Poll: Georgia’s Nike Pro Combat unis, love ‘em or hate ‘em?
I had to step away from work fairly quickly this past Saturday, not long after I posted my practice update. That update, of course, included a brief report on the new Nike Pro Combat uniforms Georgia is going to wear in the opener against Boise State.
Well, it wasn’t until late Sunday that I got to review what some of the reaction was to that piece. There seemed to be more than a few folks bothered by me using the phrase “generally negative” to describe fan reaction to the new uniforms. A few people, in comments on the blog, asked me to what poll was I referring and accused me of just trying to “stir up trouble” between UGA and its fans without having any real data to support it.
Loading ...So let’s clear this up. My determination was based on the reactions I was getting directly via email, Twitter and Facebook. In fact, those reactions were so decidedly negative that I actually tweeted to ask if there was anybody out there who actually liked the uniforms. Only then did I hear a couple of positive comments, and then they were still few.
But, of course, that is far from scientific. So short of hiring Gallup or some kind of market research company, I figured I’d just throw it out there to the masses this morning with a raw (but still unscientific) poll. So be sure to click one of the selections to the left and check back to see the results.
What do I think? I think I actually like them. I mean, it’s only for one game, right? And the players love them. I tend fall on Mark Richt’s side when it comes to this being something you do for the players and not so much the fans.
In the meantime, just so you have it to reference, following is most everything I got after practice Saturday from players and coaches talking about the uniforms. After this, I plan to retire from writing about uniforms (well at least for about 10 days or so).
LB CHRISTIAN ROBINSON:
“I like them. We’re going to look good!”
“About the third quarter it’s not going to matter because it’s going to wear off and it’s going to matter who’s playing the best. It’s exciting for us to put something new on, but it won’t matter come the third or fourth quarter.
“It really is for the team. I loved the black jerseys when we had them. That was one of the reasons I came here. That was probably the most excited I’ve ever been watching them run out [in 2007]. I was in the end zone right when they broke them out and it was awesome.
“New jerseys excite the team a little bit. It’s something new that you haven’t worn before. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing for some of these guys. I might never get to wear the black jerseys again, so it was a once-in-a-lifetime-thing. Again, halfway though the game it’s not going to matter.
“I do like tradition. But I think one game out of the year you can do something new. It’s not like we’re changing our whole style for the whole season. It’s one game. If it’s upsetting somebody that bad, I’m sorry.”
WR TAVARRES KING:
“I love them. I think they’re awesome. We’ve still got to play so it’s not a magic potion or anything. But I love what Nike has done for us. We’re blessed to have those uniforms. I’m excited about them.
“It’s 2011, you know. You’ve got to have a little swag!”
GEORGIA COACH MARK RICHT:
“Well, I think that Nike did a great job of trying to capture a lot of the tradition of Georgia football. Some things are very subtle that the fans may not be able to see but the players can see. . . . I don’t know if the story that’s behind it is going to be released but when it is you’ll be able to read what Nike was thinking when it produced everything.
“But when the players saw it, they liked it and that’s the big thing, that they like it. And it’s a special game. It’s not what we would call a traditional uniform but it’s not a traditional game either. That’s kind of why we did it.
“I think we’re due. We’re due.
“Yeah, I think there are a lot of people that just don’t want to get away from that and I don’t blame them. That’s the reason we’re sticking it out there two weeks in advance, so everybody can get over it. I doubt we’ll do any surprise uniforms anymore. At least everybody’s got time to digest it. If everybodk just thinks about what’s most important and that’s playing the game, I think we’ll all be fine.”
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609 comments Add your comment
NewnanDawg
August 22nd, 2011
10:30 am
At least it’s not another blackout uniform….
UGA is humiliated!
August 22nd, 2011
10:32 am
We are all embarrassed by those ugly uniforms. Too bad McGarity approved them. I will NEVER forgive him!
Roll Tide
August 22nd, 2011
10:32 am
Please, Georgia, do the SEC a favor and kick Boise’s butt all the way back to Idaho! Let them know that can;t handle SEC country. On September 3rd, this bama fan will being saying, “Go Dawgs!”
