It’s been a few months since our last round of wire service photos, so here’s a new batch. These were contributed by Greg Allred, James Ashby, Mako Mameli, Bruce Margulies, Brian Mazmanian, Bruce Menard, and Ronnie Poore.
• Here’s something you might not remember (if you ever knew it to begin with): In 1981, the Sixers wore a 35th-anniversary patch on their shorts. Are there any other examples of basketball teams wearing a patch in that spot?
• Back in the day, they’d ship the bullpen buggies down to spring training.
• Now that’s an old-timers uniform — literally.
• Check this out: In 1969, the Reds had a 100th-anniversary on deck circle.
• Major find here: In spring training of 1972, Steve Carlton wore No. 38, instead of his more familiar 32. He had just been traded to the Phils during the previous winter.
• An even better find: In 1971, Maryland hoops player Howard White wore an “H” nickNOB. I wonder if this was an attempt to mimic the nearby Baltimore Bullets, who had several players wearing nickNOBs and around this same time.
• Two interesting things about this shot of Pete Gogolak: First, note the high-top cleats. And second, the holder is Daryle Lamonica, prior to his days with the Raiders.
• Who’s that in the Cardinals uni? None other than Slingin’ Sammy Baugh, who briefly played pro baseball before settling in on the gridiron.
• I don’t know what I like better about this 1961 Alabama football practice shot — the white helmets or that the players look like they’re wearing pajamas.
• Good shot of Wilt Chamberlain wearing a vanity volleyball uni.
• And we conclude with another volleyball-centric shot of Wilt, this time as president of the newly formed International Volleyball Assocation. That logo on the ball leaves a bit to be desired (as does the wallpaper).
Slowly but surely (actually, not so slowly anymore): Lots of developments on the Native American front over the past few days. Here’s the latest:
• More and more Washington Post columnists are calling for the ’Skins to change their name. The latest two to weigh in are Robert McCartney and Courtland Milloy.
• Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk has also come out in favor of changing the team name.
• The ’Skins blog Hog Heaven also supports changing the name.
• The Michigan Department of Civil Rights has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education seeking to prohibit the use of Indian mascots and imagery.
• Majestic just released a bunch of retro-styled MLB T-shirts and sweatshirts. I cannot fucking believe what they chose for the Indians design. (For the record, I do like this Angels design.)
Simple rule: Lively debate on this topic is fine, but the term “politically correct” is not. Comments that contain that term or any of its variants will be removed. Thanks.
Mike Hersh, tribute, continued: In case you missed it on Friday, the Uni Watch family lost a prominent member last week, as longtime contributor Mike Hersh passed away unexpectedly. Thanks for all the heartfelt comments that so many of you posted, and for all the thoughtful e-mails I received as well.
On Friday I mentioned that Mike’s family is suggesting that donations in his name be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I don’t know if any of you did that, but it occurs to me that it’d be great to take up a collection and then submit one combined donation from the Uni Watch community.
I’ll get the ball rolling by pledging $100. I realize that’s more than most of you will want to contribute, and that’s fine — I knew Mike personally, and most of you did not. But if you want to throw in $5, $10, $20, whatever, every little bit would help. (If you’re cash-strapped or just don’t feel like donating, that’s fine — no pressure, no hard sell.)
If you want to be part of this, go to Amazon Payments and either log in to your regular Amazon account or, if you don’t have one, create a new Amazon account. Once you’re logged in, click on “Personal” and then on “Send Money,” and send your desired amount to plukas64 at gmail dot com. There’s field where you can leave a note, so please specify that you’re making a donation for Mike’s fund. I’ll make sure all the cash gets sent to the juvenile diabetes group, and I’ll keep everyone posted as to how things turn out. Thanks.
Membership update: Eight new cards have been added to the membership card design gallery (including Joshua Kramer’s card, shown at right, which is based on Iowa’s old “banana peel” jersey). The printed and laminated versions of these cards should mail out to the new enrollees in another day or two.
As always, you can sign up for your own custom-designed membership card here.
Show & Tell update: This month’s edition of my Show & Tell storytelling series will take place this Wednesday, Feb. 13, 8pm, in the back room at Freddy’s in the South Slope. Hope some of you NYC-area folks can make it.
Uni Watch News Ticker: Here are a coupla dozen photos from last week’s DC Uni Watch party — some taken by me, the rest taken by assorted attendees. My repeated thanks to all who came out — it was a truly wonderful night. ”¦ Colorado’s equipment staff tweeted this new football helmet design. Not clear if they’ll actually wear it. ”¦ This item about Brewers promo dates includes the following: “The team’s two tribute nights are back — Cerveceros Day on June 8 vs. Philadelphia, and the Negro Leagues Tribute Night on July 20 vs. Miami — and the Brewers will also host Polish Heritage Day on June 23, against the Braves. On those dates, the Brewers will wear special uniforms, including a ‘Piwowarzy’ jersey representing the Polish translation of ‘Brewers.'” Since the Brewers already have six primary and alternate jerseys in their wardrobe, this means the team will be wearing at least nine different uniforms in 2013. And that’s not counting the fan-designed jersey they’ll be wearing for a spring training game (from Geoff Poole). ”¦ New G.I. Joe jerseys for Wichita State (from Jay Sullivan). ”¦ Jaw-dropping sight: Jim Harbaugh not behaving like a total dick not wearing a black sweatshirt (thanks, Brinke). ”¦ In a related item, Harbaugh’s black sweatshirt has its own Twitter account (Brinke again). ”¦ Here’s a video about the Navy football equipment truck (from Kevin Whisman). ”¦ If there’s one thing I love, it’s meta sporting goods. What a beauty, eh? ”¦ Check out this microphone with OSU helmet striping (from Jeremy Brahm). ”¦ Also from Jeremy: The Chinese Volleyball League is using two different lettering styles for its players: pictographs for the Chinese players and roman letters for the foreigners. ”¦ Relive those 1970s NASL glory days with these New York Cosmos socks (from Bruce Menard). ”¦ Adam Lucas wrote a story about one-off UNC basketball uniforms in the Roy Williams era. ”¦ This page about the Indians’ fantasy camp includes the following passage: “Veteran Campers — There have been minor enhancements made to the ’13 block Indians jersey, so you may wish to consider purchasing a new one at cost ($150).” I was not aware of any changes to Cleveland’s 2013 uniforms, and no changes are listed in the MLB Style Guide. I’ll try to find out more (from Kevin Bresnahan). ”¦ This page tells the story behind the Minnesota Gophers’ schedule poster for 2013, which features current players wearing 10 game-worn jerseys from the history of the program. “The jerseys were all supplied by one man, whose collection numbers 125 in all,” says Jeff Barak. ”¦ Marty Brodeur did a postgame interview the other night with a ratty old jockstrap hanging in the background (alertly captured for posterity by Morgan Doninger). ”¦ I’ve seen plenty of photos of the Houston Buffaloes wearing shorts over the years, but I’d never seen this team portrait until Ryan Patrick pointed me toward it. ”¦ “I’ve noticed all season that NC State freshman Tony Warren had something white on back of shorts,” says Jeff Spry. “Turns out he rolls his waistband down. Would look better to just shorten the shorts.” ”¦ Interesting move by Brandon Belt at the recent Texas Longhorns alumni game: He mixed past and present by wearing his Giants jersey with his Longhorns pants, socks, and helmet (from Mike Barnes). ”¦ This is pretty awesome: Max Weintraub is proudly Jewish, so he got himself a Ryan Church jersey, but changed the NOB to something more Jewish-appropriate. ”¦ Arizona’s football field will now have “Bear Down” sublimated onto the gridiron (from Leo Thornton). … Here’s a pretty good article on six famous stories regarding soccer shoes (from George Chilvers). … New flag-desecration cap for the Rochester Red Wings (from Paul Bielewicz). … New uniforms for Maryland gymnastics (from Joe Hilseberg). … Funny article about Arsenal coach Arsène Wenger’s dorky-looking parka. ”¦ Melbourne Heart — that’s an Australian soccer team — went with THOB the other day (from Micahel Orr). ”¦ Here’s a fascinating story: A baseball cap has unexpectedly become a controversial symbol in Venezuelan politics. … UConn may be getting a full rebrand of the entire athletics department (from Gregory Koch). ”¦ Latest teams to go pink: the Petersborough Petes (note the numbered socks!), Toledo women’s hoops, and the Denver Cutthroats (from Dane Drutis, Jon Solomonson, and John Romero, respectively). ”¦ “The Omaha Lancers and Lincoln Stars played an outdoor hockey game on Saturday,” says Eli Swanson. “While there weren’t any big changes for either team, the referees had some sweet unis.” ”¦ “I picked up my annual pack of Topps cards the other day, and got this CC Sabathia card,” says Dan Cichalksi. “It has this interesting