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SPORTSFriday 4 December 2015

Swapping Jerseys: The Latest Trend in NFL Fashion

Continued from page 17 also on his to-do list. One’s planning courtesy for the Chad Greenway, playing a headache for the equip-
own teammate ought to equipment staff. The col- perhaps the final season of ment staff, though.
“I was talking to a col-
That’s where New York Jets be the low-hanging fruit of lection is not on display his career, decided ahead league on another team
earlier in the season. He
cornerback Dexter Mc- this pastime, but Peterson yet, just folded safely out of time to buy all 16 so he was out in the middle of
the field watching it all
Dougle has been keeping is predictably a man in de- of sight at home. That’s to could have plenty of keep- go on and telling me how
angry he gets just watch-
a jersey from Philadelphia ing this,” Ryan said. “I said,
‘You should do what I do.’
Eagles cornerback Nolan He said, ‘What’s that?’ I
said, ‘Don’t watch.’ Just
Carroll, his former team- wait to check it off on Mon-
day, and your blood pres-
mate and mentor at Mary- sure will be much lower.”
Most of the Vikings play-
land. ers, like Floyd, give Ryan
advance warning of their
“I’m just collecting guys pending trades. But some-
times this is an impromptu
who mean something to act.
“I’ve had a number of guys
me or impacted my life,” come in on Monday apol-
ogizing,” Ryan said. “I know
McDougle said, adding: the pressure they’re under
as well with some college
“I’ll probably get them teammate or somebody
they grew up with and they
framed or something, one want to make the switch.”
Jersey swapping is com-
day when I have a man mon in soccer and rugby.
Some date the tradition
cave.” back to 1931, when France
beat visiting England in
Tennessee Titans wide soccer and the winning
players were so happy
receiver Harry Douglas they wanted a keepsake
to remember the night.
boasted more than 30 op- The ritual took off at the
1954 World Cup in Switzer-
ponent uniforms procured land, according to FIFA,
and has become routine
over eightNFL seasons for practice since. Like almost
any trend in the world, it’s
his, uh, wardrobe. Third- fueled from attention origi-
nated on social media.
year Vikings defensive “Now you see every time
someone jersey swaps,”
tackle Sharrif Floyd is on Seattle Seahawks line-
backer Bobby Wagner
track for an even higher said. “Just like you see ev-
ery time a quarterback
total, a hobby he’s so en- Arizona Cardinals free safety Tyrann Mathieu, left, and San Francisco 49ers free safety Eric Reid handshakes with the other
amored with he thanked a exchange jerseys after an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. The Car- quarterback.” q
reporter recently for asking dinals won 47-7.
him about it.
“I spend so much time (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

away from my family and mand. keep his family and friends, sakes. Granted, these guys
friends that I’ve got to make a lot of money, but
have something to look “It seems like every game Floyd said, from greedily a jersey for the collection

someone is asking me for asking for giveaways.

back and say, ‘Yeah, this it,” the NFL’s rushing lead- These collections come at clearly trumps the cash in
is why and this is what it’s er said. “Previous years, a cost. these cases.
been,’” Floyd said. “It’s of course every now and Each player is issued one “At least I’m putting it in

more of a remembrance then, but it seems like even home and one road jer- something that I’m keep-
thing for me.” ing forever,” Floyd said.
Former Florida Gators are more so this year people sey per season, but they’re Ryan tracks his inventory

have been asking.” on the hook for replace-

Floyd’s priority, in honor Floyd makes a preseason ments that run, accord- and sends replacement
of the alma mater, but Vi- list of his trade targets and ing to Ryan, around $225 tallies to the team’s fi-
kings star Adrian Peterson is presents it to Ryan, as a each. Vikings linebacker nance department for bill-

ing. The team has a bunch

Nori Aoki and Mariners finalize $5.5M deal of blank jerseys on hand
from manufacturer Nike,

TIM BOOTH a deal that includes a $6 agreed on a contract and each week Ryan visits
SEATTLE (AP) — The Mari- million conditional option pending the exams, which a local seamstress the Vi-
ners kept up their offseason for the 2017 season. took place Thursday morn- kings work with to get the
makeover on Thursday by Seattle announced com- ing. The physical was close- names and numbers put
finalizing a $5.5 million, one- pletion of the deal after ly watched after an injury- on. Usually there are a few
per week, maybe five at
year contract with free Aoki passed an extensive filled 2015 season for Aoki in the most.
agent outfielder Nori Aoki, physical. The sides had San Francisco.q
Even a couple can cause