Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Jersey Drive

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you
Without a strong rhyme to step to
Think of how many weak shows you slept through
Time's up, I'm sorry I kept you...

I’ve never been a big jersey guy. Note the lower case, not an upper case implying that I wear sweat suits, eat huge amounts of pasta, and love refineries and big hair. I’m talking a smooth jersey, either to support your team or sport in a bad rap video. Throughout the years I’ve owned a handful of jersies of players from yesteryear:

My dad hooked me up with a Jim McMahon jersey back in the wake of the Super Bowl XX and soon thereafter, McMahon was mostly affixed to the bench riddled by injuries. Although the jersey served a purpose by being a lazy Halloween costume: add headband and RayBans- bam – I’m styling.

Fast forward to the mid-90s and a few friends pitched in and got me a LaPhonso Ellis Nuggets’ jersey. I was a huge Fonz guy then, so much so that my “number” when I paged friends was “20.” Ahhh, the days of pagers. Unfortunately after the gift, Fonz suffered a severe knee injury and was never the same player he was in the 1994 Nugs playoff run.


A few years after, my girlfriend (now my wife), bought me a #30 Broncos’ Terrell Davis jersey. I was styling in it, but sure enough, TD had a knee injury chasing down a player after a Brian Griese INT and ultimately retired a few years later. I can almost pass it off as a “throwback” jersey since he was a pretty important cog in the Bronco Super Bowl years.

One can never know with a pro jersey these days. You shell out $85 for a Jason Jennings and next thing you know they’re at TJ Maxx for $9.99. Think of the countless dweebs with Theo Flury Avs’ sweaters, Tim Hardaway Nugs’ jersey, or a Kavika Pittman Broncos’ jersey. And if you have a Bradlee Van Pelt Broncos’ jersey, just slap yourself now.

The one pro jersey I can see myself possibly buying over the next few months is a Darrent Williams’ Bronco jersey. Like Cardinal fans with Pat Tillman, it is the ultimate tribute. I was never a huge Williams’ fan, but I think sporting a D-Will jersey in honor of the man is a statement. A way to tell folks that you aren’t going to look the other way by senseless violence and thuggery that seems to be permeating our society. A basic respect for human life and decency.

Williams case may be solved, but what about the countless other gang-related murders that are just a statistic? Perhaps my new Williams’ jersey is my small way of bringing light to it. One love.

Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives- a Denver-based organization

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2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Everybody need to peep that ODYGA link. Rev puttin' in work for 20 years plus.

"Peace to the O.G. Leon Kelly;
and y'all can step off with these drugs you tryin' to sell me."

- Fresh Marcus on "World Travels"

6:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

LaPhonso Ellis!!? Wow--he was ill in NBA Live '95.

I haven't bought a jersey since I copped a purple Milwaukee Bucks Vin Baker jersey at JC Penny's before the season started at which point the Bucks traded him to Seattle 2 weeks later.

Plus every 2-3 years team change logos and colors to make you cop again and again. Then guys get traded or sign with other teams. Or they just feel like screwing you over by changing their number for apparent reason (Kobe, you're a douche).

9:33 AM  

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