In Ft. Worth, Gil LeBreton addresses Cowboys QB Dak Prescott's autograph scandal, writing he "isn't forging Jerry Jones' signature to checks." Rather, a machine is "being accused of duplicating Dak's autograph." The source of the story is Dallas-based Beckett Media. LeBreton: "What better way to call attention to its newly formed Beckett Authentication Services than to have one of its two top authenticators, Steve Grad, blow an easy whistle on the Cowboys quarterback?" In the Prescott case, "nobody is claiming anybody counterfeited anything." The "whistle being blown smacks of Beckett grandstanding at Prescott’s expense" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 7/7). In Dallas, Tim Cowlishaw wrote he did not believe the autograph story is a "big deal but there's not really a lot of information." Cowlishaw: "This could be a mistake by Dak. It could be a miscalculation. ... Players know they have to sign cards themselves and not have a machine do it" (DALLASNEWS.com, 7/6).
LICENSE AND REGISTRATION: In Chicago, Danny Ecker reported the number of Cubs-themed license plates on Illinois vehicles "jumped by a whopping" 65% since last summer to more than 10,000 tags statewide. That was "by far the largest increase by number of plates among the city's five major sports franchises over that stretch." Cubs plates surpassed Bears plates as the third-most common team-themed tags on the road, now "trailing only the Blackhawks and White Sox" (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 7/6).
FIRE UP THE ENGINE: In Cincinnati, Claude Thompson notes Corvetteparts.net will "continue to have" a logo on the No. 32 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford driven by Matt DiBenedetto at this weekend's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. The company is also "sponsoring BJ McLeod’s No. 8 Xfinity Series Chevrolet" in Friday’s Alsco 300. Corvetteparts.net focuses on "manufacturing and selling parts for Chevrolet Corvettes made as early" as '53 to present-day release models. They "ship parts to Corvette enthusiasts all over the world" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 7/7).
