Too Old to Wear a Jersey?

[larrypep]

This idiot writer reminds me of a local San Diego "legend" Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton. Those of you from So-Cal know what I'm talking about. This is a guy who told a caller, a Raider fan, to "just get it over with, put the gun in your mouth and pull the trigger".

[bosrs1]

This idiot writer reminds me of a local San Diego "legend" Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton. Those of you from So-Cal know what I'm talking about. This is a guy who told a caller, a Raider fan, to "just get it over with, put the gun in your mouth and pull the trigger".

Not quite sure I see the parallel...

[aawagner011]

I personally don't have a problem with people wearing jerseys in public regardless of whether it is gameday or not. My opinion on the way I dress is that I feel like football, baseball, basketball, and hockey jerseys just look unnatural on a regular body. The long sleeves on NFL replicas and the sleeveless NBA look just don't look casual to me. I think it looks awkward. The only jerseys I wear in public are soccer jerseys because they fit more closely to a typical shirt and are generally more fashionable. Compared to other sports with huge team graphics and numbers, a soccer jersey can often be more simplistic as you can buy it without a number and the team crest is smaller. I think they're more subtle and appropriate for myself, but then again, others that wear jerseys don't bother me. Just my opinion due to fit and the style of the garment's nature.

[Sodboy13]

I could see where some sports jerseys would look pretty ridiculous on a massively overweight elderly person.

HEY LISTEN UP, LIMPDICK. IT'S EITHER THIS OR A F***IN' MUUMUU, AND F***IN' I'LL BE DAMNED IF YOU EVER GET ME IN SOME GAY FLOWER DRESS, AWRIGHT? WHY DON'T YOU GO PUT ON YOUR GIRL JEANS AND TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR SENSIBLE STYLE, 'KAY? I DRESS FOR COMFORT, WHICH IS IMPORTANT IN MY GODDAMN LINE OF WORK, AS YOU KNOW. I FIND NECKTIES RESTRICTIVE. THEY CHOKE YOUR NECK, AND YOU GOTTA F***IN' DRY-CLEAN 'EM WHEN YOU GET AU JUS ON 'EM. YOU KNOW WHAT'D LOOK F***IN' RIDICULOUS? F***IN' I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WOULD LOOK RIDICULOUS, TRYING TO DRESS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE WHEN I'M EMINENTLY A SMALL HOUSE, AND DWELLINGS ARE NOT WIDELY KNOWN TO DON DRESS CLOTHING WITHOUT EXTENSIVE TAILORING. NOW IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I'M GOING TO CALL FRANCESA AS "RYAN THE FATASS IN THE ISLES SWEATER FROM HEMPSTEAD" AND DEMAND THAT THEY FIRE EVERY COACH FOR ALL NINE TEAMS, PLUS NOTRE DAME FOR F***IN' KICKS, INCLUDING MYSELF. IT'S A LITTLE PRANK I LIKE TO PLAY.

[ElwoodCuse]

Looks like he wrote a somewhat defensive follow up on his website.

Seems to me he's trying to turn this around and call the public dumb because the readers didn't assume he insinuated that the beating was bad.

I'm not a professional journalist, but aren't you supposed to assume the reader doesn't know what you are talking about? Isn't that like rule number 1?

To go along with that, if your column needs additional explanation for the reader to understand your point, your column is poorly written.

[Gothamite]

I think we're all missing the point. This clown is a radio huckster - his business is saying outrageous things to provoke a reaction.

He doesn't even have to believe the things he says; he's just a low-rent Rush Limbaugh, who has made a pretty fine career of saying similarly outrageous things without any conviction. That career has inspired a bunch of wannabes like Steigerwald, who have all of Limbaugh's bomb-throwing skills but none of the finesse that has allowed him to walk such a fine line.

[Jigga]

I think we're all missing the point. This clown is a radio huckster - his business is saying outrageous things to provoke a reaction.

He doesn't even have to believe the things he says; he's just a low-rent Rush Limbaugh, who has made a pretty fine career of saying similarly outrageous things without any conviction. That career has inspired a bunch of wannabes like Steigerwald, who have all of Limbaugh's bomb-throwing skills but none of the finesse that has allowed him to walk such a fine line.

Precisely. Rule #1 isn't "know your audience" or "assume your audience is intelligent but doesn't have a clue about your subject" or even "get it right." Rule #1 (and frankly the only rule) is get noticed.

[nash61]

I'm sitting in class right now, wearing a jersey.

[hawk36]

Wearing a jersey to a game or on game day is totally fine. Opposing jersey fine. No problem with it.

The only caveat I'd present is if wearing the opposing team's jersey, be smart about it. Last season at a Sounders FC match a Chicago fan wearing his Chicago jersey marched into the heart of the supporters section, started mixing things up, and was eventually escorted out by police with a bloodied face. Not the smartest thing to do and probably had it coming given that he initiated the situation.

Good natured ribbing is fun, entertaining and expected. Getting beat up should have no part in the equation unless your looking for it. From what I've read, this SF guy was in no way instigating it.

[Jer15]

I'm sitting in class right now, wearing a jersey.

Better be careful, you might get a beatdown

[BigDmo]

I'm 18, I wear my jersey on game days proud. Personally I don't like the fit of football replica jerseys therefore I don't wear them beyond game day. I've worn a jersey to every footbal game I've been to for as long as I can remember. I love jerseys and I love collecting them. I also love wearing them. I will continue to collect/wear jerseys as I get older. But you will rarely see me wearing one outside of game day. Which isn't really that big of a deal since I wear team related stuff probably 6 days a week anyway.

