The New Jerseys

[lafountain]

http://tsn.ca/tsn_talent/columnists/darren_dreger/

That was quick, looks like they are going to work on fixing their moisture problem.

It is good they acknowledged the problem and that they are working quickly to resolve it.

[SabreFaninNYC]

It is good they acknowledged the problem and that they are working quickly to resolve it.

A welcomed change for sure- hopefully this will solve the problems.

[ZoomZoom18]

It is good they acknowledged the problem and that they are working quickly to resolve it.

EXACTLY my thought! Good move.

[DesertRat]

As ZoomZoom18 experienced, you have to try one on to really know how they fit and see what you like and dislike about the jersey.

[ZoomZoom18]

As ZoomZoom18 experienced, you have to try one on to really know how they fit and see what you like and dislike about the jersey.

You are correct my friend. Having shirts with material similar and seeing how easy you can "pick" the fabric, I am worried about getting one. With that being said though...that new Sharks jersey is making me drool...

It was awesome walking into a sports store and seeing hockey jerseys dominate one section, and not just local teams, but teams that you wouldn't think would have many fans out here in the Valley.

[DesertRat]

I was at the Blues-Coyotes game last night and took notice of the Blues jerseys. The blue shoulder yoke contours the shoulder pads too much/looks too tight and has an odd shape, not the curved shoulder we're used to seeing. The worst part is the yellow piping in the BACK of the jersey. As a rule, the piping doesn't bug me too much in the front, but the back of the Blues jersey looks like it has a thin gold 'fu manchu' moustache on it, going all the way down.

[ZoomZoom18]

I was at the Blues-Coyotes game last night and took notice of the Blues jerseys. The blue shoulder yoke contours the shoulder pads too much/looks too tight and has an odd shape, not the curved shoulder we're used to seeing. The worst part is the yellow piping in the BACK of the jersey. As a rule, the piping doesn't bug me too much in the front, but the back of the Blues jersey looks like it has a thin gold 'fu manchu' moustache on it, going all the way down.

I noticed that, I also didn't like the Reebok box. It really throws the whole jersey off.

[JeffB]

I went to the Mall of America tonight and hit pretty much every store that sells jerseys and found some interesting things. Almost 100% of the stores there that still have the CCM 550's in stock have not marked them down a cent. The stores at the Mall aren't known for putting them on sale in the past, even in the heat of summer, but I thought with the new Reebok's coming in, they would be trying to move them out to make space.

When I did ask about it, nearly everyone said that the new ones are so much more expensive, and have been selling slowly, that keeping the old ones at $80 vs. $120 for the new ones, the old ones will "appear" to be on sale and will sell without having to mark them down.

95% of the stores that had jerseys only had the hometown Wild. Sports Authority did have Red Wings CCM's in stock and marked down. The blanks were $40 and a few Lidstroms, with the fake "sewn on" look were $80. They also lacked any "C" or "A" and I have to say that the "sewn on" look has gotten pretty weak looking and no longer fools me like they once did when the first started doing it. The "stitching" is not as pronounced and quality control no longer demands the "stitiching" make if fully out to the edge of the numbers, completely giving away the ruse.

Other than that, the new fabric looks like it's pretty ripe for pulls and the fabric swatch sewn in behind the lace up collar on the home Wild jersey looks like it's designed to catch crumbs, hold spare change or collect up your spilled beverages. In person it was just odd since it was a bigger piece of material than it needed to be, making it almost a pocket. On the Dallas black jersey, the word "Dallas" was not sewn on, and they didn't even try to fake it on the bottom layer either. At least the top color had the stitched look. Also the word "Vancouver" on the Canucks jerseys were 100% heat sealed with no attempt to replicate the sewn look, which, when combined with the screen printed secondary crests really, really cheapened the whole look of them. Combine that with the 50% price increase and you've got a deal breaker on your hands for me. I do have to say I like the material of the Reebok more than the odd feeling of the Nike Swift. I've always thought those felt like a spandex paper towel.

