OTish: Mizzou's helmet 'M' on the way out?
http://www.rockmnation.com/2012/2/22/2817442/rock-m-roundtable#storyjump
I happened upon this blog's roundtable after looking into some of the bracket matrix's outliers in regards to Michigan's seeding. It seems as though they are moving away from the block 'M' that they have been using (see: Jerel Worthy's tatoo). Apparently they are always being misconstrued as Michigan fans and there is some controversy as to wether leaving the block 'M' is a good or a bad thing. There are a handful of references to this in the comments as well. My favorite:
"I wore a black hat with a gold block M on the front for a number of years in Texas. If I had a penny for every time I was asked, “Oh, so you’re a Michigan fan?” I could buy a new hat."
If I had a penny for every time I was asked, "Oh, so you're a Mizzou fan?"...I would have zero pennies and a silver dollar that I got at Blimpy Burger last weekend.
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:35 AM ^
but the block "M" is currently, has always been, and will always be, Michigan. They should do something a little more defining of them. I don't mind the tiger symbol they use.
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:00 AM ^
Doesn't the Ess-Eee-See have enough "Tigers" already? They are up to three now (LSU, Auburn, Mizzou). Not to mention some Wildcats (UofK) (cause, to me, UK will always be something across the Pond).
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:44 AM ^
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:10 AM ^
Jerel Worthy will be deep in the cold, cold ground before he recognizes Missoura!
February 23rd, 2012 at 5:36 AM ^
But this flag only has 48 stars
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:49 AM ^
Now that ridiculous tattoo wont have any meaning. Maybe he can slant the M a little with shading and play it off as a golfer from Minnesota.
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:05 AM ^
Tom Lehman? Lee Janzen? Tim Herron?
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:46 AM ^
if only for that guy's exact reason. It's one thing to (for lack of a better word) copy or derive your logo from another team, but if you're going to do it, it better damn well be a shitty team that no one will recognize and not the winningest program in college football.
February 23rd, 2012 at 8:47 AM ^
Right... like Princeton's football helmets or something =P
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:43 AM ^
I took Bacon's class my senior year (2008 - already feel old), and he claimed that Mizzou had to pay royalties to the UM AD for use of the block M for a period of tine, as it is the same one. I don't know the details, and my google searches haven't turned up much, but it'd be interesting to know the actual story behind the Mizzou/Michigan block M. As a Missourian, I've withheld discussion on this issue until I have solid evidence, but it's been elusive.
February 23rd, 2012 at 3:45 AM ^
and this is only speculation not heard from Bacon the Professor, but Minnesota and Mizzou both wanted to use our block M. We told them both not to and offered them a settlement of some sort. Minnesota accepted and made their goofy ass slanted thingy. Mizzou, on the other hand, didn't and they payed Michigan royalties to use it, much to our chagrin.
Fast forward to a couple years ago in the days of expansion when Mizzou was flirting with the Big Ten. Obviously Mizzou did not join due to acedamic reasons (which is true, they make Ohio look like Princeton). Although nobody may admit it (like Delany or Brandon), the real reason may have been just to tease Mizzou by getting their hopes up and then crush them by telling them to fuck off as payback for stealing the block M. Suck it Mizzou!
Again, this is only *cough cough* speculation...
February 23rd, 2012 at 8:50 AM ^
I find this a little bit unlikely. If they had actually requested permission, and we denied it, they can't just use it anyway and pay royalties. Copyright infringement doesn't just disappear if you send a check every month. Also, if we had some sort of settlement with them, we should be receiving significant revenue from their logo licensing on everything from apparel to University materials. I find it hard to believe that there wouldn't be a more substantial record of that on the googles.
On the other hand, I'm not an MGoLawyer, just an MGoLawStudent, so take it for what it's worth.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:33 AM ^
If I recall, this whole matter took place in the days of Canham, where the AD was making a concerted effort to market UM athletics, and doing some branding stuff as well. It's possible that this was an arrangement Canham made where we licensed the use of the M for a period of time, after which they no longer had to pay royalties.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:55 AM ^
The "academics" thing is the precise opposite of true. If it was, then the Big Ten certainly would not have added Nebraska, which ranks below Mizzou in just about every possible academic category.
Mizzou's not a great academic institution, but it was lack of traditional athletic success that kept them out of the Big Ten.
February 23rd, 2012 at 2:55 AM ^
Man, they surprisingly okay with it. Overall a pretty "meh" reaction. Maybe it's because I'm used to the rage that comes with every little change at Michigan. Imagine if our athletic department wanted to change our wings or something. Makes me want to buy a pitchfork just thinking about it.
February 23rd, 2012 at 3:57 AM ^
Interesting. Sounds like Mizzou-rah may be rebranding their image a bit!
February 23rd, 2012 at 4:10 AM ^
I think you meant uniformz
February 23rd, 2012 at 6:46 AM ^
The mistaken for Michigan thing is pretty funny to me, because I live in Wisconsin and when I wear things that blatantly say "Michigan" on them, every other person says "oh, so you went to Michigan State?"
