2011-2012 NCAA Football Uniform Thread

[oddball]

I know for a fact that Phil Knight (ie Nike) kicks a lot of money Oregon's way for the purposes of improving the athletic program's facilities. Rich alumni throwing money TCU's way has the same affect. Facilities are upgraded, and that's going to impact a recruit's final decision. Yes, the uniforms get them to consider the school. Once they're there touring the facilities, however, the uniforms all but vanish from the decision making process.

Lets get one thing straight. Phil Knight contributing money to the University of Oregon is not Nike contributing money. Nike has a contract with the U of O to outfit all their sports teams. It is an 8-year contract worth $22.7 million. By comparison, Nebraska's contract with Adidas is for roughly the same amount. The University of North Carolina has a 10-year contract with Nike worth $33.7 million. Nike, the corporation, has no direct affiliation with the school or the athletic department beyond that contract. If you would like to read the entire contract word for word, here is a link:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindducksbeat/2010/05/university_of_oregon_under_ord.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/29002478/Nike-University-of-Oregon-contract-complete

Phil Knight on the other hand is an alum of the University of Oregon. He is a very rich alum and a very generous booster and donor. He is also one of the co-founders of Nike. He is the chairman of the board at Nike, Inc. He donates a ton of money to the school and the school's athletic department. That money is used for upgrading the facilities (stadiums, practice fields, locker rooms, academic centers, athletic department offices, etc.) This is no different than any rich alumni base donating tons of money to any other school.

Can Oregon sign a contract with another company? Sure. Would it piss off their biggest donor and be the stupidest decision ever? Absolutely.

I just want to make sure everyone has their facts straight on this issue because it seems some people are very confused.

I'd love to argue about whether or not uniforms have an effect on a recruit's decision making process, but actually I don't.

Not exactly. The issues with Knight and Under Armour's founder Kevin Plank (Maryland) is that there is a potential inherent conflict of interest in the student-athlete after his/her career is finished and to get them into their equipment at the professional level.

Mose other major donors to schools do not have that advantage for any of their core businesses.

You are going to have to explain the conflict of interest to me, because I'm not sure what you are getting at. But I do think (and maybe this is what you are saying) that Oregon has a real advantage in recruiting because their #1 donor founded and sits on the board of an industry leader in an industry that is very exciting for a young athlete. Money is money and Knight's dollars are no more useful than T. Boone Pickens' dollars are. But the opportunity to rub elbows with Nike's management, tour Nike's offices, talk to a Nike recruiter if its a job market you are interested in, sit in on design meetings and offer input, etc., is probably really enticing to a 17 year-old who loves sports. At least more exciting then the same perks with a financial analysis firm or an oil company.

This is why I consider Phil Knight the most important booster in the country. Not just because of the money, but for all the other things his influence can bring the school and its athletes.

Am I making sense?

I'll agree with stucky on this one. What conflict of interest? A conflict of interest would be Phil Knight wearing attending and supporting a Reebok team and not a Nike team. Giving money to Oregon has no conflicts whatsoever. Undue influences on what gear a player wears after "school", eh. Most players are going to wear what they wear professionally, whether it because of comfort or because the contract is larger.

Example: Say you are HS student-athlete X. You are a top ranked WR and also a state champion in the 100m. The influence that Knight has on the Oregon athletic program does possess influence on the potential for your endorsements in either track or football at the next level. Knight is using his money to get Oregon championships now to continue to supply his company with a series of athletes to sell shoes/equipment in the future. The recent SI story by Michael Rosenberg details some of the issues.

Case in point, when the new AD is a friend of Knight and does not possess a collegiate degree, then tell me who is really concerned with the school's "academic mission"?

How is this different than Under Armor or Addias? Who Oregon hires for AD is not a conflict of interest and AD's aren't part of the academia.

I addressed Kevin Plank earlier.

Whether it is Plank, Pickens, or Knight, each are in essence "buying" the athletic department or football program. That does not occur at most schools in the academic or athletic sense. The specifics for an endowment are contractually set, while these donations are not necessarily covered, but in terms of the IRS and tax purposes. As a result, their ideas of uniforms are similar to that of a pro owner. In the NCAA football thread in "Sports In General" the idea that Mark Cuban wanting to have a playoff is taking what Knight and Pickens do to the next level...buying collegiate teams to form/own a league.

And Stuckey, I know that Kilkenny is no longer there and that Bellotti received a "golden parachute" payment on his AD job which he had no contract for. So we knows who runs and administers the program and it is not a state employee.