You can still find your unsold Nike Swift jerseys from the 2006 Olympics (or perhaps the 2007 World Championships based on player selection), which may not bode well for the Reebok Edge jerseys - outside of the home team which will sell regardless of how the dedicated jersey collectors feel about them. There is a certain element, us, that will buy jerseys we like, regardless of which city they represent, and the masses, who will buy their home team's jersey, regardless of what it looks Buffaslug like. Then again, the Reeboks have the advantage of varying design templates and NHL club teams in their arsenal vs. Nike Swift's international only lineup done in essentially one (somewhat odd) template with generally weird one color number fonts. I'm sure most teams sell a ton more "star player in club team jersey" vs. "star player in his national team jersey" as well.

The main issue I see is that the hometown fans greatly outnumber the collector element, but will the hometown element be happy with their two year old jersey with with plenty of life left in it customized with a player who has perhaps since left the team since said jersey has been bought and paid for in the days of $3 a gallon gas, or will they, in large enough numbers, shell out 50% more this year for the "new" jersey simply because it is new. Also keep in mind that in some places, the "new" jersey is in fact quite "new", like Boston, San Jose or Nashville, while in other places the "new" jersey looks pretty much the same as the old one, like Detroit, Chicago, Montreal, Minnesota, etc.

As for me, I'm sticking with the CCM's I already own. Heck, I've got 10 Wild jerseys plus at least 3 players national teams jerseys to choose from when I go to a game. Unless I'm commemorating a Stanley Cup victory, I don't see myself getting a new one. The price is the biggest issue for me, like I said before, and the screened secondary logos are not helping Reebok's cause one single bit at that price.

[devilsfan26]

As for me, I'm sticking with the CCM's I already own. Heck, I've got 10 Wild jerseys plus at least 3 players national teams jerseys to choose from when I go to a game. Unless I'm commemorating a Stanley Cup victory, I don't see myself getting a new one. The price is the biggest issue for me, like I said before, and the screened secondary logos are not helping Reebok's cause one single bit at that price.

I feel the same way. I still haven't seen an edge jersey in person yet, but based on your description and everyone else's, it just does not seem worth it to me. Especially when you take into account the complaints from the players, makes you wonder how long these things will even be around. They might be around just long enough so they don't lose money and then maybe switch back to the old ones hopefully or go to something else.

[cgy_sabresfan]

For those wondering about the sizing tag on the front, I had an experience the other day that may be a positive sign. I was at the FanAttic store at the Saddledome looking around, and one of the jerseys they had for sale had the tag half fallen off. I grabbed it and looked at the inside and there was no visible damage done to the jersey, so it sure seems to me like they would be easy to take off with no negative repurcussions.

[rabinsurance]

For those wondering about the sizing tag on the front, I had an experience the other day that may be a positive sign. I was at the FanAttic store at the Saddledome looking around, and one of the jerseys they had for sale had the tag half fallen off. I grabbed it and looked at the inside and there was no visible damage done to the jersey, so it sure seems to me like they would be easy to take off with no negative repurcussions.

I looked at that on the two I have, but I haven't tried it yet. The main reason is that I never took the sales tags off. I may take them back to Columbus and exchange them for an Edge. But if I do keep them, it's an option.

I think on some jerseys, like Carolina and LA, it is really distracting.

[ZoomZoom18]

For those wondering about the sizing tag on the front, I had an experience the other day that may be a positive sign. I was at the FanAttic store at the Saddledome looking around, and one of the jerseys they had for sale had the tag half fallen off. I grabbed it and looked at the inside and there was no visible damage done to the jersey, so it sure seems to me like they would be easy to take off with no negative repurcussions.

I think if you get a good seam ripper you might be able to take the tag off, but you run the risk of tearing up the jersey around that area. That's one of my big concerns with my NFL replicas, on some of the traded players jerseys' I have, I want to take the nameplate off, but I don't have any old ones to practice on. If anyone is successfully able to pull off the size tag, could they please post details on that? I'm gonna attempt something with my NFL replicas.

[devilsfan26]

I think if you get a good seam ripper you might be able to take the tag off, but you run the risk of tearing up the jersey around that area. That's one of my big concerns with my NFL replicas, on some of the traded players jerseys' I have, I want to take the nameplate off, but I don't have any old ones to practice on. If anyone is successfully able to pull off the size tag, could they please post details on that? I'm gonna attempt something with my NFL replicas.

Yea I've done that with a few of my jerseys after local places screwing up customizations and nhl.com screwing up an order, etc. I think I've gotten pretty good at it, but it takes a good amount of patience. You can't rush through it because then you will definitely put a hole in it somewhere. I've done that a few times. The good thing about nameplates is that sometimes it will cover up a hole.

