By Phil Hecken
The University of North Carolina Tar Heels unveiled their new football uniforms for the fall yesterday. On Paul’s good or stupid meter, they’re beyond stupid. But there is some good. Let’s take a look at the good first (click all photos to enlarge).
These are the main uniforms — as you can see, the Heels have kept their primary colors as powder (“Carolina”) blue and white. That’s about where the good ends. Unfortunately, in the race to be unique like everyone else, the UNC football team has let Nike change their classic look to something, shall we say, less than classical. As you can see from that link, the white numbers (with thin black outlines) are now solid black (with white outlines) on the blue jerseys, and the powder blue numbers are now solid black (with powder outlines).
There are also small shoulder loops and a wraparound stripe on the pants. TV numbers have moved from the sleeve to the top of the shoulder. As you could probably see from those photos, there are also new helmets. Both the blue helmet and the white feature a much thicker center stripe, and there is also a dark helmet with a “Tar Heel” logo. Not surprisingly, with all the black trim, the facemask is also black:
And, of course, there is the Nikelace.
All of this, however, is just ‘not’ good, on the good or stupid scale. For the truly stupid, UNC and Nike would need to ratchet things up. You’ll be able to see that in just a second, when you can click on the video of the unveiling. But before you do, do you remember how the lads from the Ohio Bobcats football team reacted when they learned they’d be getting an all-black uniform? Remember that.
Now, lets see UNC’s full uniform unveiling in the film room, from yesterday (you’ll be able to better see the wraparound pants stripes and the new black uniform in all its gory glory:
So there you have it. New black uniform — so far, the plan is for the team to only wear it one time, for a nationally-televised Thursday night game against Miami, that the team is plugging as…wait for it: “Zero Dark Thursday“. Are you kidding me? Nope. You can read all about it here. According to that story, “The all-black uniform on ‘Zero Dark Thursday’ is the first installment of the new ‘Tar Pit Series,’ which will feature an alternate uniform or helmet for one game each year. This year’s alternate uniform color has been taken from the black tar in the Tar Heel logo.”
Read that last line again: “This year’s alternate uniform color has been taken from the black tar in the Tar Heel logo” (emphasis mine). Well, there’s all the justification one needs for a BFBS uniform if I ever heard it. For a second there, I thought they were just creating a black uniform because, well, the kids like it.
Additionally, that release was accompanied by typical Nikespeak that I’m pretty sure I’ve heard for every other uniform unveiling:
The fully integrated uniform system incorporates the latest in performance innovation where the athlete’s baselayer works in concert with his entire uniform – true innovation from the inside out. Lightweight padding is integrated directly into the crucial “hit zones” in the baselayer. Innovations include integrated Flywire technology in the neckline for reduced weight and lockdown fit over pads. Additionally, increased sleeve articulation provides better range of motion and four-way stretch fabrication delivers a streamlined shrink-wrap fit. The design enables speed without compromise.
Left unsaid is that now the players can fly.
Not mentioned anywhere, but plainly obvious, is that not only did the uniforms get a full makeover, but (in a move now typical), Nike created new fonts:
UNC over the past several years had taken to wearing colors other than white and carolina blue, so the black (if one can justify it) is just another step away from tradition. They’d also sported one of those shiny HGI helmets, so even the new helmets are just more of the same. But I’m really going to miss the traditional, classic motif (and even moreso — the odd shaped side panel on the pants that I always thought was a tip of the cap to the shape of the state). I’m sure more than a few of us were hoping Nike might move in a slightly different direction with the pants, perhaps a nod to the basketball program. Alas, tis not to be.
So — that’s MY opinion. And as always, I could be wrong. What do YOU think?
But Wait…there’s more:
Both Ole Miss and UCLA have introduced new uniforms for the 2013 season.
First, Ole Miss
Not bad, but what’s with the TNOL (Team Name On Leg)? Thanks to reader Douglas King for the tip, here is the full set. Notice — 3 separate pairs of pants (white, gray, blue) to go with 3 different shirts (red, blue, white). That set only shows one helmet, but I’m wondering if that’s all they’ll have. Certainly a nicer look than UNC, and it appears they’ve gotten the UCLA loops much better — similar to what LSU wore in their bowl game this year.
And finally (with a h/t to reader Matt Garcia), UCLA is getting new road uniforms:
According to Matt, “From Coach Mora’s twitter page. New road unis for UCLA. He also had a video the potential return of the full UCLA stripe.”
