Look Who Gets Itâ„¢!

I have a copy of that WHA book. Great for stats nerds and fans of obscure/defunct sports leagues. Has logos in it, but not uniforms.

Torii Hunter in the Phiten socks talking to Junior.

David Wright = My Hero

more importantly on that Michigan lacrosse pic…. Who knew my alma mater Oakland Universit had a workable Lacrosse team?
I graduated in 2007 and dont remember a damn thing about it…and I was on the club dodgeball team…..

During yesterday’s Corky Miller stirrups discussion, I forgot to mention that they did not go unnoticed by the White Sox’ radio broadcasters.

I just happened to flip my radio to the Sox/Indians game just Miller was stepping to the plate against Jeremy Sowers. Ed Farmer, the play-by-play guy, said “Miller wears the old-time baseball socks.” He paused and then added, “The pitcher, Sowers, does as well.” Color man Darrin Jackson jumps in and says, “That’s old school. Hey, those are stirrups!” To that, Farmer replies with a chuckle “Yes they are.” The conversation did not continue.

I’d like to think that Ozzie Guillen benched AJ Pierzynski specifically to get the stirrups vs. stirrups match-up rather than the righty batter vs. lefty pitcher match-up.

And jammy-wearing AJ was back in the lineup yesterday. He went 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts and the Sox lost. Coincidence? I think not.

Did anyone see the guy in the front row at the Yankees-Blue Jays game last night? He was wearing what looked like an atual MLB umpire shirt with the number 71 on it, and a MLB hat, and he was doing a replica strike three punchout whenever a Yankee struck out. Pretty interesting….

I was at the Met Brave game yesterday afternoon with my 10 year old. It was quite difficult for him to distinguish who was on what team since they were both wearing similar colored jerseys. Why a team who’s official colors are blue and orange is wearing black to begin with is one thing, but can MLB get on the stick and try to make it easier for a little kid to tell who is playing who? Isn’t that behind the idea of uniform? To see who is on what side? We ended up looking at the pants to see who was who when there were runners on the bases. I don’t want my 10 year old checking out trousers at a baseball game.

[quote comment=\”329135\”][quote comment=\”329133\”][quote comment=\”329131\”]I\’m 99.99999% percent sure that\’s Danilo DiLuca in the \”Dolce and Gabanna\” makeover pic of the Giro Pink Jersey (not Thomas Lovkvist)[/quote]

Doesn\’t matter who it is– that shot is just to show the current jersey design.[/quote]

AAAAH, cycling still has a long way to go in this country! Just for that, here\’s a pic of Mario Cipollini in a pink bodysuit link

HAHaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! That is horrendous

I like the Braves’ alternate jerseys (the outline-only numbers are cool), but they look truly awful with the distinctively-piped pants that the Braves wear. Either design some alternate pants to go with these things, or saev them for spring training.

[quote comment=”329142″][quote comment=\”329135\”][quote comment=\”329133\”][quote comment=\”329131\”]I\’m 99.99999% percent sure that\’s Danilo DiLuca in the \”Dolce and Gabanna\” makeover pic of the Giro Pink Jersey (not Thomas Lovkvist)[/quote]

Doesn\’t matter who it is– that shot is just to show the current jersey design.[/quote]

AAAAH, cycling still has a long way to go in this country! Just for that, here\’s a pic of Mario Cipollini in a pink bodysuit link

HAHaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! That is horrendous[/quote]
You might enjoy these then…

link

link

link

…and Mario being Mario

link

The graphics for Lance Armstrong’s bike and helmet were designed by Shepard Fairey of Obey Giant notoriety. Or to most, “The Guy Who Did the Obama Poster”.

You can check more out link.

Apologies, I forgot to close the quotes.

Again, here’s that link.

Now, if the stirrups that David Wright was wearing were royal blue. I wonder if they have royal blue stirrups in the clubhouse, or only black? The Mets need to get a clue and get rid of all the black. It looks terrible.

Paul, it was indded good to see Wright wearing stirrups but I hope to see him wearing blue ones with the damn pinstripes soon. Baby steps!

Braves also wore their grays in Pittsburgh, I believe, when the Pirates wore their black tops.

The summer collegiate team in Pittsfield, Mass., like the independent team in Nashua, N.H., is also likely going to wear camo in every game this season.

I’m a big Braves fan, and while I do like the Away Blue uniforms, I don’t like the fact that they are wearing them for an overwhelming majority of the time on the road.
I’ve started to do a study breaking down the Braves record – which includes for each uniform. So far, I only have 2009 done as far as game-by-game uniforms done.

In 2009:
Home White: 12 Games (4-8), 40 Runs Scored, 55 Allowed
Home Red: 2 Games (1-1), 13 Runs Scored, 12 Allowed
Road Gray: 2 Games (0-2), 3 Runs Scored, 7 Allowed
Road Blue: 18 Games (12-6), 96 Runs Scored, 76 Allowed

It seems that unless they start losing in them, they have no incentive to get away from the Road Blues.

Attended yesterday’s Met game. Uniform wise it was easily was the worst I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen alot. There was even one play with one Met rounding third base, where I really couldn’t tell who was who. Players, coaches, umps, all looking the same. Mets in black with black hats, Braves in dark blue with dark blue hats and the umps in black as well. It was a mess.

[quote comment=”329129″]Paul – Those lacrosse gloves look like either the Warrior Hypno, or the Warrior Superfreak. That adidastripe action is kinda sad, considering adidas has their own line of gloves.

Hypno:
link

Superfreak:
link

Tri-stripe action:
link

Nice work, you beat me to it.

As far as I know, Adidas hasn’t delved into Lax yet.

What I find interesting is that the lax squad is still wearing nike unis. I would assume that they are club and not part of the all sport 8 year 60 million dollar agreement.

