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Names on back of IU Jerseys ?


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Been an advocate for decades of no names.  However, a post by a great HSN member, IUScott, in the Carton thread of the recruiting board has caused me to wonder.  Times change. And so do the minds of recruits today.... wanting to get to the NBA.

This has been a topic of discussion in the past.  And as I say I have always opted for tradition.  However, what Scott said, has caused me to think, perhaps it is time for a change.

Scott felt elite recruits are more concerned getting to the NBA, than playing for a particular school. Like IU.  And that caused me to wonder.  Is the fact that IU has no names on our jerseys, preventing IU from getting elite players ?   Wasn't the case with Romeo.  But could it be a consideration for others ?  And is it time for names on IU's jerseys ? 

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At this point in my IU fandom I am so done about getting worked up about this type of thing.  If the recruits want it, then I couldn’t care less.  IU has struggled for 20+ years to get back to the top tier of basketball programs, and I think that has made subjects like this (that probably don’t even cross the minds of Duke, UNC, KU, etc fans) a conversation.   Anything to remind us of better times type of thing.  When an elite program goes through this type of regression, I think the fan base tries to grasp for as many things as possible that connect it to past success.  

When we start winning at a high level again, and it appears that we will with Archie, IMO the fans will stop caring about the petty things they hold onto to make this program remain relevant in their minds.  My opinion is that the recruits don’t really care about names on the jerseys.  They just want to play for a great program that will get them to the next level.  If Duke or UK took names off the jerseys would they stop landing elite recruits?  Hell no.

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I'm ambivalent about it.  If you perform on the court, people will know who you are regardless.  This is kind of like arguing whether a player is a 3, 4 or 5 (that's for you, Jerry). I just don't care enough to take a stand either way, but I'd be surprised to find out that names on jerseys cost Indiana a high-level recruit.

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I do love our traditions but that is one I'd be okay with going away.   Never thought I would say that.  Lol  

From a high level recruit standpoint I can see them wanting their name out there to promote themselves.  And if the NCAA ends up ever sharing jersey sales profits with players...  

Another reason to consider is the names make it easier for the average joe fan to tell who is who.  With transfers,  one and dones(and others jumping early)and walkons its hard to keep up with who is on the bench.

Or maybe its just my eyesight that wants the change.  I have yelled the wrong name of a player more times than I care to admit lately.

Go Hoosiers!!!

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In this day and age, using NBA as an example, why can’t we have both? The NBA now has multiple different uniforms for each team, and IU has debuted new uniforms for special occasions like the tournament. I actually really liked the cream colored jerseys a few years ago. I know it’s legal, look at all the different uniform variations Oregon uses in football, like it or not, it is a huge recruiting tool for them. So why not have our traditional uniform for home games, and a bunch of variations for road/special games?

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1 hour ago, ADegenerate said:

I think it’s time and it’s better for neutrals as well. It’s pretty annoying when you’re trying to watch a game and you don’t know who the players are that the announcers are talking about. 

I have no problem with the names on the back of the jersey.  But I will never support those ridiculous ankle length "shorts" that Kentucky wears.

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9 minutes ago, dbmhoosier said:

I have no problem with the names on the back of the jersey.  But I will never support those ridiculous ankle length "shorts" that Kentucky wears.

Me either. Their jerseys are terrible too. That checkerboard pattern is ugly as hell.

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30 minutes ago, Rev_AK said:

In this day and age, using NBA as an example, why can’t we have both? The NBA now has multiple different uniforms for each team, and IU has debuted new uniforms for special occasions like the tournament. I actually really liked the cream colored jerseys a few years ago. I know it’s legal, look at all the different uniform variations Oregon uses in football, like it or not, it is a huge recruiting tool for them. So why not have our traditional uniform for home games, and a bunch of variations for road/special games?

Yeah, I like this option very much. Keep the names off the home jerseys and put them on the road ones. I’d like to have a few alternate jerseys as well. That cream colored one was sick that you mentioned.

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4 hours ago, milehiiu said:

Been an advocate for decades of no names.  However, a post by a great HSN member, IUScott, in the Carton thread of the recruiting board has caused me to wonder.  Times change. And so do the minds of recruits today.... wanting to get to the NBA.

