Interesting news last night out of St. Louis, where the Blues announced that they’ll be marking the start of the baseball season by wearing Cardinals jerseys for pregame warm-ups on April 11.
I’m a bit conflicted about this one. On the one hand, it’s cool to see a city’s teams cooperating, collaborating, acknowledging each other’s existence, instead of pretending that they live in their own sport-specific bubble. I’m all in favor of that.
On the other hand, there’s something a little unseemly about the Blues saluting the start of the baseball season. Yeah, we all know St. Looie is a big baseball town, but still — shouldn’t the Blues have more self-respect here? It’s like they’re saying, “We know that other team is more popular than we’ll ever be.” Even if it’s true, have a bit of pride. Feels very rinky-dink, very minor league. Can you imagine the Cardinals ever returning the favor? Right, me neither. (As an aside, it’s also a bummer that the insignia isn’t chain-stitched, but I guess that would be too much to hope for.)
It’s interesting how the NHL restricts these types of promotions to pregame warm-ups. Camouflage jerseys? Pregame only. Green for St. Paddy’s Day? Pregame only. I like that the league protects the sanctity of its game jerseys, but sometimes it seems like they take it too far. When the Islanders recently revived their fisherman jerseys, for example, it was pregame only, which was silly. Go ahead and have a real throwback game!
Update: Several readers have reminded me of something I’d forgotten: The LA Kings wore Dodgers warm-up jerseys two years ago, so there’s some precedent for what the Blues are doing.
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Jackie update: Yesterday I received and deposited this check from Teespring for $4,431.50 — my share of the proceeds from the Uni Watch T-Shirt Club’s April design. Then I went to the Jackie Robinson Foundation’s website and made a donation in that same amount (plus an extra 50 ¢, because the online donation form only accepts whole dollar amounts). Today I’ll start the paperwork to have ESPN match my donation, which is their standard policy for charitable contributions.
All of this was made possible by you folks purchasing over 320 of the April T-shirts. Thank you! Hope you’re pleased with where the money is going. And of course I hope you’re also pleased with the shirts themselves, which are now starting to arrive in people’s mailboxes.
The very last patch: I have one (1) remaining Uni Watch 15th-anniversary patch. I could have another batch of them made, but it seems like demand has dwindled, so this will probably be last call. If you want the final patch, snap it up here. Reader Mario Fontana has purchased it, so that’s that. If you want me to order more patches, let me know.
Be a Phil fanatic: Phil is looking at the uniform histories of the Final Four teams for the Sporting News. The latest schools to come under his microscope are Michigan State and Wisconsin.
’Skins Watch: The author of a book on Native American ballplayer Louis Sockalexis says it’s time for the Indians to retire Chief Wahoo (from Paul Dillon). ”¦ Cleveland booster and big Indians fan Drew Carey says he’s “done” with Wahoo. ”¦ Native American groups in Oregon are trying to change the names of places that include the word “squaw.” ”¦ The Associated Press, whose style guide sets the linguistic protocols for newspapers across the country, is mulling whether to stop using the ’Skins name. ”¦ UND is seeking replacements for its now-retired Fighting Sioux team name (from Matt Larsen). ”¦ Legislation that would prohibit high schools from naming their teams the Redskins is moving through the California state assembly (thanks, Phil). ”¦ A Native American tribal leader in Utah accepted gifts and perks from the ’Skins, who were trying to curry her favor in the controversy over the team’s name. Now she’s facing impeachment from her tribe. Further info here.
Uni Watch News Ticker
By Garrett McGrath
Baseball News: Phillies closer Jonathan Pabelbon wore Carlos Ruiz’s jersey during a spring training pitching appearance (from Pat Costello). … Here’s the throwback cap that the Padres will be wearing for their “Wayback Wednesday” games (thanks, Phil). … The Mets have unveiled a new video screen for the center-field scoreboard at Citi Field. Key quote: “The screen is one of the 10 largest in Major League Baseball, which is more than the Mets can say for their payroll” (thanks, Paul) … Reader Eric Wright wonders if the Angels’ new deal with BodyArmor sports drinks means that Mike Trout can now wear his uniform in advertisements. … It looks like Mariners 2B Robinson Cano has his own logo (thanks, Paul). … Nick Swisher has new cleats that feature the Cleveland skyline (thanks, Phil). … Here’s a great shot of the Astrodome groundskeepers’ space suits (thanks, Brinke). … Nice stirrups for the high school team in Barnegat, NJ (from Kevin Clark). ”¦ MLB’s annual Civil Rights Game is being move to April 15 this year — Jackie Robinson Day. Looks like it will include a cap patch for the first time.
