September 7th, 2013 at 11:12 AM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 11:12 AM ^
I refuse to believe it.
September 7th, 2013 at 11:13 AM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 11:16 AM ^
YOU stop whining about whining about Brandon.
September 7th, 2013 at 11:21 AM ^
YOU stop whining about him whining about people whining about Dave Brandon!
September 7th, 2013 at 12:27 PM ^
YOU stop YOU about you whining Brandon about you about whining winning whining Dominoes about Jenga. Stop.
September 7th, 2013 at 12:57 PM ^
Doesn't whining about someone whining cancel out to zero, a bit like charged particles or three lefts?
September 7th, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
Preach it man!
I'm so sick of all the shit Brandon gets here. As far as I'm concerned he hasn't done anything wrong in his tenure as AD. He has succeeded in every conveivable way except in pleasing the mgoboard. Its really ridiculous how much shit he gets.
September 7th, 2013 at 11:24 AM ^
Well according to others, he has done something wrong, including defacing one of the greatest uniforms in college football.
September 7th, 2013 at 11:34 AM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^
Defacement need not be permanent.
September 7th, 2013 at 11:41 AM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 11:48 AM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 11:42 AM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 11:52 AM ^
Absolutely, 100% THIS.
September 7th, 2013 at 12:30 PM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 12:38 PM ^
I have yet to see an alternate uniform that is in the same league as our home unis. Most have been kitchy knock-offs at best.
September 7th, 2013 at 12:26 PM ^
Could not agree more. For all the talk of "The Brand", DB sure is doing his best to kill it. Creating the future indeed.
September 7th, 2013 at 11:46 AM ^
Special uniforms could increase the interest level and special-ness of games like Akron.
Our "brand" would be best maintained if during the big games (the casual fan drop-in games) the team was wearing the same uniform more than once in a row, so the casual person wouldn't have to guess if they were watching Michigan or not.
September 7th, 2013 at 12:01 PM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 12:15 PM ^
It is the traditional Michigan uniform that is classic and special. These different uniforms are merely marketing devices that should be eliminated entirely or relegated to games like Akron that are neither special nor classic but might benefit from a marketing gimmick.
September 7th, 2013 at 12:26 PM ^
I agree with this. If you absolutely have to wear lame uniforms, wear them against Akron. When's the last time an OSU-UM picture was taken that is identifiable as OSU-UM?
September 7th, 2013 at 1:23 PM ^
I'ts done for 1 BIG reason and I believe 1 other reason.
#1 It's about money. Alternate Jerseys sell when worn for a big games that Michigan wins. The last UTLs Uniforms were horrible. But those Jerseys broght in major cash flow for the AD department. We as a fan base wanted something from that game to remember and make us feel a part of it. Don't want alternate Jerseys? Stop buying the damn things.
#2 Recruits and the current players like them. As much as they give up terms of time to put a product on the field that we all worship on Saturdays it's really NOT that big of a deal. If one 5 star recruit commits to play for Michigan and he becomes that next Woodson it's worth it. I'm not foolish enough to believe Jersey's alone would bring a recruit to Michigan, but every little detail adds up to a whole package.
The money pays for coaches like Hoke and Mattison. Up grades for the Basketball team and coach B. If we as an alum/fanbase want a football team that can compete at the level of the Alabamas in football, Dukes/Kentuckys in basketball this is what we have to live with.
We shouldn't let the little things distract us from the bigger picture. Draw a line with the helmets and i'm sure DB understands that. I thought the matted helmets rocked btw.
September 7th, 2013 at 1:56 PM ^
You are incorrect about things.
September 7th, 2013 at 7:20 PM ^
I am to lazy to Google this right now but a major publication has dispelled the notion that licensing (e.g. jersey sales) really bring that much money into a U.
Alternate uniforms are only good for one purpose; marketing. Except for that little fact that Michigan has one of the most iconic uniforms in sports. Show a picture of pinstripes on a baseball unifrom; New York Yankees, a Star on a helmet; Dallas Cowboys, Winged helmet; Michigan Wolverines.
September 7th, 2013 at 12:40 PM ^
Wouldn't you hope that the iconic, excellent regular home jerseys would be the ones you see in big games? If doofy uniformz need to be in play, wear them for Illinois or Purdue. Classics are classics for a reason.
