Harbaugh Explains Why The Will Wear Maize

Submitted by CarlosSpicyweiner21 on
It is to celebrate the anniversary of when the school first decided to make Maize and Blue their official colors. Truthfully I wonder what Jim thought when the higher ups told him to say this was the reason and to not just say it was because Nike/Jordan Brand backed a massive truck full of cash to the schools back door.

Ron Utah

August 28th, 2017 at 6:54 PM ^

A wise, successful marketing guru once told me, "I don't care what you think.  I don't care what I think.  Do we have some good ideas?  Sure.  But I care what the people in the stucco house think."

In this case, the "people in the stucco house" are our players and recruits first, and our fans second.  Players and recruits love the alternate uniforms.

So no, it's not a terrible idea.  But you are certaintly entitled to not like it--and I don't like the uniforms either--and still know it's good for the program.

wolverine1987

August 28th, 2017 at 7:13 PM ^

Tell me exactly how it's "good for the program." Based on what knowledge? You literally have no idea whatsoever what the consensus of the players is. You have no idea whatsoever if our recruits like it either. Lastly, Michigan football and its uniforms are NOT representing the players and recruits first. That is 100% wrong. The team represents every one of us that went to Michigan, and all the students and faculty there right now. 

ST3

August 28th, 2017 at 9:24 PM ^

Last year I visited Taiwan. My family and I took a bus tour to some famous attractions. We stopped at a tea brewery and went to a tea tasting, much like people go to wine tastings in Napa. I didn't notice any difference among them. Apparently though, true tea afficianodos can taste the difference. Your better teas will be grown at higher elevations.

1VaBlue1

August 28th, 2017 at 8:37 PM ^

This isn't change, its an ugly uniform.  Personally, I don't mind alternate uni's every now and then.  And I'm not a uni nazi, they can change them as they please.  But this uniform is ugly.  There's just no other way to say it.

BallCoachDubb

August 29th, 2017 at 8:18 AM ^

I coach high school football in Miami a pretty fertile area for recruits. And when i showed many of my players the picture of the unis they loved them. So I'm pretty sure that's evidence that recruits love them.  Me personally when i see the pic with them on, they look ok. THe pic with them just laid out i don't like the blue looks too much like WVU. But its one game and every recruit in America is on twitter talking about Michigan's Unis so i take that as a positive. And i guarantee the jerseys will be sold out so obviously somebody out there seems to like them

Bando Calrissian

August 28th, 2017 at 7:34 PM ^

How do teams like USC, Penn State, and Alabama successfully recruit without significant/any alternate uniforms?

Red herring. Does not matter as much as people with this take think. And it should not matter at all. If a kid won't sign on the dotted line because he doesn't get a chrome helmet, that says nothing about Michigan and everything about him.

Bando Calrissian

August 28th, 2017 at 8:04 PM ^

I don't get why "our team wears silly-looking uniforms once a year" is even in the conversation when you can draw on Michigan's tradition, the education you'll get in Ann Arbor, the level of support the Athletic Department heaps on the program, Michigan Stadium, football Saturdays in Ann Arbor, the city of Ann Arbor itself...

Oregon does Oregon because they have nothing else. When you're a Cadillac, why do you need to tout the features one can find in a Ford Taurus?

Oregon Wolverine

August 29th, 2017 at 12:32 AM ^

Campus is not very attractive, winter is not mild (called wet dark), and the mountains aren't that close. Best skiing is Bend, and that's aways away. Doable for weekends. Hoodoo rains all the time.



Eugene is kind of a dump. Lots of Trustafarians. Good music, occasionally. Food scene is mediocre.



Pretty sports facilities, although Mathew Knight Arena is a pretty face, but boring. Autzen is raucous.



Ann Arbor is a shining city on the hill by comparison, overall.

TrueBlue2003

August 29th, 2017 at 12:13 AM ^

has a marginal, at best, direct effect on recruiting.  You're definitely correct about that.  

But the bigger benefit is that our sponsor makes more money when it can sell the alternates, which means we can command a larger endorsement deal.  People here love that we get big deals from apparel companies and having more money helps us pay coaches and build facilities, etc. which definitely does help recruiting.  

Sure, the effect on the deal size is probably not huge either, but if our current players like it, and it might marginally help, why does it matter that some fans don't like the unis? We'll watch Saturday and I'm pretty sure our enjoyment of the game won't be affected by the unis.

Tater

August 28th, 2017 at 7:36 PM ^

As someone who has been a fan since 1960, I have mixed emotions.  On one side, the unis are downright ugly.

On the other side, recruits may like the unis.  However, I would be a lot more comfortable with these abominations if there was some evidence that recruits actually like the unis and that they will consequently be "good for the program."

Luckily, it's only one game.  I'm glad nobody has to watch this game on a black and white TV.

B1G_Fan

August 28th, 2017 at 11:38 PM ^

Just because a few people on the board here don't like an alternate jersey switch here and there doesn't mean "The fans" mind them. Tradition is more than just what you remember in you life time, sooo have a beer, downvote me and STFU because Michigan is still going to wear an all maize uniform on Saturday. A little harsh, yes but, I get really tired of you guys crying everytime Michigan changes the color of their socks and shoe laces