Sports Car Nation, the hobby is the
people. Weekly news and interviews. It's
your number one source. Sports Car
Nation, the hobby is the people.
What is up everyone? Welcome to episode
356 of Sports Card Nation, part two of
my fun and great conversation with my
friend and pal Dan Torra. And uh like
you heard last week, if you listen to
last week's show, he's one of the big
reasons that Sports Card Nation exists.
And uh we might talk a little bit more
about it in part two, but in part two,
we're really going to chop up a little
more hobby, get into doing shows and
what he does and how he got to the point
that he's at, uh in his car journey, uh
as well. And if you didn't catch the
first part, uh make sure you do that.
It's a if you ever wondered how did, you
know, where did sports car Nation come
from? Why is it here? all the kind of
the behind the the music, if you will,
uh the backstory. Uh that's all
explained in the first episode. And
today's guest is a big reason uh for all
for all of that. So uh with that being
said, let's get to the conclusion of our
interview with Dan Turra. Here's the
conclusion of the interview I did with
Dan Tour, my good friend from Dan Tour
Broadcast Media. So, let's talk about uh
enough of you know uh again we're here
like you know the show if you would have
told me where we'd be now when I first
started I think you're crazy. I'm sure
you probably would say that uh with the
end to broadcast as well like it's okay
to think big but you know there's always
that that doubt in everyone's mind right
that that that you play tugof-war uh in
your mind. So, um, here we are. But, you
know, obviously we we we chopped up some
cards talking about them. You had some,
uh, now we're now we're doing shows
together. Maybe not right next to each
other, but we're setting up at shows.
Kind of talk about you got back into
cards in in a in a big way. Um, you
know, talk about that evolution as well.
You've always collected cards. Yeah. But
now coming back sort of full full force
full circle and then the decision to hey
I can set up and and you know and I I
don't want to speak for you but probably
like me right a lot of times uh the
money you might make at a show or
selling a car you're putting it right
back into the hobby and and and
transacting kind of uh you know ramping
up uh your hobby experience if you will.
Yeah. I mean, I I always collected and
and I've traded for I mean, pretty much
if I started collecting at like six or
seven, I started trading at like eight
or nine. So, I mean, I've been I've been
trading for a long time in this world. I
mean, selling was the newest part of it.
And yeah, I mean, I just kind of was
like, you know, I'll give it a shot.
I'll go out and I'll see. And I never
had any like graded cards. And then I
got some graded cards cuz Brendan Murphy
like him and I did uh trade night at GG
cards and breaks and he had all these
I remember not to cut you up then I
remember even going on your show for
this Friday morning thing explaining
what grading was and what it meant and
how it worked and and why you should do
it or why it's a a good thing. And so
here we are. Uh go ahead. I I didn't
mean to I wanted just to throw that
Yeah. No, I mean, I didn't know anything
about it. Like, so, you know, doing this
show and I and a bunch of people came up
to, you know, Brendan and he had a bunch
of higherend stuff and $200 this and
$100 that and $300 and whatever. And,
you know, I just kind of brought out
what I had and I just kind of like
showed what I had. and doing that, you
know, to me it it was just one of those
things where I just kind of thought to
myself that, you know, it it was it was
I mean, I just kind of took a shot and
did the trade night and I was like, "Oh,
this is cool to like see that people
care about it and people are in the
hobby and and so that was nice to see
it." And then I was like, "Oh, I'll do
another one." I mean, I like the GG
cards and breaks guys. I love Josh and
Anthony and the team. And so I just kind
of started doing it with them and I
thought to myself, I have so many cards.
I can part with some of these, you know,
they're collecting dust. They're sitting
here. Like if I make money, it's it's
found money. And so I just started doing
it. Then I started getting some graded
cards. Then I did my first cards that I
sent and I got nine tens and three nines
and I got very spoiled. And I was told
by the guys at GG Cards and Breaks that
they do not give a 10 from PSA to clear
cards. And I had a Trevor Lawrence
rookie card that was like his body and
Yeah, it probably down clearly.
