Out of Curiosity, Why Is the Writing On the Football Helmets Still the Old Color?

by IIIIIDEEEEEAAAAAN on Nov 18, 2008 1:25 AM PST Comment 30 comments

What up Bruin nation? Just out of curiosity I was wondering why, if we changed our away uniforms not so long ago to adapt to the official UCLA color of true/powder blue, how come our helmets have navy writing on them. I know it's not the most important topic, but it's been bugging me since I love our colors so much and think the uniforms look off and won't fully match until the set is complete with the proper "Ucla" color on the helmet. Are they planning on changing it?

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They looked at changing it once

but the true blue was too light and tough to read on the helmets.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Nov 18, 2008 1:38 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

If we're going to change the helmets

I’d prefer to see something iconic like a bear’s footprint similar to Clemson’s cat paw logo.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Nov 18, 2008 8:19 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I would prefer less

I think we should go back to the pure gold helmets – no logo and no writing and no nuthin’. Actually, as long as we do the opposite of whatever stupid thing Oregon does next, then I’ll be content.

by Fox 71 on Nov 18, 2008 9:29 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Ha!

I agree with that sentiment. Its as if Phil Knight uses Oregon as a testing ground for all of his designers crazy ideas.

by bruin8uclap on Nov 18, 2008 8:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I just said that to somebody the other day.

The recent jerseys with the wing design reminded me of some of these T-shirts you see on teenagers these days. In particular, those made by “Affliction” which are really popular with fans of MMA. I asked my friend when Oregon players are going to put their foot down and refuse to wear something Nike gives them.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Nov 18, 2008 10:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I am sure the answer is never.

I would have to think that Phil Knight’s contributions to the athletic fund making up a large portion of their funding.

by makenji on Nov 20, 2008 9:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Pure Gold helmets...Notre Dame, nah no thanks

I always wondered why CTS changed the road uniform…There was nothing wrong with the navy and gold stripes on those road white jerseys, classic, I always thought. Powder keg or true blue as I’ve seen worded, just doesn’t look right IMHO. Don’t get me wrong, I bleed Bruin Blue through and through, but it just doesn’t look tough…Certainly I can appreciate the Bruin Blue in our home jerseys but to scheme that blue in the road jersey…well, it looks, well…pretty ( there I said it). I am sorry, but I’ll take tough over pretty anytime…as far as the helmets…leave them be. They are perfect the way they are

by Powder_ Keg_ Blue on Nov 18, 2008 11:33 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I remembered that ND uses a close copy of the Bruin helmet

but I still think simple is better. But if we have to have something on our helmets, I like what’s there now.

by Fox 71 on Nov 18, 2008 9:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

hah

It’s so funny you mention this because I was thinking just that while I was watching the Washington game. I don’t know whether they should change both colors to “true blue” or just go back to the old colors, but it’s annoying in an extremely superficial way that it doesn’t match. I like the idea of the bear paw… that could possibly be the “toughness” that Power Keg Blue is looking for ;)

by legallybruinette on Nov 18, 2008 5:00 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I love our uniform just the way it is

CTS may have been, well CTS, but I do love the new away uniforms. I think it looks pretty sharp and I’m glad it’s the right shade of blue. The way they’ve outlined the numbers, I think it shows up just fine on TV.

The helmets, on the other hand, in the right shade of blue, might look kind of stupid. I think it’s just fine the way it is. Afterall, the band has both navy blue and true blue. A solid gold helmet without markings is way too Notre Dame for me. I like the clean look of it, but it’s not for us. Likewise a bear paw would look kind of dumb, in my opinion.

I know it sounds kind of stupid, but I appreciate that our helmets and logo is in similar script to Cal’s. Afterall, we’re both UC’s. It’s a subtle hint at the tie between our schools, but I like anything that promotes how excellent the UC system is as a whole. A casual fan may never notice that UTEP and UT are part of the same system because their logos and names are so different.

I think the helmet looks good just as it is. Just my two cents.

by Bellerophon on Nov 18, 2008 5:57 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I definitely would love it to stay clean. The only thing I’m thinking is that UCLA has sort of taken on the identity of the younger brother sick of being in the shadow of the older brother (Cal) and wants its own identity which is why we made our color true/powder blue.

