Top Five Jerseys I Bought In 2016

With the year ending tomorrow, I thought I would look back at the top five jerseys I bought in 2016. I based this list on what I liked to wear the most, rarity, and price.

Chargers Christmas Gifts

So on Christmas Eve, the San Diego Chargers ended the misery of Cleveland Browns by giving them their first win of year. I wasn't surprised by this because nothing this team has surprised me. I still love them and I am looking forward to going to the last game of the season. Hopefully it won't be the last home game in San Diego.

I was given several Chargers gifts for Christmas.

I Only Bought It Because I Have a Jersey

Greetings readers. Before Christmas, I went into Ross and found this hat:

I own two Yankees jerseys but for whatever reason buy that makes me feel odd. Maybe because a lot of celebrities that I don't like wore Yankee hats. I bought it cause of my Mike Zagurski Batting Practice Jersey. This isn't a batting practice cap. It is a New York Yankees MLB Diamond Era 59FIFTY Cap. I like the Diamond Era Caps because they are slightly different than the official on field caps.

I paid $9 for a cap that retailed for $35. It can be bought online for $20.

That's a Good Looking Pirate

I went to Ross last week and went to hats section again. I like that I can find so many different teams on different weeks. I'm also fortunate that they fit my head.

Any who, I found this hat and shelf and I bought it because of the mustard yellow color and the logo on it.

IronPigs Knitted Hat

I do love knitted hats and I had to get one to match the jersey I bought, I bought this IronPigs New Era Knitted Cap on Black Friday for $22 including shipping. I don't see much minor league merchandise where I shop, so I purchased it off the IronPigs website.

Even though it's one size fits all, it's a bit tight on my head.

Also, December 8th was the 1 year anniversary of starting this blog. I have over 1,400 hits and I never could have imagined it. This year went by fast. Thanks for your continued support.

IronPigs

So I have Mike Zagurski jersey collection. I know it's a little bit odd. I occasionally go on eBay to see if there are any of his jerseys listed. A couple of weeks ago, there were two listed by separate sellers. One was a Pittsburgh Pirates Batting Practice jersey and the other was an Lehigh High Valley IronPigs Home jersey

Winter is Coming

I went to Burlington Coat Factory several months ago when it was still warm. I found this jacket and debated buying it. I don't regret it now.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there. Stay safe and have fun this weekend. For the last few weeks I have been bombarded by sales emails from the NFL, MLB,and NHL. There are good deal out there but the rule of thumb is that they happen closer to Christmas.

I won an eBay auction yesterday and when it comes, I'll post about it.

Philadephia Flyers Day

I have a big collection of NHL jerseys and shirts. My baseball collection in recent years has outgrown it. With the purchase of recent shirt, I want to post my Philadelphia Flyers merchandise.

Dodgers' Hat

Just a small post today. I bought this Dodgers' hat at Ross a couple of weeks ago. It's a Los Angeles Dodgers MLB Diamond Era cap. I paid $10 and it retailed for $35. New Era has them on clearance for $20 online. I like how the blue outline makes the LA logo pop out. Most of the Diamond Era caps are good looking and are only tad different than the official on field caps.

Chargers Rookie Rally

First off, congratulations to the Chicago Cubs for winning the World Series. I didn't think it would ever happen. I don't own any Cubs gear but I probably get something that says World Series Champs on it. Speaking of which, they've sold a lot of merchandise because of winning the World Series.

I bought Chargers Season Tickets before preseason and I got to do something cool cause of it.

Padres/Majestic Athletic/NFL Jerseys

 I went to Ross a couple weeks ago and bought this Nike Padres Dri Fit shirt. This is the undershirt that the players wear on the field.  It was $15 and it retailed for $25.

Let's Go Kings (NHL Opening Day)

I'm a Ducks fan but I do have a few Kings jerseys. I never know if I'll get Kings tickets, so it's good to have one in the closet if a game comes up.

In JC Penney a long time ago, I found a Jason Allison replica jersey on clearance. I think I paid $32 for it. The Mitchel & Ness hat I bought at Burlington Coat Factory for $13. It retailed for $30. 

Saints vs Chargers

I haven't updated this in awhile. I was busy with other things. I have more content to post now. 

Two weeks ago I went to the Saints/Chargers game. Many Saints' fans showed up with their Drew Brees jerseys and it was a great game till the fourth quarter.

Cincinnati Reds Cap

I love mascots.
Look at this again:

I should put that out during Halloween.
The Philly Phanatic is my favorite MLB mascot because of how he looks and his mannerisms. Mr. Met is my second favorite. Ah what does that have to do with the title of the post...

