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When You Absolutely, Positively Have to Be a Corporate Tool

fedexuni.jpg

I wasn’t planning on running a regular lead entry today. With the holiday and all, I figured I’d just put up a placeholder photo at the top of the page and then proceed directly to the Ticker. Had a fun little topic picked out for that photo, too. Everything was good to go.

But then a story started circulating that was too annoying to just bury in the Ticker. To wit: Word leaked out that the Memphis hoops team was planning to wear an orange/purple jersey this Wednesday as part of a “FedEx Appreciation Night” at the FedEx Forum. Fortunately, the news prompted such a shitstorm of reaction that the plans were quickly scrapped (although, appallingly, the NCAA had apparently green-lighted the whole thing, at least according to this report).

Listen closely, because you may never hear me say this again: Purple was not the main issue here. Neither was the prospect of Memphis wearing the orange hue of arch-rival Tennessee (although that apparently pissed off a lot of fans). The big issue, of course, was glorifying a corporate entity that already has its name plastered on the side of your building. This would be inappropriate enough for a pro team, but it’s completely offensive for a collegiate program — doubly so for a public university like Memphis.

According to this story, Memphis coach John Calipari was all in favor of the uniform tribute. Maybe that’s because, according to this article, FedEx has helped ensure “that John Calipari’s salary is one of the best, if not THE best, in the country.” Or hey, maybe that’s just a coincidence.

I realize FedEx has done a lot for the university and the city. If they did that out of the goodness of their hearts, good for them; if they did it because what’s good for the university and the city is also good for FedEx, that’s fine too; if they did it because they’re required to do it as part of their naming-rights contract, well, at least they know how to live up to their end of an agreement. But none of that justifies a “FedEx Appreciation Night,” and it certainly doesn’t justify having 20-year-old amateur athletes at a public university dressing up in corporate colors.

I know there are a handful of you out there who think this is no big deal. And to you I say: Fine, then let’s rename the city of Memphis as “Memphis, Delivered by FedEx.” Because there’s really no difference between that and what the Memphis hoops team was planning here. Once you sell out your civic institutions to corporate interests, it’s like that story about the million dollar hooker versus the $50 hooker — just a matter of degree. Either way, you’re a whore.

Uni Watch News Ticker: NBA all-star weekend thoughts, in no particular order: Holy fuck! Or, to put it another way — no, there is no other way. Holy fuck! Didn’t exactly help that Michael Beasley wore mismatched sneakers. I mean, jeez, holy fuck (screen grabs courtesy of Jonee Eisen). ”¦ Arguably even weirder: For the celebrity challenge game, players wore Adidas-branded 1995 all-star jerseys and, in some cases, pink sneakers. In addition, Rick Fox wore black tights, and they used a orange/purple version of that ball design that was briefly used and then rejected a few years back (hey, orange and purple — what was this, FedEx Appreciation Night?). But the weirdest thing is that each team’s roster included a Harlem Globetrotter, so there were usually three uniforms on the court at any given moment. Anyone know who the Globetrotters’ memorial patch was for? ”¦ Oh, and you see that ref’s jersey in the background? Don’t be surprised if you see all NBA refs wearing something like that next season. ”¦ Meanwhile, the three-point contest was defiled by Foot Locker ad patches, and the skills contest was similarly marred by Playstation ad patches (although at least those were harder to read). ”¦ And of course there was lots of freaky-deaky shit going on during the slam dunk contest, but I’m not even gonna pretend to have kept up with all of that. ”¦ As for the All-Star Game itself: When the NBA honchos gave me a sneak peek at the ASG jerseys back in October, they assured me that although the Adidas logo appeared on the prototypes they showed me, it would not appear on the actual game jerseys. Sure enough, the video game screen grabs that surfaced a few months later were logo-free. So why were last night’s jerseys logo-infested? Between this and the ad patches in the three-point and skills competitions, this was a very bad weekend for David Stern’s reputation as a bulwark against logo creep. ”¦ Aside from that, I thought the ASG uniforms looked pretty good, and I confess that I kinda liked the socks (whose stripe patterns ran all the way to the toes). ”¦ This is probably old news to all you sneakerheads, but I was surprised to see that Shaq has uni numbered soles. ”¦ Love this photo of Sam McDowell — the old-school spike pattern, the textured inseam, and, yes, the stirrups. ”¦ What’s that collar logo? ”¦ Check this out: Pete Rose wearing red low-cut Chucks and a grey windbreaker. ”¦ If you skip ahead to the 1:15 mark of this video report, you’ll see several members of Dunlap High School in Illinois wearing long-sleeved undershirts beneath their basketball tank tops (with thanks to Ben Zoss). ”¦ Paul Ricciardi sent along some scans from some 1971 Flyers programs. Check them out here. ”¦ I recently scored something very, very cool: this 1942 booklet published by the men’s clothier Hart Schaffner & Marx. It has an odd format — each two-page spread profiles a past or present baseball great on the left page and then has information on HS&M suits on the right. Gorgeous illos all around. I’ve scanned the whole thing and put it in this slideshow. ”¦ A Japanese airline is abolishing its uniforms (thanks, Jeremy). ”¦ Lots of pics of Reds and Bengals players playing basketball against each other here (with thanks to Steven Wyder). ”¦ Here are the uniforms for this year’s U.S. Open marshals and volunteers. ”¦ If you scroll down a bit on this page, you’ll see this 1926-27 New York Americans jersey with an unusual detail — an NOB. Was there really an NOB team playing way back then? Seems very odd (with thanks to Terry Proctor). ”¦ A little late, but David Kessler made these cookies for his Super Bowl party. ”¦ Hmmm, I’m guessing these guys didn’t give Jackie Robinson a tryout (with thanks to Frank Hanney). ”¦ Two Virginia high school basketball teams showed up for a game with white uniforms, so the visitors had to wear the home team’s road unis. Details here. ”¦ I think we’ve covered this before — maybe last season, even — but Robert Becker notes that Cristobal Huet’s black stripes are thicker than those of his teammates. ”¦ We’ve finally got a photo of Trent Dilfer wearing Terry Bradshaw’s mask. You can see him wearing it during the postgame handshake (great work by Benjamin Guest). ”¦ That Sears catalog sure made a lot of kids happy. That’s Jake Elwell, circa 1972, “with my cool grandfather from out west.” ”¦ The Philadelphia Phantoms are gonna wear Broad Street Bullies jerseys on Friday. ”¦ Chien-Ming Wang has a new glove design (with thanks to Alan Borock). ”¦ Sooooo nice. ”¦ Two notes from Grant Ramey regarding Saturday’s Tennessee/Vanderbilt game: “Tyler Smith had two messages inscribed on his shoes. ‘RIP POPS’ is in honor of his father, who passed away due to cancer in 2007, and I would assume the ‘AWARE’ pertains to cancer awareness.”¨”¨ Also: Previously, only coach Bruce Pearl would don the orange blazer against rivals Kentucky and Vanderbilt, but on Saturday the entire coaching staff wore orange.” ”¦ Speaking of coaching staff attire, Matt Mitchell thinks Colorado coach Jeff Bzdelik and his staff “look like they should be (a) delivering freight, (b) working the counter at Auto Zone, (c) curling, and (d) embarrassed.” ”¦ Butler wore a black shoulder band on Friday, in memory of their director of basketball operations’ girlfriend who died in the plane crash in Buffalo (with thanks to Brian Parchem). ”¦ Cities hoping to land the 2016 Olympics have released details of their bids, as seen in these packages submitted by Madrid, Tokyo, and Chicago (with thanks to Harvey Lee). ”¦ “The Washington Capitals have had two rookie goaltenders start (and win) this season, Michal Neuvirth and Simeon Varlamov,” writes Steven Robeson. “They’re so new, they only have plain white masks.” As a result, Varlamov has been dubbed “the White Russian” and Neuvirth “the Blank Czech.” Details in the last two grafs of this story. ”¦ My ESPN colleague Thomas Neumann sent along some scans of an old New York Nets ticket stub. There’s a lot to like about the front of the ticket — the old Nets logo, the engravers’ union chop, the misaligned “1” and “7” at the bottom, etc. — but the real prize is the ad that appears to have been rubber-stamped onto the back. ”¦ Went to Ba Xuyen in Sunset Park for some killer bánh mi on Saturday. On the way there, I was saddened to see that the Rainbow Café, which has long boasted some of Brooklyn’s best neon signage, is no longer an ongoing concern. Then again, the Rainbow was never as cool on the inside as its exterior suggested, so this is a great opportunity for someone with vision to redo the space in a manner that befits its majestic visage. I’m sure many of you NYC-area people have oodles of capital on hand to devote to a worthy project like this, so get crackin’. ”¦ New baseball uniforms for Oregon State (with thanks to Travis McGuire). ”¦ Francisco Rodriguez is reportedly wearing those red-tinted contact lenses. ”¦ “Was watching a WKRP in Cincinnati DVD the other night and caught an interesting typo,” writes Matthew Algeo. “In the episode ‘Fish Story’ (the one where Herb dresses up like the ’KRP carp), Venus Flytrap is wearing a Reds jacket with an obvious misspelling.” ”¦ Matt Watkins found a really cool web exhibit devoted to the history of the Tigers’ spring training camps in Lakeland, Florida. Among the highlights: Ted Williams in cricket gear and history’s most literal Grapefruit League photo (which would go well with this, right?). ”¦ Really good interactive feature here on the U.S. Navy’s new uniforms (great find by Tris Wykes). ”¦ Neil Bisman reports that the USF basketball team’s uniforms were lost in transit on the way to South Bend, so USF had to wear their practice uniforms in yesterday’s game against Notre Dame. ”¦ The Canadian Olympic hockey jersey impasse appears to have been settled (with thanks to Joe Pelletier). ”¦ Teebz has put together a great treatise on hockey goalie numbers. ”¦ Here’s a look at the new Syracuse lacrosse uniform. “There seems to be a growing trend of putting the important stuff under the numbers,” notes Alex Ozenberger). … The Pond Hockey National Championships took place over the weekend in Wisconsin. There’s a great photo gallery here (with thanks to Nicole Haase).

