Johnson: Kyrie Irving’s Confidence Has Grown Throughout Year
January 27, 2012WFNY Giveaway: Team CLE Threads
January 27, 2012So you know I couldn’t resist. Being the resident Uni-Nerd I had to chime in on the Cavs newest threads. As always, what follows is strictly my opinion…
The Cavs debuted the new ‘CavFanatic’ uniforms against the Knicks this week. They will wear the alternate set 4 more times this season. They are called CavFanatic because of the “social networking platform” that the Cavaliers established and encourage fans to join. I’ve not paid much attention to the CavFanatic message board, or Facebook page much, but I do know that they host events. Seems like a Browns’ Backers ‘type’ of organization. (I said type of organization, please don’t send letters if you have a strong opinion on either of these groups.)
Originally, I assumed that someone on the CavFanatic board must have designed these uniforms, or at least that the group got to vote on which design they wanted to see made into a set. That isn’t the case however-
Designed with CavFanatics in mind, the 2011-12 navy blue jersey will feature Wine & Gold numbering and lettering, as well as the traditional jersey tag that displays the Fanatic mantra, “Stand Up. Stand Out.”
“With the CavFanatics in mind.” Not sure what that means, other than “we hope they’ll like them enough to buy them”.
Background aside, let’s review the uniforms.
You have to start with the color. Watching the game live on Wednesday, I don’t know if I would have called them navy blue. They seem a touch light for navy, but whatever. I suppose the blue seemed like a strange choice because the team decided to get rid of the blue altogether during the latest redesign. No more blue in the logo or wordmark. And these uniforms kind of show why.
The mustard yellow, and ketchup red just don’t go together with the blue. The yellow by itself works with the blue. The red by itself works with the blue. All three together? I’m not seeing it.
The yellow actually looks sharp against the blue in my opinion. Especially the waistband. I’m not sure what color other than the red would work with these. Perhaps white would be sharp. Yes, I’m aware that leaving out the red would be taking away the team’s primary color. I contend that making the uniforms blue kind of already did that. And these are supposed to be just fun for the fans right?
I like the return of “Cavs” to the jerseys. At least for an alternate. A reminder of the Wilkens/Fratello era Cavaliers. Upon closer inspection, the font is the same as the font used on the current set of uniforms. It may be a bit larger or bolder, but it is the same style. Numerals included.
I think giving the nod to fans in some way is admirable. Especially in a very visible way. I do like that these are going to be used only on specific dates. The old alternates had a way of sneaking in every once in a while for no reason. Of course, if they had an alternate set I loved, I suppose I’d be calling for them more often. Especially if they didn’t make the team look like the McDonald’s all-americans.
That’s my opinion. How did you like them?
14 Comments
If we are talking purely CavFanatic designs, I’d put these third behind the Wine-Old School Cavs logo and the electric blue “Cavaliers” version from the season before. Fourth is last season’s which was an abomination.
Not a fan. I still think the colors should have stayed electric blue and orange for the normal uniforms. Slap those colors on the new uni’s and they’d be a hit, an updated version of a classic. Oh well.
not a fan.
I really want to see something more unique like putting the C-sword logo enlarged on the front of the jersey with name/number on the back. I know it helps the refs to have the number on both the front and back, but this is for the fans, right?
I absolutely love these. Probably my favorite Cavs jersey of the last 10 years.
They’re okay, as a once-and-awhile thing. That’s pretty much the case with all the CavFanatic jerseys. They mix and mash elements from previous eras, in a way that’s interesting but not so great that you want to see it a bunch. They did the wine and gold version of the early 90s uniforms (which looked really good in my opinion). They did the black-and-blue late 90s colors with the LeBron era uniforms (which looked bad). They did the red-and-blue with the 70s style (meh). This one is probably a little worse than the 70s one, and a little better than the black and blue ones from last year.
If they go with a proper “3rd uniform” in the future, though, it should probably be a gold/yellow uniform in my opinion.
Hate them. Hate that prison-guard blue, which makes the old guys appear even more earthbound than they are. That’s a color befitting enforcers, the ’80s Pistons or ’90s Knicks. Not for Kyrie and Gee. Hate that the trim is encouraging some Cavs to wear matching dog-puke yellow headbands. Ugh, really Boobie?
Thumbs way down.
I like the use of “CAVS” on the front for something different. I wish the uniform had been gold instead of blue though. I’ve never been a fan of the blue mixed with the wine and gold, it just doesn’t look right. Since switching back to wine and gold nearly a decade ago, the Cavaliers haven’t had a gold alt in their regular rotation…the only golds have been throwbacks.
I’ve liked all the dark blue jerseys in recent years, these included.
I liked the Fanatic design from LBJ’s last year. Wine & Gold colors, Price/Daugherty/Nance era design. Actually, I’d rather those be their everyday uniforms. I love that old ball-in-the-hoop V logo.
This version…. meh.
Not bad. Anytime the name is going to be Cavs I prefer the curved logo with the ball in the V. Really liked the Blue and Orange and the Maroon and Gold from 2010.
It would be cool if all CLE sports were the same colors, but I don’t wish it to happen because of the history of the browns, and I like the american colors of the indians
I’ll take a pass, The primary colors are missing and it reminds me of the pre-LaBron Cavs uniforms with the basketball net V on the Cavs. logo. Return to the classics and stay there. You don’t see the Celts changing uniforms every season.
The “wine” does not go with the blue in the least. The old CAVS logo is okay, but when colors clash, it just makes it all look crappy.
I’m not a fan of the color scheme, I do like blue though. The font is terrible though, so cheap and generic looking.