Not much to say about these, since they wore a similar uniform against USC in 2011. This one has the standard block numbers (as opposed to the clarendon numeral font used in 2011), and it will be worn with the standard gold helmet. Now, if they could just make those UCLA loops look like UCLA loops.
Readers? What say you?
Colorize This!
Occasionally, I will be featuring wonderful, high-quality black and white photographs that are just begging to be colorized.
A very small set today, but it features the return of the stalwarts of UW Colorization, Gary Chanko, plus one (and a bonus) from John Turney.
Click on each image to enlarge.
We begin today with John Turney, who has an instructional image showing old-school colorization (and I now own this book, thanks to Jim Vilk):
Phil–
The old school way of colorization, with airbrush — look at pinks, purples and yellows!
John
John also sent along one he did himself:
Phil–
Harry Newman with the Brooklyn Tigers, circa mid-1930s
I’m not sure if pants were tan or if they matched the orange shirts, so I went with the tan.
John
We close today with colorizer-extraordinaire Gary Chanko, who not only has a colorization, but who also has a story:
Phil
I’ve been absent with colorizations for awhile, but with baseball getting started and the dreaded Nats getting a head start on my Phils, I found this vintage photo appropriate.
Gary
————————————————————————————
Another reason why we don’t want the Nationals in the World SeriesThe picture tells the story. This is what happens when a baseball club from Washington DC finds its self in the Fall Classic. Fortunately it happens rarely.
We simply don’t need another outlandish display of dancing nymphs and clowning players.
Not much is written about this photo taken presumably at the start of the 1924 World Series, won by Washington over the Giants. However, the two players can be identified Nick Altrock (kneeling) and Al Schacht. Both were well known for their baseball comic acts, Schacht in particular. Labeled the Clown Prince of Baseball, Schacht performed long after his playing and coaching career ended. Remarkably he entertained at twenty-five Worlds Series (1927-52).
Interesting to note that neither Altrock nor Schacht appear to have made the Washington roster for the World Series (Schacht became a Nats coach in 1925). The photo may have simply captured their pre-game comedy antics.
The picture source makes no mention the photo is from the 1924 World Series. But the Washington uniforms lack pinstripes and match those worn during the 1924 Series.
That’s it for today. Big thanks, as always, to Gary and John. Lets keep those colorizations coming Uni Watchers!
Uni Tweaks Concepts
We have another new set of tweaks, er…concepts today. After discussion with a number of readers, it’s probably more apropos to call most of the reader submissions “concepts” rather than tweaks. So that’s that.
So if you’ve concept for any sport, or just a tweak or wholesale revision, send them my way.
Please do try to keep your descriptions to ~50 words (give or take) per image — if you have three uniform concepts in one image, then obviously, you can go a little over, but no novels, OK? OK!. You guys have usually been good with keeping the descriptions pretty short, and I thank you for that.
Like the colorizations, I’m going to run these as inline pics — click on each one to enlarge.
And so, lets begin:
We begin today with Mark Rabinowitz, who has a “what they should have done” for the Bills:
Phil,
Below is my concept for how I would have done the Buffalo Bills in 2002.
Description (I”˜m trying to keep it down to 50 words, but I think I went a little over):
“How I would have done the Bills’ unis in 2002 if it were up to me. Bills get red jerseys and pants to go with the red helmets they got in 1984. Helmet logo tweaked to go better with red helmets. IMHO red jerseys have possible added bonus: more appealing to Bills’ Canadian fans.”
Thanks!
Sincerely,
Mark Rabinowitz
Next up is Bryan Ross, with a set of Iggles concepts:
Hey Phil,
I’m a big Philadelphia Eagles fan and I have wanted them to return to the kelly green. So I created clean and classic look. I kept the same Eagle logo and helmet wings and added a simple block letter font to give it the throwback touch. Just having some design fun. I also added an all grey “silver surfer” alternate. The idea behind it is to add chrome in the white area of the helmet wings. I used one set of pants color because that’s what they used in the 80-90’s era. See what you think.
Love the site. Keep up the great work!
– Bryan Ross
Next up is Jimmy Greenfield, with a Pirates makeover:
Hey Phil.
Below is my design for a Pirates uniform. They are socks, not stirrups (sorry guys) because I think the players would be more willing to wear them. The white extends to just above the ankle. It would be mandatory for the player to show black above the top red stripe.
Uni Watch member Jim Greenfield.
