Re: 1996 Steve Atwater on eBay

[EndzoneSports]

On 12/2, I'd received an e-mail via our web site inquiring about the 1996 Steve Atwater jersey currently on eBay (see http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=200180205479). The writer inquired,

"I wondered if it looked right to you? Any help would be great!"

Initially, our response was as follows:

I would be very leery about this one for a couple of reasons... While I'd never say 'never', I personally can't recall ever seeing Steve wear elasticized sleeve cuffs, I believe he always wore the open sleeves with screened-on striping application. Secondly, we have his '96 home jersey, which has been positively photo-matched (see shoulder repair detail on attached image). We have been able to confirm that he wore this specific jersey for at least two different home games:

1. Picture is game-dated 12/15/96 vs Raiders @ Denver
2. Several of the repairs on the jerseys also show in the photo, indicating that it had been previously worn, damaged & repaired

Unless you're able to find or be provided photos showing him wearing this style of jersey earlier in the '96 season, I'd steer clear.

Contacting the seller (ID Zanebats), we made the following inquiry:

Dear zanebats,

There is a bit of vague disparity between the item's title and description... Are you claiming this to be a jersey that was game-worn by Steve Atwater? If so, do you have any provenance to support this? Every picture that I've been able to find of Steve from the '96 season shows him wearing the 'open' style of sleeves, not the elasticized type. Please let me know as I'd be very interested. Thanks

From Zane Burns we received the following reply via e-mail:

I do not know if he wore the Shirt-It's a game jersey-There is not much use-We are not selling it as Game worn-Hope that helps-Thanks-Zanebats

Regards,

[lund6771]

why are they stating there is "light use" than?

[EndzoneSports]

why are they stating there is "light use" than?

The item's title refers to this as a "game jersey" while the description goes on to annotate the fact that there is the appearance of "light use". No where does it specifically state that this is a game used/worn jersey.

Now while I am usually pretty cognizant to such intricacies, someone with less experience could easily be duped into thinking that this is something that it isn't. From "game jersey that shows light use", it wouldn't be so difficult to infer "game used jersey".

Regards,

[bigtime59]

Man, you compare that to what they're wearing now...and you want to cry. On a scale of 1-10, this is a 10, and their current jersey is about a 1.5.

Mark
bigtime39@aol.com

[EndzoneSports]

As a follow-up, it should be noted that following a couple of e-mail exchanges between myself and Zane (aka Zanebats), the description of the item on eBay has been revised and now describes the jersey as follows:

"You are bidding on a Nike road orange NFL Pro Line Game Jersey of Steve Atwater from 1996. Size 46 long, it is in excellent condition. Atwater played for the Denver Broncos."

Also, in response to inquiries re: the photo-match of our Atwater jersey. Myself and another forum member were privileged to have the opportunity to have dinner w/ Steve Atwater this past Saturday following an autograph signing in the Denver area. While waiting for Steve to finish and milling about the signing area, we spotted one of the several 8x10 photos that were available for sale and quickly identified the fact that Steve was wearing an orange home '96 Nike jersey in the photo, the same style as the game-used jersey that we had acquired several years prior. Procuring one of these photos, when we got home it took all of about 10 seconds to match the photo (taken 12/15/96) to repairs/damage on the right shoulder of our jersey... See below



Regards,