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An Interesting Day on Twitter

Jun 3rd, 2011
by Jay Vean.
2 comments

I’ll let screen captures of the tweets do most of the talking in this post.

It all began with this mention at about 1:00 this afternoon.

 

 

Then more interesting mentions.  Like this:

 

 

A few funny mentions as well.   People assume that I have some influence that I definitely won’t ever have, but it never hurts to ask, right?

 

 

A few simple mentions of thanks.  They are obviously always welcome.

 

 

It was Friday, so Follow Friday mentions were happening throughout the day.  Here’s my favorite list though.  Only two, but a great two to follow I guess.

 

 

There was even this mention that was retweeted by the Avalanche’s Twitter people.

 

 

It looks like we’ve made a difference.  At the beginning of this morning the Avalanche were following 23 people.  Tonight, they’re at 70.  They listened and responded so I mentioned them in this tweet.

 

 

Hopefully this is the beginning of a new and improved relationship with the Avalanche organization and their fans via social media.  Only time will tell, but it’s better than it was yesterday, so we’ll take it.

Well done Avs fans and well done Avalanche Twitter reps, let’s do our best to keep this energy going.  It’s time…

Posted in: Blogs.
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My Newest Follower on Twitter

Jun 2nd, 2011
by Jay Vean.
3 comments

It wasn’t my goal at all, but I’ll definitely take it.

It’s hopefully the start of something nice for Avs fans following the organization on social media.

A special thank you to Stephen DeGraff, one of my followers on Twitter.  He forwarded the link to my original post to his Avalanche season ticket representative.  That rep got back to him and told him that the right people with the Avs would see the post.  I then gained a new follower on Twitter.  Thanks again Stephen.  That was very cool of you.

Thanks, as well, to all of you for the retweets, reposts, comments, reads, shares, and everything else having to do with my last post.  Together we can definitely make a difference.  Let’s Go Avs!

Take care and talk to you again soon, Jay

Posted in: Blogs.
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Dear Avs, It’s Time…

Jun 1st, 2011
by Jay Vean.
8 comments

Dear Colorado Avalanche Organization (especially whatever group within the organization’s job it is to actually connect with the fans),

We, the fans, want more.  At the same time, we want less.  Let me explain.

You currently, as of May 31, 2011, have 20,584 fans following your feed on Twitter.  Out of ALL those people that follow you, you in-turn follow 22 people.  You’re not even following players from your own team that now have Twitter accounts.  I’m not asking you to follow every Avalanche fan that mentions the Avalanche in a tweet.  I am asking you though to connect to your fans.  Let us know you’re there.  Let us know you’re listening.  More on this as a whole here in a second.

You also currently, as of May 31, 2011, have 253,802 following your official Facebook Fan Page.  That’s an amazing number, but what do Avalanche fans get there?  We are blanketed with links to stories on your website.  I can guarantee that pretty much every single one of those fans on Facebook knows where to find your website, so, with all due respect, what’s the point?

Let’s talk big picture here.  If I “unfollowed” your feed on Twitter and “un-liked” your Facebook Fan Page, what would I miss?  Nothing at all.

I follow, visit, and see retweets from other Twitter accounts for many other professional sports teams.  I routinely see retweets of fan tweets along with replies to fans from representatives in the team’s PR department whose job it is to connect with the fans.

For example:  Here’s a screen shot the the Chicago Blackhawks official Twitter feed.  Notice they are interacting with their fans with replies every once in a while.

Here’s a screen shot from the Edmonton Oilers’ Twitter feed.  Notice the retweets from the players on the team that have Twitter accounts.

The Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks both have separate live in-game official Twitter accounts so people can follow the game if they’re not able to watch it on television or listen to it on the radio or stream the game online.  I don’t follow other NHL teams, but I imagine that many of them have the same type features within their team’s Twitter account.  I like that.

