When talking about jersey's and apparel we're talking about billions of dollars. That's billions, with a "B." After Reebok's 10 year deal with the NFL ran out in 2011, Nike was able to come and swoop up one of the most coveted apparel licences in sports, no strike that, one of the most coveted licences in the world! Nike figures to rake in the dough, but who is going to suffer the consequences (besides Reebok who should have fired whoever is responsible for that company losing the NFL contract)? You can rest assure there will be plenty of gimmicks ahead to promote the new "official apparel" of the NFL, but things aren't as new and refreshing as they seem.
What Nike did right.
-Did you watch the 2012 NFL draft? You did?! Remember seeing players get drafted and by the time they got to the podium they already had a jersey from the team they were drafted by with their name on the back and the #1 (for first round draft pick)? Wasn't that cool? It seemed like a no-brainer to have a guy back stage screen printing names so that immediately you could identify the new player with his team. Woe to Reebok for not thinking this up a decade ago! This was a fresh new idea that Nike got right and was an excellent way to introduce themselves to the new players and fans. The message is clear; we're going to dazzle you with new ways to see our product.
-Another key change in the Nike regime was going to a universal cut for every team's jersey. Some team's (including my beloved 49ers) had gone to an almost embarrassing u-shaped neck cut. I don't know what Reebok was thinking but these jerseys fit awful. Normally I would wear a t-shirt underneath a jersey anyway but with the u-shaped cut you had no choice, it showed 4 to 5 inches of your chest! The v-neck cut that Nike put every team back into is more like it. It looks better and fits better, one thing you should never do with a football jersey is try to make it have a fancy fit, it's a football jersey for crying out loud.
-The last props I will give to Nike is on quality. Have you had a chance to see one of the new jersey's in person? If not, then definitely drop by a Nike shop and see them, they are impressive. Even their lowest end screen printed jersey's seem much more durable than the pathetic Reebok screen printed jersey's that every hardcore fan avoided like the plague. If you washed and dried one of the screen printed Reebok jersey's then they'd start to peel away after one dry cycle, these Nike screen printed jersey's seem like they'll hold up better. But let's face it, I'm a hardcore fan and I want what the players are wearing on the field. Nike has also changed the NFL patch back to the NFL shield, there is different cuts of fabric all over the elite jersey allowing it to "breath" better and the material feels just as sturdy as the Reebok "game worn" jersey's were.
Relax Nike because this isn't about how great you are, this is actually about how you completely fell on your face and probably lost a lot of money, and fans, in the process. Now on to...
What Nike did Wrong.
Nike's Mission is; To Bring Inspiration And Innovation To Every Athlete In The World.
- Is it innovative to go from having Reebok who had 3 tiers of NFL jersey's ("Screen Printed", "Game Jersey's" (which were stitched), and "On Field" jersey's) to only 2 from Nike? We now have the "Game-day" jersey's (screen printed) and "Elite jersey's" (the jersey's players wear on the field). What's that you say Nike exec.? You say you have a "Limited Jersey" coming out in the summer of 2012? OK, it's now midway through the summer of 2012, did we SURPRISE you that you took over the contract for the NFL in April? Are you NOW getting prepared to show us that third jersey? Or were you hoping fans would blow their money on your more expensive jersey's first then give them a more price friendly option later? BTW- if you're a fan of certain teams (like the 49ers) you can't even get an Elite "away" jersey yet! Again, did this take you by surprise Nike? Did you not know that you'd have to start producing product for fans once you took over the contract? When are we going to get a chance to buy the white jersey's, anytime soon?
-When I'm inspired it usually isn't something that hits me so hard in my pocketbook that my wife and kids will suffer. That's not inspiration that's just dumb, like buying an "elite" Nike NFL jersey for $250. Nike isn't the only one to blame here, the NFL is gouging fans buy selling the elite jersey's for $300 on their website! You heard me, $300 F*$@ing dollars! What economy are they living in? Hello Nike and NFL, have you been living underneath a rock? There's this tiny problem going on, not only in our country but in the world, called a recession, you heard of it? Since you obviously haven't, let me explain; it means people are short on money! And you just raised the prices of all the jersey's by at least 25%. Maybe it's just me but that screams greed. Reebok's 3 tiers ran for $79.99, $110.00 and $229.99. The NFL will be selling the new 3 tiers for $100, $135 and $300 while Nike is selling them for $100, $135 and $250.
