Proposal: remove player names from the jerseys
by munsonbh on Jan 4, 2010 8:52 AM PST
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PrintOver the weekend, I found Nate McMillan's reference to the adage, "It's amazing what you can do when no one cares who gets the credit" inspiring and motivating. It hearkens directly back to college basketball and John Wooden. It also makes a great deal of sense looking at the current composition of the Trail Blazers: most are college system guys with team first, player second backgrounds. And it is showing signs of success against the odds of all the stat junkies and star-makers.
Furthermore, because of the players' personal styles and Portland's lack of exposure, none of them generate All-star heat unless it's in the category of, "WTF, this guy over our guy? What are people thinking?" It's a Rodney Dangerfield attitude that goes straight back to coach's quote.
And so I have a proposal that serves everyone: remove the player names from the jerseys for the rest of the season. Make a statement. Get buzz by being anti-buzz. Sell more jerseys. Endear yourselves to the blue-collar attitude of our current socio-economic times. Throw cold water on the All-star ridiculousness. Show everyone that the Trail Blazers aren't about a superstar and a bunch of young talent. They are going to play team ball and that's enough for them. It may not win us any more games, but it will give us a point of differentiation from the rest of the league. It will bond this team further. And at the end of the day, it will sell more merch.
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will the nba allow it
bayless leaves over my dead body
Start Bayless (in a 2 guard lineup)
if you should strike Oden down he will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine
#52
#4
why will it sell more merchandise?
i don’t think this is a bad idea, by the way. It would be kind of neat if they could actually do this.
You are not wrong
by 92wastheyear
It would sell more
because jerseys from this year would become collectors’ items. A Blazers’ #7 without Brandon’s name on it, a #5 that doesn’t say Fernandez. It would be unusual, and a lot of fans would like the idea and buy those jerseys, too.
I doubt the league would allow it, but if they did, it would be a pretty cool thing to do, and send a message. And the media would make a big deal of it — “no one has ever done this before”.
The other problem is are you going to go back to names next year? If the message is a good message this year, then are you sending a bad message by not doing it again next year?
I do think it would be a neat idea. Get’s a rec from me.
#5 #10 #52 #88
i don't know about a collectors item.
only because you can do this already. there is a booth at the Rose Garden where you can buy jerseys and get them customized. So you could just put a number on one and leave the name off. Obviously, this does nothing for out of area customers/fans. But can’t you get custom jerseys online as well?
You are not wrong
by 92wastheyear
There needs to be a reason for something to be considered a collector's item.
I know you CAN buy jerseys like that, but they wouldn’t be considered a collectors item unless the players actually wore them that way at some point.
Yes, you can order jersey’s on-line this way.
I’m not sure the league would allow it but it would be a good message to send regarding teamwork and unity – something this team is already starting to represent.
Get well soon, G.O.
#52
I actually really like this idea
I was blinded to that by sick alley-oops and facials
not to mention Greg crotchifyin’ suckas
by Tyler Durrden on Jan 4, 2010 9:24 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Sick facials and Greg crotchifyin' suckas, huh?
"One of the bright spots of the young season has been rookie point guard Jonny Flynn, whose name sounds like he should be the lead character in a Broadway Musical. "What are you doing here, Jonny Flynn?" "Why I'm here to court trouble, and woo a girl, and build the most fantastical contraption the world has ever seen!" -- Dave, Game 7 Blazers versus Timberwolves preview
by BlazersOrBust on Jan 4, 2010 9:33 AM PST up reply actions
Yeah made it my sig before he got hurt, and after the fall I decided to keep it for the season as an homage
I was blinded to that by sick alley-oops and facials
not to mention Greg crotchifyin’ suckas
by Tyler Durrden on Jan 4, 2010 9:39 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Nono don't get me wrong
I wasn’t commenting because Greg is done and you should change it. I was commenting because “Sick Facials 8: Greg Crotchifies Some Suckas” sounds like a good name for a late-night Skinimax flick and I have the maturity of an 11-year-old so I can’t just let it pass by.
