Uni-watch weighs in on new uniforms

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Summary: oars everywhere smells of selfishness from the coach and the uniforms are a “mess”

Basically, pretty much spot on with my opinion of these things. What a shame. It wouldn’t be so bad if we weren’t purposely moving away from what, in my opinion, were the best uniforms in the B1G.
 

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Up S### Creek: Gophers Unveil New Uni Set
BY PAUL LUKAS, UNI7 WATCH, FEBRUARY 21ST, 2018

February isn’t usually the time for college football uniform news items, but the Minnesota Gophers came up with a whopper yesterday, as they unveiled a new uni set that includes, as you can see above, an oar-themed helmet stripe and compass-themed helmet numbers. Those are references to Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck’s motivational “Row the boat” mantra (although I’ve never seen a compass on a rowboat), which he came up with during his previous coaching stint at Western Michigan.

“Row the boat” is more than just a coaching philosophy for Fleck — the slogan is rooted in the death of his second son, who had a congenital heart defect and died shortly after birth.

All of which is a powerful and moving story, but it has exactly nothing to do with Minnesota. Putting an oar on the Gophers’ helmets sends the message that the coach is more important than the team. Putting a coach’s slogan on the inner collar (where nobody can see it) or on the nose bumper (where it’s inconspicuous) is one thing, but making it part of the uniform design reflects an upside-down hierarchy of priorities. It was bad enough when Fleck got to dress Western Michigan in oar-themed jerseys. When he inevitably moves on to his next coaching gig, and the one after that, and the one after that, will those schools wear the oar? What if he makes the jump to the NFL — will one of those teams wear the oar?

When the news of this move broke yesterday, Uni Watch reader Kary Klismet posted this in the comments:

[T]aking that phrase from being a form of individual inspiration and shoehorning it onto the uniforms of every football team [Fleck] winds up coaching strikes me as an exercise in personal vanity and selfishness.

I agree, but I’d go a step further: In a world that’s increasingly dominated by the nonsense of “branding,” what we’re seeing here is the ascension of Fleck’s “personal brand.” You can tell that’s how Fleck himself views the situation because he paid Western Michigan for the intellectual property rights to the slogan when he left that school and moved on to Minnesota. It’d be one thing if he wanted to use the slogan as the title of a self-help book, or to sell T-shirts, or to start a rowboat concession down at the lake. But giving his personal brand equal time on the uniform of the of the school he supposedly serves is nuts. It’s the tail wagging the dog, or the boat rowing the oar, or something like that.

All this for a coach who went 5-7 in his first year at Minnesota, and whose lifetime mark is 35-29. I mean, ****, Alabama didn’t wear houndstooth for Bear Bryant until he’d been dead for 27 years.

For the record: The new Minnesota set includes three new helmets, only two of which have the oar. The third helmet is a gold chrome design. There’s also the same miserable number font they had before and increased use of the anthracite dark-grey jersey and pants. What a mess.
 


18-21 year old kids seem to like them, and that's all that matters.
 



I'm curious how you know this.


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Because the players that were being recorded in front of PJ reacted positively. I am sure they wouldn't be biased.

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The kids have no say in this and would wear whatever the team provides. What do we really expect them to say, anyway? “Jeez, coach, these really look stupid. I don’t think I want to suit up.” ??

Peddle the bike.
 

The kids have no say in this and would wear whatever the team provides. What do we really expect them to say, anyway? “Jeez, coach, these really look stupid. I don’t think I want to suit up.” ??

Peddle the bike.

If only I had a bike to sell.
 




The kids have no say in this and would wear whatever the team provides. What do we really expect them to say, anyway? “Jeez, coach, these really look stupid. I don’t think I want to suit up.” ??

Peddle the bike.

If you really hated something, would you go onto twitter telling everyone you love them? You probably wouldn't say anything, right?

Seems like a lot of the players, recruits, and former players really like them.
 

If you really hated something, would you go onto twitter telling everyone you love them? You probably wouldn't say anything, right?

Seems like a lot of the players, recruits, and former players really like them.


FWIW: My son is a Junior at the U and is in a class with two players. After class yesterday he approached the players for their opinion of the uniforms. My son said that as soon as he asked them their faces "lit up" with smiles. Both like the uniforms and are excited to wear them. One player commented that the Gold helmet isn't as "bright" as the pictures show. Small sampling I know, but worth sharing.

As for me, I have my favorite combos which does NOT include the anthracite jersey with gold pants. Personally I think they will look better on the field.
 

Agree with article points.
Uniforms identify one team v. the opponent. Those identifying elements should represent the school fielding the team, not the coaching staff. In many respects the players and coaches should have the least input into the design. The more legitimate input should come from those that write the checks, not those that cash them.
 




If you really hated something, would you go onto twitter telling everyone you love them? You probably wouldn't say anything, right?

Seems like a lot of the players, recruits, and former players really like them.

Exactly, guys like Bateman (arguably our prized recruit from this class) who is not even on campus yet wouldn't be going out of his way to praise the jerseys if he didn't like him.

People can hate on the jerseys all they want, but it stays the same...if the players like them and it appears they do who gives a **** what people on the internet think of them
 

Maybe I missed something, but outside of the oar and compass on the helmet, how did Fleck make these uniforms all about him? I don't see oars everywhere? I see one. The name of the uniforms is not on them and if fleck leaves, we just stop calling them HYPR uniforms(nobody will call them that anyways) and take the oar and compass off. These jerseys are prettu damn tame and not really all that different from the Kill era. The way that some people are complaining would make it seem like PJ put his face on the jersey.
 

