Adidas

[BRice16]

although, i do think that its weird that they are using old nike aparrel, and the coaches are outfitted with it too. they are even wearing nikes on their feet.

check out the photo gallery:

http://mgoblue.com/football/page.aspx?id=12116#

odd, youd think that they would have given them practice gear already.

my guess is (like the Aggie fan a few posts up) that the full contract won't kick in until the summer, or maybe the spring game. When I was covering the Ducks for the student paper last spring, the coaches had their new-season wear out for the spring game, but not before it.

actually, completely tangential thought: I wonder if the terms of contracts with sporting goods suppliers and public universities would fall under public records laws...hmm. I certainly wouldn't mind poking around a contract or two just for the giggles of it, at the least, even if it didn't turn up anything.

If Michigan's contracts are like most schools', the contracts are for academic years, usually ending either June 1st, or the last day of competition from the last team playing. For example, if the Michigan softball team makes the WCWS, which is in mid-June, then the entire Nike contract covers them and the rest of the UM programs until their season is complete. That's a pretty standard clause in school-wide apparrel contracts.

Basically what I'm saying is, until the last UM team's season is over, all coaches and athletes are still covered by the Nike deal, and Nike could, in theory, sue for breach of contract if the coaches start sporting adidas gear before the Nike deal is officially up, per the terms of the contract. I know for a fact that adidas words all of their contracts that way, so I'd imagine Nike does the same.

That said, I'm almost positive that adidas has plenty of gear already in the equipment rooms at Michigan, ready to be handed out. I'm sure some football players are quietly trying cleat styles, etc. The first year of a new deal is always the toughest because, to be in full compliance with the contract, you've got to chuck a ton of stuff, especially if you've been with another supplier for a long time, as Michigan has.

As far as the contracts being public record, that they are. Still, good luck getting ahold of one unless you're media. Schools rarely respond to open records requests from anyone other than media outlets.

[JJSCOTT]

As an Ohio State fan, let me just say....hahahahaha! Sucks for Michigan fans. Now Ohio state has better football and apparel.

yeah Michigan will be laughing all the way to the bank too! you do know they are guaranteed by adidas that no other school they sponsor will be paid higher. It is also around an extra 8 million more than the former contract with nike. I have no idea what tOSU contract is with nike but my guess it is less.

p.s. as a Michigan fan I just wanna say to tOSU thanks for giving me a good laugh during a few national championships and a sure thing I can bet on!

[Vicious]

As an Ohio State fan, let me just say....hahahahaha! Sucks for Michigan fans. Now Ohio state has better football and apparel.

yeah Michigan will be laughing all the way to the bank too! you do know they are guaranteed by adidas that no other school they sponsor will be paid higher. It is also around an extra 8 million more than the former contract with nike. I have no idea what tOSU contract is with nike but my guess it is less.

p.s. as a Michigan fan I just wanna say to tOSU thanks for giving me a good laugh during a few national championships and a sure thing I can bet on!

i second that one JJ.

hey Michigan fans, remember when we won our last game of the year last year? it was against that Florida team with the hiesman winner. werent they an SEC team too? hmmm...that was fun.

[scottysprings]

hey Michigan fans, remember when we won our last game of the year last year? it was against that Florida team with the hiesman winner. werent they an SEC team too? hmmm...that was fun.

Let me fix that for you,

hey Michigan fans, remember when we lost our first game of the year last year? it was against that North Carolina team with no recognizable players. Weren't they a Division II team too?hmmm...that was fun.

[Chazberg]

hey Michigan fans, remember when we won our last game of the year last year? it was against that Florida team with the hiesman winner. werent they an SEC team too? hmmm...that was fun.

Let me fix that for you,

hey Michigan fans, remember when we lost our first game of the year last year? it was against that North Carolina team with no recognizable players. Weren't they a Division II team too?hmmm...that was fun.

Ain't about how you start, it's about how you finish. The Patriots and Giants showed us that.

[JJSCOTT]

hey Michigan fans, remember when we won our last game of the year last year? it was against that Florida team with the hiesman winner. werent they an SEC team too? hmmm...that was fun.

Let me fix that for you,

hey Michigan fans, remember when we lost our first game of the year last year? it was against that North Carolina team with no recognizable players. Weren't they a Division II team too?hmmm...that was fun.

I know I am a Michigan fan but I think that DII team could beat at least half the DI teams last year... and Amanti Edwards is a preseason Heisman candidate this year... when has a DII player EVER even been mentioned preseason or post season as a Heisman candidate... also if you wanna through in the fact that half that team is DI talent that didn't have the grades to get into DI schools, they did get DI offers so its not like they are talentless.

[scottysprings]

I agree Chaz, but you can't deny it was one of the biggest upsets in college football history..

[Vicious]

yes, it most definatley was an upset. one of the biggest, but dont you think that getting beat by a team that won the DII national championship the year before, at the beginning of the year is better than getting beat in the middle of the season by a team that won one game the year before ala Stanford vs. USC?

besides, that north carolina team would have beaten a lot of teams, and went on to win the championship again, and Stanford went on to do...nothing.

sucks for them though, because LSU isnt going to take them lightly for their first game this year. although i will prolly be rooting for App st. (and against les miles)

and as far as recognizable players, well they have a WR in the draft, and like JJ said, a preseason hiesman candidate.

i mean, good for App St. but it left me close to tears and rage for a loooong time.

it sucks having your team's national championship hopes shattered the first game of the year.

