Helmet question

I am not entirely sure about the football helmets but if it is anything like golf we had to give them back after every season or pay to keep them. We had the same deal with any golf clubs that were provided by the university. If we wanted to keep them after graduation we had to buy them at a depreciated cost. So maybe the players can pay to keep their football helmets after they graduate?

Also, you probably could have posted your questions in this thread: http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/countdown-kickoff-day-30

One of my friends played football at Michigan and I am almost positive he got to keep his helmet when he graduated.

I didn't know they had to give them back, but I guess it's not that surprising.  Helmets are expensive.  As for whether or not Woodson's helmet is still around, I doubt it - I'm sure the wear and tear they accumulate forces them to be periodically replaced.

It's interesting that players are apparently supposed to keep the same helmet for all 4-5 years.  What about linemen who put on 50 pounds during their redshirt year?  Their head must change shape some during that time.

With medical issues and concussions being such a hot topic lately, and with the technology (i.e. helmet changes, adaptations, padding, etc)  keeping up with the science, I imagine a helmet over 4 years old is obsolete, and therefore, not worth keeping to use again in year 6.

If I played for UM, my helmet would be sitting in my office encased in protective glass:

"Oh, that?  Yeah, I was 1st team All-conferecne kickoff returner my 5th year in 1997.  Want to see my national championship ring?"

I don't think the players can "keep" their helmets as that is not allowed by the NCAA.  That said, I think they can purchase them after they graduate.  Shoot they even have to give back some of the team clothing they wear.

As for whether or not Woodson's helmet is still laying around.  Probably not, helmets have a defined lifespan and can only be re-conditioned a certain number of times before they are no longer able to be certified. 

I would think that they would give the helmet to the players after they are done. New technology for helmets is out every couple years, so I doubt they still have helmets from 10 years ago still being used for new players. I wouldn't be surprised if every new player got their own new helmet. They're just a few hundred bucks which is a drop in the bucket compared to the hundreds of thousands spent on each player over their collegiate career.

I have a friend that played for Michigan as well. He has a helmet, but I don't believe it was his. It is the Riddell helmet, but it has no dings or dents and is highly polished. It sits on his shelf in his office. I also know someone who played for State and he has one as well. He was a lineman and in the running for the Lombardi trophy and his has no dents or dings in it either.

Most likely, they are given something at the banquet or after graduation as a memento, but when they are no longer a student athlete so there are no NCAA concerns about gifts. Otherwise, they are probably able to buy them at cost. I will check with them.

And how much monetary value of gifts schools can give students - i think this is where the baseline issue is. If Michigan gave every player their helmet they'd be giving $200 (?) or so away to every player... there are rules on how many T-shirts recruits and student athletes can get for free... So I'd imagine helmets and their value fall under these restrictions

I only watched the video once, but what I heard was that the helmets are sent back after EACH SEASON for reconditioning, retesting, etc.  I didn't necessarily get the impression that they get used again after the player's final year.  . 

I'd have a hard time believing they don't have the option to buy the helmet, and I'd be surprised if any UM football player didn't fork up the cash to hold on to such a precious lifetime momento. That's just conjecture/common sense though...

really cheap, but it seems to me that just giving it away might count as some sort of corporate endorsement or pay, which would violate amateurism.

Michigan is a LOT more controlling about its equipment, most notably the helmets, than most other schools.  I've read articles that say that Michigan demands helmet manufacturers and refurbishers who have helmets for reconditioning that don't pass muster for use again to return the broken helmets so they can be disposed of by the University so they're not leaked into the secondary market by employees.  Michigan game-used helmets are a rare commodity in the sports memorabilia industry as a result. 

for charity.  I've got a game worn helmet with LLoyd's signature staring at me from my office bookshelf right now.