Q&A with Paul Lukas
Goat Jerseys sits down with Paul Lukas, founder of Uni Watch. If your a fan of sports uniforms and the history behind them, than you know him. If not, let’s do that now…
1. Where did you grow up?
I grew up on Long Island, in a small town called Blue Point, which is the namesake of the bluepoint oyster. If you ever see that on a menu, that’s where I’m from.
2. Were you a big sports fan growing up? If so, what was the first athlete and team you fell in love with?
Yes, I was a fan of all of the four major sports while growing up, and played all of them as well. I’ve always been a Mets fan (because we were a Mets family) and a 49ers fan (because I pulled a 49ers trading card out of a box of corn flakes when I was seven years old). Those loyalties are still very strong.
3. What was life as a teenager, what did Paul Lukas dream of becoming?
I was a pretty aimless teen and didn’t have strong dreams or ambitions. That all came later on, in my 20s, when I discovered that writing was what I was “supposed to be doing,” for lack of a better term. I’ve been fortunate enough to make a career out of that.
4. You’ve built an amazing brand with Uni Watch. You have such loyal followers that see you as the “go to guy” with anything uniform related. How did Uni Watch come about?
First, I should say that Uni Watch is not a brand — it’s a personal creative project. That’s how I tend to think of my work. I’ve had lots of creative projects over the years, and Uni Watch just happens to have been the most durable. For what it’s worth, I think the current emphasis on personal branding in our world is a symptom of a serious societal problem, which is something I’ve written about a fair amount (here’s one example). Looking at the world through the lens of corporate culture, corporate language, and corporate marketing approaches is not a healthy place for us to be in, and it’s something I push back against as much as possible.
With all of that said: I spent much of the 1990s writing about the intersection of consumer and design — package design, industrial design, etc. At some point I realized I could apply that same filter to sports, and I realized I’d also internalized a lot of knowledge and opinions about uniforms. So I created the Uni Watch column in 1999 (it originally ran in the sports section of The Village Voice, an alt-weekly newspaper in New York City), and then the Uni Watch Blog eventually launched in 2006 and is still going strong.
5. You worked with ESPN for many years. With the recent split, where does Uni Watch go from here. What’s in store?
I don’t have an answer to that question yet. I’m still under contract to ESPN through March 14, and it’s not yet clear what will happen after that. I’ve been in discussions with several media outlets, but I don’t yet know how that will shake out. Stay tuned!
I want to add that ESPN has always been very good to me. I’ve had a wonderful run there — nearly 15 years. A great experience the whole way.
6. All-time favorite uniform in sports?
St. Louis Cardinals mid- to late 1960s. The flannels were just the right weight, the pants and stirrups were at just the right height, etc. Perfection!
7. One person in the world living or deceased that you could have 15 minutes to sit down with and pick their brain, who would it be?
History’s greatest American, Martin Luther King.
8. Favorite food, favorite city, and all-time favorite sports movie?
Food: Slow-smoked spareribs (with dry rub, not sauce).
City: New York. State (you didn’t ask, but I’ll tell you anyway): Wisconsin.
Sports movie: Honestly, I usually don’t much care for sports movies because the actors never look convincing as athletes. But if I had to pick one, I’d probably go with Eight Men Out.
9. What’s the best piece of advice you can give someone who’s coming up in the game?
Focus on being smart, passionate, original, and tireless. Follow your nose. If you’re doing something worthwhile, people will notice.
Thanks Paul! Great insight, we look forward to watching the next chapter of Uni Watch unfold. One thing we know it will always be the place to be for a jersey lover like myself!
Uni-Watch.com
Twitter: @UniWatch