The Well Dressed Sports Fan

How To Clean A Jersey

2009-10-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Do you have any tips for cleaning your favorite jersey? Do you hand wash? Use shout wipes? Take it to the dry cleaner? Run it through the washing machine?

We're curious to hear. E-mail us at welldressedsportsfan@gmail.com

We'll post some of the best tips we receive in the coming weeks.

Jersey Frames

2009-09-22T06:42:00.000-07:00

Last night, the Well Dressed Sports Girlfriend and I went to a sports bar. I drag her to a lot of sports bars. Thankfully, she happens to like beer and is willing to put up with watching a few games on the weekend. This said, we do end up spending a fair amount of money on the weekends, watching the three football teams I follow. I've thought about creating that sports bar feel at home, without making the place look cheesy or cheap.

The place to start may just be with a few classy looking jersey wall hangings. The best jersey wall hangings, in my opinion, are clean, new or unused throwback jerseys. Those jerseys can be expensive, so we'd like to offer a tip on how to display them in an inexpensive manner.

Check out this company, Ultra Mount. The mounts are inexpensive compared to other company's displays and they look nice. When the jersey seems out of date on the wall, you can either wait it out until the thing becomes throwback, or replace the jersey with your favorite rookie.

Throw in a few comfortable chairs, an extra beer frigde, and a large TV, and you're well on you way to setting up an at home sports bar.

Should you be wearing that jersey, anyway?

2009-08-31T14:13:00.001-07:00

One San Francisco Chronicle author has an amusing take on whether or not you should be wearing that jersey or not. It all depends on your age, really. Take this quick quiz at the bottom of this article and find out if you should donate that jersey.

Minnesota Wild Third Jersey Leaked

2009-08-26T07:19:00.001-07:00

Icethetics has leaked the Minnesota Wild's new alternate jersey. This is the first Minnesota Wild jersey I've actually liked. The red and green of their first three uniforms could only remind me of Christmas. And sure, the NHL season overlaps with the month of December, but nothing prevents me from getting over my Holiday Season Hangover more than seeing bright Santa colors in mid-April.

Should I Buy That New Favre Jersey?

2009-08-21T11:07:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, I offered the following advice, wait until the ink is dry on that Brett Favre contract to buy a jersey. Well, after another retirement head fake, Favre has finally signed with the Vikings and he did end up sticking with the number four.

So - should you click your way over to NFL.com to buy that new Favre jersey? The short answer? It depends.

The longer answer? It depends on how often you wear jerseys. I'm the type of guy that only wears jerseys on gameday. When Sunday rolls around in the fall, I already have my Adrian Peterson jersey - so why would I drop another pretty penny on a player that will likely only be around for one season. Let's say you find a deal on eBay and buy a jersey for $70 with shipping and handling. If you only wear it during regular season and playoff games that works out to about $3.50 per wear. Now let's say Adrian Peterson sticks around in the league and with the Vikings for another four years (a fairly conservative estimate). The same jersey would cost you maybe $0.97 per wear.

Let me boil it down for you to a simple NFL jersey philosophy. Don't waste your hard earned cash on jerseys of grizzled free agent veterans or brand new rookies. Wait until you team drafts a player that has a breakout rookie season, then buy a jersey before year two. That way, you'll have a jersey of a great player and you'll be able to wear it for the longest amount of time.

Mailbox: Small or Large, Poly or Wool 5950s?

2009-07-25T13:09:00.000-07:00

Hi there, my name is Thad and I am a fan of your blog, in particular your post about breaking in a New Era 5950. I recently purchased one that is Polyester, unlike my previous Wool one. My old wool one was a little snugger, and took a long time to fit in, but is just right now. My new one is a little looser, hoping that would be ok/more comfortable. I guess my overall question for you is: is it better for the new polyester New Era's to fit a little tighter or looser? Thanks a lot.

Hey Thad! I'll answer this e-mail rather briefly because I've recently just purchased a great hat while thinking about these issues. I should add that wearing a hat that is too small gives me a headache.

I tend to favor hats that are a little loose at first and polyester. The material breathes better and lasts longer and will not become too tight over time. Also, you can use some of our poly specific techniques for shaping the dome. The hats will naturally fit to your head a bit over time, not as much as their wool cousins, but just enough to conform to your head if you wear the hat enough.

Best of luck and thanks for reading!

My Advice on that new Favre Jersey?

2009-07-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

Will Brett Favre being signing with the Minnesota Vikings in the coming days? It is certainly looking like a strong possibility. So, should you buy that new Favre jersey so you can be the first one on the block with what is sure to be the NFL's top selling jersey this year?

My advice? I'd wait.

Remember that Randy Moss changed his number. Joe Montana changed his number. Brett Favre might want to wipe the slate clean after a disappointing finish in New York.

John David Booty - the QB way down on the Vikings depth chart - does happen to sport the same number as his idol, Favre. Booty would likely give up the number to Favre, if asked, but Brett may be looking to sport a new number with a new, rival team.

On the other hand, maybe you could make money on a #4 jersey in a few years. Forty years from now this stuff could be worth a lot if Favre chooses to stay retired.

So close and yet so far . . . USA Soccer Edition

2009-06-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

Celebrating the US' recent arrival on the international soccer stage?! No? We aren't either. But if we were, we'd be sporting their white home jersey.

Ever see someone wearing a random jersey?

2009-06-27T10:55:00.000-07:00

We love it when people wear obscure, old jerseys of players who never made an impact for your favorite team? We thought you might. Check out this website.

Cal Game Day T-shirt

2009-06-26T16:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peak - pre-order it here. I like this one more than the last couple of seasons.

Would you wear a gameday shirt like this for your favorite football team? Let us know at welldressedsportsfan@gmail.com

We have a Twitter Account . . . Just Like Everyone Else

2009-06-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Lauren Conrad and Bill Paxton

2009-06-24T12:47:00.000-07:00

I showed The Well Dressed Sports Girlfriend a few pictures of Lauren Conrad and Bill Paxton throwing out the first pitch at recent baseball games. This is what she had to say . . .

Lauren:
It's no secret that pigtails annoy me. I understand that long, straight hair can be a fashion nightmare for the well dressed female sports fan, but that still doesn't excuse the trying-too-hard pigtail look. And it especially doesn't excuse the weird lion mane pigtail ends. Apparently L-Con's hairdresser got bored of braiding halfway through. He should be fired.

Pigtails aside, though, this is a B effort outfit. I don't love what looks like a black long sleeved shirt under the white jersey. The jersey is also a little big. I know form-fitting isn't exactly what jerseys are about, but if you've got a body like hers you might as well show it off a little.
Finally, the hat and jersey combo is a little much even if she is a die-hard fan. In my opinion, L-Con could have really wowed the crowd with a simple (form fitting) Dodgers t-shirt paired with the hat. And don't forget the sporty ponytail to top it off.

Bill:
Good old Bill has the look down. His jersey fits well: most importantly he's not swimming in it. It's also a nice crisp white without looking brand new. His jeans are appropriately day-of-the-game boring without being unflattering.

And he's refrained from too much additional Dodgers swag, adorning his look only with a manly wristwatch. His look is the epitome of good dad and approachably handsome fan. But next time, Bill, bring some Oakleys. There's nothing sexy about retinal damage.

Midyear Sports Predictions - June 2009

2009-06-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

Chicago Cubs - It is fair to say that the Chicago Cubs have underperformed this season. They've been plagued by injuries, bullpen woes and a lack of timely hitting.

Best Case: They right the ship, realize they are only 2.5 games down in a winnable division, get healthy and make a run into the postseason. They get through at least one playoff season this year.

Worst Case: They struggle throughout the year, but keep it close enough just to break the lil' Cubbie blue hearts of Cubs fans everywhere. They spend money to sign aged vet Pedro Martinez, which flops. And to top it all off, they end the season without completing the sale of the team from the penny pinching Tribune Company.

Most probable: I think this team still has a reasonable shot of winning the division this season. They have the pieces, they will likely get a few parts back from the DL soon, and may add to the roster at the trade deadline. I highly doubt they make a run at the World Series this year, and if they make another first round exit, I wonder if it isn't time to blow this team up and try to hit the reset button with some new young prospects.

Minnesota Twins - The Twins sit a few games behind Detroit in the AL Central.

Best Case: The Twins do have a young, exciting team this season. If they can add a bullpen arm or two to get them to All Star closer Joe Nathan, they have a chance at winning a few more games down the stretch. Joe Mauer continues his superhuman hitting and wins both the batting title and MVP.

Worst Case: The team fades, young pitchers can't hold it together in the second half of the season and Detroit walks away with the AL Central.

Most probable: I'd say this team has about a 50-50 shot of winning the division. If they do make it into the postseason, they could win a series against Texas or the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but probably not the Yankees or Boston. At they very least, there should be optimism for Twins fans - they have a young team and a new ballpark opening next season.

Minnesota Vikings - The Vikings were 10-6 last season with two very, very average quarterbacks running the offense. This offseason, they drafted some rookies that will help right away and are looking to sign future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre. Favre is known for his cannon arm and reckless abandon on the gridiron. For him to have success with the Vikings he will simply need to stretch the field slightly to keep defenses honest for Minnesota's already strong backfield.

Best Case: With Favre, a record of 11-5 or a repeat of 10-6 is possible. Don't put me in the category of Vikings fans worshiping at the alter of Brett quite yet, but I think with a healthy arm he can still play. The Vikings would have to ask Favre to rely on the run more than he did in the first ten weeks of last season, and in this scenario Percy Harvin - the Vikings new wideout - shreds offenses forces to play up against Minnesota's potent running attack. Without Favre, I still see as many as 9 wins. Sidney Rice could become the red zone threat that he has shown himself capable of becoming. Adrian Peterson could be an MVP candidate.

Worst Case: Brett Favre signs, then re-aggravates his arm and drags the team down by throwing interceptions late in the season. Vikings lose to Packers in both games, and muster splits with Detroit and Chicago. They miss the postseason despite sky-high preseason expectations.

Most probable: This is tough to call. I think they will sign Favre, boosting both TV ratings and ticket sales. It will be a two way race for the division between the Bears and Vikings. Though I like that scenario for the Vikings, they haven't made it to the Super Bowl since I've been alive and they've never won.

California Golden Bears Football - California has been knocking on the glass ceiling HARD the last few seasons, but they just haven't been able to break through. Last year they were 9-4 and were rewarded with a trip to the Emerald Bowl in which they defeated Miami in one of the highest rated mid-range bowl games last season. But let's not pretend that fans of the Golden Bears were perfectly satisfied with the performance. It seems like every season the Bears, led by coach Jeff Tedford, lose one game they shouldn't and fall to USC. Pundits have also predicted Oregon to rise to the top of the Pac-10 for the past several seasons, despite falling to Cal in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Best Case: Cal could be a BCS bowl contender this season, but they have to limit themselves to just one or two losses - and they can't lose to both USC and Oregon. Kevin Riley, a junior this season, should be an upgrade over graduating Nate Longshore. Longshore, despite giving Cal fans some great memories, actually saw his completion percentage decline every season he played. Running back Jahvid Best stays healthy all season and competes for the Heisman Trophy (something Marshawn Lynch, DeSean Jackson, et. al. couldn't quite do).

Worst Case: Riley doesn't progress, Best gets nicked up, and the Bears lose to USC, Oregon and Minnesota getting yet another invite to the second place bowl.

Most probable: I'm optimistic about the Golden Bears this season. I think they take a step forward and USC takes a step back without newly minted New York Jet Mark Sanchez. The big tests will come early. Weeks 3-6 could be fantastic or tough (at Minnesota, at Oregon, USC, then at UCLA - a possible letdown game).

Minnesota Golden Gophers Football:

Best Case: A repeat of last year's success. Last year, I was hoping the Gophers would win 4 games after their dismal 2007 season. Instead, they won 7 games last season and were rewarded with a trip to the Insight Bowl. They drew a tough matchup in their bowl game (Kansas). People have, for years, predicted the Gophers would wind up in the lowliest of postseason games - the Motor City Bowl. Thankfully, they've nearly always managed to squeak into slightly more desirable bowl games. This season, however, any bowl appearance would be a great finish to a really tough looking schedule.

Worst Case: 4-8. I see them beating South Dakota State and Air Force for sure, after that it is anyone's guess.

Most probable: No matter what happens to the Gophers this season on the field, they will be opening up a new stadium, bringing football back to the University of Minnesota campus. That's a plus. Recruiting will likely improve over the next couple of seasons and the team is loaded with young talent.

Mauer Power Shirt From Sportscrack

2009-06-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

Our friends at Sportscrack have given us a new item to lust after, this fantastic Joe Mauer t-shirt. Check it out here.

Ever wonder how they choose which uniforms to wear?

2009-06-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever pondered how baseball teams pick which uniform combination to wear? The Minneapolis Star Tribune gives us a look inside the Minnesota Twins clubhouse, showing how the starting pitcher selects the uniform combination for the game.

Check it out here.

Other teams in the majors have similar methods for picking the uniform for the day. For the Chicago Cubs, Ryan Dempster tends to wear the home pinstripes or the gray away unis, and Carlos Zambrano chooses the blue alternate tops whether he is pitching home or away.