Now stop me if I'm wrong but Nike and the NFL had three ways to go here;
1. They up the prices from what Reebok had (which is what they did) because the new Nike jersey's are "better quality" (that's not an actual quote from them but I can see an exec saying that already).
2. They keep the prices the same for the new 3 tiers of jersey's. Problem here is that any conglomerate lives by the motto "grow or die" so they HAD to up the prices to sustain their place in the market.
3. This would've been the "inspirational and innovative" tactic; Lower the prices slightly (say $69.99, $99.99 and $199.99) for the first season and let the fans get a "taste" of how good the new product is. Make the fans aware that the prices won't last and that you're trying to introduce them to the "new and improved product!" Fans, like me would've struck fast and frequent. We would've been all over these prices for the first year desperate to get the jersey's of the players we love, knowing that they're going to be raised in 2013. I can already hear the business exec from Nike say "that's why we didn't have to lower the prices because we knew the NFL is SO popular and people need the latest merchandise so we can up the prices and people will still pay for the product despite not having the money for it." (then he smiles real big). Then I turn to my computer and google "wholesale Nike NFL jersey's" (and I smile real big). That's right, it might not be legal, they may not be exact (the "wholesale" 49ers jersey's can be spotted from a mile away because the font on the chest is 3 times too big) but they sure are affordable, about $20-$29 per jersey plus shipping and handling (and that's for the "Elite" jersey). I was in a Nike shop in Vegas last week and an employee shot down my theory claiming that they haven't had a problem selling the new NFL jersey's, he said they're flying off the shelf! Yet, every time I see a player retweet a picture of a fan who sent them a picture of the new "Nike elite jersey" they just got in the mail the font seems to be 3 times too big! The Nike exec says "hmmm." Don't believe me? Go check twitter right now. go ahead I'll wait... you're back? kinda' creepy huh? This problem was rampant with the Reebok jersey's, all you had to do was go to a 49ers game and take a look around. MORE THAN half the fans are wearing jersey's with the font 3 times too big! If Reebok had a problem with it at their prices how bad of a problem do you think the NFL and Nike will have at the new prices? #FAIL
- The players will suffer from the rise in prices. When companies look to sign an athlete to a contract to be a spokesman they evaluate their marketability. In that equation businesses like Nike look at jersey sales. Now, if you're Patrick Willis and you have the most popular selling jersey on the team and are in the top 10 in the league then you become more "marketable," this is not rocket science it's logic. But, if fans are buying all their product form "wholesale" websites then those jersey sales won't be officially counted. So you might see thousands of fans at a Niner game wearing P-Willis' jersey but officially his jersey isn't a top seller because they aren't being bought legally. This in turn takes marketing money out of Patrick Willis' pocket and likewise means less money in jersey sales for Nike and the NFL. Hell, even the fans don't win because the "knock-offs" are so easy to spot.
Nike still has time to save their reputation but they have to move fast. If they were smart they would bring in some hard core fans from around the country and figure out how to make them happy, after they've sold us on their product then they can go gouge us all they want. But if they continue on this route they are in trouble of seeing sales stagnate and lots of bad knock-offs at NFL games with their famous swoosh on the sleeves.
For now, no new jersey's for me and my family. We're sticking to the Reebok one's we already have. We refuse to spend the money on a product that was already very expensive. Yes, Nike is part of a billion dollar partnership with the NFL now but there are a lot bad knock-offs bringing their product down and, believe it or not, millions upon millions being lost for Nike, the NFL and the players not to mention their reputation to boot.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Giants/Mets All Star Game Payback 2012
I'm very excited about N.Y. Getting the shorter end of the stick in this All Star game. I can't stand it when people have short memories on purpose, what goes around comes around...
Little do Mets fans remember '09 when Pablo Sandoval was crushing the ball and he got out voted by none other than... Yup, David Wright. Charlie Emanuel then went on to leave Sandoval off the roster as a back up. Last year when Sandoval was added by Bochy that qualified as pay back for Emanuel and this year is pay back for Wright, who shouldn't have even been a back up in '09, at least we can all agree Sandoval should be an All Star this year.
