PSU Football Uniforms: Are you old or new school on this?

[LafayetteBear]

Over the last decade, and especially the last five years, many (most?) college football teams have tinkered a bit with their uniforms, whether it is matte black helmets, silver helmets, camo uniforms, or something else. Oregon, with assistance from Nike and Phil Knight, has been the leader in this trend.

Just saw a photo of a football helmet my school (Cal) apparently plans to use next season. White rather than the school colors (navy and gold), and a Bear rather than the traditional script Cal or block "C." Here it is:

Got me to wondering if PSU has ever done any tinkering with its uniform design. I don't recall that it has, but I thought I'd ask. Was also wondering how PSU alums feel about the issue.

I understand that a lot of the kids who are playing or being recruited like this stuff. I suppose that is a plus, but I cetainly see a value in preserving a school's traditional look. The PSU unis are pretty basic, but that also seems iconic to me, and a plus in its own right.

Your thoughts?

 

[sluggo72]

kids might like this, but once they understand the word 'iconic', they like that even more!!

 

[massimoManca II]

Just in the past 25yrs weve seen Neutral grey facemasks replaced with trendy colored masks in 1988 IIRC. Joe migrated toward trendy shiny-pants look in the early nineties.... Then the dreaded Nike name and swoosh on the jerseys eff 1994... Removal of contrasting trim from jerseys in 2011 (bring back the trim, please).

 

[PSU_Chicago]

Iconic is good. We do not need crazy uniforms.

 

[colt21]

Both
* give me the plain jane "Iconic" uni's (even with the gray facemasks) for the majority of games
AND
* ONE alternate uniform for ONE game per year

 

[psuro]

There is a different between fashion and fad. Stick with fashion - not fad.

 

[Monty2007]

I finally accepted the names on the jersey's but I am no fan of alternate jersey for any school, especially PSU, not even for 1 game.

 

[Art]

Over the last decade, and especially the last five years, many (most?) college football teams have tinkered a bit with their uniforms, whether it is matte black helmets, silver helmets, camo uniforms, or something else. Oregon, with assistance from Nike and Phil Knight, has been the leader in this trend.

Just saw a photo of a football helmet my school (Cal) apparently plans to use next season. White rather than the school colors (navy and gold), and a Bear rather than the traditional script Cal or block "C." Here it is:

Got me to wondering if PSU has ever done any tinkering with its uniform design. I don't recall that it has, but I thought I'd ask. Was also wondering how PSU alums feel about the issue.

I understand that a lot of the kids who are playing or being recruited like this stuff. I suppose that is a plus, but I cetainly see a value in preserving a school's traditional look. The PSU unis are pretty basic, but that also seems iconic to me, and a plus in its own right.

Your thoughts?

I'm pretty much open to new designs, but they should better or at least as good as what we got. That new Cal helmet sucks.

 

[Fayette_LION]

Over the last decade, and especially the last five years, many (most?) college football teams have tinkered a bit with their uniforms, whether it is matte black helmets, silver helmets, camo uniforms, or something else. Oregon, with assistance from Nike and Phil Knight, has been the leader in this trend.

Just saw a photo of a football helmet my school (Cal) apparently plans to use next season. White rather than the school colors (navy and gold), and a Bear rather than the traditional script Cal or block "C." Here it is:

Got me to wondering if PSU has ever done any tinkering with its uniform design. I don't recall that it has, but I thought I'd ask. Was also wondering how PSU alums feel about the issue.

I understand that a lot of the kids who are playing or being recruited like this stuff. I suppose that is a plus, but I cetainly see a value in preserving a school's traditional look. The PSU unis are pretty basic, but that also seems iconic to me, and a plus in its own right.

Your thoughts?

Why change the best and most recognizable uniform in college football? Bring back the trim but no major changes

 

[VaNtyLion]

Nothing wrong with an alternate uniform for one game each year. Even if it goes a little wacky, the players love it and the younger fans love it too. Whether old school fans like it or not, things like this are a recruiting tool...and it is possible to have the best of the old school and new school coexist.

 

[fairgambit]

Old school.

 

[mikemauti42]

I think you could do it pretty tastefully without making major changes to the uniforms for 1 game each year. You could simply reverse the colors on the helmet making the helmet blue and stripe white. Make the blue Metallic and probably wouldn't even need the logo or the "S" on it. Use that helmet with all WHITE uniforms during a whiteout and maybe even make the numbers white with a Blue Outline. Very simple and Classy.

