Rays wearing plaid billed hats

[B-Rich]

does anyone know the significance of plaid for the Rays?

I can't really comment on its significance, but if you look it at a slightly different way -- and using a different term-- it makes a lot of sense. Although the design on the blazers and caps can accurately be described as a “plaid”, I think a more accurately designation in terms of the color and location would be that summertime standby, MADRAS as in shirt or blazer:

Very fitting for this Florida-located team. The cool team colors of dark and light blue are much more evocative of madras than the warmer colors found in the woolen or flannel tartans generally described as “plaid”. And it appears that the blazer and brim is made of a much more lightweight material, more like a cotton than flannel or wool. Thus, “Madras” fits in perfectly: we have a summer sport, semi-tropical Florida, and it's often seen on retirees in St. Petersburg.

Which leads me to believe that the next fashion trend for the Tampa Bay Rays will be: SEERSUCKER!!!! Five’ll get you ten we’ll see that next season.

[raysox]

How do you take the worst uni/logo set in sports and make things worse?

That team just did.

They are terrible, awful, disgusting, worthless, tacky, etc.

And funny BigDmo says that, because usually I'm the one say that.

I love crazy things people hate such as orange Islander jerseys and most odd third jerseys you can think of. But I hate these stupid hats.

I just am looking foward to them being eliminated from the playoffs so I can stop fighting traffic for these bandwagon fans. Those jokers celebrated like they won it all jsut for getting in the playoffs. Classless.

Are you and ZapRowsDower the same person? You're both from Pittsburgh, live in the Tampa Area, and all both of you do is bitch about the Rays and the area.

GobacktoPittsburgh.

[The_Admiral]

Legend is more progressive in his tastes, I think. Also, Zap Rowsdower has a much more checkered past. Said he was a "businessman" my Aunt Sally.

I feel like the Rays are a joke that nobody's in on. All their odd sloganeering and fashion quirks and stuff. I just have no clue what's going on there.

[Lights Out]

Not all the Yankees players did. It was mostly the younger guys. The other guys kept their composure, knowing this wasn't the end all.

That's because the older guys seem to be entirely made up of robotic, personality-free pretentious ponces who are way overconcerned with their arbitrary statuses as "True Yankees."

I'm pretty sure that if Jeter was in Tampa or Cincinnati and away from the annoying members of the Yankee fanbase who are obsessed with "class" (but lack it entirely), he'd be celebrating just as much as everyone else.

[tajmccall]

Megadope?

[tBBP]

How do you take the worst uni/logo set in sports and make things worse?

That team just did.

They are terrible, awful, disgusting, worthless, tacky, etc.

And funny BigDmo says that, because usually I'm the one say that.

I love crazy things people hate such as orange Islander jerseys and most odd third jerseys you can think of. But I hate these stupid hats.

I just am looking foward to them being eliminated from the playoffs so I can stop fighting traffic for these bandwagon fans. Those jokers celebrated like they won it all jsut for getting in the playoffs. Classless.

Are you and ZapRowsDower the same person? You're both from Pittsburgh, live in the Tampa Area, and all both of you do is bitch about the Rays and the area.

GobacktoPittsburgh.

You know, there's another long-held saying Southerners use when Northerners get to bitching and complaining about the South: "Delta's ready when you are".

(And as it happens, DL happens to be one of TPA's biggest operations. Just saying. )

[DallasSports]

Plaid on anything other than shorts is so metro.

[oo_nrb]

...those caps are actually pretty darn cool looking, and I'm pretty traditional when it comes to baseball aesthetics o_O

I'll go "stick in the mud" on this. If Tampa does this for the long term, I can live with it, but I really don't want to see a "fashion cap" trend throughout the league.

I'll second this. I have no problem with Tampa (tastefully) incorporating the plaid look, but only as a component of their identity, not a brief trend.

[Legend]

can someone do a mockup of the Rays in their navy or light-blue jerseys with the plaid hats and the striped stirrups...

Hopefully before I eat anything today, otherwise I will puke my guts out.

You should keep posting about how much you don't like them. You're changing a lot of minds.

How I posted how I didn't like them firstly.

Then someone suggested a mockup that further sounded awful combining their unis.

I forgot I wasn't a lawyer for a second, and giving me opinion is a bad thing.

If you don't like what I say, don't bother replying.

[Legend]

How do you take the worst uni/logo set in sports and make things worse?

That team just did.

