Have you ever wondered why old people are cranky? Perhaps they’re in pain. Perhaps they’re frustrated their body no longer does as it is commanded.
Perhaps also, they’re fed up of seeing unnecessary changes to everyday lives, that don’t add any value to society, except fill the pockets with money of a select few individuals. Lobbyists anyone?
As I get older, I am getting crankier. Here I’m talking about the ‘All White’ playing strip. It has to be the worst playing strip in sport.
On Saturday, we had to endure the all white strip – white shirt, white shorts, white stockings – not once, but twice.
Traditionally, England’s primary playing strip is white shirt, white shorts and black stockings. At least the black stockings gives the uniform some ‘character’.
Traditionally, France’s alternate playing strip is white shirt, white shorts and red stockings. It’s a wonderful variation of their also traditional primary uniform of royal blue shirts, white shorts and red stockings.
But no, both teams had to wear all white, to appease some marketing arrangement.
There was no need for either team to wear all white.
The Romanians playing England, wore yellow shirts and red shorts, while the All Blacks wore, well, all black.
So the hideous all white had no other reason for its use than to honour some sickly marketing arrangement.
The all white strip doesn’t add value to the competition, except maybe fill the pockets of selected individuals. It’s not an improvement on the aforementioned playing strips. In fact, it’s worse! Much worse.
Besides, when you start messing with tradition, any sport will begin to lose its soul.
What is it with the modern world? Back in the days of black and white TV, fans could still separate the two teams on the screen, playing in similarly dark outfits, even with some difficulty.
Today, despite having high definition quality TV, the best that technology can provide to viewers, which easily separates the colours for the vast majority of viewers, we have entered this age where some clever-dick marketeers have seen an opportunity to make some huge money, by offering multiple alternate strips.
Some unions have gone along with this, because presumably whoever gives the okay, might also be getting a ‘kickback’. Might, I say.
Frankly, it sucks. It doesn’t add value except to some lucky individuals. And unions won’t stand up because they get an endorsement and fans are too apathetic to care.
But 20 years from now, you’ll see the old TV footage and think to yourself, “What on earth were they thinking back then, with the all white strip”?
Meanwhile, the schemers who came up with the original ploy will be laughing all the way to the bank from their luxury villa on the French Riviera or Lake Como.
Now I’m going to turn my attention to solving Middle East peace, African famine, boat people, carbon tax, the common cold and parking in my street!
HardcorePrawn
Guest
Am I missing something? Someone made the decision that France's blue shirts would clash with NZ's black, so the French had to wear white. 2 days later Wales' red shirts are adjudged to clash with Namibia's blue so the Welsh wear black instead. Where's the logic in this?
Muzza
Guest
Personally I liked the old (80's) England jersey but again, because it had another colour on the socks. Even the ref strip wasn't so bad (but they sure played bad in it!!). 100% all white looks awful to me. Unlike All Black. :)
Johnno
Guest
Stade De Franscis rugby union jerseys have a lot of pink in them midfielder. I do recall i could not help but laugh watching mark Gasnier running around for them in that fluorescent pink rugby jersey was quite amusing and funny to watch.
Midfielder
Guest
Sheek Depends who's wearing it... Real Madrid http://www.uefa.com/teamsandplayers/teams/club=50051/domestic/photos/index.html don't look that bad ... nor do Leeds ... Me thinks Sheek you are still feeling a little down after that Irish match... When they play a side in pink it's time to worry,,, cheers and remember mate in the words of the great Bob Dylan ...[song forever young last verse] May your hands always be busy May your feet always be swift May you have a strong foundation When the winds of changes shift May your heart always be joyful And may your song always be sung May you stay forever young May you stay forever young.
