It's a Real Dog and Pony Show "Over There"

[dragon]

Ever since David Hall started to address all the various complaints 'over there', it gives me the impression of a desperate act after senior management shakeups, and a feeble act as if D. Hall really going to change anything at PCGS or that suddenly PCGS will become more customer friendly or something. Even if he was serious, it's all a day late and a dollar short IMO, where have they all been up to now??

 

What really seems humorous to me is that D. Hall feigns ignorance and acts in his responses like he has really no idea that so many people have 'issues' with their company, and like it's all news to him or something and he had no idea about the fingerprint issue for the past 2 years, or bodybags, or changing standards or what ever,,,,,,,c'mon, who's kidding who?? I think I actually have less confidence in and respect for PCGS right now than before D. Hall started posting, but that's JMO. Any comments?

 

Dragon

 

 

[EVillageProwler]

Dragon,

 

I think I see your point. It would probably have been a good approach if DHall had simply said that they're learning from their mistakes, and ...

 

Instead, the great one got on and basically disavowed everything.

 

EVP

 

[braddick]

It's a Hollywood movie and everyone wants the staring role.

[Tradedollarnut]

As EVP has commented to me privately, the inference (without actually saying it) is that the departing President just wasn't doing his job. That just doesn't jive with what I've been told.

 

It's irrelevant to me the reasons for past performance - future performance and attitude will determine where they go from here.

[keithdagen]

I agree with EVP's assessment. For David to say that he hasn't been involved in a long time, and then to say that he fully supports the efforts of Opie and Miles, is a tactful way of saying that it must have been the prior administration.

 

Not very classy, but we're not looking for blame here, we're looking for solutions.

[EVillageProwler]

I recognize that blame isn't nearly as important as results, but ...

 

How can we arbitrarily draw the line (when assessing blame) at the Pres of PCGS and not at the CEO of CU? PCGS is one of the stellar units of CU, so it ill-behooves the head of CU to allow himself to be shut out of the goings-on at PCGS.

 

The reason why I feel it is worthwhile to try to assess blame is because if I did it correctly, then we ought to know who's still in charge over at CU and now assess the entirety of his conduct.

 

EVP

 

[keithdagen]

EVP,

 

David has said that he hasn't been involved in the day to day operations, but I know for a fact that he has been instrumental in getting the Registry going there with weightings.

 

Early on, I had some beefs with the Registry and e-mailed both Dave's (B & H). Dave B e-mailed me back and said that there was no need to e-mail him, that the Registry was a West Coast operation completely. I exchanged dozens of e-mails with Dave H during the weighting of the 20th Century Type sets, so he's been there in the trenches all along.

 

What has happened is he's reacting, and trying to make a show of force while making himself look better in light of this week's events. Only time will tell whether it's a show or a real effort.

[jtryka]

Let me get this straight, let's say the president of GM left and then a day or two later you learn he has gone over to lead DaimlerChrysler, would you believe all GM's problems were his fault? I could believe it if GM just canned him, but the subsequent move would lead all to believe the problems at GM were bigger than anyone suspected. Now substitute PCGS for GM and NGC for DaimlerChrysler.

[EVillageProwler]

I drive an Acura.

 

 

EVP

 

[jtryka]

Man, after reading some of the more recent threads over there, I give 10-1 odds they at least double the amount of mix they put in the Kool-aid!

[Guest]

YEP,

 

Suck Butt City over there.

[EVillageProwler]

Jeff,

 

I think most of the folks there entertain and encourage DHall with a great deal of sobriety. They want the best to happen, but they are realistic.

 

Of course, there are also those who got lead to the hard koolaid and drank copiously!

 

The weekend is fast approaching, and with that comes a new week of who-knows-what...

 

DHall is well regarded as an extremely intelligent businessman. But, can he sustain the goodwill over the weekend? There're plenty of sheep over there, and they're easily lead hither and thither.

 

I think there's one thing that DHall may have forgotten: that he needs to sustain the posting frenzy or else the masses won't have an excuse to cheer him on anymore; the appearance of remote and distant management will return.

 

That's the big problem of being viewed a deity, that to remain as such, one needs actually to continue to produce new material to retain his position.

 

EVP

 

[EVillageProwler]

In a way, I feel like a talking head that you see on TV spouting stuff about a recent major event even though I have absolutely no qualifications whatsoever to justify my commentary!

 

EVP

 

[jtryka]

Well, that hasn't stopped you before...

[Oldtrader3]

This sounds like a typical corporate slight-of-hand. First: Corporate Moral Play!!

 

First: Sacrifice of the innocent (or in this case partially innocent). Then the CEO (Our Hero) comes out publically and says, "He did it, and we fired him. Our hands are clean (see!) and things will be different now that he is gone (wink, wink!, applause, applause). (Followed by the Hero act) I personally am going to step back from my normal duties (playing golf) and take the reins of this company until things are back on track!! (they have to say "Back on Track" because they learned the term in B. School). Stock is immediately bought by analysts and spotlight fades.

 

I personally have heard this same diatribe in a couple companies that I have worked for. Trouble is, as soon as the spotlight is off these guys, things go back to normal. If they know how to "get back on track" they would not have gotten where they are in the first place.

[nwcs]

I think it is my optimistic nature showing, but I do not hold ill-will towards PCGS. In fact, the best thing is for them to prosper and for NGC to prosper. It leaves us with the best products.

 

It is my thought, though, that what David Hall is attempting to do is capture a similar sentiment Macintosh owners had when Steve Jobs came back to Apple with fanfare to lead them from the doldrums. While Jobs innovated much within Apple, the share didn't change all that much. I think that's the best case scenario here. There will be more enthusiasm among the faithful and the market share will stay about the same.

 

Neil

[EVillageProwler]

I want to be optimistic about PCGS, but I wish DHall would go away. He's a blight on all that I think is right about our hobby.

 

EVP

 

[shirohniichan]

He's a blight on all that I think is right about our hobby.

 

Now THAT's a memorable quote.

 

I think the whole set registry mania is the blight, but that's just me.

[swhuck]

I think the whole set registry mania is the blight, but that's just me.

 

No it's not...