#14/341 - Stanford Cardinal

The Stanford Cardinal. I'll never understand why the Cardinal is singular or why their mascot is a tree or whether they're somehow related. Nice looking jersey and I have nothing against the team or school, but when I think of them the first thing that comes to mind is when Maryland beat them in the Elite 8.

It was the first time in my life one of MY teams, from any sport, made me feel like a winner. Up until that moment I had a lifelong history of sports that was akin to Job. I won't go into too much detail, but it involved the '86 Red Sox, the 1990-93 Buffalo Bills, and the city of Philadelphia. So for that elation, that burden being lifted, thank you Stanford. It meant the world to me.

#13/341 - Bucknell Bison

In the context of Jersey-Quest, this is everything that defines the word, "score." Obscure college? Former Cinderella? Gorgeous jersey? Reasonable price? They're all there. The Bucknell Bison hail from Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and play out of the Patriot League. You may remember them from their 2005 upset of a three-seeded Kansas team. They consistently put quality teams on the floor and are usually sniffing the NCAA tournament. This is easily one of my favorites.

#12/341 - Pittsburgh Panthers

This jersey was a steal at $5 on eBay. It also serves as a painful reminder of what has been lost with conference realignment. Frankly I like the 'Big East' logo above the school name. It reminds me of the times watching the Big East tournament. Those battles between Pitt, Syracuse, West Virginia, Connecticut, and Georgetown were my indoctrination into the sport.

Oh and the new number is 341 because I decided there's no reason the New Jersey Institute of Technology shouldn't have a home with the rest of Division 1.

#11/340 - Tennessee State Tigers

This is one of those jerseys that is just deliciously out of date but I love it anyway. The Tennessee State Tigers out of the Ohio Valley Conference don't even have red in their color scheme anymore. But I love the pattern on the trim, the American flag. I probably prefer this style to the one they're currently wearing. I think I paid just a few dollars for this on ebay.

#10/340 - Oklahoma Sooners

After the FGCU/Georgetown game on that fateful night, we cheered and celebrated the history just witnessed. Then slowly, we collected ourselves settled in for the nightcap. The 10-seed Oklahoma Sooners were set to battle the 7-seed San Diego Aztecs. But after the blitzkrieg that was the formation of Dunk City, there was simply no energy left in the building. For two hours we watched San Diego State take down Oklahoma in a damn near silent arena. It was the most vanilla thing I'd ever seen outside the dairy aisle.

That perfectly exemplifies this jersey. I mean look at it! It practically blends into the cheap red Ikea rug I placed it on. I really like this jersey for how officially understated it looks. That's Oklahoma basketball in a nut shell. As of this writing they're coming off a 5-seed in the NCAA tournament and a 1st round loss to 12-seed North Dakota State. Another year, another tournament appearance they just barely showed up for. Just like this jersey barely showing up on the rug.

#9/340 - Montana State Bobcats

This was another of a great university that was very accommodating. Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana was nice enough to sell me a basketball jersey for just $20. They go on my short list of schools I cheer for due to their generosity. This jersey is what the quest is all about. A state I've never been to, an obscure team from an obscure conference. I love it.

#8/340 - Air Force Falcons

There is no other word in the English language to describe this jersey other than fabulous. A beautiful juxtaposition of military might and drag queen prowess, I picked this jersey up cheaply on ebay. It works for an afternoon on the court or an evening of cocktails under the Holland Tunnel. The Air Force Falcons play out of Colorado Springs, CO and are my first foray into the Mountain West Conference.