Hats Off To...Hats

I mentioned my hat fetish yesterday, so I felt it necessary to dedicate an entire blog entry to the hat, or the cap if you prefer. I have to begin by saying something that I might regret...my favorite MLB cap, all things considered, is the Yankee hat. It's very simple and totally classic. You could say the same for the Red Sox cap but I prefer the navy and white. Hence, my current cap of choice is the Atlanta Braves away cap that discards the red brim for an all navy backdrop and a simple, white A. I also happen to believe that the NY logo is one of the best of all time. The Knicks used to employ the same, exact logo but they got away from it. And don't confuse the Yankee NY with the Met NY, or the former Giant NY.

That's the thing with uniforms in general and their accompanying hat which is actually considered a part of the uniform...simple is better. Some of the worst uniforms/caps of all time are those that took the new and hip approach that is certain to wind up in a Building 19 within a year of inception. It doesn't work. Classic looks in uniforms and hat do not go out of style and perhaps most importantly, they carry an aura of something original and unchanged...unfettered. For instance, you know that when Babe Ruth played, the Yankee uniform was essentially the same. Reggie Jackson, Don Mattingly and Derek Jeter...they've all worn the same uniform. Nothing has changed. There aren't many teams in any sport that can make this claim.

But back the cap...my goal is to own all 64 hats that are a part of the Authentic MLB collection today. I probably won't see this through because I've recently been made aware of the ultimate cost of this venture (thanks baby) and it scares me to think that I would spend that much on a bunch of hats. However it's a harmless hobby and if I spread the purchases out over time, it's really not that bad.

Some of the worst: I hate the Tampa hat...always have, from the original, awful green and purple piece of crap to the current TB logo. It's too big and once again, they've already changed their entire color scheme and uniform structure. I will say though, getting away from the sleeveless jersey is the best thing they ever did. Those are a fucking disgrace and every team that has one it its' repertoire should be ashamed. Tank tops are for the NBA. Moving on...I don't like two-toned caps at all. Cincinnati, Pittsburgh (with the red brim...what the fuck is that?), Oakland, Atlanta, Cleveland, Colorado, the Mets, Baltimore...I could go on. And most teams have one of these as a Spring Training hat or something...except the Yankees. I just don't know why there became this initiative to add unnecessary colors to the hat. The Colorado hat should be either all black or all purple with the CR...the Reds hat all red or all black...etc, etc. Yeah, these teams all have a one-color hat, but it's usually their alternate hat. Oakland has an all-green and an all-black cap as part of their four-cap arsenal (totally unnecessary, by the way and it throws off my collection's balance). They should move to just the two and eliminate the two tone. I realize this is a bit contradictory because the two-toned yellow and green Oakland hat is old school, but it's terrible.

I need a nice, classic baseball hat if I'm going to wear it often. Again, that Braves road hat is a prime example. The Red Sox cap is a nice option as is the Yankee hat (again), the Marlins cap, either Tiger hat, some of the Cleveland caps, etc. In terms of throwbacks however, it gets a little more dicey.

You look at some of the really "out there" caps that teams used to wear honestly, it's mind blowing. The old Padre caps with the yellow and brown are a prime example, but they're equal parts ugly and awesome. Same goes for the Toronto cap, the old White Sox cap (the one with the batter and SOX in bold letters; red, white and blue), the baby blue Phillies cap, the Brewers mitt cap...these are some really great additions to any cap collection and they're sure to get a few "wow, sick cap" comments if you're out in public.

Not to go totally off track here, but I just described a meal I made for Lauren and I up in NH last weekend to one of my co-workers. Here's how it went:

Me: "Yeah man, I made these really good turkey burgers up in NH."

Guy (his name is Guy...not just calling him "guy"): "I love turkey burgers. Little mayo, slice of tomato (kisses his fingers like an italian)."

Me: "Sounds great. But get this: I put a bunch of Frank's Red Hot in the meat, form up the patties and throw them on the grill. Just before they're done, I throw pepperoncini slices on top of the patties and cover those with a slice of jack cheese. The cheese melts, I take them off and place them on warm buns. I then add avocado and arugula and serve them with a side of ranch, per Lauren's suggestion. Fantastic. You'll love them, I promise."

Guy: "I bet. Wait dude, you realize how we sound right now, right? Listen to us. Most men would at least try to sound manly when describing a burger to another man, like, use a big slab of beef, huck that shit on the grill and sear it then serve it up bloody. We're like, yeah, I use an avocado and some spicy arugula. It's a delight."

Me: "Shut up, dude. I like arugula."

***to give credit where credit is due, those turkey burgers are the brainchild of Lauren and they really are incredible. Try them soon.***