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The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports

It's difficult to come up with a more subjective list than best and worst uniforms -- but we're going to take a crack at it anyway. Here's our list on the 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports (along with some dishonorable mentions), which was heavily influenced by fan input.

  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    Dishonorable mention: The Phoenix Giants (later renamed the Phoenix Firebirds), a Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, played in the Valley from 1966-1997. They wore these unfortunate uniforms in the early 1980s. 
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    Dishonorable mention: The Tucson Toros, a Triple-A affiliate of several MLB teams throughout the years, existed in one form or another in the Old Pueblo from 1969-2008. This offering from the 1980 season is one that every long-time Tucsonan would probably like to wash from their memory.
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    Dishonorable mention: The Arizona Wildcats' "rainbow" jerseys haven't received much praise, including from UA alumni. Arizona added the look to its football uniforms in 2013, and then for some reason decided it'd be a great idea to do the same to their once-awesome basketball jerseys for the 2016-17 season. (Getty Images)
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    10. Adidas atrocity: The Arizona State football team signed a deal with adidas in 2015, leaving behind their previous apparel partners, Nike. But their previous stint with adidas from 2000-04 included these questionable, futuristic(?) threads. This photo is from a game in 2003. (Getty Images)
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    9. D-backs "trash truck" unis: Rob Lowe mocked these uniforms when the D-backs wore them at a Dodgers game he attended in Los Angeles. On Twitter, Lowe remarked that the gray and teal unis "make them look like futuristic maintenance men working on a trash truck in space." He's not wrong. (Getty Images)Photo by: Kevork Djansezian
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    8. I don't love the 80s: Before the Cardinals moved to the Valley, the Arizona Wranglers were the first professional football team to call Arizona home; they played in the short-lived USFL from 1982-85 and called Sun Devil Stadium home. But their uniforms are as memorable as the USFL itself.
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    7. Too much shimmer: A lot of Suns fans don't care for their current uniforms, but this super-glossy jersey from the 2003-04 season was worse. It was part of the NBA's Nike Dri-Fit Shimmer offering, and fortunately, they were not long for this world. (Murf and Pat Denny Sports Memorabilia)
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    6. Kachina chaos: This will be the most controversial entry on this list, as the Coyotes' original Kachina uniforms have become a hit among nostalgic fans. But let's be honest: They're not the best, and they only became truly popular once they reached "vintage" status after the team retired them. They're fine for a throwback night once or twice a year, but the team's current uniforms are much more -- well, professional. (Getty Images)
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    5. Why, Wildcats? A lot of folks aren't fans of the "rainbow" element Arizona added to this season's basketball uniforms, but these unis from the 2011-12 season are far worse. The colors (gray and a red-pink hybrid) don't remotely remind anyone of the Wildcats.
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    4. Blame it on the 70s: The Phoenix Roadrunners had several lifespans in the Valley, beginning in the Western Hockey League in 1967. The team wore a number of unappealing uniforms over the years, but this away jersey from their 1974-75 season in the World Hockey Association is the worst of them all. (Sportsjerseypedia.com)
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    3. Mercury falling: The Phoenix Mercury have been one of the Valley's most successful professional sports franchises, but their initial threads were kind of all over the place. The red-yellow-purple combo is hardly reminiscent of the Suns, whom they share an arena with.
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    2. The Banana Bowl: As part of their effort to end "The Streak" -- Arizona's undefeated streak against the Sun Devils from 1982-90 -- then-ASU coach Larry Marmie had his team take the field in these banana-esque beauties before the 1989 Territorial Cup matchup in Tempe. It didn't work: Arizona went on to win 28-10 to extend its undefeated streak over ASU to eight games. (Arizona State athletics)
  • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    1. The future is bleak: If you believe an AZ-based team has ever worn an uglier uniform than this, you're wrong. In 1999, Major League Baseball introduced "Turn Ahead the Clock" uniforms, which were supposed to depict what baseball jerseys would look like in the future. Consequently, the Diamondbacks were forced to wear these monstrosities (featuring a snake on the front of the jersey) on occassion during their second year of existence. Fortunately, the future hasn't turned out to be nearly as dystopian as what's pictured here. (Photo via The Score)

