flyerz_freak Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Kaiser416, I must say that when I read your post I was flabergasted. Do you really feel closer to a man on the ice that makes millions of dollars? Of course not. Sure the players do not pay the fans or even our paycheck. Your satisfaction lies deep in your soul and the sense of accomplishment after completing countless hours of stitching your jerseys one by one. Do we need these jerseys of course not. But we as the working men and women of American/Canada like the accomplishment of completing the entire team set, year set, player set jerseys in our collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser416 Posted January 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 http://forums.icejerseys.com/index.php?showuser=3705'>Kaiser416, I must say that when I read your post I was flabergasted. Do you really feel closer to a man on the ice that makes millions of dollars? Of course not. Sure the players do not pay the fans or even our paycheck. Your satisfaction lies deep in your soul and the sense of accomplishment after completing countless hours of stitching your jerseys one by one. Do we need these jerseys of course not. But we as the working men and women of American/Canada like the accomplishment of completing the entire team set, year set, player set jerseys in our collection. That's an interesting way of looking at it. I grew up idolizing Sundin and cujo and only dreamed of wearing the blue and white with their names on it. I remember playing street hockey with friends and pretended that we were our favourite players. Their earnings in the millions meant nothing to me back then and it doesn't bother me now that current players make more than ever. I respect players for what they do in their job and the excitement they bring to fans. I don't get the same satisfaction if I were to stitch another wings player, say bertuzzi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordStanley94 Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Kaiser, you bring up a great point there...I think it's fair to say most of us had our interest in hockey sparked when we were kids, when money and contracts and what the players did in their private lives was never even a fleeting thought in our minds. when the only thing that mattered was that when our dad's or whoever took us to games or watched games with us on tv we saw these dudes playing a game we loved to play, and doing it good... and that brought a smile to our faces. and we would go out with our buddies and play after school and pretend we were in the nhl and playing with these guys we watched every night. and when we were kids... something like a hockey jersey with a player's name on the back helped us pretend for a little while that we were our favorite hockey player playing under the lights of an nhl arena. those were some of my favorite memories and I guess I collect now as a tribute to those guys who helped give me those childhood memories. would I say I feel closer to the player? no... but perhaps closer to those childhood memories that those dudes helped make. hell I have a closet full of authentic jerseys... but if I still had the white starter replica rangers messier I wore playing street hockey every day after school in like the 4th grade... that would be the pride of my collection with plenty of photo matches to prove that every stain, rip, snag, and pull was from game use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYIJM29 Posted January 27, 2013 Report Share Posted January 27, 2013 Some of you know this, but recently I grew really fascinated with buying jerseys from the late 90s/early 00s. I became a huge hockey fan in 97 and remember playing NHL 95 and 99 throughout my youth. One of my favorite jerseys growing up was the Coyotes and I am glad to say, I just got one of those in my collection. Same with getting the 1998-99 Kenny Jonsson. I was excited to get those jerseys. But now that I am older, I really don't have a favorite player per se. My favorites are Palffy and Jonsson. I want to add a Cairns and Reichel to the collection as well. But with the current Isles, I have a meh attitude towards them and just pay for customization because it fits into my Isles theme (if that makes sense). I have two blanks that I plan on getting Weight'd and Okposo'd, but I hate Okposo so much, but for some reason, I am going to do it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyers845 Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 double post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyers845 Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 I have this thing I made in grade school I'd say around 3rd or 4th grade that is about the flyers. How I wanna be like Eric lindros when I grow up. It's pretty funny ill post it tomorrow when I get home. I'd love to eventually get a lindros gamer that would be my ultimate grail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 I'm unsure if it brings me closer to the player, but as some others have said it brings me back to watching them as a kid. I sit here wearing my Joe Mullen diagonal that Mike so brilliantly did up for me, ripe with memories of watching him score his 500th goal with my dad. My Lemieux 3rd is like a child to me, just based on the fact that I idolized him and at the same time was massively confused the first time the team wore it. I tuned in to that Penguins and Flyers game expecting to see my beloved Penguins dressed in white, but instead some strange thing I had never seen before. All that remains is getting that 90-91 or 91-92 piece to return me to the infancy of my hockey obsession. Days gone by are the motivation for me by far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sungod661 Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 i think lord stanley pretty much summed it up for me, when i was a kid i idolized the players but now older and wiser it's not so much the player but the memories the player made for me. Watching hockey night in Canada with my parents every Saturday wearing my habs jersey in the house hoping i would one day wear it too. Going to the old forum watching Chelios , Robinson, Lafleur and naslund. Having met many players i realize they are no different then my mom or dad they wer elucky enough to play this great sport and some of them allowed me to share in their accomplishments. I can honestly say i am not a fan of any player anymore past or present , i am fan of those memories and how they made me feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 i think lord stanley pretty much summed it up for me, when i was a kid i idolized the players but now older and wiser it's not so much the player but the memories the player made for me. Watching hockey night in Canada with my parents every Saturday wearing my habs jersey in the house hoping i would one day wear it too. Going to the old forum watching Chelios , Robinson, Lafleur and naslund. Having met many players i realize they are no different then my mom or dad they wer elucky enough to play this great sport and some of them allowed me to share in their accomplishments. I can honestly say i am not a fan of any player anymore past or present , i am fan of those memories and how they made me feel. I'm starting to realize the same. I'm not so much keyed in on a few players as I was as a kid but just enjoy the sport as a whole. Memories, as you said, are the main motivation I have for customizing the older jerseys. The current ones I just choose players that I enjoy watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYIJM29 Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 Is it bad I am becoming cynical at the age of 20? lol. But I see what you guys are saying about the