DHE
Guest
Didn't England have blue shorts traditionally? White guernsey, blue shorts, blue socks with white hoops. I think the current wallabies jersey is the best since the early 90s. Easily. Simple return to a slight adjustment on the traditional colours with minimal and tasteful trim. I think the All Blacks new jersey is abominable, as an aside. The fake white collar looks stupid. Stupid. While we are on it, the Italian's looks horrible, i don't understand the gold on the Scottish (better than purple), Romania should have been stopped from having such a garish yellow. Maybe they should do it like we did in the u10s and if you end up with a clash, the team with the bigger budget has to wear a neutral irb strip. One last on the hobby horse. I would love to see the Wallabies playing the pccasional test in traditional colored jerseys. All green, white with green hoops etc. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Reenie
Roar Rookie
What about tonight's Wales v Namibia game also? Namibia in sky blue. Wales in black (what?!) - surely red stands out next to blue
Mart
Guest
Gents - news from Twickers is that the the Poms have sold out of the black change strip. So the marketing does work and presumably swells the Pom coffers regardless of tradition But their white kit does look veeery white. Can we start a twitter campaign to bring back the dark blue sox ??
Muzza
Guest
By the way, a note against "tradition"... Wasn't that the most grotesque cap they gave to Richie!
Brad
Guest
And we care what color another team wears why??
ChrisT
Roar Pro
Muzza, you keep banging on about 'national identifiers' and 'national identity' but with all due respect, there's an awful lot of us who have hated recent attempts to put 'national identifiers' into things like our rugby shirts, such as the godawful flashes of red that tip a wink to the red and white of the Cross of St George. To many of us, and i'm one, the national identifier of choice when it comes to rugby is an all white shirt with an English rose on it. The same goes for our choice of football shirt in that it is all white with just three lions on it. After that, couldn't really give a monkeys about what goes on with the shorts and socks but sticking with white seems a decent option.
Muzza
Guest
The guy who convinced management of some BS pychological impact of all white probably is the very same guy who sells them a new kit each game (coz they can't get the stains out). Though to be fair, it is not the white jersey that I take offense to but the lack of any identifiers on the kit at all. Daft.
Muzza
Guest
But Brett, completely white looks stupid and removes any sense of national imagery on the players (e.g. Coloured socks). The usual socks look better even if the guy wears all white boots. Who are the numbskulls in charge of uniform design? Even S15 jerseys are getting just plain hideous and then Otago throws up bile green as the new new thing. Are they trying out-do each other for most crap design award? Back to the all white strip: rugby is rugby, not cricket or lawn bowls or whatever. Some national pride (colours) please!! Grrrr, I'm off to the bowling club.
Seiran
Guest
So how long in the Sheek Guide to Traditions does it take to become a tradition? The haka is apparantly a tradition, but it's only been use at every AB rugby match since the mid 80's. Before that it was used only to entertain some foreign tests. The white strip is now part of the England team. How long do they need to wear it before it becomes a tradition?
Brick Lane
Guest
Personally, I think the canary yellow Australia wear is possibly the most disgusting colour known to man and akin to a sartorial vomit. Iconic yes. Bloody awful, absolutely. Which is why it's the least purchased strip of all the top tier nations. Even Australians don't want to be seen in the pub dressed in canary.
B-Rock
Roar Guru
Surely there is more important things to discuss in the middle of the RWC? I agree all white is not ideal, tradition should be upheld, etc etc But cant these debates wait until the summer when we have nothing but cricket to talk about?
HardcorePrawn
Guest
... and didn't both the ABs and Scotland play each other in rather confusing, near-identical grey kits in the 2007 World Cup? http://uk.reuters.com/resources/r/?m=02&d=20070923&t=2&i=1810007&w=460&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=2007-09-23T184531Z_01_L2396365_RTRUKOP_0_PICTURE0
HardcorePrawn
Guest
Red, white & blue? They are traditionally Britain's colours, but as the blue in the Union Flag comes from Scotland's St Andrew's Cross, it's nothing to do with England. The smatterings of blue in the English football (soccer) team's kit stems from the FA's colours (blue and white) rather than the national colours (white and red), but as for the rugby team, I couldn't tell you why their socks are traditionally blue.
sheek
Guest
Brett, Absolutely! If they're going to carry on like this, they can at least have the decency to wait until I've moved on.....!!!
sheek
Guest
Seiran, Perhaps you need to re-read my post. It's all about tradition. And all-white has nothing to do with tradition for either England or France.....
sheek
Guest
VC, Yes, I've read England's sox are really navy blue, but from a distance they do indeed look blackj.