How To Clean A Jersey

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

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 When the jersey seems out of date on the wall, you can either wait it out until the thing becomes throwback, or replace the jersey with your favorite rookie.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?

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

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?

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?

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?

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

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?

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

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

Follow us at http://twitter.com/wdsportsfan

Dear Lauren Conrad and Bill Paxton

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

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

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?

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?!

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

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

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

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

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?

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?

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

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

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

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

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.

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?

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.