georgewebb
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OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
US Soccer is offering a pretty nice looking USA jersey that I am thinking of buying. It is clean and simple, and I also like that it doesn't say "soccer" on it, so it would be suitable for wearing to support any US national team.
http://www.ussoccerstore.com/us00m113813ba.html
Question for whoever wants to chime in: Should I get a number on the back, and if so, what? Again, for me it's more about being a US fan than specifically a soccer fan. Here's what I was thinking:
1 might make sense
13 is a number that sort of represents the US as a whole
50 also
76 also
I am kinda leaning toward 13, partly because the other numbers are pretty high and high numbers just don't sound as good. Does 13 have any unfortunate associations in soccer that I don't know about?
Or I could just leave the back blank -- but then, the back would look awfully vacant.
I am pretty sure I will not get a name on it. Having my own name would be vain; having some historical reference might be neat at first but would get old to me and my friends, and would be lost on everyone else; and I am not enough of a fan of any particular US national player (in any sport) to wear their name.
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03-13-2013 10:57 AM |
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Antarius
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
If I recall correctly, Ballack (Deutschland) and Nesta (Milan) wore #13, so that is some serious talent representing #13.
And that is one snazzy jersey. Might need to get one to add to my collection.
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03-13-2013 11:13 AM |
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S.A. Owl
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
10 is the most "talismanic" number in soccer. (But then, you aren't thinking of it as only a soccer jersey.)
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03-13-2013 12:53 PM |
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MerseyOwl
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
(03-13-2013 12:53 PM)S.A. Owl Wrote: 10 is the most "talismanic" number in soccer. (But then, you aren't thinking of it as only a soccer jersey.)
Actually "9" is for the centre-forward or striker and is perceived as the most prestigious number in football. If you're like me and your athletic build peaked awhile ago, then "1" (goalkeeper), "12" (2d string goalkeeper), or "23" (3d string goalkeeper) might make sense.
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03-13-2013 01:06 PM |
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RiceLad15
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
(03-13-2013 01:06 PM)MerseyOwl Wrote: (03-13-2013 12:53 PM)S.A. Owl Wrote: 10 is the most "talismanic" number in soccer. (But then, you aren't thinking of it as only a soccer jersey.)
Actually "9" is for the centre-forward or striker and is perceived as the most prestigious number in football. If you're like me and your athletic build peaked awhile ago, then "1" (goalkeeper), "12" (2d string goalkeeper), or "23" (3d string goalkeeper) might make sense.
Nope.
It is definitely 10: Pele, Maradona, Zidane, Messi, Cruyff, etc.
#10 goes to the best player on the team.
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03-13-2013 01:25 PM |
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MerseyOwl
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
(03-13-2013 01:25 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote: (03-13-2013 01:06 PM)MerseyOwl Wrote: (03-13-2013 12:53 PM)S.A. Owl Wrote: 10 is the most "talismanic" number in soccer. (But then, you aren't thinking of it as only a soccer jersey.)
Actually "9" is for the centre-forward or striker and is perceived as the most prestigious number in football. If you're like me and your athletic build peaked awhile ago, then "1" (goalkeeper), "12" (2d string goalkeeper), or "23" (3d string goalkeeper) might make sense.
Nope.
It is definitely 10: Pele, Maradona, Zidane, Messi, Cruyff, etc.
#10 goes to the best player on the team.
Cruyff wore 14(?) at Ajax?
Not all #10s are the best players on their respective teams and many teams don't have #10s or #9s. Today's players might shy away from #9 as it historically was for the "pure" striker. Likewise few might want the #10 painted on their back saying "I'm the next Messi."
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03-13-2013 02:02 PM |
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Rice93
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
My $0.02 is to go with one of two options: leave the back blank or pick a player and get his name/number on it. If you have a number with no name it's going to look a bit weird. Depending on the current USMNT roster if you're sporting a blank "13" jersey you might get people asking you if you're a Brek Shea fan, Joe Corona fan, Jermaine Jones fan, etc. Sort of confusing.
Leaving the back blank would be just fine. The VAST majority of club and national team jerseys worn by fans are blank on the back.
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03-13-2013 02:45 PM |
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RiceLad15
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
(03-13-2013 02:02 PM)MerseyOwl Wrote: (03-13-2013 01:25 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote: (03-13-2013 01:06 PM)MerseyOwl Wrote: (03-13-2013 12:53 PM)S.A. Owl Wrote: 10 is the most "talismanic" number in soccer. (But then, you aren't thinking of it as only a soccer jersey.)
