New Kentucky Uniforms

[bigwalk]

For a team with so much tradition, Kentucky sure has gone through a lot of uniform styles over the years.

Actually, their current set is only their 2nd design since the beginning of the 1997-98 season. At the time Tubby Smith took over in '97, they became a Nike school. They wore their first Nike set for 8 seasons. They've been in their current Nike set for the last 3 seasons. Aside from the current set's goofy shoulder stripes, they've had a pretty clean - almost traditional - look the last 11 years.

The Pitino years...well, they're a different story (i.e., denim in '95-'96, scalloped shorts in '94-'95, zubaz prints in '93-'94). They pretty much wore a different set, sometimes 2 sets, in each of his 8 seasons.

The mock-up at the top of this thread is based off a blurry cell phone pic taken by someone who supposedly works at a sporting goods store. He claims to have seen this in a Nike catalogue. Here's a link to that pic:

New Kentucky Uniforms?

I'm fairly certain that Kentucky has had at LEAST three Nike uniforms, as they changed the trim after the 98 championship season.

[rams80]

Someone got a little defensive (and completely missed that the "envy" was both sarcastic and referring to exclusively the UT checkerboard design.

These things tend to happen when your team drops games to the likes of Gardner-Webb.

[SeahawkDevil]

Anyone else reminded of the Umbro soccer shorts from the mid-90s?

[John in KY]

For a team with so much tradition, Kentucky sure has gone through a lot of uniform styles over the years.

Actually, their current set is only their 2nd design since the beginning of the 1997-98 season. At the time Tubby Smith took over in '97, they became a Nike school. They wore their first Nike set for 8 seasons. They've been in their current Nike set for the last 3 seasons. Aside from the current set's goofy shoulder stripes, they've had a pretty clean - almost traditional - look the last 11 years.

The Pitino years...well, they're a different story (i.e., denim in '95-'96, scalloped shorts in '94-'95, zubaz prints in '93-'94). They pretty much wore a different set, sometimes 2 sets, in each of his 8 seasons.

The mock-up at the top of this thread is based off a blurry cell phone pic taken by someone who supposedly works at a sporting goods store. He claims to have seen this in a Nike catalogue. Here's a link to that pic:

New Kentucky Uniforms?

I'm fairly certain that Kentucky has had at LEAST three Nike uniforms, as they changed the trim after the 98 championship season.

That is correct - it was a subtle change after 97-98, but still a change. You could say that Kentucky was the first "System of Dress" team back in 97-98 - the jerseys were a tight knit material, but they were styled like what UK wore back in the Rupp years with very narrow shoulders and a small neck opening. The shorts were cut looser than the jersey and made of a "dazzle" material, and if I'm remembering correctly the "UK" logo on the shorts was silver-grey with contrasting trim (blue on the white shorts, white on the blue shorts).

While the basic style with the verticle stripes was kept from 98-99 through 2004-2005, the jerseys changed to a modern looser cut with a v-shape collar, the shorts changed to the same material as the jersey, and the "UK" on the shorts became the same color as the letters/numbers (blue with silver trim on the white uniforms and white with silver trim on the blue). And we won't talk about the one-shot grey uniforms worn in a loss to Michigan State a few years ago.

Edit: It took me a while to find a photo on a site I can get to here (95% of them are blocked), but here is an SI cover from April 1998 showing the different jersey look. Also, I think they switched sides for the "UK" logo on the shorts from the right leg to the left for the later years:

[Artmanc3po]

The Kentucky Sports Radio blog showed the same mockup yesterday, and said that they have been told it's going to debut on Senior Day, Sunday vs. Florida. Sorry, I don't have the link to the website on this computer--it's proxied out.

[Derby]

The Kentucky Sports Radio blog showed the same mockup yesterday, and said that they have been told it's going to debut on Senior Day, Sunday vs. Florida. Sorry, I don't have the link to the website on this computer--it's proxied out.

http://blog.kentuckysportsradio.com/

[leopard88]

Anyone else reminded of the Umbro soccer shorts from the mid-90s?

You mean like the 2-3 pairs still in my dresser (which are now not worn past my backyard)? That was one of my first thoughts.

[ferrousoxide66]

These are supposed to debut next season.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3253/230619...44fa5bdb0_o.gif

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2137/230539...c764133.jpg?v=0

Well, those sure are amazingly hideous. Its based off of the design worn by Secretariat's jockey. I say, didn't Nike realize the irony in designing a basketball template to mirror a jockey's uniform?

This is ridiculous. I know Kentucky was a hotbed of bad ideas fashion-wise during the Pitino days, but couldn't Nike treat one of its flagship college programs with at least a modicum of respect for its long heritage?

This isn't Oregon football, a nothing joke devoted to trotting out the latest in insipid designwork by NikeCo. This is Kentucky freakin' basketball, for crying out loud.

[koizim]

These are supposed to debut next season.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3253/230619...44fa5bdb0_o.gif

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2137/230539...c764133.jpg?v=0

Well, those sure are amazingly hideous. Its based off of the design worn by Secretariat's jockey. I say, didn't Nike realize the irony in designing a basketball template to mirror a jockey's uniform?