 
  
 
Comments (145)

    So wait… the NCAA would let Memphis wear a promotional uniform, but wouldn’t let USC vs UCLA go color on color in the fall, w/o penalty???

    WOW!

    I think the paragraph that starts with “I realize FedEx has done a lot of the university and the city,” perfectly captures what is at work here.

    The idea of appreciation is already built into such corporate agreements. The corporation appreciates what it’s funding gets it – namely, PR, advertising space, and name recognition, along with the possibility of a larger consumer base. The university shows its appreciation by positively using the money in regards to athletics and academics. The fan, if he/she so desires, shows his/her appreciation by supporting that corporate entity.

    But to have a fan appreciation night for a corporation is to, as Paul said, become a whore. Because what happens is that the fan/player is expected to “humanly” exhibit a certain appreciation for the corporation. That, though, is not how the agreement works. The corporation enters into the agreement hoping for certain outcomes. The fan then has the choice to show his/her appreciation through supporting the company. Forcing the appreciation on the fan violates the fan’s consumer choice on which the agreement is based.

    As a Dunlap High School grad I can honestly say that wearing sleeves in a game and being mentioned on uniwatch is the most note worthy thing ever done in the history of Dunlap boys basketball.

    [quote comment=”315028″]USF “practice” uni’s.

    link

    Photos 6 and 7 are probably the best views.[/quote]

    Thanks! I’ll incorporate those shots into the Ticker right now.

    Paul,
    I received my membership card over the weekend. Kudos to Scott for the great work.

    Thanks!

    Weren’t the Memphis Grizzlies originally supposed to be the Memphis Express (in honor of FedEx and their former name, Federal Express) and have FedEx colors before the NBA quashed the idea?

    And supposedly there were rumors that if the city of Louisville ever built their arena to lure an NBA team, KFC would buy the naming rights, call the arena the KFC Bucket, and the team would be called the Kentucky Colonels (but unlike the ABA team, the team colors would be Kentucky Fried Chicken’s red and white and the logo would be a caricature of Harlan Sanders dunking a basketball).

    At the very least, if the Colonels ever were revived in Louisville, the colors wouldn’t be blue and white, like the ABA team’s were. Hell would freeze over before a team in Louisville would have UK colors.

    The Sears catalog sure made this kid happy:

    link

    My first glimpse, as a kid, at Pro Sports Marketing Action Team Mates. These had to be the first NFL action figure to represent every team. Right around the same time the Evel Knievel action figure and bike set came out.

    The store packaging was a little different than the plain brown box that Sears packaged these in.

    link

    So much for new uniforms in Iowa City. Both Purdue and Iowa had the same old uniforms on Saturday. Any word on why they weren’t the new unis as talked about on here?

    Those Super Bowl cookies were nice. One problem: the Steelers’ logo is on the wrong side of the helmet. I realize that the cookie cutter cut out the shapes in that direction, but you could turn over the shape before baking.

    My favorite part of the Nets ticket was the phone number on the back, still had the exchange (I think that’s what it was called). Reminded me of my home phone way back when, “SPencer 9”.

    Godfather fans, what was the exchange to the Corleone home phone?

    Just wear your damn school/team colors! I’m sick of special nights for entities, causes, demographic groups, holidays, etc. Wear a friggin’ patch if that’s the intent, but leave the damn uniforms alone!!

    A comment on those Oregon State uniforms: if you read the Beavers’ press release, it says that they have six different jerseys at their disposal. Six jerseys seems like a lot over a 60-or-so game season. Thank you, LSU for starting that trend in college baseball. And speaking of LSU, they will probably have new jerseys this year, seeing how they are opening a new stadium and all.

    These teams should take a cue from a high school baseball team in New Orleans, where I grew up. Jesuit High School, one of the best teams in the state of Louisiana, has only one uniform set: White with blue pinstripes, “Jesuit” in blue across the front, solid blue caps with a white “J.” They wear that set at home, on the road, and in tournaments (even if they have to play two games in the same day). It saves money, and nobody will ever accuse Jesuit\’s baseball team of looking like a bunch of idiots in a game.

    hey, maybe i missed it… but did anybody catch who makes those “broad street bullies” jerseys??? hard to tell from the back!!!

    Paul, your links about the Globetrotter’s memorial patch and the new refs uniforms are blended into one giant link for the Globetrotters.

    “…caricature of Harlan Sanders dunking a basketball”

    somewhere… in a desk drawer… this logo exists… just food for thought! haha

    Middle Tennessee State and Vanderbilt’s womens basketball teams each went pink yesterday. Not against other, separate games but Vandy played Georgia who wore their road red unis so I guess if you are colorblind you were screwed

    MTSU gallery… link

    Vandy pix…
    link

    From the Canada Hockey article:
    “the COC had previously declined to support Hockey Canada’s traditional jersey”

    I don’t see what the issue is here…
    1. A 14 year old logo is too new to be traditional.
    2. The nike-fied mess they wore in the ’06 olympics was already the most untraditional joke of a uniform imaginable.

    I believe the ‘CLR’ patch on the Globetrotters uni is for Cliff Richardson, HG alum who died last year.

    Does anyone know if college hockey is always color vs white or are there occasionally color vs color games?

    Why is there “a lot to like” about the union stamp on the front of the ticket? I don’t see much of a difference between that and having it say “ABC Ticket Printing” on it.

    [quote comment=”315051″]I believe the ‘CLR’ patch on the Globetrotters uni is for Cliff Richardson, HG alum who died last year.[/quote]

    Duh. Make that link

    -Why isn’t the ’72 jersey Team Canada’s Option A?

    -The point of the KKK’s masks was to not only instill fear but also anonymity for the wearer. So they show up for the ballgame in KoftheKKK unis. It is the KKK, not the brightest bulbs ever. Also, the caps look inspired by Kellogg’s.

    -As is, Memphis is a craphole. Without FedEx, it’d easily be worse off than Detroit.

    Are link the same kind that link and link (and probably dozens of other pro athletes) wear or are they something different?

    (Those pics suck, but they were the best I could find on short notice.)

    Paul, after your spot-on apostrophe v. open quote column, I can’t believe your comment software made the apostrophe in my comment above an open quote. Uff da!

    As someone who put in over 10 years at FedEx, I can assure you that FedEx does not appreciate its customers, employees or the city of Memphis.
    They are all about the bottom line and the employees are just numbers to be abused and discarded( I don’t sound bitter, do I? LOL)

    I know that Brian Roberts wore, or wears, red contracts. As recently as 2006. COuldn’t find any pictures but I remember a giant picture of him with red eyes.

    The only interesting thing that came up in my google search was the butterfly on his head.

    [quote comment=”315053″]Why is there “a lot to like” about the union stamp on the front of the ticket? I don’t see much of a difference between that and having it say “ABC Ticket Printing” on it.[/quote]

    How is the union stamp on the front of the ticket any different than the reebok logo on a jersey? Is it just because the ticket is “old”? Would union stamps be 100% acceptable (and liked) on a hockey jersey?

    Couldn’t have been last year for covering Huet’s stripes. He was with the Capitals until the offseason.

    Also, kind of odd that the Phantoms are advertising the Broad Street Bullies jerseys with Giroux’s name on it, since he is up with the Flyers right now and after his last game against the Rangers, it’s not likely they’re going to send him back down any time soon.

    “NBA all-star weekend thoughts, in no particular order: Holy fuck! Or, to put it another way – no, there is no other way. Holy fuck! Didn’t exactly help that Michael Beasley wore mismatched sneakers. I mean, jeez, holy fuck (screen grabs courtesy of Jonee Eisen). ”

    Looks like the WNBA….. although, I kind of dig the little team identifier on the back for each player.

    On another note… (I don’t follow NBA unis so much and may have skipped over some ticker items), is this the first year some symbolism of the town was incorported into the All-Star game unis?

