As Matt Glaude pointed out, yes Andy Rautins does have the torso of a 15-year old girl in the new 'Cuse unis. Still, I'm kind of stunned to report that the overall appearance on the real players isn't nearly so radical as the initial images that were leaked. Maybe it's that Nike used some really beefy man-meat models in their package of photos to better show off the form fitting features.
Of course, when the cameras get closer to the individual players rather than the wider shots of the action, the picture is less flattering.
From what I can see in the actual game with UConn right now (admittedly I don't have HDTV) they aren't nearly as dramatic. Yes, a little tighter at the shoulder and torso, but since none of the players are wearing a base layer underneath the jerseys, they look a little looser. I don't know, but I'd say they are wearing less snug jerseys then the model pictured is wearing. That and they are not as firmly tucked in the waist to make them look a little looser.
The shorts are definitely looser and longer. Possibly more disconcerting then the jerseys, though, it could simply be the stark contrast makes it look worse. It's not that they hang below the knee, it's that they billow more than I thought they would. Players definitely need to wear an underlayer for below the waist to avoid chaffing or flashing anyone if they hit the deck. I mean seeing Darryl Watkins and Terrence Roberts going against 7'3" Hasheem Thabeet is comical. You can see how much thicker Thabeet is compared to the other two, but the shorts on the Orange players make them look like they have toothpick legs.
Additionally the striping along the shorts remind me of a nautical flag. Guess I never knew the strong "traditional" nautical ties to superfund site Onondaga Lake -- one of the most polluted lakes in the US with Syracuse University. The choice of silver for the numbers and minimizing the Syracuse blue to just a couple blocks will on the side of the shorts will not sit well with Syracuse fans. It is not exactly keeping in the tradition of Syracuse that the Nike "System of Dress" claims to emphasize.