We close today with Marcin Niedzielski with a Suns makeover:
Hi Phil,
A quick tweak I made to the Phoenix Suns – I was always a fan of the old look so I took that and tried to refresh it. Since I know how much Paul hates purple, I decided to steal a page from the Astros book and give them a tequila sunrise look to their away. I also took the logo and made a minor tweak making the rays around the ball symetrical. Enjoy!
Thanks,
Marty
And that’s it for today. Back with more next time.
The UWFFL — An Update…
We’re still accepting submissions for the “Uni Watch Fantasy Football League,” (deadline is tomorrow night), so I wanted to let the league’s visionary inventor, Rob Holecko say a few words. Here’s Rob:
Well it’s last call for entries into the UW Fanatsy Football League design contest. The deadline is tomorrow, Monday the 15th, and we’ve had lots of wonderful submissions. The proposed league logo you see above was created by Brady Ivie, who also submitted entries for all twelve teams as well. Next weekend you’ll get to vote on your favorites as we begin the process of choosing winner.
Thanks Rob. At least that’s the plan — we HOPE to begin voting next weekend (I’m unfortunately very busy with a bunch of stuff), but we should be able to begin some of the voting next weekend. So be sure to check back in.
If anyone is still working on submissions and needs an extension, please be sure to let me know and I will try to accommodate you. OK? OK!
And on that note, we’ll close down today’s Sunday post. Big thanks to all the concepters, the colorizers, and the readers for their tips on the new football unis. Great jobs, one and all.
Please join me in wishing a Happy Birthday to the most ardent supporter of the stirrup revolution, James Poisso, whose special day is today, and an early birthday to one of UW’s most dedicated uniform researchers, and founder of the GUD, Timmy Brulia, who celebrates his birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday gentlemen!
Everyone have a great Sunday and enjoy the spring weather, the Sunday baseball, and the final round of The Masters. Have a great week and I’ll catch you next weekend!
Peace.
“Walmart wolverines are a plague in Michigan. It doesn’t even compare to any other college.”
–Zach Conrad
Completely agree with you on UNC’s uniform disaster. I could live with the new number font, but the use of black is just stupid. Light (electric) blue and black are the Carolina Panthers colors. A sad, sad day in Tar Heel history.
Count Ducko of Oregon behind this is. Disruption in the force money is. Revenue some 30% AD Bubba Cunningham wants to increase in coming years. At the heart of this the dark side is working.
ole miss actually has 4 new jerseys, two different white options
yeah good eye, this is what i was coming to point out
Nice colourisations guys!
I was a little bit busy yesterday :)
I suppose congratulations are in order, George! I look forward to City beating your lot in the final…:b
Good job guys as always.
George, this United fan will be pulling for the Latics come the FA Cup Final.
Plus, I have a world of respect for Roberto Martinez. He was fantastic as an ESPN studio analyst for the World Cup. I hope we’ll see him in that role again for Brazil 2014.
A very intelligent and charming man. I’ve met him quite a number of times, and he is in “real” life just as he appears on TV.
The good thing about City winning is that Latics will definitely be in the Europa League next year. :)
Gary Chanko is scared… Nats!
When Nike fs up UCLA and North Carolina’s uniforms it’s one thing – they’ve never been any good. But messing up LSU’s look for the Chick-fil-a was a damn shame. I hope the tigers lose that look immediately.
Nike’s not the one messing up UCLA; that one’s on Adidas.
At work the dark side is in all.
At what point does college football cease to be a legitimate topic for uni-watching? If we haven’t already passed that point, we will soon. I’ve already sort of given up. Why? Well, partially the weak ties of having attended two colleges, one of which doesn’t have a football program, and the other of which has the Golden Gophers, which is kind of like having no football program, except worse.
But mainly it’s that college football has pretty much ceased to have uniforms. Not only is there no uniformity for any team from game to game, teams aren’t even reliably wearing their own school colors anymore. What the hell? Time was you couldn’t tell the players without a program. But today, you can’t tell what teams are playing without a program. And if your own school is any good, then you probably won’t be able to recognize your own team in a nationally televised game without advance notice of what non-school-color uniform it will wear. (One advantage of being a Minnesota alum: The Gophers are just bad enough that they still mostly look like the Golden Gophers, instead of superhero coal-miner commando eagle ninjas or whatever the hell Nike and Under Armour are trying to make every team look like.)
