👋 GOOD MORNING
Happy Tuesday! I hope your week is off to a good start. I’m no fashion designer, but I’ve got plenty on the Diamondbacks‘ new City Connect jerseys below, and I REALLY want to hear your take on them, so make sure you sound off in the poll at the bottom of this email!
Before we get to it, I just wanted to give the ASU women’s lacrosse team a quick shoutout, as they came up just short in the Big 12 Championship game against No. 4 Florida last weekend. Though they didn’t end up with a bid to the NCAA Tournament, they can hold their heads high after an impressive season, which finished with four players voted to the Big 12 All-Tournament team.
One last note: Remember, if this email was forwarded to you, you can sign up for the newsletter right here, and I’ll keep you in the loop with everything going on this summer! Don’t miss a beat!
On to the show!
Reaction to the Diamondbacks’ New City Connect Jerseys
The Arizona Diamondbacks are going to back to their roots.
Sort of.
The D-backs released their Nike City Connect 2.0 jerseys on Monday, and the purple-and-teal uniforms immediately elicit flashbacks to the days of Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson and Luis Gonzales — a nod to the club’s history, which they’ll wear for the first time on Friday night against the Dodgers, and then again on Saturday.
They’ll then don their new threads in every Friday home game for the rest of the season.
There are plenty of Easter eggs in the new design, which pop compared to the original, sand-toned City Connect jerseys. The “Serpientes” moniker remains, but aside from that, the newest edition is a fresh take on one of the game’s most iconic throwback uniforms.
But what has the overall reaction been?
Players, Staff All Singing Praises OF City Connect Jerseys
ESPN gave them an A, and it appears fans and players are on the same page.
The City Connect jerseys are a hit.
Don’t take my word for it, though — check out this feedback straight from the team:
Zac Gallen (via Steve Gilbert, dbacks.com): “I like them. I think they did a good job. When talking to a lot of the people that are immersed in the community, that was one thing that they kind of hoped — that purple and teal would be incorporated back into the uniform … I think the uniforms overall are pretty cool. There are some subtle things that people, maybe at first glance, won’t see until they get a jersey in their hands and see the little kind of details that they added into the uniform that make them unique.”
Geraldo Perdomo (via Nick Piecoro, azcentral): “I think they’re pretty sick. They’re beautiful. It’s like the old purple and teal that we had in 2001. Those are the best uniforms we’ve had so far. I think (purple) has been a part of the organization’s history. It’s our identity. And I like the ‘Serpientes.’”
Torey Lovullo (via PHNX Diamondbacks): “Fire. Straight fire. Love the color. Love the turquoise with the pruple, and our group here did a great job putting that together. I think the fans are going to be super excited when we take the field for the first time in them. Everybody’s trying to figure out what shoes they’re going to be wearing, and what color belt they’re going to wear, and what color batting gloves, so it’s a fun time for us, as well.”
My Take: Take my money! I don’t know if you remember the first version of the Arizona Coyotes’ Reverse Retro jerseys, but I was in love with those, and these are even better given it’s a tribute to the club’s original uniforms. What’s not to like about these? They’re thoughtful and attractive, yet different. And, I mean, have you seen the leaked version of Boston’s? It’s literally like wearing the green monster on your chest, assuming that pans out.
Well done, Diamondbacks. Well done. (If you absolutely need to add this to your wardrobe, the uniforms are already available at the team store at Chase Field, or on the online team shop).
Take a Deeper Dive: Our PHNX Diamondbacks crew breaks down the new swag, along with Dalton Feely from Jomboy.
Musings From Around (and Sometimes Beyond) The Valley
Oh yeah, a Game: The D-backs rallied in a three-run eighth but came up short against the Mets, falling 5-4 in a series-opening loss. It was the first of seven straight home games for Arizona, which hosts the Dodgers for four games this weekend.
Chappell Show: Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball announced Brandon Chappell has been added to the staff as an assistant coach, plucking the experienced assistant from the University of Texas. The Longhorns advanced to the NCAA Tourney in each of Chappell’s three seasons in Austin while averaging 23 wins per season.
It’s Almost Time: The Mercury kick off their preseason slate today in Las Vegas, marking the first time the new-look squad takes the court in 2025. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 pm tonight, and fans can catch the game on Arizona’s Family Sports.
🧢 Tip of the Hat by Branded Bills
Derek is on board!
