(11-23-2013 06:07 PM)Pan95 Wrote: Lol
I just want some gray in our unis man! Is that too much to ask for?
I agree Pan! It is about the players and not always what the fans want.
OwlMom, I respectfully disagree that the uniform appearance is about the players -- or any other particular group of people. The uniform is (or should be) about projecting the Rice brand -- which, if it is to be a brand at all, must be consistent across sports and across years. One cannot have that kind of consistency if colors, typeface, style and other elements are subject to the year-to-year whims of players, coaches or fans.
For exhibit #1, I give you... the 1970s. Can you imagine uniforms inspired by the KC & The Sunshine Gang style stickers that used to be ubiquitous back then?
My ideal Rice football home uniform would look pretty similar to what we already have, with a few exceptions:
1. "RICE" would be written in the same size as our previous Nike uniforms. The current size of "RICE" on the Adidas uniforms is a bit too small. Alternatively, just the Old English R instead of the whole word "RICE."
2. Adidas logo moved to the side, near the armpit area (opposite the CUSA logo).
3. Numbers on the sleeve.
4. Rice seal (not the Rice shield) above the shoulder. The Rice seal (in its current form) is what my avatar is. The shield is a circle (surrounding the seal) that is much too busy for a jersey, in my opinion. On the blue home unis, I'd have it in white; on the road white jerseys, I'd have it in blue (like my avatar).
5. Make this the standard look for a long time, while allowing for a few special occasion alternate uniforms every now and then.
For alternate uniforms (not counting throwback uniforms), I'd go with a kit dominated by gray, with blue and white as the accent colors. The helmets would be blue and designed to look like the head of an owl. So a mean-looking eye (yes, in yellow) on each side of the helmet, gray lines to look like the feathers, etc. I'm probably the only one who would like this design . . .
(11-25-2013 10:59 AM)Barrett Wrote: For alternate uniforms (not counting throwback uniforms), I'd go with a kit dominated by gray, with blue and white as the accent colors. The helmets would be blue and designed to look like the head of an owl. So a mean-looking eye (yes, in yellow) on each side of the helmet, gray lines to look like the feathers, etc. I'm probably the only one who would like this design . . .
(11-25-2013 10:59 AM)Barrett Wrote: My ideal Rice football home uniform would look pretty similar to what we already have, with a few exceptions:
1. "RICE" would be written in the same size as our previous Nike uniforms. The current size of "RICE" on the Adidas uniforms is a bit too small. Alternatively, just the Old English R instead of the whole word "RICE."
2. Adidas logo moved to the side, near the armpit area (opposite the CUSA logo).
3. Numbers on the sleeve.
4. Rice seal (not the Rice shield) above the shoulder. The Rice seal (in its current form) is what my avatar is. The shield is a circle (surrounding the seal) that is much too busy for a jersey, in my opinion. On the blue home unis, I'd have it in white; on the road white jerseys, I'd have it in blue (like my avatar).
5. Make this the standard look for a long time, while allowing for a few special occasion alternate uniforms every now and then.
For alternate uniforms (not counting throwback uniforms), I'd go with a kit dominated by gray, with blue and white as the accent colors. The helmets would be blue and designed to look like the head of an owl. So a mean-looking eye (yes, in yellow) on each side of the helmet, gray lines to look like the feathers, etc. I'm probably the only one who would like this design . . .
So I suggest using the Rice seal and I get called out?? LOL
I'm glad that others see the potential of the Rice seal on our unis.
I like all of your ideas and I would add that if we really want to establish a timeless brand, we should keep the OER and modernize the King Hill/Frank Ryan era unis. We have to an extent. Those uniforms were the navy blue pants with a white stripe, the navy blue jerseys with white pipings on the shoulder (no number), and the navy blue helmet with the gray face mask, gray stripe, and white player numbers on the side of the helmet.
(11-25-2013 01:53 AM)I45owl Wrote: For exhibit #1, I give you... the 1970s. Can you imagine uniforms inspired by the KC & The Sunshine Gang style stickers that used to be ubiquitous back then?
That's K.C & the Sunshine BAND
and Kool and the Gang.
(parental discretion is advised: Jimmy's conversation with Jules (see 1:50 for reference)):
(11-25-2013 01:29 PM)Pan95 Wrote: So I suggest using the Rice seal and I get called out?? LOL
I'm glad that others see the potential of the Rice seal on our unis.
There may be a little confusion on this, as I think Barrett has his terminology reversed. His avatar (and his written description) is what the Rice Brand web page refers to as the shield...
Quote:The Rice logo consists of the Rice shield and the Rice primary wordmark.
Unfortunately, the terminology is not very distinguishable and easy to transpose. I think I agree with (the intent of) Barrett's argument, that the SEAL is too busy and the simpler SHIELD would be more appropriate.
(This post was last modified: 11-25-2013 02:33 PM by Brookes Owl.)