In short, college football no longer wears uniforms. It wears costumes. In terms of athletic aesthetics, college football has become golf or women’s tennis.
Amen, brother, amen!
Yes, I have to agree. And I’ll add to your points the concept of CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION. With 90% of the world struggling to figure out how we can possibly cover the costs of our kids’ college educations, it’s vexing to see thousands and thousands of dollars within the colleges’ monetary universe getting blown on these pointless rotating uniforms. Could there be a more effective symbol that says to the world that athletic swagger matters more than education?
I get that this is a way to lure the best athletes, and thus to win, and thus to generate athletic revenue, but when everyone has to do it, it just drives up the “cost of doing business” for everybody. And in an odd way, it becomes a means of “paying off” athletes that you’re not allowed to actually formally pay — a bunch of money is spent (by the school or by the supplier) on a “perk” that you hope will sway the best prospects to your school.
Most jerseys are either given for free by the manufacturer or purchased with donated funds to the program. At big time programs little of the schools money goes towards extra things mainly salaries and general costs.
I’m not to the point of giving up, but I think it’s time to stop saying school “x” is “moving away from tradition”, and being surprised by that. This started with Oregon years ago, and the designers/schools have never looked back. We are way past the “moving from tradition” talk.
However, let’s remember that not every program has given in. Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas, USC (to name a few) have remained steadfast in holding to tradition. And as much as these new duds are to excite the players and recruits, the previously mentioned teams haven’t had a problem winning with the “same old” uniforms.
Yep, those Carolina uniforms are just awful. How do their fans feel about this? When I first saw pictures on Twitter, I thought that was navy blue instead of black. Given that navy has been used as an accent for a while now, that would have certainly been more tolerable, right? Even if they would have looked like Tennessee Titans ripoffs. I should have known it was black.
I really, really loved UNC’s football uniforms. I think the argyle pattern would have worked as a nice addition. But adding black? Ugh. I thought gray was the new “in” color. It would have at least looked better than this. Hell, almost anything would.
You suck, Nike. Though I have to begrudgingly admit that those Ole Miss changes look good.
Did you watch the player reaction video?
I think it’s time to start giving the blame to the schools, not to Nike for giving them what they want.
No, I didn’t watch the video. I assume they went ape-shit. The players eat this stuff up, and the schools think that something as stupid as black jerseys give them a recruiting advantage. Which apparently isn’t that far-fetched, based on player reactions.
Nike doesn’t deserve all the blame. I DO blame schools for whoring themselves out, even if I didn’t specifically say it. There are a lot of dumb decisions being made. Though I guess “dumb” may depend on your point of view. I’m sure UNC doesn’t think it’s dumb, at all. Not when they see player reactions and more $$$ coming in.
Awful. Just plain awful. I’m not opposed to adding black, as it fits with the Tar Heel.
However, the DESIGN is what’s problematic for me. Class-less loops around the shoulders, the Nikelace, the form-less pant striping. There’s absolutely no continuity here. Add to that, it resembles the Carolina Panthers … which is not a good thing, IMO.
UNC should wear clean, classy uniforms. Pant striping that’s traditional. Collegiate numerals. Appropriate outlining. Have as many helmets as they like … but keep everything else classy.
Frankly, as a professor at the institution … those student-athletes would act that way for ANY new uniform introduction. They aren’t excited because the uniforms look “good,” they’re excited because they’re in a group, they know cameras are recording, they’re being shown a hype video, and something new is being unveiled. They’re with buddies, acting the fool just for the sake of it.
For every guy who’s over-acting excited, there are 3-4 guys just standing/sitting there. Would be interesting to do a scientific poll whether each individual likes the new uniform design better than previous iterations. No “group hype” to dictate their answers.
It’s a cultural thing. The universities have bought into the hype Nike, UA and adidas are pimping … mainly because they don’t employ anyone within their departments with the savvy to understand brand equity. They’re letting the hype machines dictate strategy (or lack thereof) for the benefit of short-term awareness.
If everybody’s doing it … no one’s brand is distinguished. That’s rule #1 in branding. Oregon branded itself as the “change agent” of college athletics. Now everybody’s onto it. This isn’t branding, it’s costuming, as was mentioned previously.
And UNC’s costumes have atrocious design.
