lawyers guns and money time?
 

This is the text of an email a dealer friend of mine received yesterday from JP Cohen of Memory Lane. I don't know what it's about, I could only guess, but it seems at least someone thinks something is in the works.

"Hope all is well. I am writing to you and others, at the request of Marshall Fogel, to organize a meeting on Wednesday evening August 4th at 8:15 pm in room 307-310 (3rd floor) at the National Convention venue.



Marshall emphasized to me that this meeting is important in combating the national consequences that are about to occur causing damage to the reputation and the past financial successes of our industry.



P.S. Email me to confirm your attendance."

"...industry" :(

Now that is the real problem, thinking of it as an industry, when it should be thought of as a hobby.

I perceive it all to be a hobby, but one that is "serviced" by that "industry". Wish it was just a hobby... but a bunch of folks now make their livings in what used to be just a hobby.

I hope this meeting isn't about anything I said.:(

Barry, of course the meeting is about you. It's always about you. Now will you just behave already?

But truly, that missive from JP sounds serious. All those fertile minds in one room...I bet they can come up with some good ideas on how fix any 'damage to .. past financial successes.' Maybe they can set aside a few minutes during the meeting to address ideas on how to prevent current fraud in the hobby? Perhaps that's asking too much.

More importantly, how come I didn't get an invite to this meeting?

Major Strasser has been shot and they are rounding up the usual suspects.

They were worried you'd come down with a tummy ache and end up canceling.

Move over Apalachin.

no worries
 

I saw the email but for some reason JP doesn't like me or this board, so I didn't receive one. Don't know why that is, but it is what it is.

I have 0 worries about that email or anything pertaining to it. At the end of the day I thoroughly enjoy what I collect. Of course, as many do on this board, I have quite a bit into my cards so don't wish a catastrophe but with my collection the way it is I have no worries at all. Now, someone buying that 22k card that is shown in another thread, or maybe some of the big PSA Registry guys might have something to worry about....or memorabilia collectors.....but for me, not too worried. ;)

If invited I will neither bow out with a tummy ache nor get subpoenaed.

That's the day & time a bunch of us are meeting for dinner across the street. Is there going to be better food at their meeting ? :D

Alan it may be free -- perhaps you should try to get an invite?:D:D

Am I the only cynic that wonders if this is a targeted email engineerd by the Feds to conveniently round up individuals of interest in one place?


And are you all so sure that we really landed on the moon? :rolleyes:

don't think so
 

I don't think this is anything other than what the email said and it's from who it is from. The Feds know how to get a hold of folks (right Brian? :)).

LOL! I actually suggested that to someone last night. My friend's response was that, if that were the case, and they really wanted to ensure maximum attendance, "JP" (or the Feds) would have promised hookers and blow at the meeting.

Excellent idea, Peter

http://forum.mydyingbride.org/images...s/beerchug.gif

Surely you are not suggesting those would have enticed any dealers or set registry types? I am shocked. Shocked.

[QUOTE=Leon;826041]I saw the email but for some reason JP doesn't like me or this board, so I didn't receive one. Don't know why that is, but it is what it is.

A search of Net 54 using J P Cohen and fraud may be the reason....


It's interesting he is the one cleaning up the hobby.

I suspect...
 

there is either something very wrong about to go down with PSA, or they are worried about capital gains taxes
:D

either way, popcorn is a great choice!

who said anything about cleaning up the hobby?

Sorry Jeff. Don't think JP even has a few minutes let alone a few words to talk about how to prevent fraud in the hobby or anyplace else for that matter. However I do appreciate your new positive outlook on the hobby. Very refreshing.

I think the FBI has some ideas in that regard...which is why the hobby's leading curs are panicking.

I didn't get my invite either...

