My Opinions on the 3rd Jersey

Monday the 25th - I received an email through the site from someone giving me the link to BetterStatistics.com, stating that one of the new jerseys had been seen in a local sporting goods store, prematurely put on display. The folks at BetterStatistics.com had taken a picture of the jersey and posted it on their website for all to see. I promptly linked to the article and picture.

At first, I thought I'd been duped because the jersey was so darn ugly. I hoped it wasn't the real jersey and that there was an error somewhere. Perhaps it was a joke being put on by someone at the sporting goods store? A joke by BetterStatistics? I was hoping for it.

Tuesday the 26th - When I was in work, I was asked by my friend and co-worker, Matt, if I'd seen the pics of the new jersey. I told him I thought I had and I told him about the article over at BetterStatictics. He proceeded to tell me that there was a picture of Jeremy Roenick wearing the darn thing, too. When I went home on break to eat lunch, I found my email box filled with links to the Roenick picture, which was hosted on some site at Rutgers.

Again, I thought it was ugly, albeit a little less so than the picture on BetterStatistics.com. Maybe it was seeing it on a human and not some sad display? Either way, it was less orange and more red. And the logo was still that evil looking embossed nightmare. This picture, with Roenick in it, was to be further proof towards this jersey being the real deal and I was getting let down real quick.

Also on this day, LeafsTV contacted me saying that they were interested in having me on their show on Friday. They asked me for my number, which I sent them. I was starting to look forward to voicing my opinion on TV! God forbid the Flyers have me on Coatsey's Corner or anything, right?

Wednesday the 27th - The Flyers officially put up a third picture on their site featuring 4 Flyers wearing the hellish nightmare, all of them flanking one Mike Lieberthal, the catcher for the Phillies. Why was Lieby there? Perhaps he was the red connection? This jersey would look fine for the Phils, only if they lost that horrid Flyers logo.

I tried to get a hold of Joe O'Sullivan on this day, too. He is the new Head of Sales and Marketing over at the Flyers. He replaces Kathi Gillin, who I had previously been in contact with. I had wanted to ask him some questions about the legitimacy of the online pictures, help on my uniform history page I want to put up on the site, and whether or not he wanted me to voice my opinion on Comcast, seeing that Toronto was interested in me. I received his number on Tuesday, I think, from Ron Ryan. Unfortunately, it turns out it was his fax number and I couldn't get through.

Friday the 29th - The big day! Are the pictures for real?

I tried Joe O'Sullivan again. Still got the darn fax machine. So, I did what I should have done on Wednesday - I looked up Kathi Gillin's old number and, sure enough, it was the same number, save for one digit. I called that one and got his voice mail. So, hopefully, I will have some help in getting a uniform history page up, that is if he isn't completely turned off by my current attitude towards the new jerseys!

I got a call back from LeafsTV and scheduled a phone interview for the end of the second intermission of the game. It was a break I sorely needed from watching the Flyers fail to score goals again. The interview went well, I thought, and I had lots of fun! Nothing like talking hockey with a couple Canadians.

Oh, and, yes, the jerseys were for real. Ouch. I'll say that they look better on TV than in the pics, a little less red colored, but they are still ugly in my book. I was truly let down today. The high point of the broadcast was when Dei Lynam (sp?) asked 4 random fans what they thought of the new jersey and 2 out of 4 were unhappy with it. One guy even used the term 'old school.' Hehehe.

As for my opinions on the new third jersey, I will still remain blunt on the matter - that has to be one ugly jersey. I'm sure that many of you have seen them by now, for sure, and for that I am sorry.

There's ugly - AMC Pacer or Ford Granada ugly - and then there's ugly as in what I see when I go look at the pics of the new jersey. You remember when I 'fessed up that I would probably buy the new jersey "just because?" Well, I take that back. I elect to save my hard earned cash on something a little more attractive - say, Rosie O'Donnell's used underwear. Did I really just say that? Maybe I'm being harsh. But that shirt is Ugly with a capital U.

Ever go to one of those websites where some 15 year old zit faced kid who swears he's the next big website designer has used the Photoshop emboss tool on way too many texts on his page? I never liked the emboss effect to begin with but here I am looking at a professional sports jersey, one that is to be worn by one of the most respected and revered organizations in the nation, that looks like it's been hacked together by a near sighted geek. Just look at the orange dot in the middle of the P and tell me it doesn't look like someone who's squinting because he's been popped in the head by too many pucks. I dare you.

I'm not the only one that is displeased, either. Some random quotes I've seen/heard:

• "...putrid orange thing...bad snowboard clothing" - Ryan Netz, Vail CO


• "...just about the ugliest thing since the Vancouver Canucks 'V' style jersey of the 70s" - Mike Shaw


• "I sure hope they look better on the ice" - Chris Hasson


• "God please, oh God no do NOT wear those things on the road!" - Nicole Schafhauser