Oh, just pageanty and sports...

2010 Winter Classic Logo

Since birth I have always been obsessed with sports. I have never been able to put into words what the single reason I love sports so I have stopped trying. It is a complicated process that can truly not be explained. But one of the reasons I do love sports is the pageantry of it all. At first you might have visions of the TLC reality thriller Toddlers and Tiaras but that is not the direction I am attempting to go. By pageantry I mean those games you love to watch with the classic teams, the classic venue, or unique event. The opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games is one of those classic events. I mean how do you not watch the lighting of the Olympic torch. Despite zero affiliation with either service academy I always seem tune in to NBC and watch the Army-Navy game. Again, it is just one of those classic events that garners your attention every year. But the event that truly keeps me infatuated for all of New Year's Day is the NHL's Winter Classic. The unique qualities of a rotating location, participants, and it's outdoor venue make it one of the coolest events every year (No pun intended).

In the past 5 years or so I've seen a rise in popularity of throwback or classic uniforms. Many professional franchises have pursued these options. The most recent of these was the re-branding of the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles. The Jays new unis aim to remind fans of the '93 Joe Carter days and hopefully let them forget the meager attempt to be relevant with their alternates. While the O's new look redesigns that loveable bird from the 70's and 80's. This idea has also been seen in the NHL's Edmonton Oilers and NBA's Philadelphia 76ers with both teams making primary uniforms from classic looks. Both relatively dormant recently, they have used the re-brands to ignite the fire that these storied franchises once possessed. This phenomenon has even permeated college athletics with NC State choosing to loose the "N" and "C" on many of their sports teams' jerseys and go with just "STATE" similar to the 1983 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship team. My favorite display of this is in the NHL Winter Classic match ups. With classic jerseys from the Penguins, Rangers, Bruins, Blackhawks, and Capitals, it really is a field day for uni lovers like myself.

I tried to understand the infatuation with this re-branding to a classic uniform look and could not grasp it. Yes, I loved it but why did everyone else and why was this a trend. I then remembered the craze 10 years ago involving a mass modernization of franchise looks such as the Denver Broncos. Many of those teams shed their classic look for a more modern and hip style. Unfortunately many of them failed and the franchises are still in a tailspin from that first bad front office decision. I then realized that this trend was cyclical and soon another idea will take over this great honoring of historic teams with classic jerseys. But until that sad day I will continue to enjoy the throwback and classic uniforms that I love. If you are interested in more uniforms and jerseys please check out Uni-watch.com. The guys there know there jersey and uni info and have tons of cool images to check out.

This blog is a three headed monster comprised of three college students studying sport who hope to provide their fresh and unique look on various topics. Each of the authors will provide their own style and choice of topics providing an awesome experience for you the reader.