Little Danny;884482 wrote:These Maryland uniforms are gross. Looks like something from the movie "Any Given Sunday". I think I see "Steamin'" Willie Beaman throwing up in the huddle.

mucalum49;884510 wrote:Follow Tom Crean on Twitter?

@TomCrean Tom Crean
Watching Maryland and Miami, I keep waiting for Al Pacino and Jamie Foxx to appear. Maryland's uni's are straight out of "ANY GIVEN SUNDAY"

Little Danny;884516 wrote:HAHA... I am not a follower. Obviously it was apparent to others as well.

Last night a very foolish school and a very foolish company showed just how desperate for attention they are. I’m not particularly interested in giving them that attention. Like I’ve always said, just because some idiot in a trenchcoat flashes you, that doesn’t mean you have to react. Just keep walking.
But here’s the thing: While you were all ooohing and ahhing about the costumes in question, I was receiving a package of information from the very foolish company. It arrived in my in-box precisely at 8pm — game time. And that tells you all you need to know about this desperate plea for attention. It isn’t a uniform, or even a costume; it’s just a business plan. (And a completely derivative business plan at that, since it’s pretty obvious that the very foolish school and the very foolish company sat down and said, “You know that other school, and that other company? Let’s copy every single move out of their playbook.&#8221
So instead of talking about the costume design, I’m going to talk about the press release — the one that showed up in my in-box. Let’s take a look at it, one bullet point at a time:
[INDENT]This is more than just a uniform… It’s ARMOUR built with years of Maryland PRIDE and football heritage woven into its design and innovation to make the TERPS faster, lighter and ready for battle.
[/INDENT]Hmmm. Exactly how many “years of Maryland PRIDE and football heritage” are involved, and exactly how are they incorporated into the design? And how is this particular design any more “armour”-y than any other design made by this very foolish company? Does it make the team any “faster, lighter and ready for battle” than the other costumes that the very foolish school unveiled two weeks ago?
Next:
[INDENT]Inspired by characteristics specific to the Maryland state flag and the University of Maryland… the jersey numbers, cleats, and gloves all feature a custom Maryland flag print.
[/INDENT]“Custom” is one of those signifiers that sound cool but don’t really mean anything. What exactly is “custom” about the Maryland flag print? Like, as opposed to all those generic Maryland flag prints?
Next:
[INDENT]From head-to-toe, the right and left sides of the uniform coordinate with the two patterns found on the state’s flag including a custom helmet.
[/INDENT]Again with the “custom.” Actually, every team’s football helmet is a “custom” design (well, except for all those high schools that rip off NCAA and NFL logos, but you know what I mean). Pointless.
Next:
[INDENT]The PRIDE uniform pays homage to the special Terrapin football heritage and to those who have taken the field as a TERP since the beginning of the football program.
[/INDENT]Interesting if demonstrated and articulated; meaningless when asserted. Meanwhile, why are you shouting at us with the all-caps?
Next:
[INDENT]The new UA COMPFIT PRIDE JERSEY… tight where it needs to be with no drag, no grab and more flexibility. This jersey was built for speed!
[/INDENT]As opposed to all those other jerseys that are built for sluggishness, right? Again, how does this jersey differ, if at all, from the one that the very foolish school unveiled two weeks ago?
Next:
[INDENT]UA GRABTACK PRIDE GLOVES are scientifically proven to have twice the grip!
[/INDENT]Twice the grip of what? Of the very foolish company’s other gloves? Of some other company’s gloves? Of a pair of gardening gloves? And where is this scientific proof? Sounds like late-night TV hucksterism.
Next (and, mercifully, last):
[INDENT]The Terps’ custom PRIDE cleats all come down to one thing… Speed! Each version was built with UA’s Micro G® cushioning to give players more bounce so they are quick off the line for every play.
[/INDENT]Yet again with the “custom.” (Memo to the very foolish company’s marketing staff: Try bookmarking this.) And what do they mean by “each version” of the cleats? Like, are there more “custom” designs still to come?
One other thing about this press release: It includes two player images, both of which show a player wearing a tinted visor. Because God forbid they should actually let you see the player’s face and have you think he’s a living, breathing human. No, he’s just a cyborg, a robot who’s “ready for battle,” a faceless instrument of destruction. Until he, you know, cracks a rib or something (at which point he can just be replaced by another cyborg).
So now we have two companies in a race to the bottom. Lovely — I can practically feel my brain cells dying off while writing about this crap. And frankly, I almost didn’t bother. Prepackaged pleas for attention, whether they involve a guy in a trenchcoat or corporate shenanigans, aren’t just lame; they’re tedious, sad, boring. From my perspective, something like the A’s bug-repellant patches, which I wrote about last Thursday, is far, far more interesting — and much more in keeping with what Uni Watch is all about — than a corporate stunt like the one that unfolded last night. If they had both taken place on the same evening, I know for sure which one would have had lead billing today.