Chargers Home Opener

So after spending many dollars on a season ticket package, last Sunday was a day I was looking forward to. I had been to the last two Chargers home openers and they won both of them. They lost the first game of season at Kansas City despite having a 21-3 lead going into halftime. I didn't know what to expect.

Padres Finds From Different Eras

Awhile ago I went to Burlington Coat Factory and found this pullover jacket:

San Diego Chargers Gear

With the NFL season starting yesterday, I thought I would post more of the Chargers Gear I own.

Clearance Store Finds

I haven't posted anything in awhile because I was busy working and I haven't bought anything lately. (Cause I spent all my money on season tickets.) Don't worry, I have a treasure trove of goodies I haven't posted yet.

So it came to this..

I have never owned season tickets for any team. My dad never believed in it and I sort of agreed with it. You're paying for tickets up front, for games you probably won't attend.

After last season, when the Chargers committed to staying in San Diego, I thought long and hard about getting season tickets. If 2016 is the last season in San Diego, I could tell people that I was season ticket holder before they moved.

I waited till a week before the first preseason games to start to reach out to the team. I thought I could negotiate with the team based on the fact that there were plenty of available season ticket seats available.

2016 NCAA Final Four and Steiner Sports Sale

My mother received this a couple days ago. It was contest win that she must have entered while the tournament was going on.

Eagles Jersey Find

A couple of days ago I went to Burlington Coat Factory to look for any Chargers shirts they might have in stock. Nothing really impressed me but I did find this:

MLB All Star Game Jersey Sale and New Chargers Hat

Majestic Athletic is having a sale on All Star Game jerseys and shirts. Get them now before they're gone.

Chargers Training Camp or ESPN NFL 2K5 Memories

I went to San Diego Chargers Training Camp on Sunday because they have a yard sale during it. I have been to several Chargers' games but had never been to their practice facility. So I decided to go for the adventure of it and maybe it would give me something to post about.

Drew Pomeranz All Star Jersey

I wrote a couple of weeks ago that I bought an All Star jersey. It arrived a couple of days ago.

Dick's Sporting Goods Ad

This blog now has over 1K hits. I'm so ecstatic. Thank you all for coming here.

Last Sunday Dick's Sporting Goods ran this ad:

I think it's great that they're offering $20 if you were a rewards member of Sports Authority or Sports Chalet. I don't think Sports Authority ever gave me a card.

Twenty Hits From Thousand

I just checked today and I'll have 1,000 hits soon. I can't believe it. It's so good to have so many hits and I haven't spent a dime, except for jerseys, shirts, and hats.Thanks for reading and please share if you find anything here informative. This blog would have more hits if it had Pokemon on it. :)

A few quick things to cover:

Sports Authority stores are closing faster than expected. People went out and bought things for MSRP and lower price. It's still sad that many people are losing their jobs.

MeiGray is a seller of game used equipment and they are having a Summer Sale. They have lots of ECHL and NHL jerseys. Click the link and it outlines what's for sale.

Sports Authority...All Star Game

Two quick updates:

Sports Authority sale is up to 50% now. This would be a good time to buy licensed merchandise or anything else they have left.

MLB sold a lot of stuff during the All Star festivities.  People just love the brown and yellow.

MLB All Star FanFest

I went MLB All Star FanFest yesterday. I kept checking online and HR Derby tickets weren't going down in price. It didn't seem to matter though because Petco Park looked like it was at capacity on TV.

As I've written before, I went to the HR Derby in Anaheim but didn't go to the FanFest at the Anaheim Convention Center. I read that it was geared towards kids and that lines were long for autographs.

I figured I should go now because I don't know when MLB will hold another All Star Game in Southern California. The most recent All Star Game held at Dodger Stadium was in 1980. I think they're due for one.

MLB All Star Game Extravaganza!

I have been waiting a long time to post this. The MLB All Star Game is this Tuesday. The Midsummer Classic features the "best" players in the AL and NL, I have a small collection of trinkets from a few of the past games.

Sports Authority...St Louis Rams...Kevin Durant...All Star Game

First off, Dick's Sporting Goods has bid on 18 Sports Authority locations. Also, Dick's now owns your customer records.

Authentic Finds

First off, Sports Authority's clearance sale is now 30%-50% off. I believe it would be a good time to buy licensed merchandise because there is still a good selection of merchandise available. I went yesterday and there weren't any Angels jerseys left. There were still plenty of Ducks, Dodgers, and Chargers licensed gear available.

