Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: Bracketology 2012: Duke Finally Steps Up To The No. 1 Line

Why does no one like the black uniforms?

These uniforms seem to be nearly universally hated by Mets fans, for reasons I can't quite figure out. Mets blogs near and far (especially one, *cough* Mets Police *cough*) seem to beg for them to be immediately discontinued, but never give a reason for their hatred of them. 

Personally I like them. I think that they look pretty nice.

So, if you hate the alternate black uniforms, what is your reasoning for hating them?

Poll
Do you like the black uniforms?
Yes
40 votes
No
32 votes
Indifferent
13 votes

85 votes | Poll has closed

This FanPost was contributed by a member of the community and was not subject to any vetting or approval process. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions, reasoning skills, or attention to grammar and usage rules held by the editors of this site.

Comment 35 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

Stylistically, I'm indifferent

I think they look OK, not great, not awful.

Conceptually, I dislike them because they’re basically just a merchandising ploy. I mean, you see Yankee gear in all kinds of random colors that look nothing like their traditional color palette, but at least on the field they keep it classic.

by JoshNY on Nov 25, 2009 11:16 AM EST reply actions  

I associate those uniforms with a certain period in Mets history.

I’m not necessarily against them aesthetically, but when I think of the black unis I think of the late-90s teams. I’d rather let those teams be the Mets in Black (shudder) and just let the whole thing die there.

"He's definitely mixing it into his repertoire. That's French for 'repertoire' " - Keith Hernandez

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Nov 25, 2009 11:19 AM EST reply actions  

agreed

just like I’m glad they don’t still wear the racing stripes. Leave them to those specific teams.

"[The Giants] beat us down. We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day. They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us. ... It wasn't even close." - Raheem Morris, 9/27/09

by cjmulrain on Nov 25, 2009 5:41 PM EST up reply actions  

Primarily I dislike them because black is not a Mets color but I also dislike the combination of black/blue and black/orange. The first just doesn’t look good and the 2nd looks like halloween. I agree with the first poster. They are just a cheesy merchandising ploy.

by t agee on Nov 25, 2009 11:29 AM EST reply actions  

They seem self-consciously slick, new, marketable, cool

Next thing we know we’ll have baseball teams named stuff like “The Wild” and “The Raptors.” Baseball ain’t cool like that. It’s colorful and quirky and wonderful.

by Pack Bringley on Nov 25, 2009 11:34 AM EST reply actions  

That's why Minor League baseball is so great (as I am sure you know)

Where else can you find Crosscutters, Muckdogs, Lakemonsters, Ironbirds, Doubledays, Scrappers, and Valley Cats?

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Nov 25, 2009 6:59 PM EST up reply actions  

There won't be a lakemonsters anymore.

UVM cut the baseball program and won’t be doing the upgrades required to Centenial Field to keep them in Vermont. I hate title 9.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Stephen Schmidt on Dec 2, 2009 8:45 PM EST up reply actions  

i hate them

hate is not a strong enough word actually. LOATHE them. I really do. The black unis signify something the mets are not. Cool and captivating. Its a flashy jersey to boost sales. When have the mets ever been flashy? Never. Plus black is not in the color scheme.

by the caveman on Nov 25, 2009 12:09 PM EST reply actions  

They're just boring to me

and like other people they’re just a marketing ploy, and while I understand baseball is a business like someone else said it seems too much like we’re trying to be something we’re not. We should embrace the quirky orange/blue combination.

by Gina on Nov 25, 2009 1:45 PM EST reply actions  

Eh

I like them, somewhat, as fan-wear. I have a home black one (partly because it only cost me $20 from Modells!), but I do much prefer them on the field in the traditional uniforms. I really like the throwback ones. I’m not all that keen on the different caps either, I think they should have one cap and only one cap (on the field – again, fan-wear is something different), and the uniforms should fit with that.

by deadspy3 on Nov 25, 2009 2:43 PM EST reply actions  

not that one in particular, but

they have a black one with "NEW YORK’ in the front that I like much more.

by Rey-O on Nov 25, 2009 3:57 PM EST reply actions  

I wasn't around for the 80's Mets championships

So the first contending Mets teams I saw were the ones of the late 90s and 2000. So yeah, those jerseys are kind of iconic for me.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Nov 25, 2009 5:39 PM EST reply actions  

how are the yes's winning the poll?

while all but one or two of the comments are negative. Something’s fishy.

Anyway, the black unis were great in the late 90’s, but they’ve run their course. As others have said: they were a marketing ploy, the don’t look as good as the traditional colors, they’re way too “90’s,” and not just b/c of the memories of the ‘99-’00 team – I think just about every team in all 4 major sports incorporated black in some form in the 90’s. It was a fad that has pretty much died out, and the Mets haven’t gotten the memo. It would be like if there was still one team wearing hideously colored pullover jerseys in the late 90’s. It would just look silly, like the black unis do.

