When the Packers play the Seahawks tomorrow, one observer will be watching the events with particularly keen interest. That’s Marge Switzer, the Pack’s seamstress. In this high-tech football era, Marge is almost too perfect to be true: a sweet, smiling lady bent over a sewing machine. She recently made time in her busy schedule to chat about her job.
Uni Watch: What exactly is your job title there?
Marge Switzer: I’m an independent contractor, not a team employee, but I’m considered the Packers’ seamstress.
UW: How and when did you start working for the Packers, and what were you doing before that?
MS: I owned a monogramming and embroidery company, called Threads. I started that in 1985 and closed it in 2001. Prior to that I was a professional seamstress, doing alterations for clothing stores. And I did some work for our local college here, St. Norbert’s, repairing their athletic apparel — football pants, jerseys, whatever. I was approached by the Packers’ equipment manager, Red Batty, to do some embroidery for them — primarily numbers, so clothing could be designated for a player.
UW: You mean as an internal identification system?
MS: Right. That would have been in 1996, when I still had Threads. And then closed Threads and came here full-time around 2001. To be perfectly honest, I couldn’t balance the two. You can’t run a business and do this job. And I have to tell you, I love this job.
UW: Are you the only seamstress there, or are you part of a sewing department, or what?
MS: I have an associate named Penny who’s been with me since 1985. We’ve been friends, actually, since second grade. So she knows my style, she knows what I need, and so on. She does all my prep work — if a pattern needs to be cut out, or a hem taken out, that’s her responsibility.
UW: Do you have your own office near the locker room?
MS: The Packers provide us with a sewing room, our own space, across from the locker room.
UW: What sorts of things do you typically have to do to a jersey?
MS: Primarily mend it.
UW: What sorts of things need to be mended?
MS: Like if there’s a rip or tear, I take care of that after a game. Once the jerseys have been prepped for the game — in other words, the threads have been clipped around the tackle twill and so forth — if anything needs to be shortened, they’re shortened, because players come in all different heights.
UW: Have there been players who’ve liked to have certain details custom-tailored?
MS: Not really.
UW: Nobody has said, “I want my hem a certain way,” or “I want my sleeves like this”?
MS: No. And even if they did, the player has to go through the equipment manager.
UW: So the players don’t approach you directly.
MS: No. I rely on the equipment manager to give me guidance.
UW: It gets pretty cold in Green Bay. Do you sew those little pockets into the jersey, which we sometimes see?
MS: No, because they wear the little pouches.
UW: Yeah, but I’ve seen Brett Favre wearing the pockets sewn into the belly of his jersey on lots of occasions.
MS: Oh, you mean when it’s actually part of the jersey — yes, I’ve done that.
UW: When you’re working on something like that, are you thinking, “God, I just wish he’d wear the little pouch instead so I would have to do this”?
MS: No. Being a seamstress is just like any other job: You enjoy the challenge.
UW: For those pockets, do you have to line them with some sort of special thermal fabric?
MS: No, just fleece, like you’d buy at any fabric store.
UW: Any other cold-weather provisions that you’ve had to work on, like maybe on the interior lining or something like that?
MS: No, because the players layer, or at least I assume they do. Frankly, I don’t dress ’em, Paul, so I don’t know what they’ve got under there!
UW: Now some players, like linemen, are, shall we say, robust individuals.
MS: Yes.
UW: So a player like Gilbert Brown, when he was with the Packers, he’s obviously a very large man. Did you have to do anything special for his jersey?
MS: No. The equipment manager orders the proper size from the manufacturer.
UW: Obviously, sure, but you’ve never had to make any special custom alterations to allow for this or that?
MS: No.
UW: What about when we sometime see elastic in a sleeve cuff or at the hemline? Is that something you do, or does Reebok do it?
MS: If it’s in the sleeve, it comes that way from the manufacturer. But if it’s in the hem, that’s something I do.
UW: Speaking of sleeves, what do you think of how sleeves have essentially vanished over the past decade or so?
MS: I guess that’s just a reflection of what the players like.
UW: But that actually affected the team’s uniform design, because the Packers went from five sleeve stripes to three, because there wasn’t enough room on the linemen’s sleeves.
MS: That’s something I can’t really comment on, because we would have had Starter as our manufacturer, and then Nike, and now Reebok, so I’m not sure exactly when that happened.
UW: Actually, that brings up an interesting point regarding the different manufacturers. When the team switches suppliers, is there a substantive change that you can see and feel, or is it essentially the same garment with a different logo on the sleeve?
MS: I’ve never noticed a change. It’s the same garment.
UW: How beaten up or damaged does a jersey have to be before you or Red or whomever says, “Okay, this is beyond repair — we’ll just toss it out instead of fixing it.”