As far as R.A. Dickey is concerned, yes, he was deserving to start BUT I dare someone to step forward and say Cain was UNdeserving to start the game as well. Add in the variable that Posey is catching and he's never caught a knuckleballer and the choice was actually pretty easy for La Russa. But, after hearing what Mets GM Sandy Alderson had to say about Pablo, and his nickname (BTW- Sandy you got balls talking about other men and their nicknames when you have a girls given name!) and what he had to say about Giants fans, I think Cain starting over Dickey is poetic justice. Excuse the immaturity but you can "suck it" Alserson! Have fun watching 4 Giants players start the All Star game!!!
Little do Mets fans remember '09 when Pablo Sandoval was crushing the ball and he got out voted by none other than... Yup, David Wright. Charlie Emanuel then went on to leave Sandoval off the roster as a back up. Last year when Sandoval was added by Bochy that qualified as pay back for Emanuel and this year is pay back for Wright, who shouldn't have even been a back up in '09, at least we can all agree Sandoval should be an All Star this year.
As far as R.A. Dickey is concerned, yes, he was deserving to start BUT I dare someone to step forward and say Cain was UNdeserving to start the game as well. Add in the variable that Posey is catching and he's never caught a knuckleballer and the choice was actually pretty easy for La Russa. But, after hearing what Mets GM Sandy Alderson had to say about Pablo, and his nickname (BTW- Sandy you got balls talking about other men and their nicknames when you have a girls given name!) and what he had to say about Giants fans, I think Cain starting over Dickey is poetic justice. Excuse the immaturity but you can "suck it" Alserson! Have fun watching 4 Giants players start the All Star game!!!
Monday, July 9, 2012
Giants at Mid Season 2012
The Giants are a half game out of first going into the mid-summer classic and have not even played their best ball. Giants fans have a lot to be hopeful about in the second half and some things to still bite their nails about as well.
What the Giants can look forward to;
The fact that we are just a .5 game out of first and the division leading Dodgers are struggling to stay healthy bold well for the Giants. Sure, you could argue that when the Dodgers get Kemp and Either back then they should run away with the division but you have to keep a few variables in mind. The Dodgers had the easiest schedule to start the season in baseball and played a ton of home games, that won't be the case in the second half. The fact of the matter is that the Dodgers aren't healthy yet and there is no guarantee that their star players will be back to 100% in the second half. Lastly, even if the Dodgers get all their players back from injury there is still the case of team chemistry, there may not be enough time for that with just under half a season left.
Most of all, the Giants have yet to play to their potential. Believe it or not the pitching can and should be better in the second half, I would expect a bounce back from Lincecum on some level (although I do not think he'll be himself at all for the rest of the year), and a slight drop in production from Zito, while Cain, Bumgarner and Vogey continue on their way. The other big thing to look forward to is the young core of everyday players. Poesy, Sandoval and Cabrera are starting for the NL in the All Star game and should have all Giants fans excited about a second half surge. Sandoval needs to stay healthy and Posey needs to expect just a little less rest, while Cabrera will continue to be leaned upon for consistency. If you add a hot Brandon Belt and sprinkle in some Pagan, Theriot and a streaky Crawford this team could actually do some second half damage. I've been claiming for over a year that Brandon Belt is the 'X factor' for this team and I think that theory is becoming very apparent now. If Belt can excel in the second half at the same level as our All Stars then we would have a big 4 in our line-up that not a lot of teams are going to want to face in the Playoffs. The most important thing to remember, especially after a horrible end to the first half, is that the last two World Series champs weren't the best teams at the half, they were the best teams in late August and September.
What the Giants can worry about;
Tim Lincecum, Tim Lincecum and probably Tim Lincecum. I refuse to believe that his career is over but I also don't see a movie like Act III turn around for our Hero. Will he get better? Yes, he will. Even all the national media doubters have to admit that Lincecum has been one of the most unluckiest pitchers in baseball when it comes to balls in play. But, I do not expect a sub 2.00 ERA and undefeated second half effort. I think he will pitch just good enough to make the playoff roster and then he'll be used sparingly throughout the playoffs.
