New York Post - Giants quarterback Eli Manning was in on a scheme to sell phony game-worn gear — sending an email asking the team’s equipment manager for “helmets that can pass as game used,” according to blockbuster court papers obtained by The Post.
The legal filing also alleges that Big Blue failed to produce the smoking-gun request — sent from Manning’s old-school AOL account to an official NFL account — even though “they claim to have no document destruction policy.”
But Manning turned over the incriminating email last week in connection with a civil racketeering suit that accuses him, his team and others of conspiring to fleece collectors of authentic athletic uniforms worn on the playing field.
Manning’s email is contained in a pair of exchanges that allegedly began when his marketing agent, Alan Zucker, asked Manning to supply “2 game used helmets and 2 game used jerseys” as per the two-time Super Bowl MVP’s contract with memorabilia dealer Steiner Sports.
Okay, okay, okay...first of all, who still has an AOL email?
Eli Manning reportedly sent an email from his AOL account saying that he wants helmets that can pass as game used. He turned over this email last week during an investigation into the scheme.
This is really bad. Not just for Steiner Sports, but Eli and the Giants as a whole.
How bad, you wonder?
Let's see. Do you think the recent lull in NBA Playoff discussion and the fact that the NFL has no major storyline in the news right now will have an impact on how this story is treated? Hmmmm, what happened last time game-used memorabilia was the center of a lot of media spotlight and discussion? Oh yea, the FBI got involved to find Tom Brady's jersey.
Not only will this story continue to grow, but the names getting dragged into the mix make it "top of the show" worthy in sports media.
Yea, you're about to hear a lot about this.