They should sell modified ’80s Niners jerseys to fans, jerseys with the three purely horizontal stripes.

Agreed, the same way that Steeler replicas usually have full sleeve stripes.

I wonder if they were forced to include the 49ers ligature because the jerseys were so similar to the throwbacks? The 49ers wordmark on the jersey is the only item I have a problem with.

Every redesigned jersey of the past 15 years or so has a wordmark; the 49ers are just following suit (as did the Giants). I agree that they could have done better, like Paul’s suggestion of the “SF”.

Well, it’s not like in college football, where TNOF or SNOF happens all the time — SOONERS and MICHIGAN STATE, for example, in big block numbers.

I get the feeling we’re going to see much larger wordmarks stretched across the front like 1990s-era pro lacrosse uniforms or the WUSA.

RE: Texas Tech throwback highlights.

Didn\’t ESPN do highlight of the first White Sox TBTC game in 1990 with an oldtime highlight reel?

Yep. Black and white, sped up, and with cheesy wooden-block sound effect when the ball was hit, and even a reference to \”Mr. Spaulding.\”

Ricko said:

“Why would they be going back to that?” asked Denver Post fashion editor Suzanne Brown. “Why would they celebrate that? I thought marketing stuff was supposed to be more fashionable.”

Why go back to that? Well, for one thing it’s a 50th anniversary celebration. Although, seeing as only three of the eight teams understand, I guess maybe we’ll have to forgive her for that.

But, once again, how dumb do you have to be to not understand that part of the fun of throwbacks IS that they’re ugly. That’s one of points of the whole thing: “God lord, look what they USED to wear.”

I’m afraid Suzanne Brown, fashion editor though she may be, doesn’t Get It.

—Ricko

MEGA DITTO. I still casn’t get how there are people that can’t GET IT, particularly if you care about unis enough to read this site.

ANYONE, why shouldn’t they weare the vertical striped socks? Give me one good reason and I will put a sock in it.

Ba-doop boop.

Ebay has yellow and black vertically-striped socks on sale. Frickin’ bumblebees!

Near the bottom of this article is the following first hand account:

Topher208 said:

Cheers for Sowle

I have to go back to the late 1950s and early 60s for the greatest coach. In my opinion, Ted Sowle, the head football coach and athletic director at Catholic Central was the greatest coach Grand Rapids has ever seen.

I played for coach Sowle from 1959-60. During that time Catholic Central lost one game, and that was to South High School in 1960. Prior to that, we had won the state football title in 1959.

The greatest game to me was a game that I played in, and it was the 1961 John Bos All-Star baseball game at South Field where Tom VanderWoude, Mike O’Shinski, and I collaborated in a no-hitter. We won the game 4-0.

– TERRY BURNS /CC class of 1961

Interestingly, he championed the cause of doing away with a poll-based ranking system for Michigan high school football in the 1950s that is similar to the issues facing the college game today.

When I read the article, I knew the name sounded familiar (I graduated from Catholic Central in 1998), but couldn’t put my finger on it. I have no idea how our Ted Sowle relates to the one featured in your catalog. However since he was an athletic director, perhaps he designed that style of basketball eyeglasses protector.

Overall, the Niners’ uniforms are what I hoped for and expected. The pants stripes are perfect. The gray facemask and white stripe restore the helmet to its formerly more ‘open’ look. And dropping all the black (except for the logo) was a great move. Black is over-used (just check out all the NHL teams with using black), and it’s refreshing to see a team move away from it – too bad the Lions didn’t do the same.

AGREED.

The 49ers’ update is probably the best you can hope for in the current NFL. It is an improvement for all of the reasons that you state. I too really like true sleeve stripes, but you can’t have the,m without real sleeves. I too HATE chest clutter and wordmarks, but if you have to have them, don’t just repeat the helmet logo.

AS FOR THE LIONS, the new unis are the same as the last unis – HORRIBLE. The Lions do have a really good uni, they just haven’t worn it for 8-10 years.

Ry Co 40 said:

“The Washington Huskies have unveiled their new football uniforms”

are the “swooshes” getting bigger? hmmm…

And the piping is getting more annoying. Love the home uniforms, though.

Lame, vertical move with these new unis. they offer really nothing.

Most offensive is it yet another “Old Gold” or “Gold” team using the weak, pathetic, cookie-cutter “Vegas Gold” in place of traditional school/team colors. Probably because the NIKE company can’t/won’t produce the real team colors the same way they can’t/won’t properly produce full and correct UCLA inserts.

Thanks AGAIN Nike!!!

“Why would they be going back to that?” asked Denver Post fashion editor Suzanne Brown. “Why would they celebrate that? I thought marketing stuff was supposed to be more fashionable.”

Why go back to that? Well, for one thing it’s a 50th anniversary celebration. Although, seeing as only three of the eight teams understand, I guess maybe we’ll have to forgive her for that.

But, once again, how dumb do you have to be to not understand that part of the fun of throwbacks IS that they’re ugly. That’s one of points of the whole thing: “God lord, look what they USED to wear.”

I’m afraid Suzanne Brown, fashion editor though she may be, doesn’t Get It.

—Ricko

MEGA DITTO. I still casn’t get how there are people that can’t GET IT, particularly if you care about unis enough to read this site.

ANYONE, why shouldn’t they weare the vertical striped socks? Give me one good reason and I will put a sock in it.

The College All-Star Game (NFL Champions vs. College All-Stars lasted until 1976.

Until 1971, this game was televised in B/W on ABC due to the poor lighting at Soldier Field I. When the Bears moved to Soldier Field (II?) in 1971, it required a much stronger wattage for the floodlights, and thus for the last 6 years of the game, it was televised in color.

WOW on that broadcast info. It’s just amazing how relatively recently that things were still so primative.

By the way, why did the Bears play at a baseball stadium (Wrigley Field) for decades prior to moving to Soldier(s) Field anyway? Wasn’t Soldier Field set up for football already, with college games played there annually?

It didn’y have to do with George Halas’legendary frugality, did it?

interlockingtc said:

I have always disliked fotball teams sticking their logo on the sleeves of their jersey. I thought it looked superfluous, added clutter, was overkill.

But now, with these stupid snuggly jerseys and the ridiculousness of the truncated stripes, I suggest forgetting abouts stripes altogether (sigh). Just stick the frickin logo on the shoulder and call it a day. And no teams are allowed to put wordmarks below the collar. And get rid of the NFL logo on the collar.

Ditto

Maybe keep the stripes if they can work, or try for a USC-Type stripe/insert, or colored sleeve endings, or contrasing sleeve or shoulders, but by all means and in every case let’s DITCH THE CHEST CLUTTER now !!!

I have always disliked fotball teams sticking their logo on the sleeves of their jersey. I thought it looked superfluous, added clutter, was overkill.

But now, with these stupid snuggly jerseys and the ridiculousness of the truncated stripes, I suggest forgetting abouts stripes altogether (sigh). Just stick the frickin logo on the shoulder and call it a day. And no teams are allowed to put wordmarks below the collar. And get rid of the NFL logo on the collar.