This is a joke right??? What could possibly damage our hobby-"industry"? Come on now.....within the past few years we've had the major auction house in the hobby involved in shill bidding and other shenanigans......

we've had a big-time dealer caught in the act of trimming and re-slabbing cards......

we've had what was thought of as the premier T206 website discredited as nothing but a scam.....

we've had a recession and a few bounces......

both "industry" leading grading services have clear conflicts of interests......

reprints can be purchased on eBay by the barrel-full.......

PSA has been rumored to be near bankruptcy.....

the premier card in the hobby has a questionable background.....

some cards in the hobby might have been accumulated via questionable means....

Cardboard can now be garnished by doctors with no medical degree required....

'52 Mantle rookie cards reside in fake but darn-near real PSA holders....

Roaches Corner still has a website.......etc, etc, etc.


Yet, I still can't find an Old Judge for $25 dollars, our hobby-industry keeps right on chugging; Cho-Cho.....Chag-a Chag-a Chag-a.....Cho-Cho!!!

Lovely Day...

[QUOTE=David W;826059]You owe me a new keyboard.

In the end, all any of the guys in any meeting in Baltimore care about is how does issue x affect their money. I don't care if Mr. Y is getting indicted or if anyone caught the "gypsies" that ripped off Lionel Carter, all any of them care about is how something affects their finances. They may try to make it appear as if this is an industry-wide issue but in reality what they really are saying is "I may have a problem, can we all get together and figure out how to help me?"

our hobby in a nutshell

I think it's just sour grapes, the guy finally realized his Mother Teresa auto from the last Coach's Corner auto wasn't authentic..... so now "Somebody gonna get a hurt real bad"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVlX9...eature=related

IGGY, you're sure blowing a lot of smoke out your ass! lol

yeap
 

From my phone calls this morning this does indeed seem to be a prevailing thought. It seems as though any time someone says "how may I help you?" they really mean "how may I help myself?" .....

A fascinating development. I can't wait to see the "national consequences that are about to occur." With luck, maybe they'll occur during the show.

I still want to know how they plan on fixing 'damage' to 'past financial successes.'

Perhaps through restitution?

maybe?
 

Pure speculation here but maybe it meant to say something like "how can we protect past financial successes?" ........

"both "industry" leading grading services have clear conflicts of interests......"

I know what SGC's is, what's PSA's?

In comparison to every thing else you've listed, I'd say that card's lookin' pretty good now:p

The message is really vague and it could mean anything or nothing.

It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Perhaps the 'national consequences' will occur after they let JP man the phones for a few hours?

I thought it was more like a walking shadow.

My Belief: I think what some are afraid of are their past investments. I doubt that they are afraid of the money they made but the investments with unrealized returns.

Obviously you either did not donate much or anything at all when he was raising money for the widowed wives of policemen and firefighters killed in the line of duty.

And don't forget the gypsies, please let's not forget the gypsies.

Is it true that gypsies sometimes walk around in vintage Cubs jerseys?

PSA??? I thought they ranked third in the industry. Perhaps I meant Beckett (unless someone objects.......then I'll go with GAI).

Lovely Day...

If anyone is going to the National and can get some MMA national exclusive cards/ promo cards, i am very interested in obtaining them from you.



Hopefully they take down Kevin Burge, who has a booth at the Nat'... biggest forger out there!

1099 Time?
 

Anyone else heard that the IRS has finally wised up--or staffed up--and will be requiring auction houses to issue 1099s to consignors? If so, fine with me, its just another area of dishonesty in the hobby that needs to be cleaned up the way I see it. And those who haven't been paying taxes on such high profile and well-documented income have been rolling the dice anyway. Maybe that's what this meeting is about.
Hank Thomas

IRS + hobby? How fun.

i was thinking about that
 

there are alot of "part time" dealers with massive inventory and expensive material. what are the chances some of these folks set up at shows and are obviously doing this professionally and not reporting? some people bought their homes & cars just on card deals alone. even bill mastro stated he sold that wagner and ordered himself a brand new mercedes (at the time i think the card sold for $110,000 to copeland) alledgedly of course.

if auction houses are to send out 1099's.... memory lane has had some record setting prices over the last decade and alledgedly those cards never left their perspective registry sets to change hands. it doesnt really matter as the bidding records are destroyed anyway.