**EDIT: Right on, five other people who beat me to the punch.
September 7th, 2013 at 1:43 PM ^
We play in surprise uniforms for almost all our big games now.
September 7th, 2013 at 4:46 PM ^
we should be wearing the classic uniforms. Fail.
September 7th, 2013 at 5:53 PM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 2:39 PM ^
If your a season ticket holder like I am, that alone gives you enough to have a bad taste for him.
September 7th, 2013 at 11:39 AM ^
He's a great athletic director, but that doesn't mean it's not fair to call him out for making the few bad decisions that he has made, like this rumored one.
These alternate uniforms have a history of being terrible, and the idea that we can't play a big game in our regular awesome home uniforms needs to be stopped.
September 7th, 2013 at 11:28 AM ^
Fuck Dave Brandon*.
*except hiring Hoke. Everything else is the fucking worst.
September 7th, 2013 at 11:35 AM ^
What about the Crisler renovations, transforming the place from a dungeon into a first-class arena? Giving our coaching staffs much greater budgets to hire assistants (compared to Martin and his skinflit budgets)? You hate those things?
I don't care for the alternate jerseys, but when that's the main complain we have, we have things going pretty well.
September 7th, 2013 at 11:46 AM ^
If so, you've not been able to see the big house because it is obfuscated by a giant glaring digital sign advertising ticket sales. It's horrible.
September 7th, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
You're grasping at straws. I live in A2 and drive by there on a daily basis. The stadium is still perfectly visible.
The athletic campus - and especially Crisler - looks beautiful now. I remember 20 years ago when the stadium had a cheap chain-link fence around it, and then they put up the halo. Anyone who thinks it's worse now than it was then is completely out to lunch.
I see that you did not respond to my point about Brandon dramatically increasing the pool of money available for assistants. I forgot to add that he's also increasing our recruiting budgets significantly. If you liked Bill Martin refusing to buy Tommy Amaker a freaking VCR and preventing RichRod from hiring the DC he wanted, I guess that's your prerogative, but I like having an AD who will commit to giving his coaches the resources they need.
September 7th, 2013 at 12:05 PM ^
I agree. Bill Martin was worse. But comparing Brandon to the guy who hired Rich Rodriguez--that's a pretty low bar, man.
September 7th, 2013 at 1:13 PM ^
He like many Michigan fans myself included are giving Brandon a pass. So many aspects are the program are improving. Yes, Dave Brandon is clearly attempting to maximize revenue but that doesn't make him a bad fit for GM. As long as he willing to alter his policies when the Michigan faithful object then I don't have a problem with him.
The seat cover issue is a perfect example, it was clearly a dumb policy objected by Michigan fans. The policy changed almost immediately.
September 7th, 2013 at 2:00 PM ^
"GM" was a perfect description. "Maximize revenue" was also apt. UM is becoming increasingly professional and decreasingly "Michigan." Kids can't go to the games anymore because it's too expensive. That sucks.
September 7th, 2013 at 2:32 PM ^
I think you have been mis-informed, or you are just making shit up. I saw kids at the game just last week.
September 7th, 2013 at 1:09 PM ^
If you like Crisler, you should be thanking Martin. The planning for that was done under his watch, not Brandon's.
September 7th, 2013 at 12:06 PM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 12:01 PM ^
then why the fuck did he hire Al Borges
... Sorry, should have waited until after he has a horrible game calling plays this year... then again, that would be just piling on.
September 7th, 2013 at 12:38 PM ^
at least coaches didn't bolt because they were being underpaid so much. Canham was a REAL skinflint - at least when it came to paying coaches. Bo himself almost left because of it, but stayed because of his extreme loyalty to the program and school. People bitch at Brandon for being so pre-occupied with squeezing more revenue out of everything, then on the other hand want all our teams to be winning championships. In today's college sports world, it takes a lot of money to compete for elite athletes and top-flight coaches. Live with it folks.
September 7th, 2013 at 12:37 PM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 3:02 PM ^
September 7th, 2013 at 4:44 PM ^
Hey that's your opinion, I'll choose Hoke or maybe even Lloyd. Literally not one thing that is on the football field that DB is responsible for has done is good. Unless I'm forgetting ike, one thing.
He understands nothing about the Micigan brand, not even about branding in general. He is good at getting money--if that is your definition then you are right, otherwise you are wrong IMO.