Very well put. That might be the most thought out, well explained reaction to this whole “hype” uniform crap that’s been happening the last few years…
If I had made a list of my favorite college uniforms a year or two ago, North Carolina, Ole Miss, and UCLA would have been on it, so this morning’s news really upset. North Carolina in black is just a travesty. They look more like the Carolina Panthers than the North Carolina Tar Heels. Nothing was as awesome as the Carolina blue uniform with white numbers. It was nice and clean. The black numbers and black helmet stripe are just horrendous. Ole Miss’s new uniforms are very similar, but it looks like they have messed up the shoulder stripes. As for UCLA, their road uniforms looked best when the numbers were primarily a light blue outlined in gold and navy. Much like how at UNC, powder blue should be preferred over black, light blue at UCLA should be preferred over navy because that is the shade you associate with the school.
How many more programs can Nike ruin?
Good point, I’d probably have included UNC, Ole Miss and UCLA among my 10 or 20 favorite uniforms before these makeovers.
Who is next the money dictates. Dook and NC State Count Ducko of Oregon and Darth Adidas have already preyed on, black insisting. Dropped to their level with this mishap we have.
Trying to think of a marketing gimmick less tasteful or more unpatriotic than “Zero Dark Thursday.” Maybe BFBS uniforms with the slogan “Ho Chi Win”? Ash colored uniforms for a conference championship game with the slogan “Bowlocaust”? Camo unis for SMU with the slogan “Lone Gunmen”? Neon yellow unis for Iowa with the slogan “Gold Hawk Down”?
Oh come on now, they obviously just forgot to mention that the game was being sponsored by Coke Zero, and it’s a night game so it’ll be Dark.
Oh. My. God. How has Coke avoided making “Zero Dark Thirsty” an actual brand slogan?
God i hope they dont read this site…
“Ho Chi Win” should be for Stanford; its mascot is a red color.
These reveal videos bear a striking resemblance to Oprah’s Favorite Things shows. Someone needs to make a spoof video.
^Someone’s been thinkin’!
And the creeping Nikefication of the SEC’s bastions of uni-tradition continues. Damn.
As for Bryan’s Eagles concepts: Yes! Do that yesterday! (Even the GFGS is pretty friggin cool!)
@TomConnISF: For today’s match against Rayo, @RealSociedad will wear these custom shirts dedicated to the fans,real faces & all! link
The “Zero Dark Thursday” movie tie-in reminded me 100% of another black uniform link.
What really mad me want to vomit was not the new uniform…I could really not care less about UNC…but how a learning institution places such a commercial emphasis on athletics.
As a UNC fan, i def prefer the ones they wore before. I can understand now that the black resembles the tar, but theyve always been carolina blue and white with navy. I was expecting argyle stripes and black throughout all the uniforms to me is disappointing. I liked the clean look before including the white helment, now the helmets look bad with the new stripe. I give it a D.
I disagree with you on the new Tar Heel uniforms. As a life-long UNC fan, I love to see the team get excited. “Traditional” and “classic” is all relative, to some they look “dated” and “boring”.
The new uni’s look sharp and edgy… Whether you like it or not, uniforms can be a major recruiting tool… Those uni’s will POP when displayed on a green field of grass…
They don’t look bad in a vacuum (and they’d probably look pretty good as Carolina Panthers uniforms) but with everyone and their mother wearing black in recent years, you really can’t call them “edgy” in any way at all.
Jon, your opinion definitely carries more weight than most of ours, if you are a fan. But wouldn’t you have rather seen navy used, instead of black? You know… since y’all have actually used navy as an accent color? Just seems like since your fiercest rival has, in recent years, emphasized black in their uniforms, you wouldn’t want to do the same.
“‘POP’ when displayed on the green field,” hmmm? Another letter, perhaps an “O” in the middle left out you did.
Call me crazy, but I think Ole Miss’s new unis are way worse than UNC’s (which I actually kind of like.) EVERYTHING on the Ole Miss jersey looks completely out of proportion.
I can put the squash on the UNC unis in just five words.
They look like Duke now.
COTD right there.
Duke would never wear something so ugly.
Besides, Duke added black jerseys in 1996, when it was a novel concept.
I saw those UNC unis yesterday and did not know that was black. I thought it was navy. I was kinda impressed there was no navy helmet, jersey, or pants option. Turns out it was much, much worse
Enjoyed the colorizing efforts today…as always!
Stoke City player in a #50 blood shirt after taking a Chicharito boot to the face. Couldn’t get a screen shot of him changing shirts, sadly.
If every school tries to “Out-Oregon” Oregon with all the silly costume combinations, in order to recruit the top “student athlete-fashionista”, wont it actually lessen the appeal with every school doing the EXACT SAME THING?