Also interesting is the use of the Jamal Crawford era M jersey:

link

[quote comment=”329138″]Did anyone see the guy in the front row at the Yankees-Blue Jays game last night?

He was wearing what looked like an atual MLB umpire shirt with the number 71 on it, and a MLB hat, and he was doing a replica strike three punchout whenever a Yankee struck out.

Pretty interesting….[/quote]

Same guy was doing that when Cleveland played in Toronto!

Now I have to watch all Toronto home games watching for that guy. Hilarious.

They also mentioned the color-on-color thing in the Braves radio booth. According to Joe Simpson, The home team is supposed to inform the visiting team as to which jerseys they are wearing (when they have so many alternates), and the visiting team then adjusts accordingly. Joe speculated that the Mets forgot to tell the Braves they were going with their black tops.

I like the Braves Navy blues alot, but color-on-color sucks. Bravos should have been in their grays yesterday (or, the Mets should have been in their whites).

~E~

I thought all of my childhood collectibles had just sort of disappeared or gotten thrown away or misplaced over time….

….now I find that Brinke Guthrie has been preserving them all these years. Thank you.

Outstanding page 2 column Paul.

I appreciate the responses from the servicemen and think it would be an interesting thing to do with Native Americans and their thoughts on different team names.

I think so many of us are so caught up in our own opinions that we neglect what the alleged honored/offended party themselves have to say.

Well done.

“The home team is supposed to inform the visiting team as to which jerseys they are wearing (when they have so many alternates)”

” ‘Sposin’ they lie?”

(from SEMI-TOUGH, actually. Probably shouldn’t use a line from a football movie in a baseball discussion, huh.)

—Ricko

Jamie Walker has also joined the stirrup club. He wears his pants low, but peaking out is a pair of black stirrups. I haven’t seen an Oriole wear stirrups in a long, long time.

He is wearing them the same way he wore them in this pic: link

No recent pics though. He had been wearing solid blacks, not sure when he switched.

Paul,

Great article on Page 2. Really well written, thoughtful, and a great idea for what teams should do instead. I’ll be interested to see what kind of comments you get or e-mails you receive from the non-Uni Watch masses.

At least Prado (or the Braves equipment manager) tried to black out the Phiten logo on the socks.

The Braves’ blue alts are cool base. I’m pretty sure the road grays are still double-knit.

Unless the home team gives them the heads up, I think the uni choice is up to the starting pitcher. They probably prefer the cool base b/c it’s lighter.

They probably wore gray vs. Pitt. b/c the Pirates let them know about the black alts. And I think they wore the grays in DC b/c it was a cold night (I was there, and it was very cool/drizzly).

On the link, I don’t think the hat on the bugeater is anything more than a farmer’s straw hat — brim’s too narrow and curved for a sombrero, no? The Sooner headdress is more puzzling to me, as is the coloring for the ISU cardinal. Also how come the guys in Norman get a “U” while no one else does?

[quote comment=”329178″]At least Prado (or the Braves equipment manager) tried to black out the Phiten logo on the socks.

The Braves’ blue alts are cool base. I’m pretty sure the road grays are still double-knit.

Unless the home team gives them the heads up, I think the uni choice is up to the starting pitcher. They probably prefer the cool base b/c it’s lighter.

They probably wore gray vs. Pitt. b/c the Pirates let them know about the black alts. And I think they wore the grays in DC b/c it was a cold night (I was there, and it was very cool/drizzly).[/quote]
WarDamn, Pirates usually wear black on Friday, but the Mets wore theirs so Pirates wore gray. Saturday, the Pirates, probably because they packed them for Friday, wore the black alts and the mets wore gray. I’m assuming the home team gets preference, as in football.

[quote comment=”329180″]On the link, I don’t think the hat on the bugeater is anything more than a farmer’s straw hat — brim’s too narrow and curved for a sombrero, no? The Sooner headdress is more puzzling to me, as is the coloring for the ISU cardinal. Also how come the guys in Norman get a “U” while no one else does?[/quote]
Isn’t the term “Sooners” in reference to the White settlers of Oklahoma and not the Natives. Odd depiction there.

I thought the Nebraska guy’s hat was supposed to look like corn somehow.

[quote comment=”329186″][quote comment=”329180″]On the link, I don’t think the hat on the bugeater is anything more than a farmer’s straw hat — brim’s too narrow and curved for a sombrero, no? The Sooner headdress is more puzzling to me, as is the coloring for the ISU cardinal. Also how come the guys in Norman get a “U” while no one else does?[/quote]
Isn’t the term “Sooners” in reference to the White settlers of Oklahoma and not the Natives. Odd depiction there.

I thought the Nebraska guy’s hat was supposed to look like corn somehow.[/quote]

Is the “Bear” in the back right supposed to be the Colorado Buffalo?

[quote comment=”329187″]One lawn flamingo in your yard can be whimsical and fun and tasteful.
—Ricko[/quote]

Are you sure about that? LOL

kek,

I beg to differ. I was sitting on the first base side, up a bit, but not that far. There was one play in the game where the Mets had a runner on first the batter hit the ball into the gap in right. The runner on first thought about scoring. Now as my eye went from right field following the ball, to third base to follow the runner, all I saw was a bunch of guys…the runner, the third base coach, the umpire, the third baseman and the pitcher backing up the play…moving this way and that…I know baseball as well as the next guy, but I’m telling you, for that instant, I didn’t know what was what.

