Ducks Go Full Retro for UW Game

If the annual rivalry between Oregon and Washington football has lacked a bit of spark over the past 10 years becasue the Ducks have doled out 10 beat downs in a row, well, the UO just provided it.

To mark the 20th anniversary of "The Pick" by UO cornerback Kenny Wheaton, Oregon unveiled the throwback uniforms they'll wear this weekend against the Huskies.

Oregon Retro Uniforms for Game Oct 18, 2014

As a Duck fan, this is AWESOME! Those uniforms were great and the win against UW back in 1994 set in motion a run to a Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl appearance that year and a whole lot of change in Oregon football (and athletics generally) after that...giving rise to what we have now.

And of course, UO fans will revel in the uniforms and the exhilaration of "Wheaton is gonna score!" all while hoping to Hell the Ducks prevail once again. After all, if you lose wearing these uniforms and all they stand for - at minimum you look a bit foolish and at maximum you actual tarnish the history some. Not much, but some.

If I was a Husky fan, I'd be pissed off. This is a direct slap in the face...rubbing Dawg noses in not only the dramatic pick-six but also the 20 year dominance of UO over UW (15-4 since 1994). 

And hence the spark the rivalry needs. You can be sure the Seattle media will cover this angle - reminding all Dawg fans of that fateful day 20 years ago and amping them up with a bloodthirsty desire for revenge.  

Oregon Retro Uniforms for Game Oct 18, 2014

Ironically, the players on both sides probably don't care too much one way or the other as they were either babies or not even born back in 1994.

Yes, both teams want to win the game bad, but for their own reasons this season and not because of what happened two decades ago...and they are certainly not motivated by what one team will wear.

No, this weekend UO players are more or less just indulging Oregon fans by donning the retro gear. 

Meanwhile, UW players don't have any memory of those uniforms either. To them its just some new combo in the ever changing lineup of colors and designs trotted out by Oregon. 

How will all this play out? Well, check back Thursday for my Pac-12 predictions post. 

In the meantime, check out my personal UO vs. UW football history post from this week.

Why the Seahawks Changed Uniforms this Season

The Seattle Seahawks have donned new uniforms this season. Not sure if I like them. They're still blue, green and grey...just like always. But wow they are a radical departure from their previews two uniforms.

Why change? After all, it was only a few year ago that the Hawks transitioned from their traditional/original kits into the more "all blue" type they've been wearing for the last 8-9 seasons.


1970s-2000



2000s





New for 2012



Turns out...like many things...it's all about money.

Yes, the Seahawks and the NFL no doubt want to make more money on sales of jerseys and related items, so yes that's one motivation for changing...give fans something new they gotta buy.

But, I heard on KJR-AM (sports radio in Seattle) that the REAL reason for the change was that the NFL did a deal with Nike for design and production of all teams uniforms. Under terms of the deal, Nike would either produce versions of any/all NFL teams traditional and current uniforms or they'd create new ones if teams wanted.

Some wanted new duds. Some did not. But the Seahawks fell into a third category.

Indeed, up to the Nike deal, their uniforms were produced by Reebok. Reebok created and owns copyright on the color of blue used in those uniforms...and they ain't letting Nike use it. So, that pretty much forced the hand of the Seahawks in going down the route of new uniforms from Nike featuring a new shade of blue. Could they have just used the old design but with a Nike blue instead? Probably. But I'd guess they decided that since they had to change anyway, they might as well go all in with an all new design too.

Nothing More American than US Olympic Uniforms Made in China

Turns out that the 2012 U.S. Olympic team uniforms are made in China. Yep. China.

This has, of course, created some outrage and generally appall about how our team's duds are manufactured overseas...and in a communist country to boot.

Well, my opinion is...grow up, there is nothing more American in 2012 than products for the U.S. produced in China. After all, our nation's government, business sector and citizenry have gone out of their way to make that possible. For example...

• Cheap labor. U.S. businesses want it to pad profit margins and "create efficiencies," so they lay off American workers and ship jobs overseas. Like to China. 
• Avoiding regulation. Business wants that too. After all, worrying about environmental impacts of manufacturing, safety standards and work hours for workers are costly...but not in China. 
• Government complicity. Whether it's passively sitting by and watching U.S. businesses move jobs overseas (I mean you Democratic Party) OR actually encouraging it through tax breaks and trade agreements (I'm looking mainly at you Republican Party, but Democrats are not immune)...our government has made it real easy for corporations to move manufacturing to places like China. 
• Cheap products. US consumers want them and clamor to their local WalMart and other such places to get them...but that stuff on those shelves ain't made here in the USA people. The culture of "gimmie cheap" regardless of quality or impact to U.S. jobs by the American consumer is part of the problem. Now, one complicating factor is that the issues raised in the above bullet points have also created a shitty U.S. economy, thus propelling demand for cheap products from "want to have" into virtually "need to have" status for average Americans. Think that's a coincidence? I don't.
• American voters. Fueled and fooled by vague notions of "freedom," "family values," and "small government," a large percentage of U.S. voters keep returning the very politicians to power who create or allow all of the above to happen. 

So, are you pissed off that the U.S. Olympic team uniforms are made in China? That really get under your red, white and blue skin? 

Well, do something about it then. Or shut the F up. 

Think about who you vote for, the ideas you support and what those choices mean for U.S. jobs. Think about buying made in the USA products...literally put your money where your mouth is. Don't like US made goods or think they are too expensive? Then shut up about the issue. And think about getting pissed off at corporations and not "the government" or China.