MS: We have never thrown away a jersey.
UW: Well, okay, but even if you don’t throw it away, how damaged does it have to be before it’s “retired”?
MS: That never happens.
UW: Really?!
MS: It will be retired at the end of the season. We will mend it, because that is the player’s personal jersey. The scuffs and dings mean something to them.
UW: So if a jersey had a big gash — not just a little nick, but a serious tear — that would just be stitched back up and put back into circulation?
MS: Absolutely.
UW: What about on game day — are you on hand for last-minute adjustments, and do you travel with the team for road games?
MS: I do not travel with the team, but I am here on game day for home games. Maybe a player would want his undershirt sleeve shortened a bit, or something like that, or a coach might need the hem repaired on his pant cuffs.
UW: Oh, so you work on the coaches’ apparel as well.
MS: Mm-hmm.
UW: And what about during the game — are you on hand to repair things during halftime?
MS: No. There’s always a back-up jersey they can switch to.
UW: So once the game starts, do you go home to watch it?
MS: I do.
UW: And while you’re watching the game, do you notice lots of little things that maybe the average fan would miss?
MS: I think the average fan misses about 90% of what I see.
UW: Can you give me an example?
MS: When you watch other teams, you can see where there’s a rip that wasn’t fixed, or where there are loose threads hanging out. You can tell when the jersey has been taped down to the pads — the jersey should fit, not be distorted.
UW: Do you ever spot something you could have done better and think, “Darn, if only I had…”? Not to imply that you make mistakes, of course.
MS: Well, we all make mistakes, and there have been times when I’m watching the game and I’ll go, “Uhhhhh [deep gasp of shock], we missed a thread there!” So I do see that sometimes, and the average person, I’m sure, wouldn’t have a clue.
UW: Do you think the players themselves care about these sorts of details?
MS: I think Green Bay, as an organization, has a tremendous amount of pride, and our players are fussy about their uniforms. I’ve never heard that a player complained about anything, but I think they expect that everything will look professional.
UW: Speaking of small details, I’m told that the uniform number on one of Brett Favre’s jerseys was slightly off-center earlier this season.
MS [softly]: Mm-hmm.
UW: So it came that way, from Reebok?
MS: It actually came that way, yes.
UW: Was it the front number or the back?
MS: I think it was the front.
UW: Was that something you noticed during the game?
MS: After the game, when the jersey came out of the laundry.
UW: So in that case, would that jersey be retired, because it was essentially defective?
MS: I think we probably would, yes.
UW: So that’s what happened?
MS: I brought it to the equipment manager’s attention, but I don’t actually know what happened to it after that.
UW: Does it ever bug you when you work to get Al Harris’s nameplate just right and then nobody can even see it because it’s covered up by his hair?
MS [laughing]: That doesn’t bother me at all! Because that’s just his look.
UW: But you could have “Smith” or “Jones” under there, instead of “Harris,” and nobody would know.
MS: I sure wouldn’t try it! That might be the day he had his hair pulled back.
UW: Al Harris is also one of the players who’ve been a little creative with their socks this year. Do you work on the hosiery, too?
MS: No, that’s not part of my job at all.
UW: I know some teams actually sew the socks into the cuffs of the pants — do you do that?
MS: I have heard about that, but I haven’t done that here.
UW: The Packers aren’t wearing those captaincy patches that most other NFL teams are wearing, so I guess that’s one job you didn’t have to do.
MS: Yes. Some teams have the same captains week after week, but the Packers select their captains before each game. The “C” patches did arrive in the sewing room at the start of the season, but then we were asked to return them to the equipment room.
UW: Speaking of patches, there was that one game where the team played in Dallas, and the Cowboys usually wear white at home, which means the Packers would have worn green, and I read that all the Lambeau Field anniversary patches on the green jerseys would have had to be removed for that game, and then restored for the next home game, because the patch can only be worn at home. But then the Cowboys ended up wearing blue throwback jerseys for that game, so the Packers wore white after all, and the patches didn’t have to be taken off and then put back on. So that saved you a lot of work too.
MS: Yes.
UW: So you — or maybe Penny — would have had to use a seam ripper to remove all those patches?
MS: Yes. And it would have been a joint effort, believe me.
UW: What sort of sewing machine do you use? Is it an industrial model, or is it pretty similar to what a home sewer would have?
MS: It’s just a basic sewing machine — not industrial.
UW: These fabrics you’re working with, they’re high-tech, high-performance textiles, which is obviously very different than normal apparel. Is that a challenge? Does the material react differently in your hands, or under the needle?
MS: No, it really doesn’t, as long as I use the right needle. In other words, you don’t use the same needle to mend a jersey that you would to hem a pair of jeans.
UW: But the fabric essentially behaves the same way?
MS: Absolutely.
UW: If you could change anything about football uniforms, what would it be?
MS: Hmmmm. If you had asked me that 10 years ago, I would have said get rid of the screened-on numbers. But now they’re tackle twill, which is so much better — it gives a sense of dimension, and they don’t crack or peel. It’s a much more professional look. Aside from that, I can’t think of anything.
UW: Any good stories to share, any anecdotes involving unusual situations or challenges?
MS: Unfortunately, I can’t take things out of here — it’s confidential. Mostly, I forget what goes on here. I can’t take stories home, I can’t take the risk that my husband will pass them on at his job. So I honest to God wish I had something I could tell you that would just be hilarious, but I can’t.
UW: Speaking of your husband, I assume he’s a big Packers fan?
MS: He is.
UW: So it must be exciting for him to have his wife working for the team.
MS: Well, it is. I mean, let’s look at the big picture, Paul: There are only so many teams in the NFL, and only so many people who sew for the NFL. That’s what makes it such a privilege.
======
Big thanks to Marge for her time and expertise, and to reader Jeff Ash, who’s Marge’s neighbor and lay the groundwork for this interview.
Raffle Reminder: Today’s the last day to enter the raffle for the $100 NFLshop.com gift card (or to get three bonus entries by joining the Uni Watch membership program). To enter, send an e-mail to uniraffle at earthlink dot net (not to the usual Uni Watch address) by 10 p.m. eastern tonight. One e-mail per person, plus all membership enrollees will automatically get three bonus entries. I’ll announce the winner on Monday. And in a special bonus development, look for another raffle next week.
Speaking of membership, there are some new cards up in the design gallery, including today’s showcase design, which is based on the 1926-27 Ottawa Sentators. Also, I mailed out about a dozen membership kits yesterday, so watch your mailboxes.
Uni Watch News Ticker: Lots of uni-related info in this PDF of Tony Romo’s locker (with thanks to Brian Thompson). … We all know about Pete Gray, Modecai Brown, Jim Abbott, and Tom Dempsey, but the latest news regarding Oscar Pistorius (the sprinter who wear prosthetics) led New York Times columnist George Vescey to recall the case of a disabled athlete I hadn’t previously been aware of: Bert Shepard, who lost a leg during World War II and later pitched one game for the Senators. Vescey’s column was accompanied by this photo, and I’ve been unable to find any others. If anyone has a shot of Shepard in action, I’d love to see it. … Odd coincidence spotted by birthday boy Marty Buccafusco, who first noticed an eBay auction for a Brett Favre Falcons jersey with what appears to be a slightly off-center nameplate and was then watching some 1999 NFL playoff footage and saw Favre exhibiting the same problem. Seems especially odd in light of the off-center number discussed above with Marge Switzer. … The latest installment of “Equipped with Joe Skiba” is available on the Giants’ home page. … FNOB alert from John English, who writes: “The ’83 Angels sported both Reggie Jackson and Ron Jackson at one point. Their solution? Reggie remained just ‘Jackson,’ while Ron wore his full name.” … We’ve discussed lots of occasions when umpires have been forced to wear makeshift gear because their luggage was lost. Turns out Michael James attended one such a game in 1991, and he just found some photos he took that afternoon. “The umps dressed in what appeared to be Brewers warm-up gear,” he says. … Nathan Evans says this reminds him of this. … While researching something else, I came across this shot of a less than full moon. … This week’s New Yorker includes this photo from a Rangers practice session. Forgive my ignorance here, but what is the purpose of having three separate uniform sets on the ice at one time?
#1 by JP on 01.11.08 7:57 am |
Hockey teams will typically have players who are skating on the same line (or D-pairing) wear the same colored jerseys during practice - sort of a visual cue as to who to pass it to and who.
#2 by JP on 01.11.08 7:58 am |
Err, that last part should read “and who to steer clear of.”
#3 by Robert on 01.11.08 8:14 am |
Great interview. I think that she is holding a lot back on us, however. No special requests from players? I’m not buying it.
#4 by derek on 01.11.08 8:21 am |
” Forgive my ignorance here, but what is the purpose of having three separate uniform sets on the ice at one time?”
players wear different colors at practice denoting either their offensive line combination, defensive pairing or even injury status (to avoid contact).
#5 by Peter Lemonhjello on 01.11.08 8:22 am |
The Rangers obviously wear 3 practice different uniforms so the people in Rye, NY can tell whom they are looking at. After all, Playland is an antique venue…
#6 by Stuby on 01.11.08 8:22 am |
It sounded like she was not at liberty to speak freely. I’m sure she has lots of dirt but she can’t even tell her husband any stories.