And it was the first card that I had
like had in the grading and it got a 10.
And I had a Blake Bortles that Josh
thought would get a 10. a draft picks of
Blake from UCF. There was a refractor
and that got attended. So, like those
will always be with me. And yeah, I
mean, I just I started just getting into
trade nights and then Brendan and I did
a show out in Philadelphia and I did
really well at the show and then we came
back and uh at Fishtown card show and
one of the guys was like, "Dude," he
said, "I love that you have like a
variety and you're always really fair on
your prices." And then I kind of went
through being around some people that
took it way too seriously and they made
it not fun. And it kind of made me like,
yeah, okay, I don't really want to be
like around this and people just
critiquing everything that people do and
how they do it and what they do and what
they price and yada yada yada. So, I
took a little break and then I just kind
of casually stayed with the trade nights
at GG Cards and breaks and I used it to
meet people and promote my business and
promote my show and and now I've kind of
gotten back into the shows and back into
just being happy to be there and, you
know, I had I did a show I did it, you
know, the collector fest and I was
across from you and I was there by
myself with two tables and I had a
record day and I think it's because I
genuinely went there to promote my show.
meet people, shake hands, and I had I
was like, "Hey, if I make any money,
it's gravy." And I had like the best day
that I've ever had. And I got to do so
many cool things. And got to see stuff
go home to people. And I try to do like
little things that I feel like Georgees
did when I was a kid and Twilight. So
like one kid came up to me and he said,
"How much for this?" And what can I
trade you for this? And I looked around
and I said, "Hey." And I was like,
"Don't tell anybody, but I don't want
anything from you." And I handed it to
him, and he's like, "Really?" And I
said, "Yeah." And I'm just hoping that
like that's his 9-year-old memory and
that when he's 39 like me right now,
that 30 years later he'll go do
something for somebody, you know? I just
I like I I just I like seeing the
passion in other people and then trying
to be what George was at George's to me
cuz I will always remember that he would
know exactly what I wanted. He knew my
favorite teams. He was good to my mom.
He was good to me. And I would take a
bag from him and I know the cards I
bought and I couldn't even wait. And I'd
get to the car to look at the cards that
I just handed him just cuz I wanted to
see them. And there would be like
another two or three cards in there that
he snuck in there that I didn't know
about. And um you know, GG cards and
breaks, I tell Josh all the time, I
never thought somebody would make me
feel like George did. And Josh and
Anthony definitely brought me back home
to the hobby. So it's again, I mean, you
gave me credit for your show and I give
it back to you. You talked to me about
collecting cards and doing shows and I
would give it to Josh and
Yeah. No doubt. You mentioned George uh
uh Georgead back in the day. I'm not
sure where he is today, Dan, but he he
did something that was crazy at the
time. Uh and I don't know how well it
did well it did in the over he opened he
he did a 24-hour card store. I don't
know if that's done anymore.
Well, he had a card shop. Yeah.
