It seemed like the world stopped for a few minutes when Nike did its college football fashion show on Wednesday morning, unveiling the 2010 edition of the Pro Combat uniforms. Each uni, from helmet to cleats and the underlying clothing, is connected to the traditions of the universities and local communities. For instance, Ohio State’s is a tribute to the 1942 team. For West Virginia, they’re showing solidarity for the state’s miners and the recent mine disaster that killed 29 people. Oregon State is sporting what are basically throwbacks to a late ’60s team that was one of the school’s best. Nike says these unis are 39 percent lighter than the uniforms they replace.
For what it is worth, those at the Swoosh didn’t fiddle much with the Crimson Tide outfit. There’s a muted gray-and-white houndstooth pattern on the numbers and down the middle of the helmet, along with an American flag on the right shoulder and a move from the script A on the front thigh to the side, along with the usual design changes for the gloves and cleats.
The materials and fabrication elements, which debuted in 2009, will be incorporated into the Crimson Tide’s traditional uniforms whose design will feature a Houndstooth pattern incorporated into the uniform’s numbers – a tribute to legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Also, as a gesture to honor veterans of the armed services, the Alabama uniform will feature an American flag patch on the right sleeve. The flag is featured with the stars facing forward (to the right) per military protocol.
ALABAMA
BOISE STATE & FLORIDA
OHIO STATE & MIAMI
PITT & OREGON STATE
TCU & VIRGINIA TECH
WEST VIRGINIA
Nice job, North Carolina, at trying to hang with the big boys. In our lifetime we know two “‘Heels,” which is how’d we refer to anyone in periwinkle, that were halfway decent in the pigskin. That would be Natrone Means and Dre Bly. But it’s not like UNC could beat Alabama in the Gator Bowl or anything like that, which must have started all that Rick Fox love.
Regardless, UNC, y’all had a decent time in the ’90s as Florida State’s bridesmaid. That’s going to look beautiful to what’s coming, which is some mean-ass probation and hateful scholarship restrictions. We’d say we’re sorry, but we’ve hated UNC since moving to Winston-Salem in 1992 and, well, fuck you guys anyway.
Three sources close to an NCAA probe into the University of North Carolina football program told Yahoo! Sports that investigators are focusing on ties between assistant coach John Blake and prominent NFL agent Gary Wichard.
The sources said the NCAA’s inquiry into Blake has focused on his one-time position as vice president of football operations for Pro Tect Management – an agency founded and run by Wichard since 1979. Blake is now a defensive line coach for the Tar Heels, and oversees All-ACC tackle Marvin Austin, who is also facing NCAA scrutiny.
The sources said the NCAA is investigating trips Austin took to Florida, as well as his travel and training in California in the summer of 2009, when he worked out at Proactive Sports Performance with former Tar Heel and current Wichard client Kentwan Balmer.
The NCAA’s inquiry at North Carolina is one of multiple investigations underway at several institutions. The association’s enforcement staff has been in contact with at least nine Division I football programs since June, in what appears to be a more aggressive posture following major agent-related sanctions against the University of Southern California.
Who else is in trouble? Oh, that couldn’t be those toothless meth addicts from East Tennessee, could it?
The NCAA has broadened the scope of its investigation of the Tennessee football program beyond the appearances of recruiting hostesses at high school games, sources told ESPN.com on Friday.
Tennessee officials acknowledged last December that the NCAA was investigating the school’s use of female students as hostesses for football recruits, with some traveling to South Carolina and Georgia to attend prospects’ games. Since then, sources said investigators have looked into whether assistants under former coach Lane Kiffin had improper contacts with high school players at an all-star game and whether coaches improperly interacted on players’ Facebook pages.
A source close to the investigation said such actions could be considered secondary in nature “but if you look at it all together, [it] looks like there was not a sense of adhering to all the rules all of the time,” which could result in a “major violation” classification.
Tennessee has acknowledged it committed at least six secondary violations during Kiffin’s tumultuous tenure.
According to sources, the Vols’ football program is expecting a letter of inquiry from the NCAA before the start of the 2010 season.
Then there’s, you know, the people who always knew were fucking criminals. The University of Miami.
The University of Miami is being investigated by the NCAA for recruiting-related text messages by coaches in various sports — including football, women’s track and possibly baseball, three sources told The Miami Herald.
UM initiated the process by self-reporting the infractions to the NCAA.
Two UM athletic department sources said they believe the infractions are not considered severe.
Another source with knowledge of the investigation said it was launched in January.
Though individual text-messaging episodes would normally be categorized by the NCAA as secondary violations, collectively they could be considered a major violation, which is believed to be the case for the UM program.
See you in another 20 years, Vols, Canes and Heels. We never liked you assholes anyway.
There are 34 bowl games this year, and we’re picking every damn one of them (probably with 60-70 percent success). You can follow the progress or join up and do battle with us through ESPN College Bowl Mania. We’re in “The League” and “The War Against Tebow.” TWAT (jokes!) is the brainchild of decamped S.C. blogger and good time Johnny, Micah Snead, so go there. But beware — Snead’s dad is a total ringer and will probably take the title by 20 points.
