I don't really know what that title means, but I did find these Diamond Supply Co. t-shirts in the most unlikely place; Value Village. A little further back in the day, these went for $40 - $50 at the skate shops. I just so happened to buy these for $6.99. There were tons of Diamond shirts on the rack - as if Paul Rodriguez or Terry Kennedy donated their entire closet. If possible, I'll be back for the rest.
Do you not love it when you see something naturally expensive priced surprisingly low? This was at Adrift for only $10 and although I'm not their biggest fan - I'd be stupid not to buy it.
I thought it was pretty cool to find this in the used section of the music store. Stranger Than Fiction [1994] is Bad Religion's first album to appear in the Billboard Top 200 and is their most successful album to date.
It's unfortunate MTV no longer does stuff like this anymore.
Welcome back to Jersey Sunday. This week, I’m showing the uniform of The Magnificent One; Pittsburgh Penguins Mario Lemieux.
I considered having the cresting done from this style, but I was talked into having it look exactly what he wore in his primal years.
I almost gave up on finding the cap to go with this jersey. Most caps I see are with the current or “Robo-Penguin” logo. Surprisingly, I came across this Mitchell and Ness fitted at a very fair price.
Born on 5 October 1965 in Montreal, QC, Mario Lemieux played junior hockey for the presitigious Laval Voisines of the QMJHL. In the 1983-84 season, he broke the league record for most points in a 70 game season with 282 [133 goals, 149 assists]. That fall, he would enter the 1984 NHL Entry Draft.
In 1984, it was definite the Pittsburgh Penguins were selecting the 1st overall pick and Mario Lemieux was the frontrunner. So during the contract negotiations, the young centreman and his agent were not satisfied with the offer. After his official selection, the Montreal native refused to shake hands with then-GM Eddie Jonhston and wear the jersey on stage. However, shortly after the draft, the organization and Lemieux came to a contract they would both agree on.
In his rookie season, he scored his first goal in his first game on his first shot at the Mellon Arena. He played in his first All-Star Game and won the MVP Award. He finished off the year with 100 points and recieved the Calder Trophy as the league's best rookie.
In 1988, he won his first Art Ross Trophy scoring 168 points and another Hart Trophy . The season after, he won his second Art Ross Trophy when he scored 199 points.
In 1991, Mario Lemieux's ice time was limited due to a back injury. Taking part in only 26 games, he returned just in time for the post-season. Helping the Pittsburgh Penquins win their first Stanley Cup Championship. He recieved the Conn Smythe Trophy scoring 44 points [one point shy of his regular season total] in 23 games.
The 1992 season was another stellar year for the centreman. Playing in only 64 games due to injuries, his 131 points helped him scoop the Art Ross Trophy. The Penguins made another appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks and Mario Lemieux won his second Art Ross Trophy scoring 34 points in 15 games.
In the 1992-93 season, Mario Lemieux shocked the press when he announced he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells, midway through the season and missed two months of play. Upon his return, he was on a scoring rampage and helped the Penguins to a first place finish. Unfortunately, they were eliminated in the second round by the New York Islanders. In a total of only 60 games played, he scored 160 points winning his fourth Art Ross Trophy. He was also awarded his second Hart Memorial Trophy.
Mario Lemieux would dominate the league for the next few years, but also see very little of it. Winning another Hart Trophy in 1996 and two more Art Ross Awards [1996, 1997]. But ongoing back problems forced him to leave the game. He retired in 1997 becoming the only player in history to average more than 2 PPG. That fall, he was immediately inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and his #66 was retired by the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.
After his retirement, the Pittsburgh Penguins were in financial turmoil. There were two options for the team; move or fold. Their troubles were turned around when Mario Lemieux stepped in and purchased the team becoming majority owner and chairman. He vowed to keep them in Pittsburgh and not have the city without a hockey club.
In December 2000, Mario Lemieux came out of retirement and back onto the ice for the Pittsburgh Penguins becoming the first owner-player in the NHL. He scored one goal and 2 assists against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Mellon Arena. He also played in his 9th NHL All-Star Game that year and helped lead the Penquins to the Eastern Conference Finals where they were eliminated by the New Jersey Devils. He scored 76 points in 43 regular season games and 17 points in 18 playoff games.
He continued to play for four more seasons but as before, was plagued by injuries. He was able to last as long until the 2005-06 season and play alongside another first overall pick, Sidney Crosby. He officially retired early into the 2006 season due to a heart ailment. In 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup and Mario Lemieux won his third championship as owner.
Mario Lemieux's skills were not only limited to the NHL, but in international competition as well. Playing with Team Canada for twenty-one years, he was able to medal in all the games competed. Most notably, he won Gold in the 2002 Winter Olympics and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.
Career Highlights and Achievements:
Calder Award [1985], 3x Stanley Cup Champion ['91, '92, '09], 2x Conn Smythe Award ['91, '92], 3x Hart Trophy ['88, '93, '96], 6x Art Ross Trophy ['88, '89, '92, '93, '96, '97], 10x All-Star ['85, '86, '88-'90, '92, '96, '97, '01, '02], 3x All-Star Game MVP ['85, '88, '90], and Hockey Hall Of Fame inductee [1997].
