Michigan football throwback uniforms to be unveiled Friday night
The throwback uniform that the Michigan football team will wear in its Sept. 10 "Under the Lights" game against Notre Dame will be unveiled Friday night.
The event at Michigan Stadium is not open to the public, but the university plans to stream it live on MGoBlue.com if weather permits.
In a lead-up to the announcement, the Michigan football Facebook page has been highlighting uniforms from past eras.
In one post, the site asked for fans' opinion on a 1959 helmet that included a small number beneath the famed wing design. "We want to hear from you, would you be in favor to adding the numbers back?" the post asked. "Yes or no?" The responses were overwhelmingly against the idea.
In an interview on WTKA-AM in late May, Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said the school will "take elements from a couple of different eras to create a jersey that we think will be exciting and our players will enjoy wearing.”
Brandon, coach Brady Hoke and Adidas representatives will host the brief unveiling program, the school said in a release today.
Notre Dame will also wear throwback uniforms during the Sept. 10 game (8 p.m., ESPN), which is the first night game in the history of Michigan Stadium.
In fact, it was Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly who initially broke the story about the plan. He told reporters after an Irish spring practice that Notre Dame will wear uniforms that represent teams from the late 1950s and early 60s.
Of Michigan's uniform, the Chicago Tribune reported that Kelly said:
“I can tell you what theirs look like: They have a block ‘M’ on them, and a number, and a number on their helmet.” How’s that? The Adidas people at Michigan are going to be (ticked) at me.”
In that May 26 interview with Sam Webb of WTKA, Brandon said Kelly saw concept drawings from early in the uniform design process.
Comments
Mick
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 11:53 p.m.
Great comment LS, good job mate! Up vote from me. Why do these opposing teams fans come on our forum's and talk junk? Especially something as revered by the whole nation, not just M Fans. If you're gonna bag on something, do it about something legit, not lame,weak stuff like you brought, geez!
Lorain Steelmen
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 10:42 p.m.
Trigg7. Ya know.....I am perfectly fine with those Michigan helmets. They've been that way since 1938. They are the most distinctive helmet in football...pro or college! ...bar none! Which means, if you are 'surfing' on the tube, and you see that helmet, you KNOW, you are watching Michigan. (No cheap imitations!) No guesswork needed! We like them so much here, that we even use 'em for softball & baseball catchers, and the whole darn ice hockey team! Think about that! But hey, why not?...UM has won MORE football games, than any other school! UM has won MORE football conference championships, than any other school, in any other conference! UM has won 11 NC's! That's just nuts! For 132 years now, Michigan has been the 'benchmark' against which ALL other teams are judged. And that helmet says just that! ...Benchmark! ....We say 'leaders and best'!...and we ARE serious about that! My first game here as a freshman in September of 1965, was against the Cal Bears! And the Wolverines came roaring out of the tunnel and jumped up the hit that 'ol banner...and I saw those helments, and I said OMG...Are you kidding me!? Is THAT cool! This September will be the 47th team I've watched...and I STILL say, OMG..Are you kidding me!? That IS cool!
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 : 6:50 p.m.
The apocalypse must be upon us. I agree with LS. Well said. Good Night and Good Luck
clarklaker
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 : 1:56 a.m.
a men.
D21
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 9:08 p.m.
Trigg7, Jealous ain't ya? So many recruits, past, current and future, has revealed the UM winged helmet and uni's as the key for them choosing the right college (UM) to play for.
D21
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 9:06 p.m.
I strongly suspect that those throwback jerseys will feature a huge red slash across whatshisname on them. GO BLUE!
yaah
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 7:29 p.m.
I have yet to see or hear from anyone who thinks that the leaked (or accidentally displayed) game shirt designs are good. They are ugly and no one likes them. Did the UM athletic department actually consult anyone before picking this design? UM's uniforms are already throwback. So are ND's. Just play in the real uniforms and call them throwbacks! I really hope that no one shells out the $40 or whatever it is for these throwback jerseys. If they refuse to listen to the early criticism, then hopefully they will pay by taking a bath on the sales.
trigg7
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 6:51 p.m.
M can wear whatever they want, still going to get their butt kicked. Your unis are not even average, ugly no creativity.blue and yellow, half the country has same color. helmet is all u have and its used for every sport, making it over used and you get sick of seeing it.
clarklaker
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 : 1:54 a.m.
If your so sick of it why are you on this site.My guess is a little anamosity lil bro.
grye
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 5:05 p.m.
Why throwback? Why not goforward just like we expect of the team's performance.
free form
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 4:52 p.m.
