"G" Still Stands for "Gullible"

Okay, this ought to put it to rest.

You'll remember, as we talked about two weeks ago, that Tiki Barber hosted a Yahoo! Sports video in which he claimed that the Packers' famous "G" helmet logo, designed for Lombardi by Gerald "Dad" Braisher, originally stood not for "Green Bay" but rather for "Greatness".

If you missed the original conversation, here's the video:

Of course, it's not true. Barber doesn't even get Braisher's name right - it was Gerald, not George.

It appears that, as I suspected, Tiki Barber got this little piece of knowledge from Wikipedia, where it was added by an anonymous author in June of 2010 (who failed, of course, to provide a source). It subsequently got picked up by Yahoo! Answers, answers.com, and dozens of other content-hungry sites which copy-and-paste text from Wikipedia. Not to menton countless blogs and message boards, all of which repeated it uncritically.

After Barber's video, the false assertion was removed from Wikipedia. Most of the inaccurate information eventually is, but the damage was done. Barber's little tidbit was out there, on all those sites.

The Sioux City Journal fanned the flames when it reprinted the falsehood as fact:

Leave it to Tiki Barber, the intrepid former star running back now turned broadcaster, to unveil information not many people – including myself – knew about the Green Bay Packers logo.

Like most, I assumed the familiar "G" stood for Green Bay. As in Wisconsin. Titletown U.S.A.

Nope.

According to Barber, and later verified by a google question search, the "G" actually stands for Greatness. Apparently, equipment manager George "Dad" Brashier[sic] thought up and designed the logo in 1961.

A google search? That's research?

And now, because the Sioux City Journal is a reputable, legitimate source, the bogus story has acquired the sheen of legitimacy. And so, back on Wikipedia it goes to confuse countless other lazy researchers.

An anonymous reader tipped me off to what we think is the origin of this nonsense. It comes from a 2003 DVD called Legend of Lambeau Field. In the chapter on the 1961 NFL Championship Game, the narrator intones:

"Lombardi added a 'G' to the Packers' helmet in 1961. And it stood for 'great.' The team posted the league's best record, and earned the right to host the championship game."

And that's it. A rhetorical flourish, and not even a good one. Picked up and repeated, until somebody believed it enough to put it on Wikipedia (while getting the actual word wrong).

Which is, as I said before, the problem with Wikipedia. Anybody can post any nonsense they please, and although it may eventually be removed, the damage can already be done.

Just to close out the story, MidwestSportsFans.com did what I should have done in the beginning, and asked the Packers. The team's response:

The Packers' Assistant Director of PR and Corporate Communications had the following to say: "There’s nothing in our history that suggests there's any truth to this. The Packers Hall of Fame archivist said the same thing."

And they really ought to have the final word.

Living Color

With so much of the Packers' early history preserved only in black and white photos, it's a pleasant change to see a color image, even if we have to make one ourselves.

This image was colorized by Phil Hecken, who writes the weekend columns for the Uni Watch blog (and who has assumed the day-to-day duties while Paul is on his August sabbatical).

Phil uses the freeware GIMP (Graphic Image Manipulating Program)to colorize old black and white photos.

The choice of red for the defender was interesting. He explains:

i have NO IDEA if the colors of the opposition are correct — just an educated guess after having worked with b & w for a little while now…

Looked to me as though it could have been the Cardinals, but two readers suggested the Lions, and sure enough, after a little digging I learned that the photo was taken at a 1945 game in Milwaukee against... Detroit. A game the Packers won 57-21.

Another reminder that even veteran photo editors can be fooled by black and white photos. When reduced to shades of gray, reds appear blue and vice versa. Phil promises to re-do the picture in Honolulu Blue soon, and while he's at it give us a tutorial on his process.

More to come.

Shout-out

Guy Hankel recently posted an excellent article about a game-worn 2002 Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila jersey on his blog White Mesh and Green Durene. Well worth checking out.

His knowledge of recent Packers jerseys is unmatched. There's always a lot to learn from his posts, in this case some of the ins and outs of player customization.

His blog also offers this little tidbit:

I've received word that a nice, 1950's game used Jim Ringo jersey will be offered at auction this fall. 1950's Packers jerseys are very scarce, and if this is the one I've seen before, it's a home jersey dating from 1956-1958. Stay tuned.

Can't wait.

The Alabama Antelope Strikes Again

Guy Hankel of the must-read "White Mesh and Green Durene" blog has some new images of the Hutson jersey which went up for auction this past May.

The auction winner is a friend of Hankel's, and sent him some fascinating and illuminating photos of his new jersey. He also reminds us that the Packers Hall of Fame has a 1940s white road jersey on display, featuring a number treatment I've not seen elsewhere.

Check out his blog - you really ought to be reading this.

ALERT - Forged Brett Favre Gamers

Chris Nerat, of Titletown Nostalgia and the related Collect Green Bay blog, recently posted an article he wrote last year for Sports Collectors Digest. It should be mandatory reading for anyone interested in game-worn Packers jerseys, let alone anybody even thinking about purchasing one.

In short, Chris details the story of Steve Towes, a collector who learned that two of the Brett Favre gamers he owned were forgeries. And not even very good ones. He didn't vet the jerseys very thoroughly, because they came from what he considered an impeccable source - Rick Radke, owner of Radke Sports and BrettFavreAutographs.com, the official supplier of Favre-signed memorabilia.

Not only was the source itself seemingly beyond question, but the jerseys he bought came with plenty of documentation proudly proclaiming their authenticity:

Towes assumed the authenticity of the jerseys was as solid as possible. Both pieces had Favre’s personal authenticity holograms affixed to the tackle twill numerals, Favre’s signature neatly scribed on each jersey’s back No. 4, and inscriptions written in black felt-tip marker assuring the potential buyer that they were “Game Used” — a hobby term that is music to serious collectors’ ears.

In addition, each jersey was accompanied by a “Letter from the Desk of Brett Favre,” which was also signed by the three-time NFL Most Valuable Player, stating that both were used during game play by the Green Bay quarterback. And, each came with a picture of Favre with the jersey.

After payments to Radtke that totalled $13,000, Towes became the owner of both showpieces, which he displayed in his Wausau, Wis., home.

Towes eventually became suspicious, had his jerseys looked at by an authority, who declared them forgeries, intended to deceive.

To his credit, when alerted Radke took back the fakes and refunded Towes' money. Perhaps Radke was himself another victim of the scam.

Now, I'm usually pretty wary about Certificates of Authenticity and all that, given that they rest solely on the credibility of whoever signed them. And most auction houses appear to be more interested in collecting the Buyer's Premium than protecting their reputations. But if I bought from Favre's official supplier directly, I suspect that I'd be comfortable enough to let my guard down.

You have to read this story for yourself.

Click here to read the article (PDF)

It's actually a follow-up to an earlier article Nerat wrote for SCD, which is available on their website.

This is really scary stuff - if I ever did have the money to buy a Favre gamer, I would have bought it through BrettFavreAutographs.com without question.

Along a similar line, I once had a brush with forged Favre jerseys myself.

Remember - Caveat emptor, now and forever. Trust, but Verify. Whatever cliché you want to use, it's good advice.

I hope Nerat, who no longer writes for SCD, is able to do another follow-up. I'd love to learn more about who was behind the scam.