This column is total BS, yet the guy is entitled to an opinion. I personally don't like seeing guys Rex Ryan's size wearing a jersey and I also think personalized jerseys are pretty lame if you're older than the players on the team. It's kind of like adults trying to get autographs from college athletes, it just seems weird to me (not saying it's wrong though).

[Michigan Dave]

Eh, I don't really care what other people wear. I'm 30 and a professional. I still wear jerseys to games, after work at home (especially if my team is playing that night), and from time to time. I don't wear them a lot outside of game days like when I was younger, but still add to my collection frequently. I've never been a fan of the personalized jersey, I think they are cheesy and lame, but if that's your thing, so be it.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

i have several customized replica jerseys with my last name and number on it. i would wear them more but since our move to the Dallas/Fort Worth area from NY it's been entirely too hot to wear any of them.

[MJWalker45]

I personally don't like seeing guys Rex Ryan's size wearing a jersey

Still beats the idea of him in a moo moo like Homer!

[JohnnySeoul]

I personally don't like seeing guys Rex Ryan's size wearing a jersey

So the bigger questions is: Why are you looking at another guys? haha (just kidding)

[schtee]

While I don't agree with the premise of the article, there is something to be said for adults dressing like adults and children dressing like children. It's one thing to wear a jersey to an actual game (although what happened to dressing nice?), it's quite another to wear jerseys out in the street, especially modern jerseys with colored underarm panels and random piping. Those are designed to look good while playing, not while out on the street. To echo what aawagner said above, only soccer shirts and baseball jerseys look normal to me when worn out in public on the street. Football jerseys look the dorkiest, just a giant piece of supremely overpriced mesh with a giant number on it. Dunno, just on the aesthetic tip.

Comic Whitney Cummings put it best, "Guys wear jerseys for teams they're not even on that's like me watching 'Grey's Anatomy' in scrubs."

[JohnnySeoul]

While I don't agree with the premise of the article, there is something to be said for adults dressing like adults and children dressing like children. It's one thing to wear a jersey to an actual game (although what happened to dressing nice?), it's quite another to wear jerseys out in the street, especially modern jerseys with colored underarm panels and random piping. Those are designed to look good while playing, not while out on the street. To echo what aawagner said above, only soccer shirts and baseball jerseys look normal to me when worn out in public on the street. Football jerseys look the dorkiest, just a giant piece of supremely overpriced mesh with a giant number on it. Dunno, just on the aesthetic tip.

Comic Whitney Cummings put it best, "Guys wear jerseys for teams they're not even on that's like me watching 'Grey's Anatomy' in scrubs."

I see nothing wrong with anyone wearing a jersey as long as it looks good on ya. Plenty of Mitchell & Ness throwbacks are meant to be worn with street clothes. Plus, there's nothing cheap looking when rocking a $400 jersey with a pair of J's and a nice New Era cap. Sports is a part of fashion now. There's nothing more sad than when somebody says you have to dress a certain way at a certain age or if you're white you dress like that and if you're black it's ok to dress another way. It's all 100% bull$hit. Wear what you want wherever and whenever you want. Life is too short to label/prejudge other people.

[Lights Out]

Plus, there's nothing cheap looking when rocking a $400 jersey with a pair of J's and a nice New Era cap. Sports is a part of fashion now.

Thank you! Someone gets it!

And I thought I was the only Jordans-wearer on here.

[RyanMcD29]

I could see where some sports jerseys would look pretty ridiculous on a massively overweight elderly person.

HEY LISTEN UP, LIMPDICK. IT'S EITHER THIS OR A F***IN' MUUMUU, AND F***IN' I'LL BE DAMNED IF YOU EVER GET ME IN SOME GAY FLOWER DRESS, AWRIGHT? WHY DON'T YOU GO PUT ON YOUR GIRL JEANS AND TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR SENSIBLE STYLE, 'KAY? I DRESS FOR COMFORT, WHICH IS IMPORTANT IN MY GODDAMN LINE OF WORK, AS YOU KNOW. I FIND NECKTIES RESTRICTIVE. THEY CHOKE YOUR NECK, AND YOU GOTTA F***IN' DRY-CLEAN 'EM WHEN YOU GET AU JUS ON 'EM. YOU KNOW WHAT'D LOOK F***IN' RIDICULOUS? F***IN' I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WOULD LOOK RIDICULOUS, TRYING TO DRESS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE WHEN I'M EMINENTLY A SMALL HOUSE, AND DWELLINGS ARE NOT WIDELY KNOWN TO DON DRESS CLOTHING WITHOUT EXTENSIVE TAILORING. NOW IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I'M GOING TO CALL FRANCESA AS "RYAN THE FATASS IN THE ISLES SWEATER FROM HEMPSTEAD" AND DEMAND THAT THEY FIRE EVERY COACH FOR ALL NINE TEAMS, PLUS NOTRE DAME FOR F***IN' KICKS, INCLUDING MYSELF. IT'S A LITTLE PRANK I LIKE TO PLAY.

Rex Ryan wore an Islander jersey? Crap, talk about a wasted f***in' avatar idea. Until October, I guess

[schtee]

"Plus, there's nothing cheap looking when rocking a $400 jersey with a pair of J's and a nice New Era cap. Sports is a part of fashion now."

Granted, that may be true. But that's a niche. Fact, it's hard for a 40-year old to pull off wearing an embroidered Heat jersey, skinny jeans, a flat-brimmed Supreme hat and some ill kicks. Not impossible, but rare. What's more common? A big, fat middle-aged dude wearing a mesh NFL replica that only accentuates the beer gut. It's aesthetics, most adults look better in adult clothes. Jerseys are specifically designed to be worn by athletes. Far easier for out-of-shape middle-aged people to wear normal adult clothes that do a much better job of concealing a middle-aged body than sports jerseys. Not saying it's not impossible, but it's a select few.