"One of the bright spots of the young season has been rookie point guard Jonny Flynn, whose name sounds like he should be the lead character in a Broadway Musical. "What are you doing here, Jonny Flynn?" "Why I'm here to court trouble, and woo a girl, and build the most fantastical contraption the world has ever seen!" -- Dave, Game 7 Blazers versus Timberwolves preview
by BlazersOrBust on Jan 4, 2010 9:56 AM PST up reply actions
What's funny is my mind is so much in the gutter all the time
That even when it’s not my intention, everything I say comes out half-filthy
I was blinded to that by sick alley-oops and facials
not to mention Greg crotchifyin’ suckas
by Tyler Durrden on Jan 4, 2010 10:01 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
I would definitely buy a nameless #7 jersey
This is a cool idea and I wonder if the players would rally around it. “You wrote us off when our ‘name’ guys went down, so look what the ‘no-namers’ are doing to you!” Team against the world kind of thing. Neat thought, munson.
"One of the bright spots of the young season has been rookie point guard Jonny Flynn, whose name sounds like he should be the lead character in a Broadway Musical. "What are you doing here, Jonny Flynn?" "Why I'm here to court trouble, and woo a girl, and build the most fantastical contraption the world has ever seen!" -- Dave, Game 7 Blazers versus Timberwolves preview
Sure
and while we’re at it, let’s add a sponsor in its place so we can have some extra change to buy another player from Phoenix. Not really.
nope
1) the NBA wouldn’t allow it, and even if they did, they usually require like a year or more notice for changes.
2) It’s about the player on the inside – if the guy isn’t willing to “play the right way” now, taking his name off his jersey isn’t going to change that.
How did you guys win that?
"We scored enough points. We scored 107, they scored 105.
-Nate McMillan Postgame, 3/4/2009
agreed
Taking the name off the jerseys is something that most players would hate. Especially guys like Dante, Pendergraph, Bayless – guys on their rookie contracts who even in a good situation want to make a name for themselves so they are more respected once they hit the open market. This isn’t an anti-team thing, it’s a career thing. I’m currently a junior-level project manager where I work, and you better believe I want my name on the research we publish, because I may want a different job someday with a different organization. It doesn’t have anything to do with how I (or a player) perform – it’s a gesture for the fans.
M, period. Fresh, comma.
I say DO IT
1) Who cares if the NBA wouldn’t allow it. The NBA wouldn’t allow MJ to wear the first Jordan’s either and the fact that he did it anyway and just had NIKE pay the fine game after game was one of the most genius marketing campaigns EVER. I say the players trot out in nameless jerseys, play the game, and then get fined. Paul Allen says, “OK, here’s your check” and the players do it again the next game. Get Fined. Write Check. Repeat.
2) NBA teams and scouts are smart enough to know who Dante Cunningham, Jerryd Bayless, and Jeff Pendergraph are. Its not like taking the name off the back of the jersey is going to cause coaches and scouts to go “Wha…huh…who the heck is that? Where did he come from???” They know the players. The Yankees don’t wear names on their jerseys, but some how their rookies and prospects still get traded around. USC doesn’t put names on their football jerseys, but somehow their players still get drafted. Jerryd Bayless isn’t a junior level paper pusher, he’s a professional basketball player. He has a wikipedia page and kids have his poster on their wall. His career won’t suffer with the removal of his name from his jersey. If anything it will just draw more attention to his team.
3) It is a cool statement, it would draw press, and could be something that the team could rally around. It would just be fun.
Let's just follow the ducks lead...
…and instead of removing the names, use lettering that exactly matches the background color. That way when we see the players on the screen we can try and guess who the player is, or hope for the off-chance that we’ll get the angle just right so that we can make out the name!