So, he actually blended sports and
entertainment. I do with Wake Up Call
and Pop and with Dan. So he was a
pioneer way back then to do both you and
like one room was cards and one room was
comic books and I think that even he
would like say to me like I think I'm
nuts but like looking at like in 2025 I
wish people did what what he did now
like he did this over two decades ago
and I wish people would do it now. I
remember I had my store at the time uh
with my partner Angelo and uh I remember
when he announced like and and we would
we knew each other. We were friendly. I
would buy stuff for him. I know he
bought stuff for me and I remember when
he said that he was going to go and stay
open and that's just a crazy premise,
but he thought outside the box. That was
that was what George did. And I'm like I
could never do that. And I don't know to
this day if there's one out there,
somebody who's listening, if you know of
a card store that's open 24 hours a day,
uh, let me know because I like to give
credit where credit's due to. But it was
the only one I've ever heard of uh then
and since then. I've never heard of I've
heard of, you know, people doing like a
live stream or something for 24 hours,
but I never heard of a store that
operated 24 uh7 like that. I thought
that was uh pretty zany, but also uh
interesting too, right? That to do
something that no one else is trying or
doing. Uh I don't know, you know, how
many sales you're getting at 3:30 in the
morning. uh only he only he would could
answer that. But the fact that you could
you know you can't sleep or you wake up
and to use the restroom and you're like
I want to open some cards up and you can
jump in your car or walk down the street
depending on where you you reside and go
to a card store that time of day or
night really and and uh uh be able to
buy cards, right? Uh was just pretty uh
you couldn't fathom it. Yeah, I remember
he he had a picture and he signed it for
me. And there's somebody else in there,
too. I forget who it was, but you know,
I mean, George, wherever you are, man,
like I will always always always have
you be part of my story of my passion
and my love. Like, I wanted to go to
your every day and I love how you
treated my family, not just me. And like
George is like he he was just he was
just so good to me. I just I people like
him and I I there's certain people that
just stick out to you and they always
will and he does for sure and you know I
love him like he he just treated me just
some kind of way and I I'm just so great
like I would have done anything to see
him succeed like I had one of his shirt
polo shirts I had the autograph thing
and all of that for you know he he just
he just you know he he knew customer
service he he knew how a treat. You're
just genuine. And you know, wherever you
are, George, just know that the little
kid in me thanks you. And the way that
you treated me is something that I've
never forgotten. And it's because of
nice people and nice gestures from
people like you that I'm reminded that
this world is a lot warmer than we
Yeah. Well said. Uh, all right. Going
back to your card collecting, right?
You're obviously covering these sports.
You're covering these athletes. And in
many cases, you're covering these
athletes on both levels, right? They're
I say amateur in college with the NIL.
Now, I almost kind of catch myself, but
you're covering some of these guys, not
only when they're in college and then as
they get drafted the pros and then
you're seeing them, you you get to know
them on a personal level and then you're
seeing them on a cardboard and chrome
level. How has covering sports and
collecting cards, how has the covering
sports aspect and getting to know these
people on on an individual personal
level like influenced how you collect
Uh, it helps me get an autograph. I'm
kidding. I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Hey,
so many times I wanted to have one in my
pocket and just go, "Hey, Trevor, can
you sign this jersey?" Uh, but yeah. No,
I Man, it's so much fun, you know? It's
it's it's so cool to like I mean and
this was the crazy thing. So the first I
had never gone to an NFL game in my life
and the first time I went to an NFL game
was 2010 and I was covering the game. So
my first experience of going to an NFL
game was me getting to cover the
Jaguars, my favorite team, going for
free, getting a parking pass because I'm
in the press box and then I get to go in
the locker room and interview the people
whose cards I collect. It was right
after my favorite Jaguar of all time
left, Fred Taylor, which was like really
sad. But it was so wild to me and it
didn't really hit me until it hit me
that I'm standing in and like I didn't
even think about it, but after the game
I was like, "Holy crap, I get to go in
the locker room." And then I'm standing
in the locker room and I'm like, "I get
to talk to these people who I collect."
And you know that that was just so wild
that my first NFL experience was as a
professional working for my own show
which was the Dan Torra show on ESPN
1080 the team in Orlando at the time.
And yeah, so I mean that was just wild.
But I dude I love it. Like I it's so
much fun to to do it and to like lean in
and tell the guys like, "Oh, I got one
of your cards." or like Trent Dilford. I
found his 94 rookie card and him and I
are we have like a friendship now and I
cover him. I cover UAB inside of the
American. So, we were sitting doing an
interview and I said, "Dude, I have your
rookie card." I said, "Will you sign it
for me just because like we we both
believe in God, we have a strong faith.
Like we talk about everything outside of
football. We talk like 70 outside and
30% football when we talk." I said, "I
just" He's like, "Of course, man. and I
time to hear from one of our great
sponsors, but Sports Card Nation will be
Hobby Hotline is the Hobby's only live
interactive call-in show. Join some of
your favorite hobby personalities every
Saturday, 11:00 a.m. Eastern, 8:00 a.m.