There are bids to buy some of the stores. We'll see what happens.

Angels Finds

This is just a small update to my collection.

Father's Day - Anaheim Ducks Sale Part Two

My dad took me to my first Ducks' game about 13 years ago. Even before we went to the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, he would watch the games on KCAL 9.

Sports Authority Update and Burlington Coat Factory Finds

I visited the Sports Authority at Ontario Mills.

Sales

First off, congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins on winning the Stanley Cup.

Stanley Cup Finals

Today is Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the San Jose Sharks and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins are coming into San Jose with a two game lead in the series. I own merchandise from both teams.

This is a Pittsburgh Penguins CCM practice jersey with their old logo from the late 1990's to the early 2000's. Many Penguins' fans don't like the triangle logo but I like its modern look. This was purchased at HockeyGiant many years back.

Los Angeles Dodgers and Kings

I went to Ross yesterday and found this New Era Dodgers Cap.

It was $10 and it originally retailed $25. I couldn't find on sale at all on New Era's or MLB's  online stores. It goes great with my Dodger road jersey.

Today I went to Burlington Coat Factory and found this shirt on clearance for $8. It was priced $14 at Burlington but I can't find what it originally retailed for.

It says Dodgers on it. I just couldn't get it to stay straight.

A Message from the CEO of Sports Authority

I got this email today:



May 25, 2016
Dear Customers,
Sports Authority and its predecessor companies have been serving the sporting goods needs of our customers since 1919. It is with great sadness that we are intending to close all of our stores by the end of August.
We will be holding store closing sales at all of our locations that will allow you to take advantage of big discounts on great brands.
On behalf of the entire Sports Authority team, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to our customers for their years of loyalty. It has been a pleasure to serve you and your family.


All Sports Authority locations are having clearance sales up to 30% starting today.

Oakland A's Cap

I bought this Oakland A's Team Classic 39THIRTY Cap today at Ross. It was $10 and it normally retails for $30. It will go great with the jersey I bought awhile back.

Sports Authority Update

I got this email a couple days ago:



Thank you for being a loyal League Member for so many years. It is with great sadness that we announce the close of The League program on May 25, 2016 at 11:59pm EST. With this announcement we want to let you know that all your League benefits, including any outstanding rewards, will now expire on May 25 along with the termination of The League. The last day for you to take advantage of any Bike Services Plan benefits will be May 21, 2016.
Additionally, we want to make you aware of deadlines for taking advantage of our other customer programs:

• SERVICES: The last day to drop off equipment to be serviced in our stores will be May 21, 2016 at Close of Business.
• WARRANTIES:
• Extended Coverage Plans will continue to be sold in stores through May 24, 2016.
• Warranties for merchandise purchased at a Sports Authority store or on SportsAuthority.com remain in effect, and Asurion will continue covering all products purchased under our extended service plans without change or interruption. For more information, please visit www.asurion.com/ecp, or call toll-free at 1-866-882-8512.
• CREDIT CARDS: You can continue to use your Sports Authority credit card to make purchases, however we will no longer be accepting new credit card applications after May 24, 2016.
• EXCHANGES/RETURNS: You can continue to make exchanges or returns at Sports Authority stores through June 25, 2016.
• GIFT CARDS: We will continue to sell Sports Authority Gift Cards through May 24, 2016. Gift cards will be honored through June 28, 2016.

Thank you again for being such a great Member of The League. We’ve truly appreciated your loyalty and support.

Sports Authority...New York Jets...Florida Panthers

All Sports Authority stores will be liquidated. The "sales" will start on May 25. The Consumerist has more info on it.

I went to Ross yesterday because I like their hat selection and found this:

It's a New York Jets New Era On Field Cap. I paid $8 for a cap that retails for $35. It will go great with my Tim Tebow jersey.

According to a poster on Reddit, the Florida Panthers will be having a massive sale on team merchandise starting Saturday. Details can be found here.

Anaheim Ducks Team Store Sale

The Anaheim Ducks had their Team Store sale on Saturday. They have this annually after the season ends. This was the second one I've ever been to.

Mother's Day - Anaheim Ducks Sale

I don't have much to write about. I missed the Angels' Sale during Fiesta Angels. They had it on the Saturday before Mother's Day again. I guess this will be the tradition going forward.

If you go to auctions.mlb.com, you can buy the gear that the players were wearing for Mother's Day. So far only the Orioles have their Mother's Day jerseys on there.

