I would not, in any way, say that I am a major sports fan. I enjoy sporting events here and there, but more often for the atmosphere and the snacks than for the sports themselves. With that being said, my knowledge on the topic is restricted. 

I pick up bits and pieces of information about that realm from living with two boys; so I don’t live completely under a rock in terms of sports, just partially. In the large scheme of things I would argue that I understand the basics, but I am in no way an expert or an avid sports watcher.

Now with my credentials on the matter aside, here I am writing to inform you of my, yes unsolicited, but ever so interesting, opinions on sportswear. I had a conversation with my roommate the other day that sparked the inspiration for this piece. 

While he was avidly watching a basketball game, I outwardly debated the boring nature of the many jerseys that were popping in and out of the screen before me. My roommate then suggested that while this was a trend in the sports realm today, this wasn’t always the case. 

This fact propelled us into deeper conversation regarding the former jerseys of various basketball teams. I was very much intrigued to see the simple, minimalistic nature of the jerseys dissipate and transform into colorful, and seemingly maximalist like, depictions of the team’s mascots. 

The first uniform he showed me was that of the Toronto Raptors in 1995. Genuinely, are you kidding? Why did you ever make a different jersey? I would say the same thing for the 1995 Vancouver Grizzlies jerseys. Like these, these are what I am asking for. Take note and apply to your new jerseys for next season. 

I’m not saying these arenas are adjacent to runways or red carpets, but you’re making enough money to provide your team with something other than an eyesore to wear during games. 

For example, have you seen the bright yellow Utah Jazz jerseys? My boyfriend and our roommate have heard my extensive opinions on this. Seriously? Are we joking? Jazz fans, I am honestly so upset for you. The 1997 jerseys are so much better. Please reflect and do better next year.

This conversation has followed me into different spaces lately, including the newsroom. Per The Observer’s Editor-in-chief Isaac Hinson, the Portland Trail Blazers jerseys also used to suck significantly less. However, from my own research, I have only found that through the test of time, their jerseys have notoriously been some of the most boring in the league. Don’t get me wrong, the font used to be better, but if the only thing you have going for you is font, you essentially have nothing. 

Now I can understand that there are plenty of teams that may have stuck to this simplistic style of jersey throughout the years. However, that just means they have always been boring and have more work to do than others. There are no excuses. Like, please, just get creative. 

This opinion of mine is not restricted to basketball. Growing up in Washington I was surrounded by diehard Seattle Seahawks fans, but for me and my family, this was not the case.

My dad grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. Now this may lead you to believe that he was a New Orleans Saints fan, but this, again, was not the case. My uncle was a major Saints fan, but my dad was all about the Dallas Cowboys. All of this unsolicited information will lead you to the explanation that I grew up as a Seattle Seahawks hater.

Hear me out, I appreciate the enthusiasm of the 12th man, but I just choose not to partake. I will turn down a half-blue, half-green wig and the excruciatingly painful earache that comes with a home game. 

However, with all of that aside, I will say that the retro Seahawks jerseys are incredible. They are the only ones worth wearing. The painfully bright, highlighter green jerseys that they have the players running around in on Thursdays are quite alarming. Again, why are we creating an eyesore? If your goal was to be obnoxiously obvious and distinguishable from a mile away, then congratulations, you have succeeded. This is an opinion my roommate and I will disagree on. 

It is interesting to think about the way that mainstream trends, at least those that veer toward minimalism, could affect decisions regarding clothing in the sports realm. I, again, as a person with little to no interest in the sports world, am eager to see the way maximalism makes its way back into the fashion world, and hopefully sports teams’ attire. For now, I will continue to judge from the sidelines.