Larno said:
Mike White brought in the new uniforms in 1972 and they lasted until Joe Kapp booted them when he took over. I was still in school when they changed and I didn't care for them then. I also like the traditional uniforms from the 60's, with the gold pants. But, having said that, I like the new uniforms. But, never the gold, or yellow, tops at home. I've never liked that. The absolute worst were the all gold/yellow uniforms - hideous. And I prefer gold pants and white tops on the road. No all-whites.
Even if you didn't like Mike White's unis, I think you'll agree that Cal football badly needed rebranding at that point. I grew up in Berkeley and went to games from 1963 (as an 8YO) onwards and it was bleak. Occasional great defensive players like Ed White and Sherman White, but Cal couldn't recruit a QB or RB worth a lick until Willsey brought in Isaac Curtis and all that resulted in was NCAA probation. Cal football was pretty irrelevant in the Bay Area. The bright blue uniforms didn't cause the change, but they were an indicator that Cal football was changing, and for a few years (I graduated in 1976), it was pretty d@mn fun. Kapp did another rebrand when he reverted back to the more traditional colors - sent a message that we weren't going to fart around with the run-and-shoot offense any more. Aside from The Play, that didn't turn out too well, though.
I guess I like the dark-blue tops with gold pants (not yellow, which is too much like Michigan) and I like the flat blue helmets. And the bright blue uniforms for the Roth game. And just maybe one time, for a Big Game, have the team warm up in their usual uniforms and then change into the Roth ones before entering the field for the kickoff. That would be awsome!