 

[psu00]

Why change the best and most recognizable uniform in college football? Bring back the trim but no major changes

This ^^^^. It was traumatic enough around here when the white trim was removed on the sleeves/ neck and names were added. . The last thing I ever want to see is PSU to go the Oregon path of a new uniform a day. Hate the idea of 1 game with a nutty uniform too. What makes PSU unique is the iconic traditional uniform.

 

[Nitwit]

Definely old school. Look at the classic programs like Alabama, USC, etc. I used to like the numbers on the helmet but the plain white with blue stripe is perfect. I'm not a fan of the names on the jerseys but I'll live with it. I used to like the stripe on the pants but the current plain white are fine. Just keep the uniforms basic, whatever the minor tweaks might be.

 

[NapaNit]

Old School all the way. The 'ship' is for playing football, not modeling on a runway. Dump the Swoosh, too. Nike's has been a bad influence on CFB culture, IMO. I used to LOVE it when PSU would refuse to apply the bowl logos on their jerseys.

 

[psu1969a]

life is simple; psu fans for the most part DO NOT want to change the colors/style of our uniforms.

 

[NapaNit]

One more thing.....CAL screwed the pooch with that new helmet design.

 

[flameshockey26]

I can deal with the names at this point. I wish they would put the trim back on, they almost look like practice jerseys without it. I would be ok with adding numbers back to the helmet, although I like the helmets the way they are now. No need to ruin the best uniforms in college football.
A friend of mine is a MD grad and is a pretty avid follower of their football program. When they started with their uniform changes for every game, he simply said, it makes MD more know in the college football world, win or lose people are talking about MD around the water cooler on Monday. I do believe either the coach or AD said something similar when they started. Sounds like the worst idea ever. We need to stay as far away from that trend as possible.

 

[BobPSU92]

Over the last decade, and especially the last five years, many (most?) college football teams have tinkered a bit with their uniforms, whether it is matte black helmets, silver helmets, camo uniforms, or something else. Oregon, with assistance from Nike and Phil Knight, has been the leader in this trend.

Just saw a photo of a football helmet my school (Cal) apparently plans to use next season. White rather than the school colors (navy and gold), and a Bear rather than the traditional script Cal or block "C." Here it is:

Got me to wondering if PSU has ever done any tinkering with its uniform design. I don't recall that it has, but I thought I'd ask. Was also wondering how PSU alums feel about the issue.

I understand that a lot of the kids who are playing or being recruited like this stuff. I suppose that is a plus, but I cetainly see a value in preserving a school's traditional look. The PSU unis are pretty basic, but that also seems iconic to me, and a plus in its own right.

Your thoughts?

Leave PSU's uniforms alone.

That Cal helmet is awful.

 

[ChandlerPearce]

I realize I am probably the only person to think this, but one game a year I could live with. My only criteria would be to pick a charity and develop a uniform for that cause. Pink and black for breast cancer....red, white and blue for wounded warriors.....auction off the unis and donate the money to that charity. But only one game per year and preferably an out of conference game.

 

[BUFFALO LION]

Over the last decade, and especially the last five years, many (most?) college football teams have tinkered a bit with their uniforms, whether it is matte black helmets, silver helmets, camo uniforms, or something else. Oregon, with assistance from Nike and Phil Knight, has been the leader in this trend.

Just saw a photo of a football helmet my school (Cal) apparently plans to use next season. White rather than the school colors (navy and gold), and a Bear rather than the traditional script Cal or block "C." Here it is:

Got me to wondering if PSU has ever done any tinkering with its uniform design. I don't recall that it has, but I thought I'd ask. Was also wondering how PSU alums feel about the issue.

I understand that a lot of the kids who are playing or being recruited like this stuff. I suppose that is a plus, but I cetainly see a value in preserving a school's traditional look. The PSU unis are pretty basic, but that also seems iconic to me, and a plus in its own right.

Your thoughts?

Old school all the way baby!!! Take the names off the back.

Wearing a Penn State uniform is something special. Like wearing a Yankee or Steeler uniform. You flip on the channel, see the uniform, and you know who you are watching immediately.

 

[NapaNit]

I realize I am probably the only person to think this, but one game a year I could live with. My only criteria would be to pick a charity and develop a uniform for that cause. Pink and black for breast cancer....red, white and blue for wounded warriors.....auction off the unis and donate the money to that charity. But only one game per year and preferably an out of conference game.

I'm sick of the 'pink' and other charities that are really money making machines for their management. Keep charity localized where it's not filtered through the money grubbers. And one more thing....gray face masks. Forget the sleeve/neck trim, helmet numbers, patches, etc. Basics, Baby,....basics.

