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An MJ Spanish scam?
Jonathan Daniel, Photographer
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Riverside | IL | USA | Posted: 1:11 PM on 02.25.03 |
->> Yesterday in the mail, I received a letter from Pedro Illana, a "spanish boy" in Valencia, Spain who "plays basketball with (my) friends" and whose "favorite player is Michael Jordan."
My wife and me thought this was a sweet letter from a fan who must have seen some of my photos on my Sports Shooter member page (where my home address is posted) and who wants me to send him an autograph from me "or if possible an autographed photo/photos of Michael Jordan" of mine.
We both thought "How Nice" and I had planned to print out a couple of photos to send to him today.
Then, this morning, while talking to my good friend Chris Covatta in Austin, we took a little side-trip into the "Twilight Zone."
I read the leter to Chris who said when I was finished..."wait a minute, my friend. I got the same letter...let me find it." He read it to me and it is an almost word-for-word copy of the letter I received.
Now, many folks know that Chris and me have been the best of friends for 25 years. Even our own wives have mentioned from time to time that we are somehow "married" in the goofy sense that we often talk to each other several times a week. Or in a day.
But I digress.
How is it possible that little Pedro wrote both of us the same letter asking for Michael Jordan photos? Did he look at all of the member pages on Sports Shooter for MJ pics and write to all of you who have photos of the old Wizard/Bull on their pages?
We have even "specklated" (a FAMOUS Michael Jordan term) that "little" Pedro is running some sort of scam to get free photos of MJ for sale on the black market in Europe (que the "Twilight Zone" music).
"What a JERK I am, " I said to Chris. "What if this frickin' letter had anthrax in it???"
The letter is well written with exceptional handwriting, even for an American kid.
"It is my dream Jonathan," he says. "Chris it is my dream."
Maybe this is our nightmare.
Anybody else get this letter?
Submitted for your perusal:
Has our George Bush-induced paranoia gotten the best of us? Is little Pedro a nice kid who wants some pictures for his wall...or a scam artist?
Perhaps two photographers will find the answer...in the Twilight Zone. |
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Brad Mangin, Photographer
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Pleasanton | CA | USA | Posted: 1:25 PM on 02.25.03 |
->> JD,
I feel honored to be in the same class as you and Covatta. I too received the nice letter from Pedro. Very well-written. Very nice. I felt VERY bad that I didn't have any Michael Jordan pictures lying around to send him.
He also enclosed a post card from his home town.
I ended up sending him a few post cards of Pac Bell Park, telling him I was sorry not to have anything of Jordan, but this place was where I worked alot. Then I took the time to stand in line at the post office to make sure I had the correct postage to Spain.
I did this last week. Things were pretty slow so this was a big project for me :-)
I wanna hear Covatta's story. |
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Peter Read Miller, Photographer
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Manhattan Beach | CA | USA | Posted: 2:31 PM on 02.25.03 |
| ->> I got the same letter about a month ago. I put it in my pile of things-to-do that I never will. It seemed a little odd to me. |
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Jonathan Daniel, Photographer
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Riverside | IL | USA | Posted: 3:16 PM on 02.25.03 |
->> Jeez, Brad...you're such a prince. Now get a life.
Nice to see there are other cynics out there, Peter. My wife isn't one of them, yet. She wants to believe in little Pedro.
As for Covatta and me...well, we're a bit odd as well but the letter doesn't add up.
Anyone else get this thing?
JD |
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Rich Pilling, Photographer
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New York | NY | U.S.A. | Posted: 3:53 PM on 02.25.03 |
->> JD: Ves saw Pedro driving around Naperville and Da Areas driving a Lexus SC.
Seriously though, it's good that you had the foresight to mention this to Covatta. I'll bet that "Pedro" or who ever Pedro is, is working this to death. On the other hand, I hope that we're all wrong and being a little too paranoid, and there really is a Pedro who is a little boy collecting photos of his favorite American Athletes. |
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Les Bentley, Photographer
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Orlando | FL | USA | Posted: 4:08 PM on 02.25.03 |
->> I recieved a letter, and post card. Ain't I special? He also found me on SportsShooter. Hey, at least it feels good to know that someone is looking at my stuff.......LOL.
