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Far Eastern Promises

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Whatever you think of the advertising patches that were worn in the A’s/Bosox series in Japan, one question remains: Why is uniform advertising used exclusively in these season-opening series in Japan?

Our resident expert on all things Far Eastern, Jeremy Brahm, tried to address this question in Tuesday’s comments:

Since the beginning of the MLB tours of Japan, two Japanese newspapers — the Yomiuri Shimbun (owner of the Yomiuri Giants) and the Mainichi Shinbun (which owned the Mainichi Orions, which are now the Chiba Lotte Marines — the paper currently has no ownership stake) — would split who sponsored the tour every two or three years. This has continued until recently.

Now, with the season-opening games, Yomiuri gets sponsorship precedence, because they own a portion of the Tokyo Dome and because of their historical support for MLB Tours.

The tours in the past have always had some sort of sponsorship. Now there are presenting sponsors, such as Ricoh — similar to the situation with a college bowl game.

Even after some private follow-up e-mailing with Jeremy, I don’t fully understand this, but the basic gist seems to be, “Professional baseball in Japan, including all-star tours by MLB players, has always included sponsorship, so that’s just the way it’s gonna be when you’re playing in Japan.”

Anyway: You probably know that American ballplayers have been visiting Japan for decades. The Yankees toured the Asian country in 1934 (details here), and there have been many, many all-star exhibition tours over the years. Most of these tours have had their own logos, and Jeremy has compiled some of the more recent ones: 1986, 1990, 1996, another one from 1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006.

Some additional notes:

• I never really paid any attention to MLB tours of Japan until the autumn of 2004, when a larger version of this photo caught my eye. Although you can’t tell in that thumbnail-size shot, Carl Crawford was wearing the road jersey that Tampa would eventually wear in 2005, with different lettering than the 2004 version — and, yes, he was also wearing an advertising sleeve patch. As it turns out, all the MLB players on that all-star tour were wearing Æon sleeve patches and helmet decals (additional views here and here), along with cap patches. Plus Roger Clemens was sporting some truly awful-looking hosiery logo creep. This all looks pretty clownish to me, but hey, these were just exhibition games — they’re allowed to look clownish. Maybe it’s even better if they look clownish, just to reinforce the point that the games don’t really matter and that it’s all in fun. But I still can’t get my head around the idea of wearing uniform advertising for games that count.

• The A’s and Mariners were supposed to open the 2003 season in Japan, but the series was cancelled due to security concerns arising from the Iraq War, which had just started. Programs, however, had already been printed.

• Jeremy has also found a page showing ticket stubs from assorted MLB tours of Japan. Several of them are flat-out gorgeous — check out the full page here.

• Also from Jeremy: This 1979 All-Star Game gym bag, apparently produced for Japanese fans.

• And just to bring us back to the present, Nicholas Schiavo notes that an Oakland player — not sure who — was wearing a sweatshirt in the dugout during Tuesday’s game. And what did that sweatshirt say? “2006 MLB Playoffs.” Wonder if he got fined for not wearing the official ad-sponsored Japan Series version.

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Pinstriped Mystery Solved (More or Less): Big thanks to all who responded to Monday’s entry (which focused on an old photo showing Dodgers wearing pinstripes, as seen at left) by suggesting that I get in touch with Dodgers team historian Mark Langill, a man whose acquaintance I clearly should have made long ago. I called his office on Monday afternoon and left a voicemail. When he called me back a few hours later, he said he was standing in the third base coach’s box at the Los Angeles Coliseum, where the Dodgers will be playing a throwback exhibition game against the Red Sox this Saturday. (By coincidence, the Dodgers’ 1958-style uniforms for that game are being furnished by Ebbets Field Flannels, and I was actually in the Ebbets office in Seattle a few weeks ago when the Dodgers called to order the uniforms. The good news: They’re going with classic wool flannels. The bad news: They’re using NOBs, which is soooooo bogus for a 1958 throwback. Sigh.)

Anyway: I e-mailed the photo in question to Langill, who immediately identified it as a 1964 spring training shot of minor league coaches. Apparently the Dodgers had several low-level minor league teams in their system that wore pinstripes along with the classic Dodgers script (Mark isn’t sure which ones are represented in the photo, but he’s working on that), and they were wearing “L.A.” caps because that’s what everyone wore for spring training purposes.

Still not sure about the spring training pics showing jerseys with “S” and “X” instead of uni numbers, but I’m trying to get Mark to explain that too.

Uni Watch News Ticker: Cool old newspaper basketball uniform available here. ”¦ A little birdie tells me that the Braves’ long-rumored blue alternate jersey may make its debut in the team’s very first game of the season, this Sunday against the Nats. “GM Frank Wren wants it to be a big surprise,” reports my source. “The Braves have delayed putting out their merchandise catalog this year solely because the road alternate jersey is featured in it. The feeling is that by unveiling them in this fashion (nationally televised game on ESPN), sales will be through the roof as soon as the catalog is sent.” Nice to see uniforms reduced to nothing more than a sales gimmick. ”¦ Best view yet of the “Japan 2008” logo. ”¦ Looks like Manny was back to his old, skanky “B” logo yesterday. ”¦ Speaking of Manny, according to a small item in the middle of this story, MLB wouldn’t let him use his “red-barreled, Diablo brand bat” in Japan, so “he just grabbed some ‘Japanese wood,’ in the form of a couple of SSX models” (with thanks to Tom Horgan). ”¦ The “Baseball as America” traveling exhibit is currently residing at the National Constitution Center in Philly. A bonus uniform-centric program will take place there at on Saturday, April 19th, from noon to 3pm, featuring Mitchell & Ness prexy Peter Capolino, M&N researcher (and frequent Uni Watch contributor) Jared Wheeler, and several Phillies old-timers. I’m gonna try to make it to Philly for this event. Assuming my schedule cooperates, we’ll have a Uni Watch party later that same day. Details to come soon-ishly. ”¦ Speaking of Peter and Jared, they just sent me this 1943 Sporting News item that explains the origin of the Cardinals’ birds-on-the-bat logo. ”¦ New Netherlands soccer kit here, here, and here. ”¦ Guess which sporting event I won’t be attending? (As horrifyingly reported by Mike Alper.) ”¦ According to this story, the Astros will wear green caps in honor of Earth Day on April 22nd (good find by Jason Chapman). ”¦ We all know the old pre-Photoshop phenomenon of Topps airbrushing photos of players who”d been traded. This blog recently ran a contest to pick the most egregious example from this field of choices. Results here (great discovery by Jason McCarty). ”¦ As you may have heard over the past few days, the NFL is considering a ban on long hair (that sound you just heard was Minna H. screaming in horror). ”¦ You’ve heard of throwback uniforms? Check this out: throwback police squad cars (courtesy of Billy Duss). ”¦ Well, that was fun while it lasted. ”¦ Attention Tim Witesock: Here’s the eBay auction of your dreams (with thanks to Jason Libes). ”¦ Good number-retirement cartoon from last week’s New Yorker. ”¦ More new soccer kits: Switzerland, Austria, Croatia (courtesy of Chris Palatinus). ”¦ And more discussion of the new USA black jersey here (with thanks to Mark Coale). ”¦ New policy at Northern Illinois: Football players who “skip class, show up late for team meetings or otherwise fail to live up to [head coach Jerry] Kill’s standards” have to wear a yellow shirt with pink “I Let My Team Down” lettering. Idiotic details here (as forwarded by Dan Streed). ”¦ Minnesota’s two pro soccer teams have new logos (with thanks to Joel Dunn). ”¦ Todd Taylor says this is the story behind the Rays using the same boring insignia for their home and road jerseys: “They did that intentionally, to build name recognition for the new team name. They will go to ‘Tampa Bay’ on the roads next season.” … The whole sports/gang connection refuses to die (with thanks to Chris Flinn). … The long-rumored Miami Hurricanes black alternate jersey will apparently look like this. … Wanna design a new secondary logo for the Colts? Look here. … I was going through some old files and came across a bit of info sent my way five or six years ago by SABR researcher Maxwell Kates. At the time, there was no such thing as this blog or even the Uni Watch News Ticker, so I had no place to publish little tidbits. But now, dear reader, you get to read the following: “Is it true that Wayland Moore was high on acid when he designed those uniforms worn by the Braves between 1972 and 1979? I’ve heard that story once before, but I can’t vouch for its accuracy. When Moore first designed those uniforms, the Braves were actually supposed to have worn red on the road. Hank Aaron took one look at the uniform and said, ‘I’m not wearing that. Take whatever is red, and make it blue.’ Moore complied and later altered the Braves’ road uniforms according to Aaron’s wishes. Aaron and Eddie Mathews were the only ones shown the red uniforms. Also, just out of curiosity, why did the 1985 Texas Rangers wear their 1986 uniforms for the last month of the season? I know that had the 1979 Montreal Expos made the playoffs, they would have worn the ‘racing stripe’ uniforms that were introduced by the team in 1980. That’s in Brodie Snyder’s The Year the Expos Almost Won the Pennant.” All of this is news to me — anyone know more about any of these?