(11-25-2013 01:56 PM)GoodOwl Wrote: That's K.C & the Sunshine BAND
ack. I went from KC and the Gang, to add Sunshine once I went off looking for images. Does anyone else remember the sparkly multi-color mirror stickers?
(11-23-2013 10:00 PM)Pan95 Wrote: To be fair, I don't want to imply that I am disappointed with our unis because I'm not. The gray facemasks are great with the OER. I'm curious to see how the helmet would look with the gray stripe (see the 2012 UTSA and Tulsa helmet) and the OER, but the helmet as is is timeless.
I would, however, like to gray pants with a blue stripe as part of the rotation. I think the current blue pants with white stripe is brilliant. Just give us gray pants instead of plain white pants...or, give us white pants with a blue stripe.
As for the jersey, it is just about perfect. We just need something for the shoulders. If not the university seal (which I thing would be cool), then either an OER on each shoulder, player numbers, or some stripes.
I agree about the gray pants. My favorite Rice uniform of all time was during the Goldsmith era. Those teams wore blue tops and gray pants at home. The pants had blue/white striping on the side. They were very nice. The helmet was blue with wings on the sides.
My favorite helmet design is a toss-up between the current ones worn today and the Hatfield-era wings. They are both nice designs and they aren't too "busy."
I would be open to alternate uniforms as long as it doesn't involve black. A gray helmet would be nice with a blue stripe down the center and an OER decal.
(11-25-2013 04:32 PM)Afflicted Wrote: I agree about the gray pants. My favorite Rice uniform of all time was during the Goldsmith era. Those teams wore blue tops and gray pants at home. The pants had blue/white striping on the side. They were very nice. The helmet was blue with wings on the sides.
My favorite helmet design is a toss-up between the current ones worn today and the Hatfield-era wings. They are both nice designs and they aren't too "busy."
I would be open to alternate uniforms as long as it doesn't involve black. A gray helmet would be nice with a blue stripe down the center and an OER decal.
Unis: I think the OER is the best image/moniker for Rice.
I'd like a few stripes on helmet middle, don't care about face-mask color, so whatever they think works.
I'd love Rice shield or seal on one shoulder-top/ college shield on other because it would be much more likely for announcers to mention it once a TV game, and thus would open up the discussion/public curiosity about the uniqueness of Rice the academic institution with the college system, which might help with recruiting.
So then I'd like player numbers on sleeve sides to make it easier to identify them, especially in photos.
I like both blue and white pants with some stripes. Don't like all blue unis (pants and tops together) but do like all-white. Not sure about gray pants. Works better with red tops, but them I'm used to seeing that on GA Bulldogs and their "silver britches."
Not really a fan of the wings. Or the yellow "accents" but I do miss the "sinewaves" pattern around the "tub" of the stadium field. I'm sorry the bitterness about the "Toad" made us paint over them after one year. I think we should bring them back.
Heck, if we want to "Oregonize" our unis a bit, add some sinewave patterns or hexgons and chemical bonds and do a "Rice Breaking Bad" uniform! "Heisenberg runs for a Touchdown, B****!" Said in my best "Jesse" voice.
Sorry... just not a fan of stripes down the middle of our helmets. Way too antiquated IMO.
There are ALL SORTS of ways to keep the basic themes and yet add modern touches/slight modifications in terms of pants stripe or white flashes on the jersey without losing the "soul" of the uniform.
(11-23-2013 09:03 PM)Hambone10 Wrote: Whether we like it or not, this is the trend. Michigan State had a chrome green helmet... Texas had the horns AND a number on the side of their helmets... A&M had this awful thing (though I liked the fade on the helmet). iirc, Nebraska had something unique as did Ohio State.... some of the most "traditional" schools in the country. Almost all of the "big time" smaller schools have a variety of uniforms and the chrome helmets are a clear trend... TCU/UH, really, most teams use it.
I know gray is our color, but it doesn't show up well on blue, and looks like the blue when you trim it in white to make it show better.
I don't know how to describe it, but one trend I like is kind of head to toe (including socks and shoes) monotone with some sort of a splash/flash of white with a chrome blue helmet. I wonder what a monotone dark gray with white R and flashes would look like? KIND of like A&M's, but without the shoulder stripes.
The Texas helmets are a tribute to the 1963 National Championship team. If you want to see a rival to Oregon's uni's, check out Under Armour U (I mean Maryland): http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/ar...d-uniforms
I like the idea of Rice bringing out something unique for the bowl game - I like the idea of a dark Gray jersey or a gray matte helmet but probably not both (although in Virginia's case in 2011 it didn't bring any mojo with it): http://bleacherreport.com/articles/10052...r-terrible
(11-23-2013 09:03 PM)Hambone10 Wrote: Whether we like it or not, this is the trend. Michigan State had a chrome green helmet... Texas had the horns AND a number on the side of their helmets... A&M had this awful thing (though I liked the fade on the helmet). iirc, Nebraska had something unique as did Ohio State.... some of the most "traditional" schools in the country. Almost all of the "big time" smaller schools have a variety of uniforms and the chrome helmets are a clear trend... TCU/UH, really, most teams use it.
