Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tiger's Knee is Fine
You heard it hear first: Tiger Woods didn't have surgery! It was a fabricated story from the minds of Andy North and Scott Van Pelt to explain why he did not win the Masters this year. After all, Augusta National is "so hilly," so not even God Himself could win at the course with a knee problem. Surely it had nothing to do with the fact that Woods could not make a putt to save his life.
Don't Do It, Brett
Okay, Mr. Favre. I have, admittedly, never been much of a fan. But if you want to avoid the Asshole Lifetime Achievement Award, you had better keep your mouth shut and stay away. By now, it is pretty well known that you have admitted (no doubt with an "aw shucks" preface) that a scenario involving an Aaron Rodgers injury would at least pique your interest towards coming back.
First, you have somehow managed to pile on to the enormous amount of pressure that Aaron Rodgers no doubt faces this coming season. Your "I'm retired for good!" stance now has a crack in it. It is a small, "hypothetical" crack, but a crack nonetheless. Now, every errant throw by Rogers will have Green Bay fans clamoring for their gunslinger with the childlike enthusiasm to come back.*
Secondly, building upon the expectations of Rodgers, what if your replacement struggles? He fails to play well in a couple of early losses and no doubt will all the focus be placed on whether or not you come to 'save the day.' And what if you come back and play successfully? Now what happens? Another tearful press conference (with a depressed Peter King throwing back shots of espresso while masturbating to your stubble)? Or will you hold the team hostage again, pondering whether or not another Super Bowl run is worth the damage to your body. I mean, how profitable can you be to Wrangler Jeans without suiting it up every week?
The bottomline, Mr. Favre, is that you should stay retired. You had your chance to come back, but once you said goodbye, you passed the torch over to Aaron Rodgers. Taking it back would be the least classy thing you could possibly do. And returning to another team is out of the question. You were the quarterback of a team with one of the most fanatical fanbases around, how could you consider putting another team's logo on your helmet for one more season under the spotlight. Stay in Mississippi and let Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers move on.
*Do I owe ESPN (namely Mark Schlereth) money for dropping these cliches?
First, you have somehow managed to pile on to the enormous amount of pressure that Aaron Rodgers no doubt faces this coming season. Your "I'm retired for good!" stance now has a crack in it. It is a small, "hypothetical" crack, but a crack nonetheless. Now, every errant throw by Rogers will have Green Bay fans clamoring for their gunslinger with the childlike enthusiasm to come back.*
Secondly, building upon the expectations of Rodgers, what if your replacement struggles? He fails to play well in a couple of early losses and no doubt will all the focus be placed on whether or not you come to 'save the day.' And what if you come back and play successfully? Now what happens? Another tearful press conference (with a depressed Peter King throwing back shots of espresso while masturbating to your stubble)? Or will you hold the team hostage again, pondering whether or not another Super Bowl run is worth the damage to your body. I mean, how profitable can you be to Wrangler Jeans without suiting it up every week?
The bottomline, Mr. Favre, is that you should stay retired. You had your chance to come back, but once you said goodbye, you passed the torch over to Aaron Rodgers. Taking it back would be the least classy thing you could possibly do. And returning to another team is out of the question. You were the quarterback of a team with one of the most fanatical fanbases around, how could you consider putting another team's logo on your helmet for one more season under the spotlight. Stay in Mississippi and let Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers move on.
*Do I owe ESPN (namely Mark Schlereth) money for dropping these cliches?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Lest We Forget...
It's back to the pointless little posts for a while, as I am writing for four different sites and trying to get through some of the work provided by my classes over the next two weeks. That being said, I heard something on Rome is Burning that compelled me to write this post. Sigh, I hate myself for writing this...but...okay.
The point of contention I have came from a comment during The Forum section of the show, in regards to Carmello Anthony and his DUI arrest. One of the talking heads on the show began to berate Anthony (who deserves a bit of what's coming to him, but he shouldn't be completley villified), implying that he can never truly be a super star because, as he put it, "Magic, MJ, Bird, these guys never got into trouble like this." (The last part might have been paraphrased as I'm going off memory alone, but he did compare Anthony to the three players mentioned.)