Not lining up for that Bengals jersey?!

2009-06-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

According to ProFootballTalk.com, Chad Ochocinco's (formerly Chad Johnson) jerseys aren't exactly flying off the shelves. In fact, they haven't even cracked the top 100 jerseys on NFL.com. Look for that to change if Ochocinco starts racking up huge stats like he did a couple of years ago. We're not exactly surprised that people aren't buying these things. They look like garbage and are based off some egomaniacal pricks joke that went stale over a year ago.

Maybe, just maybe, if Reebok hadn't forced him to wear the Johnson jersey at the start of last year these things would sell better.

Breaking in the bill of a new 5950 hat

2009-06-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

While I don't intend to turn this webpage into a blog just about hats, our posts about breaking in New Era 59Fifty caps bring in the greatest number of hits. I've received a couple of e-mails about how to break and "curve" the bill of caps, so I thought I'd offer a few tips in a simple post.

As we've discussed before, not everyone likes to curve the bill of their cap. Some caps, including the official MLB spring training hats, come pre-curved. But what if you like the look of the official on the field 5950 - but would like to curve the bill just right? We're here to help.

I'd like to divide this post up into two sections. First, I'd like to talk about a product called Perfect Curve. Then, I'll talk about how you can break in a cap without Perfect Curve.

Perfect Curve's cap curver is a product I purchased at Lids a couple of years ago. On sunny days, I like to wear sunglasses with my hat, so I prefer a subtle curve, giving the sunglasses room under the bill. First I put on the cap and the sunglasses I plan to wear with them. Then I curve the bill using my hand to the desired position. Then I adjust the perfect curve to the setting where my bill has been curved. Leave the hat in the perfect curve for a couple of days, and you're set.

Without a product like Perfect Curve, you can achieve the desired effect using thick rubber bands. For an extreme curve (which I used to prefer), I've used cups or mugs and tied rubber bands around the bill. You'll find curving the bill like this tends to make the dome of the cap stick up less - a common problem for people wearing the 5950. I don't recommend curving the bill more sharply than you intend to wear it. Instead, be patient, let it sit for a couple of days.

We've talked about 5950's a lot on this blog. If it is your first time here, check out these other posts. Here, here, here, and here. And don't forget to bookmark our main page. While you're at it, would you be a doll and visit our sponsors? We promise to love you forever.

Top Five Minor League Hats

2009-06-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite pastimes is perusing Minor League apparel. With so many teams to choose from (240 teams are affiliated with the MLB) it is hard not to find team logos that suit your fancy. Minor league hats offer a way to switch it up from your favorite MLB team logo, or give you a way to just do something a bit different. Some Minor League hats are a little trickier to find than others - but we've brought together five logos that we love for this post. I think the rule for making a great minor league logo is to take something that isn't normally that menacing and turn it into something you become a little bit scared of. We've gone beyond the Cougars, Lions, Tigers and Bears in this post and found some more amusing logos.

If you're a Milwaukee Brewers fan, you have to check out this Helena Brewers hat. From my knowledge of watching old western films as a kid, I was surprised to learn they had beer in Montana. Turns out, they have a lot of beer in Montana.

The Ceder Rapids Kernal's hat is at once the ugliest and most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life. Unlike the aforementioned Brewers, I knew they had corn in Iowa.

I'm straight up in love with this baby blue Myrtle Beach Pelicans hat. Something about an angry looking, awkward, Pelican just does it for me.

The Portland Sea Dogs, a AA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, have long had popular minor league hats. If you're a fan of the city of Portland or of the Red Sox, wearing this lid would be a great way to switch it up a bit.

And our favorite minor league hat? Its hard not to like a team with a cowboy raccoon stealing a baseball as its logo. We will go with the Quad Cities River Bandits.

Care to dispute our choices? E-mail us at welldressedsportsfan@gmail.com

Mailbag: Cap Surgery

2009-05-29T21:38:00.000-07:00

Reader Michael recently sent us a fantastically detailed note about his experimentation in cap surgery.

Hello,

After purchasing a New Era 5950 Stars and Stripes Phillies Hat, I tried a few of the suggested tips in your blog but I got impatient and decided to perform a "cap surgery" and remove the mesh from the crown. I should note that I practiced on an older adjustable New Era hat with the same mesh but I was successful both time using this method.

First, find a small safety pin and open it. Locate an inconspicuous area ( I used the top of the crown near the button on the top of the hat. Gently work the safety pin through the mesh without piercing the front of the cap ( this seem to be hard to do and even if you did it wouldn't hurt the cap much. Once you get the pin through the mesh, twist it gently two or three times. This will open up a small hole and snap some of the black plastic threads. Do this a few more times to open a hole big enough for a pen. Grab a smooth rounded pen, such as a Bic Stick and gently work it under the mesh. The purpose of this is to separate the mesh from the small dots of glue that hold it to the front of the hat. Once you have done this, use the pen as a guide to keep the polyester material of the hat away from the mesh. Use sharp kitchen shears for best results. Once you trim enough mesh and plastic away you can make smaller touch up cuts. This process will make your hat much more relaxed, similar to the style of Twins 47 Franchise hats ( which I own and love). I am hoping to get some cap cleaner and get rid of the glue, although it hasn't been a problem so far. I hope this can help readers.

Preview: 2009 All Star Game

2009-05-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

All-Star game balloting has begun. Every year, we suggest pretty much the same thing when it comes to All-Star gear. If you're a fan of the team that is hosting, now is the time to load up on some unique gear. If you're not really a St. Louis Cardinal fan, however, you probably won't fall in love with the color scheme of the uniforms coming out for this year's game.

On the other hand, if you happen to be a Cardinals fan, this is your year. The All-Star Game logo looks great this year and Majestic has come up with some great shirts already.

We can't really get excited about shorts, unless you plan on buying a pair from your alma matter and wearing them to the gym periodically.

If you're a Cardinals fan and you want something a bit different to pair with a standard jersey when going to a game, how about this hat?

The problem with buying All-Star gear when your team isn't hosting is that we rarely remember where the game was held five years ago - making commemorating the event with a shirt or hat seem a bit ridiculous. If your team does host, however, odds are you'll remember the event and want some sort of keepsake.

Have fun voting!

Best hats of all time?

2009-05-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

Our friends at Uni Watch feature an interesting discussion of their favorite baseball hats of all time. I agree with most of their assessments on a kitsch level, but some of these hats would look a bit geeky on a fan. Personally, I think the Pirates pillbox hat screams dork. On the other hand, the old school Cubs and Montreal Expos caps look great.

Can most of us agree that the 1990s weren't exactly the best of times for hat design?

Hat tip.

Mailbag: Low Crown 5950?

2009-05-07T11:16:00.000-07:00

Reader Richard asks,

Guys, just read your oven tip for breaking in the 5950 hats. I'll give it a shot. I have a big head to begin with so these hats look particularly silly on me if they aren't broken in. But here's the million dollar question (literally). Why haven't they released a 5950 hat that is broken in already, or sloped in the front. I think they are missing a huge opportunity here. Millions would buy it (I think). It can still be fitted, and look like the real deal, but broken in with the plastic support already broken it. Am I wrong? They have dozens of hat designs, I'm shoked New Era hasn't thought of this.

Great question, Richard. New Era used to make something quite similar to what you are talking called "low crown" hats. You can find references to them when you Google the term, "low crown 5950" but I haven't seen one available in stores for years.

Perhaps we should start an angry petition?!

Edit: Believe it or not, we get a lot of e-mails about this post. We've heard good feedback from people heading in this direction for MLB low crown 5950 hats. Also, New Era claims to be releasing new low crown 5950s soon. Any further tips would be appreciated! Finally, please visit our sponsors to keep this site alive!

Mailbag: Molding a Wool 59Fifty Hat

2009-04-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

Reader Chris writes:

I am an avid purchaser of hats. Usually just a few different teams (primarily the Atlanta Braves). I recently purchased my first two 59/50 hats. One is wool and one is poly. I've read your site on the suggestions of how to mold/shape them my head and more to my liking. The poly doesn't seem overly complicated with the hairdryer technique and I will try that asap. However, the wool kind of confuses me. I've seen tons of suggestions and methods. The most one that seems the most effective I have read about is soaking it in warm water then putting it on your head. My question is, do you put the whole hat into the warm water? Will this hurt the logo?

Thanks for the question, Chris! You've anticipated the major line of my suggestions in your e-mail. There are, as you mention, a ton of suggestions on how to shape wool 5950 hats. They range from the fairly loony - wearing your hat in the shower, to the more subtle - wear it on a hot day. Both of these suggestions come from somewhere, however, the desire to shrink the excess materials around the hat.

My suggestion is like the one Chris mentions - shape the wool hats with warm water. Unlike our earlier suggestions about the new polyester caps (you can check on the MLB 5950s - if the underbill is grey you have an older wool cap and if it is black you have one of the newer polyester caps). With the polyester techniques, I've mainly focused on shaping the wire mesh in the front of the cap that keeps it firm.

The warm water sounds fairly simple, but there are some tricks to it. Turn your cap over for a moment. Do you see the light on the other side poking through those nice little ventilation holes? Here is what I suggest doing. First, take some water and put it on the stove and make it warm. It is incredibly important that you don't bring the water to a boil or make it too hot - you don't want to burn your head. Make the water warm, give it a moment to cool off, and hold the hat above a clean sink. Slowly pour the water in a circle through those little ventalation holes. It is important that you avoid letting the hat touch the logo in the front or the MLB logo in the back so that you avoid allowing the colors to run.

Once you've got the hat warm and wet, put it on your head and hold it close to your dome. Though your girlfriend won't like you very much for the next few minutes - you'll smell like a wet dog - she'll eventually like the fat that your hat looks far less goofy.

Hope this helps. Feel free to e-mail us with more questions!

Change Up 59Fifty

2009-04-20T17:37:00.001-07:00

What would happen if you had a hat with velcro on the logo - so you could change it depending on your mood? A natural disaster would happen, that's what would happen.

An interesting idea appears to be poorly executed. I get the idea of the "fashion" caps, but I am typically not a fan of fashion caps in these weird colors. I get camo, the American flag logo, all black, or throwback - but changing up the colors just for the heck of it is kind of confusing to me. Changing the logos to go with it? Recipe for epic sports fashion disaster.

I also understand why New Era wouldn't want to do something like this for on the field alternate caps - because doing so would probably result in fewer cap sales. Count on this trend to die a speedy death.

Top Ten MLB Jerseys for 2009

2009-04-11T16:36:00.000-07:00

1. Milwaukee Brewers - For as much as this pains me to say this as a Cubs fan - the Brewers have sick uniforms, a cool team name and a great cap design. As a beer drinker, the solid blue cap with the grain below it is pretty freakin' awesome and its kind of a wonder you don't see more people outside of the midwest wearing it. This blue jersey has a cool color scheme and is less offensive than the stupid glove logo they wore in the 1980s (alright Brewers fans, lemme have it, I know you love that crappy design).

2. Boston Red Sox Alternate - Boston did a really nice job with the redesign of their new alternate jerseys. They aren't overwhelming and jerseys get extra points for having a city name instead of the team name (typically their away jerseys).

3. Chicago Cubs - This jersey is much cooler when customized. The simple grey is a bit drab initially, but with a red number on the front and back - it looks pretty cool. It also offers a contrast to all those white pinstripe jerseys you see Cubs fans wearing.

4. Pittsburgh Pirates - I'm a big fan of the classic look on current jerseys and Pittsburgh's road uniform does this pretty darn well.

5. Minnesota Twins - The Twins will be wearing this uni to commemorate their last season in the 'dome. I think the powder blue jersey actually wears better - but this is still a sweet throwback.

6. Kansas City Royals - This picture makes this Royals jersey look like a dress, but this is a potentially pretty cool jersey. A number of teams have color schemes of blue and white - like the Royals or Dodgers. The Dodgers uniforms look cool on baseball players, but I've always thought they look a little drab on fans.

7. Baltimore Orioles - Baltimore has added the flag of the state of Maryland to their sleeve this year, which I think is a really cool touch. Since I think most of their hats are pretty lame, I would go with the jersey (exception to the old bird designs of the 1960s).

8. Atlanta Braves - I'm really tired of Atlanta's "blacked out" look with their dark navy caps. Make a choice people, is it navy or black. Let's add a bit of spice to our lives with a solid red jersey here.

9. Philadelphia Phillies - This classic looking jersey is screaming up my list of favorite jerseys. Like the Giants jersey below, I love the fact that they went with a classic cream colored alternate than just another white design. This jersey looks sweet.

10. San Francisco Giants - Typically, I'd mock orange and black as Halloween colors. Obviously, they are - and at first I thought this jersey was pretty lame. Recently, however, I've come around. As you'll see in this top-ten list, I'm not a huge fan of solid white jerseys - so the off-white color here makes the jersey look more classic.

So what do you think? Did we mess up? What are your top ten favorite jerseys? E-mail us at welldressedsportsfan (at) gmail.com

Reviewing the 2009 NFL Draft Hats

2009-04-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

The NFL Draft is in two weeks, but each team has already released their draft hat - the hat the selected players put on when they are photographed with their new teams jersey. Some of these hats are fantastic and others . . . well, let's just say we've got some duds in there. You can pick up your team's hat here.