This has been a topic of discussion in the past.  And as I say I have always opted for tradition.  However, what Scott said, has caused me to think, perhaps it is time for a change.

Scott felt elite recruits are more concerned getting to the NBA, than playing for a particular school. Like IU.  And that caused me to wonder.  Is the fact that IU has no names on our jerseys, preventing IU from getting elite players ?   Wasn't the case with Romeo.  But could it be a consideration for others ?  And is it time for names on IU's jerseys ? 

I would not agree with it but if they decided to put names on the back it wouldn't cause me to stop being a fan.  I would hope players would not pick a school because of what their uniform looks like or what shoes they where but it looks like some might just do that.

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I could care less about names or no names, at this point. I have bigger problems with the premise laid out here, that kids don't care what school they attend.

If that were even remotely true, then lets just do away with the facade of college athletics. Let the schools become farm teams of professional teams, and let the pro teams foot the bill. No more recruiting, instead kids are drafted by the pro teams and assigned to the schools they support. Kids can move up and down from college to Developmental League to the big time, based on the needs of the pro team. The college coach becomes a puppet of the pro franchise.

Smh. I would give up being a "college " sports fan if we get to the point where kids  become hired mercenaries instead of representatives of the school they sign with 

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4 hours ago, hoosier10 said:

At this point in my IU fandom I am so done about getting worked up about this type of thing.  If the recruits want it, then I couldn’t care less.  IU has struggled for 20+ years to get back to the top tier of basketball programs, and I think that has made subjects like this (that probably don’t even cross the minds of Duke, UNC, KU, etc fans) a conversation.   Anything to remind us of better times type of thing.  When an elite program goes through this type of regression, I think the fan base tries to grasp for as many things as possible that connect it to past success.  

When we start winning at a high level again, and it appears that we will with Archie, IMO the fans will stop caring about the petty things they hold onto to make this program remain relevant in their minds.  My opinion is that the recruits don’t really care about names on the jerseys.  They just want to play for a great program that will get them to the next level.  If Duke or UK took names off the jerseys would they stop landing elite recruits?  Hell no.

I can think of a litany of other pointless traditions in sports that have less, or totally lacking meaning, and put any number of those up to be changed before names off jerseys . 

To each their own meaning , but is that "petty" symbolic selflessness "stuff" really out style now?  ;)  I must have missed the memo. Lol 

To some it's about old days . To others such as myself, it's about old ways.

 

To answer to Mile's thoughts :

it would be a small price to pay for recruits, in a general sense. .

However, I think names off jerseys makes a good filter of sorts for the general type of attitudes which typically have a higher chance to hurt  team chemistry anyway. If a talented kid hinges his decision on building his brand on his shirt to the point no name means no commit, is IU really that big of a deal to them as it is? 

To me that is less time and energy focused on building their brand on the floor where it matters. I would rather IU miss out on a mindset that prioritizes individuality to that degree.. Prospects get enough individual recognition to be famous before middle school as it is. All it takes is a button press or an open game program to get the player name for a given number. 

As with some others, I find it  economically convenient to have jerseys without names because I can keep wearing the same number in support of every new kid to don it without paying more .That;'s my "other motive"  Personally , I care  more about my own money than that of potential draftees. Ironically enough it flies in the face of selflessness, but i'm neither a brand, nor a program so I could care less. See what I did there. 

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23 minutes ago, jblaz13 said:

As with some others, I find it  economically convenient to have jerseys without names because I can keep wearing the same number in support of every new kid to don it without paying more .That;'s my "other motive"  Personally , I care  more about my own money than that of potential draftees. Ironically enough it flies in the face of selflessness, but i'm neither a brand, nor a program so I could care less. See what I did there. 

The NCAA doesn’t allow jerseys to be sold with names regardless of what they wear in-game.  

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Here's where I'm at with traditions. Honor the old by making new. How we get there I don't care anymore. We spend a great deal of time and resources talking about our history. I never thought I would get to this point but maybe that's because I never thought fresh off a Final 4 while I was at IU in 90's we'd only go to 1 more over the next 25 years. 