    [quote comment=”315056″]Happy Louis Reil Day to Teebz.[/quote]

    I prefer to call it “Holiday in February” Day.

    Louis Riel Day only stirs the emotions of some of those who were against his movement of having the Métis people recognized as part of Canada with rights. I think Riel should be honoured in his home province, but everyone else outside of Manitoba calls today “Family Day”, not Louis Riel Day.

    Somehow, I feel that tarnishes his reputation yet again. No one else in Canada honours the Métis people?

    [quote comment=”315044″]”Cincinnato” – maybe the network didn’t want to pay a rights fee to use the Reds logo?[/quote]

    Nah. The Andy Travis character wore a correct Reds jacket and hat in other episodes.

    [quote comment=”315065″]Good to see you took my advice, Teebz :)[/quote]

    I didn’t send anything to Paul, though. I was ridiculously busy yesterday with hockey playoffs, so I never even sent off an email! LOL

    Thanks for the link, though, Paul. I hope everyone finds the article as informative as I did.

    [quote comment=”315067″][quote comment=”315065″]Good to see you took my advice, Teebz :)[/quote]

    I didn’t send anything to Paul, though. I was ridiculously busy yesterday with hockey playoffs, so I never even sent off an email! LOL

    Thanks for the link, though, Paul. I hope everyone finds the article as informative as I did.[/quote]

    Just as a secondary note, that article was written originally for Dan McCue. He originally asked the question to Paul and Phil about how goalies get their numbers since most goalies opt for #1 or something in the 30s after Dan and his brother had a discussion about why goalies choose those numbers. Incidentally, it landed in my inbox after Phil referred Dan to me.

    It took a little digging, but it was then that I thought it would be a highly informative piece for others as well. Dan, please feel free to post it on your blog as well as it was originally written for you.

    [quote comment=”315068″][quote comment=”315067″][quote comment=”315065″]Good to see you took my advice, Teebz :)[/quote]

    I didn’t send anything to Paul, though. I was ridiculously busy yesterday with hockey playoffs, so I never even sent off an email! LOL

    Thanks for the link, though, Paul. I hope everyone finds the article as informative as I did.[/quote]

    Just as a secondary note, that article was written originally for Dan McCue. He originally asked the question to Paul and Phil about how goalies get their numbers since most goalies opt for #1 or something in the 30s after Dan and his brother had a discussion about why goalies choose those numbers. Incidentally, it landed in my inbox after Phil referred Dan to me.

    It took a little digging, but it was then that I thought it would be a highly informative piece for others as well. Dan, please feel free to post it on your blog as well as it was originally written for you.[/quote]

    nice work teebz! guess i gotta come up with a new column next weekend now tho ;)

    I was all ready to comment on the unbelievable fed/ex “tribute” uniform, then a saw the old Nets ticket stub….

    ….and I got all happy again.

    “The gentleman of the appliance industry.”

    That is just so wonderful.

    [quote comment=”315070″][quote comment=”315068″][quote comment=”315067″][quote comment=”315065″]Good to see you took my advice, Teebz :)[/quote]

    I didn’t send anything to Paul, though. I was ridiculously busy yesterday with hockey playoffs, so I never even sent off an email! LOL

    Thanks for the link, though, Paul. I hope everyone finds the article as informative as I did.[/quote]

    Just as a secondary note, that article was written originally for Dan McCue. He originally asked the question to Paul and Phil about how goalies get their numbers since most goalies opt for #1 or something in the 30s after Dan and his brother had a discussion about why goalies choose those numbers. Incidentally, it landed in my inbox after Phil referred Dan to me.

    It took a little digging, but it was then that I thought it would be a highly informative piece for others as well. Dan, please feel free to post it on your blog as well as it was originally written for you.[/quote]

    nice work teebz! guess i gotta come up with a new column next weekend now tho ;)[/quote]

    Still lots of goaltenders we can look at if you like, Phil. Daren Puppa’s #93 in Tampa Bay is still the highest number any goaltender has worn in the NHL.

    [quote comment=”315070″][quote comment=”315068″][quote comment=”315067″][quote comment=”315065″]Good to see you took my advice, Teebz :)[/quote]

    I didn’t send anything to Paul, though. I was ridiculously busy yesterday with hockey playoffs, so I never even sent off an email! LOL

    Thanks for the link, though, Paul. I hope everyone finds the article as informative as I did.[/quote]

    Just as a secondary note, that article was written originally for Dan McCue. He originally asked the question to Paul and Phil about how goalies get their numbers since most goalies opt for #1 or something in the 30s after Dan and his brother had a discussion about why goalies choose those numbers. Incidentally, it landed in my inbox after Phil referred Dan to me.

    It took a little digging, but it was then that I thought it would be a highly informative piece for others as well. Dan, please feel free to post it on your blog as well as it was originally written for you.[/quote]

    nice work teebz! guess i gotta come up with a new column next weekend now tho ;)[/quote]
    Yeah, really nice work…

    I’ve got one nitpick, though. Ed Belfour did not start his NHL career wearing #30. link because link was wearing #30 with the Hawks when Belfour made his debut.

    [quote comment=”315071″]I was all ready to comment on the unbelievable fed/ex “tribute” uniform, then a saw the old Nets ticket stub….

    ….and I got all happy again.

    “The gentleman of the appliance industry.”

    That is just so wonderful.[/quote]

    mr. jay is about 5 minutes from my home…and that store is still there…quite an achievement in this day and age; next time i drive by, if i remember, i’ll snap a pic

    [quote comment=”315067″][quote comment=”315065″]Good to see you took my advice, Teebz :)[/quote]

    I didn’t send anything to Paul, though. I was ridiculously busy yesterday with hockey playoffs, so I never even sent off an email! LOL

    Thanks for the link, though, Paul. I hope everyone finds the article as informative as I did.[/quote]
    Sure did!

    As far as I can determine, the first NHL goalie to wear a number higher than #30 was link of the St. Louis Blues in the 1969/70 season, wearing #31.

    Howcum #31? Well, the Blues already employed link (wearing #1) and link (wearing #30)!

    Since then, such luminaries as link, link, link, and the late link have worn #31 with distinction!

    [quote comment=”315075″][quote comment=”315071″]I was all ready to comment on the unbelievable fed/ex “tribute” uniform, then a saw the old Nets ticket stub….

    ….and I got all happy again.

    “The gentleman of the appliance industry.”

    That is just so wonderful.[/quote]

    link is about 5 minutes from my home…and that store is still there…quite an achievement in this day and age; next time i drive by, if i remember, i’ll snap a pic[/quote]

    Google street view is your friend…

    link,,0,2.0188855260558216

    [quote comment=”315077″][quote comment=”315075″][quote comment=”315071″]I was all ready to comment on the unbelievable fed/ex “tribute” uniform, then a saw the old Nets ticket stub….

    ….and I got all happy again.

    “The gentleman of the appliance industry.”

    That is just so wonderful.[/quote]

    link is about 5 minutes from my home…and that store is still there…quite an achievement in this day and age; next time i drive by, if i remember, i’ll snap a pic[/quote]

    Google street view is your friend…

    link,,0,2.0188855260558216[/quote]
    I see that Mr. Jay is no longer a one-man operation: “The Gentlemen of the Appliance Industry.”

    Great Tony Dungy quote c/o Peter King; definately uni-related;

    “Dungy writes of being a youth basketball player, and picking sneakers to wear on his junior high team. “I have a vivid recollection of eighth grade — 1968 — and wanting a pair of Chuck Taylor basketball shoes. Everybody had a pair, and I mean everybody. They were Converse’s most popular shoe — the Converse All-Star, a canvas high-top. It’s hard to imagine today, but back then … wow. My father took me to the store for new shoes. I wanted the Chuck Taylors, which were $7.99, as I recall. My dad thought I should get the K-Mart version, which retailed for $3.99. I was distressed.

    My dad showed me that the Kmart’s store brand and the Converse shoes were made of the same material, with the same quality, and that the price difference of a 100-percent markup was due to all the marketing hype … My dad didn’t say I couldn’t get the shoes; he just said that he wouldn’t spend the extra money to buy them. His obligation was to provide me with safe, comfortable equipment for my activities. If I wanted to go beyond that, it was up to me. I remember what he said that day: ‘They are identical, but if it matters enough to you, then you can earn the four dollars to pay the difference.’

    It was my first lesson in style versus substance. I chose the Chuck Taylors, understanding that I was choosing style. And I worked extra jobs beyond my regular chores for a month to pay off the four dollars my dad had advanced me to buy the shoes.”

    Whether you’re having trouble raising your children (what a silly statement; who has truly had a child-rearing cakewalk?) or want to get some uncommon common sense piped into your head, these are 260 pages worth your time.

