The University of Nebraska football team revealed new uniforms yesterday after the 7-on-7 championship ‘Battle at the Boneyard’. The Husker faithful is abuzz on social media about the new look, and I’ve heard a little of everything, most of it negative. Change can be hard and messing with your team’s uniforms is one of those hot topics. Being a long time Husker fan, I have my own opinion on what I think my Huskers should look like when they hit the field.
For starters, they should look like ass-kickers no matter what they are wearing and the biggest part of that is the traditional Nebraska white with the red ‘N’ football helmet. There are parts of being a Husker fan that should never ever change, not in a million years. One of those is the Cornhusker football helmet design. To mess with it would be like a new look American Flag, changing the lyrics of the Star-Spangled Banner or modernizing what the Statue of Liberty is wearing. These things cannot change – ever.
For Husker fans, the ‘N’ helmet falls into the same category. I will however discuss the color of the face mask, gray, red, white, or maybe even black are the only options. (FYI, I’d have to see the black or white first before making a final call). But, as far as the uniforms go, I’m open, although I will admit to being a traditionalist. I have yet to see an Oregon uniform I thought looked good.
According to Adidas the Cornhusker’s new look unis have been a couple of years in planning by their people behind the scenes and are supposed to be a nod to the legacy of Nebraska’s football program. They feature a jersey with two stripes across the shoulders and the player numbers relocated to the sleeves. The Husker press release’s description states that the jersey number font draws inspiration from the numbers engraved on a steel anvil and incorporates interior lines inspired by the crop rows that stretch across the state’s landscape, all meant to be a tribute to Nebraska’s agriculture heritage.
I can live with the jersey design, and I like the stripes on the shoulder. However, I’m unsure about the number font, I’m guessing if they win while wearing these it’ll grow on me. If not, well, I’m sure I’ll end up hating them. But I get it, it does remind me of photos from back in the day.
The pants are another story, featuring an anemic set of double stripes that go perhaps a quarter of the way up the leg from the knee. Staying with the row crop theme, they look like a couple of rows of corn after a hard rain, where the remaining portion of the row was washed away, leaving two stunted rows behind. In short, (no pun intended) the pants are God awful. I’m not sure how many Adidas has made, but they need to be scrapped and start over. The pants do still feature the helmet style ‘N’ on the front hip, which for me can stay or go.
So, my final take on the new uniforms, I can live with them. However, I could learn to love them with an eight-to-nine-win season or perhaps a playoff berth. Like everyone else, the uniforms will only look as good as the win-loss record. How much do you want us to love the new unis Matt? It’s all in your hand’s brother.
Needed Change
Enough on the uniforms. What really needs to change, and I’ll continue to advocate for this until it does, is that dog turd we call tunnel walk music. I’ve hated it since day one. It was old and worn out when we started using it, some unoriginal, unimaginative copycat crap from Micheal Jordan and the Bulls. Whoever dreamt this up and decided it was what needed to be used jumps to the head of the class in the ‘Nebraska Dunder Heads Hall of Fame’ along with Harvey Perlman, Steve Pederson, and Shawn Eichorst.
Can we please get this changed before the season starts? I don’t care what it is, something the players and fans can get behind. Even AC/DC’s worn out ‘TNT” would be better than this. Anything! Please!!
Get on board Husker fans. Let’s burn ‘Alan Parsons Project’s Sirus’ to the ground and start over. People want to call it iconic, the only thing ever iconic about it was how worn out and bad it was when it was adopted. It is as motivational as the sound of rainfall or drizzle. Truthfully, I mute my television or plug my ears during the tunnel walk.
I love husker football, but it drives me to ask, does Iowa play something? If so, whatever it is, it would be better. I can not stress how badly I hate the music for Nebraska’s tunnel walk. Change is needed. Warranted. Required.
GO BIG RED!! SIMPLE, FAST, VIOLENT!!
Stay on top of Husker football at CarrikerChronicles.com