Countdown to Kickoff -- Day 30
Jon Falk talks about how helmets are reconditioned and repainted during the offseason.
My life has meaning again.
Cannot get here soon enough.
I can honestly say that was the most interesting, educational, countdown to kickoff yet. I had no idea that some guy paints the wings on every helmet by hand. What a job that guy has!
I completely agree. That just kind of blew my mind.
On another note...30 days!
that there's still any hand taping at all involved with it. So I guess each one is probably an original, with its slightly personal differences from all the others, huh?
August 5th, 2010 at 10:34 AM ^
I think it's kind of awesome that each helmet is slightly different.
I even seem to remember a couple of guys whose helmets seemed noticeably different, but that's probably just in my head...
i dont know about you but i just went from 6 to midnight #bonerreference
...cool video. It's fitting that we kickoff the Countdown to Kickoff videos with Jon Falk (go buy his just released book, BTW).
I love the fact that both the Riddell and the Schutt helmets are manufactured in Ohio and that we have a) a unique wing decal at Riddell and b) a master craftsman at Schutt doing the wing taping and painting. All Hail, Russ!
Also, the Michigan All-Access page seems significantly better now. It's a much cleaner page, and the videos... play.
Our helmets are painted in...
...Ohio.
?
Gotta believe we could find 5,000 sf of light industrial space between AA and Plymouth to keep this sacred task local...
Love the Countdown to Kickoff series. It gives you an inside look at to what really goes on behind the scenes. 29 more to go. I feel like a I'm in high school and counting down the days til school is out.
This day could not come soon enough.
Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!! Not only are these vids awesome, they also signify less than a month until UofM football.
Love the videos, cant wait until Monday for the first one with practice clips.
Go Blue!!!!!!!!!! Beat UConn!!!!!!!!
We made it!
August 5th, 2010 at 11:03 AM ^
It's like we're at Cedar Point, and the line finally reached the point where the sign says, "From this point, the wait is ONE HOUR to ride the Raptor." And you're all like, WOOO...
...until you realize that you still have to go through those huge back-and-forth metal zig-zag parts, including the extra part around the corner that they NEVER open, and the part on the upper level that you forget about until you get up there. And it still feels like an excrutiatingly long time, made even worse by your seeming proximity to the final destination.
appreciated, OP. Thanks!
August 5th, 2010 at 10:31 AM ^
+100000000
I love this series.
Cool video.
Kind of distrubed though that my "Authentic On-Field" Riddell helmet on display in my basement is obviously not painted like the real deal ones are. The helmet I have is fully padded and looks very legit, but the wing & stripes are decals, not yellow base paint. It's bs that Riddell markets these $300 helmets "authentic" when they don't meet the exact specs. Oh well, at least it was a gift.
Anyone else feel almost like a kid on Christmas?
MGoGiddy.
August 5th, 2010 at 10:22 AM ^
Our helmets got (custom) wings!
August 5th, 2010 at 10:23 AM ^
Falk cracks me up - he is so fired up he looks like he wants to put a helmet on and run into one of those OSU stamped tackling dummies.
August 5th, 2010 at 10:44 AM ^
Wow its pretty impressive how that guy that paints the helmets makes the design without decals. To be able to take tape and just make design and have it identical to all the other helmets its pretty impressive
August 5th, 2010 at 10:58 AM ^
Also impressive is painting those helmets with no masks. Can't be good for you.
August 5th, 2010 at 11:51 AM ^
Breathing Maize and Blue paint only makes you stronger.
August 5th, 2010 at 10:47 AM ^
Falk is such a treasure!
August 5th, 2010 at 10:49 AM ^
is a bitch. My joints are so stiff.
August 5th, 2010 at 10:54 AM ^
Awww yeah! Can't wait to see Stephen Hopkins truckin' fools!! It has begun...
August 5th, 2010 at 10:56 AM ^
It is unreal how fired up and ready I am for the season to start after watching that. Is there any way to just fast forward 30 days?
August 5th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
I wonder if Russ will to that paint job on an RV!
August 5th, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^
but I'll settle for a +1 to the OP. 30 days and counting!
August 5th, 2010 at 12:26 PM ^
Really cool video. I forgot how cool Jon Falk is. Very awesome video.
I love how Michigan has its own wing design, and everyone else has a slightly different knock-off.
August 5th, 2010 at 12:58 PM ^
After 257 loooooong days it's finally football season again!!!!
Practice starts next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Feel these nipples!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know it's in this one
for the limo scene
I like this version better.
August 5th, 2010 at 10:04 PM ^
That's how I paint my wings, masking tape....except smaller scale
August 10th, 2010 at 11:01 PM ^
...MVictors.com has some more detail on how Capitol Varsity Sports in Oxford, OH got the job of reconditioning Michigan's Schutt helmets and how in season touch ups are accomplished. It turns out the Michigan Capitol Varsity Sports relationship goes back to 1974 and Falk's relationship with the company goes back to the mid-1960s when he was the manager for his high school football team in his hometown of... Oxford, OH (home of Miami (NTM)).