Doug Allen was nice enough to send me the answers to the questions for the buyer of the Michael Jordan shooting shirt. Here's what he said...

Eric,

Sorry for the delay....here are the responses based on conversations with the buyer.

Regards,
Doug

1) Before the Mastro auction, what was your experience with collecting Jordan items or North Carolina items? Do you have an extensive collection? - I have an extensive collection of early North Carolina items.
2) Had you seen the Jordan shirt in person at the National before bidding, or did you base your knowledge on seeing the photos in the catalog and reading the auction description? I have never seen the item in person.

3) Did you bid in person or on the phone? I bid via the phone as I was not at the National

4) What kind of research had you done before placing the winning bid on the shooting shirt? Reviewed description and images.

5) At what point did you learn the shirt had issues (name change, mears failure to authenticate letter) Doug Allen called me the week after the auction and explained in detail the findings of MEARS and subsequently he called me back after he determined that the in addition to the name the number "2" had also been changed.

6) When you found out there were questions about the shooting shirt (stains that match a Ranzino shooting shirt and evidence of a name change) what was your response? No specific response.

7) Did it concern you at all that the shirt went up for auction without a mears letter? No. I did not consider MEARS an authority on vintage game used college material.

8) Knowing what you know now, what do you think about the fact that mears deemed it unable to authenticate and Lou Lampson wrote a letter on it without even noting a name change? I was more surprised that neither MEARS or Lampson saw the number change. As indicated to Doug Allen the name change is not what concerned me. I thought that "acceptable" for an early college shirt.

9) How do you feel about the whole process? What if anything would you change? I am disappointed that the shirt is not real as I would have loved to add it to my collection. I am glad Mastro Auctions did the right thing and cancelled the sale.

10) Doug Allen said you do not have to pay for the Jordan shirt and it has been sent to MEARS for more research. Once MEARS does the extensive work on it, will you have the option to buy the shirt back? If so, what do you plan to do with it? This has never been discussed. Doug Allen indicated the shirt would be destroyed.

11) Doug said "...it is interesting to note that the high bidder on the item would actually have still purchased it with MEARS "unable to authenticate" letter as he indicated it would not be unusual for a college jersey to have a name change. This didn't bother the bidder."
Can you elaborate on this? I know the UNC equipment manager who indicated it was not unusual to change names in order for pieces like this to be reused. The name change in and of it self would not be the kiss of death for this piece.