dave bushing 04/21/08:

"I am sorry that so few people that have voiced so many concerns about this hobby in the past either could not nor did not care to join in on the panel discussions. I was really hoping for a better turn out for the panel talks on game used items. The amount of concern on paper could rival "Crime and Punishment" for text space yet it did not come to fruition in the first ever public forum that would have allowed those with concerns to address the very folks they express so much interest in. I know there are expenses involved but it would seem that there would have been a few more concerned people that might have been able to attend. Maybe next time."

dave bushing 04/18/08:

 John Taube , Lou Lampson and I just finished our panel discussion. I was really expecting to hear some real tough questions but we got questions like whats the best piece we have ever seen, do autographs increase value, etc. etc. We were there but the questions weren't. The toughest question came from David Hunt to see if we wish we could relook at a piece we may have authenticated incorrectly.

chris nerat 03/18/08:

Also, I don’t know how many times I have read on the board that people want to confront a certain authenticator about a mistake that was made on a jersey or a bat and they always seem to want to try to email the person. Well, when people found out that Lou was at the National last year, not one single person came up to him and challenged him with any concerns that were mentioned on the board. Also, Lou will be on a panel at the PCCE with other authenticators to help educate collectors. And when that was called to the attention of the members of gameusedforum.com, nobody seemed to want to go to the show in Chicago to talk to Lou.

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you know, it's funny - at their forum and blog these guys talk about the continuing and disappointing decline in show attendance yet, in the same breath, want to know where all of the whiners were when it came to questioning the authenticators that attended the shows. meanwhile mark's questions concerning the fingers and krausse jerseys are blatantly, and i mean blatantly, ignored at the mears forum and nerat could apparently care less about using his blog as a conduit to pose such questions for the benefit of his readers.

if these authenticators were truly interested in addressing the many legitimate concerns collectors harbor, they would make themselves available for an internet q&a. nerat could spearhead the thing through scd, could determine the place, time and format. but apparently that's crazy talk - everyone knows that the only way to get a straight answer from these guys is to book a hotel room and get on a jet to... wherever.