Actually "9" is for the centre-forward or striker and is perceived as the most prestigious number in football. If you're like me and your athletic build peaked awhile ago, then "1" (goalkeeper), "12" (2d string goalkeeper), or "23" (3d string goalkeeper) might make sense.
Nope.
It is definitely 10: Pele, Maradona, Zidane, Messi, Cruyff, etc.
#10 goes to the best player on the team.
Cruyff wore 14(?) at Ajax?
Not all #10s are the best players on their respective teams and many teams don't have #10s or #9s. Today's players might shy away from #9 as it historically was for the "pure" striker. Likewise few might want the #10 painted on their back saying "I'm the next Messi."
And that is why you dont trust the internet when looking up other #10s that you don't know.
At least I was 4 for 5.
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03-13-2013 03:06 PM |
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Antarius
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
(03-13-2013 03:06 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote: (03-13-2013 02:02 PM)MerseyOwl Wrote: (03-13-2013 01:25 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote: (03-13-2013 01:06 PM)MerseyOwl Wrote: (03-13-2013 12:53 PM)S.A. Owl Wrote: 10 is the most "talismanic" number in soccer. (But then, you aren't thinking of it as only a soccer jersey.)
Actually "9" is for the centre-forward or striker and is perceived as the most prestigious number in football. If you're like me and your athletic build peaked awhile ago, then "1" (goalkeeper), "12" (2d string goalkeeper), or "23" (3d string goalkeeper) might make sense.
Nope.
It is definitely 10: Pele, Maradona, Zidane, Messi, Cruyff, etc.
#10 goes to the best player on the team.
Cruyff wore 14(?) at Ajax?
Not all #10s are the best players on their respective teams and many teams don't have #10s or #9s. Today's players might shy away from #9 as it historically was for the "pure" striker. Likewise few might want the #10 painted on their back saying "I'm the next Messi."
And that is why you dont trust the internet when looking up other #10s that you don't know.
At least I was 4 for 5.
Podolski wears #10 as well.
The same argument could be made for #7 as well - Beckham, CRonaldo, Schweinsteiger, Raul, Villa, Shevchenko, Cantona and of course, Best.
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03-13-2013 03:13 PM |
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georgewebb
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
Thanks guys! Again, I am NOT trying to pick the best customization for soccer. I am trying to pick a customization (if any) that best represents the United States of America generally, without committing some unfortunate faux pas when the venue happens to be a soccer game. The occasions on which I expect to wear it are mostly NOT soccer games: they would be other sports involving US national teams (Davis Cup, rugby, etc.)* or simply social settings -- barbecues, happy hours, etc.
As an example, I have a Scottish rugby shirt that unmistakably proclaims "Scotland" much more than it does "rugby" -- which makes it perfect for that purpose. I am hoping for a similar effect here. For the number, I was trying to find an American analogy to the number 12 for Texas A&M, which seems to represent Aggie-ness more than it does any particular player or sport. But perhaps there isn't one.
*Over the years, I have been to US national team matches in tennis, volleyball, lacrosse, baseball, field hockey, soccer, rugby and probably others I'm forgetting. It is annoying that there is not a clean, simple, timeless, athletic but non-sport-specific jersey or shirt that one can wear as a US supporter. I figure this latest soccer jersey is about the closest I can get to the Platonic ideal. (Back when Lands End was making the USA rugby jerseys, those were pretty cool; but once the teams shifted from classic jerseys to space-age polymers with ads all over them, not so much.)
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03-13-2013 03:24 PM |
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Antarius
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
Quote:*Over the years, I have been to US national team matches in tennis, volleyball, lacrosse, baseball, field hockey, soccer, rugby and probably others I'm forgetting. It is annoying that there is not a clean, simple, timeless, athletic but non-sport-specific jersey or shirt that one can wear as a US supporter. I figure this latest soccer jersey is about the closest I can get to the Platonic ideal. (Back when Lands End was making the USA rugby jerseys, those were pretty cool; but once the teams shifted from classic jerseys to space-age polymers with ads all over them, not so much.)
Absolutely. We seem to cycle through jerseys at an incredible rate. Germany, Italy, Spain, England change their jerseys, but they are (for the most part) true to an unmistakeable style that is quintessentially <insert team here>. Team USA does not have this yet.
In soccer, the US has gone from
1994:
1998:
2002:
2006:
2010:
2012:
Many of these jerseys are barely recognizable.