[quote comment=”329191″][quote comment=”329190″][quote comment=”329187″]One lawn flamingo in your yard can be whimsical and fun and tasteful.
—Ricko[/quote]

Are you sure about that? LOL[/quote]

I said “can be”, not “absolutely is”. If, for example, its next to your neon cactus, probably not.[/quote]

What about my garden gnomes and fake deer? Does the flamingo help them? LOL

[quote comment=”329188″][quote comment=”329186″][quote comment=”329180″]On the link, I don’t think the hat on the bugeater is anything more than a farmer’s straw hat — brim’s too narrow and curved for a sombrero, no? The Sooner headdress is more puzzling to me, as is the coloring for the ISU cardinal. Also how come the guys in Norman get a “U” while no one else does?[/quote]
Isn’t the term “Sooners” in reference to the White settlers of Oklahoma and not the Natives. Odd depiction there.

I thought the Nebraska guy’s hat was supposed to look like corn somehow.[/quote]

Is the “Bear” in the back right supposed to be the Colorado Buffalo?[/quote]
Bears have horns where you come from? Yikes.

[quote comment=”329196″][quote comment=”329188″][quote comment=”329186″][quote comment=”329180″]On the link, I don’t think the hat on the bugeater is anything more than a farmer’s straw hat — brim’s too narrow and curved for a sombrero, no? The Sooner headdress is more puzzling to me, as is the coloring for the ISU cardinal. Also how come the guys in Norman get a “U” while no one else does?[/quote]
Isn’t the term “Sooners” in reference to the White settlers of Oklahoma and not the Natives. Odd depiction there.

I thought the Nebraska guy’s hat was supposed to look like corn somehow.[/quote]

Is the “Bear” in the back right supposed to be the Colorado Buffalo?[/quote]
Bears have horns where you come from? Yikes.[/quote]

Oops, they looked like ears!

[quote]You know, this discussion about the Mets/Braves both wearing dark alts has me thinking: is it really THAT hard to tell two baseball teams apart?[/quote]

douggie, that’s a fair point

i agree that baseball is the one real sport where the uniforms should not matter in terms of the players’ respective duties and functions…you could have a whole field of mis-matched unis and, in theory, could still play the game without much worry as far as tactics, positioning, etc. are concerned…i, like many of you, played ‘sandlot’ baseball and pickup games growing up, and there was never a need for ‘shirts vs. skins’ in baseball…

that being said, aesthetically, something like that is a complete disaster…steve, in one of the comments above, railed that at certain times he had difficulties telling players (of both teams) coaches, umpires, etc. apart, and i have to say, after watching the replay on TV, i’d agree it was nigh on impossible in certain instances

that sort of fiasco should never, repeat NEVER, be allowed to occur…of course, if we just stopped the softball tops, then we’d solve that problem

my other solution, which i think a few of you agree with, is simply to insist upon a one color uniform for both teams…whether it be gray, white or some other color…it’s been done before in the game, and while it will no doubt raise the ire of the traditionalists, at least you’d have two UNIFORM teams in uniform…

baseball, unlike hockey or football, is NOT a sport (imho) to have different color tops and bottoms…at least not on a regular basis…and while it doesn’t always have to be white versus gray, i don’t see why teams can’t at least consider, if the absolutely, positively have got to wear the alternate top, to wear corresponding colored pants…if properly stirruped (or at least socked), and rarely worn, it can be a nice once in a while treat…you could STILL move the secondary merch, which is the whole point of the alts anyway

i’ll have more on this modest proposal in one of my weekend spots, but for the nonce, i just wish MLB would invoke some kind of rule prohibiting the dark/dark (of ANY color combination) pairings, especially the kind we saw yesterday at shea

/done

[quote comment=”329201″]I hadn’t thought of it in those terms, but how happy would a Central American player be wearing a hat from a branch of the U.S. armed services?

I don’t recall any big leaguers complaining. Given the use of the Army and Marines to express U.S. political displeasure in Central America, I’d have to wonder if some players weren’t at least a little displeased.[/quote]

They could always sit that one out and give back their paycheck for the game, right?

In some cases that check would probably buy lunch for their home province.

[quote comment=”329203″]Speaking of Great Lake unis.

link

link

link

link[/quote]
1942 Cubs
link

MLB did invoke the rule in the 2007 NLCS when Arizona wore black and forced Colorado to ditch its lucky blacks.

[quote comment=”329204″][quote comment=”329203″]Speaking of Great Lake unis.

link

link

link

link[/quote]
1942 Cubs
link

So they are. I didn’t see the Cubs C in this link until I looked really hard.

That would suggest that the Cub batting in the crowd shot is Lon Warneke who was a pitcher with the Cubs through WWII.

[quote]how would one team in solid navy vs. one team in solid black be that much easier to distinguish? I think you still need some kind of degree of distinction between the two teams. Maybe if the home team’s chosen uni for the game is darker than a given sample swatch of fabric, the visitor has to wear something lighter.[/quote]

fair point gregg…i guess i wasn’t clear…the home team always wears white

I admire the quality of workmanship of the Great Lakes Naval Training Station uniforms. The Great Lakes sports teams were a big-time propaganda operation. The football team, coached by Paul Brown, was probably the best football team in the world then.

Maybe we should have a column devoted to the big military touring teams of WW2 in various sports.

[quote comment=”329211″][quote comment=”329196″][quote comment=”329188″][quote comment=”329186″][quote comment=”329180″]On the link, I don’t think the hat on the bugeater is anything more than a farmer’s straw hat — brim’s too narrow and curved for a sombrero, no? The Sooner headdress is more puzzling to me, as is the coloring for the ISU cardinal. Also how come the guys in Norman get a “U” while no one else does?[/quote]
Isn’t the term “Sooners” in reference to the White settlers of Oklahoma and not the Natives. Odd depiction there.