    I wonder if the long sleeves under basketball uniforms are for cold gyms or to cover up tattoos? Some high schools or coaches might not allow ink. That’s what led to this look…

    link

    [quote comment=”315074″][quote comment=”315070″][quote comment=”315068″][quote comment=”315067″][quote comment=”315065″]Good to see you took my advice, Teebz :)[/quote]

    I didn’t send anything to Paul, though. I was ridiculously busy yesterday with hockey playoffs, so I never even sent off an email! LOL

    Thanks for the link, though, Paul. I hope everyone finds the article as informative as I did.[/quote]

    Just as a secondary note, that article was written originally for Dan McCue. He originally asked the question to Paul and Phil about how goalies get their numbers since most goalies opt for #1 or something in the 30s after Dan and his brother had a discussion about why goalies choose those numbers. Incidentally, it landed in my inbox after Phil referred Dan to me.

    It took a little digging, but it was then that I thought it would be a highly informative piece for others as well. Dan, please feel free to post it on your blog as well as it was originally written for you.[/quote]

    nice work teebz! guess i gotta come up with a new column next weekend now tho ;)[/quote]
    Yeah, really nice work…

    I’ve got one nitpick, though. Ed Belfour did not start his NHL career wearing #30. link because link was wearing #30 with the Hawks when Belfour made his debut.[/quote]

    Good call, JTH! I only found him wearing #30 in previous pictures with the ‘Hawks, but I do remember that hockey card. Adjustments being made as you read this!

    This is not related to todays post.. but i was wondering if any of the Uniwatchers had links to good uni-related desktop wallpaper?

    Can someone explain to me how Memphis wearing orange-and-purple uniforms is a tribute to FedEx? Their corporate colors are pretty clearly blue and red.

    “Holy fuck!”

    That is exactly what I said when I saw the Rookie Game unis. Now the image is permanently burned into my mind. Great.

    As a ‘Cuse student, it sucks to see that Nike has gone and ruined the lacrosse jerseys too, as they now look like the awfully bland SOD basketball uniforms. It’s sad to say, but the best uniform at this school now belong to the football team.

    [quote comment=”315076″][quote comment=”315067″][quote comment=”315065″]Good to see you took my advice, Teebz :)[/quote]

    I didn’t send anything to Paul, though. I was ridiculously busy yesterday with hockey playoffs, so I never even sent off an email! LOL

    Thanks for the link, though, Paul. I hope everyone finds the article as informative as I did.[/quote]
    Sure did!

    As far as I can determine, the first NHL goalie to wear a number higher than #30 was link of the St. Louis Blues in the 1969/70 season, wearing #31.

    Howcum #31? Well, the Blues already employed link (wearing #1) and link (wearing #30)!

    Since then, such luminaries as link, link, link, and the late link have worn #31 with distinction![/quote]

    Good call on Wakely. I was trying to determine who broke out #31 since it was a fairly popular number as well. That’s something I can add in.

    Hey Paul,

    Isnt it ironic that MJD from Yahoo sports just happens to write about the same topic as you on the same day.

    link

    [quote comment=”315090″]Hey Paul,

    Isnt it ironic that MJD from Yahoo sports just happens to write about the same topic as you on the same day.

    link

    I don’t see how it is ironic. Coincidental? Yes. Ironic? No.

    [quote comment=”315086″]Can someone explain to me how Memphis wearing orange-and-purple uniforms is a tribute to FedEx? Their corporate colors are pretty clearly blue and red.[/quote]

    Huh? You are not serious are you?

    W/R/T the Memphis purple/orange tribute. It’s tacky, but not a travesty.

    Take a walk on any major college campus and count the number of buildings named after corporations or wealthy donors who helped to endow the institution or pay for a given facility.

    Just because it bleeds over into the hallowed ground of college sports, where ads can be sidelines, arena naming, scoreboards, t-shirt or other handouts to fans, and Bobby Knight’s O’Rielly Auto Parts sweater, doesn’t mean that the sport is going out of control. It’s just another symptom that it’s already out of control. Your outrage is just a little too late, as the train left the station a decade or more ago.

    I was also shocked to see the Adidas logo on the All-Star uni this weekend because I heard on here they would not allow it…but then there it is. Very sad. I think we all know by now that Adidas makes the NBA uniforms.

    I was also appalled to be watching the Slam Dunk Contest the other night…wait I’m sorry, the Sprite-is-really-delicious-and-you-should-buy-it- and-we-are-going-to-make-everything-green Slam Dunk Contest. Anyways, I was watching the contest and I noticed during TV timeouts the contestants were forced to sit on a Sprite box until it was there turn. Of course, the camera would be on the contestant and another shot of Sprite would be shown. Here is a screen grab I took from the internet.

    link

    On a different note…here is a pic of the sweet shoes worn by Dwight Howard during the dunk contest.

    link

    [quote comment=”315024″]The cuse lax unis also have the “S” on the link of the jersey under the number.[/quote]

    both as a person from the Syracuse area and a former lacrosse player, those new lax unis are horrible.

    It seems like every uniform-related decision Syracuse has made since switching from “Orangmen” to “Orange” has been terrible.

    Very disappointing.

    The Globetrotters memorial patch is in reference to to Chris “Flash” Richardson. He was a player who passed away earlier this season while the team was in Japan.

    link

    [quote comment=”315093″]W/R/T the Memphis purple/orange tribute. It’s tacky, but not a travesty.

    Take a walk on any major college campus and count the number of buildings named after corporations or wealthy donors who helped to endow the institution or pay for a given facility.

    Just because it bleeds over into the hallowed ground of college sports, where ads can be sidelines, arena naming, scoreboards, t-shirt or other handouts to fans, and Bobby Knight’s O’Rielly Auto Parts sweater, doesn’t mean that the sport is going out of control. It’s just another symptom that it’s already out of control. Your outrage is just a little too late, as the train left the station a decade or more ago.[/quote]

    So what’s better – (a) turning a bling eye to corporate prostitution and walking off the cliff like the rest of the lemmings, or (b) upholding a standard that institutions of higher learning shouldn’t be a billboard campaign for billion-dollar companies, especially when FedEx’s contributions have already made the school better without all all the hoopla of a themed-game for The Arrow?

    Speaking out against something is how America was founded. If Memphis was a D-League team and scrounging for money, I wouldn’t have a problem with the promotion. Instead, the entire school becomes a gigantic FedEx advertisement with this promotion.

    That’s the problem.

    [quote comment=”314773″]Sorry if this was mentioned before, but the jerseys for the Rookie Challenge were designed in a fan contest. It wasnt a fan vote, so I’m sure they are garish and over the top, but still cool in my book.
    Few details at the bottom of this story:
    link

    I wanted to take credit for saying it, but looking at my quote, I was so wrong. Kevin Durant looked like a teletubby

    [quote comment=”315086″]Can someone explain to me how Memphis wearing orange-and-purple uniforms is a tribute to FedEx? Their corporate colors are pretty clearly blue and red.[/quote]
    link
    You might need to adjust your colors on your monitor; they seem a bit off. :-)

    [quote comment=”315043″]A comment on those Oregon State uniforms: if you read the Beavers’ press release, it says that they have six different jerseys at their disposal. Six jerseys seems like a lot over a 60-or-so game season. Thank you, LSU for starting that trend in college baseball. And speaking of LSU, they will probably have new jerseys this year, seeing how they are opening a new stadium and all.

    These teams should take a cue from a high school baseball team in New Orleans, where I grew up. Jesuit High School, one of the best teams in the state of Louisiana, has only one uniform set: White with blue pinstripes, “Jesuit” in blue across the front, solid blue caps with a white “J.” They wear that set at home, on the road, and in tournaments (even if they have to play two games in the same day). It saves money, and nobody will ever accuse Jesuit\’s baseball team of looking like a bunch of idiots in a game.[/quote]
    Tulane fan?

    [quote comment=”315101″][quote comment=”315086″]Can someone explain to me how Memphis wearing orange-and-purple uniforms is a tribute to FedEx? Their corporate colors are pretty clearly blue and red.[/quote]
    link
    You might need to adjust your colors on your monitor; they seem a bit off. :-)[/quote]
    They’ve got different color schemes for different services, but the primary is purple and orange…

    link

    [quote comment=”315099″]So what’s better – (a) turning a bling eye to corporate prostitution and walking off the cliff like the rest of the lemmings, or (b) upholding a standard that institutions of higher learning shouldn’t be a billboard campaign for billion-dollar companies, especially when FedEx’s contributions have already made the school better without all all the hoopla of a themed-game for The Arrow?

    Speaking out against something is how America was founded. If Memphis was a D-League team and scrounging for money, I wouldn’t have a problem with the promotion. Instead, the entire school becomes a gigantic FedEx advertisement with this promotion.

    That’s the problem.[/quote]

    So it’s okay for a poor team does this for money, but not a ‘rich’ team like Memphis?

    Ha!

    And invoking a free speach argument like, “Speaking out against something is how America was founded,” is a hoot.

    Sure, enough people spoke out against this, but how in the world was this promotion going to hurt anyone or forcing anyone to ‘appreciate’ Fed-Ex? The best thing that could have happened in that case is that the team suits up and all those seemingly appalled by the promotion just not show up. A hundred less fans in an 18,000 seat arena would make a powerful statement against the powers that be, no?