uni note on the back.” ”¦ This is pretty cool: a Chargers-themed supercross helmet (from Jared Bremseth). ”¦ Leo Strawn found this shot of former Eagles owner/coach Bert Bell wearing a primitive Eagles logo. It’s not clear if this was an official logo, or if it was just something Bell wore for himself. The image comes from, of all places, an old Tide detergent commercial. ”¦ This is pretty funny: a 1936 Cubs program with a novelty moustache (from Joshua Lee). … Several good shots of the Mets wearing 1976 pillbox caps here. ”¦ No more Umbro kits for England (from Joe Hollomon). ”¦ Here’s a new one: The Trail Blazers will wear Chinese New Year shooting shirts this Friday (from Jeremy Brahm). … Tonight’s episode of Pawn Stars features some guy with a huge Nike shoe collection. “Teasers say the dude wants 1 mill for it,” says Brinke. … Stunning news out of San Francisco, where Tim Lincecum has cut his hair (from Tom Mulgrew). … Marty Hick’s new daughter, Clara Jane, was baptized yesterday, and Marty dressed for the occasion. “I went with the Uni Watch originals, but with a black memorial leg band for Mike Hersh, as per Terry Proctor’s suggestion,” he says. “The boots hide the fact that they are indeed stirrups, but it was nice knowing they were there.” … I love this: Yesterday’s New York Times sports section had an article with an illustration featuring almost every MLB cap. I noticed right away, as did several readers, that the Phillies player was wearing a throwback cap. Now, the author of the article, Tyler Kepner, happens to have grown up as a rabid Phils fan. Was the NYT art department sending him a little shout-out? I asked Tyler, who said, “First thing I thought, too! But It turns out our illustrator, Sam Manchester, did not know that I grew up rooting for those Phillies teams. It turns out that he actually did, so that’s why he made it the pre-1992 cap. He also told me he loves Uni Watch.” ”¦ Very nice striped stirrups for Auburn softball (from Scott Holcomb). ”¦ Nobody loves pistachios more than I do, but it’s really sad to see them — or anyone — advertising on the Globetrotters’ uniforms (from Mark Rybczyk). ”¦ “In Sunday night’s Sabres/Bruins game, I noticed Buffalo’s Steve Ott (#9) was missing his front helmet number decal,” says Nathan Rundio. “I did some digging and found he was missing the front number for every Sabres game where they’ve worn their blue jerseys. Also, Marcus Foligno (#82) has been missing his front number decal all season as well.” ”¦ Florida Tech, a Division II school whose football team will have its inaugural season this fall, has a player listed as No. 0. Click on his name and sure enough, that’s what he’s wearing. I didn’t realize that was allowed in college football. Maybe it’s just a placeholder..? (From Nick Hanson.) ”¦ Rugby note from Eric Bangeman, who writes: “I don’t recall seeing this before: France wearing their opponent’s flag on the front. That’s the Welsh flag, which they wore while playing Wales in the second round of the Six Nations this weekend.” ”¦ Here’s a video showing the on-ice logos and graphics being applied for the Hockey City Classic. “I’ll do my best to get photos while I’m there on Sunday,” says Anthony Nuccio. ”¦ The Rangers wore their dark-blue alternate jerseys last night, but all the players wore their regular gloves, so the shades of blue didn’t match (from Adrian Acosta). ”¦ “I’m not usually a fan of championship T-shirts,” says Cort McMurray. “But the ones worn by Nigeria at the close of the African Cup of Nations finale are so simple — they just say, ‘Nigeria: Champions of Africa’ — they’re kind of charming.”
Was that guy 7 feet tall at the DC get together, or was he just standing on a chair?
No joke: 7’3″.
old-timters? Snazzy pic though.
Think how many new jerseys, hats, t-shirts, etc. Daniel Snyder could sell if he changed the name. Surely that appeals to his sensibilities, right?
It seems that Mr. Snyder’s sensibilities (dare I say rights?) are of not concern when it comes the name/logo of HIS franchise.
Why make a NCFNCS (name change for name change’s sake) when Snyder (like Jack Kent Cooke before him) already has solid branding and a highly valued commodity?
Rights? First off, rights pertain mainly to the actions of the government. Secondly, Snyder’s rights, whether with regard to the state or to other private citizens, are only at issue when he is compelled or required to do a thing. It doesn’t violate Snyder’s rights for other private citizens to get up a public campaign to advocate that he do a thing. He has the right to do the thing or not do it. A lot of Americans these days seem to think that one has a right not to be confronted with disagreement. That’s not a right; that’s cowardice.
The only place where Snyder’s rights are arguably at issue is with regard to his government-granted trademark to the Redskins name and logos. But those trademarks are clearly illegal under the federal law that establishes trademark protection! You can’t have a right to do an illegal thing. So even where Snyder’s rights are at least arguably at issue, Snyder’s rights are not, in fact, in jeopardy.
Well, in the same article Paul does allude to the Michigan Civil Rights Dept’s complaint against the DoE; maybe that deplorable factoid was in the back of the poster’s mind.
Of course, even if such a DoE complaint were successful, it wouldn’t apply to MD/Maryland, nor would it apply to a private business owner. Nevertheless, it strongly reinforces the impression that activists on this issue would like to outright proscribe use of Indian names/imagery where they can, and that the “moral persuasion” they so generously pride themselves on engaging in elsewhere is mostly because they haven’t yet hit on a way to dispense with it and cut to the exercise of power.
Legally, Snyder’s rights are not currently in jeopardy. But I’ve seen little from anti-mascot partisans to persuade me that they personally give a fig for his rights, or wouldn’t love to find an end-run around them. In fact, one suspects that many people who’d otherwise be sympathetic to changing tasteless nicknames such as “Redskins” are catching a strong whiff of calculating priggishness and frustrated will-to-power from the current appeals, which then causes them to dig in their heels–and I have trouble blaming them.
I’m not a lawyer, so I must have missed that trademark ruling that the Redskins’ marks are “clearly illegal”. Thanks.
I’m not saying (or implying for that matter) that those who oppose the use of Native American imagery/nicknames can not civilally direct their opposition to Mr. Snyder or hold whatever peaceful assemblies they’d like, but until the courts legally compel a name change, is not Snyder the individual who ultimately gets to determine whether or not those ‘recommendations’ are acted upon?
I’m one of those Americans who believes rights come a source higher than ourselves (if they are generated by government, they’re subject at the will of the state/its’ figureheads), and that every individual is free to acquire and retain property (physical and itellectual)created/secured through one’s own labor, and get to be treated impartially before a just law (you often get no such treatment in the court of public opinion).
I agree with you completely about where rights come from. And yet your use of the word here is nonsense. Of course Snyder gets to determine what to do with his property! Of course no government agency or anyone else, except the NFL, a private entity to whom Snyder is a franchisee, should compel Snyder to do anything. But the clear and necessary implication of your arguments on the point is that Snyder has a right not to be confronted with contrary public opinion. That’s not liberty. That’s tyranny. It says, “You, the citizens of this republic, shall not express your opinions, because Dan Snyder has a right to do whatever he damn well pleases without the inconvenience of hearing from the plebes.”
And if Snyder ultimately loses government trademark protection, that will not at all affect his right to call his team whatever he wants. He will just lose the ability to use the power of the state to enforce a legal monopoly on the sale of merchandise using the name. Trademark is not a natural right; it is a government invention established and governed by laws.
Here’s how rights work: Dan Snyder has the right to call his team the Redskins. Or not. The NFL has the right to require Snyder, as a franchise holder, to change his team’s name. Or not. I have the right to speak freely in public against the name Redskins. Or not. You have the right to speak freely in public for the name Redskins. Or not. And back to the beginning, where ultimately Dan Snyder has the right to do whatever he wants, subject to the consent of the league in which his team plays. Expressing the opinion that Snyder should do a thing in no way infringes his right not to do the thing.
“But the clear and necessary implication of (my) arguments on the point is that Snyder has a right not to be confronted with contrary public opinion.”
Really? That’s what I ‘meant’ to say?
I didn’t see it that way (anyone else read it that way?) and later made clarification, but if you wish to continue to (mis)interpret the statements made above, that’s OK.
To reiterate, there’s plenty of folks who are deeply concerned with the collective rights (I hope I’m using that word correctly…if not I’m sure to be ) of Indians but there’s little discussion/concern for the individual property rights of Mr. Snyder to the Redskins logo, wordmark, etc…
Clearer?
I hope so.
