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Patrice Bergeron Presents Yet Another Reason Why He Should Be President

By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- The number of athletes who have achieved saintly status in Boston is quite low, but there's no doubt whatsoever that Patrice Bergeron made that list long ago.

The reasons for that are innumerable, and we need not examine each one. We must, however, note for the record that Bergeron this week has given his latest offering in this regard.

98.5 The Sports Hub's Ty Anderson reported that the Bruins will unveil alternate third jerseys this upcoming November. Those alternate jerseys will not be the famed Pooh Bear jerseys of the '90s and 2000s, which -- despite the nostalgic fever on the internet that's given the jerseys a second life -- is most definitely a good thing for all involved.

Jason Allison in 1998
Jason Allison in 1998 (Photo by Craig Melvin/Allsport/Getty Images)

Gross. I can't believe they got Jason Allison to wear those things.

Anyways.

Anderson, being the enterprising reporter that he is, went over and asked Bergeron for some thoughts on this news, considering Bergeron is the only current Bruins player to have actually worn that mustard-yellow mess on his body in a real, live NHL game. While Bergeron shed no tears for the Pooh Bear jerseys continuing to only exist on eBay, he did express a desire to bring back a different old Bruins jersey. And on this one, there should be no debate.

"You know what I like? Cam [Neely] and Ray [Bourque]'s era," Bergeron told Anderson. "Every time I see that jersey, I think it looks amazing. That's the one I've never had a chance to wear. With the Winter Classics and everything, we've done a lot of eras and I don't think we've ever worn that one, so I think it'd be great."

If Bergeron were to ever run for president of the United States -- or at least mayor of Boston -- that credo could serve as his campaign slogan.

Without a doubt, bringing back the simplicity of those jerseys worn by the Bruins from the '70s through the mid-'90s would be a fantastic way of honoring the past while also presenting a different look.

I mean, just look at this thing.

Ken Hodge
Ken Hodge in the 1990-91 season (Photo by Ken Levine/Getty Images)

You can smell the old Garden just by glancing at that photo.

Considering Neely and Don Sweeney are fairly important decision-makers in the organization, you'd have to imagine they'd be on board.

Bruins V Sabres
Don Sweeney carreis the puck in the Buffalo zone, with Ray Bourque trailing behind, in 1995. (Photo by Getty Images)

No shoulder stripes. That horrible looking bear. Simplicity. Just gorgeous. (Imagine them playing against the Sabres, with their slick new throwbacks. Now that's a party, folks.)

Bergeron did get something of a taste for these jerseys way back in the 2006-07 season, when the Bruins sported that simplified spoked-B logo on some alternates. (The yellow shoulder stripe kept those jerseys more in line with the standard jerseys at the time, though.)

Patrice Bergeron
Patrice Bergeron and Brad Boyes celebrate a goal in November 2006. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Outside of that one and the Pooh Bear, Bergeron's worn roughly 1 million different Bruins jerseys.

Patrice Bergeron in 2009
Patrice Bergeron in 2009 (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Patrice Bergeron
Patrice Bergeron in 2006 (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Patrice Bergeron at the 2010 Winter Classic
Patrice Bergeron at the 2010 Winter Classic (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Patrice Bergeron at the 2019 Winter Classic
Patrice Bergeron at the 2019 Winter Classic (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Patrice Bergeron at the 2016 Winter Classic
Patrice Bergeron at the 2016 Winter Classic (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Mark-Recchi
Mark Recchi hands the Stanley Cup to Patrice Bergeron after the Bruins defeated the Canucks in Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

With Bergeron having worn just about every possible iteration of Bruins jersey during his 15-year career, his opinion on the matter is fairly well-researched. While that opinion may not carry all that much weight with the folks who make the jerseys at Adidas, Bergeron is nevertheless correct. As he tends to be. Such is the way of Saint Patrice.

You can email Michael Hurley or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.

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