I thought the Nebraska guy’s hat was supposed to look like corn somehow.[/quote]

Is the “Bear” in the back right supposed to be the Colorado Buffalo?[/quote]
Bears have horns where you come from? Yikes.[/quote]

If you look through old pics of Sooner athletics you’ll see a handful of references to Native Americans. Obviously, things have toned down considerably in the last 50 years. I assume the pic is from the fifties (?) or so.[/quote]

I would guess early ’70s or so.

I know this is a little late because the Blazers are out of the playoffs, but during the series vs. Houston, I notice that the Blazers have a silver strip across their jersey and shorts along with the usual white, black, and red strips. Does anyone know how long that silver strip has been there?

[quote comment=”329204″][quote comment=”329203″]Speaking of Great Lake unis.

link

link

link

link[/quote]
1942 Cubs
link

The Cubs…someone posted a Norman Rockwell painting with the unhappy bat boy in which they were wearing them.

link

[quote comment=”329216″]I know this is a little late because the Blazers are out of the playoffs, but during the series vs. Houston, I notice that the Blazers have a silver strip across their jersey and shorts along with the usual white, black, and red strips. Does anyone know how long that silver strip has been there?[/quote]

In 2004-05,Damon Stoudamire’s last yearin Rip City, they added the silver to the color palette.

I bought the Nike swingman version of the originals 1 week before they unveiled the spair with the silver…To say I was hot and in need of UW was an understatement.

Before:
link

After:
link

this is the only thing the mets should be wearing at home:

link

link

link

Is it me or do those numerals look a heck of a lot like those of the Cubs neighbor Bears,(not buffalo btw!)?

link

link

[quote comment=”329220″][quote comment=”329216″]I know this is a little late because the Blazers are out of the playoffs, but during the series vs. Houston, I notice that the Blazers have a silver strip across their jersey and shorts along with the usual white, black, and red strips. Does anyone know how long that silver strip has been there?[/quote]

In 2004-05,Damon Stoudamire’s last yearin Rip City, they added the silver to the color palette.

I bought the Nike swingman version of the originals 1 week before they unveiled the spair with the silver…To say I was peeved and in need of UW was an understatement.

Before:
link

After:
link

[quote comment=”329223″][quote comment=”329219″][quote comment=”329217″][quote comment=”329213″][quote comment=”329194″][quote comment=”329191″][quote comment=”329190″][quote comment=”329187″]One lawn flamingo in your yard can be whimsical and fun and tasteful.
—Ricko[/quote]

Are you sure about that? LOL[/quote]

I said “can be”, not “absolutely is”. If, for example, its next to your neon cactus, probably not.[/quote]

What about my garden gnomes and fake deer? Does the flamingo help them? LOL[/quote]

What uni does your garden gnome wear?[/quote]

Probably white or an alternate. He is, after all, the home gnome.

–Ricko[/quote]

Hmmm, we may have stumbled upon another business for rpm. Custom garden gnomes. Imagining a pointy, conical Bengals helmet. Shudder.[/quote]

A quick google, such a product actually exists!

link

I was thinking of an orange hat, with the tiger stripes.
(honestly, I figured they probably existed, but rpm could get someone, say, a Tequila Sunrise Astros garden gnome).

[quote comment=”329229″][quote comment=”329227″][quote comment=”329222″]this is the only thing the mets should be wearing at home:

link

I’ll be the first to take the bait…what is Willie’s mourning band for?[/quote]

The subject of some news yesterday, Gil Hodges.[/quote]

Got me to thinking, Mays and Hodges played all those years in New York (but not on the same team) and then missed paths again by just a month-and-a-half.

[quote comment=”329231″][quote comment=”329226″]http://tbn0.google.com/hosted/images/c?q=fe290d4c7c84543e_large

Is it me or do those numerals look a heck of a lot like those of the Cubs neighbor Bears,(not buffalo btw!)?

link

link
I thought the same thing when I saw that. The 1 for sure, but with the 9 is a bit tougher to tell because of the angle. Kinda looks more like the link than the link to me, though..

And they weren’t neighbors at the time; they were roommates.[/quote]

Why, because ski jumpers had taken over Soldier Field? JK

link

P.S. To this day, I still don’t get how they kept the skiers in the effin building!

To the Josh Sheehan referenced in this post, if you’re the same Josh Sheehan that worked for the Giants spring training email me – it’s Josh Miller.

If you’re not the same Josh Sheehan please disregard.

link

[quote comment=”329234″][quote comment=”329231″][quote comment=”329226″]http://tbn0.google.com/hosted/images/c?q=fe290d4c7c84543e_large

Is it me or do those numerals look a heck of a lot like those of the Cubs neighbor Bears,(not buffalo btw!)?

link

link
I thought the same thing when I saw that. The 1 for sure, but with the 9 is a bit tougher to tell because of the angle. Kinda looks more like the link than the link to me, though..

And they weren’t neighbors at the time; they were roommates.[/quote]

Why, because ski jumpers had taken over Soldier Field? JK

link

P.S. To this day, I still don’t get how they kept the skiers in the effin building![/quote]
Ski jumpers, link, link, uh… link.

Enjoyed the Page 2 article.

Personally, I thought Army’s link in last season’s Army/Navy college football game were pretty cool considering they are the Army, but the numbers on the jerseys should’ve simply been more like link.

As for everyone else (link): LOSE THE CAMO!!!

A “salute to the soldiers” or “tribute to the troops” should not look like the first day of link season.

[quote comment=”329215″]ry co~
link

love it! best “bad weather” quarterback to ever sling the pig skin!!!

as soon as that video started i immediately thought of ed oneill in dutch… waking up the kid to show him the mountains they were driving by… in the middle of the night… hahaha! classic!

and, some ed oneill trivia:

O’Neill was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969 as an outside linebacker. He was released before the start of the 1969 regular season

“I have a problem because I told your mother I’d pick you up. And you have a problem because the last guy that punched me has a dent in his forehead the size of my pinky ring, and he dribbles when he smiles”

love dutch!

