The superstitious Orlando Magic believe that wearing throwback uniforms has brought them luck in the form of three home victories.
The practice also could bring them a fine from the NBA.
League rules say that selected teams can wear throwbacks a maximum of 10 times this season.
If the Magic keep winning and wearing them at home, they will be over the limit soon and subject to disciplinary action from the fashion police.
The Magic say they have been contacted by Christopher Arena, vice president of apparel.
Didn't know the league had a VP of apparel, huh?
Shouldn't be surprising during a season in which the NBA came out with a dress code for players.
Anyway, the Magic want to keep wearing their white pinstriped uniforms from their inaugural 1989-90 season until they lose at home -- and that could cost them.
They're seemingly fine with paying any fine, as long as they keep winning at TD Waterhouse Centre.
The Magic first wore them Dec. 10 and beat the Denver Nuggets. Then they donned them again and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night and then the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.
They will wear them again tonight when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves (14-12).
Arena did not return a call to his office in New York on Thursday.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank said no action had been taken against the Magic for their role in Uniform-gate, but he adds that rules are rules.
The Magic already are committed to wearing replicas of their old jerseys for seven games this season as part of the NBA's "Hardwood Classic Nights" promotion.
Only the game against the Nuggets was designated as a "Hardwood Classic Game."
After wearing them the two previous games, the Magic would reach the league-mandated limit tonight, with the upcoming promotional nights factored in.
Putting the throwbacks on for their next home game Jan. 7 against the Charlotte Bobcats -- and possibly thereafter -- could get them in trouble.
The pinstriped problem began when the club wore the throwbacks against the Bucks after longtime equipment manager Rodney "Sid" Powell suggested it might help break a four-game losing streak.
Powell said Thursday that Arena called to ask him if the Magic were going to keep modeling their throwbacks.
"He [Arena] told me, 'If you wear them, I have to make a call,' " Powell said. "They [the league officials] think it's good that this is getting the attention it's getting, but the other teams will want to do it, too.
"There are rules you have to abide by."
Powell laughed and said, "Are we breaking the rules? Yeah. But I asked [Coach] Brian [Hill], and he said, 'Have fun with it.' "
NBA officials don't want to come across as humorless ogres. But the league doesn't have much fun with what the Magic are doing when expensive marketing campaigns are tied to what players wear on the floor and when they wear it.
The league wants Champs Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring the league's "Hardwood Classic Nights," to remain happy.
Powell said he understands how a team wearing their throwbacks as they please could diminish a sponsor's promotion.
And it might even wear thin with the league.
T-Mac-1 schrieb:nur mal so nebenbei, wir sind wieder auf nem playoff-platz!!!
T-Mac-1 schrieb:nur mal so nebenbei, wir sind wieder auf nem playoff-platz!!!
lordoftheboard schrieb:Ich denke wir sollten jetzt noch nicht über die Playoffs reden,
denn es ist noch ein weiter Weg dahin und es läuft bis die playoffs beginnen noch genug wasser den Berg runter!
Wir sollten erstmal schauen eine positive Bilanz zu bekommen und diese dann zu halten!
Unser Team kommt jetzt langsam in Fahrt dritter Sieg in Folge
Unser Team gefällt mir immer besser, und die Turnover Probleme bekommen wir jetzt auch in den Griff!
Grant Hill spielt wieder in All Star Form!
Steve Francis spielt ein sehr gutes Teamplay
Dwigth Howard entwickelt sich meiner Meinung sehr gut.
so wie es aussieht will Jameer Nelson best 6 man werden und wenn er so weiter spielt schafft er es auch.
Stevenson verteidigt gut.
Hoffe das bald Keyoon Dooling wieder kommt das wird unserem Spiel meiner Meinung noch etwas verbessern! Weiß jemand wie lange er noch verletzt ist?
Weiß auch jemand was von Kelvin cato? ist er verletzt?
wenn ja wie lange fällt er aus?
Ich wünsche allen ein gutes neues JAHR :thumb:
Fro schrieb:Grant Hill denkt scheinbar - zumindest laut Sentinel - ernsthaft darüber nach, seine Karriere nach der kommenden Saison zu beenden. Ich glaube aber, er könnte noch 4-5 Jahre spielen und hoffe natürlich, daß er seinen Vertrag nochmal verlängert.