Throwback uniforms for ND. I know, it's April 1st
Much a-twittering going on about Brian Kelly apparently revealing that Notre Dame would wear throw-back uniforms (maybe like these) for the Michigan game this year. At first, I read it as just being ND wearing the throwbacks, but I guess the reports are that Michigan would too (block M and number on the helmet or something). I'm about 80% sure this is BS, but it's out there, so we can now begin our favorite Mgo pasttime - furious messages about fashion.
Update: Here's an article with some more detail. I was wrong about the M being on the helmet - apparently it would be on the jersey itself. So, if that's true, we're talking really old, like late-19th-century? But that doesn't make sense because then we'd be mixing and matching uniforms from one era with helmets from another? I'm confused.
Basically like any other place without a hardcore team. I have a lot of friends from the SB area, and they're all at least casual ND fans. Purdue has a small contingent, kind of like M fans at OSU I would imagine. Other than that I know several Michigan fans and a couple of OSU, then you'll always get the occasional Miami/USC/Texas/Alabama/LSU fan.
Basically I imagine it's like being an OSU fan in Ohio. There are some people dedicated to hating the Colts because they're from the area, but yes, there is a huge Colts following here.
I don't care too much; I'm a casual Bears fan at best.
resemblance with Vince Lombardi
No? OK, nevermind
if Vince Lombardi himself can fix this defense.
In the words of Royal Tenenbaum: Right on!
I'll reserve final judgement until I see the actual uniforms, but it could be cool if done properly. The only way I could think to do a Michigan "throwback" uniform that would actually look different is do late-50s uniforms with the numbers on the helmets, no names on the back and no TV numbers on the sleeves. Oh, and long sleeves!
more info
http://detnews.com/article/20110401/SPORTS0201/104010429/Michigan--Notr…
Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon, reached by The Detroit News via email on Friday, was not ready to confirm details about the Wolverines' special night-game uniform.
"We have been working on this (and are) pretty excited about it," Brandon said. "(There's) nothing finalized to show at the present time."
If after the uni's were worn they would auction them off to raise money for Mott's or something...
True- they could wear whatever they wanted, in my opinion, if they were to raise $ for Mott's.
I'd be happy for a discount on some sweet tattoos.
... in the other post that got deleted. If this is true Brian Kelly is an asshole for letting the cat out of the bag. This is our uniform and our information to share. He's a complete dick.
Worse yet, he wouldn't reveal details about his own team's uniforms. If he was under NDA on this, and I assume he was, he could rightly be sued for devulging this information. Imagine if a supplier or partner of Apple shared details of what the Iphone 5 would look like prior to Apple's announcement.
He openly said the adidas people at Michigan would be ticked off and gave the details anyway. That's something a Sparty would do.
I'm down for a class action lawsuit. Any MGoLawyers want to take the case?
It's bullshit, but we can't do much about it.
If it's true that Kelly had an agreement in place, I would love to see Brandon take a swipe at him during a press conference or write an open letter to the ND AD though.
Someone at Michigan could take a train to Chicago and "accidentally" drop a description of the ND uniforms in front of the Chicago Tribune. Or "accidentally" e-mail them to everybody. I mean, "Reply All" is such an easy mistake to make.
Or we could say that the surprise is blown and just, ya know, wear our unis.
I hope that we don't put an Arby's logo on them!
I'll go ahead and guess that we'll be wearing 1968 uniforms. Block M on the sleeves as opposed to numbers, as seen here: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?;c=bhl&ei=1&quality=3&view=entry&subview=detail&cc=bhl&entryid=x-bl001251 Numbers under the wings on the helments, as seen here: http://www.nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/ (choose Big Ten on the sidebar and scroll down).
There don't really seem to be any other legal options, since I think numbers are required on both front and back these days.
There's obviously more variety in road jerseys, but home jerseys seem pretty standard going back to the 1930's. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xHjP1chJYqM/TG96Q_T4fJI/AAAAAAAAAn8/dLKRVtU8K14/s1600/Michigan.jpg
... that as weird as it sounded, we would in fact be going to the numbered helmets from the '59-'68 era, and (I know it sounds crazy) jerseys with a big block M on the front where normally there would be numbers. A 21st century version of those sweaters seen in the top of this thread.
But there is an NCAA rule. Rule 1/4, Article 4, paragraph f.:
f. Numerals. Clearly visible, permanent Arabic numerals on one jersey at least 8 and 10 inches in height front and back, respectively, of a color(s) in distinct contrast with the jersey. All players of a team shall have the same color and style numbers front and back. The individual bars must be approximately 1-1/2 inches wide. Numbers on any part of the uniform shall correspond with the mandatory front and back jersey numbers.
Is Michigan seeking a waiver of that rule? To put a big block M on the front? Since Kelly did mention "an M." And since Brandon mentioned that they were "working on it." (What is there to 'work on,' if all you are doing is adding some patches?)
Or, as already suggested, is the plan just a kind of a recreation of the 1968 uniform:
I would be surprised if the NCAA grants a waiver to the rule. It took a whole year for the NCAA to allow waivers on the rule that both teams can't wear contrasting dark colors as was the old USC-UCLA tradition.
