Why it Matters ***UPDATED***

As any who have had the unfortunate experience to be standing within ear shot of me can attest, it a common known fact that I have a fair amount of loathing and distain and for what is the new adopted primary jersey color of Black. Many new guys are probably shocked and confused by my venom and froth. I have been told by many to “let it go”. My response: Let it go? Fuck no, that is the point exactly.

Viewer ship for the Rugby World Cup is ranked 3rd, placing it only behind the Olympics and the FEFA World Cup. Rugby has many endearing qualities that define it and have allowed it to remain one of the most widely sport played in the world for over 180 years. Of the qualities that have allowed the sport to appeal to such a broad spectrum of both player and spectator, it is the quality of tradition that is amongst its most endearing. These traditions are often ritualistic and define not only the sport, but help define local clubs from one another and one player from another.

Amongst the most common tradition are the social or ritualistic traditions of the sport. No other sport I know of has the tradition of hosting the opposing side after the match- win or loose. It is something that can easily be taken for granted but I bet all of your friends who play in city soccer or soft ball leagues aren’t drinking keg beer after every game. It is yet one of many traditions that set rugby players aside from other sportsmen as being true gentlemen off the pitch, even in defeat. Although it is not as common here in Southern California, rugby also has a strong tradition of signing crass and often politically incorrect verse, arm and arm, with your opponents. I once cleared an after party at Kern County with a verse of "Jesus Can’t Play Rugby" (Jew won't pay his diues by the way) and it was a thing of BEAUTY. The tradition of gentlemen off the pitch is something that sets this sport apart from others by large margins. Often after a large test match, you will see the captains of the opposing sides trading jerseys. It is a demonstration of ultimate respect for one’s opposition and it is a practice that many of our own enjoy. Chances are the jersey that Aaron or Allen or many older players wear at practice or to pub is a traded jersey. These traded jerseys are worn with pride as rugby players take great satisfaction in public acknowledgment of their competitors- it is the ultimate sign of respect.

Besides the universal social traditions, rugby teams have many customs that define each club. Many teams have their own songs or social traditions and like all sport, all clubs have their own club name and uniform that are used to identify themselvves regionally. These names and colors set a club apart from other clubs on the pitch and the informed player can identify another club or player by these markings. More importantly though, these traditions and markings connect us to our past and are the commonality that binds generation to generation, and one years club to another. Without this binding element, clubs cease to have any defining characteristic and risk getting homogenized by new players or members looking for the flavor of the week. One year it's red, the next year it's blue and in 3 years time maybe it's green. This is how you know how fucking serious I am- I am going to draw on a sport I loathe to demonstrate my example- baseball. Every New Your Yankee has played in the same pin stripe uniform since whenever it was that they started playing that pathetic sport. However if you look at a photo of the 1980 California Angels, to a 1999 Anaheim Angel to a 2007 California Angels of Anaheim, you are certainly not going to struggle to come to the conclusion that it is the same team. You do not get the same sense of awe in a team who changes names and colors with the same frequency that myself and Rooney suck down another pitcher of beer. There just is not the same lure and lore to a club who lacks the fortitude and stick-to-it-ness to carry tradition in favor of whatever in in season next Fall.

Onto some history of our own club for an example of what tradition means. This club was founded when the Pasadena Warlords merged with other players and athletes in the area to form Crown City. We played under the moniker of Crown City through the late 90’s when it was decided that it was important for the Club to identify itself regionally, thus a change was made to Pasadena Rugby. It was a change that drove a wedge in the club and many Old Boys still have a problem with and in fact will still only identify the Club as Crown City. Also along the way, in a nod to regional traditions, the club adopted the Black Rose as its club logo. Up to then, there was no common logo on all club media or wear (a crown with roses was used for t-shirts but never adopted as an official logo). The Black Rose remained quite controversial for some time. Realizing that the loss of this tradition separated us from our roots and in turn a loss in our identity, in 2001 we revised the club logo to include “Crown City”. Just prior to this logo revision Jim Ciampa and I were in the midst of acquiring assets for the Club (sponsorships, fields, etc.) and in looking at the club roster. It was (and is) pretty clear that we no longer are a team based in Pasadena and there was a great amount of discussion over changing the club name to San Gabriel Valley as that name better defined our player draw and may have offered a greater appeal to both players sponsors not centered in Pasadena. Ultimately it was decided that the Club should remain Pasadena Rugby in large part because of the lessons learned from past experience in the a loss of connection to our past. Lessons learned. Today we are known as Crown City, Pasadena Rugby Club.

