Appears on every garment

Acclaimed actor, author and philanthropist Ashley Judd and the popular Original Retro Brand have joined forces to launch an exclusive vintage inspired clothing line for the famous University of Kentucky grad.  The Original Retro Brand Ashley Judd collection features a variety of women’s fitted premium t-shirt and sweatshirt styles paired with coveted images from authentic vintage University of Kentucky graphics  The collection will be sold at retailers including the University of Kentucky Bookstore, Alumni Hall and Fan Outfitters throughout Kentucky as well as online at www.originalretrobrand.com.

A celebrated actor and die-hard University of Kentucky fan, Ashley Judd has starred in 20 films, both box office hits and critically acclaimed independent films, and on Broadway.  Judd has also been an active advocate of humanitarian efforts throughout her adult life, the passion for which she discovered during her undergraduate years at the University of Kentucky.  While attending college, she majored in French and minored in Anthropology, Art History Theater and Women’s Studies and graduated from UK’s Honors Program.  Ashley is presently starring in “Missing,” a new drama for ABC that premiered this spring.

As a devoted UK fan, Ashley can often be seen in the stands passionately supporting her UK Wildcats and has been a main stay for years during their much hyped March Madness appearances.  She demonstrates in the gym and in her life that her enthusiasm as a UK fan runs deep.

Devoted!

Ashley commented: “I have great passion for UK. It brings back so many wonderful
memories about my life on campus, as well as cherished family stories about generations of my family supporting the Wildcats and higher education.  I am very
excited to be working with Original Retro Brand to launch this special apparel line.  The images are inspired by my impressions from the 1970’s, listening to my grandparents, aunts, and uncles talk about the Big Blue, their wonderful t shirts from that era and UK images around the Commonwealth.  Original Retro Brand has captured exactly what I envisioned for this collection in terms of style and quality celebrating the history and spirit of UK pride.”

Enthusiasm runs deep

“We are thrilled to partner with Ashley to create a collection that will immortalize her love of her college roots and the faithfulness of the Wildcat spirit.  We have always admired Ashley from afar, not only her talents on the big screen but also her unwavering commitment to being a true to heart UK fan.  That kind of alumni love and loyalty is a perfect fit for our brand,” added Marc Herman, owner of The Original Retro Brand.

"Exactly what I envisioned"

About The Original Retro Brand

The Original Retro Brand is a premium, fashion-forward, apparel company that
combines iconic graphics with the comfort of the softest, sexiest, best fitting t-shirt in the world.  The apparel collection is proudly designed and manufactured in the historic Fashion District of Downtown Los Angeles, California and continues to offer the best in quality apparel for fashionistas and sports fans worldwide.  The extensive assortment of sports and pop culture graphics includes licenses with over 300 collegiate institutions, the National Hockey League, Minor League Baseball, Wolfgang’s Vault (Bill Graham’s Rock and Roll poster art), Pabst Brewing Company, Vintage Pepsi and Dr. Pepper.  The Original Retro Brand is carried in over 1,200 U.S. locations at the likes of respected retailers such as Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, RONROBINSON/Fred Segal and Kitson boutiques.

Ashley on the set of "Good Morning America."

FOR UPDATES ON CONTESTS, FASHION, AND FUN FROM THE ORIGINAL RETRO BRAND,  LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER.

An extra hour of sunlight thanks to daylight savings, March Madness tip-offs, and St. Patrick’s Day all in the same week.  Life’s grand, ain’t it?  I think you’ll find this list of our TOP TEN TOURNEY T’s grand too.  The criteria for making the list has no rhyme, and very little reason as you will see.  The little reason is just for fun.

10. DUKE BLUE DEVILS - Creepy = Cool. That is one creepy dude. Vincent Price was a Blue Devil?

9. GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS - The GT men may have tanked this year, but the #4 seeded Lady Jackets make tanking look good. That's the BUZZ on the street.

8. NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH - They may not make it past South Dakota State, but with St. Patrick's day and all....

7. TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS - The Lady Vols rifle their way to another title.

6. LONG BEACH STATE 49ers - "THE BEACH" are no bums. The Big West Champs have a guard named Peter Poppageorge. That, and a mean ol' cowboy with a pick axe get them into this TOP TEN.

5. MISSOURI TIGERS - What in the Mizzou? There's no crying in basketball (baseball, really..), and there's no pants in TOP TEN T-shirt lists. Well there is today. These Tiger bottoms are the tops!

4. TEXAS LONGHORNS - Always like to steer folks in the right direction. Hook up with this hoops Hook 'em!

3. SYRACUSE ORANGE - Will the # 1 seed have to con-seed without 7 footer Fab Melo? Zip it. The hoodie, that is. Boeheim's boys and the CUSE can still fleece the field.

2. MURRAY STATE RACERS - How far can they go? How about a Sweet 16 for this cute couple?

1. SHOW ME YOURS, I'LL SHOW YOU MINE - You can fill this one in yourselves.

Have you filled out every available bracket known to man and womankind yet?  I have one more for you! It’s the Original Retro Brand’s 2nd annual Bracket Ballers Challenge.  It’s free to enter, and the prizes are $400, $200, and $100 worth of ORB apparel respectively for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place.  Cutoff to enter is Thursday, 3/15/12, at Noon eastern so click this link and go for it! http://bit.ly/xpei72 GOOD LUCK!

At the height of the current college basketball frenzy, I suddenly realize another pleasantry is upon us.  I speak of baseball’s glorious opening day. That’s today. I’ve been so wrapped up in March Madness, that it almost slipped right by me.  Sure, I would have another 7 months to realize baseball is going on, but like many of you, opening day just seems to have more of a special meaning.  This is where Original Retro Brand and baseball fanatic Bob Jaye comes in.  Bob is up on all things current in the world of sport, but it’s sports nostalgia that really floats his boat.  So in honor of opening day 2011,  Bob has sent in a bit of his own personal sports nostalgia I think many of you will relate to and enjoy (for those who don’t know what “PAEAN” means: any song of praise, joy, or triumph – a hymn of invocation or thanksgiving).  Bob’s hymn below….

PAEAN TO OPENING DAY

BOB STILL LOVES HIM SOME GATOR FOOTBALL TOO!

A poet once noted that in the spring a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of baseball.  Well, that may be a paraphrase, but probably just because Alfred Lord Tennyson never played the game.  And although I may no longer be a young man, I still love baseball.

I know that “love” is a powerful word, but it seems perfectly appropriate to me.  And yes, I certainly love my wife and children, my God and country, liberty and justice, college football…but so help me I do love baseball.

It was July 1966; the Braves’ first season in Atlanta and our family’s first summer in Macon Georgia after moving from Louisiana.  My dad was the new pastor of Second Baptist Church.  I was five years old.  He took me with him to watch some of his new buddies play in a softball tournament, and I got to sit in what passed for the dugout with those huge ballplayers.  I tucked my bare feet up under the bench when they crunched past in their strange spiked shoes.  And I could swear that one of those big tobacco-chewin’ Georgia boys hit a ball completely out of sight!  The ball just got smaller and smaller, then it was gone.  Might as well have been a bird.  And it probably was, but I was only five and had never seen anything like it.

After the game we went to one of the player’s homes, where I stood beside the front porch eating watermelon and drinking lemonade.  I could see their black-and-white television through the screen door, and the American flag caught my attention.  I saw a big grass field in the sunshine.  Then I watched the Atlanta Braves play baseball.  I have never gotten over it.

THE SCRIBE IN HIS NEW ORLEANS PELICANS ORB. LEGENDARY SHOELESS JOE JACKSON PLAYED FOR THE PELICANS.

I immediately became a baseball fan and an Atlanta Braves disciple.  I found discarded soda bottles, redeemed them for the nickel deposit, and bought baseball cards.  I memorized the backs of the baseball cards. I pretended to win the World Series in our back yard.  I snuck a little red transistor radio (my dad got it for free when he filled up at the Sinclair gas station) into bed to listen to late games when the Braves were on west coast road trips.  I thought the last two words of the National Anthem were “Play Ball!”

When the Braves were mired in a couple of slumps, which you might refer to as “the 1970s” and “the 1980s” respectively, a friend suggested that I may need a new favorite baseball team.  Obviously he did not fully grasp the concept of a favorite baseball team.  Having one means actually wanting a jersey so ugly that the big feather on the sleeve looks more like a tulip.  It means hoping your ace knocks down your former slugger after he’s been traded.  It means always being prepared to stand on Barry Asterisk Bonds’ coffee table in nothing but a pair of striped stirrups yelling “Hank Aaron is the greatest player to ever lace up spikes!”