I don’t know who was doing the ducks’ “thinking” on this, but, wow, what stupidity…
yeah
that was rather stupid
bayless leaves over my dead body
Start Bayless (in a 2 guard lineup)
if you should strike Oden down he will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine
#52
#4
by thomasikehara on Jan 4, 2010 2:00 PM PST up reply actions
I don't like it either, but I guess the players do.
They help create the uniforms, after all.
37-33. Pasadena. Roses. Bliss.
These guys are grown-ups
Stunts like this work for idealistic kids. Motivating adult millionaires is a totally different story.
I remember when the Pacers all shaved their heads for the playoffs and made the finals.
Somehow that worked as motivation.
All this would be is a rallying cry. Like “Rise with us” only tangible. Players “dedicate” games and seasons all the time. “This game was for coach” or “this season is for Joe” etc. This is a way of saying “this season is for US, the TEAM, the FANS, and the organization.” "It doesn’t matter who is on the court, as long as the jersey says “BLAZERS”. IMO, it would be an awesome thing to see.
It has to come from the team though
If the organization comes down and says some day “You all have to shave your heads for the playoffs” it wouldn’t go over well. It needs to be organic.
I like the idea.
Not sure if it’s within NBA regulation or not, though.
I'm not saying, I'm just saying.
Hey Hey Hey Sugga Daddy Allen...
Will you pretty pleeaasee foot the bill for this as well??
I like the idea of “this season isn’t about names, it’s about the team play. There is no Roy or Aldridge on the court, only two different Blazers.” We homers will be able to tell the difference (I can watch a player run up the court and know who it is) but let the rest of the nation wonder which one of our boys is the Roy. If someone in PR is feeling real ambitious they could maybe think of a nickname or statement to replace the names (survive? overcome? effort and determination? obviously I dont have that job :D) And of course there will always be the stat line after the game so people can see who did what.
Section VI—Uniforms
(Players Jerseys)
a. Each player shall be numbered on the front and back of his jersey with a number of solid color contrasting with the color of the shirt.
b. Each number must be not less than 3/4" in width and not less than 6" in height on both the front and back. Each player shall have his surname affixed to the back of his game jersey in letters at least 2" in height.
c. The home team shall wear light color jerseys, and the visitors dark jerseys. For neutral court games and doubleheaders, the second team named in the official schedule shall be regarded as the home team and shall wear the light colored jerseys.
I like the idea, but what happens if we get blown out by the Lakers/Cavs this weekend. Would superstar performances by the opposition be counter productive to what you are trying to sell here? If it really is about team ball and not individualism, let the guys go play their hearts out. Support them and cheer loudly as they do, but don’t add gimmicks into the mix. If we find out that we win more games when Roy has an All-Star night, doesn’t that lend to the individualism line of thinking? I think we are only talking about this because the Blazers are posting W’s.
The Blazers team and character is who these players are. It is the collection of individuals. The Blazer name has not always been highly regarded as outstanding character (Jail Blazers), but when you hear the names Roy, Aldridge, Pryzbilla, Bayless, Pendergraph, there is no connection to the Blazers of the past. I think we should keep the names on the jerseys as we distance ourselves from the teams of the past and welcome a new era of All-Stars and Champions.
Yao IS his surname
Chinese names work differently. His father isn’t Zhiyuan Ming, it’s Yao Zhiyuan. Calling him Yao is essentially the same as saying Bryant instead of Kobe, or Roy instead of Brandon.
The only player I can think of who could be said to have an exception would be Nene, but there’s plenty of precedent from soccer for Brazilians to go by a singular name.
#52
Hungarians do the names that way also...
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
yao is his last name
philthy 3
I'm going on a Dave boycott until AK1984 is brought back.
"Did they really expect me to bow down to Jesus?!?" ~Sophia
by Philthyanimal on Jan 4, 2010 4:53 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
i didn't know that.
i thought his name was Yao Ming. I guess my lack of knowledge in chinese culture has come back to haunt me on a blog.
all my jokey jokemaking just looks weird now :(
by DrivetheLane on Jan 4, 2010 5:52 PM PST
not to me :)
by fanfaraway on Jan 4, 2010 5:54 PM PST
Clean off your desktop
and check in your mouse and keyboard at security at the front door, your posting privileges have been revoked.