 
  
 
Comments (146)

    Also, just out of curiosity, why did the 1985 Texas Rangers wear their 1986 uniforms for the last month of the season? I know that had the 1979 Montreal Expos made the playoffs, they would have worn the ‘racing stripe’ uniforms that were introduced by the team in 1980. That’s in Brodie Snyder’s The Year the Expos Almost Won the Pennant.” All of this is news to me – anyone know more about any of these?

    The White Sox changed from the navy and red to their current black and silver for the final two homestands and road trip of 1990 (the final season at old Comiskey Park).

    Paul, the Giants open up the NFL season on 9/4/08 at home against the Redskins. Do you think the “21” sticker will still be on the Redskins’ helmet at that point?

    I’m an Astros fan, and let me say that the green caps ideal is ridiculous. Cut the BS about the environment and just say you’re conducting a money grab. As if having a history full of umpteen uniform changes and colors doesn’t provide you with enough merchandise choices for your fans.

    Poster of the 1934 NY Yankees trip with Babe Ruth on it at the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
    link
    The poster which on the bottom left in red has Yomiuri Shinbun (owner of the Yomiuri newspaper and Giants) written from right to left. Even when I first saw this poster in Japan, I couldn’t understand how to read Suuru Buube, then I realized with old Japanese script then read right to left, hence Beebu Ruusu, Babe Ruth.

    The Colts site doesn’t have the registration form and no mention of how to send in your logo designs or what the deadline is- seems like some pretty key info that’s missing.

    It seems the entries will be weeded out and voted on by fans all within a month. My guess is the deadline is tomorrow.

    Uni-related note on the Japan barnstorming tours. According to the book “The Catcher Was a Spy,” the fascinating Moe Berg (catcher for the Dodgers and Red Sox) donned a kimono, snuck into, I believe, a hospital and took home movies of Tokyo harbor on a visit in the 30s.

    Allegedly, the War Department used that footage for WWII intelligence and then hired Berg to spy on physicist Werner Heisenberg in Switzerland.

    Of course, this is all according to Berg. It seems unlikely that any Japanese would have been fooled by a six-foot-tall Jewish boy from Newark in a kimono, but what do I know?

    [quote comment=”242948″]I’m an Astros fan, and let me say that the green caps ideal is ridiculous. Cut the BS about the environment and just say you’re conducting a money grab. As if having a history full of umpteen uniform changes and colors doesn’t provide you with enough merchandise choices for your fans.[/quote]

    I agree. I’m sure the cost of manufacturing the “link” caps will not be very eco friendly. I wish teams/corporations/people would actually BE eco-friendly instead of PORTRAY that they are.

    I liken it to the link for the breast cancer awareness. If all of these teams just donated the money it cost to produce all of these link to the research funds, it might be equal to the total amount that the awareness programs raised in the first place.

    Before anyone rips me and accuses me of maybe not being eco-friendly myself, I would say, you’re right. I’m not the MOST green person in the world (I do what I feel that I can). But at the same time I don’t preach that I am. I would call the latter the link syndrome.
    AND it would also be eco-friendly not to have to produce that many new pink items. link.

    I enjoy the Braves unveiling their uni like so. It ads some excitement to an already exciting game.

    New Netherlands soccer kit here, here, and here.

    When I read this, I thought we were going to get pictures of unis from the mid-1600s.

    [quote comment=”242944″]Paul, the Giants open up the NFL season on 9/4/08 at home against the Redskins.

    Do you think the “21” sticker will still be on the Redskins’ helmet at that point?[/quote]

    aaaaarrrrgghhhhhhh! Please, NO MORE!

    [quote comment=”242943″]The White Sox changed from the navy and red to their current black and silver for the final two homestands and road trip of 1990 (the final season at old Comiskey Park).[/quote]

    Are we sure this is entirely accurate? I know they wore the new uniforms for the last homestand (9/25-9/30 against MIN, MIL and SEA), and it’s possible they wore them for the last road trip (10/1-10/3 against BOS, although I don’t remember that either way), but the second-to-last homestand was 9/13-9/16 against Boston, and I was under the impression that the new uniforms were just for the last week (and if they did use the new road uniforms, you’d have thought they would use them between 9/17 and 9/24, too). Considering we have exact dates, probably wouldn’t be too hard of a research project, but I don’t have time to do it.

    [quote comment=”242951″]The Colts site doesn’t have the registration form and no mention of how to send in your logo designs or what the deadline is- seems like some pretty key info that’s missing.

    It seems the entries will be weeded out and voted on by fans all within a month. My guess is the deadline is tomorrow.[/quote]

    I was able to find the link, you speak of, pretty easily.

    The White Sox certainly wore the new road uniforms at Fenway during the last week of the 1990 season. Isn’t there a somewhat famous highlight of Tom Brunansky making an outstanding catch to end one of those games and clinch the pennant for Boston?

    The Red Sox in 1972, I think, introduced their new uniforms at the All-Star Game in Atlanta.

    My friend and former co-worker, Gary, actually designed the Baseball as America logo, you can see the rest of his work link.

    I’m also pretty sure the White Sox wore their new unis for at least two weeks or so. They played quite a few games in them if I recall.

    That was the last year of Old Comiskey Park, and there was a lot of fanfare surrounding those final homestands.

    They also could have wanted to give the new uniforms their own introduction, as the next year would be focused around the new park.

    [quote comment=”242962″]The White Sox certainly wore the new road uniforms at Fenway during the last week of the 1990 season. Isn’t there a somewhat famous highlight of Tom Brunansky making an outstanding catch to end one of those games and clinch the pennant for Boston?

    The Red Sox in 1972, I think, introduced their new uniforms at the All-Star Game in Atlanta.[/quote]

    The White Sox most certainly did wear their new uniforms for that series in 1990. I was in college in Boston at the time and my apartment was so close to Fenway that we would watch the night games on our roof with the sound turned down so we could hear the fan noise.

    Bruno’s catch clinched the AL East for the Sox that year – which begat Roger Clemens’ “Ninja Turtle Day” in Oakland.

    [quote comment=”242962″]The White Sox certainly wore the new road uniforms at Fenway during the last week of the 1990 season. Isn’t there a somewhat famous highlight of Tom Brunansky making an outstanding catch to end one of those games and clinch the pennant for Boston?

    The Red Sox in 1972, I think, introduced their new uniforms at the All-Star Game in Atlanta.[/quote]

    I’m positive on the White Sox wearing their ’91 jerseys to close out the ’90 season both at home and on the road. The Brunansky catch was on a ball hit by current WS manager Ozzie Guillen. This was also the season where Bobby Thigpen set the saves record which means the new mark was set in the new uniform.

    [quote comment=”242964″]I’m also pretty sure the White Sox wore their new unis for at least two weeks or so. They played quite a few games in them if I recall.
    [/quote]

    Ok, did a bit of research on chicagotribune.com:

    9/6/90 – “Confirming weeks of speculation, the White Sox said Wednesday they will wear their new uniforms the last week of the season.”

    9/25/90 – “He won’t be alone in his reverie, starting Tuesday when the Sox unveil their new pinstriped uniforms at 7:05 p.m. against Minnesota.”

    So it looks like it was just the last week.

    The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.

    [quote comment=”242946″]link

    so are the colts looking for a garden hose?[/quote]

    Aww, Ben! You beat me to it! Here’s to proper spelling and grammar! :)

    David Beckham had 100th cap for England yesterday and wore linkto mark occasion, at the end of the match, one of the French team wanted to swap shirts with him, he politely declined the offer.

    So… on that photo (apparently a magazine page) of Ruud van Nistelrooy modeling the new Holland national team kit, why are the words “Sport Interview” in English at the top of a page that’s otherwise entirely in Dutch? Also, who knew that the Dutch spelling of Ruud’s name is “Van Nistelrooij”? And given that, why does it always appear as “Van Nistelrooy” in the English-language press and, more importantly, on the back of his Real Madrid shirt?

    [quote comment=”242953″][quote comment=”242948″]I’m an Astros fan, and let me say that the green caps ideal is ridiculous. Cut the BS about the environment and just say you’re conducting a money grab. As if having a history full of umpteen uniform changes and colors doesn’t provide you with enough merchandise choices for your fans.[/quote]

    I agree. I’m sure the cost of manufacturing the “link” caps will not be very eco friendly. I wish teams/corporations/people would actually BE eco-friendly instead of PORTRAY that they are.

    I liken it to the link for the breast cancer awareness. If all of these teams just donated the money it cost to produce all of these link to the research funds, it might be equal to the total amount that the awareness programs raised in the first place.

    Before anyone rips me and accuses me of maybe not being eco-friendly myself, I would say, you’re right. I’m not the MOST green person in the world (I do what I feel that I can). But at the same time I don’t preach that I am. I would call the latter the link syndrome.
    AND it would also be eco-friendly not to have to produce that many new pink items. link.[/quote]

    Just to be a p.i.t.a., but wouldn’t the harming of avian creatures be considered not eco-friendly?

    Seriously though, I agree with what you are saying.

    Also, what is with the rampant link games in SP? It’s disturbing!