Do whatever with uniforms. Do whatever with names on jerseys. Do whatever with gray area of recruiting. Don't care. Let's get back to a title every 5-6 years and at least a F4.... and stop talking about how it used to be. Frankly it's tiring and a tad frustrating. Build a players only dorm like Kansas and Kentucky. Do whatever within the rules is necessary. Bend them as far as possible without breaking. That's where I'm at. Haha...

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22 minutes ago, Seeking6 said:

Here's where I'm at with traditions. Honor the old by making new. How we get there I don't care anymore. We spend a great deal of time and resources talking about our history. I never thought I would get to this point but maybe that's because I never thought fresh off a Final 4 while I was at IU in 90's we'd only go to 1 more over the next 25 years. 

Do whatever with uniforms. Do whatever with names on jerseys. Do whatever with gray area of recruiting. Don't care. Let's get back to a title every 5-6 years and at least a F4.... and stop talking about how it used to be. Frankly it's tiring and a tad frustrating. Build a players only dorm like Kansas and Kentucky. Do whatever within the rules is necessary. Bend them as far as possible without breaking. That's where I'm at. Haha...

Don't forget about Adidas!!!!!!

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40 minutes ago, Seeking6 said:

Never would have been our shoe deal on my watch. Swoosh...

I agree, but I really don’t think it is that big of a deal anymore.  Adidas has become very popular with kids these days thank to Yeezys and Stan Smiths.  From what my unhip ass can tell, Adidas is much more popular now than even just 5 years ago. 

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1 minute ago, hoosier10 said:

I agree, but I really don’t think it is that big of a deal anymore.  Adidas has become very popular with kids these days thank to Yeezys and Stan Smiths.  From what my unhip ass can tell, Adidas is much more popular now than even just 5 years ago. 

Sure has. We stumbled into it being popular again. Only cost us 20+ years to get there but we did it!

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6 hours ago, ADegenerate said:

Me either. Their jerseys are terrible too. That checkerboard pattern is ugly as hell.

Yeah those aren’t even popular down here let alone ugly as sin for the rest of us. Let’s be honest...today’s college basketball is not our fathers college basketball...heck it is even the same basketball we saw in college. I don’t care...as long as it doesn’t turn into the NBA one on one and who can shoot the most 3s they can wear poka dots for all I care. If they play unselfish on the court and they play hard for their fellow teammate and they carry themselves with respect for the name on the front...fine put the name on the back. Away games...home games..special games..if Archie thinks it’s necessary to recruit I’m sure he has the green light to do it...if he thinks it not necessary then I don’t either.

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It wouldn’t bother me much if eventually IU put names on the jerseys. If IU were to think that it would help with recruiting and getting better players. I do believe if you put a great product on the floor. One that makes it to final fours, wins championships, while also getting kids to the NBA, the names on the back of jerseys will not matter. IU has failed in that regard largely since the 90’s. Two of the more iconic college football teams (USC and Notre Dame) do not carry names on their jerseys. USC especially doesn’t seem to have trouble recruiting. It eventually comes down to how well are your teams performing. That’s where IU needs to improve before they consider names on jerseys. 

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Im indifferent on this topic,  I would not be upset if they decided to apply the names to the back of the jerseys. in actuality it has no real bearing on the game, but if the players and recruits of this day and age like it then I would say at least consider it.  On the flip side, I would not be upset if they continued to have no names on the back. once again it has no real bearing on the game but, If tradition and history mean that much to those involved then i will respect that decision to honor our past. however, I do like the idea of alternate jerseys with the possibility of having the names on the back of those.  I align with those that feel that IUBB should catch up with the sign of the times, I think it has started with the revamped IUBB social media releases and what seems to be a state of the art training room/equipment/nutrition program.  as far as the notion that recruits would base their decision on whether the names are on the jerseys to me would be such a petty item to make a decision about. i feel that other aspects would have more of an influence on them than the jerseys, but, Ive been wrong many time before lol

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I want to see an alternate jersey.  Kind of like when adidas releases their tourney uniforms.  I just like different stuff from time to time.  Names or no names doesn’t bother me one bit.  I’d like to see a gray jersey maybe with the crimson script on the front.

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