Bermuda shorts at the opening ceremony were called "sexy" but were also called a "joke" and people who wear them "idiots". *AFP photo
Bermuda shorts at the opening ceremony were called "sexy" but were also called a "joke" and people who wear them "idiots". *AFP photo
While it is a time-honoured tradition that the island march in the opening ceremony of the summer and winter Olympics in Bermuda shorts, it definitely got a mixed reaction from commentators.

Positives saw them described as "sexy" and tennis star Maria Sharapova "loved" them. And FOX Sports gave the gold medal for being best dressed.

But the shorts provoked laughter, called a "joke" and Bermudians who wear them" idiots".

However, the most damaging was 'winning' the Worst Dressed Award for the Opening Ceremony.

Here are 18 comments from news organizations in four countries:

Houston Chronicle (USA): "Team Bermuda walked into the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics like they owned the place, wearing matching blazers, bright red Bermuda shorts and knee-high socks, a nod to their country’s proud tradition of looking like idiots."

National Post (Canada): "One only has to feel sorry for the team from Bermuda. That brave handful of competitors had to wear the only national symbol they have, and showed up for their entrance wearing geranium red shorts."

Washington Post (USA): "Wait, Bermuda? And they’re wearing shorts. Do they have long pants at all?"

The Australian (Australia): "Or indeed for the Bermuda team in their sexy red shorts. That joke has done the rounds of the Olympic athletes parade for generations."

AFP (France): "Maria Sharapova seems to be particularly appreciating the Bermudan team. "Bermuda wearing shorts...love it! 6 degrees in the stadium ," she tweets.

Calgary Herald (Canada): "University of Calgary staff and athletes gather to watch the ceremonies, an event that produces laughter at the Bermuda short pants."

FOXSports: With all due respect to the other bold fashion statements of the Opening Ceremony, nothing topped this. Despite temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, Team Bermuda made its appearance at Friday's festivities rocking the namesake leg garment of their nation.
Who is Team Bermuda? It's just one person -- Tucker Murphy, a 32-year-old cross-country skier who was born in Dallas. He finished 88th in the 15 km event in 2010 in Vancouver. That's him with the flag.
Kudos, Bermuda. If they gave out medals for Opening Ceremony, you'd have the gold.

BBC (UK): "The Bermuda team traditionally parade in Bermuda shorts for the opening ceremony of the summer Olympics - and despite the cold, they've upheld the tradition in Sochi. Good work".

USATODAY (USA):  "The crowd burst into laughter when the screen filled with the image of the Bermuda delegation marching in their red Bermuda shorts."

ABC News (USA): Huge kudos to Team Bermuda for upholding the Bermuda short tradition. The Twittersphere loves them! Check out those legs!
Update: The Cayman Islands outdid their Bermuda counterparts and wore flip flops!

People magazine (USA): "It's been in the 30s in Russia for most of Friday. And yet there are still teams dressing as if they're in their homeland. These athletes might just be the real heroes of the Winter Olympics. 
Bermuda is wearing their traditional shorts and socks combo. In Russia. In winter. The Bermuda team might be sporting shorts, but the team from the Cayman Islands have one-upped them. Yes, they are wearing flip-flops." 

The Guardian (UK): "Bermuda’s four-person outfit turn up in scarlet shorts, blazers and ties. An unusual look, that one. I haven’t finished with the fashion faux pas, though. Talking of which, here’s Bermuda. The Cayman Islands outdid Bermuda by not only wearing scarlet shorts, but also flip-flops."

The Guardian (UK) said the opening ceremony was: "A surprisingly entertaining fashion journey, from the hip and nonchalant French sporting grey jackets, to the frankly bizarre four-person Bermuda team in scarlet shorts."

Yahoo Sports (USA): "They put Bermuda, along with several other countries in the Worst category. Yahoo said: "The Bermudans always do this at the Winter Olympics, baring their chicken legs to the elements. They’re like a dude who shows up to a game at Lambeau Field shirtless because “that’s how I roll, dude" before his nipples literally freeze off. Plus they resemble a British boarding school for NBC pages. But at least they look polished."

LA Times (USA): "There were also loud cheers for the cool and dancing bobsledders from Jamaica, the Bermuda-shorts wearing contingent from — where else? — Bermuda, and the heavily bundled and extremely honest group from Iceland."

Miami Herald (USA): "As always, there was a wide array of fashion choices. Bermuda’s small team came dressed, of course, in Bermuda shorts and blazers."

NBC Sports (USA) said the opening ceremony: "Included Bermuda in its customary shorts."

 

The Wire: Bermuda was voted worst dressed. The news outfit said: "Sorry, Bermuda, but you really should not leave the house in these Olympic outfits. From head to the toe, this is full of mistakes. The blazers are nice as far as blazers go (see above for our thoughts on their appropriateness for the Winter Games). But the bright red shorts paired with pitch black socks hiked up to your knees in dark brown moccasins (?) is where things go horribly, horribly wrong. That's a combination even your mother could not love. Are the socks supposed to keep you warm? Try pants. The Winter Olympics are not your marquee event, we understand, but this is inexcusable."

Times Colonist (Canada): "There was good-natured laughter when the tiny Bermuda team entered wearing, well, Bermuda shorts."

Sports Center - ESPN (USA): "Bermuda's Winter Olympics contingent enters the Opening Ceremony wearing Bermuda shorts. Fitting."

Tweet's from news organizations:

New York Times: "So far, #Venezuela's flag bearer gets the medal for most enthusiasm. Best dressed? #Bermuda."

Buzz feed Sports: "Gotta love Bermuda's mindset heading into the WINTER Olympics."