Less than a week after unveiling new primary uniforms, West Virginia is back with a black alternate design — the first BFBS uni in WVU history — which the school says is “designed to pay homage to the state’s rich coal tradition and honor miners who work underground daily to supply energy around the world.”
The numbers and stripes are reflective, referencing the safety reflectors located throughout underground coal mines.
Here are some additional pics:
The school’s press release says this uniform will be worn “on select occasions” but does not specify any dates.
WVU is the second Big 12 school in as many days to unveil a BFBS uniform, following on the heels of Iowa State, whose new uni set includes a BFBS alternate.
CFCS… JFC!
The ONE time ‘anthracite’ would have made sense for the storytelling. Teed up and ready to go- whiff
Actually, most coal reserves in West Virginia are bituminous, not anthracite, and there is no current anthracite mining in the state. link
Since when have facts ever been a part of Nike’s storytelling?
Now if they would have developed a coal miners helmet with a light on the front… I might actually think they’re okay. Nike shoveling crap like no one else…
Welp…I feel dumb now.
So BFBS in this case means Bituminous for Bituminous’ Sake
Bingo!
Actually, I thought they already had a coal-themed uniform.
link
I thought this was their “Canary in a Coalmine” kit (best ever Police song, by the way…and maybe the marching band could play a pepped-up version of Sting’s “We Work the Black Seam”)?
Looking past all the things I don’t like, BFBS and what looks to be a tapered and patterned helmet stripe, I actually like the shoulder cap designs. The pattern and the vertical three stripe is subtle, but unique. Too bad they didnt continue the three stripe on the pants. Those short, chunky, diagonal stripes on the pants are terrible, like the Titans’
I think the vertical stripes on the shoulder are actually pretty neat. Would have gone well with their new striped pants for the “color” unis.
No canary?
They could at least “put a bird on it.”
BWAHAHAHAHA!
Put one on the helmet for every tackle made.
My girlfriend has pillows with birds on them on her couch. I reference that skit every time I sit down. She does not think it’s as funny as I do.
This one actually fits in the local background but still it caters to this infatuation with playing in mono black. Select occassions would turn into every home game if it was up to the players.
In this instance, the storytelling and “BFBS” makes sense. I like it. AND, the design of the uni is nice too. I’m a big fan of this one
They should have used the primary WV, but with the peaks blasted off.
I think I’ve getting the black lung, pop.
Hahahahahaha
I really like the helmet decal and the shoulder stripes. Those pant stripes remind me of the Titans pant stripes. They look ok up close. But, on the field they just look like they don’t belong. I’m not a fan of BFBS unis. But, this one I can kind of go with. Kind of like the “Smoky Gray” uniforms for Tennessee. I’m not a fan of those. Although I can go along with the “story” and say, ok………
Phil, you nailed it. Nike could care less about story, tradition, etc. And the WVU uniform is terrible. No blue. No yellow. Boring, predictable black. Ugh.
So I get that black isn’t one of WVU’s colors, but when there is actually a reason why the uniform is black (in this case, paying tribute to the coal mining industry), can it still be considered black for black’s SAKE?
That’s pretty much the definition of BFBS
What is the definition of BFBS?
If it’s not a team (or school) color, it’s BFBS.
I bet they wear them against Penn State.
Please, no.
I don’t dislike these uniforms, but that would be one horribly boring matchup.
I think they’ll wear them because it will likely be WVU’s game with the most viewership. It will probably be a prime-time game. Penn State is easily the biggest draw on their schedule now that Texas and Oklahoma are off to the SEC.
I have a feeling you’re right.
Other than Kansas State, I think every visiting team this season has a boring all-white uni in its arsenal, and I’m sure they’d rather show off this uni against a big time opponent.
I get the coal mining connection to West Virginia as a state. I do not know enough about the coal industry or the West Virginia University program of studies to know if there is an actual historical connection between the coal industry and the university. Again, pardon my ignorance, I thought most coal miners were high school graduates and not college graduates. I am not being critical of coal miners or WVU. I am questioning Nike’s ability to have their finger on the pulse of a community. Nike’s finger is on the cash register drawer.
I feel like it’s somewhat similar to Texas Tech’s “Celebrate Cotton” game. For a few years, the Red Raiders would wear white helmets, jerseys, and pants for the first home game of the season. (Lubbock is the center of the world’s biggest cotton-producing region). Now, those uniforms weren’t a separately-designed uni, but just the team’s road jersey. From a player’s perspective it probably also helped that they got to wear white rather than scarlet or black for the first game of the season (temps 100+) but it was really a nice gesture. Like with coal miners in W.V., most cotton farmers in West Texas didn’t go to college, but they seemed to really appreciate the acknowledgment from Tech.
I’m COAL with it. If I wore jerseys around, I’d probably make one of these MINE. I’d certainly SHOVEL over some cash, and PICK one of these over other jerseys in the BFBS VEIN. Knowing NIKE however, I’d probably have to empty my POCKETS and make a sizable DEPOSIT into my account before doing so.
I can DIG this comment.
In a vacuum I like these. Just not for a team who’s colors are Blue and Yellow.
Same here.
Although I can stomach their reasoning for it better than most schools.
Needs a small gold circle on the front of the helmet to mimick a miner’s helmet light.
They actually mentioned as part of their storytelling that the helmet stripe gradient with the bright white above the bumper is supposed to signify a coal miners helmet light.
Too bad no country is going to use coal amongst the G-7 nations starting in 2035…..
Yes, it’s strange that WV’s P.R. release talks about coal miners in the non-past tense who are overwhelmingly in the Developing World now, and whose governments would love to replace them with cleaner alternatives, even natural gas, ASAP. What % of West Virginians actually mine coal? What % of people in any American state are farmers, for that matter? If you want to honor a dirty and often violent past, call it history and tell the whole story.