Championship Teams in the "WRONG UNIFORM"

[kimball]

The thread is simple -- what championship teams wore the WRONG jersey, sweater, uniform, etc. I don't want to limit this to just championship winning teams, so maybe the finalists of that league's championship round (ie-Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Final, etc.).

 

Here are a few examples to get the ball rolling ...

 

Washington Capitals, 1998 Stanley Cup Finalist

 

Cleveland Cavaliers, 2016 NBA Champions

 

Edmonton Oilers, 2006 Stanley Cup Finalist

 

[rorinator]

Both teams, to be honest. No nickname or city name on either jersey - just very generic descriptors (I know the history of Oakland being called 'The Town' but still...)

[pepis21]

NBA Finals 2019 both Warriors and Raptors:

 

Penguins Stanley Cup 2008, 2009 and 2016 (same white sweater):

[rorinator]

I don't know if this could be argued? Their back to back championships didn't come with wordmarks on the aways, but it's probably too similar to be considered 'wrong':

 

The Blazers only title came without the sash:

 

 

I don't associate the saloon Suns uniforms with playing for titles, but maybe that's just me: 

 

Maybe these last two are modern bias though 

[ManillaToad]

The 2007 Ducks in these abominations

 

[TalktoChuck]

 

Which Canucks look would be the right one?

[Crabcake]

45 minutes ago, TalktoChuck said:

 

Which Canucks look would be the right one?

Definitely not the Flying V. I think the Skate-era and Orca-era Canucks have equal footing when it comes to being the team’s “right” look so it’s a tossup for me. 

[ManillaToad]

Houston Oilers in the 1967 AFL Championship Game. They wore silver helmets and pants from 1966-71

 

 

[OnWis97]

That Blazers example is the best example thus far...the slanted stripes have been around since just a few years after that.

 

One I thought of was the back-to-back Houston Rockets. It's really not the wrong uniform, but the fact that they ditched it right after title #2 kind of makes it a bit like that.

 

Other examples:

• Since some of the above are finalists, maybe the Shaun Alexander era Seahawks? I think those are kinda like the Germanic Brewers uniforms; not well-remembered between the currents and a more beloved earlier uniform. It's a largely forgotten uniform, but they did have some success.
• Speaking of finalists...the 1996 Sonics in the green/orange Space Needle uniforms...they're always green and yellow to most.
• To me, at least, the 2001 Sixers finalists in black...though I bet some of you don't agree.

I know alternates might not quite be the same (though the Cavs and Raptors are shown above with alts)...Now that we're seeing teams wearing so many uniforms, this will likely become common. Maybe MLB will cool it on the City Series, etc. in the postseason but in the NBA it doesn't seem to matter.  Speaking of MLB, though, it did seem a bit wrong to see the Cubs win their first title in 108 years in blue jerseys. Yeah, they were on the road and their road jerseys are not nearly as iconic/recognizable/important as their homes, but it still felt a little wrong that they were not in the more traditional grays.

[Korkie]

@OnWis97 generally speaking, I agree with you. Like I was happy that the Warriors won in their blue jerseys, not the black alts. However, the Cubs didn’t bother me since I grew up in the ‘80s with them wearing the blue tops on the road. Plus, like you said, their grays are probably the best they’ve had, but aren’t iconic. If they would have won in Wrigley in the blue that would have bothered me more. 

[MilSox]

Hate to put this up here, but it belongs. Maybe not as egregious as some of the others already here, but they had their regular home and away as well as those gorgeous earned editions with the antlers. They didn't need to do this.

 

[Chawls]

I’m surprised there’s no mention of the 49ers uniforms in Super Bowl XXIX against the Chargers. 
 

 

…or the Oregon Ducks in the 2011 BCS National Championship. 
 

[dont care]

7 hours ago, Chawls said:

I’m surprised there’s no mention of the 49ers uniforms in Super Bowl XXIX against the Chargers. 
 

 

…or the Oregon Ducks in the 2011 BCS National Championship. 
 

Based on Oregon’s brand of being the school that wears the latest and greatest from Nike and having 63829192742 combos I think this is the right uniform for them. 

[ManillaToad]

The Cowboys in Super Bowl V had to wear their blue jerseys due to the rules at the time. This is the only one of their eight SB appearances where they wear blue

 

[MilSox]

12 hours ago, Chawls said:

I’m surprised there’s no mention of the 49ers uniforms in Super Bowl XXIX against the Chargers. 
 

 

I think this is the right uniform for THAT Niners team.  No Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, Roger Craig, or Charles Haley. This was a completely different squad than the ones that won all the Super Bowls in the 80s. Which is kind of amazing considering they were only 5 years removed from the last one.

[Bruhammydude]

On 6/22/2022 at 12:32 AM, Chawls said:

 

…or the Oregon Ducks in the 2011 BCS National Championship. 
 

Another Oregon championship game nightmare...

[spartacat_12]

Both teams in this matchup. I always forget that Dallas was still wearing this road uniform the year they won. At least they clinched the Cup in their green alts:

 

This one is the opposite of Dallas's situation. The white uniform was great, but these should have never been anything more than third jerseys:

 

 

 

 

[LMU]

The 1975 red-hatted Red Sox.

 

[prof]

They won the title in white uniforms.

 

 

 

 

 

[Discogod]

On 6/16/2022 at 9:52 PM, OnWis97 said:

That Blazers example is the best example thus far...the slanted stripes have been around since just a few years after that.

 

The very next season, in fact. The Blazers have played 52 seasons and have worn the sash, or a variation thereof, for 45 of them.

 

I'd argue there isn't a more iconic uniform element in the NBA than Portland's sash.