Well, not all auction houses follow the "dog ate my homework" lead of Mastro/Allen and destroy bidding records. At least I hope not.

Maybe it will be the Spanish Inquisition? After all, no one expects the Spanish Inquisition.

http://veggiemacabre.files.wordpress...nquisition.jpg

hobby/business
 

Yes, I have great fun with the hobby AND I deal with the IRS, too. No problem.

I just hope Dave Kohler received this e-mail and will be attending. He and JP have enough integrity to clean up the entire hobby by themselves.

-Ryan

Big, big meeting
 

I just hope that Mastro is back in time from his latest trip to save the orphans.

I just got an e-mail saying that if you're wearing a Net54 pin, you'll be granted admission to the summit. And there's going to to be free chips and queso.

Yum, I loves me some queso.

What about Pat Chan or Scott Susor? Shouldn't they get an 'invite" as well? We are talking about the near-death of an industry, and as many "good guys" as possible might be needed to collectively figure-out how to save the hobby industry universe!

Isn't there going to be free beers?

Lovely Day...

Could someone please clarify the "conflict of interest" issues by some of the third-party graders? I'm a recent returnee to collecting, and was about to submit some of the high-end cards from my prior collection for grading, as well as some newly acquired T206s lots. Thanks.

For the record, sending cards to either SGC or PSA is fine. Either one will enhance ("$$$$") your collection. But, to partially answer your question, perhaps this thread is a good place to start (at least from SGC's perspective): http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...ght=FORMAN+SGC

Lovely Day...

I think if you do a search for conflict of interest you will find some recent posts. I don't want to stir up that whole pot again. EDIT Oops I missed the post above where Iggy posted a link. There are others as well debating that conflict.

Any other food? Cracked crab? Rumaki?

A walk down memory lane
 

Old 01-08-2007, 03:26 PM
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Default "My relationship with JP Cohen and Memory Lane"----From Marshall Fogel.
Posted By: Marshall Fogel

I am posting this for my friend Marshall Fogel. I think Marshall is a little better with words than computers .




To JP
From Marshall Fogel

Dear JP
I now have a reason to publicly express my account of what I think of you.

I preface my opinion with what are the essentials to a valued business and personal relationship with another. Those values, important to me, are honesty, fairness directed towards others, compassion, and trust.

You have more then met my threshold requirments as to these values.

I have, for a rather long period of time, been aware of your troubles and your ultimate accountability due to your employment in telemarketing.

However, the mitigating factors are more than compelling. When you were 15 years old, your mother was in a healthy relationship with the man that you viewed as a mentor and from whom you sought guidance. Ultimately, you participated in his telemarketing business. Your youthfulness brought with you inexperience, unbridled enthusiasm, and a real sense of naivety. These are forces that contrast to the culpability of all the adults that comprised the inappropriate telemarketing decisions.

To that end, it is clear to me that you fit the ancient Greek philosophy--suffering brings wisdom. You never lost your values that I believe you always possessed. You were compromised by your youth, stupidity, and inexperience. Since your experience, I can attest that you have earnestly applied the wisdom and the maturity to enforce and to protect your always existing values that cement our relationship and your relationship with others.

It is with these thoughts that I am confident that I speak for so many collectors and dealers who have exhcanged millions of dollars of value with you, and who, as I do, also value your presence in the collectible industry and your friendship.

Sincerely,

Marshall




edited the "author" part above....this letter is from Marshall

It is reassuring to know men such as these will be defending the hobby/industry.

I read that and I cried.

I wonder how high my plumbing bill would be if the treacly sentiments expressed in that letter clogged up my toilet...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7RPCFfudmU

"Worried about the future of our industry??? Let me tell you how Amway changed my life and how it can change yours too."

Just a guess...