A college FB trend that makes no sense

[winghaz]

What is with this trend in college football where you have new uniforms with no numbers on the sleeves?

It's terrible for the fans and media. Those numbers are handy. You can see who that person is.

I can understand Alabama having it, just because of the tradition. But it even looks bad on Alabama. For the rest, it's awful.

[JQK]

So.... the huge numbers on the front and back don't help you at all, it's the tiny numbers on the shoulders?

I think it's about time they got rid of those useless things. Helps to alleviate uniform clutter...

[officeglenn]

Speaking from a photographer's point of view, yes, those numbers do help. Maybe the TV numbers in football don't help as much as, say, sleeve numbers in hockey do, but if the front of a player is obscured in a photograph, then those numbers are a huge help in trying to identify players. It's embarrassing when either you have to not run a great photo because you can't tell who the player is or run a caption with something like, "An unidentified wide receiver makes a great catch against ..."

[BBTV]

Speaking from a photographer's point of view, yes, those numbers do help. Maybe the TV numbers in football don't help as much as, say, sleeve numbers in hockey do, but if the front of a player is obscured in a photograph, then those numbers are a huge help in trying to identify players. It's embarrassing when either you have to not run a great photo because you can't tell who the player is or run a caption with something like, "An unidentified wide receiver makes a great catch against ..."

Do you think that since they aren't really needed for TV purposes anymore and are really only handy for identifying players in photographs, that they could be made much smaller than they currently are? I think with the shrinking of the sleeves, it makes sense for most teams to abandon these numbers, but perhaps a compromise could be reached and they could just go with smaller numbers.

[MJWalker45]

The Panthers and a few other teams with shoulder stripes and numbers on the shoulder have been shrinking the numbers. Only slightly but it is noticeable on some of them. Ohio State shrunk there shoulder numbers from about 4 1/2 to 3 inches when they switched to tackle twill numbers. It was cool that the shirt stood out because of the size of those numbers

[officeglenn]

Speaking from a photographer's point of view, yes, those numbers do help. Maybe the TV numbers in football don't help as much as, say, sleeve numbers in hockey do, but if the front of a player is obscured in a photograph, then those numbers are a huge help in trying to identify players. It's embarrassing when either you have to not run a great photo because you can't tell who the player is or run a caption with something like, "An unidentified wide receiver makes a great catch against ..."

Do you think that since they aren't really needed for TV purposes anymore and are really only handy for identifying players in photographs, that they could be made much smaller than they currently are? I think with the shrinking of the sleeves, it makes sense for most teams to abandon these numbers, but perhaps a compromise could be reached and they could just go with smaller numbers.

As a uniform geek, I could understand if they wanted to shrink the numbers ? especially, as you say, with the shrinking of sleeves ? but as a photographer, I wouldn't like it. Anything that makes it easier to identify players makes a photog's life easier.

I would also argue that the numbers still have a purpose on TV, given that the majority of shots you see in a game and the locations where the announcers sit are from an angle perpendicular to the play. The advent of high-definition TV may even make TV numbers more relevant because it would be easier to see them.

[Sport]

The Panthers and a few other teams with shoulder stripes and numbers on the shoulder have been shrinking the numbers. Only slightly but it is noticeable on some of them. Ohio State shrunk there shoulder numbers from about 4 1/2 to 3 inches when they switched to tackle twill numbers. It was cool that the shirt stood out because of the size of those numbers

I've never met an Ohio State fan who did not love the huge shoulder numbers

[apeman33]

Speaking from a photographer's point of view, yes, those numbers do help. Maybe the TV numbers in football don't help as much as, say, sleeve numbers in hockey do, but if the front of a player is obscured in a photograph, then those numbers are a huge help in trying to identify players. It's embarrassing when either you have to not run a great photo because you can't tell who the player is or run a caption with something like, "An unidentified wide receiver makes a great catch against ..."

Been there, had to do it. I don't know how many pics I've had to ditch through the years because the local high school doesn't have TV numbers. The juco finally got the message a few years ago and it's made it much easier for me.

[BlueSky]

The Panthers and a few other teams with shoulder stripes and numbers on the shoulder have been shrinking the numbers. Only slightly but it is noticeable on some of them. Ohio State shrunk there shoulder numbers from about 4 1/2 to 3 inches when they switched to tackle twill numbers. It was cool that the shirt stood out because of the size of those numbers

I've never met an Ohio State fan who did not love the huge shoulder numbers

Those might be visible from space.

[njmeadowlanders]

The Panthers and a few other teams with shoulder stripes and numbers on the shoulder have been shrinking the numbers. Only slightly but it is noticeable on some of them. Ohio State shrunk there shoulder numbers from about 4 1/2 to 3 inches when they switched to tackle twill numbers. It was cool that the shirt stood out because of the size of those numbers

I've never met an Ohio State fan who did not love the huge shoulder numbers

Those might be visible from space.

I was just going to say...it looks like the top of a cop car you'd see from the helicopter chasing those high speed pursuits so you know which cop car is where from above...

[tBBP]

Here's a good reason why sleeve/shoulder/TV numbers are still practical:

Now...if these uniforms were sans sleeve/shoulder/TV numbers, would anyone know who the hell either of these tacklers were? (I mean..ain't like no one outside Laramie knows who they are anyway, but still...catch my drift?)

[officeglenn]

Here's a good reason why sleeve/shoulder/TV numbers are still practical:

Now...if these uniforms were sans sleeve/shoulder/TV numbers, would anyone know who the hell either of these tacklers were? (I mean..ain't like no one outside Laramie knows who they are anyway, but still...catch my drift?)

Or even the ball carrier, for that matter. But thank you, Brandon, that's a perfect example of what I was talking about in my first post. They could maybe be a little smaller, but I loathe the idea of losing them altogether.

[Herk]

So.... the huge numbers on the front and back don't help you at all, it's the tiny numbers on the shoulders?

I think it's about time they got rid of those useless things. Helps to alleviate uniform clutter...

One of the real reason's for so called "TV numbers" is actually for the statisticians, and believe me they are absolutely necessary. Many times, especially with defenders they are the only identifier you can see when they make tackles.

[The Danimal]

I agree totally that TV numbers are still needed.

If for no other reason, than the jerseys without them look like t-shirts.

Alabama is the only school that doesn't need them since they have numbers on the helmets and thus numbers on the sleeves would be overdoing it.

[chestnutz]

Speaking of this, Paul Lukas ran an article on this on his blog Tuesday.

http://www.uniwatchblog.com/2008/11/04/not...eeves/#comments