Amongst the most recent reconnection with the clubs tradition is the incorporation of the Warlord’s. As Michael stated at this last weekends tournament, we do not have a B side, we have the Warlords. It may seem like semantics but in this sport, tradition and honor matter.

From the 2007 SCRFU D3 championship match report:



"The day warmed up with The Pasadena Warlords beating a combined APU/Arroyo HS side in a very competitive and tuff fought match. Incidentally, Carl Davis (Pasadena RFC Hall of Fame inductee and founding player of Pasadena RFC, then known as Crown City Rugby) provided historical perspective for the Warlord name during the after party. He told how "Old Boys" who played under the original Warlord name held that name very sacred. If you played on the Warlord side, you were allowed to call yourself a Warlord. However, if you hadn't been with the team then, you were NEVER allowed to be a Warlord.”

Wally “Alan” Johnson should be credited with this re-connection with our past tradition. It was almost a year ago when we were getting ready for our own 15’s tournament when it was stated that we do not have a B side, we have the Warlords. I know when I play for the Warlords I think of all of the great players, many of whom I have met, who shared the honor of playing for the side. I also look to the current Warlords who make up the soul of this club and play one of the most critical roles to this clubs success. It is with a true sense of respect, admiration and ultimate gratitude that I am able to call myself a Warlord. But WITHOUT TRADITION, this may not be so. Would I still be happy to play with my mates? Fuck yes. But because I know of the tradition that I am able to do so with the higher level of honor and respect that is demanded.

Now the question, what does this have to do with our jerseys? First I want to make something abundantly clear- none of these comments are intended in any way as an attack against Tim and his wife who generously donated a set of jerseys to the club. I have a profound ammount of respect for Tim and his dedication to this club and the secrafices he continues to make. As a jersey itself, I actually prefer the fit and material of these over our any that Ive played in. That stated, here are the facts. Historically over time the team colors have been maroon and white. It was not until the introduction of the Black Rose (1995) that there was any color other than maroon and white on the jersey (not accounting for collar color). (For the history of the jersey, go here) It was not until 3 seasons ago that black crept its way to be a large presence on the Pasadena Rugby jersey (the famed and much distained Hooters jersey) Now this year, gone almost entirely is the Maroon. The reasons I have been given are thus: 1) Tim is from New Zealand and because he was buying the jerseys they were going to be predominantly black in a nod to his All Blacks 2) The intent of the donation was not necessarily to be used as game jerseys but to do whatever the club felt fit- use them as 2nd side, raffel them off, whatever 3) the team colors are not stated in the club bye laws 4) No one has come forward with a jersey sponsorship.

Fair enough. First with the color selection by Tim, he certainly has the right to make them any color he wants- pink with green spots, whatever. But that doesn’t mean they should be selected as the jerseys we wear to represent over 35 years of tradition when we take the field in competition. Whether or not colors are stated in the bylaws to me is more of an argument for another good reason we need to draft bylaws (see also: procedures for elections, award nominations, make up of selection committee, etc). I also find that very close to the use of a magic rock to repel dinosaurs. So long as you have the rock in your presence, you will be safe from being eaten by a Stegosaurus. What? Fuck, no one in their right mind thinks that is actually real. Why? Because as Homo-sapiens we have either been gifted with and/or have developed the ability for critical thought. This in turn allows us to apply logic and thus one can easily discount the magic rock theory really works because everyone knows that the Stegosauruss were herbivores. So too can one apply that same critical thought when selecting the color scheme for the jersey regardless of what may or may not be stated in bylaws. “Hmm, let me see here, the jersey’s have been predominantly maroon and white for over 30 years so….” As far as the sponsorship is concerned, someone correct me if I am wrong, but the jersey sponsorship is a Platinum sponsorship of $2500 and I believe Tim (generously) just gave us a set in commertation of the success 07 season. There is no sponsorship attached. See how that works? The same logic and reason allows me to surmise that Colby owes me approximately 28 pitchers of beer however if I choose to wait up for him this week, I’ll be sleeping in the booth at Dominico’s alone (again). Reason and logic.