 

[fairgambit]

Old school cool.

New school fool.

 

[LafayetteBear]

Leave PSU's uniforms alone.
That Cal helmet is awful.

Had a pretty good suspicion that most posters here would be old school. I agree with that sentiment. And yeah, Bob (and Art), I'm not a big fan of that Cal helmet but, then again, Cal does not have the football tradition that PSU has, so perhaps we have less reason to respect traditional unis than PSU.

 

[rudedude]

The only purpose of alternate uniforms, IMO, is to make $. It happens all the time in other sports and the alternates are promoted to get fans for a cash dump for what will eventually be some really ugly crap. Happens all the time in hockey, baseball, basketball, and now football. The NFL typically goes towards old school stuff, but the perfect example there is the hideous Steelers striped crap. Yikes! I agree with previous posters to keep the PSU uniform old school, but with some minor tweaks. Make the blue stripe on the helmet a reflective blue and maybe the blue jerseys having the same type of "shinier" blue color.

 

[mbahses]

Old definitely.

 

[PSU Mike]

Had a pretty good suspicion that most posters here would be old school. I agree with that sentiment. And yeah, Bob (and Art), I'm not a big fan of that Cal helmet but, then again, Cal does not have the football tradition that PSU has, so perhaps we have less reason to respect traditional unis than PSU.

Borrowing from Art's post, the Cal helmet sucks, if I only for the fact that its design is too intricate to be recognizable from any distance. Without editing you have no design - it's just a cleaner version of kids' refrigerator art.

 

[lein]

Nothing wrong with an alternate uniform for one game each year. Even if it goes a little wacky, the players love it and the younger fans love it too. Whether old school fans like it or not, things like this are a recruiting tool...and it is possible to have the best of the old school and new school coexist.

Metrosexual soMetrosexual so

 

[stneumann83]

I'm one for winning championships and could care less what the players wear as long we win! If some of us want real old school we could honor the genesis of our program with pink and black uniforms....Well maybe not, but this might look good for ONE of the night games.

 

[Alphabets]

Keep the classic uni's, but add one-off's for 1-2 games per year. Makes everyone happy.

 

[KnightWhoSaysNit]

If it were up to me, we would have nothing other than the basic white uniforms of the late 70s, when I was at PSU -- for both home and away games. The all-white with some blue trim is a very distinctive and maybe even ominous look. I remember what was said of our team the last time we won in Columbus, a night game ... " ... they were like ghosts ...."

 

[psugisher]

They took the names off for the Homecoming game last year. I prefer no names with maybe the addition of the numbers on the helmets for a special game. The numbers on the helmets really look good without any flash. Someone else mentioned this before, but maybe only put the name on the jersey of the seniors on senior day as another way to recognize their individual contribution to the program. Otherwise, it's perfect the way it is and there's certainly plenty of young people that embrace the old school concept.

 

[Ranger Dan]

I am no fan of alternate jersey for any school, especially PSU, not even for 1 game

Changing uniforms every game is a gimmick for teams that lack traditional fan interest or iconic uniforms. You also have teams (Oregon, Maryland) tied to big money donors (Nike, Under Armour) that have crazy uniforms to increase the exposure for both the school and the athletic wear company.

 

[Alphabets]

The way I look at it, Penn State could come out of the tunnel with lime-green uniforms on and I'm still going to watch. I don't have to like it, but I'm still going to watch. The question is, will those lime-green uniforms attract a recruit or gather interest from 16-17 year old prospects that maybe would not have interest prior? You might say that if this is what the kid is worried about then he probably shouldn't be playing for Penn State regardless. You might also not be a 17 year old kid and have no clue what this generation likes and considers important. Uniforms and "flash" matter. You don't have to like it, but you don't have to go on the road and recruit these kids either.

Again, my proposal has and always will be to make both sides happy. Don't touch the classic uni's other than some minor tweaks if necessary (#'s on helmets, names on back) and add an alternate uni for 1-2 games per year.

Also, if I was a betting man, I would definitely say that Franklin is going to have some sort of uni concept in the new future. He's too cutting edge not to. 16 year old kids don't care what our uniforms looked like in 1973. The tradition will be kept, but alternates added for flash and style.

Maybe I'm wrong (wouldn't be the 1st time), but I would be shocked if we don't see alternates or tweaks in the very near future.

 

[marisa45]

I think you make slight changes every year without losing the iconic feel. Trim, play with the stripes slightly. It's sort of been going on already--fabric changes, the colors get a bit richer, the helmet type/shape changes.

