[Archive]

Posted By: barrysloate

Allow me to summarize my feelings: the pallor that has clouded this board since Doug Allen made his admission has been simply staggering, and the bad feelings that have arisen are truly demoralizing. Frankly, I don't know why I am still here. But the fact is, no matter how much chatter circulates from post to post, when the sun rises tomorrow it will still be business as usual. I have known for years that altered and restored cards have made their way into holders, so none of this is news to me. I don't think I could even tell the difference between a genuine PSA-8 and a retouched one. But the market is not going to collapse because of posts made on this board. The hobby is bigger than us. We can be an engine for change, but we won't cause a market this large to fall. If some are fed up and want to sell their collections, there will be somebody out there eager to buy it. I think these discussions have gone as far as they can; some dealers have come forth stating their views, a few have gotten into pissing matches with each other, and others refused to engage with this angry mob. I don't think it will accomplish anything to rehash this all over- we all know we have to watch our rear ends when we make a purchase, and that not everything is what it appears to be. How about we call a moratorium on all this stuff and get back to business. Either the hobby is fun, or it's not worth it. And the board in the last few days has been a really depressing place to be. I think we've hit the proverbial wall.