Next Up Lawrence Taylor

When an athlete makes poor decisions does it affect their collectability? There are certain cases where the extreme action, such as OJ Simpson being accused of murder, will usually deter collectors, but in cases such as Ben Roethlisberger being twice accused of rape or Michael Vick doing time for his connection with dog fighting do we see a drop in collectability over the life of the player’s career and afterwards?

The most recent case is Lawrence Taylor, who today agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanors of improper sexual conduct involving a minor. If you do not know the case, he had sex with a 16-year old prostitute and was arrested last May. By pleading guilty to the lesser charges he is expected to be sentenced to 6-years’ probation, he will need to register as a sex-offender and he will be fined $2,000.

Only a handful of cards have been put up for action since the latest news but there is still over 900 LT cards up for sale. Most cards from his playing days are in the $1-2 range with relics and autograph cards starting around $5 each. Will he be stigmatized by his actions or will fans stand up and support the Hall of Famer?