I am not only a UNC fan but an alum. I bleed Carolina Blue. And these are awful. BFBS is never good. But those colors are MY colors. They represent some of the best years and experiences of my life. The same could be said be tens of thousands of alumni around the world. It bothers me that Nike is forsaking over 200 years of tradition (blue and white since 1789) to appeal to a group of teenagers who do not yet have their diplomas, just because BFBS is kewlz and xxxxxtremez. Alabama, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Southern Cal and Penn State don’t seem to have the need to pander to the kids they’re recruiting.
Agreed. I blame the lack of skills/savvy in athletic department offices across the country. They’re being sold a bill of goods from the apparel companies, and few in the university AD setting have the ballsack to stand up and dictate the terms. If I’m the CMO of the university, I’m all over this type of thing, because athletics are so visual to the community.
Add to that a very limited skillset of design aesthetic or creative brief as it relates to the university … i.e., instead of hiring someone local, Nike hires their design team in Oregon, or some freelancer (what’s his name? Spencer something-or-other) in New York, etc. It’s a vicious cycle that results in disjointed design. Too bad, UNC could be an AMAZING football program to outfit.
Are you thinking of Tinker Hatfield?
I don’t think that universities are just giving Nike the green light to do whatever they want with their uniforms. They work in conjunction with Nike develop a new look and concept and if you don’t like it some of that blame needs to be placed on the administration. I seriously doubt that Nike is forcing these looks that you dislike on these schools. All of these rembranding efforts are a collaboration and are approved by the school. You can hate on Nike all you want but they are not the sole bad guy in this scenario.
If UNC had gone to Nike and asked them to use Carolina blue and white and add in argyle patterns do you really think that Nike would have said no?
Just saw “42”. Loved it. Historical accuracy was good. If anyone goes to see it, pay attention to the infamous Ben Chapman tirade when Jackie is at bat. Phillie manager Chapman and the person next to him are wearing different socks.
It’s sad that UNC has the greatest basketball jersey’s in history can’t ever seem to get their football uniforms on the same level. When your colors include the great sky blue and navy, why not use them? Black doesn’t go with sky blue, just clashes. If they switch it to navy it would look help this be an OK uniform.
Navy the color is not… Tar Heel Deep Blue the style guide says.
Michigans qb wore orange jerseys. However they seemed to be real adidas and not Oregon state. There were tiny white and blue stripes on the sleeve elastic. Anyone know where they got the new qb jerseys? If adidas just made them for the QBS, I don’t think they would add little stripes, so it makes me think they got the jerseys from another adidas school but I don’t recognize it. It’s not bowling green I don’t think.
A pic would help, but they already added a B1G patch and an Adidas logo so I wouldn’t be surprised if they slapped on some stripes elsewhere to complete the look.
Interesting story on Yahoo today. Not quite uni-related, but enough.
link
What seems odd to me is that the owner bought them a round of drinks. I think it’s pretty reasonable to expect that, if you pay $3250+ for a ticket, there better be an open bar.
*$3250+ for the suite, rather. Or over $162 per ticket.
*$3250+ for the suite, rather. Or over $162 per ticket.
I’d like to see Josh Escobar take on this 1944 Brooklyn Tigers uniform. Michigan wing style helmet with a ‘B’ right up front. Back in the day, they paid an extra 22 cents to get that B cut out of the leather…..damn!
Too add, looked to be the only NFL team in 1944 to have black in their uni color scheme.
Ordinarily I’m not averse to BFBS, but in some cases it is incredibly stupid, especially for schools that don’t utilize the color in their set, but I’m going to agree with UNC on this one. Granted, I’m surprised it took this long for them to realize that there was black in their logo, but if the team wants to use black because it’s in their identity set, then by all means.
There is a relation to black in their name (tarheels) but they don’t have many official logos (if any at all) that actually have black in them. The whole tar thing leaves the door open for BFBS alternates but to dump your traditional accent color and opt for black across the board is ridiculous. Especially when you have rendered the tar as navy for the past 31 years.
Here’s their tarheel logo which has been in use since ’99:
link
Here’s the original incarnation that was used from 1982 to 1998:
link
I’m a UNC grad and fan, and while from a fan’s standpoint I liked the classic look, at some point guys like me have to realize that it’s much more important that the players feel like they look good because that does have an impact on how well they play.
