The Celtics on Thursday "introduced another alternate uniform" at a gathering of team execs, season-ticket holders and media members, giving the NBA’s "most storied franchise a silver-based, short-sleeved look that is sure to draw reactions," according to Gary Washburn of the BOSTON GLOBE. The team's "Parquet Pride" uniform is "silver with a white 'Celtics' across the chest, trimmed in green with a green shamrock on the trunks with green stripes across the shoulders." The club will wear them for six select home dates to "commemorate great events in team history" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/7). YAHOO SPORTS' Eric Freeman noted there was a "sense that the new-ish sleeved look doesn't jibe with the Celtics' rich history." For whatever "aesthetic arguments can be made against these uniforms ... the real problem is that the Celtics are a notable franchise in part because they cherish their heritage like few others. Gray sleeved jerseys featuring random pops of green don't feel very Celtics" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/6). USA TODAY's Adi Joseph wrote, "If you’re trying to honor your history, this is just clumsy. Bill Russell didn’t play in gray-scale." He wore green, "like anyone who has ever played for the Celtics." Short-sleeved jerseys have "worked best when they try to mimic a team’s regular jerseys as closely as possible." Joseph: "The good here is that the parquet floor pattern is pretty cool" (USATODAY.com, 11/6).
PRIDE & PREJUDICE: The new jerseys did not exactly go over well on social media. ESPN.com's J.A. Adande on his Twitter feed wrote, "Nothing about these says 'Celtics' except the letters that say 'Celtics.'" Sporting News' official feed: "Be warned. The Celtics new uniforms are hideous. ... Our analysis of Celtics' new alternate uniforms: NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO." ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg: "Better spin: The Celtics will wear uniforms other than these 76 times this season." Boston.com's Eric Wilbur: "The Celtics alternates look like my son's pajamas. He's four. I bought them on sale. And he hates them." ESPN.com's Paul Lukas: "The jokes just write themselves with this new Celtics uni, eh?"
