The Game: Red vs. Blue?
Something I've often wondered, and it came across my twitter feed today (h/t @Hooverstreet), why don't we play OSU as Red vs. Blue with both teams wearing their home unis?
In the OSU Uniformz thread it often came up that the Home Jersey is the Untouchable, for both us and the OSU guys on the board. While Adidas has tried playing with the away uni piping, and Nike changed things up too, AA Torch and Pitchfork would really go nuts if they tried to do anything to the home blues.
This could add a bit of stabilization. Every year we play the last Saturday of November. Every year it's at noon (most years). And every year it looks like OSU vs. Michigan because we both wear traditional home unis.
That said, the "one team must wear white" rule came about for black-and-white TV, and has since been taken off the books. As I like Michigan's blue home jersey, I'd love to see us wear it more often. We could go color vs. color against OSU, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Indiana in conference, we could have done it against Bama and should do it against Arkansas. UCLA and USC do this every year, I'd love to see us pick it up. What do you think?
November 14th, 2012 at 9:45 AM ^
I would love to see it although I do feel my brain would react with "does not compute" if it saw the red vs. blue just after being conditioned to see one team wearing white every year.
All the replays in my head I like to fondly remember have them all happening in the respective jersey matchings.
It would be cool though I just hope neither team ever does "special" uniforms for the game pro Combat style.
Edit: Just saw the thread about OSU's possible jerseys for this year. Well....shit.
November 14th, 2012 at 10:01 AM ^
They've already done their Pro Combat uni's vs. us a few years ago. Twice, if I'm not mistaken.
November 14th, 2012 at 9:44 AM ^
that these color vs. color games are very hard to watch on a black-and-white TV.
November 14th, 2012 at 12:45 PM ^
A black and white TV? A 35-year-old would be "one of the older guys on the board." What are we talking here?
November 14th, 2012 at 3:52 PM ^
LOL. I'm old enough to remember life before Bo, if that helps. And I suppose I do have sort of a vintage TV, come to think of it, but rest assured it's color at least.
I was just pointing out that (at least I'm pretty sure) it was the reason for the rule. Road whites were traditional--it avoids the embarrassing situation where both teams show up wearing the same color--but I don't think there was any rule requiring it before the TV age. I've seen pictures of early football where both teams seem to be wearing color.
And I do remember watching a basketball game when I was about 8 or so where Wichita State came out in home yellow and on our TV it was barely even off-white. As far as we could tell both teams were wearing the same uniform. You can sort of tell who's who by how and where they're standing but it was annoying.
November 14th, 2012 at 2:00 PM ^
Seriously?! I'm pretty sure we could get a Kickstarter going for you and donate the $800 to you for a middle of the road 42' LCD COLOR TV...
November 14th, 2012 at 9:48 AM ^
If I remember correctly, UCLA was penalized a timeout for the uniform infraction and USC ignored one of their timeouts in the first half. Is that rule still in place?
November 14th, 2012 at 9:51 AM ^
You can do it now, as long as the other team agrees and it is approved. Michigan would be able to wear blue if it was agreed.
November 14th, 2012 at 9:58 AM ^
The first time USC/UCLA brought it back itw as still against the rules. UCLA was penalized a time out and USC took their timeout immediately. That offseason, the rule was adjusted such that if both teams agree to wear their colored jerseys it's fine.
November 14th, 2012 at 9:56 AM ^
I'm 100% for it. Don't know why the schools don't do it.
November 14th, 2012 at 12:58 PM ^
I really think it's because they wouldn't sell any additional uniforms. The reason that high-profile games turn into silly fashion shows is that Nike, Adidas, etc. can sell a few thousands jerseys that they otherwise wouldn't have sold. If you play red vs. blue without tinkering with the uniform at all, you can't sell something that people haven't already purchased.
November 14th, 2012 at 6:46 PM ^
Money talks, you don't say?