#5 #10 #52 #88
i knew it would come to this.
good thing i find out here instead of on my exploratory expedition to china. I would have been calling everyone by their wrong last names. How embarrassing!!
all my jokey jokemaking just looks weird now :(
by DrivetheLane on Jan 4, 2010 5:52 PM PST
not to me :)
by fanfaraway on Jan 4, 2010 5:54 PM PST
Thanks for looking this up
Also thanks for including the rest of the rule, including “c” which gets abused for any Christmas game or other special retro merchandising night.
obsessionism.com
Loophole!!!
It says the NUMBER must be in a solid color contrasting with the color of the shirt.
It doesn’t say anything about the color of the NAME.
If you ask, they’ll say no. So don’t ask. Just run the guys out there with jerseys with the name in the same color as the shirt. Make sure the name is there, but not distinguishable except with a microscope or something. What will the league do? Fine the franchise a few dollars. It would make a great story, and the free advertising would more than compensate for the fine. We’d probably only get to do it one game, but because of the loophole, they wouldn’t be able to order us off the court or anything.
This could not be something that comes from the team, it would have to come from the players themselves — “we wanted to do this to send a message”. You don’t motivate players if you impose it on them, but if Brandon were to adopt the idea and take it to the team and then to Nate for a big television game (like a home game against the L@kers), it would probably fly for one game.
It would be a lot of fun, and would focus attention on what these guys have accomplished against all odds.
#5 #10 #52 #88
giving an entirely new meaning to the word "crossover"
OK...so girls in movies where guys wear hockey masks have a better survival rate than the average Blazer player. - Dave
So, it's in the rulebook.
What’s the consequence if the whole team wears jerseys without names? Fines for everyone? Or do they forfeit the game?
37-33. Pasadena. Roses. Bliss.
There's only one problem:
This
Show everyone that the Trail Blazers aren’t about a superstar and a bunch of young talent.
Is not true. The Blazers are Roy & Co., and Brandon, Nate, and the Fans all seem to be pleased with it.
This injury debacle is dangerous, in that Roy’s getting tons of positive reinforcement, whereas before the injuries he was being criticized. When people come back, now, he has little to no external motivation to adjust to them, imo.
After 44 minutes in last night's game
he looked like he had parts falling off.
I think he’ll have no problem adjusting to the other players as they return. – Elgin
OK...so girls in movies where guys wear hockey masks have a better survival rate than the average Blazer player. - Dave
I must say, this is a totally Portland thing to do
Where else would think of this? Only in Portland
by SpyderRyder on Jan 4, 2010 5:15 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Don Draper would be proud.
That was quite the pitch. Ultimately, I would disagree with you, but you sure made it sound like a good idea.
Terrible idea
I don’t watch the games for nameless guy #1 passing to nameless guy #2 who hits an elbow jumper. I watch the games for Roy, Aldridge, Bayless, etc, and the story behind each one. Trying to remove the personal connection wouldn’t improve the fan’s experience, and I doubt ti would motivate the players either. Two thumbs down.
Yeah I'm not sure how we would sell more merch this way.
Anyways you know the NBA would never in a million years allow this to happen. The refs need to know who to call fouls on and who not to. (Tim Donaghy)
Maybe I'm just a stubborn, anti-proletariat intellectual
but I absolutely hate this idea. To me, nothing is worse than being just a number. It is demoralizing and a huge inhibition on creativity, inspiration, and enthusiasm. Nothing says “you’re replaceable” like slapping a number on a player/worker and saying “I don’t need to know who you are, just pump out more product!”. I’m not a fan of #7, but I love Brandon Roy. There are endless amounts of #5’s that can launch 3’s all day, but only Rudy makes me jump up when jogs back with three fingers in the air, or cheer when I see him smiling up at the jumbotron in a suit.
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