Michigan State Carrier Classic Uniforms: Military Look Will Be Embraced by Fans

We are less than a week away from the official start of the 2011-12 College Basketball season, and the anticipation is beginning to reach a fever pitch. One of the marquee games in the first week is between No. 1 North Carolina and Michigan State on Nov. 11. 

That game will be special for the Spartans not only because it gives them a chance to break into the Top 25 with a victory, but also the special military camouflage jerseys that they will be sporting. The game will be played on the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier in San Diego.

According to the Michigan State website, player names are not going to appear on the back of the jerseys. They will be replaced by "U.S.A" and there is an American flag on the front left shoulder. 

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo is a fan of the jerseys and thinks that they will help his players when they put them on. 

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"I think the uniforms are pretty cool. They definitely put the spotlight on our military and that's what this is for. I like that instead of player names, they put 'U.S.A.' on the back. For once, everybody can be on the same team.

"When I spent some time coaching the troops in Kuwait a few years ago, I was fortunate enough to get to wear fatigues twice. That was certainly a thrill for me, and if a player doesn't get a little more excited wearing this, there's something wrong."

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Fans love seeing teams switch up their uniforms, just look at all the attention that Oregon gets for doing it, and when you bring the extra dimension of the military into it, this has the potential to be a fan favorite for years to come. 

It will be interesting to see if Michigan State and other schools get in on the action to pay tribute to our troops. This is not something you should do more than once a year, but if they are incorporated the right way it can feel really special. 

We will find out how things work for the Spartans a week from Friday when they don these special uniforms to tip-off their season.