THE JERSEY BLOG WEEK 7
It’s business time. If you want in on the blog, be sure to DM pictures of your favourite jersey to one of the Bench Life Social accounts every Wednesday night.
Jersey of the Week Submissions
Fifth Place
Brett Lawrie Toronto Blue Jays
This jersey takes me back to an era of Blue Jays where the future was firmly on the shoulders of Lawrie, Colby Rasmus, JP Arencibia, Rickey Romero, Brendan Morrow and Kyle Drabek. Different times.
I actually have a game program with Brett Lawrie on the cover, autographed by the future of the franchise himself. At the time I thought for sure I had essentially printed a $2000 bill. One minute you’re electrifying an entire fanbase, hell and entire country, and the next thing you know you’re diving head first into camera bays, throwing helmets at umpires and “headlining” a trade for Josh Donaldson. JD was essentially bizzaro world Lawrie where the talent actually panned out and translated to MVP calibre performance.
Fourth Place
Isiah Thomas Detroit Pistons
A top five point guard of all-time and the face of the two-time champion “Bad Boy Pistons” team. It pains me to not get this jersey on the podium but we have a stacked roster this week. Leaving Zeke out of the top three almost feels as harsh as cutting him out of the ’92 Dream Team for petty reasons.
The Podium
Bronze Medal Jersey
Matt Bonner Autographed Toronto Raptors
I’d have this jersey as #4 this week but the autograph knocks it up a notch in the standings. If it was a purple Raptors jersey we may have a Jersey of the Week on our hands.
The Red Rocket is a fan favourite for any long time Raptors fan. He was a floor-stretching, pick and pop big man before it was cool. Ryan Anderson and Davis Bertans owe Bonner at least 20% of their massive contracts for blazing the trails for them. Also Bonner might be one of the most random Dave Portnoy Pizza Review celebrity guests of all-time.
Silver Medal Jersey
Demar DeRozan Toronto Huskies
The Raptors Huskies jerseys are a one of a kind. People forget that the first game in Basketball Association of America history (precursor to the NBA) was between the New York Knickerbockers and the Toronto Huskies. Any edition of the blue and white throwback has been incredible and I’m very jealous that I don’t own this jersey.
Also lost in the wake of the 2019 championship is the fact that DeMar is still a top five player in franchise history. He and Kyle Lowry dragged the team to relevancy after Chris Bosh bailed to ring chase in Miami. Without DeMar keeping the team regular season-relevant, the Raptors may have tried to rebuild and reset the organization before ever getting the chance to land Kawhi. If you don’t appreciate DeRozan then you don’t deserve to call yourself a Raptors fan.
Jersey of the Week
Peter Forsberg Colorado Avalanche
This guy’s getting cocky:
Nobody hates giving Adam first place this week than me. This is like Babe Ruth calling his shot. Is this pandering? Absolutely. Did it work? Absolutely.
You can’t tell me that there’s a sweeter 90’s hockey player than Forsberg. The guy was the original Swedish highlight factory. He’s a two-time Cup champ, two-time Olympic gold medalist, the 2003 Hart Trophy winner and already a Hall of Famer. Imagine how high he’d rank in the hockey GOAT coversation if he wasn’t so injury prone?
Jersey of the Week Standings
This week was pander city and I feel bad for Ben for getting caught in the cross-fire. The Isiah Thomas jersey by all accounts is an awesome jersey.
Cameron rides the Red Rocket up the standings and Adam continues to distance himself from the pack. Sources say he might be running out of 90’s hockey jerseys. We’ll see if he can hold off Ben and his army of jerseys.
Jersey News Round-Up
Another week, another dose of some sweet NHL Reverse Retro unveils. Of this batch I think I have to rank them as followed:
1. Kings
2. Wild
3. Devils
4. Sabres
…and easily last is…
How is THAT what the Red Wings come up with?
It’s Russ photoshop season.
Melo handing off the Melo torch to Melo.
Bench Life Sports 