Seattle Sounders "Shale" Jersey

[Gothamite]

Man, you guys love to hate on those tiny, incremental advantages. If I had a dime for every time I regretted that I wasn't a split second quicker or that I wasn't able to jump an inch higher while playing sports, I'd be rich. It's that tiny advantage that often times is the difference between making the play and giving up the score, or the difference between getting out of harm's way or ending up injured.

Why does no one poke fun at those ultra bright headlights that allow drivers 6% better response time?

No matter, the point is that the bands are where they are for a reason, and that reason is not aesthetic. Thus, moving them to a more aesthetically pleasing location on the garment isn't an option because the purpose of the bands is then defeated. On the non-TechFit version of the shirt, the look of the bands has then been replicated for consistency's sake, so it seems.

Those little incremental advantages don't matter if every one has it.

Exactly. The RBK EDGE marketing angle is useless, since every single player is wearing the same jersey.

Your example doesn't fit, since the ultra-bright headlights don't give the deer you're about to hit the same 6% better response time to swerve back into your path.

[andrewharrington]

Man, you guys love to hate on those tiny, incremental advantages. If I had a dime for every time I regretted that I wasn't a split second quicker or that I wasn't able to jump an inch higher while playing sports, I'd be rich. It's that tiny advantage that often times is the difference between making the play and giving up the score, or the difference between getting out of harm's way or ending up injured.

Why does no one poke fun at those ultra bright headlights that allow drivers 6% better response time?

No matter, the point is that the bands are where they are for a reason, and that reason is not aesthetic. Thus, moving them to a more aesthetically pleasing location on the garment isn't an option because the purpose of the bands is then defeated. On the non-TechFit version of the shirt, the look of the bands has then been replicated for consistency's sake, so it seems.

Those little incremental advantages don't matter if every one has it.

Exactly. The RBK EDGE marketing angle is useless, since every single player is wearing the same jersey.

Your example doesn't fit, since the ultra-bright headlights don't give the deer you're about to hit the same 6% better response time to swerve back into your path.

Not all sports involve an opponent. And not all sports have all participants using the same technology, like MLS, for example, or the NFL.

[Gothamite]

You're presuming that all of us are opposed to such uniform innovation in all circumstances. Not so.

But in these cases, sure seems a lot more about press releases than anything else. And for a situation where one manufacturer supplies the entire league, there's no innovation that one team can use exclusively. I presume when you refer to the NFL you're talking about the compression-style jerseys that some teams are testing. Well, when the testing period is over all teams will be using the exact same technology.

[andrewharrington]

This conversation began when you implied that you thought the idea of equipment innovation improving player performance was hogwash. The PowerWeb technology in MLS is a good example of what I'm talking about. Not all teams have incorporated it into their uniform design, even though it's no longer in the testing phase (it's in the market). Even beyond that, many players do not choose to wear the tight-fitting TechFit jersey anyway. There's a standard fit of the shirt available to wear as well, even if the team's uniform was designed to incorporate the PowerWeb bands. In the NFL, it's true that no one team can use something exclusively, but any player can request one of the new jerseys and wear it on game day, so that opportunity is there. And apparently, based on Eli Manning's recent sartorial choices, even if you are on the flagship testing team, you can still wear the old style jersey. The choice is up to the player.

[BrianVlietDesign]

Just released earlier in the night:

I'm assuming this will take the place of those ugly traffic cone yellow ones they wore for non-league matches last year.... would be nice if it weren't for those awful silver backpack straps....I'm afraid to see the back with them.....

This looks like crap. But, it is better than the yellow ones for sure.

[MJWalker45]

I think the major point to be made is that if these power webs were the same color as the rest of the jersey no one would mind them sticking out like this

[Gothamite]

This conversation began when you implied...

Or perhaps when you inferred?

[Jer15]

I think the major point to be made is that if these power webs were the same color as the rest of the jersey no one would mind them sticking out like this

And why couldn't they just do that? Common sense says your statement is 100% correct.

I just don't get who thought that colouring the "power bar" or whatever it's called was a good idea.

[andrewharrington]

I think the major point to be made is that if these power webs were the same color as the rest of the jersey no one would mind them sticking out like this

And why couldn't they just do that? Common sense says your statement is 100% correct.

I just don't get who thought that colouring the "power bar" or whatever it's called was a good idea.

That's the part where marketing reigns supreme over aesthetics. They could have made them the same color as the shirt, but nobody would be talking about them then.

[andrewharrington]

This conversation began when you implied...

Or perhaps when you inferred?

I only inferred because you implied.

[Gothamite]

The former need not require the latter.

I made a cheap joke at RBK's expense. You inferred an entire agenda that was never there.

One thing I don't think has been mentioned is how sharp gray shades can look on a uniform. Still disappointed that the Mileaukee Admirals threw out their intriguing charcoal road sweaters for yet another black one. So good on the Sounders.

[Jer15]

I think the major point to be made is that if these power webs were the same color as the rest of the jersey no one would mind them sticking out like this

And why couldn't they just do that? Common sense says your statement is 100% correct.

I just don't get who thought that colouring the "power bar" or whatever it's called was a good idea.

That's the part where marketing reigns supreme over aesthetics. They could have made them the same color as the shirt, but nobody would be talking about them then.

In this case: I disagree. First off it's a whole new look for the Sounders in terms of a clash kit. That's enough in a soccer crazy market.

Secondly, I heard nothing about this being unveiled until I came on these boards, and I'm very much in MLS, checking the site a few times daily and I tend to visit TFC, Sounders and, Whitecaps webpages daily. So you'd think that they'd announce something to get the old marketing wheel rolling.