What to Wear: MLB Playoff Edition 2008

The MLB Playoffs are finally here. October is certainly a magical time of year for sports fans - the leaves are turning, football is well under way and the most exciting and entertaining baseball fireworks are about to launch.

Typically, we recommend buying gear that will look cool around your friends and won't make you look like a tool to the opposite sex. Heck, that is one of the major reasons we started this blog in the first place. That said, many of the rules we have outlined for the baseball season do not apply during the playoffs.

Go ahead, wear some face paint, dye your hair, paint your chest. But if you're going to buy anything commemorating your teams playoff run in 2008 - we'd like you to think about the following.

If your team was lucky enough to win a wild card spot, we'd opt for the general playoff hoodie - rather than anything that says, "Wild Card" on it. The wild card gear sort of says, "Woo, my team came in second place," but it isn't the worst thing we've ever seen.

For the Cubbies, we like this gray hoodie.

If you're a Rays fan - congrats on your first postseason appearance. Go nuts. Forget the rules and celebrate. That said, we still hate any logo that makes us think of tuberculosis. We're fans of this t-shirt.

The Red Sox and Angels have some fun red colors that you can play with, going beyond the typical gray t-shirt or hoodie.

Quick tip: Much of the playoff gear made by Majestic looks high techie, but is actually cotton. Check to see if it is cotton or polyester (which won't shrink) and buy the right size accordingly.

Beer *or* Nobody Likes a Sloppy Sports Fan

Let's face it, one of the best reasons to go to a sporting event as an adult is to sit back and have a couple of beers.  Partly for this reason, I've loved day games ever since I became of age.  The sun is out, many people are playing hooky from work or school, and you can drink during the day - it is basically a magic formula for having a good time.  

The following is our guide to drinking at a sporting event without looking like a complete tool:

1. Start with a classy beer and drink it slowly.  By classy we mean higher quality.  Something that you can actually taste.  In newer ballparks you can find beers like Anchor Steam (San Francisco Giants) and Leinenkugel (Washington Nationals) somewhere in the stadium.  A local brew here is, of course, preferred.  Drink this beer slowly, preferably before the game while you walk around the stadium or relax in your seats. 

2. On a hot day, you don't have to be embarrassed to drink light beer at the ballpark.  Start off with something a bit classier, then feel free to move onto cheaper domestic, light brews.  

3. Certain beers just "go" with certain ballparks.  If you visit Wrigley Field, it is almost a sin not to drink an Old Style.  The St. Louis Cardinals play at Busch Stadium and Budweiser can't be missed.  Coors Field in Denver - um, yeah, you should probably have a Coors.  

All this being said, my friends and I have conducted a pretty complete "cheap beer taste test" and Miller Lite has consistently fallen to the bottom of the list.  Go with an MGD or Miller High Life when visiting the Brewer's stadium in Milwaukee.  

4. Have fun, but don't get out of control.  Having a couple of beers at a game is wonderful - but nothing makes you look like a bigger loser than getting out of control.  The mix of adrenaline and alcohol can have devastatingly uncool effects.  Fighting, screaming obscenities, and drooling on yourself are all enormous red flags to girls and potential new friends (surprising to learn, right?).  

Notes here and there:

With the news that the Mets will be relocating its AAA team from New Orleans to Buffalo - it might be time to pick up some new gear.  The Buffalo Bison's main logo is pretty lackluster, but their batting practice cap is fantastic.  

This New Orleans Pelicans shirt has me drooling.  Perfect broken in look, a bird and a baseball diamond.  This shirt is pretty much perfect for any baseball fan.  This shirt is a close second. 

It isn't often that you see Minor League teams offering the Majestic Therma Base Fleece, but the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers have one that looks sweet.  The squad has just switched its affiliation to the Milwaukee Brewers, so I'm sure some fans from the region will be looking to pick up some new gear.  

Well Dressed Sports Fan - Brilliant Baseball Mind?

Not so much.

So yeah, allow me to take a moment to assess my preseason baseball predictions. Some of them turned out to be decent predictions, but most of them were only effective in showing why I'm trying to become a historian rather than Buster Olney's replacement.

