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Message: [QUOTE="TheCusian, post: 1236064, member: 2585"] Alright. Let's put a bow on it. I've never once said that a kid would base his decision solely on a uni. I've simply pushed back agains the notion that they don't factor it in [I]at all[/I]. Bees has tried to tell me that it never happens. Kaiser prefers "the cattle" to never have a say and that we should run our program like the military. I've also maintained that we need every advantage to get a foot in the door of better recruits. I also am a life long fan and am familiar with the history of the program, respect all of the greats, the uni's and numbers of the past, like my uni's to have more orange in them, and didn't love most of the looks we rolled out this season. Now that's out of the way... Go ahead and read [URL='http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/9523357/college-football-recruiting-uniforms-selling-point-schools']this article[/URL]. Some quotes: [I]"While uniforms had been used for decades as recruiting tools, Oregon took it to a new level starting in the early 2000s." [/I] It's a new world. [I]"With the support of Nike founder and Oregon alumnus Phil Knight, Oregon unveiled in 2005 a new high-performances uniform that kicked things into high gear. Players were allowed to provide feedback into the design of the uniform, which the Ducks used a recruiting tool. "It opened doors for us," said Oregon coach Mark Helfrich..."[/I] Nice quote for Cowboy Kaiser and his cattle. Go on. [I]"It's something we pride ourselves on that started in the early '90s. [Uniforms] are how we got in the door at all. And now we're able to compete a little bit differently nationally with recruits, and we can at least get in the door. But more and more, it just puts you in front of some different people."[/I] [B]That's what a change in uni gives you - a chance - a foot in the door to sell your academics, NFL HoF, coach relationships, etc.[/B] [I]"You drive down a highway and you look at a billboard and it says, 'you just looked at this billboard, you should use it as advertisement' -- it's the same philosophy as uniforms," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. "It's a marketing tool. It grabs the attention of the young men we're recruiting."[/I] This is perfect. Because a team on a ten year dip in national perception could use some "billboards" and anything at all that grabs the attention of the kids we're after. [I]"But as any good advertiser will tell you, it doesn't matter how shiny the package is if you can't get somebody to buy the product. ESPN.com surveyed more than 700 high school recruits from the classes of 2014 and 2015 -- including 90 who self-identified as a member of the ESPN 300 for the Classes of 2014 or 2015 -- and asked them where uniforms ranked in their college decision. Uniforms were the top factor for only 3 percent of players, and uniforms ranked eighth on the list of criteria behind academics, coaching, playing time, school tradition, location, experience sending players to the NFL and television exposure."[/I] Exactly. Anyone who says "its the reason" is a crazy person. And why I've never said it. [I]"Fifty-two percent of the players surveyed said they believed the way they look in a uniform helps them perform better on the field."[/I] Insert joke about our uni's and our 3-9 season here. But don't dismiss that over half of the players think it helps them. [I]"Dupree (2013, #1 RB) concurred. "That's probably a better example of when uniforms can come into play. If they're both [equal], and this one school has better uniforms, then that's going to bump them up a little for me and for almost every recruit out there."[/I] Hmm. I'd like to have an edge over the other school that we are neck and neck with for a stud player. --- Now - to your final points: I agree. But you have to understand that our great and proud tradition was damaged not by a uni combination (though those Gregger Pumkin uni's have to be the worst in our history) - but by sustained losing under Greg Robinson, and followed by mediocrity. I think we can agree to disagree on whether the possible edge in recruiting is worth the ding to our own pride as fans. But I want to get better at any cost. If we were playing in the playoffs this year, these uni's would be growing on all of us. And in 20 years I'll be pushing for the look we have now and a return to "tradition." [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?