WILLIE MAYS, TEDDY BALLGAME & YAZ PLAYED FOR THE MILLERS

Is this strange?  Maybe.  Normal guys may not still have their first ball glove, a MacGregor Willie Mays model from 1967, and six or seven more.  They may not have two Hank Aaron model Louisville Sluggers, 34” and 35”, propped up in the corner of their office.  But I love baseball, so it’s okay.

Baseball’s allure for me has always been the performance of the game itself.  Not always big leaguers or individuals necessarily, but what is done by them in between the foul lines.  The simplicity of the game on the surface, and the complexity that lies beneath.  The subtle nuances that are the differences between winning and losing, things that a casual observer may witness but will not see.

The game when played, any one particular contest, has an abstract quality that is both art and sport.  I love baseball, the game.  So I occasionally choose to spend time in its history, myth, its rich lore, rather than its present.  And isn’t that part of what Original Retro Brand does for us? Yep, I love baseball.

So to the rest of you seamheads out there, Play Ball!

I want to thank Bob for his support of Original Retro Brand, and his Paean to Opening Day article.  This is the second written contribution from Bob, as he waxed philosophical for us last Thanksgiving when he shared his thoughts about college mascots.  Looking  forward to your next homework assignment Bob!

And since we’re talkin’ baseball here, I just want to remind you that our 20% OFF Beer apparel sale ends tonight @ midnight, so enter code ALEOFF @ checkout (Beer & Baseball go together).  Also, Minor League Baseball opening day is next Thursday, 4/7/11 and Original Retro Brand will have more new Minor League gear to celebrate!

TAKE ME TO WRIGLEY!

CLICK ON THE HIGHLIGHTED BEER NAME LINKS TO GET $8 OFF THE NORMAL RETAIL PRICE OF OUR BRAND NEW VINTAGE BEER T’S*

With March Madness behind us, and the boys of summer underway, let’s talk the four B’s; beaches, baseball games, barbecue, and beer.  And I am not talking about microbrews or flavored/seasonal brews.  I am talking about macro-brewed, thirst-quenching beer that looks the same going in, as it does coming out (pale yellow);  beers not ashamed to be called crisp.  Got the picture?  Beers best served in cans; preferably 16 oz. cans, tall boys, or directly from a keg.

In no particular order, these are the beers our dads drank;  the beers we drank when we came of age at 18 or 21, depending on the era.  These brews did not contain honey, or wheat, or raspberries.  They were brewed by blue collar guys.  They were beer-flavored, and they are/were brewed and consumed 365 days a year (Their Original Retro Brand t-shirts and caps are now available 365 days a year too!)

TONE LOC APPROVED

8.  Stroh’s - This motor city staple was a veritable “muscle car” in a can.  When an auto worker came off the line and downed a boilermaker, you think he dropped his shot of bourbon into an India pale ale or European pilsner with a girl’s name (Stella)?

7.  Schlitz Malt Liquor - The first piece in my one-time beer can collection was the 24 oz. “tennis ball can” of the Bull.  And as the saying goes, if you messed with the bull, you got the horns.  That first malt liquor hangover was like a rite of passage.

6.  Colt 45 Malt Liquor – Not the first malt liquor brewed in the U.S., but

BILLY DEE, BILLY DEE...

among the first generation.  And who can forget the coolness of Colt pitchman Billy Dee Williams?

5.  Falstaff - Like Luca Brasi (The Godfather), Falstaff “sleeps with the fishes”.  It has not been brewed since 2005.  And like Luca, Falstaff was the “go to guy” when you needed to get the job done.

4.  Lone Star – I’m gonna take a Mulligan here because I have previously mandated these beers are best served in a metal container, but Americans are essentially cowboys and there is no more essential cowboy beer than a long-neck bottle of Lone Star when it’s time to “cowboy up”.

"DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN THIS"

3.  Olympia – You have to respect a beer that endured prohibition, and was originally brewed by a guy named Leopold Schmidt.  Now that’s what I call beer pedigree.

2. Old Milwaukee – Remember the 1970′s and 1980′s when Americans didn’t care about carbon footprints or the ozone layer?  Remember the Old Milwaukee tag line; “It doesn’t get any better than this”?  Is there anything more American than a plastic or styrofoam cooler full of Old Milwaukee at the beach, softball game, or summer picnic?  Forget apple pie and baseball, give me ribs, hot dogs, potato salad and a case of Old Milwaukee on ice!

1.  Old Style - But, if you disagree and baseball is part of the equation, a draft of Old Style guzzled from a stadium cup in the bleachers at Wrigley Field, during daylight; if not distinctly American, is certainly as Chicago as Al Capone and deep dish pizza.

