Undercover Uni Project? -- Freeman's FreeMail

[ABM]

From: Joe Freeman's FreeMail

Welcome to the debut edition of FreeMail. Let me start out by doing a little housekeeping:

First of all, I received a really nice mix of questions. Thanks for providing some interesting content. The response has been prolific and, quite honestly, I didn't have time to answer every question. (My wife would kill me if I tried). But I do plan on saving every question submitted for possible use in future mailbags. So if I don't pick your question one week, know that it's on the back burner for a later week.

I purposely did not answer some questions -- including ones inquiring about playoff matchups or the offseason and the NBA draft -- because I'd like to wait and address those topics when we get closer to those events. Also, some questions require further research, and I plan to answer some of those in the future.

Again, thanks for the response and keep the questions coming. You can send me queries anytime via email at joefreeman@news.oregonian.com. But please try and remember to include your name and the city you live in. Some of you did not do that this time. I plan to post a blog reminder every week asking for questions. If you choose to post questions in the comment thread of that post, that's OK. But leave a name and city -- or at least a city, and I'll use your comment user name.

Amongst many other questions posed to Joe.....

Q: Hi Joe, What's up with Portland's uniforms! When, and why, was the extra (silver stripe) added? And why is it at the bottom and not in the middle of the white and black? Any plans for new unis anytime soon? The current uniforms (except for the red road unis) are starting to look dated. My suggestions include bringing back the lower case lettering, and turn the pin-wheel right-side-up! Thanks, Spaceman from Portland.

A: Spaceman, I can't tell you how happy I am that you asked about the Blazers' uniforms. There are few subjects that elicit a more stealth-like response from the organization than ones involving future plans about uniforms. I heard a rumor last season that the team was exploring making changes, perhaps even introducing a new alternate uniform as early as this season. A source hooked me up with the name and number of a guy in Mississippi who allegedly was in charge of the design aspects of the uniform creation, so I gave him a call. He didn't answer. I left a message. No reply. I called back and left another message. No reply. So I decided to let the issue rest until this season.

Sometime in November, if I remember correctly, I decided to pursue the story from within the organization and attempted to speak with a team official who might oversee any potential uniform changes. To my surprise, I was denied. The official refused to talk about the issue. Someone else inside the organization told me I was welcome to pursue the story, but the Blazers were not interested in cooperating. All along, I viewed the story with excitement because I figured it would be a fun issue to get into and a subject that would be of great interested to fans. (If my Florida State Seminoles were planning to change their football uniforms, I'd wanna know about it). I'm not 100 percent sure why the team is so reluctant to talk about the issue, nor do I know what that says about any future uniform plans. My gut tells me they are contemplating some kind of changes, though. If I hear anything further, I'll let you know.

 

[Wheels]

NO NO NO NO NO. Portland has some of the best uniforms in the league. Classy retro looking, while still modern looking. very awesome design, no need to make any changes, if they want to add a new alternate.. fine whatever. but dont change the primary ones.

 

[maxiep]

NO NO NO NO NO. Portland has some of the best uniforms in the league. Classy retro looking, while still modern looking. very awesome design, no need to make any changes, if they want to add a new alternate.. fine whatever. but dont change the primary ones.

You don't mess with something as iconic as our unis. You can change the colors and remove the numbers, letters and logo and people would still say "Blazer uniform style".

If I went any direction, I'd go backward to the old lowercase design, but that's about it.

 

[SodaPopinski]

I want to see an alternate jersey (maybe a dark gray/charcoal with red/white trim and numbers), but keep the same theme for our primary jerseys.

I don't want to be like the Cavs and have 85 different jerseys.

-Pop

 

[Wheels]

I want to see an alternate jersey (maybe a dark gray/charcoal with red/white trim and numbers), but keep the same theme for our primary jerseys.

I don't want to be like the Cavs and have 85 different jerseys.

-Pop

I could see the dark gray one as an alternate.. but yes keep the primary jerseys! and I agree on the Cavs comment.. although as a Duck fan I'm not sure why I am so upset by the 85 Jersey combinations lol.

 

[Wheels]

You don't mess with something as iconic as our unis. You can change the colors and remove the numbers, letters and logo and people would still say "Blazer uniform style".

If I went any direction, I'd go backward to the old lowercase design, but that's about it.

I remember reading something about 4 teams keeping their uniform style basically the same throughout history.. I think the Blazers, Lakers, Spurs, and Knicks... not bad company to be in history wise in the nba

 

[SodaPopinski]

I could see the dark gray one as an alternate.. but yes keep the primary jerseys! and I agree on the Cavs comment.. although as a Duck fan I'm not sure why I am so upset by the 85 Jersey combinations lol.

Hey I'm a Duck fan too, and that's part of it.

Blazers are different. Tradition reigns supreme with their look.

-Pop

 

[The Sebastian Express]

I'm all for going back to the lowercase old style lettering. Just please keep the stripes and the pinwheel theme. Do not do anything generic like the new jerseys in Memphis, Utah, Atlanta, Toronto, etc.

 

[Wheels]

Hey I'm a Duck fan too, and that's part of it.

Blazers are different. Tradition reigns supreme with their look.

-Pop

Yeah I think thats probably it.. Tradition. It was ok to change the Duck uni's cause there wasnt so much tradition
that we had to hold onto lol.

 

[jwhoops11]

You don't mess with something as iconic as our unis. You can change the colors and remove the numbers, letters and logo and people would still say "Blazer uniform style".

If I went any direction, I'd go backward to the old lowercase design, but that's about it.

I'm totally down with the lower case lettering, and would be extra happy if we could turn the pinwheel straight up again. I've never liked it leaning on its side. In fact, most of the gear I buy is of the retro look becuase I prefer the pinwheel as it originally was.

 

[maxiep]

I'd like to say how proud I am of the Duck fans posting in this thread that they're not promoting the idea of diamond plate on the Blazer unis.

 

[Wheels]

I'd like to say how proud I am of the Duck fans posting in this thread that they're not promoting the idea of diamond plate on the Blazer unis.

lol not all of us are in love with the plating.. although I would take that over the eagle wings.

 

[audienorris]

I remember reading something about 4 teams keeping their uniform style basically the same throughout history.. I think the Blazers, Lakers, Spurs, and Knicks... not bad company to be in history wise in the nba

celtics and bulls have kept pretty much the same style as well. it would be a big mistake to do anything drastic. i agree with everyone else, the colors, pinwheel and diagonal stripes have to stay and i wouldnt mind bringing back the lower case lettering and straight pinwheel.

 

[JE]

Don't see how they're going to pull off another alternate. It'd be kind of pointless to make a different red one, and charcoal would be way too close to the black uniform (unless they for whatever reason ditched the black and made the current red uniform the primary road). Silver would be way too gaudy. Don't know what other direction they can go.

 

[SodaPopinski]

I'd like to say how proud I am of the Duck fans posting in this thread that they're not promoting the idea of diamond plate on the Blazer unis.

If the Ducks keep getting top 15/top 20 recruiting classes and consistently finish in the top 10 in the country, they can put pink flowers on the damn things.

I'm not a huge fan of the diamond plating, but I also realize I'm not the guy who is being recruited. They are targeting 15-18 year old kids, and you can't argue with the results so far.

I'm perfectly happy with the Blazers keeping the tradition. But I also appreciate the innovation at UO.

-Pop

 

[SodaPopinski]

Don't see how they're going to pull off another alternate. It'd be kind of pointless to make a different red one, and charcoal would be way too close to the black uniform (unless they for whatever reason ditched the black and made the current red uniform the primary road). Silver would be way too gaudy. Don't know what other direction they can go.

If this was the color split (new uni color on the left, original blacks on the right), I think the dark gray/charcoal ones could look different enough from the black uni.

-Pop

 

[JE]

I don't know if that would classify as charcoal.

 

[PapaG]

Hmm, why is the organization so secretive about new uniforms. Is it because the new unis will say "Seattle" on the front?

 

[Natebishop3]

I want to see an alternate jersey (maybe a dark gray/charcoal with red/white trim and numbers), but keep the same theme for our primary jerseys.

I don't want to be like the Cavs and have 85 different jerseys.

-Pop

Like the Nets?