"[The Giants] beat us down. We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day. They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us. ... It wasn't even close." - Raheem Morris, 9/27/09

by cjmulrain on Nov 25, 2009 5:45 PM EST reply actions  

defend yourselves

for your terrible sense of style and history

"[The Giants] beat us down. We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day. They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us. ... It wasn't even close." - Raheem Morris, 9/27/09

by cjmulrain on Nov 25, 2009 10:12 PM EST up reply actions  

I like the black

They’re nice

"We must win and we must know how to win rather than win because we have statistical people."

by Evan_S on Nov 25, 2009 10:47 PM EST up reply actions  

I associate the Black uni's with Piazza and Valentine.

Thus, I like them.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Stephen Schmidt on Dec 2, 2009 8:49 PM EST up reply actions  

I like the black uniforms.

I don’t like them when they’re worn at home games, but I like them as road uniforms. And I like my much maligned black hat /blue brim cap, also.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Nov 25, 2009 6:56 PM EST reply actions  

Black is also easier to hide stains with. I hate stains.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Nov 25, 2009 6:59 PM EST reply actions  

i can wear my black Mets hat with more things than my blue one

and yea the taco stains are hidden! but nah I love the black…so does Jerry! it makes him look gansta

by RIPShea on Nov 25, 2009 7:40 PM EST reply actions  

Well fan apparel is different

Like I love the different color new era hats. I think this is more about what they actually wear when they play.

by Gina on Nov 25, 2009 7:46 PM EST up reply actions  

i remember when they first rolled the black unis out

they were proclaiming them the “Mets In Black” hoping to ride the wave of popularity from the movie MIB. it was pathetic. and lame. at least when the first bunch of teams unnecessarily added black to their unis (remember the niners and dolphins and half the NBA?) it was to copy the popularity of the raiders. that was because of a much awesomer movie, boyz in da hood and ice cube. but no, the mets jumped on the lame, black in the uni bandwagon about a decade later, when the other teams were finally getting rid of the tacky black “fourth” team color.

so yes, the all black unis look fine on their own. thats because theyre all black, and all black unis all look cool. but the mets colors are orange and blue, for pretty cool reasons (state flag of nyc via dutch republic flag and the old dodgers and giants colors that they were replacing as the new NL new york team), and black has nothing to do with them. so great, you had your marketing ploy in the late 90’s and 00’s. i hope you sold a lot of jerseys. you can even whee them for a series or two as throwbacks every year, that i dont care. but keep it out of the logo and be done with it. please.

in short, black unis are junior varsity.

Lets hope that when gut check time comes again the Mets will pass it with flying colors.

by kendynamo on Nov 25, 2009 11:21 PM EST reply actions  

I agree with one part of that, for sure.

For god’s sake, keep it out of the logo.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Nov 26, 2009 1:21 AM EST up reply actions  

Neither does white. Like the white, the black is just a background.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Nov 26, 2009 12:00 PM EST up reply actions  

the black is not background, its an accent color

big difference. you can take the black out, cant take the white out. and pretty much EVERY sport team needs a white jersey, or something close.

i dont want to sound too much like a spaz about this (i know, too late), and i agree that the black unis are not in and of themselves terrible to look at, but the black was added for awful reasons and is left in the unis for no good reason, other than it sells more jerseys. so wear black once or twice a year, keep selling black jerseys (and orange and blue and whatever color you want) and remove the black from the official team colors. or else i shall be forced to express my impotent rage on the internet some more, and perhaps even IN AN ALL CAPS SHOUTING FURY!!!

man the things people will write about on the internet to avoid doing homework.

Lets hope that when gut check time comes again the Mets will pass it with flying colors.

by kendynamo on Nov 26, 2009 12:39 PM EST up reply actions  

I believe teams should be allowed to change uniforms once each century.

Anything more is unnecessary flash.

I also don’t like music at the park (except for closers), or need electrons on my scoreboards. Now get off my lawn!

by SeanSchirmer on Nov 26, 2009 12:56 AM EST reply actions  

Clashy.

Really, it doesn’t look as good… and in about as objective a way as any aesthetic matter gets— the colors clash. Blue and black are not natural complements, whereas blue and orange are, and white sets both off better (as does gray). If you’ll agree that uniforms are supposed to be signifiers— to “pop” visually— then a white or light gray background works better (as does omitting the black dropshadow).

by LeiterMilnerFasterStronger on Nov 28, 2009 12:43 AM EST reply actions  

i like the black

i dont have some long reason for it. I dont care that much and I think the black looks cool.

I wear lots of black… this is NYC… walk down the avenues and you will see 90% of the people wearing black.

Also… its not that big a deal. Get rid of it… whatever.

by gbaked on Nov 28, 2009 11:51 AM EST reply actions  

Don't like them.

I hate when teams fuck around with their team colors. It’s best to just pick one and stick to it. Otherwise you end up with half the sports teams wearing teal and black.

When you think of the coolest sport uniforms you think of stuff like the Chicago Blackhawks, or Yankees.