Just let it go. If it means this much to you, then why don't you go talk to the University of Oregon or the NCAA and lodge your complaint there. Maybe they'll laugh at you less than we are doing.

[MJWalker45]

Since Miami (OH) got a new coach, are they getting new stuff?

I hope they stick with what they have. the only change I could see them make that would be useful is keeping the red srtipe from their bowl helmet and adding two thin black stripes to it.

[DrJack]

Apparently the NCAA has changed the rule that field gloves need to be gray. It sounds like the Oregon equipment manager is excited.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindducksbeat/2011/02/ncaa_rule_change_takes_the_gra.html

[Still MIGHTY]

Apparently the NCAA has changed the rule that field gloves need to be gray. It sounds like the Oregon equipment manager is excited.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindducksbeat/2011/02/ncaa_rule_change_takes_the_gra.html

Oh God... Hide your kids, hide your wife, hide your husband, because everyone's eyes are about to be raped up in here.

[dfwabel]

Downward slope on two fronts.

1- Expect teams to now have gloves the color of the opposing jersey for the linemen, and either the color of the football or green (Boise's case blue) for skill positions.

2- Texas and Massachusetts, which still use NCAA rules for high school football, may have to pass additional legislation regarding gloves.

[Kevin W.]

It sounds like the Oregon equipment manager is excited.

Oh great, are you guys gonna bring 50,000 different kinds of gloves to every game? Give it a rest already.

[MJWalker45]

Downward slope on two fronts.

1- Expect teams to now have gloves the color of the opposing jersey for the linemen, and either the color of the football or green (Boise's case blue) for skill positions.

2- Texas and Massachusetts, which still use NCAA rules for high school football, may have to pass additional legislation regarding gloves.

I'd expect the NCAA will probably rule that the gloves have to match the team's colors or come up with something that will clash with the other team's uniform

[dfwabel]

It sounds like the Oregon equipment manager is excited.

Oh great, are you guys gonna bring 50,000 different kinds of gloves to every game? Give it a rest already.

No. The Arizona game will just have them bring red or navy.

The recent Auburn/Alabama fanaticism on college football should have given you time, even though you are still in school, to reflect on how college football is our version of hooliganism. Since 75% of your posts are University of Arizona-based, you needs to quit or at least tap the brakes for some time in your life.

[Kevin W.]

With all due respect, piss off.

[walkerws]

I finally saw the gold Kent State helmet. Yuck! Please do not wear that. Its awful.

[DC in Da House w/o a Doubt]

I've heard some buzz that Oregon will be wearing these next season...

[Botiger]

Downward slope on two fronts.

1- Expect teams to now have gloves the color of the opposing jersey for the linemen, and either the color of the football or green (Boise's case blue) for skill positions.

If this were the case, wouldn't we be seeing this already in the NFL?

[JaxNoles]

Eh, don't really like changing the glove color rule. There are few things the NCAA does that make sense, but the grey gloves was one them.

[walkerws]

The grey glove rule was dumb. Yes grey is pretty much neutral but if they were really THAT worried about holding or whatever motivated them, they'd have done it way before they did. There's nothing wrong with color. In three years everyone will flip and say color is the way to go.

[dmhtfld]

[darkhaha]

I really dislike white helmets with white facemasks.

[burgundy]

I finally saw the gold Kent State helmet. Yuck! Please do not wear that. Its awful.

It probably wouldn't look as bad if they used a logo decal that was actually intended for a gold helmet. I'm not saying it would look great, but at least it wouldn't look so half-assed; then again, that would be a pretty good representation of their football program.

[walkerws]

I finally saw the gold Kent State helmet. Yuck! Please do not wear that. Its awful.

It probably wouldn't look as bad if they used a logo decal that was actually intended for a gold helmet. I'm not saying it would look great, but at least it wouldn't look so half-assed; then again, that would be a pretty good representation of their football program.

you! J/K. Its really painful because theyve been to the cusp, and then underachieve.

[AJM]

Not a fan...different colored facemask is a must, but beyond that I still don't feel as though it represents Cal.

[burgundy]

I finally saw the gold Kent State helmet. Yuck! Please do not wear that. Its awful.

It probably wouldn't look as bad if they used a logo decal that was actually intended for a gold helmet. I'm not saying it would look great, but at least it wouldn't look so half-assed; then again, that would be a pretty good representation of their football program.

you! J/K. Its really painful because theyve been to the cusp, and then underachieve.

I know, I went there for two years. Seeing what their other programs are capable of, the level of effort that they put into the football program was just so disappointing. They can get the talent, but they just don't do enough with it.