Northwestern unis

[walkerws]

Was there controversy over Boston College and Hawaii's "blood-spattered" uniforms in '12?

I'd say no. I know they were all over and the usual detractors said the usal comments about it not being necessary and the "blood splatter" comments never surfaced that I remember or at least were not as vocal as this season.

[Gothamite]

I don't remember those at all from last year. Pretty sure if I saw them I would have had the same reaction as to this year's fresh crop of awful.

[wonderbread]

I don't remember those at all from last year. Pretty sure if I saw them I would have had the same reaction as to this year's fresh crop of awful.

why would you be offended by the flag being on the uniform, even if it is "worn" looking, I'm not going to cal it blood splattered because it's not. no matter how much some of you want it to be and make a fuss out of it.

[Gothamite]

We just calls 'em as we sees 'em.

If they didn't want it to look blood-splattered, they shouldn't have put wet red splotches all over it. Real fabric doesn't get "worn" in that matter - it's either sprayed blood or somebody painted a barn while wrapped in it.

[BBTV]

The flag wasn't designed to be used for clothing. Actually, isn't it against the "code" to use it as such?

It's pandering, it's self-gratifying, it's tasteless and IMO actually disrespectful to veterans, and worst of all - it's just flat out poor design.

[kbaker19]

While I'm not a fan of the uniform, I don't see how that's blood. It's supposed to be a worn flag, and the stressed pattern is on both sides, as people have noted. The only reason people think it's blood is because it's red. If it was blood, why wouldn't there be red on the stars side?

[ESTONES6]

Was there controversy over Boston College and Hawaii's "blood-spattered" uniforms in '12?

Well... it was Boston College and Hawaii... so no one was really watching. I'll echo whatever one else has already said... I literally did not know those uniforms existed until this very moment.

Anyway... I am all for teams honoring the military with a patch on the uniforms. But it is getting completely out of hand. Even the minor changes like making the logo appear with a flag pattern instead of the normal solid color (Minnesota, North Carolina). I am pretty much against any team adding non-school colors to their uniforms. Its one thing to add black or gray because I consider those neutral colors that can be used as accents. But changing a schools entire uniform from purple and black to blue and red - even if its just for 1 game - is nonsense to me.

We have this culture currently in America that if we show other people we support stuff, then it goes farther than actually supporting it. Northwestern wearing american flag uniforms or Minnesota wearing an american flag M on the side of their helmets does nothing to support troops. Sending care packages, socks, and water to the troops is support. Changing your facebook picture to an american flag does nothing.

I think I am more upset with the blatant headline grabbing of these uniforms than the actually uniforms. completely changing a teams uniform style and colors is not about support but about garnering attention.

The flag wasn't designed to be used for clothing. Actually, isn't it against the "code" to use it as such?

It's pandering, it's self-gratifying, it's tasteless and IMO actually disrespectful to veterans, and worst of all - it's just flat out poor design.

Nailed it.

[OnWis97]

While I'm not a fan of the uniform, I don't see how that's blood. It's supposed to be a worn flag, and the stressed pattern is on both sides, as people have noted. The only reason people think it's blood is because it's red. If it was blood, why wouldn't there be red on the stars side?

People keep saying this and they keep being right. However, other people keep misinterpreting it. And even if they keep being wrong, there will continue to people seeing it for the first time and reacting that way. This may be one of those times when perception trumps reality. Every single person on this thread understands that it's not blood and we are not arguing that it is. What we are arguing is the perception. Would it have been that hard just to leave that off of the design?...I think the benefit is outweighed by the cost here.

[OnWis97]

The flag wasn't designed to be used for clothing. Actually, isn't it against the "code" to use it as such?

It's pandering, it's self-gratifying, it's tasteless and IMO actually disrespectful to veterans, and worst of all - it's just flat out poor design.

I always thought it was that you cannot turn an actual flag into clothing. So I googled "flag etiquette". From this site: http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html

• The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose.
• The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.

Regarding the first bullet, I suppose you could argue that this is not advertising, but for the most part it is advertising for the manufacturer. The second, bullet, on the other hand seems crystal clear.

I guess the ambiguity is whether it is about "flag imagery" or an "actual flag". It never totally clarifies that. Most of what I saw was about the actual flag. I have a sense that putting the flag imagery all over uniforms is not the intended etiquette, but I am not sure.

Truth be told, I don't really have strong feelings about flag etiquette. If that makes me less patriotic...actually it does not. But I do find it funny that the flag-wavingest among us seem to most like images that sort of buck flag etiquette. Flag etiquette is not rule of law, obviously; this is America after all. But sometimes I am surprised that use of flag imagery is not more often called out. Maybe the etiquette rules were even designed to prevent things like this...not because we don't love America but because over-exposure to the imagery could water the whole thing down and cause a desensitizing effect (kinda like playing the national anthem at EVERY game). Or maybe it was so people don't use it to one-up each other and thump their chests about how much more they love America than everyone else. And they certainly were designed so people don't hawk crappy products with it. In short, maybe this uniform is an example of one of the reasons flag etiquette exists in the first place.