[ZoomZoom18]

Yea I've done that with a few of my jerseys after local places screwing up customizations and nhl.com screwing up an order, etc. I think I've gotten pretty good at it, but it takes a good amount of patience. You can't rush through it because then you will definitely put a hole in it somewhere. I've done that a few times. The good thing about nameplates is that sometimes it will cover up a hole.

I'm afraid to do it with my NHL replicas in all honesty. I tried once with an old football jersey, but it was so torn up that I couldn't really tell how well I did, plus it was so long ago. I get nervous because of all the money I've invested in them.

[JeffB]

Me and a seam ripper are old friends. I remove stuff pretty often. Just this week I got a Rangers Leetch jersey with an NHL 75th patch and the "A" sewn on at a very noticeable downhill angle. To make it even worse, it was angled the opposite way from the "RANGERS" logo, making it even more apparent. Not only that, but the NHL 75th patch is a reproduction and the "A" is too thin as well. So, I just grabbed the seam ripper and went at it. I've got the correct version of the patch and can always get a new "A", so I'll have that done up right shortly.

I've also removed numbers, nameplates and patches from jerseys before, as well as some odd tagging I've encountered on Nike jerseys. I've found a few that have "jock tag" with the size on it sewn on the lower back of the jersey that looks just like the normal size tag you'd find inside the collar. Those sound like the same as the Reebok jock tag, and were only sewn on with a straight stitch along the sides and not the top an bottom. Just a minute or two to pick under the treads and get that off was all it took. As long as the Reebok jock tag isn't heat pressed and then sewn on, it shouldn't be much of a big deal to remove one. Just come at it from the front and pop the stitches from that side and you won't even come in contact with the jersey fabric to risk messing it up. Next time I see a new jersey I'll have to take closer look at that tag as see how it's put on.

[Brilliant!]

Me and a seam ripper are old friends. I remove stuff pretty often. Just this week I got a Rangers Leetch jersey with an NHL 75th patch and the "A" sewn on at a very noticeable downhill angle. To make it even worse, it was angled the opposite way from the "RANGERS" logo, making it even more apparent. Not only that, but the NHL 75th patch is a reproduction and the "A" is too thin as well. So, I just grabbed the seam ripper and went at it. I've got the correct version of the patch and can always get a new "A", so I'll have that done up right shortly.

Heh...I had one of those Leetch jerseys. The 75th anny patch was definitely too small. I compared it to the one that I have that isn't sewn on and it was significantly smaller. Add to all that, the CCM jersey was waaay too new to be from 1992 and wouldn't have had the 'CCM' on the hem. That's pretty much why I turned it around and sold it again a month later.

[ZoomZoom18]

Me and a seam ripper are old friends. I remove stuff pretty often. Just this week I got a Rangers Leetch jersey with an NHL 75th patch and the "A" sewn on at a very noticeable downhill angle. To make it even worse, it was angled the opposite way from the "RANGERS" logo, making it even more apparent. Not only that, but the NHL 75th patch is a reproduction and the "A" is too thin as well. So, I just grabbed the seam ripper and went at it. I've got the correct version of the patch and can always get a new "A", so I'll have that done up right shortly.

I've also removed numbers, nameplates and patches from jerseys before, as well as some odd tagging I've encountered on Nike jerseys. I've found a few that have "jock tag" with the size on it sewn on the lower back of the jersey that looks just like the normal size tag you'd find inside the collar. Those sound like the same as the Reebok jock tag, and were only sewn on with a straight stitch along the sides and not the top an bottom. Just a minute or two to pick under the treads and get that off was all it took. As long as the Reebok jock tag isn't heat pressed and then sewn on, it shouldn't be much of a big deal to remove one. Just come at it from the front and pop the stitches from that side and you won't even come in contact with the jersey fabric to risk messing it up. Next time I see a new jersey I'll have to take closer look at that tag as see how it's put on.

Thanks for the advice JeffB, I'll have to definitely give that a go. I have an old NFL jersey I could start practicing on. How's the jersey looking so far, could you tell that there were an A and patch on there after you finished?