I like that concept because surely we don’t want to be in Cal’s shadow. We’ve become the best all-around university in the nation in my opinion and have created our own identity separate from Cal’s so why not make it complete by making the helmet font true/powder blue? Navy is just so generic, but having your own official color made for your school (“true blue”) is awesome and should be celebrated

by IIIIIDEEEEEAAAAAN on Nov 18, 2008 9:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

But the problem

Is will it show up properly? Bear in mind, we have to consider how the colors will contrast. True blue on our current shade of gold won’t look quite right, and the TV cameras will have difficult picking it up, unless we outline the true blue with a dark blue, but that’s getting way too fresh for my liking.

The way it is is pretty clean. I think the navy is fine though.

by Bellerophon on Nov 18, 2008 9:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't touch the helmet

It’s classic.

And I don’t want to have to change my Fathead.

greg in denver - UCLA guy for life

by gbruin on Nov 18, 2008 7:45 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Am I the only one

that really doesn’t notice this? I know it’s a different color, but I’ve never found that it sticks out in any way.

by SuperBruinMan on Nov 18, 2008 7:46 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Retro Powder Blue Jerseys with English style numerals

I really want to go back to the Tommy Prothro era with the powder blue jerseys and, the distinctive (I think) English style numerals. We’re talkin’ Gary Beban, Mel Farr, Bobby Stiles over here. No college team ever had those distinctive numerals, with the exception of maybe the Washington Huskies way back earlier. Hey ’66 and Fox 71, can you jump on the geezer bandwagon with me?

by bruin75 on Nov 18, 2008 8:29 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

One problem with the old uniforms

was that the numbers were white. On a light blue uniform they were pretty hard to see.

by Fox 71 on Nov 18, 2008 9:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I would love to see a throwback game

Why not send the guys out in retro unis for a special occasion? They do it in the NFL all the time. Not to mention the school could sell off a bunch of retro jerseys to raise a quick chunk of change with a limited offering.

I recently went to the Mitchell & Ness website looking for a retro Bruins Jersey and didn’t find one. I would also be very interested in acquiring one of those old leather football helmets in our school colors. What did they look like back then? Just Gold?ish? Surely they didn’t have the script on them back them. Anybody know?

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Nov 18, 2008 10:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually

Our current shade of blue is quite a bit darker than the powder blue we wore in the 70’s and before; white might contrast the current shade all right. In the early 70’s we wore the powder with gold (yellow) numbers with no outline—first the “gothic” style and then block. The contrast was so poor that in a black-and-white photo in the paper, you couldn’t make out the number at all (part of Sanders’ old strategy, after all.) I think the navy outlines and the original navy script came in with Vermeil in ’74.

Toledo brought back Gothic numerals, although they couldn’t use the same shapes as the had pre-‘74 because of liscensing issues with the manufacturer from those days so the school came up with their own design which IMO didn’t look as good. He also brought in the redesigned script and changed it’s color to “light navy” which still looks blue rather than black from distance. I think this script looks very good the way it is and don’t think true blue would show up well at all, either on TV or in person.

I’m also in the camp that would like to see the numbers on our road uniforms return to navy, without the inline and outline.

by bru79 on Nov 19, 2008 11:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Espially Stiles' Jersey..

..Bobby Stiles used to get his jersey so dirty and covered with blood that any color pair would not show up.

But the original powder blue and white script numerals would be pretty nostalgic.

God, it's great to be a Bruin!

by WHP '68 on Nov 20, 2008 1:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Espially == Especially, of course.

God, it's great to be a Bruin!

by WHP '68 on Nov 20, 2008 1:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

its just too classic...

Didn’t really like the old aways because they weren’t true blue and they just seemed dull, but the helmet design is timeless IMO…Love the new aways

Notice how most school uniforms hat are considered to be timeless use Adidas as their sponsor? Unless not allowed, Nike changes things often just for the sake of change.

