February Football Beckett Report

You call that a prize?

I just received my February Football Beckett and I'm wondering if Beckett is having financial difficulty. Usually they have cool prizes for their contests, but this one . . . not so much.

On page 21, their Collection Challenge "prize" is NCAA Football '08 for the PS2. What?

The "prize" is an 8 month old game... for a last gen console? Come on Beckett. Don't you think anyone who wanted to play that game has already bought or rented it? And if they didn't do it as soon as the game hit the shelves, they've probably played it some time during the actual NCAA football season!

What happened to the cool printing plates, box of cards, or MitchellNess jersey?

When Sports Memorabilia Goes Too Far

What is the worst piece of sports memorabilia you can image? Check out this eBay auction.

Yes, that's a game used, autographed jock-strap they are selling on eBay! I don't know if I'd more embarrased to sell it, bid on it, or mark it as "watched item" on My eBay. I read this on another blog last week and Beckett pointed it out yesterday.

I did a quick search on eBay and found these other items:
Top 10 Too Personal Items Sold on eBay
(other than Ryan Braun’s jock strap)

10. Richard Simmons’ shorts
9. Britney Spears’ STD Cream
8. Marv Alberts’ hair piece
7. Pete Rose’s betting slips
6. Mark McGwire’s ‘98 androstenedione bottle
5. Lorena Bobbit's scissors
4. Barry Bonds’ game used Clear
3. Monica’s blue dress
2. Tom Brady’s black book
1. Wilt Chamberlin’s. . . uh, nevermind

Tom Glavine Still Milking NY for Every Penny

What the hell is Glavine doing? Months after he decided to bolt the NY Mets so he could play soccer mom in Atlanta, Glavine is back in the NY area signing autographs.

Glavine was part of MAB's Yankees fest last weekend. I didn't make it to this show, so I don't know how well Glavine was received and how many people he had in line.

I'm guessing he had quite a few people in his autograph line considering his career accomplishments.

I'm not faulting MAB - he has plenty of career accomplishments that people would like to collect . . . my problem is with Tommy.

This guy's a joke. "No I don't want to play for your team, but for $100 I'll sign a baseball for you!"

Having Glavine back in the NY area for autograph show is just as bad as George Foster signing 1986 World Series memorabilia!

McFarlane to Sign @ Super Bowl Experience

Our friends at the Beckett Blog say Todd McFarlane may be signing at Saturday's Super Bowl Experience.

I saw Todd McFarlane at the Super Bowl 40 Experience and he was really cool. He talked to people in his booth at the Topps Trading Card Show and couldn't have been a nicer person to everyone. And he didn't just talk about this McFarlane Sports Figures (that I think have gone too retail), but he also talked sports. He talked about his fantasy team, the odds on the Super Bowl, and just about anything else you may have asked him.

If you like his McFarlane Sports Figures, Spawn, or any of his comic book art, then I'd definitely recommend stopping by his booth. I'm hoping the rumor is true and he does do some autographs on Saturday - I plan on being there.

So now the question is... What do I get him to sign?

It’s Not the ‘Roids, It’s Their Age

Are athletes named in the Mitchell Report going to lose endorsement dollars? Of course they are, but it’s because they are old!

A recent study by Paul Verna at eMarketer claims that baseball athletes named in the report will lose endorsement money. Sports Illustrated’s “Fortune 50” has three players named in the report: Roger Clemens (21), Barry Bonds (28), and Andy Pettit (41).

I disagree with Verna’s claim that these players will lose endorsement money because of the report. I believe they’ll lose endorsement money because 2/3 of them aren’t playing! Clemens isn’t coming back (again), Bonds is looking for a team while his federal trial looms, and Pettit has already said that this would be his last year – after nearly retiring this fall.

Unless your name is Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, or George Foreman – endorsement dollars drop when you are no longer playing your sport.

Rickey Doesn't Like Rickey Being Sued

MAB is sticking right back to Rickey Henderson. MAB-Celebrity is suing Rickey Henderson for breach of contract according to today's NY Post. Apparently Rickey didn't feel like fulfilling his autograph commitment so Rickey decided not to go to the show. : )

In an earlier entry I discussed how autograph companies need to stop treating these athletes like babies - apparently, MAB is starting to use that strategy. I've been to too many shows in the past year where athletes are cancelling or showing up late for no good reason.

While this is a decent risk for MAB - their lawsuit is only for $5,000, I hope it sets a precedent. Athletes are big boys and girls and need to be held accountable for their commitments and their actions. I hope other autograph companies take note of the honorable stand MAB is making and hold their athletes accountable too.

Congrats to MAB for taking a stand. I think they are doing the hobby a service by not taking this crap any more.

Autographs on Trading Cards Can Customize Your Collection

I'm starting to change my position on not being in favor of getting autographs on trading cards. I like the trading card art and design and always felt that take a sharpie marker to it degrades it a bit. However . . . I think an autograph collection on trading cards can really customize your collection and that is what makes your collection more valuable to you.

I have also seen some really cool collections at some recent shows. A couple of people have had team sets with autographs for each player and a Heisman Trophy card collection with autographs. A lot of people in the hobby also try to get autographs through the mail and typically have better luck when they send a card in with an SASE.

The Beckett and JSA grading merger can now authenticate these card signatures which may or may not affect the value of the card.

I don't think it's wise to pay $$$ for an autograph on a trading card, but it could be a great way to do a customized team set.

PayPal Treating Customers Like Dirt

I hope this story has a happy ending, but this is just insane!

I got an email yesterday from PayPal saying that my account was frozen. It turns out, it was frozen because I tried to sell Super Bowl tickets. What? PayPal asked me to complete the following steps:

• Confirm my identity
• Confirm my location
• Submit receipts
• Confirm my soc. sec. #
• Provide proof of shipping
• Set my credit check address

Seven steps to prove I am who I say I am because . . . I didn't sell anything! That's right, I didn't sell anything.

My background: I've been on eBay for 9 years, have over 500 transactions, and have 100% positive feedback. I use eBay as my garage sale and have sold old trading cards I no longer want.

But because I tried to sell my Super Bowl tickets, PayPal decided to treat me as a criminal. I'm all for PayPal doing their due dilligence with someone who just opened an account, but after 9 years with eBay and over 5 years with PayPal? This is just stupid.

So now PayPal wants a copy of my tickets. As if the other 7 steps weren't enough... they want a scan of my tickets. Which as you know, is a security risk that eBay warns sellers not to do. I'm hoping Chris Nerat @ the Gavel Chat blog has some good advice.

This is easily the worst case of customer service I've ever experienced.

Update 1/23: I get an email from PayPal saying they need a copy of my driver's license (as if the credit check, bank account, and credit card information wasn't enough) and a copy of the tickets. I find it amazing that my account is frozen first... and then they ask questions. It's like Jiffy Lube saying they aren't going to service your car until you provide proof of ownership!

Update 1/24: The BBB has received my complaint and is working with PayPal. This is now registered as a complaint against them. I got an email from the eBay Strategies blog who said I should inform Bill Cobb @ eBay. I sent him an email this morning.

Update 1/27: My email to Bill Cobb @ eBay was forwarded to PayPal which isn't changing their stance. They demand a photo ID and a scan of the tickets to prove I'm not guilty of a scam, before they unfreeze my account. Sounds familiar to the Salem Witch Trials - if the bound and gagged person floats, then she's a witch. But if she sinks to the bottom, then she's innocent.