DB Says MSU Road Unis "Not a Marketing and Merchandising Strategy"
http://detnews.com/article/20111021/SPORTS0201/110210321
"It's not a marketing and merchandise strategy," Brandon said. "It was to fire up the team as far as our own competitive edge. I'm glad we did it. It worked out well, but like everything else, some people love it, some don't love it."
October 21st, 2011 at 9:06 PM ^
Neither are you, what's your point? I was being completely sarcastic obviously and the uniforms last week were horrible. You should get your eyes checked if you actually think those looked decent.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:38 AM ^
that maybe getting the players all fired up in the locker room for fruit stripe uniforms could actually be a bad strategy because of all the energy wasted over such a wonderful "surprise"? IMHO, this takes their focus off of the task at hand
October 21st, 2011 at 10:42 AM ^
I think you're severely overestimating how new jerseys affects the focus of football players.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:45 AM ^
if they waste all of their emotion and a whole lot of energy jumping around the locker room being so excited over the jerseys, wouldnt that vim and vigor be better utilized between the whistles? Every year you hear NFL talking heads wax philisophic on the fact that getting overhyped for games can degrade a players performance because once that wave of emotion wears off, you're spent, and it's only the second quarter...Im just playing devils advocate here
October 21st, 2011 at 11:18 AM ^
These are 18-22 year old kids here. At that age they are probably envious of the snazzy special uniforms their opponent are wearing just to play them so maybe it's a good idea to give them something to make them feel special too. It's not like the uniforms had red or green or some other rediculous color that has no ties to the University of Michigan (looking at you MSU for featuring bronze).
October 21st, 2011 at 10:41 AM ^
that things are being taken overboard with the perception of Brandon on this board. How unforgettable was Notre Dame? That was Michigan's night, Michigan's brand, one of the most memorable games that I can remember in Michigan history. That was a Brandon product. The road alternates were his call, and from all account, the team loved them. OK the shoulders were a bit too much but come on. He is a DB, why? Because he doesn't get "it." What exactly doesn't he get?
This is not flamebait, it is an actual question. Renovated stadium, the envy of the conference, check. Night game, check. Good coaching hire who made good coaching hires, check. Why the venom? A DB because we now have music piped into the stadium. Michigan is being rebranded and our 2012-13 recruiting class seems to like the brand. Right?
October 21st, 2011 at 10:43 AM ^
This is my sentiment as well. I'm not necessarily a huge fan of the crazy jerseys, but in the end, if the players love them I don't really mind.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:59 AM ^
I agree, don't throw the baby out with the bath water. We all know that Brandon has done some good things. But, he has done a lot of bad things too and we're right to complain about tthem. The program has gone through a lot in the last three years, we don't want to lose any more of our identity than we already have. The stuff we don't want changed is a large part of what made us all Michigan fans to begin with.
October 21st, 2011 at 1:31 PM ^
"Renovated stadium, the envy of the conference, check." The stadium renovation was approved by the regents in June 2007; DB started in January 2010. He had nothing to do with it.
"Good coaching hire who made good coaching hires, check." Wow - I didn't realize seven games in it's been confirmed Brady Hoke was a good hire. I certainly hope he is a good hire, but we won't know that for at least 3 years, probably longer.
Also, are you giving DB credit for our 2012 recruiting class? The vast majority of those players committed before the night game and last Saturday's white-out bumble bee explosion, so my guess is they are committing b/c they think Michigan, and themselves personally, will be successful under Mattison and Hoke as football players. The rest of the stuff is small potatoes.
The venom against Brandon is it seems like he would stamp "CURLY FRIES - 2 for $1" on the back of a jersey if he thought he could get away with it. He has some good ideas (Big Chill, UTL), but he's far too slick and dollar-dollar-bill for my liking.
October 21st, 2011 at 3:34 PM ^
I didn't know that DB played in the Notre Dame game to make the memorable. He set up the night game, that is all. I hated the jerseys in that game as well by the way.
- He didn't have anything to do with the renovated stadium. That was decided over four years ago to expand it.
- Envy of the conference? From what?
- Good coaching hire? Not bashing Hoke (love the dude) but it's been 7 games so far and we've all seen teams like Notre Dame drop off significantly once a coach gets his own recruits on board (Tyrone Willingham, Charlie Weis).
I doubt our recruits are coming to Michigan because our 'rebranding'. They are coming to Michigan because of the atmosphere, tradition, them fitting into the system and enivornment, and the coaching staff. If 'rebranding' Michigan means wearing shitty uniforms with stripes that look stupid, then I'm not for it. Those jerseys are a disgrace and I don't care if recruits like them or not. I'll take lesser recruits if it means we stay traditional with our uniforms. And this is coming from a 19 year old, not an old timer stuck in the mud.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:45 AM ^
When the Jester is on the field
What's next . . . Argyle Socks ?!
October 21st, 2011 at 1:49 PM ^
*sniff* Argyle socks are to be worn only on Saturday's, when the Club has its luncheon.
