MVictors Uncovers a Winged Helmet Paint Change
Greg Dooley recently visited Capitol Varsity Sports in Oxford, OH to learn more about the process for reconditioning Michigan's famed winged helmets. His MVictors.com post on the visit is well worth your time.
Greg followed up that post with one today that reveals that Michigan began including gold flakes into the maize paint in 2012 and this year's helmets continue the practice.
Before checking with #1000SSS, I asked around and couldn’t find anyone aware of the change or a release talking about the flakes.* I checked out some close-ups of photos and didn’t really notice anything. Sap found one U-M collector, Dan Oles, who got his hands on a 2012 helmet that indeed had the flakes. Oles wrote to Sap, “I contacted a few players via twitter asking if the regular season helmets had maize glitter paint. They all confirmed that they did.” Oles even shot a note to Jon Falk who confirmed the change.Fast forward to today. I verified with media relations & with Falk that indeed the team had the bedazzled headgear in 2012. The change to the paint was announced as part of the Cowboy Classic uniform reveal…but the news release didn’t call out the gold flakes:
"Michigan will be utilizing a new paint technology on the maize wings on the helmet in order to better highlight the most recognizable helmet in college football and create a more durable surface."Those highlights included the shiny flecks. (My understanding is it’s not real gold a la Notre Dame). I also confirmed they’ve got the same look on the helmets this year as well.
Here's a close up of a 2013 helmet that Greg took at yesterday's practice.
What's your verdict?
or
<<< LIKE THIS? I CAN BE ON THE HELMETZ??
Official helmet for UTL II???
but yours is beautiful. If I get permission from you and mgobaran, this will become my avatar.
fine with me!
August 12th, 2013 at 10:26 AM ^
Someone else designed my avatar. I don't remember who. But the guy made an account and commented for the first time just to post it. It was pretty bad ass.
The glitter debate aside, the article is pretty interesting. I had no idea each helmet is taped and painted by hand. Nice to see there's some true craftsmen out there that haven't been replaced by machines yet.
The only thing I don't like about it this is that Michigan helmets are reconditioned in OHIO!
August 9th, 2013 at 10:04 PM ^
August 10th, 2013 at 3:14 AM ^
Will need a job when he done playin skool.
Given that it's been like this for a year and no one noticed, I'm going to give this a big shrug of "ok."
The helmets do look noticeably shinier under lights this way, and with less glare.
the matte helmets were only matte on the blue finish. the yelow wings were the sparkle shade as described here. I thought this was common knowledge form last year?
the blood from the hearts of our vanquished opponents but that's just me.
The messed with the helmet so my instinct is to grab ye ol' torch and pitchfork and storm the castle, However, I put the pitchfork back in the barn and extinguished the torch when I realized that the change was not really visible.
Could've been CORN flakes to enhance the MAIZE.
The State Street M-Den had one in their display case at the register last year! Not sure if it's still there or not, but it did look good.
I'm way more concerned with the overall adidas-ness of our practice uniforms. Bring. Back. Nike.
August 10th, 2013 at 3:17 AM ^
Sucks.
If the only purpose was to make marc_from_novi notice, you are correct. If that wasn't the only purpose, then you are wrong.
I don't mind it. The flecks aren't noticeable and, like others, I assume it makes the maize stand out more under the lights. What I don't understand are the people angry about this when they haven't noticed it. This is a non-issue.
August 9th, 2013 at 10:16 PM ^
August 9th, 2013 at 10:22 PM ^
Bring back 3 yrds and a cloud of dust! Bring back "big uglies". Bring back maize and not neon.
Let me die alone...
August 9th, 2013 at 10:58 PM ^
August 10th, 2013 at 12:27 AM ^
August 10th, 2013 at 8:02 AM ^
kinda like a bowling ball
August 10th, 2013 at 8:54 AM ^
Once they got rid of leather helmets, it was all down hill.
August 10th, 2013 at 10:13 AM ^
August 10th, 2013 at 12:33 PM ^
August 10th, 2013 at 3:43 PM ^
I'll compare the look of the helmets at UTL II to, say, Braylonfest 2004 after the sun went down before I pass judgment. I hope this is not the first step down the slippery slope of helmet changes!