For the most part I am new to collecting game used jersey's, but I've been a die hard Bengals fan since I was a kid (please save the sarcasm and sympathy comments because I've heard em' all). So while I'm not an expert on GU items like most of you, I am an expert on my team's uniforms.

Vintage Bengals jerseys are unique because no jersey was exactly the same due to the random shoulder stripe pattern specific to each individual jersey (1981-1995), so it's amazing to me how many jerseys are being advertised as game used when they are not. This is something that most of you know but it still saddens to me. I've come across 4 Boomer Esiason jersey's from dealers/auction houses in the last 2 years that are, for a fact, not game used. I know it's a fact because I own every televised Bengal game from 1984 through 1991 and it's so easy compare the stripes on the close ups.

Before the JO scandal was revealed, I bought a Boomer Esiason jersey from them. At the time I didn't have all the televised games on DVD but they said that if I can prove it's fake, then they will refund me. I got the remaining games a few days later and proved it was indeed NOT GAME USED like they advertised so they gave me my money back luckily.

This is the latest Boomer auction I've seen: http://catalog.greyflannelauctions.c...-(Team-Repairs)
If Boomer wore this jersey it would've been between 1984 and 1988. After that, they switched from Russell to Champion and the font changed. He cut his sleeves shorter than this on almost every game during that period and more importantly the stripes don't match up. He wore the same black jersey for each season except in 1988 (he replaced it on Oct. 30th and didn't cut the sleeves)

I guess the point of this thread is to enlighten any Bengal fans looking to get into the hobby and to express my saddness and skepticism for ANY jersey that doesn't have a photo or video match. Please do your own homework. If I didn't, I would've spent $1800 for a worthless piece of cloth from Josportsco.

I'm still searching for a genuine Boomer game used but I have a feeling I will be searching for a while. If you have any Bengals gear you want to sell, I would love to check it out!If anyone has any other interesting info regarding vintage or current Bengals jerseys I would love to hear it.

joe@boomstickinc.com