Calgary Flames 2013 Alternate Jerseys

The Calgary Flames came out with new alternate/third jerseys this season recently. I like some aspects of them quite a bit, but overall I give them a fail. Here are some of my thoughts, based on a comment originally posted to a review of the jerseys on the excellent Icethetics blog.

In my opinion, the best aspects of Calgary's new alternate jersey are the awesome shoulder patch (which may have made a much better crest than what the team went with), the striping, the colors of the names/numbers, and the "hanger effect" inside the collar.

The worst aspect is the combination of the "Flaming C" with the "Calgary" wordmark as the crest. The jersey would have looked more than fine with just the wordmark alone. (For the record, I personally think wordmarks as crests are fine for a third jersey, if done right.)

The "Flaming C" could then have been used as the captain's "C" to compliment the team's use of the old Atlanta Flames "A" for the alternate captains. Calgary at least realized that using the "Flaming C" on the captain's jersey would look really bad with the "Flaming C" already part of the crest.

The yoke has downward points midway between neck and shoulder to emulate old-time cowboy shirts. While I commend both the idea and the execution, I found the yoke quite awkward-looking before knowing this. And, unfortunately, I still find it somewhat off. I believe a thin yellow stripe at the edge of the yoke, making its shape - the points - more evident, could help in this regard.

While I love the color of the names and numbers - white with black borders - due the jersey's strong cowboy motif, the font used for them is way too modern. I believe this font may have originally been more "western" in style but was steamlined. Unfortunately, that streamlining may have been to the detriment of the jersey as a whole.

I did a quick scan through a magazine the other night to see where each NHL team places their captaincy letters - i.e. on the left or right side of their jerseys. Before I discovered that the Detroit Red Wings place theirs on the right side - where the top of their crest is slightly lower - I was thinking there may be an NHL rule that all letters had to be on the left.

But now I know for sure that a great number of NHL teams are simply ignorant with regards to where they place their letters. One of those teams, proven by their new alternates, is the Flames. The "Calgary" wordmark gradually rises from the right side of the jersey to the left, bringing the "y" closer to the yoke than the rest of the city's name.

So, where did Calgary decide to place their letters? On the left side, where there is less space (compared to the right, where the "C" in "Calgary" is furthest from the yoke, thus creating a nice, comfortable place for a letter to go), and where the crest is already "heaviest" due to the position of the "Flaming C". This decision alone truly handicaps an already flawed jersey.

Anyhoo...

Computer Scam Phone Caller Fun

I just contracted the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to report one of those "Microsoft" telephone scams. Here's what I wrote to the CAFC explaining the call, which I decided to have fun with. (Which I do not recommend, as it's best not to mess with even these idiots.)

At 1:20 I got a call from a supposed Microsoft employee, claiming that my computer has been hacked and malware has been placed on my computer, and that I get on my computer to help him fix the problem. My phone was dying so I hung up and switched phones. The person called back at 1:22 and seemed upset that I hung up in his face. I actually told him the truth; that my phone had died. He assumed I was from the U.S. (which I verified; a lie) and claimed that someone from Vancouver had hacked my computer. He asked me to find the "c-t-r-l" key [yes, he spelled it out] on my keyboard and asked me what key was next to it. I replied that my space bar was next to the "c-t-r-l" [yes, I spelled it out] key (a lie). He asked what other keys there were and I replied that that the "c-t-r-l" key and the space bar were the only two keys on my keyboard. At first he thought this was odd, then he thought I was joking with him. I said it was a special keyboard. Then he said something I did not understand - aside from two words ("fuck you") - and hung up. The person's accent (from what little I know) sounded African. I then had a VERY hardy laugh. But we have had calls like this on numerous occasions in the past. Usually we just hang up but this is the first time we've reported a call. (It's impossible to get through to the CAFC via telephone.)

I truly did LLOL!* And it truly was a hardy laugh!

* ("Literally laugh-out-loud!" With misuse and overuse, "LOL" has become obsolete.)

Anyhoo...

Maple Leafs sign Jerred Smithson

New Toronto Maple Leafs forward Jerred Smithson is one of my all-time favorite former Predators, and one of the Preds I've been most disappointed to see Nashville part with. He's a great defensive forward who actually has some offensive ability (unlike too many other forwards in the NHL right now). Best of all, he's a player that truly puts in a full effort every time he's on the ice. Nobody should be disappointed by what he brings to the Maple Leafs. Definitely not their coaches and management. And hopefully not their fickle fans.

The only reason the Predators let Smithson go was because of their big shake-up via free-agency this past off-season; after which they had to make room for their new signings. In the end the team had to make the difficult decision to part with either Smithson or Nick Spaling, another great defensive forward, and an excellent penalty-killer. I assume being younger and cheaper were the deciding factors in keeping Spaling over Smithson but. whatever the case, Spaling's play this season hasn't led to any regrets.

However, why no other NHL team picked up Smithson before now, I have no idea. If he doesn't end up pushing someone else off the Leafs roster when their injured players return, Smithson at least gives Toronto a very nice asset to move in a trade to one of a number of struggling teams in the league. If he ends up moving on to one of those teams, they'll be getting a player whose dependability and consistency can only help.

Anyhoo...

Predators' Rich Clune a dirty player?

From NHL.com - Predators' Clune fined $1,452.70 for boarding (YouTube video)

After this hit I automatically started reading people's comments about Nashville forward Rich Clune being a reckless player, despite the fact that this was his first supplemental discipline from the NHL, and the fact that his NHL career consists of only 30 games so far.

The worst thing Clune ever did in juniors was an incident where he did push-ups after scoring an empty-net goal while playing for the OHL Barrie Colts. Lame on his part, but nothing to do with his play. (Ironically, at the end of that month he received the Colts' monthly Sportsmanship Award. *confused*)

While Clune's hit on Colorado's Aaron Palushaj was flagrant, I don't see him as a truly reckless player. The main reason players like Clune are more likely to get fines or suspensions is that they are relentless checkers, and mistakes are bound to happen. (Not that those types of mistakes shouldn't be punished. Fines and suspensions are needed to make sure players don't become reckless by becoming negligent.)

Over a longer career, I expect the number of infractions against Clune to be below average compared to most players considered reckless, and deserving of the reputation. There are a number of players whose games involve little checking but who are truly reckless. Players who use their sticks as weapons, and players that, when they do hit another player, they do so when those players are in a vulnerable position, with obvious intent to injure.

Tenacious players like Clune rarely intend to actually injure an opponent, since they're too busy simply checking one opponent man then moving on to the next. Most of the time, when they do skirt the line, they do so in the heat of battle. Which is not a validation for ever crossing that line, but I respect players like Clune more than players who, with a clear and calculating mind, decide to take out an opponent's knee or drive them head-first into the boards.

Anyhoo...