Posted on 01/27/2011 7:59:56 AM PST by martin_fierro
Now you see them ... uh, now you dont? The San Diego Padres unveiled their new camouflage jerseys on Tuesday and there's already some speculation that the team's attention to detail might prove to be a little too effective in 2011.
While the Padres have worn two other camouflage jerseys since adopting the tradition in 2000, the previous versions used bolder prints worn by the Army and Navy. These new threads are meant to honor the Marines, but the MARPAT (short for "Marine Pattern") was designed by a computer and it features smaller splotches that are much harder to detect.
"Digitial camouflage," it's often called.
While these jerseys probably won't play major visual tricks on our eyes it's not like the players are going to completely disappear from sight when framed against green grass a few Marines say the Padres' tribute to the military won't be as easy to recognize as it has been in the past (see past examples below).
In other words, this is camouflage in its truest sense. From a distance, these new uniforms might simply look brown or green or whatever color the fabric has morphed into at that moment.
From the San Diego Union-Tribune:
The digital pattern creates no solid lines or edges and blurs the outline of the human profile. Even the seams have soft edges.
As a Marine wearing a MARPAT uniform moves around, the colors mesh with the background.
"Up close, they look great," said Jack Ensch, the Padres' retiring director of military affairs. "But they are going to blend in more on television and from the stands. Many fans aren't going to be able to tell that these are camouflage uniforms paying tribute to the military."
< -- snip -- >
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
I...I cant see them (rubs my eyes)
My, how realistic...they just disappeared
I see a guy at a podium behind some bushes... what do you see??
Is this a Rorshach [sic] test?
Ninjas
Perhaps the Chargers will also adopt them. They might beef up their running game - defenders won’t see the ball carrier until he’s already past them.
Catchers would have had no chance to throw them out.
If he’s a border guard then he needs a mini-gun!
They should have no problem stealing bases. Of course, the umpire might not see them when they steal home, so it could work against them.
The picture of the soldier on the couch is hilarious. Camo for urban warfare!
It is named Invisible Camouflage.
See if you can spot the guy wearing it,,,,,, In the video he even gives hints to his location so turn up the sound.
Even with the hints I bet you can't find him.
http://www.norcalblogs.com/gate/2011/01/new-hightech-camouflage-cannot-be-seen-video.php
If they’d play better then they wouldn’t have to worry about getting shot at.
BS! They are meant to increase sales of liscensed MLB gee-gaws.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.