I'm not opposed to a throwback jersey in theory and I love the look of old uniforms. Unfortunately, the abomination they have created is not a throwback, not very retro looking and definitely not attractive.
Lorain Steelmen
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 3:26 p.m.
Some of you may remember the Tom Gass stadium 'halo', that was put up a round the stadium several years back. It was the end of Goss. Note to Brandon....Davie, what are you thinking ...'create' a composte retro jersey ?!? C/mon, Davie, Why not just cut the crap, and pull out the old 1969 jersey, and GO WITH THAT? It was the beginning of the BO era. That ought to work.
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 2:51 p.m.
"In an interview on WTKA-AM in late May, Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said the school will "take elements from a couple of different eras to create a jersey that we think will be exciting and our players will enjoy wearing." I will say that a "throwback" jersey should be an actual replica of something the team wore at some point in history. If your taking elements from different era's it ain't a throwback jersey, its just a different jersey.
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 2:45 p.m.
The purpose of these "throwback" jerseys is simply to sell merchandise IMO. As such they need to be sufficiently different to spur sales...again just my opinion. Personal I am OK with them as a one time/rare occasion thing. I think "tradition" fell off the table when the Stadium was rebuilt.
RWBill
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 12:53 p.m.
Gag me with an athletic cup, I hope the Michigan fan base lets these things sit idle on the shelves of whichever overpriced sports apparel distributor they end up on. Michigan's legitimate and actual tradition is rich and deep, we don't need a profit driven, contrived amalgam of a uniform shoved at us for the wrong reasons.
Blu n Tpa
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 11:29 a.m.
TS 21 "...we've had sellouts since the late seventies." That is not exactly accurate. "Sellouts" imply there are no seats available to watch the game. There has been games where single tickets were available plus my son and I have been able to obtained great tickets the morning of the game during our walk from the downtown parking garage to Michigan Field. Now you may have meant that Michigan has had over 100,000 people per game since the '70s. The date that started was Nov 8, 1975, vs Purdue, and I still have the ticket from that game. (somewhere). TiM Go Blue!
Mick
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 9:12 a.m.
If what I've seen what they're supposed to be looking like, then I think they look hideous, that stripe shouldered look is just awful looking. DB, I've been a supporter of you in a huge way, but if these are the Uniforms, well I just can't support it. A victory is what matters most though,maybe we're planning on being an eye sore to mess with Notre Dame's mind, Go Blue!!!
Vinh Pham
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 6:42 a.m.
This is what it will look like. Ugly, in my opinion: <a href="http://mgoblog.com/sites/mgoblog.com/files/image_60.png" rel='nofollow'>http://mgoblog.com/sites/mgoblog.com/files/image_60.png</a>
Tru2Blu76
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 5:02 a.m.
Isn't this idea of throwback uniforms just a show biz promotional scheme tossed back and forth between professional sports teams and college teams? I think that's what it is and that means it may attract a certain amount of fans and turn off another part of the Wolverines followers - but not enough to damage attendance. This night game is drawing interest and I'm not against that. It will add momentum to college football in the early season, so that's a good thing - and Michigan Stadium and the Wolverines will again be the focus of this. That's a good thing! Ironic (and lucky) that this game comes to us in Coach Hoke's first season as head coach. This, I do think, is also "throwback" in some ways because Michigan has been down (really down) the past three seasons. Just like 1969 - when the new coach, Schembechler, made his debut. Maybe that'll be the carry-forward uniform: the 1969 design. Hoping: after Michigan beats Notre Dame, we'll party like it's 1969. ;-)
Terry Star21
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 2:10 a.m.
Agree with heartbreak....we have the best uniforms. I said I would never quote Bo, but I think everyone knows what his reaction would be to 'a night game' and 'throwback uniforms'. Normally, the biggest reason for these two changes are to attract fans - but we've had sellouts since the late seventies.
Terry Star21
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 2:11 a.m.
Whoops, forgot........MgoBlueForTiM !!!!!!!!
Engineer
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 1:08 a.m.
Beat Notre Dame and I do not care if they are in their skivies!!!! GO BLUE!!!!!
heartbreakM
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 12:37 a.m.
I don't know what it will look like, but any time a clothing manufacturer is at a press conference, it worries me. Recall that whole mess that NIke caused with the Spartan redesign (and not). Also recall those horrible uniforms that OSU wore in former coach's second year I personally think our uniform is just wonderful as it is, and don't need the "pleasure" of a throwback. Why mess with the best uniform in college football?