NFL News: As was first reported on Uni Watch back in November, it looks like the Patriots are finally updating their chest logo. No more script — now they’re going with that arched logo (from Joel Hatfield_. … Here is a collection of 1994 NFL team truck toys (thanks, Phil).
College Football News: Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott says the NCAA’s plan to start enforcing the prohibition on crop-top jerseys next season is silly. An online petition protesting the rule has grown to over 8,000 participants (thanks, Paul).
Hockey News: Former Flyers goalie Bernie Parent wore some interesting padding under his sweater (thanks, Paul). … The Bakersfield Condors revealed their new logo yesterday for their move to the AHL (thanks, Paul). … Montreal Canadien Tom Gilbert is back from a face injury with a new jaw guard (from Matt Larsen).
Soccer News: Liverpool announced the release of their 2015-16 home kit. Here’s a picture of the rumored design (from Conrad Burry). … The former Miami Fusion that existed in the MLS in the late ’90s/early ’00s have been resurrected with a new logo in the NPSL (thanks, Paul). … The Fort Lauderdale Strikers unveiled new home and away kits (thanks, Phil). … The Tampa Bay Rowdies unveiled a new look as well (thanks, Phil). … The Atlanta Silverbacks will have a new look too (thanks, Paul).
College Hoops News: The University of Kentucky sent a cease-and-desist letter to Louisville lawyer David Son, whose company is selling blue-and-white “40-0” T-shirts on his website (thanks, Paul). … A deranged fan created a Kentucky hoops scene with Lego characters (thanks, Paul). … This is interesting: a top high school recruit is only considering Adidas schools (from Ryan Revels).
Grab Bag: Cool article about the story behind the symbols on automaker emblems (from Theresa Keller). … UNC lacrosse has a new helmet logo design (thanks, Paul). … “Here’s a very interesting article on those Milwaukee Bus Passes you’ve posted about in the past,” Matthew Prigge says. “This year will mark the end of the weekly passes.” … The University of Michigan is evaluating the top three options for a future uniform apparel partner; Adidas, Nike and Under Armour (thanks, Phil).
Happy Passover, Good Friday, and Easter to all who are observing this weekend, and happy Opening Day Night to all MLB fans. See you next week. ”” Paul
Sad that the Budweiser ad on the Mets’ new scoreboard is bigger than the actual video screen. But they’re not the only ones.
I can’t even tell that the video screen is larger because it is SO dwarfed by that Budweiser sign.
Those 40-0 shirts are ugly as hell, but I’m all for free speech, so go Mr. Lawyer man!
I am a hardcore stickler for copyright protection, but I can’t see UK having a leg to stand on in this case. The shirts have ZERO reference to UK or the even the NCAA.
(I am not a lawyer)
Then again, this is clearly more than some guy’s extortionate strategy for negotiating a payout from UK in exchange for “licensing” (or “relinquishing”) his trademark “rights” to “40-0.” Wrapped in the American flag, no less. Patriotism truly is the last refuge of a scoundrel. A pox on both their houses, I say.
I mean, “nothing more.” Grrrr…
The most disconcerting part of all of this is the very idea that a pair of numbers separated with a dash is trademarkable in the first place.
That’s true. What happens if another team goes 40-0 next year? Oops, you can’t make any merchandise with that record on it because it’s already trademarked! Idiots.
“Can you imagine the Cardinals ever returning the favor? Right, me neither.”
That’s actually the plan, according to Bill DeWitt III. He was on the Blues broadcast last night when the jerseys were unveiled and he said the Cards will wear a Blues-themed batting practice jersey in the fall when the Blues 2015-16 season starts.
Huh — interesting!
My take is having the Blues put on Cardinals’ gear is being hopeful they can share some of the baseball team’s pixie dust. It worked for the Kings! Maybe success can become contagious.
Yes — Mr. DeWitt regularly plays pickup hockey, so there’s a lot of genuine mutual respect there.
They should have put the birds on a hockey stick instead of a bat. Would’ve been cooler, IMO.
You are correct, Sir!!
Ha — agreed! Good call.
BRILLIANT! – That sir, is a textbook example of ones thinking being exceptionally clever and talented.
Tip o’ the hat, round o’ applause.
Some arteest should draw that up, stat.
That fact that those ’94 NFL trucks are displayed in no particular order drive me nuts!!
The NHL has plenty of times where they allow the throwback jersey for a game- this season alone, off the top of my head, the Canucks wore there Millionaire jerseys, the Yotes wore their old jerseys (I believe for Roenick’s retirement), the Devils wearing the green and red, and the upcoming Islanders original jerseys for their last Coliseum game (though with NOB).
Pretty sure the Isles wanted to nod to their past without having to actually wear that crap for a game.
As for Camo’s, St. Patty’s, etc…good for the NHL if they are the ones limiting their usage to pregame.
Oh, I know the NHL allows throwbacks. I just thought it was odd that the Islanders made their throwback a pregame-only thing.
I don’t think the Isles were all-in on the Fisherman look; it was probably a tip of the hat to some influential fans. You must admit, the sweaters don’t stand up to the S.U.C.K. Test. But ultimately, I agree with you. Go big, or go home!
THE ISLANDERS DID NOT BRING BACK THEIR FISHERMAN JERSEYS! They brought back the fisherman logo and typeface. This is a night-and-day difference when, while the typeface was a big deal, the real things that made the jersey different were the wavy stripes and numbers.
This doesn’t change anything about the whole warmup-vs.-game subject, but I feel it’s necessary to point out at every available opportunity that this was one of the most pointless, unfulfilling uni stunts in recent memory.
Forgot to include ’Skins Watch. Now added.
Possible new home jersey for USMNT…
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Man, that’s an ugly shirt. Also, I absolutely love it. I hope it’s for real!
My feelings exactly. And I hope they make a limited edition version with actual fringes.
1994? Right under the 1994 sign is a truck for the Tennessee Oilers. The Tennessee Oilers didn’t exist until 1997.
That one IS a 1997 truck.
Yeah.. if you notice, there’s a proper ’94 Oilers truck in the top right corner. Gotta say, it’s kinda sad how badly all of the orange and red has faded compared to the rest of the colors.
That’s what red and orange do when exposed to the sun.
Some scientist here can tell us why.
Hey Paul, nice of you to kick in a whole $.50 to the Robinson Foundation!
;^)
If I remember it right, those Dodger warmups were used before the outdoor game at Chavez Ravine, right? So unless the Blues are playing at Busch Stadium, it’s still not quite the same thang.
Birds on a hockey stick, though…all would be forgiven.
Why was the Kentucky fan referred to as “deranged?” Did I miss something, or is Uniwatch just mean spirited toward LEGO/UK fans?
If she is called deranged because of her assertion that Kentucky basketball is “its own religion,” as a resident of Central KY I can corroborate that as being closer to an accurate, honest assessment than it is to hyperbole.
Garrett was engaging in a bit of hyperbole there.
“Fan” is short for “fanatic”, so by definition…
Fanatic means excessively zealous about something. Deranged means insane. These definitions can cross-pollinate, but in common context they are not so similar. :)
Ft. Lauderdale is not in the NPSL-they are in the NASL along with Tampa and Atlanta.
Thanks. Will fix.
Also (pedant), it’s not “the MLS.”
“The NHL” = “The National Hockey League” = “The League.”
“The NBA” = “The National Basketball association” = “The Association”
“The MLS” = “The Major League Soccer” = “The Soccer?”
So you could say The AL or The NL but not the MLB? Strange. I’d argue that for either baseball or soccer it’s basically “The _____ League _____.”
Hey Paul,
First off congrats on the Tee shirt clubs success!
I think T-shirt club will partner nicely with the super duper membership card as UW staple. These marketeering hits together with the UW web site itself… are examples of concepts nicely executed.
I have been meaning to say that for a long time now, as one who is in the design bidness… it is nice to see a site evolve with a plan right before ones eyes.
Now a little tongue in cheekiness…
I know you are big fan of the Athletics color and scripting work, but couldn’t future Tee – shirts ripoff… I mean reflect, or pay tribute to other teams logo styles?
or is that too much ripoffage… I mean tribute?
I am being facetious of course and am fully aware that you are you really trying to promote the UW brand which I think is a very good thing.
On a not being facetious note…
Uni-Watch needs A big time corporate sponsor so that the site can avoid the endless ad-bling make a buck model.
There has got to be a “Under Armorer” or some sporting good conglomerate that understands how web marketing really works and sees the value of you and the Uni-watch crews efforts.
By promoting the UW brand instead of ripping it off with copycats and other phoney-baloney list-o-matic (bleecher retort?) web sites that flood the web these days pale in comparison to the potential that UW offers.
Of course that is just my opinion.
Thanks again for all the work.
Thanks for the kind words.
This year the T-Shirt Club is sticking to the format of a hypothetical baseball team. Next year, if we continue the Club (which, given the positive response, is looking more and more likely), we will probably branch out into other formats.
RE: Blues/Cardinals warm ups; If it doesn’t make sense it must make dollars.
Oooh, excellent aphorism. I’m gonna steal that one for myself. Right up there with “If you’re not paying for it, then you’re the product.”
Quote of the day!
Amazing work with the t-shirts. And great that ESPN has a matching program.
Just wanted to let you know, in the Soccer section of the Ticker, the Strikers, Rowdies and Silverbacks are in the NASL, not the NPSL.
NPSL is 4th tier of the soccer pyramid, NASL is the 2nd level, just below MLS
There IS no fourth tier of the soccer pyramid in this country.
That’s shorthand that’s often used, but USSF only provides for three professional levels. Everybody else is amateur. Their is no “fourth tier.”
Something I hadn’t noticed until now: NHL warm-up tops normally have the Reebok wordmark on the upper-left chest. That includes the camo and St. Paddy’s designs:
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But the Blues/Cardinals jerseys don’t have the Reebok mark, and neither did the Kings/Dodgers jerseys:
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At first I thought, “Hmmm, I guess Reebok and MLB aren’t allowed to commingle.” But then I noitced that the Reebok mark also wasn’t included on the Isles’ fisherman tops:
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I’m officially confused. Can anyone shed any light on these seeming inconsistencies?
I think we’ll see more connections of the Blues and Cardinals, since the departure of the Rams seems inevitable at this point. With the loss of the NFL(for the second time), the focus will be on the Cardinals even more, the Blues have struggled for most of their time in St. Louis, without a Cup win in nearly 50 years of existence.