I still prefer the no name treatment though (I know, here we go again). That's a throwback idea that still has tremendous weight--one of Joe's classics--it's about the team, not the individuals. It's a universal truth and the uniforms provide a visual reminder of the core philosophy. I think people underestimate how powerful that message truly is. It reminds these kids how important it is to keep your head on straight and not indulge the ego too much, in fact, it's the most important thing. Subtle, and important. Nobody's football career lasts forever and 95% won't play much past college so you better keep your head on straight or you'll be stuck in the glory years for the rest of your life.

I feel the same disappointment every week when I see the banner in my office--black shoes, basic blues, no names, all game. It's my favorite PSU slogan but I guess I'm a traditionalist, still, I'm not that old (early 40s).

Yeah times change and maybe we lose some kids that like flashy stuff but that's what Oregon is for. Tradition is what we represent so we should be true to ourselves. Besides, if you believe the philosophy and sell it well you're on the side of substance over style--we all know who wins that battle. Especially in parents minds.

 

[fairgambit]

The way I look at it, Penn State could come out of the tunnel with lime-green uniforms on and I'm still going to watch. I don't have to like it, but I'm still going to watch. The question is, will those lime-green uniforms attract a recruit or gather interest from 16-17 year old prospects that maybe would not have interest prior? You might say that if this is what the kid is worried about then he probably shouldn't be playing for Penn State regardless. You might also not be a 17 year old kid and have no clue what this generation likes and considers important. Uniforms and "flash" matter. You don't have to like it, but you don't have to go on the road and recruit these kids either.
Again, my proposal has and always will be to make both sides happy. Don't touch the classic uni's other than some minor tweaks if necessary (#'s on helmets, names on back) and add an alternate uni for 1-2 games per year.
Also, if I was a betting man, I would definitely say that Franklin is going to have some sort of uni concept in the new future. He's too cutting edge not to. 16 year old kids don't care what our uniforms looked like in 1973. The tradition will be kept, but alternates added for flash and style.
Maybe I'm wrong (wouldn't be the 1st time), but I would be shocked if we don't see alternates or tweaks in the very near future.

I won't disagree many of today's recruits (certainly not all) like more "flash" but I can't believe they would choose a school based solely upon the uniforms. Certainly Alabama, which I consider "old school" has no trouble getting kids. Still, if it was for, perhaps, one home game and one road game, I could live with the tweaks.

 

[Alphabets]

I won't disagree many of today's recruits (certainly not all) like more "flash" but I can't believe they would choose a school based solely upon the uniforms. Certainly Alabama, which I consider "old school" has no trouble getting kids. Still, if it was for, perhaps, one home game and one road game, I could live with the tweaks.

No, not at all. My fault if I wasn't clear on my recruit point. I definitely did not mean that a recruit would "solely" base his decision on the uniforms, just that with how tight recruiting has become, something as menial as a cool uniform or style might actually give a team an edge. I'm sure Oregon has actually received commitments because the uni made the difference. They might have loved USC and UCLA, but stepping into Oregon's breaking-edge facilities and seeing new uni concepts each season swayed them.

 

[fairgambit]

No, not at all. My fault if I wasn't clear on my recruit point. I definitely did not mean that a recruit would "solely" base his decision on the uniforms, just that with how tight recruiting has become, something as menial as a cool uniform or style might actually give a team an edge. I'm sure Oregon has actually received commitments because the uni made the difference. They might have loved USC and UCLA, but stepping into Oregon's breaking-edge facilities and seeing new uni concepts each season swayed them.

I don't know if Franklin polls recruits on such matters, but it would be interesting to start asking every recruit whether he likes our uniforms as they are, or prefers a change.

 

[Alphabets]

I don't know if Franklin polls recruits on such matters, but it would be interesting to start asking every recruit whether he likes our uniforms as they are, or prefers a change.

I think most would say they like them. I also think most would be down for alternates as a change-up every once in a while. I can't imagine a 17 year old kid in this day and age coming into Franklin's office and saying he would not be excited at the option of new uniforms. Even our current players have expressed how they feel about new uni's (lynch pic above taken from his personal twitter).

 

[fairgambit]

I think most would say they like them. I also think most would be down for alternates as a change-up every once in a while. I can't imagine a 17 year old kid in this day and age coming into Franklin's office and saying he would not be excited at the option of new uniforms. Even our current players have expressed how they feel about new uni's (lynch pic above taken from his personal twitter).

Well, if change is going to happen, the modest proposal you have made (1 or 2 games a year) may be the best solution.