How Much for a Used Smoke?

Steeler Auction Mania has officially reached a new low. It started with Mr. Bill's Second-Hand Store Auction, moved to "Buy Ben's Ride", then over to "Buy Ike's Ride", and now here we are, discussing the investment potential of Jack Lambert's used cigarette.

The seller's fantastic tale of acquiring said butt:

"WHEN I WAS OUTSIDE THE HOTEL MAKING SMALL TALK W/HIM WHILE HE WAS SMOKING HE THROUGH THIS BUTT ON THE GROUND & I GRABBED IT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE COLLECTABLE. HE SMOKED A FEW OTHER TIMES BUT HE PUT THOSE IN THAT LONG TUBE TYPE TRASH CAN OUTSIDE PLACES THEY PUT FOR BUTTS. IF YOU HAVE A PHOTO OF CARD OF LAMBERT,THIS WOULD BE COOL TO FRAME W/IT AS A CONVERSATION PIECE, YOU GET THE BUTT & THE SHERATON NAPKIN"

So not only do you get the butt, but you also get the used Sheraton napkin. I suppose it's some type of "certificate of authenticity" if you will. So tell me, celebrity garbage collectors...what kind of price should we expect on an item such as this?

This May Top Them All

This newly-listed auction makes the respective Cowher and Roethlisberger auctions pale in comparison. I present to you...

IKE TAYLOR'S 1986 Chevy Monte Carlo

Ike's car, spokesvehicle for this business' aforementioned "wheel specials"

The much-maligned defensive back is listing this through the same person currently peddling the Roethlisberger wheels. I don't know how one gets the job as celebrity car consignment salesman, but I wish I had the idea. I've never heard of another business that gets so much free publicity.

Consider this ride pimped

According to the auction, the car was custom built for Ike at a cost of $60,000. I'm guessing the majority of that money was spent on rims and speakers.

Beautiful, just beautiful.

So what's going on with the Steelers suddenly selling their rides? Cash shortage? Coach Tomlin coming down hard on everyone's high-priced toys? Guys saving up for a new ride? All of these seem like rational explanations, but I'll go out on a limb and guess that Ike wants to go back to the good ol' days of dragging along Uncle Francois in a tire.

Related:

Cowher Auction

Cowher Auction Wrapup

Roethlisberger Auction

Facemeike.com - Ike's homepage

Mondesi on the Man Station

Tonight I'll be making an apperance on Dave Dameshek's The Sports Contraption, on 93.7 The Zone - Pittsburgh's Man Station. The show runs from 7-10 PM, and I will appear at approximately 8:20.

We have a long list of things to talk about, including the Steeler draft, Adam LaRoche, Sidney Crosby on Time's 100 Most Influential List, the Cowher Auction, Michael Vick caught in a lie, and much more. Don't forget, you can listen live on The Zone's website. Hope you can tune in!

Cowherabilia Gone Wild

So, anybody out there remember that there was a certain Cowher Family Auction going on during draft weekend? Well, apparently at least 1,500 (1,400 online and 100 in-person) collectors of Cowherabilia united to buy items from the new collecting genre of celebrity second-hand items.

Highlights, you ask?

--The Steelers ice bucket went hurdling past the $100-$200 estimates, ending at a whopping $550. Rumor has it that a Bengals fan wanted to buy it so he could destroy it on Cincinnati TV. Seriously.

--The hammer fell at $120 on Bill's Steeler logo desk clock. Probably won't look good on his new desk in Carolina.

--The 27" Panasonic TV and VCR combo went for a mere $40. Many an AFC Championship Game was surely second-guessed with this equipment.

--The statue of Bacchus, the God of Wine, sold for just $90. Quite a deal when you consider a Cowher bobblehead currently sells for almost as much. Frankly, I'd rather have the bobblehead.

--The Waterford Crystal bowl sold for $250, below the estimate of up to $600. If nothing else, this proved that Cowher fans and collectors of fine crystal are birds of very different feathers.

So the Cowher Auction looked to be "great success", as Borat would say. The Cowhers generated some cash, the auction house gots tons of free publicity, and some Steeler fans now own their very own piece of The Chin. I'm hoping Bill and Kaye's positive experience will rub off on other departing Pittsburgh sports personalities. J-Peezy Auction, anyone?

Going Once, Going Twice...Chin! I Mean, Sold!

It may not be as prestigious as the JFK auction, but if you've always dreamed for your little piece of personal Cowherabilia, I have some exciting news. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Bill and Kaye have 134 lots of Cowher lore going up for auction on April 28 at Dargate Auction Galleries in Point Breeze.

There's virtually no memorabilia on the block, but you can own, among other things, Bill's pool table, a sculpture of Bacchus, and a king-sized bed from the Cowher Estate. The auction house has been working with Kaye Cowher, who gave them one condition: "Don't make it a circus."

No need for this anymore

Bidding will be available through Dargate's website, as well as through eBay. If you're planning on buying a 27" Panasonic TV and VCR set soon, why not wait a few weeks and take your shot at owning Mr. Bill's?