    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports

    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports
    • The 10 worst uniforms in the history of Arizona sports

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    Dishonorable mention: The Phoenix Giants (later renamed the Phoenix Firebirds), a Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, played in the Valley from 1966-1997. They wore these unfortunate uniforms in the early 1980s. 
    Dishonorable mention: The Tucson Toros, a Triple-A affiliate of several MLB teams throughout the years, existed in one form or another in the Old Pueblo from 1969-2008. This offering from the 1980 season is one that every long-time Tucsonan would probably like to wash from their memory.
    Dishonorable mention: The Arizona Wildcats' "rainbow" jerseys haven't received much praise, including from UA alumni. Arizona added the look to its football uniforms in 2013, and then for some reason decided it'd be a great idea to do the same to their once-awesome basketball jerseys for the 2016-17 season. (Getty Images)
    10. Adidas atrocity: The Arizona State football team signed a deal with adidas in 2015, leaving behind their previous apparel partners, Nike. But their previous stint with adidas from 2000-04 included these questionable, futuristic(?) threads. This photo is from a game in 2003. (Getty Images)
    9. D-backs "trash truck" unis: Rob Lowe mocked these uniforms when the D-backs wore them at a Dodgers game he attended in Los Angeles. On Twitter, Lowe remarked that the gray and teal unis "make them look like futuristic maintenance men working on a trash truck in space." He's not wrong. (Getty Images)Kevork Djansezian
    8. I don't love the 80s: Before the Cardinals moved to the Valley, the Arizona Wranglers were the first professional football team to call Arizona home; they played in the short-lived USFL from 1982-85 and called Sun Devil Stadium home. But their uniforms are as memorable as the USFL itself.
    7. Too much shimmer: A lot of Suns fans don't care for their current uniforms, but this super-glossy jersey from the 2003-04 season was worse. It was part of the NBA's Nike Dri-Fit Shimmer offering, and fortunately, they were not long for this world. (Murf and Pat Denny Sports Memorabilia)
    6. Kachina chaos: This will be the most controversial entry on this list, as the Coyotes' original Kachina uniforms have become a hit among nostalgic fans. But let's be honest: They're not the best, and they only became truly popular once they reached "vintage" status after the team retired them. They're fine for a throwback night once or twice a year, but the team's current uniforms are much more -- well, professional. (Getty Images)
    5. Why, Wildcats? A lot of folks aren't fans of the "rainbow" element Arizona added to this season's basketball uniforms, but these unis from the 2011-12 season are far worse. The colors (gray and a red-pink hybrid) don't remotely remind anyone of the Wildcats.
    4. Blame it on the 70s: The Phoenix Roadrunners had several lifespans in the Valley, beginning in the Western Hockey League in 1967. The team wore a number of unappealing uniforms over the years, but this away jersey from their 1974-75 season in the World Hockey Association is the worst of them all. (Sportsjerseypedia.com)
    3. Mercury falling: The Phoenix Mercury have been one of the Valley's most successful professional sports franchises, but their initial threads were kind of all over the place. The red-yellow-purple combo is hardly reminiscent of the Suns, whom they share an arena with.
    2. The Banana Bowl: As part of their effort to end "The Streak" -- Arizona's undefeated streak against the Sun Devils from 1982-90 -- then-ASU coach Larry Marmie had his team take the field in these banana-esque beauties before the 1989 Territorial Cup matchup in Tempe. It didn't work: Arizona went on to win 28-10 to extend its undefeated streak over ASU to eight games. (Arizona State athletics)
    1. The future is bleak: If you believe an AZ-based team has ever worn an uglier uniform than this, you're wrong. In 1999, Major League Baseball introduced "Turn Ahead the Clock" uniforms, which were supposed to depict what baseball jerseys would look like in the future. Consequently, the Diamondbacks were forced to wear these monstrosities (featuring a snake on the front of the jersey) on occassion during their second year of existence. Fortunately, the future hasn't turned out to be nearly as dystopian as what's pictured here. (Photo via The Score)
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