memories. That's very true. That's why I want Brad Isbister, Kenny Jonnson, Eric Cairns, and Robert Reichel Isles jerseys more than I want Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen, Mark Streit jerseys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oiler99 Posted January 28, 2013 Report Share Posted January 28, 2013 I agree with the memories part. Where I'm from we don't even have a championship level team, but still when I was skating in the local rink as a kid I always pretended to be Gretzky, Lemieux, Kurri etc. Seeing a Gretzky Oilers jersey hanging on my wall brings those memories back for me. With my collection, I have taken a view of building my own Hall Of Fame with legends and modern greats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperTheGreat Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 Another agreement with the thoughts on the memories. Hockey for me was a salvation in an extremely difficult and lonely part of my life. Not as a child, but in my 20s through college. It was, for a time, the only thing I really had to look forward to and being a fan of the avs is now a part of my fiber. Jerseys for me preserve the tie to a time when my team was great and competed for a championship on a yearly basis and a time when I was proud to be a fan of my team. I think they also legitimize my place as a fan in the history of the team. I really only have players who played during the cup years - partly because I hate the new design of the jersey and partly because I would be disappointed beyond belief if I payed good money for a jersey and the guy up and leaves, or doesn't live up to his potential year after year and never contributes to anything worthwhile. Ryan O'Reilly and his bullshoite antics with his contract this year are a perfect example. I almost pulled the trigger on a jersey with his name last year. I would be SO angry and resentful if I had one of his hanging in my closet. Or Duchene...if he continues to not reach his potential and doesn't help the team win, I really wouldn't have any interest in wearing the guy's name on my back. I'll be proud to put on my Sakics and Forsbergs and wear them to a game. My newest will probably be done as a Kamensky and I'll be proud to wear that one too. Like I said, I think they solidify my place as a fan in the history of the team. Like - hey, I've been around since this guy played and won a cup with this team. How many people at the game next week will even know who that guy is? Or, how many will, and be reminded of the guy when they catch his name and number on my jersey? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordStanley94 Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 I've enjoyed reading all these responses and glad to hear so many people are able to relate to my post, thanks for starting this up Kaiser. I had a feeling a lot of us collect for similar reasons. I was talking to another member here recently about a similar topic and how although we hate ever having to part with any jerseys in our collection it makes us feel a little better knowing its going to someone who will appreciate it. well that got me thinking about how something like a hockey jersey can envoke sentiments like that. the first story that came to mind involved my rangers ccm lafontaine jersey. I bought that thing on eBay for like 30 bucks around 2001 or so. it was a pro jersey but of course lafontaine never wore ccm. the lettering kit was completely off and the size was a little small for my taste. but I figured what the heck... I'll buy it and strip it, it's only 30 bucks. I went to go pick it up at the post office and while I was there my dad called me and told me he was given some last minute ranger tickets. so I decide I might as well wear this new thing. I had up to the garden and guess who's sitting three rows ahead of me? pat lafontaine. I go up to him and he signed my new lafontaine jersey. wrong size, poor lettering kit, and all that aside, that's one of my favorite jerseys and I'll never sell it or strip it now. it brings back that awesome memory every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyers845 Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 Wow great story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus X-1 Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 I've enjoyed reading all these responses and glad to hear so many people are able to relate to my post, thanks for starting this up Kaiser. I had a feeling a lot of us collect for similar reasons. I was talking to another member here recently about a similar topic and how although we hate ever having to part with any jerseys in our collection it makes us feel a little better knowing its going to someone who will appreciate it. well that got me thinking about how something like a hockey jersey can envoke sentiments like that. the first story that came to mind involved my rangers ccm lafontaine jersey. I bought that thing on eBay for like 30 bucks around 2001 or so. it was a pro jersey but of course lafontaine never wore ccm. the lettering kit was completely off and the size was a little small for my taste. but I figured what the heck... I'll buy it and strip it, it's only 30 bucks. I went to go pick it up at the post office and while I was there my dad called me and told me he was given some last minute ranger tickets. so I decide I might as well wear this new thing. I had up to the garden and guess who's sitting three rows ahead of me? pat lafontaine. I go up to him and he signed my new lafontaine jersey. wrong size, poor lettering kit, and all that aside, that's one of my favorite jerseys and I'll never sell it or strip it now. it brings back that awesome memory every time. Very very cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyers845 Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 This was what I was talking about haha be nice.... I don't know if you can zoom in and read it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordStanley94 Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 dude I probably made a hundred things just like that when I was in line third or fourth grade. so you think your dad will still get mad and yell at you off you rip your jersey? haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob77ta Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 Well... Did you get an A? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sungod661 Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 I love the "my favourite player is Eric Lindros he is the best on the team. I also like Mark Recchi he is the best too." lol not to mention the reversed Flyer logo ......awesome!! great stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser416 Posted January 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 nice stories, bros Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyers845 Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 That Lindros jersey was literally my most prized possession haha but like most things when your a young lad you grow out of it. That was 18 years ago I was 10 at the time. Holy s*** I'm getting old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordStanley94 Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 I know the feeling man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordStanley94 Posted January 29, 2013 Report Share Posted January 29, 2013 here's something else I've noticed... especially recently, the crappier my life seems at the moment, the more I find myself actively searching for new jerseys to add to the collection. if I'm having a great couple months or so... the watch list will usually be pretty barren. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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