Thank goodness those abominations were pulled. That was the worst batch of shirts that I have ever seen. The catalog made me cringe. The designer should clearly receive the James Dolan treatment and be forced to try to sell those tshirts dorm to dorm on campus. Did anyone look at the designs before they were printed? Shockingly awfully horridly ridiculous.

Thanks, I need to get that off my chest.
Mike | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 10:58 am | #

The pink Samardzija jersey was the worst. The absolute worst garment in human history.
Jeremiah | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 11:12 am | #

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? I mean, I know people who have had problems with these shirts for years, but to be honest I never had a huge problem with them until now. Who ever allowed these abortions of design to ever see the light of day? He must be punished.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 11:19 am | #

I am always cautious about buying a Michigan or Michigan State gameday shirt BEFORE the game, because as it happened last year we ended up suffering a defeat to State, therefore rendering the shirt useless to me in public because i would recieve verbal abuse, but toward the end of the season I would just simply ask them how their bowl game went.
Behnke | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 11:32 am | #

You are reading the GT shirt incorrectly. It should be read:

Two teams ramblin' to a gridiron wreck!

Still terrible though.
Tommy Gee | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 11:44 am | #

My ass can come up with better slogans.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 11:47 am | #

These shirts used to only be for 'big games' ... 'Catholics v. Convicts', etc.

Why a shirt for ND-NC or ND-Navy? Nice to schedule those opponents, don't get me wrong, and ND/Navy has all of the history behnd it, but I am not sure it merits a t-shirt.

Save them for the clashes of the titans.
John B. | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 11:54 am | #

I think we should just come up with our own awful, corny slogans and mail in some suggestions to the bookstore.

Whatever the MSU shirt is, it should involve an awful comparison of the "Spartans" as real "Greek Gyros". Good stuff there, money to be made for the bookstore.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 11:57 am | #

I can't believe I read that GT shirt wrong. And I can't believe they actually used that phrase.

As for the Catholics vs. Convicts shirt, that was a bootleg shirt. Definitely not something you'd find in the Bookstore.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 11:58 am | #

This just further proves that the ND "designers" of football tees (I consider this and last years "The Shirt" to be similar abominations) have no taste nor sense of style.

The student made contraband tees sold dorm-room to dorm-room for years were better than this dreck. Yep, there were stinkers out there but most of those weren't sold.

The problem is that the tasteless idiots know that regardless of how bad the shirts they make are, they will still sell out come gameday when the mobs hit the bookstore. In order for change to occur we need to just stop buying whatever garbage ND hoists on us and tell them why. They may reassess their gameday and The Shirt strategies when they sit on the racks instead of being sold out.
Paul | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 12:02 pm | #

I really don't mind them having shirts for each game, there are plenty of reasons for them. If I went to my first ND game at age 7, I'd still have the shirt, even if it was against a "directional school." And I'm sure there are many people, ND and visiting fans alike, who only make it to Notre Dame Stadium once in their lifetime.

That said, I don't blame you for misreading the slogan, Pat. I imagine that anyone would get laughed out of graphic design school for putting small navy lettering on a dark green shirt. (And I'm still trying to figure out the orange "GAME" on the UCLA shirt, unless that's supposed to be an obscure reference to the schools' basketball history.)
Kanka | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 12:05 pm | #

Also, aren't the USC shirts a direct takeoff of an FSU shirt from a few years back?
Kanka | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 12:06 pm | #

Kanka - I agree that gameday shirts are a good idea. Like you say, plenty of people want to get a shirt that references their first (or only) ND game. That's all the more reason to make them actually look nice.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 12:14 pm | #

How do you know they were pulled? Maybe they were all purchased. They are catchy!
Brian | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 1:10 pm | #

Kanka:

My first visits to the stadium when young were always vs. Navy or Purdue (when Purdue wasn't winning more than a handful of ballgames a year and not going to bowls). I enjoyed 'just being there' like you commented.

I realize that a lot of people are 'first and/or only' time visitors to the stadium and that they deserve to have something(s) special to commemorate their visit, but there are so many pieces of memorabilia and such sold on campus, these shirts are just an example of the diluted quality (in this case in the name of bad slogans) of some of the ND memorabilia being offered.

Wouldn't you rather purchase something of quality or a high amount of creativity to remember your first or only visit to the stadium? There are a lot of 'game specific' items of memorabilia, programs, special newspaper sections, etc. for each game.
John B. | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 2:49 pm | #

another question that should be asked is why aren't the gameday shirts the same color as The Shirt?
ndce03 | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 3:29 pm | #

Pat: I agree - keep the shirts, but make them look nice. Whenever I take friends up for a game, they of course insist on visiting the bookstore for a souvenir. I hate having to shoo them past the gameday shirt section out of embarrassment.