The Anaheim Ducks will be having their sale on Saturday. Information is here. 

Statement from the CEO of Sports Authority

I got this in my email today and I thought I would share it.



Dear Sports Authority Customers,
We appreciate your support and patronage and want you to know that you can continue to shop at Sports Authority stores and online at SportsAuthority.com.
As we communicated in early March when we entered Chapter 11, we are closing or selling approximately 140 of our 450 stores. We continue to move forward with this process, which we expect will be completed by the end of June. During this time, you can take advantage of our ongoing sales at those stores, with big discounts on great brands and merchandise!
The majority of our stores remain open on normal schedules and you can continue to shop on SportsAuthority.com as you always have. For an up-to-date list of operating Sports Authority stores and to find the nearest location, please visit our Store Locator at SportsAuthority.com.
We remain fully committed to delivering value and great merchandise wherever you shop at Sports Authority, and we look forward to continue serving you.
Sincerely,

Michael Foss
Chief Executive Officer


We'll see what happens next.

The Future of Sports Authority

Many media outlets are reporting that Sports Authority will be liquidating their stores. Sports Authority came out with a statement today saying they were looking for a buyer. I don't know who would buy them but if this is the case, many of their stores will probably close.

I had a gift card to their store and I wanted to use it before they liquidated.

When I went last week, it was void of customers. There was one cashier and a few staff members stocking items.

I bought this branded baseball for less than three dollars. Maybe it will be worth something one day. It's sad how Circuit City, CompUSA, Borders, and many other retailers have gone out of business in recent years. Hopefully the people working at Sports Authority will land on their feet.

If you have any gift cards from them, use them before they liquidate or are sold. Liquidators don't take gift cards. Also, wait a week or two into any liquidation sale when there are actual discounts.  

Chargers On Field Cap...Going Out of Business....All Star Voting

Last week I bought this cap at Burlington Coat Factory for $10. The retail value of it is $35, so this was a great find. I like how the Bolts' logo pops out of the cap.



Sports Chalet and many Sports Authority stores are going out of business. The Consumerist has an article about it.  I have been to Sports Authority (SA) on a few occasions and as consumer I felt like their stores very outdated and that their prices weren't competitive with Dick's Sporting Goods. Most of the time I went to SA, there was hardly anyone there. Aisles were vacant of staff and customers. I believe most consumers would rather shop in a big box store or a store tailored towards their sport.



On a lighter note MLB All Star Game voting has opened up. It's been less than one month into the season and it's voting time. The jerseys for it are pretty sweet and I'll break my rule and buy one that isn't on sale.

Game Used Baseballs

Last week I wrote about the Game Used Baseballs that were being sold on MLB Auctions website. On Saturday I received them. This is what $60 ($30 each) got me.

San Diego is spelled wrong on the labels.

There is a seal on both balls, which you can use to see when these were used. The one on the left was used during a Padres/Rockies game in 2014.

The baseball on the right was thrown by former Padres pitcher Ian Kennedy to the Rockies' Justin Morneau. It might have been from this game.  

I am not actually sure what to do with them. I don't want to spend the money on display cases for them.

The Kennedy baseball also features the 10 year anniversary logo of Petco Park. I didn't know the Padres used commemorative baseballs during that season.



Two more things:

Kobe Bryant's last game netted the Staples Center $1.2 million in Bryant merchandise sales. I guess there is a market for $40K hats.

The NBA owners approved ads on jerseys for the 2017-18 season. Many people are upset with this because there are already enough ads in any telecast. I feel like most people won't notice them but I wouldn't buy a jersey with an ad on it unless it was a soccer kit.

Miscellaneous

I have a few quick items to write about this week.

I bought this Pittsburgh Pirates MLB Cooperstown 59FIFTY Cap at Ross for $10. It isn't an official on field cap but it does match my Pirates Road Jersey. Ross has a good cap selection. The trouble is finding your team and size. I got lucky again.


I started an Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/sportsfinds/. As I go around to different places, I'll post on there the deals I find. I'll save so much money because I won't have to buy as much. This blog will still updated regularly. 



Tonight is a big night in sports. The NHL playoffs start with three games in the opening round. The Golden State Warriors will go for win number 73. The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls won 72 games and no one ever thought any team would get that close to perfection. Can the Warriors make history tonight?

This is also Kobe Bryant's last game in the NBA. I bought one Bryant jersey awhile ago, which was my first post on here. 

The Lakers sent out an email with all the commemorative merchandise they're selling for his retirement. 

is all I could think while looking at some of the items.