Flames Celebrate 30 Years in Retro Style

One of the iconic jerseys that identify with a sports culture is the original flaming C that Calgary inherited from the Flames of Atlanta. It was the same jersey that gets associated in the old video clips during the Stanley Cup playoff appearances in the mid 1980s.

With the success of other throwback jerseys, the Calgary Flames release a jersey styled after their humble origins. I never really liked the modernization to the Flames uniforms and the tie-ins to the rodeo and agricultural community. The black was trendy for all sports uniforms these days, but standing out, in my opinion, is being a little different - a unique color scheme that teams, fans, and sports communities can claim as their own.

When I see the photos from the press conference, I got a little nostalgic for the days of Mike Vernon stopping the pucks, for Lanny McDonald slovenly slurping champagne out of the Stanley Cup like a yak, and Theo Fleury sliding all the way accross the ice with an over-the-top goal celebration.

Of course, the Flames should only spend a little time devoted on what they look like compared to the real massive time that the organization should spend putting great players in them this season.

[Sportsnet.ca]