So, I got this idea stuck in my head a while back. I absolutely needed a specific pair of old Michigan State basketball shorts. Not the new ones, you know? I’m talking about the older style, maybe from the late 90s or early 2000s. The kind with that slightly different Spartan logo and maybe that heavier mesh material.
Why? Dunno exactly. Nostalgia, I guess. Saw an old game replay or a picture, and it just hit me. Had to have ’em. Seemed simple enough at first, right? Just hop online and buy a pair.
The Big Search Kicked Off
Man, was I wrong. First thing I did was hit up all the usual spots. You know, the big auction sites, resell apps, places like that. Found tons of MSU gear, loads of shorts even. But they were all the newer designs, the Nike ones with the current logos, or just generic fan stuff. Not the ones.
I started getting real specific with my searches. Typing in years, descriptions like “vintage,” “throwback,” “shiny material,” anything I could think of. Spent hours, like, literally hours just scrolling through listings. Most of it was junk or just not right.
My search methods got a bit desperate:
- Setting up saved searches and alerts on multiple sites. My phone was buzzing all the time with useless notifications.
- Checking obscure vintage clothing websites. Some looked promising but never had the exact pair.
- Actually went digging through local thrift stores and secondhand sports gear shops. Found some cool old jerseys, but no luck on those specific shorts. Just piles of other team stuff and worn-out clothes.
- Asked around. Texted buddies who are big State fans, posted on a couple of fan forums online, basically asking if anyone had a pair collecting dust in their closet they’d part with. Got some laughs, but no shorts.
It became this whole mission. Every time I thought I found a lead, it turned out to be a dead end. Either the picture was blurry and it wasn’t the right style, or the size was way off, like a kid’s small or a XXXL. Or sometimes, someone would list a pair, but the price was just ridiculous. Like, collectors trying to cash in big time. I just wanted a pair to wear, not frame on the wall.
What Happened in the End
Honestly, after weeks of this, I was getting pretty burnt out. It felt kinda dumb spending so much time looking for shorts. I almost gave up. Then, one random Tuesday, scrolling through yet another resell site, I saw them. Looked like the right era, right logo placement. The picture wasn’t great, kinda dark.
Took a gamble. The price wasn’t too insane, still more than I wanted to pay for old gym shorts, but whatever. Clicked buy. Waited for them to arrive, kinda expecting disappointment.
They showed up a few days later. Ripped open the package. And yeah, they were pretty close. Maybe not the exact perfect pair I had pictured in my mind’s eye, but definitely the right style, right material. A bit faded, the elastic wasn’t super snappy anymore, but they were legit old-school MSU shorts. Finally got ’em. Took way more effort than I ever expected, just for some shorts. But hey, mission accomplished, kinda.
