Rationalizing Sportswear, literally.

"I got so many jerseys I tell the cleaners I wanna full court press!"
So said Ludacris about his collection of basketball jerseys. And even though that line is from 2003, I can thankfully report that the trend is on a downturn, but not completely dead. Why? Well, as long as there are sports legends that have their jerseys resurrected by companies like Mitchell & Ness, the authority on "throwbacks," they will always be around. But are they in style? That question depends on your perspective. Watching the game at home with the guys, or even at the game in person - merits, I think, wearing the jersey. A celebration of team solidarity is something to be admired, especially during the playoffs. But recently I saw a young man wearing a Minnesota Lakers jersey for Lou Alcindor. He had no idea that he was wearing the jersey of the great Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, before he changed his name, and before the Lakers moved to Los Angeles. So is the "style" soley dependent on the acumen of the wearer? What about old football jerseys? I especially like the ones that don't have the team name or logo on them, which makes them more of a comfortable addition to the wardrobe than a walking billboard. The key is to make it look like you're not trying too hard, which is impossible to do wearing a hockey sweater (which is why, especially in the South, you rarely ever see hockey jerseys outside of the arenas).