#7 by Dane on 01.11.08 8:27 am |
But usually they just have the different color jerseys, right? In that photo, they matched the socks as well. I’m wondering if that was a staged photo-op for the magazine.
#8 by Stuby on 01.11.08 8:38 am |
Regarding Al Harris’ hair in that interview, I’m very surprised that the NFL hasn’t made a rule about nameplates being visible. Also, from a safety standpoint, it seemed like 80-90% of the time a player’s helmet came flying off this year (in college and pro), the guy had big hair.
To me, it doesn’t seem like big hair under a helmet would be that comfortable, but I’ve never worn a football helmet so what do I know.
What was I talking about? Oh yeah, it bugs me when I’m watching a game on TV and can’t see who the player is because his hair is covering his name.
#9 by Jim on 01.11.08 8:43 am |
Is it just me or are football players pants ripping alot more this year than in the past. And why is it always on the ASS!! Gross.
#10 by Boston Nick on 01.11.08 8:44 am |
Yeah, to back the other comments off, the jersey colors usually go something like this (using BU hockey as the basis, since I attended practice a couple times a week back in the day…colors will obviously change on a team-to-team basis).
Red jerseys: First line
White jerseys: second line
Orange jerseys: third line
Green jerseys: fourth line
Gray jerseys: scratches/extra players
Navy Blue jerseys: defensemen/goalies
Light Blue jerseys: injured guys who have started skating.
To add to this, at BU, like with the Rangers, the players wear socks that match the jersey colors, which means instead of the usual simple, scarlet and white combo BU has for games, you see guys wearing green and scarlet combos or orange and scarlet combos.
I always kind of wanted an orange practice jersey, just because it’s something most people aren’t really gonna see, and it’s kind of a different way to support the team.
Plus, I already have all four jersey styles that BU uses in games, so I gotta find a way to get another BU jersey somehow.
#11 by Boston Nick on 01.11.08 8:46 am |
‘back the other comments off’?!?!
Also known as backing the other comments up.
#12 by Frosty on 01.11.08 8:46 am |
Be it offense or defense, the players on each respective “line” will wear their own color. Usually 3 lines of offensive players (9 players) and 2 lines of defensemen (4 players)…throw in 2 goalies and there’s your roster.
I LOVE THIS SITE! Signing once I get some money transferred to my PayPal. Member Larry Kurtze (White Sox / Fisk #72) got me turned on to it in August. People out there really are as sick as me.
keep it up -
#13 by teamcinnamon on 01.11.08 8:48 am |
NEVER retired a jersey?
And she’s absolutely holding back, it’s obvious!
She must not realize how fanatical people are about this whole thing.
#14 by teamcinnamon on 01.11.08 8:49 am |
I can see it now - the “Al Harris Rule”.
#15 by Stuby on 01.11.08 8:49 am |
Welcome to the party, Frosty.
#16 by Stuby on 01.11.08 8:52 am |
*…big hair under a helmet would not be that comfortable… Oops.
#17 by RW on 01.11.08 8:52 am |
There are generally at least 5 jersey colors on the ice during a practice:
1 color of the D generally black
the 4 line combos have different colors
and another color for the scratches and injured players. The goalies were whatever they want
#18 by U.A. on 01.11.08 8:53 am |
http://www.baseball-...
here is a good one of Jim Abbott batting (in spring training of course). i am still trying to find the one he wears a claw like prostectic hand. anybody?
#19 by Minna H. on 01.11.08 8:53 am |
No, no, no! If the ‘Al Harris Rule’ is ever instituted, that means that Troy P. would have to wear his hear tucked away, too, and that would never do.
#20 by Dane on 01.11.08 8:57 am |
Here’s an uni-related excerpt from an interview with pro beach volleyball superstar Kerri Walsh, currently available on ESPN.com Page 2…
Walsh on living life in a bikini …
“The potential for a wardrobe malfunction is always in the back of your mind, and it’s never fun to think about. It’s never happened in a game situation for me, yet, but it’s pretty much a scary inevitability. The daily struggle is just dealing with the way it rides. You’re diving for balls. You’re jumping up and down. You’re on the ground. It’s going to go to places where you don’t necessarily want it to go, and you wish it wouldn’t, but you get used to it. It’s a fact of life.”
#21 by Matt Powers on 01.11.08 8:59 am |
With how strict the NFL uniform police are, I’m sure Marge has been made wary of copyright infringement and dangers of that sort.
#22 by Stuby on 01.11.08 9:00 am |
He could go the T.J. Who’s-ya-daddy route and wear a ponytail.
