Jersey Fouls is our ongoing exploration of the rules and etiquette for proper hockey jersey creation and exhibition. If you spot what you think may be a foul in your arena, email a photo to us at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com for inclusion in future installment.
We've had more than a few people called one in the comments, but we can say with certainty that this man is a Pekka Head.
From reader Victoria Martin:
I've been trying to get a picture of this guy all season to send to you! This is the one of the worst jersey fouls I've seen at a Preds game. I'm not sure if he was trying to start his own Pekka Rinne fan club or what, but he should burn this jersey. It's just wrong!
Pekka Heads, we imagine, are like Parrot Heads, save for the fact you're not subjected to hearing an sexagenarian sing-shout lyrics about coconut telephones at you.
The number on the back does make us wonder: Is there a Pekka Head No. 1? Is it Rinne himself, or another fan? If it's another fan, how does one become the Big Pekka Head?
(Coming Up: The Boston accent in all its glory; terrible Fouls from our friends in Edmonton; Devils snark on the Rangers; a downer from the AHL; the Mark Sanchez Jets jersey; and word play in Chicago.)
And here … we … go.
Reader K. Carlson doesn't intend to park a car anywhere near Harvard Yard:
"I know people from Boston take pride in their accents but seriously?"
In fairness, his "friggin' BRAAAHD MAAHHHHHSHUAND jersey, kid" was in the wash.
James Swindellis writes in:
This subject is wearing his "Screaming Eagle" Caps Adam "Oats" jersey. Considering "Oats" played for the Bruins for 6 years previous to his stop in D.C. you would assume that this guy would know how to spell his favorite players name. And if he's aware of the misspell error why would he ever step out into public in this thing? Incorrect numbers and letter fonts don't help this either. Also, you gotta love the Patriots hoodie tied around his waist. Dude's a mess.
So, not a fan then.
We're not sure if this St. John's Ice Caps Foul is related to a specific player. We just know that there's simply no way this gentleman isn't that guy who screams "SHHHHHOOOOOOT" on the power play and yells "c'mon, ref!" on every clean hit. Book it. (via Alex The Grand)
The first layer of Foul here is the fact this is a Nickname Jersey for Edmonton Oilers Calder Trophy finalist Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
But even if you're someone that accepts a nickname on the back of a sweater, we arrive at the second layer of Foul: IT's NUUUUUGE, NOT NOOOOOOGGGE!
The Nuge: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Noge: a Spanish bus company.
Knuuuuuuuuw the difference.
This is a Protest Jersey, via Tyler Sontag, that's allowable by Jersey Fouls law if you're going by the book.
But there's something about the collage of tape, deleted numbers, marker and more tape that's kind of off-putting about it, like a child who threw together a diorama the morning it's due for English class. ("And here you see Tess of the D'Urbervilles chased by a Tyrannosaurus … raaaar!")
Besides, is that Souray nameplate over the number? Tara Reid's had less work done than this jersey.
Via reader Jesse Murphy:
I know it's been a long tough time for Oilers fans, and many of us have given in to alcoholism, but this is FOUL! And it may also be confusing for some American readers. This fellow is trying to say "Rye and Coke" - likely his favorite alcoholic beverage on the name bar. The .08 number is the legal blood alcohol limit in Alberta before getting a DUI.
Please post in your next collection of fouls so we can have an intervention for the poor guy.
Pretty clever. And whoever Ryan Coke is, we assume he'll be on the Oilers second D paring next season, by default.
Via Don Becker:
Yes, that's a Winnipeg Jets Mark Sanchez jersey on the left. The right belongs to one of a group of people protesting Charles Wang's ownership of the Isles, hence the sign.
We've featured Mr. 15-Year Bust before, but never Winnipeg J-E-T-S Sanchez. It belongs to Jason Gutierrez of Forest Hills, who proudly sent in the image of his own jersey on the right.
It's an odd little idea to cross the streams on the Jets and Jets; we're just wondering how valid it'll be when Tebow's starting by Week 2.
John Millan is not amused:
I live in Jersey but not a devils fan. The rock, IMHO, has its fair share of jersey fouls. Most of them I can let slide on people's ignorance or lack of hockey IQ but this I couldn't. Take a look at these beauties.
S. Toresco and J. Toresco. Not only have the chosen to violate the rule that you never get matching gf/bf, husband/wife jerseys but the have picked the two most sacred numbers currently in the organization. The cherry on the cake is these are authentic reebok edge jerseys so this foul cost $600 plus.
That's a lot of lettuce to be so Foul.
Another Devils Foul, this time from Mark G.:
Saw this gem at the Rock on Thursday March 29th. Devils vs. Lightning. I get the whole "PUCK U NYR" (New York Rangers obviously). Which in itself is just plain classless and obnoxious, but why would he use the number 11? The 2010-2011 season was one of the worst in Devils history. They were just plain awful, and missed the playoffs that year which is unheard for the Devils organization.
Just a guess here, but might the number of Mark Messier be related? In which case we can only assume this is part of some elaborate 18-year post-traumatic stress treatment after The Guarantee paid off.
And finally ...
Give it a minute.
From reader Kelly W Twomey
This lovely prankster sits in the section where my dad has season tickets at the United Center. Always wearing shorts, even when snow accumulation pushed the start of the Hawks-Panthers game back because Florida's bus got delayed in the snow.
Perhaps is greatest offense, worse even than not waiting for the whistle, was the James Wisniewski Blackhawks jersey he insisted on wearing long after he took a run at Brent Seabrook all the way from Disneyland a couple years ago.
This year, ol' Wiz Shorts (the nickname we've given him for the reasons described above) finally decided to stop honoring a former not-very-good Blackhawk and went with, well, this.
For a guy basically wearing a jersey that says "hey pay attention to me!!!" he was not thrilled when I asked for a picture.
Well, when you go through life with the last name Nicated ...