“I don't think anything was done (Saturday) to dishonor our school's tradition. This will always be Big Orange Country."Bruce Pearl
Tennessee baseball has worn black as an alternate color for years, the football team broke out black jerseys on Halloween night, so now the ball bounces to men's basketball.
Coach Bruce Pearl told the News Sentinel on Monday he's considering putting his team in black jerseys for a game this season, too.
"Here's the deal: to this point, I have declined it as an option,'' Pearl said. "But I think it's now open for discussion.''
Pearl and his director of basketball operations, Ken Johnson, have had samples of alternate colored jerseys sent to them over the past three seasons by adidas, both black and gray.
Pearl has steadfastly held on to the Big Orange tradition, donning the orange blazer once worn by legendary coach Ray Mears, bringing back candy-striped warm-ups of an earlier UT basketball generation while declining an alternate-colored uniform.
But after seeing the response Saturday night in Neyland Stadium, Pearl said he is intrigued by the black uniforms.
"The fact that the guys all like it is a factor,'' Pearl said. "I don't think anything was done (Saturday) to dishonor our school's tradition. This will always be Big Orange Country.
"I think some folks need to understand that it was entertaining to see us in those uniforms, and to see the response of the crowd and the students.''
It was effective, too: Pearl garnered a verbal commitment from five-star basketball recruit Kevin Ware after the Georgia prospect attended Saturday night's football game.
Ware said he thought the football team's black jerseys were "cool,'' and that it was "very exciting" to see Tennessee in the alternate color on Halloween night.
Sophomore shooting guard Scotty Hopson said he would like the opportunity to wear a black uniform once this season.
"I think we should do a black-out with our fans for the Kansas game,'' Hopson said, referring to the Vols' January date with the nation's preseason No. 1-ranked team. "It would be fun - it's definitely something different and I think it would look nice.''
UT junior college transfer Melvin Goins agreed.
"It's not like it would necessarily affect our performance,'' Goins said. "It's just a nice look.''
Former UT All-American Chris Lofton said he would like to see the men's basketball team get the opportunity to wear black uniforms for a game.
"I think it's a great idea,'' said Lofton, who's overseas playing in Spain. "They looked good on the football team, and I think I would have looked good in a black uniform with my black-and-orange adidas shoes!''
Pearl said black uniforms for his team have yet to be ordered, but it is up for discussion.
"My initial reaction would be, if we were going to wear (black uniforms), we would wear them at home,'' Pearl said. "On the road, we're representing Tennessee, and I want them to see the Big Orange.''
In basketball, unlike football, the Vols wear white uniforms at home and orange on the road.
Brandon Crump, who played for UT 2001-05, said he'd like to see the black jerseys come out for a game against an SEC rival.
"I love the black jerseys and I definitely want to see the basketball team wear them,'' said Crump, who played in South Korea the past two seasons and will play in China this year. "I want to see the basketball team wear them against Florida or Kentucky.''
Pearl said he just wants to make sure the Vols and their fans keep their priorities in the right places.
"The only thing about Saturday night is that lost in all the talk about the black jerseys was a dominating win over a top-25 football team,'' Pearl said. "That's why I'm not talking about this again. So don't even ask.''
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 48
MikeInTN writes:
Just learn to play good team defense and develop a point guard that can consistently run the team....THEN think about black uniforms!!!!
GreerVol22 writes:
way to go coach. making free throws and finding a solid point guard is way more important than an overhiped jersey color.
TommyJack writes:
Just terrific...
marc_ash#231781 writes:
It is a new era of UT sports. One thing that is for certain, change is generally a welcomed thing.
I like that UT is open to the black uni's. It doesn't mean that UT isn't UT anymore, it means there is a new era and new traditions are being established.
Bottom line is that black uni's attract attention, and draw recruits. If it will spark recruits interest, it will happen. Tradition or otherwise.
MTSUVOL writes:
Why not go with bell bottom warm ups, the really short short basket shorts, and peace signs. All are fads, just like the black jerseys. Why not be leaders instead of followers. Wearing black jerseys is following the latest fad, and trying to be like GA.
Instead of Black, lets go with pocka dots. Now that is COOL!!!
tennrich1 writes:
If any of this bothers you....i.e. black uniforms,etc....You REALLY need to take inventory of what's important in your life...I mean, GET REAL!
On special occasions I think they're exciting....
AFVol423 writes:
Black was for Halloween. This was appropriate since black and orange are halloween colors. Unless the basketball team does in on New Years I don't know that there is a right time for such a statement.
vol1 writes:
I say we break out the black uniforms on Kentucky at home....obvisiously we know we are the Big Orange...so if you have a problem wearing black uniforms for ONE game ...get over it!