The other big worry for the Giants should be that their youth will start to look like the Seattle Mariners youth, big potential with no results. If Posey, Sandoval and Belt fall flat in the second half, especially around Late August and September then you can kiss the playoffs good-bye. We need this young core to progress and be even better in the second half, especially with two outs and runners in scoring position.
BOLD (and silly) predictions for the Giants second half;
I will add and subtract to my bold and silly predictions from the beginning of the season. My mid season silliness is in parenthesis.
First the offense;
- 4 players will hit .300+; Pablo Sandoval, Buster Posey, Melky Cabrera, and Brandon Belt all reach the plateau. (I maintain my silliness)
- 5 players hit 20+ HR's. Sandoval, Posey, Cabrera, Belt, and Brett Pill are the power here. Pill is my wild card. I predict he gets more playing time than we expect because of his big bat and he mashes his way down the stretch to 20. (okay, take away Pill, but watch the others surge to 20 each.)
- 2 players hit 30+ HR's. I got Sandoval and Belt showing the big power. I know that Belt could possibly start the season in the minors, which would be a shame, but I think he gets recalled in time to show what all the hype has been about. Which leads me to... (no one reaches the plateau)
- 3 players have 100+ RBI's. Sandoval, Posey, and Belt. Not hard here, I have them mashing all year long. (now I say 2 do, Cabrera and Posey)
- Brandon Crawford more than holds his own hitting .270 BA, 15 HR, 65 RBI, and 15 SB. (Let's go Crawford!)
- Aubrey Huff struggles and is a pinch-hitter most of 2012. Pilate's or not, Huff is on a decline. I know that he has had a trend his whole career of having a good year then a down year but I think now is the time that Huff stays down, and we are once again way over paying for a veteran who isn't contributing much on the field. That being said, Huff is a great personality and he is very valuable all year in the clubhouse. (bingo)
- Freddy Sanchez retires. After finally making a brief comeback Sanchez gets hurt again and decides to announce his retirement do to continuing injury issues. This leads to... (I'm freakin' psychic)
- Prospect Joe Panik, who is once again tearing up the minors, is called up mid-season to take over the 2nd base role for good. He gets off to a slow start but holds his own, showing signs of line-drive gap placement and brief stints of power and speed along with solid defense. (not coming up but he's a stud)
- The Giants offense ends up in the top 3 of all major league baseball. (Hmmmmm)
Obviously, I see a huge change on the offensive side of the ball, because of this the pitching is going to excel.
Now the pitching;
- With a ton of run support from the offense, finally, the pitching starts to rack up the wins. The Giants have three 20 game winners; Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, and Matt Cain. (I guess (sarcasm) I'll drop Lincecum from this list, but I have high hopes for Bum and Cain)
- The pitching continues to be dominant with four sub 3.00 ERA's; Lincecum, Bumgarner, Cain, and Ryan Vogelsong. (again, drop Timmy)
- 3 pitchers have 200+ strikeouts; Lincecum, Bumgarner, and Cain. Lincecum and Bumgarner are locks here but Cain has never reached the milestone in his career. However, this season Cain has been locked in during Spring Training and appears to already be prepared for a big year, add in that it's a contract season and I think he finds a little extra something here and there to finally reach the plateau. With 186 SO's being his former best he hits 203 total this year. (This could still hold with Timmy but it will probably be a career low for him in a complete season)
- The bullpen posts the lowest ERA in the majors. (just silly)
- Brian Wilson is just raunchy with a big bounce back year and surpasses his former career high in saves (48) by recording 52 on the year. (RIP in 2012)
The awards;
- This is a lock- Comeback Player of the Year- Buster Posey. Can Giants fans see anyone else winning this in 2012? (keep truckin')
- Sandoval and Posey finish in the top 3 in NL MVP voting. Pablo is the big winner. (Not going to happen with the injury but Poesy may still finish high)
- Pablo Sandoval wins the batting title hitting .349, this is what propels him past teammate Posey for the MVP. ( I meant Cabrera, stupid auto correct)
- Gold gloves galore for the Giants defense; Sandoval 3B, Crawford SS, Posey C, and Lincecum P all take home the honor. (Not one for the G-men, and that's a BOLD prediction)
- Tim Lincecum wins his 3rd Cy Young award! Madison Bumgarner finishes a close second and Matt Cain is able to finish 5th in the voting. Lincecum leads in SO's and Wins while Bum leads in ERA, which propels Lincecum. Plus, the voters lean towards the older player considering the younger will have many more opportunities. (Anything regarding Timmy at the beginning of 2012 needs to be changed, nobody saw this coming we just have to weather the storm together, please sub in Matt Cain for the CY, he's going to win it this year guaranteed.)
