2001 San Jose State Spartans

2001

San Jose State Spartans

WAC

Helmet:  A-

Home Jersey: F

Away Jersey: B-

Pants: F (black), A (white)

Final Verdict:

Good Riddance

Welcome to my first "Retro Review". This is where I take a specific uniform set from the past and do a review of it. Since the uniform is typically no longer around, the gradeing scale is now: "Good Riddance" or "Should have left well enough alone". Basically the former meaning I am glad they got rid of it and the latter being they should have kept it.

I really feel bad for San Jose State sometimes. Not only are they the only FBS team in California with no respect, but they play in an area dominated by the Raider, 49ers, Golden Bears, and Cardinal, and continue to get buried each year. I just want to see these guys be competitive for once. Or at the very least, have good uniforms. This should be filed under the "what were they thinking" category. I think this is an early example of BFBS before it became popular. Not only does black consume the uniform as the symbiote consumed Peter Parker, but it makes the team look bush league. Lets start from the top. The helmet logo is great and a year before these uniforms they had their best helmet, with a yellow facemask. Here, however, its black and it really darkens the color of the helmet. The yellow numbers are OK, but what is that stripe they have? I can see it better on the away uniforms, but I can't tell what it is suppose to look like. At least the white uniform had an absents of black and looks rather decent. And whats up with the "S" and the "E" spelling both "San Jose" and "State"? I mean I like that they have it written there, and yes I understand that "San Jose State" can be a bit wordy for a uniform, but its just so weird, hard to focus your eyes kinda. I'll grant its unique, just not very good. Black pants? Nope. And really adding the blue and yellow stripes did not help. The only good thing about this uniform is that the away uniform looked good. Granted the strip on the side made no sense, but it look descent. I don't know what compelled SJSU to do this, but I am glad it didn't last long. But ever since this, it seems SJSU is still struggling to find a descent uniform. Its one thing to be a bad team or have a bad uniform, but both is just a crime.

2011 Buffalo Bulls

2011

Buffalo Bulls

MAC

 

Helmet: A

Home Jersey: A-

Away Jersey: A-

Pants: A (blue), A (white), F (black)

Final Verdict: 

As Is 

The Bulls made an enormous improvement over the last off season with the unis. As before they looked like the Wal-Mart brand Kentucky, they now looks like... the JC Penny brand of Fresno State. Its no secret that Buffalo and Fresno used the same template, but I think Buffalo dose it better. However, that's because of their color scheme. Blue and white works better in this sense. The Blue is very vibrant and stands out well. The font on the uniform is great and unique, and the blue and white pants are great. The Nike logo is small and almost unnoticeable, which is always good. "Buffalo" could be bigger, but not really a problem. No real comment about the helmets since they are the same from last year. Now here is what is wrong. First no shoulder or TV numbers, but that's forgivable. They too have the "arm pit" stain look, but instead of using the team colors, both uniforms have a black stain. Why? You tell me. And of course, the black pants. Why? I have no idea. In any case the over all look is good. I say get rid of the back pit stains and pants and it would be great. But I am willing to be generous this time and give this MAC team an As Is ranking.

New Minnesota Helmet

As you may have heard, Minnesota will have new uniforms next season. As of yesterday they revealed their new helmet design. Frankly, I don't see too much difference between this one and the old one. Well, the maroon seems a bit darker, plus the BFBS face mask! Yes, it seems that Minnesota will have a black face mask. Why? I don't know. What was wrong with the current helmet design? And if you did need to change it, why not a gold face mask? The Golden Gophers haven't had a gold face mask since 1985. We will see the rest of the uniform soon enough I am sure. My fear is that it will include wither a lot of black or an all back alternate will be available. Only time will tell, lets just hope that sensible heads will prevail in the remainder of the uniform designing.


To see the full article on the helmet, click here.

2011 Northwestern Wildcats

2011

Northwestern Wildcats

B1G

I'm not really sure how to feel about the Northwestern uniforms. I will give Northwestern the BFBS tag. Last I checked their colors were purple and white. And yes I am aware that historically they have had black pants and jerseys in the past, but that doesn't excuse the fact that they should not have be wearing black. The helmet is good. Nice purple shell, and I always love helmet stickers. The face mask being black works, sometimes, but it should be purple or white. The away jersey is a thing of beauty! I just wish it said "Northwestern" on the front, that would make it perfect! The home jersey, not too bad, black is used a little on the sleeve, but Northwestern would be better to just make all the stripes white. Plus both jerseys could use numbers on the shoulders. White pants equal beauty, black pants equal ugly. Odd there is no conference patch. I am one of the few fans of the new B1G logo, and I do think that they should add it on the uniform.

Helmet: A-

Home Jersey: B

Away Jersey: A-

Pants: A+ (white) F (black)

Final Verdict:

Tweak

I really do like this uniform. They just need to drop the black and replace it with purple and white. Add a white or purple face mask, turn the black stripes on the home jersey to purple, and add "Northwestern" to the front of the uniforms and it would be great. But as it stands, Northwestern could stand to improve.