I see, every once in a while, from other team’s official Twitter feeds, who is starting in net for that night’s game fairly early in the afternoon.  The only “official” Avalanche news that most fans get is from The Denver Post’s Adrian Dater.  Avalanche radio play-by-play man Marc Moser does what he can, but during the games it’s tough for him to stay that active because he’s doing his job live.  Moser does his best to connect with fans, he’s a total class guy, but there’s only so much he can do.  Mike Haynes also does his best to connect with fans via Twitter, but again, it’s difficult with the job he has.  I give them both all the credit in the world for the effort though.  That means a lot to fans.  The many fans that have received replies and mentions from either or both of them know exactly what I’m talking about.  It’s a good feeling.

And overall, the teams, for the most part are following their fans.  There are a few exceptions that you’ll see here, but I’ll let the fans of those teams speak up when it’s their time.  Here’s a breakdown of your Western Conference competition when it comes to Twitter.

Let’s begin with the most and work our way down.  These numbers are current as of June 1, 2011.  Check out the second column above “Following.”

And some other local teams…

The Broncos are an exception on the point that I’m making here.  They don’t follow many people, but they connect with the fans in other ways.  More details below.

And then there’s the Avalanche.  Following a whole 22 of their fans directly on Twitter.

Again, I’m not asking you to follow absolutely everyone that mentions you Twitter, but it does make me wonder how St. Louis Blues fans feel when they get that email notifying them that their favorite NHL team now follows them on Twitter.  I imagine that’s somewhat exciting, but that’s just me.

And the hometown Denver Broncos may just be your best example to follow when it comes to Twitter.  They are approaching their fans in a whole new way after a long stretch of mediocre football.  Jim Saccomano, Vice President of Public Relations for the Broncos, has an active Twitter account.  John Elway, Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the Denver Broncos, has a Twitter account and uses it often.  And when former coach Josh McDaniels was relieved of his duties during last season, the announcement wasn’t made during a press conference, or on the Broncos’ website, or on a ticker tape during a newscast;  the announcement was made on Twitter.  There is usually a string of news on Twitter before news like that breaks from many sources close to the team, but the very first mention I saw of the firing was official word from the Denver Broncos Twitter feed.  Since when did details follow on a website when it came to breaking news?  Since Twitter.  That’s rethinking what you’re doing based on what’s available and I like that a lot.  It made me feel like my follow on Twitter was worth while.  I have never felt that way about following the Avalanche’s Twitter feed and that’s too bad.

It obviously would be pretty silly to retool your entire PR department so your lives all revolve around Twitter and Facebook.  That wouldn’t make sense.  You obviously are the experts and have experience that I lack in that side of business.  But I am asking you to let the fans know you’re there and listening every once in a while.  And this isn’t a table with a couple people sitting at it at the top of the main staircase at Pepsi Center.  It’s time to connect with the fans in a virtual sense too.  A retweet or a reply may be all one fan needs in order to get them that much more excited about the team as a whole.  It’s VERY simple and it only takes, literally, a few seconds.  Do that a couple times a day and who knows what will happen.  Thank the fans that follow you religiously and see what happens.  If not now, when?  And if no, why not?  You have NOTHING to lose.  The tools are available and they’re free.

Please take some notes from a few of your Western Conference opponents as well as the hometown football team.  Help relevant Avalanche news and notes find the fans.  We’re already waiting for it.  You don’t even need to ask.  With web and mobile tools people are connected all of the time.  News these days finds people.  People don’t need to look for news any longer.  You just have to feed in what the fans want and that doesn’t include mainly links to stories on your website.

In reality, attendance and/or fan morale can’t get much worse after the worst season in Avalanche history.  Now is the time to take a chance.  It won’t hurt.  I promise.  And over a quarter of a million people promise too.

Thank you for your consideration and see you at Pepsi Center.  I’ll always be a fan of the Avs, no matter what.  I’m just hoping that you can make the experience of being an Avalanche fan a more pleasurable one for fans like me.

Yours Truly,

Jay Vean, (Host, The Avs Hockey Podcast) on behalf of Colorado Avalanche fans all over the world

 

 

Posted in: Blogs.
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Adam Foote: The End of an Era in the NHL

May 29th, 2011
by Jay Vean.
No comments yet

April 10, 2011 marked the end of an era in the National Hockey League.  After 19 regular seasons of action, and almost two full seasons (158 games) worth of playoff hockey, Adam Foote retired.  He was the final player still playing in the league that had worn a Quebec Nordiques sweater.  There is a small handful of players that played for the Nordiques that are still playing professional hockey, but they don’t play in the NHL.