Also, on the bear paw…Cal is kind of going for that motif with their latest designs. I thought their Broncos-knockoffs were better though.

by kidro2001 on Nov 19, 2008 2:21 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

UCLA...

should consider taking a look at new sponsors. I think that Under Armor is growing and will soon become Nike’s main competitor college football and basketball. I wouldn’t mind if they created some “alternate” jerseys or helmets that they roll out once in a while. I don’t want it to get as bad as Oregon but a little variety is good. Of course, I would want them to keep the classic look as the norm. I do like the idea of the bear paw or maybe the bruin bear logo on the side .

by King J77 on Nov 19, 2008 3:40 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I think it's up to the school

Adidas was the sponsor of our high school after Gilbert Arenas (alum) signed his big contract with them. We had home, road, and throwback basketball jerseys. Im not sure what the throwback was throwing back to but they still looked pretty sweet.

by lil eg not cs on Nov 19, 2008 4:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The athletic department prefers Adidas

They don’t have much interest in signing with Nike because they feel Nike has too many schools and they wouldn’t get enough attention from Nike. Nike wouldn’t give them as much individual freedom as Adidas does and a lot of the smaller sports prefer Adidas gear to Nike gear. Under Armour is horrible IMO. They took solid S. Carolina and Arkansas jerseys and made them terrible. Under Armour also doesn’t provide gear for a lot of the smaller sports and Adidas does. Adidas is also the primary sponsor for not only the revenue sports, but the smaller sports.

by Ryan Rosenblatt on Nov 19, 2008 4:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Under Armor is a joke. Their uniform designs are almost as ugly as some of the crap Nike rolls out every year. It’s sorry what they did to Arkansas and South Carolina.

As for Nike and Adidas, I agree that Adidas does better on design, but Nike, in my opinion, does a much better job of showcasing their schools. Up here in Northern California, I have no trouble finding Stanford and Cal jerseys. Every sports store, every Sports Chalet, hat store, etc. Likewise with U$C. Their crap is all over the place, which I understand given their recent run in college football.

That said, one would expect based on 3 straight Final Fours, you’d find, at the minimum, UCLA basketball gear, too. However, you can’t find it anywhere. Niketown in San Francisco? No trouble finding Stanford, Cal, and U$C crap. Adidas store in the city? Blue and gold doesn’t exist there. It’s kind of sad, almost to the point that the only place I feel like I can buy UCLA gear is the UCLA Store.

Adidas does a great job on the uniforms, but they really need to step it up when it comes to marketing.

by Bellerophon on Nov 19, 2008 5:36 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

good point...

I didn’t think about the other sports. Adidas does offer good gear for other sports. The reason I brought up Under Armor is mainly because you do see their ads everywhere. Also, Adidas doesn’t make football jerseys in my size. I guess that’s my main problem with them…they don’t show any love to the big men.

by King J77 on Nov 20, 2008 9:01 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Bear paw or Bruin bear logo?...come on people

There is NOTHING wrong with what we are rocking right now! The UCLA script on the helmets is the best…what I imagine when there is talk of a bear paw is Clemson or Cincy and they do nothing for me. And as far as the Bruin Bear goes, I can’t help but to cringe when I see that bear smiling….smiling. No more talk of this, please.

by Powder_ Keg_ Blue on Nov 19, 2008 4:54 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I don't think anybody is opposed to the classic script logo.

Nor is anybody advocating doing away with it. It’s just idle banter of the “what if” variety.

I for one merely stated that IF we were going to make changes I would like to see something iconic, hence the bear paw. And, I think Kidro was referring to the profile bear you see on some letterhead, and not the cartoonish smiling bear logo, which I also don’t care for. BTW Kidro, I also like the profile bear as an iconic symbol for a helmet. Good call on that one.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Nov 20, 2008 12:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Paw Print

Cal used a bear paw print a few years back with the script Cal superimposed on it. Looked ok, but nothing special. I say leave the paw idea to Clemson.

by bru79 on Nov 20, 2008 10:29 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Cal is missing a golden opportunity

When you hear the word “bear,” do you not think automatically of the expression “Does a bear #@&% in the woods?” So how about a big picture of a pile of bear poo on their helmets?

by Fox 71 on Nov 20, 2008 4:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs