04/24/24
September 06, 2011
New Maryland Uniforms Shock and Awe: The Maryland Terrapins debuted new uniforms during their victory over the Miami Hurricanes Monday night that have to be seen to be believed -- one of multiple looks they'll be sporting this year. "This is our pride uniform -- Maryland pride," said new coach Randy Edsall. "We want to incorporate the state colors and let everyone know we are playing for everyone in the state." Paul Lukas, the Mr. Blackwell of sports attire, had this take: "Just because some idiot in a trenchcoat flashes you, that doesn't mean you have to react. Just keep walking."
With those uniforms, they should be snuggling up to Mr. J and plotting how to take down Batman.
posted by stevis at 09:01 AM on September 06, 2011
I think it may come down to whether one likes Maryland's flag or not. I was raised in Maryland and went to UofM College Park and I like the flag. I threw my back out yesterday doing flood recovery so I didn't watch the game. I have only seen photos of the unis, and so far I like them. The shoes? Not so much.
posted by scully at 09:49 AM on September 06, 2011
"With those uniforms, they should be snuggling up to Mr. J and plotting how to take down Batman".
And I heard this sentence in an annoying, high-pitched Jersey Girl voice. Well done, sir.
I may have to use the "guy in a trench coat" quote more often in my life now.
On edit (again): I want to go on the record as saying I like these uniforms.
posted by Bonkers at 10:11 AM on September 06, 2011
I am not from Maryland, but I agree with terrapin's take. The shoes are a bit over-the-top, but I like the rest of the uniform.
posted by bender at 10:38 AM on September 06, 2011
The uniforms are so bad they'll be remembered for decades, like the Houston Astros' 70s stripes. If they make them the regular uniform it will kill recruiting. Their athletes will be catching hell for years over that monstrosity.
posted by rcade at 10:39 AM on September 06, 2011
I think the Maryland flag looks just fine, even rather dashing. I also think that it, like many (if not most) other flags, looks terrible when you try to make it into an item of apparel. It's a horrible uniform.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:43 AM on September 06, 2011
The guys who founded Under Armour both played football for Univ. of Md. During the game they said Md may have different uniforms for each game this year.
posted by WolfpackMD at 10:54 AM on September 06, 2011
It doesn't matter how they look now. They are lucky, so they should keep wearing them.
posted by bperk at 10:58 AM on September 06, 2011
I like the looks, including the flag one.
posted by drezdn at 11:10 AM on September 06, 2011
The uniforms are so bad they'll be remembered for decades, like the Houston Astros' 70s stripes.
Whoa, what? Who's hating on those Astros' unis?
posted by yerfatma at 11:26 AM on September 06, 2011
Odious.
posted by Tinman at 11:47 AM on September 06, 2011
Pfft.
That's not even the worst uniform to use orange, yellow and black.
Though, the Astros get extra "wtf" points for putting the player numbers near their crotch.
posted by grum@work at 11:52 AM on September 06, 2011
As opposed to Vancouver drawing a glory trail?
posted by yerfatma at 12:38 PM on September 06, 2011
I like the uniforms, even if they are a departure from the traditional single-color jersey with contrasting trim. These, unlike some of the extreme uniforms worn by others, have a basis in history and tradition. They incorporate elements of the Maryland state flag, which in turn is based on the coat-of-arms of George Calvert Lord Baltimore. Another element I very much like is the elimination of the player names from the back of the uniform. It's a nice way of building team morale.
The Baltimore motto is "fatti meghii parole femine", which translates to "deeds are masculine, words are feminine". Perhaps I should be quiet now?
posted by Howard_T at 01:09 PM on September 06, 2011
When I flipped it on I thought an NFL Europe game broke out.
posted by cheemo13 at 01:55 PM on September 06, 2011
Once the Nike-Ducks partnership turned into a "what will the team be wearing this week?" thing, imitations were sure to follow. (UGA's experiment may have fizzled out with their performance in the Dome on Saturday.)
posted by etagloh at 02:45 PM on September 06, 2011
Who's hating on those Astros' unis?
There's nothing wrong with the '70s Astros uniform if they're a team of Eastern European acrobats or they sell corn dogs at the mall.
posted by rcade at 03:07 PM on September 06, 2011
If they make them the regular uniform it will kill recruiting. Their athletes will be catching hell for years over that monstrosity.
We all probably thought the same about Oregon. I know I did. And look what it has done for them.
We're not exactly among Nike and UA's target audience.
posted by Bernreuther at 03:25 PM on September 06, 2011
Oregon's uniforms are non-traditional and loud, but they've never gone as far afield from the norm as the Two-Face look. They also have Phil Knight's money giving them world-class everything in the athletic department.
posted by rcade at 03:49 PM on September 06, 2011
Once the Nike-Ducks partnership turned into a "what will the team be wearing this week?" thing, imitations were sure to follow.
There was an article (if that's what you'd call it) on Grantland recently talking about just this, and quoting a bunch of the players that Oregon had recruited from out of state as saying they went to Oregon for the unis.
Or, seconding Bernreuther.
posted by LionIndex at 10:21 PM on September 06, 2011
Alabama can sell tradition. Penn State can sell tradition. Michigan can sell tradition. At those places, tradition is the differentiation, but at the schools where it's not? They have to go in the opposite direction. And no one has done that better, or more consciously, than Nike and Oregon, which for the purposes of this conversation are essentially one and the same.The Nike-Ducks relationship, like Nike-W+K, sort of reflects the position of Oregon as the west coast state everyone remembers after the other two: there's a concerted effort to punch above its perceived weight. I'm not sure it works quite as well in the ACC.
I've liked some of the Nike variants -- the appeal to recruits is documented, and the company's clearly putting some of its top talent on the job -- but I wasn't really impressed with the Quackadoodles' fluorescent green for their opener.
posted by etagloh at 12:33 PM on September 07, 2011
the position of Oregon as the west coast state everyone remembers after the other two
You mean Northern California and Southern California?
posted by tahoemoj at 02:18 PM on September 07, 2011
Anti-Cascadian!
posted by etagloh at 02:27 PM on September 07, 2011
Anti-Cascadian!
Well, I do live in the Sierra Nevada.
posted by tahoemoj at 03:07 PM on September 07, 2011
I saw those unis and wondered why Maryland was going high style well before establishing some upper level national stature for the program.
When ordinary teams like that go graphic, then the horse is really out of the barn.
But hey, when your alumni includes players like Neil O'Donnell, I guess you can do anything you want.
(rcade and Barry Switzer both love Mr. O'D, cause he's a title game gift wrappa).
Meanwhile, at Penn State, a small group is meeting secretly in a windowless room trying to figure out how they can remove all the extraneous doodads from the white helmets.