I think Mike Haynes, Avalanche television play-by-play man, put Adam Foote’s style of play in perspective for me best when he said that if a young player who is getting drafted is described as an “Adam Foote type player” that team knows exactly what kind of player they’re scouting.  Adam Foote had his own style, there is little doubt about that, and Colorado Avalanche fans will always love him for it.  There really isn’t a word or adjective that would accurately describe Adam Foote’s style of play, but Avs fans know it when we see it, and that’s plenty good enough for us.

I worked hard to get Adam Foote’s jersey from opening night of this season, but as I described in this past post that didn’t work out.  I continued to keep an eye Foote during the season and still felt that having one of his jerseys would be a great addition to my collection.

As the 2010-2011 season rolled on it became evident that this may be about it for Foote as well.  He still had the leadership skills, but it was obvious that physically he was having a rough time.  Those tough times got even rougher in Vancouver on March 16, 2011 when he was hit on the left ankle by a slap shot late in the third period.  Referee Stephen Walkom shouldn’t have blown the whistle to stop play because Foote wasn’t hit in the face with the puck or in a vulnerable position because of his injury, but Walkom did.  I truly believe that it was simply a sign of respect from Walkom to Foote.  I’ll always remember Foote thanking Walkom discreetly as he was assisted off the ice by linesman Thor Nelson.

Photo Courtesy of Getty Images and avalanche.nhl.com

Little did us Avs fans know at the time that that was the last time that we would see Adam Foote on the ice until the season finale on April 10, 2011.  It was later revealed that Foote played that final game on a fractured ankle that was still healing.  Foote is a hockey player and that’s what hockey players do.

Let’s back up a day or two though.  During an April 9, 2011 press conference at Pepsi Center, Adam Foote announced that he was going to retire and that, surprisingly, he would play in the last game of the season against the Oilers the next afternoon.  That’s when I went to work.  I called my friends at MeiGray Group that Friday afternoon and tried to reserve his burgundy set III jersey that Adam Foote would wear in his final NHL game.  MeiGray employees told me that he was going to keep that jersey and give it to his sons.  (I later found out that he wore two game jerseys during the game against the Oilers and gave one to each of his sons.)  Since the burgundy jersey he wore wasn’t available I chose to pre-order the jersey that he was wearing when he got hit on the ankle against the Canucks on March 16.  That fact made this Adam Foote’s final game worn jersey that was available to the public.  That makes it very special to my collection and to me.

Considering the type of game that Foote plays the jersey has very little wear on it.  I’ll definitely need to check MeiGray’s population report when it comes out.  It will indicate exactly when the Avs moved from their set II white jerseys to their set III jerseys.  I imagine this jersey wasn’t worn in more than just a few road games.  The only marks on it at all are a few stains near the end of each sleeve.

I had MeiGray work on a photomatch for the jersey to be positive that it was the jersey that Foote wore that night in Vancouver, but due to the lack of marks on it they said they couldn’t do that.  But that fact in itself was a photomatch because the set II white jersey that Adam Foote wore earlier in the season had identifying marks that worked perfectly for a photomatch.  So this jersey is actually photomatched due to the lack of marks on the jersey.  That was definitely a first for me.

Also, here is a picture of the neck tagging and the famous captain’s “C”.  This looks great next to my Joe Sakic game issued jersey.  The three marks above the Canadian flag on the neck tag indicate that this jersey was the third white jersey worn during the season.

So another game worn or game issued jersey of an Avalanche legend has found its way to my collection.  I, along with many Avalanche faithful, expect to see the number 52 hanging from the rafters of Pepsi Center within the end of next season.  I feel he’s definitely earned that honor.  And of course, and as I think you’d expect, I’ll be wearing this very jersey to the game where the Avalanche organization retires the number 52.  I’m definitely looking forward to that game already.