November 14th, 2012 at 10:01 AM ^
November 14th, 2012 at 10:26 AM ^
Kind of like "The Victors" which received tepid reviews at first, right?
Don't get the "force tradition" argument. It's not as if all traditions always were and always will be, gotta start sometime.
November 14th, 2012 at 10:40 AM ^
November 14th, 2012 at 11:34 AM ^
plays their home games at the Coliseum not the Rose Bowl.
November 14th, 2012 at 11:46 AM ^
They wore home jerseys for the first time in 1982 when they were sharing the Coliseum.
November 14th, 2012 at 12:41 PM ^
November 14th, 2012 at 8:45 PM ^
In the dedication game of Michigan Stadium in 1927, Michigan wore blue and Ohio State wore red.
Tradition enough for 'ya?
November 14th, 2012 at 9:07 PM ^
And both teams wore brown leather helmets...so there's that.
November 14th, 2012 at 9:32 PM ^
It's not like there's a safety reason to prefer red or blue dye over white.
November 14th, 2012 at 10:02 AM ^
I say lets do it. Somebody get Brandon on the phone.
November 14th, 2012 at 10:05 AM ^
Don't worry, I'm gchatting him right now.
November 14th, 2012 at 10:07 AM ^
Oh thats why he's not responding to me on facebook. Thanks for the heads up
November 14th, 2012 at 11:04 AM ^
November 14th, 2012 at 12:41 PM ^
with the Aldis Lamps either.
November 14th, 2012 at 2:57 PM ^
November 14th, 2012 at 6:05 PM ^
Twitter Direct Message. The only way I get a hold of Brandon.
November 14th, 2012 at 10:08 AM ^
I'm ch-glad!
/s
November 14th, 2012 at 10:06 AM ^
I have been clamoring for this ever since the NCAA allowed this rule change. I simply don't understand why M and Ohio don't do it. That being said, I would rather see them do that when the game is played in Ann Arbor.
November 14th, 2012 at 10:06 AM ^
NO POLITICS.
What's that?
Oh. Nevermind.
November 14th, 2012 at 10:08 AM ^
My uncle actually talks to Dave Brandon sometimes....
November 14th, 2012 at 10:12 AM ^
so do I.
November 14th, 2012 at 12:06 PM ^
Do you talk to his uncle?
Or you talk to Brandon? And is he there when you're talking to him?
November 14th, 2012 at 12:19 PM ^
His uncle and Brandon are the same person,
and no, neither one of them are there when we're talking.
#AndrewJacksonJihadProblems
November 14th, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^
But I can SO see Dave talking to himself in the morning, giving himself a pep talk.
November 14th, 2012 at 11:30 PM ^
November 14th, 2012 at 10:12 AM ^
we change our home Unis for the UTL game?
November 14th, 2012 at 10:16 AM ^
November 14th, 2012 at 10:27 AM ^
Good idea, I think.
I wish I had more.
I once brushed shoulders with Brandon at a country club. Should've told him then. Dammit.
November 14th, 2012 at 10:27 AM ^
This would be awesome. I am definitely in favor in of the Red vs. Blue matchup. And, to quote myself at the beginning of an online Halo match, "Go Blue, Kill Red."
November 14th, 2012 at 12:40 PM ^
My favorite line... "Kill the reds! Kill the reds! Kill the reds!" *looks down* "I don't think you're gonna like this..." haha, great web series!
November 14th, 2012 at 10:59 AM ^
I don't like the red vs. blue jersey idea. It's a novelty. The Game just doesn't need it.
November 14th, 2012 at 8:47 PM ^
It's not a novelty. This is how every Michigan - Ohio State game used to be. There have been more games played this way than with color vs. white.
It's a for-real throw back.
November 14th, 2012 at 11:19 AM ^
November 14th, 2012 at 11:32 AM ^
I thought this was going to be a Halo 4 team battle with Mgobloggers and 11W. Someone should set this up.