The Lesser of Two Evils
Monday · Aug 31 · 2009 | 10:38 AM PDT
With each passing season, I'm becoming more concerned over the unwritten rule that says minor league specialty jerseys have to make players look like clowns. I mean it couldn't be more literal than with the most recent entry into the club.
The Albany River Rats recently revealed the results of a poll allowing fans to choose which jersey design the team would wear for Ronald McDonald House Night. Perhaps it would be difficult to create a theme jersey around Ronald McDonald without looking clownish, but this is unbelievable.
Albany River Rats specialty jersey for 2009-10
I'm willing to look beyond this poorly made graphic (HOuse) but professional hockey players — grown men — will be wearing this outside the confines a McDonald's restaurant and without the security of identity-disguising make-up.
The winning design features a yellow body with white shoulders and red trim. Albany’s primary logo is emblazoned on the front of the sweater and Ronald McDonald House Charity patches are displayed on each shoulder. The jersey will be worn with red pants and with Ronald McDonald’s signature candy-cane sox.
All proceeds will benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region.
At this point you may be thinking, "Well, the fans made their own bed. They had an online vote and this is what they chose." But you don't have all the information. Why don't we take a look at their options?
;)
;)
As you can see, the fans clearly went with the lesser of two evils. "Classy" was not an option for the good people of Albany. On the second choice, I count 31 stripes! Seriously!
The first design was obviously created with Reebok Edge in mind while the other was not. Let's talk about that second one. Not only are stripes like that apt to induce seizures, but it inexplicably carries the storm flag stripe of their NHL parent team (the Hurricanes) across the mid-section. Relevance?
Given the choice of bad or indescribably bad, I would've voted the same was the River Rats' fans. But that doesn't make it right. We need to figure out a way to get minor league clubs to let Icethetics artists take a stab at these one-off sweaters if for no other reason than to avoid this kind of trainwreck on an annual basis.
We know specialty jerseys like this are a necessary evil in the minors. They don't have the kind of huge, established fan bases that NHL teams enjoy. For one thing, they tend to be in areas with smaller populations. To keep the team financially viable against those odds, they have to become a big part of the community. That means charity nights are important.
But they don't have to look like this! This is where you guys come in. I'm challenging Icethetics readers to design a River Rats jersey with a Ronald McDonald House theme that doesn't look ridiculous. It'll be difficult, but it can be done. I'll post worthy concepts here.
Reader Comments (32)
It's the socks that make it (awful) for me!
So, that's one quarter-pounder with cheese. Would you like fries with that?
I enjoy most specialty jerseys even if they are cheesy. I kinda like this one as well, but I agree with Carolyn that the socks are what kills it.
I feel sorry for the players wearing those jerseys. If you'd shown them 15 years ago that they'd be wearing these jerseys in the future, I guarantee they'd swear off hockey right away.
It's just for one night and it's for a good cause. I think it's fine for what it is. I really don't think the goal here was to create a beautiful jersey.
Good lord, that is terrible. I'm from Winnipeg, a proud Moose fan, and we have specialty nights at least 3 times a year, but none of them ever look like this.
Military night involved a green/brown camo jersey.
Old Time Hockey was light brown with a classic M logo.
Team Canada night was a Moose jersey in Canada colors.
Minor Hockey Night involved the Moose wearing jerseys from the community club that raised the most money. That was a good one.
This though....This is just awful.
Could be worse...they could be wearing Tampa Bay Lightning jerseys.
Yeah its definitely the socks that ruin it for me. on its own the jersey they chose isn't that bad, but the socks...Wow!
O___________________________________________________________O
FAIL
Thanks Chris, you've made my day! They never publish my referrals over on Uniwatch. It's been a tough week and I appreciate you doing this post.
On the jersey - It's just another sad step toward decline for our once proud River Rats. I guess it is almost redeeming that money is going to charity for wearing these jerseys....
Thanks again!
Dave
No comment
I've seen much worse and at least this is for charity. What was the reason for the cops/prisoners jerseys that some teams wore last year?
Ugh. Is there any way I can un-see that?
And they went with the Flyers Edge template. I really don't care much for that template, as it takes Philly's design and makes it look just not right at all. (The template looks slightly better - slightly - on the Thrashers' road whites.)
I refuse to believe this is anything other than an Icethetics practical joke.
The annoying thing is that the fans can't choose niether. They can't tell the River Rats to go with some thing that is, well, good.
I think it's important to point out that it's a CHARITY game. You should watch the London Marathon sometime, people wear some mind-bogglingly ridiculous stuff for charity fundraising.
i love the socks, but they don't go with the sweater very well...it would take a special design to make it work
LOVE those socks, but the uniform is so-so. It isn't as horrible as you have made it sound. A mainly red jersey with some sort of yellow arch striping would have sufficed. Keep the socks, though.
I think it looks pretty cool. I've seen alot of specialty jerseys and most have no concept of composition, making the jerseys look ugly and awkward, but these has a nice aesthetic design to them. Plus, more teams should give yellow jerseys a try.
This post certainly made my day... and reminds me why I don't eat at McDonald's.
they aren't as bad as the terrible Kalamazoo wings mcdonald jerseys and yellow ice
I'm guessing the players are hoping they're called up to the NHL before they have to wear that uniform.
Are the referees going to dress up as the Hamburglar?
So I hope they will have red helmet with it and putting clown makeups on would be a army clones of Ronald McDonald playing hockey! lol
I think the Goaltender should be the Grimace and Referees as Hamburglar = perfect! lol
As an Albany-area native and citizen I can say with pride that I am NOT a River Rats fan (I'd much rather support the local college hockey) but seeing this travesty in action might have to be a game I attend in person. After all, tickets are never hard to come by and - wow, those things are asinine.
The Michigan K wings ( I think that is the name) did this last year. Here is a link to the pic.
To choose between one bad option and another worse option? Sounds like an Alberta election to me.
Tulsa23, it's the Kalamazoo Wings. They've moved up to the ECHL this year incidently. These aren't as bad as the K-Wings' but the socks are the same!
That jersey is awesome. it is going to look awesome on the ice. the River Rats are one of the most innovative teams out there right now.
last years was great too...
It looked amazing on the ice and raised over 20K for charity. Jim Chapman is the best jersey designer out there right now.