http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet Keep up to date with Adrian Davis' blog at iStadia.com! en-us Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:29:44 GMT http://www.typepad.com/ Guilty. But I really thought the NFL's decision to introduce the throwback uniforms was a one year aberration. It was kitschy. Put some extra moolah in the, er, cash-strapped NFL's coffers. But enough already. Just stop trotting out self-respecting, modern football teams in these sideshow travesties of uniforms. Now. Before I hurl. Watching Brett Favre play in the old New York Titans uniforms on Sunday was torture. It's confusing. It distracts from the game. It is arguably belittling to the players & fans alike. As a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan, I should not have to live in mortal fear of seeing my beloved team in their positively Horrific throwback jersey any time again in my lifetime. That goes for MLB, NBA & NHL, too! Sports Uniforms Stuff: Football Uniforms - Stop the Throwbacks Already! Adrian Davis Interactive Media Designer Sports Uniform Blog ]]> http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/336 Adrian Davis Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:29:44 GMT http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/336 Captain Renault, I'm shocked, shocked. Although I'm not sure at who. Or why exactly. Some of you may have -no doubt- already gotten wind of the controversy surrounding the University of Idaho's cheerleading uniform controversy. Seems that, some obliquely identified source(s) of complaints about the new uniforms' "skimpiness" has lead to an immediate retraction of said offending cheerleading uniforms by the school. Oliver Stone fans might readily suggest it's due to the fact that the U of I is Sarah Palin's alma mater (which is true, Class of '87). But, when you realize that the Republican party's VP candidate spent time at five (5) colleges in five (5) years to get her undergraduate degree...well, it's not exactly a new grassy knoll. Let's first realize that "skimpy" really is in the eye of the beholder. Suffice to say, I don't think the fellas on the football team were lobbying for the change(See before and after photos) Parents, pundits, prudes and some professors, no doubt were probably represented in not some numbers. Odd to me was that there were quotes ion the article that suggested some of the cheerleaders themselves objected. One opining, "not every on is a size zero." True enough. But not everyone is on the football team either. Or the swim team for that matter. Are burkas next? Read more! - Sports Uniforms Stuff: Cheerleader Uniforms: I'm Shocked, Shocked Adrian Davis Interactive Media Designer Sports Uniform Blog ]]> http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/335 Adrian Davis Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:00:55 GMT http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/335 "I had goosebumps", Kobe continued. This was frankly, positively startling. Kobe...arguably the best basketball player of our generation...was emotionally affected by a simple (albeit nice) basketball uniform. What up with that? I'm a Philly guy. Lifelong hoops fan. And, for full-disclosure's sake, worked for the LA Lakers from 1991 to 1995 in corporate sales. During what was commonly referred to as the Randy "No Fun" Pfund & Del "Dull" Harris era. Interrupted, ever so briefly, by the 19 game Magic Johnson head coaching fiasco. Kobe, as the son of former Sixer Joe "JellyBean" Bryant, claims "Philly-roots" when in actuality the guy grew up in Italy for most of his formative years. JB moved back to Philly with a sweet-heart asst. coaching deal @ St. Joe's Univ. when they thought they might have a chance of signing wunderkind that was Kobe. Read more! Adrian Davis Interactive Media Designer Sports Uniform Blog ]]> http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/326 Adrian Davis Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:38:02 GMT http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/326 Under Armour were almost synonymous. The wicked hot, Baltimore-based company (founded in 1996) had virtually invented the category and ruled the roost and justly so. While they still rule (with good reason) the category they created has run amuck with contenders and pretenders, posers and...well, some nice additions. What's a coach, AD or average "Joe-buyer" supposed to do...? At this writing, every respectable sports team uniform manufacturer in the free world has some variation to promote in the "performance" category. If I never hear the word "anti-microbial" again, I will die a happy man, but I don't suspect that'll happen. Same goes for "moisture-wicking". Nonetheless, the "performance fabrics and processes" (yes, there are two separate things) are here to stay. And they definitely are worth paying attention to. They feel very good. They DRY very quick. They have tremendous value for just those reasons. For that reason and much more....I will continue to expound on this subject for weeks/months and perhaps years to come...Please feel free to join the conversation! Read more! Adrian Davis Interactive Media Designer Sports Uniform Blog ]]> http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/324 Adrian Davis Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:29:16 GMT http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/324 As with so many things in team sports, the devil is in the detail. There really isn't a singular answer to a series of linear questions to determine what ultimately is the best team sports uniform for your team or school. As disheartening as that may seem, it is true. The devil really is in the details. First off, ususally is budget. But this simple metric is mitigated by the question: "How long do you want/need these uniforms to last? There's some really awesome unis that look fantastic -- cost accordingly -- and will NOT last more than 2 seasons for an intense elite/travel team. For some teams, (i.e., elite/travel U16-18 teams) that's the "best" option. When those SAME EXACT PLAYERS are playing for their school teams, it'd be frankly CRAZY for them to be wearing the same uniforms. Yeah...same exact players, different circumstances...the "BEST" uniform solution is going to be DIFFERENT. It ain't rocket science...but it sure helps to talk to some one that knows. Adrian Davis Interactive Media Designer Sports Uniform Blog ]]> http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/323 Adrian Davis Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:43:53 GMT http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/323 I had one soccer company guy (not a soccer uniforms manufacturer, but a goals & equipment guy) say to me:"If I walk into a store and don't see Adidas, it ain't a soccer store." No question Adidas is the undisputed brand of soccer the world over. As much as NIKE may argue, that's the truth. Close -- but not THAT close -- 2nd tier brands are Umbro, Diadora and the like. But those companies have had a world of trouble getting distribution in the US. True, league play (as opposed to Travel & Elite) gets a lot of attention from Far East manufacturers that sell direct (e.g., Score), but thats kind of a whole different ball of wax. The big news for the coming Fall & Indoor seasons is that Under Armour, the biggest toughest new kid on the block has decided to flex it's marketing and manufacturing muscle on the pitch. Under Armour is doing soccer uniforms. And doing so in a big way. Their advanced and hugely popular fabric technologies gives them a big edge on all the other also rans of years past. With UA on the pitch, there's sure to be some shaking going on. Read more! Adrian Davis Interactive Media Designer Sports Uniform Blog ]]> http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/322 Adrian Davis Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:09:03 GMT http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/322 I love performance wear and UA is still hands down the best, even if EVERY manufacturer has some version of it these days. That said, I love the feel of cotton, too. It's buttery softness. And, no matter how good most performance wear is, it can still feel a little polyester-like (Uh...because that's what it is...in large measure.) So this new fabric blend from Under Armour is awesome. Go to my company's site, give us a call, we'll get you out some samples....But I digress. (Sorry I am an entrepreneur/small business owner.) Football training camps are staring us in the face. It's great. And it sucks, too. My personal recollections, even 20 + plus removed are ones of abject misery. Exhaustion. Sweat. Pain. Sweat. More pain. Much more exhaustion. And, yes, gallons upon gallons more of sweat. Football training camps at any level are many things. Pretty ain't one of them. From a coach's point of view, the experience is, however, invaluable. The concentration level, the singularity of focus, the bonding, the....well, you get the idea. But with the advancements in fabric technology in the past few years (along with proper hydration) , football players in training camps need not be candidates for heat related illness or injury. The thinking man's football coach looks at addressing the potential problems from the inside out. Start with the body --again-- keep your athletes hydrated. No exceptions. Next, utilize quality performance wear underneath shoulder pads. Here's a link to a study that proves this point beyond a doubt. Risk of Heat Illness in Football Players... (Thanks, "Mom's") Then, strongly consider upgrading to performance (i.e., moisture-wicking) uniforms. Jerseys in particular. I know, me being who I am, that this may sound self-serving. But the simple fact of the matter is that heat stroke is serious and can even be life-threatening. Football uniforms as a whole are designed for performance. Their purpose is functionality in an intentially violent enviroment. You wouldn't think of going without a helmet, shoulder pads and other protective aspects. Performance fabric in your team's uniforms should be added to that list. Read more! Adrian Davis Interactive Media Designer Sports Uniform Blog ]]> http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/321 Adrian Davis Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:07:56 GMT http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/321 Cleaning Baseball Uniforms Read more! Adrian Davis Interactive Media Designer Sports Uniform Blog ]]> http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/320 Adrian Davis Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:50:16 GMT http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/320 History of Football Uniforms Adrian Davis Interactive Media Designer Sports Uniform Blog ]]> http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/319 Adrian Davis Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:48:45 GMT http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/319 Softball Uniforms: Trend Change Adrian Davis Interactive Media Designer Sports Uniform Blog ]]> http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/318 Adrian Davis Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:43:02 GMT http://www.istadia.com/blog/TeamSportsPlanet/318