Forgive me if this has been discussed (I couldn’t read through all 112 comments and just popped onto the site today), but aside from being downright gaudy and vomit inducing, how are the camo uniforms legal? The shirts that the Hokies and the NH Defenders (another reason I’m glad to live in MA) have are just too ‘loud’ and I would think that they would be utterly distracting to hitters. Imagine a pitcher with a good hidden ball delivery, think like a Maddux or David Wells, wearing that nonsense. You’d never see the ball coming. That and that alone would make me say, “Hey, how about a nice sleeve patch?” or do what Oakland did earlier this season with the caps. Would it be so bad of Sandy Eggo wore caps that supported the military?

I think that the notion that it is ‘Band-Aid Patriotism’ is 100% right. Save the money you spend making these awful uniforms and donate it to a veterans charity. It would be more heartfelt if a decent portion of ticket prices went to said charities. Then maybe we would know that it was real, kinda.

Turns out that the ‘Defenders’ is the genius idea of none other than Dan Duquette. Go figure.

Paul,

I’ll add my cheers to all the others about your Page 2 piece today. I know we’ve chinned about this in the past, but I think you eloquently stated the case for ditching this look and I’m in complete agreement. Our military deserve better.

[quote comment=”329245″]Save the money you spend making these awful uniforms and donate it to a veterans charity. It would be more heartfelt if a decent portion of ticket prices went to said charities. [/quote]

I have no dog in this fight and you have made some good points but actually more money could be raised by buying, wearing and subsequently auctioning/selling the uniforms to the public. Not saying that’s a good enough reason to do so but that might be a response to that point.

[quote comment=”329192″]kek,

I beg to differ. I was sitting on the first base side, up a bit, but not that far. There was one play in the game where the Mets had a runner on first the batter hit the ball into the gap in right. The runner on first thought about scoring. Now as my eye went from right field following the ball, to third base to follow the runner, all I saw was a bunch of guys…the runner, the third base coach, the umpire, the third baseman and the pitcher backing up the play…moving this way and that…I know baseball as well as the next guy, but I’m telling you, for that instant, I didn’t know what was what.[/quote]
We’ll respectfully agree to disagree, I mean I see your point, but I just don’t have that problem.

And to ricko’s point about playing softball with teams of the same color uni, I recall playing several seasons of post-Little League ball in which many seasons, the majority of the teams uniforms were gray. Not once ever, EVER to I remember hearing any player, coach or umpire making the excuse that they could not tell who was who on the field.

I’m not saying I like it at all, I just think that our objection to it looking bad or being wrong is coming close to clouding our judgment as to if it REALLY impedes the quality of watching game. I will say that if it did impede, it would be more for the people at the game in person. I don’t think watching on TV would be a problem.

Hey, say what you will about those red Pirate vests, but this was never an issue with those!!!!!

[quote comment=”329187″]Poor Paul. Getting smacked over the camo issue. To me it isn’ about paying tribute or not. The tribute should be made, absolutely, but it’s about the manner of it.
[/quote]
Wait, should it be made?

Yes, the troops should be respected. But that doesn’t mean that they need a shout-out during a baseball game. And even if they should, I see no reason that the clubs that such a “tribute” should involve the teams abandoning their uniform or colors.

Cops deserve our respect, as well. So do cops. And teachers. And firefighters. And emergency room doctors. And lawyers who do lots of pro bono. Why don’t teams take the field wearing all blue with badges, or wearing stethoscopes, or carrying briefcases?

Oh, right. Because that would look silly. Just like a camo jersey does.
[quote comment=”329187″]But something as dignified as wearing caps of the different service branches (as the Twins did last year) doesn’t sell more jerseys. Camo outfits do.
[/quote]
I’d hardly call those caps “digified”. It’s almost as bad.

Haven’t seen this point made – Paul noted in his comment that the camo pattern that is used in the uniforms isn’t authentic. He’s right. It is not.

The exact patterns used by the military are developed in a proprietary manner and are copyrighted designs.

[quote]Cops deserve our respect, as well. So do cops[/quote]

don’t forget cops, chance ;)

wasn’t gonna join the camo debate because i thought i said my piece on it before (somewhere back around armed forces day, or veterans day, or the 4th of july, we had this whole debate), but i’ll just say that aesthetically, especially in baseball…the unis are atrocious…

as far as honoring the military (or any other public service group, as chance mentioned a few)…there is no need to resort to wearing a camo uni (or a cops uni, or a pro bono lawyers outfit, or any number of possible iterations)…

if you want to honor the military…there are other ways to do it, better ways, and much more aesthetically pleasing ways

im pretty sure the camo uni’s as merch would move regardless of whether a team has worn them, so if you feel, fashion-wise, the camo treatment is cool, by all means wear it…i feel it serves no purpose (other than to move merch) on field

[quote comment=”329241″]Enjoyed the Page 2 article.

Personally, I thought Army’s link in last season’s Army/Navy college football game were pretty cool considering they are the Army, but the numbers on the jerseys should’ve simply been more like link.

As for everyone else (link): LOSE THE CAMO!!!

A “salute to the soldiers” or “tribute to the troops” should not look like the first day of link season.[/quote]

Deer hunters wear “hunters’ orange” in and effort to avoid getting shot.

link

Thus, I do not believe that any of the camo-wearing baseball teams look much like deer hunters. Unless they start wearing these, of course.

link

Read your article over on ESPN, Paul … I don’t mind the camo uniforms so much. It’s the pink jersey nights that I can’t stand. Yipes!