At this point, I am hating myself for writing this, but it merits mentioning: Didn't Magic Johnson become HIV Positive thanks to some off-court exploits. I am not trying to throw dirt on Magic, but when Carmello faces questions of his commitment to basketball based on one immature mistake, you probably should not compare him poorly to someone forced to retire prematurely based on a series of mistakes.
Oh, and lest we forget Michael Jordan's gambling problems. The consequences of this addiction range from the obvious--he lost a lot of money, to the sensational hoax--unpaid gambling debts resulted in his father's murder. With the intriguing possibility of a secret, eighteen month suspension from the NBA (hence, the foray into baseball), in between.
Now, I do not want to come across like I condone Anthony's actions. Trust me, very few things have the ability to exceed the stupidity of drunk driving. And his stick-and-move routine at Madison Square Garden last season does nothing to enhance his resume. But to isolate Anthony, simply because he is an easy target, seems unfair.
The point of contention I have came from a comment during The Forum section of the show, in regards to Carmello Anthony and his DUI arrest. One of the talking heads on the show began to berate Anthony (who deserves a bit of what's coming to him, but he shouldn't be completley villified), implying that he can never truly be a super star because, as he put it, "Magic, MJ, Bird, these guys never got into trouble like this." (The last part might have been paraphrased as I'm going off memory alone, but he did compare Anthony to the three players mentioned.)
At this point, I am hating myself for writing this, but it merits mentioning: Didn't Magic Johnson become HIV Positive thanks to some off-court exploits. I am not trying to throw dirt on Magic, but when Carmello faces questions of his commitment to basketball based on one immature mistake, you probably should not compare him poorly to someone forced to retire prematurely based on a series of mistakes.
Oh, and lest we forget Michael Jordan's gambling problems. The consequences of this addiction range from the obvious--he lost a lot of money, to the sensational hoax--unpaid gambling debts resulted in his father's murder. With the intriguing possibility of a secret, eighteen month suspension from the NBA (hence, the foray into baseball), in between.
Now, I do not want to come across like I condone Anthony's actions. Trust me, very few things have the ability to exceed the stupidity of drunk driving. And his stick-and-move routine at Madison Square Garden last season does nothing to enhance his resume. But to isolate Anthony, simply because he is an easy target, seems unfair.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
An Endorsement from Smart Ass Sports & Entertainment
It is official, I’m voting for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Certainly in the Indiana primary, but hopefully in the national election as well. I had been leaning toward the former first lady over the past couple of weeks, but a recent article I received in regards to Senator Obama has put me completely into Hillary’s camp.
The piece, written by a former nurse (Jill Stanek) working in Illinois during Obama’s tenure in the state senate, is admittedly one-sided. That being said, when you ignore the typical sarcastic adjectives of this biased article, plenty of scathing material remains.
It begins in February of 2004 with Obama’s wife, Michelle, discussing her fundraising invitations that describe a $150-a-plate luncheon that would raise awareness on “right-wing” tactics employed in an attempt to stop partial-birth abortion. Stanek summarized its contents, noting, among other things, that “Mrs. Obama referred to this form of abortion as “a legitimate medical procedure” and asked supporters to attend the aforementioned luncheon for her husband, who would fight “cynical ploys” to stop it.”
Now, you probably have heard the term ‘partial-birth abortion’ thrown around, but you may not actually be aware of what the procedure entails. I will provide a description here, but I warn you; if you are easily sickened, even by written details, skip to the next paragraph. Partial-birth abortion is an operation that takes almost-born babies (well into their third trimester), rips the back of their neck open with a pair of scissors, sucks their brain out, and crushes their skulls.
As terrible as this seems, partial-birth abortion is not the actual subject of Stanek’s article. She implores registered voters to pass on Barack Obama because of his ignorant neglect of a prominent problem in Illinois hospitals during his tenure in the state legislature: infanticide.
Yes, you see Ms. Stanek was a nurse in one of these hospitals at this time, and she made a very unpleasant discovery. Children were being born, full-term, mind you, and neglectfully shelved to die in spare utility rooms. Legislation passed unanimously at a federal level to put an end to this type of abortion, but evidently, Senator Obama did not receive the memo.
At the state level, in Illinois at least, the legislation was stopped in its tracks. Stanek points out that it was Obama’s presence and priorities that prevented it from being passed. In fact, as an interesting side note, it should be made known that it was finally put into action in 2005…just months after Obama was elected to national office.