- The Giants win 100 games. After finally establishing an offense the Giants show their true potential. They go on to take the NL West crown on their way to... ( I got them at 90 wins now)
- The Giants win the 2012 World Series. The Tampa Bay Rays put up a hell of a pitching performance in 2012 themselves but are no match for the now dominant S.F. Giants. The Giants take the series 4-1 and talk starts to spread that we have a dynasty on our hands. (Let's say they beat the Angels now, and get revenge for '02)
- Matt Cain signs a 5yr/$115million contract extension with the team. (I was almost dead on)
What the Giants can look forward to;
The fact that we are just a .5 game out of first and the division leading Dodgers are struggling to stay healthy bold well for the Giants. Sure, you could argue that when the Dodgers get Kemp and Either back then they should run away with the division but you have to keep a few variables in mind. The Dodgers had the easiest schedule to start the season in baseball and played a ton of home games, that won't be the case in the second half. The fact of the matter is that the Dodgers aren't healthy yet and there is no guarantee that their star players will be back to 100% in the second half. Lastly, even if the Dodgers get all their players back from injury there is still the case of team chemistry, there may not be enough time for that with just under half a season left.
Most of all, the Giants have yet to play to their potential. Believe it or not the pitching can and should be better in the second half, I would expect a bounce back from Lincecum on some level (although I do not think he'll be himself at all for the rest of the year), and a slight drop in production from Zito, while Cain, Bumgarner and Vogey continue on their way. The other big thing to look forward to is the young core of everyday players. Poesy, Sandoval and Cabrera are starting for the NL in the All Star game and should have all Giants fans excited about a second half surge. Sandoval needs to stay healthy and Posey needs to expect just a little less rest, while Cabrera will continue to be leaned upon for consistency. If you add a hot Brandon Belt and sprinkle in some Pagan, Theriot and a streaky Crawford this team could actually do some second half damage. I've been claiming for over a year that Brandon Belt is the 'X factor' for this team and I think that theory is becoming very apparent now. If Belt can excel in the second half at the same level as our All Stars then we would have a big 4 in our line-up that not a lot of teams are going to want to face in the Playoffs. The most important thing to remember, especially after a horrible end to the first half, is that the last two World Series champs weren't the best teams at the half, they were the best teams in late August and September.
What the Giants can worry about;
Tim Lincecum, Tim Lincecum and probably Tim Lincecum. I refuse to believe that his career is over but I also don't see a movie like Act III turn around for our Hero. Will he get better? Yes, he will. Even all the national media doubters have to admit that Lincecum has been one of the most unluckiest pitchers in baseball when it comes to balls in play. But, I do not expect a sub 2.00 ERA and undefeated second half effort. I think he will pitch just good enough to make the playoff roster and then he'll be used sparingly throughout the playoffs.
The other big worry for the Giants should be that their youth will start to look like the Seattle Mariners youth, big potential with no results. If Posey, Sandoval and Belt fall flat in the second half, especially around Late August and September then you can kiss the playoffs good-bye. We need this young core to progress and be even better in the second half, especially with two outs and runners in scoring position.
BOLD (and silly) predictions for the Giants second half;
I will add and subtract to my bold and silly predictions from the beginning of the season. My mid season silliness is in parenthesis.
First the offense;
- 4 players will hit .300+; Pablo Sandoval, Buster Posey, Melky Cabrera, and Brandon Belt all reach the plateau. (I maintain my silliness)
- 5 players hit 20+ HR's. Sandoval, Posey, Cabrera, Belt, and Brett Pill are the power here. Pill is my wild card. I predict he gets more playing time than we expect because of his big bat and he mashes his way down the stretch to 20. (okay, take away Pill, but watch the others surge to 20 each.)
