Illini Basketball Uniforms

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#176      
altgeld88
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Siren GIF


I somehow stumbled upon video of us playing at Iowa in 1980 (first time I have ever seen video of their old fieldhouse!), and we are wearing the orange Script uniforms ... they're beauties, haha.

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Obviously quite blurry, haha, but you can see a LITTLE better when it's not paused. So then I got curious if that channel had any other videos, and I found one from 1981 where we have the first iteration of the navy Flyin' Illini uniforms but with orange font and a white outline, and I also loved this:

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I have a feeling that if a color photo or video exists of our navy Script uniforms ... it is hiding in someone's basement and not online, haha.
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There's also video of us getting blown out by IU in Bloomington in the late'70s with orange script unis. Strangely, have never found a still color photo of that kit. Loved seeing Derek Holcomb's jersey in the AH Hall of Fame exhibit when I was there in '22.

I posted this last week in the Duke pregame thread. Loved these in the early/mid-'80s:
[EDIT: I didn't notice until now that Efrem is rockin' some sweet leather Converse All-Star high tops. Adored those puppies c. 1980-84.]
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#183      
Toews
Before the 2014 release, so probably around 2012-ish, I do think someone from Nike or with connections to the rebrand used to post in here. I think they floated trial balloons and even kind of used the board for some ideas. Back then it was a lot more Chief adjacent imagery, which led to the horrendous rebrand basketball uniforms.
 
#184      
21ChampaignSt
Toews said:
Before the 2014 release, so probably around 2012-ish, I do think someone from Nike or with connections to the rebrand used to post in here. I think they floated trial balloons and even kind of used the board for some ideas. Back then it was a lot more Chief adjacent imagery, which led to the horrendous rebrand basketball uniforms.
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I liked the thought behind the Chief headdress motif but not the execution. We had used the zig zag pattern on the waistband during the McCamey years which I always liked as a nice subtle nod to our past. Could have been a really ownable design element had we stayed with it. Not sure it would make sense to revive it though.

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#188      
OrangeBlue98
The moral of this story is that when you have a great template or great templates, RUN WITH THEM. Sure, maybe you do a throwback every now and then (2001 blue and 2005 orange would be my choices). But we have two fantastic templates with the script and the 1980s models. Use those as your base uniforms. I'm on board with a full set of 1980s model and then sprinkle in a script or two. But, I'd still like to see a full set of both uniforms given there's zero incremental effort needed to create these. Just switch the colors.

It really is amazing how well the 1980s uniforms have aged over time. Sure, you can change the width of the lettering, some of the trim, etc. to adapt to modern times. But the overall concept and template have aged like a vintage wine over four decades. They still look great. Our current blue and orange shades are also great - never change them.
 
#189      
Fighter of the Nightman
OrangeBlue98 said:
The moral of this story is that when you have a great template or great templates, RUN WITH THEM. Sure, maybe you do a throwback every now and then (2001 blue and 2005 orange would be my choices). But we have two fantastic templates with the script and the 1980s models. Use those as your base uniforms. I'm on board with a full set of 1980s model and then sprinkle in a script or two. But, I'd still like to see a full set of both uniforms given there's zero incremental effort needed to create these. Just switch the colors.

It really is amazing how well the 1980s uniforms have aged over time. Sure, you can change the width of the lettering, some of the trim, etc. to adapt to modern times. But the overall concept and template have aged like a vintage wine over four decades. They still look great. Our current blue and orange shades are also great - never change them.
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Yep, I am fully on board with the Flyin' Illini being our three basic uniforms - white, navy and orange. My only hesitation to limiting the Script to fewer than all three colors is honestly just that I can't decide which of the three which look best, and I wouldn't want to limit ourselves!! I doubt it would be possible, but my dream scenario has evolved to...

Home: White Flyin' Illini, with navy font and orange outline. Exactly what we had in the Groce years but with the font slimmed up to match our current orange set.
Away: Navy Flyin' Illini, with ORANGE font and WHITE outline. So, the early 1980s versions rather than the mid- to late 1980s versions.
Alternate: Orange Flyin' Illini, with white font and navy outline. Exactly what we have now.

