Rick Snider: Wizards’ new look is blast from the past

The old red, white and blue look during the franchise’s greatest fortunes returned on Tuesday. Indeed, Elvin Hayes and Bobby Dandridge of the 1978 NBA champions shared the stage for the unveiling of the new uniforms at Verizon Center.

The former colors are a welcome return from the recent teal scheme. Teal? Sorry, if it wasn’t in my crayon box in kindergarten then I’m not a fan. I’m a primary colors guy whose family will attest has no fashion sense, but returning to the red, white and blue scheme is always a winner.

The Wizards join the Capitals, Nationals and Mystics using the colors of our flag. That’s only right given this is the nation’s capital. The Redskins are now the lone holdouts and changing burgundy and gold after 74 years is impossible. It’s too ingrained barring a team franchise name change. Should owner Dan Snyder ever bow to charges of discrimination and change the team name, then the next colors should be red, white and blue. But that seems pretty unlikely.

The Wizards’ new look has some upside. It reminds fans of the good old days when the team wasn’t a joke, especially after the past two awful seasons. But it seems a little plain. A true throwback to the ’70s when there were maybe a half dozen fonts.

The names should include a capital letter. Maybe it’s the writer in me, but I like Washington and Wizards to have a capital “W.” Otherwise, kids think poor English is acceptable. It’s like “lite” beer suddenly made the alternate spelling acceptable.

Why are the names all lowercase? Did e.e. cummings buy the team?

The red road uniforms are more interesting than the home whites. It overshadows the simple stripe for the team name.

The logo with a hand reaching out of “dc” is a little too simplistic. But the Washington Monument inside a basketball is a winner.

Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld called the uniforms a “sleek, bold look. They can wear them with pride.”

But here’s the problem — the team stinks.

There has been nothing to be proud about this franchise for several years. Changing uniforms is a bait-and-switch distraction. The Wizards can wear pink for all anyone cares if they’d win 50 games.

For now, Washington must worry about marketing over manpower. That’s why the team’s name should now revert to Bullets once more. It takes several years to gain NBA approval so maybe it’s coming. The team has done little as the Wizards so fans aren’t emotionally wedded to it as much as Bullets.

Now if they’d only play like the old Bullets.

Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].