Why are ‘authentication’ and ‘grading’ two different things?   First - when it comes to ‘authentication’ and ‘legit checks’ - I don’t think ANYONE has the keys to the castle. EVERY SINGLE SNEAKER CONS

Why are ‘authentication’ and ‘grading’ two different things?  
First - when it comes to ‘authentication’ and ‘legit checks’ - I don’t think ANYONE has the keys to the castle. EVERY SINGLE SNEAKER CONSIGNMENT SHOP AND ‘LEGIT CHECKER’ IN THE WORLD HAS BEEN TAKEN BY SOME FAKES. And if they tell you they haven’t - show them that clip of @yeezybusta get got on @fullsizerun LOL 
 
I hate parading around acting like I know what’s going on with authenticity. For the most part - I don’t care for the shoes that are most often faked. My authenticity checks are a scientific process - I generally take a very close look at the shoes in question and compare them to at least FIVE other pairs of authentic shoes. It’s not like I have some sixth sense or something - I’ve been collecting sneakers for more than 20 years so have an idea of what to look out for. There aren’t any ‘resources’ or ‘guides’ I look to. I just use my brain and powers of comparison. 
 
That being said - I get things wrong sometimes. And so have ALL of your favorite sneaker-lebrities and shop owners.  
 
But ‘grading’ is something different. Because...not to sound cocky...but through trial and error I painstakingly wrote the rules there. And I wrote the algorithm. And I wrote the software (with a bit of help from my friends). So I can determine whatever I want, however I want...and the thing is...y’all can hate...but if you look at my eBay feedback - you’ll notice that not a SINGLE buyer in the past 6-7 years has complained even once about the grade I’ve given on ANY pair of shoes I’ve graded. I’ve sold graded shoes for ~$20 and I’ve sold graded shoes for ~$10k and hundreds if not thousands pairs in between. And, although there might be a bit of subjectivity involved - everyone seems to agree with the system I built. I’m the king of the castle that I built.  
 
The ‘grade’ of something is not indicative of it’s ‘authenticity’. And ‘authenticity’ is not indicative of it’s ‘grade.’ I have control over one, I have no control over the other. It’s two separate things.