    [quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”

    “So… on that photo (apparently a magazine page) of Ruud van Nistelrooy modeling the new Holland national team kit, why are the words “Sport Interview” in English at the top of a page that’s otherwise entirely in Dutch? Also, who knew that the Dutch spelling of Ruud’s name is “Van Nistelrooij”? And given that, why does it always appear as “Van Nistelrooy” in the English-language press and, more importantly, on the back of his Real Madrid shirt?”

    That’s the Dutch digraph IJ (see here: link). Steve Yzerman’s family, before they moved to Canada and the name was anglicized, spelled their last name IJzerman.

    Say thanks to your little birdie Paul I was actually looking for any news on the Blue jersey yesterday so I could order one so I am glad they are going to make them I really want a new Braves jersey this year can’t wait for it to become available to order. Any word on if it will say Atlanta? It should but the Rays show that that’s not always the case.

    [quote comment=”242953″][quote comment=”242948″]I’m an Astros fan, and let me say that the green caps ideal is ridiculous. Cut the BS about the environment and just say you’re conducting a money grab. As if having a history full of umpteen uniform changes and colors doesn’t provide you with enough merchandise choices for your fans.[/quote]

    I agree. I’m sure the cost of manufacturing the “link” caps will not be very eco friendly. I wish teams/corporations/people would actually BE eco-friendly instead of PORTRAY that they are.[/quote]

    Yr word of the day: link.

    Shameful, and ripe for ridicule. Celebrating Earth Day at the former Enron Field, built proudly by Halliburton and widely festooned with advertising thereof? Where I can’t locate an out-of-town scoreboard but there are two tickers showing energy industry stock and oil prices? Where the roof is closed and the A/C cranked even when it’s not even hot outside?

    Oy gevalt.

    Peter: I live in Philly. If you are looking for a good place to meet we can always discuss. Good Center City Bars.

    About halfway down on this article link it says that the Philadelphia Phantoms will be wearing replica jerseys of the ’68-’69 Flin Flon Bombers in honor of Bobby Clarke. Here’s a picture of the original jersey. link

    The Rangers started wearing their ’86 uniforms midway through ’85 season, according to Mark Okkonen’s classic book “Baseball Uniforms of the 20th Century” (1991). Why, I do not know.

    [quote comment=”242986″][quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”[/quote]

    Bravo! I’ll do the same! I think the MLS should do more to revive the old NASL nicknames, they did it with the San Jose Earthquakes, and if the Tampa Bay team had been able to be called the link rather than “Mutiny” IMHO they’d still exist in MLS.

    [quote comment=”242986″][quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”[/quote]

    I wrote in Seattle Sounders as well. Maybe if enough of us do a write-in for Sounders thay’ll pick it.

    [quote comment=”243006″][quote comment=”242986″][quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”[/quote]

    I wrote in Seattle Sounders as well. Maybe if enough of us do a write-in for Sounders thay’ll pick it.[/quote]

    I’ll be doing the same once I get home. Work computers block 99% of the MLS site’s content. The Sounders is a great and unique name, to lose it would be a shame, especially considering the terrible choices they came up with. Seriously though, European traditon aside, why are they naming teams ____FC or FC____ when we call it soccer. Why not Seattle SC? Am I the only one who shakes his head when they hear FC Dallas??

    [quote comment=”243006″]
    I wrote in Seattle Sounders as well. Maybe if enough of us do a write-in for Sounders thay’ll pick it.[/quote]

    That’s the general idea….

    Hey Paul,
    Do you know a good site to knee high socks for baseball, in particular striped socks???

    Thanks,
    -B

    [quote comment=”242986″][quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”[/quote]

    I did the same…and mine counts twice since I have reserved two season tickets.

    [quote comment=”242945″]”A’s hoody guy” looks like Huston Street.[/quote]Yea, it’s definitley him.

    [quote comment=”243014″][quote comment=”242945″]”A’s hoody guy” looks like Huston Street.[/quote]Yea, it’s definitley him.[/quote]

    I don’t know why he would want to be reminded of the 2006 playoffs after dishing up the series ending home run to Magglio Ordonez.

    [quote comment=”242981″]So… on that photo (apparently a magazine page) of Ruud van Nistelrooy modeling the new Holland national team kit, why are the words “Sport Interview” in English at the top of a page that’s otherwise entirely in Dutch? Also, who knew that the Dutch spelling of Ruud’s name is “Van Nistelrooij”? And given that, why does it always appear as “Van Nistelrooy” in the English-language press and, more importantly, on the back of his Real Madrid shirt?[/quote]

    Sport and Interview are both words that are used in Dutch as well…
    I love the new Netherlands kits too, Im glad they got rid of the collars that were on the old ones and I love how they put the first lines of “Het Wilhelmus” (the Dutch “national anthem”) on the inside of the collar, I think its a really cool touch

    Looking at the story’s second link, of the Bosox player’s right shoulder,I have to ask. Who was the wise guy that decided to put EMC2 patches on the jerseys of American players that are playing in Japan of all places?

    Looking at those Japanese Tour ticket stubs, the Japanese philosophy of baseball is evident. An American ticket stub would have featured the stars and home runs. Japan, based on the ticket stubs, seems to love a close play at second.

    Odd how the Airbrush Invitational Rodeo excluded pre-1974 entries. They missed this link. Also, how many link were “redesigned” by Topps?

    [quote comment=”243008″][quote comment=”243006″][quote comment=”242986″][quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”[/quote]

    I wrote in Seattle Sounders as well. Maybe if enough of us do a write-in for Sounders thay’ll pick it.[/quote]

    I’ll be doing the same once I get home. Work computers block 99% of the MLS site’s content. The Sounders is a great and unique name, to lose it would be a shame, especially considering the terrible choices they came up with. Seriously though, European traditon aside, why are they naming teams ____FC or FC____ when we call it soccer. Why not Seattle SC? Am I the only one who shakes his head when they hear FC Dallas??[/quote]

    Pretty big Portland Timbers fan here, and I will admit that I’m even very disappointed with the fact that they may not be called the Sounders. That owner needs to wake up.

    And as for the whole “FC” thing, completely agree. While I’d rather they all just stuck with American style names, if they’re going to choose a Euro tradition then use “SC”. A few clubs in Europe use it anyway, for “Sports Club”.

    [quote comment=”243005″][quote comment=”242986″][quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”[/quote]

    Bravo! I’ll do the same! I think the MLS should do more to revive the old NASL nicknames, they did it with the San Jose Earthquakes, and if the Tampa Bay team had been able to be called the link rather than “Mutiny” IMHO they’d still exist in MLS.[/quote]

    It would nice if it were that simple.

    “So how are people doing so far in the Uni Watch pool?”

    I’m sure I’m out of it, but so far I have 65…and will probably end with 65. :-)
    (Nova =24; W.Ky =24; Kansas St =11; Marquette =6; Zona and St. Joe’s = 0). Gotta love March Madness…

    [quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]
    Write in is available too.

    Seattle Sounders!

    [quote comment=”242950″]“A Philly UniWatch Party and it’s the one weekend i’ll be out of town.”[/quote]

    I’m there!

    I personally liked the USMNT Soccer Kits. They are not black. They are a cross between a charcoal color and a midnight blue. I think they look sharp and distinctive. They are simple, but unique.

    DIG THOSE NEW NETHERLANDS Uni’s. Are those socks Mint? It might just be the filter on the image.

    I shake my head in disgust at the new font Puma is using on their soccer templates.

    [quote comment=”243028″]“So how are people doing so far in the Uni Watch pool?”

    I’m sure I’m out of it, but so far I have 65…and will probably end with 65. :-)
    (Nova =24; W.Ky =24; Kansas St =11; Marquette =6; Zona and St. Joe’s = 0). Gotta love March Madness…[/quote]
    Doing better than me, brother:
    My six teams:

    Tennessee = 4
    Pittsburgh = 4
    UCLA = 2
    Georgetown = 2
    St. Mary’s = 0
    West Virginia = 14

    TOTAL = 26

    Any chance of qualifying for the boobie prize of having the lowest point total? Maybe a plain purple RBK Edge jersey with a green dot on the back and a yellow C on the front? ;-)

    No. I refuse to accept a ban on long hair in the NFL (though I love the accompanying pic). If Troy himself is not concerned about his safety (no pun intended), then let the long locks flow for the betterment of my sports’ viewing enjoyment.

    Thanks, Paul, for ruining my day. I need chocolate.

    The pool: I had San Diego picked–in my head. I think Siena is the only team I picked that actually won. I like the booby prize idea–as long as it’s not pink (whatever it is).

    [quote comment=”243026″][quote comment=”243008″][quote comment=”243006″][quote comment=”242986″][quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”[/quote]

    I wrote in Seattle Sounders as well. Maybe if enough of us do a write-in for Sounders thay’ll pick it.[/quote]

    I’ll be doing the same once I get home. Work computers block 99% of the MLS site’s content. The Sounders is a great and unique name, to lose it would be a shame, especially considering the terrible choices they came up with. Seriously though, European traditon aside, why are they naming teams ____FC or FC____ when we call it soccer. Why not Seattle SC? Am I the only one who shakes his head when they hear FC Dallas??[/quote]

    Pretty big Portland Timbers fan here, and I will admit that I’m even very disappointed with the fact that they may not be called the Sounders. That owner needs to wake up.

