Maryland will wear weird faux-wool jerseys against Kentucky to honor the Brooklyn Dodgers
If the alternate jerseys Maryland will be wearing against Kentucky on Nov. 9 appear to be merely the latest abominable example of college basketball's newfound infatuation with gray, then take a closer look.
Those aren't just basic ugly gray jerseys. They're ugly gray jerseys with a textured pattern meant to resemble wool.
Since the season-opening Kentucky matchup will be held at the brand-new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Under Armour chose the unusual look to honor the Brooklyn Dodgers. The faux-wool jersey is supposed to be reminiscent of 1950s-style baseball uniforms, while the Maryland script is both something the Terps have worn previously and another homage to baseball.
"The expectation is for teams to come out in unique uniforms for big games," Adam Clement, Under Armour's lead designer for uniforms, said in a statement. "We worked with the school to do something that showed the appreciation for sports in Brooklyn."
The gray jerseys are just one of a myriad of new looks Maryland will be unveiling next season. Expect the Terps to also don a "Pride" basketball jersey modeled after the state flag and reminiscent of the ones the football program wore during the 2011 season.
Whereas the preliminary design of the Pride jerseys appears to be bold yet tasteful, these Brooklyn jerseys don't hold the same appeal.
First, like most gray jerseys, they're not exactly aesthetically pleasing. And secondly, why should Maryland wear a jersey that honors the Brooklyn Dodgers? If the Terps ever play in Montreal, will they bring back the Expos logo?
Thankfully, the jerseys are merely a one-time-only experiment. As one commenter on the Maryland-themed site, Testudo Times, said, "They are ugly as sin and the University of Maryland basketball is paying homage to a Brooklyn baseball team. I don't get it."
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