I must have done something to make the collecting gods happy ... because The One That Got Away came back to me.

This month's Collecting Game-used item is a piece of photo-matched Sports Illustrated history and you can see it above -- well, sorta -- in all its glory on the Dec. 5, 2016, issue. If you watch Ballers at some point, you'll likely see it somewhere there, too, but that research wasn't necessary for this one this time.

So what's the deal?

In late 2020, a number of props, wardrobe pieces and other items used by cast members in Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's hit HBO series were on the block via Heritage Auctions and ScreenBid. Thanks to some dumb luck back then, I noticed something that the prop masters, the auction company and, based on the price, even the bidders didn't among the more than 500 items up for grabs. One of the suits that was sold -- and there were many in the sale as Ballers might be known for those as much as anything else in Spencer Strasmore's world -- also was worn on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The blue and black plaid custom-made jacket and pants were right there waiting for me at Heritage with a "designed for Dwayne Johnson" tag inside and an opening bid that was easily within my budget -- as long as the bidding didn't get too crazy. How did I know it was that one? I'll get to that. (Spoiler: It's just like matching other pieces in this series of memorabilia stories.)

I was beyond excited about the auction. I lost sleep over it for a couple days before the Sunday sale because this was such an interesting find -- a piece cooler than just something worn on screen. The live auction couldn't come fast enough. I scouted all of the lots, took notes on what I liked and what looked good for the price. I didn't dare mention this piece of trivia at all here on The Buzz, though, but I did tell a couple of relatives. (They looked at me like I was crazy when I mentioned the start price for something I'd never wear.) Another plus for me was that the lot was pretty deep in the auction lineup with many suits dropping before and several after.

Once the auctions started, I took notes about what other suits cost and I scouted back-up pieces I might want -- but nothing truly came close to this one. Nothing. Early on, suits sold for way less than I expected. It really could be mine I thought, though some suits in signature colors (grey/silver) potentially from key moments, posters and DVD covers did sell for more. When my lot finally came up an hour or two in, my fingers went cold. I was nervous. I might have hyperventilated a little (not really ... but maybe ... it's all a blur). I bid. So did somebody else. I bid again (my first bids in Heritage history). They did, too. Deep breaths. I bid again. Than I paused legitimately thinking it was mine as the clock ticked down in slow-motion ... and yet it was not. Things then instantaneously went into fast-forward and there was no time to react once I realized it was gone. I was done faster than Erick Rowan at WrestleMania 32. I was stunned like my chin had just met "Stone Cold." I was hotter than this 'Mania moment. I was out of it -- both the auction running and the world for a bit. It was gone and it hurt. I recovered, though, and later landed another piece with a story that was perhaps bigger so at least there was some Buzzing about the Ballers auction. (That's a classic item, too, if I do say so -- hit that link.) And this tale with The One That Got Away was over, going untold, more than a year ago.

So ... what's the deal in the here and now? Fast-forward to three weeks ago today and a not-yet-caffeinated Buzz checked some Friday-morning email and saw a props-for-sale message from Attro Digital -- a name I didn't recognize but it was essentially the same mailing list for ScreenBid that I had signed up for back in the day. By chance, something caught my eye, so I clicked.

And then I saw "Ballers" ...

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