Maize basketball uniforms

Submitted by Sambojangles on

I just wanted to see what the board thinks of the use of the maize uniforms in basketball. I think that they are our best-looking jersey and definitely understand the tradition behind them, but to me, they have been over-used this season.

As far as I understand (and I have only been a fan of the basketball team for a relatively short time, so correct me if I'm wrong), the maize jerseys are for "big games" in part because they are usually what the team wears during the NCAA tournaments, whether they are home or away.

This season, though, it seems like nearly every game has been in the maize: both MSU games, OSU, Indiana, Illinois, Arkansas, all 3 games in Hawaii, etc. I can't think of any home game this season where we have worn the whites (note: I have not watched every game, I'm sure there were plenty of early-season games that we did), but I would like to see them broken out more often. There is no reason to wear the big-game uniforms for a game against Illinois, like we did last weekend. I just feel that when we wear them so often, it diminishes their importance, to the point where maize is our primary and white is the alternate.

Thoughts?

Willhouse

February 16th, 2012 at 12:36 PM ^

SInce I can remember watching, I feel like we wear the Maize uniforms much more frequently thant the white unis, no matter the context of the game. I think the Fab 5 made those maize jerseys so popular that wearing them became more commonplace than usual. I might be wrong, but I can picture us in the Maize unis much more than us wearing the whites.

ijohnb

February 16th, 2012 at 1:44 PM ^

wore them for the first time in the home 92 Duke game I believe, but I don't think they wore them again that season (NCAA tourney included).  The were very seldom used in the 93 or 94 regular season, Indiana and Iowa State in 93, and Duke and Indiana at home in 94.  They wore them in all NCAA games.  As much as I lile the maize uniforms, they are wearing them too much.  They are wearing them to the point that I think I would like to see them "break out" the whites against Ohio State.  While I can understand wearing them with more regularity than the Fab Five did in non-NCAA tourney games, they are wearing them every game right now.  It is overkill.

jmblue

February 16th, 2012 at 3:18 PM ^

They were rarely worn in 1991-92 (just Duke and OSU, I believe), but in the rest of the Fab Five years we wore them all the time, including on the road.  It was more often than you mention. 

jtmc33

February 16th, 2012 at 12:36 PM ^

 I like the bright maize uniforms... however, as an aside, they do show how far UM's "maize" has evolved when compared with the actual maize Block M at center court and "MICHIGAN" under the baskets

tee wrecks

February 16th, 2012 at 1:11 PM ^

My recollection is that the NCAA made a rule change around 1990 that prohibited off-center numbering and we changed the jerseys to comply with that new rule.  Missouri, and perhaps others, also had an off-center design that was similarly nixed.  I don't know the current status of that rule or (if it still exists) whether a waiver can be obtained for a "thowback" game.  Others have indicated that we have used the throwback look recently, but I can't remember such an instance (not saying it didn't happen).

Bando Calrissian

February 17th, 2012 at 2:04 AM ^

I loved the shorts from that template.  The downside was the fact that it was a generic template being used by a few other schools (the only one that immediately comes to mind is UNC, but there were others).  

If anyone is looking for a Josh Moore replica jersey from that era, holler.  Pretty sure I still have one.

StephenRKass

February 16th, 2012 at 12:47 PM ^

I don' know why, but I'm not thrilled with our current white uniforms (which have been worn this year, btw.) I also am not a big fan of the socks.

But ya know, maize or white doesn't matter to me nearly as much as playing the game well.

oriental andrew

February 16th, 2012 at 12:49 PM ^

they've been pretty bright yellow since at least the mid-90s, when i bought my old yellow b-ball shorts.  when i get a chance, i'll post a picture of them. 

also, back in the day, everyone wanted the WHITE shorts, but they didn't sell them - only maize or blue. 

ijohnb

February 16th, 2012 at 2:16 PM ^

got the whites.  Got the entire Ray Jackson uni in white, Jalen in "maize," and Jimmy King in blue.  You could only get the white as a replica by Russel Athletic.  You can hardly tell the different, It was still authentic with stiched numbers etc., but not the Nike brand. I liked me some Fab Five.  (you can make a pretty penny on those on ebay if you are so inclined)

In reply to by ijohnb

M-Wolverine

February 16th, 2012 at 2:37 PM ^

Juwan in White, Webber in Blue, and Jalen in maize.  The big 3, one in each color. Only wear them at tournament time (which wasnt' much for a number of years).  Good for two wearings each for a full run to the final.

oriental andrew

February 16th, 2012 at 5:13 PM ^

That's cool.  By the time I got to campus, only Jimmy King and Ray Jackson were left, and they were gone after my freshman year.  Growing up in Georgia, the Fab Five were cool, but I was too busy paying attention to GT and guys like Kenny Anderson, Dennis Scott, Brian Oliver (Lethal Weapon 3!), Travis Best, Duane Ferrell, and Jon Barry.

Erik_in_Dayton

February 16th, 2012 at 12:48 PM ^

At this point they're just Michigan's more-or-less regular uniforms, especially (it seems) b/c they can be worn on the road or at home.  The whites look boarderline strange to me now, and I think the specialness of the maize unis is gone. 

m1817

February 16th, 2012 at 12:53 PM ^

Maize uniforms are a competitive advantage.  They stand out more on the court making it is easier for the players to see their teammates.  I would rather they wear a color consistently, that makes it easier for them to recognize one another, than to keep switching colors for the sake of symbolism.

Setshot

February 16th, 2012 at 1:23 PM ^

Correct me if I'm wrong, but all of those games that you listed were either big games, or nationally televised games. So I would consider the maize jerseys to be appropriate in all of those instances. But putting all of that aside, I love the maize jerseys and I think they look great. I don't think we over-use them at all.

Alumnus93

February 16th, 2012 at 1:32 PM ^

They AREN'T Maize... they are YELLOW.    Michigan historically uses two shades of yellow...

1. The dark maize like you see in the word Michigan, on the court under the basket.

2. The light lemon yellow like you see in the jerseys youre referring to.

....now...as you were....

Setshot

February 16th, 2012 at 11:52 PM ^

I like the "maize" (or whatever color you consider them) no matter who we are playing. In my opinion I think they look badass, and don't think we need to be playing a "big game" to wear the "maize" jerseys. I wouldn't be opposed to the idea of making them our permanent home jerseys.

Alumnus93

February 16th, 2012 at 1:30 PM ^

I want to see all TRUE Maize uniforms.... and the SAME color as the "MICHIGAN" script on the endcourts.  How cool would that be?

Mr. Yost

February 16th, 2012 at 1:32 PM ^

IMO we should wear the maize and home...more often than not...

And Blue on the road.

It'll be interesting to see what they wear vs. OSU...I feel like they're superstitous and wear whatever color they're playing the best in.

As soon as we had a bad game in the maize we wore white at home and blue on the road.

With that said, I think the maize at home contrasts very well with the red of Ohio or the green of state? I hope we don't wear white just because we wore the maize in Columbus and didn't play well, but I could see it happening. We should've wore blue on the road vs. them anyway, it looks better against their home grey uni's than the maize did.