    Heaven forbid they have a half-court shot contest at half time hosted by a local bank or do any of the 100 other things that are corporate sponsored during a game. It’s already there. Might as well just have the (ahem) student-athletes dress up in the colors of the folks who pay the freight.

    Ok, found some interesting info, Ol’ Goaler.

    In doing some research, Wakely wore both #1 and #31 in his debut season with the Blues. Hall was injured, and Wakely was called up to play in 30 NHL games and 4 playoff games in the Blues’ inaugural season.

    He wore #1 for the first game he played in before the NHL forced him to change numbers since Hall was already listed as #1 on the Blues’ roster. Wakely chose #31 as a way to keep #1 – the number he wore throughout his entire career – rather than opting for #35.

    Jacques Plante, of course, wore #30.

    Due to Timmy B’s great work on the pro uniform history, I pulled out some DVD’s with color NFL games from the 1940’s Some of the color film was sharp and some not so good. I watched the 1944 Redskins and Cleveland Rams game. And for Ricko who jokingly a few days back said the Cleveland Rams NFL title didn’t count because it was before TV. I watched the Rams beat the Reedskins 15-14 in color.

    The one year the Rams wore blue jerseys and vs the Redskins wore the Yellow jerseys. Also I watched some of the Steelrs vs Boston Yankees from 1948. The Steelers wore black and the Yankees wore green with the side panels from shoulder down. The color was so so in that one.

    And I watched some History DVDs of the Redskins and Browns. Both had a few good color clips from the 1940’s

    Does anybody here trade tapes or dvds? I love seeing old football, both college and pro in color. I have a few college dvds of team histories with some good color clips

    [quote comment=”315104″][quote comment=”315099″]So what’s better – (a) turning a bling eye to corporate prostitution and walking off the cliff like the rest of the lemmings, or (b) upholding a standard that institutions of higher learning shouldn’t be a billboard campaign for billion-dollar companies, especially when FedEx’s contributions have already made the school better without all all the hoopla of a themed-game for The Arrow?

    Speaking out against something is how America was founded. If Memphis was a D-League team and scrounging for money, I wouldn’t have a problem with the promotion. Instead, the entire school becomes a gigantic FedEx advertisement with this promotion.

    That’s the problem.[/quote]

    So it’s okay for a poor team does this for money, but not a ‘rich’ team like Memphis?

    Ha!

    And invoking a free speach argument like, “Speaking out against something is how America was founded,” is a hoot.

    Sure, enough people spoke out against this, but how in the world was this promotion going to hurt anyone or forcing anyone to ‘appreciate’ Fed-Ex? The best thing that could have happened in that case is that the team suits up and all those seemingly appalled by the promotion just not show up. A hundred less fans in an 18,000 seat arena would make a powerful statement against the powers that be, no?

    Heaven forbid they have a half-court shot contest at half time hosted by a local bank or do any of the 100 other things that are corporate sponsored during a game. It’s already there. Might as well just have the (ahem) student-athletes dress up in the colors of the folks who pay the freight.[/quote]

    Um, your argument was that there are lots of buildings on campus that have sponsors. Are none of them as important as FedEx? Why does FedEx get a special game? What makes them so important? Because they have a gym named after them?

    Instead, the entire school is now branded with FedEx. If you were sponsoring a building, wouldn’t you be a little pissed that the biochemistry building with your company’s name on it means less than the some sports team? I’m sure that the Memphis basketball team will contribute as much to society as any of the biochemistry majors.

    And where does it stop? Physics 101 brought to you by FedEx? Advanced Calculus brought to you by Haliburton? Why not just sell off the campus to FedEx and allow them to send their staff there?

    When private, billion-dollar corporations buy public schools for their own benefit, it becomes a conflict of interest.

    Hence why speaking out against this is a good idea. You know, kinda like what those guys did in Boston with England’s tea tax.

    Appar[quote comment=”315107″]
    Um, your argument was that there are lots of buildings on campus that have sponsors. Are none of them as important as FedEx? Why does FedEx get a special game? What makes them so important? Because they have a gym named after them?

    Instead, the entire school is now branded with FedEx. If you were sponsoring a building, wouldn’t you be a little pissed that the biochemistry building with your company’s name on it means less than the school’s sports team? I’m sure that the Memphis basketball team will contribute as much to society as any of the biochemistry majors.

    And where does it stop? Physics 101 brought to you by FedEx? Advanced Calculus brought to you by Haliburton? Why not just sell off the campus to FedEx and allow them to send their staff there?

    When private, billion-dollar corporations buy public schools for their own benefit, it becomes a conflict of interest.

    Hence why speaking out against this is a good idea. You know, kinda like what those guys did in Boston with England’s tea tax.[/quote]

    Apparently, this head cold I have is affecting my sentence structures.

    [quote comment=”315107″]Um, your argument was that there are lots of buildings on campus that have sponsors. Are none of them as important as FedEx? Why does FedEx get a special game? What makes them so important? Because they have a gym named after them?

    Instead, the entire school is now branded with FedEx. If you were sponsoring a building, wouldn’t you be a little pissed that the biochemistry building with your company’s name on it means less than the some sports team? I’m sure that the Memphis basketball team will contribute as much to society as any of the biochemistry majors.

    And where does it stop? Physics 101 brought to you by FedEx? Advanced Calculus brought to you by Haliburton? Why not just sell off the campus to FedEx and allow them to send their staff there?

    When private, billion-dollar corporations buy public schools for their own benefit, it becomes a conflict of interest.

    Hence why speaking out against this is a good idea. You know, kinda like what those guys did in Boston with England’s tea tax.[/quote]
    You’re projecting here that the ENTIRE school is affected by this when in fact it’s only an issue because it’s part of a high profile part of the school. If one don’t care about Memphis basketball, one probably don’t care because it has little to know effect on getting things done.

    There is nowhere that says that the bio-chem department can’t have a big party bought and sold by, say, Monsanto to build up appreciation.

    This would be tacky (just as my initial statment said this Fed Ex promo is), but one would never know about it because such an event is not played up on ESPN.

    Colleges and Universities may want to play up that they are grounds for independent research and thought, but that’s not always the case, whether it be major hoops, the science lab, or the engineering department. Institutions depend highly on benefactors and if the benefactor wants a little appreciation, then they have the right to ask. What form that appreciation takes is up to those doing the appreciating.

    Acting like D-I college basketball is some shining beacon of purity is nuts. If the fans in Memphis want to appreciate kids who play just for themselves, their school, and their alumni, they should head on over to Rhodes College for a game.

    [quote comment=”315108″]Apparently, this head cold I have is affecting my sentence structures.[/quote]
    Same with mine… “one probably don’t care” (whoa, that’s bad on my part).

    [quote comment=”315110″][quote comment=”315108″]Apparently, this head cold I have is affecting my sentence structures.[/quote]
    Same with mine… “one probably don’t care” (whoa, that’s bad on my part).[/quote]
    No big deal. It had “little to know effect” on the point you were making.

    ;)

    [quote comment=”315043″]A comment on those Oregon State uniforms: if you read the Beavers’ press release, it says that they have six different jerseys at their disposal. Six jerseys seems like a lot over a 60-or-so game season. Thank you, LSU for starting that trend in college baseball. And speaking of LSU, they will probably have new jerseys this year, seeing how they are opening a new stadium and all.

    These teams should take a cue from a high school baseball team in New Orleans, where I grew up. Jesuit High School, one of the best teams in the state of Louisiana, has only one uniform set: White with blue pinstripes, “Jesuit” in blue across the front, solid blue caps with a white “J.” They wear that set at home, on the road, and in tournaments (even if they have to play two games in the same day). It saves money, and nobody will ever accuse Jesuit\’s baseball team of looking like a bunch of idiots in a game.[/quote]

    ############################################

    I am a New Orleans guy and while I am not a Jesuit fan or Alum, I do respect that school’s sensibility and class in having a consistent uniform and set of themes to support your school’s/team’s identity. I have to agree that Jesuit/New Orleans absolutely has that (with the possible exception of the short era of the playground-insired plain monochrome blue football uni’s) – in an era where immature coaches and AD’s constantly mess with and trendify uniforms of schools with literally 100 plus years of tradition.

    Having a connection to the teams and fans and players that went before you is alot of what colors, uniforms and mascots are all about. That should be the template.

    Back in the late 1970’s I found it wonderfully amazing that Jesuit’s summer (American Legion) baseball was wearing sleeveless jersey/vests when at that time that style had been on almost no one’s radar – in New Orleans that style was the equivalent of wearing a leather football helmet in 1979.