- 2 players hit 30+ HR's. I got Sandoval and Belt showing the big power. I know that Belt could possibly start the season in the minors, which would be a shame, but I think he gets recalled in time to show what all the hype has been about. Which leads me to... (no one reaches the plateau)
- 3 players have 100+ RBI's. Sandoval, Posey, and Belt. Not hard here, I have them mashing all year long. (now I say 2 do, Cabrera and Posey)
- Brandon Crawford more than holds his own hitting .270 BA, 15 HR, 65 RBI, and 15 SB. (Let's go Crawford!)
- Aubrey Huff struggles and is a pinch-hitter most of 2012. Pilate's or not, Huff is on a decline. I know that he has had a trend his whole career of having a good year then a down year but I think now is the time that Huff stays down, and we are once again way over paying for a veteran who isn't contributing much on the field. That being said, Huff is a great personality and he is very valuable all year in the clubhouse. (bingo)
- Freddy Sanchez retires. After finally making a brief comeback Sanchez gets hurt again and decides to announce his retirement do to continuing injury issues. This leads to... (I'm freakin' psychic)
- Prospect Joe Panik, who is once again tearing up the minors, is called up mid-season to take over the 2nd base role for good. He gets off to a slow start but holds his own, showing signs of line-drive gap placement and brief stints of power and speed along with solid defense. (not coming up but he's a stud)
- The Giants offense ends up in the top 3 of all major league baseball. (Hmmmmm)
Obviously, I see a huge change on the offensive side of the ball, because of this the pitching is going to excel.
Now the pitching;
- With a ton of run support from the offense, finally, the pitching starts to rack up the wins. The Giants have three 20 game winners; Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, and Matt Cain. (I guess (sarcasm) I'll drop Lincecum from this list, but I have high hopes for Bum and Cain)
- The pitching continues to be dominant with four sub 3.00 ERA's; Lincecum, Bumgarner, Cain, and Ryan Vogelsong. (again, drop Timmy)
- 3 pitchers have 200+ strikeouts; Lincecum, Bumgarner, and Cain. Lincecum and Bumgarner are locks here but Cain has never reached the milestone in his career. However, this season Cain has been locked in during Spring Training and appears to already be prepared for a big year, add in that it's a contract season and I think he finds a little extra something here and there to finally reach the plateau. With 186 SO's being his former best he hits 203 total this year. (This could still hold with Timmy but it will probably be a career low for him in a complete season)
- The bullpen posts the lowest ERA in the majors. (just silly)
- Brian Wilson is just raunchy with a big bounce back year and surpasses his former career high in saves (48) by recording 52 on the year. (RIP in 2012)
The awards;
- This is a lock- Comeback Player of the Year- Buster Posey. Can Giants fans see anyone else winning this in 2012? (keep truckin')
- Sandoval and Posey finish in the top 3 in NL MVP voting. Pablo is the big winner. (Not going to happen with the injury but Poesy may still finish high)
- Pablo Sandoval wins the batting title hitting .349, this is what propels him past teammate Posey for the MVP. ( I meant Cabrera, stupid auto correct)
- Gold gloves galore for the Giants defense; Sandoval 3B, Crawford SS, Posey C, and Lincecum P all take home the honor. (Not one for the G-men, and that's a BOLD prediction)
- Tim Lincecum wins his 3rd Cy Young award! Madison Bumgarner finishes a close second and Matt Cain is able to finish 5th in the voting. Lincecum leads in SO's and Wins while Bum leads in ERA, which propels Lincecum. Plus, the voters lean towards the older player considering the younger will have many more opportunities. (Anything regarding Timmy at the beginning of 2012 needs to be changed, nobody saw this coming we just have to weather the storm together, please sub in Matt Cain for the CY, he's going to win it this year guaranteed.)
- The Giants win 100 games. After finally establishing an offense the Giants show their true potential. They go on to take the NL West crown on their way to... ( I got them at 90 wins now)
- The Giants win the 2012 World Series. The Tampa Bay Rays put up a hell of a pitching performance in 2012 themselves but are no match for the now dominant S.F. Giants. The Giants take the series 4-1 and talk starts to spread that we have a dynasty on our hands. (Let's say they beat the Angels now, and get revenge for '02)
- Matt Cain signs a 5yr/$115million contract extension with the team. (I was almost dead on)
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