Chris Nerat and Favre Story

[mvandor]

I missed that Chris had moved on and left MEARS already, curious where he went and what the llikelihood of him following up on that excellent Brett Farve jersey piece he did is.

[kneerat]

Hey guys, The MEARS gig didnt go as planned... I could go into detail, but I would rather keep that info private.

As for the Favre story ... not sure who I would write the story for, now that I no longer work for SCD.

If anyone has any questions about the Favre story, I will try to answer them. Keep in mind, anything I felt I could put in the story was put in there. It was a long and tedious process after Thomason got lawyers and private investigators involved. Everyone became very tight lipped.

[kneerat]

P.S. My signature should be erased and will be from now on, since I no longer am at SCD.

[kingjammy24]

"As for the Favre story ... not sure who I would write the story for, now that I no longer work for SCD."

GUF.

"If anyone has any questions about the Favre story, I will try to answer them. Keep in mind, anything I felt I could put in the story was put in there. It was a long and tedious process after Thomason got lawyers and private investigators involved. Everyone became very tight lipped."

i think the million dollar question that everyone wanted answered was where the jerseys were coming from. favre signed bad jerseys. who gave them to favre? thomason?

did anyone even try to contact favre and get his statement on the entire matter? is favre even aware of what went on?

would've made for a real nice o'keeffe article. concrete evidence of one of the most illustrious players in NFL history directly selling bad jerseys and it seemed like noone was interesting in following up.

rudy.

[mvandor]

That was one of the better investigative pieces I've seen in the hobby in a long while, and it screams for a follow up. Leaving it hanging leaves a huge cloud over the Favre operation to be sure with alot of people potentially affected.

Sounds as though the story dies there, though. Really disappointed, hope the authorities at least are investigating.

[kneerat]

I 100 percent agree with you guys. With all do respect, my investigation spanned 3 months long, and I think you can tell from how detailed the story was, that I covered my bases. That said... my number one goal when I wrote this story was to get to the bottom of who was creating these jerseys.

I interviewed the Packers, Favre's agent, Favre's "pilot," left messages for Favre's wife, left messages for Red Batty, left messages for the head of Ripon Athletics... Long story short, I couldnt find out who was creating these pieces. Nobody would fess up. Do I have my opinions of who did it... yes I do, but I was very careful to only provide facts in the story. I couldnt give my opinions.

Believe me... I tried my hardest. I really did.

The good thing is, the sales of these fake jerseys seemed to stop right away.

The one thing that I would like to know, is how many people who bought these jerseys found out after my article came out that they also had a fake.

I assume the private investigators could answer this. But will they? I dont know.

[kingjammy24]

if you can't find out how favre ended up selling bad shirts, then how about doing a follow-up finding folks who bought bad shirts and what remedies they pursued? did they keep them? burn them? dump them into auctions? or better yet, did they pursue refunds from favre's camp and if so, were they refunded their money? did they have to fight with favre's people for their money back or were refunds given easily? maybe also some details of how their refunds went, who they dealt with, and let other owners of bad favre shirts know how they can get refunds.

rudy.

[kneerat]

Rudy... the info about what people can do if they have bad shirts is already in the article... As far as finding out who has a shirt with Favre paper work, how do you suggest I do this?

When I was doing my initial research I went on various message boards, including this one, asking who has purchased a Favre gamer with Favre paperwork... from what I remember, I only heard from one or two people (if that) who bought one.

[commando]

Hi Chris, nice to see you here!

I have subscribed to Sports Collectors Digest off and on for twenty years now, and I'd be curious of your opinion of how things are going there. I hate to say it, but it looks like the writing is on the wall when it comes to the (lack of) health with the publication. Any thoughts?

[kingjammy24]

"As far as finding out who has a shirt with Favre paper work, how do you suggest I do this?"

get on the internets! make a facebook page called "bad favre shirts"! get on myspace! make a "twelve months of bad favre jerseys" calendar on cafepress! a new bad favre jersey every month! get on craigslist! you can score some bad favre shirts, used furniture and maybe even a few dates with some local milwaukee ladies! where are your youtube videos about this? come on man, use your noodle! you managed to track down lou lampson, a man so elusive that some even doubted his very existence, for some 6-part youtube softball interview series yet you can't find several owners of bad favre shirts?

