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Style Debate: Maryland’s Uniforms, Abomination or Awesome?

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Maryland Football’s Under Armour “Pride” Uniform

The case for Abomination:  Louder than an angry Brian Kelly.  All fan affiliations aside, some of the best uniforms of all time are the simplest.  Adorned with only letters, numbers, and silhouettes.  See Alabama, Auburn, ultra-minimalist Penn State, Michigan, Oklahoma, and even Texas, which somehow manages to make even burnt orange look awesome.  The current trend is to beat you over the head with colors and clash.  Oregon already owns this territory, and they looked like they were gearing up to be extras in TRON 3 Saturday night.  Oregon can do this.  Everyone else… no.

The case for Awesome:  Maryland has, undoubtedly, one of the best looking state flags in the Union and good for them for working it in, well everywhere really.  They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity and Maryland Football is getting plenty of attention.  It was also once said that the blue turf at Boise State was an eyesore.  There comes a point when something is so incredibly heinous that it becomes embraced and then loved.  Besides, they aren’t even close to the ugliest football uniforms of all time.  That “honor” goes to the Dallas Knights in Any Given Sunday.  Is there an over/under for how much acid the costume designer dropped before coming up with those things?

Awesome, Abomination, or both?  Leave your vote in the comments section below.  Also, feel free to enjoy one minute and eight seconds of cool visuals with a voice over that says… not a whole lot.

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Comments

  1. i go to umd and do not understand why everyone is caring so much about this. they are uniforms people, get over it, our team still needs to get better at football.

  2. I was never a fan of Oregon’s uniform experiments, but I did like these a lot. I think the color contrast  at the head and shoulders makes it look pretty badass.

  3. Agreed. As a recent UMD alum, I’ve seen nothing but pretty shitty football in my years. If we were good no one would be talking smack about maryland. Also Kevin Plank, founder of UA, was also a maryland alum as well as captain of special teams, so I believe there’s a reason for all this.

  4. Those are pretty sweet! The only thing I don’t like is having the divide right down the the center line of the helmet should have been on an angle or a swoop or have contrast stripe to break it up a bit 

  5. It’s really not even close. I’m from the state of Maryland (though it is not my alma mater) and the state flag looks good…as a uni patch (see Ravens and Orioles) not the entire damn thing. I saw the Twitterverse light up during the game but this was my first time seeing it. Your “Abomination” argument makes the best point: With uniforms, less is always more. Always. Oregon’s only excuse is it being a shill for Nike. Under Armour, I have seen Nike and you sir, are no Nike.

  6. I dig it. That digitized camo they brought out last year in their game against FSU wasn’t so good though. I love experimentation though and I think more than anything else they’re having fun. Rock on, UMD.

  9. Awesome. Any other state flag wouldn’t work. As a solid Crimson Tide fan I do prefer the minimalist. It was even controversial last season when a a small strip on grey on grey houndstooth was incorporates into our uniforms. The backlash came from those who feared that, aside from removing ourselves from a tradition that so far has worked well (13) and toward mainstream whims, we were headed toward the silly Oregon habit of distracting ourselves with our outfits rather than what need to be done on the field. The uniform is a statement and reflection on your program and your team’s mindset. Do you focus on keeping things consistent and focused, or are you just trying to wow people while distracting yourself from the one ultimate goal, National Championship Wins. But, again, this just works for Maryland, in fact, forget Texas A&M, I’d prefer Maryland join the SEC.

    And, of course, you have to mention Boise State. Boise State uniforms are what a team wears when it’s so weak it has to rely on distraction and camouflage rather than talent. MD on the other hand has a great flag that sets then apart without being flashy, ostentatious, or desperate. MD should be proud of this uniform. It’s one of a kind and I hope it lasts.

    And MD is not a horrible team btw.

  10. Definitely an abomination. A lot of teams seem to be trying to go the Oregon route for some ungodly reason. Even my beloved UGA Dawgs went with ugly new unis… almost as ugly as the football. It’s sad really.

  11. I think you may be on to something.  I wonder if this is a competition between Nike and Under Armour using their flagship football teams.

  12. I think you may be on to something.  I wonder if this is a competition between Nike and Under Armour using their flagship football teams.