UNC has never really been that good at football, and perhaps part of the reason is that it’s hard to feel like a badass while wearing a pastel color.
So Nike has successfully come up with a way to make a light blue uniform look like something football players want to wear.
Sure, tradition was sacrificed, but what exactly is UNC’s football tradition? Not much. I would not be surprised if the team has a better than average season next year because the players will feel good about the way they look.
Some guys are confident enough in themselves to pull off pastel colors just fine…
link
Using Navy would have been just as effective, add a BFBS alternate and call it a day, instead they dumped Navy and went with black.
And Traditional colors should be the same across the board, sure UNC football doesn’t have the most storied history but when people think of UNC they thing Carolina Blue, White and Navy. Sure the first thought is basketball but how ridiculous is it going to be having one team wearing traditional colors and the other using black throughout theirs. For years Georgia Tech used black and Navy interchangeably, only in the past 20 years has Navy become the secondary color used throughout sports and only in the past decade was it officially made the secondary color. The Result is that most people couldn’t tell you Tech’s colors (I hear Gold and Black all the time, yet black hasn’t been used since the 80s).
You’re school is creating an identity crisis for a fad (and not even a recent one). Navy is as close to black as you can get, and yet y’all decided to commit entirely to the BFBS.
All I’m saying is that these uniforms were designed with the players in mind, not the fans. And if the players get pumped up by putting on black, it will help their performance.
Football is basically a game of war. You want to wear what make you feel good and intimidates your opponents. Who cares what the fat white guys in the stands think?
“And if the players get pumped up by putting on black, it will help their performance.”
link
link
link
And of course who could forget this one, #3 uga hosted #8 Alabama, Georgia was favored and they were breaking out the Black jerseys surely they would rise to the occasion… it was 31-0 Bama in at half, the stadium, which was decked out in black resembled more of a funeral than a blackout at that point.
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Black doesn’t mean s***, hell feeling good doesn’t mean much if you can’t play good football. UNC didn’t need to abandon tradition to make some uniforms the kids would like (BFBS while played out will get them excited (doesn’t mean they will win), but you don’t go full BFBS).
New unis tend to alienate fans, new designs are unpopular especially when they replace traditional uniforms, but rarely does a team have to deal with a new uniform and a new color replacing an old one (even Oregon added black, they didn’t replace green or yellow with it).
You never go full BFBS
Yeah I made a pic up for that, was too lazy to upload it to somewhere so I could link it, but I just did it anyway (I attached it in a forum on uniform updates for NCAA Football 14).
I put the words in carolina blue.
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Uniforms are big for recruiting, but why stop there? Who needs assistant coaches? I’m sure recruits would love to hear, “Man, we don’t need no coaches. We just let you go out and ball. Do your own thing.”
Props to the UNC football team for capturing bin Laden, too. I mean football players are all special ops bad ass G.I. Joes as well, right? I couldnt imagine having to juggle football, school, and top secret military operations in other countries.
That was funny Gus! I’m a Tar Heel fan, and I about lost my lunch when I saw that video. It also gave me flashbacks of the recruiting office!
Blues in home whites against Chicago.
I find it kind of interesting that the TNOL on the Ole Miss pants are in the same design/position as the television logos in NASCAR…Considering that the tv logos are designed to be seen by in-car cameras…I don’t know what Ole Miss is thinking.
Here are a couple old color shots of North Carolina. One is 1940. Note the black helmet
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3 more old Carolina color shots. One is full body shot of Choo Choo Justice above.
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The last one was from 1964 game that was posted vs Wake and beat carolina on back.
College athletics is a snakepit, but it reflects the country. Before long, Nike will say, “wearing our super-light, competition-equipped, extra-glory, combat-ready uniforms is like blasting your opponent in the face with a semiautomatic rifle!!!”
I’m a lifelong Phillies fan but I also loved the Senators as a kid and thus have adopted the Nats as my #2 team. So if the Phils can’t make it to the World Series, then I’d be thrilled to see the Nats make it, and the dancing nymphs would just be a nice bonus.
I’m kind of the same way. I was a bit too young when the expansion Senators moved, but I’m glad that I have a shorter drive to see MLB action, and I’m glad it’s the NL. I’ll root for the Nats when they’re playing against someone other than the Phils (Mickey Vernon essentially the same thing in an interview at RFK a few years ago. Just one more thing in common with the guy from my hometown).
“We simply don’t need another outlandish display of dancing nymphs and clowning players.”
