The Next Jersey
Monday, October 22nd, 2007“Who’s got next?” is a common playground expression, referring to the concept that the winner keeps the field while awaiting the next challenger, the next would-be champion.
Watching the Denver Broncos’ exciting 31-28 Sunday night win over Pittsburgh gave me a great press box view of the crowd, and it was exciting to watch the swirl of colors in the stands.
Broncos fans showed a lot of orange — blue too, to be sure, but it does not show up as well at night — but the orange sure did, while the Steelers’ yellow was unmistakable even when in the minority.
Plus, fans would stand and wave orange pom-poms or yellow towels, as the circumstance warranted, so there was a continuous wave of orange and yellow, up and down, flags swirling at 360 degrees.
And one of the things you just can’t help but notice is how many people wore jerseys to the games, or even don them just hanging out around town.
Old player jerseys, new player jerseys, vintage jerseys, throwback jerseys, alternate jerseys, they have become a fashion statement for the young and the would-be young (I think I fit into the latter group).
As you look at the jerseys, with any sense of perspective, you notice that the pattern of popularity is always adjusting to the reality of this moment.
New players come, new stars are born, and it can really happen fast.
And that’s what we started to see some of Sunday night for the Broncos.