I had a couple of prints laying around to send, then I lost his address(No don't send it to me). I did kinda feel sorry for him. I was kinda wishing he was French, so I wouldn't feel bad about blowing him off though. Oh well, I'll put them back in my files. |
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Robert Seale, Photographer
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Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 5:21 PM on 02.25.03 |
->> "Is my dream, Robert......"
Wow, here I was thinking I was special......little did I know this kid lumped me into the same class with Chris Covatta.
My dad, who saw the letter on my kitchen counter, (your parents don't go through your mail?.....), thought it was the cutest thing in the world and chided me for not having sent the kid anything yet.
Wow, I'm officially more cynical now than I was this morning.........I just took my address off my page. |
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Robert Oliver, Photographer
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San Diego (Oceanside) | CA | USA | Posted: 6:01 PM on 02.25.03 |
->> does that mean I suck If I didn't get anything.
I figured it must have been alphabetical since I haven't seen mine yet, until I noticed Seale got one.
Damn....
I feel left out.
gotta go check the PO box. |
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Jonathan Daniel, Photographer
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Riverside | IL | USA | Posted: 8:12 PM on 02.25.03 |
->> In a word...yes...it means you suck if you didn't get a letter from Pedro.
How much postage did it cost this "kid" to mail all of these letters out? Not to mention the cost of the beautiful postcards?
He should be writing essays in his English class fer gawds sake.
Pedro...talk to us, amigo. How much do you get for an autographed Michael Jordan picture in Valencia?
JD |
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Darren Carroll, Photographer
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Cedar Creek (Austin) | TX | USA | Posted: 2:12 AM on 02.26.03 |
->> Oh, man. I am such a loser.
I suck.
No letter from Pedro.
Oh, what the hell. Covatta always gets all the good fan mail in Texas, anyway. |
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Allen Murabayashi, Student/Intern
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 2:42 AM on 02.26.03 |
->> hey seale, as long as you're helping out "pedro", i'd like an autographed print of yao -- on archival paper -- 13x17 -- framed.
thanks.
;) |
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Jonathan Daniel, Photographer
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Riverside | IL | USA | Posted: 10:42 AM on 02.26.03 |
->> Come on, Sports Shooters. I gotta know if any more of you got a letter from Pedro.
My wife and Seales' dad are gonna be on our case to send the kid some pictures if we don't find out this is a scam....
Wait a minute...I'll fix him. I'll send him a photo of Michael J in Wizards uniform. No matter what anybody tells you at NBAE/Getty Images...MJ in a Wizards uniform isn't worth the paper it's printed on.
I also have several MJ retirement ceremony shots I could send. Shot about 30 of 'em over the years.
Pedro...Sports Shooters...talk to us.
(Hey Carroll...got another letter today from Pedro...said he didn't send you one 'cause you ARE a loser. He's not interested in Tiger. Just MJ. Sorry, babe.) |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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Amherst | MA | USA | Posted: 10:50 AM on 02.26.03 |
->> Jonathan:
I got a post card in October from a young kid somewhere in Eastern Europe (place escapes me right now) looking for photos of the New England Patriots.
I don't recall if they wanted autographs, they did want photos of Brady though. I forwarded the card to my agency in New York. I know an editor there sometimes makes prints for kids who ask nicely (with the photogs permission obviously). |
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Grover Sanschagrin, Photographer
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Albany | CA | USA | Posted: 11:47 AM on 02.26.03 |
| ->> I heard that this is a common scam - to get images of some sort only to then have them wind up on eBay for sale. So be careful! |
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Jim Metzendorf, Photographer, Student/Intern
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San Bruno | CA | USA | Posted: 12:19 PM on 02.26.03 |
| ->> No letter from little Pedro for me, but you guys should all send him pictures of out-of-focus referee asses! I know I've taken a bunch... |
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Vincent Guarino, Photographer
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Hudson | NH | USA | Posted: 12:27 PM on 02.26.03 |
| ->> We shouldn't be paranoid, we should be vigilant...I seem to recall a big empty hole in the ground in Manhattan. |
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Jared Dort, Photographer
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Sedona | AZ | usa | Posted: 12:59 PM on 02.26.03 |
| ->> I got a picture of MJ last year. i should post it so I can hear from little Pedro. |
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Rich Pilling, Photographer
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New York | NY | U.S.A. | Posted: 1:28 PM on 02.26.03 |
| ->> Pedro: Do you want photos of MJ playing baseball? If you do, call 732-506-0461. It's the telephone number for Cobra Kites. And, they'll tell you to "go fly a kite". |
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julio cortez, Photographer, Student/Intern
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Arleta | CA | | Posted: 3:52 PM on 02.26.03 |
->> I don't know what I should be pissed about the most: 1. i suck (cuz i didnt get any mail from him) or 2. that this bastard who is scamming photographers is using the name "pedro".