Scarlet_Buckeye;884721 wrote:Wow. I can't believe the level of flack Maryland is catching for their unis last not. I can't say I'm surprised tho, considering most lambast people people anytime there's a new uni change. I thought Maryland's were pretty sweet last night. LOVED the 2-face helmet. LOVE how it tied into the state flag. Thought it was just pretty sweet all-around.

Dr Winston O'Boogie;884745 wrote:This uniform business is ridiculous. Nike produces one ugly uniform after another and the schools act like hookers for them. The fact that they call the uniform "combat" reminds me of when Kellen Winslow referred to himself and he teammates at Miami as "soldiers". There's not combat being fought in these underoos dress ups.

OneBuckeye;884747 wrote:http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikepettigano/6116017000/

Keep in mind uni-watch is written by a guy who says this is the best uni in college football...

Scarlet_Buckeye;884795 wrote:Uhm... they weren't Nike uniforms douche. Try to watch the entire game instead of tuning in for 5 seconds and blasting everyone/everything. They were Under Armour. The founder of Under Armour played & graduated from Maryland. He's basically trying to turn Maryland into what Phil Knight did with Oregon - a meaningful football team.

bigkahuna;884803 wrote: He's talking in general because you know this is the Uniform Thread and NOT the Maryland Uniform Thread. Why be so quick on someone's opinion on the topic/thread at hand?

OneBuckeye;884747 wrote:http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikepettigano/6116017000/

Keep in mind uni-watch is written by a guy who says this is the best uni in college football...

jordo212000;884888 wrote:I wouldn't say Penn St is the best, but it is top 10 IMO

OneBuckeye;884891 wrote:Right, I agree with everyone that PSU has one of the best uni's in CFB, I just said that to let everyone know the writer of the article is a minimalist and old school approach to uniforms.

Manhattan Buckeye;884920 wrote:I don't think he's minimalist, he just appreciates taste. He has often praised unis that are far from minimalist. I do think he appreciates designs that are timeless and won't be ridiculed the next time a fad comes up. Young people in general have AWFUL tastes in clothing, I know I did when I was younger and for coaches to recruit players in the twitter generation they have to do some things that are downright tacky. It is nothing new. Kentucky has one of the most storied basketball programs, and their mid-90's uniforms were simply dreadful, laughable to look at now. Remember the teal/purple craze of the mid/late 90's? Equally tacky. Maryland is just continuing the tradition of being outrageous for the sake of being outrageous. The unis will be laughed at 10 years from now.

Scarlet_Buckeye;884795 wrote:Uhm... they weren't Nike uniforms douche. Try to watch the entire game instead of tuning in for 5 seconds and blasting everyone/everything. They were Under Armour. The founder of Under Armour played & graduated from Maryland. He's basically trying to turn Maryland into what Phil Knight did with Oregon - a meaningful football team.