[quote comment=”329251″][quote comment=”329192″]kek,

I beg to differ. I was sitting on the first base side, up a bit, but not that far. There was one play in the game where the Mets had a runner on first the batter hit the ball into the gap in right. The runner on first thought about scoring. Now as my eye went from right field following the ball, to third base to follow the runner, all I saw was a bunch of guys…the runner, the third base coach, the umpire, the third baseman and the pitcher backing up the play…moving this way and that…I know baseball as well as the next guy, but I’m telling you, for that instant, I didn’t know what was what.[/quote]
We’ll respectfully agree to disagree, I mean I see your point, but I just don’t have that problem.

And to ricko’s point about playing softball with teams of the same color uni, I recall playing several seasons of post-Little League ball in which many seasons, the majority of the teams uniforms were gray. Not once ever, EVER to I remember hearing any player, coach or umpire making the excuse that they could not tell who was who on the field.

I’m not saying I like it at all, I just think that our objection to it looking bad or being wrong is coming close to clouding our judgment as to if it REALLY impedes the quality of watching game. I will say that if it did impede, it would be more for the people at the game in person. I don’t think watching on TV would be a problem.

Hey, say what you will about those red Pirate vests, but this was never an issue with those!!!!![/quote]

Oh, lordy, I didn’t mean to say it was debilitating, just that I’ve had moments (because in softball oftentimes jerseys are the ONLY things that match from player to player) of coming up to throw and seeing my second baseman, shortstop, third baseman, two opposing runners and a third base coach all in the same color shirts simultaneously in my field of vision. To that extent it parallels softball. That’s what i meant. I’d always find the correct person throw to, but it did take a split second longer while I sorted it out.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”329260″][quote comment=”329253″][quote comment=”329187″]Poor Paul. Getting smacked over the camo issue. To me it isn’ about paying tribute or not. The tribute should be made, absolutely, but it’s about the manner of it.
[/quote]
Wait, should it be made?

Yes, the troops should be respected. But that doesn’t mean that they need a shout-out during a baseball game. And even if they should, I see no reason that the clubs that such a “tribute” should involve the teams abandoning their uniform or colors.

Cops deserve our respect, as well. So do cops. And teachers. And firefighters. And emergency room doctors. And lawyers who do lots of pro bono. Why don’t teams take the field wearing all blue with badges, or wearing stethoscopes, or carrying briefcases?

Oh, right. Because that would look silly. Just like a camo jersey does.
[quote comment=”329187″]But something as dignified as wearing caps of the different service branches (as the Twins did last year) doesn’t sell more jerseys. Camo outfits do.
[/quote]
I’d hardly call those caps “digified”. It’s almost as bad.[/quote]

i guess I can deal with the assorted caps as a one-game thing because it is figuratively, and possibly literally, “a tip of the cap.” I just see it as being, compared to much of the other nonsense, a relatively tasteful way of doing it. And it isn’t likely to sell much merchandise so we don’t get a whiff of that.

It goes to what the Mets and Yankees did when play resumed following 9/11. At the time I thought it was small and respectful way to make a statement…just get hold of some hats and wear them, nothing custom made. No marketing ploy, just “Thanks, ya done good.”

—Ricko[/quote]
IIRC, the Yanks didn’t do it then.

And when the Mets did it after 9/11, I thought it was cheesy, showy and self-serving. More about the Mets calling attention to themselves than anything else.

Now, that’s certainly not what they intended, but it sure is what I took away from it. The same thing I take away from all the camo dress-up.

This early screenshot of EA NHL 10 shows the ref in the reebokified new offical uniform. Can’t say i’m a fan link

hey paul. love the “I’m Calling it Shea” shirts.
count me in on the Mile High ones once they get printed up.

The Memorial Cup tournament starts tomorrow, and Rimouski will wear a special sweater for the opening game:

link

[quote comment=”329175″]Not a fan of today’s ESPN column.

(a) I think that the camo jerseys look cool.

(b) Judging from the number of words in the column, it looks like our Glorious Founder is working just a little too hard to find reasons other than his standard knee-jerk liberalism (if you like camo, you must love war!) to hate the uniforms and the sentiment behind them. (For purposes of disclosure, I am a war-hating Libertarian.)

(c) The idea of wearing throwback military uniforms is outstanding. I would not throw out the camo with the bathwater, though.[/quote]

Wonder if you are a veteran. I am, and think the camo looks awful.

[quote comment=”329138″]Did anyone see the guy in the front row at the Yankees-Blue Jays game last night?

He was wearing what looked like an atual MLB umpire shirt with the number 71 on it, and a MLB hat, and he was doing a replica strike three punchout whenever a Yankee struck out.

Pretty interesting….[/quote]

There are actually two of them…they have been there before, and one of them has started bringing a MASK…wish I knew how do screen captures, I am sure they will be there tonight. Their shirts and hats are dead on, btw – to the point where the shirts actually have NUMBERS on the sleeves. It cannot be DIY somehow., but some kind of inside job.

They are pretty animated….but Id hate to have sit right next to them..

Another thing to look for at Skydome Rogers Centre games -totally non-uni related, is from the CF camera, you get a pretty good look at the ladies who work as servers for the premium seats, as their little commissary is located directly behind HP – it makes for something to pass the time during a boring game. Thank God for a 42″ screen with HD!

Whenever I see teams wearing camo my first thought is always that they look like they’re playing dress-up, like you did when you were a kid playing army. It seems like camo is another branch of the superhero/badass tree, and in this way it’s kind of like when football teams go with the all black unitard/helmet look. And I’m not talking about the individual sincerity of the individual players regarding the military tribute at all. I’m just saying, aesthetically, this is the overall feeling I take away. Well, that and the fact that the camo uniforms look horrible.

The Northern League’ Schaumburg Flyers have announced a new Friday Night jersey for the 2009 season.

