Winning Ugly With the Oilers

It's always easier to like a team that wears its sense of humor well.

In Edmonton, the new tradition is the nightly battle for the Ugly Coat. TSN.ca reports that the coat - which belongs in a 1970s B-movie costume bank - is awarded to the best player in an Oilers victory. But the story originated with a blog called Tundra Talk. The coat's origin remains a secret.

Nasty couture has been a tradition on other teams as well. In 2004, the Calgary Flames passed around a green hard hat during their run to the Stanley Cup Final. A red sports jacket worn by Dallas forward Mike Keane was undefeated in 13 playoff games before the Stars lost the 2000 Stanley Cup Final to New Jersey.

The Atlanta Thrashers are another team that apparently believes in winning ugly. Why else would they dress the players in this thing for every home game?