THOSE MARYLAND UNIFORMS

[Guest]

hate them for doing something new thats actually fairly well designed? thats dangerous to creativity.

See, that is where we disagree. I don't believe that it is well-designed. I'll concede that it is creative, as that's undeniable, but I don't think it's well-designed.

[The_Admiral]

What if they were divided on the y-axis instead of the x-axis? Or vice versa? I've never taken a cartesian approach to football helmets.

[BrandMooreArt]

the school colors rule that comes up often with Oregon isnt much of an argument. if you see volt and carbon does any other team come to mind?

We have been over this before. A team can't have an identity built around having no identity. As long as other schools are willing to wear random, garish crap, Oregon won't be alone. As for the colors, yes, they have worn carbon and volt for the past two years, and it's no coincidence that volt has been featured prominently in Nike's product line. So carbon and volt aren't part of their identity, they are random interchangeable colors which Nike is using for the time being to push their products. Volt and carbon won't be seen two years from now.

As for Maryland, the uniforms were terrible. The helmets are... interesting. I really like the idea. In theory, they could work well with toned-down uniforms. However, these just don't work in reality. You just can't have a helmet where the two sides are entirely different (nobody mention the Steelers). The fact that two teammates facing each other look like they are on different teams is just too much. They work in theory, not in practice.

they have no identity? why does brand consistency have to mean consistently the same? why not consistently different or consistently exciting? they're the ones setting the trends.

hate them for doing something new thats actually fairly well designed? thats dangerous to creativity.

See, that is where we disagree. I don't believe that it is well-designed. I'll concede that it is creative, as that's undeniable, but I don't think it's well-designed.

fair enough i suppose

[-kj]

Are school colors really "old traditions", though? I mean, should Michigan trot out in green to be different? Maybe USC should augment their look with some baby blue? How would Florida State look in blue?

Uniforms are identifiers. If the colors of those didn't really matter, teams would never choose team colors, and every game would be black-and-white.

College football uniforms have really gone off the deep end these days. (Well, ok, college football in general went off the deep end years ago, but I digress.) For an average twelve-game season, a team needs multiple "combinations"? Sure, you could argue that they'd use them over multiple seasons... but I think we know that's not true, either.

These are... well, they're certainly creative. But I'm not going to say they're a good uniform. Maryland's flag is one of the best around, but it doesn't really translate well here at all--especially not as two halves of a helmet.

[jstraper]

Maryland just unveiled new uniforms last week. And they played in a newer uniform.

I...don't understand.

[TimEOBrien]

Many people are talking about how they shoulda switch the shoulder patterns to better mimic the flag so I mocked that up:

Either way I think they're pretty hideous, but at least players wont look like they're from two different teams.

[1990hornet]

MY EYES!!!! O_O

[Krona]

I'm an unapologetic, grey facemask defending traditionalist and I'm okay with the idea of these uniforms. For some reason, I can see this as an evolved traditional set. The helmet, with a grey mask and a traditional uniform with contrasting sleeves (think jets) could be lifted from the 60s. It's a gaudy uniform sure, but it's a gaudy flag too. I just happen to have always loved said flag.

[jgiff17]

I think it should have matched their endzones...red white portion take up the whole helmet symmetrically then black and yellow pattern on both shoulder pads. By the way I hate the UA jersey cut looks very odd ESP with these unis and Hawaii.

[jstraper]

That's a GREAT screen cap, TimEOBrien.

[TimEOBrien]

That's a GREAT screen cap, TimEOBrien.

Not mine but I agree.

[fuzzy510]

From what I understand, these are almost certainly intended to be used tonight, and tonight only.

This is essentially our equivalent of a Nike Pro Combat design, but there was no advance notice that it was coming. The bomb was dropped on national television, in prime time, with no other games on during the day. You can't put a price on the amount of attention that this brought our football program.

Oh, and there continue to be rumors of a fourth, red helmet that will make an appearance for the Notre Dame game. If that doesn't materialize, I'd imagine then, and only then, would you see the Maryland Pride jersey reappear.

[Guest]

I know there's that whole thing about bad publicity still being publicity, but are the multitudes of people going OH MY GOD MY EYES THE GOGGLES DO NOTHING WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY WEARING really such a good thing?

[Island_Style]

TATC is here!

[jstraper]

From what I understand, these are almost certainly intended to be used tonight, and tonight only.

This is essentially our equivalent of a Nike Pro Combat design, but there was no advance notice that it was coming. The bomb was dropped on national television, in prime time, with no other games on during the day. You can't put a price on the amount of attention that this brought our football program.

Oh, and there continue to be rumors of a fourth, red helmet that will make an appearance for the Notre Dame game. If that doesn't materialize, I'd imagine then, and only then, would you see the Maryland Pride jersey reappear.

Does it not seem odd or awkward that they would usurp a just-revealed uniform set with a brand newer uniform? What were the fans supposed to compare it to?

Compared to the "regular" new (but now less-new) white set, this was too-similar. When I turned on the TV, already knowing they unveiled new sets last week, my initial reaction was 1) YUCK and 2) last-minute scrapping of the recently-revealed set.

[fuzzy510]

I know there's that whole thing about bad publicity still being publicity, but are the multitudes of people going OH MY GOD MY EYES THE GOGGLES DO NOTHING WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY WEARING really such a good thing?

I'd much prefer people to have an opinion about the university and football team I love than to consider them irrelevant.

[Cujo]

I'm pretty interested in hearing from an actual Maryland fan -- if we have any on here.

[ctk]

they have no identity? why does brand consistency have to mean consistently the same? why not consistently different or consistently exciting? they're the ones setting the trends.

they do have brand consistancy. it's called WINNING. i personally am not a fan of oregon's uni set because school colors don't feature in their designs (other than the kelly sleeved/yellow jersey and pants and the all white set) but i don't bug out over it. kinda like how the wizards alts didn't fit in at all to their regular set. i would like the colors to match the school but no big deal. if oregon wants to have a different design every year, fine by me. i can't really argue that point since my basketball team has changed at least one element of the uniform every year for the last 10 years.

i like the maryland set, but i also agree with others the sleeves should be flipped to match the flag. and screw uniform tradition. its all about attracting eyes these days. it's why boring uniforms are called classics. as long as both teams don't look alike, go wild.

[Guest]

it's called WINNING.

A team has to be able to win on the big stage to claim that.

Boise 2008 - Choke

Boise 2009 - Choke

Ohio State 2010 - Choke

Auburn 2011 - Choke

LSU 2011 - Choke

I would make a comment about clownsuits, but in both of the Boise games and the Rose Bowl their uniforms were just fine, with the exception of wearing black pants in the first Boise game.

Besides, there's no correlation between crazyass uniforms and winning anyway. Alabama, Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan... I can keep going.

[fuzzy510]

I'm pretty interested in hearing from an actual Maryland fan -- if we have any on here.

Uh, hey?