This is ridiculous. I know Kentucky was a hotbed of bad ideas fashion-wise during the Pitino days, but couldn't Nike treat one of its flagship college programs with at least a modicum of respect for its long heritage?

This isn't Oregon football, a nothing joke devoted to trotting out the latest in insipid designwork by NikeCo. This is Kentucky freakin' basketball, for crying out loud.

The last time I checked, Kentucky was 17-11 this season, far from flagship status. No, Nike's current flagship basketball programs are UNC and Duke (two teams with fantastic uniforms).

[KCScout76]

Those are freakin' HIDEOUS.

Ditto! From Tradition to Trash. Come on UK, think!!!

[McCall]

I can pull up the jersey link, but when I click the link for the shorts, nothing shows up, just keeps saying "downloading" and does nothing. I've been trying since this thread was created. Anybody gotta picture they can post in here?

[ferrousoxide66]

These are supposed to debut next season.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3253/230619...44fa5bdb0_o.gif

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2137/230539...c764133.jpg?v=0

Well, those sure are amazingly hideous. Its based off of the design worn by Secretariat's jockey. I say, didn't Nike realize the irony in designing a basketball template to mirror a jockey's uniform?

This is ridiculous. I know Kentucky was a hotbed of bad ideas fashion-wise during the Pitino days, but couldn't Nike treat one of its flagship college programs with at least a modicum of respect for its long heritage?

This isn't Oregon football, a nothing joke devoted to trotting out the latest in insipid designwork by NikeCo. This is Kentucky freakin' basketball, for crying out loud.

The last time I checked, Kentucky was 17-11 this season, far from flagship status. No, Nike's current flagship basketball programs are UNC and Duke (two teams with fantastic uniforms).

Yeah, and when Doherty was at the helm at Carolina, did it drop their flagship status? No.

Kentucky's in the top-2 in terms of program wins ALL TIME. That's flagship. One down season and you're ready to pull the plug on 'em. Think a bit.

And since when has Duke had fantastic uniforms? They've been clad in black for far too long for me to acknowledge them.

[Artmanc3po]

UK leads NCAA basketball all-time in victories, winning percentage and tourney appearances. 2nd all time in championships to UCLA. Flagship. Period.

[omnibus]

With the looks of things I am not sure "flagship" status at nike is something anyone would want, or adidas or ua or anyone these days. All NEW uniforms are crap/ugly/tacky, including UK's football and basketball unifroms.

That being said.....the checkered uniforms will NOT be worn this year according to the insiders. Maybe next year or UK rejected the design like they did when nike came to them with black uni's for both baskeball and football...but they accepted them for baseball weird.

And for the record, the University of Kentucky has the greatest tradition in the history of basketball. End of discussion.

[andrewharrington]

And for the record, the University of Kentucky has the greatest tradition in the history of basketball. End of discussion.

While you may or may not be correct, I hardly think that could be considered the "end of discussion" for a few reasons: Kentucky has seven titles total; UCLA won seven in a row and ten in twelve years (eleven total). That's unheard of. UCLA has at least as much tradition in the history of basketball, if not more, than Kentucky.

[Artmanc3po]

UCLA certainly leads in championships with a record that won't be broken any time in the near future, but for sustained excellence, UK does in fact have the greatest tradition in the history of college basketball. Exclamation point.

[cappital92]

I'd say Kansas has the greatest tradition in the history of college basketball. The only coach who didn't have a winning record there was THE INVENTOR OF THE FREAKIN' GAME.

[Swampee]

And for the record, the University of Kentucky has the greatest tradition in the history of basketball. End of discussion.

While you may or may not be correct, I hardly think that could be considered the "end of discussion" for a few reasons: Kentucky has seven titles total; UCLA won seven in a row and ten in twelve years (eleven total). That's unheard of. UCLA has at least as much tradition in the history of basketball, if not more, than Kentucky.

I think that you are partially correct.

Sure, UCLA has a long and proud basketball program while winning several championships.

One would have to argue that North Carolina, Kansas, and Indiana have just as much tradition as UCLA.

Also, Kentucky and Syracuse usually lead the NCAA in attendance every years since the NCAA has been keeping those records.

BTW, Kentucky has some 330 more victories than UCLA and about 100 fewer losses than UCLA does.

UCLA has a good program, but not consistently year after year, decade after decade like Kentucky has.

[Swampee]

I'd say Kansas has the greatest tradition in the history of college basketball. The only coach who didn't have a winning record there was THE INVENTOR OF THE FREAKIN' GAME.

Adolph Rupp was a Kansas alumnus who won 4 NCAA men's basketball championships.

Kansas has won 2 championships to Kentucky's 7.

Kentucky has 40+ more wins and 175 less losses than Kansas does.

[rams80]

I'd say Kansas has the greatest tradition in the history of college basketball. The only coach who didn't have a winning record there was THE INVENTOR OF THE FREAKIN' GAME.

Adolph Rupp was a Kansas alumnus who won 4 NCAA men's basketball championships.

Kansas has won 2 championships to Kentucky's 7.

Kentucky has 40+ more wins and 175 less losses than Kansas does.

Yet Kentucky, for all of its "tradition", has not been particularly relevant of late. This year is the tenth anniversary of their last trip to the Final Four. Perhaps the Kentucky fans doth protest too much.