OT- Oregon unis
I just thought that on this board, it is an interesting question, to ask if you like "the idea" of Oregon's ever-changing flexible wardrobe of uniforms. Because it really is just an idea.
And I love it. NOT for Michigan, of course. Not for Notre Dame, or Navy (Army's camo variants have been cool). Not for Nebraska or Oklahoma, or Texas or any of about 90% of college football.
But I remember when Bobby Moore was playing for Oregon, before he changed his name to Ahmad Rashad, and Dan Fouts, and Oregon's football uniforms were crap. Oregon always had crappy-looking uniforms.
This idea should of course never be contemplated for a team like Michigan. But for Oregon, I really like it. (I particuarly like the "Carbon" helmet today.) It's different.
December 4th, 2010 at 5:59 PM ^
December 4th, 2010 at 6:06 PM ^
it's called flat black?
i thought they were neat as well, but i wasn't used to seeing helmets without that metallic kind of sheen on them
December 4th, 2010 at 6:06 PM ^
December 4th, 2010 at 7:09 PM ^
December 4th, 2010 at 7:14 PM ^
I agree - the enlarged logo on only one side is sweet. Don't mind the rest of it either. OSU's were terrible though for sure. TCU's are naughty.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:23 PM ^
Agreed. The matte helmets are sweet. I think that is something Michigan could do that would look awesome but not mess with our tradition at all. I actually think they look more old school than the normal, "shiny" helmets.
December 4th, 2010 at 7:33 PM ^
but for the helmets
I like it when teams use their real colors for their numbers. (Like Mich). White numbers are overdone.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:01 PM ^
My buddy and I had a long texting conversation today of which helmet is better, the Oregon carbon fiber silver or the matte black Oregon State helmet. We ended up agreeing on the carbon fiber design, but I still think the Oregon matter black helmets from last season are my favorite.*
*Winged helmets are not included in this post.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:14 PM ^
I'm a big fan of the Oregon helmets today.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:01 PM ^
To me it's like the Smurf Turf at Boise. It gives them an identity.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:03 PM ^
It was cool when they had some variations but now it's a bit ridiculous.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:03 PM ^
I like those helmets
December 4th, 2010 at 6:08 PM ^
And it is a takeoff on "Form follows function." (Thank you, Mr. van de Rohe.) In Oregon's case, form also follows function. The Nike fashion show that is Oregon in NCAA competition is the direct result of old Oregon track man and hanger-on, Phil Knight, who may be more responsible than Chip Kelly for Oregon being where it is today in NCAA football.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:39 PM ^
The problem is, Mies van der Rohe sucks ass.
December 4th, 2010 at 7:49 PM ^
December 4th, 2010 at 9:13 PM ^
I think it's horrible, frankly. Cold, uninviting, and fascist-looking. Framing steel columns into a grid or building a wall that consists of little else but a giant slab of glass or stone, I can't see an ounce of appeal to it.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:09 PM ^
December 4th, 2010 at 6:11 PM ^
The AFL oakland raiders played in the pac10
December 4th, 2010 at 6:15 PM ^
have barely a hint of their school colors. Atrocious.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:25 PM ^
What Oregon is doing, like with "Carbon" helmets, is phenomenally cool at one level. And yet, whatever happened to green and yellow, on a day like today? Your point is perfectly valid.
It is a paradigm-shift in the thinking of sports team uniforms as iconic brands.
Would anybody do this to the Green Bay Packers, with their identical colors? Never. Wisconsin would erupt in civil disorder.
As I say, it's kind of nice... for the Oregon Ducks. Not to be repeated elsewhere, with very, very, very few exceptions
December 4th, 2010 at 6:24 PM ^
December 4th, 2010 at 6:27 PM ^
I would think that you need to at least have one of your school colors be involved in your uniform, which Oregon does not today. That's... a bit odd.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:28 PM ^
I love all of their unis...except for the wings on the shoulders.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:26 PM ^
"tire treads" from previous years much better.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:29 PM ^
The numbers are outlined in green.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:32 PM ^
I like them. I never understood why they provoked so much outrage on this board.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:38 PM ^
I agree, I've always liked Oregon's uniforms. People get mad at it, but they look pretty sweet. It's always fun to watch them play the uniforms are a bonus.
December 4th, 2010 at 7:19 PM ^
Except for the mustard yellow ones.
December 4th, 2010 at 7:34 PM ^
First, the disclaimers: I am going to make a few generalities here. I fully understand that generalities aren't all-inclusive, and that they don't describe everyone. I also understand that I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I do want to point out some patterns.