Throwback #1: White Script, with navy font and orange outline. Exactly what we have now.
Throwback #2: Navy Script, with ORANGE font and WHITE outline. I have come to think that this looks better than my previously preferred white font/orange outline.
Throwback #3: Orange Script, with navy font and white outline. Exactly what we wore in the 1970s.

Special Throwback #1: Orange 2005 throwbacks.
Special Throwback #2: White 2005 throwbacks.

So roughly in practice, leaving the 2005 ones out since I would prefer they be used super rarely!

Home Games: 50% White Flyin' Illini, 30% Orange Flyin' Illini, 15% White Script, 5% Orange Script.
Away Games: 40% Navy Flyin' Illini, 40% Orange Flyin' Illini, 20% Navy Script, 20% Orange Script.

Random/Rare Usages:
1. Always wear Orange Script or Orange Flyin' Illini at Braggin' Rights.
2. Always wear either the Orange 2005 throwbacks or the White 2005 throwbacks at the United Center, whether it's our regular game, BTT or NCAA Tournament.
3. Generally match our away uniform to contrast the home team. In other words, navy would pop a bit more at Wisconsin and Maryland, and orange would pop more at Penn State or Michigan.
4. Generally reserve the Script and 2005 throwbacks for "big games," but I actually hesitate here because our Flyin' Illini uniforms are so good, too ... pretty much, in a neutral site big game like the NCAAT where we get to pick our uniform, we literally cannot go wrong with any of these!
 
#190      
OrangeBlue98
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Throwback #2: Navy Script, with ORANGE font and WHITE outline. I have come to think that this looks better than my previously preferred white font/orange outline.
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In a vacuum, I think I agree. But I personally would like variety between the orange and blue uniform versions. Since I'd like orange letters with the 1980s navy model, I'd go for variety with the scripts and go with white lettering. I'd stick with our white letters on the 1980s model and go with navy on the scripts.

I'm a "variety is the spice of life" person, but I also like a consistent look across primary (white) uniforms. So that's why I'd advocate for blue letters on both white uniforms. But that's one opinion - I certainly won't get angry at anyone for having a different opinion on this.
 
#191      
OrangeBlue98
OrangeBlue98 said:
In a vacuum, I think I agree. But I personally would like variety between the orange and blue uniform versions. Since I'd like orange letters with the 1980s navy model, I'd go for variety with the scripts and go with white lettering. I'd stick with our white letters on the 1980s orange model and go with navy on the scripts.

I'm a "variety is the spice of life" person, but I also like a consistent look across primary (white) uniforms. So that's why I'd advocate for blue letters on both white uniforms. But that's one opinion - I certainly won't get angry at anyone for having a different opinion on this.
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Forgot a word.
 
#193      
Fighter of the Nightman
OrangeBlue98 said:
In a vacuum, I think I agree. But I personally would like variety between the orange and blue uniform versions. Since I'd like orange letters with the 1980s navy model, I'd go for variety with the scripts and go with white lettering. I'd stick with our white letters on the 1980s model and go with navy on the scripts.

I'm a "variety is the spice of life" person, but I also like a consistent look across primary (white) uniforms. So that's why I'd advocate for blue letters on both white uniforms. But that's one opinion - I certainly won't get angry at anyone for having a different opinion on this.
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Yeah, I mean I do not think you can go wrong! You could sell me on all of the orange or navy Script combinations (I pretty firmly support the navy font/orange outline for the white uniform, though).

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#200      
Fighter of the Nightman
RabidDawgClassic said:
Just think… 25 years from now a new crop of fans will think those retro 1LL1NO1S jerseys are the greatest eye candy ever.
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I appreciate the sentiment, but I honestly don't think this will ever happen. While most trends seem to gain a positive nostalgia appeal after enough time has passed, there are also some that are looked back on with more of a, "Who on Earth ever thought this was cool?" vibe, haha. The entire 1LL1NO1S rebrand appeared uniquely bland and soulless even among other trend-chasing efforts of the 2010s, at least IMO, especially given that it appeared so jarringly different from the general vibe Illini Athletics had before that ,which appeared to be a rather proud identification with "classic Big Ten" looks, at least in some sense. Given the pendulum is swinging back toward that, I foresee the 1LL1NO1S era being looked at more as a cringe bump in the road.
 
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