Pacific to discuss the hottest hobby
topics. If you miss us live, catch us
after the fact on all major podcast
platforms. Follow us on socials at
You are listening to the SportsCard
So to me, it's it's like collecting your
card, like collecting cards as a kid. I
guess the best story is Damon Stomire
like collecting him at age nine, writing
him a letter before social media, trying
to find his address somewhere, and then
sending it to one of the nine addresses
he had, hoping one of them was right,
sending him a letter with my mom, never
hearing back from him. And then you fast
forward to I'm in my 30s and I'm
covering the ACC and I'm covering really
all of college basketball and I've
covered all different conferences and
I've covered the NCAA tournament and
I've been there and we've gone coast to
coast, north to north to south. And
Damon Satimer can get hired at one of
any of the 360 plus schools in division
1 men's basketball. And he gets hired at
Georgia Tech. And Georgia Tech happens
to be a team I've covered for over a
decade. And my buddy Ross, who's a
brother to me, sends me a message and he
says, "Damon Satimer gets hired at
Georgia Tech." I jumped so high in my
kitchen that I almost hit my head on my
ceiling. I was so excited and I looked
up at God and I said, "Hey, like as long
as I'm alive a few months from now, I'm
actually going to get to talk to the
person who is my favorite player. Like
I'm actually going to get to cross paths
with Damon Sodomire." and I've waited 29
years at the time to do it. And I said,
"No matter what, I'm gonna get to do
it." And then the Diamondbacks made the
World Series. I was down in Charlotte
doing the ACC oper ACC tip off
interviewing all the basketball teams.
And I said to my dad, "If the
Diamondbacks make it, we're going." And
they won. And my dad said, "Look up
tickets." So I looked up tickets that
night. It was right around my birthday.
The Diamondbacks make the World Series.
And I knew that the next morning I was
going to get to talk to Damon. I
interviewed Damon in the TV room, asked
him a couple questions. Then I walked
outside of the room and I said to Damon
in the Hilton, Charlotte Uptown, I said,
"Hey Damon, just want to say I
appreciate you. My favorite player
growing up." He shook my hand. He gave
me a hug. Shook my hand multiple times.
Gave me a couple hugs. Then he did a
one-on-one with me on camera together.
And then we ended up talking last year.
And last year he gave such a long answer
to me that everybody in the room he was
literally just looking at me and we were
talking in this TV room and at the end
of it the moderator was like, "All
right, Damon, you're done." Like they
just kind of laughed like you just
literally had a one-on-one with that guy
and now now you're all done. And so, I
mean, to be collecting cards at 9 years
old of your favorite player and you want
to grow up and he's number 20 on the
Raptors and you want to be number 21,
he's 5'10, you're 5'8. You want to play
next to this guy and you wait almost
three decades and you get to shake hands
and hug him and tell the person that you
talked everyone's ear off about,
including, you know, your grandmas and
your mom and your dad. And now you get
to actually talk to him manto man and
get to meet him and give him a hug and
thank him like that. Honestly, that full
circle moment is one of the wildest
moments of my life and I still don't
How was how hard was it not to fanboy?
