What's hot, not for the week
By Dan Shanoff
Page 2 columnist

After years of unwavering support for the "retro uniform" look, we're torn: In the wake of Notre Dame's green-jersey choke and San Diego's powder-blue-jersey on-field joke, how does the fad-conscious reconcile "Style? YES!" with "Performance? NO!"

LaDainian Tomlinson, Ryan Grant
The white lightning bolt helmet and LaDainian Tomlinson jersey round out an electric look. But you'll fumble if you dress like Ryan Grant.
As NFL teams roll out "alternative"/"retro" jersey looks throughout the rest of the month (following the Chargers' powder blue, the Browns' orange and the Panthers' light blue), we'll take a wait-and-see approach. But the question lingers: If a team loses in a cool-looking jersey, is it unfit to wear on the street? Any judgment must be informed by the name on the back: If the player represented by the jersey is hot, the jersey -- by association -- may overcome a "losing team" stigma and also be hot. Call it "The Darius Miles Effect."

In the case of our two teams from last week, that anonymous green ND jersey shouts "Loser." Meanwhile, the Tomlinson-flavored Bolts jersey represents LT's substance, along with stylish color. Therefore, it's got our approval as casual wear. For more on what's hot and what's not this week, check out the list below:

What's Hot, What's Not this week
Category Hot Not
Baseball operations adviser Bill James Cal Ripken
Toast of New York
Lee Nailon

Latrell Sprewell
Looking smart Cubs management Giants management
Prison-movie casting call
Winona Ryder

The Canseco brothers
L.A.'er likely to bring U.S. Olympic glory Kobe Bryant Phil Jackson
Overall MLB manager of the year Mike Scioscia Tony La Russa
Foreign hoops import Christian Drejer (Denmark) Nik Skitishvili (Denver)
Just save it Kordell is frustrated Fantasy trash-talking that you picked up Maddox in Week 2
Robbed
Curt Schilling

Randy Johnson
Best high-school hoops coach ever Morgan Wootten, DeMatha Just as long as they aren't screamers
Dolphins' strategy Collecting retired Hall of Famers Being realistic Super Bowl contender
NBA trade rumor of the year Shawn Bradley to the Knicks Anything with Wally Szczerbiak
BCS blame game It's the coaches' fault It's the computers' fault
St. Louis QB controversy?
Bulger bandwagon

Warner ready to return?
Baylor's novelty Fired coach sticks out last three games Team somehow going to rally to wins
Naming your baby "The Birthday Book" After your favorite athlete
Heisman bandwagon
Willis McGahee (Miami)

Phil Rivers (N.C. State)
Aggie Nation Dump R.C. Slocum Keep good ol' R.C.
Michigan State coaching contender Urban Mayer, Bowling Green Dan McCarney, Iowa State
Impressive early season
The runnin', gunnin' Mavs

The bear-in-the-headlights-looking Grizzlies
Suns' bright future Penny Hardaway Joe Johnson
Movie subject Rally Monkey Rally Monkey
Republican sports-themed candidate
Mitt Romney (Massachusetts)

Steve Largent (Oklahoma)
College hoops competition Exhibition teams (ie, EA All-Stars) Tissue-soft nonconference slate
Weekend flick "8 Mile" "Far From Heaven"
Notre Dame Who? Love 'em

Dan Shanoff is a columnist for Page 2. His "What's Hot, What's Not" trend-spotting list appears Thursdays. Got inside scoop on an up-and-coming trend? Want to declare something passé? Send this glimpse of your hipness to hotnotlist@yahoo.com.





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