Moving back to the time in state office, Stanek reveals that after the first refusal to pass the common sense legislation, Obama chaired a committee that tended to the very issue. While serving on this group, Obama stifled any dissent, going as far as ending a meeting prematurely to avoid discussing a pro-life issue with a family who had traveled over three hours to testify before the committee.
Evidently, Senator Obama was not bothered by any of this. Neither was he bothered by the fact that similar legislation gives more rights to livestock than to the full-term babies of Illinois. Nor was he bothered at the reality that these babies feel excruciating pain in both partial-birth and full-term abortion. No, the only thing he was actually bothered by was the fact that Alan Keyes used this story as the basis for his reason as to why Jesus Christ would never vote for Barack Obama.
Now, I consider myself a part of the pro-life movement. I am also a realist. I understand that as important as the pro-life debate is, issues as pressing as the Iraq War should often take precedence. I also am aware that completely banning abortion would cause another set of serious problems (women dying in back alleys trying to perform abortions with coat hangers, for example). However, I would have to agree with Mr. Keyes in his summation of Senator Obama. I’m not a fan making bold proclamations on Christ’s behalf, but I see the reasoning here. The last thing we need is a president as cavalier on such an important issue as Barack Obama. We need a president who is willing to recognize all of these problems and proceed accordingly. We need Hillary Clinton.
John McCain may be stronger on pro-life issues, but he is out to lunch on Iraq. His rationale: The Iraq Surge has worked well enough that we should continue to mire ourselves in a quagmire. Barack Obama is strong on the Iraq War (immediate withdrawal), but, obviously, frighteningly out of touch with the importance of the pro-life debate. Hillary Clinton is the most well-balanced candidate of the bunch, and the best choice for president that we have had since her husband left office. She has the heart of a liberal and the values of a conservative. Senator Clinton may be painted as a cold, evil woman by the media, but that’s just because they have decided that they want Senator Obama to win. How so? Clinton is a superior, yet less flashy version of Obama. Don’t be fooled by a smooth exterior, just look at the facts.
So with this in mind, I implore everyone to make the right choice this spring and do it again come November. America is at a crossroads. Do we want someone who will continue to trample our nation’s relations with other countries? Do we want someone with only four years of experience in dealing with issues at the national level?
I know that I don’t.
I want Hillary Clinton as the next President of the United States, and you should too. Help her make the next step in this process on May 6th; it is simply the right thing to do.
To read Jill Stanek’s article on Barack Obama, follow the provided link:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51121
The piece, written by a former nurse (Jill Stanek) working in Illinois during Obama’s tenure in the state senate, is admittedly one-sided. That being said, when you ignore the typical sarcastic adjectives of this biased article, plenty of scathing material remains.
It begins in February of 2004 with Obama’s wife, Michelle, discussing her fundraising invitations that describe a $150-a-plate luncheon that would raise awareness on “right-wing” tactics employed in an attempt to stop partial-birth abortion. Stanek summarized its contents, noting, among other things, that “Mrs. Obama referred to this form of abortion as “a legitimate medical procedure” and asked supporters to attend the aforementioned luncheon for her husband, who would fight “cynical ploys” to stop it.”
Now, you probably have heard the term ‘partial-birth abortion’ thrown around, but you may not actually be aware of what the procedure entails. I will provide a description here, but I warn you; if you are easily sickened, even by written details, skip to the next paragraph. Partial-birth abortion is an operation that takes almost-born babies (well into their third trimester), rips the back of their neck open with a pair of scissors, sucks their brain out, and crushes their skulls.
As terrible as this seems, partial-birth abortion is not the actual subject of Stanek’s article. She implores registered voters to pass on Barack Obama because of his ignorant neglect of a prominent problem in Illinois hospitals during his tenure in the state legislature: infanticide.
Yes, you see Ms. Stanek was a nurse in one of these hospitals at this time, and she made a very unpleasant discovery. Children were being born, full-term, mind you, and neglectfully shelved to die in spare utility rooms. Legislation passed unanimously at a federal level to put an end to this type of abortion, but evidently, Senator Obama did not receive the memo.
At the state level, in Illinois at least, the legislation was stopped in its tracks. Stanek points out that it was Obama’s presence and priorities that prevented it from being passed. In fact, as an interesting side note, it should be made known that it was finally put into action in 2005…just months after Obama was elected to national office.
Moving back to the time in state office, Stanek reveals that after the first refusal to pass the common sense legislation, Obama chaired a committee that tended to the very issue. While serving on this group, Obama stifled any dissent, going as far as ending a meeting prematurely to avoid discussing a pro-life issue with a family who had traveled over three hours to testify before the committee.
Evidently, Senator Obama was not bothered by any of this. Neither was he bothered by the fact that similar legislation gives more rights to livestock than to the full-term babies of Illinois. Nor was he bothered at the reality that these babies feel excruciating pain in both partial-birth and full-term abortion. No, the only thing he was actually bothered by was the fact that Alan Keyes used this story as the basis for his reason as to why Jesus Christ would never vote for Barack Obama.
Now, I consider myself a part of the pro-life movement. I am also a realist. I understand that as important as the pro-life debate is, issues as pressing as the Iraq War should often take precedence. I also am aware that completely banning abortion would cause another set of serious problems (women dying in back alleys trying to perform abortions with coat hangers, for example). However, I would have to agree with Mr. Keyes in his summation of Senator Obama. I’m not a fan making bold proclamations on Christ’s behalf, but I see the reasoning here. The last thing we need is a president as cavalier on such an important issue as Barack Obama. We need a president who is willing to recognize all of these problems and proceed accordingly. We need Hillary Clinton.
John McCain may be stronger on pro-life issues, but he is out to lunch on Iraq. His rationale: The Iraq Surge has worked well enough that we should continue to mire ourselves in a quagmire. Barack Obama is strong on the Iraq War (immediate withdrawal), but, obviously, frighteningly out of touch with the importance of the pro-life debate. Hillary Clinton is the most well-balanced candidate of the bunch, and the best choice for president that we have had since her husband left office. She has the heart of a liberal and the values of a conservative. Senator Clinton may be painted as a cold, evil woman by the media, but that’s just because they have decided that they want Senator Obama to win. How so? Clinton is a superior, yet less flashy version of Obama. Don’t be fooled by a smooth exterior, just look at the facts.
So with this in mind, I implore everyone to make the right choice this spring and do it again come November. America is at a crossroads. Do we want someone who will continue to trample our nation’s relations with other countries? Do we want someone with only four years of experience in dealing with issues at the national level?
I know that I don’t.
I want Hillary Clinton as the next President of the United States, and you should too. Help her make the next step in this process on May 6th; it is simply the right thing to do.
To read Jill Stanek’s article on Barack Obama, follow the provided link:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51121
My Shameless Attempt to Garner Search Engine Results
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I Miss the Jail Blazers
While taking in LA's scintillating performance against the Portland Trail Blazers last night, two thoughts came to mind:
1) If the Lakers could prevent digging massive graves for themselves during the first quarter of games, they would be the heavy favorite to win the title.
and
2) Someone should inform Jordan Farmar that he is actually not Kobe Bryant. This may come as a surprise to him, but hopefully it would make him realize that he should defer to the superstar on every fastbreak.
Unfortunately, the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach following this game means that I have nothing else relevant to write (except for things like 'NEW ORLEANS LOST, WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE, DUMBASSES?!'). As a result, you definitely should make sure you soak in these insightful tidbits. Enjoy the Masters Par 3 Contest tomorrow; I'm out.
1) If the Lakers could prevent digging massive graves for themselves during the first quarter of games, they would be the heavy favorite to win the title.
and
2) Someone should inform Jordan Farmar that he is actually not Kobe Bryant. This may come as a surprise to him, but hopefully it would make him realize that he should defer to the superstar on every fastbreak.
Unfortunately, the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach following this game means that I have nothing else relevant to write (except for things like 'NEW ORLEANS LOST, WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE, DUMBASSES?!'). As a result, you definitely should make sure you soak in these insightful tidbits. Enjoy the Masters Par 3 Contest tomorrow; I'm out.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
My Latest Sega-16.com Feature, and What Do You Know, It's About Craig's List
For someone who was barely aware of its existence just two short weeks ago, I have been hitting www.craigslist.org pretty hard. Over the past week, I've revolutionized how I go about purchasing classic games. To avoid having two consecutive articles that cover variations of the same topic, this feature will contain both a how-to for purchasing games on Craig's List and a personal story about some of my luck thus far.