Like obviously you have a job to do and
you know, talk about the difficulty to
keep it professional, but at the same
time let him know what he meant to you,
you know, growing up uh as as a
collector and as a as a sports fan and
I I think it was it was like finding a
way to tell him I own 220 plus of your
cards without him thinking like I was
Yeah. like like just being like, "Dude,
I really just loved watching you play
and you're he's the reason why I'm a
Raptor fan and I always will be." So,
because he came in in their inaugural
year and he was rookie of the year that
year. I mean I mean I had a plaque up of
him in my room right by my bed and it
reminded me like you can make it. You
can do it. You can do whatever you set
your mind to. you know, he was Mighty
Mouse and he's not a tall guy and I'm
not a tall guy. And so, yeah, I mean, I
think just talking with him, it was
like, how do you pack 29 years of a of
just appreciating this man from afar to
like getting to talk to him and asking
him if he can spend a couple minutes
with you? So, I mean, I don't really get
like starruck. And it was more to me
like I just hope that he lets me talk to
him for a few minutes and I hope Georgia
Tech lets me do it cuz you never know
what SID you're dealing with. And some
people must have been bullied in school
cuz they're really weird. And so like
the guy was nice and Damon was nice and
shout out to Georgia Tech. And yeah, I
mean it it really wasn't like a like a
fanboy moment. and was like I want to
tell him that I collected his cards as a
young kid with him fully knowing that
I'm a normal human being cuz I very much
like you know am not like the guy in
Happy Gilmore that put the lipstick on
and is like crossing names out. So like
I I just was like I want to tell him
because I feel like my grandmother and
my mom would be like you better tell him
that you spent a lot of our money on
that guy. So yeah, it was just it was
just finding a way to tell him that. But
yeah, I mean it was a great conversation
and I mean I would like to have a
friendship with him and get to actually
get to know him as a man. So I'm hoping
that you know as God crossed our paths
in a miraculous way. I'm hoping that you
know there will be a time where maybe in
a few months or in a month I should say
that him and I can you know just kind of
sit and talk and I can just kind of pick
his brain and get to know who he is as a
Yeah, that's awesome. It's very not
everyone gets to meet their heroes and
but that uh you know you you you've done
this long enough you know how to keep it
uh profession I'm kind of like you Dan
I've met some folks uh along the way
doing this and even just going to
sporting events and spring training you
know someone asked me if if there is
anyone like I would meet that would like
you know leave me in awe or or speak the
only one that first comes to mind for
would be Michael Jordan like if I ever
yeah, I had to be in the same room with
him literally walking like being he
walked like right behind my back at at
Orlando Pro Summer League and then in
Orlando Magic game he walked right
toward me with his girlfriend at the
time. And I mean I've been in the room
with him, Larry Bird. I've interviewed
Patrick Euing. Like I it's it's been
really crazy to be like I'm sitting in a
room with the like the greatest of the
greats and like these dream team
players. But I mean, yeah, I've been I I
was like my producer called me at the
time, Nicholas Cisro, and he was like,
"Michael Jordan's there." And I'm like,
"No, he's not." Actually, I would know
if he's there. Like as I'm talking to
him, Michael Jordan is walking right
behind my back. And everything inside me
was like, "Fall backwards so that he can
fake fake like a medical emergency.
Yeah, I was like either he's going to
help you and he's going to get to know
you or he's going to walk by you cuz but
yeah, I mean I I did get to see him
twice and Larry Bird, I mean I was arm
with him and Patrick Yuing and I I got
to interview Patrick Yuing which is wild
to and I will tell you that the Syracuse
Georgetown rivalry will never die. I
talked to Patrick Euing about a year
after Pearl Washington passed away and
Patrick I asked him about Pearl and he
gave a backhanded compliment about Pearl
and I'm looking at him going like he's
dead now and he still couldn't just be
nice. He had to be like kind of nice but
I hate you at the same time. Like
Syracuse Georgetown will never die.
No. And as it should, it's hopefully it
continues. Uh, and they get to play each
other. I know they're not in the same uh
conference anymore, but they
still the biggest rivalry Syracuse has.
Yep. Well, Dan, this is fun, man. I'm
glad we finally uh got to do it again.
This we you wouldn't have got to do this
show if it wasn't for you. Uh, so I've
never got to totally guess that. So, I
get to tell you if it wasn't for you,
you wouldn't be on this show because
this show wouldn't exist for you to be
on. So, uh I appreciate you. We'll we'll
have to do it again uh just the same as
Yeah. No, I mean again I I appreciate
your kind words and you know I think
again the credit goes to you and your
hard work and your dedication, your
belief in yourself. I mean, I I saw
something in you and I wanted you to be
a part of it and I saw value in you when
maybe you didn't see it, but all that
you've done that, you know, I mean, I
wanted you to know that I valued you.
