Name, Rank & Player Number

Cliff Lee's return to Philly has brought joy to the fan base. And...a little bit of a problem with his jersey. Specifically...his "new" player number.

It's fairly common for players to change numbers in team sports (particularly ones with free agency). But it's very, very unusual for top shelf players to RETURN to a team that they'd previously played for, as is the case with the Phils and Cliff Lee.

For those who don't know: He was, for the latter half of the 2009 season (and playoffs) a Phillie. Before being traded to the Seattle Mariners. And then the Texas Rangers. But you don't need to be reading about this stuff here. Just 1) Awake from your coma and 2) Turn on the tube. Either "You" version or the old school "boob" style will work fine).

"Thank God I didn't throw out my Cliff Lee T-shirt!"

That's exactly what my wife said to me yesterday. And my initial reaction was...

"Hey yeah, that is pretty cool".

But.....Noooooooo!

Turns out that, while the name is the same, Lee's number has switcherooed. Seems that, in the brief time --in baseball years-- that has elapsed since his departure, a fella by the name of Roy Halladay has been acquired by the Phils. And you guessed it: Roy wears number 34. Cliff's OLD number. So, Cliff Lee will keep his "old" Texas Rangers # 33.

FYI: He was # 36 in Seattle & # 31 in Cleveland for the record...and the numerous (HA!) player number geeks who troll herein!

So now....the fan conundrum: Is it A-OK to wear the old (wrong # 34) Cliff Lee jersey? Must my wife upgrade to the new # 33? Or are the # 33 Lee jerseys wearers band wagoners?

The Phillies have bet heavy on the proposition that my wife (and lots of her "Lee Lovin'" ilk) will shovel over new cash for a # 33 jersey.

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Contrary To What I Thought I Might Think

I'm okay with the FIFA Ruling on the Iranian Women's soccer team's uniforms.

I have a problem with radical Islam. I certainly have a big problem with Iran's refusal to acknowledge Israel's right to exist. And I hate it whenever politics interrupts sports, particularly youth sports.

But as the Sports Uniform Guy, I got no problem with FIFA making Iran's girls soccer team wear a skull cap as opposed to the hijab that Iran wanted them to wear. And that Iran objected to their previously being barred from participation based on their desired uniform choice. This falls into my, "Life is too short to ruin a good game of [FILL IN ANY SPORT]" category.

But, just for some perspective, this is how girls in Iran looked whilst playing soccer back in the godforsaken 70's....proving it wasn't all satin and crushed velvet back then!

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Penn Relays + The NFL Draft

I didn't make it out to the Penn Relays last week, because I'm lame. And there was that little thing, the NFL Draft, which is --arguably-- the raison d'etre for the Internet. I feel the TV aspect is virtually unwatchable; but I LOVE the multi-source continual data load required with each passing pick. (I've been a Draft/Internet fiend since, I swear 1996-97-ish.) I hear Saturday was beautiful. I never emerged from my man cave.



But we did send a crack photographic crew to the Penn Relays. This is what they came back with:

Penn Relays 2010

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Penn Relays To Get Jolt of Bolt

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As a Philly native (i.e., a strong opinion about anything sports-related and not afraid to espouse it), it is my firmly held conviction that the Penn Relays don't really require a whole lot of extra hullabaloo to maintain it's status as one of the country's premier track& field events.

Yeah, I know it's the oldest & largest, too. But those criteria alone don't exact make a track event sizzle. As in, "Hey, let's go watch the fat, old dudes race against each other."

Then again, when 3X Olympic Gold Medalist Usain Bolt decides he wants to participate, any event's "street cred" would spike upward. (heck, maybe even Dancing With the Stars)

True, the Penn Relays, held @ the Univ. of Pennsylvania's Franklin Field (since 1895), has stood the test of time. It can get along quite nicely without any singular athlete and their associated shijizzle (or however Snoop Dogg would modify).

But Bolt's a special athlete. No doubt. Hailing from the track star, spawning grounds of Jamaica, Usain is the current world record holder in the 100 meter. By the most commonly used measuring instrument, he is "the World's Fastest Human Being". And at 9.58 sec., he is most definitely jammin'.

Bolt is expected to take part in the 4X100 relay pitting USA vs. THE WORLD, scheduled for 4:15 on Saturday the 24th (The event kicks into high gear on Thursday the 22nd).

And just when you thought you could get out of here without some mention of the uniforms being worn....WRONG! We will have our eyes peeled and be taking notes. With Jamaica representing, you know it's going be to be colorful!


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Sports Uniforms Stuff: WINTER OLYMPICS - WHAT THEY'RE WEARING REVIEWS

http://gawker.com/5474449/hipster-style-infiltrates-the-olympics/gallery/2

WINTER OLYMPICS - WHAT THEY'RE WEARING REVIEWS

I'm curious as to what folks think about what the athletes from the various countries are wearing in Vancouver. Warm-ups, get-ups, whatev..... Shout out!

I'll start it off with my --as per usual--- snarky take:

TEAM USA -- Hate the "mock torn jeans" look. Even though I am wearing torn jeans as I type this and just find it obnoxious for our prize athletes be decked out in any sort of variation of this theme. Really, I ask you, what do you think were the bright ideas they dispensed of BEFORE deciding to go with "mock torn jeans"?!?!?

Basketball Uniforms: You Know My Name...

...Look up my number!

As I anticipate another snoozer of a MLB All Star game it struck me that I--perhaps unlike others-- let me know, have no idea what my favorite baseball players numbers are. Do you know yours?

The flip side of that is how almost emblematic--a part and parcel, if you will-- I associated basketball players with their numbers. Being from Philly and of a certain age, if you will, there is no other #6 than Julius Erving. (Dr. J) And never will be.

I'm sure others out there feel the same way about Michael Jordan (#23), Magic Johnson(#32), Larry Bird(#33) and Kareem Abdul Jabbar (#33). Ooooops!

Numbering basketball uniforms. It's a slippery slope, wrapped in a riddle, with a whole boat load of merchandising money attached to it all. Not to mention a much trickier thing to deal with than it really should be.

And WTF up with #00?!?!?


First off, my all time "#00" (double loser, is one Benoit Benjamin, who somehow, someway miraculously hung in and around the NBA for 14 freaking years. That's 98 in dog years. A I'll be damned if I can think about a bigger dog ass player than Benoit. (FYI: Here's a cool link to a site to search for players by number)

Any who.

In AAU ball, it seems like every 5-6 years they rethink the regulations concerning numbering. (Here's a link to the 2009 Rule book (I haven't personally been able to allot the time required to get thru it yet (Folks at my company are religious readers!). But for cripes sake James Naismith invented basketball in 1891. You'd think we'd have the freaking numbering figured out by now. (And don't get me started on the differences that rules that run the hoop leagues in Europe! (Those wacky Croats, Serbs, Spaniards, et al.)

Any who.

as some of you know, I worked for the LA Lakers way back in the day. And Shaq was #34and Kobe #8. 'Member? Life was simple.) But even that fond, numeric memory has been set asunder. (i.e., Both players now wear different numbers and, well, you prolly heard they haven't been BFFs for a little while)

Basketball numbering will never be easy. As Barbie used to say "Math is hard"!

Sports Uniform Guy
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