Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Blue Alternate Jerseys OK Occasionally, but Not Permanently


Yesterday, the Penguins wore their new alternate jerseys for the second time this season. The next game for the baby blue jerseys is Saturday, December 20th and leaves nine more games for fans to see them in these uniforms.

I really like these alternate jerseys and have since the first time they've worn them in over 30 years on New Year's Day 2008 for the Winter Classic. With that being said, I enjoy them as the alternate and am really against them returning to the classic blue as their main color / jersey as some have speculated will be the case when the Penguins play their first season in the new arena in 2010. I would be highly disappointed if the organization decided to do this as I feel a number of other fans would feel as well which may be the reason why the Penguins webpage have chosen to post such a poll on the site (the results of which are no surprise to me -- see graphic to the right which are the results as of Tuesday evening, 11/18/2008).

I do, however, realize that there are other opinions and here are just two of them from Pittsburgh Tribune-Review sports writers Joe Starkey and Rob Rossi.

Starkey says ...
Let's get one thing straight, Rossi: I love those powder-blue jerseys and always have. It's the best color in sports, as the San Diego Chargers and Denver Nuggets have readily proved. But, instead of wearing them every game and waving goodbye to the black-and-gold, how about a little bit of both, plus a third jersey? I'm all for variety. Geez, the Penguins have thrown up a banner for everything but Hans Jonsson's first NHL goal (did Hans Jonsson ever score a goal?), so why can't they have a bunch of jerseys, too?

Rossi rants ...
Joe, you might remember each of Hans Jonsson's 10 goals with the Penguins from 1999-2003 had he scored any of them while wearing HOCKEY'S BEST UNIFORM. The Penguins' alternate threads are exactly that. They should become permanent - if not next season then surely when the new arena opens in 2010. Black-and-gold has always been something borrowed; to solidify this marriage with a new generation of fans, the Penguins should go with something old, something blue. Color schemes are like banners, a franchise should only have (hang) one. The Penguins belong in blue.

3 comments:

swissmiss said...

I think the poll resuts say it all, fans like the jerseys a lot, they are a VERY cool third jersey. But no true Pittsburgh sports fan wants to see any of the teams giving up the black and gold.

p.s. Rossi is an IDIOT- on this and on other matters.

Stephanie said...

I must say I don't / didn't like Rossi's answer from the moment I read it the other day; however, this is another one of the very few times we have disagreed on something, I must admit and I usually like him otherwise.

But I have to agree with you on this one!

Life_As_A_Redhead said...

NO WAY!!

Black & Gold all the way!

But the "baby blues" are fine part of the time. Variety is the spice of life.