It was just Veterans Day (and Northwestern had a bye), I get it. You can have a tribute. You can do something. Even what the NFL did on the sidelines (much more tasteful). Or even a flag patch on the uniform. This "in your face" uniform is no better a tribute than any of those things. It's just louder.

EDIT: I don't wish to quote his post but spot on, Estones6 for: "We have this culture currently in America that if we show other people we support stuff, then it goes farther than actually supporting it."

[tajmccall]

The real issue for me is how awful the design is, and how the look completely forgoes the team's identity for Team USA Under Armour at Northwestern University. I think there should certainly reverence paid to those who laid their lives on the line for our country, but instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars on a vacant act like these jerseys, why not just make a quiet donation to the Wounded Warrior fund, wear a decal/patch, and have a ceremony before the game?

That may actually, ya know, make a difference.

Instead UA uses it as a marketing ploy.

Kudos, Under Armour. You almost outdid Adidas in horribleness.

(Just kidding, after the Xmas day jerseys in the NBA, thats not possible.)

[ESTONES6]

Perception is reality.

People perceive the red to be blood. Therefore, it's blood.

[Mysterio]

I know they are trying to say that this is not a "bloody" flag image, but who do they think they are kidding? I am somewhat repulsed by this.

Just wear purple, black and white like you have some pride. I am getting sick and tired of these one-off uniforms. TOO MUCH ALREADY!!!

The only people who look at these uniforms and see blood splatter are people looking to be offended, Take a look at the Star section of the uniform and you'll see streaks of blue through the white stars as well. You people need to get a life.

Are you kidding? I don't see any way it doesn't look like blood. It's as tasteless a uniform that has ever been worn.

Clueless.

[Gothamite]

No, actually. He's right.

[Xist2inspire]

Honestly, I'm surprised that the main issue with these uniforms seems to be "OMG, it looks like blood!" It's almost like if that detail was removed, it'd be okay in the eyes of many.

It's shameless patriotic pandering either way, folks.

[Gothamite]

That's what I said above - the basic concept alone is offensive, but the blood splatters elevate it into something close to parody.

[CubsFanBudMan]

"Blood" aside* isn't it against the flag code to fly a flag like that? I mean, if I had that flying over my lawn I'd have a veteran knocking on my door, waving his finger with a new flag under his arm. (Or do they not do that anymore?) Point is, the execution is flawed any way you slice it.

OnWis makes some good points about flag over-exposure. The one-up nature of current "patriotism" has led to this in football. From just the N on the helmet to a flag uniform for a purple team. And led to us being stuck with a second patriotic anthem at all major MLB games instead of the traditional "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" when there is a perfectly good one at the beginning of the game that some people allowed to be literally spit on while pimping celebs. I think camo and the flag are also being interchanged too often for what's intended as the same meaning.

Where does it end? If you take it away do you become less patriotic?

*If that debate didn't rear it's ugly head here or at UW last year, I'm not sure how Northwestern, of all teams, was able to raise the national profile this year. I mean, we tend to overanalyze here... and most stones don't go unturned.

[dennisbergan]

Politics or symantics or marketing ploys aside, the NW uniforms yesterday looked stupid.

Some of these teams and their outfitters need to scale it back about 100 notches. Figure out an identity for your school and stick with it.

The NCAA also needs to step in (and the NFL has already given the blueprint with all the concussion/head injury lawsuit crap being lobbed at them) and say you can only wear 2 helmets MAX during a season.

That could limit some of this goofball stuff going on at places like Northwestern and Maryland and UCLA. Its gone way overboard.

[BBTV]

"Blood" aside* isn't it against the flag code to fly a flag like that? I mean, if I had that flying over my lawn I'd have a veteran knocking on my door, waving his finger with a new flag under his arm. (Or do they not do that anymore?) Point is, the execution is flawed any way you slice it.

OnWis makes some good points about flag over-exposure. The one-up nature of current "patriotism" has led to this in football. From just the N on the helmet to a flag uniform for a purple team. And led to us being stuck with a second patriotic anthem at all major MLB games instead of the traditional "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" when there is a perfectly good one at the beginning of the game that some people allowed to be literally spit on while pimping celebs. I think camo and the flag are also being interchanged too often for what's intended as the same meaning.

Where does it end? If you take it away do you become less patriotic?

*If that debate didn't rear it's ugly head here or at UW last year, I'm not sure how Northwestern, of all teams, was able to raise the national profile this year. I mean, we tend to overanalyze here... and most stones don't go unturned.

It's almost become unpatriotic for a man to be on TV without a flag on his lapel. Even many football broadcasters do it, and they're just stupid football people.

Anyone who thinks that the presence of a lapel pin makes the wearer more patriotic, or that the absence of one makes a person less patriotic, is beyond hopelessly stupid.

What does "patriotic" mean, anyway? Is it like if you wear a flag, it means that if we get invaded you'll be willing to fight for us?

I swear - people talk about our freedom as if every other country other than the USA is run by a dictator who has enslaved all of his people, and if we don't wear a bunch of flags, someone will take over here and we'll be enslaved as well. More flags = more freedom!!.

[Gothamite]

[beruud]

They should of hired me to design them ... My helmet is way better.