Additionally, his #66 is retired by the Pittsburgh PenquinsandTeam Canada. In 1998, he was placed #4 on The Hockey News 100 Greatest Players of All Time.
In 1993, after being cured from Hodgkin's disease, he created The Mario Lemieux Foundation. A charity organization "dedicated to raising funds for cancer research as well as Austin's Playroom Project, an initiative that creates sibling playrooms in medical facilities."
Legends of Hockey: Mario Lemieux
"All I can say to the young players is, enjoy every moment of it. Just enjoy every moment of it. Your career goes by very quickly." - Mario Lemieux
I bought this hat at the OG Switch Ajax before it moved further down east a few years ago.
It stood out with the purple seams and eyelets and the logo is easy to fall in love with. Throw in one of the sickest teams in skateboarding and this hat's a winner. Unfortunately, it shrunk and has to be re-sized.
I’ve already wrote about a hockey, football, and a baseball jersey. So my fourth jersey had to be basketball. On hand is what kicked off my collection; Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant. Recieved as a present in 2005, it was obviously made before his switch from #8 to #24. It’s one of those jerseys directed to the fashion sense as opposed to the replica/authentic uniforms.
Way back in the day, the Lakers started out in Michigan as the Detroit Gems in 1946. After one season, they moved to Minnesota and became the Minneapolis Lakers, the firstNBA dynasty. George “Mr. Basketball” Mikan, who played 9 seasons there [1947 - 1956], would be the most notable player of that franchise. They would move again to the city of Los Angeles in 1960 and the rest is history.
The featured jersey is a crossover with the Minneapolis style and the current Los Angeles look. Above is Elgin Baylor, originally drafted by MPLS in 1958, wearing their blue and white pattern. Below, Kobe Bryant dawns the home colours of forum blue [former team owner Jack Kent Cooke hated the word “purple”] and gold.
A cap to match as always. I grabbed this online and waited longer than its expected delivery, but it was worth it. It also seemed fitting this had the classic Lakers logo on the front and the current logo on the side. Right off the bat, I knew I needed this with my jersey.
"Forum blue" crown with gold contrast brim, button, and strap, and the classic kelly green underbrim. Perfect.
Kobe Bryant was raised in Italy, but attended Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia, PA. In his 4 years with the Lower Merion Aces, he compiled 2883 points, a state championship, and was a highschool All-American. He would forego college and enter the 1996 NBA Draft.
The 1996 NBA Draft is highly regarded as one of the best draft classes in history. He was selected with the 13th overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets. A few days later, then-Lakers GM Jerry West made the deal to bring the 17-year-old Lower Merion student to Los Angeles in exchange for Vlade Divac. The Lakers would also sign the biggest free agent in the game; Shaquille O'Neal, and the two would form one of the best duos in the league for years to come. He was also the youngest individual ever to play in an NBA game as a third string shooting guard with limited minutes averaging less than 8 PPG. At the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, he would recieve the top prize. It would be a small glimpse of what would become for the rest of his career.
In 1999, Phil Jackson would come out of retirement and coach the Los Angeles Lakers. It would be the biggest benefit for the organization as it would result in an NBA Championship in 2000 - their first since 1988. In his third year in the league, Kobe Bryant would hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy at only 21 years of age. He would win it again in 2001 and 2002, conducting a three-peat, like many other historical players on Phil Jackson's previous teams.
As well as the Lakers did in the post-O'Neal years, they would continue to come up short in the playoffs. However, Kobe Bryant would be the face of the franchise often leading the league in scoring and contiuous All-Star Game appearances. On January 22, 2006, he registered the second highest point total in a game with 81 points. One of many of his season highlights. At the end of the 2007-08 season, he was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player.
After many changes to the team, Kobe Bryant would not earn another championship until 2009, seven seasons after his last win. He was given his first NBA Finals MVP Award which was renamed after Bill Russell. The Lakers would repeat as champs again in 2010 and giving him his second straight Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award.
Kobe Bryant has represented Team USA twice in the 2007 FIBA Americas and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. On both occassions, he would take home the gold. He is also confirmed to represent the USA for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England.
Career highlights:
5x NBA Champion [‘00-‘03, ‘09, ‘10], 2x NBA Finals MVP [‘09, ‘10], NBA MVP [‘08], 12x NBA All-Star [‘98, ‘00-‘10], 3x All-Star Game MVP [’02, ’07, ‘09], 2x NBA Scoring Champion [‘06, ‘07], 8x All-NBA First Team [‘02-‘04, ‘06-‘10], 8x All Defensive First Team [’00, ’03-’04, ’06-’10], and Olympic Gold Medalist [2008].
In 2007, he and his wife Vanessa founded the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation. A charity establishment "dedicated to improving the lives of youth and families in need, both domestically and globally."