(This post was last modified: 03-13-2013 03:39 PM by Antarius.)
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03-13-2013 03:38 PM |
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RiceLad15
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
I hope they stick with a style sooner rather than later.
Recently the designs have become very clean and I'm a big fan of them, but I don't want to cough up $70+ for a design that is going to change in a week.
I'm wondering if they'll wise up about branding and just make minor tweaks on a specific design. I wouldn't mind the red and white stripes sticking around for a bit.
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03-13-2013 03:50 PM |
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Antarius
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
Quote:I'm wondering if they'll wise up about branding and just make minor tweaks on a specific design. I wouldn't mind the red and white stripes sticking around for a bit.
Hope so the former and hope not to the latter. The stripes make us look like the french stereotype;just add a beret and a baguette.
I liked the last world cup jerseys a lot (with the diagonal stripe). Own the red alternate and the blue away.
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03-13-2013 04:00 PM |
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Hambone10
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
They won't stick with a style because changes mean you have to buy a new one or look dated.
George, DON'T do blank.
you could do 76 and have Hancock as the name
both 10 and 9 are pretty common "soccer" numbers, but you said you weren't going for that.
Number one sounds a bit vain, but if you're celebrating America, number one... it makes sense.
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03-13-2013 04:04 PM |
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RiceLad15
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
(03-13-2013 04:00 PM)Antarius Wrote: Quote:I'm wondering if they'll wise up about branding and just make minor tweaks on a specific design. I wouldn't mind the red and white stripes sticking around for a bit.
Hope so the former and hope not to the latter. The stripes make us look like the french stereotype;just add a beret and a baguette.
I liked the last world cup jerseys a lot (with the diagonal stripe). Own the red alternate and the blue away.
So you're saying they were perfect for the Olympics?
I dig the diagonal stripe. It took me a little bit to warm up to it, but it is a fairly distinct look.
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03-13-2013 04:07 PM |
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Antarius
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
Quote:They won't stick with a style because changes mean you have to buy a new one or look dated.
All the major players: Brasil, Deutschland, Italy, Spain, Argentina, England etc. maintain a common style. They tweak their jerseys from tournament to tournament, but they still remain instantly recognizable. I would like to see the US find a style and then build on it, not have uniforms look totally different from year to year.
Deutschland has a consistently white home kit, with different amounts of detailing. You can see them play from across the room and instantly know that they are playing. This is true for all the above listed teams.
1998:
2002:
2006:
2010:
2012:
(This post was last modified: 03-14-2013 08:31 AM by Antarius.)
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03-13-2013 04:18 PM |
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Hambone10
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
I don't diagree on your desire, Ant.... but unfortunately, we don't seem to do that.
Notice that they are Adidas and we are Nike. Nike is pretty well known for changing styles every season, even sometimes eschewing the big swoosh on their shoes... while Adidas is still almost always the three stripes
Maybe that's just my impression... but Nike and "consistency" don't seem to be synonymous, unless you force them.
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03-13-2013 04:26 PM |
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NicevilleWRC
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
(03-13-2013 04:07 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote: Hope so the former and hope not to the latter. The stripes make us look like the french stereotype;just add a beret and a baguette.
I liked the last world cup jerseys a lot (with the diagonal stripe). Own the red alternate and the blue away.
So you're saying they were perfect for the Olympics?
I dig the diagonal stripe. It took me a little bit to warm up to it, but it is a fairly distinct look.
[/quote]
The 'beauty pageant' stripe threw me off at first too, but after the initial surprise I really liked it and was sad to see it go for a generic red/white stripes.
As for georgewebb's question, if you want a general USA jersey I think a jersey with 76 and Washington across the back would get the point across.
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03-13-2013 05:05 PM |
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texd
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
I like 76 better than 13 or 50. But then I know nothing about soccer numbering, so any faux pas that could be created is one of which I would be woefully unaware. If you wanted to be even more subtle, you could go 87 or 89 in support of the adoption or effective date of the Constitution.
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03-13-2013 07:21 PM |
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Chef Owl
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RE: OT: buying a US national team jersey and looking for some advice
I agree with antarius about the overall theme being the same, regardless of the brand that is making the uniform. Brazil has the yellow jersey with the blue shorts. Mexico has the green jersey with the white shorts and red socks. (that is why the team's nick name is El Tri) The style changes practically every year, but not the idea. Once you have that, you are golden to boot.
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03-13-2013 11:53 PM |
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