Tuesday: Bored of the Rings

Welcome back to HJC for the regularly scheduled Tuesday post. Here's where I usually start off with something going in the wide world of hockey. I would share pictures of the Nike Olympic jerseys in action, but I like you all too much, so I won't.

Between Nike and the NHL ban, I've decided to boycott this year's hockey competition, which is a shame, because the Olympics are such a spectacle. My love for hockey was cemented during the 2002 games when Steve Yzerman's Team Canada took down Chris Chelios's Team USA for the Gold, coupled with a Red Wings' Stanley Cup victory a few short months later. Just 4 years ago I vividly remember waking up at 3 A.M. in my dorm at Bowling Green to watch my fellow student Ralfs Freibergs' suit up for Team Latvia as the only NCAA player in the 2014 Games. But this year, the Olympics to me has been dominated by juiced-up Russians, people forgetting North Korea is an Orwellian dystopia controlled by an evil despot, and athletes bashing politicians in a desperate attempt for attention. Here's hoping the headlines of the 2022 Games focus on all we really want: emotionally-charged hockey and Norwegian curling pants.


Back here on this side of the globe, The Season enters Week 3. Some concepts are starting to pull ahead of the pack, but the rest are by no means out of the running. The Concept of the Week is quite heated this week with five concepts grabbing seconded nominations. One vote could easily sway your pick, so get it in before it's too late.

COTW Vote Feb 9- 15 (ends Friday @ Noon Et)

The Season Week 3 Vote (ends Friday @ Noon Et)

Adam G.- Detroit Red Wings

Adam kicks off today's concept with an alternate for my favorite NHL team. His main inspiration is a trend I wish would go the way of Monty Python's parrot: designs based on the number of wins. It only makes sense if you don't plan on winning any more. In addition, my general critique of this concept is practically identical to my review of Avi S.'s Blackhawks from last week (see here). It's a few changes to the current look that ultimately bring it down.

Grade: D+

Chris W.- Murray State Racers

Next on the list, Chris shows us a school we don't see often on the blog, Murray State. The design is neat; the thin striping on the main set and argyle on the alternate fit the school well. Unfortunately, "white-on-yellow syndrome" is keeping it from being fully appreciated. Aside from the coloring issue, the horizontal pant stripes on the first pair are a great fit to the uniform's theme. Also keeping to the theme, the font for the home and road are very appropriate, and I'll commend you for keeping away from the generic. The block font on the alternate doesn't give the same effect to its theme, because it's not traditional enough to come across as a "fauxback." The logo selection is quite good, and I don't think you could have arranged or sized them any better, with the lone exception being the manufacturer's logo on the back by the collar; the stripes should have been cut off at the seams on either side of the logo. The text is illegible otherwise. 

Grade: B-

Danny R.- Grande Prairie Storm

Danny has been on a roll lately with his AJHL series, but this look for the Storm doesn't match the success of his previous teams. The colors don't want to cooperate with each other. The Adidas collar was designed well, looking more like random blobs of color than a designed element. The pants don't fit the the design either, being the only white stripe element, which is too close to the crest's grey bolt to not be gray as well. The lightning bolt down the arms gradually faded out was well placed, and undoubtedly the best part of this design. With all the color on the arms, it leaves the hem way too bare, especially since the lone, blue stripe would camouflage itself over the blue pants. A dark colored yoke (or in this case, the stripes up the whole arm) on a white jersey never sits well with me; the result looks too unbalanced and top-heavy.

Grade: C

Lucas D.- Montreal Canadiens

The last concept of the day features Lucas's look for a Montreal third. For such a classic logo and historic team, the modern, minimalist design isn't the most appropriate. The minimalism is really hampering the look, lacking both hem and pant stripes. Such a large chunk a solid color in the middle of a skater gives the uniform too much of a "onesie" feel. What remains looks solid as a chest stripe centered on the Habs' logo, and the numbers on the sleeve. The name on the back could use some breathing room, it looks far too cramped. I can't say I like how the collar looks, but on an Adidas template, it's about as good as it's going to get. I like what Lucas has here, but it looks unfinished, and it still needs a little bit of something before it's ready to take to the ice.

Grade: C+

That's all the fun I have for today. For those of you not joining in the boycott, try as best you can to enjoy the remainder of the Olympics, and for all of you, keep your stick on the ice.