Terry, was never a problem before. Now, Mike blows his gasket about a shirt and wants revenge! As an excuse, it's all about protecting the other vendors?........ I call bullshit! This is why we are arguing this! -Go team Terry!

I don't think there's any real world evidence of that. He does his thing while the vendors are closed. Vendors are in a room competing against other vendors...what's next? Vendors complaining about the table next to them? Less vendors next year to cull competition? This is childish.

I wouldn't show up with a pinball life shirt at expo. You will likely not be welcomed in the door.

This can be solved by pinball life moving their open house to another weekend. If not, then there should be some acknowledement that the open house is benefitting from the work expo does attracting people to Chicago for the weekend. Each of those visitors has finite cash, whatever the hours are.

Anyhow, it seems things are personal now so I don't know if a win-win can be had.

No, but if i need some parts, lets say 400$ in parts. My choices are marco, bay, or pbl, im buying from terry. he is cheaper, and ill have a bus take me there, and drop me off. Marco, and Bay are standing there with paid space, but since i can jump on a bus right outside my hotel door, not pay for gas, or drive, im going to pbl.

Doesnt matter wait time of day it is, ill wait for there cheaper parts. Now with no shuttle, ill have to drive, spend gas, worry about drinking and driving, i might think twice of paying a little extra money on parts from the vendors at the show now.

In the big picture, i still buy all my parts from terry anyways....lol

I was the guy you didn't know at Jay's making sure there was someone at the bottom. I was also the one asking you about a bugs bunny a few months ago at PBL.

I assume the roofied shasta will be no charge?

So what will people do now if people can't attend PBL via the shuttle. It's not like the vendor hall is open to buy parts or even the free play area.

Car pool.

I'm pretty sure Terry loses money on his open house anyway

Keep in mind I'm new to this but PBL seems to be something people who aren't local would like to attend. I've seen others wish they were within driving distance to PBL so it would only make sense to allow for people to come visit the place much like the do with Stern.

It could be that I'm biased due to distance but there seems to be something a little more personable about PBL as opposed to the other places. I don't see anybody saying "don't go to expo" and Terry looks to have scheduled the PBL open house when the expo hall is closed. For me personally I need to decide over the PROC presentations or PBL.

I guess I'll understand this someday but for now I see it as a nice gesture for PBL to open their doors to people in the area as well.

Yes expo does make some money not what you may think. we put ALOT of hours into it. OK HOW much does TERRY sell that day?? cash ONLY?? His genersity is very great .BUt bottom line HE SELLS ALOT OF STUFF that day..Gee do expo vendors LOOSE LED sales?? Pure and simple He takes EXPO customers from VENDORS...

I think YOU are BLOWING this way OUT of proportion. Go put your big boy PANTS on.

And he would do the same if he set up a booth next to them at Expo, too because his already lower prices would stay that way because he has lower overhead to get to Expo since it's only a drive away. Only thing that is the difference is that the Expo doesn't get paid.

(EDIT TO ADD) And actually there IS a difference. Terry won't be taking as much business from them as you claim because he's only doing this for a handful of hours for a small subset of the people going to con taking the shuttle to Huntley versus being setup next to them for the ENTIRE Expo in the vendor area...

Second verse same as the first...

This is like saying people from the expo aren't allowed to go to McDonald's because you don't want to upset the hotel restaurant.

In my opinion, the only thing not allowing the shuttle accomplishes is increasing the chance that some drunk driving happens.

You mean the banquet.

Some things to think about...

- What would you rather have: Terry's open house on Friday with a shuttle, or Marco, BAA and other vendors in the show itself? Mike isn't just crabbing about the shirt - this is a legitimate issue. If other vendors do not make enough money at Expo, they'll stop coming, thus the either-or question. Not everyone can make PBL on friday, and not everyone wants to leave Expo to buy things. We've already lost PBR from most shows.. do we want to drive other vendors away from Expo? Terry's pricing WILL eventually cause others to forego the expense and time of attending Expo. While they have the expense of hauling themselves and shipping all their product from wherever, pay for booth space, lodging, etc... Terry simply has to be open for business and have free beer on-hand

- Terry claims no other vendor will acknowledge complaining about the shuttle. This is quite understandable, because the minute one of them DOES admit to disliking the shuttle, they'll get all the bullshit and wrath here that Mike is getting. Mike is protecting his vendors, as he should. I strongly feel that vendors HAVE complained to him, but are afraid to speak up JUST because of the reaction you see here.

- I've helped put on Expo - I've hauled up games for people to play (incl a BBB once), helped put on Expobrawl, help setup, etc. TONS of work go into that show. Seeing Terry's shirt was insulting to those who work to put on the show. Yes, it's a joke and yes it's kinda funny, but there is a decided lack of respect given to any and all Expo people these days, and it gets old. Mike is close friends with myself and Phoebe and others who bring games and help with the show. When you bash him, you're insulting all of us in some fashion.

There is a compromise to be found here... both sides should get past the juvenile crap and find it for the benefit of everyone.

Good will and ill will are earned

You mean like selling someone a backglass at a premium price with a large scratch in it and claim you never saw it? Yeah, that what I thought you meant. And the other guy selling quality parts at the lowest prices? Yup, now I get it.

Hey, if you all can't stand Mike, just don't go to Expo. If no one goes, eventually he'll quit and someone else can step up and run the show. Or maybe there just won't be a show in Chicago anymore... maybe we can move Expo to Jersey instead?

Seriously, if you don't like it, just stay home. Pretend it doesn't exist, and eventually maybe it won't.

Think about this....

-Relax, the vendors have always made money at the expo. Even when PBL has had this going on. No one is going to stop going to the expo because of Terry and his cheap prices. It will happen from the one wearing the crocs.

-The big bad forum & attendee gang has the vendors scared of the wrath of honest opinions? I don't think so, they are grown adults. They can fight their own battle with Terry.

- I have helped. I have hauled my pin for play. Only to be treated like crap from Mike. Never, never from Rob! If you are not in Mikes inner circle....good luck! The shirt? Really? I will get some one to give you a hug.

Vendors will stop going if it costs them too much compared to what they make. Pinball Resource has already bailed. I have no idea if PBL is significantly hurting anyone else, but they definitely operate from an advantageous position compared to the rest...

The can also post here and mention they don't mind the shuttle, and put Mike on the spot if he really is fibbing. I don't see any such postings, however, and your snarky reply is yet another example of why people stay quiet rather than deal with bullshit and vitriol. Terry is popular and Mike is not.. how dare we defend the unpopular...

That is nice you brought your pinball machine to play. Expo definitely needs more local support... maybe then, we Ohio folks won't have to haul DOZENS of games across three states for all you Chicago natives to beat on for four days...

-PBL can not help if it has its own home town advantage. If the cost is killing vendors vs profit thats on the expo not PBL.

- This is not a popularity contest. One guy is a ass to deal with, one is not.

-Move the expo to Ohio, problem solved. I thank you for bringing your games. I don't think it's fair to assume every person beating the crap out of you games are natives to Chicago.

- PBL could be like every other vendor and buy a booth. He could sell items at Expo and still have the open house. At least he'd be contributing a little to the show that draws all of his open house customers to Chicago.

- Mike's not an ass if you treat him with a little respect. Probably too late for that now, though. I used to think Mike was an ass back in 1999 til I got to know him. Everyone's an ass at some point... just read some of the comments in this thread. Keep in mind that Expo is the four most stressful days in Mike's year, and that he has to deal with a lot of crap from everyone. Rob is happy and fine because Rob is the schmoozer and generally doesn't get the shit work that Mike has to do.

- I'd love to have the Expo here in Ohio. It's not like Chicago is the center of the pinball universe anymore. Are you willing to put on the replacement Chicago show if Expo leaves and the "problem is solved?" It's just a bit of work, mind you... LOL

I don't think that's fair either; that's why I neither assumed nor said that it was 'only' Chicago folks on my games. I bring the machines for everyone to enjoy, and that of course includes locals. OTOH, it would be nice to go to Expo just once and see a free-play hall full of games that *aren't* from Ohio or the Chicago Pinball Mafia (who have been supporting Expo most wonderfully!) Amazing that simple dislike for one of the show's two organizers is enough to kill just about all local support aside from them.

Mike, this must be the stupidest statement I've ever seen or hear you make. Congratulations because for you, that's a real accomplishment.

Tell the vendors to price their goods competitively and nobody will need to spend money with Terry. Instead, they can just go to PBL to have a friggin party, which is what it is really all about.

Unfortunately, a lot of the Expo vendors DON'T GET IT.

A few have great prices on stuff you can only get by picking thru boxes of stuff they dig out of storage for the show, BUT the folks there with their own online commercial web storefronts don't come to the show with show-specials. If you want an example, I give you Cointaker. Melissa refused me the Pinside discount and when I asked her why she explained that they can't offer discounts at the shows because of their overhead for attending the show. Kinda sucks. Kinda means I wait and order from BAA or CT or Marco until I get home.

Perhaps you should STOP offering the Expo vendors the benefit of your business acumen and let's see if they don't come up with some improvements when they start thinking for themselves.

Not really that amazing. Lots of politics with events like this be it pinball or another market. I see and hear about it every year when TPF rolls around. For a show to continue to be successful you have to play nice with everyone, even to a fault. It is just the way things work.

This is still 'merica right

America? F*ck Yea!!

Man I can't wait for MGC!

Yeah but Dan is almost too nice, if we could shave some of that off and sprinkle some in mike's crocs, it might wear off on him

I like turtles!

I want to see a picture of the shirt that has caused all the controversy!

Are there any hotels convenient to the Pinball Life Explosion? Can I pitch a tent or sleep in my car? How about making it last all weekend?

Chris

I have never seen the shirt but my understanding it is Calvin from Calvin an Hobbes peeing on The letters EXPO.

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=2740

but with expo

This one?

image.jpg

Dude! Either have your wife model that thing or you gotta wear some freaking shorts. Come on!!

Chris

Its not an Epic thread until the green banana hammock gets displayed!

Ass mirror. Nice.

HEY! That ass looks familiar!

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

LMFAO

Want!!!

(Shirt, not ass).

We love the Chicago Expo. Glad it's there and will always go. Thanks to all the vendors who come! Thanks to all who bring games! We try to support all vendors somewhat while there. We buy from Terry all the time and if we want to go there we will. Big deal with no shuttle. Bring on Expo and all the fun! Crybabies not invited.

I didn't notice but somebody else thinks he forgot to shave!

My eyes!

They burn!

Stop rubbing them after putting your hands in your pants...

bazinga

Well played. Your dog looks like he's seen this before.

She's not impressed, not like the after shower dancing

Summer's over so is manscaping