Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rick Meyer on August 20, 2013 at 2:55pm

That sucks. I thought you called it how you saw it. Need more of that around here.

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Permalink Reply by Innuendo on August 20, 2013 at 3:06pm

Charles, nobody wishes you to leave. We tried to explain our piece. Nobody is perfect, and sometimes even those with good intentions just overshoot their messages. As I said, I do believe you are trying to help the hobby, and nobody minds your questioning of companies- it's just the way you go about it sometimes. Mike posted his concerns, so did JXE, Eddie, and I feel all that needs to be done is finding a happy medium. Nobody wants to fight, Charles. We just counter your responses to explain our side. And that's only because you don't seem to try to see our side. You don't even need to agree, just understand it. I apologize for upsetting you, and you don't need to leave. This is just a website after all. No hard feelings. Just stating opinions. Nobody hates you, or wishes anything negative on you. I think you've done a lot to help, too. I just wish you could understand our point of view. Sorry to see you go.

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Permalink Reply by Ian Baldock on August 20, 2013 at 3:15pm

This is all getting a bit silly but - don't go, then the bad guys win. You just have to have a little more "tact" and try not to be abusive. I enjoy your posts and mostly agree with you. And cmon your having too much fun.

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Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on August 20, 2013 at 3:12pm

listed to MM and Rick, Charles. And me.  Let things cool down for a couple of days.  it will be fine.

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Permalink Reply by CJCollector on August 20, 2013 at 4:04pm

Yes, Charles, stay with us!!! 

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Permalink Reply by Mike Shepherd on August 20, 2013 at 4:35pm

http://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/bob-dylan-real-or-fa...

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Permalink Reply by Erich Jerozal on August 20, 2013 at 5:10pm

How did Zepplin put it DON`T GOOOOOOOOO.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Gregory on August 20, 2013 at 5:48pm

I hope you do stay Charles, I enjoyed talking the other day before our earthquake cut us off and enjoy your comments. You have not offended anyone and your expertise on sports is a real plus and helps us all so please do stick around

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Permalink Reply by GraphingMlb on August 20, 2013 at 6:10pm

dude...stick around we need more fella's like ya and your posts were entertaining as hell!!!

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Permalink Reply by Brian Burger on August 20, 2013 at 6:37pm

Don't go Charles!!!!!! WE need you on here! This website is more entertaining than The View! There are so many opinions flying around this website you'd think we were in the middle of a hurricane!

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Permalink Reply by Carl Ryan on August 20, 2013 at 7:32pm

In my opinion Charles has proved himself to be an extremely valuable member of this site, and it would be a great shame if he goes. Now, Charles doesnt candy coat it, but many of us here dont either. This site is hard on forgers and the forgery industry and it should be.

So here are some things to think about. First and foremost, Charles has presented himself as an old sports authenticator employee for Global Authentics Inc under Mike Baker. Charles said he quit b/c of what GAI had become and b/c of what GA was becoming. Charles has an inside knowledge of how GAI worked, and at least somewhat of an idea of how GA works. That not only provides all of us with inside info, but also makes him an expert on at the very least, GAI's old sports department. And he obviously has a great deal of knowledge about GA as well. So why Charles may have been extra aggressive towards GA and GAI, i would say he has earned that right. If any of us here know what they are speaking in relation to these companies, its probably Charles, Steve or Roger. And i dont think his GA threads were harsh at all, he was speaking my opinion as well, and im sure others to boot.

Now moving on to Frost and PAAS. Now their are 2 sides to this story which newer members arent aware of and that need to be voiced to understand what is happening here. First thing, is that until about a year or two ago, PAAS and Frost were on the side of the bad guys. Now im not going to go into that, the info is out their if others want to search it to see what went on, but im not trying to get on Frost, so im not going to expand. But lets just see he was with the ANL crew, and alot of very questionable items were hitting the market. It ticked me off something fierce, and older collectors remember this. Their was a constant war between ANL and this site, much like today. And older collectors remember this, and forgiveness and moving on is hard. So its very possible Charles still feels this way and remembers how things used to be. I know Mercury that you and others probably arent aware of any of this, and probably dont care, b/c its the past, but you have to understand where older collectors are coming from that arent so forgiving. 

I was one of the least forgiving, and still am to be frank. I held a grudge against PAAS that i wasnt willing to let go b/c of the things i saw. But as time has gone by i have seen a change in Mike Frost and PAAS. I see better authentications, i see more customer concern, and i see him trying to fight the forgery industry and help others out. He also is one of the few who consistently answer item questions and will correct mistakes, and he admits to them. All of this together has shifted my opinion, and i now give Mike a chance on the boards. He has apologized for what happened years ago and he seems to mean it. And so i have let go of that grudge. But their are others who wont, just like with anything. So you have to remember both sides of this.

I also saw where Mike brought up Sipe and that he should be encouraged to speak here. And i do have to disagree with you on that Mike. The one thing that helped change my mind about you was that you took responsibility for your mistakes and corrected them. YOU TOOK RESPONSIBILITY. Yet every time GA is called out on an item what do we see? You can set your watch by it. First you will get the slanted view argument about this site being all GA haters, and all PSA Kool aid drinkers. Then, you will get the enormous staff response. You will be told that the staff member who authenticated this will be talked too, or that they were fired, or some other excuse. Its always someone elses fault, and lets face it, i doubt the staff at GA has more than 10 members if that. Although Charles would know better than anyone. The fault is always with someone else. Often Sipe will admit the brought up items are bad forgeries that his company certed. But its not like a big surprise face.......its....oh yeah thats a forgery, ill talk to the staff. As if its no big deal that a company with your name on it is certing these items that you admit are forgeries in instances. Bottom line, you cant run an authentication company like that and be taken serious, at least in my opinion.

If you dont put enough time into your company to know the skill level of your staff, then you shouldnt have one. No matter if hands are thrown up in the air and repentance shouted, i will never be on board. B/c even when things were bad at PAAS, Mike still would take responsibility and do the right thing. I have not seen this of any other company. Sure Sipe will take back items if customers want a refund, but responsibility is never taken. And the forgeries Chris williams and many others have exposed in the THOUSANDS that have GAI and GA certs have simply done to much damage to the hobby in my opinion. Way to much. I dont think GA deserves a place to try and defend themselves and influence readers of this forum. Its just one persons opinion, but i would never support such a thing. I understand where Mike is coming from wanting to give him a chance, but that chance flew out the window many moons ago.

But back to Charles. I dont know about the poster issue, and can only speak from the PAAS thread. And for those newer members, you have to remember that some dont forgive, and they quite frankly have reason not to forgive. Regardless of what the person is doing nowadays. Thats not a defense for either side, but it is something to keep in mind, that when you see someone questioning a bigger named dealer that you may be familiar with, that their might be more to the story than you know.

That being said, i think Mike is doing a great job and as long as he is doing what he is doing now i support him.

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Permalink Reply by JXE on August 23, 2013 at 2:14pm

Carl, FYI, Charles may have presented himself as an old authenticator for GAI, but it has been revealed in the GAI thread that Charles is not using his real name on the forum and he was not actually a former authenticator for them. He had no inside knowlege... he was just telling stories.

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