#23 by ryan c #40 on 01.11.08 9:04 am |
appears to be a slightly off-center nameplate and was then watching some 1999 NFL playoff footage and saw Favre exhibiting the same problem. Seems especially odd in light of the off-center number discussed above with Marge Switzer
seams (joke)… seems people lined up the center of the nameplate to the top flat-part of the “4″… forgetting the left part of the “4″ that angles down to the left… my guess anyways. the same reason, at first glance, zetterberg’s nameplate looks off-center over the forty. you be the judge… haha
#24 by Minna H. on 01.11.08 9:07 am |
Mmmm, he’s hot, too, Stuby, but I like the luscious locks long and loose.
And I don’t mind the half-moon shots, either!
#25 by PBJ on 01.11.08 9:08 am |
Good idea…except they don’t practice in Rye anymore
#26 by LI Phil on 01.11.08 9:12 am |
would you really need al harris to have a nameplate to know who he was?
on a more serious note, it almost seemed like an NFL rule over the past season or so that every team would have one player with ‘big hair’ such that you couldn’t read his NOB…now i see some teams with two or more…
rather than the proposed ‘al harris rule’ suggested above…the NFL ought to institute a rule that only one dude per offense, defense or special teams can have such a pompadour on the field at one time…an ‘alternating follicular replacement option’ rule or AFRO RULE for short
/sorry…my bad
#27 by Moose on 01.11.08 9:12 am |
let’s look at the big picture, Paul: There are only so many teams in the NFL, and only so many people who sew for the NFL. That’s what makes it such a privilege.
Yeah, Paul. Look at the big picture!!
Great interview….I can honestly say I’m not surprised she holds back. Packers fans are crazy….if she told everything she knows word would travel fast. Wisconsin newspapers report about ANYTHING on the Packers!
#28 by Paul Lukas on 01.11.08 9:17 am |
It would be fair to say that Marge was a very cautious interviewee. My original thought was that she might make a good subject for an ESPN column, maybe even with video, but after speaking with her it became clear that she was much too guarded for that. Still, I think it’s a good ‘Uni Watch Profiles’ installment, with some interesting tidbits. And really, could you draw up anything more perfect than a gray-haired 60-something-year-old seamstress named Marge Switzer?
#29 by Adam on 01.11.08 9:21 am |
You’re right, that picture is obviously from spring training, but he did have 21 at-bats in the regular season with Milwaukee in 1999.
#30 by NateL on 01.11.08 9:21 am |
I work at Springfield College in Springfield, Mass., and last night, our men’s basketball team played Keene State College. My buddy who’s the assistant sports info director got a call in the morning, saying the Keene State players would ALL have new numbers at game time.
Here’s mention of it on Keene State’s website.
I thought it was hilarious. They had to re-print the programs for the game and everything. I thought “Oh, the folks at UniWatch will LOVE this!”
#31 by u2horn on 01.11.08 9:23 am |
Considering they were perfectly lined up in red, then white, then blue, I’d say it was staged just for the photo.
#32 by Tricia on 01.11.08 9:28 am |
And the typical action shot from a practice is not taken from the ice, looking up at the players.
#33 by Duckstyle on 01.11.08 9:29 am |
Great interview Paul! Packers + uni stuff = great way to start a Friday. Cautious as she was, it’s always great to get a peek into the Packers world that we never get to see. (Yes Packers fans are obsessive) I’m somehow even more psyched up for the Seatle game now.
#34 by todd krevanchi on 01.11.08 9:31 am |
a dick tracewski sighting!
along with wayne terwilliger and joe amalfatano, they make up the triumvirate of greatest mlb base coaches…
#35 by Art on 01.11.08 9:33 am |
Just a comment on the Angels Ron Jackson wearing his entire name on his uniform. I was watching ESPN the other day and they were showing clips of old Holiday bowls. One highlight shown was the 1984 game between BYU and Michigan. In the clip, you can see a Michigan defensive player with two names on the back of his jersey. I couldn’t catch the name though. By the way, BYU uniforms are classics. I am happy they went back to them. Anybody else see this clip on ESPN?
#36 by dm00n [Doug] on 01.11.08 9:37 am |
“MS: No, because they were the little pouches”
Paul, I think that is supposed to be wear (like it is in your follow-up).
#37 by Kim on 01.11.08 9:37 am |
Yes, it’s staged. But they’re lined up (l-r) red, white, black.
Another aside about hockey practice jerseys, the Philadelphia Inquirer (I’m too lazy to look up various articles) has reported numerous times that non-contact players wear a jersey with a red cross on it.
#38 by Stuby on 01.11.08 9:46 am |
I was going to suggest it was Ali Haji-Sheikh but he left Michigan before 1984. OK, I just wanted to make an Ali Haji-Sheikh reference.
#39 by Roger Faso on 01.11.08 9:48 am |
That was one of the best interviews I’ve read on this site. Even if she was guarded, knowing that she sees stitching abnormalities on a Sunday made the read worth it.
