These helmets will look sweeeeet with the white jersey/gold pants away combo too. And we’re going to have to go full banana some time, at least once, just because.
One more thing. The more they do to feature and hype up our skill position players the better. Ingratiate the Cal brand with them, and maybe that will guilt them into staying!
This was something I was thinking when they were using Scott as the face of the team early in the year. Get these younger skill guys into the marketing of the team stat.
I agree these are sick. I love the helmet as a one-off alternate, but I really love the sleeve stripes and wouldn't mind those being official. Not a big fan of the "Sather Stripes" that UA tried to make a thing, not awful just boring.
Here's the thing to my fellow fans who might not like them. Uniforms get players and recruits excited, so I always look at these things from their perspective. What makes them happy makes me happy. (I just happen to also really like these).
These are way more tasteful and aesthetic than the white helmets Nike trotted out for us. The uniform combo in the Nevada opener is forever seared in my memory and not just because we lost.
I agree. That "stormtrooper" look with Zach Maynard at the helm. I think we used them in an after dark game (maybe against Washington?) that was quite dreadful as well.
I'm reasonably certain the stormtrooper uniform was for a game at Oregon, probably 2009. As I recall, the 2007 game was the one where Marcus Ezeff knocked the ball lose resulting in a touchback for Cal and saving the win. The 2011 games was played after dark in a steady downpour and the uniforms were a dreary gray.
I was there. Relatives are Ducks fans so we were alternating going back and forth to the games. 2009 ended that tradition. I still see Ed Dickson running the seam in my nightmares. Oh look, there he is scoring again.
Yep, it was 2011. 43-15 loss to LaMichael James & Co. I was at a boozy work event on a Thursday night (on the East Coast) and remember the game being on the tv at the bar (since it was the only game on that night), and I recall occasionally looking at the tv and seeing Maynard throw incompletion after ugly incompletion in that ugly white helmet.
Yeah the way they sold it as this deeply insightful and thoughtful thing their designer came up with after spending all this time embedding himself on campus to understand the fabric of the Cal community. When in reality it was just a so-so idea someone came up with rather quickly and they ran with it and let a marketing person write up a nice story.
The first Cal game I went to was in 1981. The Bears wore gold helmets with a blue script Cal, cornflower blue jerseys (not navy) and gold pants with a white and blue stripe. I think J Torchio was the QB against Washington that day. My grandparents (Husky fans) came down from Washington to see the game. Cal pulled out to an improbable 27-0 lead. My grandfather visibly started to mope but my Dad told him that since it was Cal, something bad would probably happen. Cal ended up losing 28-27 on that cold and cloudy day. Anyway, that was the beginning of the Cal fan adventure for me.
Just think of the difference in tax revenues for each state. One one of the poorest states, the other one of the wealthiest. Also, the regents are meeting with UCLA representatives right now to determine whether or not UCLA will be allowed to leave the Pac 12 (probably) and whether or not remuneration is owed to Cal because of this dalliance on the part of the baby bears. In any case, the Big 10 deal is more in the $60 million per annum range than $80m, according to a couple of sources.
Well, they could have worn 1982 throwbacks (Bear Claw with Script Cal, gold numbers with white outline, solid gold pants), since it's the 40th Anniversary of The Play and all, but then again, that would have been too obvious...
"When reached for comment, Chancellor Christ admitted that when the team asked for a new offensive coordinator before Big Game, she felt that money was better spent on gold helmets, given how it compliments the fall foliage that she was using for her display on the wraparound porch..."
It's from Christ's interview from The Athletic a couple of weeks back, ostensibly about Mark Fox and the basketball team. The interviewer asked her about football and basketball as "front porch" sports because of the revenue they generate, and Christ tried to get cute and rephrase the question in her answer by saying she saw the athletic department as a "wraparound porch" where she's concerned about all the sports, regardless of revenue.
It was the most tone-deaf response by a chancellor about Cal sports since I. Michael Heyman told alumni groups that he didn't care if Cal football ever went back to the Rose Bowl.
New play caller, new helmets? It's a small thing, but I'll take any sign that Cal can turn a corner and act like a modern college football program. Glad to see it!
And running through the trees with an axe in your hand and one on your pants...nice touch!
Looking at the uni more closely over on IG, the gold is our usual shade. The stripes are what stand out to me, to be honest.
Because of modern-day uniforms, all sleeves are cut-off, but I think the striping, even truncated, are meant to somewhat throwback to the Cal uniform of the 1920s…nowadays, of course, you can’t get anything like those sleeve stripes on current uniforms.
FWIW, the team did something similar (as did Furd), for the 100th Big Game in 1997. Cal wore a road-version of the same uniform above. I can’t find a screen shot, but you can see it here:
It's too hard for me to tell based on the pics from the video. The video quality has some obvious saturation and probably some filters going on. We'll see what they look like on Saturday, if they're less yellow then, in stunning high definition on the greatest TV network ever conceived, the Pac-12 Network.