Walking around NYC, I don’t see that the Yankees are having any problems in the merchandising department.

The black uniforms are just overthinking ways to make an extra buck off the fans. The only way I’d be ok keeping them is if we only wear them when we are below .500, or after we are eliminated from the playoffs. Like special mourning uniforms.

by Mex_17 on Nov 29, 2009 11:15 AM EST reply actions  

Yankees have hideous uniforms

They’re bland and boring

"We must win and we must know how to win rather than win because we have statistical people."

by Evan_S on Nov 29, 2009 1:29 PM EST up reply actions  

LOL.

You’re right, but…….they are the champtions 27 times over.

by fxcarden on Nov 29, 2009 8:55 PM EST up reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Ctm-logo_small
My dirty little secret: I was once a Yankees fan
Ricky-roma-300x224_small
Sabermetrics and Me: Drowning in Objectivity
Mets002_small
2012 AA Prospects List #3

Recent FanPosts

Mets002_small
2012 AA Prospects List #5
X-wing_small
BrooksBaseball Player Cards: An Amazing Resource For Mets Fans Who Are Curious About How Pitchers Pitch In The Major Leagues
Mets002_small
2012 AA Prospects List #4
Small
Sandy Alderson, @MetsGM, and getting ready for Spring Training
Mets002_small
2012 AA Prospects List #1 (edit: and apparently #2)
Small
Two New York Players of OBP Yore
Small
Thoughts on 2012

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

FanShots

Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.

Recommended FanShots

Judging by the comments to Matt Callan’s ode to 1986 Mets: A Year To Remember from a few weeks back, the video has a devoted Mets fan following. Despite being too young to remember anything about that season, it has a special place in my fandom as well. It was part of a two video rotation (Ghostbusters being the other) which ran almost daily on my television for a few years in the early 90s. And it remained a once-in-awhile watch through high school and college. 

Unsurprisingly, the physical tape deteriorated over time, and the screen jumps and sound skips made for a less than optimal viewing experience. With sale of the video discontinued, my brother converted it to DVD and gave it to me for Christmas in 2010. See the picture above for the box and DVD. He even created a scene selection function which can be accessed from the main menu. "Get Metsmerized!" plays on loop on the menu screen. It is my favorite Christmas gift ever and is still nice to throw on for a viewing.

"How'd we do it? Mirrors!"
I was flipping through some of my parents' photo albums this afternoon in search of one particular shot of the sign my older sister made for Mets Banner Day back in the late eighties. Though I didn't find that one — I'll post it when I eventually track it down, and I can assure you that it's Keith-themed — but I did stumble upon this wonderful photo of my younger sister's stuffed animal menagerie spread out in front of a glorious rainbow-festooned Mets pennant, also from the late eighties.

She works for the HRC now and was particularly delighted to be reminded of this photo.

(click to embiggen)
Now that banner day is back, hopefully this years will look a little like this. I know it's not great, but i don't pretend to be a professional. embiggen!

Recent FanShots

Yahoo Sports comments on Sandy's Tweets
Using hindsight to redo the Mets’ offseason | Mets360
Cespedes to the Athletics
Kevin Goldstein Top 101
Okay, there is no way this is Sandy Alderson
Ike & Duda fantasy stocks rising
Sabermetrics! Fantasy League is live.
What if the Mets Never Traded for Johan Santana? | Patrick Flood
[O]f the $136.7M the Mets spent on players in 2011, $72.8M was given to...
Witness claims that the Wilpons knew about Madoff

+ New FanShot All FanShots >

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Ctm-logo_small
My dirty little secret: I was once a Yankees fan
Ricky-roma-300x224_small
Sabermetrics and Me: Drowning in Objectivity
Mets002_small
2012 AA Prospects List #3

Recent FanPosts

Mets002_small
2012 AA Prospects List #5
X-wing_small
BrooksBaseball Player Cards: An Amazing Resource For Mets Fans Who Are Curious About How Pitchers Pitch In The Major Leagues
Mets002_small
2012 AA Prospects List #4
Small
Sandy Alderson, @MetsGM, and getting ready for Spring Training
Mets002_small
2012 AA Prospects List #1 (edit: and apparently #2)
Small
Two New York Players of OBP Yore
Small
Thoughts on 2012

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >


THE BIG GUY

Aa_avatar_small Eric Simon

THE INCREDIBLES

Blackfish2_small Alex Nelson

Endy_small Rob Castellano

Img_1262_small Matthew Artus

Kanye_pekka_small Sam Page

Best_infield_ever_small James Kannengieser

Metsstitches_small Eno Sarris

48900_1085732804_4466_n_small Chris McShane

Lg_rocker_ap_small Matthew Callan

Billy_and_daddy_4th_of_july_small Bill Petti

THE NEWS GURUS

Mrmet_small Steve Schreiber

3_small Stephen Schmidt

159714144_040c6c1501_small Pack Bringley

124967042_crop_340x234_small Jeffrey Paternostro