#40 by Matt Powers on 01.11.08 9:50 am |
I was going to suggest it was Ali Haji-Sheikh but he left Michigan before 1984. OK, I just wanted to make an Ali Haji-Sheikh reference.
What about this guy:
http://cache.viewima...
#41 by diz on 01.11.08 9:55 am |
You can add Zach Gowan/Gowen and Kerry von Erich (can’t find a picture that shows his lack of a foot) to the list of athletes with limb-related disabilities. Sort of.
#42 by Phil on 01.11.08 9:59 am |
In reference to your question about the Rangers different color jerseys for practice, NHL teams give each offensive line a different color. Defensemen and the goalie typically wear black. I was at a Flyers practice recently and saw white, yellow, green, dark blue and light blue. See picture below…
http://media3.washin...
#43 by Stuby on 01.11.08 10:00 am |
Upon further review, it was probably one of the Hammerstein or Schulte Brothers. There are other sets of brothers on the roster and guys that share a last name, but none with the same first initial.
#44 by Josh on 01.11.08 10:02 am |
TCU kicker Drew Combs was born with only half an arm. He usually did the kickoffs this past year for the Frogs. I believe he was a walk-on.
He’s mentioned here:
http://www.star-tele...
#45 by Matt Powers on 01.11.08 10:03 am |
You can add Zach Gowan/Gowen and Kerry von Erich (can’t find a picture that shows his lack of a foot) to the list of athletes with limb-related disabilities. Sort of.
#46 by CV on 01.11.08 10:03 am |
Question on the Cowboys helemts after looking at the pdf and watching Sportcenter this morning in HD.
Is the star on the helmet navy like the road jersey, or royal blue like the home whites? I always thought navy, but on sportscenter this morning, TO’s looked REALLY royal blue, and in the pdf it almost looks royal as well. Or is it just a 3rd different blue, like the 3 different silvers they use?
Thanks to anyone that knows.
#47 by Matt Powers on 01.11.08 10:05 am |
You can add Zach Gowan/Gowen and Kerry von Erich (can’t find a picture that shows his lack of a foot) to the list of athletes with limb-related disabilities. Sort of.
Could Tom Dempsey be mentioned in the same breath as these athletes?
http://i.pbase.com/o...
#48 by Sage Confucius on 01.11.08 10:05 am |
Regarding Favre’s Falcons jersey…it seems to me that the 4 is off center and not the nameplate. If you look at each side of the number they aren’t equidistant from the sides of the jersey. The name looks to be equidistant. It appears the the vertical ’stalk’ of the 4 is what is centered. If you look at it closely you can see that it is aligned with the V in his name.
Regarding the Packers jersey…I can’t tell for sure because he’s wearing the jersey, but it looks like the 4 is centered on the name. Because of the illusion with the vertical part of the 4 it appears to be off center.
#49 by Stuby on 01.11.08 10:05 am |
Pretty sure its navy, but who know with them.
#50 by Jason on 01.11.08 10:09 am |
Great Interview. For some reason, up until the original discussion about the possible need to replace the Lambeau Field 50th Anniversary patches in Dallas a few weeks ago, I had always just assumed that player’s jerseys were a dime-a-dozen and replaced frequently, if not every game.
On a side note, I can’t even describe how happy it makes me that the Packers jerseys have seen only minor tweaks through the years. You may recall that Ron Wolf was considering a change to metallic gold paired with a similar green around 1994, which would have been a disaster. You could make a case that the Rams pulled off a similar switch, but as far as I’m concerned, there is no reason to fear a basic yellow in your color scheme.
#51 by wright on on 01.11.08 10:10 am |
Regarding your question of Marge about the uniforms from different manufacturers; there are no “different manufacturers”. For quite a long time all NFL players jerseys have been manufactured by Ripon. Starter, Nike, Reebok are no more than marketing companies in this regard. Their logos are put on the jerseys, but Ripon actually makes the jerseys.
#52 by Scott H. on 01.11.08 10:14 am |
Interesting thing on the Cowboys deal…
WR Patrick Crayton’s helmet is equipped with the radio functions but they are turned off unless the emergency QB is needed. Then why does WR Seneca Wallace (Seattle) have two different helmets for this situation?
#53 by Matt Powers on 01.11.08 10:20 am |
Is Brad Miller of the Jets considered a wide receiver/backup QB as well?
The first hybrid position player of this type that I can remember was Jim Jensen of the Dolphins. It was always strange to see him and Steve Grogan of the Patriots wearing neck rolls!
http://www.autograph...
http://cache.viewima...
#54 by Kevin More on 01.11.08 10:20 am |
Players who are hurt will typically wear a certain colored jersey to designate “no contact”. The Rangers practice at the MSG Training Facility. They haven’t been at Rye Playland in years.
