Tampa Bay vintage

The Tampa Bay Lightning Leaf-style look is still great, despite more mixed reviews than a Super Bowl anthem singing.

News sites, blogs and fan polls about the flash digs differ in their views with those in favour hardly overwhelming the detractors.

I find this strange because the new jersey is all class. I’m no Armani but I don’t know how you could conjure something better – even with Giorgio himself leading the design team. Some fans are tough to please I guess.

The two-tone uniforms with simplified lightning bolt logo hark back to another era. And that can only be a good thing. Let’s face it, the old jersey was caught in that early 90s design vortex that has hurt so many hockey team identities – as well as teen idols like Luke Perry and various R&B stars.

General Manager Steve Yzerman and the club consulted strategic brand development firm SME to develop the new brand, with an emphasis on a “classic” and “iconic” look.

And I think they succeeded. The blue and white incarnation is reminiscent of classic Maple Leafs uniforms, which hopefully for Tampa’s sake, inspires classic Leafs-like victories.

Flyers need song, stamp and more to win

The Philadelphia Flyers are working with the US Postal Service to unveil a stamp of legendary singer Kate Smith at the Spectrum this month. As The Inquirer recalled yesterday, Smith performed “God Bless America” before the Flyers played the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 1974. And she’s been a good luck charm ever since because the Flyers won that game and the series. If only the Philly players could take the tune on the road, maybe play with their iPods on or something. They’ll need it against the Bruins in Boston, where they haven’t won a playoff game since 1976.

Retro cool LED watch

This Diode LED watch by LIP stood out to us while reading nymag.com today. It’s just so old school 70s cool. And $250 seems a fair price. Seriously, this is the type of watch Batman must wear, right? Watchismo has more pics.

Saluting The Saturday Evening Post

The Saturday Evening Post published some of the best magazine covers ever, like this one, illustrated by Earl Mayan in 1957. It features New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra waiting on a pop fly, while the crowd looks on anxiously. And to think you could once pay just 15 cents for this calibre of product.

Football by Mort Drucker

If you love MAD Magazine like we do, then you’ll know Mort Drucker. Drucker is to the caricaturing world what Montana was to Super Bowls – a master. We especially love his sports pieces for their wit and originality, but also their poignancy. Mort turned 81 last month – we salute you sir!