Monday, January 17, 2011

NHL Jersey Rankings (part 1 of 7)

The NHL has some really cool jerseys, and I think on average they’re better than any other major sport in America.  Because I have to give each team a close look, I’m going to spread this over seven posts.  I’ll comment on the six divisions, and then put the teams into a cumulative list for the seventh and final post.
How they’re scored:
Each NHL team has three jerseys -- home, away, and an alternate.  Some teams have a second alternate, but they’re few and far between, so I’ll only look at the alternate used most often in those cases.  Each jersey will be ranked on a 5 point scale, with 5 being jersey euphoria and a 1 being a foul on the eyes.  The team closest to 15 points at the end wins.
Tiebreaker scenario:
If teams are ties, I’ll pick based on their logo.  For instance, if the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames both ended up with scores of 12, I’d pick the Oilers because I like their logo better.
Today, I’ll be looking at the Northeast Division from the Eastern Conference.  This is a great group of teams to look at in regards to athletics aesthetics, with the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, and Toronto Maple Leafs all having classic, iconic jerseys.  Let’s get started.
Boston Bruins:
Home -- This is one of the best in the entire league.  The Bruins found a winning formula all the way back in  1949 and stuck with it.  However, minus half a point for no leg piping.  They had this from 1939 (black, white, and yellow) to 1981 (white piping).  I like the black, white, and yellow piping better than the white, but would take either over the solid black shorts.  Score: 4/5
Away -- Love these too.  They look better in the black though, so that’s why they get half a point less for this one.  Score: 4/5
Alternate -- Very nice as well.  Much better than these, used from 1995-2006.  Clearly, they tapped into their storied history for this alternate logo, as they had versions of it from 1924 to 1932.  Kudos also for using the primary logo as a patch on the alternate jersey, and vice versa.   Score: 4/5
Verdict -- Classic and spiffy, with minimal changes needed.  Score 12.5/15
Buffalo Sabres:
Home -- Thank goodness they went back to this design from the 1980s and 90’s, as opposed to this garbage from 1996-2006 and the detested “Buffaslug” from 2006-2010.  There’s no piping on this either, so minus a half point for that, as well as another half point for ditching the royal blue for a darker shade.  Score: 4/5
Away -- Same as above.  Once again, they made the right choice for going back to their roots, but the blue is a better jersey color than white.  Score: 3.5/5
Alternate -- Pretty good for an alternate.  The script is nice, and I really dig the yellow nameplate.  However, the webbing in the numbers is dumb, plain and simple.  It’s way better than this alternate used from 2000-2006 though.  Score: 3/5
Verdict -- The Sabres really needed to take a page from the Bruins and just shouldn’t have messed with a classic.  Final score: 10.5/15
Montreal Canadiens:
Home -- These are classy as well.  Tons of people think that these are the best in the NHL.  A version of it has been used since 1925 -- the Canadiens knew they had a good thing going and stuck with it.  However, I don’t think these are tops.  Don’t get me wrong -- I really like these.  I just think there are better ones out there.  Score: 4/5
Away -- The same as the home jerseys.  Great logo and great design.  Good job with piping on the shorts too.  Score: 4/5
Alternate -- Is it Christmas time?  The green maple leaf just doesn’t do it for me.  They’re not awful, but I just don’t like the green on red.  It also looks suspiciously close to the Toronto Maple Leaf’s design (see below). Score: 2/5
Verdict -- Very solid jersey.  You can’t go wrong with the home or away jersey, but the alternate pulls its final score down a bit.  Final score: 10/15
Ottawa Senators:
Home -- The Senators had this uniform when they came into existence in 1992, and used it until 1997, then another version of it (notice the change in the edge of the “coin”) until 2007.  Then, they went to this.  It’s not terrible, but I think it’s a bit of a downgrade from the half Roman soldier/half Roman coin thing they had going on.  Score: 2.5/5
Away -- Although red and white jerseys aren’t my favorite (see the Atlanta Falcons from the NFL uni post), they’re much better than the black jerseys they used to wear on the road.  I think it’s tough to pull off black, and the only teams that can do it in the NHL seem to be the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins.  I do think these are beter than their home reds though, but I’m not sure why.  I think it might be the fact that the new logo seems to go better on white.  Score: 3/5
Alternate -- Not a fan of this at all.  It’s fine to nickname your team, but putting it in writing on a jersey, especially in boring block text, is tough to pull off.  That, plus the fact that it’s on a black jersey, plus the weird stripes on the arms, make it one of my least favorites in all of hockey.  Their old alternates from 2000-2007 weren’t the best either, but I think they’re much better than the current ones (I'm digging the yellow at the bottom of the uni).  Score: 1.5/5
Verdict -- What the Senators are doing is similar to the Sabres’ jersey mistakes.  Thankfully, the Sabres rectified their issue; the Senators are making the mistakes now.  They had a pretty good logo, and changed it.  While the change wasn’t awful, it certainly wasn’t an upgrade.  They have average jerseys at best, but when you throw in the ugly alternates, they fall into the below average category.  Final score: 7/15
Toronto Maple Leafs:
Home -- These are really classy ones too. My only complaint is that there’s no leg piping like they used from 1934 - 1992.  The design has been virtually the same on the jersey itself since 1927 (although that leaf doesn’t look much like a leaf to me).  I’m a sucker for blue jerseys, and they’re much better with the stripes, which they went without from 2007-2010 (makes it kind of plain, huh?).  Score: 4/5
Away -- Once again, they Maple Leafs saw the winning formula they had and stuck with it.  The whites may not look as spiffy as the blue home jerseys, but they’re still iconic.  Score: 3.5/5
Alternate -- These are pretty nice alternates.  This particular leaf design was used between 1938 and 1967, and the jersey is almost exactly what the Leafs wore from 1958 - 1967.  I’m not a big fan of the blue around the collar, though I do like the old leaf as opposed to the current leaf.  Score: 3.5/5
Verdict -- Once again, these are classic jerseys that don’t need much tweaking.  While they are simple, they’re still memorable, and the blue home jerseys look great on the ice.  Final score: 11/15
Northeast Division Rankings:
  1. Boston Bruins -- 12.5/15
  2. Toronto Maple Leafs -- 11/15
  3. Buffalo Sabres -- 10.5/15
  4. Montreal Canadiens -- 10/15
  5. Ottawa Senators -- 7/15
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Sunday, January 9, 2011