    And as for the whole “FC” thing, completely agree. While I’d rather they all just stuck with American style names, if they’re going to choose a Euro tradition then use “SC”. A few clubs in Europe use it anyway, for “Sports Club”.[/quote]

    There’s AFC (Association Football Club) as well, quite commonly used for sides in places where another code of football is dominant (cf Hull City, Leeds United,) which saves on creating/misusing an SC.

    [quote comment=”243020″]Looking at the story’s second link, of the Bosox player’s right shoulder,I have to ask. Who was the wise guy that decided to put EMC2 patches on the jerseys of American players that are playing in Japan of all places?[/quote]

    Very interesting point but I am certain that only we uni-watchers would have ever made that connection.

    They might as well have placed link on the patch!

    [quote comment=”243030″][quote comment=”242973″]“The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.”
    “Write in is available too.”[/quote][/quote]

    I say in the words of Emril Lagasse that we kick this bad boy up another notch, and vote in the write-in for Emerald City Sounders AFC. “AFC” are the initials for “Association Football Club”. If KC can have the Wizards, let’s get another Wizard of Oz reference into MLS and put Seattle’s unofficial nickname into play. That’ll make the host of The Price is Right happy.

    My main hope for the new jerseys for my beloved Braves: they actually have the script “Braves” or “Atlanta” with the tomahawk. I don’t want it to be simply the new “Tomahawk-A” logo over the heart, it would look like a cheap little league travel team logo.

    The most awesome option would be the aforementioned throwback blues from the 70s, a la the Brewers and Blue Jays, but they wouldn’t do that simply for road games.

    [quote comment=”243038″]“Maybe a plain purple RBK Edge jersey with a green dot on the back and a yellow C on the front?” ;-)[/quote]

    link

    [quote comment=”243038″]“Maybe a plain purple RBK Edge jersey with a green dot on the back and a yellow C on the front?” ;-)[/quote]

    link

    And fixed.

    There is hope: link, Ralphie stays at Boulder, but the University of Colorado is hinting at “expansion”.

    [quote comment=”243016″]
    Sport and Interview are both words that are used in Dutch as well…
    I love the new Netherlands kits too, Im glad they got rid of the collars that were on the old ones and I love how they put the first lines of “Het Wilhelmus” (the Dutch “national anthem”) on the inside of the collar, I think its a really cool touch[/quote]

    Cool, I hadn’t been able to make out what was written on the inside of the collar.

    Here are some more of the Holland kit, mostly promo shots with Huntelaar:

    link
    link
    link
    link
    link

    Note sure if I dig the blue socks as much, I don’t think the light blue fits in too much with the darker blue that’s on the collar. I also liked the old badge better with no polygonal border around the KNVB logo.

    Some additional if about IJ and correct me if I’m wrong, but the IJ digraph is usually changed to make pronunciation of Dutch words using it easier for non-Dutch speakers. A big example is the soccer club Feyenoord Rotterdam, which was originially spelled Feijenoord (named after part of the city, the stadium still uses this spelling), but the club name was changed in the 70’s as they gained international recognition.

    [quote comment=”243058″][quote comment=”243038″]“Maybe a plain purple RBK Edge jersey with a green dot on the back and a yellow C on the front?” ;-)[/quote]

    link

    And fixed.[/quote]
    Was the “wink” emoticon not enough of a hint, or do I need to make sure I hit the “sarcasm” tag first? :-)

    Well, pretty much dead in my tracks for the pool:

    North Carolina = 2
    Memphis = 2
    Georgia = 0
    Marquette = 6
    George Mason = 0
    Kansas = 2

    Total so far, 12 pts. Too many Cinderellas in my picks.

    ~E~

    My picks were”….just a big ol’ frozen chunk of poopy.”

    Pitt = 4
    Texas = 4(still alive)
    Drake = 0
    Purdue = 6
    Wisconsin = 6(still alive)
    West Virginia = 14(still alive)

    Total = 34….aka not enough of the little guys.

    “See that peanut? Dead giveaway.”

    [quote comment=”242967″][quote comment=”242962″]The White Sox certainly wore the new road uniforms at Fenway during the last week of the 1990 season. Isn’t there a somewhat famous highlight of Tom Brunansky making an outstanding catch to end one of those games and clinch the pennant for Boston?

    The Red Sox in 1972, I think, introduced their new uniforms at the All-Star Game in Atlanta.[/quote]

    The White Sox most certainly did wear their new uniforms for that series in 1990. I was in college in Boston at the time and my apartment was so close to Fenway that we would watch the night games on our roof with the sound turned down so we could hear the fan noise.

    Bruno’s catch clinched the AL East for the Sox that year – which begat Roger Clemens’ “Ninja Turtle Day” in Oakland.[/quote]

    Bruno’s catch in the right field corner still ranks as one of my all-time Red Sox moments. After the 1990 ALCS, Clemens was on Letterman. Letterman asked Roger what he said to the umpire to be ejected from the game. Roger responded that he had said “vacuum” to the umpire. (Stand in front of a mirror and say “vacuum” and “f**k you”)

    [quote comment=”242952″]Uni-related note on the Japan barnstorming tours. According to the book “The Catcher Was a Spy,” the fascinating Moe Berg (catcher for the Dodgers and Red Sox) donned a kimono, snuck into, I believe, a hospital and took home movies of Tokyo harbor on a visit in the 30s.

    Allegedly, the War Department used that footage for WWII intelligence and then hired Berg to spy on physicist Werner Heisenberg in Switzerland.

    Of course, this is all according to Berg. It seems unlikely that any Japanese would have been fooled by a six-foot-tall Jewish boy from Newark in a kimono, but what do I know?[/quote]

    Moe Berg was very smart (Princeton and Columbia Law School), spoke multiple languages, but not much of a ball player. Apparently he was a good guy to have around so he was in the majors as a back-up catcher hitting not much above the Mendoza line for a number of years. Yogi Berra had a great quote about him: “Moe Berg can speak six languages but can’t hit in a single one of them!”

    [quote comment=”243064″][quote comment=”243016″]
    Sport and Interview are both words that are used in Dutch as well…
    I love the new Netherlands kits too, Im glad they got rid of the collars that were on the old ones and I love how they put the first lines of “Het Wilhelmus” (the Dutch “national anthem”) on the inside of the collar, I think its a really cool touch[/quote]

    Cool, I hadn’t been able to make out what was written on the inside of the collar.

    Here are some more of the Holland kit, mostly promo shots with Huntelaar:

    link
    link
    link
    link
    link

    Note sure if I dig the blue socks as much, I don’t think the light blue fits in too much with the darker blue that’s on the collar. I also liked the old badge better with no polygonal border around the KNVB logo.

    Some additional if about IJ and correct me if I’m wrong, but the IJ digraph is usually changed to make pronunciation of Dutch words using it easier for non-Dutch speakers. A big example is the soccer club Feyenoord Rotterdam, which was originially spelled Feijenoord (named after part of the city, the stadium still uses this spelling), but the club name was changed in the 70’s as they gained international recognition.[/quote]

    those socks seem to match the away jerseys, link

    as usual I cant get links to work, but the away jerseys are the same sky blue-ish color as those socks

    [quote comment=”243083″][quote comment=”242952″]Uni-related note on the Japan barnstorming tours. According to the book “The Catcher Was a Spy,” the fascinating Moe Berg (catcher for the Dodgers and Red Sox) donned a kimono, snuck into, I believe, a hospital and took home movies of Tokyo harbor on a visit in the 30s.

    Allegedly, the War Department used that footage for WWII intelligence and then hired Berg to spy on physicist Werner Heisenberg in Switzerland.

    Of course, this is all according to Berg. It seems unlikely that any Japanese would have been fooled by a six-foot-tall Jewish boy from Newark in a kimono, but what do I know?[/quote]

    Moe Berg was very smart (Princeton and Columbia Law School), spoke multiple languages, but not much of a ball player. Apparently he was a good guy to have around so he was in the majors as a back-up catcher hitting not much above the Mendoza line for a number of years. Yogi Berra had a great quote about him: “Moe Berg can speak six languages but can’t hit in a single one of them!”[/quote]

    the sports century on moe berg is one of the best theyve made.

    As [quote comment=”242954″]I enjoy the Braves unveiling their uni like so. It ads some excitement to an already exciting game.[/quote]

    The Phillies did this in 1992 when they switched over to their current style. They wore the old colors/uniforms for all of spring training and didn’t unveil the new logo, uniforms, or caps until opening day 1992.

    [quote comment=”243072″]Well, pretty much dead in my tracks for the pool:

    North Carolina = 2
    Memphis = 2
    Georgia = 0
    Marquette = 6
    George Mason = 0
    Kansas = 2

    Total so far, 12 pts. Too many Cinderellas in my picks.

    ~E~[/quote]

    Too many cinderellas? What are you drinking. NC, KU and Memphis are #1’s. I got more points with a first round Kansas State win than you would get if NC plays Memphis in the final.

