When Baylor, the No. 4 seed in the Big 12 men's basketball tournament, takes on top-seeded Kansas Friday night, they will not be wearing the lime-green adidas uniforms that created a stir on Twitter Thursday afternoon. ESPN.com’s Terry Blount wrote of the uniforms, which will be worn during Big 12 and NCAA tournament games in which Baylor is the lower seed, “The surface of the sun isnt as bright as Baylor's new unis, but I like it. Very hip and trendy.” The Washington Post’s Cindy Boren wrote, “Baylor looks very highlight-y -- in a this-will-sear-your-retinas kind of way today.” CBSSports.com’s Dennis Dodd wrote, “These baylor unis should clear your sinuses.” ESPN’s Michael Kim wrote, “The intensity of these #Baylor uniforms cannot be fully ‘appreciated’ on TV.” ESPN’s Michael Smith wrote, “Pardon me, but what is Baylor wearing?” SI.com’s Seth Davis wrote, “When you're Baylor, and most people think you're all icing and no cake, maybe you shouldn't be wearing glow-in-the-dark unis.” FoxSportsSouthwest.com’s Anthony Andro wrote, “The NCAA should put Baylor on probation for wearing those uniforms" (TWITTER.com, 3/8). ESPN’s Brent Musburger noted during Baylor's game Thursday the jerseys are called “Electricity.” Musburger: “That’s the color and it kind of jumps off your screen” (“Kansas State-Baylor,” ESPN2, 3/8). Fox Business’ Stuart Varney said, “If you’re watching in high-def, you might want to shield your eyes.” Fox Business’ Melissa Francis: “It’s the only team you can watch from space” (“Varney & Company,” Fox Business, 3/9).
GREAT ADVERTISEMENT FOR ADIDAS: CBSSPORTS.com's Dodd noted high-profile games “have become the new fashion runways for apparel manufacturers,” and adidas “just fired off a shot across Nike’s bow” with Baylor's uniforms. The school got a “two-hour plus commercial Thursday for Adidas -- and Baylor -- in that order.” Thursday's game alone “may enhance a relationship that just got a lot more intimate,” as adidas' deal with Baylor only “has a year to go” (CBSSPORTS.com, 3/8). In Ft. Worth, Mac Engel wrote the continual changing of uniforms “is all about merchandise and the opportunity to sell something else in the bookstore, at the team spirit center or online.” But this “fad has jumped the shark” (STAR-TELEGRAM.com, 3/8). Meanwhile, Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self said of the jerseys, "I’ll be real honest with you, I’m not a fan. But certainly that’s kind of the new fad, with teams being out of the box with their uniforms. But those are really bright." Kansas F Thomas Robinson said, “It’s a different color, but the whole material and the uniform, I wish we had it in our color” (Topeka CAPITAL-JOURNAL, 3/9).
BAYLOR'S NOT ALONE: Louisville is also wearing a new adidas uniform during the postseason, and ESPN’s Stephen Bardo said of Thursday night's Louisville-Marquette game in the Big East tournament, “I think for the first 10 minutes, Marquette trying to get used to those salmon-colored jerseys of Louisville” (“College Basketball Live,” ESPN2, 3/8).