Still better han seeing Jimmy Fallon run onto the field.
*than
Wait wait, the “rationalization” for using black as a UNC color is that there is black in the tar heel logo? Bull fucking shit. In other news, (1) yellow, the color of the beak, is an Arizona Cardinals color, (2) orange and green, a couple of incidental colors in the Indian man’s headdress, are Chicago Blackhawks colors, and (3) the Calgary Flames adopted all the colors in the provincial flag as colors of their own as of the Reebok EDGE era. *gavel smack* DENIED!
also the logos used by the school have always had navy splotches on the heel (not black).
Even considering myself a “modernist” and generally hate the traditional classic looks more than I like them I have to agree with everyone on the UCLA, Ole Miss and UNC looks. The “best” of the three is UCLA and they incorporate 2 of my least favorite things about football uniforms: grey facemasks and all white on the road. Sad. So sad.
Also continuing on my dislike of the traditional looks the Pirates are wearing their throwbacks today and of course I appear to be the only person in the universe that thinks they look terrible. When I make it to Pittsburgh later this Summer I may be catching a Sunday game before I come home and I’m hoping A.J. is pitching that day and scraps the Sunday rule and goes with the black alt instead.
If AJ pitches on May 19th, you might see him in a camo jersey instead. Check out the link
And yes, you are the only person in the universe who thinks the ’71 uniforms shouldn’t become the regular uniforms. ;)
Fortunately not. It’s in July so it’s a kid’s tumbler cup giveaway that day and I guess I’m a few decades too old for that.
I want the 1997 home/road/black alt/red billed alt hat look back with the current sleeve and pant piping (no piping on the neck) and no road pinstripes. I can also take or leave the road hat that never made any sense with the pinstripes. I loved that Pirates wordmark and that version of the “Pittsburgh” wordmark needs to come back as well.
That was actually a decent look, too.
As a die hard Tar Heel fan, originally from North Carolina. I despise this!!!!! It’s absolutely horrible, and makes no since. We are NOT a school that needs a gimmick, we already have an image. And I thought it couldn’t get any worse when they wore the chrome domes last season? Guess I was wrong. And to think, I always thought that UNC was above this kind of mess. Wrong again!
I absolutely despise football number fonts that aren’t traditional block styles. I love them on basketball jerseys (like the Suns concept) but never for football.
The only stylized number font for football I like is the Bears. Maybe I would like some of the new fonts if they weren’t so bulky. Perhaps that’s one reason why the Bears font has stood the test of time. The way the jerseys are being constructed today, I’m surprised more number fonts aren’t skinnier.
I’ve grown up a Tar Heel fan my whole life. Born and raised with the Carolina blue. Their football uniforms last year were in my opinion some of the best in college football. I could tolerate the navy jerseys and chrome helmet. But what they reveled yesterday makes me ashamed to be a Tar Heel. Never thought they would get away from their classic colors and it will be hard to cheer this season. A lot of fans are disappointed with the addition of black. Very sad day in Tar Heel history.
The UNC Number Font looks to be a stylized version of the Indento font – link I used a free version for one of my UWFFL jerseys a few weeks ago.
Those UNC black helmets and uni is BADDDDDAAAAAAAASS. Wish my team would do something like that. Hey! UT! Check these unis out!
Which UT? The one that fired its good coach and spiraled downhill, or the one who recruits everyone as tight ends?
No gold pants for UCLA anymore????? Following the St Louis Rams and dropping the all-gold pants look and settling for the same white pants look with almost the same trim????
What’s up with this decision?
I think if I kept looking at that Zero Dark Thursday picture, I’d get a headache. It’s the combination of the two images and how it all comes together. Seeing the uniform through the words is not visually appealing at all.
ummm im pretty sure those phoenix suns concepts are already the phoenix mercurys jerseys……worst idea ever besides the actual wnba itself sorry
All you Tar Heels bashing the uniforms need to get off your high horse and just support the team. Come to the games for crying out loud and cheer instead of being fair weather fans in front of the TV! Fedora has us going in the right direction and I think these unis will help recruiting which is what they are intended to do! Who cares if you don’t like them, obviously the players do and that’s what matters! We played pretty darn hype in the chrome helmets vs State so anything to increase confidence and overall awareness of the program is a good thing in my book. Only thing I’d say is I would have liked to see a large incorporation of Argyle in the jerseys. Argyle is totally unique to UNC and would be a knock-out hit IMO