Im a beginner, so i can handle the I suck part well.
Pedro? Pedro? cumon, at least come up with a better name like Panfilo, Marco, Vicente, Carlos, Julio or any other spanish name but for god's sake "Pedro"??? now that's very unique. might as well gone with "Pancho" or "Jose" |
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Chris Ditto, Student/Intern
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Austin | TX | USA | Posted: 4:37 PM on 02.26.03 |
->> This is the funniest thing that I have heard in weeks. I can see this Pedro as a big Spanish man sitting in a big chair with a creaking fan in a run down cafe in Valencia smoking a cigar and chuckling while looking at these photos. I bet he has a wifebeater on too with big curly grey hairs poking out. I also bet he is sweating tremendously and his Greg Norman style hat is now all brown.
Woah, sorry for going off on a tangent. Just what I think of the guy. |
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Jonathan Daniel, Photographer
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Riverside | IL | USA | Posted: 7:47 PM on 02.26.03 |
->> First we blame Pedro for sending us into the Twilight Zone...then we blame him for 9/11. Now we slam his good name.
Sucks to be Pedro, I guess. |
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Joy Absalon, Photographer
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Centreville | VA | USA | Posted: 3:40 AM on 02.27.03 |
| ->> I got a letter from "Pedro" a few months back as well. Only my letter was written in part-English/part-Spanish, and the kid was asking for (preferably autographed) photos of Mark McGwire! Now, since I have so many of those just sitting around my house collecting dust (NOT), I was never able to send one to "poor Pedro." I assumed then that it was a scam, and this just solidifies it for me. |
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PJ Heller, Photographer
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Santa Barbara | CA | USA | Posted: 4:50 AM on 02.27.03 |
->> Geez, I feel bad I didn't hear from Pedro. But I got three e-mails today from Louis Deo, the aide to the late president Mobutu Sese-Seko of Zaire with his offer to share $22 million.
Maybe I should forward the offer to Pedro so he could buy up all the photos he wants. |
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Robert G. Stevens, Photographer
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Halifax | NS | Canada | Posted: 9:36 AM on 02.27.03 |
| ->> Since Pedro seems to get the addresses off this site, can the webmaster set it up so these addresses are only visible to logged in, paid SportsShooter members? |
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Craig Mitchelldyer, Photographer, Assistant
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 9:45 AM on 02.27.03 |
| ->> Robert - If addresses were only viewable to paid members, how would potential clients find you/know what market you are in? |
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Clark Brooks, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 9:55 AM on 02.27.03 |
->> Robert:
That would be a good idea except that potential legit clients would have to register and most buyers (I was one) don't want to register on every d*mn site they go to just to shop pics. Too many passwords to keep track of and ect. The site is very user friendly as it is.
Sorta like email . . . every once in a while you get a little spam. Unless, you are like PJ and I who receive regular offers from Deo and other Nigerians eager to give you millions to help them "recover" their funds. I generally refer them to the help@irs.gov and recover@fbi.gov . . . |
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Robert G. Stevens, Photographer
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Halifax | NS | Canada | Posted: 10:02 AM on 02.27.03 |
->> Clark:
The clients always have the option to use the contact form.
I suppose Pedro could also go to each individuals web site (other than SportsShooter) and pluck the address info from there. |
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Ron Vesely, Photographer
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Woodridge | IL | USA | Posted: 10:39 AM on 02.27.03 |
->> Gentlemen...
As much as some would LIKE to believe Pedro.... The circular file is the proper place for ALL of that kind of stuff... It's disarming to receive this kind of thing through snail mail.... with as much crap that gets through via email, using snail mail looks SO LEGIT... not.
Nice try...
Rich.... I DID see him driving around in da area's... But he was driving a Bentley... full of MJ photos!
You know, if he IS legit... they ways of the world today just work against him. And that is sad.
Gotta go.. |
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Jonathan Daniel, Photographer
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Riverside | IL | USA | Posted: 11:54 AM on 02.27.03 |
->> Well, I'm really disturbed now. He wanted Mark McGwire photos? That tears it. How could he want McGwire and not Sosa and Ordonez as well?