John B.: You're right as far as the programs, etc., go. I guess I'm just a little biased since I tend to collect tshirts as momentos.
Kanka | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 3:32 pm | #

These shirts are almost as misguided as Simpson's merchandise, but that isn't going to stop my mother in law from buying them.
Grace 94 | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 3:37 pm | #

Grace94 - Just have your mother in law buy this lovely hat.

And Brian, I'm guessing those shirts were pulled because they aren't included on the gameday shirt link anymore.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 3:44 pm | #

"That's the worst shirt I ever saw. Do you get a free bowl of soup with that shirt? Oh, it looks good on you, though."
Phil K. | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 4:25 pm | #

I just updated the post at the bottom with a link to a reply from the Bookstore. It explains how these shirts got made and what is being done to fix the problem. Sounds like the Bookstore is working to correct the situation. Good for them.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 4:27 pm | #

Weren't the Black Shirts Mussolini's goons who helped mim take over the Italian republic. I guess it could be worse - We could have the "Brown Shirts"!
Sean | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 4:48 pm | #

Just wanted to capture that post before it scrolls away:

Last week, I sent a letter (pasted below) to the bookstore to complain about T-shirt design. I got a call this morning from Sally Wiatrowski, Business Manager of the ND bookstore. She's a Follett employee. Here's what I learned:

Follett runs college bookstores for 750 schools in the U.S. and Canada. Jansport has the contract for designing and manufacturing ND's (and probably all of Follett's) "gameday" t-shirts. An in-house designer at Jansport took ND's schedule in hand and created all of the concepts for the shirts that appeared in the catalog. Throughout the design process, there was no input from the ND side on the content of the shirts.

Jansport sent the gameday shirt designs to the ND Licensing department, who signed off. Sally told me that their explanation to her was that the designs (specifically UM, Navy, and Army) "just got past me." Later in the conversation, however, she indicated that the role of ND Licensing was not to review the content, but just to make sure trademarks were being used correctly.

The bottom line is that no one on the ND side of this deal was reviewing the shirt designs for content. As Sally put it, no one was reviewing them for "class." It should be noted that she seemed truly embarrassed about the shirts, and it sounded like mine was one of several calls she was making to angry alums.

As many have guessed, the "blackshirt" monstrosity came from the black jerseys worn by the ND basketball team. Before the complaints came in, no one (at ND, at Jansport, or at Follett) even knew about Nebraska's use of the term. In the most polite terms possible, I suggested to Sally that it would be a good idea to include some people who actually followed college football on these decisions. She agreed. The t-shirt design process will be reworked this season, and she assured me that ND would exert a greater level of control.

Sales Issues: UM, Navy, and Army have been pulled from circulation completely, and people who bought them will receive a redesigned version of the shirts. They are not reprinting the catalog. The "Blackshirt" shirts will never be stocked in the store, and will not enter another printing. That means there are about 144 shirts in each size that they'll sell via catalog, and then it will die.

Sally Wiatrowski was very responsive to my concerns. Most satisfying, she never fell back on "it's not our policy..." as an excuse. She kept my business.


If you're interested, here's the letter I sent last week:

To Whom It May Concern,

Since around 1985, I have enjoyed perusing the Notre Dame Bookstore apparel catalogs. Occasionally, I have run across a design that I thought was ugly or faddish, but I've viewed those perceived sins as subjective. My tastes must roughly approximate those of the market, however, because I've noticed the most visually distasteful designs come and, thankfully, go. I have never written a letter to complain about your offerings until now, mainly because it's your store, not mine.

When I received the 2006 Authentic Sideline Collection catalog, however, I was so embarrassed - for you, myself, and Notre Dame graduates everywhere - that I could no longer remain silent. As the on-campus, licensed dealer for Notre Dame apparel, The Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore is in a unique position to represent the university. Your latest catalog indicates that your organization is not interested in maintaining dignity in this role.

I will not list every product that is a problem, only the most egregious. First, the back page of the catalog presents "gameday tees." Of the thirteen shirts depicted on this page, only three even approach credibility: ND v. MSU (24D); ND v. UNC (24I); and "The Shirt" (24M), although you're getting a pass on Frank Leahy's absence from The Shirt because I understand the design to have been a student decision.

Of the remaining gameday shirts, it's difficult to choose the worst, so I'll discuss three. First, I find it difficult to understand what thought process could have led to the decision that "BRAND ON THE RUN/BRAND IN CHARGE" is an appropriate or meaningful description of the contest between Notre Dame and the U.S. Military Academy (24K). I have to ask honestly, what does that mean? Is it a pun in reference to the 1973 Wings album? If so, why? My best guess is that someone submitted the idea to your designer as "[insert BRAND] on the run," etc., and he or she misunderstood. Please explain this shirt. After the thousands of dollars I've given you for books, supplies, and apparel, you owe me that much.