Ranking the NFL Jerseys

Paul Lukas and his blog uniwatch really inspired me to create my own, especially because his is about “athletics aesthetics,” and that is a not-so-guilty pleasure of mine.  Anyone who knows me knows I’m always after some sort of sports jersey, usually one of the throwback variety.
I’ve decided to compile a list of the best (and worst) NFL jerseys.
Each team has a home and away jersey.  Certain teams also have alternate or throwback jerseys utilized a few times per year as well, but those are for a different post.  Here’s how I’ll be scoring them:
Both jerseys will be rated on a 5 point scale, with 1 being an awful jersey, and 5 being uniform perfection.  Thus, the total number of points a team can earn is 10 (for all you math nerds out there).  In the event of a tie, I’ll take the team’s helmets into consideration.
Here’s the list (total points are in parentheses next to the team name):


Bottom of the Barrel
32. Cincinnati Bengals (3)

What clinched it for the Bengals is the helmet design.  I actually think that the Bills have an uglier away jersey (see below) than the Bengals do, but the garish helmet is so 1980s.  It could get worse though; their alternate jersey is absolutely disgusting.  *vomit*

31. Buffalo Bills (3)

I actually really like the Bills logo and helmet design.  Their throwback helmet is pretty sweet too.  However, they started with a new jersey concept in 2002.  They brought a darker blue to the design for their home jerseys, and a gaudy red-white-and blue for their "aways."  I'll admit, I thought their away jerseys were pretty cool when they first came out, but they've dated fast, and the Bills were actually chosen by the readers of the uniwatch blog as the ugliest NFL jersey.  I like their throwbacks and jerseys from the 1990s better.