ALCS: Detroit Tigers over Anaheim Angles - I'm going to stick with my pick of the Anaheim Angles here, but I was WAY off about the Detroit Tigers. Man, talk about a disappointing season for a team absolutely stacked with talent.

AL Champs: Detroit Tigers - Um, yeah, dump this pick for the Angles and I look may have looked like I know something about baseball. I fully expect Torii Hunter and co. to make it to the Fall Classic.

NLCS: New York Mets over Chicago Cubs - In retrospect, this wasn't a bad preseason pick. The Cubs won the NL Central and the Mets are poised to make the playoffs this season. With Johan Santana leading the rotation, it will be tough to count these guys out. The midseason acquisition of Rich Harden really helps the Cubs. And who could have predicted the season Ryan Dempster would have this year? Man, I LOVE Canadians.

NL Champs: New York Mets - Could still happen. This lineup is pretty explosive and they have a fantastic ace. The Dodgers and Phillies are pretty dangerous too. Obviously, I want to see the Cubs rotation gel in the last week of the season so they can make a deep run.

World Series: New York Mets over Detroit Tigers - Again, replace the Detroilet Tigers with the Angles and I kind of look intelligent.

Prince Fielder is huge.

NL MVP: Prince Fielder - How is this guy an athlete? Albert Pujols is the clear pick for the NL MVP this season. Of course. Fielder has 33 home runs and 98 RBIs so far - a good season, no doubt, but he fell of the planet when his team really needed him down the stretch.

AL MVP: Joe Mauer (why not?) - in retrospect, this wasn't a terrible choice. .330 batting average with nearly 80 RBIs and 10 jacks. Not bad. Justin Morneau will get some MVP love - but I think he will just miss out (23 home runs and 128 rbis). Both guys have been pretty clutch all year for the Twinkies.

Oh hai. I'm Tim. I look 12.

NL Cy Young: Johan Santana. 14-7 isn't bad. But then Brandon Webb had a coming out party. He was 21-7 this season. Tim Lincecum, despite having a baby face, pitched like a grown man all season. Emily and I saw him pitch in D.C. - damn - sick.

AL Cy Young: C.C. Sabathia. This wasn't a bad pick. He was traded the the NL at mid-season so he won't be eligible for this award. He will get some consideration for the NL Cy Young despite having only pitched half the year there. BTW this guy is 6-7 and 290 lbs. Wowza.

My Sports Bucket List

The following are the top ten sports occurrences I would like to see in my lifetime.

10. The Minnesota Timberwolves become relevant again - For about a decade, the only reason to watch the T-Wolves was a player named Kevin Garnett.  The 6 foot 11 inch forward had a presence on the court that was worth paying admission to watch.  He dominated the game.  I was glued to the tube in 2004 when Garnett, Latrell Sprewell (famous for choking one of his coaches) and Sam Cassell (famous for having a head shaped like an alien) made a deep playoff run.  Since Garnett was traded to the Boston Celtics I have not watched a single NBA game from start to finish.  Shocking, I know.  I've never been a huge NBA basketball fan, but a decent team to follow would make it more interesting.  

9. Minnesota Wild win the Stanley Cup - I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a terribly invested hockey fan.  In fact, I'm probably the definition of a "bandwagon" fan. Sue me. I catch a few games throughout the year and I start watching the NHL regularly only when the playoffs begin.  Even then, I whine and complain about the playoffs lasting into the summer months. Nevertheless, the Stanley Cup is still the coolest trophy in all of sports and it would be great to watch a Minnesota team hoist it.  

8. Spring Training in Arizona - A few years back, I got a chance to see the Minnesota Twins play the Boston Red Sox in Spring Training in Florida.  My life basically hasn't been the same since. A dose of sunshine and baseball in late February and early March - what could be better? Going from red wine and cheese to beer and hotdogs with a side of suntan lotion?!  My god, I'm salivating just thinking about it.  

7. The World Baseball Classic - This international baseball tournament first took place three years ago.  My Grandfather (the year before he died), my Dad and I all got really into it. I happened to be home in Red Wing during the tournament and some of my last days with my Grandfather - who had become ill - were watching the tourny, munching on popcorn and drinking beer.  Ultimately, Japan defeated Cuba in the championship game.  I would love to watch a game in person next year when the tournament returns.  

