Years ago, I wrote to Warren Sapp asking if the Eat and Roach Motel were both drowning and he could only rescue one band, which would he save? It pains me to know that not only was this letter unopened and my attempts to forge a relationship with Warren were fruitless, but strangers will now be privvy to my most private thoughts, which I sought to share with the former University Of Miami defensive line standout.
From the Tampa Tribune’s Marty Strasen.
U.S. Postal Inspectors warn, “Tampering with mail will get you a new home, new friends and a new job,” on a poster depicting a man in a jail cell.
If mail tampering can be a federal offense, is selling or purchasing a 5-pound box of former Bucs star Warren Sapp’s unopened fan mail at a sports memorabilia auction against the law?
A Lakeland-based company is trying to find out before the end of the month, when it hopes to fetch a premium price for what it hopes will be one of the more unusual auction lots out there.
“We’re trying to get a legal opinion on this,” said Randy Kincaid of Kincaid Auction Co., which plans to host a sports memorabilia bankruptcy auction April 30 at 10 a.m. at 3809 East County Road 542.
“Of course, under our license, we can’t do anything that’s against the law. But we feel quite certain that [the box of fan mail addressed to Sapp] is legitimately owned by the party we got it from.”
The box of mail surfaced when Tampa-based PSC Collectibles, a sports memorabilia distributor, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to a release sent by Kenny Lindsay, president of American Eagle Auction & Appraisal Co. in Livonia, Mich.
The release noted that PSC’s remaining inventory – more than three large truckloads – was surrendered to Wachovia bank, which then hired Lindsay and Kincaid to auction off the memorabilia.
“It’s a bittersweet find,” Lindsay said of the letters, “simply because you feel bad for the fans who took the time to write Mr. Sapp and got nothing in return. On the other hand, this is a spectacular and one-of-a-kind collection for the sports memorabilia enthusiast.”
Mr CTSB,
When I found out about my missing mail, I was angrier than the time that Jon Runyan poked me in the eye during the 2002 NFC Championship game. That is *my* mail, *my* personal property, and I intend to retrieve it whether by legal means or if me and some of my boys have pay someone a visit. It pains me thinking about my fans who have shown me the love by taking the time to write and mail a letter and how hurt they must have felt when they never got a reply. There is no way that I can reply to outdated mail at this time, so when your blog was brought to my attention, I felt I had to get in touch ASAP. To answer your question about whether I would save The Eat or Roach Motel if they were both drowning, I say neither/nor…HELL no…Are you crazy?. As a matter of fact, I’d go right ahead and toss Hated Youth and Morbid Opera right into the drink alongside them. However, if Charlie Pickett was drowning, I’d go ahead and toss him a beer cooler or something to grab a hold onto.
Mr CSTB, I hope this makes up for things as I deeply appreciate all my fans, especially those whom have been with me since my days as a ‘Cane. Take care and stop by my website http://www.qbkilla.com.
Sincerely,
#99 Warren Sapp
The Silver and Black