[JeffB]

Heh...I had one of those Leetch jerseys. The 75th anny patch was definitely too small. I compared it to the one that I have that isn't sewn on and it was significantly smaller. Add to all that, the CCM jersey was waaay too new to be from 1992 and wouldn't have had the 'CCM' on the hem. That's pretty much why I turned it around and sold it again a month later.

Yea, probably to me! And since brand tagging doesn't bother me, everyone wins.

Thanks for the advice JeffB, I'll have to definitely give that a go. I have an old NFL jersey I could start practicing on. How's the jersey looking so far, could you tell that there were an A and patch on there after you finished?

Yes, in this case the shiny mesh material does show evidence of the stitching holes in the pattern of the patches, but my plan is to put new patches right back on again in the same spots, only straight this time, so that should cover up 90% or more of any marks. I've actually washed it since taking them of. The double stick tape used to hold the "A" in place for sewing left some discoloration and perhaps the washing might help to lessen the evidence of the old patches.

Some materials are more forgiving when you take a patch or number off and show less or no marks and I rarely take something off without putting something back in it's place. I had a Maple Leafs jersey that was done as a Wendel Clark and I wanted to add the King Clancy Memorial patch to it and there wasn't enough space between the leaf shoulder logo and the numbers, so I had to take the sleeve numbers off, of both sides, have the patch sewn on and the numbers added back on at the proper, matching location farther down the sleeves.

Notice the fancy serif on the "A" that I hand cut. I'm rather proud of that one.

One of the rare times I have taken a patch off and not put anything back on was a authentic early 90's NHL white All-Star jersey done as a Gretzky with the Stanley Cup Centennial patch worn in 1993 - only Gretzky wore that patch on a black jersey. I took the patch off and added a 1989 Edmonton All-Star game patch to the shoulder. You can see where the old patch came off the chest, but I prefer that to having the wrong patch on a jersey it doesn't belong on.

Click on this picture and then click on the magnifying glass to see it full size to see how much of a mark it left. Also check out my homemade All-Star patch. The originals were also printed and not embroidered, so I'm pretty happy with that one as well.

[rabinsurance]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/stor...&id=3055558

At least someone else agrees with me about the Sharks' new look.

[lafountain]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/stor...&id=3055558

At least someone else agrees with me about the Sharks' new look.

Yeah, I saw that same article. I personally have to disagree, I really like the new Sharks jerseys, but that is just my opinion. If Mitchell plays well, I may consider getting a jersey with his name on it, but it won't be right a way.

[Brilliant!]

I do too actually. I think those white jerseys are really sharp. The orange makes it look that much better too. I wasn't expecting much when they were announced but now that I've seen it a few times, I like it.

[rabinsurance]

That's why I laughed when I saw that article, it seems like I'm in the minority on that one here.

[ZoomZoom18]

I do like the new Sharks jerseys, but they will never be as near and dear to me as the previous jerseys. Those were just sharp in my eyes and when I saw them in person, I loved them. There is only one player I'd definitely be sure of getting on a Sharks jersey.

or maybe an old favorite...

Will always pale in comparison to this favorite of mine...

I think it was going to the Shark tank in March and seeing all the Sharks jerseys in the store that made me fall in love with them, but man...I miss those old ones.

[rabinsurance]

I do like the new Sharks jerseys, but they will never be as near and dear to me as the previous jerseys. Those were just sharp in my eyes and when I saw them in person, I loved them. There is only one player I'd definitely be sure of getting on a Sharks jersey.

or maybe an old favorite...

Will always pale in comparison to this favorite of mine...

I think it was going to the Shark tank in March and seeing all the Sharks jerseys in the store that made me fall in love with them, but man...I miss those old ones.

Cheechoo played here in Cleveland when the Sharks had their AHL team here for 5 years-which was a total disaster. That may be part of the reason I despise the Sharks' new look, but not the main or only reason. Anyways, they gave away a 2-sided bobblehead of him, 1 side Sharks, 1 side Barons. Pretty cool. It's always great to see someone that I watched in the minors go on to stardom in the NHL.

[Brilliant!]

Anybody see the ######'s Sporting Goods commercial for the new EDGE jerseys? It's got Crosby and Ovechkin each separately doing drills and then a description of the jersey itself. I'm wondering what the odds are that one would find an actual 'authentic' jersey at ######'s though.

EDIT: D-OH!! The filter edits out D-I-C-K's!