To Whom It May Concern,
You must get this all of the time. Letters and comments from people telling you it's time to switch the San Diego Chargers back to the "powder blue" uniforms. I'm sure you have your reasons for staying with the dark blue uniforms, and I'm sure they're very good reasons. My goal here is not to try and force you to switch back to the powder blue uniforms, but rather to show you that there is both precedence and ample reason to change.
- Do it for the players - There's no denying that the players prefer the powder blue jerseys, even the new-styled ones, to their dark blue jerseys. Did you ever wonder why every picture of a Chargers player for a book or magazine seems to have that player in a powder blue jersey?
Just the knowledge that the team will be wearing the powder blue jerseys during Week 1 in Oakland has been mentioned by Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips, Kassim Osgood and Antonio Cromartie via Twitter. They're fired up about it. If there's one thing that will get a modern day NFL player feeling good about himself, it's making him think he looks good. The powder blues do that.
- Do it for the fans - This one should be obvious. We talk about it constantly, we sign petitions, we beg and we plead. One quick look around the stands or the parking lot outside of the Q will tell you that the team sells more powder blue jerseys than it does of it's regular jersey. Contrary to what you may think, that's not simply because the jersey is "special" and worn rarely. It's because San Diego, and it's fans, aren't big fans of dark colors. Powder blue and yellow not only go together better, they make more sense for the city.
via photos.tow.com
The team's employees (not the players but everyone else who works for the team) seem to share the fans' affinity for the throwback colors.
via i.usatoday.net
Even the front of the building at Chargers Park has this picture on it:
via thestartingfive.files.wordpress.com
- Do it for the PR - NFL fans love a return to tradition and they love the powder blue jerseys. What 49ers fan isn't excited about the team going back to it's old colors and uniform? For several years the Bills have toyed with the idea of permanently going back to their old uniforms and logo, mostly because the players want to see it done. I don't know a single person that wasn't happy to see Mike Nolan roaming the sidelines in a suit or that was in agreement that Peyton Manning shouldn't be able to wear black hightops to honor Johnny Unitas. Switching to the powder blues as the permanent home uniforms would not only bring cheers because it's largely considered the best uniform in football history, but it would bring cheers for tradition. The people (fans, players and media) have spoken and they are tired of these ugly new uniforms that are springing up around the NFL.
- Do it for the troops - Why should the Padres reap all of the benefits of a good idea? I say let's try to grab as much of the armed forces to become part of the Chargers fanbase as possible. With the announcement that the team will wear the powder blues as their permanent home jerseys in 2010 and beyond, make an announcement that for one home game the team will wear some special camouflage uniform and/or helmet and allow servicemen in for $5. Something like that. Not only does it grow the fanbase, it brings the team closer to the community and raises goodwill. Tell me the idea of Shawne Merriman spearing a quarterback while wearing camouflage doesn't excite you.
via images.footballfanatics.com
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Do it because we're willing to negotiate - You want to use the new style powder blue jerseys instead of the true throwbacks? Fine by us. You want to ignore the horse logo and pretend that it's a team name that has something to do with lightning, in a city that hardly ever gets thunderstorms? Sure, whatever. You want us to run out and buy lots of the camo jerseys? I don't think that would be a problem.
Finally, do it to give this team and this fanbase the identity that it has been crying out for. Tell us that you're willing to listen to your fans, your players and your employees. The amount of people that want powder blue and yellow to be the standard Chargers colors (represented in the home uniforms) is staggering, and it's not just for the sake of change. Your silence on this matter is absolutely deafening, and the people that support this football team would like to know why our opinion has been ignored for so long.
Sincerely,
John (obviousman)
Do you have any thoughts about Bolts From The Blue? Any tips you want to send our way? Whenever you have something to say, don't hesitate to e-mail me directly.