WOULD STICK MY (LONG) NECK OUT FOR ONE OF THESE

I want to thank my good buddy, the “Bourbon Cowboy”, for lending his scribe for this thirst quenching beer blog.  Atlanta’s very own Bourbon Cowboy has penned drinking columns and “Best Bar” lists for Atlanta Magazine, Creative Loafing, and The Atlanta Press.  Although he retired as a professional drinker in 2003, he still drinks beer when he is thirsty.

* offer is for the beer t-shirts only (not the caps) and expires next Thursday, 4/15/10 @ midnight pacific coast time.

PROUD MEMBER!

An old High School buddy recently sent me a link to baldguyz.com to remind me that I am bald. I like being bald.  I can shave my own head and buy more Original Retro Brand shirts with what I save on haircuts.  I also don’t have to worry about my afro getting various objects lost in it, or birds nesting in it.  The site also has a great sale on stuff for baldies, and are calling it March Baldness! I find that so clever and funny that I have to use it to tie-in to a March Madness, and famous bald basketball players blog.  Thus, behold the bald ballers & the Colleges* they played for in the TOP TEN College shirts for March Baldness:

10. Slick Watts – The NAIA All American from Xavier was beloved in Seattle with the Sonics, and credited by the NBA as the “first NBA player to turn a bald head into a fashion statement.”  In 2004, ESPN ranked Watts 13th among the “coolest athletes of all time.”

9. Glen rice – MOP of hair doesn’t apply to Glen Rice.  The MOP that stands for Most Outstanding Player award, as the one Glen Rice won for Michigan in the 1989 Division I Men’s Championship, does.

8. Shaquille O’Neill – The 2-time All-American out of LSU, left a string of the best baldies behind him in the 1995 NBA playoffs including the Bulls Michael Jordan, and the Pacers Reggie Miller, enroute to the NBA Finals for the Orlando Magic.  The streak ended there however, when the Magic ran into another famous baldie, Clyde “The Glide” Drexler of the Houston Rockets, who went on to win the crown.

7. Clyde Drexler- “Houston, we don’t have a problem.”  Phi Slamma Jamma. See # 8.

YES SIR CHARLES

6. Charles Barkley – The “Round Mound of Rebound” out of Auburn, has earned all due respect via his amazing career on and off the court, and his baldness seems to add credence to the title Sir Charles (aren’t lots of  bald guys called sir?).

5. Ray Allen - The former UCONN Phenom is a fan of the Original Retro Brand. You can see him close up on the “Retro Sightings” section of our website (see image # 13).

4. Gary Payton – The “Glove” got his nickname for his tenacious defense while in the NBA.  He could’ve received that name while in college, as he still holds the record for steals @ UTEP.

3. Jason Kidd – The CALifornia Kidd probably started losing hair back in High School where he often found himself playing against the aformentioned Gary Payton on the courts of Oakland.

HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW

2. Kareem Abdul Jabbar – His name was Lew Alcindor while at UCLA, and he had a pretty major fro, but by the time he retired as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points, he’d nary a hair on his head.

1. Michael Jordan – Nothing will ever be finer, than His Airness from Carolina.  Best player, Best Baldness.

* Just want to clarify that not all these dudes were bald when they were in college, but ended up that way before they were done in the NBA.

CRUNK COWBOYS!

If the past week is any indication of things to come in the Conference Tournaments & the impending March Madness, then the 2010 brackets are going to be sicker than ever!  The Cowboys knocking out Kansas?!  The Vols taking out Kentucky (not as far-fetched, but still pretty incredible)?  25% OFF ORB SHIRTS AGAIN?  – Now that’s incredible!  Just enter code GOTW7 @ checkout starting tomorrow (Tuesday, 3/2/10 after 6pm Eastern time) to receive your discount off all teams featured in our Games Of The Week.*

Have to give major props to the winner of this past weeks “What’s Your College Knowledge?” contest, Eric Miller from Chicago, Illinois, and here’s why: 1) This is the second time he has won in the 6 weeks of the contest.  2) This is only the second week out of those 6, that an entry has won the contest outright without having to go to a tie-breaker. 3) he has purchased an additional Original Retro Brand shirt to match each Free ORB shirt he has won.  You can never have too many!  Enough sucking up to Eric – Let’s get to this weeks games!!

