November 19, 2008

Oregon vows more uniform chaos to come

Oregon Ducks football is an enigma. To some, the Ducks are among the upper crust of the Pac10 elite. To others, Oregon is the team responsible for the Nike-ification of college sports... and thus a blight on football.

Regardless of how you feel about the Ducks, one thing is certain: Oregon will continue to trick up its uniform with more colors, accents, and doo-dads courtesy of Nike.

Bud Withers: Mike, since your game last week wasn't on TV, as you pointed out, did you guys wear the black helmets, or are those still in the box?

Mike Bellotti: We did, we wore 'em. We wore the black helmets and the black uniforms. Too bad you didn't get a chance to see it, it looked awesome.

Withers: Huh, OK. Are these things, these innovations, just gonna keep on coming, or is there a limit to this?

Bellotti: No, they’re gonna keep on coming. You know, our tradition is innovation. So that's become the buzzword, and I think the new uniforms are the lightest ever made, they’re reinforced in the shoulders, because of the lightness, to allow them to be usable over a longer period of time. The uniform we unveiled [this past Saturday] was sort of a special uniform. I think we’ll have this set for one more year, and then we'll go into production for some new — y'know, a whole revamping for 2010. And now we have four helmets to choose from.

Withers: Can you explain what the process is? Does someone from Nike come to you and say, "Here's the latest thing we’re looking at," and then you screen them or something?

Bellotti: Yeah. We actually, uh - y'know, this was kind of a surprise to everyone. This was more of a one-shot deal that Nike wanted to do, and we had a chance to have input to it. And this was not with our players - this was just me as a coach. And we, I said some certain things, suggested this and that, and they came back with a prototype, and we said, "Yeah, that's awesome, let's go with it." But when we go to the full uniform line, we involve our players. There's a group right now, of younger players, freshmen and sophomores, who are meeting with the design people at Nike on a regular basis to kind of put ideas together for our future uniforms. And that's a combination of color ideas, style ideas, just the whole look. And that will be the geneis, or - the next wave.

Withers: And your sense, I think, in the past has been that this is important to the players, correct?

Bellotti: Yeah - well - yeah, I think it’s imp... - they, they love having some ownership in it. They love having some creative input. The reality is that they're helping to design what they're gonna wear, sort of like picking your own clothes. The other thing is that it does appeal to other people out there. And even if it doesn't [appeal] to some, they're talkin' about it.

So... not only is Oregon going to unveil yet another completely new uniform design this year, they're ramping up with even more options for the future seasons. GRRRREEEAAAAATTTTT!!!!!!!

Is there a method to all this madness? Yes, because -- believe it or not -- a large number of recruits pick and/or eliminate schools based on the way their uniforms look.

"With a few schools, I would just look at their uniforms and be like, I don't think I could see myself playing there," said Ohio State senior cornerback Malcolm Jenkins.

...

"They were the first people to send me a letter," Jenkins said, "and I looked at it and said, 'I can't go there, I don't like their uniforms.'"

...

"I heard a guy say on my team," said Illinois quarterback Juice Williams, "that he didn't pick a school because they didn't have names on the back of their jerseys."

...

"They're definitely not the flashiest ones I've ever seen," said Penn State senior receiver Deon Butler, who grew up admiring the green and orange swagger of the Miami Hurricanes' jerseys. "But I like that fact. You don't have to put a lot onto for it to say something. You can say plain white helmet and blue stripe, and people know who you're talking about. Plain black shoes and white socks, and people know who you're talking about.

"It means something, and I take pride in that. It's one of the few uniforms that means so much to so many people."

...

Over the years, it's become more and more important for the athletes, and I think they're more visual and design savvy than previous generations," said Van Horne, who has been with Nike for 18 years.

As long as the kids care, and the kids pick the schools and win the games and determine whether coaches succeed or fail, then everyone cares.

"Kids are kids," Under Armour's Jones said. "When you ask them what the key factor was in picking their school, they don't want to say uniforms. They want to lead with academics and coaching and playing time, but in the back of their mind, you better believe it's, 'What are they wearing?' That's what catches a kid's eye on TV."

In other words, while Penn State uses its uniform to represent tradition and team unity, Oregon uses its uniform to represent a little flash... a little sizzle... a little personality. And, its working. Much to my chagrin, the Ducks have vastly improved their recruiting classes every since moving to the Nike redesigns in the mid-90s, coincidence or not.

So... fear not Duck fans (and potential recruits), if you don't like what Oregon is wearing... just wait a week or two - it's bound to change.