What kind of evil rug-rat is this "kid?"
This is one priceless photo scam my friends. Thanks to all of you who have thrown in your 2 cents....
Except for Brad, who spent a bit more than 2 cents to send little Pedro some postcards of Pac-Bell.
Got some Michael Jordan photos in a Wizards uniform to sell ya, Brad....cheap. |
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Brad Mangin, Photographer
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Pleasanton | CA | USA | Posted: 12:30 PM on 02.27.03 |
->> JD,
I'd settle for an 8x10 of Covatta wearing a National t-shirt.
Robert- if you don't want to world to see your address on your member page then don't post your address...it's that simple.
There is no way to supervise who can see things like this...that's the beauty of the Internet. Sometimes it's Pedro getting your address and sometimes it's a big-time legit client who is ready to throw a bunch of money at you. YOU decide.
JD...OK...I might settle for Covatta in an Upper Deck t-shirt...but I really think him in a National Sports Daily shirt would have more value. |
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Rich Pilling, Photographer
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New York | NY | U.S.A. | Posted: 5:13 PM on 02.27.03 |
| ->> I just got an email from Pedro. He says to disregard all his photo requests. And he's sorry for all the bother he caused us. Instead he wants us to send as much money that each member can afford to Brad Mangin so he can buy a new 1D. :-) |
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Robert Seale, Photographer
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Houston | TX | USA | Posted: 9:31 PM on 02.27.03 |
->> Brad-
I think address is a required field....a better idea might be for city, and state to be required (clients can still find you...), but street address to be hidden to everyone but you and Jason. or we could just punch in "aaaaaaaaa" like when you log in on web sites of ill repute.....but I wouldn't know anything, er...uh, about that..... |
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Brad Mangin, Photographer
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Pleasanton | CA | USA | Posted: 9:38 PM on 02.27.03 |
->> Mr. Seale...
I don't think the street address is a required field...
Grover has no address on his member page so he can keep all the stalkers and groupies away from his front porch...
Everyone is free to not have their address on their page if they don't want...
As for the other problem you have with sites of ill repute...that might be something you have to figure out on your own.
You are just bitter you don't have a signed picture of Covatta. |
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Michael McNamara, Photographer
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Columbia | MO | USA | Posted: 10:37 PM on 02.27.03 |
->> Clark,
You're that polite to the Nigerians? I forward their messages to the FBI, since it's probably an ID scam. |
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Clark Brooks, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 12:06 AM on 02.28.03 |
->> Michael:
It seems Nigeria's GNP is bulk email to scam folks out of their hard earned money. I'm polite but with a twisted sense of humor. Look at the email addresses again ;-> |
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Rhona Wise, Photographer
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Miami | FL | USA | Posted: 4:10 PM on 03.06.03 |
->> Hey Jonathan,
Thanks for posting this. I too, have received a letter and postcard from "Pedro", identical to yours (and, so it seems half of SS)And probably would have put it in my "pile" and even sent something eventually...
Grover,
I think we should send an autographed photo of you.. ? yes? :-)
Rhona |
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julio cortez, Photographer, Student/Intern
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Los Angeles | ca | | Posted: 4:57 PM on 03.06.03 |
| ->> I am sure u have a return address to send the photos to lil pedro. Can one of you guys put up the address and we can all send him something in the mail? I got a nice used bottle of gatorade in front of me this second. I wonder if he would appreciate it if I sent him that. If not, i got a used napkin available too. |
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Doug Holleman, Photographer
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Temple | TX | USA | Posted: 5:24 PM on 03.06.03 |
| ->> Man, this really makes me suspicious of all the mail and email I get from strangers. Who would have thought that there were dishonest people out there? I'm almost starting to second-guess my decision to help poor General Mobutu of Nigeria by giving him access to my bank account. |
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JC Ridley, Photographer
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Davie | FL | USA | Posted: 10:03 PM on 03.06.03 |
| ->> I'd try to sell my "Pedro" letter on eBay but now its seems its not as rare as I thought it would be... |
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Rhona Wise, Photographer
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Miami | FL | USA | Posted: 10:33 PM on 03.06.03 |
| ->> OK JC... I know you're dissapointed you haven't gotten one yet... but you can have mine for e-bay f you REALLY want it...I'll hand deliver it to you @ hockey next week... :-) I'll even throw in the postcard.... |
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Andrew Malana, Photographer
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Tokyo | JP | Japan | Posted: 8:29 AM on 03.07.03 |
->> CHIEF PRINCE CHRIS!!
