Is it time for the Oregon Ducks to scale back on black in their sports uniforms and emphasize the school’s official colors? While watching NBA games recently, it sparked a thought about the direction of Oregon uniforms, extending beyond just football. The black football uniform, pictured above, undeniably looks impressive, and the Ducks have showcased numerous variations of black uniforms over the years. But is it time for Oregon to pioneer a new uniform trend, moving away from black?
Like many fans, the introduction of black uniforms into the Oregon football rotation was initially exciting. Oregon undeniably spearheaded the national trend of incorporating black versions into home football uniforms. Initially, this move drew criticism and mockery from the media and rival fans. However, the derision was short-lived. Within a couple of years, other schools swiftly adopted the black uniform concept, driven by player demand. Suddenly, black uniforms were considered universally “cool.”
For Oregon fans, black uniforms have become commonplace. It’s a point of pride to remember that Oregon initiated this trend. However, this trend began back in 2008, nearly 14 years ago! Isn’t it time for the Ducks to raise the bar again, return to their roots, and differentiate themselves from the crowd once more? Whenever a black uniform appears, a subtle reminder surfaces – black isn’t actually an official Oregon school color.
Football has effectively utilized all-yellow uniforms as a refreshing change of pace, and they look fantastic. Other sports programs should consider adopting this approach more frequently. It’s disheartening to see Oregon basketball teams sporting black for home games instead of alternating green with a striking yellow uniform combination. The possibilities for unique uniforms are vast simply by incorporating retro designs and varying shades of green and yellow. The spectrum from Forest Green to Apple Green is distinctly Oregon, yet provides ample variety.
Baseball and softball teams are traditionally expected to wear grey uniforms for away games. However, grey is frequently paired with black uniforms, often creating a visual that too closely resembles Oregon State or Iowa, rather than Our Beloved Ducks. Neither baseball nor softball has yet explored a yellow uniform option, which could establish a fresh and compelling aesthetic, mirroring football’s successful use of yellow. It seems there’s been a lack of initiative to explore creative avenues within Oregon’s official colors and establish new trends in uniform design.
Yellow can be beautifully integrated with Silver/Grey, as demonstrated in the image above from 2011, featuring Darron Thomas passing to De’Anthony Thomas for a touchdown.
Softball and baseball could adopt yellow batting helmets and caps paired with yellow jerseys and grey pants – potentially leaning towards a silver hue for a sophisticated look, reminiscent of the silver accents seen in football over a decade ago. This isn’t a suggestion to introduce grey into football or basketball uniforms. However, in sports where grey is conventional, like softball and baseball, emphasizing yellow more prominently alongside it could result in a sleek and modern appearance. Perhaps, channeling a more traditional sentiment, thin stripes or trim of yellow and white on the legs could enhance the appeal of pants for both spring sports.
Past grey uniform missteps in football and basketball have been discussed previously on FishDuck and in the Our Beloved Ducks forum. Therefore, this isn’t an argument for adding “new colors.” Instead, the focus should be on green, yellow, and white. Where grey is necessary, incorporating yellow instead of black is the key. There’s significant untapped potential in exploring yellow, which could forge a distinctive and proud new identity for Oregon athletes.
Currently, very few teams feature green as an official uniform color. Teams with ubiquitous red and blue uniforms likely welcomed Oregon’s foray into black as a way to diversify their own looks. Within the Pac-12 conference, Oregon stands alone with green. Therefore, the focus should be on amplifying what makes Oregon unique and strengthening this distinctive niche. Imagine a press release outlining Oregon’s renewed commitment to its official colors. Other programs would undoubtedly emulate this uniform strategy, although they could never replicate Oregon’s unique color palette and originality. (Thank you Nike!)
Just consider the uniforms worn by Noah Sewell and Jeffrey Bassa in the image above. Is there a more quintessential Oregon visual? These are Oregon colors, and the focus should remain on official colors, exploring the vast possibilities within this exceptional palette. While uniforms might seem trivial to some, for dedicated fans, especially during the off-season, discussing this potential shift is a worthwhile topic because…
“Oh, how we love to ponder about Our Beloved Ducks!”
Charles Fischer (Mr. FishDuck) Eugene, Oregon Top Photo by Craig Strobeck