    Well said, man not named Earl !!!

    the memphis thing has me sick, so i will skip that nonsense, and get right to a question i have for the get it’s.
    every now and again we have a link to the sears wish book, which i always love. the action figures, trash cans, footy pj’s, posters, and everything else is just wonderful and nostalgic. but one thing i have wondered is why nobody gets on making the old durene/dureen uniforms!? i would think they would appeal to people in my age bracket. who wouldn’t want one of these?

    well, i want one. across the hall from my glass studio is a little seamstress sweatshop, i can screen print the numbers, and (heads up chicago diyers) there is a massive fabric outlet at 2121 21st st. so if you can still get this fabric, and they would have it, i may start re-producing these old jerseys in small batches.
    one catch, i don’t like to make money off my diy-ocd projects. breaking even is nice, but not profit. so i might have to just offer these to paul for raffles, or maybe make a uniwatch version, or something. whatever happens with this project, i am just trying to decide a direction and gauge interest. so interested? suggestions? do i need a baseball version like we had for little league? i will be in and out of the studio today, but i will look back from time to time to see if y’all have any feedback. maybe i am the only crackhead that thinks it would be great to have one one of those jerseys.

    This is probably a question for Helmet Hut, but does anybody have an idea of the latest year that any team – high school, college or pro – regularly wore any style of leather football helmet?

    [quote comment=”315113″]the memphis thing has me sick, so i will skip that nonsense, and get right to a question i have for the get it’s.
    every now and again we have a link to the sears wish book, which i always love. the action figures, trash cans, footy pj’s, posters, and everything else is just wonderful and nostalgic. but one thing i have wondered is why nobody gets on making the old durene/dureen uniforms!? i would think they would appeal to people in my age bracket. who wouldn’t want one of these?

    well, i want one. across the hall from my glass studio is a little seamstress sweatshop, i can screen print the numbers, and (heads up chicago diyers) there is a massive fabric outlet at 2121 21st st. so if you can still get this fabric, and they would have it, i may start re-producing these old jerseys in small batches.
    one catch, i don’t like to make money off my diy-ocd projects. breaking even is nice, but not profit. so i might have to just offer these to paul for raffles, or maybe make a uniwatch version, or something. whatever happens with this project, i am just trying to decide a direction and gauge interest. so interested? suggestions? do i need a baseball version like we had for little league? i will be in and out of the studio today, but i will look back from time to time to see if y’all have any feedback. maybe i am the only crackhead that thinks it would be great to have one one of those jerseys.[/quote]

    Best idea of the day.

    [quote comment=”315109″]Institutions depend highly on benefactors and if the benefactor wants a little appreciation, then they have the right to ask. What form that appreciation takes is up to those doing the appreciating.[/quote]

    Perhaps I misunderstand the idea behind donating money to a university, but where does it say that the benefactors have the right to ask?

    Whoa. I donate money to various charities, yet I don’t get to demand recognition. I do it to feel good about the cause and about myself.

    So what you’re telling me is that if I donate a million dollars to a university, I have “the right” to demand recognition of my “generous contribution”? The press conference where I give them a big check with my John Hancock on it isn’t good enough? The tax benefit on my income statement isn’t good enough?

    I somehow need more recognition if I’m FedEx, particularly on the high profile basketball team’s jerseys who represent the entire school and help draw students to the school, and who plays in the arena that has my company’s name on it. LOL

    Narcissism is a fabulous thing if you’re rich enough, I guess.

    And I’m not ripping on you, Tim. I just have zero clue on this benefactor thing, apparently. This is an eye-opener! I realized that I should have saved my donations to all those other companies in order to get my 15-minutes with my local universities. LOL

    Let’s see… if the Tigers win C-USA, they will have the honor of playing in the NCAA tournament sponsored by Coca-Cola. The halftime shows will be brought to us by AT&T. The Final Four will be played in Ford Field, and commercials will sell for 1 million bucks for a :30 second slot. College sports sold out to corporate American long before the Memphis Tigers considered donning Orange and Purple uniforms.

    [quote comment=”315118″]Let’s see… if the Tigers win C-USA, they will have the honor of playing in the NCAA tournament sponsored by Coca-Cola. The halftime shows will be brought to us by AT&T. The Final Four will be played in Ford Field, and commercials will sell for 1 million bucks for a :30 second slot. College sports sold out to corporate American long before the Memphis Tigers considered donning Orange and Purple uniforms.[/quote]

    What’s right is not always popular, and what’s popular is not always right. I’ll choose right over popular.

    Then again, that’s why I’m not running the NCAA.

    Not sure if anyone has heard this story before, but the Memphis thing reminded me of the New Jersey Nets back in the ’80s…

    The Nets were awful at the time and wanted to do something to increase their visibility. So, they looked into the idea of getting the city of East Rutherford to sell their city name to Nike for $3 million a year. That way, the city gets money each year and could lower taxes, and the Nets would be called the Nike Nets (and Nike would get the most ROI of them all, obviously).

    I guess the city bought into the idea and the Nets were considering doing it, but ultimately decided it was a little too bold a concept. Always thought this would have been a pretty creative idea, plus it does have some civic value.

    thanks paul. after i finish stitching the jackalopes jersey together, i will check into the availability of the fabric. but by the grace of the corn mother, something needs to be done about this lack of durene/dureen.

    All this chatter about Memphis “pay”-ing homage to FedEx….and no one has mentioned the New York Red Bulls?

    yes, I am aware that one is professional and the other is not, (but I will never understand why then coaches get paid MILLIONS to coach college kids…if they reduced the salaries…then corporate money wouldn’t be needed…)

    But, let’s make more money: how about sellling each floor of the NCAA tournament to a corporate sponsor…and then let the BCS people pick the 64-no wait 65—no…66—f-it….just let them all in as long as they can get sponsors…

    Regarding the Rainbow Cafe. My wife found out that some fellow gentrif- uhhhh community improvement enthusiasts in Sunset Park contacted the owners of the building that houses the Rainbow Cafe to see if they could lease the space to put in an independent coffee shop. The owners of the space told them that they would only give a lease to a corporate franchise of some sort, as they feel that a corporation’s backing provides more security to the leaser and therefore less chance of a default to the leasee. So the place is destined for box store/Starbucks hell.

    Just to make your day and all…

    Since it’s President’s Day, and with his penchant for hoops, how long before BO starts raking in the genuine NBA loot? I think I posted this once before, but if I’m Nike, I’m making up some “Air 44’s” with a Obama O logo and 44 on the tongue..and shipping them to DC. Using FedEx, of course.

    [quote comment=”315114″]This is probably a question for Helmet Hut, but does anybody have an idea of the latest year that any team – high school, college or pro – regularly wore any style of leather football helmet?[/quote]

    I do not know the answer but I have always wondered about Notre Dame. They wore plastic helmets for a while in the 40’s but went back to leather for a while. Like the Paul Hornung era. Does anybody know why?

    [quote comment=”315119″][quote comment=”315118″]Let’s see… if the Tigers win C-USA, they will have the honor of playing in the NCAA tournament sponsored by Coca-Cola. The halftime shows will be brought to us by AT&T. The Final Four will be played in Ford Field, and commercials will sell for 1 million bucks for a :30 second slot. College sports sold out to corporate American long before the Memphis Tigers considered donning Orange and Purple uniforms.[/quote]

    What’s right is not always popular, and what’s popular is not always right. I’ll choose right over popular.

    Then again, that’s why I’m not running the NCAA.[/quote]

    ok ill head this off by saying that i feel that the fedex thing is wayyyy over the top and im glad its not happening – and this is coming from a corporate apologist.

    but how in hell can one say that corporate influence is “right” or “wrong.” this is not a moral issue. its a matter of fact. there is corporate influence on both professional and college sports, and it is what drives the public interest in them. the networks that televise games – abc, cbs, nbc, fox, etc. are corporations, and their analysis is what leads to the hype and interest in the sport. the networks’ interest in these sports comes primarily from the money that is generated in advertising both on the networks and around the field or court.

    you can see this influence when you compare football and basketball to other college sports. do people religiously fill out brackets for wrestling tournaments every year? no. why? because the sport hasnt been picked up by corporate entities and marketed to us, the consumers. whether you want to be or not, you are a consumer of sports. and, as such, sports are treated as a commodity – with all the advertising that comes with that treatment.

    [quote comment=”315126″][quote comment=”315119″][quote comment=”315118″]Let’s see… if the Tigers win C-USA, they will have the honor of playing in the NCAA tournament sponsored by Coca-Cola. The halftime shows will be brought to us by AT&T. The Final Four will be played in Ford Field, and commercials will sell for 1 million bucks for a :30 second slot. College sports sold out to corporate American long before the Memphis Tigers considered donning Orange and Purple uniforms.[/quote]

    What’s right is not always popular, and what’s popular is not always right. I’ll choose right over popular.

    Then again, that’s why I’m not running the NCAA.[/quote]

    ok ill head this off by saying that i feel that the fedex thing is wayyyy over the top and im glad its not happening – and this is coming from a corporate apologist.

    but how in hell can one say that corporate influence is “right” or “wrong.” this is not a moral issue. its a matter of fact. there is corporate influence on both professional and college sports, and it is what drives the public interest in them. the networks that televise games – abc, cbs, nbc, fox, etc. are corporations, and their analysis is what leads to the hype and interest in the sport. the networks’ interest in these sports comes primarily from the money that is generated in advertising both on the networks and around the field or court.

    you can see this influence when you compare football and basketball to other college sports. do people religiously fill out brackets for wrestling tournaments every year? no. why? because the sport hasnt been picked up by corporate entities and marketed to us, the consumers. whether you want to be or not, you are a consumer of sports. and, as such, sports are treated as a commodity – with all the advertising that comes with that treatment.[/quote]

    FedEx is guilty of overplaying its hand.