But at the same time, I don't see much point if we're not wearing something drastically different. Sure the helmets will look different with the numbers, but at first glance, would anyone in the general public know the difference if we went to 1968 jerseys with the M on the sleeve instead of number?
Did the same research, and came up with 1968 as the only year Michigan had both the numbers on the helmets and the block Ms on the sleeves. An odd year to throw back to, though, eh? Didn't even play ND that season, and ended the year having our asses handed to us by Woody & OSU.
Well, according to both the Detroit News article noted above and an article on this at annarbor.com, Notre Dame's choice of throwback echoes the jerseys of the era of Joe Kuharich (1959-62), a coach with a losing record who never faced Michigan.
I'm guessing both schools choices have nothing to do with anything that happened on the field, but rather, just picking out a uniform that actually looks different than their traditional uniforms. We obviously don't have a lot of choices, and I'm guessing that Notre Dame doesn't either.
It's also the case that the Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry has gone on hiatus for long periods, so it's not surprising that whatever jerseys are selected won't necessarily be from an era when the schools actually played each other.
.jpg)
Me likey! It'll look good in the next Freakbass video
Holy fuck those are some ugly helmets!
HALOL NO WAY THOSE ARE TOO PERFECT HAHAHAHAHAHA
So random. I never liked ND's uniforms much anyways so I'm not suprised they had to scrape the bottom of the barrel a little bit for creative ideas.
I think their helmets are number two or three in the country, depending on how much I'm liking Texas/hating ND at the moment.
I will just say one thing...I have known about the ND and U of M jerseys since the beginning of February...yay me but I can't comment on it though I have seen lots o pictures
I've always liked the numbers on the helmets, so I'm excited for this.
Yes, this is likely from the 1968 beatdown game...but this should give us a pretty good idea how our throwbacks are gonna look. Swap the white jersey, the blue numbers and blue Ms on the sleeve for blue jerseys and maize Ms and numbers, and there you go.
Hope they include those circle-M socks, too. Used by both Michigan football and basketball in the 50's and 60's.
You'll laugh, I was just looking for a photo of Rudy Tomjanovich, or Cazzie, or Bill Buntin or Dan Fife wearing those on the basketball floor. Couldn't find one; but I know you're right. They were cool; the circle-M socks. We couldn't get them. I think it was an athletic department-only thing.
Michigan versus UCLA in the NCAA tourney for the national championship. Bill Buntin, Oliver Darden, and George Pomey in their circle-M socks:
Link to better-size:
http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2011/02/22/12/UCLAvsMichiganNCAA1965.standalone.prod_affiliate.4.JPG
Considering the equipment all came from the same room in Yost Fieldhouse, it's no surprise both teams wore them. And if you find a big enough picture (I have an old Ensian around somewhere that has a HUGE picture of a basketball game that clearly shows them) they almost look like they're painted/stenciled on the socks. Definitely not knit. Same design the entire time, from the early 50's through the 60's.
The design was screened on, not knit. It faded away if you washed them enough.
My guess is that the font used for the numbers on U-M throwbacks would resemble the one used circa 1947. I'd post a pic, but I'm using the MGoBlog app. Anyway, for lack of a better description, the numbers had "extra" serifs. For example, the top of the #4 back then actually looked like the top right part of the Block M. Like I said though, just a guess on my part.
Based on what, MFER? My guess is that they'll use wingdings.
This was decided months ago but has been kept secret. I have a friend who works for event planning at UM and sat in on a meeting with Dave Brandon where he announced this. I didn't start a thread because my friend told me she'd be in trouble if she told anyone... but since this has been rumored now I thought I'd confirm the rumors.
Both michigan and notre dame will be wearing throw backs
Maize and Blue is 100 percent correct as I have seen other items that they are doing in promotion for the game as well as other planned events which could be very cool. Sadly even though I have tickets I won't be able to fly in for this game.
Sorry to hear that you won't be able to make the game... are you selling, or interested in selling your tickets?!?
Always looking to see what unique twist he can provide to get his name in the paper. Just wait - he will probably claim that he invented the retro idea once it gets formally revealed.
For me, the ONLY way this approaches okay is if we go all the way back to 1905, with the simple sweater with a block M. That poses a number of problems, not only NCAA guidelines but also how do you make an sweater out of modern material?
After pointing and laughing at Ohio State for the past few years, now we are going to do it in our first prime time game. FML.
OSU's throwbacks were abominations. Our changes are going to be much more subtle. In other words, adding a small number on our helmet -- retaining the wings and same colors -- really isn't going to be all that offputting. Eh? And adding a maize Block M on the sleeves? Those will really be the only two changes. Otherwise, helmets, pants & jersey are gonna look more or less like we're accustomed to seeing. Ohio State's changes were kinda night and day.
FML?
Give me a break. We're gonna look awersome. Hopefully, our play on the field does, too.
My guess is that adidas is trying to add their logos to the throwback design, hence the delay in the announcement and Kelly's comment about getting grief from adidas:
Doesn't Adidas already put its logo and/or three stripes on the shoes, the socks, and the helmet masks of its uniforms? It seems kind of excessive if they're also pushing to get their logo on the jersey itself.