
tim should be reimbursing me the 40 bucks i spent on him vs AA 3. i’d rather save that money for ufc 71
hahahahahah tim sylvia is full of himself
Thats terrible. Randy, FYI, didn’t charge for his autograph at all, even being one of the most popular fighters ever and with the huge outpouring of people there to see him, they didn’t charge a penny. Not only was his autograph free you could take a pic and talk to him for a moment too.
So does the Tim Sylvia signed glossy pic have a resale value or what? I know certain celebrities’ autographs are actually worth money. Tim’s is probably worth a buck or two.
[quote comment=”49181″]He should just go and work on Hughes’s farm. Hughes might pay him $15 an hour and he would make more money there and he would hear Hughes saying “I am loving this” all day long.[/quote]
Hughes: You reeeeal purty boy! Now how bout you drop them pants!! …panties too! Tim: SQUEEEEEAALLL..
Man Tim’s a dick.
I have never and will never pay for an autograph of any celebrity, no matter how much I like them. I am a Tim fan, and I don’t see it as necessarily a problem with him as with the growing trend of celebrities in general.
I would pay 350 for Timmy’s autograph if it was on the bottom of a contract release form from the UFC.
Tim Sylvia has announced he won’t fight Gabe Rueteger if Gayb wins the Heavyweight crown. He was quoted as saying “We’re partners… both in the Octagon and in the bedroom”.
Seems that whole team issue just won’t go away.
[quote comment=”50159″]Tim Sylvia has announced he won’t fight Gabe Rueteger if Gayb wins the Heavyweight crown. He was quoted as saying “We’re partners… both in the Octagon and in the bedroom”.
Seems that whole team issue just won’t go away.[/quote]
is this true
I don’t know about them fighting, but I do know Gabe is a lot closer to being a heavyweight than a lightweight.
If Tim comes recovers well from back surgery, he will probably be a Silverback. He is so one-dimensional. With the new blood in HW, I doubt he will challenge for the title again. The Hillbilly days are over.
[quote comment=”49063″]I can’t believe this guy. I picked up an autograph photo of Tim at UFC 63 when Hughes fought Penn. It was a mad house but not one fighter pulled a forty dollar stunt. Actually every autograph was free. You just had to tolerate the people and arrive kinda early. The nerve of Sylvia[/quote]
YOU ‘D HAVE TO BE A VERY ELITE FIGHTER TO DRAW $$ OUTTA MY WALLET FOR THAT, TIMMY WAS AND NEVER WILL BE, MAYBE FEDOR OR SUGAR RAY LEONARD
I was at the signing actually. That company who brought in Tim also did a signing with Matt Serra recently at the House of Blues in Atlantic City. They are also representing Matt Hughes from what I hear. I think it’s good to have a company here on the east coast to bring out the UFC guys for signings. If you go to their website they have UFC autographed memorabilia at a good price less than at the shows they do. It is http://www.prosportsinvestments.com and they ship everything for FREE!!
Scott Haas