Below Average
30. Tennessee Titans (4)

I've never liked the baby blue scheme they've had.  It's a tribute to the old Houston Oilers, where the Titans used to play all the way up to the 1997 season when they made the move to Nashville.  I love the Oilers color scheme, and it's really close to the Titans' jerseys.  I just don't like the Titans various logos, like on their helmet and sleeves.

29. Houston Texans (4)

The Texans' jerseys are pretty ho-hum; they aren't ugly (well, their alternates are).  For me, it's almost as though the team played it so conservatively in the jersey design that it actually hurt them -- ending up with a yawner to look at on the field.  Perhaps a different logo design or a red or white helmet color would make it better?

28. Baltimore Ravens (4)

The purple just doesn't do it for me.  The Ravens always have a nasty defense, but they just don't look good in the color.  Though the color is similar, I like the numbers better.  I've never been a fan of black-on-black jersey schemes, like in the Ravens' alternate from 2004-2007.  I do like their new alternates, used from 2008 til now, better than any they've had.

27. Carolina Panthers (4)

While the logo is different than most, I think the Panthers front office took a gamble with the color scheme -- one that could have tanked big time -- and turned it into something our eyes can at least stand.  The text in their end zones though?  Kinda gross, huh?

26. Atlanta Falcons (4)

Just too much red for me.  Easy as that.

25. Philadelphia Eagles (4)

They got it right with their older jerseys.  I'm just not a fan of the new tint of green and the number design as compared to what's on their throwbacks.

24. Seattle Seahawks (4)

This is kind of like the Carolina Panthers -- a color scheme that could have been disastrous but somewhat works.  By the way, what color is that?  Blue?  Green?  Teal?  Aqua?  Who knows.  All I know is that the Seahawks should be punished for having this alternate jersey: *puke*

23. Minnesota Vikings (4)

What kills me is the stripes going down the side.  They had a great jersey, from the 60's -2005.  Luckily, the classic helmet design somewhat saves them from dropping farther down the list.

Average
22. Jacksonville Jaguars (5)

This is the last of my "questionable colors that could've been much worse" (see the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers).  I actually think the worst thing about the Jags is their helmet.  Unless you're up close, you can't tell what the heck that thing is.  Their home jerseys are an improvement from the past (2004-2008) or an ugly alternate uniform.  Much like the Texans, their jerseys are plain, but with that thin pin striping , I bumps the Jaguars up the list from "below average" to just plain "average."

21. Denver Broncos (5)

These jerseys were really cool in the late 1990s.  But now, I think they're starting to show their age.  Much like the Minnesota Vikings, it's the striping for me.  It was cool 10 years ago, but not so much the trend now.  If they could reduce that, it'd be great.  Nothing beats their throwback jersey -- it's so ugly that it's cool.

20. New England Patriots (5)

I'm not a fan of silver pants, so I think their away jerseys are better than their homes just for that.  I don't despise these unis, but I like their throwbacks and ones form the 1990s better

19. New York Giants (5)

See above (Patriots) in regards to silver pants.  White would be much better.  And the red in their away jerseys is nasty too.  And on top of that, the big "NY" on their helmet is boring.  Maybe they should go back to this old helmet design -- I think that's a better choice.  

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5)

These jerseys have grown on me.  I'm such a big fan of their throwbacks that I think when the newer jerseys came out, I was so p-o'ed that they did away with the old ones that I didn't give the newer ones a chance.  It's been 13 years, but I finally can say that the Buc's unis are acceptable.

17. Arizona Cardinals (5)

Much like the Broncos and the Vikings, the Cardinals have that striping on the pants and sides of the jersey.  However, I don't think it's as garish as the Vikings', and I like the helmet design better than the Broncos (I'm a sucker for white helmets).  I will say that I'm not a big fan of their away jerseys.

