# Sports jerseys with your own name on them. Lame? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 16, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894 "2011-08-16T14:10:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/21 "2011-08-16T15:59:50Z")
It is not lame to have your own name on a sports jersey… if you actually use the jersey as part of a uniform in a sporting competition. That includes professional sports, beer leagues, or even the annual Fourth of July family horseshoes games. That settled, what’s the consensus on fictional/non-sports characters on sports jerseys? (Aside from “Shuttleworth” Celtics or Supersonics jerseys, which are excellently cool, of course). ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/22 "2011-08-16T16:10:52Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > It is not lame to have your own name on a sports jersey… if you actually use the jersey as part of a uniform in a sporting competition. That includes professional sports, beer leagues, or even the annual Fourth of July family horseshoes games. > > That settled, what’s the consensus on fictional/non-sports characters on sports jerseys? (Aside from “Shuttleworth” Celtics or Supersonics jerseys, which are excellently cool, of course). Nope. That’s still lame. Same with your fictional characters. Shame about your Roy Hobbs jersey. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/23 "2011-08-16T16:19:31Z")
I got a Dez Bryant jersey as a birthday present shortly after he was drafted by the Cowboys, as I’m a big OSU fan. It’s one of the ones that has a sewn nameplate, not silk screening, so a nice side benefit is that if he flames out like I have a sneaking suspicion he might do, I can do a bit of surgery and turn it into a Michael Irvin jersey. On a different note, I’m looking hard at buying a US Men’s soccer jersey, but without a player name and number. Instead, I’m going to imitate something I’ve seen a few times and go with “Texas” and the number 28. Possibly go with “Oklahoma” and 46 if I end up getting a job and settling down here. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/24 "2011-08-16T16:26:13Z")
**villa** , the best thing about being a Yeovil Town supporter is that nobody I’m likely to run into knows if the guy whose name is on the back is still on the squad. > [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > So only spend 20 bucks. Google “chinese football jerseys” and pick one of the results. I’ve bought from several of them, and gotten the identical product as what the NFL is hanging you by the nuts for. Seriously…no difference in quality or patchwork at all. You just have to muddle through some Engrish on the site. Not sure how I feel about that, although there’s absolutely no reason NFL jerseys should cost so damn much. > [@spark240](#): > > Will they let you put that on there? Probably not the “fucking” part, sadly. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/25 "2011-08-16T16:39:42Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > I got a Dez Bryant jersey as a birthday present shortly after he was drafted by the Cowboys, as I’m a big OSU fan. It’s one of the ones that has a sewn nameplate, not silk screening, so a nice side benefit is that if he flames out like I have a sneaking suspicion he might do, I can do a bit of surgery and turn it into a Michael Irvin jersey. I’ve wondered how this works. I’ve been tempted to do some surgery on that Prior jersey and simply go with a generic #22 jersey (currently Marlon Byrd’s number) that would be reasonably timeless. However, I’m skeptical that the stitching can be removed without leaving a ghost outline of the letters due to the thousands of little punctures. I’d be curious to hear the results from anyone who’s tried it. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/26 "2011-08-16T17:10:31Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Yeah. It’s lame. You can get the jersey of a franchise player, either past or present, and that’ll keep. Anything less is doomed to be worn ironically. > [@furt](#): > > Yes, lame. Only exception is if it has a goofy nickname and someone gave it to you. [The answer to everyone](http://cdn-www.cracked.com/articleimages/wong/spikelee3.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/27 "2011-08-16T17:16:56Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > I’ve wondered how this works. I’ve been tempted to do some surgery on that Prior jersey and simply go with a generic #22 jersey (currently Marlon Byrd’s number) that would be reasonably timeless. However, I’m skeptical that the stitching can be removed without leaving a ghost outline of the letters due to the thousands of little punctures. I’d be curious to hear the results from anyone who’s tried it. I don’t have my jersey at hand, but I believe that the letters are all attached to a nameplate panel of fabric that is sewed to the rest of the jersey. So I’d theoretically just swap the nameplate, so the stitching is all in the same place. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/28 "2011-08-16T17:20:59Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > I don’t have my jersey at hand, but I believe that the letters are all attached to a nameplate panel of fabric that is sewed to the rest of the jersey. So I’d theoretically just swap the nameplate, so the stitching is all in the same place. Ah, my Cubs jersey has individually stitched letters without a nameplate. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/29 "2011-08-16T17:38:18Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Not sure how I feel about that, although there’s absolutely no reason NFL jerseys should cost so damn much. Yeah, you have do figure on your own what your personal price is to ignore “Buy American”. As it turns out, mine is about $150. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/30 "2011-08-16T17:41:30Z")
Not very lame, but the lameness goes down of the number is not a star one. If you get number 43, the number of the 3rd string punter with your name on it it lessens the “I’m a star” feeling. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/31 "2011-08-16T18:22:46Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > So only spend 20 bucks. Google “chinese football jerseys” and pick one of the results. I’ve bought from several of them, and gotten **the identical product as what the NFL is hanging you by the nuts for**. Seriously…no difference in quality or patchwork at all. You just have to muddle through some Engrish on the site. > > Ah-hah…I thought I had started [a thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=530482) about this once before… Except the NFL gets no revenue from those jerseys, right? If you want to own something, but aren’t willing to pay, you shouldn’t buy a knock-off copy. You might think a $30 Blu-Ray is too expensive, but that doesn’t make buying a $5 copy justified. [/rant] ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/32 "2011-08-16T18:28:26Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Yeah, you have do figure on your own what your personal price is to ignore “Buy American”. As it turns out, mine is about $150. It’s not that. Especially since the legit jerseys are made in Korea, El Salvador and Vietnam. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/33 "2011-08-16T18:39:28Z")
FTR, authentic MLB jerseys by Majestic Athletic are made in Easton, Pennsylvania. _Why does the NFL hate America?_ ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/34 "2011-08-16T18:47:45Z")
Meh. Korea and El Salvador are _kind of_ American. Anyway, MLB jerseys could be hand stitched by nude Playmates and they’d still be boring. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/35 "2011-08-16T18:50:05Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Meh. Korea and El Salvador are _kind of_ American. > > Anyway, MLB jerseys could be hand stitched by nude Playmates and they’d still be boring. MLB jerseys are almost unequivocally better-looking on non-athletes than football jerseys. (Notable exception–women.) ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/36 "2011-08-16T18:59:04Z")
Back in the 80s, the Padres had a guy on the team with the same last name as me - I was very tempted to get a jersey with his name and number that I could then justify by saying it was his last name and not mine. But I never did do it. I am in favour of the “get an old school jersey with a retired guy’s name on it” approach, for reasons noted upthread. My Montreal Canadiens jersey with Ken Dryden’s #29 on it is officially timeless, as is my Walter Payton Bears jersey and my John Stockton Jazz jersey. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/37 "2011-08-16T19:34:01Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > MLB jerseys are almost unequivocally better-looking on non-athletes than football jerseys. (Notable exception–women.) True. But baseball still sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/38 "2011-08-16T19:34:05Z")
I have always considered it lame to wear a shirt/jersey with a player’s name on it, seeing as I am not that person. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/39 "2011-08-16T19:40:30Z")
I guess I’m lame, then. I got my name (and favorite number) on my Royals jersey. I’m not wearing it to pay tribute to any specific player (much as I like George Brett). I’m wearing it because I’m a fan of the team. And it’s me (not Brett) that’s declaring my fanhood by wearing the jersey. (Countdown to “you’re lame just for being a Royals fan at all” response…5…4…) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894/40 "2011-08-16T19:42:31Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I have always considered it lame to wear a shirt/jersey with a player’s name on it, seeing as I am not that person. Presumably that means it’s lame to wear a team jersey at all, seeing as you’re not on the team. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-jerseys-with-your-own-name-on-them-lame/592894.md?page=3)