Ebayer hoop-style

[Sonny25]

I know there's a couple threads about this guy on here, but the two that pop up when doing a search sort of contradict one another.
So I was hoping maybe somebody who's dealt with him within the last 8 months or so (The last time a post was made about him) could maybe speak on any recent dealings.

He has a couple of GREAT jerseys I'm very interested in & after doing some research they seem to meet all the requirements that the authentic jersey would. Plus he's got over 2000+ feedback, and not a single - review.

But factoring in what's been said about him on here, the shotty photos & the weird prices (The prices is dictated by the players jersey #?) I'm more than hesitant to pull the trigger.

I tried to contact him a couple of times, but haven't heard back yet.

[Lokee]

no comment ;)

[SirCharles]

I would stay away, he has a "game worn" 1990-91 Mitch Richmond Kings jersey, but he played for the Warriors that year.

[Dewey2007]

Sonny25, I've bought 4 jerseys from hoop-style and have had no problem with him. He has always answered questions in a pretty timely manner and even offered feeback on one I didn't buy from him when I contacted him. You should do all of the homework you can ahead of time so you are comfortable with any potential purchase but from my experience he's been OK.

SirCharles do you think that he could have just made a mistake in his listing of the Richmond jersey? Richmond's first year with the Kings was 91-92 so it seems plausible that it's just an oversight.

[softrock]

Hi, this is the "infamous" hoop-style. I welcome any questions or direct interaction from anyone at any time.

Jim Thomas aka Hoop-style, 408-829-3000, hoop-style@comcast.net

I will be happy to relate the myriad stories of "drunkeness and cruelty" that have been perpetrated by the self-proclaimed beacons of truth and wisdom who earn their living serving this UNLICENSED and UNREGULATED "Industry". BTW: doesn't an "industry" at least have to have a smokestack or large brick building? LOL.

Below is the boiler plate answer that I e-mail back to almost anyone who asks me about Certificates of Authenticity on about 97% of my listed items:

"The omission of any mention of documentation on almost all of the game used jerseys we list on eBay is not an accident or an oversight. The fact is that we have LOA's and COA's on file for most of these jerseys from whomever the jersey was purchased and if so, we can pass that along to any new owner. Since, as you are about to learn, these documents are really next to worthless, you will need to remind me to look and see if any such document is in the file after you buy the item.

The problem with "Authentication" on any jersey costing less than double it's original cost to the Team (about $250, or in other words $500) is that it is unneeded since there is insufficient profit opportunity to attract or justify counterfeiting. For example, even though Stephon Marbury has been an all-star and fairly high profile player, there is not an excessive amount of his Game Worn equipment in the marketplace. That is because even at his height of popularity, his jerseys barely touched that "magic" double the original cost threshold.

On the other hand, there are probably 150-200 Kobe Bryant 1998-1999 Game Worn jerseys in circulation. Most have sold for somewhere between $500 and $3500 and every one has a COA with it!!!!!
(BTW: 1998-1999 was the strike shortened season where they only played 50 games total also!)

And the problem with jerseys over $500 (where common sense tells you to be more careful) is that anything short of a video with time and date stamp embedded on the screen showing the player taking off the sweaty jersey and handing it to the current owner from whom you are now acquiring the jersey AND watching that person mark the jersey was some sort of tamper-proof, counterfeit-proof tagging that you can now visually match up on the item is less than 100% reliable. Well, given the ease of video editing these days, even the ridiculous scenario I just described would not be 100% certain, now would it?

So, after 15 years and 3000 jerseys, I have concluded that even a Team Letter (the "King" of Provenance) is either unnecessary or unreliable in at least 95% of the cases. Obviously any other certification short of a Team Letter is that much less credible.

Therefore, since this hobby is unlicensed and unregulated by any Government (or private) Agency, it is the prime example of Caveat Emptor. And that, of course, means arm yourself with specific knowledge of the item(s) in question and most particularly know with whom you are dealing!

BTW: Also, with 2nd and 3rd Tier Players, the jersey Companies don't normally make extra "Game Issued" Jerseys that can be potentially be passed off as Game Jerseys (Remember that they must be Made in the USA to even be a Game Issued!). That is because there is such Limited Market for them .... as opposed to the 1st Tier Guys like Kobe and LeBron, whose jerseys you see flooded all over eBay. They don't even make their money on these USA Made Jerseys. For them, the volume and profit is in the Korean-Made Retail Authentics (which are simple to identify from their "Made in Korea" tags).

Our Return Policy sums it up, "If we err, we fix error"

And no offense meant here, but to comment specifically on the item in question: Who in the World would be lame enough to counterfeit a ________ ?

To sum it up:
Bad News = unless you were standing there in the locker room when he took it off and handed it to you all sweaty, you cannot bet your life on it and no piece of paper authored by someone who was not in that locker room means doodley squat.
Good News = you don't need to because these are not Top 50 players!

Has this been helpful?"

[sox83cubs84]

Sonny25, I've bought 4 jerseys from hoop-style and have had no problem with him. He has always answered questions in a pretty timely manner and even offered feeback on one I didn't buy from him when I contacted him. You should do all of the homework you can ahead of time so you are comfortable with any potential purchase but from my experience he's been OK.

SirCharles do you think that he could have just made a mistake in his listing of the Richmond jersey? Richmond's first year with the Kings was 91-92 so it seems plausible that it's just an oversight.

One plausible explanation is that the jersey was a single-tagged Champion jersey (issued 1990-91 season) that was carried over for Richmond's use in '91-'92. I haven't seen the jersey...I am making an educated guess on this.

Dave Miedema

[trsent]

One plausible explanation is that the jersey was a single-tagged Champion jersey (issued 1990-91 season) that was carried over for Richmond's use in '91-'92. I haven't seen the jersey...I am making an educated guess on this.

Dave Miedema

Dave, it took you six months to figure this one out?

Welcome to the forum, Jim Thomas, you should have joined us here years ago.

[mimomino35]

everything hoop-style has said about COA is somewhat true. but he forgot the facts, by wich his persona is questioned most of the time. these facts are:

1. he does counterfeits jerseys but turning somekind of blank jerseys into superstars or legends, and sells them as game used or issued.

2. the fact that he hides them between real gamers of nba loosers and one hit wonders wich he buys at various auction sites (hunt actions, american memorabilia, bricol auctions, mears ...) for small amounts to hide the fakes, doesnt make his crimes no smaller.

3. he is truly a pain to talk to. he comes up with his own weird terms of payments and shipping methods

4. he doesnt care if its issued, pro cut, or if the player wasnt even there that year. a gamer is a gamer in this honest mans world.

5. i hope the FBI cooles him down abit, as he is truly a dirt... dude with a criminal doings.

6. these are all facts, and i hope he can give a reply ... not here to us, but to a fed knocking on his door sometime soon.

[Lokee]

Bump :)

[Mulligans]

Surprisingly...this is Steve Misturinis MO. I know he is still operating under a variety of accounts. Just curious....Does anyone have the individuals mailing address?

I certainly don't want to falsely accuse anyone......it just sounded very similar.

[jppopma]

Here is the next item that should show up; game issued NY Knicks Cummings jersey with name removed and residue visible.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330585578776#ht_500wt_1287

[jppopma]

Also a 1989 Rockets blank....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160576980591#ht_720wt_1270