Guess what? link

So when I got up today, I put on my usual polo shirt and jeans. Walked out the door, walking down the sidewalk as it’s just a 15 minute walk, and I noticed…I was wearing a purple shirt.

I thought, “Uh,oh. Lukas will be furious.”

True.

Okay, I’ll admit I’m new to this site (really enjoying it so far) but what happened to Distant Replays out of Atlanta? It used to carry such a wide range of cool stuff but now appears to have a sharply reduced catalog. Did it lose licensing agreements or something?

… Dig this cool link That’s one of many sports-oriented ads that Brinke Guthrie has scanned from a two books of classic vintage advertising (the books are here and here), plus he’s got a ton of other interesting NFL-related stuff on display here. …

…so what are the other two teams? The Vikings and…?

On other topics, link in baseball. You have two other home uniforms (including the fauxback). You don’t need endless morphing of them via vest-age.

[quote comment=”329279″]The Northern League’ Schaumburg Flyers have announced a new Friday Night jersey for the 2009 season.

Guess what? link[/quote]

“I’m calling them the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks”

[quote comment=”329285″]… Dig this cool link That’s one of many sports-oriented ads that Brinke Guthrie has scanned from a two books of classic vintage advertising (the books are here and here), plus he’s got a ton of other interesting NFL-related stuff on display here. …

…so what are the other two teams? The Vikings and…?

On other topics, link in baseball. You have two other home uniforms (including the fauxback). You don’t need endless morphing of them via vest-age.[/quote]

Vests look nice if done right, like the old Pirates uniforms and the mid-1990s Marlins. In the case of the Twins, though, why bother? They have no tradition with vests, and already have two other white jerseys and one dark jersey to wear.

Bengals receiver has yet another name
By JOE KAY, AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP)–Oh-oh, Ocho. The Bengals’ top receiver has yet another name.

The NFL had agreed to let the player formerly known as Chad Johnson wear his new name on the back of his jersey this season. There’s one catch for the receiver: It’s not exactly how he wanted it.

Instead of Ocho Cinco, he’ll be Ochocinco.

The receiver legally changed his name in Florida last August. He asked the league and the media to call him Chad Ocho Cinco, a two-word nickname he had adopted referring to his No. 85.

The Bengals complied, but the NFL balked. It said the receiver would have to pay for the large inventory of “Johnson” jerseys that Reebok stocked for the season–ones that would be a tough sell–before he could switch. The receiver declined, choosing to play the season under his old name.

The league has agreed to let him wear his new name this year, but it will be rendered as “Ochocinco” because that’s how he wrote it when he submitted his name-change form in Florida.

“It’s his legal name,” AFC information manager Corry Rush said Thursday.

The receiver said last year that he wanted his name to be “Ocho Cinco.” Neither he nor his agent returned phone messages Thursday to discuss the name being one word instead of two. He was still selling shirts and other gear under the “Ocho Cinco” name on his Web site.

[quote comment=”329289″][quote comment=”329285″]… Dig this cool link That’s one of many sports-oriented ads that Brinke Guthrie has scanned from a two books of classic vintage advertising (the books are here and here), plus he’s got a ton of other interesting NFL-related stuff on display here. …

…so what are the other two teams? The Vikings and…?

On other topics, link in baseball. You have two other home uniforms (including the fauxback). You don’t need endless morphing of them via vest-age.[/quote]

Vests look nice if done right, like the old Pirates uniforms and the mid-1990s Marlins. In the case of the Twins, though, why bother? They have no tradition with vests, and already have two other white jerseys and one dark jersey to wear.[/quote]

Agree with the Pirates. My hatred blinded me momentarily. The Marlins, though? Really don’t like them either – they were like what the Twins are doing, but with teal in lieu of navy.

You’ve all got to see this…it’s effin hysterical:

link

[quote comment=”329262″]MPowers,

I am from the Youngstown, Ohio area. Yes Ed O’Neill did play for YSU, He went to Youngstown Ursuline HS a power in Ohio. Paul McGuire the football announcer and former Buffalo Bill also went to Ursuline.

Ed was on a show, maybe Letterman where he was telling about Dwight Beede the former YSU coach who inveneted the penalty flag.

The other odd thing is you mentioned Ed O’Neill the former Penn State star. I am pretty sure he is from Warren, Pa. There is a Warren, Ohio right by Youngstown, Ohio.[/quote]

That is a huge coincidence, Larry!

[quote comment=”329292″][quote comment=”329291″]The league has agreed to let him wear his new name this year, but it will be rendered as “Ochocinco” because that’s how he wrote it when he submitted his name-change form in Florida.

“It’s his legal name,” AFC information manager Corry Rush said Thursday.

The receiver said last year that he wanted his name to be “Ocho Cinco.” Neither he nor his agent returned phone messages Thursday to discuss the name being one word instead of two. He was still selling shirts and other gear under the “Ocho Cinco” name on his Web site.[/quote]

What a moron.

But, hey, did the league really try to bill him for unsold merch with his old name on it? That seems kind of, um, harsh. What if it turns out that, say, Tom Brady was given up for adoption as a kid, reunites with his birth parents Joe and Mary Btflspk, and decides to start using their name? Is the league gonna make him pay for all the unsold Brady NOB jerseys?[/quote]

Maybe. But the situations aren’t really all that similar, in that this one is entirely voluntary. Yours has a complicating element in that the name change wasn’t entirely Brady’s idea or serve his self-promotion.

Chad Ochocinco. He misspelled it on the paperwork? Whatta maroon.

[quote comment=”329273″][quote comment=”329175″]Not a fan of today’s ESPN column.

(a) I think that the camo jerseys look cool.