BKbroila
August 22nd, 2011
10:33 am
Hey…they could be a hellova lot worse…at least they’re not etched with neon orange splatter art like VT or UF’s….I, for one like the Helmets…I wish they would have made silver pants…but so what…They will look better with Brandon Boykin or Orson Charles actually filling them out…The manaquin is scaled to a 140lb person….I won’t give up on them quite yet…could be worse…Go Dawgs
6 for 6 with 3 home runs
August 22nd, 2011
10:33 am
Two finger snaps on those pants.
mdr
August 22nd, 2011
10:34 am
I would prefer silver (gray) pants to the red on red look. But overall they are ok. At the end of the day, I don’t care what we wear as long as we win.
Those unis are horrible!
August 22nd, 2011
10:34 am
UGA will be the laughing stock of college football for wearing those nasty uniforms! haha
bitter 2nd-derry
August 22nd, 2011
10:34 am
if last year is any indiation of how we will defend againist the “SPREAD OFFENCE”
——————kellen moore is licking his chopps————————just saying
———————–if we dont put a hurt on moore early ———were history!!!!
———————————dumb boo—the —–rambo—-and company —-well——quam–may—better
=================show up and put the heat on boise st QB—QB—-QB
—————————–boise st is 3-0 with kellen moore on opening games againist
—————————————–oregan—2008—2009—–virginia tech—2010
—————————flat-en——there QB and game on————-moore knowns his draft staus
—————————————-is on the line ————bad luck for us dawg fans
————————————————dawgs–28——boise st—27——missed 2 point converstion
———————————————————as time expires————–stay tuned——–dawg fans
Time
August 22nd, 2011
10:35 am
Hate them. A Florida fan posted it best on Saturday or whenever these things were revealed. UGA has some of the best uni’s in the nation. Don’t fix what ain’t broke. This is UGA and you don’t need gimmick uniforms. What’s next? Painting the field red?
the dude
August 22nd, 2011
10:35 am
IT SURE LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THOSE INTELLIGENT ATHLETES OVER AT tech WOULD WEAR. NNNNNEEEERRRSSSDDDDVVVIILLLLEEEE.
A loss would be devastating
August 22nd, 2011
10:36 am
If the Dawgs lose while wearing those ugly uniforms Richt and McGarity will lose the support of the Dawgnation permanently!
Hokie High
August 22nd, 2011
10:37 am
Georgia is in for a tough game, but I find the comments from all the jacket fans hilarious. Wasn’t Georgia Tech even worse than Georgia last season? They will be in for another loss at the hands of the Hokies! Jackets suck.
This is Richt's last season at UGA
August 22nd, 2011
10:38 am
Those awful uniforms and several big losses will do him in.
UGA has no tradition!
August 22nd, 2011
10:38 am
Changing to those stupid looking uniforms is proof enough that UGA has no tradition!
Arlito
August 22nd, 2011
10:39 am
The current players AND coaches evidently don’t care about tradition–including the tradition of winning. Adios, CMR.
Mayo
August 22nd, 2011
10:39 am
Get a grip, AJC. I post the a-double-s word and you remove my post? Pansies. Thanks for reminding me why I rarely read this palp.
bitter bamma hatter
August 22nd, 2011
10:39 am
@roll tide—your not so bad————kind-a—-human like
———————————-go @#$% yourself——-loooooser
UGLY!!!!!
August 22nd, 2011
10:40 am
The ugliest football uniforms in history! Can you spell UGA-LY?
B'dawg
August 22nd, 2011
10:40 am
To all the ones who hate the uniforms, get over yourselves. I bet you are the same ones, who at ball games, yell fire Richt when we make a bad play, then stand up and yell when we score. So you made it known you dont like them. Shut up and get over it. When Georgia beats Boise the uniforms wont even matter will they? Its whos wearing the uniforms, and playing their hearts out for fans like you who post this negative sshiit all day long. Georgia is Georgia. And I love my dawgs no matter what uniforms they wear. Cause when the take them off at the end of the night and we are celebrating, guess what? WE ARE GEORGIA!
Brian
August 22nd, 2011
10:40 am
9 out of 10 nerds, deal with it. We know you hate Georgia, but bashing everything they do isn’t gooing to help you beat them
Bully Dawg
August 22nd, 2011
10:40 am
Do I like them for permanent uniforms? No.
Do I think these — or any — uniforms are a magic pill to help us win? No.
But as a one-game, special uniform, I think they are fine. While I personally like the traditional uniforms with the silver britches, I can live with these for one game. They are certainly less offensive than the “special” uniforms that Boise and VA Tech wore in prior games.