Kind of an aside, that I REALLY apologize, nobody will care about… This week is exactly a year since I decided to escape my state and head to St. Louis. Always been a Cardinals die-hard, but was never a big hockey fan. Just never on tv here, and our minor league teams do JUST enough to keep me interested, but not “OH MY GOSH I LOVE THIS TEAM!” I had just gotten past the 2013 year where I had an organ transplant after a year on nightly dialysis and also had a partial foot amputation, so I was not in the most positive mood. Came into some unexpected money and decided, I’m getting out of here. Loaded up the Jeep and got away, fast. Online with my budget all figured out so I didn’t do anything too stupid, I had the choice of tix in the 2nd row for Avs at Blues, or waiting a week and sitting 8 back behind the Cards dugout at Busch for the 2nd game of the season. Ordinarily, I’d have moved Heaven and Earth to wait that extra week for my Cards, but I just couldn’t do it. That extra week would’ve been an eternity, and my best friend was getting married the week after, so I wanted to be all in, not just getting in from my own big event. I HAD to escape. So I drove the 8 hours and saw my first ever NHL game (my town only has AHL). Oh my gosh, I’m hooked. I went solo to the game, and sat in a section, just next to the bench, loaded with season ticket holders, so they recognized my being a first-timer. I knew hockey, but just basics haha (“I thought you lived hockey?” “Nintendo Hockey” as Seth Green said, paraphrased, in Airborne when I was a kid), and I rooted for the home team, wore the shirt, but just felt out of place. I’ve also never attended a professional game (well, AAA baseball doesn’t count) alone. Yes, going to a game alone had me feeling kind of loserish, but whatever. I am a man, I can handle it. Been to tons of Thunder games, probably 25 MLB games, but never on my own and never NHL. It seemed like every three seconds somebody was patting me on the shoulder, offering to buy me a drink or a hot dog, asking where I was from, introducing me to their families, offering to take a pic of me by the glass. They made me feel so welcome. And no, at that point, I wasn’t in my wheelchair or even on crutches. Just a fairly noticeable limp. Even in days after, I’d see some of them around the city and they’d say hi and ask me how my trip was going. I’m NOT a talker. I am good with it, work in sales, but I’m shy when I’m not working, so it’s not like I went into it thinking, “I’m going to overshare (like here) and tell them everything.” Anyway, it was an amazing experience, and the best little trip to StL I’ve had (many, many trips, as it’s far enough but not too far). So seeing the interaction between the clubs, it’s very cool to me, and it makes me think of those fans bringing me into their groups. A very fun memory for me, as it was the trigger to my personal restart.
Good story!
Been to plenty of games by myself and never felt loser-ish. I rather enjoyed it.
Lesislation = Legislation in ‘Skins watch
Thanks. Fixed.
Re: the Bernie Parent photo. No, that’s pretty much the standard for most goalies through the mid-70s. Looks like his was modified a little; mine never had the strap tying the arm padding to the chest protector.
God, I hated those things; calling the arm padding ‘protection’ was a bit of a stretch. quilted cotton or polyester batting, with a couple of strategically placed pieces of Rubatex foam over the forearm, bicep, and under the elbow. Eventually I took an old pair of football pants that the high school was throwing away, cut the plastic thigh guards out of them, and taped them over the bicep. One shot, that hit me on the little bony protrusion on the outside of the elbow, deadened my arm to the point where I dropped the stick and couldn’t pick it up for about five minutes. In the middle of a game.
By the late 70s, John Brown had created his first chest-and-arm combo, with foam and plastic replacing the felt and foam rubber. Suddenly, as a goalie, you felt indestructible! They weren’t perfect (three flat pieces of plastic in the arm; a puck that hit just the right way could cut through the nylon backing, and even the skin behind it), but it was leaps and bounds over the old stuff.
The whole “without knowing the result once I get there” think really threw me for a loop with Mike’s QotW yesterday. I get what he was saying, but it sort of seems to me that for that to be a meaningful thing, you’d need to be ignorant of the outcome in advance as well. Which would rule out things like perfect games or no-hitters or unassisted triple plays or Wilt’s 50-point game or even the Miracle on Ice. (You can go to one game in any sport in history and you’d choose a semifinal that your team will probably lose? No, you wouldn’t.) I mean, strictly speaking, if you can know beforehand how it will turn out, obviously you go to the Miracle on Ice. Unless you hate America, apple pie, and your mother. But the not-knowing-the-outcome thing seems to me to require a Rawlsian extension back to the point of choosing the game, not just the point at which you show up at the event.
So, with that in mind, you’re pretty well limited to events that, regardless of potential outcome, would be significant. In my case, that would narrow my choices to a handful of things like Game Seven of the 1924 or 1991 World Series. (I attended Game Two in ’91.) Or the 1964 or ’65 Masters. Purely for Uni purposes, I might have to go with Game Three or Five of the 1980 World Series – close games with the Phillies in powder blue and the Royals in classic home white. Or Super Bowl IX or XI.
I just interpreted Mike’s description as meaning that you’d somehow magically forget the outcome once you got there, so that it was like experiencing it for the first time. (We’re talking about time travel, after all.)