Dec. 19, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Fresno State v. Wyoming
Dec. 19, 8 p.m., ESPN
Central Florida v. Rutgers
Dec. 20, 8:30 a.m., ESPN
Southern Miss v. Middle Tennessee State
Dec. 22, 8 p.m., ESPN
No. 18 Oregon State v. No. 14 BYU
Dec. 23, 8 p.m., ESPN
No. 23 Utah v. California
Dec. 24, 8 p.m., ESPN
Nevada v. Southern Methodist
Dec. 26, 1 p.m., ESPN
Marshall v. Ohio
Dec. 26, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
No. 17 Pitt v. North Carolina
Dec. 26, 8 p.m., ESPN
Boston College v. No. 24 Southern Cal
Dec. 27, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
Kentucky v. Clemson
Dec. 28, 5 p.m., ESPN2
Texas A&M v. Georgia
Dec. 29, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
UCLA v. Temple
Dec. 29, 8 p.m., ESPN
No. 15 Miami v. No. 25 Wisconsin
Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Bowling Green v. Idaho
Dec. 30, 8 p.m., ESPN
No. 20 Arizona v. No. 22 Nebraska
Dec. 31, Noon, ESPN
Houston v. Air Force
Dec. 31, 2 p.m., CBS
Oklahoma v. No. 21 Stanford
Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Navy v. Missouri
Dec. 31, 6 p.m., NFL Network
Minnesota v. Iowa State
Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
No. 11 Virginia Tech v. Tennessee
Jan. 1, 11 a.m., ESPN
Northwestern v. Auburn
Jan. 1, 1 p.m., CBS
No. 16 West Virginia v. Florida State
Jan. 1, 1 p.m., ESPN
No. 13 Penn State v. No. 12 LSU
Jan. 1, 4:30 p.m., ABC
No. 8 Ohio State v. No. 7 Oregon
Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m., Fox
No. 5 Florida v. No. 3 Cincinnati
Jan. 2, Noon, ESPN2
South Florida v. Northern Illinois
Jan. 2, 2 p.m., ESPN
South Carolina v. Connecticut
Jan. 2, 2 p.m., Fox
No. 19 Oklahoma State v. Ole Miss
Jan. 2, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Arkansas v. East Carolina
Jan. 2, 9 p.m., ESPN
Michigan State v. Texas Tech
Jan. 4, 8 p.m., Fox
No. 6 Boise State v. No. 4 TCU
Jan. 5, 8 p.m., Fox
No. 10 Iowa v. No. 9 Georgia Tech
Jan. 6, 7 p.m., Fox
No. 25 Central Michigan v. Troy
Jan. 7, 8 p.m., ABC
No. 2 Texas v. No. 1 Alabama
Nike’s bizarre, “tradition ain’t shit” uniform policy will befoul a number of teams for the rest of the month. Alabama, thank God, has been limited to the swoosh, the NCAA-mandated conference pennant and the script A, through there was that houndstooth collar mess for the 2006 Ole Miss game.
It appears the garish ensemble will come out for the Florida State game (but there hasn’t been a definitive statement). The Seminoles will also be wearing the misfit creation, with a black helmet. Don’t drink too much, as you might not recognize who’s on the field. We haven’t found a picture of the side of the Florida helmet, but unless it’s got the old-school F on that white melon case, it’s going to be even more strange. Throw a blue helmet on there, and you’d swear it’s Kentucky.
The other ones are even weirder. LSU’s look like a direct rip from Washington. The helmets are gold. TCU’s entry has pants that look like scales and red stripes on the helmet. Horned frogs, you see, shoot blood out of their eyes. Miami has two-tone numbers, but the only tradition there is thuggery and fairweather fans, so that’s no big deal.
Former Alabama and Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas, who died much too soon from complications resulting from a car wreck, will be in this year’s class to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. Thomas, who was one of our all-time favorite football players of our lifetime, was an absolute pimp on the playing field for the Crimson Tide and after he went pro.
The Miami native still holds the Tide record for career sacks and sacks in one season, taking home the ’88 Butkus Award for the best linebacker in college football. He managed to finish 10th the the Heisman vote that season. What many will remember him for is an outrageous effort against the Seattle Seahawks in 1990 by sacking quarterback Dave Krieg a record seven times. The Chiefs offense couldn’t score enough points, unfortunately, to win the game.
His son, Darrion, will be at the podium during the induction ceremony. It’s an sad coincidence that Thomas also lost his dad when he was young, killed in action during the Vietnam War.
Carolina alum and former classmate Kent Babb did up Thomas good in the Kansas City Star, writing:
Rahman McGill isn’t Derrick’s son, but he is one of his kids.
The lunch crowd at a Kansas City restaurant is gone, and the dining room is quiet. The 23-year-old man eases toward the exit. His eyes scan the wall’s framed photographs, decades of history and the famous patrons who have eaten here. Pictures of success and power, of talent and influence.
McGill stops when he reaches the 8-by-10 of Derrick Thomas at a table surrounded by children.
“There he is,” McGill says, smiling.
Rahman the fifth-grader has become McGill the man, the graduate student at Alabama State, the kid who has kept in touch with Clarence Thomas after all these years. Eleven years ago, the justice promised McGill a clerkship when he gets his law degree. McGill hasn’t let him forget it. McGill says he wants to go to Harvard Law School. Nothing is impossible. Derrick taught him that.
“All I needed was a push,” he says, “to get to where I want to be.”
McGill isn’t the only success. There are hundreds of Derrick Thomas kids — proof that, nine years after his death, his influence remains.
“It’s rare that somebody touches so many lives,” McGill says, moving toward the door. “So many lives. In this society, you need people like that. People pass away all the time. But some people you have to keep alive.”
A great video of former teammates discussing Thomas can be found here.
As for his exploits on the field:
“The Hurricane Bowl” v. Texas A&M
D.T., 1990, courtesy of NFL Films