[Ben5]

It seems to me that Michigan has no room to talk about the Buckeyes making it to the National Championship because they haven't made it there in years. Ohio State as consistently beat them since Tressel took over as coach. Therefore, Ohio State is better.

[Rod_Thompson]

As a MICHIGAN fan, this is the BIGGEST disgrace in the Athletic Department History, the second is keeping Lloyd Carr 1 year too long!!!!!!!!! The swoosh is historic @ Michigan. Not some tired ass pyramid or step ladder or whatever the adidas logo is. Our fight song is "Victors" (Nike is the goddess of Victory) Come on, Bo Knows Nike!

[Rod_Thompson]

It seems to me that Michigan has no room to talk about the Buckeyes making it to the National Championship because they haven't made it there in years. Ohio State as consistently beat them since Tressel took over as coach. Therefore, Ohio State is better.

This is true, but we have beat the SEC! Florida (2x), Alabama, Arkansas. Only Loss being to Tennessee

[jman077]

Yeah, the Nike swoosh does seem less obtrusive compared to this stuff. I just can't see them changing the # font though.

On a related note, who the hell is gonna start at quarterback? Since Mallett left and Pryor chose OSU, they seem completely screwed.

Pryor's going to OSU? Last I heard he was going to the University of Ohio State. And, Threet's our QB. No question in my mind. I'm not actually that worried. I mean, who knows if Pryor will actually pan out? The class of 07 #1 was Jimmy Clausen, and, well, although he has some time to make up for it, we all know how he did this year.

I have a feeling that once it all gets going, much like how all Michigan apparel doesn't currently have swooshes (for example, the sweatshirt and hat I am currently wearing (we made the Frozen Four yesterday, gotta celebrate)), all Michigan apparel won't have three stripes.

Obviously the home won't change. The away HAS to. We can't use the Nike template on an adidas jersey. It's against the rules. It'd be interesting to go to white pants. I will :censored:ing kill someone if we have an alternate. I'm not sure the school would allow them to wear something that was anything other than the classic blues in the Big House, I'd really prefer not to have and away alternate. I'm excited. It doesn't surprise me that much that we're using Nike gear in spring because, well, we're still a Nike school in many sports. Baseball, softball, golf, hockey (which we're still playing, and chances are, your school is not. Ha.).

At any rate, I figure we'll see the new ones fairly shortly after the spring season ends. The last NCAA Championships are in late June. College World Series (which we actually have a chance to make this year), so, after those ends, the switch should come.

I love the switch. Watching last year's Michigan/Illinois game was unbearable. They were wearing the same jerseys in different colors.

[Rod_Thompson]

hey Michigan fans, remember when we won our last game of the year last year? it was against that Florida team with the hiesman winner. werent they an SEC team too? hmmm...that was fun.

Let me fix that for you,

hey Michigan fans, remember when we lost our first game of the year last year? it was against that North Carolina team with no recognizable players. Weren't they a Division II team too?hmmm...that was fun.

No You Clown, 1AA. the only difference in the programs are the endowments and 20 scholarships!

[Rod_Thompson]

yes, it most definatley was an upset. one of the biggest, but dont you think that getting beat by a team that won the DII national championship the year before, at the beginning of the year is better than getting beat in the middle of the season by a team that won one game the year before ala Stanford vs. USC?

besides, that north carolina team would have beaten a lot of teams, and went on to win the championship again, and Stanford went on to do...nothing.

sucks for them though, because LSU isnt going to take them lightly for their first game this year. although i will prolly be rooting for App st. (and against les miles)

and as far as recognizable players, well they have a WR in the draft, and like JJ said, a preseason hiesman candidate.

i mean, good for App St. but it left me close to tears and rage for a loooong time.

it sucks having your team's national championship hopes shattered the first game of the year.

App State is NOT DII, it is 1AA, Michigan is 1A, App is 1AA.!

[Vicious]

My bad, typo.knew that.

[The Nation]

This has been my biggest beef with Adidas is that they add the striping down all their apparel. They ruined soccer for this simple reason. Totally unnecessary.

IMO the adidas striping plus their logo equals six nike swooshes.

[HowBoutThemFins]

damn adidas and their stripes. makes everything they manufacture look that much worse. lets try polkadots.

[Vicious]

wow, just tried photoshopping this for fun...

which would you rather buy?

the original one,

i should fill out an application for Adidas. i could be head athletic designer.

[mantleisthebest7]

I don't mind the stripes so much on the jacket and the hoodie (Infact, they look sweeet!), But stripes on a t-shirt is too much. Stripes were never meant for t-shirts. And I've always remembered Michigan with Nike, so it's kinda weird to see adidas with Michigan now.

[Rod_Thompson]

As a MICHIGAN fan, this is the BIGGEST disgrace in the Athletic Department History, the second is keeping Lloyd Carr 1 year too long!!!!!!!!! The swoosh is historic @ Michigan. Not some tired ass pyramid or step ladder or whatever the adidas logo is. Our fight song is "Victors" (Nike is the goddess of Victory) Come on, Bo Knows Nike!

Really? The BIGGEST disgrace? The change of a 1 x 1 inch production company logo? I would think the use of piping would be a disgrace more, if we're talking ONLY uniforms.

The maize piping on the Nike jerseys was great. Stripes SUCK! OHNO State uses stripes.... Never on a MICHIGAN jersey. (PERIOD)