16. Detroit Lions (5)

Classy jerseys that in recent years are starting to go downhill (note to the Carolina Panthers: this is how you do blue-on-silver).  They jazzed their helmet up recently, going with a more intense lion than their old one.  However, I lean towards their older jersey concept than the present-day.

15. St. Louis Rams (5)

I'm a sucker for blue and gold.  Pitt, Notre Dame, and the St. Louis Rams.  Gotta love the old jerseys, but the current ones are a bit more streamlined.  There's not much I would want to change with these unis; I guess the only reason that they're at number 15 is that the jerseys ranked higher than the rams are more instantly recognizable.

14. Oakland Raiders (5)

Definitely one of the most recognizable jerseys in all of sports.  The one thing I don't like about their jersey is the silver numbers.  Perhaps what would be better?  And the silver pants are acceptable here (same with the Detroit Lions) because of their iconic status in the league (the teams that is).

13. Miami Dolphins (5)

Love the logo, but the teal jersey can be tough on the eyes sometimes.  Still, it's not as harsh on the eyes as their alternate uni.

Better than most
12. Chicago Bears (6)

Like the jersey a lot (especially the homes).  I don't like the numbers though.  Classic jerseys like this need block numbers, like the Packers have here.  This Bears were voted best jersey on uniwatch.

11. Cleveland Browns (6)

Being from Pittsburgh, I'm not a Browns fan, but I really like their jerseys.  Like the Broncos throwback jerseys shown earlier, these are memorable because they're ugly.  Brown and orange don't really go together, but because the Browns have been around for so long, the brown-orange combo is now iconic.

Memorable
10. Dallas Cowboys (7)

Classic jersey.  The colors don't do much for me, and the logo is plain but iconic.  The one change I'd make is removing the star off the sleeve on their home jersey to something like their old jerseys, which looks very similar to the Indianapolis Colts.

9. San Diego Chargers (7)

A team that took cool jerseys and made them better (or at least just as good).  Love the white helmets, too.  And a note to the Titans: this is how you do baby blue jerseys.

8. New Orleans Saints (7)

Simple, not flashy.  Love the fleur de lis on the helmet, and the black and gold combo.  No tweaks necessary.

7. New York Jets (7)

I put them above the Saints for the sheer fact that their jerseys (the green especially) is more iconic than the Saints' are.  From here on, there aren't much criticisms I have of these unis.

6. San Francisco 49ers (7)

Good call going back to these jerseys from the 80's and 90's.  The ones in the 2000s just didn't do it for me.  Don't mess with a good thing.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (7)

Speaking of messing with a good thing, why did the Steelers go from these numbers to these?  This could be argued as the most recognizable jersey in the NFL, along with the Packers.  The Pack stuck with the block numbers though, which is why they're higher on the list than the Steelers.

4. Kansas City Chiefs (7)

Above the Steelers here for the sheer fact that they have block numbers.  Tough choice, but I had to base my decision on something.

Classy and perfect
3. Green Bay Packers (8)

Like I said earlier, this is possibly the most iconic uni in the NFL.  Everyone knows the green and yellow, and the Packers did the right thing by not messing with it.

2. Indianapolis Colts (8)

The same goes with the Colts.  I put them above the Packers for the sheer fact that I like the blue and white better than the green and yellow.  Oh yeah, and they have white helmets.

The Best
1. Washington Redskins (9)

This is as close to jersey perfection as it comes in the NFL in my opinion.  The maroon uni, with the white block numbers trimmed in yellow.  They have an awesome helmet design, too.  The one change I'd make is to their socks, of all things.  They used to wear these.  Now they have these.  Redskins, please go back to the 1980s in terms of your socks.