Atlanta Falcons - At first, I was a pretty big fan of this hat. I've cooled on it a little, only because it is a bit too shiny to wear everyday - but this hat would go well with a black Falcons jersey - unless it is Michael Vick.

Seattle Seahawks - This hat looks like a kindergartner or one of John McCain's staffers threw up all over it. I guess this hat is supposed to go with Seattle's new alternate jersey, but it mainly gives me a headache. Wow.

San Diego Chargers - I really like the old school powder blue Chargers jersey and I'm pumped they've brought the look back. This hat is pretty cool, but if you're going with a throwback design, you might as well go with a throwback looking "relaxed fit" hat instead of a shiny techie looking hat like this. As you've seen with Seattle, however, you could make a far worse choice.

Minnesota Vikings - Again, I like to wear hats that you can wear everyday. That's why the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox hats are so popular - subtle navy with a white or red accent. Purple and yellow with stripes, on the other hand? Not so subtle. I think most of these hats could be worn with a jersey - this one would go well with the Vikings white away jersey - but wouldn't look so great for everyday use.

Houston Texans - This hat is pretty similar to the Atlanta Falcons hat. Pretty good color scheme, not too overwhelming.

Carolina Panthers - The Carolina Panthers logo is just so painfully 1990s. The neon teal color scheme is not unlike the Jacksonville Jaguars - which entered the league at the same time. And lest we forget, the 1990s also witnessed the expansion of the Florida Panthers hockey team - so that decade couldn't even pick an original team name. And color scheme? Remember the San Jose Sharks? If you're a Panthers hat, go with a black jersey and hat.

Finally! MLB Season is here! Gear up for 2009.

2009-04-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

Opening Week. There is nothing quite like it in sports. Optimism reigns and everyone is confident that their team will be this season's cinderella story. MLB.com is offering a few deals this week on new gear for this spring.

A few thoughts on the new gear.

This shirt is fairly amusing (though ringer shirts are kind of, "I was in high school in 1999.") - but did you really have to call it the "silver fox"? Really?! My Dad is a silver fox, I don't want my shirt to be one too.

I'm a big fan of the new Majestic MLB Authentic Collection. The quality of the stuff Majestic has been making has improved by leaps and bounds over the past few years. They used to be Fila - now they are Under Armour.

Check out jackets like this if you call yourself a hipster. But you probably don't call yourself a hipster.

You can save $20 by picking up a vintage shirt from a used clothing store instead of this. That said, this is pretty damn cool.

Shiny+purple = lame.

The White Sox are planning to release a new hat as a tribute to President Obama.

Finally, it is probably cold this week where you are. Grab one of these before going to your first chilly outdoor game.

Happy baseball season everyone! Have fun!

Mailbag: Stretching out a 5950?

2009-03-29T16:45:00.000-07:00

Reader DJ asks:

I just bought a brand new 5950 fitted MLB hat (size 7-1/4) and while it looks good, it's a bit too tight on my forehead. I used to have an old wool fitted hat at the same size and it seemed to be the right size. But the new hat leaves a little bit of a red line on my forehead after I take it off. If I go to the next size up (7-3/8) it's way too big.

Any idea on how I can stretch-out and loosen my hat a little bit?

Well Dressed Sports Guy also wears a 7 1/4 and has also thought about going a size up. We're like twins. New Era might not like to admit this, but their sizing can be a bit off from time to time. People who have purchased a lot of hats over the years know that not every hat of the same size wears the exact same. The rule of thumb with the old, wool hats used to be to just get a hat a size too large because, heck, you can always shrink it to fit your dome.

I searched for about three months to find an Iowa Cubs hat (the Chicago Cubs AAA affiliate). When I finally got it, the damn thing was too small.

For DJs problem specifically, I might try working in the hat a bit more by sweating in it (wear it to the gym or whatever). I'd also consider curving the bill a bit - when I get new hats they tend to irritate the front of my forehead until they are more broken in and loosened up.

There are a few things you can do to loosen new 5950s that have varying degrees of severity and will offer you limited success. I'm all ears for other suggestions from readers that I'd be happy to post.

1.) The first is the most basic and the least dangerous. Depending on the exact model, the inside of your hat will have three or four labels in the back (on the sweatband - the size of the heat, the New Era logo and the MLB or MILB logos). If you only wear the hat forward, you can just slice out those labels, giving you a fraction of an inch more space. If you frequently wear your hat backwards - this might itch a little - so make sure to cut the whole label out. If you

turn the sweatband inside out - you'll notice there is some labels and more stitching in there. You can carefully remove that as well.

2.) A little more severe is to cut out some of the sweatband on the inside to save space. I cut squares on each side of the cap to save a bit of space sometimes.

3.) You can also cut a small line on the side of the hat, right behind your ear, stretching it out. Visually, this kind of drives me nuts - but if you're not going to wear the hat otherwise, this can do the trick. The higher you slice up the side of the hat, the more room you'll have. I'd only use this as a last resort.

I'll leave it up to the readers to e-mail more suggestions!

Dear Joba Chamberlain

2009-03-27T17:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Joba,

We understand. You want to look cool. We want to look cool too. You saw cool young guys coming up in the minors wearing flat billed ballcaps and and cocking them slightly to the side. The look caught on in the minors and across colleges and high schools across the country.

Hanley Ramirez, pictured above, wears a slight curve in his cap - but keeps it flat enough so that you can comfortably fit a pair of sunglasses underneath. Look at how cool and effortless this guy looks. Why wouldn't you want to emulate that style? Plus, you're a young phenom - if there is a time to do crazy stuff with your uniform - isn't this it?!

So Joba, you kept that bill flat - the straight off the shelf look. But there was a problem. When you wear your bill totally flat, something happened. It turned out that you look like one of the Mario Brothers.

Exhibit A.) Joba Exhibit B.) Mario

And then, Joba, you took it all one step further. You committed a crime against sports. You took a pre-curved spring training hat and decided, "Hey, you know what! This would look better if I tried to straighten it out like I do with the on the field caps." What ends up happening is that you look like a little leaguer who threw their cap in the washer and dryer for too long.

For the love of all things, holy, Joba. Just let the spring training hat be. If a hat is pre-curved, it is designed to look that way. Trying to straighten it out makes you look absurd. Look, I don't love the spring training cap design either, but as a pitcher - you don't even have to worry about the sunglasses issue.

We've come around a little to the straight bill look, but we still think and absolutely straight bill makes you look a bit cartoonish. Throw a subtle curve in there and wear it with your favorite sunglasses instead.

Final Four Gear

2009-03-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

March Madness is in full swing. This is a fairly exciting time in the sports year - the WBC championship was last night, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are on the horizon, and MLB's Opening Day is right around the corner.

With the Final Four on the horizon - check out this shirt with the 2009 logo. Once the Final Four is officially in place, you will have a chance to grab a shirt with the logos of all four teams on it.

This might be a cool memento if you're from Detroit and plan on catching at least one of the games - but other than that, I'd go team specific so that you can wear the shirt again in the future at a game.

What's that button on top of your hat called?

2009-03-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what that button on top of your cap is called. Well, it is called a "squatcho" and it is there to cover up what used to be a messy meeting spot of fabric and materials. According to at least one blog, you can remove your squatcho with no trouble.

2009 World Baseball Classic Gear

2009-03-04T11:33:00.000-08:00

The 2009 World Baseball Classic is upon us. Whereas the Olympics is full of numerous pitfalls with potential to look like a complete tool, gear from the WBC is much more consistent. Unlike a lot of baseball fans, we actually look forward to the tournament.

We consider the WBC gear a great way to show off your national pride. Check out this great spring/fall jacket. If you're from Mexico, or have family in Mexico it is pretty hard to beat a hat like this. A friend of mine with a unique sense of style and a flavor for all things Dutch couldn't resist this monstrosity, which he actually might be able to pull off.

All in all, don't go overboard. But much of this gear can compliment the stuff you already wear to the game - or it might just be something a bit different than your run of the mill gear you see most of the year.

Chicago Red Stars Jersey

2009-02-27T12:29:00.000-08:00

We're pretty gender biased here at the Well Dressed Sports Fan. Though the Well Dressed Sports Girl has shared a rant about female fans wearing pigtails and we've given props to Ashley Judd for her style- most of the time we just talk about what the dudes are wearing. As we write this, it occurs that we might need to rethink our priorities.

We rarely talk about what the available gear for female teams. Chicago's professional women's soccer team's new duds caught our attention, however, so we wanted to give the Chicago Red Stars a shout out. These look fantastic.

These double as a nice option for female Cubs fans, especially the powder blue jersey in the above picture. The jersey reflects the Flag of Chicago.

Ten dollars to the first dude secure enough in his masculinity to wear rock one of these.

Breaking in a new 5950 Hat Part III

2009-02-22T13:35:00.000-08:00

We could basically start a blog just on this topic. This topic is one of our most popular and we ask people who find this page just based on these posts to stick around a little bit to read the rest of our blog. Also, please visit our linked sponsors to feed us.

We've written about breaking in New Era 5950 hats twice before. First, we suggested heat and sweat to break in the lid. We then suggested a technique involving a blow dryer. This post will suggest our boldest strategy yet - putting the hat in an oven like a batch of cookies. A word of caution - this is our most dangerous strategy for breaking in your hat, we are not responsible for your hurting yourself. Call the fire department or your mother to supervise if need be.

Alright, a brief recap. The new 5950 - with the black underbill - is made of shrink resistant polyester. The key with the old version of the 5950 was to shrink the wool on the outside of the hat, lowering the dome to make you look less like a goofball or a 75 year old manager. The key with the new hats is to shrink the plastic mesh on the inside of the hat without ruining it (or burning your house down).

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees with a cookie sheet placed inside. Once the oven hits 200, place the cap in the oven for five minutes. The metal piece on the top of the cap will become very hot if you put the cap in the oven for much longer, or at a much higher temperature than this. Once you've had the lid in the oven for 5 minutes, take it out and slowly place it on your head - making sure you don't hurt yourself - and hold the top of the front of the dome down to the shape of your head. Wait until it cools. Repeat as needed.

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Well Dressed Sports Fan MLB 2009 Predictions

2009-02-15T11:23:00.000-08:00

Pitchers and catchers report for spring training today. It is raining and I should be hard at work here today, but I will take a little time to slack off and make my baseball predictions for the 2009 season.

AL East - New York Yankees. For the record, I hate the Yankees, but I am picking them to win their division.

AL Central - Minnesota Twins. A young team came within one game of punching their ticket to the playoffs. If I were their GM, I would make a push to acquire Joe Crede to shore up third base, but beyond that - I think the decision to stand pat and hope this young rotation takes a step forward was pretty wise. Sign Mauer and Morneau to long term contracts ASAP.

AL West - Anaheim Angles. Their outfield is loaded.

AL Wildcard - Tampa Bay Rays. Can they regress a little from last season and still clinch a spot in the playoffs? Why not?

Most improved AL team - New York Yankees. Will a few big name signings help them make up that eight game deficit in the AL East? Um, yes. I think it will.

Most disappointing AL team - Boston. While the Red Sox played reasonably well over the course of the second half of last season - I think an entire year without Manny Being Manny will actually have a measurable impact on their lineup.

NL East - New York Mets. These guys have to win the division at some point, right?

NL Central - Chicago Cubs. Here are three major factors determining this team's fate in 2009. Fukudome needs to figure out how to translate his success in Japan to the MLB. If he can hit for an average close to .300 this season, this lineup is going to be incredibly dangerous. On the pitching end, Rich Harden needs to stay healthy and give the Cubbies 6 strong innings every time he pitches. He can miss a couple of starts throughout the year, but Cubs fan need to be praying for this kids arm and shoulder health. Finally, if the Cubs can work out a trade with the San Diego Padres for Jake Peavy before the All Star break . . . good night NL Central.

NL West - Los Angeles Dodgers. This was the toughest division for me to call, given the fact that Manny is still a giant question mark. My guess is that he will eventually come to terms with the Dodgers and shore up their lineup.

NL Wildcard - Philadelphia Phillies. Returning champs should make a strong run again this season.

Most improved NL team - Washington Nationals. Let's just say that this team has nowhere to go but up. The acquisition of Adam Dunn should help them shore up their lineup a bit.

Most disappointing NL team - Milwaukee Brewers. You lose your two best starters and chances are you won't improve much the next season. It's science.

Pairing a Hat with a Jersey

2009-02-14T08:12:00.001-08:00

Meet Ronnie "Woo Woo" Wickers. Ronnie is a die hard Cubs fan, well known through the village of Wrigleyville. Ronnie is a local celebrity and charitable business organizations and fans gladly provide him with tickets to games. Ronnie, being a celebrity and a bit of an eccentric, can pull off wearing a straight up Cubs uniform. Top to bottom. You, on the other hand, cannot.

Reader Matt recently asked us if it was alright to wear a Franchise hat, rather than a 5950, with an authentic jersey. Our response to Matt, who is a St. Louis Cardinals fan:

Actually, despite the fact that we like authentic jerseys and the 5950 hat - pairing them together often has the danger of looking a bit overzealous and uniform like. I think toning it down with a well worn franchise hat is a great look. It makes you look more like a cool fan than some dude pretending to be a player.