Beyond The Glory [2002]
"I don't want to be the next Michael Jordan..." - Kobe Bryant
I tried getting this posted as early as I could, but couldn't. As long as I make the deadline before Saturday - it's still a legit post. With one of my jerseys posted every Sunday, it gave me more ideas to write about my other hobbies for the different days of the week, just to make this site more full. Today is the inagural day of Fitted Friday. The way how this works is a show and tell for my fitted caps which don't have a matching jersey, but still need to be shown some love. Most will be items I haven't displayed while others are recycled photos with more/different/detailed writing. Tomorrow will be a different item for Saturday, so stay tuned. Now on with the show:
For the first entry of Fitted Friday is a three pieced combo. Here we have the authentic home, road, and alternate colours of one of my favourite baseball teams; the New York Mets. For those who prefer the tongue and cheek term; New York Mess. Regardless of being the lovable losers of New York City, it's still better than being a bandwagon jumper for those damn Yankees. However, you might think I'm a hypocrite at a later entry. I do have a couple of matching jerseys with these caps, but I don't think they're ready for display - yet.
Between the mid 1850s to the late 1950s, New York had 2 National League teams before the Metropolitans arrived in 1962. They were the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants - both are now in Los Angeles and San Francisco. So as the Mets club came to fruition, they subtly honoured the previous New York franchises and chose blue [Dodgers] and orange [Giants] as their team colours. In their first two seasons, they played in the original field of the NY Giants; the Polo Grounds. In 1964, they occupied the historic Shea Stadium for 44 years until settling into Citi Field in 2009.
The Mets would win 2 World Series Championships [1969, 1986] with 11 former players inducted into Cooperstown including Nolan Ryan [above] & Gary Carter [below].
For this week's jersey, I'm showing my Toronto Blue Jays Roberto Alomar home white uniform. As a Rogers Centre employee, we are entitled to certain perks when it comes to merchandise. Although I had to drop a few more dollars to have it crested the way I wanted, it was worth every penny and I'm blessed to dawn the jersey of my favourite Blue Jays player growing up.
The classic jersey needs the classic cap. This is actually part of the alternate uniform that was worn by the team between 2008-10 for Flashback Fridays.
Roberto Alomar Velazquez's career started as a minor leaguer in 1985 for the San Diego Padres. Already impressing coaches and scouts, he was finally called up to the major league club in 1988. He would make his first All-Star appearance as a reserve in his third professional season. In the winter of 1990, he and fellow teammate Joe Carter were dealt in a trade to the Toronto Blue Jays. It was in this city where his offensive and defensive skills would blossom and place this town on the map for the baseball world.
During his 4 year stint in a blue and white jersey, Roberto Alomar would continue to dominate the league as his batting average was near or above .300, make four All-Star Game appearances, four Gold Gloves, and a Silver Slugger Award. During the 1992 American League Championship Series, he would hit one the biggest home runs of his career to tie the game in extra innings leading to an eventual series win, earning him his first and only ALCS MVP Award.
The Toronto Blue Jays would make their first appearance in the World Series against the Atlanta Braves, making this the first time the championship game was played outside of the United States. They would take out the Atlanta Braves 4 games to 2 capturing their first World Series title. This is also the first time a Canadian team would win baseball's highest prize. There are a lot of "firsts" for the Blue Jays in the 1992 playoffs. In those 6 games, Roberto Alomar batted .206 with 3 runs and 3 stolen bases.
The next season, Toronto would make a second appearance in the World Series and another run at the title against the Philadelphia Philles. It was another historic moment when Joe Carter would hit the second walk-off home run in World Series history defeating the Phillies in 6 games. They were the 8th team to win back to back titles in its 100 year history. Roberto Alomar batted .480 with 12 hits, 5 runs, 6 RBI, and 4 stolen bases.
In 1996, Roberto Alomar would sign with the Baltimore Orioles and would have brief stints with the Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, Chicago White Sox, and Arizona Diamondbacks. Signing with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2005, health problems would deteriorate his skills during Spring Training. He would finally call it quits after an outstanding 17 year career in the majors with a .300+ batting average, 210 home runs and 1,134 RBI in 2,379 games. He is 51st all-time with 2,724 career hits
Career Achievements:
2x World Series Champion [1992, 1993], 10× Gold Glove Award winner [1991-1996, 1998-2001], 4× Silver Slugger Award winner [1992, 1996, 1999, 2000], 1992 ALCS MVP, 12x All-Star [1990-2001], All-Star Game MVP [1998], Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee [2010], and Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inductee [2011].
Additionally, his name and number was added to the Toronto Blue Jays Level of Excellence - an honour bestowed upon a former Blue Jay for his contributions to the ball club. He was awarded that prize on my first day working at the Rogers Centre in 2008.
Early this summer, he had a signing at the Jays Shop to promote his clothing line. Because this was a lousy corporate event, photographs with the player were not allowed and only one item was allowed a signature.
As lame as it was, I had the great pleasure of meeting my baseball idol and have him sign an 8x10.
"I'm not only a player of the game. I'm a student of the game. I watch and learn." - Roberto Alomar