    [quote comment=”243026″][quote comment=”243008″][quote comment=”243006″][quote comment=”242986″][quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”[/quote]

    I wrote in Seattle Sounders as well. Maybe if enough of us do a write-in for Sounders thay’ll pick it.[/quote]

    I’ll be doing the same once I get home. Work computers block 99% of the MLS site’s content. The Sounders is a great and unique name, to lose it would be a shame, especially considering the terrible choices they came up with. Seriously though, European traditon aside, why are they naming teams ____FC or FC____ when we call it soccer. Why not Seattle SC? Am I the only one who shakes his head when they hear FC Dallas??[/quote]

    Pretty big Portland Timbers fan here, and I will admit that I’m even very disappointed with the fact that they may not be called the Sounders. That owner needs to wake up.

    And as for the whole “FC” thing, completely agree. While I’d rather they all just stuck with American style names, if they’re going to choose a Euro tradition then use “SC”. A few clubs in Europe use it anyway, for “Sports Club”.[/quote]

    Those “sports club” use it because, they usually fit the definition of sports club, in that they have teams in more than one sport. Seattle Sports Club sounds like a gym, not a soccer team. I understand the desire to get away from european naming but, I got news for ya, at the youth level, teams go by names like FC delco, FC Westchester etc, FC Oyster Bay. Whether you call it soccer or football, the naming of a club should be FC, but thats just my opinion.

    Not sure if you guys have seen the Sports Illustrated baseball preview issue. They use Uni numbers for each team’s predicted rank within their division.

    Just looking at it quickly I noticed the Reds have some crazy looking numbers- is that new this year? Nothing else jumped out at me but I’m sure folks on here will pick it apart. They apparently didn’t avoid retired numbers- they had the Yankees #1 in the AL East.

    I checked and they don’t have this online.

    [quote comment=”243094″][quote comment=”243072″]Well, pretty much dead in my tracks for the pool:

    North Carolina = 2
    Memphis = 2
    Georgia = 0
    Marquette = 6
    George Mason = 0
    Kansas = 2

    Total so far, 12 pts. Too many Cinderellas in my picks.

    ~E~[/quote]

    Too many cinderellas? What are you drinking. NC, KU and Memphis are #1’s. I got more points with a first round Kansas State win than you would get if NC plays Memphis in the final.[/quote]

    Exactly. I hoped that Georgia would make the sweet 16 (ugh, this coming from a Tech guy…sheesh), because they got hot at the right time. Also felt like Marquette would go deep, and I just grabbed George Mason because they were a low seed, and, well, I hate Notre Dame. If any of those guys won a game or two, it would have been gravy. But they didn’t (well, Marquette won one). And the #1 seeds were because I wanted some points.

    Basketball futility.

    ~E~

    Totally unrelated to anything uniform story:

    When I was in school at the University of Arizona I did play by play for their softball team (When Jennie Finch was a freshman)
    One of the most interesting aspects of their uniforms – other than the 80’s style elastic waistband pants – was the fact that their player wore REVERSIBLE stirrups. I have never seen it on any other team, baseball or softball. Now, I’ve finally found some good pics to include.

    link

    link

    And oh yeah, that’s K’Lee Arredondo…if you move past the stirrups she’s not bad to look at either.

    One more Arizona Softball pic…
    I’d imagine that you anti-Nike guys could get past the logo creep in this one

    link

    [quote comment=”243095″][quote comment=”243026″][quote comment=”243008″][quote comment=”243006″][quote comment=”242986″][quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”[/quote]

    I wrote in Seattle Sounders as well. Maybe if enough of us do a write-in for Sounders thay’ll pick it.[/quote]

    I’ll be doing the same once I get home. Work computers block 99% of the MLS site’s content. The Sounders is a great and unique name, to lose it would be a shame, especially considering the terrible choices they came up with. Seriously though, European traditon aside, why are they naming teams ____FC or FC____ when we call it soccer. Why not Seattle SC? Am I the only one who shakes his head when they hear FC Dallas??[/quote]

    Pretty big Portland Timbers fan here, and I will admit that I’m even very disappointed with the fact that they may not be called the Sounders. That owner needs to wake up.

    And as for the whole “FC” thing, completely agree. While I’d rather they all just stuck with American style names, if they’re going to choose a Euro tradition then use “SC”. A few clubs in Europe use it anyway, for “Sports Club”.[/quote]

    Those “sports club” use it because, they usually fit the definition of sports club, in that they have teams in more than one sport. Seattle Sports Club sounds like a gym, not a soccer team. I understand the desire to get away from european naming but, I got news for ya, at the youth level, teams go by names like FC delco, FC Westchester etc, FC Oyster Bay. Whether you call it soccer or football, the naming of a club should be FC, but thats just my opinion.[/quote]

    Well if you’d have actually read what I said I said use Seattle SC for SOCCER CLUB, not sporting club like in Europe. I realize youth clubs might use it, although I’ve never seen any in my neck of the woods. So you really think that using FC in the US makes sense? Explain how….because IMO it makes no sense at all seeing as noone born here calls it football. I realize that some kids found it cool to call it football when I was little because their d-bag, suedo-British soccer coach tried to convince them otherwise, but sorry we’ve already got a sport called football and that isn’t changing. To go along with that DC United doesn’t make any sense either. My understanding is that teams were called united because, in the days of yore, 2 or more teams combined, and made their new name United to show that union. Just my 2 222 cents on the subject.

    Im at 48 points…west virginia, davidson, louisville, unc, xavier, and usc…not much of a chance for much more, especially since my highest scoring team is davidson, whom i hope will be CRUSHED by my Badgers tomorrow night…

    [quote comment=”243072″]Well, pretty much dead in my tracks for the pool:

    North Carolina = 2
    Memphis = 2
    Georgia = 0
    Marquette = 6
    George Mason = 0
    Kansas = 2

    Total so far, 12 pts. Too many Cinderellas in my picks.

    ~E~[/quote]

    12? Wow. I thought nobody would (could?) do worse than my 15 and done, though I guess there’s still a chance. All teams picked PURELY by uniform/logo aesthetics:

    Indiana – 0
    Arkansas – 9
    Pitt – 4
    Cornell – 0
    BYU – 0
    Duke – 2

    Deke Scram, up with the Tigers for a few games during camp, is wearing a double-flapped batting helmet. Definitely looks out of place.

    It is great that the Dodgers will be wearing throwbacks for the Coliseum game against the Red Sox.

    Too bad Ramirez will ruin it by looking like a slob.

    He is a disgrace.

    So, I’m watching the Cubs-Brewers game on WGN and there’s a LOT of interesting stuff going on. Right off the bat, while the Cubs are wearing there normal season home jerseys, the Brewers are all over the place. Marrow (49, who isn’t on there 40 man, nor there non-roster) is wearing a navy jersey with a gold stripe going under his armpit, while the rest of the team is wearing the normal spring training jerseys. And on top of that, there’s a mix of the 3930s and the 5950s for the Brews. Apparently, no one is keeping an eye on dress code there.

    And something else I just realized. The Brews pitcher (Narrow or Marrow or something like that) is wearing 49. Odd because it’s Yovani Gallardo number. Weird stuff.

    Speaking of Manny, according to a small item in the middle of this story, MLB wouldn’t let him use his “red-barreled, Diablo brand bat” in Japan, so “he just grabbed some ‘Japanese wood,’ in the form of a couple of SSX models” (with thanks to Tom Horgan).

    It’s actually link, not SSX.

    (Paul quoted it correctly, but they had it wrong in the original article.)

    Bob Brenly just mentioned during a Cubs telecast when talking about the high numbers these minor league prospects wear that one year the Oakland A’s had so many non-roster invitees, some of the players were actually wearing triple digit numbers, like 101, 103, 104, etc.

    Anyone have any more information on that? Pictures?

    [quote comment=”243112″]And something else I just realized. The Brews pitcher (Narrow or Marrow or something like that) is wearing 49. Odd because it’s Yovani Gallardo number. Weird stuff.[/quote]

    apparently his name is samuel narron and hes jerry narrons nephew…according to this article

    link

    the two teams have normal lineups but are pitching their scrubs (I could make a comment about how I feel about the Cubs here, but Im attempting to be diplomatic–go BREWERS!!!)

    [quote comment=”243099″]Totally unrelated to anything uniform story:

    When I was in school at the University of Arizona I did play by play for their softball team (When Jennie Finch was a freshman)
    One of the most interesting aspects of their uniforms – other than the 80’s style elastic waistband pants – was the fact that their player wore REVERSIBLE stirrups. I have never seen it on any other team, baseball or softball. Now, I’ve finally found some good pics to include.

    link

    link

    And oh yeah, that’s K’Lee Arredondo…if you move past the stirrups she’s not bad to look at either.[/quote]

    someone just sent me this email on the finch…
    link

    i prefer taryne though

    [quote comment=”243101″][quote comment=”243095″][quote comment=”243026″][quote comment=”243008″][quote comment=”243006″][quote comment=”242986″][quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”[/quote]

    I wrote in Seattle Sounders as well. Maybe if enough of us do a write-in for Sounders thay’ll pick it.[/quote]

    I’ll be doing the same once I get home. Work computers block 99% of the MLS site’s content. The Sounders is a great and unique name, to lose it would be a shame, especially considering the terrible choices they came up with. Seriously though, European traditon aside, why are they naming teams ____FC or FC____ when we call it soccer. Why not Seattle SC? Am I the only one who shakes his head when they hear FC Dallas??[/quote]

    Pretty big Portland Timbers fan here, and I will admit that I’m even very disappointed with the fact that they may not be called the Sounders. That owner needs to wake up.