My advice would be to wear the franchise hat when you have the jersey on and consider a 5950 if you're wearing a matching polo, or even a Cardinals sweatshirt to the game on a cooler fall evening. Lids (including their online store) sells a deodorizer for hats that can freshen up your franchise hat if you think it needs it (or more importantly if the significant other thinks it may need it). I would only really worry about washing it if it gets either white or brown stains on it. Fading, on the other hand, is a good thing - making you look like a hardcore fan.

In other words, unless you are a local celebrity, avoid looking like Ronnie Woo Woo. If you're going to wear both a hat and a jersey to the sports bar or the game - consider wearing the crushed hat instead of the authentic on the field hat. If you do decide to wear both the authentic hat and the authentic jersey, try wearing it with a pair of your favorite well worn and broken in jeans.

Minnesota Twins Alternate Jersey

2009-02-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

The Minnesota Twins will be wearing an alternate third jersey this season - their last in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The jersey will be complimented by an alternate two-tone cap - completing the throwback uniform. While Well Dressed Girlfriend hates two tone caps, I really like this particular cap.

While I really like the idea of sporting throwbacks from this era, I think the Twins really should have gone with the powder blue, v-necks from Kirby Puckett's rookie season - my favorite Twins uniform. The powder blue jersey is the one and only jersey that I can wear to any stadium in the country and get compliments from opposing fans.

Attractive Red Sox Fans

2009-01-24T12:13:00.000-08:00

Who would have thunk it? Barstool Sports provides us with some entertainment by showcasing some attractive female Red Sox fans. Check it out here.

My 2009 Sports Wish List

2009-01-18T15:30:00.000-08:00

February - Pitchers and catchers report for MLB Spring Training. I have mixed expectations for this season. My Minnesota Twins were fairly conservative this offseason and haven't really inspired me to think that they've solved their obvious holes - a third baseman anyone? That said, they have a whole lot of pieces to the puzzle and can make an exciting run this year. They were only one game away from winning the division last year.

The Cubs are another story. I was really high on this team last year and was let down when they flopped in the playoffs. Yeah, I know, its the flippin' Cubs - I should have expected that outcome. If the Cubs manage to move around enough pieces to entice the Padres into trading them Jake Peavy, it will be tough for me not to get on board the bandwagon here again.

I'd also like for the start of the year to bring me a competitive Super Bowl.

March - Both California and Minnesota earn NCAA tournament births. At the start of the NCAA basketball season, this would have been an outrageous wish, but both of these teams have gotten off to fairly hot starts and have made appearances in the top-25. Maybe I can even throw in a bonus wish that one of them wins a game in the Big Dance.

April - The baseball season officially arrives. My goal every year is to see both the Twins and Cubs in person. Last year I was able to catch the Twins a whole bunch of times, this year it looks like it will be just the opposite.

May - August - I would like to catch a smattering of college and minor league games this year as well as add to my list of 10 MLB ballparks visited.

September - September 19th features the California Golden Bears versus the Minnesota Golden Gophers in Minneapolis. I'd lie, cheat and steal to be at that game. September is like heaven for a sports fan. Football has arrived and baseball races are coming down to the wire.

October - The Cubs or the Twins win the World Series. I watch it on TV because I'm poor. A guy can dream, right?

October is guaranteed to feature USC at Memorial Stadium taking on Cal.

November - November 21st will be the date California takes on Stanford for the Axe in Palo Alto. I hope to make the short trip to the game.

December - As far as the NFL goes, I'm a Minnesota Vikings fan. I was pleased to have watch them win the NFC North Division this year, but I'd like to see them make a deeper run in the playoffs this upcoming season. Heck, the they have many of the pieces they need, including the best running back in the game, Adrian Peterson - why not hope for them to make it to the Super Bowl? They just need a quality player at quarterback.

Lids Sale

2009-01-16T11:03:00.000-08:00

Lids is having a sale on some of their cheaper hats. Check it out here! In particular, they have some knit winter beanies on sale.

Breaking in a New 5950 Hat Part II

2008-12-20T09:38:00.000-08:00

This summer, we came up with what has become our most popular post about breaking in a new 5950 cap. Specifically, we've gotten a number of e-mails about shrinking the top of the cap or the "crown" of the hat.

We've recently invented a new technique for shrinking the crown of these caps - so we thought a new post was in order to explain our technique. Once again, this is our most popular cluster of posts - so we invite you to visit our sponsors so that we can keep this page running.

Step 1 of this new technique is to find a girlfriend and temporarily steal her blowdryer. The WellDressedSportsGirlfriend was happy to oblige in this case. Thanks, lady.

As we mentioned in our previous post on this topic - the 5950 contains a plastic mesh frame beneath the caps logo to keep the crown firm. The goal of this technique is to heat up the plastic on the inside the cap and shape it to your head. Don't go overboard here - avoid heating up the cap too much and don't burn your head.

Reader Robb sent us the following tip for this stage:

I wanted to pass on another suggestion (courtesy of my wife). I took her bottle of Downey Wrinkle Releaser and sprayed the whole outside of the bowl of the hat, with it on my head. I soaked it pretty well. I worked it in by smoothing it out hard with my palms. After it dried, I repeated that; but this time I blow dried it dry. I'm not sure if there was one portion of this procedure that was the kicker (I believe it was the wrinkle releaser/blowdrier) but the whole process has yielded a pretty good result.

Step 2 - Heat up the blowdryer and turn the cap over. Start heating up the inside of the cap behind the logo.

Step 3 - Once you've gotten the blowdryer warm and the inside of the cap is a bit loosened up, start pressing down on the crown of the cap, encouraging the plastic mesh inside to bend just a bit. You'll start to feel the heat on the other side of the cap. Once you start to feel it getting hot shut off the blowdryer and give the cap a second to cool down. Then put the cap on your head and hold your hands on top of the crown of the cap, shaping it to your liking.

And there you have it! Do this a couple of times and the plastic inside of your cap will bend to your liking. It doesn't require any of the cap surgery that can result in breaking the hat and gives you an excuse to ask that girl you have a crush on for a favor. Yup, we're just here to help.

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A Sports Fans Christmas Wish List

2008-12-07T15:25:00.001-08:00

The holidays are quickly approaching. Are you struggling to find the perfect gift for your favorite sports fan? Well, we're here to help you out. In the following post you'll find our suggestions for how to shop for that sports fan on your list and will give you some specific ideas.

The most important thing to know is what team or teams they are a fan of - purchasing a White Sox hat for a Cubs fan can be a huge mistake. Once you figure out what team they are a fan of and their size - if possible - try to match your purchase with their style.

For guys - I'd take a moment to think about what type of place they typically shop. Someone who likes the JCrew broken in look would probably enjoy one of these throwback shirts from Distant Replays. For those unfamiliar with the terrain of shopping for sports merchandise - the term "throwback" is often used by sports fan to refer to shirts, jerseys, or color or logo schemes since retired by the team. Its the sports version of "retro". Throwbacks give off the image that you've been a fan of the team for a long time - more often than not they also look cool and relaxed. The sort of gear you can wear with a pair of jeans on a weekend afternoon around the house or at a casual sports bar.

If the guy your shopping for tends to shop at a place more like REI, a hooded sweatshirt might be the way to go. Outerwear tends to be a little more expensive - but if the guy you know attends the games in an outdoor arena - the gear will probably be much appreciated as they try to battle the elements over the course of the season. MLB baseball, in particular, makes a cool line of Therma Base jackets that are perfect for those early spring and late fall games.

Speaking of baseball fans - the World Baseball Classic will return next spring. This line of gear is pretty cool for sports fans you know that also have an attachment to places around the world like Canada, Japan or Puerto Rico.

If you know the size of the person your shopping for - it is hard to go wrong with a t-shirt and hat combo, like this one from the Colorado Avalanche. A number of colleges and universities - as well as professional sports teams make this kind of hat and shirt combo.

Finally, the college bowl schedule is being announced as I write this. If you know a fan of one of the teams that made it into a bowl game - why not buy your favorite sports fan a t-shirt of their upcoming bowl game? Since the list is long here, Google will prove to be your friend.

If you have a young man on your list who plays video games - we're obligated to remind you about Madden '09 - the latest in the long series of NFL games from EA Sports. If they already have Madden - we like the NCAA franchise.

Onto the ladies. We tend to dislike pink gear, but if you know a woman that wears a lot of pink - nearly every team makes pink versions of their replica jerseys. Instead, teams also make the same types of replica jerseys in a women's cut. We're fans of this style. These zip up hoodies are also really cute.

Buying fitted hats can be a bit dangerous if you don't know their exact size, but this sort of "stretch" fit hat is becoming more common.

Finally, the NFL has a useful page for tailgaters here. If you're still stumped - all of the pro leagues offer gift cards. If you live near the college or university that he or she is a fan of, you can swing by the school's bookstore for a gift card. Check the links surrounding this page for other gift ideas.

Happy shopping! Have further tips for us? Send us an e-mail at welldressedsportsfan@gmail.com

NHL Practice Jerseys

2008-12-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

The NHL and MLB do something that I often wish other leagues would look into. They both sell practice jerseys for all of their teams. Practice jerseys are often a bit more subtle than the regular jerseys of many squads. If you don't mind the colors of your teams' primary jersey, then don't bother getting a practice jersey.

If your squad happens to rock some atrocious color scheme, San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild - I'm looking at you, then the practice jerseys offer a nice alternative to looking like a Disney cartoon threw up on you at the game.

Quick Tip: Once again, hockey arenas tend to run on the cool side - newer arenas have ice that is actually cooled from the bottom, but it pays to wear a gray hoodie underneath the jersey. It makes the jersey look less baggy and keeps you warmer and more comfortable. You can also get away with leaving your coat in the car on your walk to the arena.

NCAA Basketball

2008-12-02T19:21:00.000-08:00

I'm watching the Minnesota Gophers take on the Virginia Cavaliers on ESPN this evening. This got me thinking about sports gear for basketball games. We've discussed this from the ladies' side, but haven't talked about men's gear yet.

Nothing looks lamer and more dated that an old, faded basketball jersey with some forgotten jerk. In general, I avoid basketball jerseys all together. They look cool on the court when you're actually paid or give a scholarship to play - but you look like a tool wearing one with no shirt to a game - I don't care how hot it is outside.

In general, I think it is a pretty decent life rule to avoid being mocked on blogs run by female sports fans. In general.

Instead, check out these performance t-shirts made by Nike. Newer t-shirts can be pre-made with a sweet distressed look. There are a lot of options. I would recommend avoiding t-shirts with oh-so-clever basketball team slogans or sayings once you hit adulthood. The Well Dressed Sports Girl and I haven't exactly come to a consensus on this last point - so we'll maybe open it up again for another post.

Buffalo Bills Throwbacks

2008-11-30T10:50:00.000-08:00

The Buffalo Bills are wearing their throwback uniforms today, which we think are pretty sick. The Bills wore some pretty blah uniforms in the 1990s, so we're happy they went a little further back in the archives for these bad boys. This Mitchell & Ness throwback hat compliments the jersey perfectly.

In a pinch you could also rock the Reebok version of the lid, but I think it is a little too flashy to go with a jersey that is supposed to look retro.

Ashley Judd Delivers, And is Super Hot

2008-11-29T18:22:00.001-08:00

I'm sure that on the top of Ashley Judd's New Year's Resolutions is to acquire the lavish praise of some start up sports bloggers, so I thought we could give her an early start by posting this today. Several weeks ago, before the election, Ashley Judd - a die hard Kentucky basketball fan, promised that if North Carolina went blue for Obama, she would sit in the midst of the North Carolina student section. Well, North Carolina went for Obama and she watched her favorite team get trounced in the middle Chapel Hill.

Sitting in the opposing team's student section isn't an easy thing to do, so I wanted to give Ashley Judd props. Plus, she looks fantastic in a simple white shirt and jeans. A grey Kentucky shirt would work here too - contrasting from the students in Tarheel Blue. I'm also digging the athletic hair buns - a nice contrast to those terrible pigtails we've recently explored.

So once again, big ups to Ashley Judd. She deserves some 'cred.

Well Dressed Girlfriend's take: It's great. You doubters out there are no doubt confused about what might seem like an apparent 180 on the pigtail issue. But face it, the Princess Leia look works for AJ--it neatly wraps stylish, practical, sexy, way fun, and even a little sophisticated into, well, two buns I guess. She pairs the 'do with a simple jeans and t-shirt duo, but the look is practiced. Her shirt fits impeccably, and even with the cropped photo I have no doubt the jeans do as well. This is not some thrown on $12.99 special she picked up at the student store on her way out of Lexington. This shirt is well loved and hugs in all the right places without trying too hard. Plus, kudos on the sleeve length. If AJ is anything like me, she snapped up this find after becoming immediately smitten with the perfect shortness of this short-sleeved gem. Too much analysis of the plain white t-shirt? Sorry, but it's simply perfect, and should be celebrated even if her team isn't.

In short, go for this look. There's no obvious make-up in sight (it's a ball game, folks...), she looks relaxed, yet is wearing a jump-out-of-your-seat-friendly outfit. The snap reaction looking at her? Definitely a dyed in the wool fan. She even resists the impulse to dress it up just a little with some jewelry. AJ, you sparkle enough as it is. Thanks for being a model fan.