If you follow any of the players and/or recruits coming in next year you'd see they are fans of them.

This response is incredibly naive.


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This response is incredibly naive.


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So you think players (current and past) and recruits would go out of their way to say they like something when really they hate it?
 


Maybe I missed something, but outside of the oar and compass on the helmet, how did Fleck make these uniforms all about him? I don't see oars everywhere? I see one. The name of the uniforms is not on them and if fleck leaves, we just stop calling them HYPR uniforms(nobody will call them that anyways) and take the oar and compass off. These jerseys are prettu damn tame and not really all that different from the Kill era. The way that some people are complaining would make it seem like PJ put his face on the jersey.

The pattern in the numbers and on the collars is a boat, oar and a compass as well.

Maroon+Pattern.jpg
 

One simple way to make them less "all about Fleck" (which they are) that they should have thought of - don't call it a compass. It's a North Star. Both are commonly represented by the compass rose device shown on our unis, but one is a 1000% more Minnesota than the other. And motivationally they mean the same thing.

I originally saw it and thought, "Oh cool, the north star".
 

Yes.


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I do, too.

I don't know if they players love them or not. But showing this type of enthusiasm, whether it's real or not, is important to Fleck. They're learning how to be elite.
 

One simple way to make them less "all about Fleck" (which they are) that they should have thought of - don't call it a compass. It's a North Star. Both are commonly represented by the compass rose device shown on our unis, but one is a 1000% more Minnesota than the other. And motivationally they mean the same thing.

I originally saw it and thought, "Oh cool, the north star".

Fleck has referenced it as the North Star before.
 

This response is incredibly naive.


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Uh not even close. You just want the players to hate them like you do lol. Bateman a four star who is our best wr recruit in years goes out of his way to say how much he like them instead of just be silent about it but it’s because he’s so concerned about playing time he feels needs to impress Fleck. That’s how asinine your response is lol. Good effort though
 

With the video of the reveal to the players if they really dislike them they should win awards for acting because they did a hell of a job faking some enthusiasm
 

Uh not even close. You just want the players to hate them like you do lol. Bateman a four star who is our best wr recruit in years goes out of his way to say how much he like them instead of just be silent about it but it’s because he’s so concerned about playing time he feels needs to impress Fleck. That’s how asinine your response is lol. Good effort though

With the video of the reveal to the players if they really dislike them they should win awards for acting because they did a hell of a job faking some enthusiasm

No response. I just want to capture these posts before you take them down.


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My opinion on the uniforms in one word: dislike - from a fashion standpoint. That's not what bothers me about the uniforms. It's Fleck taking his personal mantras and trying to make those the highlight of the uniform re-design. Fleck has now backed himself into a professional corner in that he is projecting to future employers that is what you get when I'm coach. Fleck's lucky that he's got an AD that has kowtowed to his every whim and his fortuitous timing of arriving at the U when a new practice facility was just beginning to be built allowed Fleck to stamp his brand all over. Face it, Fleck's not going to be here forever. Ten years is a LONG at one institution in the college football world.

I think his tenure will go 1 of 2 ways: flames out here Brewster-style but with a longer leash and gets canned or his teams show a modicum of improvement year after years for the next 3-4 years and he gets antsy for the next gig with a higher pedigreed program and leaves on his own accord. If it's the latter they'll be fewer schools wanting to hire someone that'll insist on putting oars on a helmet. Think the Fighting Irish fans would like a #RTB on their uniform collars or a being a Vol fan and seeing Smoky the Dog enter Neyland Stadium with an orange-and-white paddle on its coat instead of the customary checkerboard print ? F no.
 


My opinion on the uniforms in one word: dislike - from a fashion standpoint. That's not what bothers me about the uniforms. It's Fleck taking his personal mantras and trying to make those the highlight of the uniform re-design. Fleck has now backed himself into a professional corner in that he is projecting to future employers that is what you get when I'm coach. Fleck's lucky that he's got an AD that has kowtowed to his every whim and his fortuitous timing of arriving at the U when a new practice facility was just beginning to be built allowed Fleck to stamp his brand all over. Face it, Fleck's not going to be here forever. Ten years is a LONG at one institution in the college football world.

I think his tenure will go 1 of 2 ways: flames out here Brewster-style but with a longer leash and gets canned or his teams show a modicum of improvement year after years for the next 3-4 years and he gets antsy for the next gig with a higher pedigreed program and leaves on his own accord. If it's the latter they'll be fewer schools wanting to hire someone to come in that'll insist on putting oars on a helmet. Think the Fighting Irish fans would like a #RTB on their shirt collars or Smoky the Dog will enter Neyland Stadium with a orange-and-white paddle on its coat instead of the customary checkerboard print ? F no.

+1
It's kind of similar to the Athletes village. Look at the BB facilities compared to the FB. The BB facilities are all about the U of M, can't say that about the FB facilities.
 

The pattern in the numbers and on the collars is a boat, oar and a compass as well.

Maroon+Pattern.jpg

Never noticed that, it's more about Fleck than the last regime, but even Kill and Clayes had the bricks in the number for their mantra
 




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