I would say these "yellow" helmets are closer to "California Gold", than actual "gold" is to "California Gold". In fact, they very well might precisely be "California Gold" -- the marketing peop's tend to be on brand for these kind of things, and it isn't easy for my eyes at least to tell the difference from that video on twitter so I would give them the benefit of the doubt in this case.
This is basically the inverse of our normal helmets. Do you not like the yellow "Cal" script on the standard helmets? Same with the standard yellow pants. Neither of those things are ever close to gold. I think the blue and yellow really pop. I think I like em.
Also, I would like to go to the 50th anniversary Big Game with you in 2032. We can talk more about it there. Put it on your calendar!
Do we know for sure that the under armour contract is going to be over soon?
Pretty sure
Love the helmets and the axe details. The stripes are ok.
Sad that Troy Auzenne didn't like them. He was on my flight to CalSO and got me pumped up.
These helmets will look sweeeeet with the white jersey/gold pants away combo too. And we’re going to have to go full banana some time, at least once, just because.
These are so great looking! I love them and have been wanting to see the gold helmet with the blue script for a while now.
DOPE!
One more thing. The more they do to feature and hype up our skill position players the better. Ingratiate the Cal brand with them, and maybe that will guilt them into staying!
This was something I was thinking when they were using Scott as the face of the team early in the year. Get these younger skill guys into the marketing of the team stat.
Great looking uniforms and cutting the coaching dead weights? I'm actually getting stoked for the big game! Go Bears!!!
Nice Axeccents.
I have never been a uniform color / match / combination care giver. When I played I'd put on anything to play.
But yeah, OK, those are cool helmets. Do they come with an OL and OC coach??
Love the Axe image on the pants...this is good stuff and if we win, it will go a long way with recruits.
I agree these are sick. I love the helmet as a one-off alternate, but I really love the sleeve stripes and wouldn't mind those being official. Not a big fan of the "Sather Stripes" that UA tried to make a thing, not awful just boring.
Here's the thing to my fellow fans who might not like them. Uniforms get players and recruits excited, so I always look at these things from their perspective. What makes them happy makes me happy. (I just happen to also really like these).
These are way more tasteful and aesthetic than the white helmets Nike trotted out for us. The uniform combo in the Nevada opener is forever seared in my memory and not just because we lost.
I agree. That "stormtrooper" look with Zach Maynard at the helm. I think we used them in an after dark game (maybe against Washington?) that was quite dreadful as well.
I'm reasonably certain the stormtrooper uniform was for a game at Oregon, probably 2009. As I recall, the 2007 game was the one where Marcus Ezeff knocked the ball lose resulting in a touchback for Cal and saving the win. The 2011 games was played after dark in a steady downpour and the uniforms were a dreary gray.
We had Maynard so it has to be 2011 game.
Zack Kline played in that gray uniform in the rain after Goff was benched, so that would have to be 2013.
2009 game was when we lost 41-3 or something in the opening game of conference play. We were ranked #6 but Ed Dickson scored 100 touchdowns.
I was there. Relatives are Ducks fans so we were alternating going back and forth to the games. 2009 ended that tradition. I still see Ed Dickson running the seam in my nightmares. Oh look, there he is scoring again.
Yep, it was 2011. 43-15 loss to LaMichael James & Co. I was at a boozy work event on a Thursday night (on the East Coast) and remember the game being on the tv at the bar (since it was the only game on that night), and I recall occasionally looking at the tv and seeing Maynard throw incompletion after ugly incompletion in that ugly white helmet.
https://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/2011/10/6/2472996/oregon-vs-california-football-2011
Oh I somehow remember that LMJ injury
I stand corrected.
I think it was Oregon. That polar bear look that was not quite 100% white (some blue lines) made it even worse
Agree re the Sather Stripes, was a half assed attempt at authenticity (or something)
Had squint at the TV screen to really "see it" provided the player was standing still.
Yeah the way they sold it as this deeply insightful and thoughtful thing their designer came up with after spending all this time embedding himself on campus to understand the fabric of the Cal community. When in reality it was just a so-so idea someone came up with rather quickly and they ran with it and let a marketing person write up a nice story.
*Better than the cartoonish Berenstain Bears looking Nike jerseys that preceded them in my opinion, at least.
When they were teasing those they posted a reaction vid of Marshawn Lynch seeing them and I could tell in his eyes he thought they were lame.
Nice look.
The first Cal game I went to was in 1981. The Bears wore gold helmets with a blue script Cal, cornflower blue jerseys (not navy) and gold pants with a white and blue stripe. I think J Torchio was the QB against Washington that day. My grandparents (Husky fans) came down from Washington to see the game. Cal pulled out to an improbable 27-0 lead. My grandfather visibly started to mope but my Dad told him that since it was Cal, something bad would probably happen. Cal ended up losing 28-27 on that cold and cloudy day. Anyway, that was the beginning of the Cal fan adventure for me.