    And as for the whole “FC” thing, completely agree. While I’d rather they all just stuck with American style names, if they’re going to choose a Euro tradition then use “SC”. A few clubs in Europe use it anyway, for “Sports Club”.[/quote]

    Those “sports club” use it because, they usually fit the definition of sports club, in that they have teams in more than one sport. Seattle Sports Club sounds like a gym, not a soccer team. I understand the desire to get away from european naming but, I got news for ya, at the youth level, teams go by names like FC delco, FC Westchester etc, FC Oyster Bay. Whether you call it soccer or football, the naming of a club should be FC, but thats just my opinion.[/quote]

    Well if you’d have actually read what I said I said use Seattle SC for SOCCER CLUB, not sporting club like in Europe. I realize youth clubs might use it, although I’ve never seen any in my neck of the woods. So you really think that using FC in the US makes sense? Explain how….because IMO it makes no sense at all seeing as noone born here calls it football. I realize that some kids found it cool to call it football when I was little because their d-bag, suedo-British soccer coach tried to convince them otherwise, but sorry we’ve already got a sport called football and that isn’t changing. To go along with that DC United doesn’t make any sense either. My understanding is that teams were called united because, in the days of yore, 2 or more teams combined, and made their new name United to show that union. Just my 2 222 cents on the subject.[/quote]

    A lot of Uniteds weren’t the result of a merger though. The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are Hereford, Newcastle and Carlisle. Most of the time it’s to distinguish the newer team from its more established neighbours, as was the case in Manchester and Dundee.

    As for the point about initials and the name of the sport, I will merely drop link into play. There’s a load of codes of football… just seems silly to make up new intialism when there’s one sitting there that fits perfectly (AFC) and contains the full name of the particular code that the team plays.

    Dallas can eff off though, should have gone with AFC or bunged a suffix on at least…

    Well, I’m sure I am not #1… but I’m doing pretty good:

    George Mason – 0
    Kentucky – 0
    San Diego – 13
    Villanova – 24
    Oklahoma – 6
    Michigan – 10

    TOTAL: 53

    Still in it: Villanova (12), Michigan (5)

    [quote comment=”243124″][quote comment=”243101″][quote comment=”243095″][quote comment=”243026″][quote comment=”243008″][quote comment=”243006″][quote comment=”242986″][quote comment=”242973″]The MLS will be adding a team in Seattle next season. Starting today, you can go to their link and vote for one of three choices for team name. Voting ends on March 31st. The choices are… terrible. Wait, here they are… Seattle FC, Seattle Republic and Seattle Alliance.[/quote]

    Or you could do what I did – write in “Seattle Sounders.”[/quote]

    I wrote in Seattle Sounders as well. Maybe if enough of us do a write-in for Sounders thay’ll pick it.[/quote]

    I’ll be doing the same once I get home. Work computers block 99% of the MLS site’s content. The Sounders is a great and unique name, to lose it would be a shame, especially considering the terrible choices they came up with. Seriously though, European traditon aside, why are they naming teams ____FC or FC____ when we call it soccer. Why not Seattle SC? Am I the only one who shakes his head when they hear FC Dallas??[/quote]

    Pretty big Portland Timbers fan here, and I will admit that I’m even very disappointed with the fact that they may not be called the Sounders. That owner needs to wake up.

    And as for the whole “FC” thing, completely agree. While I’d rather they all just stuck with American style names, if they’re going to choose a Euro tradition then use “SC”. A few clubs in Europe use it anyway, for “Sports Club”.[/quote]

    Those “sports club” use it because, they usually fit the definition of sports club, in that they have teams in more than one sport. Seattle Sports Club sounds like a gym, not a soccer team. I understand the desire to get away from european naming but, I got news for ya, at the youth level, teams go by names like FC delco, FC Westchester etc, FC Oyster Bay. Whether you call it soccer or football, the naming of a club should be FC, but thats just my opinion.[/quote]

    Well if you’d have actually read what I said I said use Seattle SC for SOCCER CLUB, not sporting club like in Europe. I realize youth clubs might use it, although I’ve never seen any in my neck of the woods. So you really think that using FC in the US makes sense? Explain how….because IMO it makes no sense at all seeing as noone born here calls it football. I realize that some kids found it cool to call it football when I was little because their d-bag, suedo-British soccer coach tried to convince them otherwise, but sorry we’ve already got a sport called football and that isn’t changing. To go along with that DC United doesn’t make any sense either. My understanding is that teams were called united because, in the days of yore, 2 or more teams combined, and made their new name United to show that union. Just my 2 222 cents on the subject.[/quote]

    A lot of Uniteds weren’t the result of a merger though. The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are Hereford, Newcastle and Carlisle. Most of the time it’s to distinguish the newer team from its more established neighbours, as was the case in Manchester and Dundee.

    As for the point about initials and the name of the sport, I will merely drop link into play. There’s a load of codes of football… just seems silly to make up new intialism when there’s one sitting there that fits perfectly (AFC) and contains the full name of the particular code that the team plays.

    Dallas can eff off though, should have gone with AFC or bunged a suffix on at least…[/quote]

    Unfortunitly there’s already another link that’s associated with “football” here, and that will lead to confusion for the non-soccer fan. As well as a couple stupid sports cartoons in local papers and ESPN Page 2. I’ll accept nothing other than a change to SC(soccer club) or……..dare I say it, some olink/link when naming teams.

    Step one: remember what city the team’s from and actually take that info into consideration when thinking of the name
    Step two: don’t try and steal some european club’s history by slapping half of their name next to your city’s name.
    Step three: add some link to the woredrobe

    [quote comment=”243121″][quote comment=”243099″]Totally unrelated to anything uniform story:

    When I was in school at the University of Arizona I did play by play for their softball team (When Jennie Finch was a freshman)
    One of the most interesting aspects of their uniforms – other than the 80’s style elastic waistband pants – was the fact that their player wore REVERSIBLE stirrups. I have never seen it on any other team, baseball or softball. Now, I’ve finally found some good pics to include.

    link

    link

    And oh yeah, that’s K’Lee Arredondo…if you move past the stirrups she’s not bad to look at either.[/quote]

    someone just sent me this email on the finch…
    link

    i prefer taryne though[/quote]

    One important thing they left out of the show was to have a softball player try to hit both pitches. Of course the baseball player will have a hard time hitting a softball pitch its a different angle than they are used to but the same would apply to a softball player trying to adjust to a baseball pitch. That and the force of the pitch does not make it harder to hit. Making contact with the ball has NOTHING to do with the force.

    [quote comment=”243130″]

    One important thing they left out of the show was to have a softball player try to hit both pitches. Of course the baseball player will have a hard time hitting a softball pitch its a different angle than they are used to but the same would apply to a softball player trying to adjust to a baseball pitch. That and the force of the pitch does not make it harder to hit. Making contact with the ball has NOTHING to do with the force.[/quote]

    i’ll tell you what though, when i first started playing fast pitch, i thought it was much harder than baseball… simply based on a. release point and b. the change up factor.

    [quote comment=”243110″]It is great that the Dodgers will be wearing throwbacks for the Coliseum game against the Red Sox.

    Too bad Ramirez will ruin it by looking like a slob.

    He is a disgrace.[/quote]

    Ah, that’s just ‘Manny being Manny.’

    [quote comment=”243128″]Well, I’m sure I am not #1… but I’m doing pretty good:

    George Mason – 0
    Kentucky – 0
    San Diego – 13
    Villanova – 24
    Oklahoma – 6
    Michigan – 10

    TOTAL: 53

    Still in it: Villanova (12), Michigan (5)[/quote]

    Just a little bit better than that…
    Tennessee – 4
    Georgetown – 2
    Pitt – 4
    Siena – 13
    West Virginia – 14
    Davidson – 20
    Total – 57

    3 still alive – best shot is West Virginia & Tenn (obviously).

    [quote comment=”243137″][quote comment=”243110″]It is great that the Dodgers will be wearing throwbacks for the Coliseum game against the Red Sox.

    Too bad Ramirez will ruin it by looking like a slob.

    He is a disgrace.[/quote]

    Ah, that’s just ‘Manny being Manny.'[/quote]

    and as much as many (myself included) may complain about his many *mannyisms*, he can FLAT OUT hit

    i wouldn’t mind seeing him hitting dingers out of citifield in ’09

    that being said, does anyone know his contract status and agent? i know he has options for ’09 & ’10, but are they team, player or both?

    also, i heard he’s looking to sign with boreass…can anyone confirm/deny that?