    [quote comment=”315106″]I watched the 1944 Redskins and Cleveland Rams game…
    The one year the Rams wore blue jerseys and vs the Redskins wore the Yellow jerseys. Also I watched some of the Steelrs vs Boston Yankees from 1948. The Steelers wore black and the Yankees wore green with the side panels from shoulder down. The color was so so in that one.

    [/quote]

    Larry,

    Are you saying that in the 1944 game the Rams wore blue and the Redskins yellow?? That’s news for me!

    I know in the 1945 NFL title game, the Rams wore yellow and the ‘Skins wore burgundy with the UCLA-like numerals. It was a frigid game along the shores of Lake Erie with stacks of hay surrounding the field if I remember right…

    Good stuff, sir!

    Am I the only one who’s observed this phenomenon?

    From time to time, comments seem to “magically” appear well after they were posted.

    I swear that link was not here until after I posted link despite the fact that the timestamp on mine is 12 minutes later.

    call me lazy for not checking if this has already been mentioned or search for photos to show it or take my own photos but when I went to Pirates spring training today discovered they’re not bothering with more than last names on back. I mention this because they have both the Laroche brothers, Adam and Andy, plus other people in camp with the same last name. There is no special first name or initial on back occuring.

    [quote comment=”315129″]Am I the only one who’s observed this phenomenon?

    From time to time, comments seem to “magically” appear well after they were posted.

    I swear that link was not here until after I posted link despite the fact that the timestamp on mine is 12 minutes later.[/quote]

    Comments sometimes get flagged by our software and end up in the moderation queue, waiting to be approved or deleted. Phil and I both check the moderation queue periodically throughout the day. When we approve something that had been flagged, it shows up in the spot it would have occupied had it not gotten caught in the queue.

    [quote comment=”315131″][quote comment=”315129″]Am I the only one who’s observed this phenomenon?

    From time to time, comments seem to “magically” appear well after they were posted.

    I swear that link was not here until after I posted link despite the fact that the timestamp on mine is 12 minutes later.[/quote]

    Comments sometimes get flagged by our software and end up in the moderation queue, waiting to be approved or deleted. Phil and I both check the moderation queue periodically throughout the day. When we approve something that had been flagged, it shows up in the spot it would have occupied had it not gotten caught in the queue.[/quote]
    Thanks, Paul.

    [quote comment=”315128″][quote comment=”315106″]I watched the 1944 Redskins and Cleveland Rams game…
    The one year the Rams wore blue jerseys and vs the Redskins wore the Yellow jerseys. Also I watched some of the Steelrs vs Boston Yankees from 1948. The Steelers wore black and the Yankees wore green with the side panels from shoulder down. The color was so so in that one.

    [/quote]

    Larry,

    Are you saying that in the 1944 game the Rams wore blue and the Redskins yellow?? That’s news for me!

    I know in the 1945 NFL title game, the Rams wore yellow and the ‘Skins wore burgundy with the UCLA-like numerals. It was a frigid game along the shores of Lake Erie with stacks of hay surrounding the field if I remember right…

    Good stuff, sir![/quote]

    Timmy, No I meant in the 1944 game the Rams wore blue and in the 1945 game the Rams wore yellow As you described

    The Skins wore the burgundy both times.

    And the Steelers played the Redskins in 1948 in the one color and it was the Redskins vs the Boston Yankees in the other one from 1948. All in color and the Yanks had the color unis you mentioned.

    In the 1944 Rams vs Redskins game the Rams wore blue jerseys with yellow numbers, white pants with stripe on the side.
    The jerseys looked to be plain blue with no side panel or stripes. Just yellow numbers.
    That game is actually pretty good color and picture quality

    [quote comment=”315131″][quote comment=”315129″]Am I the only one who’s observed this phenomenon?

    From time to time, comments seem to “magically” appear well after they were posted.

    I swear that link was not here until after I posted link despite the fact that the timestamp on mine is 12 minutes later.[/quote]

    Comments sometimes get flagged by our software and end up in the moderation queue, waiting to be approved or deleted. Phil and I both check the moderation queue periodically throughout the day. When we approve something that had been flagged, it shows up in the spot it would have occupied had it not gotten caught in the queue.[/quote]

    And my post probably got a red flag from the software because it was so close to my previous post, I’m guessing.

    With each passing year, Nike manages to make Syracuse’s lacrosse uniforms more and more ridiculous.

    The Browns history DVD has some great color clips too. In one of the AAFC games clips the Browns are wearing white with the white helmets and playing a team wearing red jerseys and silver helmets with what seems like a red stripe. White pants and red socks.

    In the 1944 Rams vs Redskins game Cleveland does not look like they have that shoulder panel on the blue jersey with yellow numbers. I wil examine it closer later on

    [quote comment=”315093″]W/R/T the Memphis purple/orange tribute. It’s tacky, but not a travesty.

    Take a walk on any major college campus and count the number of buildings named after corporations or wealthy donors who helped to endow the institution or pay for a given facility.

    Just because it bleeds over into the hallowed ground of college sports, where ads can be sidelines, arena naming, scoreboards, t-shirt or other handouts to fans, and Bobby Knight’s O’Rielly Auto Parts sweater, doesn’t mean that the sport is going out of control. It’s just another symptom that it’s already out of control. Your outrage is just a little too late, as the train left the station a decade or more ago.[/quote]

    ######################################

    The Al $$$ Jones Field/Court at Polly $$$$ Smith Stadium/Arena at Happy Land Valley at the Biff (Former Player) Jackson Facility at the Governor Joe Public Sports Complex

    Enough already !!!

    Big Colleges are essentially running smaller scale pro teams WITHOUT THE PAYROLL TO THE PLAYERS. Why do they need all of this money?

    Why in the hell do they need all of this money?

    It is less expensive for a father & son to go to a Saints Game than it is to go to an LSU game, albiet in the cheap seats at either game. WHY?

    Because these colleges are grabbing $$$$ with both hands and building Taj Mahal athletic complexes that are really just memorials to the people running the programs in the present.

    In the paraphrased words of a certain Gladiator, “The time for celebrating yourselves will soon be at an end !!!”

    (When the supporters finally sicken of it !!!)

    [quote comment=”315093″]W/R/T the Memphis purple/orange tribute. It’s tacky, but not a travesty.

    Take a walk on any major college campus and count the number of buildings named after corporations or wealthy donors who helped to endow the institution or pay for a given facility.

    Just because it bleeds over into the hallowed ground of college sports, where ads can be sidelines, arena naming, scoreboards, t-shirt or other handouts to fans, and Bobby Knight’s O’Rielly Auto Parts sweater, doesn’t mean that the sport is going out of control. It’s just another symptom that it’s already out of control. Your outrage is just a little too late, as the train left the station a decade or more ago.[/quote]

    The train for me left the station in the 1980 Sugar Bowl game when the Notre Dame Irish wore large “C”s on their white jersey sleeves as an advertizement for their Champoin uniforms.

    There may have been many earlier trademark/uni intrusions, but that moment brought my first realization of it and rthe nausea that followed.

    [quote comment=”315143″]Wrigley video game ad-creep – link[/quote]

    That’s pretty funny- they REMOVED the Budweiser ad.

    In regards to Huet’s black stripes, I think that might be for all Blackhawk goaltenders (at least currently). I had noticed at both Ducks/Blackhawks games at the Pond this year that the black stripes on both Huet and Khabibulin’s unis were thicker than the red stripe (noticed it from the third deck, even). The only reason I never mentioned it here (aside from being a lurker), was that I swear I had seen it mentioned here before.

    For reference, here’s a link of pictures of link with the thicker stripes this season. But, if you look back a couple seasons ago, when he was wearing link, he had regularly sized link.

    Compared to, say, Jonathan Toews link and link (standing next to Khabibulin, no less), you can clearly see the difference in the thickness of the stripes.

    [quote comment=”315113″]the memphis thing has me sick, so i will skip that nonsense, and get right to a question i have for the get it’s.
    every now and again we have a link to the sears wish book, which i always love. the action figures, trash cans, footy pj’s, posters, and everything else is just wonderful and nostalgic. but one thing i have wondered is why nobody gets on making the old durene/dureen uniforms!? i would think they would appeal to people in my age bracket. who wouldn’t want one of these?

    well, i want one. across the hall from my glass studio is a little seamstress sweatshop, i can screen print the numbers, and (heads up chicago diyers) there is a massive fabric outlet at 2121 21st st. so if you can still get this fabric, and they would have it, i may start re-producing these old jerseys in small batches.
    one catch, i don’t like to make money off my diy-ocd projects. breaking even is nice, but not profit. so i might have to just offer these to paul for raffles, or maybe make a uniwatch version, or something. whatever happens with this project, i am just trying to decide a direction and gauge interest. so interested? suggestions? do i need a baseball version like we had for little league? i will be in and out of the studio today, but i will look back from time to time to see if y’all have any feedback. maybe i am the only crackhead that thinks it would be great to have one one of those jerseys.[/quote]

    been off the boards all day, but i’ll echo what paul said hours ago…

    AWESOME idea…i’d be most interested…please explore this further!