Trends: I didn't notice his until now, but I really like white helmets.  I also like block numbering, as opposed to this or this.  Also, only two of the teams in the top ten came into the league after 1960.  This means the old school teams have it right in terms of jerseys.  It's the newer teams that have the problems.
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Saturday, January 8, 2011

NFL Playoff predictions

I know this is a blog for lists, but I'll divert for a post and throw some playoff predictions into the mix.

Wild Card Round:

#5 New Orleans Saints over #4 Seattle Seahawks (Ok, ok, I know this game just ended, but for honesty's sake, there's no way I would've picked Seattle to upset the Saints)
#3 Indianapolis Colts over #6 New York Jets
#5 Baltimore Ravens over #4 Kansas City Chiefs
#3 Philadelphia Eagles over #6 Green Bay Packers

Divisional Round:
#1 Atlanta Falcons over #5 New Orleans Saints
#3 Philadelphia Eagles over #2 Chicago Bears
#1 New England Patriots over #5 Baltimore Ravens
#2 Pittsburgh Steelers over #3 Indianapolis Colts

Conference Championship:
#1 New England Patriots over #2 Pittsburgh Steelers
#3 Philadelphia Eagles over #1 Atlanta Falcons

Super Bowl:
#1 New England Patriots over #3 Philadelphia Eagles
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Saturday, January 1, 2011

How to Fix College Bowl Season

The Pitt Panthers, my favorite college team, is playing in the Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama.  BBVA Compass (who the hell are they?) is a bank, centered in Bilbao, Spain, and now is spreading into the southern U.S., with USA headquarters in Alabama.  When I was a kid, I used to think these games meant something.  Sure, games like the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, or even ones like the Gator and Outback Bowls count.  But when a team starts off the year saying, "Yeah, we're the BBVA Compass Bowl champs!", it's kind of sad.

These bowl games are run by money -- lots of it.  However, there are way to many of them.  If a corporation can put up a certain amount of cash (the higher-caliber the bowl, the more money needed to sponsor it), the bowl goes on.  I'm guessing bowl games like the Compass Bowl and Beef o Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl don't need much cash for sponsorship.

So many of these games mean absolutely nothing, and their whacky sponsorships make it even worse.  How these companies choose these teams is a sham as well.  This is how the bowl scene used to look for the Big East Conference:

Orange Bowl: champ
Gator: Big East #2
Meineke  Car Care Bowl: Big East #3

That #2 and #3 doesn't mean the second and third-place teams in the conference; it means that the Gator Bowl gets second choice of Big East teams, and the Meineke Bowl the #3 choice.  That means that a team like UCONN, who doesn't have a large football fanbase, could finish as #2 in the conference, but be relegated to the Meineke Car Care Bowl (lolololol) because another team in the conference (like WVU) can sell more tickets to the Gator Bowl.  Though it makes sense, it's unfair.  Just eliminate the Meineke bowl and force the Gator Bowl to take the smaller team.

Here's how to fix it (maybe):

There are different tiers of bowl games.  The top tier looks like this:

BCS Championship
Rose Bowl
Sugar Bowl
Orange Bowl
Fiesta Bowl

Second Tier (New Year's Day games, but not BCS games):


Cotton Bowl
Gator Bowl
Capital One Bowl (formerly the Citrus and Tangerine bowl)
Outback Bowl

Third Tier (historic, long-running bowl games):


Sun Bowl
Liberty Bowl
Independence Bowl
Alamo Bowl

Beyond that, ya got me.  I don't know any other bowls that belong.  At this rate, a team that is 6-5 is "bowl eligible."  Why reward a team for being average?  What each tier would do is choose teams on a rotating basis.  The BCS National Championship Game is reserved for the #1 and 2 teams, so it takes them out of the mix.  The rest of the top-10 teams would be chosen by the bowls in the top-tier.  Then, the second tier gets their choice, and then the third-tier.  While this doesn't "fix" the problem, I think it's somewhat of a better solution than what's going on now.  But let's be honest, what we have won't change -- I can just make my list and wonder.
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