Agent_Orange writes:
A Blackout when KY comes to town would be both impressive and imposing. Just might spook Calipari as much as it spooked Spurrier.
TommyJack writes:
How can such a thoughtful poster be so wrong on this issue? Lose the black. :)
CatScratchFever writes:
What about an orange football helmet with a white T? It would have looked good with an all black uniform.
joshvols writes:
UThug? i dont know and dont care who you are a fan of, but i guarantee they have had more off the field problems than we have since lane took over. you need to grow up and and be glad you can hide behind a computer screen when you are throwing out words like that. if you were to say something like that to one of our student-athletes face-to-face, you would learn to watch your mouth in a hurry.
Reason writes:
This whole black thing is a slippery slope. Be careful what you wish for.
Doubles writes:
I've actually purchased the alternate jerseys for my nephew's birthday last year. He wanted a Tennessee basketball jersey so I got the home white, road orange, as well as the alternate black and gray jerseys. I think they looked good on the football field Saturday and the basketball alternates look nice. I loved the checkerboard look of the stadium for the Kentucky game and would be opposed to black for that game or the Vanderbilt game. CBP wears the orange jacket & Calipari has already stated how much he hates orange. Treat him to his favorite color. Black is part of Georgia so don't go there for that game either. Black would be fine for Florida, South Carolina, or a Western Conf. opponent.
OrangeCrush writes:
I'm good with this...just win baby!
Irwin_Linker writes:
The ironic thing about the Uthug comment is that Hiresanders is a Calipari fan.
CatScratchFever writes:
Yea, the UGA helmets were pretty lame. Looking at some of the pictures of the Tennessee black jerseys, they would have looked better if they would have had some side panel striping to provide continuity from jersey to pants.
I guess when you have so little lead time to make them though, it was out of the question.
Although they probably wont change, I think a metallic finished Orange helmet with white T would look good....especially with the orange jersey and pants. White helmets look kind of middle school to me these days...just my opinion.
jmr68ut writes:
Black is beautiful - football or basketball or any other sport. It's nice to have some variation but winning is the thing. Change is good though!!!
Snapshot writes:
Maybe that "thoughtful poster" was just expressing his opinion. that doesn't make him wrong on the issue. I happen to agree if it helps draw attention and recruits. then go for it.
VOLnNY writes:
The baseball team has worn black jersey's for years and nobody has complained. They are just as much a part of Big "Orange" country as any of the other teams and they look damn good in black jerseys. People need to give it a rest and let the teams play the game. Sports are supposed to be fun and if it hypes up the players and the students then a few old farts who don't like it shouldn't even have a say.
volgirl277 writes:
The Vols looked great on the court Friday night, played very well, and would look awesome in black!
Hayezb writes:
What do bell bottoms and peace signs have to do with basketball/football? Nothing! So go post your ideas on a hippie forum..not GoVolsXtra.
Oh, and trying to be like GA? Google UT wearing black jerseys in the 20s!!
People are afraid of change and not sticking with the "norm". Where you at the game when they came out in black and witnessed the crowd?
TommyJack writes:
Maybe those geezers should be put in camps.
TommyJack writes:
Big: I'm not wavering in my support. Just expressing my opinion. I'm on board either way. Just don't understand the facination.
Brillovol writes:
Alternate jerseys of any kind is not a fad and will never go away. Being a TTU grad, I was proud to see my B-ball boys donning the alternate black jerseys in the early part of the decade. Look at the Titans, who have the alternate red jersey for special occasions as well. Anytime a team busts out the alternate jerseys, throwback jerseys, or has new jerseys for that matter, it is exciting to the players. Why? Same reason a new pair of shoes is exciting. It's just different.
I assume that people's angst against them is that they fear it will become the norm. Don't worry, we've got plenty of boosters to make sure that doens't happen.
RJP11 writes:
Way to let this ridiculous cat out of the bag, Hamilton! Now you can't put it back in. Stupid as hell decision, especially after publicly denying it for years.
If the players need alternative jerseys to get up then quite frankly they suck anyway & they are the problem not the solution. If they want to wear black so damn bad, let them go to a school that legitimately wears it.
PS - I've been complaining about those godawful black BaseVol uniforms for years. Any grown man who wears a gold chain (Delmonico) should never have been allowed to select team uniforms.
Str82ThePoint writes:
Your mom just called. She "needs" you back in the basement.
