The Gong Show

NAME: Bryan
LOCATION: The Rocking Chair, Logan Square

Oh, my friend Patrick got it for me at a thrift store, apparently. Um, well, it's just something that we say. Actually our friend Brittany I guess started it. It's just something - if something's "gong show" it's kind of ridiculous, fucked up. Stupid. It's like, "That's totally gong show."

And then what's-his-name, in Pineapple Express? The cute guy, with the long hair?

James Franco.

Yeah, James Franco used it in that. And we were surprised. We didn't know anybody else used it.

Then I had a teacher who, uh - he's probably, I guess he's about forty, and he goes, "Do you even remember the Gong Show?" And I was like, "No, man. It's just a fuckin' shirt." That's true. That's a true story.

Anything else?

Also I like the color yellow. It keeps me safe at night.

Golden State Warriors / THE CITY

NAME: Hilary
LOCATION: Paulina Brown Line

Is that the Golden Gate Bridge?

It is! It's actually - the logo is the old logo for the Golden State Warriors. They used to play in San Francisco.

The Golden State Warriors?

Yes. They are the basketball team that now plays in Oakland.

Are they in the National Basketball Association?

They are. Good job. They moved to Oakland in, I think, the seventies.

This is, like, a "retro" shirt.

It is, yeah. But I moved to San Francisco about a year ago and it made me kind of sad to be for the first time in a city where I had no relationship to any of the sports teams. So this was... no. That's not true. I do have a relationship: I dislike many of them intensely. But I have no beef with the Golden State Warriors. So this seemed like a nice connection to my new city.

Explain to me what 'THE CITY' has to do with The Golden State Warriors.

Well they used to play in SF and that was just their logo. If you go look at old photos, this was on the jersey and everything.

That included the words 'THE CITY'?

'THE CITY'! Amazing, right? It doesn't look like a sports logo! But it was.

Okay. Aren't you being a poser?

No! I'm a Celtics fan, but I'll go to some Warriors games this year, because they just signed Steph Curry, the kid from Davidson. I'm kind of excited, actually.

Oh, I know who he is! He's that guy who is adorable and great and whose team didn't make it to March Madness this year because his team sucks. He was carrying them two years ago and then this year, even he couldn't carry them. Because, who has ever heard of Davidson.

He will also be unable to carry the Golden State Warriors. But I will go to some games, and it will be fun.

[By the way, according to wikipedia, the Philadelphia Warriors relocated to San Francisco in 1962. The San Francisco Warriors played in Oakland with increasing frequency between 1966 and 1972, and finally changed their name over when they permanently housed themselves at the Oakland Coliseum Arena. They are the only NBA team whose name includes neither a state nor a city.]

St. Norbert College Knights

NAME: Jacob
LOCATION: Brown Line (Northbound to Kimball)

This is a private college in Green Bay. One of my best friends actually played football for the St. Norbert Knights and I was at a thrift store in Green Bay and came across it and it was something that I could like support his team and also have an awesome shirt and it only cost me a dollar.

Not bad. How did the St. Norbert Knights do that year?

Um, they did pretty good. And it was something that I was definitely getting a couple eyebrows raised at the games because, you know, this is an old school throwback t-shirt. It went over really well.

What position did your friend play?

My friend was a wide receiver. His name is Judd O'Connell, um, he was number 85 and, um, had a fantastic Senior season and we were very proud of him. He did a great job.

Wait, tell me again where St. Norbert College is.

St. Norbert College is located in De Pere, Wisconsin, which is a suburb of Green Bay. Actually a funny little story: before St. Norbert College became a college it was Abbot Pennings High School and that's actually where my father went to high school. Graduated in 1972. Just a little tidbit for ya'.