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It was no coincidence that I attended three games in a row on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in which the Padres wore their 1984 uniforms. I specifically went to see and support the team as they wore their true colors on the field once again. In case you haven't heard, I am a passionate proponent of a permanent change back to the team's original brown and gold roots.
For weeks the Padres promoted the weekend with promises of a brown out and throwback giveaway gear. It felt like the organization was finally coming around and embracing its history while looking forward to the future by reclaiming their unique identity. Instead it turned out to be a lark. Wearing throwback gear to them is just an inside joke that they use once a year to appease the Bring Back the Brown crowd.
On Sunday, when ticket sales could no longer be promoted by retro uniforms, the Padres Chairman Ron Fowler stubbornly stomped out any hope of returning to brown and gold under his regime. It felt like a big eff you to those of us that attended games over the weekend and had hoped that leadership would come to their senses.
BUMMER ALERT: #Padres boss Ron "The Sultan of Suds" Fowler says it's "Not likely" the Friars will return to mustard-and-mud color scheme.
— Bernie Wilson (@berniewilson) May 25, 2014
More Ron Fowler on why #Padres won't bring back the brown: "We've done considerable research...it's a vocal minority." Oh boy.
— Bernie Wilson (@berniewilson) May 26, 2014
When I emailed Ron Fowler asking if I could see the research he cited in not bringing back the brown, he said, "No, you may not." #Padres.
— Bernie Wilson (@berniewilson) May 26, 2014
As for the research, well I'm pretty sure it entailed asking Fowler his opinion and then making sure that their polls matched. He made it clear from the beginning of his reign that he has the worst taste in baseball fashion possible, saying of the current horrifically bland uniforms: "I'm very pleased with what we have right now." I get irate just thinking about it.