ChrisH, apologies if I’ve misread you. Seriously. But. Who here ever said anything about “collective rights” of anybody? Or called into question Snyder’s individual right to call his business by the name of his choice? Nobody. To say that Snyder should change the name is not to deny his right to do as he wishes.
But to the point: In what way are Snyder’s rights infringed by any person advocating that he ought to choose to change his business practices? Please, be specific.
The internet is a horrible place to debate a complex topic such as this one. There’s just too many limitations.
I wonder if there were any viewpoints expressed at the con-fab which supported continued use of Indian team names and representations and, if there were, were the speakers given proper respect and equal time. I doubt that was the case, but I wasn’t there.
Again, I looked at what I posted and never said that Snyder’s rights are being infringed upon…only that they are often not considered valid (or considered at all) by those who desire to change the Redskins’ name/logo.
Re: “collective rights”: I’m the one who brought that up and used the term, since one of the various reasons cited to retire/remove/prohibit these representations is that it’s a matter of basic fairness for any member of a racial/cultural minority(in other words…a collective?). I’m no constitutional scholar, but since when are a group’s rights afforded greater weight that any one’s individual rights?
My apologies…meant to state “since when are a group’s WANTS afforded greater weight that any one’s individual rights?”
Fixed.
Here is another high-profile person to add to the list of Change the Football Team’s Name proponents:
Jim Vance, one of NBC 4’s top newscasters…
link
“The name sucks.” -Jim Vance
That was awesome.
Got two issues here:
1. Cooperstown school voted to get rid of the Redskins name last week:
link
2. The alternatives are literary-based inspired by James Fenimore Cooper: Deerslayers, Hawkeyes, and Pathfinders
Now see, another instance where it doesn’t matter what you think of the name Redskins. For a school, a nickname inspired by a local literary giant is inarguably superior to a nickname that is not.
Interesting development in the NY Rangers’ gloves. Last year, everybody went with navy/white/red gloves for the whole year, evidently channeling Meat Loaf. (“Two out of three ain’t bad:” the navy on the gloves would clash with the royal-inclusive regular jerseys, while the white on the gloves would clash with the thirds, which use vintage white.) The year before that, the players had separate gloves to always match.
I’ll bet that there just isn’t enough time to break in another set of gloves, which wouldn’t be used as often as normal because the season is shortened and there can’t be as many opportunities to wear the thirds. So if that is the case, I like that the gloves match the primaries 100%.
I thought that they had been wearing mismatched gloves with their “Heritage” thirds since last year.
Last year, everybody went with navy/white/red gloves for the whole year, evidently channeling Meat Loaf.
Yes. Last year, there was a mismatch; this year, there is a different mismatch.
As a Mets fan, I like the resurgence of Mr. Met on new apparel. But I’ve always hated new stuff that’s been made to look old. The Majestic stuff look like defects. Same goes for “distressed” jeans & hats. Wear it till it looks ratty.
I’m just old.
No, you’re not. I feel the same way.
Don’t even get me started…
*insert vitriolic rant about “vintage white” in hockey here*
In that same FAQ page that talks about The Indians Fantasy camp there is a quote at the very bottom of the page about how to decide what size pants you wear “b. Pants – Modern players measure length from their inseam to the ball of their ankle; “old-fashioned” players measure from their inseam to their lower/mid calf. ”
Could you convince them to change “old fashioned” to “the right way”
The photo tweeted by the Colorado Buffaloes Equiptment Account was a half Denver Broncos half Colorado Buffaloes helmet made for a luncheon. It will not be for sale and will not be worn on the field. That photo was without the helmet logos, but if you continue to read their tineline, they tweeted many other photos of the finished product
That eagle on Bert Bell’s sweatshirt looks more like a seagull, so does mean it’s really a seagle?
Paul,how do you feel about Mardi Gras Indians ?
Well, I like it.
Alabama should re-market that BAMA practice sweatshirt. I’m not a Tide fan, but I’d buy one if they put em back on the shelf as a throwback. I think they’re pretty cool.
I designed a t-shirt for a company I worked for that looked very similar. Athletic block font with “20” in the middle for our 20th annivesary. Customers and employees requested that t-shirt more than any other item we used to give away.
Those were INDEED Old Timers uniforms for the Dodgers. You can see Lasorda in the background, as well.
“… … Relive those 1970s NASL glory days with these New York Cosmos socks (from Bruce Menard). …”
Good-looking, I gotta say. Blue-green-yellow one of this planet’s great color combos. cf Brazilian flag and Robert Marshall custom-made Nugent family bobble heads. To which I would link if I knew how to do such things.
I can’t believe I’m the first one to catch the halftime score for the Howard White game. 4-3!!! How could people sit through these games before the shot clock?
That MD-SC game was one of the seminal games in college basketball history. SC was defending ACC champion and #2 in the country, and MD a team of no-names. Except, that is, for Coach Lefty Driesell, in Year 2 as MD coach, who had vowed to turn MD into the “UCLA of the East” when hired. Oh, and Tom McMillen & Len Elmore, who were stuck playing on MD’s freshmen team per NCAA rules at the time. McMillen had been the most highly recruited HS player since Alcindor, and (I believe) the first HS player to ever appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
But they weren’t available, and so a horribly overmatched MD team, after several possessions that resulted in a 3-2 SC lead, had Howard White (“H”) stand at midcourt dribbling the ball in an effort to draw SC out of its zone defense. SC refused to take the bait, and White and a teammate just stood at midcourt handing the ball back & forth to one another for something like 18 minutes. White then went one-on-one in the closing seconds of the first half and sunk a pull-up jumper to put MD up 4-3.
The second half was a nip-and-tuck affair played at a closer-to-normal pace, but SC looked to have it won until Jim O’Brien, a solid but unremarkable player who opposing fans routinely mocked for his slightly balding, Bozo-like shock of curly red hair, first made a putback and then a leaner in the closing seconds of both regulation and OT to lead MD to a 31-30 victory, the first major win of the Driesell era there.
link
The following year was (again, I think), when freshmen became eligible to play, at which point MD was off to the races with McMillen, Elmore & frosh PG John Lucas among others. SC, in the meantime, dropped out of the ACC shortly thereafter when the other schools in it banded together and voted to require a higher GPA for player eligibility than what the NCAA mandated (2.1 vs. 1.8). SC then roamed the wilderness as an independent for some 20 years or so before joining the SEC.
Fascinating times, they were.
“… … This is pretty awesome: Max Weintraub is proudly Jewish, so he got himself a Ryan Church jersey, but changed the NOB to something more Jewish-appropriate. … ”
Fabulous.
Thanks!
I’ve worn it to tons of games and never ONCE has it failed to get comments. I suspect, however, as the memory of Ryan Church fades (quickly!), I’ll get fewer and fewer.
Why censor your discussion by eliminating a “phrase” that you don’t like? Whether one agrees with your view or not, by refusng to even allow a post with what many feel is a valid reason for a disenting opinion, it makes one wonder if you don’t care about the opinion of others or if you are just unable to come up with a valid arguemnt against “the phrase”.
It’s your column, you can do what you want…I’ll still read it.
“Politically correct” is not a “valid” anything. It’s a meaningless nonsense term that’s become a crutch for people who can’t form an intellectual argument. It’s essentially a form of name-calling — “Nyeh-nyeh, you’re just being politically correct!”
If you want to disagree with me (or anyone else), fine. But do it without name-calling, which is what “politically correct” is. Disagree with the argument on the merits, not by categorizing it under a category heading that you dislike.
Think harder.
I’m not saying I agree or disagree with your position, I just disagree with limiting/censoring the comments.
I have to say I agree with Jeff. I respect your right to define the “rules of engagement” of debate on the site however you want. But the term ‘Politically Correct’, if someone is using it to mean “doing something because it’s what others think he should do” — he is thereby doing it because he thinks it is what people want him to do. (i.e. if a team owner changed the name of his team from Redskins because he thinks that’s going to be the best ‘political’ move — not because he thinks it is the right thing to do.)
Sure the phrase is meaningless if you use it meaninglessly.
If and when Daniel Snyder decides to change the name, does anybody really believe that he’d be doing it because he had a deeply heartfelt conviction that it was (now) the right thing to do? Or wouldn’t it be more likely that he did it because increasingly “political” pressure made him realize he finally was at a point where he had more to gain by doing it rather than don’t doing it?
If the second is the case, then he’d be doing it to be “politically correct”
Tell me where I’m wrong here, Paul. I’m sure I am.
the term ‘Politically Correct’, if someone is using it to mean “doing something because it’s what others think he should do”
If that’s what you mean, then say that. But that’s not the only way in which it’s used. For example, some people would say that I am being politically correct on this issue, but that doesn’t fit your definition.
PC is a label. I’m not interested in labels here, because they just distort and muddy the debate; I’m interested in actual ideas. If that means you have to use more words instead of a two-word shorthand, well, I have faith in your ability to type a bit more.
As for Snyder, if he ever decides to change the team name, I’m sure it’ll be out of some combination of shame and economic calculations. If you choose to call that by another label, that’s fine. But I’d prefer that you not use that one particular label on my web site. Thanks.
Fair enough — I just never thought of it as a negative label or shorthand, just a neutral phrase that literally meant what I thought it meant.
Sure if a inbred conservative redneck hick is sitting on a park bench with a southern drawl and says, complete with demonstrative air quotes, “Oh, that durn librul is just sayin’ that to be ‘Politickally Co-rrect’ with a tone of disdain in his voice, that’s one thing.
No I see your point, it’s easier just to ban all uses of a phrase like that rather than deal having to sift through those that are pejorative from those using it intelligently. Guess it’s kind like guns.
The best way to deal with words, phrases or speech we find objectionable is to counter those word, phrases and/or speeches with those of our own. I think the prior restraint of any words or phrases used to support any argument on either side of the issue of the use of Native American imagery is a mistake. If one believes that “politically incorrect” is a vapid, useless phrase, then simply say so when it’s brought up and provide the party employing the phrase to argue otherwise. I acknowledge that this is Paul’s site and he is certainly able to set whatever ground rules he likes but it seems to reinforce the belief that the those who do not support any name/imagery changes are rubes who cannot articulate any sensible counter-argument to those set forth my mangegment.
“by management”
It does appear to be an arbitrary censure. Regardless of intentions, it just looks that way.
Either way, I appreciate the level of discourse and the exchange of ideas that goes on here.
I think all NBA teams wore a patch on their short shorts in honor of the leagues 35th anniversary that season
Here is an example
link
I’m pretty sure you’re right; all teams wore the NBA 35th Anniversary patch that year like all MLB teams wore the 100th Anniversary patch in 1969.
It’s hard to see in the photo but patch is somewhat visible on Bulls player #13; he is toward the left in the background. The Bulls put the patch on the right leg of the shorts while the 76ers put it on the left leg.
Yup, teams wore a 35th anniversary patch in 1980-81, and a 25th anniversary patch in 1970-71, just about visible here:
link
In addition, the Nuggets wore a Colorado Centennial patch on their shorts during 1976 (the circular “76”):
link
Somebody should start a website and track this stuff
So that just makes me even more irritated than I was in 1996, when the NBA decided to use the 1996-97 season to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
In short:
25th anniversary – 1970-71, 25th season
35th anniversary – 1980-81, 35th season
50th anniversary – 1996-97, 51st season
*pound*
*head*
*on*
*desk*
Swansea futbol t shirt
â€@SwanseaTriangle ‘Three Amigos’ shirt popular after QPR win link link
“… Leo Strawn found this shot of former Eagles owner/coach Bert Bell wearing a primitive Eagles logo. It’s not clear if this was an official logo, or if it was just something Bell wore for himself. The image comes from, of all places, an old Tide detergent commercial. … ”
You’re right, Paul, it’s a “primitive” logo for sure. But it is also very cool. The image of a bird of prey, in flight, grasping a football in its talons — great. Have the Falcons or the Eagles or any NCAA Hawks or Eagles or Owls ever used that motif?
“Have the Falcons or the Eagles or any NCAA Hawks or Eagles or Owls ever used that motif?”
the point of my sending it to paul was that creamer’s logo site only has philly eagle logos back to 1948…this one had to be between ’33-’40 if that is bert bell in the photo…
has anyone…? sure…
did anyone that early…? i don’t know…
got a phila eagles logo from the ’30s…? yes, now you do…
oh, side note, on the bert bell/philadelphia eagles shirt…didn’t mean to mislead paul, but it was actually one of those new tide evolution of uniform color ads…sry, didn’t mean to make it sound as if it were from an old commercial i ran across…
and just to reiterate what i answered to someone above…the point of why it is uni-watch-worthy isn’t that it’s a bird holding a ball in its talons…
it’s worthy because it may be the oldest glimpse of a philadelphia eagles logo…creamer’s site only has logos back to ’48 for the eagles…the significant part of that photo is bert bell…he was owner/head coach/gm of the eagles from 1933 (club’s inception) until 1940 (following year he was part owner of the steelers with art rooney)…
so, this shirt (and eagles graphic) would out-date any official eagles logo (that i can find) by a decade or so…
Apparently the Eagles have used the “ball in the talons” in a few different logos through the years.
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And of course this one:
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yes, so that may have even gone back to the days when they wore blue and yellow…too bad that photo isn’t color…
“Who’s that in the 1929 Cardinals uni? None other than Slingin’ Sammy Baugh…”
Love that pic, but it must be from c.1938-39 when Sammy was part of the Cards organization. He would have been 15 yrs. old in 1929.
Cheers!
~B
That style of uniform was worn in ’36 and ’37… so the shot possibly was taken during spring training of ’38.
“Sublimated” … what’s the definition of that word? I briefly searched for it, and didn’t find anything that essentially means “ghosted.”
PS, love that Ft. Wayne (Pistons) jersey in the party photos. Great nod to an original NBA franchise. FYI, Fort Wayne is the birthplace of the NBA … at Fred Zollner’s kitchen table.
For screen-printed graphics, ink is printed onto the fabric. With sublimated graphics, dye is put into the fabric.
Ah, so the they’ll dye the grass? As opposed to simply cutting it differently (ala baseball). Good to know.
It’s a new FieldTurf field. It is supposedly going to be the 2nd one in the country with a cooling system as a base that keeps the field 15 degrees cooler.
That ain’t pajama fabric on those ‘Bama uniforms. And the NY Rangers might have been saluting the Phil Simms era Giants who wore medium blue jerseys with Navy helmets.
Sweet. Someone got me in the background of the last two Uni-watch photos.
I’m not a Phillies fan (at all!), but I grew up with baseball in the 80s. I would love for the Phillies to go back to the maroon unis. But maroon and gray. No powder blue!
+1 Can’t stand the Phils, but I wish they’d “own” the maroon instead of being just another red team.
RE: “In 1971, Maryland hoops player Howard White wore an “H” nickNOB.”
Two things struck me:
– Back in the day, that striping pattern Maryland was wearing was quite popular. Wish somebody would bring it back.
– While certainly not long by today standards, the Maryland shorts seem to have a longer inseam and look proportionally better than those worn by the South Carolina players.
VICTORY!!!!
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That’s a tough photo to take. The photographer must have been down on his knees!
Paul-Take another look at that photo. Looks to me like the hat is sitting on a statue pedestal and not the ground. Photog probably didn’t have to get too low.
Right you are.
Man, that’s a nice hat. If only the brim were red, like an actual Braves cap would be.
It’s like, if you’ve got that A, and you’ve got the Braves’ tomahawk, why would it even occur to you to dredge up the old screaming savage logo? Indian issue aside, it’s a crappy logo!
For god’s sake, stop with this “screaming savage” crap, LOOK at the freakin logo – he’s LAUGHING. His eyes are shut, so he’s not screaming in rage, he’s laughing with joy. You know, because baseball is supposed to be fun, or something like that.
Like I said, set aside the politics of the issue. Screaming or laughing, it’s a crap logo. As an illustration, it’s poor. It is of a piece with early 1970s advertising clip-art. Which everybody uses today for internet illustrations precisely because it’s so bad, as art, that its very badness is inherently funny.
I’d disagree, Arr–but even if you’re right, that’s not why anyone raised a stink about it, and one guesses it’s not why Atlanta abandoned the idea.
“The fact that one person somewhere offered his personal opinion about one of our options, that was important to him.” I had no idea it was just one!
Bullshit, you didn’t win anything. Victory over a historical logo that at one time embodied a championship? Nice job. I consider myself pretty liberal; certainly left of center and certainly from a social standpoint. But taking this hard line stance that we must coddle every different person in history is ridiculous. Our differences are what make us a great society. I should say what “made” us a great society. Being that far left is no different than Rush Limbaugh or Bill O’Reilly’s hard right political views. Now instead of celebrating the team’s heritage, it’s been watered down to a plain vanilla. Thanks, Mets fan Paul.
You may not care for it, but I’m afraid the simple reality is that one side did win here.
I was an original uni-member and have supported you for years. I’m sorry to say I’m out. I’d wish you luck, but I wouldn’t mean it.
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Bernard, I swear I thought that link would go to link. :)
Uni-Watch for the win.
Well the Braves organization said they had a number of hats under consideration didn’t they? Unless they’re just trying to play cool like “nobody influenced our decision” it seems like they just decided to go a different direction. Odd though that that was the version that was leaked. Although I like the Nokahoma hat I think the version they released is just better in my opinion.
Well the Braves organization said they had a number of hats under consideration didn’t they? Unless they’re just trying to play cool like “nobody influenced our decision” it seems like they just decided to go a different direction.
Total bullshit. The Indian cap has been in the MLB Style Guide for months (and is still there right now), and it’s in the new New Era catalog. They were totally committed to it until the shitstorm hit. Now they’re just trying to save face.
My favorite excerpt:
[The design for the Braves showed the front being adorned with the “screaming Indian head” that has been deemed by some as offensive to Native Americans.]
Deemed by some as offensive… kinda makes it sound like it’s just a few whiny people who were offended by the image of a red faced screaming “savage”.
I was reading the comments on Florio’s article. Several stood out to me, where people wrote that the Redskins don’t have any kind of racist history. Egad!….George Preston Marshall, the founder of the team, was openly racist. He was principally responsible for the NFL’s racial disintegration in 1933, and once reintegration began in 1946, he refused to sign African-American players until he was forced to in 1962.
Marshall made great contributions to the game of football, but equal rights was remotely not one of them. I have no doubt he knew exactly what the word “Redskin” meant. It was racist then, racist now, and racist always. It was simply perfectly acceptable then, as a lot of people still do now. I’m glad to see more people are backing a name change.
I say…bring on the Maryland Frogs!
The original lyric was “Fight for Old Dixie” instead of “…for Old D.C.” That was the least of the evidence of Marshall’s racism.
I’m not sure that’s the case, I think it was originally “Fight for Old D.C.” and changed to Dixie, then changed back. The third video on link has an old record playing the song. Comments suggest it is from 1938.
The Redskins were (correct me if I’m mistaken) the most ‘southern’ (geographically) NFL team for quite some time.
The lyrics were eventually revised, though I’m not certain it was as a result of public outcry.
So by using the word “Dixie” and urging the team to figuratively fight in a style associated with Indians make Mrs. Marshall (who wrote the lyrics BTW) or anyone else a de-facto racist?
The primary evidence of racism is their refusal to integrate until the 1960s. Song lyrics, in that context, are a disturbing coincidence.
Before convenient interstate travel, and before D.C. acquired quite the swollen mass of governmental functionaries it currently sports, the D.C. area was widely considered Southern, and northern Virginia wasn’t much different from any other area of the state. So while not defending Marshall, I’m not sure what’s so shocking about the fight song.
We don’t have to rely on making assumptions about Marshall’s well known and lifelong open racist bigotry. After all, if all we had was supposition, then it would at least be possible that “Redskins” was the one time in his entire life that he used a racist epithet without ill will. Even hateful bigots who use their wills to enact their own prejudices beyond the grave, as Marshall did, sometimes behave decently.
Rather, just look at Marshall’s actual conduct when choosing the name. Marshall forced the coach in whose “honor” the name was supposedly chosen to dress up in stereotypical, and notably not authentic, Indian regalia and parade around in warpaint. So a known bigot forced his racial minority employee to prance around in costume and makeup. If an employer did that today, every last one of us would recognize it as workplace racial discrimination.
(I know, officially coach Dietz “voluntarily” donned the warpaint, but get real. Anyone who has actually held down a job, or who knows the first thing about the history of American labor relations, will not be fooled by that smokescreen. Early pro sports, in particular, are filled with legendary stories of players and coaches doing silly publicity or advertising acts at their owners’ behest.)
If you think the adversiting patch on the Globetrotters jersey is disturbing, you may not want to see these all-green uniforms they wear in the pistachio TV commercial.
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Minor typo — “Here’s a pretty good article on six famous [i]stores[/i] regarding soccer shoes.” Should be “stories.”
(Not sure how you deal with having dozens of amateur copy editors on this site…)
Cheers, and keep up the good work, Paul!
Not sure how you deal with having dozens of amateur copy editors on this site…
Are you kidding? I appreciate all the eagle eyes! Thanks for the alert — will fix.
Yea, maybe it’s time for the Redskins to change their name.
I say bring back the Washington Federals, logo and all, but keep the current uniform and color scheme. Anyone with skills want to take a crack at it?
Or, how about just swapping the current helmet decal with the N.J. Generals’ helmet decal, and become the Washington Generals? That would look great. Or is that too closely associated with the Harlem Globetrotters’ longtime doormat?
Washington Warriors with a military motif instead of an Indian motif? Too bellicose? Too political?
I’ve thought that you could go with Warriors, and bring back the spear on the helmet, but with a streamer forming a “W” instead of a feather. Go back to the dark burgundy and mustard/old gold colors. That way, you could have a visual link to the team’s past, and still dispose of the more unfortunate parts of the identity.
Washington Warriors is a registered trademark of the franchise and/or Dan Snyder. Officially, it was to be for an Arena League team that was being considered.
May as well cash it it now. I actually wanted Marquette University to retain the Warrior moniker, but with 4 mascots – a native american, a blue coat (Civil War union soldier), a “greatest generation” green uniform G.I., and a desert fatigues modern soldier. In retrospect this would have came off as really bad in a Village People and Sausage Race kind of way.
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just look at that glorious bulldog!
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Yea, I remember those; some of them are fantastic.
What I had in mind was adapting the Federals’ (or Generals’) USFL logo to the current Washington uniform.
I just have a thing for USFL logos and uniforms. Most of them were fantastic.
Washington Hogs
In that photo of Lefty wearing #38, the player on the receiving end of Carlton’s kick looks to me to be the late John Vukovich, not Bill as the caption indicates.
Yes, indeed, that IS definitely JOHN Vukovich. Bill Vukovich drove race cars.
I agree. And I think it is great to see those “new look” uniforms in flannel.
Yes thats right John not Bill the race car driver. Since the Phillies acquired Lefty on Feb 25 it appears he is wearing #38 which was Rick Wise’s number and who he was traded for. He never wore 38, wearing 32 for his entire Phillies career.
The Carolina League Potomac Nationals will be unveiling a revamped Uncle Slam mascot on Saturday near the site of their proposed new ballpark in Woodbridge, VA:
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Funny thing is that Uncle Slam is actually in better shape than the parent club’s four original racing presidents, who are all looking really ratty these days.
I’m kind of glad that Uncle Slam got burned up in the fire. I thought he was a bit too goofy looking. Hopefully, he’s spiffed up a bit.
Oh, right, the fire. Totally forgot about that!
I still miss the old Potomac Cannons cannon-face mascot. It was a baseball mascot straight out of a J-horror movie:
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I thought it was a charred-after-re-entry Apollo capsule.
Why do I expect Uncle Slam to resemble a WWF character?
the Memphis Grizzlies are having a design a t-shirt contest. winner gets their design made into a fan-give-a-way shirt for an upcoming game.
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And the Braves’ “screaming Indian” BP cap has officially been ditched.
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(IMHO, the replacement design is ace.)
Apologies, I didn’t know Sam D. had already posted this.
D.C. mayor backpedals on Redskins name change
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People used to call Marion Barry “Mayor-for-life Barry.” I’ve taken to calling the current incumbent “Mayor-for-now Gray.” I’m much less interested in what Mayor-for-now Gray has to say than in what the person who will fill out his term when he either resigns or is indicted will have to say when he or she takes office later this year.
That picture of the Red Sox “pitcher’s cart” is particularly awesome given you can see a Ted Williams #9 jersey hanging on that rack.
He was a fixture at Sox spring training for years…
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That jersey stood out to me 1000x more than the cart. In a parking lot, next to a bicycle, almost forgotten … not sure what it is, but there’s something artistically significant about that part of the image.
Well said!
The question of a new name is, at this point, probably the biggest stumbling block for the Redskins name-change drive. A few of the most obvious names have already been used in ways that all but prevent their use by the team, particularly Federals and Generals. Much as Federals would otherwise be my first choice. Warriors actively invites aggrieved Redskins diehards to double down on the disgraceful Indian stereotype fan behavior.
Personally, I’ve come to like Pigskins, since it has so many levels of meaning and lets people up easy with the continued Skins nickname. You’ve got pigskin, the equipment, you’ve got the team’s longstanding “hog” imagery, and even a reference to Washington’s reputation for porkbarrel politics. Plus, the Redskins pigskin-style leather-look throwback helmet is one of the greatest helmets ever worn on an NFL field. Throw a logo on that and bam! New uniforms solved.
But I still think Monuments would be a decent option. It’s a nicely football-style name, more in line with Titans or Giants than with the more cutesy nicknames more common in other sports. Invites interesting possibilities for uniform detailing. Obelisk-style stripe over the top of the helmet?
Other names that I like, but that I don’t think work for a football team in DC: Commanders, Senators, Statesmen, Potomacs, Presidents, Liberators.
I don’t see Monuments happening on account of Ted Leonsis’ Monumental Sports & Entertainment which owns the Capitals & Wizards. I would think he’s trademarked “Washington Monuments” as a “professional sports team in Washington D.C.” Actually, given some of his other decisions, maybe he hasn’t…
Good point. So Leonsis buys the Redskins, names them the Monuments, puts them on his new data telecom telepathy network or whatever the hell his new venture is, and Bam! Problem solved with synergy. It’d be like the seventh sigma, man.
I think Leonsis is over-leveraged as it is which is why he kept Ernie Grunfeld around.
Leonsis was non-committal on the names of the DC basketball and football teams, though seemed open to the idea of changing both.
“Monuments” has overtones of age and immobility that are kind of unfortunate if you’re a pro football team.
Would not Pigskins be considered potentially offensive to non-Christians (Snyder’d catch less heat if he called his club the Crusaders, complete with a cross-based logo?) and be viewed as less-inclusive by cattle ranchers, poulturers and the fishing industry?
Washington Windmills…works on many levels IMO.
No. Pigskin, as you are aware, is the universally understood name of the ball and a ubiquitous nickname for the sport itself. Seriously, have you ever experienced a Jew or Muslim who keeps kosher or halal express “offense” at the mere mention of a word relating to pigs?
BTW, I dig Windmills. Not so much for a football team, but still, great name.
I’m sure any name could be offensive to someone. Hurricanes could be offensive to someone who lost a relative in Katrina.
Well, no, but neither have I encountered a non-bureaucratically employed Indian express offense at any of the nicknames, logos, or imagery that so exercise Paul. If “reasonable offense” were a criterion here, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
The test isn’t whether you’ve personally met any non-tribal-government Indians who object to Indian names. To the extent that it matters whether anyone is offended, the test is whether such people exist, not whether you or any other individual has met them. I have. I’ve also personally witnessed a beloved white former NFL icon use the word “Redskin” as a racial epithet in anger toward actual Indians. To their faces.
So, you know, if the standard is “reasonable offense,” then you could not possibly be wronger.
But I suspect that we would both agree that that is the wrong criterion. So, um, moot point!
Pigskins or Redshirts. It should be done with as little movement as possible.
Redshirts is way too close to Redcoats to ever work as a team name in DC. Can we move them to London first?
Keep the name Redskins, change the logo to a potato. There you go
I can support this 100%. As a plus, you haven’t alienated anyone.
Throw ol’ George on the side of the helmets and call them the Washington Washingtons. Precedent set by the Texas Texases baseball club of course
The Blazers weren’t the only ones wearing the Chinese New Year shirt (10 paragraphs down):
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Plus the Wizards put the logo on the court for Friday’s game.
In reference to TJ Warren rolling his waistband:
Of course it would look better to just make shorter shorts. It would also look better if the NCAA imposed shorts length standards to mirror the look of the NBA, but it seems to be one size fits all, regardless of the players’ size or personal preferences.
don’t know why you’re surprised Majestic used that particular logo design.
other companies have used this as well link
It was suggested in the Ticker that Troy Warren of NC State would look better with shorter shorts versus rolling his waistband ( link ). I disagree. I suspect he rolls the waist band because he doesn’t like how the crotch sits. Rolling the band effectively raises the crotch to a probably more comfortable spot. Shortening the shorts doesn’t solve the problem. He probably either likes a snugger feel or thinks a low crotch restricts his range of motion.
Best fix would likely be completely re-tailoring the shorts. The quick fix would be to keep rolling the waistband, but pull the labels to keep everything red.
The Phrase Whose Name Shall Not Be Spoken is inconvenient because it fits so perfectly. It’s the perfect descriptive oxymoron which is why it has endured as shorthand dismissal of do-gooderism for decades. It is the fool’s gold of false populism and dime-store morality. It purports to right a wrong strictly by pretending, or demanding, certain things don’t exist or shouldn’t exist. It achieves absolutely nothing in terms of assistance to those whose cause is ostensibly being taken up, even after the so-called injured party has a) responded to the ‘slights’ with a collective, sustained shrug of the shoulders or b) given official permission. Both responses are quite inconvenient when the self-righteous are attempting to get the victim to cry on cue.
Establishment of an arbitrary standard and then demanding adherence to that standard are the 1-2 punch of countless ‘movements’ that seek to restrict, silence, condemn, and punish under the rubric of empowering or liberating this or that group. Actual results rarely involve the shattering of a glass ceiling, the demolition of a wall, the lowering of a fence or other cliches. Instead, the outcome is almost always the creation of yet another Protected Class, a concept that in theory and in practice is incompatible with an egalitarian republic and liberty in general yet one that occupies a shocking proportion of our law.
The physiological psychology of moral crusades is interesting and relevant. Being on the proper side of an issue releases pleasurable neurotransmitters e.g. endorphins (short-hand name used here and beyond). And endorphins are addictive. Ask any lab rat. This addiction compels the subject to continue and/or increase behavior that the subject views as a pathway to endorphin release. Such release may be multiplied or triggered by the applause of a crowd, an approving article in the press, or actions taken by like-minded authorities like the NCAA, a local school board, etc. As the feedback loop grows it intensifies. Individuals and groups not yet part of the loop are regaled with tales of how good it is to be part of the loop – to ‘make a difference’ without the inconvenience of that difference being quantified or even verified. Those outside the loop are described in the basest terms: offenders, oppressors, thieves. Outsiders are not permitted to offer explanations or justifications for their beliefs or actions. Their guilt is absolute. And so, the ‘crossing over’ into enlightenment (with its frequently shifting, and therefore ultimately meaningless, definition) is celebrated as an end rather than a means. You have ascended to the capstone of Maslow’s pyramid. You care. You are one of us.
Events on the reservation past, present and future are mundane details. Poverty, alcoholism and lack of education are complex, usually mundane problems for someone else like the BIA. What really matters is that the Southeast Suburban League U-8 Warriors are now called the Eagles, Tigers, Cobras, etc. What an achievement. And how good those endorphins feel.
So true. All the hate mail I get whenever I write about this issue, I’m doing it for the endorphins.
All activists for various causes who’ve been spit upon, screamed at, vilified — they were doing it for the endorphins.
All the civil rights marchers who were clubbed and water-hosed — they were doing it for the endorphins.
(It would be interesting to see an analysis of the endorphins that are released in the bodies of internet trolls as they post under assumed names.)
Are you actually elevating yourself to the same plateau as the individuals you cite?
Not in the least. You’re smart enough to know that just because two or more things appear in proximity, that doesn’t imply equivalence. I’m just taking your argument to its logical conclusion.
And I’m afraid you are misstating or misinterpreting – intentionally or otherwise – what I wrote. I am attempting to identify the cause and effect of how this kind of moral crusade gains traction. Altruism is a wonderful thing but it is quite rare. Conditioning is, for better or worse, the greatest shaper of our behavior and attitudes over time. Positive reinforcement is accompanied by the release of endorphins. Any sports coach will confirm this.
Activists may have perfectly legitimate reasons for their actions but they, as members of a group taking direct action, are not the subject here. The subject here is the armchair activist, the dilettante.
I readily admit that I gain satisfaction from expressing my feelings over a subject I feel strongly about just as you do through entries on this site or other posters do in response. Neurotransmitters rule our lives and cause us to seek food, shelter, warmth, etc. along with more complex aspects of behavior. Nothing wrong with that. The dispute is not over the physiology and psychology of humans; the dispute is over the methods and objectives of those who seek some sort of reward – internal or external – for thinking the ‘proper’ way.
I use an assumed name because a) it’s a convention of the internet and b) it is apparently common and accepted practice as demonstrated by dozens of posters who preceded me. I’m not sure why you are singling me out except, obviously, that we disagree on this particular topic. Your original post demanded an avoidance of throwaway terms, which I have attempted to do. Your response upthread said that disagreement was ‘fine’ although your response here tends to cast doubt on that claim. My intent is to examine and critique the motivations of certain individuals or groups in a particular social context – to ‘think harder’ as you suggested. Well, I have. Demanding that Group A examine its motivations and beliefs about a subject as expressed through cultural norms does not absolve Group B from doing same nor does it place Group B on superior moral footing; A and B are simply different. Now – will members of B engage in the dialogue they constantly claim to want or will they angrily dismiss detractors as trolls?
Gosh I love watching you responses in these situations, Paul. Nothing like watching an astute, practiced hand.
From what I’m seeing this thread is about satisfaction and its craving. But Patchy undermined his or her point with the very first sentence. “The Phrase Whose Name Shall Not Be Spoken is inconvenient because it fits so perfectly.” By invoking the Dark Lord Voldemort aren’t you casting yourself as an oppressed victim and relishing in the obtuseness of your opinion?
Or just being a douche.
YMMV
Great post Patchy
tl;dr
Get to the point: Do you like bacon or not?
That’s a silly question. Everyone likes bacon.
Applying lipstick to censorship in nonetheless chilling. In fairness to Paul, he makes the rules. We are visitors, and we submit our thoughts in deference to his judgement.
But let’s also be intellectually honest. Paul earlier defined the terms for disapprobation of a certain phrase as, “meaningless nonsense term that’s become a crutch for people who can’t form an intellectual argument”.
Fine.
Yet, we read in this same thread replies from Paul buttressed by “Total bullshit” – a term I would submit as falling within Paul’s rubric for unacceptable terms by definition.
In my line of work, I have been given countless reasons why certain words and materials should be banned. Usually couched with,”to protect the children” or “community standards”. But the underlying motivation is consistently the same. Someone considers something morally offensive, or at least offensive to their own sense of values.
I respectfully submit this is the case here.
Are you sure about the date of the Sammy Baugh picture? In 1929 he would have been only 15 years old. He played one year in the minor leagues, splitting the 1938 season between the Cardinals’ two top farm clubs. He played 16 games for the Columbus Red Birds of the American Association where he hit .220 in 16 games. He then went to the International League Rochester Red Wings where he hit a paltry .183 with one home run in 37 games. Playing short behind future Cardinals’ All-Star Marty Marion with the Wings he quit baseball after the ’38 season to concentrate on his football career.
You’re right. A few others have also pointed this out. Now fixed.
Sorry, BSmile I missed your post.
Despite the recent articles lobbying for a new name, the “Washington Redskins” will remain. Regardless of how anyone feels about the name–including me–it is not going anywhere. The franchise has been a staple of the NFL since 1932. It is a powerful brand, and a name change could cost the franchise hundreds of millions of dollars. When you go from an iconic, well-recognized and beloved brand to a completely new one, you lose a ton of your brand’s worth. Additionally, the NFL and Washington franchise would face a massive fan backlash for eliminating a brand which millions have identified with for decades.
I’m not supporting the name. I’m just trying to be a realist. And the Washington Redskins brand is going nowhere.
Powerful if demonstrated; irrelevant when asserted.
The real issue is that Danny Snyder, though he’s only commented once or twice, was clear that a name change isn’t on the table at all.
He’s a businessman, and really only cares about the bottom line. If he starts losing profit on merchandise sales he’d gladly change the name, until then though he’s proven to be pretty tone-deaf to public complaints about how he does things.
Google his destruction of National Park Service trees in front of his mansion overlooking the Potomac River.
I suspect the Indians MLB “throwbacky” design is nothing more than a misguided attempt at slick marketing. If someone is an Indians fan and really likes that logo they may think it’s going to be taken from them. A great reason to run out and buy this item.
Not to mention folks who just like throwback stuff, have no interest in the debate over whether or not it’s right and will buy it.
Or maybe Majestic doesn’t care, and I’m reading way to much into it all.
Of course, the actual centenary for the Reds was in 1982, but you’ll never get anyone at the club to admit that. The Red Stockings of the late 1860s and the modern day Reds are related only by primary color. If anyone has a claim to the Red Stockings’ heritage, it’s the Atlanta Braves – when the Cincy Red Stockings folded their pay-for-play operation, Harry Wright took much of the team to Boston and founded the Boston Red Stockings (now the Braves) in 1871.
I poked around and I don’t htink this was discussed. If it was, my apologies. New Oregon State logo…
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I have to admit that the new logo is a step up from the outdated logo that they were using…however, it leaves plenty to be desired. I think it might look good on a football helmet, but as an overall design it’s not strong and it will definitely not pass the test of time, much like the outgoing logo which is completely outdated and carries all the signs of what was ‘in’ back in the 90’s.
The new logo has all the trappings of a logo with no staying power, from the ultra bold outline, to the unnecessarily aggressive nature of it. It kind of looks like the Philly Eagles logo morphed into a Gopher.
While Oregon State has admitted that it was time for a make-over, it seems that they pride themselves on being unlike the Oregon Ducks, hence, they should have opted for a more classic look that will age better.
I would have preferred a refresh of the 1973 beaver logo, or perhaps a full body. Even a beaver silhouette on a matte background could work to provide that sort of rugged + throwback look (think Montreal 76 Olympics, or Roots Canada logos).
A college program should honour their name, their traditions and their colours. I don’t feel that htis logo does that and I predict that within 5 years they’ll be looking to change yet again.
You had to sue to use a name on a website. Congrats on your successful litigation. Ha!
I’ve posted here before, but I completely forgot what I had used. So this is what I settled for.
just noticed. woops.
You heard it here first folks:
Washington Mallers
Yes, DC, I am giving that one to you as a gift. I don’t expect any pay, residuals, etc. when you adopt this moniker. I will simply print this dated post as record that Dumb Guy came up with the perfect new name.
You’re welcome.
mls just released a schedule of 2013 release dates for “jersey week”…
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Golden State have unveiled their new alts:
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Yeesh.
Oh man, that’s horrible. Just say no to sleeves.
Big news out of Golden State, where the Warriors are introducing an alternate jersey — with sleeves!:
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Which is scarier … basketball jerseys with sleeves (which my high school actually had in the early 1980s) or those solid colored jerseys matched with pinstriped shorts?
Is that for the Giro d’Italia? I thought you had to be the leader in order to wear the yellow jersey.
Oh boy. Sleeves on NBA jerseys. It’s happening, people:
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Let me guess … how long until justification is made that the sleeves offer more area for, I dunno, sponsorship?
It’s 26% lighter than current uniforms, meaning that they could afford to take on the extra weight with strategically placed billboards.
Wait, so it’s 26% lighter than a standard uni? Wouldn’t be even lighter without the sleeves?
those look like Cycling unis
opps meant to be for Paul’s comment
I kind of like it. Tank tops are one of those traditions more honored in the breach than the observance: they reveal no part of the body that I couldn’t just as happily have gone without seeing.
With the amount of players wearing undershirts, I guess this move kinda makes sense. Perhaps the natural extension of this is that players can opt for a t-shirt or tank-top?
It’ll be like cold-weather soccer matches that feature long-sleeve jerseys, short sleeve jerseys and short sleeve jerseys with undershirts!
From the article: “We didn’t do this for the sales,” Welts said. “This is all about the image of the franchise and being forward.”
BULL.
SHIT.
The downside, of course, is it opens up more space for ads.
Sorry, overlooked Dan Pfeiffer’s comment below the link. Funny, it was the first thing that crossed my mind.
interesting that you mentioned ads on nba jerseys…just saw this article…apparently up for a vote in april, and the writer thinks it looks like it will be approved…if so, they will appear in 2014-15…
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New G-State uniform set to be sold at 110$, 40 bucks more than a standard replica. 40$ sleeves.
no, it said $110 swingman which will be 40 more than a standard replica. nba has three tiers in the jerseys sold; authentic, swingman, and replica. the replicas are the cheapest, and swingman are closest to authentic without being as expensive
ah. thanks for the clarification.
I know there was some concern here over how well the Rockies new BP cap would translate from the design to the real thing. Turns out it looks pretty damn good.
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I don’t wear hats much but I am a Rockies fan and I like it too much not to get one.
The uppermost part of the logo on his cap … is that Dante’s Peak?
Over the weekend, I heard an ongoing discussion on WTOP-FM out of DC asking listeners to send in their suggestions for a new nickname for the Redskins. Also, last night I heard the idea of a name change brought up again on the Fox-5 news. So, the discussion of a potential name change was a pretty wide topic throughout the DC media (Unless, cynically, they went with that because they felt the local news topics were thin during the news cycle).
The piece by Florio asserts that Robert Griffin III would be the “only” person on the team to affect a name change. If I recall correctly, this suggestion that Griffin in the “only” option was also touted in a Mike Wise article that was posted here in Uni-Watch (and Florio also refers to Wise’s stance on the issue). I still feel saying that he is the only player that could force a change is a flawed argument. Why can’t a group of players (including respected veterans like, say, London Fletcher) have as much impact on the issue as a lone player that has played just one season? If Griffin’s injury has a long-term, adverse effect on his playing ability (and stats), would he still be as influential as the two authors tell us?
Redskins don’t need to change their nickname at all, if it comes to it, just remove the Indian connection. Aside from the sports arena, I seriously doubt anyone here has ever heard Native Americans referred to as “Redskins”. Sports teams use nicknames which are either vague, or don’t apply to anything. For example, what is a “Laker”?
The “new” Washington Redskins can simply refer to football itself, a play on the word pigskins. In this way, the controversial logo is gone, while Washington fans get to keep their traditional nickname.
“Sports teams use nicknames which are either vague, or don’t apply to anything. For example, what is a “Laker”?”
~~~
Seriously? You do know they once played in Minneapolis, and Minnesota is known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” right?
Yes, I am aware of the lakes in Minnesota, but my point is still valid. The term “Lakers” is a play on the word lakes, and isn’t used outside the world of basketball.
Is ‘Laker’ a term that the townies use in Minnesota to call someone that lives (or ice fishes) out on the Lakes?
“Hey-ah, Jimbo?”
“Yeah?”
“You know Garth’s daughter Marie?”
“Uh, Marie. I think so. Is that the brunette or the blonde?”
“The brunette.”
“Yeah. Whats-about-her?”
“You know she gots a new boyfriend.”
“Oh.”
(pause)
“No. I didn’t know that.”
(another pause)
“Is he from around here?”
“Nah, he’s one of them Lakers.”
Use the Tony Kornheiser solution and change the logo to a russet potato.
Actually, I find the name more offensive than the logo. One thought I had is what if the organization worked with local Indian groups on a redesign to get their input and blessing like some high schools and colleges have done? What if the profile logo was changed as need be and the team changed their name to Potomacks, for example?
On a different front, if they got away from the Native American theme altogether in renaming and redesigning the team is there anything from stopping Danny Boy from marketing “retro” gear with the old look to staunch supporters in addition to selling the new merchandise? We’ve seen that the Atlanta Braves had been doing so with Chief Noc-a-homa before the BP hat fiasco happened. Would Snyder see this as milking two revenue streams? He’s certainly not above bleeding a rock.
Dallas Ranch Laborers, Oakland Hostile Attackers, New York Tall People, Cincinnati Large Bangladeshi Carnivorous Mammals, Indianapolis Young Male Horses, New England Zealous Lovers of Country. Anybody remember the rest? Someone did a piece on this before.
I was wondering if anyone on here, viewers or writers, had data on the dates of all alternate jersey wearings in the NBA this season. I’d like to run some statistical analysis on NBA third jerseys for 2012-2013. DM me on twitter if you do, it would be greatly appreciated. Or email me, same name just at gmail.com. Thanks.
Sending email
Saw some pics this morning of the Cardinals at spring training and there is no added logo on back of bp caps.
Just the mlb logo.
You can find them on the Yahoo sports site.
Toronto has a back logo double-up, but I think that’s the one oddball in that respect.
It’s just the Blue Jays with the extra logo. From Chris Creamer today:
Remember that logo we saw on the back of the Toronto Blue Jays BP cap? Believe it or not, that’s actually exclusive to the Blue Jays. I know right? I heard reports about this last week but actually dismissed it due to the fact that a non-template feature on a BP cap seemed extremely unlikely to me. Lesson learned.
According to Jays fan blog Bluebird Banter the Jays were presented their maple leaf cap by Major League Baseball but were not happy about the inclusion of anything, you know, Blue Jays related:
“The compromise was to tack on the Blue Jays cap crest on the back of the cap, just above the MLB logo. Blue Jays president Paul Beeston confirmed that the Blue Jays’ new batting practice cap will be the only one in baseball to have the team’s regular crest on the back.”
That first shot of Wilt the Stilt spiking a volleyball is quite possibly the most frightening thing I’ve ever seen. I would pee my pants if I was at the net facing that.
i remember the iva…there were 5 teams at the time sports illustrated did an article, and of course, chamberlain was a major draw…
the thing i recall most from the article was the mention of a “six pack”…that if a woman (it was a co-ed league) was hit in the face, the spiker would get a six pack of beer from his teammates…
will look for a link to that article and post if i find it…
found the article…
“The idea of men and women together started with team tennis, but in that endeavor the distaff side mostly plays one another except in mixed doubles where tradition holds the man does not nail the woman between the eyes with a forehand. In the IVA, as Hogan says, “Gentlemen are not trusted.” In fact, a guy smashing a girl in the face is said to have accomplished a “six-pack”; i.e., he is awarded a six-pack of beer for the deed.”
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ah, the 70s…
1vox | Your comment is awaiting moderation.
let me state that i’m not saying i approve of this, just that it would have been fearful, as Brian Jud stated, to see wilt the stilt spiking over the net, and all the more so for women in the iva…his statement brought back to mind that article, and again, as i have stated before on here, how much times have changed…
whether or not uni watch wants to censor that link and statement, it is, an historical fact that it occurred…and as uni watch does occasionally point out, not all historical sports moments are proud ones…
Just looked up “Washington Rednecks” – I came up with these caps, from 2009-10
Never saw them before. Remember, we are HONORING rednecks. What type of football player would be insulted by being known as a ‘Neck?
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I’m offended.
While I concur with Our Fearless Leader that it’s a bad idea to use an aggrieved people as one’s team mascot, I’m concerned that the rich palette of Indian iconography will be declared off-limits to the sports community at large. I realize this treads on the Intellectual Property discussion Paul brought up; that is to say, use of tomahawks, thunderbirds or peace pipes is potentially an abuse of pilfered images. This is a sacrifice I’m less willing to make. My pet peeve about sports is slavish conformity and derivativeness, and in an environment overrun with wildcats, tigers, bulldogs and panthers, I’m loath to chop off an arm of creativity.
Somebody really screwed up the White Sox BP caps:
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Why does it have a chinstrap?
The Indians “block” jerseys are the BP Jerseys used by the players in the season and for the campers throughout camp.
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Just wanted to leave a comment on the Hockey Classic that is happening at Soldier Field this weekend. On Saturday four local high school teams (Loyola Academy, New Trier, Fenwick and St. Rita) all played at soldier field. As a senior at Loyola I attended one of those games. I was, however, thoroughly disappointed by my experience. I got a seat in the front row around middle ice with the rest of the student section, but could maybe see a third of the ice because of the boards. It really limited my experience and even the jumbotron had a limited view. I wish they had put the ice close to one side so I could enjoy it. Just venting,
I find Mr. Met offensive. I’ve known people who suffer from Elephantits. It’s not something to joke around about and seeing that enlarged head is degrading to people who suffer from the disease.
Elephantits? That’s a little different than elephantiasis right?
Elephantits?
Aren’t these elephantits?
If you think we’re going to click that link at work, my good man, you are abysmally mistaken.
Oh, it’s completely SFW, I can promise that.
It was covered on here last week, but the Pirates just made an official announcement about changing their logo for 2014.
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Majestic’s retro Indians t-shirt is way out of line, and frankly disturbing. How did that get approved in 2013?
Kansas City, Missouri is considering selling naming rights to city properties:
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“City Manager Troy Schulte has included a new position in the proposed budget – a sponsor and naming-rights director, who would be responsible for attempting to secure new partnerships for the city.”
Hey guys! The chinese characters are called ideographs, not pictographs, FYI. Love the blog!
Never met Mike Hersh, no connection to him whatsoever, other than reading this site for years now. That said, THANK YOU to anyone supporting the JDRF. Been diabetic for 15 years (I turn 30 on Feb 19, so, half my life), and it’s significantly impacted every single hour of my life since. Because of it, I’ve been on nightly dialysis for almost 2 years (a short time, in consideration of many others on it for years and years), I’m getting my brother’s kidney next Monday, and soon after, will be added to the pancreas transplant list. Diabetes [“diabeeteeees” not “diabetus” if I have anything to say about it! ;) ] is something many people can and do live with, and will, just like all sorts of other diseases, but being that I have a personal “attachment,” to it, I read about people who’ve struggled, passed on, or just shared the experience and it really hits home. Seriously, I’d bet every one of you, whether you knew it or not, was acquainted with a diabetic at one time or another, and I’d also stretch too say, every single one of them (or 99%) greatly appreciates your support. Thanks PL and Uniwatch. Very kind of you. Good luck.
I still contend that the real reason white liberals want to remove all traces of Indian nicknames and imagery is because they’d like to forget that the land they’re enjoying living on now was taken from those people.
They’re trying to wipe away the reminders that make them feel guilty.
The France rugby kit with Welsh flag is something that is incredibly common in soccer. The kits in international matches usually have printing on them with the date and opponent, many now have both flags or the opponents flag, I guess its crossed over to rugby.