Picked mine up today. EXCELLENT! I inquired how sales of this shirt had been going and was told, "very strong". I guess that's a good sign, huh?
I didn't ask about sales directly but I did ask if these jerseys were going to be available for sale at the next home match and was told that the very limited amount that's left will be available. I'm taking that as meaning that the majority of these jerseys have been snatched up in pre-sale orders. Which is as it should be since the FO didn't really have to get us our jerseys back. So now that they did, there's no good reason why they shouldn't be selling out.
Don't want to count those Clash years? You know there is no way they are going to put a NASL date on there.
Picked mine up today and they said sales were very good. One of the guys in the office said he was going to have to hurry and get his before they sell out.
Yes, that would have been like McDonald's back in the day when they tried to tell us all that they invented the hamburger with lettuce and tomato and called it the "McDLT". Maybe when Portland and Vancouver get here, four "originals" may grow a collective pair and start claiming NASL dates.
Why would they do that though? That's like being a Dale Earnhardt Jr. and claiming all the accomplishments of your father Dale Senior. Makes no sense for them and makes no sense for us. The NASL teams lent their names and some of their fans to the MLS franchises. Beyond that, they have very little in common, particularly the NASL and MLS Quakes.
Do you think Dale Senior might be proud of his Son’s accomplishments and want them to be considered part of the “Family’s History and Heritage”? Who is them and who is us. What you don’t understand is that “we” considered ourselves part of “we” the Earthquakes. The MLS franchise should have been called the San Jose Earthquakes from the start. It wasn’t because some make-believe marketing idiots who have no concept of Club Passion or Club history named it the Clash. The mistake was apparent to all, and the customers (fans) rebelled. A lady had the guts to change the name back to the Earthquakes against the Leagues wishes and the rest is history. You don’t lend your fans; the Fan’s ARE the CLUB. Owner’s change, Coaches change, Players change but the fans really are the Club. If you have ever really been part of a Club you would understand that the Club is the CLUB is the Club is the Club. Beyond that, they have very little in common, particularly the NASL and MLS Quakes. Who are you to tell me and the Guys who played for this CLUB and LOVE this CLUB to this day, have nothing in common with today’s team. When we won the Championship in 2003 some of the NASL Quakes were in the stands in LA cheering the CLUB on. Many more called me in the morning of the game whishing the boys all the best and hoping they would bring glory to the CLUB’s History. I consider anyone who played for the Club in ANY era a teammate of mine and part of the fabric of the club. Tell the folks in Seattle that walk together to the game in their thousands, dressed in their teams “original colors” chanting and singing “Seattle-Sounders” that the Sounders name is not important. Tell Harry Rednapp that he never played for the Sounders and that he has nothing in common with them. Look at the passion in Philly and get ready to look at the passion in Vancouver and Portland and maybe them you might understand what a CLUB and its history means to its players and fans. Established in 1996 “bullshit”.
I always enjoy message board smackdowns. Especially when done from someone with more knowledge than most.
Goosebumps man... With Lawrence Fishbone's voice in my head I was remembering and I will strike down on thee with great vengeance and furious anger... Though the target was probably indended to be the marketing idiots who composed the inital MLS image.
Point well taken, JM. But there are still many who have, for better or worse, gotten used to the idea that the current edition of the Quakes is that which began with the advent of MLS. Had they sooner or later come out in their old red and done more to acknowledge their NASL predecessors, maybe it would be a bit different. A cold beer for the first to have 1974 sewn into one of those jerseys.
Unfortunately sports franchises often fail to recognize and take advantage of the visceral connection many fans have with the traditions and history of the clubs they support. Seattle hired all sorts of marketing experts and held focus groups to help create and choose a new brand for their MLS franchise. Luckily. those fans who had supported the Sounder brand for decades started a grassroots campaign that snowballed and ultimately led to the Sounder name being continued. It seems that MLS has finally got the message. When Seattle was awarded a franchise they initially demanded that Seattle not continue the Sounder brand. With the runaway success of the Sounders, MLS made no such demands of Vancouver or Portland. Hence the Sounders, Whitecaps and Timbers will continue rivalries that go back to 1974 and 1975.
I'm all for making believe that the Earthquakes have been around since 1974. If it's my call, I put 1974 on the back of these shirts instead of 1996, but let's not fool ourselves into believing that this date is a slight against the original, red-clad San Jose Earthquakes. That team ceased to be in 1988. Subsequently, I could even be convinced that the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks/San Jose Hawks era was the same team, despite being in a different league with a different name. But is anyone going to tell me that the San Jose Earthquakes/San Francisco Bay Blackhawks/San Jose Hawks, went on a 3 year hiatus to become the San Jose Clash in a totally new league (again) and that this was a true continuation? As stated, I'm all for overlooking this for the sake of identifying with a part of American soccer history that shouldn't be forgotten or dismissed, but there's more than enough evidence to support 1996 on these jerseys.
The club had to go through the proper legal channels to acquire the Earthquakes moniker in 1999 or whatever. To me, that means they acquired everything attached to that name. That was the whole point, no?
Hence, the Heritage Cup, http://www.ssvcf.org/heritagecup.html, a trophy sponsored by the fans (and originally conceived on BigSoccer) to honor the tradition that transcends ownership groups and leagues. I am thankful to the current Quakes management, which consciously chose not to re-brand, which has been appreciative of the Heritage Cup, which has collaborated on the Soccer Legacy Project at History San Jose and which has pledged to provide exhibit space to showcase artifacts in the new stadium. Blue may be the new black, but like last year I plan to wear red to the Quakes game next Saturday against Seattle in honor of the Wee Man and every one of the MLS forerunners who ever took the pitch for San Jose in the NASL.
There is no "making believe". The San Jose Earthquakes have been around since 1974 It is. And the 1999 San Jose Earthquakes ceased to be in 2005, so what exactly is the point you are trying to make? Are you saying that the team must be in the same league, same city with the same name in order to be a legitimate continuation? Because if that's your point, then 1996 is totally out because the Clash name was not the Earthquake name. It was no less a continuation than the three year hiatus the MLS San Jose Earthquakes took when they moved to Houston. Wait, they are still in Houston that San Jose Earthquake team team no longer exists. The team we have today though is no more or less related to the NASL Quakes or the MLS Clash or the 2nd version of the MLS Quakes except in the mind of the TRUE San Jose Earthquake fan. There is nothing to overlook except for the petty anal distractions of those who want to claim some originality where none exists. The "evidence" to support "1996' on the back of the Jersey, is as Mr Moore stated so succinctly... BULLSHIT!
this is an interesting topic to me actually. it never occurred to me that the Earthquakes moniker was something that could be copyrighted/trademarked. (forgive me, i dont know what the proper term is in this case). it just surprises me that when the earthquakes were brought back, the original red wasnt brought back. i know goodsport has addressed this reason being that the STH voted on blue, but isnt blue about 80% of a general audience's favorite color?