Lids NFL Clearance

2008-11-29T04:50:00.000-08:00

Lids is having a clearance on NFL hats, some as low as $15. I bought one last night. I just thought I'd share.

NHL Third Jerseys - Guest Reviewer!

2008-11-28T16:39:00.000-08:00

My sister and I are native Minnesotans, which makes us qualified to comment on all things hockey. I decided to ask her for some comments on these new third jerseys for a few select NHL teams.

Ottawa Senators - The new Senators logo has really grown on me. I have a beer cozy with the new logo that reminds me of Canada - and beer.

Well Dressed Sister - "Nice masculine colors. Not so much for the ladies."

Buffalo Sabers - I really like this old school look. Buffalo has lucked out with this third jersey and the new Bills logo.

Well Dressed Sister - "The logo is fantastic. The horizontal lines aren't exactly slimming."

Pittsburgh Penguins

Well Dressed Sister - "Those are far more feminine colors. Might not work so well for the men at the game. Penguins are cute though."

Well Dressed Sports Guy - Funny you should mention that, Sis. Elizabeth Banks has a scene in Zack and Miri Make a Porno where she is wearing this sweater as a night shirt. It is pretty friggin hot in case you were wondering.

Well Dressed Sister - "Whatever."

Boston Bruins - I'm not a huge fan of the Bruins regular jerseys, so I like the third jersey. That said, they are a bit too reminiscent of a bumble bee for my taste.

Well Dressed Sister - "I second that opinion. The bee that is. These jerseys must make the entire team look like a swarm of angry bees. Which I suppose isn't necessarily a bad thing."

Thanks, Sis! I'll let you know next time I need a third opinion.

Well Dressed Sister: "No problem. Just to warn you I have stronger opinions about baseball uniforms."

SI.com rates the new NHL third jerseys here.

40% Off Personalized MLB Jerseys Today!

2008-11-28T10:48:00.000-08:00

Ahh Black Friday, the one day of the year that people are dumb enough to trample their fellow human beings in order to get cheap plastic. My contempt at the post-Thanksgiving rush aside, there are some really great holiday deals out there today. MLB.com is having a sale on customizable jerseys today - 40% off.

If you've been thinking about making one of these anyway, now is the time. We'd suggest avoiding some clever nickname on the back - just stick with your own last name funnyman - and don't be ridiculous by picking the number 69, it makes you look like a teenager. Stick with a classic number like 10, or 7 or, I don't know - 21. For the one customizable jersey that I own, I decided to stick with the year of my birth.

The advantage of these jerseys is that you will never be traded. Modern teams tend to tweak jerseys every couple of years - but a standard customized home jersey should last you longer than that of your favorite player.

Happy shopping!

Thanksgiving NFL Throwback Jerseys

2008-11-26T18:24:00.000-08:00

Two NFL teams traditionally play on Thanksgiving - the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys. Both teams have worn throwbacks for the special Thursday game. The Cowboys wore their throwback duds last week, and the Lions are set to wear theirs for Thursday's game; but it got me thinking about those two teams throwback jerseys.

The Lions recent history hasn't exactly been storied - but these Barry Sanders throwbacks from 1994 should remind you of greener pastures. These jerseys look solid with a grey hoodie underneath.

We at The Well Dressed Sports Fan sort of like these Tony Romo throwbacks, but not enough to recommend them more than their current white threads. They look eerily like the current NFL Pro Bowl jerseys, which are pretty god-awful.

The Titans and Seahawks also play on Thursday - two teams with unfortunate jersey histories. Neither will be sporting throwbacks, but I thought I'd give their jerseys a look too. The Houston Oilers Warren Moon jersey is pretty cool - but while we normally love powder blue throwbacks, we're not head-over-heels for this jersey. The darker blue was also a better look for the Seattle Seahawks. We, do, however, like hat logos that stretch from side to side on the front (think Seahawks, Broncos and Bills rather than the 49ers or Raiders). If you're feeling festive - and not trying to attract a member of the opposite sex anytime soon - check out this Seattle Seahawks knit hat. Wowza.

Props to Oregon, but . . .

2008-11-24T21:31:00.000-08:00

I like to give props to Oregon for being creative with their football jerseys. The Well Dressed Sports Girlfriend vehemently disagrees, but I like the mesh detailing on the shoulders. The basketball jerseys on the other hand? Whew, these things are not attractive.

So Close, and Yet So Far . . .

2008-11-24T14:14:00.001-08:00

In our first version of this post, we called out Leonardo Dicaprio for wearing what we thought was a throwback Boston Red Sox cap. Well, we were wrong. He actually appears to be wearing this UCLA Bruins lid. Thanks to a reader for pointing this out. We're used to seeing the powder blue UCLA caps, like this.

Sometimes we get a little excited here at The Well Dressed Sports Fan and we jumped to a conclusion on this one. We retract our official wrist slapping, Leo. Please accept our apology.

Big Game

2008-11-23T14:22:00.000-08:00

Cal defeated Stanford in the 111th Big Game yesterday. Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin was looking good, rocking a simple blue and yellow Golden Bear t-shirt. (Getty Images)

Also showing the Golden Bear's some love is Adam Sandler, in his upcoming flick Bedtime Stories. The shirt is great, but were not thrilled with the plaid shirt - it is a little Happy Gilmorish. Sticking with the plain tee and jeans would look better, but still not as good as Miss Coughlin.

Why I Hate Pigtails, or, Have Some Class, Ladies

2008-11-19T07:13:00.000-08:00

I hate pigtails. There, I said it. There is just something that rubs me the wrong way when I see that girl--you know who I mean--who just loves, with a capital giggle, Team X and shows it by spouting off a tiring list of all the time she and Dad watched games, how alienated she is from all the other girls because she was always such a tomboy, where she got her too-tight jersey and brand new cap. And worst of all, the whole time she's sporting those damn pigtails. It's the uniform, apparently, and I hate it. First, does she really think she's the only girl to like sports? (Yes, she does.) Second, does she really think she stands out as Simply Adorable is half the femal population in the stadium is donning that 'do? (Yes, she does.) Third, does she really think that anyone will ever think she casually walked into the sporting event looking like an overgrown grade schooler? Come on guys, have you ever seen as many pigtails as you do at 7:05 at Wrigley Field?!?!?!!!1 Think about it: not at work, not at school, not at bars (not even sports bars), not at the grocery store, electronic store, hot dog stand (unless it's in a stadium), the opera, the prom, track meets, restaurants, Central Park, or a sailboat. It's just not natural past the age of 7. In short, forced cute, well, isn't.

Please, girls, have a little class. Seeing such a trite display of fake tomboyness--nearly buried under gobs of black mascara and peach lip gloss--makes me feel like I've been slapped in the face with that stupid limp rope of hair dangling from your skull. Harsh? Definitely. Catty? Certainly. (And yes, I could put pigtails in my hair, and yes, it looks cute. And yes, I like sports and spent my childhood catching frogs and playing with Legos. But taunting full grown men with the combination of naughty schoolgirl locks and authentic team jerseys is not my idea of romance OR a fun evening.)

Maybe my words will anger you, or perhaps they will make you think twice about falling into the mold once again. And if you see a girl three rows back, smiling, with loose hair awkwardly falling in her eyes, you'll know you've made my evening.

(*Note: This does not apply if you are a Vikings fan and are wearing a traditional Viking helmet. In fact, you even get extra points for being extra festive. So girls, if you can't give up your pigtails, maybe think about giving up your team and heading for Minneapolis.)

Should I Wear that Free Tee?

2008-11-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

We've all been there. You go to a game with your friend and they are handing out free shirts to the first 5,000 fans. Despite the fact that the free shirt is so large that it will only fit freaks the size of Andre the Giant properly, your friend enthusiastically puts it on. He swims though the shirt, working his way past the image of that terrible new mascot your team is trying out and turns his big brown eyes to you and says, "Sweet dude! Free shirt!" Um, yeah. Free shirt.

There are two types of giveaways as far as The Well Dressed Sports Fan is concerned. The first falls under the category of "free stuff to give to your nephew or Dad". The second type of giveaway occurs only during special games - playoff baseball and basketball and rivalry college games. In the above picture, Penn State has successfully accomplished a "white out" effect. The Golden State Warriors, during a recent playoff run, gave out bright gold t-shirts that read, "We Believe".

In the second kind of instance, it is just fine to throw on the oversized t-shirt. What the hell, right? Go for it. The effect only works if everyone is doing it and you don't want to be the tool that decides at that very moment they've never been a sheep in their life and they refuse to play along.

In the first example, limited free shirt, hat, or trinket giveaway - just pocket the damn thing and worry about it later.

Don't be "That Guy"

2008-11-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

A recent gem in the St. Paul Pioneer Press chronicled the large number of drunken fans who missed the Minnesota Vikings play the Green Bay Packers this Sunday. Not only did they drop $40 plus on tickets, they missed an epic game, ending with an Adrian Peterson touchdown scamper and a last second missed field goal.

I've witnessed first hand the ills of sports drunkenness and I'm here to steer you away from this disease. It is very important to remember that I am not a doctor, I just consider myself a drinking enthusiast.

Tip 1: Remember that it takes 45 minutes for the average Joe to process alcohol. Remember that beer you shot gunned right before heading through the gates? It is going to hit you right at the start of the second quarter. This could be a good thing if you had an ever so tiny buzz when you polished off that Bud Light, but if you've already had to much to drink you could be heading for disaster in the middle of the game.

Tip 2: Know your limit. This sounds obvious, but a lot of people clearly forget where the line is between having a good time and being so wasted that they won't remember the outcome of the game. Remember that everyone has a different limit. Don't force your friend that is three inches shorter and hasn't eaten anything all day to do four shots with you unless you're willing to help him out of the game.

Tip 3: Make sure you've eaten. A lot. That bowl of cereal this morning ain't going to cut it if you're having a few before a noon game. Go to the game early and eat some protein. Grill some chicken or have some steak and concentrate on having a good time grilling that, rather than just concentrating on taking shots.

Tip 4: Limit yourself to one beer at the game. When I go to a baseball game on a hot summer day, I might leisurely have two beers. At a football game, you're standing and cheering quite a bit - so it isn't super convenient to have a drink in your hand for four quarters. I try to take off just before half time to grab a spot in a short line to get a beer.

Tip 5: Consider drinking after the game instead. This works especially well for dry college stadiums. If you have season tickets, plan on hitting the bars with your friends after each home game that your team wins. Bars and restaurants get crowded with the post-game rush, but this adds to the atmosphere if it isn't overly crowded. The beer is typically less expensive, the selection is better, and you can stand around and re-cap the game with your friends.

Here and there: A number of Ebbets Field Flannels t-shirts are on sale. Despite how amused I am by these, please avoid this or this if you are looking to meet a cute female fan at the game. The coolest NFL hat might be this Bills hat. I think the vast majority of the NFL hats look almost NASCARish.

Distant Replays is offering a series of Ivy League throwback hockey jerseys that will knock your socks off. Know anyone who went to Yale? How about Dartmouth?

Dealing with the Rain as a Sports Fan

2008-11-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

I'm heading out the door soon to watch a college football game. It is raining like cats and dogs and the venue is an outdoor stadium. Something about football in the elements makes the game all the more epic. This can add to the excitement of being a fan, but it can make for a pretty miserable prospect for being a fan.

Quick Tip: The most important thing about watching a sporting event in the rain is that everyone in your party has a positive attitude about it.

If the sporting event you are going to may or may not get cancelled by the rain, make sure to have an alternative event planned. If you going with your family, take them out to lunch or dinner in the town or city that you travelled to instead. This will brighten the mood. In the case of my girlfriend, Well Dressed Sports Gal likes going to sporting events when the weather is nice, but her fandom doesn't extend to rain, sleet or snow. Fair enough. Take a buddy to the game instead and have a nice evening at home with the ladyfriend afterword.

If your traveling partner is game for traveling to the event, be prepared. A simple store bought can of waterproofing spray will go a long way. Bring a waterproofed rain jacket. Hopefully for you, you've already waterproofed your favorite cap just in case. If not, shame on you, a can of this stuff is only six bucks.

Quick Tip #2: If you plan on bringing an umbrella, check on the venue's website to make sure they are allowed in the stadium.

What I've got my eye on: I just purchased a custom made college football jersey. Here is hoping these become a trend. I'd go with the commemorative World Series Champions Phillies t-shirt or sweatshirt rather than a cap. Why? You can pass it on to your kids and it might be a while until your squad wins another world championship (or your city for that matter Philly).

A line of vintage t-shirts at Ebbets Field Flannels is really making me salivate. Check out this San Francisco Seals longsleeve shirt. Also available are the Rosewell Rockets, Denver Bears, and Jersey Giants. You can wear these under an open zip up hoodie for maximum effect.

World Series Gear

2008-10-20T18:45:00.000-07:00

A hearty congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies for making it to the Fall Classic.

Caps with the World Series patch are always a fantastic memento (but be forewarned - this might sit in your closet collecting dust if your team doesn't win the series). Also consider the adjustable World Series caps.