Similarly, I find motto on the ND v. Michigan shirt (24C) inscrutable: "September Centerfold/Battle of the Super Models." Again, please explain your thinking here, especially the apparent decision to portray the football teams of both schools in feminine (at best) or pornographic (at worst) terms.

Each of the remaining gameday shirts is objectionable on its own terms, but I will comment only on the season opener, in which "two teams RAMBLIN' to a gridiron WRECK" is the featured text. Of course you know that "Ramblin' Wreck" is a phrase embraced and revered by Georgia Tech teams and their fans, much like "Fighting Irish" has been treated by Notre Dame fans. Why would you feature the opponent's rallying cry on a Notre Dame shirt?

Please permit me to point out one more perceived problem. Item F on page 10 exalts the "NOTRE DAME BLACK SHIRTS." This strikes me as pathetic. The only team that I'm aware of with a "blackshirt" tradition is Nebraska, whose eleven starting defenders practice in black jerseys, and have done so since the 1960s. Is Hammes trying to start or foster a Notre Dame tradition based on Nebraska's practice? If so, please stop. If, instead, "Black Shirts" refers to the fascist followers of Mussolini, please stop.

Please accept this criticism as it is intended: with gratitude for years of service and with the sincere hope for a stronger, more rational product line in the future. Your response is very much anticipated.

Very Truly Yours,

hotpantsdeltoro
class of 1996
Jay | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 5:33 pm | #

They may be stupid and they may be poor, but at least they are freaking GREEN instead of maize.
Yago | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 6:21 pm | #

Hotpantsdeltoro?
Brad | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 7:59 pm | #

Can some of us volunteer to serve as a committee for the Bookstore and Licensing Dept. regarding their new merchadise? I doubt that it would take much effort. They could provide us with styles on a log-in, secured website whereby we would provide feedback and ratings. Think that Sally Wiatrowski would be in favor of this? Hotpants deltoro, want to follow up with her on this?
novusordo0205 | Email | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 11:22 pm | #

I can't contain the laughter from reading those. Are you kidding me.

Can we PLEASE pull the plug on all the consumer apparel contracts and start over new with other companies. I hate the stupid ND shield thing from whence it orginated and yet it never goes away. I really think any of us could design a more attractive sweatshirt than they sell anymore...
Max | Email | Homepage | 06.24.06 - 12:12 am | #

All of the Gameday shirts are green? I thought we were getting away from green, they should stick to the color of The Shirt if they ever want our stadium to look united. Or have a little variety in the colors, at the very least.
John | Email | Homepage | 06.24.06 - 12:47 am | #

Who
What
Where
When

Done.
Tulsa 97 | Email | Homepage | 06.24.06 - 10:48 am | #

If you want a great gameday shirt, get one from the local alumni.
Best example: ND vs. GaTech shirt on the site of the Atlanta Club.

Link here: http://alumni.nd.edu/~ndc_atl/te...t_t- shirts.html

The designs all have to be approved by the ND Intellectual Property staff, but there can be some good ones.
Tim Thilman | Email | Homepage | 06.24.06 - 10:48 am | #

We had tickets for the Fiesta Bowl, and my daughter brought home game day tees with Ohio State and ND. You couldn't tell which team the wearer was cheering for. I want the ND or Fighting Irish in extremely large print, and the opponent extremely small, and at the bottom of the design.
larry | Email | Homepage | 06.24.06 - 2:07 pm | #

Jeez, and I thought it was just me. As good as the game day t-shirts were last year - clean, great typefaces, great design, etc. - the ones this year are a complete ABOMINATION! I work in advertising for a Fortune 100 company and to hear someone from ND's licensing and trademark group say "it got past us" just does not pass muster.

Quite frankly, most of the catalog is crap. And where on earth did this new leprechaun character come from?!? Ugh...
Mike | Email | Homepage | 06.25.06 - 11:06 am | #

Just want to know: who buys a gameday shirt AND who wears it?
Joe | Email | Homepage | 06.26.06 - 11:15 pm | #

P.S. gold helmets never look good on a t-shirt. The only exception is a vintage Bart Simpson shirt where Bartman is holding a gold helmet saying "Irish rule, man." It was a gift.
Joe | Email | Homepage | 06.26.06 - 11:18 pm | #

Bob Devaney started the Nebraska Blackshirts Tradition.
Tintin84 | Email | Homepage | 06.29.06 - 11:52 am | #

I know this is kind of late coming, but I was just looking through the catalog again, and noticed a HUGE misprint. Item 4C, the Football stats t-shirt, lists ND as having 10 Heisman trophy winners. Am I being totally mislead by the Heisman memorial trophy website into believing that we only have 7 winners of that trophy?

I think the bookstore has a lot of explaining to do on that one.
Mike | Email | Homepage | 07.10.06 - 12:39 am | #