  13. I dunno. I kind of like it. Maryland’s flag is a heraldic banner – thus, slapping it on the shoulders of their football players makes them look vaguely like knights. From the picture, I was a little concerned that it would be too much, but in the video the uniform is basically white with just the shoulders and helmet decorated. It doesn’t look too busy or clashy.

  15. I live in Maryland and I love the Maryland flag. You’re totally right when you say it is one of the best. If it was just on the helmet, that would look great, and a definite improvement to Maryland’s old helmet. But it really is overloaded here. When you’ve got the flag repeating all the way down to the shoes and gloves, that should tell you it’s a little heavy.

  19. awesome! bad as everyday clothes obviously, but in a sport all about being flashy, I think they are sick.

  20. It’s for recruiting – and to that end, it’s brilliant. I guarantee you thousands of young HS players saw it, talked about it and are now considering Maryland. Oregon’s uniforms are one major reason why it’s gone from perennial CFB laughingstock to perennial BCS contender.

  21. It’s for recruiting – and to that end, it’s brilliant. I guarantee you thousands of young HS players saw it, talked about it and are now considering Maryland. Oregon’s uniforms are one major reason why it’s gone from perennial CFB laughingstock to perennial BCS contender.

  25. I thought they were awesome. Looked bold, bright and just pretty cool.

    But the best part was the full execution – different pattern arm sleeves for left and right. Different pattern stripe on each side of the pants. Pattern on the cleats. The full treatment was what made it. 

  28. I like MD flag colors.  With the different choices each week it gives the players some ownership in their program. Also puts the state and university in play in the bigger picture beyond just sports.  Final determination will be scoreboard for the team but gives the whole community a boost.

  29. Oh God. I watched a game played on Eastern Washington’s field last year. I don’t know which was redder, the field or my bleeding eyeballs.

    At least Boise’s smurf turf is vaguely similar to green. Close enough that you get used to it after a while.

  30. These uniforms suck, but so does the Maryland flag.  Yellow, black, red, and white is a truly awful color pallette.

  31. I do think they’re creative and actually a little fun (especially the gloves and the shoes), but I think the colors make looking good impossible.

  33. The idea was solid but the look is just off.  I think it could have been executed better than what it was.   With the divide being right down the middle I feel like my eyes are fighting trying to figure out if there are 2 players there or just one. 

    If nothing else these uniforms have everyone talking and getting some press for MD.

  34. I like it. Looks like an old knight’s flag/banner. Hey, it’s not going to get me to watch Maryland football so if that’s the intent then it failed. 

  37. Having seen a few pictures of the team en masse, though, I have to say that it looks better on an individual than on a group. Though perhaps part of the point is to visually confuse the opponents… like zebra stripes?

  38. Oregon pulls it off perfectly and you can bet that their badass uniforms are an additional selling point for young, high school recruits that are seriously concerned with looking cool.  Maryland is simply trying their hand (though they fell short of Nike’s perfection).  I wouldn’t call it the reason for Oregon’s rise to prominence, but it didn’t hurt.

  39. The jersey and helmet make me think of a knight’s vestments. I think it looks pretty badass. Also, compression-ware may not be something that flatters a physique that is less than perfect, but it really does allow you to run/ride harder and longer and recover faster than normal clothes. 

  41. Awesome. Can we attach a related question: The Terps warmed up on the field in one uniform, went to the locker room, and then came out for the start of play in different unis (the highly-debated ones above) – was the move awesome/exciting or pretentious/silly?

  42. “Boise State uniforms are what a team wears when it’s so weak it has to rely on distraction and camouflage rather than talent.”

    Everything you said before and after just turned into this:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUIC8HFajZg&feature=related

    That’s a BIT unfair no?  Sure they don’t play an SEC schedule by any stretch, but calling them weak is way off base.  Besides, If non AQ programs are so over matched by the big boys, the hell happened in the 2009 Sugar Bowl?

  43. Brilliant showmanship and presentation tactic…regardless of the quality of the uniforms’ designs

  47. UGA has been downhill for a few years. Richt has gotten lazy and Georgia has been consistently over ranked for the last 3-4 years because they still manage to recruit amazing high school players. Look at their record against SEC teams over the last 3 seasons.

    But Boise did look good regardless.