A fashionable statement

by John Fontana on May 24, 2009 1:47 PM EDT in The Franchise Comment 6 comments

All right, I admit it, I think they proved to be better than expected. It's traditional! It's new! It's hip! It was a pleasant change that beats the heck out of the same-old, same-old doggone it and I'm proud of'em! You hear me?! I'm proud of them!

I'm talking about the biggest improvement by the Lightning this past season. I'm talking about the third/alternate jersey:

Yeah, this is supposed to be a hockey blog and not a fashion blog... but seriously... The blue is fresh as the primary color for the Lightning jersey. The stripped sleeves invoke more classic NHL sweater designs as compared to the slanted-sleeve look on the Lightning's current home and away sweaters. The colors also don't get lost, blending together like they do on the current home (dark) sweater, where black dominates and blue on the sleeves is almost lost... That and the white is hidden under most players gloves.

And what's even better? They made you almost forget about the franchise previous attempt at an alternate sweater:

via image53.webshots.com

Of course my dream-of-dreams would be to replace the black-smock of a home jersey with blue 3rd jersey, but of course with one slight alternation:

...get the crest on there and not the team nickname (and note, the piping was not intentionally erased from this concept). I thought that was the weak part of both the Lightning and the Ottawa Senator's alternate jersey, that the crest was replaced not with an alternate crest, but with text.

Then again, that could have been worse too... They could have used 'Ning instead of Bolts.

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I have to admit, that while I like the colors and the layout, I really hate the word “Bolts” on the front. I think what would’ve been fun is if they’d created some quasi-1930s era-like crest. Sort of like the Maple Leafs, only made out of thin air since they don’t have that history – obviously.

I don’t mind the black jerseys, but I do prefer the blue ones – with a different crest, of course. The white jerseys would have to be changed accordingly as well, I think.

Cassie
"And will that be cash, hip check, or Raw Charge today?"

by Cassie McClellan on May 24, 2009 4:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm with you on the mandetory change to the Road jersey

…to match the home (blue) jersey.

The Lightning could have simply brought back the “Tampa Bay Lightning” circle bolt crest, OR had a jersey with the Bolt stretching from hem to shoulder (or something else like that) in place of the text.

The Raw Charge -- the Tampa Bay Lightning weblog at SB Nation.

by John Fontana on May 24, 2009 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like both ideas.

I think those would look great, although I do already like what we have now. The only 3rd jerseys that make me cringe are the Sense and (i’m going to catch hell for this) Pittsburgh.

by BrokeBearMountain on May 24, 2009 6:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A co-worker of mine is a Pens fan, and he hates those powder blue jerseys. Says they remind him of UNC – and he hates UNC. So you’re not alone.

Cassie
"And will that be cash, hip check, or Raw Charge today?"

by Cassie McClellan on May 25, 2009 8:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pittsburgh's baby-blues are disgusting

I hope that’s the one you are talking about… I always liked the “tech-Pens” logo/jersey but that’s not used as a third.

The Raw Charge -- the Tampa Bay Lightning weblog at SB Nation.

by John Fontana on May 25, 2009 10:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm a traditionalist...I guess!

I agree with most everything, I can’t stand the shortened names or nicknames on the sweaters. I grew up a Red Wing fan and I can’t imagine a third jersey that has “Wings” emblazoned across the chest! Good post! I would like to see the salaries instead of the names on the back!

WB Philp

by LightningShout on May 25, 2009 1:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs