Behind the Steel Curtain has a great post about buying team jerseys. Although many casual fans (and wives and girlfriends) might think buying a jersey is as simple as picking a player then picking a jersey size, the fact is that it’s a complex process full of pitfalls:
I’ve gotta buy a new Steelers jersey. This has kept me up nights, and any die-hard fan in the same situation should treat this monumentous decision the same way.
See, there’s far more that goes into a fan’s jersey selection than most think. It’s a commentary of that fan’s ownership of the team. It’s a proud statement that shows the devotion and loyalty to America’s greatest team.
Is it your favorite player? Is it a tribute to the olden days of the team? Is it commemorating one of our two recent Super Bowls? These are all factors, but the “coolness” of that player or the uniqueness and rarity of that jersey is also very important. Longevity and likelihood of that player’s continued employment by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Even if you’re not a Steelers fan, you should still read the article, as it has a lot of good “rules” for picking just the right jersey. After all, every fan should know about “The Oversaturation Rule” (Roethlisberger, Polamalu), “The Bandwagon Rule” (James Harrison, Santonio Holmes), “The Commitment Rule” (Alan Faneca), “The Throwback Rule” and more, and how they might apply to your team.
Although amusing, the post has good information that every fan should know.