Because of Michigan's tradition, many older Michigan fans are by nature very "old school" in a sporting sense. In particular,old school fans believe in one basic rule: no taunting. It's like preferring that after a TD, the person who scored it gives the ball to the refs and "pretends he's been there before." Sometimes, though, the flashy unis seem almost like an arrogant, pre-game form of taunting.
I try to be open to change, so as not to become what I call a BOF, or "bitter old fuck." Consequently, I am able to not have an emotional investment in special game unis. Except, of course, when OSU wears them. Then, they "become" the "purest form of evil" and "everything that is wrong with modern football." I see them as a part of the game that I don't necessarily agree with, but don't allow to detract from my experience after the game actually starts.
I wonder how I would react if Michigan started wearing different unis every week? And I wonder how the rest of the fanbase would? I'm guessing the younger fans would be more adaptable to change, while the older fans might take awhile to "come on board." If Michigan won a few big games in comic book uniforms, though, I have a feeling even the BOF's would decide they were OK.
I used to think Michigan would never "stoop to that level," but I'm not sure anymore. If DB gets an "offer he can't refuse," I am guessing there will be a major paragidm shift in the Big House. And then, eventually, the comic book unis won't seem so "bad" anymore. Until then, though, there will still be outrage from the "traditionalists" among the fanbase.
So, to summarize, to traditionalists, comic book unis are evil. To people who haven't had "old school" drummed into their heads for years and years, they probably seem benign or even "cool." I am guessing, though, that everyone will wear them in another five years, and they will lose their uniqueness, thus revoking their ability to evoke a negtive reaction from anyone who hasn't just woken up out of a ten year coma.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:36 PM ^
real football teams wear uniforms. not outfits
December 4th, 2010 at 6:43 PM ^
Maybe I'm stodgy, but I hate the Nike-fueled trend toward I'm-a-fukkin-wikked-azz-WARRIOR uniforms in college football. Fukkin blakk iz badazzzzzzzz, right? Get off my goddamn lawn with this shit. UVA does a sort of Oregon-lite with mix-and-match in three different colors and no changes to the helmet (so far) and that's as far as I like to see it go and believe me I have absolutely no problem with U-M's one-look-for-all-occasions approach. In fact I like it. I mean, you have school colors for a reason, and no, it doesn't work even for Oregon. Probably this is my Michigan bias coming out, but your helmet is your identity, and they have five. So basically they have no identity, as far as I'm concerned. One day they're Oregon, next week they're the Oakland Raiders, next they're the Stay-Puft marshmallow man.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:50 PM ^
I agree completely that the uniforms are an identity. I'm just not a fan of the constant change, it doesn't work for me. I am definitely not a fan of Oregon's jersey's either with the little wings on the shoulders and carbon helmet. The helmets remind me of this:
December 4th, 2010 at 10:59 PM ^
If it were up to me, all uniforms would have two colors only, no last names, and no Adidas/Nike logos.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:39 PM ^
I haven't liked many of the combinations I've seen from Oregon, but I love today's look. Helmets are nice and the subtle hint of green around the numbers is a nice touch. Very cool look. I've normally liked the matte black helmets, but I don't like the look or OSU's. That stripe is bad. They need some type of logo on the side to complete it.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:39 PM ^
Their identity is having bad ass unis!
December 4th, 2010 at 7:15 PM ^
Oregon can literally go six and a half seasons (with conference championship game and bowl game... so 14 games per season) without wearing the same combo twice I believe
December 4th, 2010 at 7:59 PM ^
As long as there wasn't some crazy font or stripe or pattern involved, I'd have no problem whatsoever if we started mixing and matching white, maize, and blue jerseys and pants.
December 4th, 2010 at 8:48 PM ^
At this point, Oregon's identity is having all of these crazy combo's. Some of them are awesome, some are awful. Either way, I think its pretty awesome for Oregon. However, it must suck for Oregon fans who want to buy a jersey, since there are so many different types. I wonder if Oregon fans bet on what the combo for each game?
December 4th, 2010 at 10:55 PM ^
"However, it must suck for Oregon fans who want to buy a jersey, since there are so many different types"
I believe that is exactly the point...hello Nike $$$
December 4th, 2010 at 9:12 PM ^
It's actually impossible to say whether or not you like any particular Oregon team uniform.
Incorrect. It's entirely possible.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:59 PM ^
I am willing to bet they will have a new jersey for the BCS Title game !
they also are really creative with their new upcoming basketball court at the new B ball they have or will be having soon
Must be nice having all that Nike money !