Posted in: Avalanche Jerseys, Game Worn Jerseys.
Tagged: · · ·

The Avs Hockey Podcast, Episode #64

Apr 12th, 2011
by Jay Vean.
No comments yet

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this show my co-host James “Tapeleg” Gralian, from “The Rink Podcast”, and I say farewell (and good riddance) to the 2010-2011 Colorado Avalanche season.  We say farewell and “We’ll miss you” to yet another Avalanche captain.  We discuss who may be back, who may be captain, and who may be off of the 2011-2012 Avs roster.  And we also talk about a sense of urgency that we hope the Avalanche organization is feeling right now.  Those topics and, as always, much more in episode #64 of The Avs Hockey Podcast.  Thanks for a great season Avs fans!

Farewell Footer.  It was a pleasure watching you all these years.

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Adam Foote’s tribute video made for him by the Avalanche organization.  Awesome.

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Posted in: Podcasts.

You’re thinking jersey foul, but think again…

Apr 9th, 2011
by Jay Vean.
No comments yet

Every Avalanche retirement makes people happy and makes people sad.  Joe Sakic’s retirement made me as well as every Avs fans sad, but it also made me happy that he hurt his back and lost his fight with a snowblower because it led to this jersey being in my collection.

This is the jersey that Joe Sakic would have worn during the end of the 2008-2009 season, his last in the National Hockey League.  It is hanging in my jersey closet.  There are plenty more details about this jersey in this blog post from a while back.

Now, back to the title of this post.  Jersey Fouls, as defined by our good friends at Puck Daddy, are “the rules and etiquette for proper hockey jersey creation and exhibition.”  Not every Jersey Foul is agreed upon, there is some gray area every once in a while, but for the most part, you know them when you see them.  Click on the Puck Daddy link above for more examples of fouls than you’ll ever need.  As a friend of mine likes to say, Jersey Fouls are funny, and sad, all at the same time.

One foul that many people agree with is wearing a style of jersey that particular player never wore on the ice.  Take the Ray Bourque blueberry alternate in this Puck Daddy Jersey Foul post.  Bourque had actually retired before even the burgundy alternates were debuted by the Avalanche at the beginning of the 2001-2002 season.  Almost a decade had elapsed before this particular style of Avs jersey was put into play and Bourque had played his final game for the Avs.  Definite jersey foul.  No doubt about that.

Now take a look at this.  What’s your first thought?

You can’t help but think jersey foul, right?  I don’t blame you, and I have news for you, you’re wrong.  This is the one and only Forsberg blueberry alternate that cannot be considered a jersey foul.

This is the alternate jersey that Peter Forsberg would have worn if he had been healthy enough to play in more than two road games with the Avs during the 2010-2011 season.  It’s a jersey foul because he never wore this style, but this would have been THE jersey he would have worn at Pepsi Center on February 16, 2011, against the Penguins.

Here is some comeback history that will help fill in any gaps.

During his final comeback Forsberg played in two road games.  One was in Columbus against the Blue Jackets on Friday, February 11, 2011.

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He also played the next night, Saturday, February 12, 2011, in Nashville against the Predators.

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…And he was still the same old Peter Forsberg, or so we all thought.

Excitement grew in The Mile High City as we all prepared to watch Peter Forsberg take the ice again sporting the burgundy and blue that Avs fans always thought he looked best in. Then, on the morning of Monday, February 14, 2011, it was over.

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My initial feeling was shock.  Forsberg was a combined minus four in the two games he played in, but he didn’t look that bad at all.  It was clear from the beginning of this comeback that it was going to take a week or two to get his game legs underneath him, but it was his right foot that let him down in the end…again.

The Avs still had a game that night though.  They went out and made the fans, as well as Peter Forsberg, proud by trashing the Flames in an epic victory were promptly handed the worst loss in franchise history.  The Calgary Flames destroyed the Forsberg-less Avs, 9-1.