#55 by Floormaster Squeeze on 01.11.08 10:23 am |
Thank you for the interview of Marge S. Having grown up in the Green Bay area I can say she is the real deal. Green Bay is still a small town and so she is just used to leaving stuff she sees/knows at work (her comments about not telling her husband seem genuine). She is a professional and does her job. The tabloid mentality the dominates other larger cities is rarer (not that people in the Green Bay area don’t gossip, they do its just its not seen as a big power thing by many).
#56 by Jay on 01.11.08 10:24 am |
Love the nose bumber on the sewing machine.
#57 by sebastian on 01.11.08 10:25 am |
It’s too bad the Cowboys still use “Hobo” for the player nameplate in the locker room. Blech.
#58 by possum on 01.11.08 10:25 am |
The ECHL Charlotte Checkers have officially released the new logos and jersey today. This is our 15th Anniversary season and they did a major overhaul to the logo in particular. Old, new, and logos here.
#59 by LI Phil on 01.11.08 10:30 am |
chubby checker…that’s great!
#60 by Chance on 01.11.08 10:31 am |
Fantastic interview, Paul - I’m going to link to it from my site.
#61 by werthj on 01.11.08 10:31 am |
I’ve been hearing radio commercials all week about the Milwaukee Admirals wearing “retro Brewers jerseys” this weekend. Just found a graphic. Maybe I am naive, but I was hoping the script would actually say ‘Milwaukee’, true to the jersey being replicated. Disappointed.
#62 by werthj on 01.11.08 10:33 am |
Jersey
#63 by pbaude on 01.11.08 10:36 am |
Why exactly do we think that the ‘4′ is mis-aligned? Because the left hand edge of 4 is under the ‘F’ and the right hand side is under the ‘R’? Maybe this font is meant to be that way. The vertical portion of the 4 digit is directly under the ‘V’…
Any typography experts out there?…
#64 by Chance on 01.11.08 10:37 am |
Wow. As am I.
I was going to bid on one for my collection, but think I’ll take a pass now.
#65 by u2horn on 01.11.08 10:37 am |
Cowboys’ star is NAVY
#66 by Andy on 01.11.08 10:40 am |
Domata Peko.
#67 by Stuby on 01.11.08 10:43 am |
Oddly enough, the star on the field is more of a royal blue. Oh, those wacky Cowboys.
#68 by werthj on 01.11.08 10:43 am |
Agreed, Chance. I was consering a bid (for those that do not know, they are being auctioned off), or hoping that replicas would be for sale. No thank you, now. Those commercials were misleading, no?
#69 by Justin B on 01.11.08 10:44 am |
Palu
#70 by The Ol Goaler on 01.11.08 10:44 am |
As a play-by-play guy for high-school basketball, number changes have become one of my pet peeves… I make my own “scoresheet“, with the players’ names in numerical order, which makes it easier for me to identify who’s who. I don’t use a standard basketball scorebook because I often don’t have room for one at my broadcast location. (Sometimes I get to work from the scorer’s table; sometimes I have to work from the stands!)
Invariably, some team will get new unis (with different numbers, natch) after they’ve sent me their roster. I used to broadcast D-I sports; believe me, the job is a lot easier when you’re given accurate roster info… to say nothing of being “fed” accurate in-game stats!
It’s still fun, though!
#71 by mp1634 on 01.11.08 10:48 am |
Check out this Packers helmet inspired mailbox:
http://image.bizrate...
#72 by Joe H on 01.11.08 10:49 am |
Great interview Paul…and you know know as much as I do why she was so guarded. The pro teams don’t exactly like their secrets getting out. I know first hand!
#73 by Brian on 01.11.08 10:55 am |
Man, that Marge is a talker! Did you have a tough time getting her to calm down long enough to do the interview?
#74 by ScottyJ in WV on 01.11.08 11:00 am |
Post of the day!
#75 by Marcus Hall, Will the Orioles ever NOT have the most boring uniform ever!?!?!?!?!?! on 01.11.08 11:05 am |
the AFRO rule reminded me of Eddie…….
#76 by alan on 01.11.08 11:05 am |
Earlier this week there was discussion about teams that had plaid as part of their uniforms and I was too busy to add to the discussion but now I can. Until the 2003-2004 season, my alma mater had a subtle plaid/tartan band on the men’s basketball road jerseys
This is due in large part to the prevalence of that McLeod tartan on our campus as seen here. And yes, our home football uniforms are all black (helmets, pants, and jerseys) and I like it! It wasn’t always this way. You can just make out these all white home unis from 1958.
Lastly, our band definitely gets in on the argyle action on game day.