Look, nobody wants UGA to become the Oregon Ducks with their 22 different uniform combinations. But an occasional special uniform — as long as it doesn’t get too gimmicky — wouldn’t hurt. Hey, anybody who did not feel the electricity the first time we wore the blackout uniforms was either dead or not at that Auburn game. The problem is, that uniform became a gimmick that we tried to use too often. Same for the black helmets against UF. I like how Richt released the look early this time, so that the Chick-Fil-A game can be about football and not uniforms.
I’d support an occasional “throwback” uniform. If we really want to go traditional, we could bring back the silver helmets of years ago!
Go DAWGS! I want to see us 2-0 after the first 2 weekends in September! Then nobody will care what the Dawgs wear!
Fair and Balanced
August 22nd, 2011
10:41 am
I would have preferred unis that were “throw back” vs throw-up! Just win the game and we’ll get over it. But let’s not do this again. Gosh! We are talking about the wrong stuff right now. Go Dawgs!
AlanW
August 22nd, 2011
10:42 am
UGA’s last couple of uniform stunts didn’t work out so well, did they? Just like the black helmets will always be associated with getting beat by Florida, the Power Ranger Under-Roos will always be associated with getting beat by Boise State…in our own back yard. Forget style; work on substance. A team that capped a losing season with an embarassing Liberty Bowl loss to USCF ought not start the season strutting around in Starship Trooper costumes. I’d rather see solid, disciplined football. That being said….GO DAWGS!
KZGuy
August 22nd, 2011
10:43 am
Those unis are nothing but ugly. They are almost as ugly as the one Oregon wears. I guess when you have as much money as NIKE you can influence any AD in the country.
Roll Tide
August 22nd, 2011
10:43 am
Beat Boise, SEC!!
Slap in the face!!!!!
August 22nd, 2011
10:43 am
All Dawg fans should wear a paper bag over our heads to the game to show our embarrassment and anger. What a humiliation for the Dawgnation coming off a losing season and bowl loss to Central Florida (Mark Richt;s fault for being a gutless wimp and not going for it on 4th down) to have our team have to wear those ugly uniforms! Gutless is the best way to describe how we dealt with Nike too!
It is pathetic and makes me sick!
Real GA Bulldogs hate those uniforms
August 22nd, 2011
10:44 am
All Real GA Bulldogs hate those uniforms!!!!
7576DAWG
August 22nd, 2011
10:44 am
It’s hard to explain so I will give an example. When I first started playing golf I was young and used $250 per set off brands for clubs and bought my shirts at Gap for $ 15 and played at the local town course. Thirty years later I belong to two private courses own Izod or private label shirts and custom made Titleist clubs.
University of Georgia is a proud, all Class, football College, in the SEC. We don’t have to beg any longer. We’ve already made it. When you carry yourself with Class, you get respect automatically but if you don’t act with Class you will lose it and more importantly RESPECT of your piers.
Maybe the young students don’t know or can’t relate but the older ones sure can. I want someone to be able to turn on the TV see that a football game is on and immediately know that Georgia is one of the teams. If I say lime green or bright yellow I know it’s Oregon. If it’s yellow and white I know it’s LSU. If it’s maroon it’s either Southern Cal. or Alabama and if it’s bright red with silver britches IT’S GEORGIA.
Boise State will laught at us
August 22nd, 2011
10:45 am
The Dawgs will look like a clown in the circus in those joke uniforms!
Kim
August 22nd, 2011
10:46 am
I don’t care..they will be getting a Gator beat down anyway. GO GATORS!!!
munsondawg
August 22nd, 2011
10:47 am
To 7576Dawg: It’s “peers”. You already lost my respect……………………..
Bud
August 22nd, 2011
10:48 am
Enter your comments here
Lake Oconee Dawg
August 22nd, 2011
10:48 am
Yes, I like the Nike Pro Combat uniform! Just for one game. Do not change or alter the UGA uniform. Love the Dawg’s regular game uniform.
Go Dawgs
aarh
August 22nd, 2011
10:48 am
Swoopin- UGA isn’t trying to do this to win a title. Even if it did have an influence on them winning…it is just for one game. So, how can you say they’re doing this to try to win a title? One game doesn’t win a title the last time I checked. Oh, & UGA started doing the uniform changing back before AL & AU want those last 2 titles too btw. The main difference makers in AUs title were Cam & Fairly. Nobody knew they were going to be as good as they were until they stepped in, & took that team to the next level. Even then, they had a lot of close games, & had many breaks go their way. AL even had at least a few close games the yr. before, which is fine, bc that’s often what it takes for a team to win it all. You have to sin the close ones, which is something UGA used to do for the most part. I wished they wouldn’t change uniforms as much as they have, but I get tired of people getting on RIcht & saying it’s a gimmick…when this was Nike’s idea. It’s not like Boise isn’t wearing another uniform for this game too, & also numerous other teams have as well. FL did it against us too. People seemed to like it when we won when we did it. I just want to win.
