This will be worn against South Florida in the Dome.
Editor's Note: We here are used to writing about uniform changes at Syracuse. We've done it quite a bit over the years. Below are the thoughts of Correspondent John Brennan and I on the new uniforms.
Brian: Syracuse is (or should we say Nike) is shoving a new design on several schools this and next month for their uniforms. Not particularly surprising. It's what Nike does. I've long been on record as hating gray or "platinum" as a home uniform. However it makes sense for schools like Georgetown, a school who's color is actually gray. I think it's ugly anyway, but it makes sense for Georgetown. Therefore, it would make sense that for school with only one official color, like Syracuse, that a home jersey would be white, and your road jersey would be your school color. For a school like Syracuse, Alabama, or Duke where colors are part of their nickname, this takes on even more gravity. Either way, I'm on record as well as saying that I don't think wearing gray is traitorous or any sort of reference to Georgetown, but I do think it's just stupid and ugly. I said this before seeing the actual designs above. I haven't changed my mind.
When Nike tells you to wear a new uniform you do it. We understand this to be true. But why? Yes, they are shelling out millions to outfit your guys. But it it wasn't Nike it would just be Under Armor or Adidas or any other company. So why grant that much control over your uniforms to a company anyway? Without the team and the University there wouldn't be anyone to wear the uniforms anyway.
We all know this is just to sell jerseys. Syracuse is wearing their usual white jerseys at home after this, and orange on the road. So that's awesome. This is just to make a quick buck. And the worst part is they will sell. There is always a segment of people that will buy these. So thanks for being most of the problem. But this just isn't that great of a design anyway.
Every school is a gray jersey with their school's color down the side and their color sneakers. Not that creative. The designs on the back aren't that intricate. And last I checked we were the Syracuse Orange. Not the "CUSE" officially.
Either way, these are minor gripes. The real issue is that this kind of idea, were there is just a one off of a jersey just to sell them, is ridiculous and shameful. But it's just the kind of move I'd expect from Nike and Syracuse University Athletic marketing. After all, they are the ones that sold a wildly dumb 20-0 shirt.
The final point I'll leave you is the idea that complaining over what this team wears is stupid. While it maybe be "just a jersey" it represents the team. A team that would be playing in front of an empty stadium without fans and specifically alumni. The fact that Nike thinks you're a sucker and will just buy anything with "CUSE" on it should be an affront to your sensibilities. But maybe that's just me.
John: It's Nike being Nike. Let's not lose sight of that. We know they're gonna do what they need to do to make money, and if they think this is what will do that for them, then all the more power to them.
We all know this is just to sell jerseys. Syracuse is wearing their usual white jerseys at home after this, and orange on the road. So that's awesome. This is just to make a quick buck. And the worst part is they will sell. There is always a segment of people that will buy these. So thanks for being most of the problem. But this just isn't that great of a design anyway.
Every school is a gray jersey with their school's color down the side and their color sneakers. Not that creative. The designs on the back aren't that intricate. And last I checked we were the Syracuse Orange. Not the "CUSE" officially.
Either way, these are minor gripes. The real issue is that this kind of idea, were there is just a one off of a jersey just to sell them, is ridiculous and shameful. But it's just the kind of move I'd expect from Nike and Syracuse University Athletic marketing. After all, they are the ones that sold a wildly dumb 20-0 shirt.
The final point I'll leave you is the idea that complaining over what this team wears is stupid. While it maybe be "just a jersey" it represents the team. A team that would be playing in front of an empty stadium without fans and specifically alumni. The fact that Nike thinks you're a sucker and will just buy anything with "CUSE" on it should be an affront to your sensibilities. But maybe that's just me.
John: It's Nike being Nike. Let's not lose sight of that. We know they're gonna do what they need to do to make money, and if they think this is what will do that for them, then all the more power to them.
Do I like them?
No. As with mostly everyone
else's complaints, it's really the gray/platinum that turns me off. It's just not a good combination.
I'd really hate Syracuse wearing these against Georgetown, but it looks like we're safe from
that. But beyond that, why do we hate the gray? I think it's because we are the Syracuse Orange.
When the school decided to identify itself as simply a color, that became our main focus. While many schools have a color in its name (Marquette Golden Eagles, Tulane Green Wave,
Duke Blue Devils, Alabama Crimson Tide, etc.), we are JUST a
color. We don't have a tangible thing like an Eagle, a Wave, a Devil, or
a Tide to fall back on. Just
the color. So when a uniform undermines
orange, we believe it undermines The Orange, we believe it undermines
Syracuse. We take it personally.
But "we" are fans. We care about aesthetics. We care about common sense. We
care about tradition. But "we"
don't play basketball for Syracuse.
We aren't wearing those uniforms on the court, dribbling, passing, shooting, and dunking. So as long as the uniforms don't impact how the players play, then who REALLY
cares? That said, there are a few aspects of these new
uniforms that I think could improve upon what we have now. I'm assuming the fabric and venting choices are technological improvements
over the current. And while "'CUSE" isn't my first choice for
the front of the jersey, it's not horrible either. If there was going to be an alternate jersey
in the regular rotation, I wouldn't mind if it said
'CUSE. On the back of the jersey we currently have a lot going on in
that mesh thing with scenes from campus. The new alternates have a huge block S, what appears to be the top of the Carrier Dome, and a
star with an 03 in it, honoring our National Championship
season. That's nice. The shorts have a thick orange stripe down the sides,
with a block S and Syracuse bannered over it. I like that better than the current blocks of colors.
The orange shoes and orange socks?
They speak for themselves.
At the end of the day, Syracuse is only wearing
these uniforms for the South Florida game on February 22. As a fan, I can stomach that for one game, especially that one. Unless contractually obligated, it appears Syracuse would be foolish to roll them out
again, based upon all the negative feedback that has been
acknowledged by both the SyracuseU and suorangeempire twitter feeds. So for now, let's just appreciate that Nike wants to honor Syracuse as an
elite program (even if we disagree with the way they do it) and hope
that future experiments take into consideration the reactions
of the fan base (i.e. potential customers).
Labels: Athletic Department, Basketball, Syracuse University
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