58 STRAIGHT AT HOME!

Game 1: # 5 Kansas State vs. # 2 Kansas – Oh boy, this one’s a Doozy!!!  Jayhawks taken to OT at K-State before hanging on for victory in last meeting.  The Cats have won 7 straight since that heartbreaker, but I’m afraid Kansas won’t drop 2 straight, and especially not at home where they’ve won about a billion straight? Jayhawks – 78, Wildcats – 74.

Game 2: # 10 West Virginia vs. # 9 Villanova – The Mountaineers need to get past Georgetown first (I say they will) and then face Nova in Pa., with a revenge victory in order.  The Wildcats have lost 3 out their last 4 to Big East rivals, but come through to end regular season with statement game sweep of West Virgina.  Villanova – 65, West Virginia 58.

Game 3: Texas vs. # 22 Baylor – The Longhorns just haven’t recovered since their home OT loss to the Bears a short month ago.  Having been ranked # 1, to dropping from the polls this week,  the Horns will be a tad ornery.  Too bad Baylor is for real, and they hook them horns.  Bears – 74, Longhorns – 71.

BETCTHA BUCKY

Game 4: # 17 Wisconsin vs. Illinois – Yet another game with revenge at play.  The Badgers were basically stunned at home by the Fightin’ Illini, and come in to Champaign with a long shot at a # 1 seed for the conference tourney.  The need for the seed help them topple Illinois, who lost 3 out of their last 4. Badgers – 68, Illini’ – 64.

Game 5: # 1 Syracuse vs. Louisville – Did I mention revenge?  Sorry Mr. Pitino, but the newly ranked top team in the nation won’t be swept in Freedom Hall.  Orangemen – 78, Cardinals – 68.

Bonus Baby- Game 6: #4 Duke vs. # 22 Maryland – How bout them Terps?  Since losing to Duke, Maryland has quietly snuck into the top 25 with 4 straight wins and have a legit shot at a piece of the ACC title.  In addition to this being the Bonus Baby, it is also going to be the Upset Special!  Maryland – 56, Duke -55.

ARROW THROUGH DUKE HEART

Like many contest entrants this past week, I had a ho-hum 3-3 record bringing my tally to 12-19 for the season.  I need a sweep bad.

Sooooooo, send me your picks, enjoy the action, and GOOD LUCK!!

*offer expires 3/8/2010 at midnite eastern standard time

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY DEAR!

If you answered yes to this question, then read on and see how you can win that shirt, or any vintage Original Retro Brand College shirt of your choice. You could be just a week away from winning by entering the “What’s Your College of Knowledge?” contest. It’s easy.  This is how we do it:

1) Every Monday, I will post my 5 top college basketball games of the week and give you my predicted winners and why.  FYI – Original Retro Brand will offer 25% off gear for those teams for a full week!  ENTER CODE GOTW3 @ CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE DISCOUNT THIS WEEK STARTING TOMORROW AFTER 5PM EASTERN TIME!!!

2) You will e-mail your picks to me (andyphyman@gmail.com) for the same games (no point spreads; straight up wins & losses) no later than the following day by 6pm eastern standard time.

3) Each Monday I will announce which person e-mailed the most winners for the weeks picks, and that person will win a FREE Original Retro Brand shirt of their choice! In the event of a tie, all of the entries will be entered into a drawing (from an Original Retro Brand hat) to determine a winner.

IT’S THAT SIMPLE!!! We’ll run this contest right up until the opening round of games for March Madness (March 16, 2010) before we bust out a new & improved version of the contest for that whole shabang!!

NO KENTUCKY BLUES

Part of me fears I’ve been lobbing easy winners at ya’ll, as we had 9 contestants go 5 for 5 this past week! At the same time, 2 of the 5 games were decided in the last 30 seconds (Michigan vs. Michigan State, Wisconsin vs. Purdue), and the Jayhawks had to go to overtime to take out K-State.

Beating the 9-1 odds in the drawing this week to win a FREE Original Retro Brand shirt was Jeff Shirrell of Indianapolis, Indiana.  Jeff is a Purdue NUT, and already owns every ORB Purdue shirt we make!  Well, that is every Mens’ Purdue shirt.  Thus he has chosen to be a gentleman, and bestow his good fortune upon his beloved wife by picking this Boilermaker beauty just in time for Valentine’s Day.  Time to get down to business…

Week # 3 Class now in session….

