Screw these little signature bets!

miami_fan · 02-08-2007, 05:29 AM

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2757758

Quote:

Bears fan follows through on vow, changing name

Associated Press

DECATUR, Ill. -- How do you spell Scott Wiese?

In a few weeks, that'd be P-e-y-t-o-n M-a-n-n-i-n-g.

Wiese, a die-hard fan of the Chicago Bears, signed a pledge in front of a crowd at a Decatur bar last Friday night that if the Bears lost Sunday's Super Bowl, he'd change his name to that of the man who led the Indianapolis Colts to victory.

Final score: Colts 29, Bears 17.

So Tuesday, Wiese went to the Macon County Courts Facility and started the process of changing his name.

"I made the bet, and now I've got to keep it," the 26-year-old Wiese said.

Wiese will have to advertise his intention in the local newspaper -- the Herald & Review -- for several weeks and then have a judge give him the OK to become, legally anyway, Peyton Manning.

The men have little in common, Wiese acknowledges.

Manning is 30 years old, stands 6-foot-5 and has a contract with the Colts worth more than $100 million.

Wiese is 5-foot-11 and works at an office-supply store for somewhat less.

"I think I kind of represent all Bears fans," he said. "Not that I'm saying they're all idiots like me, but I represent their passion because I really care about my team, you know?"

Question for the lawyers types on FOFC. What prevent a judge from giving him the OK to change his name?

albionmoonlight · 02-08-2007, 08:07 AM

Hmmm... I'd have to look it up, but I think that a judge can block you from changing your name if you are doing it in order to impersonate a famous person or something like that.

Or, maybe more to the point, I think that you have to demonstrate that you are doing it "for good cause shown" or some such.

Anyway, I am pretty sure that you do not have a fundamental right to change your legal name.

gottimd · 02-08-2007, 08:09 AM

Now all he has to do is claim the pay check is his!

Logan · 02-08-2007, 08:31 AM

It must suck to have your team lose. But all things considered, this guy is probably pretty pleased that the QB who ended up leading the Colts to victory wasn't Jim Sorgi.

Scholes · 02-08-2007, 10:14 AM

It's a f#@%* football game.

MikeVic · 02-08-2007, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scholes

It's a f#@%* football game.

It's a funny football game?

Maple Leafs · 02-08-2007, 10:42 AM

I hear he's already signed three endorsement deals.

molson · 02-08-2007, 11:37 AM

It sounds like the part about advertising his new name in the paper for a few weeks might replace (at least in part) the "good reason" requirement in Illinois.

Logan · 02-08-2007, 01:09 PM

Don't all changes to things like public records need to be advertised in a local newspaper?

02-08-2007, 08:09 AM	#3
gottimd Dearly Missed (9/25/77-12/23/08) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: DC Suburbs	Now all he has to do is claim the pay check is his! __________________ NAFL New Orleans Saints GM/Co-Commish MP Career Record: 114-85 NAFL Super Bowl XI Champs In memory of Gavin Anthony: 7/22/08-7/26/08

02-08-2007, 10:42 AM	#7
Maple Leafs Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2002	I hear he's already signed three endorsement deals. __________________ Down Goes Brown: Toronto Maple Leafs Humor and Analysis

02-08-2007, 08:07 AM	#2
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	Hmmm... I'd have to look it up, but I think that a judge can block you from changing your name if you are doing it in order to impersonate a famous person or something like that. Or, maybe more to the point, I think that you have to demonstrate that you are doing it "for good cause shown" or some such. Anyway, I am pretty sure that you do not have a fundamental right to change your legal name.

02-08-2007, 08:31 AM	#4
Logan Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: NYC	It must suck to have your team lose. But all things considered, this guy is probably pretty pleased that the QB who ended up leading the Colts to victory wasn't Jim Sorgi.

02-08-2007, 10:14 AM	#5
Scholes High School Varsity Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. Paul, MN	It's a f#@%* football game.

02-08-2007, 11:37 AM	#8
molson General Manager Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: The Mountains	It sounds like the part about advertising his new name in the paper for a few weeks might replace (at least in part) the "good reason" requirement in Illinois.

02-08-2007, 01:09 PM	#9
Logan Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: NYC	Don't all changes to things like public records need to be advertised in a local newspaper?

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