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
Since appearing to take a ridiculous amount of control over the Oregon sports programs — and doing some rather heinous things with the uniforms — Nike has been trying to spread its uni schizophrenia to the other universities in its stable. Last season featured the most egregious move, full helmet-to-shoes makeovers. The athletic wear behemoth made LSU look like Washington, did a predictably horrific job with Florida State and apparently the designers dropped acid before drawing up TCU’s outfits.
Even teams that have maintained traditional uniforms, Ohio State and Texas, were drawn into the mix. This year, horror of horrors, Nike has sunk its claws into Alabama.
The Nike Pro Combat uniform, with a newly engineered fabric that players favor for its light weight and moisture-wicking properties, debuted last season among a group of schools that did not include Alabama. But the different fabric type itself will be the primary change in Alabama’s 2010 version.
“Alabama officials were and are deeply committed to maintaining the look of the uniform,” said the source.
The appearance of the Nike Pro Combat Alabama uniform will remain largely unchanged, with a slight stylistic variation within the traditional look, and the color scheme will remain the same, according to the source.
Other schools contracted to wear the Pro Combat uniform this fall include West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Florida, Miami, Ohio State, Boise State, Texas Christian and Oregon State.
It’s good to hear that the people in power are trying to keep a lid on Nike from playing fast-and-loose with a uniform that has only had minor changes over the past 50 years. But, we’re antsy. The new end zone design, debuted at the 2009 spring game, is still taking some getting used to. Same with the previous design, which was brought in after the logo redesign. Maybe with the Nike boys and girls able to go wild with teams like Boise State, Oregon State and TCU, they’ll lay off on fiddling too much with the style.
This month, Nike played fast-and-loose with 10 universities’ uniform combinations because Nike hates America. And freedom, &c. Of special note are the abominations that will or have adorned Florida State, Florida and LSU. And then there’s Clemson, joining the party at the 11th hour as the 11th team in the group. Here’s the funny part, though. Since the Tigers regularly put on unis that make people want to utter the phrase, “I wish I could unsee that,” what Nike did is actually an improvement over the usual kit.
Per Nike, via the Clemson athletics department:
BEAVERTON, OR – On Saturday, November 28, the Clemson University football team will take the field wearing the Nike Pro Combat uniform, a new system of dress and the lightest football uniform Nike has ever created. Clemson will be one of eleven elite football programs to debut the Nike Pro Combat uniform this month before they are officially introduced to the broader market at the start of the 2010 season.
Clemson is joined by the University of Florida, Florida State University, Louisiana State University, the University of Miami, Virginia Tech, the University of Missouri, The Ohio State University, the University of Oklahoma, The University of Texas and TCU as the schools debuting the Nike Pro Combat uniform this month.
The footer to the PDF explaining the whole thing goes like this:
In November 2009, Clemson will be one of eleven elite football programs to debut the Nike Pro Combat System of Dress for one weekend only. The new Clemson uniforms are 37 percent lighter and significantly stronger than current designs. The proud heritage and specifically the undefeated national championship team from 1981 provided design inspiration for the new Clemson uniform.
In 2010, Nike will introduce the Nike Pro Combat System of Dress, a new silhouette that is the lightest, most breathable and durable uniform Nike has ever created. By integrating the Nike Pro Combat padded base layer within the exterior pant and jersey, players will be battle-ready every time they walk on the field.
Lo and behold.
The jersey and pants
The shoes
The gloves
Everything else
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.