After the shock from the retirement and the game wore off I started thinking jerseys.  You’re probably more than surprised by that. I thought there had to be at least a burgundy jersey as well as the jersey I posted pictures of above made for Forsberg to wear on the ice.  An email was sent to my friends at MeiGray group, I got myself on the waiting list for an eventual Peter Forsberg game issued home burgundy and/or alternate and then played the waiting game.  About a month later I received an encouraging email.  I made a phone call and found out that both the alternate and the burgundy were available for purchase.  I did what any honorable jersey collector and die-hard Avalanche fan would have done and reserved the pair.  Here’s the jersey every Avalanche fan wishes Forsberg would have worn on February 14, 2011, at Pepsi Center against the Flames.

And, by the way, this isn’t a jersey foul either.  Forsberg’s comeback late in the 2007-2008 season and into the playoffs is when he wore this style jersey on the ice.  The two goals he scored during that comeback are here:

And here.  This goal is great because about 90% of the Wild fans are watching where Jeff Finger’s stick ended up in the crowd rather than watching Peter Forsberg bury one in the back of the net.  Beautiful!

One interesting detail on both of these jerseys is the stamp on each of the fight straps.  This is some very expensive ink.

It’s a little tougher to read it on the burgundy jersey, but they both read, “Game-Issued Not Worn.”  This is huge for resale purposes.  The difference in pricing between a game worn and a game issued jersey is over $2,000.  Like I said, that’s some expensive ink.  Both of the images above also feature the Meigray Group tag that proves that this jersey is a legitimate game worn or game issued jersey and not just a retail authentic that someone had made into a Peter Forsberg.

So, as stated above, I guess every retirement makes people sad and every retirement makes people happy.  Forsberg’s opposition was pleased that they didn’t have to deal with this junk any more.

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Avalanche fans were very disappointed for the reasons demonstrated quite clearly in the video above.

Me?  I’m somewhere in the middle.  I sure wish I would have seen Forsberg play in the jerseys above, but that doesn’t mean that I’m sad to have them in my collection.  Another game issued jersey (or two) from a true Avalanche great, and future Hall of Famer, can never be a bad thing.

Thanks for everything Peter Forsberg, including the many memories and the fantastic jerseys.  We will miss you.

Posted in: Avalanche Jerseys, Game Issued Jerseys.
Tagged: · · · · · · · ·

Something Borrowed, Something Burgundy (and Blue) (Update)

Mar 18th, 2011
by Jay Vean.
No comments yet

Back in November of this season I created a post with all of the details regarding the newest future game worn Avalanche jersey in my collection.  Adam Foote’s home burgundy jersey from the season opener, with a great story behind it, was being loaned to him by me until he was done with it, then it was going to hang in my closet.

That plan has unfortunately changed.

In mid-December, this auction was showed up on NHL.com.  Initially, I thought it was cool that another Foote from this season was up for auction.  Then I read the description for the jersey and came across this.

This jersey was worn October 7, 2010.

Crap.  That was opening night.  It was also the only reason why I wanted the original game worn Foote in the first place.  I checked the date a few more times just to be sure that I wasn’t making a mistake.  Things weren’t looking too good. I called Meigray and after a few emails to the right people it was confirmed; the jersey I thought I was getting wasn’t worn in the game I wanted it to be worn in.  Oh well.

Meigray gave me the option to use the money I had already put down on the Foote and apply it to another Avalanche jersey being worn this season.  After looking over the roster I chose to go with one of the better stories from this season, Greg Mauldin.  The 28-year old rookie had quite the stretch during his time with the big club.  He scored a handful of goals, including his first in the NHL, a shorthanded goal in Columbus, against the Blue Jackets, on November 12, 2010.

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I purchased Mauldin’s white jersey he is wearing in the video above and haven’t received it as of yet.  I’m assuming the team is hanging onto it just in case he’s called up again before the end of the season.

I’m a little disappointed that the story on the Foote changed, but I’m also happy I saw the auction.  It would have been bad to get that jersey thinking it was something that it wasn’t.  On the other hand, I’m looking forward to getting the Mauldin and creating a great post for it.  The Mauldin was obviously a little less expensive than the Foote as well.  More money for more jerseys.  That’s never a bad thing.

Stay tuned!