BeerDawg
August 22nd, 2011
10:50 am
I’m with VaDawg, just win the damn games….they could play in their jockstraps and tutu’s for all I care. Just win baby, win
Uuugghh...
August 22nd, 2011
10:50 am
AlanW…best point yet. Well put sir.
Georgia Native
August 22nd, 2011
10:50 am
It’s a look, but a bad look. Sad to see a storied program fall fashion victim to the Nike guys (who, let us be reminded, are the Oregon Ducks sugar daddy). There is only one word to describe these Power Ranger outfits, they are UGALY !!!!
Bud
August 22nd, 2011
10:50 am
I already have a dslike for Nike and everything for which it stands (a discussion on their corporate policies and values is for another time), and the uniform provides another reason. Supporting Nike is tantamount to treason.
SouthGaBrave
August 22nd, 2011
10:51 am
IowaDawg,
Glad to see a few people out there know what’s up. Great post.
Mayo
August 22nd, 2011
10:54 am
This ole Dawg doesn’t give a ______ (that better, AJC?) what they wear as long as they WIN. UGA could play in their pyjamas for all I care. “Tradition” is relative in college football in case no one’s noticed. Heard the music blasting through the loudspeakers at any given SEC venue the past few years? Does that sound like traditional college football? As for “other” fans who opine about the ‘Dawgs uniforms…really?
There AJC. I made it PG-13 for you.
KenDawg
August 22nd, 2011
10:56 am
They look like something that robots would wear in a bad Michael Bay movie. Or, if the Oregon Ducks switch their school colors to black and red they would be right at home in these – just replace the “G” with an “O” and play ball!
War Dang Dawg
August 22nd, 2011
10:56 am
All our players need now is ray guns and jet packs…
bitter @@#$%%
August 22nd, 2011
10:57 am
nike go @#$%$%%——- your taste– less– atempt at thinking you can design with ployester
————————-a great opertunity for a company to rise and use a wool product that
————–doesn’t look like a women’s clothing line.————–cheap material—slave labor company
———————————————fact————-they pay 12cents a hr in the far east for the
————————————————–production of there junk
atlvol55
August 22nd, 2011
10:58 am
Who cares about uniforms? I really have never seen the fasication with it. When Kiffin broke out the orange and black uniforms on Halloween a couple of years ago it was a neat one time thing, but honestly I didn’t really care. The only thing I cared about was kicking South Carolina’s tail.
Looks Like a...
August 22nd, 2011
10:58 am
fire hydrant!
ba hahhaaha
Prozac Dawg
August 22nd, 2011
11:01 am
I love the Dawgs and always will. Dawg fans, we have had a couple of days to ‘get over’ the unis. I do not want to do anything to distract the players from kicking the crap out of Boise. I surely would like to see that. If the players come ont he filed excited and the Dome fills with a roar then those unis will look damn good. However, if you still need to vent go for it.
The Austrian Brotherhood
August 22nd, 2011
11:01 am
The uniforms suck. Period. A solution looking for a problem. The kids all like rap so that discredits their judgment of quality right there.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
August 22nd, 2011
11:02 am
You know everyone is entitled to a opinion about these new jerseys. We may or may not agree with the view point but it does not make that person any more or less of a fan than you or I. Just because you do not like the look does not make you a fair weather fan or a troll. Its all about style and your personal view on it. People need to lighten up about it when being critical of other peoples opinions on these jerseys.
WDE
August 22nd, 2011
11:02 am
http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082011aad.html the video makes them look a little better…but its one game folks calm down and if you want a real good laugh check out Boise’s..they don’t have anything to write home about either.
GADawg64
August 22nd, 2011
11:02 am
Once again…college football is an entertainment business that makes great money for the NCAA and the universities. That being said, the client is the fan. Their job is to meet the needs of the client so they keep spending money.
Nike or UGA should have consulted some of the fan base for input if they did not as CLEARLY these uniforms are not making the fans happy.
So, the fans will go to the game and the uniform will NOT impact the outcome of the game but the fans do not like what they are looking at.