A How-To Guide to Shopping for the Genesis on Craig's List
Craig's List is a God-send for anyone looking for anything. This includes those in the market for video games of all sorts. The site functions as an online classified ad, but there are two distinct differences between these ads and those featured in your local newspaper:
1) You incur no fees for posting ads
and
2) More people than just your grandmother are going to be looking at these ads
Now, how exactly should you go about looking for your games? Surely, more than one successful method exists. But, given my success in such a short period of time (fingers crossed that it is not beginner's luck), I will present my method for purchasing games on Craig's List:
First, it is a good idea to check which regions in your area have Craig's List sites set up. Generally, typing in www.craigslist.org will take you to the home page of the site nearest your location (Craig's List has hundreds of sites for various regions set up to keep things local). But since this is not always the case, I recommend using the location index on the right hand side of the home page to see if a more suitable site exists for you. While searching this index, it is also a good idea to see if sites exist for locations within a reasonable travelling distance for you. Hopefully, you will discover an additional region or two that you would be willing to do business with.
After you have chosen your location (and I recommend starting with your home site before branching off to alternate regions), you may now begin to scour the ads for some great deals. There are two main ad sections that feature video games, Games/Toys and Electronics. You may also have luck in the General section, but not nearly to the extent of the first two options.
When you do come across an item or lot that you are interested in, you simply click the provided link to contact the seller. In order to preserve anonymity, Craig's List features a mailing system in which you e-mail a database and the database e-mails the seller and vice versa. But obviously, if you and the seller agree to terms, you may then exchange contact information in order to complete the transaction. However, before you agree to the purchase, make sure you adhere to one principle:
Never settle for the listed price!
This is not amazon.com, so don't conduct business in the manner in which you would on that site. Try to envision Craig's List as an online yard sale or flea market. If sellers were looking to maximize profit, they probably would have taken their items to eBay. Most likely, video game vendors on Craig's List have either lost touch with games and are looking to unload them quickly, or they are parents who decided to sell off old junk boxed up in the basement--at least a variation on one of the two.
With that in mind, make an offer that better suits you. You do not want to go too low, as that might alienate the seller. I would recommend starting with an offer that is %60 percent of what they are asking (if it's still too pricey after the %40 deduction, the seller is probably too delusional to grant you a good deal anyway), even if what they are asking is a good deal to begin with. You just have to remember that they have the option of declining. And chances are, even if they say no to the %60 proposal, they will still counter with an offer that beats the initial asking price.
Now, there are always exceptions to the rule. For instance, don't low ball someone who is offering Snatcher for $20. Just pay the man and run!
You might also find a lot of a system and games, yet you only want a title or two and that is it. Do not hesitate to inquire about purchasing a few game separately. Again, the seller always has the power to say no. But it's more likely that they will be excited to make some money off of their lot and will gladly break off individual games for you. In fact, this is probably your best chance of finding a rare game or two for an insane discount. The Snatcher example above might not be the best for that type of instance, because someone selling a rare game individually probably has some idea of the game's significance. But if a mom is cleaning the attic and she puts her son's old Sega CD and his game collection in an ad, she will probably not hold Snatcher in any higher regard than NBA Jam.
The only down side to Craig's List is that once you score that incredible deal, you become impatient waiting for your next prize. Do you have any recourse to this problem? Luckily, the answer is yes. The site also features a section for wanted items. While it makes it more difficult to come across an amazing bargain (the people that respond to wanted ads for games are more likely to possess a higher knowledge of the value of certain titles), placing a want ad ensures a steady stream of offers to occupy your inbox.
When posting want ads on Craig's List, be generic as possible. Unless you absolutely have to have a certain game, it would serve your best interest to not name specific titles. Even if someone has no idea of how much money a particularly title could garner, you have already shown your hand by requesting it specifically, giving them the upper-hand in the process.
Another perk of Craig's List: the ability to profit off of purchases. While it may seem sneaky to by games from ads only to place them on eBay at a higher price, you have to remember the yard sale philosophy. These sellers just want the games out of their hair. If they wanted to go through the process of profitable selling, they would not list the items on Craig's List. Keeping this in mind, you can scour ads not just for yourself, but also for your potential eBay customers (or wherever you might sell games). If you become adept at this, it is conceivable that you could create a self-sufficient method of purchasing games.