 


Posted in: Avalanche Jerseys, Game Worn Jerseys.
Tagged: ·

The Avs Hockey Podcast, Episode #63

Mar 15th, 2011
by Jay Vean.
1 comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this show we deferred to the you, the listeners, to help us with topics to discuss.  As we expected, you didn’t let us down.  James “Tapeleg” Gralian, from “The Rink Podcast”, and I talk about our favorite Avalanche memories, how bad the Avs are right now as compared to teams in the past, why we are positive the Avalanche aren’t losing on purpose right now, a few things that would constitute a “jersey foul”, and much, much more.  Hang in there Avalanche fans, the end of the season is coming up here pretty soon.

Special thanks (in no particular order) to Ryan Reebow, Carl Walls, Dario Ronzone, Katie Martinez, Brian Rookstool, Robert Kilpatrick, Jason Hautzinger, Arbon Reimer, Chris Joy, and Mick Semantel for taking the time to get in touch with us and submitting topics and questions for this show.  We didn’t get to all of your questions and ideas in depth, but you’re at least mentioned so it’s definitely worth a listen!

Here are some videos that we referred to in this show.

James’ favorite Avalanche moment:

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One of my favorite Avalanche memories (bad quality, but those of you that saw it don’t need quality):

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Another one of my favorite Avalanche memories:

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And why choose one Joe Sakic goal when there are these ten and over 600 more to go with them?

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Ryan O’Byrne, Manly Man:

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Posted in: Podcasts.
Tagged: · · · ·

AHP Episode #63, We’re Going to Need Your Help

Mar 7th, 2011
by Jay Vean.
2 comments

Hello again Avalanche fans, James and I need your help.  Based on the performances of our favorite NHL team over the past 20 games it’s very difficult trying to find topics to talk about.  Game recaps and discussion about those games used to take up the majority of our show, but lately there’s simply nothing to talk about.  Game recaps about loss after loss would be pretty much pointless.  This is where you come in.  We need your support in helping us come up with topics to discuss on our upcoming podcast.

So…what would you like us to talk about?  Is there a question or two that you’d like us to answer?  Anything you’re wondering about us that you’d like to know?  Have a question about jerseys?  Let us know!  We can automatically build in shout outs and have some fun interacting with you at the same time.  Please help us bring you almost everything Avalanche by being a part of the next show.

There are several ways to get in touch with us: the big paragraph to the lower right of this post has my email address in it.  You can shoot us something there.  You can reply to this post on the blog of course.  You can also send a message or reply to me on Twitter.  My username is AvsHkyPodcast.  You can leave a post on the AHP’s Facebook wall as well.  We’ll take the best of the best and include them in the show.

Thanks for all of your support and hope to hear from you soon, James and Jay

Posted in: Blogs.

Monsters Inc., Jersey Style

Mar 2nd, 2011
by Jay Vean.
No comments yet

Being the proud father of an almost two-year old daughter I have watched the Pixar classic movie “Monster’s Inc.” probably a couple hundred times within the past two weeks.  Great movie, very well written, the animation is amazing, and it never gets old.  I thought it would be appropriate to title this post in this manner.  The details are below.  Stick with me here.  You guys know how I roll by now.

The Lake Erie Monsters are the Colorado Avalanche’s American Hockey League affiliate.  Their home city is in Cleveland, Ohio.  They ended their relationship with The Meigray Group a couple of seasons ago, so obtaining game worn jerseys of the Avalanche’s future stars can be a little bit tricky.  I believe the team now auctions game worn jerseys off to benefit local charities.  Good for the charities, bad for collectors outside of Cleveland.  There are many of the Monsters jerseys from previous seasons still available through Meigray.  As of their last sale though, there was only one jersey that was in a size that I could wear so naturally, I grabbed it.

This is defenseman Wes O’Neill’s jersey worn during the first half of the 2008-2009 AHL season.  There are some subtle and not so subtle differences between the NHL jerseys and the AHL jerseys, although they’re both manufactured by Reebok.  Here’s another Wes O’Neill jersey that I picked up in the same Meigray order as the jersey above.  We can use it, very conveniently, for reference.  This is the set one alternate jersey that was made for O’Neill to wear with the Avs during the 2009-2010 campaign.  This jersey is a game issue because he was never called up to play for the Avalanche during that particular part of the season.

Let’s begin with the RBK vectors.  In the NHL, Reebok would like you to pay attention to the name of the player found just below the RBK vector on the back of the neck.

In the AHL, Reebok would like you to focus on the back of the neck as well.

There’s an RBK vector found near the bottom of the back of the jersey as well.  It’s next to the AHL logo.

It’s obviously clear that the AHL wants fans to check out player’s butts.  “I (AHL fans) like big butts and I (they) cannot lie.” – Sir Mix-A-Lot, “Baby Got Back.”

Speaking of branding, let’s talk about NHL related changes in the recent past.  When the league decided to go with the new version of the RBK jerseys they moved the NHL crest from the bottom of the back right of the jersey, like on my 2005-2006 Andrew Brunette game worn jersey,

…to the front of the neck just below the chin of the player, like on my 2009-2010 David Koci game-issued alternate,

and my 2007-2008 Scott Parker preseason game worn white jersey.

I preferred the shield on the back hem of the jersey, but that’s just me.  Maybe I just like looking at the player’s butts.  I don’t know.  And yes, Joe Thornton, those pants make your butt look HUGE.

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Another note, even though these jerseys are both a size 58+, they are cut pretty differently.  The Lake Erie version of the jersey is definitely smaller than the blueberry Avalanche alternate.  Interesting quirk there.

The Lake Erie patches and crest are unique as well.  It’s fun to have this jersey hanging with all of the rest of the Avs jerseys in my collection.  It’s similar enough to fit in, and different enough to definitely stick out.

And I think I have a feeling where the players go to get all stitched up after the games are over.  The Kaiser Permanente patch was found on the white and burgundy version of the 2008-2009 Lake Erie Monster jerseys.

The Monsters jersey is smaller than the Avs jersey and may be even too small for me to wear to a game at Pepsi Center, but that doesn’t mean that I regret picking it up.  Yep, there’s an actual monster in my closet now and it’s not near as scary as I thought it would be.

Posted in: Avalanche Jerseys, Game Issued Jerseys, Game Worn Jerseys, Jerseys 101.
Tagged: · ·

The Avs Hockey Podcast, Episode #62

Feb 22nd, 2011
by Jay Vean.
2 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this episode, my partner James “Tapeleg” Gralian (from the “The Rink Podcast”) and I recap the past 10 games for the Colorado Avalanche.  We forgo the game recaps, for obvious reasons, and talk about all kinds of other Avalanche stuff including: Joe Sacco and his coaching style, the recent trades the Avs made, Peter Forsberg’s arrival and retirement, and we even talk about old fan favorites like Andrew Brunette, Dan Hinote, and Ian Laperriere.  It’s a different show than you’re used to and we think you’ll like it.  Thanks for the listen Avs fans!

Click here to visit James’ blog, “Jerseys and Hockey Love.”  He has recent posts about Craig Anderson’s departure, the 9-1 whoopin’ Avs received from the Flames on Valentine’s Day, as well as a post about everyone’s favorite Avs beat writer and his antics/shenanigans on Twitter.

Other relevant Avs related stuff worth watching:

Thanks Andy.  We’ll miss that smile.

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Thanks Stewie.  We’ll miss that knuckle burn.  Take it easy on your former team in the future…please.

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We’ll miss that toughness too.  Take that Kyle Brodziak!  BOOM!

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And thank you Peter Forsberg.  See you in the Hall of Fame in a few years.

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The Avs Hockey Podcast, Episode #61

Jan 31st, 2011
by Jay Vean.
1 comment

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In this show James “Tapeleg” Gralian and I discuss a comeback from a long time Av, an exit from this season for a current Av, we discuss the 2011 All-Star festivities, and we also tell you which Avalanche player to blame if things in your life are just a little bit off.  Those topics and much more Avalanche stuff in episode number 61 of The Avs Hockey Podcast.  Thanks for joining us Avs fans!

Save of the podcast right here from Buffalo Sabres forward Tyler Ennis on January 14, 2011.  Stick save and a beauty!  Hockey is a game of inches and this is a perfect example of just that.

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