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Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:20 pm EDT

ECHL team honors Michael Jackson with jersey, white glove

By Sean Leahy

One thing to expect from minor league sports is the array of horrendous-looking jerseys teams will wear as part of special promotions.

The Las Vegas Wranglers donned prison-inspired jerseys last year as part of "Rod Blagojevich Night", honoring the disgraced former Illinois governor. Then there was the sight for sore eyes that the Milwaukee Admirals team wore to pay homage to "Major League"/"Mr. Belvedere" star and legendary Milwaukee Brewers announcer Bob Uecker. Oh, and the Quad City Mallards must have just gotten done watching "Unforgiven" or "High Noon" and decided to dress up as cops from a John Wayne movie.

In keeping with this glorious tradition, the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL have decided "This Is It" and will be honoring late music icon Michael Jackson with their "King of Pop Jersey Raffle & Auction" Friday night when the team faces off against the Utah Grizzlies.

They will wear oh-so-perfectly themed King of Pop jerseys (production art here), modeled above by team captain and Anaheim Ducks prospect Shawn Weller(notes) -- sweaters that could give those Don Cherry Military Night jerseys a run for most nightmarish red hockey formalwear.

To further the promotion, Bakersfield players will wear one white glove during the game, like the one Ducks prospect Maxime Macenauer(notes) broke in during practice on Thursday.

Plus, if your name happens to be "Michael Jackson" or "Billie Jean", then you get a free ticket. Apologies to anyone named "Macaulay", "Webster" or "Bubbles" -- you'll need to drop some cash for ducats.

Lest we forget, this week is the opening of the Michael Jackson concert movie, "This Is It". As with most of these funky jersey promotions, the Condors' sweaters will be auctioned off to benefit Children's Miracle Network.

Minor League Malarkey focuses on the goofy world of minor-league hockey. Know of a quirky upcoming hockey promotion? Drop us a line at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com. H/T to Icethetics for finding these memorable jerseys.

Related: Anaheim Ducks

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33 Comments

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  1. Justin Kendrick
    1. Posted by Justin Kendrick Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:30 pm EDT

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    Wonder what kind of celebrations we can look forward to...
    Justin
    @hockeycardshow
  2. Justin Kendrick
    2. Posted by Justin Kendrick Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:30 pm EDT

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    Wonder what kind of celebrations we can look forward to...
    Justin
    @hockeycardshow
  3. The Bog
    3. Posted by The Bog Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:48 pm EDT

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    If those gloves aren't covered in rhinestones then the whole excercise is just a sham
  4. Hans Gruber
    4. Posted by Hans Gruber Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:55 pm EDT

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    If you bring an adult alarm you get to sit in the players bench for the evening.
  5. knucklehead
    5. Posted by knucklehead Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:59 pm EDT

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    I'll bet Rick James is pissed.
  6. mrfluffy02
    6. Posted by mrfluffy02 Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

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    Anyone else think this is pathetic?
  7. Russ C
    7. Posted by Russ C Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:05 pm EDT

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    okay the freak has been dead for months now... let it go. I'd rather honor sean avery or steve ott.
  8. Sean N
    8. Posted by Sean N Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:05 pm EDT

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    Beyond pathetic. I'm sure Theo Fleury doesn't think this is a good idea either.
    Is it kids night at the arena? will they be passing out "jesus juice?"
    Holy balls...are they giving away liberace CDs too?
  9. sticksidehigh
    9. Posted by sticksidehigh Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:11 pm EDT

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    The Bog makes a good point. If you're going to do it, do it right. As a tribute to MJ, the goal scorer should immediately grab his crotch and squeal "hee-hee".
  10. tmr
    10. Posted by tmr Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:16 pm EDT

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    The heroes we choose for ourselves says alot about who we are.
    Who the hell are we?
  11. Got Stanley?
    11. Posted by Got Stanley? Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:18 pm EDT

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    Oh my goodness. I about fell over in a fit of giggles. Those poor players.
    Oh the other hand, I hope that if some smartaleck on the team starts doing the moonwalk on skates during warmups, that there is video for the world to see.
  12. habs1rule
    12. Posted by habs1rule Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    Just what we need, more Michael Jackson with the Minors.
  13. ROLANDO G
    13. Posted by ROLANDO G Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:40 pm EDT

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    if the condors score, the whole team (including the bench) must immediatly brake into dancing Thriler
  14. Ice Baby
    14. Posted by Ice Baby Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:47 pm EDT

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    I'm embarrassed just reading this article...
  15. Ice Baby
    15. Posted by Ice Baby Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:48 pm EDT

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    I really didn't think the Condors' jersey could be any uglier, but they proved me wrong
  16. TheHornGuy
    16. Posted by TheHornGuy Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    This is just ignorant. It's ignorant.
  17. Helm s Deep
    17. Posted by Helm's Deep Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:57 pm EDT

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    Blanket!
  18. Hans Gruber
    18. Posted by Hans Gruber Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:05 pm EDT

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    Will the players start out black and slowly turn white throughout the course of the game.
  19. Oscar M
    19. Posted by Oscar M Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:13 pm EDT

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    will they bring young boys in the locker room, get them drunk and diddle them?
  20. Max_Powers
    20. Posted by Max_Powers Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:21 pm EDT

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    @ Oscar:
    Sleeping in bed with other people's children is a beautiful thing, don't you know?
  21. dylan
    21. Posted by dylan Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:44 pm EDT

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    Anyone else think its a little questionable at best creepy at worst to auction off anything to do with MJ "for the kids"?
  22. Joe E-Devils onslaught
    22. Posted by Joe E-Devils onslaught Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:58 pm EDT

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    Good lord those players look pissed! I know I would be if I had to wear those clown unies. I can just imagine the other team bursting into laughter as a whole, and the entire arena joining in when these players got on the ice wearing those d'bag abominations. Those sheriff ones are horrible.
  23. Eric R
    23. Posted by Eric R Thu Oct 29, 2009 5:32 pm EDT

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    minor league sports (baseball or hockey) that wear gimmicky jerseys are a cancer. When did dignity & class die?
    It's almost as bad as a gimmicky league-wide uniform template system, almost.
  24. kevin s
    24. Posted by kevin s Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:01 pm EDT

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    This blog sucks,so just beat it!!!!ha ha hah ha i made a funny.
  25. Surge
    25. Posted by Surge Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:12 pm EDT

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    Don't really care what all of you think about the jerseys, but all the money raised from the jersey auction is going to the Childrens Miracle Network. Yes, I am a Condor fan, and I am glad to be apart of a team that has raised more money for charity than other team out there in the ECHL. We have raised more than $1 million for charities via jersey raffle auctions, collections, cash, goods, and services. Go Condors!

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