"When I was doing my initial research I went on various message boards, including this one, asking who has purchased a Favre gamer with Favre paperwork... from what I remember, I only heard from one or two people (if that) who bought one."

that was then, this is now! before, those folks didn't have any reason to help out. they were ambivalent because back then they weren't sitting on bad favre jerseys. now they are! hell hath no fury like a collector scorned! go go go!! the pulitzer is yours to lose! pretend you're a terrier and this story is a hamhock!

rudy.

[kneerat]

Hey Anthony... that was always a tough question to answer when I worked there, but now I can be a little more candid.

SCD is a small pub because of the lack of advertisers... I was a subscriber when I was in middle school and the mag was 300-plus pages, but keep in mind, that was in the early 1990s, the peak of the hobby.

In my opinion, SCD has, and has had, some leadership problems.

T.S. O'Connell has taken a lot of heat lately for things he has no control over.

We all know what those things are.

There is no better guy I have ever met than T.S.

Now SCD has started an auction house. In my opinion it is a bit late in the game for that, and I wonder how that is going to pan out...

[commando]

Hey Anthony... that was always a tough question to answer when I worked there, but now I can be a little more candid.

SCD is a small pub because of the lack of advertisers... I was a subscriber when I was in middle school and the mag was 300-plus pages, but keep in mind, that was in the early 1990s, the peak of the hobby.

In my opinion, SCD has, and has had, some leadership problems.

T.S. O'Connell has taken a lot of heat lately for things he has no control over.

We all know what those things are.

There is no better guy I have ever met than T.S.

Now SCD has started an auction house. In my opinion it is a bit late in the game for that, and I wonder how that is going to pan out...

I appreciate your comments... Thanks.

It would be nice to see you continuing your professional career somewhere within the sports collectible hobby. It it doesn't turn out that way, hopefully we'll still see you around here!

[trsent]

"As far as finding out who has a shirt with Favre paper work, how do you suggest I do this?"

get on the internets! make a facebook page called "bad favre shirts"! get on myspace! make a "twelve months of bad favre jerseys" calendar on cafepress! a new bad favre jersey every month! get on craigslist! you can score some bad favre shirts, used furniture and maybe even a few dates with some local milwaukee ladies! where are your youtube videos about this? come on man, use your noodle! you managed to track down lou lampson, a man so elusive that some even doubted his very existence, for some 6-part youtube softball interview series yet you can't find several owners of bad favre shirts?

"When I was doing my initial research I went on various message boards, including this one, asking who has purchased a Favre gamer with Favre paperwork... from what I remember, I only heard from one or two people (if that) who bought one."

that was then, this is now! before, those folks didn't have any reason to help out. they were ambivalent because back then they weren't sitting on bad favre jerseys. now they are! hell hath no fury like a collector scorned! go go go!! the pulitzer is yours to lose! pretend you're a terrier and this story is a hamhock!

rudy.

Rudy, you should ask Chris if you can take over the project, you seem to be very motivated. Chris has done some amazing work while being paid by Krause Publications, but with no one paying him now I wonder how much work he can do on his own for no rewards to pay his bills since the guy eventually has to find work.

Or, maybe someone can read this and find Chris a great (not good) job in the industry since he knows more than most between the auction house and publications end of the industry.

[mattmueller]

It actually sounds like a good story for Outside the Lines on ESPN to take up, or Gumbel's show on HBO. They might be able to get better access to the right people.

[TriplexXxSports]

It actually sounds like a good story for Outside the Lines on ESPN to take up, or Gumbel's show on HBO. They might be able to get better access to the right people.

I'd even goes as far as to say, 20/20 or a prime time show. This is one of the BIGGEST sports cases in years, and I feel it deserves NATIONAL attention.

[gwh11]

I can vouch for the fact that Chris put everything he could into the article.

O'Keeffe did call me sometime after the article ran, so he was trying to follow up on this. Obviously he hit a wall, too.

