North Carolina State University Athletics
The Flack over Black
2/7/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The NC State players love the new black uniforms they wore for the first time at Maryland on Sunday. Wolfpack fans apparently have a mixed view.
Some, through e-mails to GOPACK.com, expressed the opinion that NC State was making a major break from tradition when it abandoned its traditional road red. Those that disapproved of the new look also cited a line from the school's fight song that says, "we're the red and white from State."
Whatever side you're on in the "flack over black," it's safe to say that the uniforms had nothing to do with the outcome of Sunday's contest. After building a 17-point lead in the opening half, the Wolfpack couldn't hold on and lost to the Terrapins 78-73.
"Personally, I don't think there's any luck involved in what you wear," said NC State freshman Damien Wilkins. "If anyone really believed in all of that luck stuff, then we probably would have worn white if we could have. The black uniforms look nice, but I think we probably would have played the same way in the red uniforms.
"Maryland didn't see the black uniforms when the ball was thrown up and we certainly didn't acknowledged the fact that we had black uniforms on when the ball was thrown up. It was all business from that point on."
In its home whites this season, the Pack is a perfect 14-0. NC State is 1-4 in the reds and 0-1 in the black.
The team considered wearing the black uniforms earlier this season, but decided to wait until team captains Justin Gainey and Tim Wells thought the time was right.
NC State isn't the only team in the ACC that has broken with tradition to wear black uniforms. Duke started wearing black for selected road games three years ago.
As for those new green NC State uniforms....na, just kidding.