I was at that game...ughh!
I feel like Cal has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against Washington more than any other team.
Not a fan of the gold hats. Looks too much like WVU. The axe details are sick though.
The stripes make it look like Michigan too. Not that Michigan has the stripes on the shoulder but probably resembles their helmet.
The stripes kind of remind me of that uniform period circa later Kapp, early Craig Morton https://images.app.goo.gl/pLLuAXAZP2zLMXCf9
Cal and WVU have always had similar uniforms/helmets and always will since we have similar team colors.
They go gold helmets a decent bit. It's more their thing than any of the other navy/gold schools.
Just think of the difference in tax revenues for each state. One one of the poorest states, the other one of the wealthiest. Also, the regents are meeting with UCLA representatives right now to determine whether or not UCLA will be allowed to leave the Pac 12 (probably) and whether or not remuneration is owed to Cal because of this dalliance on the part of the baby bears. In any case, the Big 10 deal is more in the $60 million per annum range than $80m, according to a couple of sources.
Yeah, let the WVU fans worry about looking too much like Cal.
Well, they could have worn 1982 throwbacks (Bear Claw with Script Cal, gold numbers with white outline, solid gold pants), since it's the 40th Anniversary of The Play and all, but then again, that would have been too obvious...
You're asking too much of a partner that is trying to get out of this contract.
Maybe Kevin Moen told the program that they weren't good enough to rep his uni combo.
For the record, Cal has played in gold helmets 10 times previously, and have only won 4 times.
4-10 historically seems to be about right for a team that's currently 3-7.
4-6 not 4-10 ;).. which will be 5-6 after this weekend, so maybe 10 or 20 years from now when they do it again we can get to .500.
Math. It's probably why I got a C- in Econ while at Cal. 🤪
At least two of those 4 wins came at the expense of John Elway. That means they're worth more!
In general isn't Cal historically 4-10?
"When reached for comment, Chancellor Christ admitted that when the team asked for a new offensive coordinator before Big Game, she felt that money was better spent on gold helmets, given how it compliments the fall foliage that she was using for her display on the wraparound porch..."
Rec'd but only because I know of a house with a wraparound porch. The people who live there are such snots, though. (raised eyebrow emoji)
I hadn't heard before of this "wraparound porch" metaphor I've seen you use. is there a meme or something I've missed, or just a saying?
It's from Christ's interview from The Athletic a couple of weeks back, ostensibly about Mark Fox and the basketball team. The interviewer asked her about football and basketball as "front porch" sports because of the revenue they generate, and Christ tried to get cute and rephrase the question in her answer by saying she saw the athletic department as a "wraparound porch" where she's concerned about all the sports, regardless of revenue.
It was the most tone-deaf response by a chancellor about Cal sports since I. Michael Heyman told alumni groups that he didn't care if Cal football ever went back to the Rose Bowl.
New play caller, new helmets? It's a small thing, but I'll take any sign that Cal can turn a corner and act like a modern college football program. Glad to see it!
And running through the trees with an axe in your hand and one on your pants...nice touch!
Our "California Gold" is more like yellow. https://brand.berkeley.edu/colors/
I like these yellow helmets.. reminds me of a 1970's era dirt bike helmet (minus the black). https://www.ebay.com/b/Yellow-Vintages-Helmets/177076/bn_115954742
Looking at the uni more closely over on IG, the gold is our usual shade. The stripes are what stand out to me, to be honest.
Because of modern-day uniforms, all sleeves are cut-off, but I think the striping, even truncated, are meant to somewhat throwback to the Cal uniform of the 1920s…nowadays, of course, you can’t get anything like those sleeve stripes on current uniforms.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20scaliforniauniform.png
FWIW, the team did something similar (as did Furd), for the 100th Big Game in 1997. Cal wore a road-version of the same uniform above. I can’t find a screen shot, but you can see it here:
https://youtu.be/OdQVdRbu-Y8
Be forewarned, you will have to watch Justin Vedder quarterbacking…
It's too hard for me to tell based on the pics from the video. The video quality has some obvious saturation and probably some filters going on. We'll see what they look like on Saturday, if they're less yellow then, in stunning high definition on the greatest TV network ever conceived, the Pac-12 Network.
I would say these "yellow" helmets are closer to "California Gold", than actual "gold" is to "California Gold". In fact, they very well might precisely be "California Gold" -- the marketing peop's tend to be on brand for these kind of things, and it isn't easy for my eyes at least to tell the difference from that video on twitter so I would give them the benefit of the doubt in this case.
This is basically the inverse of our normal helmets. Do you not like the yellow "Cal" script on the standard helmets? Same with the standard yellow pants. Neither of those things are ever close to gold. I think the blue and yellow really pop. I think I like em.
Also, I would like to go to the 50th anniversary Big Game with you in 2032. We can talk more about it there. Put it on your calendar!