Posted by Kevin Donahue

Comments:

Oregon vows more uniform chaos to come
Oregon Ducks football is an enigma. To some, the Ducks are among the upper crust of the Pac10 elite. To others, Oregon is the team responsible for the Nike-ification of college sports... and thus a blight on football. Regardless of how you feel about the Ducks, one thing is certain: Oregon will continue to trick up its uniform with more colors, accents, and doo-dads courtesy of Nike.
Bud Withers: Mike, since your game last week wasn't on TV, as you pointed out, did you guys wear the black helmets, or are those still in the box? Mike Bellotti: We did, we wore 'em. We wore the black helmets and the black uniforms. Too bad you didn't get a chance to see it, it looked awesome. Withers: Huh, OK. Are these things, these innovations, just gonna keep on coming, or is there a limit to this? Bellotti: No, they’re gonna keep on coming. You know, our tradition is innovation. So that's become the buzzword, and I think the new uniforms are the lightest ever made, they’re reinforced in the shoulders, because of the lightness, to allow them to be usable over a longer period of time. The uniform we unveiled [this past Saturday] was sort of a special uniform. I think we’ll have this set for one more year, and then we'll go into production for some new — y'know, a whole revamping for 2010. And now we have four helmets to choose from. Withers: Can you explain what the process is? Does someone from Nike come to you and say, "Here's the latest thing we’re looking at," and then you screen them or something? Bellotti: Yeah. We actually, uh - y'know, this was kind of a surprise to everyone. This was more of a one-shot deal that Nike wanted to do, and we had a chance to have input to it. And this was not with our players - this was just me as a coach. And we, I said some certain things, suggested this and that, and they came back with a prototype, and we said, "Yeah, that's awesome, let's go with it." But when we go to the full uniform line, we involve our players. There's a group right now, of younger players, freshmen and sophomores, who are meeting with the design people at Nike on a regular basis to kind of put ideas together for our future uniforms. And that's a combination of color ideas, style ideas, just the whole look. And that will be the geneis, or - the next wave. Withers: And your sense, I think, in the past has been that this is important to the players, correct? Bellotti: Yeah - well - yeah, I think it’s imp... - they, they love having some ownership in it. They love having some creative input. The reality is that they're helping to design what they're gonna wear, sort of like picking your own clothes. The other thing is that it does appeal to other people out there. And even if it doesn't [appeal] to some, they're talkin' about it.
So... not only is Oregon going to unveil yet another completely new uniform design this year, they're ramping up with even more options for the future seasons. GRRRREEEAAAAATTTTT!!!!!!! Is there a method to all this madness? Yes, because -- believe it or not -- a large number of recruits pick and/or eliminate schools based on the way their uniforms look.
"With a few schools, I would just look at their uniforms and be like, I don't think I could see myself playing there," said Ohio State senior cornerback Malcolm Jenkins. ... "They were the first people to send me a letter," Jenkins said, "and I looked at it and said, 'I can't go there, I don't like their uniforms.'" ... "I heard a guy say on my team," said Illinois quarterback Juice Williams, "that he didn't pick a school because they didn't have names on the back of their jerseys." ... "They're definitely not the flashiest ones I've ever seen," said Penn State senior receiver Deon Butler, who grew up admiring the green and orange swagger of the Miami Hurricanes' jerseys. "But I like that fact. You don't have to put a lot onto for it to say something. You can say plain white helmet and blue stripe, and people know who you're talking about. Plain black shoes and white socks, and people know who you're talking about. "It means something, and I take pride in that. It's one of the few uniforms that means so much to so many people." ... Over the years, it's become more and more important for the athletes, and I think they're more visual and design savvy than previous generations," said Van Horne, who has been with Nike for 18 years. As long as the kids care, and the kids pick the schools and win the games and determine whether coaches succeed or fail, then everyone cares. "Kids are kids," Under Armour's Jones said. "When you ask them what the key factor was in picking their school, they don't want to say uniforms. They want to lead with academics and coaching and playing time, but in the back of their mind, you better believe it's, 'What are they wearing?' That's what catches a kid's eye on TV."
In other words, while Penn State uses its uniform to represent tradition and team unity, Oregon uses its uniform to represent a little flash... a little sizzle... a little personality. And, its working. Much to my chagrin, the Ducks have vastly improved their recruiting classes every since moving to the Nike redesigns in the mid-90s, coincidence or not. So... fear not Duck fans (and potential recruits), if you don't like what Oregon is wearing... just wait a week or two - it's bound to change.