#77 by Duckstyle on 01.11.08 11:07 am |
I think it’s more that the Nameplate might be off-center, and the 4 is matching it.. But who knows, with the way jersey’s get taped down, and twisted by opposing players, it might just be an illusion. Except of course for the one Marge pointed out, obviously that one was seen by many and fixed.
#78 by Chance on 01.11.08 11:09 am |
Really? What secrets do you know? ;)
She really is discreet - she talks about the various uniform manufacturers (Starter then Nike then Reebok), but doesn’t mention that the actual game jerseys have been made by the same company for decades (no matter what logo that company then sews on).
#79 by craig g on 01.11.08 11:13 am |
About the Angles and the two Jacksons’. I remember the NY Giants in the early ’70’s had Ron Johnson a rb and Randy Johnson qb on the team. Both their nameplates said R.Johnson. Not Ron or Randy on either jersey and they stayed like that for at least two years.It wasn’t hard to tell them apart though. Ron was black and Randy was white.
#80 by Nicole on 01.11.08 11:16 am |
That’s the jersey I got for Christmas. We’re thinking about heading to the ads game, so I might have to wear it!
Am I the only one that thought they would be wearing pinstripes when they said Retro? I’m not sure why I assumed that. Maybe because the Brewers wear the pinstripes on “retro” days…
#81 by Shane on 01.11.08 11:18 am |
I think most teams have more than three different sets of practice jerseys. I can’t remember it fully, but I think it was last year that the Bruins auctioned off a ton of theirs. I seem to remember black, yellow, white, teal, and maybe red?
#82 by Minna H. on 01.11.08 11:23 am |
Justin B., you are my new best friend. Great pic of Troy P.’s hair!
#83 by Shane on 01.11.08 11:23 am |
Add-on to my last post:
I’ve got Albany River Rats team-used practice sweaters (both SP and RBK, from the Devils era) in black and grey. The team’s shop also had a ton in red, white, green, navy, light blue, and yellow. So there’s at least 7 or 8 sets worn by a team.
#84 by Fez Whatley on 01.11.08 11:27 am |
How many times can we post that the NHL teams used multi-colored jerseys for practice before people stop posting it?
#85 by Ken on 01.11.08 11:31 am |
If I remember correclty the Admirals have done this several times in the past. And they currently sport the ball and glove logo of the brewers
And a few years ago they honored former MLB “great” Bob Uecker by wearing this jersey I know it was mentioned on the uniwatch site at the time.
#86 by James Craven on 01.11.08 11:31 am |
Isn’t there some sort of rule in all sports that new logos and uniforms (unless they’re for special occasions) cannot be introduced in mid-season to avoid TUIFUs like the Penguins in 1979-80 when they went from two-tone blue top black and gold?
#87 by Philly Bill on 01.11.08 11:37 am |
First thing I noticed in this photo. Outstanding!
#88 by Philly Bill on 01.11.08 11:37 am |
First thing I noticed in this photo. Outstanding!
#89 by Aram on 01.11.08 11:37 am |
Did Jim Abbott ever wear a prosthetic? He’s probably my favorite athlete of all time, ever since I was a kid, and I was never aware of him ever wearing any kind of fake hand or hook or anything like that.
#90 by werthj on 01.11.08 11:39 am |
Nicole, I never considered that they would be wearing the pinstripes untill I started writing my first post. I was actually hoping to see a jersey (or sweater, if you will), that says ‘Brewers’ across the chest. But I had always pictured that it was going to be the baby blues. Now that I think about it, that white with pinstripes would be great to see. Still wish the jerseys either said ‘Brewers’ or ‘Milwaukee’. Tho Milwaukee at home would be a faux pas.
#91 by LI Phil on 01.11.08 11:39 am |
TUIFU=the ultimate in fuck ups?
like SNAFU…but different
#92 by teamcinnamon on 01.11.08 11:39 am |
#93 by Shaftman on 01.11.08 11:43 am |
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey, I’m gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust
#94 by Aram on 01.11.08 11:44 am |
That’s pretty common of Michigan in the 80’s. NOB fonts didn’t always match, and full NOB’s were widespread. I’ll do some searching around and scan in some pictures, I know I have a few somewhere around here.
Another little Michigan football uni anomaly- in the (I think it was) 1987 Rose Bowl, the jerseys Michigan wore were the road jersey design they wore in the mid to late 1970’s, indicating they probably had a bunch of them sitting around in the equipment room, didn’t want to put the Rose Bowl designs on the shoulders of the regular jerseys, and just used the old ones. Again, I’ll find the pictures and post them.
#95 by Paul Lukas on 01.11.08 11:45 am |
Yeah, but they could be made to different specs, depending on what Nike/Reebok/etc. tell Ripon to do.
#96 by Chance on 01.11.08 11:45 am |