Game 1: # 25 Ole Miss vs. # 4 Kentucky – After being shocked by the South Carolina Gamecocks for their first loss of the season, the Wildcats bounced back strong against a formidable Vanderbilt team. Having knocked off those same Gamecocks just a few weeks earlier, the Ole Miss Rebs are confident they can do the same to Kentucky in the ever tightening SEC standings. I just think the trio of Cousins, Patterson and John Wall at home will be too much for Mississippi.  Wildcats -  72, Rebels 65.

PITT STOPPED

Game 2: # 6 West Virginia vs. # 22 Pittsburgh – The Mountaineers front court is one of the best in the country with Da’Sean Butler, Kevin Jones, and Devin Ebanks all chipping in to equally intimidate.  The Panthers have been slipping a bit lately dropping 3 of their last 4.  Regardless, they’re still just a 1/2 game back of West Virginia.  This is my upset special for the week:  Pitt – 67, West Virginia – 65.

Game 3: Arizona vs. Washington – Looky-looky here; With a win over the CAL Bears, the Wildcats have knocked off 4 straight Pac-10 opponents, and find themselves tied for first place in the conference.  The Huskies have outscored their past two opponents 215 – 140 (wow!) and are playing with mad confidence.  They did lose to Arizona earlier, and look to even the score at home this Thursday night.  Not gonna happen: Wildcats – 74, Huskies – 68.

USC GOIN' FOR 3

Game 4: South Carolina vs. # 14 Tennessee – Even though Vols coach Bruce Pearl has lost most of his squad to suspension, he’s still managed to put a very competitive squad on the floor.  The Gamecocks come in smelling blood as they look for their 3rd straight win.  With their epic triumph over Kentucky followed by another victory over a very good Georgia Bulldog team, I don’t think Rocky will be on Top after this one.  Gamecocks – 78, Volunteers – 70.

Game 5: UNLV vs. # 12 BYU – The Rebs look for revenge on their home court against the Cougars who knocked them off a month ago in Utah.  It won’t be easy.  BYU guard Jimmer Fredette has averaged 30 pts. per game over his last three games, and the Cougars are third in the nation as a team from 3 point bomb land.  Fredette will drop at least 30 again.  Cougars – 74. Rebels – 63.

There you have it.  Start sending me your picks and good luck!! I know I need some – This is my week to break through and pad my 2 -week record of 4-6.

BACK IN IT

With the Florida State Seminoles nipping the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets yesterday in Tallahassee, thus concluded week # 1 of the “What’s Your College Knowledge Contest.” Obviously my College Knowledge was non-existent, and I will be headed to the Dean’s office with a 1-4 mark on my report card.  Turns out my fellow “classmates” didn’t fare much better, with most of the contest entries turning in identical 1-4 marks themselves.  Nobody picked N.C. State to knock off Duke, and not enough folks gave UCONN a chance against the Longhorns.

Who won the contest, and what was his/her record?  Looks like we may have to invoke a “curve” this week, as the winner stormed to victory with a less than stellar 2-3 record.  In fact, a dozen entries had 2-3 records, and the winner had to be pulled from an Original Retro Brand hat in a drawing.  Turns out that the winner of the contest was the ONLY person who picked FSU to knock off Georgia Tech.  We’ve already notified the winner, Robert “Frogg” Reich, and he’ll be letting us know which shirt he chooses as his prize which we’ll post on the Original Retro Brand Facebook Fan page.

For those of you just checking in this contest for the first time, this is how it works:

WILL BEAT SPARTANS

1) Every Monday, I will post my 5 top college basketball games of the week and give you my predicted winners and why (FYI – Original Retro Brand will offer 25% off gear for those teams for a full week!  ENTER CODE GOTW2 @ CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE DISCOUNT THIS WEEK STARTING TOMORROW AFTER 5PM EASTERN TIME!!!)

2) You will e-mail your picks to me (andyphyman@gmail.com) for the same games (no point spreads; straight up wins & losses) no later than the following day by 3pm eastern standard time.

3) Each Monday I will announce which person e-mailed the most winners for the weeks picks, and that person will win a FREE Original Retro Brand shirt of their choice! In the event of a tie, all of the entries will be entered into a drawing (from an Original Retro Brand hat) to determine a winner.

IT’S THAT SIMPLE!!! We’ll run this contest right up until the opening round of games for March Madness (March 16, 2010) before we bust out a new & improved version of the contest for that whole shabang!!

Week # 2 Class now in session….