    [quote]what you’re telling me is that if I donate a million dollars to a university, I have “the right” to demand recognition of my “generous contribution”?[/quote]

    what colour is the sky in your world, teebz? (and can i come live there?)

    :o)

    [quote comment=”315038″]The Sears catalog sure made this kid happy:

    link

    My first glimpse, as a kid, at Pro Sports Marketing Action Team Mates. These had to be the first NFL action figure to represent every team. Right around the same time the Evel Knievel action figure and bike set came out.

    The store packaging was a little different than the plain brown box that Sears packaged these in.

    link

    my brother had the Roger Staubach and version of one of those (and a Vikings one as well) up until he got a little overzealous prior to a Redskins Cowboys game (we’re both big ‘Skins fans) and he demonstrated what the Redskins would do to the Cowboys and streched the body of Roger Staubach (they are held together inside by rubber bands), but the toy, being 20+ years old at that point, promptly snapped and sent Staubach’s decapitated head flying across the room.

    Completely not uni-related, but for anyone interested in either good graphic design, early 20th century history or what some folks do during an economic crisis, link of banknotes issued by German cities and towns during the pause between the fall of the Kaiser and the rise of the National Socialists.

    So much for new uniforms in Iowa City. Both Purdue and Iowa had the same old uniforms on Saturday. Any word on why they weren’t the new unis as talked about on here?

    New Purdue uniforms are being unveiled for tomorrow nights game against Michigan State.

    link

    [quote comment=”315138″]The Browns history DVD has some great color clips too. In one of the AAFC games clips the Browns are wearing white with the white helmets and playing a team wearing red jerseys and silver helmets with what seems like a red stripe. White pants and red socks.[/quote]

    Most Likely the 49ers.

    Something of a pink-out in Big Orange Country for Tennessee-Duke, as the Lady Vols are wearing home uniforms with all of the orange (letters, numbers, trim, etc.) replaced with pink, and much of the crowd wearing pink shirts. Duke is wearing some pink in its blue uniforms, but sadly, Duke isn’t ditching the black in its road uniforms for this game

    [quote comment=”315145″][quote comment=”315143″]Wrigley video game ad-creep – link[/quote]

    That’s pretty funny- they REMOVED the Budweiser ad.[/quote]

    The removal of alcohol ads is necessary to get an E rating from the ESRB, and earning that rating is often a condition of licensing the league’s identity and logos. You’ll notice that there are no Molson ads on the boards in hockey video games, or Heineken ads in soccer video games.

    [quote comment=”315038″]The Sears catalog sure made this kid happy:

    link

    My first glimpse, as a kid, at Pro Sports Marketing Action Team Mates. These had to be the first NFL action figure to represent every team. Right around the same time the Evel Knievel action figure and bike set came out.

    The store packaging was a little different than the plain brown box that Sears packaged these in.

    link

    Am I among the few who may have noticed that Sears gave you the option to choose between a “black” or “white” player? “Your choice of black or white players”. Which, I suppose, makes perfect sense, since “interchangeable numbers” are provided. And if you want your Franco Harris to look like, well Franco Harris . . .

    “Oh, and you see that ref’s jersey in the background? Don’t be surprised if you see all NBA refs wearing something like that next season.”

    Those are D-League refs wearing their standard jersey, though that doesn’t mean that NBA refs won’t follow the design next year.

    link

    [quote comment=”315148″][quote]what you’re telling me is that if I donate a million dollars to a university, I have “the right” to demand recognition of my “generous contribution”?[/quote]

    what colour is the sky in your world, teebz? (and can i come live there?)

    :o)[/quote]

    The head cold made me delirious. Four and a half hours of sleep… and I realize I’ll never be a millionaire. LOL

    Re: FedEx unis.

    Well, there you go. Once it becomes common for teams to start wearing “collections of outfits” instead of uniforms that are uniformly uniform (as in home and road and that’s all, thank you) it isn’t much of a leap from there to demphasizing their importance altogether. It becomes more like, “What’s our costume tonight?” And if teams out there have 12 combinations, what’s one more in colors nothing like the team’s…even if it is for commercial purposes? Plus, it will get us a little attention because, after all, the gimmick is everything these days, isn’t it. The shallower and more transparent the better. That’s what passes for “getting it”: I’m tacky and I know it, therefore I am cool.

    Likewise for being rude, crude, indifferent, insensitive, aloof, gun-toting and woman-abusing.

    Oh, and get photographed taking a hit on bong once in awhile. That means you’re REALLY cool.

    The point is, evidently having no class at all now is being really classy. At any level, from university AD’s to individual athletes.

    (mutter, mutter, mutter)

    —Ricko

    Someone probably already mentioned this, but the refs in the Celebrity game were actually NBADL refs, which is why there ref jerseys were different, I think.

    Uni Watch News Ticker: NBA all-star weekend thoughts, in no particular order: Holy fuck! Or, to put it another way – no, there is no other way. Holy fuck! Didn’t exactly help that Michael Beasley wore mismatched sneakers. I mean, jeez, holy fuck (screen grabs courtesy of Jonee Eisen). … Arguably even weirder: For the celebrity challenge game, players wore Adidas-branded 1995 all-star jerseys and, in some cases, pink sneakers.

    Sucks that a League shows a little creativity once and doesn;t take themselves too seriously once in a while… Lighten up. The come out wearing a bland D-League uni and we’ hear complaining about how bland they were… such predictable ranting.

    In regards to Huet’s black stripes, I think that might be for all Blackhawk goaltenders (at least currently). I had noticed at both Ducks/Blackhawks games at the Pond this year that the black stripes on both Huet and Khabibulin’s unis were thicker than the red stripe (noticed it from the third deck, even). The only reason I never mentioned it here (aside from being a lurker), was that I swear I had seen it mentioned here before.

    Last year’s news.

    Greatest silver on silver helmet matchup for a Super Bowl matchup? The Patriots vs. Panthers matchup. Put that in your cryptoquip and smoke it.

    [quote comment=”315093″]W/R/T the Memphis purple/orange tribute. It’s tacky, but not a travesty.

    Take a walk on any major college campus and count the number of buildings named after corporations or wealthy donors who helped to endow the institution or pay for a given facility.
    [/quote]

    If you go to the U of M campus, the newest building was namedand paid for by FedEx(FedEx Institute of Technology).

    FedEx is the largest private employer of U of M grads, and largest private employer for the City of Memphis, and largest corporate philanthropist in Memphis and the MidSouth. FedEx is the corporate engine of the city. If they leave, not only do the 30,000 plus working directly for them become unemployed so do tens of thousands more whose jobs exist in Memphis solely because FedEx is in the area.

    If THE team in Memphis(the NBA Grizz are an afterthought) wants to honor this company and, more importantly, their 30,000 employees for one night with FedEx themed jerseys and a FedEx Appreciation Night, than so be it.

    Patrick
    Austin, TX

    [quote comment=”315167″][quote comment=”315093″]W/R/T the Memphis purple/orange tribute. It’s tacky, but not a travesty.

    Take a walk on any major college campus and count the number of buildings named after corporations or wealthy donors who helped to endow the institution or pay for a given facility.
    [/quote]

    If you go to the U of M campus, the newest building was namedand paid for by FedEx(FedEx Institute of Technology).

    FedEx is the largest private employer of U of M grads, and largest private employer for the City of Memphis, and largest corporate philanthropist in Memphis and the MidSouth. FedEx is the corporate engine of the city. If they leave, not only do the 30,000 plus working directly for them become unemployed so do tens of thousands more whose jobs exist in Memphis solely because FedEx is in the area.[/quote]

    That’s all very nice. But it has exactly zero bearing — ZERO — on whether it’s appropriate for a public institution to dress up in corporate colors, or whether it’s appropriate to turn 20-year-old amateur athletes into corporate billboards.

    What you’re basically saying is that FedEx is too big to fail. In case you hadn’t noticed, that approach has gotten us into a slight bit of trouble lately.

    It would be foolish for a school to sell out to corporate interests…now, let me find my Nike shoes and headband.

    good thing football hasn’t sold out like basketball either…now, I’m just going to have some Tostitos and then I have to run by Meineke.

    The University of Louisville’s Men’s team wore their white “home” jerseys today at Cincinnati. The Bearcats were having a “Ring of Red” promotion where the fans and team wore all red. Seems like they might have done that against a team whose primary color is red. Here’s a photo from the worldwide leader’s website: link.

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