They are terrible, awful, disgusting, worthless, tacky, etc.

And funny BigDmo says that, because usually I'm the one say that.

I love crazy things people hate such as orange Islander jerseys and most odd third jerseys you can think of. But I hate these stupid hats.

I just am looking foward to them being eliminated from the playoffs so I can stop fighting traffic for these bandwagon fans. Those jokers celebrated like they won it all jsut for getting in the playoffs. Classless.

Are you and ZapRowsDower the same person? You're both from Pittsburgh, live in the Tampa Area, and all both of you do is bitch about the Rays and the area.

GobacktoPittsburgh.

Should I return to Pittsburgh or NY? My two previous locations? Is he from NY originally as well?

Moving back to either location does not make fiscal nor logical sense for myself, as I am currently in college and close to graduating. Also, just figured you should know, a sports team never has and never will determine where I live. I'll just root for my teams wherever I am.

Sorry that doesn't fit your plans. You guys down here are all the same, and always tell people to go back. We'll go back north when you hop off the Rays bandwagon. And since neither is happening anytime soon, looks as though we are at an impasse.

And thank you Admiral for once again being a voice of reason and logic.

[Ben Schwartz]

friggen backordered, have to wait for this lid to come in the mail

[raysox]

Sorry that doesn't fit your plans. You guys down here are all the same, and always tell people to go back. We'll go back north when you hop off the Rays bandwagon. And since neither is happening anytime soon, looks as though we are at an impasse.

Well yeah, we tell you to go back because most people who move here complain about everything. I'm not saying that you can't root for the teams you like. I think its cool you're still loyal to Pittsburgh teams. It just seems like every post you make is complaining about the area, and the team in the area.

On something somewhat related, it isn't the first time the Rays have tried some new things this year, they started wearing Stir-ups to try to get some good luck when the team was in a funk.

[Legend]

Sorry that doesn't fit your plans. You guys down here are all the same, and always tell people to go back. We'll go back north when you hop off the Rays bandwagon. And since neither is happening anytime soon, looks as though we are at an impasse.

Well yeah, we tell you to go back because most people who move here complain about everything. I'm not saying that you can't root for the teams you like. I think its cool you're still loyal to Pittsburgh teams. It just seems like every post you make is complaining about the area, and the team in the area.

On something somewhat related, it isn't the first time the Rays have tried some new things this year, they started wearing Stir-ups to try to get some good luck when the team was in a funk.

Nope. Just the Rays. I hate them.

I'm a Bucs and Lightning season ticket holder and love my teams.

I am an Islanders, Penguins, Lightning fan in hockey. In football, Giants, Steelers, and Bucs. In baseball it's Yanks and Pirates.

The people in this area are often very rude to me because I'm not a Rays fan. When most of them including many of my friends haven't been fans until they went to the World Series.

I enjoy the Tampa Bay area very much. Upon graduating I would like to return to NY, but Tampa Bay has a place in my heart. I just really hate the uni change the Rays did. I never liked the team either way, but though it was a total disgrace dropping the Devil and becoming the Rays of sunshine. But that's just my opinion.

[Lights Out]

We'll go back north when you hop off the Rays bandwagon.

Hop off the Rays bandwagon? They're the home team. That's like moving to Boston and telling the locals to hop off the Red Sox bandwagon.

[Legend]

We'll go back north when you hop off the Rays bandwagon.

Hop off the Rays bandwagon? They're the home team. That's like moving to Boston and telling the locals to hop off the Red Sox bandwagon.

This is probably, no surely, the wrong thread to continue this conversation.

But when you don't give a damn about a team until they start winning, then you're the biggest fan, have all their clothes and hats, and start going to games? That is a bandwagon fan.

Coming from a Pirates fan, I stay loyal win or lose. It seems this area is very fickle. Bolts win the Cup, the place is packed! Then the losing starts, the attendance drops. It's sad.

If you're a person in an area and like sports, be loyal and stay loyal. Don't like a team only when they win.

[TopCat]

What can I say, I really like these. Of course, it would match a lot of my favorite shirts in high school (no, not flannel, and not grunge). It's different and definitely original.

For all those that criticized this simple rebranding as boring, they have certainly added some flair to it in the years since with the navy and powder alts and now this plaid-billed cap. I liked it then (despite the loss of the blue-green combo) and I like what they've done with it. Great job, Rays.

