By Grant Morrison | Sports Writer
It’s Oct. 12, 2014, No. 5 Baylor football is down 21 points to No. 9 TCU with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter. It’s the first matchup between the rival teams in the brand new McLane Stadium, but it will take a miracle for the Bears to come back.
But that’s exactly what Baylor has in store. Quarterback Bryce Petty throws for 510 yards and 6 touchdowns, and running back Shock Linwood chips away at the Horned Frogs defense to set up a field goal in the final seconds. As time expires, kicker Chris Callahan sends the football through the uprights as time expires to secure a 61-58 victory in front of the roaring crowd.
All the while, during one of Baylor football’s greatest victories, the lights of McLane gleamed down off the helmets of the home team. The shiny gold chrome domes that the Bears wore showed the reflection of the cheering fans, and as the players gathered and celebrated they can see each other’s smiles in the glint.
These were the days of the true green and gold, a metallic sheen that sparkled under the sun and the stadium lights. Baylor football was a shining light on the field of play.
But to current Baylor students, this visual is completely foreign. Since 2019, the Bears have donned “Baylor green” and “university gold” as its official colors across all sports. Gone is the luminance and pageantry of golden uniforms, replaced with a duller, matte yellow.
It makes sense, to a degree, to seek brand synergy throughout university branding. But must we sacrifice the glory of Baylor uniforms to do so?
Most athletics at Baylor feature at least one alternate jersey. During October, the volleyball team sports pink uniforms for breast cancer awareness. Both women’s and men’s basketball teams have gray jerseys they break out on occasion. After many years without, the football team has brought back black—sorry, anthracite—uniforms to the field.
The blackout planned against TCU is a step in the right direction. Along with the beloved Sailor Bear helmets worn on Homecoming, these alternate options generate more fan enthusiasm than the Green Bay Packers look-alikes.
Gold helmets and highlights should be on the availability list as well. Mixing up uniforms helps to keep things fresh, for the players and the fans.
Bring back the golden helmets that light up the field. Add bear claws that were once stamped on the shoulder pads. Baylor’s uniform tradition is rich and storied, and the program would do well to dust off its old threads.