*sigh* or you can wear Argyle socks when tailgating, of course only if they're David's (Da-veed's) design, a Maize M on deep navy blue socks, cross-stitching on the heel, maize on the toe line, elastic at the calf.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:44 AM ^
"It worked out well" I'm guessing Brandon doesn't watch the games.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:44 AM ^
but the facebook football team page did a poll as to which jersey people like better the Home or the Away UTL jersey.
I did not see a single comment that said "they both suck" pretty much every person said "they were fresh dawg but if I had to pick one it would be Home (70%)!"
Needless to say Mgoblog is in the minority.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:45 AM ^
If forced to pick one, I would choose the away jersey. I like the numbers on the front with a small M near the shoulder more than the giant M.
October 21st, 2011 at 11:05 AM ^
I didn't really like either the Home or Away jerseys until I won a free one and the Home jersey really does look nice up close. if I had to pick one it would be the home one I just really didn't think that the white looked good.
The thing that I did like about the away uni's (and I'm probably in the huge minority here) is that I really liked the under arm sleeves that said Victors Valiant. I really thought that that was cool and I'm sure that the "kids" now a days loved it.
October 21st, 2011 at 3:37 PM ^
The minority here is the boosters, who control what happens in the end. I have no idea what the boosters want, but they are the minority and they are in control for the most part. If someone is talking like "they were fresh dawg", then I doubt they could even buy a jersey anyway.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:46 AM ^
The decision to wear the clown suits for the MSU game may not have been a "marketing and merchandizing" decision, but the decision to make our alternate uniforms LOOK like clown suits certainly was. Why do you think all of our fake throwbacks have those godawful stripes on them? Because Adidas logo is stripes, so they somehow think they must put stripes on everything they touch now.
I'd be fine with throwback uniforms, but the 3 fake throwbacks created by Adidas have all been hideously ugly.
How about giving us real throwbacks, huh? As in, actual jerseys once worn by Michigan, not the Barnum and Bailey Circus clowns???
October 21st, 2011 at 10:47 AM ^
How condescending can Brandon be towards the team and the coaches? Is he saying that the team wouldn't have been properly "fired up" to play Michigan State unless he had made them wear those uniforms? I would like to see Brandon tell Ryan Van Bergen that the reason that RVB was so pumped up was because of the uniforms. I would like to see him tell Hoke that the team needed extra motivation. That's an insult, and only a certain kind of egomaniac wouldn't even realize it was an insult.
Sorry, DB. The team was motivated because it was Michigan State, not because of the stripes on the shirts. They were motivated because Hoke had them motivated. They were fired up because the Seniors had them fired up.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^
If they wanted to stick it to Michigan State we should have come out in our home uniforms. Time outs be damned.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:50 AM ^
I call bullshit, transparent bullshit.
We looked like pavement crosswalks so we got walked over.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:53 AM ^
Whether people agree with how DB runs this athletic dept or not. I have to say he is doing is job. Most of what his job requires him to do is bring money to the athletic dept. He's using some of the same strategies that made him successful at Dominoe's.
The Michigan brand got stale towards the end of Carr's regime. Bill Martin tried to change that but didn't hire the right guy. DB has changed that and has done a good job so far.
We as fans need to wake up a little bit and realize that you have to change to keep up with current trends and to stay ahead of your competitors. That's how you grow a business.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:56 AM ^
...can you buy them?
If you can't buy them, then maybe he's right. If you *can* buy them, then I call shenanigans.
And, it sure looks as though you can buy them, starting in March of '12.
Shenanigans, I tell you!
Edited: forgot to include the link.
October 21st, 2011 at 11:02 AM ^
Im going to pistol whip the next guy that says "Shenanigans"
October 21st, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^
Hey, what's the name of that restaurant you like with the all the goofy shit on the walls and the mozzarella sticks?
October 21st, 2011 at 1:37 PM ^
I want my litre of cola.
October 21st, 2011 at 2:18 PM ^
Litrecola? Do we sell litrecola?
October 21st, 2011 at 11:00 AM ^
I'm astonished by the number of similar posts.
A jersey that wins becomes an instant classic. A jersey that loses becomes an instant "clown suit."
October 21st, 2011 at 11:06 AM ^
Winning didn't make that an instant classic. It just made it a clown suit with a better story.
October 21st, 2011 at 12:45 PM ^
Back to the topic of Brandon for a moment, I'm still waiting for the maize and blue plaid jerseys.
For the breast cancer awareness game, they will be periwinkle and pink.
As will the helmets.
October 21st, 2011 at 3:39 PM ^
I hated both of them.
October 21st, 2011 at 11:04 AM ^
I kind of liked when my school's AD was seen (usually amongst bigwigs, and not in the huddle) and seldom heard.
October 21st, 2011 at 11:13 AM ^
Maybe Brandon can break down film with Mattison and show him what he did wrong with the defense.
October 21st, 2011 at 11:28 AM ^
at halftime, talking to Hagerup who was practicing punting, in the wind. you know, since our offense was having issues and the wind was insane, it might have been nice to get some concentration.
i know its not a big deal, but during a football game, STFU, let the players play and take your f**king giant wool coat upstairs to schmooze.
