I’m not sure how many sports fans are reading this site but today, I’d like to do something for us y’all. I want to talk about fashion of the athletic variety, specifically speaking that of the Orlando Magic. I’m profiling the NBA team based in Florida’s happiest city because of what I believe to be not only one of the best athletic jerseys ever created but one of the best branded teams as well. If you wouldn’t mind, please humor me, and let me explain.
THE NAME: First of all, if you’re going to put a team of any kind in the city of Orlando it would seem to me that using a name of magical origins or that references magic is somewhat of a no-brainer. Anything you can do to connect your franchise to the almighty Mouse, and not have to pay royalty fees for using one of Disney’s 80 billion characters, is a plus in my book. Very smart move. Also, at least in the United States, if there is one sport we don’t mind seeing a little razzle dazzle in its basketball. How else can you explain the Harlem Globetrotters going strong after all these years? And unlike Wrasslin’ that some reason leads its fans to believe that it’s real, with the Harlem Globetrotters we all KNEW it was rigged. We knew the ref was going to get harassed by one of the Globetrotters while his teammates do some choreographed display of passing and dribbling. We knew that they are going to do the figure 8 give-and-go routine and above all, we already knew they were going to win. But it was cool since attribute high-flying and no-look passes to magic of some sort. It must be magic, right? That stuff is faaaaaaantastic amazing! FINAL GRADE: A-
THE LOGO: Dope in a “playing off the almighty Mouse” kind of way. You know how I was saying that the Vita Morte logo was a bit to chubby for such a European type of name but some how it still works? Well, the same rules apply except this time I think the logo on this joint is just too cartoonish for a friggin’ professional sports team–IF that team wasn’t based in Orlando: America’s home for magic, wonder, and overpriced souvenir cups. In my opinion it works because when you think of Orlando you automatically Disney and things like that. Well, I know I do. And the way the incorporated stars in both their old and current logo is another smart marketing tool. They never let the consumer forget that they play in a magical city. Couldn’t you see Merlin rocking a Magic jersey? FINAL GRADE: A
THE JERSEY: Specifically speaking, the kit I’m referring to as one of the best in sports has unfortunately been relegated to “Throwback duty” but since the NBA started going retro the last two seasons we’ve been able to see the pinstripes more often. This is the Orlando Magic I grew up watching and rooting for. The Magic hit the scene in 1988 and their first uniform was the pinstriped joint you see above. I didn’t start following this particular team until around 1993 until Penny Hardaway got drafted. Then the following year he and Shaq got their Mojo in sync, did the Blue Chips movie, the host of Penny Hardaway shoes, and the rest is history for me. A fan for life. The stripes were dropped in 1999 (boooooooo!) and they went with a solid color jersey until 2003. Again, I prefered the old look but the new look played more in to the magical theme. You couldn’t really tell in the home whites but the Orlando Magic used a sublimation knit of some that “infused” stars through the body of the jersey. Once I saw that I was less upset about the pinstripes being ripped away from me although I still prefered the stripes. One last note about these “cleaner uniforms”, I hated that the road kit said MAGIC instead of Orlando. I mean, you don’t need the name of your city on your jersey at home but I thought I made sense to have it on the away joints. They had them on the old kits…I’m just saying. There were some other uniforms between 2003 and now but in the words of Jay-Z, I’m off that. I’m just glad they brought the stripes back. I hope they KEEP them in rotation or–fingers crossed–bring them back permanently. I think they add a bit of class to such a primal activity. I hate the Yankees (as a team, not a business) but even I can’t deny the flyness that is the pinstripes. FINAL GRADE: A+The Orlando Magic pinstripes were some of the best uniforms the NBA ever had grace their courts and gift shops and I will forever hold them in the highest regard.
P.S. – The Chicago Bulls jacked the pinstripe look from the Orlando Magic in the late 90s. I’m not gonna lie, they looked pretty sweet but still, they swagger jacked.
