Only Real Men Wear Pink
Tuesday · Mar 2 · 2010 | 11:47 AM PSTPink seems to be a popular subject around Icethetics these days. You guys have been a great help in tracking down photos of some unique minor league uniforms. The best and most common theme seems to be breast cancer awareness — in other words, an excuse for grown men to wear pink. That's what we've got today.
Stingrays pink jerseyThe ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays held Pink in the Rink night back on February 20.
Icethetics reader Jeff forwarded along this photo (right) of the Stingrays' pink jersey. I know I chopped off the guy's head, but he's not as important as the jersey, right?
The Stingrays were successful in pink, beating the Toledo Walleye 6-0. And according to their website, there was a record crowd in attendance for the win.
If you're interested in more pictures, and I know you are, Facebook is the place to be. On the team's official page is a gallery showing the process of painting the ice pink. They've also got tons of fan photos from the game. Including this one:
Stingrays players thank the crowd for their pink support
Jarret Lukin #40In the Central Hockey League, the Allen Americans wore pink just this past Friday — but failed to find the win.
They lost to the Mudbugs, who've been featured on Icethetics a lot recently for some outlandish specialty sweaters.
The Americans' website said the following with regard to the jerseys:
The players wore pink specialty jerseys as part of the "Pink in the Rink" night. The effort with Susan G. Komen for the Cure aims to raise awareness about breast cancer. The proceeds from the live jersey auction following tonight’s matchup benefited Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Anyone else notice that the pink socks don't quite match the pink jersey? Just saying.
Jordan Evans #5The WHL's Swift Current Broncos refuse to be left out of the pink party. They wore theirs on February 19.
However, they got whacked by the Chilliwack Bruins 3-0. Notice the trend? A big win for the Stingrays, a big comeback (but in the end a loss) for the Americans. And a big loss for the Broncos.
I know this photo isn't the best quality, but it's what they have on their website. You can see more here.
Just look at those things. Obviously we've seen a lot of pink jerseys so we're getting pretty good at telling the good from the bad. This has to rank squarely in the bad. Pink ribbons on the socks!
But if you think that's bad, just wait until you see what's next.
Pink ExpressThe Atlantic Junior Hockey League's Walpole Express may take the cake for pinkest pink jersey of all time — you know, if there were a cake available for such an accomplishment (for what it's worth, I'm sure it would be pink too).
Normally Icethetics doesn't cover much junior hockey outside of the Canadian Hockey League, but the Express sent me these photos directly and they were too good not to share.
The thing about these jerseys is their almost hot pink. I'm told by the team they were supposed to be a lighter pink, but a deadline snuck up on them and they got stuck with this color.
Anyway, that's not the most interesting thing about Walpole's Pink in the Rink event.
Refs wear pink too!This is.
Even the officials got i on the action, donning their own pink garb. I'm told the AJHL was in full support of the Express' pink event, which took place November 1, 2009. They raised over $6,000 for breast cancer research and $2,000 alone from the jersey auction.
So good for them!
As always, if you've come across any pink jerseys worth sharing, don't hesitate to send them along. Obviously everyone's really getting a kick out of this series.
Maybe some sort of poll is in our future to decide which team has the best use of pink in a hockey jersey. If nothing else, it would just be a laugh to see dozens of teams wearing pink.
Icethetics returns to its roots. 3.8.10
Reader Comments (10)
I can get past the jerseys because of all the money these teams have raised... but the pink ice? I can't look past how awful that ice looks. Its so overboards and gaudy
What's up with the Walpole Express jersey having the Providence Bruins logo? Are they affiliated with the Boston Bruins somehow? They are a junior league team, right?
Side note, many of the leagues that sponsor pink in the rink events have their refs wear pink jerseys for the game and/or month. These ref jerseys are usually auctioned by the leagues' officials organizations and typically get impressive numbers. Probably because they are more rare.
Those Stingrays jersey may be the best pink jerseys yet. The Iowa Stars/Chops preferred to wear white or black with pink trim when they started the trend. I like the idea of the pink jersey better.
I personally think that Swift's Sock are the coolest ones we have seen.
The rays and the Americans jerseys are actually very nicely designed. I would actually pay money for one
Teams should stop with the pink jerseys. I can see having a pink ribbon on a shoulder or something but this stuff is a little over the top for me
Will the pink ever stop? Seriously, I know that it's for a good cause (though I wonder sometimes how much actual money goes towards actual research and care of breast cancer patients), but there's an overkill, too.
And before you call me heartless, there are a lot of breast cancer survivors/patients who hate the pink, just google "I hate pink ribbons" and start clicking links, it surprised me how much of a resistance there really is.
A patch is fine, an armband is always classy, how about pink gloves or something? but specialty jerseys? how often? it all seems a bit much to me, and i love the minor league antics
My sister detests the color pink, and she is one of several women I know who can't stand being inundated with all the pink stuff. We all agree that the cause is worthy, but the whole pink thing is just too much.
The pink is seriously rediculous. Is there anyone out there that ISN'T "aware" of breast cancer by now? Big, tough hockey men wearing pink - oh how silly! Ok, we get it: it's irony. With the advent of the 3rd jersey craze from the last 15 years and now these "special cause" / auction/warm-up jersery, don't teams run the risk of losing there iconic status? Look at the Devils : They've been an iconic (and successfull) orgainzation for over a decade and they have been off the "third sweater" trend...until next year apparently.
And talk about about IRONY - They're from a city name "NEW JERSEY!"
Pink ice? Cool!!! Pink Jerseys? Cool!!! Pink refs sweaters? Cool!!! Pink shin guard socks? Cool!!! All this Pink? PRICELESS!!!