STAY UNBEATEN IN BIG EAST

Game 1: # 6 Michigan State vs. Michigan – The Wolverines seemed to be turning a corner with big wins over Indiana & UCONN, before back-to-back road losses to ranked Wisconsin & Purdue respectively.  Against all my instincts, I say they get back on track and am picking them to defeat the Spartans because they will be back home, and MSU looked a tad shaky in nudging out the Minnesota Gophers by one point on Saturday. Michigan – 68, Michigan State – 65

Game 2: # 4 Villanova vs. Notre Dame – The Big East currently boasts 6 teams in the AP Top 25, and is easily the most competitive in the country.  While Notre Dame has a good overall record, they won’t be able to keep pace with the Cats in Philly.  Nova remains the only unbeaten team in their conference: Villanova – 84, Notre Dame – 72

Game 3: # 15 Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara – The Broncos come off their first win in their last 10 games in beating USF.  They will have a very tough time making it 2 in a row as they host the first place Bulldogs and Matt Bouldin Thursday night.  A cool Original Retro Brand shirt won’t help either.  Gonzaga – 88, Santa Clara – 68

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Game 4: # 18 Wisconsin vs. # 13 Purdue – The Badgers have already handed the Boilermakers a defeat just a few weeks ago, and have a 2-game lead over them in the Big 10, yet they are ranked lower than their counterparts.  Am I missing something?  Badgers take care of business on the road and deservedly leap Purdue Pete in the rankings.  Wisconsin – 77, Purdue – 68

Game 5: # 3 Kansas vs. # 10 Kansas State -  Both of these teams have tough opponents before facing off on ESPN’s College Gameday this Saturday in Manhattan. It will be hard to not look past them (Kansas has Missouri, and  K-State has Baylor) in anticipation of this huge in-state rivalry.  The Wildcats had a bit of a let down losing to Oklahoma State after knocking off # 1 Texas.  The Jayhawks rebounded nicely off their only loss of the season to Tennessee with 4 straight wins.  It will be a tough place for a road victory, but I have to go with Kansas.  They were the only team that I actually WON with last week!  Kansas – 85, Kansas State – 81

Start sending me those picks and GOOD LUCK!

GOOD @ HOOPS TOO!

Yeah, we want to give away more FREE Original Retro Brand shirts every week, and if you want to win, you’re going to have to brush up on your College Basketball.  Of course I’ll be here each week to guide you along with my own expertise and college basketball knowledge (or lack thereof!), as this contest will have all to do with picking weekly winners in college basketball games.

The contest will work like this:

1) Every Monday, I will post my 5 top college basketball games of the week and give you my predicted winners and why (FYI – Original Retro Brand will offer 25% off gear for those teams for a full week!  ENTER CODE GOTW1 @ CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE DISCOUNT THIS WEEK STARTING TOMORROW AFTER 5PM EASTERN TIME!!!)

2) You will e-mail your picks to me (andyphyman@gmail.com) for the same games (no point spreads; straight up wins & losses) no later than the following day by 3pm eastern standard time.

3) Each Monday I will announce which person e-mailed the most winners for the weeks picks, and that person will win a FREE Original Retro Brand shirt of their choice! In the event of a tie, all of the entries will be entered into a drawing (from an Original Retro Brand hat) to determine a winner.

IT’S THAT SIMPLE!!!  We’ll run this contest right up until the opening round of games for March Madness (March 16, 2010) before we bust out a new & improved version of the contest for that whole shabang!!  Let’s get on with it, shall we?  Here are your first 5 games:

NO PITT-FALL

Game 1: # 14 Georgetown vs. # 11 PITT- The Hoyas come off a valiant comeback that fell short against Big East beast Villanova this past weekend.  Meanwhile, the Panthers keep pace with the Cats, and remain undefeated in the Big East with a huge overtime win over Louisville.  Pitt guard Ashton Gibbs is starting to blossom, and will lead Pitt to victory at home this Wednesday night.  PITT – 75, GEORGETOWN – 72.

Game 2: # 25 Baylor vs. # 3 Kansas – The Jayhawks host an upstart Baylor Bears squad who are in the thick of the Big 12 conversation.  Junior guard LaceDarius  Dunn (3rd leading scorer in Big 12)  has led the Bears to a 14-2 record averaging 19 points a game.  Kansas rebounded strong after their stunning loss to a depleted Tennessee squad, with convincing wins over Nebraska and Texas Tech, and will continue with win at home Wednesday night. KANSAS – 82, BAYLOR – 77.

