Sweater Showdown: Bupkis

Both of you reading this are probably wonding, “what happened to that good ole Sweater Showdown?” You, third person, who googled something else but ended up here and have no idea to that of which I refer are probably confused.

The Sweater Showdown consists of web site that features a bracketed competition where visitors are urged to vote on which “new” jersey he or she prefers. Although, I must mention that while at first it seemed like a novel idea it has now degraded into bupkis*.

Why do I feel this way? What has tarnished the reputation of such a worthy attempt to combine the two great pastimes of hockey and bracketed competition? The answer to that question must be answered in two parts, each of which involves the other.

First, the Caps jersey lost. I’ll say it again. Bupkis. How can anything top what the Washington Capitals have done with their uniform this year? What? You don’t have an answer? That’s because there isn’t one. Nothing can top combining a slightly new design and classic colors with retro throwback foundation. I’m not even doing justice to what the organization was able to accomplish with the creation of their new jerseys. And yes, I mean new.

Which brings me to my second point. As the sweater showdown (yes, it has been downgraded to all lowercase) has reached the final four jerseys, it should be noted that all 4 of them are Original Six jerseys. Now, one could look at this as a good thing and take it as the voting public recognizes that the classics never need to change to be the best. And I probably would look at it the same way if the Blackhawks uniform hadn’t beat out the Caps. My issue centers more on the idea that none of the Original Six jerseys are new. They are classics, I get that, and in fact I agree, but they aren’t new. Sure the Bruins (barely) changed their font and the Hawks have different piping on their sweaters, but still, neither is actually new in a general sense.

Actually, based on that logic the Caps isn’t really new either but more a recognition of that which is classic. And I guess what I’m really saying is that they should be rewarded for that by winning the sweater showdown. At the end of the day though, it doesn’t matter. I’ll just pull on my sweet new Caps sweater with the big 8 on the back and be completely satisfied regardless of whether or not 58% of hockey fans would rather be wearing a Jonathan Toews jersey.

“bupkis.” Webster’s New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, Preview Edition (v 0.9.7). Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. 24 Oct. 2007. .