It's been awhile since anyone with a bad Favre shirt (w/the paperwork, hologram,etc.) has contacted me. I do suspect there are more out there. Perhaps many of these are in the hands of fans outside of our little GU collector's universe.

Guy

[mvandor]

I'd even goes as far as to say, 20/20 or a prime time show. This is one of the BIGGEST sports cases in years, and I feel it deserves NATIONAL attention.

Really makes sense, perhaps Chris could call these shows, the national attention certainly might open some serious doors for him as well as get the spotlight back on this story.

[earlywynnfan]

Rudy, you should ask Chris if you can take over the project, you seem to be very motivated. Chris has done some amazing work while being paid by Krause Publications, but with no one paying him now I wonder how much work he can do on his own for no rewards to pay his bills since the guy eventually has to find work.

Or, maybe someone can read this and find Chris a great (not good) job in the industry since he knows more than most between the auction house and publications end of the industry.

Man, this is going to hurt...

Joel's right! Why should Chris spend his time doing this for free? Rudy, you love to dig dig dig (and you're good at it!), perhaps Chris can forward you his contacts list?

Ken
earlywynnfan5@hotmail.com

[kingjammy24]

Why should Chris spend his time doing this for free?

you realize i'd be doing it for free too? ;) for awhile chris' 9-5 was in this hobby. mine isn't. anyway, i don't know anything about football shirts at all, much less the intricacies of favre gamers. it'd be like victor moreno writing about how to run a successful auction house. i'd just end up being chris and guy's puppet without any knowledge to be able to discern or process any of the facts on my own. chris/guy would end up doing most of the work, i'd just be nothing but a telephone puppet. i do love me some diggin, but in 80s and 90s baseball shirts. i thank everyone for their nomination but a great story like this is probably best laid in the hands of someone with some sort of expertise in the matter. now if only lampson would feel the same way about 90% of the stuff he authenticates..

rudy.

[trsent]

Funny thing is I don't think Chris would mind helping this issue for free, but when this was a job that paid him to work I assume it was easier than being out of work and being told he should spend his time pursuing this further when there is no check coming in to support the efforts.

I do think the idea of Chris selling this to national television would be really cool. Chris could be the reporter. He has a face that could work on television, even though he is from Wisconsin.

[TriplexXxSports]

.....even though he is from Wisconsin.

eh, eh , eh.....easy now. Nothin' wrong with 'northern' folk. :D

[allstarsplus]

It actually sounds like a good story for Outside the Lines on ESPN to take up, or Gumbel's show on HBO. They might be able to get better access to the right people.

Arty Berko lives by me in the Washington DC area and he is the lead producer for ESPN's Outside The Lines.

If Chris Nerat wants to do a conference call, maybe he will do it. His shows are amazing and the closest to 60 Minutes for sports out there.

Chris, what do you think?

[kneerat]

Sure... I'd be willing to at least talk with him. Phone: 715.252.9364

[TriplexXxSports]

Sure... I'd be willing to at least talk with him. Phone: 715.252.9364

You guys HAVE to keep us updated after that call........

[allstarsplus]

Sure... I'd be willing to at least talk with him. Phone: 715.252.9364

I just emailed Arty (through his wife Bonnie). Let's hope he sees as great of a story here as the rest of us.

It would be a shame to find no closure in this and hopefully Arte can pick up the ball from Chris Nerat on this!

[kingjammy24]

I just emailed Arty (through his wife Bonnie). Let's hope he sees as great of a story here as the rest of us.

It would be a shame to find no closure in this and hopefully Arte can pick up the ball from Chris Nerat on this!

andrew,

as per joel's insight, remember to warn arty that chris is from wisconsin. while it may be a slap to the badger state, i think it's important that arty be aware what he's working with here.

rudy.

[trsent]

andrew,

as per joel's insight, remember to warn arty that chris is from wisconsin. while it may be a slap to the badger state, i think it's important that arty be aware what he's working with here.

rudy.

Rudy, my Wisconsin associates understood my humor as us Illinois boys have a rivalry.