KANSAS WALKS THE WALK

Game 3: # 7 Duke vs. NC State – The Blue Devils guard tandem of  Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith have been unstoppable of late, leading Duke to victories of 19 points or more in their last 8 victories.  The Wolfpack roared back and showed heart in latest game against Clemson, but the backcourt continues to lack the leadership needed to compete at the top in the ACC. Duke wins by 20 again. DUKE – 92, NCSTATE – 72.

Game 4: # 1 Texas vs. # 21 UCONN - Along with Dexter Pittman, senior Damion James has flat out dominated, leading the formidable frontcourt tandem in scoring and rebounding for the Longhorns.  Texas remained undefeated by fending off  in state rival Texas A& M in OT this past weekend.  What happened to the Huskies?  After dropping their 3rd straight to a mediocre Michigan squad (first 3 loss string since 2006), they fall into the “what the heck is going on?” category with the North Carolina Tarheels.  Knocking off  Texas will be a tall order, but they will have home court advantage and a “do or die” mentality.  Not enough come Saturday.  TEXAS – 84, UCONN – 78.

DUKE-UNC BEATERS RETURN!

Game 5: FSU vs. # 18 Georgia Tech – Which Yellow Jacket team will show up this Sunday?  The team that beat DUKE & North Carolina (@ Dean Center) in the past two weeks, or the team that got beat by bitter rival Georgia, and the surprising Virginia Cavaliers?   FSU had been rolling before back-to-back losses to Maryland & NCState, and did bounce back with a win over Virginia Tech. GT likes to spread the ball to all (witness starting 5 all averaging at least 10 points per game), and swarms on defense.  Lest I forget to mention the Seminoles knocked out these Jackets in Georgia in OT, right before Christmas.  The Yellow Jackets will return the favor.  GEORGIA TECH 75 – FLORIDA STATE – 69.

So there you have it folks.  My 5 picks for this week.  Wanna win a FREE ORB shirt? Then again, e-mail your winners to me (andyphyman@gmail.com), enjoy the action, and check back next Monday to see how you did.  Remember, whoever picks the most winners wins a FREE ORB shirt (all ties will go to a drawing).  Be sure to follow the action on our Facebook Fanpage and Twitter.  GOOD LUCK!!!

CASEY, CASSIDY, MARC & KAT @ THE BIG GAME

Let’s hear it for the women!  Cassidy Moore kicked some major butt.  The Original Retro Brand’s VP of Marketing & Licensing dusted the boy brass in the “12 Bowls of Christmas” contest.  In a dead heat with ORB CEO Marc Herman going into the last week of BCS bowl games, Cassidy swept the last 3 games, officially winning the contest after Iowa smothered Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl. CFO Rick Schwartz had a brief winning streak midway in the contest, but ultimately could never overcome his slow start to get back in it.  Pathetic is the only word to describe my implosion.  I jumped out with a 7-1 record before tanking, and dropping 14 out of my last 18!  The final standings look like this:

Cassidy 15 – 11         Marc 12 – 14         Rick 11 – 15         Andy 11 – 15

Heath Cline of Columbia, South Carolina, had put his faith in Cassidy, and therefore he is the lucky winner of 2 FREE Original Retro Brand shirts of his choice.  I notified Heath of his good fortune this morning, and once he tells us what shirts he has chosen, we will post them on our Facebook Fan-page.  Congrats again to Heath and Cassidy.

1935 ALABAMA ROSE BOWL TEE

Of course I have to congratulate the Alabama Crimson Tide on their victory over Texas at the Rose Bowl.  They bended, but did not break, and held on after early domination.  Would you believe that I had a ticket to go to the game with my fellow competitors in the “12 Bowls of Christmas” contest, but bailed because I was sick??!!  The only place in the country where it was 75 degrees, sunny, and NOT SNOWING and I came down with the frickin’ flu!!   I did manage to watch the game from my hotel sick-bed and thought the kid (Garrett Gilbert) from Texas really rose to the occasion, despite what his stats showed.  Mark Ingram proved (again) that he is worthy of the Heisman Trophy, and Mack Brown completely lost his mind when he called a time-out with 17 seconds left in the first half to run a PITCH-PLAY deep in his own territory with a freshman QB still playing ice-cold?!  Ya’ll know what happened.

I will miss College football greatly, but as luck would have it, NCAA hoops is starting to creep into the consciousness (how about those Vols knocking off # 1 Kansas last night?!) and March Madness isn’t far behind!!  It won’t be long before we start another Original Retro Brand contest that will offer you weekly chances to win FREE gear, so stay tuned.  Please look for updates on our Facebook Fan-page and Twitter.