I have just begun the process of manipulating Craig's List to give myself a budget to buy video games that does not come from my paycheck. This leads us to the second half of my feature, a rundown of the success I have had on the website so far. I would like to note that the games I mention will not be Genesis/CD/32x games. Please don't be offended, because as luck would have it, so far the best deals have been for other systems.
David Childers and Craig's List, A Love Story
I really can not tell you what chain of events initiated the process of me becoming a Craig's List addict. In all honesty, the main culprit behind all of this is probably boredom. I had nothing else better to do, so I started surfing the internet, ultimately ending up on the website that revolutionized my gaming habit. And it didn't take long for me to fall in love with the site, because I found my first deal instantly.
It was a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition for GameCube. Asking price: $10. This baby easily fetches $40 on eBay, so I called up the seller, made the deal, and had it sold on eBay in less than 24 hours. In that short time span, I was able to turn a $31 profit, which I used for my next bounty.
A want ad that I placed attracted many offers, none more appealing than this: Super Smash Bros., Turok, Star Fox 64, and Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (boxed), Super Mario Kart, Tecmo Super Bowl (SNES), an N64 rumble pak, two N64 memory cards, and an N64 controller--all for $40. I jumped at the chance to kill two rare birds (Super Smash Bros. and Super Mario Kart) with one stone, in addition to receiving some other moderately valuable titles in the same deal. I then was able to make almost $15 selling the N64 accessories on eBay. So for those keeping score at home, I received all the aforementioned titles and came out $6 ahead.
Now, I'm in the process of negotiating a couple of more deals (a few X-Box games for $10, a couple of PS1 titles for $5, and, last but not least, some Genesis games with the price still pending), but every single day provides a sense of optimism. At any time, that game could be posted online for an unbeatable price. What Craig's List has done, for me at least, is breath new life into collecting games. It enables you to find great deals that seemingly come from nowhere, and it makes the entire process more enjoyable as a result. The site also allows you to get in touch with your inner entrepreneur, which in turn, alleviates the strain that buying video games places on your pocket book. For those who have never given Craig's List a visit, I strongly recommend testing it out.
A How-To Guide to Shopping for the Genesis on Craig's List
Craig's List is a God-send for anyone looking for anything. This includes those in the market for video games of all sorts. The site functions as an online classified ad, but there are two distinct differences between these ads and those featured in your local newspaper:
1) You incur no fees for posting ads
and
2) More people than just your grandmother are going to be looking at these ads
Now, how exactly should you go about looking for your games? Surely, more than one successful method exists. But, given my success in such a short period of time (fingers crossed that it is not beginner's luck), I will present my method for purchasing games on Craig's List:
First, it is a good idea to check which regions in your area have Craig's List sites set up. Generally, typing in www.craigslist.org will take you to the home page of the site nearest your location (Craig's List has hundreds of sites for various regions set up to keep things local). But since this is not always the case, I recommend using the location index on the right hand side of the home page to see if a more suitable site exists for you. While searching this index, it is also a good idea to see if sites exist for locations within a reasonable travelling distance for you. Hopefully, you will discover an additional region or two that you would be willing to do business with.
After you have chosen your location (and I recommend starting with your home site before branching off to alternate regions), you may now begin to scour the ads for some great deals. There are two main ad sections that feature video games, Games/Toys and Electronics. You may also have luck in the General section, but not nearly to the extent of the first two options.
When you do come across an item or lot that you are interested in, you simply click the provided link to contact the seller. In order to preserve anonymity, Craig's List features a mailing system in which you e-mail a database and the database e-mails the seller and vice versa. But obviously, if you and the seller agree to terms, you may then exchange contact information in order to complete the transaction. However, before you agree to the purchase, make sure you adhere to one principle:
Never settle for the listed price!
This is not amazon.com, so don't conduct business in the manner in which you would on that site. Try to envision Craig's List as an online yard sale or flea market. If sellers were looking to maximize profit, they probably would have taken their items to eBay. Most likely, video game vendors on Craig's List have either lost touch with games and are looking to unload them quickly, or they are parents who decided to sell off old junk boxed up in the basement--at least a variation on one of the two.