6. I get a chance to play basketball against Barack Obama.  NO!  H-O-R-S-E.  I want to challenge Obama to a game of horse.  What can I say, the guy would no doubt kick my ass - but the commemorative DVD that the White House would give to me as a gift would make it all worthwhile.   

 

6b. The Minnesota Golden Gophers win the NCAA basketball tournament (without any subsequent major academic scandals surfacing).  

5. The Olympics in Chicago in 2016 - The city of Chicago is up for the 2016 Olympics.  While I tend to be much, much more interested in the winter olympics than the summer olympics, watching them take place in Chicago would be a huge treat.  

4. Minnesota Twins win another World Series in their new ballpark - When I was six years old, the Minnesota Twins won the World Series.  So technically, then, this is an event that has happened in my lifetime.  Unfortunately, my life has pretty much all gone downhill since that point.  After the Twinkies open up a new ballpark in 2010 - I would love to see them do it again.  Give their young pitching rotation a year or two to mature and these guys have a shot.  

3. Minnesota Vikings win the Super Bowl - Every year, I hype myself into thinking that the Vikes are going to be good this year.  Since the Randy Moss years, however, the Vikings have been middling at best.  I make time to watch every weekend, however, so I'm certainly more than a casual fan.  Three years ago, the Vikings became almost unbearable to watch.  Then, after the defense was finally able to turn it around, the team drafted rookie sensation Adrian Peterson.  Peterson has quickly become   

2. California Golden Bears go to the Rose Bowl - unlike many of the other sports occurrences I am hoping for in my lifetime, a trip to the Rose Bowl would make me happy regardless of the outcome.  Watching a college football game on New Year's Day with great interest, being a part of the Rose Bowl, being arrested in Pasadena for drunk and disorderly conduct - none of these things I've been lucky enough to do.  The last time the Bears went to the Rose Bowl was 1959. The last time they won was 1938. 

 

2b. Minnesota Golden Gophers go to the Rose Bowl - see ramblings above. Oh, and the last time Goldy made it to the Rose Bowl was 1962 (they defeated UCLA).  

1. Chicago Cubs win the World Series - In the summer of 1997, my family and I moved from the city where I was born, St. Paul, to the town where I grew up, Red Wing.  I spent the summer rollerblading - yes, rollerblading - and wishing I had friends.  After a couple of days of banal teenage angst, I discovered the Chicago Cubs on WGN.  A few years later, I moved to Chicago and spent most of my off days at Wrigley Field.  After a nearly a couple of years living on and off in Chicago, I was firmly hooked.  I now follow the Cubs with interest every year - this year probably more than ever.  It has been 100 years since the Cubs last won the World Series. Just getting to the Fall Classic is a feat they haven't accomplished since 1945.  These guys find a new way to break your heart every year.  This year offers more than a few reasons to get excited - but don't hold your breath!  

If all of these ten things happen in my lifetime, I could die a happy man.  I better putin my request to Obama's people now.  

Things noted here and there: 

I'll have an upcoming post focus on baseball divisional championship gear later this week.  The Angles have already clinched the AL West and the Cubs are on their way to . . . well, I won't say it.  Here is what the Cubs divisional championship hat looked like last year.  I might end up snagging a Majestic 2008 Central Division Champs t-shirt if it winds up happening.  

I think I'm in love with this 1939 Chattanooga Lookouts jersey.  This style of crushed hat from The Franchise has really grown on me.  Finally, this Montreal Royals jacket would make me look awesome.  Just sayin'. 

How to Host a Monday Night Football Party

The 2008-2009 regular season of Monday Night Football (MNF) kicks off this evening and I couldn't be more excited to host a "shindig".  

The art of hosting a MNF party, however, is in many ways totally different from hosting a Super Bowl viewing party.  For one, MNF is, for many of us, on a "school night".  It isn't the same as the quasi-national holiday of the Super Bowl.  Most of us have to go to bed a decent time, without having consumed to many adult beverages so that we might drag ourselves into work on Tuesday morning.  For me, the key to a great MNF viewing party is a chill, low-key atmosphere.  This isn't playoff football here, people.  No need to get all crazy.  