I'm about to make a post arguing that adjustable caps are making a bit of a comeback - so you can be ahead of the curve by picking up a relaxed adjustable cap at reasonable prices.

On the throwback side - we're big fans of these Philadelphia Stars jerseys. If you live in Philly, these are must haves.

Brrr . . . Preparing for Winter

2008-10-08T10:09:00.000-07:00

Autumn is easily the best time to be a sports fan. I can't say this enough. Football is now well under way and we're in the midst of the baseball playoffs. Basketball and hockey are on the horizon and the crisp weather gives sports fans' the opportunity to break out the hooded sweatshirt. As we've mentioned before, NFL hoodies, by-in-large, are not nearly as cool your classic college hooded sweatshirt. But what other tips should a sports fan be aware of as the weather turns cool? Well, there are plenty, and you've come to the right place.

The very first thing on your shopping list should be a gray hoodie for your favorite team. Gray might not be the most exciting color in the rainbow, but it can be worn under zipped or buttoned up jackets like these, or it can be worn underneath your jersey. This works especially well with football jerseys that might run a bit large on you or when attending a hockey game in an arena kept cool.

Despite the fact that your hands would be chilly without them, we would recommend against going with these kinds of gloves. If you're headed to an indoor hockey game - why not try some gray wool gloves instead? For fans attending an outdoor football game - consider a pair of Nike cold weather gloves designed to counter the elements.

Also for NFL fans, we love these throwback hats - but only for going to games or hanging out with the guys. Let's be honest, they look a little goofy, but we love 'em anyway.

Be careful when buying an NFL jacket. Most of the available jackets look a lot like the Starter Jackets kids were getting in fights for in the early 1990s. Definitely opt for something a little more adult looking like this.

What to Wear: MLB Playoff Edition 2008

2008-09-29T16:46:00.001-07:00

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

2008-09-24T09:14:00.001-07:00

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?

2008-09-22T17:18:00.001-07:00

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

2008-09-16T17:58:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

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.

Dos and Don'ts: Chicago Baseball Fans

2008-08-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

Chicago baseball fans have starkly different reputations based on gross generalizations. The city, generally divided into south and north sides is home to two Major League Baseball teams, both of which are enjoying a significant amount of success this season. The Chicago White Sox, on the city's south side, recently won a World Series. The Chicago Cubs, on the other hand, are still looking to end a century-long championship drought this season.

White Sox fans have the reputation of being blue collar and more knowledgeable about the game. I'm still waiting to have a friendly, intelligent discussion about the game with a White Sox fan - and I'd be willing to put money on the notion that this reputation comes as a response to the perceived makeup of the Cubs' fanbase. The Cubs have a reputation of attracting more white collar, former fraternity members, less interested in the game itself than the scene at Wrigley Field. As a Cubs fan, I'd like to believe that this isn't always true. Heck, when you listen to John Cusack visit the booth on WGN - you know that it isn't always true. The guy knows his stuff, plain and simple.

All this said, every team's fanbase does tend to have a particular personality, which is likely to be subjected to stereotype and cliche. In order to look cool at a baseball game in Chicago, try to avoid the common pitfalls that so many fans fall into. Figure out a way to stand out without over doing it.

Quick Tip: If you attend a game at Wrigley Field, avoid wearing anything pink. Serious baseball fans constantly mock female Cubs fans wearing their pink jerseys, t-shirts and hats. Besides, Cubbie blue looks good on most women.

Well Dressed Sports Guy: It is hard to put into words how terrible this get-up is, but I'll try. This isn't just a crime against sports, this is a crime against humanity.

Well Dressed Girlfriend: Agreed. Although honestly, if some pigtailed brunette was wearing that to be adorable, I'd hate it even more. Balancing the surplus testosterone is usually a good idea, but this is not the right way to do it. How about try some bright blue sunglasses or something equally kitchy, but not furry.

Well Dressed Sports Guy: This guy does pretty much everything correctly, right up to the point where he gets smoked by a dude twice his age employed to wear a children's batting helmet and shag foul balls. You've got to hand it to the guy, his jersey fits him correctly (not too baggy), his shorts aren't outrageously long and he isn't wearing a dorky hat. A Cubs franchise hat or Cubs New Era 5950 hat would also work here.

Well Dressed Girlfriend: He looks normal. If you're looking for a second glance, spice it up a bit. If you are just looking to not make waves, but still exhibit fandom, this look's for you.

Well Dressed Sports Guy: Fukudome has been a fan favorite this season, so a lot of bandwagon jumpers have picked up his jersey. Don't get me wrong, I've got one hanging in my closet, but I would hesitate before going overboard. The Cubs alternate blue jersey works well here, but I would ditch the silly armband. It says, "I wanted to go clubbing with Justin Timberlake in early 2003," not, "I'm a serious baseball fan."

Well Dressed Girlfriend: Really, it says 'first 500 fans get a free t-shirt" to me. Even if you're a Fukudome fan from the beginning (I know, I know), you've got to let it go. This kind of thing happens all the time to hipsters who swear-to-god-listened-to-that-band-in-a-loft-in-Queens-in-99, and they dutifully step aside to allow the general population their simple pleasures. Fukudome fans, it's your turn.

Well Dressed Sports Guy: Ummm, yeah?

Well Dressed Girlfriend: I'll bet you $12 she's from New Jersey. Nice work, though, getting some cleavage out in the open without being tasteless. Seriously, that's hard to do at a day game.

Final Take: Baseball tickets in Chicago are hard to come by because the city is filled with both serious and casual fans. We recommend breaking the mold a bit if you want to look good at Wrigley or the Cell. For White Sox fans, check out this Negro League Chicago American Giants jacket. In fact, the color scheme for American Giants throwbacks works for both teams, depending on whether you are looking at road or home threads. Their home jerseys from 1919 would look great with a Cubs hat. The same is true for their 1926 duds.

The Chicago Whales, the city's Federal League team, also had jerseys possessing elements of both the White Sox and Cubs color schemes. Their road jersey from 1914 is pretty spectacular, but the 1915 Chicago Whales home jersey takes the cake as possibly one of the sweetest jerseys I've seen in awhile. Try rocking this with a Chicago Cubs 5950 road hat and be prepared to have an intelligent baseball conversation with a north sider.

What to Wear: LA Galaxy

2008-08-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

With the news that Bruce Arena just took over as head coach and GM, renewed interest may appear in the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Galaxy are perhaps the best known Major League Soccer (MLS) team of the moment and the acquisition of international superstar David Beckham has brought on board hoards of new fans. So how do you stand out from the crowd as a Galaxy fan? What looks good? What doesn't work? Well, as usual, we're here to help.

As expected, the David Beckham gear is everywhere when going to a Galaxy game. And unless he is by far your favorite player - we'd advise against buying it. Sure, the Well Dressed Sports Girlfriend and I are as hot and heavy for Becks as the next couple - but Beckham's role as the soccer's American ambassador means that nearly everyone seems to have his jersey.

Instead, if you're going to go with a jersey, we recommend going with the team's away jersey, which is a bit more colorful than their home duds. The problem with white polyester jerseys is the fact that they stain. If you plan on wearing your jersey to a sports bar or a game - this might just be something to consider. The blue and gold of the road jersey works well, though we'd advise against wearing bright colored jerseys to most non-sports events.

Soccer teams aren't known for the best selection of caps and the Galaxy doesn't appear to be any different. If you were a fan of the Chicago Fire, a beenie would be a great call, but if you're an L.A. Fan, you probably watch most of your games in Southern California - so we'd advise you to avoid hats here all together.

Instead of wearing a hat - hardcore soccer fans often opt for the team scarf. I think these team scarfs can actually look pretty cool with a solid color winter jacket and a plain t-shirt or polo. Having an L.A. Galaxy scarf doesn't accomplish the well traveled European look that a foreign team's might - but it still works.

So if you're a casual fan of the Galaxy - I'd go with the scarf. A more hardcore fan might consider an away jersey, which I think looks pretty cool.

Well Dressed Sports Girlfriend's Take:

I like this scarf. It reminds me a little bit of a 70's candy bar, and really, can you go wrong wearing campy candy? No. Seriously, though, the scarf is a really fun accessory and wears much differently than in-your-face jerseys, body paint, and even hats. The scarf says Big Fan, but even better, a fan with Style. And what more can the well dressed sports fan ask for?

Showing National Pride Without Looking Like a National Goofball

2008-08-19T15:33:00.000-07:00

I've just gotta say it, the official Olympics logo usually looks a bit lame on clothing. Further, the Olympic gear is highly time sensitive. Sort of like that Super Bowl XL (2006) t-shirt, it won't be cool for another 15 years, when it finally becomes vintage. The Olympics 2008 merchandise looks neat now, while the games are actually going, but once the craze dies down - the stuff instantly looks dated.

Back in 2002, during the Salt Lake City Olympics, everyone was wearing those god-awful roots stocking caps that looked like they belonged in a Charles Dickens novel. People were running around looking like little matchstick girls. Just terrible.

A number of team sports such baseball (which will soon be discontinued from the Olympics), basketball, soccer, and hockey feature events for both the Olympics as well as a number of world tournaments. In my opinion - unless you are a huge fan of a particular Olympics only sport - consider picking up something for one of these teams rather than that "USA Field Hockey" shirt that might look cool every four years.

A USA baseball hat, Canada hockey jersey, or washed Brazil soccer t-shirt, not only looks cooler, it will be useful for more occasions than a "Beijing 2008" hoodie.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all about cheering on your country, but I would avoid wearing more than one piece of flare unless you are traveling to see your country play a match. A cool Team USA baseball hat, however, can be worn with a solid t-shirt or polo should to make you look great at any ballpark.

If you are traveling to an Olympic event, consider picking up a simple t-shirt that will look good when handed down to your kids. I would kill for a vintage 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics t-shirt.

Final call: If you are traveling to the Olympics, pick up a fun piece of clothing with the year and location proudly front and center. The gear will look cool around your friends when you get home and once it has runs its course and looks a bit out of date, you can save it and pass it along to your kids along with your stories from your trip to the games.

Read a bit more about the tragedy that is Olympic fashion here.

Quick Tips: Wear Glasses? Go for the Crushed Hat

2008-08-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

Do you wear glasses and look like a bit of a dork in a 5950 hat? Opt for a crushed hat instead. The looser dome will allow a bit of room for your eyeglasses.

If you insist on wearing the MLB on the field cap, do the same thing that you would to fit your sunglasses under the bill of the cap - don't bend it quite as much as you normally might. We recommend the Francisco Liriano look, rather than the Joba Chamberlain look. Joba looks like one of the Mario Brothers with the perfectly straight bill.

What to Wear: New York Jets

2008-08-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

It should be an exciting year to be a New York Jets fan. After a 4-12 season last year, the fanbase has reason to be excited again after acquiring future Hall of Famer Brett Favre. While Favre might not lead the Jets to the promised land this season, he certainly gives new fans a reason to jump on board the bandwagon and provides lifelong fans with even more reason to show their pride.

Brett Favre jerseys have been flying off the shelves at NFL.com. These jerseys will no doubt be the "hot" item this upcoming season at the Meadowlands, but we recommend looking just a little bit different from the crowd of number 4 jerseys. We love jerseys, but Favre isn't exactly at the start of a promising young career - so we predict they will look a bit dated within a couple of years. You don't see too many Joe Montana Kansas City Chiefs jerseys anymore, right?

Check out these "Ithaca is Pretty" shirts from M. Phil Designs here. Match the shirt with either a casual looking Jets hat or the team's 2008 draft hat. The shirt and hat combo looks great and isn't over the top - which is key if you hope to snag anyone's number during pre and post game festivities.

The Jets logo and colors also look good in more traditional fitted caps like this one.

Once again, avoid player "tribute" tees like this one. If you have that much of a man crush ona player like Favre, it might be wise to pick up a jersey instead. After you make your purchase, consider counseling before you become a full blown stalker. If you do opt for the Favre jersey, we suggest snagging a throwback "alternate" jersey. These will set you apart from the crowd. Unfortunately, "authentic" versions of these jerseys (with sewn on numbers) are not yet available as of this posting. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the authentic versions of these to appear, as they will last you much longer than the replica versions.

Be sure to check out our other tips for looking good this football season here. Also, check out our Preseason NFL Preview. You can find other fun designs from M Phil Designs here.

Check Out Our New Cafe Press Store

2008-08-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

We've opened an online store! Grab one of our t-shirts and throw on your favorite hat and you know you'll look great for the game.

Check it out here.

College Football Preview

2008-08-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

I didn't grow up much of a college football fan. My Dad and my Grandpa took me to a number of Minnesota Golden Gopher games when I was a kid, but, at that age, I was more into watching the NFL on Sundays. Shortly after I arrived in college, it all started to click. The families of fans, the band, the mascots, the tradition. Now, I love college football and it consumes many of my Saturday's in the autumn. Dressing the part as a college football fan, however, is quite different from looking good at an NFL game.