(b) Judging from the number of words in the column, it looks like our Glorious Founder is working just a little too hard to find reasons other than his standard knee-jerk liberalism (if you like camo, you must love war!) to hate the uniforms and the sentiment behind them. (For purposes of disclosure, I am a war-hating Libertarian.)

(c) The idea of wearing throwback military uniforms is outstanding. I would not throw out the camo with the bathwater, though.[/quote]

Wonder if you are a veteran. I am, and think the camo looks awful.[/quote]

Thank you for your service. I do not believe, however, that the fact that I did not serve in the military precludes me from having an opinion on the subject.

Those “umpire fans” are really annoying. If they were sitting in front of me at the game pulling those shenanigans, I’d knock that silly little hat right off their heads. “Anyone ever tell you that you look like a penis with a little hat on?” My best bet is it’s some sort of publicity stunt, perhaps they have a blog?

[quote comment=”329256″]Stirrups color-matching question:

On one of the t-ball teams my son is on, the “jersey” is forest green and the cap is royal blue (*sigh*). So should he wear royal blue or forest green stirrups? We’ve got both colors.

Follow-up question: what are the chances he’s the only kid on any Chicago Park District t-ball team wearing stirrups?[/quote]
You people disappoint me. Nobody has an opinion on this critical matter? This is important, folks!

Fine. You’ll all be sorry when we can’t decide and he ends up wearing one green and one blue stirrup. Hell, there might be so much confusion that he wears them with the high arches on the shin sides.

And I’m gonna post pictures after every game. *Shakes fist agrily*

[quote comment=”329305″][quote comment=”329256″]Stirrups color-matching question:

On one of the t-ball teams my son is on, the “jersey” is forest green and the cap is royal blue (*sigh*). So should he wear royal blue or forest green stirrups? We’ve got both colors.

Follow-up question: what are the chances he’s the only kid on any Chicago Park District t-ball team wearing stirrups?[/quote]
You people disappoint me. Nobody has an opinion on this critical matter? This is important, folks!

Fine. You’ll all be sorry when we can’t decide and he ends up wearing one green and one blue stirrup. Hell, there might be so much confusion that he wears them with the high arches on the shin sides.

And I’m gonna post pictures after every game. *Shakes fist agrily*[/quote]

shit…james…

i actually had a reply ALL SET for you, but well…work got in the way…dammit

i was furiously searching for pics of a green and blue striped stirrup, which might solve your problems…but since (a) i could not find such a beast, and (b) since you only possess blue and green separately, i was at a loss…

can you (a) get your son a cap that matches his jersey or (b) fire the equipment manager?

i’d say, tho…have the cap and the socks match — could you take pics of BOTH possible combos and have the folks vote? that might be the best way to decide

if you so choose, shoot me the pics, and i’ll post them in one of my weekend entries, and you can let Stirrup Nation (TM) decide

[quote comment=”329307″]
i actually had a reply ALL SET for you, but well…work got in the way…dammit[/quote]
those bastards!
[quote]i was furiously searching for link, which might solve your problems…but since (a) i could not find such a beast, and (b) since you only possess blue and green separately, i was at a loss…
[/quote]
Well, we’ve got a roll of royal blue hockey tape…
[quote]
can you (a) get your son a cap that matches his jersey or (b) fire the equipment manager?
[/quote]
This particular league cost $0 to join, so I guess you get what you pay for.
[quote]
i’d say, tho…have the cap and the socks match — could you take pics of BOTH possible combos and have the folks vote? that might be the best way to decide

if you so choose, shoot me the pics, and i’ll post them in one of my weekend entries, and you can let Stirrup Nation (TM) decide[/quote]
That’d be great. Thanks. And as an added bonus, it’ll be another thing to infuriate the weekend commenters!

[quote comment=”329175″]Not a fan of today’s ESPN column.

(a) I think that the camo jerseys look cool.

(b) Judging from the number of words in the column, it looks like our Glorious Founder is working just a little too hard to find reasons other than his standard knee-jerk liberalism (if you like camo, you must love war!) to hate the uniforms and the sentiment behind them. (For purposes of disclosure, I am a war-hating Libertarian.)

(c) The idea of wearing throwback military uniforms is outstanding. I would not throw out the camo with the bathwater, though.[/quote]
I have to disagree. Paul’s politics and mine are nothing alike, but his arguments about camo and military tributes on sports uniforms make sense anyway as they’re principally based on aesthetics and on the simple observation that sports teams are sports teams – nothing more or less.

I spent a chunk of the nineties living in San Diego. Those Padres teams would occasionally give a way a big block of tickets to a group of guys on active duty, who would attend in uniform. Seeing a section or two full of servicemembers was a much more fitting tribute than a uniform modification both from the standpoint of the people being honored and the impact on the others in attendance.

[quote comment=”329299″]the situations aren’t really all that similar, in that this one is entirely voluntary. Yours has a complicating element in that the name change wasn’t entirely Brady’s idea or serve his self-promotion.

Chad Ochocinco. He misspelled it on the paperwork? Whatta maroon.[/quote]

Eh, not sure I see all that much difference, in that I think both are “entirely voluntary,” though obviously only one is purely self-serving promotional bullsh*t. I’m not an attorney (though I play one on TV), but I suspect a sharp lawyer could have raked the league through the coals on that. (Just what we need, more litigation in sports.) But I do agree that Chad, uh, What’s-His-Name is an idiot.

BTW, I read this morning that the next “Hard Knocks” will focus on none other than the Bengals. Can’t wait.

[quote comment=”329386″]I actually contacted the site owner to find out. Looks like they went into bankruptcy and ‘Retro Brand’ bought the name.[/quote]

Thanks for that info. They had some cool stuff (I did buy some from them) and I’m sorry not to see it available at a single site.