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A lot of this is going to be in the form of tweets, so I apologize in advance.
It start with this:
Now available! Celebrate Chargers from the past with Nike game retired player jerseys. http://t.co/jhdsOGm85b pic.twitter.com/d9xNPyp7UG
— San Diego Chargers (@chargers) October 8, 2013
Yup. That is a brand new 2013 San Diego Chargers jersey with Dan Fouts name and number on it. The team is pitching it as a way for fans to own the same jersey their favorite past Chargers have worn.
There's only one problem.....Dan Fouts does not play for the 2013 San Diego Chargers. He's never worn that jersey or a jersey that looked anything like that. Through most of his career, Fouts wore this uniform:
via prod.static.chargers.clubs.nfl.com
In Fouts' final year in the NFL, 1987, the Chargers were sporting these bad boys:
via prod.static.chargers.clubs.nfl.com
For the sake of comparison, here's the color/uniform that the team would have you believe Fouts wore:
via prod.static.chargers.clubs.nfl.com
The reaction to the Chargers tweet, and promotion, was not kind.
@chargers Wow guys. You dropped the ball here. #OutOfTouch
— Aztec 4 Life (@SDAztecsFan) October 8, 2013
@chargers I'm about to have a stroke because of this shit. Fuck you guys.
— Mikey Pizzle (@MVPalazzolla) October 8, 2013
@chargers this is blasphemous. First you get rid of the amazing powder blues, and now this...
— Chris Teclaw (@CTeclaw) October 8, 2013
Bad move, @Chargers. A money grab gone wrong. Whoopsie daisy.
— Patrick Green (@patrickpgreen) October 8, 2013
@BFTB_Chargers @chargers and Dean Spanos wonders why no one takes his stadium push seriously. Pure hucksterism right here.
— Jeffrey Siniard (@JeffSiniard) October 8, 2013
Not sure what's more of an abomination, these fake/new @chargers jerseys or the gray bowtie Moorad Padres jerseys: http://t.co/ZAuwcAsaVx
— Sac Bunt Melvin (@SacBuntMelvin) October 8, 2013
You'd think that was bad enough, but I found something even worse.
This is disgusting and wrong. pic.twitter.com/HtjxBAUSF9
— Bolts From The Blue (@BFTB_Chargers) October 8, 2013
For those of you who, like me, weren't around when Bambi played for the Chargers....here's what the uniforms looked like in his last year with the team:
via prod.static.chargers.clubs.nfl.com
That is around the time that I lost my mind.
If I ever see someone wearing that Alworth jersey, I will rip it off their backs and give them money out of my pocket as a refund.
— Bolts From The Blue (@BFTB_Chargers) October 8, 2013
Then I'll burn it while dancing and yelling "NOT THIS TIME, DEANO!" over the roar of the flames.
— Bolts From The Blue (@BFTB_Chargers) October 8, 2013
Two can play at this game, @chargers...
— Bolts From The Blue (@BFTB_Chargers) October 8, 2013
*Maniacal laughter* pic.twitter.com/bRbBouHU6F
— Bolts From The Blue (@BFTB_Chargers) October 8, 2013
Why are you making me do this, @chargers? pic.twitter.com/TTbFnPCCVl
— Bolts From The Blue (@BFTB_Chargers) October 8, 2013
Still better than the new Alworth jersey. pic.twitter.com/MYXMqwriIf
— Bolts From The Blue (@BFTB_Chargers) October 8, 2013
RT @chargers Celebrate Chargers from the past with Nike game retired player jerseys. pic.twitter.com/FKQr5mZzGz
— Bolts From The Blue (@BFTB_Chargers) October 8, 2013
RT @chargers Celebrate Chargers from the past with Nike game retired player jerseys. pic.twitter.com/APm2wg0vOd
— Bolts From The Blue (@BFTB_Chargers) October 8, 2013
I don't know what all the rules are here. I imagine Nike is the only one that can sell jerseys, but Reebok or someone else owns the rights to all the old jerseys? Like I said, I don't know, but I do think it's awfully shameful for the Chargers (and/or Nike) to try and sell fans jerseys of retired players that don't properly represent the era in which that player played.