When Did Tradition Stop Being Cool?

I’m 29 years old, which is a pretty good spot to be in on the cultural landscape when you think about it. Meaning, I’m young enough to understand and appreciate most of pop culture (although why anyone would like Justin Bieber or those Twilight movies is still beyond me), yet old enough that I don't care about trying to impress anyone.

 However, one of the things I don’t get right now is the growing obsession over gaudy uniforms.

Doesn’t the increasing need to stand out contradict the very meaning of uniform?

I know. I know. It all comes down to recruiting and revenue. Student-athletes love when a school is willing to try something different with its gear and I understand how that would be exciting to prospective student-athletes.

It is also a huge revenue generator as post-game auctions are becoming the norm with the game-used gear going to the highest bidder. Changing logos and designs is a relatively way to get a fan base back into the store buying more gear. It is logical from a business point of view and enduring brands such as the Boston Celtics or at a school like UCLA are few and far between.  

The ‘uniform game’ has developed into the new fad in recent years in intercollegiate athletics and it seems that most schools are rolling out variations on a pretty regular basis. The examples below have been most memorable to me:

Oregon started this whole thing and continues to be at the forefront. Even though I was rooting against them, it was pretty cool to see their pure metallic helmets cast a blinding glare off the Pasadena sky at the 2013 Rose Bowl.

Baylor carried its RGIII momentum and ran with it to the front of the ‘cool club’ when it debuted its new Nike football uniforms.  

Not to be outdone, adidas introduced new uniforms for the Big East during the basketball postseason.

And now we have the Indiana football’s new armor and the reaction from the guys onthe team is priceless!

Don’t get me wrong, all of this stuff is cool, but I like the idea of little kids growing up learning to play in their driveway and going through high school dreaming of wearing that motion W on your helmet, red jersey with white trim and white pants highlighted by two vertical red stripes --- THE SAME EXACT UNIFORM that Ron Dayne --- everyone’s favorite Badger --- wore (in my case).

You get that at schools like USC, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and even with select pro sports franchises like the New York Yankees. But 20 years down the line, do you think a little kid in the Chicago suburbs working on his jump shot in the drive way will be asking, “Hey dad, if I work hard enough, do you think I’ll get to wear the Shamrock Shake jersey at Notre Dame like Jack Cooley?”

Only time will tell, but for now … Get off my lawn you young whippersnappers. =)

Y’all be easy.

- Mike