I've had more than a day to think about it and I just don't care for the "gold" football jerseys. I don't hate them like I hate the white stripe helmet, but I didn't feel like the gold was very inspiring or worth the effort. Like others have said, they're not even gold. That's more of a khaki (which is appropriate for BC in a different way).
I know this is all about marketing and appealing to players, but I feel like any uniform variation or specialty should be a real departure from our regular look. And should only be a once a season occasion.
My solution:
- Keep a base uniform combination of gold helmet, with a single maroon stripe. Wear maroon jerseys and gold pants at home. On the road wear white jerseys with maroon pants (the main road combo of the TOB era).
- Once a season wear a "throwback" uniform. There are plenty of different eras to highlight. Most are pretty tasteful and keep some sort of maroon jersey, gold pants combination. For these games we should use an all gold helmet.
- To keep Under Armour happy, have one "cool" look per season. In this case I've been an advocate of a major departure to our helmet. My preference is copying the Philadelphia Eagles look, but there are other good ideas out there. I just hate the white strip. For the "cool games" we should also go with a clear departure from our normal uniform look. All black or maybe all SuperFan yellow. Just not khaki.
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11 comments:
I've been a big fan of the Superfan type tribute uniform. Pay homage to the folks that support the team week in and week out. I don't think it should be a head-to-toe type mustard deal, but at least a jersey that calls back to the superfan would be great.
The cover of S.I. with Flutie jumping up and down after "the pass" has him wearing a "gold helmet". It was cool then. It should be cool now.
JBQ -- exactly!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2335/2056831310_10c5415a96_o.jpg
Everytime they show the Flutie pass I think to myself "what happened to those uniforms?" That was a simple, traditional look that i don't think anyone had a problem with. we should throw it back to them at least once a year.
I think (as someone in marketing) there should really be 2 concepts in changing a uniform. Keep it traditional/simple, or blow it the F up.
BC under Gene/Reebok/Under Armour has been doing the opposite.. slow, gradual, painful changes that lack appeal, meaning, or roots. The angry chicken logo, mustard instead of gold, italicized numbers/words, first game w/o them last season... it is all just sad and meaningless and unlike Penn State's changes this year, there wasn't some monumental departure or event that they were trying to stray from.
I hope the new AD will bring back true gold on the uni's...an extremely different (yet classy, We are BC) once a year alternate would be cool to... or just plain listen to the fans more than be a pompous figurehead like Gene.
Eagle1331:
I totally agree. Our base uni should be classic and traditional. Once a year go crazy but make it a real departure.
A few years ago they tried to do a throwback uni for a night game when the 84 team was on the field for halftime, and even screwed that up.
Instead of looking anything like the 84 unis, they were glossy and miscolored. The only thing that resembled 84 was the stripe down the middle.
For what it's worth, I heard numerous comments from my friends/texts when I was at the game that people liked the uniforms on display that night.
I think they looked fine, but I agree they're not really the right colors.
In terms of the gold, the gold used in the 80's was actual paint. Now I think it almost like a sticker that goes over the base helmet. Notre Dame, the other schools with gold helmets, actually paints their helmets. The support staff does it for each game.
Point being, it is almost impossible to get the old school shiney gold onto a helmet unless it is painted.
I thought the uniforms looked good and I am a pain in the ass.
The uniforms that absolutely sucked were the ones with the zulu trim on the rim of the neck of the shirt, that uni had red pants to. God those sucked.
Knucklehead -
As someone who worked in our equipment room for a few seasons recently, let me assure you, our helmets are painted the base color. The only stickers are the stripes, helmet company's name, the flag, NCAA logo, warning sticker, and numbers. Most of them are so tiny you don't see them on TV without a close in shot.
I can't imagine any team in the NCAA uses a base sticker - that would be pure lunacy. Imagine a car they gets wrapped in a decal image (like for marketing?)... those wraps are extremely expensive and so much as a shopping cart rubbing against them tears it. Having helps, pads, etc. hit it repeatedly during a game would never last.
The Wednesday before every game (at least up until I left), all helmets are collected, sanitized, cleaned, and re-stickered when necessary. All players helmets that are gouged or scraped are sent out to be reconditioned and repainted overnight... Additionally, I seriously doubt ND does the "Rudy" routine anymore where the staff handpaints every helmet before games. If I recall, they've actually switched to using paint with actual gold flakes in it now too... We send ours our to the actual helmet manufactures to assure the damage doesn't cause a defect..
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