That’s a big part of why I chose the Oilers-Bills playoff game.
Exactly.
Oh, I know. I just sort of felt like that didn’t quite go far enough. Interpreting as Mike intended it, I’d totally go for either Miracle on Ice or Nolan Ryan’s first no-hitter in 1973 (Angels at Royals – a nice, if not historic all-time great, uni game to boot). Or maybe Game Seven of the ’24 World Series. I’d love to have seen Walter Johnson pitch in real life, rather than just on film.
It’s one of those questions that I would have loved to hash out and explore deeper, for sure.
Alternate question, maybe for your future use: If you could attend any sporting event in history, but you knew that the course and outcome of the game might change due to your interference with the time/space continuum, what would you choose?
In that case I’d very much not attend the Miracle on Ice. First, because if you play that game ten times, USA probably loses at least seven times. Second, because if USA did lose when I knew that previously they had won, I’d feel responsible. On this one, I might choose Game Seven of the 1965 World Series. Decent uniforms, I’d finally get to see a game in the old Met, I’d have a chance to see Sandy Koufax at his peak, and there’d be a chance that the Twins would win this time around.
You’d definitely want to keep butterflies away from some of those games.
I like it! I might ask that in the near future.
In short, your memory would be “swiss-cheesed” for the duration of the event.
That’s what Ziggy said.
U of NoDak Fighting Frackers?
Nice. For reals, I’d love to see either Roughriders or Prairie Roses.
People. Check out Paul’s Twitter feed today. The Tequila Sunrise (and other variants) are on parade today!
Neshaminy High School (Langhorne, Pa.) looks like the Montreal Canadiens’ throwback of a few years ago.
The Blues/Cardinals jersey has an incorrect number font:
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Bad link?
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Right. That Cards’ jersey has had the regular block number font for most of its existence.
But it did have the varsity / full block numbers for a few years in the 1960s:
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I think the varsity numbers look better. But the Blues should be using the block font that the Cardinals actually use.
according to Bill DeWitt, Jr. when he was interviewed on the Blues broadcast last night the Cardinals will wear Blues jerseys during batting practice around the end of the season (when NHL season starts).
Re: the UW 15th patches:
I like patches and other small novelty items more than t-shirts and apparel, so I’d love to see a new patch or other similar item available since I already have a 15th patch. I realize there is already a lot of time and creative energy being put towards the shirts so this is in no way a criticism, just my two bits.
I really like the patches as well. With our 15th-anniversary season almost finished (UW will turn 16 yrs old in late May), I think I’ll likely get some patches made of this logo:
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Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say the Utah woman is facing impeachment from her tribe’s council and not from the tribe itself?
The brown Padres cap with the orange letters is from the best uniform they ever had IMHO. I am not even a Padres fan and I still have one of the road pinstripe jerseys with the interlocking “SD” on the chest. Now I know road grey pinstripes are frowned upon, but I thought that was one of their best looks. It amazes me that San Diego had the most unique color scheme and branding in MLB and abandoned it for blue – just like damn near everyone else. C’mon San Diego, you’re better than that. Reclaim your identity!
YES.
I doubt that any St. Louis football fan likes seeing those toy trucks.
I’m not from Charm City, and it is a decade after the fact, but…the Balmer fans too, with the Colts truck. (I know, it was actually Mayflower livery, but still…)
Total mashup: Would anyone be so edgy as to make a Lego/NFL toy truck scene of the Colts leaving Baltimore in the middle of the night?
The Astros and Orioles negro league caps for last year’s Civil Rights Game both featured the patch. Not sure if was done before that.
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The Bernie Parent picture is not surprising. That was the extend of the chest and arm protectors back in the day. Essentially, a very weak catcher’s chest protector with arm pads. The chest and arm pads are much more robust (and less dangerous) nowadays. Also, there are a lot of goalies who still wear the suspenders overtop the chest protector (anecdotally supposed to help dampen impacts from the pick for better rebound control)
I’d love to see the Penguins do a Pittsburgh Pirates (NHL club) fauxback.
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