Standing ready to receive a kickoff this weekend, someone on the side line asked me where Pasadena Rugby was playing. I was at once confused and incensed. Fucking black jerseys. Here’s another reason. You want to forgo tradition, fine. But no other team in our Union has maroon & white jersey’s. We are unique. I think I can count 3 different Bucks jerseys- they have some blue ones, some green ones and some orange ones. Same with South Orange County and Eagle Rock- they all have multipal sets in differnt colors. I can name at least 5 teams in the Union who have some combination of blue, black, red, green, etc. Only one other team in the Union with any maroon (San Fernando Valley- gold, maroon & white). We stand out in maroon and it is how we are recognized. It is who we are. Scroll down and look at the pictures of the clubs past and tell me how many of those pictures have players in black.

So… what to do? To “let go” as has been suggested would be to let tradition fall by the wayside which I believe is counter to the ethics of the sport and counter to much of what I have tried to instill both as a custodian of the Club as well as a player. “Let go” = “Fuck Tradition”. I may as well track down Kei Takarabi, knock the gin & tonic out of his hand and tell him his idea for this club sucks. God how I hate wasting good alchol. Look, I clearly hate the jersey color and anyone who thinks it’s cool to toss away and discount well over 30 years of tradition doesn’t understand rugby and certainly doesn’t embrace this clubs past. I’d prefer to play in anything maroon and white, be it the Pasadena Major’s (oh, by the way also a nod to the long tradition of rugby here in Pasadena but that is a different story) or in last year’s jerseys (even though they are bereft of white- send grievances here: garrettfutrell@gmail.com ). I’d also like it that our new administrators would take the time to take such things into consideration rather than fording their own path thus ostracizing our past (this includes voting on awards and many other past grievances that I will save for a later rant should any unfortunate individual choose to toss aside our Club's history). This Club and it's legacy belong to everyone both past and present and not just a handfull of guys.

Should we be forced to wear the label of shame in disregarding our past traditions, as Allen put it, I’d like everyone to RUIN these fucking things by kicking the shit out of any fuck wad from another team that brushes against them. The sooner they are in rags, the happier I will be and in turn the less you will hear me bitch. It is yet one more dollop of hate to fuel me on game day, so it goes.

To the new guy who was overheard saying “those black jersey’s are intimidating”: look dude, you are new and I am sure you are a very nice guy and obviously unfamiliar with any of this which is why I am not going to rip you apart. Here is something you need to know and should you continue to play with us for another 10 years, which I hope you will, there is something you will soon realize. We could be wearing tutu’s and tiara’s and any opposing player in their right mind are going to shit wombats when they see Keegan, John-John and Swanny charging at them full steam. The color of the jersey’s identify us as a club, ties us to our past and helps define this clubs tradition. It is the commonality between you, me, the guy who played 10 years ago, 20 years ago 30 years ago and the guys who played in the very first match back in 71. But it is our unselfish, aggressive and disciplined style of play that will command immidation and respect from the opposition. More over it is our complete commitment to each other before ourselves that will keep this club around for another 37 years, even if we go with those pink and green polka dot jersey’s next year.

***UPDATE***

Just looked at the match tape and despite the being the wrong color, I have to admit that the black does look nice and clean and they seem to have a slimming effect on #'s 1-8.