College football teams offer jerseys for sale, but I wouldn't really recommend picking one up. The exception to this rule of thumb would be the University of Michigan - where top players always wear the number 1. Most teams, however, offer the number of a handful of players expected to be the team's stars that upcoming season. If your favorite player wears the number 1 - consider picking up the jersey if it is available - but other than that, most jerseys will look dated after a couple of years ("number 19? Who is that? We haven't had anyone wear the number 19 for three years"). If you're willing to spend 50-60 bucks every year or two on a new jersey, this might be for you, but I would instead recommend picking up a hooded sweatshirt with your favorite schools logo. Hoodies can be worn on more occasions and perfectly compliment a crisp Saturday afternoon.

If you're a hardcore college football fan and want to opt for a jersey, consider sporting a throwback jersey instead of a jersey for a current player. These jerseys will look "fresher" longer and you can often find sewn on versions that can live through the wash (important if you are in any danger of having beer spilled on your duds).

College football has a long and healthy tradition of tailgating. If you plan on grilling before the game, we recommend layering. Wear your hat and t-shirt, but be sure to grab your sweatshirt. Once the afternoon or evening sun dips below the edge of most stadiums, you'll want to be prepared - either for yourself, or to lend to that cute recent alumni you just met.

Avoid: Overly baggy t-shirts given away by the university - instead buy one that fits your shape a little bit better.

Quick Tip: As a general rule, crushed hats look far better than any other kind of hats at college games. The casual look just fits a little better in most college football stadiums.

Quick Tips: Avoid Player Face Tees

2008-08-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

Quick Tip: Avoid any t-shirt with your favorite player's face on the front. Instead, buy something that looks a bit more like a jersey with your favorite player's name on the back.

The whole - your face - on top of a celebrity's face thing - well, it looks a little creepy.

Dos and Don'ts of The Well Dressed NFL Fan

2008-08-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

With the NFL season upon us, The Well Dressed Sports Fan thought it would be a good time to address some football fan fashion dos and don'ts for the upcoming year. The Well Dressed Sports Girl will join me for this post.

Picture 1: Jessica Simpson sporting her boyfriend, Tony Romo's, jersey.

Well Dressed Sports Guy's Take: Jessica Simpson is so damn close to nailing it here. Plus she is hotter than that time I found a bunch of girly magazines next to a dumpster. Replace that slightly pink jersey with a more authentic looking jersey and she's got it. Jessica is clearly wearing the the women's cut jersey, which is a great call here. The long curly hair tops it off. Be warned, dressing like this at a game will get you a lot of attention. If attention is what you're going for - copy this look with your favorite player's jersey and wear it with pride.

Well Dressed Sports Girl's Take: Agreed. But come on, are you really faulting her for wearing a little pink? Jessica Simpson and her look-a-likes can wear the girly version of fan gear

without shame. A "real" version might add a few points, but this works.

Sports Guy's Response: A lot of hardcore fans complain about pink hats and jerseys, but if you're hot enough to pull it off, my guess is that even the most hardcore fan won't be complaining.

Picture 2: Bills fans tailgating.

Well Dressed Sports Guy's Take: These guys actually do a pretty reasonable job of dressing for the game. The guy on the right could consider subbing the Bill's hat for a plain blue stocking cap, but they don't commit any sins against spot here. These guys are doing two things correctly -- they are dressing for the weather and they aren't over doing it. No face paint, no shirtlessness.

Well Dressed Sports Girl's Take:

Average. They don't make me cringe, but there's no reason for a second glance, either.

Sports Guy's Response: I'll agree with your take here, lady, but part of the goal of this blog is not to look like a jackass. No second take, sure, but they avoid many of the most common crimes against fandom.

Picture 3: The Shirtless Train Wreck.

Well Dressed Sports Guy's Take: Here is a wonderful example of what NOT to do. Nothing says, "Heckle me," like an overweight, shirtless, drunk, sports fan. The terrible helmet and nipple decorations sort of make me want to jump of a bridge and break both of my ankles on my way down.

Well Dressed Sports Girl's Take: Once, I thought enthusiasm was everything. This is the exception.

Picture 4: A Bit Too Skimpy?

Well Dressed Sports Guy's Take: If you're going for reasonable attention, copy Jessica Simpson's look in picture one. If you're looking for the drunk guy in picture 4 to rub his nipples and make an inappropriate comment about your rack, this is the way to go. Dignity goes out the window here. If all you're looking for is to get on TV - oh, and you're hot - this might be the look for you.

Well Dressed Sports Girl's Take: Where are these guys' parents? Who let them out of the house. When they were 18. Seriously, they need supervision.

Sports Guy's Response: Nothing says, I'm pole dance at night and am just here for the attention by not wearing ANYTHING with your teams colors. Find a sparkling bra that says New Orleans Saints or something.

Picture 5: Straiten up that hat!

Well Dressed Sports Guy's Take: Straighten up that hat and this guy has a pretty sweet look. This would work well watching the game at a friend's place or going to the game with your girlfriend. A khaki shirt might work a bit better with the purple hat, but other than that - pretty good lookin'. Read about how to rock a crushed hat here.

Well Dressed Sports Girl's Take: This is a good laid back look for going to a game. Disregard the sports guy's take, though. A khaki shirt would be intolerable. Instead go for a classic oxford, and one without the weird chest pockets. Nice jeans, clean hat, nice watch, then you've got to finish the look with a nice crisp shirt. As long as you avoid the white hat, you can't fail with this look.

Sports Guy's Response: I would try to avoid the "I just came from work," look that so many guys fall into at baseball games. Instead, if you're going for this kind of look, wear a casual looking oxford, rather than one you'd wear with a tie to the office. Finally, be sure to roll up the sleeves.

See more with our NFL Preseason Preview here.

NFL Football Pre-Season Preview

2008-08-04T18:56:00.000-07:00

There are really two breeds of football fan -- fans who are able to go to games and fans who watch the game from afar. Unfortunately, it isn't very easy to dress casually as an NFL fan, the way you can as an MLB fan. Going with a jersey for your favorite player's jersey is a good choice, but do you really want to spend the dough to buy an authentic jersey? Should you wear your jersey on your second date with that hot blond from the office, or just on gamedays?

Football, unlike baseball, does not have a low-cost casual option that looks good on most guys. While baseball hats look natural, football caps for most NFL teams look a bit too busy -- and can often look pretty stupid. If you have a NFL hat that matches your favorite team's jersey, you can wear it on gameday and actually look pretty decent. The MLB and NCAA just seems to do a better job than the NFL of offering stuff to wear that is easy on the eyes. A lot of NFL gear has HUGE logos and overwhelming colors.

Whereas the Well Dressed Sports Fan has at least a couple of great hats in his or her closet they also have at least one great NFL jersey. Instead of dropping your hard earned money on "replica jerseys" go with authentic jerseys. As an added tip, take a look on eBay for some great deals (another post on this later in the year). Replica jerseys can fade and the numbers and letters can "chip" in the wash. Authentic jerseys have sewn on letters that will last you a much, much longer time - making it worth the money. But buyer beware, a few authentic NFL jerseys, like the Bengals, contain both sewn on and printed on elements. The printed on elements, as with the replica jerseys, are likely to fade.

If you're able to go to a game in person, pretty much all bets are off. If you're looking to meet a good looking girl that is also a fan of your favorite team, it is a wise idea to tone things down a little. If you're just looking to have a good time, however, and aren't planning on going to bars away from the stadium afterword -- sure, go all out.

If you want to show support for your team on any other day of the week than football Sunday, grab a polo shirt with your team's logo. These shirts are more subtle than some of the other NFL gear and can look good at the golf course. Unfortunately, some of these polos can be a bit spendy.

Quick Tip: Wear a matching hooded sweatshirt under your jersey for cold weather. This also works to make the jersey a bit more snug if you look like you're swimming in it.

Avoid: Wearing the jersey of a player still in the NFL, currently playing for another team. For example, avoid wearing your Randy Moss jersey to a Vikings game. Snag an Adrian Peterson jersey instead. On the other hand, you'll look like a hardcore 49ers fan if you rock your Steve Young jersey on Sundays.

Also Avoid: Wearing your jersey other than on game day and during draft day. If you go to watch your team practice in the fall, feel free to sport the jersey. You also get an exemption for Super Bowl Sunday -- which is sort of like a national football holiday. Thinking about wearing your favorite jersey to your daughter's 3rd grade graduation? I promise you will look stupid.

Final take: Instead of opting for a hat or t-shirt, we recommend to go with a NFL jersey. Further, we recommend buying the authentic jersey with letters and numbers that will last a long time. Finally, sport that jersey only on gamedays 18 times a year and special events like the NFL Draft to keep it fresh.

Oakland Athletics: What to Wear

2008-08-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

The Oakland Athletics have a unique color scheme of yellow and green. To be honest, we don't exactly love the colors for casual sports fans. When attending an A's game in Oakland, however, enough people are wearing the team colors so that they don't stand out as being so unfortunate.

If you're a fan that would like to show your pride for the A's without wearing the bright colors the team does at home check out some of the toned down options. The A's have a nice looking, blue and white Franchise crushed hat, here.

If you're into the on-the-field 5950 hats, check out the A's alternate cap. The A's also have one of the least offensive spring training or bp cap, found here.

Typically, I recommend sporting most MLB teams road grey jersey - which nearly always feature the city or the state of the team across the chest. Oakland's road jersey is the exception to this rule. I think it is just a bit plain and dull. Instead, we like the A's green alternate home threads.

For a more casual look representing the city of Oakland - check out this shirt.

Finally, the A's have a history filled with interesting personalities and players. If you've got the cash, a Rollie Fingers throwback jersey is a great choice.

A's fans sitting in the bleachers tend to be more hardcore - and if you're one of those fans, anything goes when attending a game, especially during the playoffs. On the other hand, if you're a more casual fan, take a look at some of the toned down options given the teams color schemes.

Favorite Player Traded?

2008-08-01T12:30:00.001-07:00

Was your favorite MLB player traded before the trade deadline this week? Bummer.

Instead of buying an authentic jersey that can run upwards of $100, why not buy a t-shirt stylized like your favorite team's uniform with a customized name on the back? Check them out from MLB.com here.

For authentic jerseys, the Well Dressed Sports Fan recommends throwback or retro jerseys. After all, Babe Ruth won't be traded from the Yankees anytime soon, so the jersey is timeless.

Team by Team: Washington Nationals

2008-07-17T21:21:00.000-07:00

In 2005, the Washington Nationals became the first MLB team to relocate and change their logo, team name, and color scheme. While I'm a history nerd and in particular a fan of worlds fairs, the Montreal Expos logo and uniforms were kind of a mess. Naming a team name after a long completed World's Fair was probably doomed to fail from the start and with Washington's long history of baseball, the change made perfect sense.

Washington's colors are (appropriately enough) red, white and blue. As a sports fan, I think their caps and jerseys are rather attractive. My personal favorites are the road blue cap and the throwback 1952-1960 cap, which feature a similar color scheme.

A friend of mine has critiqued the primary, "curly W" logo of the Washington Nationals as looking exactly like the Walgreens logo. After challenging him, I took another look at theWalgreens logo and was forced to concede . . . but I still think the blue caps are solid. Well Dressed Sports Girl thinks the solid W in the throwback logos looks a bit too much like a George W. Bush ad campaign.

Around the city of Washington D.C. - the solid red home hat is popular. If I lived in Washington, I'd consider picking one of these up to wear to games, but I don't think the home hat is something I'd wear anywhere else. The Nats have also featured a solid green hat as part of an effort to advertise a new cable channel, which makes me want to puke a little.

The solid red "DC" alternate caps are also popular around the city, as are the blacked out versions of these caps. I'd rate these as their third best hats as I find the gold to be a bit excessive, but these hats are certainly an improvement over the green fiascos.

The MLB Washington Nationals online store also features some incredible Senators jerseys, which can set you back a few bucks. On the other hand, they also make you look like a hardcore fan.

Finally, I'd submit that this sweatshirt is a nice option for night games. D.C. is a shirt and tie sort of city and a sweet hoodie can tone down your outfit after a few beers on a September evening. It is pretty damn hot in DC during the summer, so my guess is that you would only need a hoodie like this early and late in the season to wear to the ballpark, or in the offseason when you visit your parents in Wyoming.

If you're a fan of the President's races (and how can you not be?) check out the fantastic Let Teddy Win! shirts.

Final take: The Nationals are basking in the joy of a new stadium. The bars in the outfield have become a great place to meet other young baseball fans from the Washington D.C. area. Grab an 5950 road cap, break it in for a week or two, find the right sunglasses, then head to the game and make some new friends.

Breaking in a New 5950 Hat

2008-07-17T08:10:00.000-07:00

*This is our most popular post. We welcome the visitors interested in getting their New Era caps to fit perfectly! For more tips on what to wear as a sports fan, click here.*

We've recently added a second part to this post here. Once you're done with this post we will direct you to that page for more suggestions.

In 2007, New Era Cap announced that it was modifying its official on the field 5950 baseball hat. Spike Lee even directed a commercial where superstar players were waiting in line to get one. The new caps marked several changes. Most prominent perhaps, the new caps featured a black, glare reducing underbill, something the company had experimented with as far back as the late 1990s with their Spring Training hats. Older hats featured a gray underbill.

Aside from a few small visual changes (the MLB logo in the back is now much more prominent) the caps also had a few changes that would impact how sports fans would break in their new hat. The new caps are shrink resistant, which, while sounding like a good thing at first, also means that the hats are harder to shrink down to the form of your head. The goal is to look more like this.

