Pink Football Jersies

There are three things that inspired me to start this blog, and this occurrence is one of those things. I didn't originally intend to strategically include these posts at a specific time, but given that the Super Bowl is Sunday, this seemed an appropriate time as ever to write this entry.

I listen to Kidd Kraddick in the morning. Say what you will about Kidd and the morning show, but I think they're hilarious. Sure, they sometimes digress on topics and bits that are not exactly the most entertaining things I have ever heard, but for the most part, they are more than a decent way to pass the time on my hour-long morning commute. Their philanthropic endeavors alone are enough to warrant attention, but beyond that, their unyielding attention to popular culture and eagerness to make fun of themselves makes them incredibly accessible...at least for me. I will admit, I have been a loyal listener since I was 16.

So, to that end, this morning they were taking bets on the Super Bowl. From what color gatorade would undoubtedly be thrown on the winning coach to the the order in which the winning quarterback (or MVP) would thank the people of interest in his life (arguably, God, Family, teammates, coaches, etc.), they were taking bets on it all. At one point, one of the potential bets was related to how many times networks would pan the luxury boxes for Giselle (Tom Brady's wife), which prompted Jenna (one of the morning show personalities) to inquire, "I wonder if she will be wearing her pink Patriots jersey?"

And that is just a prevalent trend I do NOT understand.

I like sports. I am not a fanatic by any means, and I do not profess to know everything about the sports I watch. I (would like to believe) know more than the average female does about sports, but I want to make sure I acknowledge now that I have not seen nor do I know it all (or even part) about sports as a whole.

HOWEVER, I have been an avid follower of college and professional football since I was 14 years old, and it was not until I was an attendee at the infamous Cowboys/Eagles game at Texas Stadium in '07, that I had any idea one could even purchase a team jersey in baby pink. I was about 6 boxes down from Jessica Simpson (who, at the time, was dating Tony Romo), and was very confused when they showed her through the suite glass in a pink Cowboys jersey.

The Cowboys' colors are blue and white. It could be argued that the specific shade of blue is either navy or royal, but either way, the colors are very definitively blue and white. So surely you can understand my  frustration that someone- and it really did not matter who it was- was there supporting the home team in a color very far removed from that of the team as a whole.

So, obviously, this individual, and many others within the stadium that day and in stadiums across the country since, felt they were incapable of showing their team colors at the sacrifice of "femininity" (or whatever that means), and instead, chose to show their support in pink.

THAT IS SO FUCKING STUPID.

Take sports out of it completely. Hundreds of years ago, when various civilizations were fighting wars and risking their lives for liberty or national causes, the entire front was united under a specific color or insignia. England had the Redcoats; the North during the Civil War rocked it in navy and the South in grey; the indians united under war paint and raw hide. Essentially, different sides wore specific uniforms to make themselves distinguishable against their opponent. THIS DID NOT START WITH SPORTS.

So imagine my shock and dismay that someone who cares enough to pay money and show up to witness a battle (of sports or otherwise), is going to show up in a color unassociated with their team or cause FOR NO OTHER VIABLE REASON IN THAT IS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FEMININE DISPLAY OF SUPPORT.

I'm sorry- is it necessary to distinguish your gender in that instance? Do you think that American nurses and triage attendees during the Revolutionary War wore red because it was a more flattering color? NO. Colors are designated for teams for a reason!

So basically, in a nutshell (though I do apologize for my offshoot rants and musings), it is beyond stupid that professional sports teams feel the need to appeal to a female demographic and manufacture pink fan gear. Moreover, it is inexplicably inane for women that support these teams (or support men that support these teams) to require an option of dress that specifically does not include team colors in some sort of misguided attempt to assert femininity. Athletes on the field are encouraged and reinforced by looking into the stands and seeing blocks of their team colors cheering them to victory; more often than not, their ability to hear is significantly prohibited by their helmet or the exterior noise, and they look for encouragement in a visual way. But you felt like you would look too masculine or not sexy enough by sporting team colors, so you opted for PINK.

I guess it's no wonder Tony and the boys lost that game...