Here are some tips to hosting the perfect Monday Night Football get together. 

-Despite the fact that John Madden no longer annoys the viewers of MNF with his blabbering, television commentary for most sporting events continues to be pretty pointless.  Keep the volume low so that people who are so interested in the game can carry a conversation.  Invite a mix of football and non-football fans.  Your favorite team will probably only be featured on MNF once or twice over the course of the season.  If you make this a regular thing, focus mainly on keeping your guests happy.  Is there enough beer and chips on the table?  

-Grab a Heineken Light mini keg.  The novelty of a mini-keg is cool for any party and the imported light beer will satisfy most beer drinkers.  Here is an added tip, buy a plastic pitcher and put it in a bowl surrounded by ice.  Pump out the foamy beer from the keg into the pitcher and let it settle before pouring.   

-Because your team will probably only make one appearance on MNF this season, make your viewing party a celebration of all things football.  Grab a couple of football themed glasses, napkins and bowls this week at the story, and consider hanging a vintage jersey from the wall in your tv room.  

-If your team is playing, especially on an away week, expect a higher turnout than usual and be prepared with additional food and drink.  

-If you're going to a MNF viewing party, the same rule applies as with the Super Bowl, you are allowed to wear a jersey from your favorite team, even if they aren't playing that evening.  Here is an important tip however - don't go overboard.  Vikings fans, leave the horns at home unless Minnesota is actually playing in the game.  

-If all else fails, wear a well broken in vintage t-shirt from any sport. 

Have fun and enjoy the game! 

What to Wear: Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox have one of the most dedicated and hardcore franchises in all of professional sports.  They also have one of the most recognizable hats in all of Major League Baseball.  Once the Red Sox finally pulled off a World Series victory after an 86 year long drought - it seemed as though every sports fan in the Northeast was somehow required to purchase one of these on the field caps (and if you did happen to buy one of those 5950 caps, be sure to check out our post on breaking them in). Even if you had never watched a full Red Sox game in your life - you suddenly had an uncle, who had a cousin, who lived right in the heart of the city. Or something.  

Longtime Red Sox fans must feel like serious wine drinkers after the movie Sideways came out. Smothered by newbie fans who suddenly think they are some kind of experts.  The crushing throng has only increased with the addition of popular Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka - making the fanbase increasingly international.

With so much Red Sox gear available, and so many newbie fans, how can you manage to look like a cool fan - instead of some crazed idiot who over does it?  Whether your at Fenway, or just watching the games at home this post is all about how to be a well dressed Boston Red Sox fan.

For as much crap as I give some of my friends who follow the Red Sox about the growing number of bandwagon Red Sox caps I seem to see on a daily basis - the iconic Boston Red Sox hat really does look pretty darn good.  Unlike the Yankees hat, it has a little color, but it doesn't clash with most guy attire.  If you're going to a game; we recommend topping it off with the team's red alternate jersey or outerwear jacket.  The logos here don't duplicate - instead, they compliment each other.  

Quick Tip: We recommend - as with most sports apparel - that you wear only one item of your favorite team unless you are actually going to the game or going out to watch it on tv. Stock up on standard colored polos or pocket t-shirts and top it off with your favorite hat if you're going for the casual look.  For playoff runs - we expect that all bets will be off.   

If you want to opt for something a bit different, check out this 1890 Boston Beaneaters t-shirt - which would go well with a kelly green Red Sox hat.  The Beaneaters' home jersey makes more sense to wear with a cap bearing the Red Sox standard colors (extra points for a throwback with a collar).  

I've also noticed a lot of fans wearing business suits to games at Fenway.  Trust me, I respect the fact that you came to the game straight from work - I get it.  But seriously, I don't want to hear your complain three rows back when you spill ketchup on your threads. Why not buy an extra hoodie to leave at work?  If you're invited to Fenway after closing time, grab the hoodie on your way out.  Ditch your suit coat and put the hoodie on instead.