    Check this out: throwback police squad cars.

    The Ontario Provincial Police went this route a year ago:
    link
    A few historical pictures, including one of the last black-and-white (a 1989 Caprice) can be found on the OPP Museum’s site:
    link

    [quote comment=”243137″][quote comment=”243110″]It is great that the Dodgers will be wearing throwbacks for the Coliseum game against the Red Sox.

    Too bad Ramirez will ruin it by looking like a slob.

    He is a disgrace.[/quote]

    Ah, that’s just ‘Manny being Manny.'[/quote]

    …being a slob.

    [quote comment=”243139″][quote comment=”243137″][quote comment=”243110″]It is great that the Dodgers will be wearing throwbacks for the Coliseum game against the Red Sox.

    Too bad Ramirez will ruin it by looking like a slob.

    He is a disgrace.[/quote]

    Ah, that’s just ‘Manny being Manny.'[/quote]

    and as much as many (myself included) may complain about his many *mannyisms*, he can FLAT OUT hit

    i wouldn’t mind seeing him hitting dingers out of citifield in ’09

    that being said, does anyone know his contract status and agent? i know he has options for ’09 & ’10, but are they team, player or both?

    also, i heard he’s looking to sign with boreass…can anyone confirm/deny that?[/quote]

    I think Manny looks like a bum too but I really support uniqueness amongst athletes. I love it when guys give their uniform a lil “flava” (in this case Manny brings 5 packets of Raman noodle seasoning). “It’s just Manny being Manny.”

    hate it or love it.

    [quote comment=”243100″]One more Arizona Softball pic…
    I’d imagine that you anti-Nike guys could get past the logo creep in this one

    link[/quote]

    Why don’t women’s softball players wear ballcaps?

    [quote comment=”243041″]No. I refuse to accept a ban on long hair in the NFL (though I love the accompanying pic). If Troy himself is not concerned about his safety (no pun intended), then let the long locks flow for the betterment of my sports’ viewing enjoyment.

    Thanks, Paul, for ruining my day. I need chocolate.[/quote]

    YA DAMN RIGHT!!! “HELL NO! LET ‘EM FLOW!”

    [quote comment=”243145″][quote comment=”243100″]One more Arizona Softball pic…
    I’d imagine that you anti-Nike guys could get past the logo creep in this one

    link[/quote]

    Why don’t women’s softball players wear ballcaps?[/quote]

    Ponytails. A lot of the players would rather not wear adjustable hats and have to mess with them all game. I’m sure there are more reasons, but that’s the one I got when I asked a friend back in college.

    [quote comment=”243138″][quote comment=”243128″]Well, I’m sure I am not #1… but I’m doing pretty good:

    George Mason – 0
    Kentucky – 0
    San Diego – 13
    Villanova – 24
    Oklahoma – 6
    Michigan – 10

    TOTAL: 53

    Still in it: Villanova (12), Michigan (5)[/quote]

    Just a little bit better than that…
    Tennessee – 4
    Georgetown – 2
    Pitt – 4
    Siena – 13
    West Virginia – 14
    Davidson – 20
    Total – 57

    3 still alive – best shot is West Virginia & Tenn (obviously).[/quote]

    Duke 2
    Stanford 6 (Still In)
    USC 0
    Vanderbilt 0
    UNLV 8
    Georgia 0
    TOTAL 16

    Sigh … Not even bad enough for the booby prize.

    [quote comment=”243148″][quote comment=”243145″][quote comment=”243100″]One more Arizona Softball pic…
    I’d imagine that you anti-Nike guys could get past the logo creep in this one

    link[/quote]

    Why don’t women’s softball players wear ballcaps?[/quote]

    Ponytails. A lot of the players would rather not wear adjustable hats and have to mess with them all game. I’m sure there are more reasons, but that’s the one I got when I asked a friend back in college.[/quote]

    The logo’s not the only thing creeping.

    [quote comment=”243139″][quote comment=”243137″][quote comment=”243110″]It is great that the Dodgers will be wearing throwbacks for the Coliseum game against the Red Sox.

    Too bad Ramirez will ruin it by looking like a slob.

    He is a disgrace.[/quote]

    Ah, that’s just ‘Manny being Manny.'[/quote]

    and as much as many (myself included) may complain about his many *mannyisms*, he can FLAT OUT hit

    i wouldn’t mind seeing him hitting dingers out of citifield in ’09

    that being said, does anyone know his contract status and agent? i know he has options for ’09 & ’10, but are they team, player or both?

    also, i heard he’s looking to sign with boreass…can anyone confirm/deny that?[/quote]
    link
    He is in fact with Boras.

    Baggy uniform. Yes.
    Disgrace? Kind of a stretch.
    It’s easy to overlook a large uni when he helps to deliver two WS titles in three years.

    [quote]Why don’t women’s softball players wear ballcaps?[/quote]

    christ

    i read that too fast and thought you said ballcups

    i’d agree on the ponytail answer, but it would definitely be ok by me if they wore actual caps (even with the ‘adjustable’ back/ponytail hole)…i mean, ifn yer gone wear SWEET stirrups, ya GOTTA wear a cap, no?

    [quote comment=”243111″]So, I’m watching the Cubs-Brewers game on WGN and there’s a LOT of interesting stuff going on. Right off the bat, while the Cubs are wearing there normal season home jerseys, the Brewers are all over the place. Marrow (49, who isn’t on there 40 man, nor there non-roster) is wearing a navy jersey with a gold stripe going under his armpit, while the rest of the team is wearing the normal spring training jerseys. And on top of that, there’s a mix of the 3930s and the 5950s for the Brews. Apparently, no one is keeping an eye on dress code there.[/quote]
    The guys in their major league camp (non roster invitees and 40 man roster guys) wear the regular “cool base” jerseys. They all have assigned numbers – non roster guys usually wear higher numbers.
    Sometimes in Spring Training teams go and bring guys over from their minor league camps – and many teams have different jerseys over there or just use their old MLB jerseys. That’s why the duplicate numbers. He’s not in the MLB camp, so he’s got his minor league number on.
    I do the PA Announcing for the Giants for Spring Training and this tends to drive me crazy sometimes trying to figure out who the replacements are when they have dupicate numbers.
    The Giants minor legaue guys wear the same cool base jerseys as the major league camp guys, but they don’t have their names on the back like the guys in the big league camp.
    Every team does it differently, just like some teams wear their gamers in spring training and some teams wear their BP tops.
    There’s absolutely no consistancy to spring training anywhere.

    [quote comment=”243152″][quote comment=”243139″][quote comment=”243137″][quote comment=”243110″]It is great that the Dodgers will be wearing throwbacks for the Coliseum game against the Red Sox.

    Too bad Ramirez will ruin it by looking like a slob.

    He is a disgrace.[/quote]

    Ah, that’s just ‘Manny being Manny.'[/quote]

    and as much as many (myself included) may complain about his many *mannyisms*, he can FLAT OUT hit

    i wouldn’t mind seeing him hitting dingers out of citifield in ’09

    that being said, does anyone know his contract status and agent? i know he has options for ’09 & ’10, but are they team, player or both?

    also, i heard he’s looking to sign with boreass…can anyone confirm/deny that?[/quote]
    link
    He is in fact with Boras.

    Baggy uniform. Yes.
    Disgrace? Kind of a stretch.
    It’s easy to overlook a large uni when he helps to deliver two WS titles in three years.[/quote]
    …sorry. Two titles in four years.

    I miss Derek Bell. He used to catch ALL the big, baggy uni flack.

    [quote comment=”243003″]The Rangers started wearing their ’86 uniforms midway through ’85 season, according to Mark Okkonen’s classic book “Baseball Uniforms of the 20th Century” (1991). Why, I do not know.[/quote]

    Yes, they started in the middle and actually mixed both uniforms in throughout the second half of ’85 – usually wearing the new unis on the road.

    Bobby Valentine took over as manager in May of ’85 after Doug Rader was fired. Valentine was a Lasorda disciple and brought what was literally referred to as the “Dodger look” to Arlington, part-time in ’85, full-time in ’86.

    As a (long-suffering) Rangers fan since ’74, I’d like to see them bring back the original look, with the blue/red hat and the logo that featured a cowboy hat on a baseball. Just ditch the elastic waistband and wear a real belt.

    The air brushed logo! It’s what made collecting sports cards the grand hobby that it was as a kid. They were so imperfect…so lovingly imperfect. Done in such haste, apparently, so they could ship the cards out to the kids before the season got started. Or not. I don’t know. But I do know there was nothing quite as amusing as opening a pack and coming across a “paint in,” as we called them, and marveling at how poorly it was rendered. So unslick. So great.

    Ah, don’tcha just love the blue-on-black lettering on the sidelines on those Sweet Sixteen courts?

    [quote comment=”243122″]“Baseball pushup bras are the new corsets.

    “George.”
    link

    *bad Steinbrenner impression* Constanza, is that you? What about the cotton uniforms? */bad Steinbrenner impression*

    Killing a few birds with one well-hurled stone…

    The MLS team should be Seattle Thunder, powerful and invokes something the area’s known for.

