A break from bikes

(Editor's note: Along with my bike shop job, I've been editor for nearly four years of a monthly newspaper affiliated with People Plus, a community center in Brunswick, Maine, serving seniors. One of my responsibilities is writing a column, with my most recent one featured in today's blog posting. While it is off-topic to what I normally present, I believe it is loosely tied to bicycles — given the fact that they are a logo/branding tool on wheels. Please enjoy!)

Clothes, do indeed, make the man

Yes, you all know me as Patrick, but I was formerly known as the "Logo Man."

The definition of logo is "a symbol or other design adopted by an organization to identify its products, uniform, vehicles, etc." That was me; a walking billboard. It was an obsession. Just ask my wife.

To this day, she can easily recall a particular instance that clearly illustrates what I'm talking about.

We, as a family, were aboard a ferry, making our way to the Maine island of North Haven for a short vacation. Vicky went to use the bathroom and on her way back she looked down from the upper deck, where she spotted this man completely covered, from head to toe, in clothing bearing an array of logos. Then she realized it was her husband.

Recounting her startling discovery at the time, she said to me something like, "normally, I wouldn't be attracted to a man dressed like you." Ouch!

Looking back, having items with logos just seemed so natural to me. Heck, can you even purchase anything these days that doesn't exhibit a logo?

But, it was like I was on a runaway train. My "designer clothes" proudly displayed my fondness and loyalty for professional and college sports teams. In every discipline, be it basketball, ice hockey, football, baseball, on and on it went.

And if I visited a place or an attraction — states, cities, countries, national parks, Disney World, etc. — in most cases, I would end up buying something with a logo splashed across the chest of a T-shirt or sweatshirt, on a hat or jacket. I just had to have it. As a sort of memento of the trip.

But it gets worse.

A cousin of mine back in Michigan, whose name is Scott, came up with this wild idea of starting a three-on-three basketball tournament — and he went national with his plan. It is played in various cities throughout the country and takes place in the streets of the host community. It was the first of its kind in the U.S., was written up in Sports Illustrated many years ago, and is still going strong after nearly 50 years.

From days long ago ...

It goes by the name of Gus Macker, which is my cousin's nickname. Anyway, a byproduct of all this hoop madness is a clothing line that carries the Gus Macker name and logo on anything — and everything — you can think of. No part of one's body is ignored with these special threads.

So, you guessed it. I had it all. And because he was my close relative — and he liked me — I got everything for free. And my two children received stuff, too. My wife was ready to disown all of us, wishing not to be seen with a trio of Macker backers. I will readily admit most of the clothing was very colorful and loud.

And I wasn't the only person with this "sickness" in my family. Ed, my late brother-in-law, was really into collecting baseball-style caps and their accompanying logos. He would always purchase two of the same thing; keeping one for good, while wearing the other one — and not caring if it got messed up.

But, at some point in my life, I decided I didn't want this particular look any longer. Enough was enough! Honestly, I don't know why. I just think it was a subconscious happening. Or maybe I finally grew up. I know my wife is happy, and now doesn't mind being seen with me in public.

Truth be told, the logos aren't completely gone. They are just more discreet and stylish, as my brand of choice these days — when it comes to clothing — is Patagonia. However, I'm pretty sure we've seen the last of the "Logo Man."