Ohio State University Sells Out 1954 Championship Team
If you were under the allusion somehow that NCAA football is not all about the money like its professional big brother, the NFL, this latest move by Ohio State University should help to open your eyes. OSU celebrated the 55th anniversary of its 1954 championship team on October 24th, and when the team takes on their archenemy, the University of Michigan, on November 21 in Ann Arbor, they will do so in a throwback jersey. Of course these jerseys will also be on sale to the general public.
The throwback jerseys will only be worn one time. This marks the first time in recent memory that OSU has worn an alternate jersey.
The Buckeyes are amongst several teams participating in a special rivalry uniform program sponsored by Nike, clearly designed to drum up jersey sales. The jerseys are still in production and will be unveiled on Nov. 15th on OSU Athletics' website.
OSU athletic director Gene Smith released a statement Wednesday saying:
"[Nike] offered us a chance to try a new uniform product featuring cutting-edge fabrics and technology. Participation in the program also offered us a one-time opportunity to salute one of those great championship teams that have built the Ohio State football tradition.
Again, this is a one-time opportunity to honor a great championship team," Smith said. "We have no plans to make any changes to the traditional Buckeye uniform for the foreseeable future."
If it were about anything other than making money, Nike and OSU would have had the jerseys done and ready to sell by the actual anniversary date, not a month later for the biggest rivalry game of the year.
Former OSU player Brandon Smith posted a photo on Twitter on Wedneaday showing off the new white jersey with red numbers (see above).
Comments
Please! You are clearly an
Please! You are clearly an OSU hater. As if the buckeyes were the only team to have a special and or throw back jersey. Way to skew the interpretation of this rather cool way to honor the 54 Championship team. Keep up the good work, (sarcasm) I bet you think their cleats are some form of debased commercialism too. "The buckeyes should play barefoot!"
I am under the illusion that
I am under the illusion that you are under a delusion that you are a journalist or that you are alluding to be one. At this point I will practice the part of elusion and escape. Go Bucks
nobody at OSU is holding a gun to anyone's head...
...so why the fuss? I am not buying one but if someone does, isn't that what many fans do? You were really hard up for a story. That your editor printed it shows the desperation is systemic. Too bad.
Of course the NCAA is all about money....BCS hello.
Of course the NCAA is all about money its called the BCS, open your eyes. This was given to Ohio State free by Nike, same as Florida St, and Texas coming up. Your seriously trying to fan a fire where there is none. OSU got an opportunity to get some new gear, and celebrate historic team. They've done this before by the way in 1993 with throwback uniforms for the 1945 team. Do some research before you just start running off at the mouth.
Whomever wrote this needs to be fired.
Another in-state OSU hater
Why don't you stick with commentary of the lowly Browns up there and leave the OSU news to a neutral party to write. Clearly you are a hater and more than likely a Michigan fan, so hopefully some editor at "The Cleaveland Leader" will open up the eyes and give the next piece to a writer with some class. However, seeing you probably run the Cleveland Leader out of your mom's basement and you're waiting for her next batch of cookies to be ready and for her to come down and give you a pat on the back for your hard work, this post is probably in vain.
Please...
... since the athletic department saw a deficit of 4 million dollars last year many sports programs lost out on that money so OSU athletics had to borrow from the university's general fund to cover the difference. This in turn would cause other non-athletic programs to suffer as well. Hmmm could this mean higher tuition? Probably. I'd rather have throwback jersey's one game out of a year than higher tuition for our students. Way to look at the small picture with extreme tunnel vision rather than doing any kind of research. You must be pretty satisfied with your career(s) at the prestigious "Cleveland Leader" writing riot provoking shallow opinion pieces on an obscure blog. By the way, how can you, as representative(s) of the Cleveland Leader scream about selling out anything when there are 1000 ads on this page alone. You sir(s) are a hack and the Cleveland Leader is an irrelevant rag.
Considering we are the
Considering we are the second most visited news website in Cleveland (behind only cleveland.com) and have two Cleveland Hall of Fame journalists as regular contributors I hardly feel that we are irrelevant. You can disagree with our stories but your tone suggests that you are an OSU loving lackey................
Touchy touchy
Oh my eugmc gettin a bit defensive eh? Face it, you blew it with the condemnation of the buckeyes for wearing a cool throwback jersey. You blew it, just admit it, go ahead, say it, "I Suck and went to the U of Michigan who also suck" Don't you feel better now?
No, we are Buckeye fans
No, we are Buckeye fans through and through. I will admit that I hate Nike with a passion though.....
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