With that in mind, make an offer that better suits you. You do not want to go too low, as that might alienate the seller. I would recommend starting with an offer that is %60 percent of what they are asking (if it's still too pricey after the %40 deduction, the seller is probably too delusional to grant you a good deal anyway), even if what they are asking is a good deal to begin with. You just have to remember that they have the option of declining. And chances are, even if they say no to the %60 proposal, they will still counter with an offer that beats the initial asking price.
Now, there are always exceptions to the rule. For instance, don't low ball someone who is offering Snatcher for $20. Just pay the man and run!
You might also find a lot of a system and games, yet you only want a title or two and that is it. Do not hesitate to inquire about purchasing a few game separately. Again, the seller always has the power to say no. But it's more likely that they will be excited to make some money off of their lot and will gladly break off individual games for you. In fact, this is probably your best chance of finding a rare game or two for an insane discount. The Snatcher example above might not be the best for that type of instance, because someone selling a rare game individually probably has some idea of the game's significance. But if a mom is cleaning the attic and she puts her son's old Sega CD and his game collection in an ad, she will probably not hold Snatcher in any higher regard than NBA Jam.
The only down side to Craig's List is that once you score that incredible deal, you become impatient waiting for your next prize. Do you have any recourse to this problem? Luckily, the answer is yes. The site also features a section for wanted items. While it makes it more difficult to come across an amazing bargain (the people that respond to wanted ads for games are more likely to possess a higher knowledge of the value of certain titles), placing a want ad ensures a steady stream of offers to occupy your inbox.
When posting want ads on Craig's List, be generic as possible. Unless you absolutely have to have a certain game, it would serve your best interest to not name specific titles. Even if someone has no idea of how much money a particularly title could garner, you have already shown your hand by requesting it specifically, giving them the upper-hand in the process.
Another perk of Craig's List: the ability to profit off of purchases. While it may seem sneaky to by games from ads only to place them on eBay at a higher price, you have to remember the yard sale philosophy. These sellers just want the games out of their hair. If they wanted to go through the process of profitable selling, they would not list the items on Craig's List. Keeping this in mind, you can scour ads not just for yourself, but also for your potential eBay customers (or wherever you might sell games). If you become adept at this, it is conceivable that you could create a self-sufficient method of purchasing games.
I have just begun the process of manipulating Craig's List to give myself a budget to buy video games that does not come from my paycheck. This leads us to the second half of my feature, a rundown of the success I have had on the website so far. I would like to note that the games I mention will not be Genesis/CD/32x games. Please don't be offended, because as luck would have it, so far the best deals have been for other systems.
David Childers and Craig's List, A Love Story
I really can not tell you what chain of events initiated the process of me becoming a Craig's List addict. In all honesty, the main culprit behind all of this is probably boredom. I had nothing else better to do, so I started surfing the internet, ultimately ending up on the website that revolutionized my gaming habit. And it didn't take long for me to fall in love with the site, because I found my first deal instantly.
It was a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition for GameCube. Asking price: $10. This baby easily fetches $40 on eBay, so I called up the seller, made the deal, and had it sold on eBay in less than 24 hours. In that short time span, I was able to turn a $31 profit, which I used for my next bounty.
A want ad that I placed attracted many offers, none more appealing than this: Super Smash Bros., Turok, Star Fox 64, and Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (boxed), Super Mario Kart, Tecmo Super Bowl (SNES), an N64 rumble pak, two N64 memory cards, and an N64 controller--all for $40. I jumped at the chance to kill two rare birds (Super Smash Bros. and Super Mario Kart) with one stone, in addition to receiving some other moderately valuable titles in the same deal. I then was able to make almost $15 selling the N64 accessories on eBay. So for those keeping score at home, I received all the aforementioned titles and came out $6 ahead.
Now, I'm in the process of negotiating a couple of more deals (a few X-Box games for $10, a couple of PS1 titles for $5, and, last but not least, some Genesis games with the price still pending), but every single day provides a sense of optimism. At any time, that game could be posted online for an unbeatable price. What Craig's List has done, for me at least, is breath new life into collecting games. It enables you to find great deals that seemingly come from nowhere, and it makes the entire process more enjoyable as a result. The site also allows you to get in touch with your inner entrepreneur, which in turn, alleviates the strain that buying video games places on your pocket book. For those who have never given Craig's List a visit, I strongly recommend testing it out.
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