Breaking in the New Era 5950 has been a topic of discussion for baseball fans for some time. Guys like me had worked it down to a science and the changes in the caps forced me to rethink my approach.

If it sounds like I'm taking this seriously its because I am. Breaking in a hat properly can be the difference between looking like a fan that knows what they are doing and looking like a total dork.

Back in the day (that is, before 2007), official caps were made mostly of wool. The key to breaking in a wool cap was warm water. Some people swore by wearing them in the shower, others boiled water and poured it onto the dome of the cap before letting it cool and placing it on their head. Others preferred to just sweat in the cap, letting it form naturally to their head. The key was to avoid getting water on the bill of the cap or anywhere near the logo, making the colors bleed.

If the bill of the hat is, in fact, grey underneath you can shrink the dome of the cap by bringing water to a boil - letting it cool down a bit - then slowly pouring the water around the area of the hat you'd like to have shrink, avoiding the logo on the front. Then wait a minute or two for the hat to cool and put it on your head, holding your hands over the dome. The hat will shrink to your head, but you'll smell like a wet sheep.

Experts also went so far as to perform cap surgery on the old caps. By cutting out the mesh at the front of the cap, the hat would lay closer to your dome, thus avoiding the Lou Pinella look. But this approach came with a danger, if you pierced the material of the cap (which is an easy thing to do) it resulted in complete disaster. Ok, maybe not complete disaster, but it was annoying to have holes in your new cap. Once the mesh was taken out, you could yank out the plastic needles that held the shape of the cap thus encouraging it to rest closer to your head. The end result is that the cap had the cool 'official' look but it laid down on your head more like the Twins Enterprises Franchise hats.

Since 2007, the caps are polyester, instead of wool, and are thus harder to shrink or form to your head. Polyester won't shrink with the warm water treatment like cotton or wool. The upshot of this minor frustration is the fact that the new caps are much more breathable and they still can be worked into the shape of your head.

So you now have several options. You can either choose to look like Dontrelle Willis, cut out the mesh of the cap (again, I don't recommend this), or sweat in the cap naturally and slightly curve the bill of the cap. This doesn't shrink the polyester, but forms the plastic inside the mesh of the cap on the opposite side of the logo. Obviously, a lot of people recently have gone with the flat bill look, but I think doing this makes me look like one of the Mario Brothers. It might work for LaBron James - but odds are you're not as cool as LaBron.

The best way to break in the new caps are heat and human sweat. Take the hat to the beach, wear it while jogging, or wear it to the game. Choosing a good pair of sunglasses to match the hat can help you look like less of a geek while working on breaking in the cap naturally. When you start to sweat and the cap gets warm, press down on the dome to shape it to your head. This approach takes time, but it gives you the most natural looking broken in feel.

Sweating in a cap will naturally loosen it enough to let it sit on your dome properly. Hence why pro baseball players look better in these caps than most bleacher bums. The new caps are more stain resistant than the old caps, but you can wash off the salty sweat stains with warm water if they start to appear.

Final take: If you're a hardcore baseball fan, there is no better way to show your loyalty to a particular team than the New Era 5950. Pick one up and sweat in it to break it in. Think about picking up a Perfect Curve from Lids to shape the bill of the cap to your liking. At first, I was unsure about the changes to the 5950, but now I've decided the extra work breaking in the cap is worth the cooler feel on top of my head on a hot summer day.

Alternatively, you can look for a 5950 "low crown" edition. Admittedly, I find that these are getting harder and harder to find as New Era only makes them for a few select teams.

If you're more of a casual fan, go with the already broken in "crushed" hats discussed in depth here.

For more tips on how to break in a 5950, check out part two of this post here.

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Choose the Right Sunglasses for the Game

2008-07-16T06:44:00.001-07:00

It is a beautiful sunny day outside, not a cloud in the sky, and you're heading off to the ballpark. You grab your favorite hat and extra sunscreen, but something is missing. The perfect pair of shades can top off your sun protection at the ballpark. If worn properly, they can also make you look cool.

While I've heard some criticism of ballplayers wearing their sunglasses on top of the bill of their caps, this trick is super convenient for holding your sunglasses when you step inside, a cloud passes over, or for when you've become locked in deep concentration with someone over the infield fly rule.

Pro-golfers have been doing this for years and making it look pretty darn good along the way.

The sunglasses company Oakley, long a favorite with athletes and sports fans, has decided to try to cash in on this trend by issuing a new line of shades featuring the colors of your favorite team. While I love the idea of team colored sunglasses, in practice, they sometimes look a bit over the top. So far, Oakley has produced 11 versions of MLB shades. Blue and white Dodger shades, great. Orange and blue Mets shades, notsomuch.

If you're a hardcore baseball fan and like a team with more subtle colors, the new line of Oakley MLB Flak Jacket sunglasses might be right for you. Otherwise, stick to something you can wear every day without looking like a total geek.

If you're opting for the on the field official caps that the MLB players wear go for more athletic looking sunglasses to match. If you've gone for a crushed or broken in hat (see our entry on these hats here) go for a more casual looking set of shades to match.

Enjoying the sunshine!

All-Star Game Edition

2008-07-14T14:10:00.000-07:00

Baseball season is half way through and we've arrived at the Midsummer Classic. All-Star Week means a few new options for the Well Dressed Sports Fan, but not much to go crazy about. All-Star Week, which includes a Futures Game, Home Run Derby, and the matchup of the American League against the National League.

The logos and designs of All Star game are based on the host team's uniforms. This year, the host team is the New York Yankees, so the uniforms, hats, and shirts are navy blue and white. In 2007, the All Star game was played in San Francisco, utilizing the orange and black color scheme of the San Francisco Giants.

This year's logo incorporates the famed white frieze of Yankee Stadium. The words "American" and "National" adorn the front of the jerseys as they have for years.

While the logo looks sleek this year, I find the Yankee colors to be pretty plain. Grey jersey's, typically worn by baseball teams on the road, look a bit sharper with bright accents in the numbers and/letters. With the plain blue and white adorning this year's jersey, it doesn't really grab your attention.

Well Dressed Girlfriend's Take: In theory, I like plain colors for jerseys. In practice, at least with this example, I have to agree that the jersey is simply dull. It reminds me of a fake jersey purchased in the children's section of a department store. If that's the look you're going for, though, great. It would also be alright to own (and wear) this jersey if going to the All-Star game was somehow incredibly special to you. As for the hat, it's nearly impossible to read and two-tone to boot. Wear a traditional NYY cap instead for extra style, and show the fair weather fans you've been there since the 80s.

Final take: If you're a Yankee fan, grab a commemorative hat or shirt. Despite the fact that this will be the last All Star Week in Yankee stadium, I can't see myself wearing one of these jerseys over and over again for years to come.

If you're a Yankee fan and love Derek Jeter, it might be worth picking one of these jerseys up. These jerseys will help you stand out from the crowds and crowds of Yankee fans adorned in pinstripes.

Throwback or Throw It Back?

2008-07-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

Not all jerseys are created equal. If you're a casual sports fan, you might be tempted to think they all look same, but believe me, they do not.

Swing by one of my favorite blogs, Uniwatch to learn a bit about the history of all types of sports uniforms. The main author of Uniwatch, Paul Lukas, also writes columns for ESPN.com's Page 2. Check out, for example his column on the history of Chicago Cubs uniforms.

Uniwatch points to some of the more unfortunate occurrences in Cubs uniform history. Sporting a throwback uniform to a game or the pub can really show off your dedication to your team, but I wouldn't recommend running out and snagging a jersey like the one pictured in the last link.

Some jerseys from the 1970s and 1980s were unfortunate then and they still look awful now. Others, can look very cool and stylish.

Throwbacks are typically more expensive than regular authentic jerseys, but they come with special advantages. First, they show off your ardent dedication to your favorite team. Fairweather fans, or bandwagon fans rarely own throwback jerseys. So you're jersey will set you apart from other fans at the game.

The second advantage of throwback jerseys is the fact that the players featured on the back of the jersey are nearly always retired, meaning that they will never be traded to another team, making some jerseys look out of touch.

And a tip: if you decide to drop your hard earned money on a throwback, make sure you know a thing or two about the player on the back. You might have an old timer strike up a conversation with you about Tony Oliva or Johnny Bench. I'm not saying you have to memorize statistics, just learn a little bit about who the dude was, when he played, and if he or she made the Hall of Fame of their respective sport.

Also, avoid buying a throwback two or three sizes too large. Buy the same size you normally would.

There are a couple of sources for throwback uniforms. The official sites of Major League Baseball and the National Football League feature various kinds of throwbacks. Mitchell and Ness, bills itself as a "nostalgia company," whatever that means. While a bit pricey, Mitchell and Ness jerseys are of extremely high quality.

Ebbets Field Flannels provides some amazing (and hard to find) throwbacks. These are a bit pricier than even the Mitchell and Ness jerseys, but can be pretty amazing. A Willie Mays 1951 Minneapolis Millers will really impress your hardcore San Francisco Giants fans, but it will set you back $175.

A throwback jersey can really set you apart from the crowd. Don't invest in one if your only a casual fan. Grab a throwback t-shirt from a site like Distant Replays instead. But if you're a hardcore sports fan and want to show of your undying love for your team, grab a unique flannel and your friends as well as other fans at the park, will be impressed.

Bonus tip: on a cold evening, you can slide a hoodie underneath the jersey, just make sure it matches the colors of the uniform itself.

Rule Number 1: "Crushed" Hats and the Well Dressed Sports Fan

2008-07-11T14:18:00.001-07:00

A few days ago, the Well Dressed Girlfriend and I were sitting at an evening baseball game. We sat watching the local squad under the lights, sipping on a couple of brews and chatting. We noticed that a large number of the fans in our section looked like total geeks. Oversized t-shirts, jerseys for teams that weren't even playing or for players long since traded to other squads, and various shades of hideous pink logos.

On the other hand, we also saw a fair number of sports fans who looked pretty good. A nice looking jersey, cool hat, and matching jeans made single guys look attractive. If a cute girl wears the right hat, she can look extremely sexy. Certain ballparks have become the "hot" place in town to meet people. Some parks even feature "Singles Nights".

Don't get me wrong, we aren't fashion or design professionals. I'm just a huge sports fan that often says, "Hey, how does this look?" before walking out the door for the day. The Well Dressed Girlfriend seems to appreciate this and since it encourages her to keep dating me, which is always a plus.

Plan on meeting a girl or guy at the stadium? Only go to ballgames once a year and always wonder what the heck you should wear? Are you a hardcore spots fan that wants to show off your loyalty to your team? This is a good blog to bookmark.

Let's get started by talking about hats, aka "caps".

One of the first things I notice about sports fans are their hats. I collect hats like crazy, so I can be a little particular about how they look on people. A poorly fitting hat can make you look like a 70 year old skipper. This works when you have Hall of Fame credentials, but not when you're trying to pick up chicks at the stadium. A poorly fitting hat on a hot girl just looks like a missed opportunity.

Let's say you are a casual sports fan. You go to a couple of games a year and want to avoid looking like a total geek when you're at the ballpark. Invest in a Twins Enterprises "The Franchise" hat. A few years ago, people would have called these hats, "crushed" or "broken in". These hats are good for new sports fans for a couple of reasons. First, they come in only a few sizes. Small, medium, large, xl, etc. The caps that baseball players wear on the field come on sizes based on the exact size of your head and are harder to break in (which is the subject for another post). A "fitted" Twins enterprise hat ("fitted" meaning they don't have an adjustable strap on the back) already looks broken in and fits closer to the dome of your head than the official caps. In this shot, the guy on the left gets the fit right and the guy on the right rocks the hat with a nice casual sweater.

Rock this cap with a solid color polo shirt and some jeans or khakis and you will look like a well dressed, but casual fan. If you're going for the more hardcore look, match the hat with a jersey (we will get into matching hats to jerseys later on).

If you're buying this as a gift for someone, go ahead and grab an adjustable version of the cap. You can't tell the difference from the front and both look just fine. Girls tend to like to versatility of adjustable hats, since they can wear ponytails through the opening in the back.

Well Dressed Girlfriend's take: All crushed hats remind me of that Boston Red Sox fan who is comfortable with spending a little time on Saturday night picking out the right Oxford, but likes to watch ESPN and drink a beer on Sundays. Wearing the crushed hat, of course. Note: this hat is versatile and not overbearing, but you lose all style points if it's not impeccably clean. You're not 12 anymore, even if you still love that hat as much as you did then.

Keep in mind these hats fade in the sun. This can look really great if you keep it clean and clear of sweat stains. Hand washing the hat with warm water now and again should keep it smelling clean and free of stains. Avoid throwing hats in either the dish or clothes washer.

Think about picking up a crushed hat before heading to the ballpark, but be sure to try on their sizes in a store to make sure it fits properly on your dome. Match it with a solid t-shirt, polo, or oxford, to achieve the preppy look, but don't over do it. A long sleeve tee, crew sweatshirt or oxford will look more like Nich Lachey than a 70 year old manager. While we encourage you keep it simple (and to keep your hat clean!) the crushed hat can help you ease in the world of the sports fan.

Click here for a few more tips regarding crushed hats.