Lately, I’ve been reminded that those billboards we occasionally wear around still get noticed.
When I say billboards, of course, I meant t-shirts. So many plug a product or express a feeling, but wear something from a sport and it really resonates.
It happened when I was roaming around Disneyland one year, wearing my David Ortiz Boston Red Sox jersey. Red Sox Nation is out there and to find them, all you have to do is put on a cap with a “B” or a shirt such as mine. All day long, passersby would yell out, “Go Sox!” or “Boston!”
I’ve gotten a lot of reaction from my “You Mad Crab” t-shirt every time I’ve worn. Most recently, last Sunday when three people in the grocery store said, “Nice shirt!” and one kid came up and asked, “Where did you get that?” It’s actually a good story. I saw it online shortly after the San Francisco game that inspired the shirt, being sold on Facebook by Richard Sherman himself. I saw, I wanted, I ordered. That day they were $29. The following day, they jumped to $39 and soon thereafter, were sold out. No matter how worn out that thing gets, it will never leave this house (unless I’m wearing it).
But you do have to be careful what you wear and be ready to talk the talk. While visiting Vancouver this week, we went into a Vancouver Canucks team store. While I wouldn’t mind getting a jersey, they clocked in at $220. So, I opted for the more affordable t-shirt, a retro look designed after the original Vancouver hockey team, The Millionaires. Yep, that was their name. This year is the 100th anniversary of the Millionaires, and so for a couple of games, the Canucks are wearing retro uniforms. Apparently the t-shirts weren’t selling that well and so I picked one up for 30% off.
On the way home, stopping into the outlet mall, a couple came up to me and struck up a conversation about the Canucks—how it’s been a tough season, how they played last night, etc. It’s amazing how wearing a t-shirt makes you appear like an expert. A couple of “oh yeah’s”, a “that’s for sure” and “Well, there’s always next year” and we enjoyed a special bond.
So, today, which shirt will it be? Maybe I’ll confuse them all and wear a blank one.
Tim Hunter