And "bandwagon fans," Legend? "Fighting traffic"? You must not keep up on the news. Whatever traffic you're fighting wouldn't seem to be Rays fans, as the recent 10,000- and 12,000-esque totals for potential clinchers were harshly criticized by their stars. Maybe the extra 20,000 for this game -- never saw the attendance total -- but otherwise the roads should be fairly clear for you.

Honestly the only reason I can think of for them wearing the plaid caps is because plaid is trendy right now. Allll the cool kids are wearing plaid these days, but mainly just the preppy douchebags at my school. So it's really not original, something different as far as baseball is concerned though. The Rays have them dollar signs in their eyes trying to make a buck.

My final opinion on these: in-game live action they look horrible, but on a few of the still shots they look decent when I stare for a while. D+

[tBBP]

I enjoy the Tampa Bay area very much. Upon graduating I would like to return to NY, but Tampa Bay has a place in my heart. I just really hate the uni change the Rays did. I never liked the team either way, but though it was a total disgrace dropping the Devil and becoming the Rays of sunshine. But that's just my opinion.

One that's shared by a lot of people, including me. Never shoulda ditched the previous brand--but that's beating a dead horse at this juncture.

Having said that, I do think it's kinda cool how the Rays have done all these crazy lil' funny things to try to liven up their image, first with the stirrups/striped socks and then with the plaid blazers and now plaid-billed caps. Granted, none of this stuff really fits in with the whole "ray of sunshine" in my mind (but then again, neither does navy, or anything about their current branding other than the "glint"--but I'll digress), but if this is the kind of stuff they do to enhance their image/brand, so be it. That team's always struck me as kind of a loose, young "fun bunch", almost like Boston's "band of idiots" from '04. I guess this kind of stuff works for them. Of course, if this team ends up relocating, are they going to keep up with this kind of stuff?

BTW...Legend, major props on staying loyal to the Pirates. As something of a Pirate fan myself, I can say with absolute certainty that ain't an easy thing to do. Especially after what, year nineteen of the five-year rebuilding plan...?

[Lights Out]

Coming from a Pirates fan, I stay loyal win or lose.

You're just about the only one.

[omnivore]

Saw it and thought it was strange, but at least it was original if nothing else. And they won.

[Legend]

I enjoy the Tampa Bay area very much. Upon graduating I would like to return to NY, but Tampa Bay has a place in my heart. I just really hate the uni change the Rays did. I never liked the team either way, but though it was a total disgrace dropping the Devil and becoming the Rays of sunshine. But that's just my opinion.

One that's shared by a lot of people, including me. Never shoulda ditched the previous brand--but that's beating a dead horse at this juncture.

Having said that, I do think it's kinda cool how the Rays have done all these crazy lil' funny things to try to liven up their image, first with the stirrups/striped socks and then with the plaid blazers and now plaid-billed caps. Granted, none of this stuff really fits in with the whole "ray of sunshine" in my mind (but then again, neither does navy, or anything about their current branding other than the "glint"--but I'll digress), but if this is the kind of stuff they do to enhance their image/brand, so be it. That team's always struck me as kind of a loose, young "fun bunch", almost like Boston's "band of idiots" from '04. I guess this kind of stuff works for them. Of course, if this team ends up relocating, are they going to keep up with this kind of stuff?

BTW...Legend, major props on staying loyal to the Pirates. As something of a Pirate fan myself, I can say with absolute certainty that ain't an easy thing to do. Especially after what, year nineteen of the five-year rebuilding plan...?

Very well put Buc. I like to see there are some constructive discussions alive and well here.

I mean the downgrade was massive, and the logos are terrible. I can't get past that. Rarely does a team change so much for the worse, in my opinion.

But as you said, it's all for not when the team gets moved to Vegas or elsewhere.

And thank you for the props. It's tough, but I've been taught by my dad to stay loyal no matter what. You can't abandon a losing team. You can be mad, angry, frustrated, hate the ownership, but support your team.

Sorry Lights Out that you cannot fathom many people still being Pirates fans, but I go to games with my family up there who still love their Buccos.

It's asinine to think you should like a team only when they are good. I would have ditched qutie a few of my favorite teams many years ago.

I'm one of the people sitting at each Bucs home game sweating my ass off supporting my team. I don't care if they haven't had a winning season in 10 years or a few. I'm there and loyal. The Rays fans are so fickle, and didn't give a damn about their baseball team until they went to the World Series. Now everyone loves the team.

It's sad.