Lebron jersey - A5

[kingjammy24]

Re: Lebron jersey - A5

"...thus making it impossible for LeBron to have worn another size during the entire NBA season is not enough evidence to raise questions about this jersey."

as usual joel, you've missed the boat. read the troy's requirements for the A5:

"5. Correct size for player
...
10.We make sure the jersey was the proper size to be issued to that player"

an A5 isn't granted on the basis that "anything is possible". is it possible that lebron wore a size 44? sure! technically, anything's possible. anything being possible does not mean it's the correct size. troy explicitly states that mears makes "..sure the jersey was the proper size to be issued to that player". well, here's my evidence that lebron wore a size 50 in 2005:





as well, barry meisel is known to have handled lebron's gamers obtained directly from the league. as such, i think his comments regarding lebron wearing a size 50 carry substantial weight.

conversely, how did troy "make sure" lebron wore a 52? does mears have a single shred of any sort of evidence that lebron wore a 52 in 2005/06?
he didn't make sure because no such evidence exists. it's just more mears doublespeak; mears says they stylematch things and it's been shown that they do not. now they're saying they make sure the size is correct and i am telling you they do not. the point here is that mears says that they do things that the evidence shows they do not.

it's very likely that at the time mears evaulated that jersey, they had no clue what size lebron really wore. if they had contacted barry meisel or spent some time on getty they might've learnt otherwise. so they had no idea yet they said their letter states that they know 52 is "the correct size". how did they arrive at that conclusion? what evidence? i arrived at my conclusion that he wore a 50 via images and barry meisel's opinion. how did mears arrive at their opinion? flip of a coin? spin the bottle?
it's yet another example of mears claiming to know things they do not. the last time i took troy to task for purporting to know things he didn't, he said it was to "build their database".

joel you should open an authentication service and call it "Anything's Possible"..

irate customer - "..in your LOA, you stated that a size 40 jersey was correct for pujols in 2003. how did you arrive at that unlikely size?"

JA - "well..is it possible that he wore a size 40?"

irate customer - "i guess it's technically possible.."

JA - "well there you go! correct size!"

rudy.

[trsent]

Re: Lebron jersey - A5

I don't think the A5 score carries as much weight as it did a year or so ago. Even good points and concerns have been raised here regarding higher ratings. The A5 sounds like it means, "Yeah it could be, looks like it, not sure, but it could possibly be." They do however seem to do a lot more research than most companies who just put out a generic letter. But after a $200 or so fee, a non experienced buyer probably would want something much more concrete. An example would be myself, who knows nothing about basketball jerseys. If I was to purchase a Lebron jersey based on this score (in essence letting them do the homework) and then I later read the issues posted above, I would have serious concerns about my purchase.

Danny - You are 100% correct. The A5 grade is often abused in the current marketplace, but please take note - the issues raised by Rudy based on one jersey authenticated by another company thus making it impossible for LeBron to have worn another size during the entire NBA season is not enough evidence to raise questions about this jersey.

[Danny899]

Re: Lebron jersey - A5

I don't think the A5 score carries as much weight as it did a year or so ago. Even good points and concerns have been raised here regarding higher ratings. The A5 sounds like it means, "Yeah it could be, looks like it, not sure, but it could possibly be." They do however seem to do a lot more research than most companies who just put out a generic letter. But after a $200 or so fee, a non experienced buyer probably would want something much more concrete. An example would be myself, who knows nothing about basketball jerseys. If I was to purchase a Lebron jersey based on this score (in essence letting them do the homework) and then I later read the issues posted above, I would have serious concerns about my purchase.

[trsent]

Re: Lebron jersey - A5

1) troy kinunen: "Before we issue the A5 grade, the following criteria must first be met:
"Manufactures characteristics of the jersey have been compared to known authentic examples and match in..size"

This is the process that elimates store bought jerseys from game issued jerseys... each item is checked via our worksheet and compared to our database for:
...
5. Correct size for player
...
10.We make sure the jersey was the proper size to be issued to that player

All of these manufacturers characteristics must be present before the A5 grade is considered for post 1987 jerseys.

Therefore, if the examined jersey does not match 100% correctly with all of the above, no A5 grade is awarded. Again, no store model jerseys as awarded the A5 grade, EVER....MEARS has never assigned a grade to a retail jersey"

2) barry meisel: "According to information we've received through the NBA & MeiGray Game-Worn Authentication Program, consistent with three photo-matched game-worn Lebron James jerseys we have authenticated (2005-06 regular season, 2006-07 Hardwood Classics currently up for auction, and 2007 NBA Finals Game 3 jersey that will be up for auction soon), and consistent with the 2007-08 China Games '07 Lebron James that just arrived ... Lebron James wears a Size 50, Plus-2 jersey.."

3) http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=150347096947

lebron james jersey. 52 + 4. widely available on the retail website jersey-joe.com for $600. size is incorrect. jersey was still awarded an A5.

rudy.

That sucks - I guess you are not going to buy this jersey.

If you have concerns about the MEARS letter, I would email troy@mearsonline.com with your concerns to get an answer from him that may help you determine if you wish to buy this jersey.

Please let us know how he replies.

[kingjammy24]

1) troy kinunen: "Before we issue the A5 grade, the following criteria must first be met:
"Manufactures characteristics of the jersey have been compared to known authentic examples and match in..size"

This is the process that elimates store bought jerseys from game issued jerseys... each item is checked via our worksheet and compared to our database for:
...
5. Correct size for player
...
10.We make sure the jersey was the proper size to be issued to that player

All of these manufacturers characteristics must be present before the A5 grade is considered for post 1987 jerseys.

Therefore, if the examined jersey does not match 100% correctly with all of the above, no A5 grade is awarded. Again, no store model jerseys as awarded the A5 grade, EVER....MEARS has never assigned a grade to a retail jersey"

2) barry meisel: "According to information we've received through the NBA & MeiGray Game-Worn Authentication Program, consistent with three photo-matched game-worn Lebron James jerseys we have authenticated (2005-06 regular season, 2006-07 Hardwood Classics currently up for auction, and 2007 NBA Finals Game 3 jersey that will be up for auction soon), and consistent with the 2007-08 China Games '07 Lebron James that just arrived ... Lebron James wears a Size 50, Plus-2 jersey.."

3) http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=150347096947

lebron james jersey. 52 + 4. widely available on the retail website jersey-joe.com for $600. size is incorrect. jersey was still awarded an A5.

rudy.