Awesome.

Fans of the classic TV series “Home Improvement” probably remember “Tool Time’s” salutes to all things manly.  Well we here at AtlanticCoastConvos decided to do something similar.  Anyone who’s a fan of sports in general, let alone College Football, owns something emblazoned with their team’s logo.  I can’t even begin to count all the Red Sox hats I have lying around my house.  But college athletics has something that no other major sport has.  I’m talking, of course, about the classic Snapback from “The Game.”

Go to any college campus when the weather’s nice, or any college tailgate anywhere in this great country, and you’ll find these.  Whether it be the simplistic yet classic “Bar Hat,” or the more elaborate, yet still classic “Circle Hat,” these small yet significant pieces of college sports fandom have withstood the test of time since they burst on the scene in the late 1980s-early 1990s.Sure, perhaps you’re more of a Twins Enterprises “Franchise” type person.  Or perhaps you’re more partial to the New Era cap.  That’s all well and good.  Myself and John both own several of each.  These were big for a while.  But they just don’t capture the collegiate atmosphere like The Game Snapbacks.  And since around 2008, Snapbacks are officially back.  Show up to the tailgate rocking a Bar/Circle hat and people immediately know that they are in the presence of a true fan and an excellent ambassador of their school.  Wear these shorts as well and you might as well launch your campaign for the US Senate right there (if you hail from the South).

Being the son of an alum, I purchased my Boston College Circle Hat in the mid-1990s.  UMass basketball was big at the time, so the Bar Hat was added.  As a Syracuse Alum, I’ve added both a Bar Hat and a Circle Hat to my collection.  Check them out at The College Shack, or on eBay, where you might find one of the original 1990s models.

Who else is a fan?  What schools does your collection include? Sound off in the comments.

EDIT: The College Shack is now selling Retro-Style Bar and Circle hats on their website.