JHP2354 writes:
Hamilton has opened up the barn door and tradition is out the window. What's next to bite the dust? Get rid of the checkerboard end zone? I even bet Smokey is worried about who may replace him.
GreerVol22 writes:
If they get rid of Smokey, Hamilton better call Rodney King for some advice, caue my little girl will go up side his head like a spider monkey.
Chartervol writes:
Helmets in Tennessee orange would just look like pumpkins - not a good idea. (Florida can get away with orange helmets because they got their dark shade of orange off the sign at a Gulf station.)
brownsvillevol writes:
I'm not against the black jersy every now and then but orange and white are our primary colors. So I say wear them against Kansas.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I'm not a great fan of black jerseys, but if the players like it, I will get behind it, though it should be something SPECIAL, not a new norm for us. As for completely dismissing the players' preferences in this matter, THEY are the ones who put out the sweat and dedication that WE feed on, so, IMHO, it is completely disrespecting THEM to deny this--which costs us NOTHING--if it makes them happier here.
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
yes, keep the orange uniforms for the away games....i've been to some "away" games and those orange unies look almost a glowing neon..... as far as the black....yes!! when kenturkey and/or those idiots from gainsville come into town...oh yes.....i think black represents a death sentence for the opposing teams to the kids, a certain defeat for the visitors.....
VOLoom writes:
Ha ha ha you so funny. I for one am glad they don't like you at your own school, so you can come here and keep us entertained. Pink, that is just too much, stop my eyes are watering.
Plasticman writes:
Agree 100%. It's the Players that are playing the game, if they want to wear black every once in a while, so be it. In the whole scheme of things, it won't really matter.
cdonsbach writes:
Black jerseys against #1 Kansas or against Kentucky would be awesome. The Kentucky game is at noon on a Sunday afternoon, so I don't think the black jerseys would be as cool. On a Saturday afternoon against Kansas, if they're still #1 when we play them, would be something to see.
DandyVol writes:
The players were all aware of our colors when they commited. Quality uniforms can be had in all colors. The black and orange may have been nice for Halloween, but that is past. Call me old fashoned, but I perfer uniforms in our school colors, orange and white.
Couchdummy writes:
GBB! (Go Big Black!) Kinda has a ring to it, don't you think?
BGVOL writes:
Black would be nice!! maybe they could do a blackout night!!!
PoochPuntOn3rdDown writes:
And I'm surprised that any of the posters that understood the need for a regime change, and welcomed a new young coach think what happened on Saturday was anything but a move in the right direction for this program on all fronts; jerseys, attitude, execution, Spurrier-humiliating.
I know it's cliche, but the only constant in this world is change. Change isn't always good but when hindsight deems it so, the naysayers are the ones I question, not those that affected and accepted the change.
CatScratchFever writes:
Just wondering. If you choose to wear black uniforms at a home game against one of your hated opponents....and say they hang a double digit loss and new arena scoring record on you.....does that then do more worse than good for the Vols??
54.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
OK, you are old-fashioned.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Well, I would say that if that happened, that would be the last we would see of black jerseys, for the basketball team anyway. Since the football team won big in theirs, we might well see them again. Just not too soon or too often, IMHO!
Oh, and do you plan to keep throwing up that "54" every time you post on here? After all, it took, what?, a hundred years of UK basketball to reach it. It may take another hundred to exceed it. If you do, you will go some way toward wearing out your welcome on here, if that matters to you. You have mostly come across as a good guy on here; don't push it, unless you plan on bucking for a position as "troll".
LadyVolsEighTimes writes:
Black is beautiful,,and Gray is grand,
But Orange is the color for a true Vol Fan!!
lol, or something like that.
volsunited writes:
Thats actually pretty funny. How do you survive the day lol!!!
Plasticman writes:
Hey Cat, how is it going to feel not winning the SEC East division for the 5th year in a row??? You can have 54 points all day long but bottom line is the Vols finished ahead of Meeks and your drunken stuper coach last season anyway. THis season will make 5 in a row!
CatScratchFever writes:
Plastic. One thousand dollars and a 30 day license suspension later.....you are right about at least one of your opinions. Gillispie is indeed a drunk.
As for this season....well, we will see. I do know that Kentucky is going to be extremely fast, suffocating on defense and probably a better perimeter shooting team than last year.....even without Jodie Meeks. I'll take Kentucky to win the SEC with the Vols second in the East (third overall).
Plasticman writes:
Should be an exciting season to say the least. If TN gets good PG play, they should be able to give KY a run for it's money. KY will put more future NBA players on the court but how will the chemistry be? Look forward to discussing it as the season plays out. I'm headed to the exhibition game tonight.
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