Coach's Corner - The Perfect Crime?

[sports-rings]

I am just amazed that as time goes by (and I am talking years and years), the people involved in the Coach's Corner crimes run free and unpunished.

So, I wish to ask others, have they developed and executed "the perfect crime"?

They advertised for years and grew their business through Sports Collecters Digest. I fought SCD as hard as I could to drop them as an advertiser. They didn't drop them for many years.

I suggested on this site a few months ago, perhaps a class action suit would work. No one ever starts one. (I would think that auction houses would do want to do this as Coaches Corner ruins the hobby by reducing prices, floods the market with fakes, drives collectors from the hobby who learn their items bought from CC are workthless). I would also think collectos and those that have purchased from CC would do this.

The PA Attorney general, the Postal Inspectors and the FBI as far as I know have done nothing either.

Is it possible that Lee, his business parnters and their trusted authenticators are so tight knit, that they will never turn on each other? Is it possible that Lee, and his henchmen are so tight that their secret dealings never are discussed with anyone outside their circle?

The latest instance of their perfect crime: They are using the Steiner name by photo-copying the Steiner certificate that came with a chair and incorportating it into display peices.

I am tired of asking for this nightmare to end, so my post today asks, is this "the perfect crime" and no one will be able to stop them?

My belief that a class auction suit would work, but I was told this is too much money. If we all figured out how much this company costs our hobby, I wold imagine we could fund our money together and do something. I would be first in line to contribute money.

[canjond]

I'll be honest... I doubt a class action would work.

[barrysloate]

Well they've certainly figured out how to make their business model work.

[scooter729]

I would think Steiner would be plenty interested in exploring this if they are using copies of Steiner certs to sell their garbage - that's going to lessen the Steiner name and potentially cause Steiner to lose business, so I'm sure they would love to hear about that....

[canjond]

Is CC being quasi-misleading in describing the Steiner certificate, yes... but the item state that an authentic piece of Yankee stadium seating is attached to the plaque (which it is). A copy of the Steiner certificate attesting to the authenticity of the chair is included. Reading quickly, a bidder may assume that the garbage auto is authenticated by Steiner, but CC's description does clearly state only the seat piece is.

Believe me, I hate defending these guys, but I'm not sure Steiner can do anything about what CC is doing. CC is not lying in their descriptions.

[thetruthisoutthere]

Originally Posted by canjond

Is CC being quasi-misleading in describing the Steiner certificate, yes... but the item state that an authentic piece of Yankee stadium seating is attached to the plaque (which it is). A copy of the Steiner certificate attesting to the authenticity of the chair is included. Reading quickly, a bidder may assume that the garbage auto is authenticated by Steiner, but CC's description does clearly state only the seat piece is.

Believe me, I hate defending these guys, but I'm not sure Steiner can do anything about what CC is doing. CC is not lying in their descriptions.

I agree with, Jon. They (Coach's Commode) are simply coupling a legitimate piece of a Yankee Stadium seat (with a Steiner COA) with 100% forgeries.

A few of the buyers of that crap always try to flip them on Ebay but they eventually get removed because the autographs are so horrid.

[pow323]

It is the world that we live in today! What is wrong is right and what is right is wrong!!

[vintagechris]

I get SPAM from them all the time. By law, I believe they are required to list their address and also the option to opt out of mailings. They do neither. I have even emailed them to remove me. Is there any way to get them in trouble with the law for spamming?

I don't even know how I got on their list. I have never nor would I ever buy anything from them.

If anybody thinks it would be possible and knows how to cause them legal trouble for spamming, I think I have about two or three years worth of emails saved from them, all SPAM as described by the law if I am understanding what SPAM actually is.

[mr2686]

I believe the only way to get at CC, is to prove that they have knowledge that their items are not authentic. Since we're dealing with products that have "opinions" that they are authentic, CC stays in the clear. What really needs to happen is to convict a person or persons that is forging these items and having them admit that CC not only knows about it, but is also commissioning these items (if that indeed is happening). Right now I think the best bet is going after these bogus experts that are authenticating this junk.

[Leon]

I think what they do is just as is being said. They take their crappy business practices right to the edge of being unlawful and don't go over it. Believe me, if it was illegal, what they are doing, the law would have come down on them. You can't dispute them only having an opinion. The FBI reads this board regularly and I believe they are still investigating the hobby. If there was a Federal crime being committed, with serious fraud going on that can be proven, then it would be taken care of. Coaches Corner is fairly smart in the way the operate. Don't get me wrong, I can't stand it, but I doubt they are doing too much that could be proven illegal. And again, you can't sue them for giving their opinion something is real, even if it isn't. It's their opinion. It's the suckers that believe their opinion that are giving them their business model and it's a shame. regards