The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

I'm usually on the opposing side of these types of hissyfits so pardon me if I don't sound outraged enough:

*ahem*

What the hell is in the water at UAB that makes the design of our football and basketball uniforms more classified and protected prior to the first game of every season than a player's MRI on an injured joint? I honestly don't get it. All summer long - reaching a fevered pitch once preseason camp starts - we get to see schools all over the nation parading players out in their newest finery or, at the least, a shiny helmet on a table where a coach is doing his media song & dance. But at UAB we get posters that disappear a la Stalin's purges for swiping a grainy 1.4 megapixel of a mockup.

And it's not a McGee or Haase thing...it's ALWAYS been this way at UAB. Are our athletes so deprived of luxuries that ripping open the gift wrapping on their new jersey the first game day of the year is a special perk? Is that part of our recruiting pitch? "If you come to UAB, we GUARANTEE that every season you will get a top-secret surprise on opening day!" Is it a ritual? A rite of passage?

Seriously, though, is it that Bartow East bungles through the approval and ordering of designs so badly every year that they really don't show up until the FedEx guy runs them in the door on gameday? Is it a marketing thing? Does someone down there actually think it's BAD to show off new designs? Guess what? SOMEONE, typically many someones, is always going to dislike anything new. Would it hurt feelings that badly for fans to be going at each other over uniforms a couple of weeks before the season starts? I mean, it's petty...but it's still people actually talking about the team/program/season!! And the airtime, if they were to actually make an "unveiling" of it, NEVER hurts.

Ok, done. How was that? Good? I feel like I got the entitlement but not the bitchiness...

I didn't think I'd like the green pants, but I do.

You lost all credibility when you stood by when they took the big head dragon from us.

I have never gotten why the obsession over uniforms. With some fans, it's like a fashion show and they can't wait to the new fall lines come out.

It is funny for such a macho sport to have people obsessing over colors, emblems and matching styles.

(08-19-2013 04:34 PM)Smaug Wrote:  I didn't think I'd like the green pants, but I do.

You lost all credibility when you stood by when they took the big head dragon from us.

Ok, yes, I did stand by. But for the record, I stand by on logic (having heard the reason beforehand and having actually seen Brian Mackin almost go "Big Papi" on a flat-screen TV after a color commentator said, "A-B"). I concede the fashion aspect.

This rant holds more weight because it came from a Big East insider who specializes in Conference Realignment.

WTF was that for?

Lol.

I hate to state this, but I agree with MB. I don't understand the interest in new uniforms. Oh, well.

zzzzzzzzzz

(08-19-2013 06:51 PM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  I hate to state this, but I agree with MB. I don't understand the interest in new uniforms. Oh, well.

You don't understand changing designs or the interest in them, period? Personally, the anticipation is much like the days growing up when coach would show up with boxes at a practice and everyone would be distracted because we couldn't wait to get our uniforms. Obviously the players and fans get excited or all unis would look the same just different colors. I don't think it's a fashion thing either as the people who tend to brag/***** the most are the "fanatic" fans. And there have been some studies published by sports psychologists that lend some truth to the "look good, play good" mantra.

Ultimately, though, it's one more sign that football or basketball season is just around the corner.

(08-19-2013 04:34 PM)Smaug Wrote:  I didn't think I'd like the green pants, but I do.

You lost all credibility when you stood by when they took the big head dragon from us.

I just can't get 100% behind matching colors in jerseys/pants (except white/white, of course, and for basketball). A few years after I graduated Moody went to blue/blue unis. They hosted John Carroll one year and they wore green/green. Ugliest game of football, on the eyes, I've ever seen...I guess I've had a visceral reaction ever since. The gold on UAB's is done well, though, as far as breaking up the green and giving the look "shape."

My faves remain the white pants with the double green stripes on the sides. Whether with the green or white tops that was a sharp look.

Clay-Chalkville wore white pants twice last year. Lost both games. Only two games they lost. In blue pants they went undefeated, outscoring opponents 105 billion to 3, or something along those lines.

I emailed the head coach those numbers. He didn't reply.

I suspect that no team has ever been beaten that has worn all pink jerseys.

(08-19-2013 08:12 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  I suspect that no team has ever been beaten that has worn all pink jerseys.

but the teams that dress in an all pink locker room do have a losing record

The reason why they hide uniform changes is because, when announced on your terms, they can be a huge boost to program exposure. If leaked at a poor time, that boost can be completely lost. It's a huge deal to get as much free press as possible, and in my personal experience, they'll do anything they can to prevent leaks.

(08-19-2013 08:37 PM)Tree Missile Wrote:  The reason why they hide uniform changes is because, when announced on your terms, they can be a huge boost to program exposure. If leaked at a poor time, that boost can be completely lost. It's a huge deal to get as much free press as possible, and in my personal experience, they'll do anything they can to prevent leaks.

Oh, to be clear, I don't want leaks. I want an "unveiling" if there are any changes. You're absolutely right that they can be a "boost" to program exposure...so why keep them secret right up until the team hits the field/court? I think McGee said last year, "You'll have to come to the game and see." It doesn't even have to be a separate event. The coach is already giving media interviews daily once camp starts and basketball coaches are doing so at least 3 times a week once they start practice. Just bring out the new helmet (if there is one...or an alternate one) or a couple of players wearing the new digs. That's going to draw more eyeballs from the casual sports fan when things are still slow.

But, no...I do NOT want leaks either. And there would be no need for leaks if we knew any changes were going to be acknowledged, and even - *gasp* - hyped, as football/basketball fever started heating up. As it is they are treated as special to the players but they could care less if fans even notice. Problem is, between players and fans, only one of those groups is potentially going to go buy replicas of the new gear...the other group gets the real deal for free.

(08-19-2013 09:16 PM)blazr Wrote:  Oh, to be clear, I don't want leaks. I want an "unveiling" if there are any changes. You're absolutely right that they can be a "boost" to program exposure...so why keep them secret right up until the team hits the field/court? I think McGee said last year, "You'll have to come to the game and see." It doesn't even have to be a separate event. The coach is already giving media interviews daily once camp starts and basketball coaches are doing so at least 3 times a week once they start practice. Just bring out the new helmet (if there is one...or an alternate one) or a couple of players wearing the new digs. That's going to draw more eyeballs from the casual sports fan when things are still slow.

But, no...I do NOT want leaks either. And there would be no need for leaks if we knew any changes were going to be acknowledged, and even - *gasp* - hyped, as football/basketball fever started heating up. As it is they are treated as special to the players but they could care less if fans even notice. Problem is, between players and fans, only one of those groups is potentially going to go buy replicas of the new gear...the other group gets the real deal for free.

To be clear, I agree with you completely, just explaining what my understanding of the program's mindset. Tons of small schools get big attention from planned unveilings.

Remember those Pro-Combat concepts someone posted a while back, the all black ones with the new gigantic dragon head logo? I want.

(08-19-2013 10:19 PM)thebernreuter Wrote:  Remember those Pro-Combat concepts someone posted a while back, the all black ones with the new gigantic dragon head logo? I want.

I believe Uncle Blazer was the originator of those sweet unis.

Back to the thread, agree with TM, I don't think it's meant to be a fan dragging affair, but more to generate some pre publicity excitation whilst we are awaiting the season opening. We live in such an instant gratification society in terms of social media that many have lost the ability to be excited and patient. Perhaps UAB's old school mentality needs to catch up? Could be argued both ways. You have those, like me, that think we should hang out and wait, and those that think it now, want it now. It's the world in which we live.

Doesn't really matter what the uniforms look like if we win, as long as they aren't too outlandish.