October 21st, 2011 at 12:41 PM ^
usually 3 feet away from Hoke. DB has been among the first to congratulate Hoke after the wins and he talks or listens in to Denard when he was out. Not sure what to make of it. Enthusiatic hands on boss like Mark Cuban or an annoying interfering boss also like Mark Cuban.
October 21st, 2011 at 2:28 PM ^
It was contemplated on here that Da-veed was looking for a coach he could "manage" or rather control... Hence we end up with Hoke, a good coach but too new to stake out his territory.
October 21st, 2011 at 3:42 PM ^
I'm tired of DB being a boss looking over the shoulder. First the whole Rodriguez thing were he watched film with them or whatever, now constantly following Hoke around. Nobody wants to be under a magnifying glass. Stand on the far ends of the sideline or get the fuck in the box. As you can tell, I hate Dave Brandon with a passion.
October 21st, 2011 at 11:07 AM ^
want one dem maize compression shirts with dem words be on it.
October 21st, 2011 at 11:09 AM ^
you should remember one important fact: those uniforms are pieces of f**king clothing. I don't love the new uniform selections either but who cares? I'll always support Michigan football. Step away from the ledge. I'm tired of endless posts about how ugly the uniforms are.
October 21st, 2011 at 3:44 PM ^
And football is just a game, so why do you care about that?
October 21st, 2011 at 11:09 AM ^
Brandon lies to the media constantly. This is another example of it.
October 21st, 2011 at 11:14 AM ^
care what jersey's MSU wears on the road?.....
October 21st, 2011 at 11:15 AM ^
We see the two traditional uniforms on the field?
October 21st, 2011 at 12:35 PM ^
OSU is wearing their annual throwback garbage for Wisky and UM has already done it for ND & MSU, so hopefully we'll get back to the regular unis.
October 21st, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^
throwback for the ND game was positive. So they then take that style and put it into an away uni and people go crazy? I was not a huge all white uni fan back in the 70's (isn't that when we wore them ??? - and Bo was the coach), but if we had won the game last week ... the bitchers wouldn't be as numerous.
I actually like the jersey ... the pants, eh notsomuch.
Go Blue!
October 21st, 2011 at 11:36 AM ^
I'm sick and fucking tired of the "players like them" crap. I'm sorry, but if the players wanted to get rid of The Victors and play Pop Evil after touchdowns, would you be OK with that? If they wanted black jerseys and black pants, would you be OK with that? If they wanted to ditch the winged helmet, would you be OK with that? (Would Dave Brandon?)
Oh no, you're being too extreeeeeeme! or so I've been told. Too bad - that's how you expose logical fallacies like this one. Admit it - if Pop Evil started playing after a score, you'd be pissed. If told the players requested it, you'd still be pissed.
I go to "extremes" like ditching the fight song and the winged helmets to illustrate this point: that if something came up that was beyond your pain threshold, no amount of "the players like it" would settle you down. So quit hiding behind "the players like it" and just come out and admit that you like it. But no - you don't want to be blamed for the gradual erosion of tradition, so you try and guilt trip those of us who hate the uniforms into accepting them. I'm sick of that shit.
I'd like to see just one person - just one - come out and say this: "These uniforms are the ugliest fucking thing I've ever seen and I hate looking at them. This program has been around for over a hundred years without ever putting something that stupid-looking on the field, and I hate that they decided to start now. There's a traditional 'Michigan look' and that is not it, and I'm pretty sure we're headed down a slippery slope where things only get worse. But this program belongs to the players and the players only, even though they've been here for at most four years of the 120+ that the program has existed, and I'm OK with whatever it takes to keep them happy. So if the players like the uniforms, I can live with them even though I hate every fiber of their existence, and furthermore, whatever traditions they hate, be it the winged helmet or the fight song, or if they want a big furry mascot, or if they want the cheerleaders to dress like strippers and the band to be kicked out of the stadium, I am OK with that too. Because the players have the only opinion that matters."
Someone come out and say that - and actually mean every word of it - and I will allow myself proven wrong.
October 21st, 2011 at 11:47 AM ^
and tomorrow tell Mike Martin (to his face, mind you) how much you hate what he has done with your program('s jerseys).
FOCKER OUT.
October 21st, 2011 at 12:22 PM ^
You are being too extreme. It's obvious that the jerseys for one or two games don't rank as high as our fight song or helmets to any rational person. Not everything has to be so black and white. People are absolutely allowed to change their minds if things get worse.
I don't like or dislike those away jerseys they aren't a big deal to me (how often have our away jerseys changed over the years?). I don't want to see it too often but until that actually happens I'm not going to bitch about it.
October 21st, 2011 at 1:14 PM ^
Based on not wanting to see them too often, I'm guessing if those became the official away jerseys, you'd have a problem. If it does happen too often, beyond your tolerance threshold, will you continue to be OK with it if the players are the ones behind the change?
October 21st, 2011 at 12:36 PM ^
Having the cheerleaders dressed like strippers might be a lot of fun, actually.