I stab everyone who says that in the eye with a blunt pair of scissors.
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:16 AM ^
I have seen some pretty cool Marquette hats that could just as easily be Michigan hats from my brief visits to Wiscy.
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:55 AM ^
I have talked to someone who literally thought he was applying, was accepted to, and was attending the University of Michigan for grad school until he spent about 24 hours in East Lansing and realized his mistake. I was flabbergasted.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:22 PM ^
Did it not occur to this guy to do any bit of research whatsoever? Or read any of the big documentation he gets back with a giant flippin "S" that says MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY underneath? He got what he deserved
February 23rd, 2012 at 1:42 PM ^
That's true. The amusing flip side is that not only had he never heard of Michigan State, it didn't even occur to him that there could even be a Michigan State. That's how invisible that school was/is.
February 23rd, 2012 at 7:11 AM ^
This is the quote that caught my attention (I have no idea how you guys put the quotes in colored boxes):
"It is interestenig that people talk about the Block M looking like Michigan's M when Michigan actually wears a winged helmet with no lettering on it at all".
Talk about branding! As this guy states, we don't even have the block "M" on our helmets and still people know it's Michigan. Dave Brandon is somewhere smiling!
February 23rd, 2012 at 7:17 AM ^
- Switch MGoBlog to "plain text editor".
- Write <blockquote></blockquote>
- Paste quote you want between the two commands.
- Switch back to "rich text editor".
- ?
- Profit
It is interestenig that people talk about the Block M looking like Michigan's M when Michigan actually wears a winged helmet with no lettering on it at all.
February 23rd, 2012 at 8:25 AM ^
I always joked that if I couldn't get into Michigan, at least I still had a block M, just different colors. If they need to change helmets styles, so be it. But since Michigan's helmets have wings, which are iconic, I'm not sure how anyone can look at Missouri's helmets and determine that Michigan is playing.
Maybe on clothes which feature the block M, and I have many clothes with both colors, but that's what the current Tiger logo is for. I just shudder to think that Missouri is going to do something like put a paw print on its helmet. Then we would be a shinier version of Clemson.
February 23rd, 2012 at 8:33 AM ^
Michigan and Mizzou apparel and helmets is a moron. There's a lot of morons out there.
The Helmet Project has the history of all the helmets:
http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Fun fact: since 1959 (first year listed in the Project, Michigan's helmet has had only minor changes and tweaks that are probably unnoticeable to most fans, with the most obvious change being the inclusion, disappearance, and reappearance of the numerals on the side of the helmet.
Michigan State has changed their helmets 18 times in the same time span.
February 23rd, 2012 at 8:47 AM ^
papyrus:
dingbats:
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:35 AM ^
Football? Never.
Basketball? Maybe in the distant past.
Basketball:
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:54 AM ^
Football never? A lot of football apparel over the years has had the block M. From the recent Addidas throwbacks to the early 2000 block M on each sleeve, like ND currently has.
They're out there for sure.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:42 AM ^
The basketball uniforms still have a block M on the shorts (though it's smaller than it used to be).
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:49 AM ^
no one will know what his tatoo means. He will hate that he has to explain what is meant by his tatoo all the time.
February 23rd, 2012 at 9:52 AM ^
3,6,7,8.....
I was wondering how many posts it would take to discuss Jerel Worthy, an MSU player, on this UM board. Sigh.
February 23rd, 2012 at 11:07 AM ^
Is that their stadium?
I can't imagine having an openfaced hill like that. It reminds me of my high school's field.
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:08 PM ^
Thats part of the tradition for the graduating seniors
According to the Faurot Field wiki page (Faurot is Mizzous stadium)
One of the traditions of the football team is that seniors, after playing their final home game, take a rock from the "M" as a souvenir. It is also traditionally whitewashed every year by incoming freshmen during welcoming activities.
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:28 AM ^
Good. This has been a long time coming. I first noticed Missouri's Michigan M during their overtime game (the kickball one) with Nebraska in 97. Not just on the helmets but on the 50 yard line. Better reform those rocks in the end zone grass area too.
Never understood why they couldn't go ugly like other's school's M's...
Minnesota:
Marshall (Although they stole our banner):
Miami-Ohio:
Montana:
February 23rd, 2012 at 10:45 AM ^
on a pretty cool Tiger logo helmet design:
I've always like the Michigan Panther's design, which was kind of unique (and no longer used):
February 23rd, 2012 at 12:59 PM ^
I don't really mind having schools with similar logo, colors, etc. Being able to tell the difference is how you can spot the real devotees. Kind of like how Canada used to have both a Roughriders and a Rough Riders football team.
It's the quirkiness of the college athletics scene that makes it so enjoyable. For clearly defined, money making brands we'll always have the NFL.