Deadspin Exposes UCLA/Adidas Clown Show Around the Zubaz Unis

A public records request from Deadspin to UCLA and four other public schools who were part of Adidas' ridiculous zubaz alternate unis promotion, reveals UCLA administration officials and Adidas representatives to be completely out of touch, tondeaf and rather incompetent when it comes to understanding the zeitgeist of Bruin fans.

UCLA Now Selling The "Fruit Stripe" Alternate Unis in the Book Store

If anyone just wants to blame Adidas for the now nationally ridiculed and mocked alternate unis "fruit-stripe" unis UCLA is set for wear in our Pac-12 conference opener, think again. Check out the following tweet from the Wooden Athletic Fund:

The @adidasus Zubaz are in the bookstore! twitter.com/WoodenFund/sta…

— Wooden Athletic Fund (@WoodenFund) March 8, 2013

That's right using Coach's name to promote (and sell) those abominations in the name of making some cheap bucks.

Heckuva job Chianti.

GO BRUINS.

BN's Message is Catching On Nationally

In case you ever feel like you're just pissing words into the windy vastness of the internet...

IndyStar.com, the website for the Indianpolis Star newspaper picked up on our latest uniform grumblings with this headline in their news section:

IU takes stand against hideous new uniforms; BruinsNation.com applauds.

The article by Cory Faklaris rubs in what we already know. The Adidas alternate uniforms, described by Faklaris as "retina-burning" and "costumes inspired by the look of Fruit Stripe gum" are ugly as hell, but at least Indiana isn't going to take it. The article then links to and quotes extensively from our recent BN post lauding Indiana for having the integrity to protect their image and stay true to their historic roots. That sentiment was overwhelmingly supported by the comments following that article which echoed pride in Indiana's loyalty to tradition, with one exception coming from someone who was (allegedly) a trolling Purdue fan. I guess there's one in every crowd, right?

The Fruit Stripe theme then found its way over to the popular website Uni-Watch.com. In their news-ticker section, a reader commented, "UCLA is set to roll out a white version of its Fruit Stripe uni" and this linked back to a recent BN article by Nestor. The comment also prompted a link to a N.Y.T. article noting a revival in Zubaz clothing, so there is proof that someone is happy about these fashion atrocities after all. As I said, there's one in every crowd.

It's good to see our message getting out there. Plenty of people are listening, including both traditional and new media alike. Keep it going, Bruins, and maybe Dan Guerrero will finally get the message, too.

Indiana has the integrity to shun Adidas uniforms. Why not U.C.L.A.?

Here's a quick compare/contrast of two storied basketball programs...

National titles: U.C.L.A. 11, Indiana: 5

• Win: U.C.L.A.

Legendary coach: U.C.L.A.: John Wooden, Indiana: Bob Knight

• Win: U.C.L.A. (Knight throws chair in disgust)

Wearing horrid Adidas alternate unis: U.C.L.A.: yes, Indiana: NOT

• Win: Indiana.

The Hoosiers certainly have their share of college basketball history and tradition, but you wouldn't think it would stack up to that of the Bruins. Well, in this instance, they not only stack up, but they go flying right past. While Dan Guerrero rolls over and puts on whatever crap Adidas puts out, Indiana University has the integrity to say no to a design that is an insult to a proud legacy, let alone anyone with fashion sense.

From Rachel Bachman at the Wall Street Journal (emphasis is mine):

Notably absent from the Three Stripes' latest fashion lineup: Indiana. The No. 1 Hoosiers are an Adidas-wearing team, and a storied one at that. But that's precisely why Indiana won't be seen any time soon in the new get-ups. "We wouldn't consider a change," an IU spokesman said by email. Instead, the Hoosiers will stick with their traditional, understated uniforms-which include red-and-white candy-striped warm-up pants.

Indiana is an Adidas school, but they won't wear it. Not as an alternate uniform for a game. Not for just one game in the conference tourney. Just, not. Props to Hoosiers AD Fred Glass for protecting those hallowed candy cane uniforms.

By the way, note where Indiana is ranked this year. Coincidence? Doubt it.

Leadership, integrity, and success go together. Coach knew that. If only Dan Guerrero knew that.

Guerrero Still Set to Roll Out Alternate UCLA Unis – Pajamas from 99 Cent Stores

Well it looks like pressure is getting to Dan Guerrero. Just a bit at least. The worst athletic director in the country tried to backtrack in his weekly "word from Westwood" tonight by saying that Bruins are going to wear the ugly Adidas uniform only for one game in the tournament (ht uclaluv). Dan is trying to do damage control by suggesting that it's not going to be as much of an abomination as those blue zubaz shorts as the Bruins are going to be coming out in our home whites:

Guerrero pathetically tries to hide behind the bad decisions of other athletic programs by pointing to Kansas and Notre Dame. What he conveniently left out was Michigan (and NC State) said no to these unis, which as noted by LongtimeBru and snorkedorf in the comment thread they still look like pajamas from 99-cent stores.

If you want to keep up the pressure keep calling the Chancellor's office. If you are looking to contact the UCLA Chancellor's office to speak up against this joke uniform go here.There is also Dan Guerrero's office. The phone number for Guerrero's office is 310-206-6382. The simple message here is that if the UCLA officials in Murphy Hall and Morgan Center have any respect for the legacy of its basketball program, they will recycle of send back these unis to wherever Adidas shipped them from. Please be polite, respectful and concise in your calls. Check out JoeBruin's post on how it's done.

GO RBUINS.

Howland Gives a Cowardly Response to Adidas Uniform Debacle

Via Edward Lewis of BruinSportsReport:

Ben Howland said the sleeves and camo #UCLA jerseys won't be worn in NCAA Tournament. Will only be worn in Pac-12 Tourney.

— Edward Lewis (@EdwardLewisBSR) March 1, 2013

That's great but not good enough. This uniform is an abomination and should never be worn by UCLA. This is a case of Ben Howland trying to find a cowardly way out of this mess.

If Howland or Dan Guerrero cares about the legacy of UCLA basketball they need to put a stop to this BS now.

Dan Guerrero's Athletic Department About to Destroy UCLA's Basketball Uniforms

Dan Guerrero's UCLA Athletic department is about to allow Adidas destroy the legacy of iconic UCLA basketball jerseys.