Go Carts and Free Throws

by Ryan

Yesterday I was at the NASCAR Speedpark in Myrtle Beach and I saw something interesting. But first, a word on the NASCAR Speedpark. There are some people that like go carts. If you are among this group of people, you need to visit one of these places. If you don't think racing around an oval is interesting to watch, put yourself inside the car and it becomes incredibly fun on even the most remedial of levels.

ANYWAY, I was walking around and saw a kid in a Patrick Kane shirsey (a shirt-jersey). What was interesting about this particular shirsey was that it didn't have a Blackhawks logo on the front, just "KANE 88" on the back of a red shirt. So, in theory you had to know at least a little about hockey to understand it, otherwise you probably thought someone spelled "Kanye" wrong on a promotional freebee.

So that wasn't the point of the story, but I found that interesting enough. What was across from Kane was one of those basketball free throw games. You know the one, with the overinflated balls, small rims, and backboard with the crazy bounce. You just know the game makes more money than the gross domestic product of Kenya, but you're pretty sure that giant giraffe is the best thing ever, so you are going to give it a try.

The thing about this one was that the big prize was sports jerseys. A Matt Ryan Falcons jersey, Gretzky Rangers, and Reggie White Pro Bowl jersey were all hanging together. Heck, they even had an LT next to an Eagles Randall Cunningham. There were at least a few dozen up there, and quite a few people were giving it a try.

Amazingly, I stood there for only a few minutes and saw two people sink the shot. The first guy got an Emmitt Smith Cowboys jersey, and the second picked a Yankees Jeter. Now, my jump shot is seriously lacking, so I wasn't going to give it a shot. However, seeing people actually win made me think about which jersey I would pick. I think I would have gone with the Gretzky just for the sake of framing. I wouldn't wear it, so why not have something I can display.

So I've been thinking, let's put this on a larger scale. If you could have any jersey in the world, what would you pick? Keep in mind that it would have to be a team you don't root for, and you would have to win this in public. Also, you can pick a specific jersey from a certain period, but you have to justify your desires. I'll give you points for creativity if you have it, but you need to give a good reason for the pick.

My selection would be one I can still get today: a Durant Sonics jersey. I think it would be a cool timepiece to have, and it would serve as a reminder that no matter what you have on the field, there is so much more to sports. A Durant jersey is the ultimate reminder that owners control the game, and that sports is a business.

Your picks in the comments, if you will.