Everything that you did to to make your
own brand, like I would never take any
of that away from anybody. I wouldn't
want anybody take away from me. So, I
give you the credit again for doing this
show. Well, I was hoping you would just
say that without John Newman there'd be
no Dantra broadcast. No, I'm kidding.
I I would I would say, you know, to me,
without John Newman, there there would
be a lot colder of a of an environment
in this in this media world. You know, I
I try to help everyone. I you know, I
I'm absolutely here to do that. I would
love to. And so, I mean, you're just one
of the people that I reached out to and
you said yes. And it meant a lot to me.
It continues to mean a lot to me. You
know, I I consider Jordan a little
brother whether I've seen him in 3 years
or not. Like, I still consider him
family and I consider you family. And,
you know, there there's very very few
people that have a reoccurring place on
my show. And that's because I'm very
like like when I when I make a decision
and what I'm doing it it does it comes
with a lot of thought and just paying
attention and praying about it and
caring about people. So, I mean, to me,
you give me the credit, but the credit
goes to you cuz I saw something in you
and I saw something in Jordan. And, you
know, I just I really appreciate the
kindness, the generosity, the kind
words, but I'd like to think that God
brought us together. I like to think
that God brought us back together. And
I'd like to think that God will keep us
together. You know, I I love I love what
you're doing. I love that you're
enjoying it. And again, like I dude, I'm
so I'm so proud of you and I'm happy for
you and I love seeing it. I love seeing
you having fun. I love seeing you being
successful and just going out and and
just paving your own way. Like it's
that's so important to me. And like I
said, I love seeing other people win.
And there's a certain type of character
people and there's a way that people
are. And I just feel like you care about
people. You do things the right way. You
have morals and values. you believe in
God and you're just, you know, you're
good to other people. And I think if
you're a good person and you believe in
God and you work hard and you chase your
dreams, you're going to catch it, you're
never going to fail. And, you know, I I
just I love that I'm here. I love that I
get to be in this studio. And I love I
get I love that I get to see it. I'm
really honored that I got asked to do
it. I think it's a privilege to be on
the show. And, you know, I I just it
means the world to me that like you
would even want me to be here. So, I
mean, dude, I'm I'm here anytime you
want me to be. But I can't say enough
about the fact that I want to make a
difference in this world and and I see
you. You kudos to you. You know, for
seven times seven for your Keep
God first. Keep being good to people.
You know that I'm always cheering you on
and I'm right down the road.
All right, man. I don't know how I don't
know what to say after that. Thank you,
Dan. And we will do it again. No doubt.
Of course, brother. Appreciate That was
great having Dan on. And uh like I said
uh the program you're listening to right
now uh doesn't exist uh really without
his inspiration. And if you you missed
the first part one uh from last week
previous uh check that out. But uh uh
glad to finally have him on. I know I've
talked about him on the show about what
he meant to the show, but kind of to to
come full circle and have him on the
actual show uh was a really a fun blast.
And uh I know he had fun uh as well. And
I see Dan all the time at shows, at card
stores, and uh uh you know, loves loves
the hobby, loves sports, love what he
does, loves life, loves uh he's a great
guy. So uh hope you enjoyed uh both part
Time for our Hobby is the people
This is Dan Torra of Wakeup Call, which
you can watch and listen to worldwide
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to
11:00 a.m. Eastern time, if not longer,
on.com and Facebook.com, both
and on wakeupalt.podbean.com
and all the time, go to wakeupalddt.com.
This is my guy John Newman and you need
to support him, the sports car nation
where you know, I don't get to tell you,
but I will. The hobby is the people.
If you'd like to be the hobby is the
people announcer of the week, do a WAV
or MP3 file and send it to
sportscardationpc@gmail.com.
