Legends Patch Designs
So... The Michigan Football "Legends" patches... Like many folks, I feel like they are a very fine idea with mediocre execution. They're big, yet impossible to read at a glance or at a distance. They stand out, sure - but less like anything you might want to affix to your own apparel and more like a white bumper sticker slapped on a black Mustang. Junior Hemingway spent most of last season looking like he was really proud that he'd won the Pinewood Derby for his scout troop. Or something. Anyway, some may disagree that they're all that bad, but I think we could perhaps at least agree that there is some room for improvement. Today, in a fit of procrastination, I decided to take a stab at improving the patches - which, hell, I think even if I'd just PictureHaused them to be smaller I would have succeeded in some way - and I humbly submit those efforts to your Dreaded Collective Judgement.
It's all pretty simple - mainly just the initials of the Legend-in-Question with some small text below to the effect of "Full Name - Michigan Legend" or something like that. Fewer words, fewer colors. What do you think?
I think that's a cool idea, but I feel like there might be some sort of rule that each shoulder has a number so the officials can identify a player from either direction... I don't actually know for sure, but I feel like that's a thing.
But yeah, if it's legal I'd be all for trying it out.
EDIT: I'm dumb, I reckon that an official could probably just as easily identify a player by a set of initials on his sleeve, right?
The NCAA doesn't have any rule requiring shoulder numbers, only front and back jersey numbers. Many schools (e.g. Oregon, Arkansas) don't have any shoulder numbers at all.
The NCAA doesn't have any rule requiring shoulder numbers, only front and back jersey numbers. Many schools (e.g. Oregon, Arkansas) don't have any shoulder numbers at all.
I love it and I do agree that replacing one of the shoulder numbers with the patch is excellent as well. Can't wait for CW 2 to adorn the jersey of Blake Countess next season.
At the very least, if there's no redesign, there needs to be a white version for the away uniforms. The blue patch on the white jersey just looks ridiculous.
I concur.
I think, though, it would be cool if each legend had not just initials but an iconic pose to make it more personalized. I made this one up quickly to give the idea - it could definitely be realized better.
Yeah, I'd thought of using Desmond's pose somehow, but I definitely hadn't considered creating an "iconic" pose for each Legend. I think some of the other folks have raised a good point about the effectiveness of such a strategy getting severely watered down the further we progress into different players and positions. Only a few every really achieve anything quite so memorable and identifiable as a trademark pose.
On the other hand, it could maybe be cool to suplement the "Heisman pose" to any number which has been worn by a Heisman winner, basically like you did for Des. I'd be down with that.
Silhoutte of a one Charles Woodson making a 1 handed interception against Michigan State would look pretty awesome.
Let's remember that we're talking about a Michigan football uniform patch here. We don't want it to be too garish. They could sell t-shirts with the silhouette, but I don't think it should be on the uniform.
Ultimately, I agree with you that there is a better way to work the Legends thing. It's a good idea but as has been pointed out, how do we get any new legends if they are all wearing old legends' jerseys?
Maybe I'll see if I have time to make a "name that silhouette" post to see if these are as recognizable as I think they could be.
What would you do for Gerald Ford's?
I think that is AWESOME.
Wallaby, the top one is about perfect, too.
Otherwise we wind up with a representation of a guy with his hands between his legs, bent over. I for one, don't want to remember GRF or the number 48 that way.
Simpler is probably better, but in my mind I was thinking of Desmond, Woodson, Chappuis, Harmon and others who have pretty good poses.
Each new player wearing the legacy number may have a new "move" or .pose. It could be a hurdle, a layout, shoelaces flapping or dreads. Whichever, let the new standard bearer define his own legacy. IMHO.
but the use of initials is usually synonomous with honoring a player who passed away
Yeah, I had not considered that. Still, I'm not sure the use of initials would be entirely inappropriate, especially since it would be a chest patch and not a black arm band or something. Plus, many of the legends are no longer with us, and the rest obviously won't be forever - Michigan Football will outlast them all, and the point of both retiring the numbers and wearing an initialed armband is to keep the memory alive, right?. Maybe? I dunno. You've certainly got a good point, but I'm not quite convinced that initials would be in poor taste or something.
I like your version better than the current one, although I'd prefer the legend's last name over his initials. I don't mind if it's too small to read on TV - subtlety is OK.
Simple yet to the point! Also like the road version as well. Please submit to DB himself to see what kind of reply you get back.
Nahh...
For a reference point, here's how the current version looks:
Personally, I like your version better, wallaby. It's clean, it's simple, and it's not huge. I don't mind the actual version, except that it's so big. That said, rmic2 does bring up a good point. I hadn't thought of that until he said it, and your version didn't immediately make me thing of that, but I could see how people could interpret it that way.
I think your proposal is a huge improvement. But one thing it doesn't address is how to handle legend patch wearers who are themselves legendary. Will the patch always show the "original" legend? Or the most recent? Will they try to cram everyone's name on there?
One idea would be for the legend patch to show the position - e.g.
LEGEND
WR-21
With no other text. Somewhere visible and meaningful we'd post a list of all the "legends" who wore WR-21 (Or DB-2, etc.)
Obvious downside here is what to do about OL-48.
The thing is the patch should be simple and iconic. Everyone knows what the "C" on a hockey player's sweater means, or what the initialed memorials mean on the back of a helmet. They say all they need to say in a letter or two. Our legend patches should be the same.
Yeah, it's kind of a paradox. To be good enough to wear a Legends patch means that you are likely to become a Legend yourself. Then what?
In honor of the math geeks that lurk this site, and the heritage of "A2", maybe they can raise the number to the power of the legends that wore it . . . like 21 squared or 2 cubed or something bizzare like that.
To be good enough to wear a Legends patch means that you are likely to become a Legend yourself.
Not necessarily. Junior Hemingway was a good player but won't get this treatment. Most players wearing the jerseys will ultimately fall a little short. This is going to be a rare thing, the equivalent of retiring numbers.
Personally, I think the patch should just have the person's last name and years played. We can figure out the rest.
i like the patches very sweet... charles should be next year no doubt....
+1 on the enclosed patches
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