OK...Not Pedro but along the lines of the Nigerian E-Mail scam...I got this!!! thru a Sports Shooter Viewer..
"...chief prince chris nali ,from bafut in the north west province both in cameroom (sic.)..."
I will let the Sports Shooter admin guys to take a look as well...
Pedro and The Chief!! |
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Darren Carroll, Photographer
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Cedar Creek (Austin) | TX | USA | Posted: 10:23 AM on 03.07.03 |
->> Dear Pedro,
Covatta got a letter. Seale got a letter. Seems like every photographer in Texas got a letter.
Except me.
Every day of not hearing from you sinks me deeper into the bitter abyss of depression and professional inadequacy, and provides a daily, unyielding revelation that I just suck, big time.
Hell, Covatta's even calling me to remind me that I didn't get a letter, and that I just suck, big time (Not that he needed an excuse to do that, but you're not helping things any here...).
WHERE'S
MY
DAMNED
LETTER? |
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Rhona Wise, Photographer
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Miami | FL | USA | Posted: 3:58 PM on 03.07.03 |
->> Hey ya'll it seems Pedro likes LeBron James as well.
http://www.akron.com/20030123/OPINION/lets.htm
From the "opinion" page of the Akron Leader...
Can I have your autograph, por favor, LeBron?
Editor's note: The following letter was addressed to West Side Leader sportswriter Jeff Gorman and sent to our offices.
Hello Jeff, my name is Pedro Cuesta Illana. I'm Spanish boy and I live in Valencia. Sorry, I don't speak very well but I know a bit of English.
I play basketball with my friends in Valencia. I'm playmaker. I'm 1.76 meter and I'm supporter of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. My favorite player is LeBron James. I have been a fan of LeBron of a long time.
I would like that you send me the autograph or if possible, an autographed photo of LeBron James.
Is my dream, Jeff.
You are a wonderful sport journalist, and LeBron is a fantastic player.
Jeff, although you couldn't send me the autograph, I will be thankful.
I hope you can understand my letter and you could answer as soon as you can.
With best wishes.
Pedro Cuesta Illana, Valencia, Spain |
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Jonathan Daniel, Photographer
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Riverside | IL | USA | Posted: 9:51 AM on 03.10.03 |
->> Heads up, you Baseball Hall of Fame contest winners. Pedro will be sending you letters shortly.
Michael Jordan, Mark McGuire, The New England Patriots, LeBron James...Pedro is quite the jock sniffer.
Darren, Darren, Darren. Sucks to be you AND Pedro. I'll fax you a copy of my letter as soon as I get the anthrax scraped off of it.
For those of you who got little Pedros' letter, congratulations. Vinnie LaForet and his dad will be glad to provide you with instructions on which HASMET suit to wear when you scrape the anthrax off of the letter.
According to Vinnie, you'll also need the following: a back-up laptop; a jar of low-fat peanut butter; a surge protector; a menu from "21"; a pair of green socks; an English-Spanish-Iraqi dictionary; a letter from Tom Ridge; a "cooch meter"; some old, used Sports Illustrated film envelops; a bicycle helmut; an offical New York-city issued "pooper-scooper"; extra "D" size batteries; bottled water (from Zephyrhills Florida ONLY); a tale told by an Indian; a Covatta-worn "National" t-shirt (with baby barf on it); a tube of Preparation H; a bottle of 50 SPF sunscreen; a Vivitar 283 flash; a "Son of Schmilsson" CD; a "Baseball America" directory; a copy of the book "Photoshop 6 for Dummies"; an invitation to a bar-b-que at Steve Greens' house; an extra pair of clean "Tennessee Volunteers" orange OR "Northwestern University" purple underware; TWO extra "Hoodmans"; a "Victorias' Secret" catalogue AND...
an appointment with a psychiatrist (sorry, my wife is busy right now with real patients. Find your own shrink, please). |
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Larry Vaughn, Photographer
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Gainesville | FL | usa | Posted: 8:54 AM on 07.03.03 |
| ->> You could sign up Pedro for some free junk mail. |
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