I know gray is our color, but it doesn't show up well on blue, and looks like the blue when you trim it in white to make it show better.
I don't know how to describe it, but one trend I like is kind of head to toe (including socks and shoes) monotone with some sort of a splash/flash of white with a chrome blue helmet. I wonder what a monotone dark gray with white R and flashes would look like? KIND of like A&M's, but without the shoulder stripes.
The Texas helmets are a tribute to the 1963 National Championship team. If you want to see a rival to Oregon's uni's, check out Under Armour U (I mean Maryland): http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/ar...d-uniforms
I like the idea of Rice bringing out something unique for the bowl game - I like the idea of a dark Gray jersey or a gray matte helmet but probably not both (although in Virginia's case in 2011 it didn't bring any mojo with it): http://bleacherreport.com/articles/10052...r-terrible
The Texas tribute helmets were originally planned for one game only. They players voted to keep the tribute helmets with the numbers for the entire season.
Army & Navy will both be wearing special uniforms for the game this year. I believe they have done something similar the past few years.
(11-25-2013 07:10 PM)johncatworth Wrote: I like the idea of Rice bringing out something unique for the bowl game - I like the idea of a dark Gray jersey or a gray matte helmet but probably not both (although in Virginia's case in 2011 it didn't bring any mojo with it)
The game which may have our largest TV audience of the year, at which many viewers will be seeing and perhaps hearing of Rice for the very first time, seems like exactly the WRONG occasion to trot out a transitory and ephemeral look that was not there before and will not be there after.
Again, all this talk of special editions might make sense if we had a strong theme to vary from -- but we don't. When Notre Dame trots out a special uniform, people say "Check out that special edition Notre Dame uniform." But as of now, Rice barely has a brand at all. If we sport some special edition, people will not say "Check out that special edition of the Rice uniform." They will say, "Wow, I didn't know that's what Rice's uniforms looked like. I kinda thought their main color was blue, but I guess I was wrong. Whatever."
That is not the result we want. We need to seize our few high-exposure games as opportunities to build the brand in the first place, not as opportunities to tinker and fuss with the brand we barely have.
(11-25-2013 01:29 PM)Pan95 Wrote: So I suggest using the Rice seal and I get called out?? LOL
I'm glad that others see the potential of the Rice seal on our unis.
There may be a little confusion on this, as I think Barrett has his terminology reversed. His avatar (and his written description) is what the Rice Brand web page refers to as the shield...
Quote:The Rice logo consists of the Rice shield and the Rice primary wordmark.
Unfortunately, the terminology is not very distinguishable and easy to transpose. I think I agree with (the intent of) Barrett's argument, that the SEAL is too busy and the simpler SHIELD would be more appropriate.
Brookes, you're absolutely right: I should have said shield, not seal. I like the shield, not the academic seal, on the uniform.
(11-25-2013 07:10 PM)johncatworth Wrote: I like the idea of Rice bringing out something unique for the bowl game - I like the idea of a dark Gray jersey or a gray matte helmet but probably not both (although in Virginia's case in 2011 it didn't bring any mojo with it)
The game which may have our largest TV audience of the year, at which many viewers will be seeing and perhaps hearing of Rice for the very first time, seems like exactly the WRONG occasion to trot out a transitory and ephemeral look that was not there before and will not be there after.
Again, all this talk of special editions might make sense if we had a strong theme to vary from -- but we don't. When Notre Dame trots out a special uniform, people say "Check out that special edition Notre Dame uniform." But as of now, Rice barely has a brand at all. If we sport some special edition, people will not say "Check out that special edition of the Rice uniform." They will say, "Wow, I didn't know that's what Rice's uniforms looked like. I kinda thought their main color was blue, but I guess I was wrong. Whatever."
That is not the result we want. We need to seize our few high-exposure games as opportunities to build the brand in the first place, not as opportunities to tinker and fuss with the brand we barely have.
Have to agree with George's logic.
My only question is this: Is this our official brand, or just the current uniform version?
I always preferred the Goldsmith/Hatfield winged helmets. I understand that a decent number of the board like what they perceive to be the uniqueness of the R on the helmet. I've gotten used to it, and we've certainly had worse.
But I don't recall whether the current uniform/helmet variation was ever adopted as a 'brand', or whether it was the latest 'update', attributable to an AD, coach, or some AD/coaching staff committee.
Those who like the current helmet (understandably) view it as a brand. On the other hand, after 16 years or so, the winged helmet had been a brand as well. (Again, not meaning to debate preferences - there are 'vintage' Rice helmets that pre-date me that I like as well)
In short, nothing 'permanent' has been established about the current uniforms (any more than the 1980-81 helmets I liked)?
![[Image: logo.jpg]](http://www.staff.rice.edu/images/staff/branding/logo.jpg){kind=logo}
![[Image: 1071.jpg]](http://staff.rice.edu/uploadedImages/Staff/Public_Affairs/Rice_Brand/1071.jpg)
