Michigan Unveils New Uniforms; They Look Like West Virginia's
I am a college football traditionalist.
I don't care much for change, and that's especially true when it comes to uniforms. I truly hope and pray that Alabama, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, USC and all of those other schools with the great old-school unis never change them.
At least not too much. A small tweak here or there—that I can take (USC and Notre Dame, for example, are among the schools to make small, though acceptable, changes in recent years).
But wholesale changes? Ditching tradition? Change for the sake of change? Well, that upsets me. It probably upsets a lot of people.
Which brings me to the University of Michigan. The Wolverines, as we all know, probably have (or, more accurately, had) some of the best uniforms in all of sports. The winged helmet, that almost-too-bright maize, the royal blue. You may not have liked Michigan, but when they took the field, you had to admit: They looked pretty cool.
Well, those days are over.
With new coach Rich Rodriguez in town, and with a new (lucrative) endorsement deal with Addidas replacing the old deal with Nike, Michigan today unveiled new uniforms for the 2008 season (and, presumably, the Rodriguez era).
My quick review?
They’re no good. The road jerseys are especially bad.
Why? Simple: They don’t look like Michigan uniforms. They look like West Virginia uniforms.
And I guarantee you, there are a lot of unhappy people in Big Blue Nation today who agree with me.
Comments
Right wing traditionalist, I’d say. Must be from Penn State, who’s had a hard time since joining the Big Ten, to say the least. Oh, looks like you are.
For the record, I’m an alumni of The University of Michigan (’92)
When I first saw the uniforms, I thought. Very nice, after all it’s a new era for Michigan football. (Might be a struggle the first few years, but this is a huge change.) I was even more stoked when I heard WHAT Rich Rodrigeuz placed inside them. Talk about sticking with tradition! Here is what each player will see inside their uniform when they pull it over the pads.
Former coach Bo Schembechler’s famous message — “Those who stay will be champions” — is embroidered on the inside hem of the jersey. How cool is that?
Prints of Michigan’s 42 Big Ten championship seasons line the interior shoulder panels. We can’t see them, but the players can.
The uniforms have changed numerous times, what is Michigan’s trademark is their helmet. Yes, with that UofM alumni would scream.
I have to ask you Tim, what kid, playing football this fall in his senior year in Michigan, Ohio or Texas is saying, “I’m not going to go to go to Michigan, I don’t like the jersey, they aren’t sticking to their traditional uniform” Not one of them!
by the way, they are navy blue, not royal blue
The maize stripes on the michigan away uniform LOOK TERRIBLE. Adidas disrespectfully ignores the Michigan tradition of looking old school in an attempt to look flashy so they can sell more uniforms. THEY DONT LOOK LIKE MICHIGAN TO ME> MICHIGAN IS TRADITION!!
Well Michigan where are your blue pants?
O.K where are the Michigan blue football pants. They will look great in blue pants with the white jerseys on the road. Come on coach Rodriguez wearing at least 1 time. They would look great in them.