    I buy the reasoning behind visors for womens softball players. If you pay close attention to the players in that photo, you’ll see that they wear their ponytails high on their head, too high for the usual opening in the back of adjustable caps.

    On the arena floor front, the NCAA is doing the black court with NCAA blue accents again this year for Regionals. I do know that all 4 courts are brand new, supplied by Connor Sport Court (They’re the comany that supplies the floor for the Mens and Womens Regionals and Final Fours, as well as for the NCAA Volleyball Championships).

    [quote comment=”243106″][quote comment=”243072″]Well, pretty much dead in my tracks for the pool:

    North Carolina = 2
    Memphis = 2
    Georgia = 0
    Marquette = 6
    George Mason = 0
    Kansas = 2

    Total so far, 12 pts. Too many Cinderellas in my picks.

    ~E~[/quote]

    12? Wow. I thought nobody would (could?) do worse than my 15 and done, though I guess there’s still a chance. All teams picked PURELY by uniform/logo aesthetics:

    Indiana – 0
    Arkansas – 9
    Pitt – 4
    Cornell – 0
    BYU – 0
    Duke – 2[/quote]
    Dude, I only got 7 points from a Butler win. Every other team of mine lost in the first round.

    Interesting to see that Austria and Switzerland (football) have nearly identical kits. Something I’d never seen before is uniform numbers which look like something blown up from a GIF file, which appear to be a feature of many Puma kits (Austria, Switzerland, Italy, probably more). I wonder how many people are going to buy HD sets this summer to discover they’re looking at low-def uniform numbers?

    [quote comment=”243203″][quote comment=”243151″]link[/quote]

    why is the one of the left got a dip can in her pocket?[/quote]

    I’m not seeing that

    [quote comment=”243201″]
    I buy the reasoning behind visors for womens softball players. If you pay close attention to the players in that photo, you’ll see that they wear their ponytails high on their head, too high for the usual opening in the back of adjustable caps.[/quote]

    Seems like they could solve the ponytail conundrum by just wearing visors.

    [quote comment=”243209″][quote comment=”243201″]
    I buy the reasoning behind visors for womens softball players. If you pay close attention to the players in that photo, you’ll see that they wear their ponytails high on their head, too high for the usual opening in the back of adjustable caps.[/quote]

    Seems like they could solve the ponytail conundrum by just wearing visors.[/quote]

    Isn’t that what I just said?

    [quote comment=”243209″][quote comment=”243201″]
    I buy the reasoning behind visors for womens softball players. If you pay close attention to the players in that photo, you’ll see that they wear their ponytails high on their head, too high for the usual opening in the back of adjustable caps.[/quote]

    Seems like they could solve the ponytail conundrum by just wearing visors.[/quote]
    Nevermind, my reading comprehension skills really suck.

    [quote comment=”243208″][quote comment=”243203″][quote comment=”243151″]link[/quote]

    why is the one of the left got a dip can in her pocket?[/quote]

    I’m not seeing that[/quote]

    That “lump”…it’s her arse!

    [quote comment=”243201″]
    The MLS team should be Seattle Thunder, powerful and invokes something the area’s known for.[/quote]

    Repeat after me, Sounders….Sounders….

    [quote comment=”243201″]
    On the arena floor front, the NCAA is doing the black court with NCAA blue accents again this year for Regionals. I do know that all 4 courts are brand new, supplied by Connor Sport Court (They’re the comany that supplies the floor for the Mens and Womens Regionals and Final Fours, as well as for the NCAA Volleyball Championships).[/quote]

    Those floors are BO-RING!!! They give you absolutely no sense of place. They stick a dinky Arizona State or Charlotte (Charlotte U? U of Charlotte? I miss UNCC..) logo on the court and that’s it? They can’t give more props to the schools putting the effort to host these not-so-small events than that? I’d LOVE to see a big “Sparky” at mid-court!

    [quote comment=”243220″]They can’t give more props to the schools putting the effort to host these not-so-small events than that? I’d LOVE to see a big “Sparky” at mid-court![/quote]

    Yeah, cause the staff of Arizona State University worked sooooo hard to set the court up at the US Ariways Center.

    Paul, can you look into this? For some reason, I cannot post links. Last post never showed. The previous one, a ‘test,’ showed as a part of 132 and 133.

    Er….

    [quote comment=”243220″]![/quote]

    paging mr. ekdahl…paging mr. ekdahl

    i think stevo broke the board :(

    [quote comment=”243240″][quote comment=”243220″]![/quote]

    paging mr. ekdahl…paging mr. ekdahl

    i think stevo broke the board :([/quote]

    Don’t blame me, I didn’t do anything differently.

    [quote comment=”243227″][quote comment=”243220″]They can’t give more props to the schools putting the effort to host these not-so-small events than that? I’d LOVE to see a big “Sparky” at mid-court![/quote]

    Yeah, cause the staff of Arizona State University worked sooooo hard to set the court up at the US Ariways Center.[/quote]

    I think the NCAA felt sorry for the Scum Devils. Getting their logo on the court is about the only way they’ll ever get to the tournament.

    But they got the #1 seed in the NIT, so they’ve got that going for them.

    [quote comment=”243248″][quote comment=”243227″][quote comment=”243220″]They can’t give more props to the schools putting the effort to host these not-so-small events than that? I’d LOVE to see a big “Sparky” at mid-court![/quote]

    Yeah, cause the staff of Arizona State University worked sooooo hard to set the court up at the US Ariways Center.[/quote]

    I think the NCAA felt sorry for the Scum Devils. Getting their logo on the court is about the only way they’ll ever get to the tournament.

    But they got the #1 seed in the NIT, so they’ve got that going for them.[/quote]

    Yup, the NCAA and NIT committees considered them to be the 35th best available team, that really is saying something.

    Back on the arena front, I think the NCAA Regionals should have a consistent look. After all, it’s the NCAA tournament, not the ASU Invitational. As I tried to mention before, by the time you get to Regionals you’re dealing mostly with off-campus sites, with the host school’s contribution sometimes being not much more than Sports Information interns making copies in the media workroom. It’s the arena’s staff setting up the court, putting in the required phone lines on Press Row, and often times handling ticket sales.

    [quote comment=”243155″][quote comment=”243111″]So, I’m watching the Cubs-Brewers game on WGN and there’s a LOT of interesting stuff going on. Right off the bat, while the Cubs are wearing there normal season home jerseys, the Brewers are all over the place. Marrow (49, who isn’t on there 40 man, nor there non-roster) is wearing a navy jersey with a gold stripe going under his armpit, while the rest of the team is wearing the normal spring training jerseys. And on top of that, there’s a mix of the 3930s and the 5950s for the Brews. Apparently, no one is keeping an eye on dress code there.[/quote]
    The guys in their major league camp (non roster invitees and 40 man roster guys) wear the regular “cool base” jerseys. They all have assigned numbers – non roster guys usually wear higher numbers.
    Sometimes in Spring Training teams go and bring guys over from their minor league camps – and many teams have different jerseys over there or just use their old MLB jerseys. That’s why the duplicate numbers. He’s not in the MLB camp, so he’s got his minor league number on.
    I do the PA Announcing for the Giants for Spring Training and this tends to drive me crazy sometimes trying to figure out who the replacements are when they have dupicate numbers.
    The Giants minor legaue guys wear the same cool base jerseys as the major league camp guys, but they don’t have their names on the back like the guys in the big league camp.
    Every team does it differently, just like some teams wear their gamers in spring training and some teams wear their BP tops.
    There’s absolutely no consistancy to spring training anywhere.[/quote]

    Here’s a few pics from that game…

    – Brewers link
    – Brewers minor league outfielder in an link
    – Prince wearing link

    Quite a uni-mess.

    [quote comment=”243133″][quote comment=”243130″]

    One important thing they left out of the show was to have a softball player try to hit both pitches. Of course the baseball player will have a hard time hitting a softball pitch its a different angle than they are used to but the same would apply to a softball player trying to adjust to a baseball pitch. That and the force of the pitch does not make it harder to hit. Making contact with the ball has NOTHING to do with the force.[/quote]

    i’ll tell you what though, when i first started playing fast pitch, i thought it was much harder than baseball… simply based on a. release point and b. the change up factor.[/quote]

    No doubt someone playing baseball would have an issue playing FP softball for those very reasons, but someone coming for FP softball would have hte same issues with different release points, angles, and breaks.

    I was at the Dodgers/Red Sox game last night and the Dodgers DID NOT wear any throwback jersey for the game… it was their normal Majestic-branded jersey, with the only exception of a “Think Cure” patch, as opposed to the 50th anniversary patch.

    Expos as you know choked the last week of the season in 1979 & blew it to the enevitable world series champion that year, and again in 1980 and then made the their only post season appearance in 1981 & wound up losing once again to the eventual series champ that year too! They were going to use the 1980 uniforms had they made the ’79 post season but hadn’t cleared with the league office…

    Watching the opening night game at the Nats’ new D.C.stadium was the final indignity for Expos’ fans everywhere. This was tanamount to Bud Selig spitting on the Expos’ grave!

    Joel Kirstein – the most bitter Expos fan anywhere!

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