Pat, like I said, nobody is advocating becoming Oregon. And nobody thinks that adding a tricked-out uniform to the wardrobe is going to result in Notre Dame vaulting back to the very top of college football. But I do think that modernizing the Notre Dame brand can and will pay dividends with the types of athletes Notre Dame needs to be involved with in order to compete for championships. I think it is important that we don't lose touch with who we are, and that we protect what is truly important about the traditions so we don't lose our identity as we modernize. But in the end, if we wear uniforms that get kids attention and get them talking about us once a year, who is that hurting? Many of Notre Dame's traditions were the result of being innovative and cutting-edge at the time and not being married to antiquated ideas, so in a way it goes against tradition to simply refuse any and all changes.
The most important Notre Dame tradition is winning national championships and Heisman trophies. If wearing a slightly modernized uni helps uphold that tradition, even in the smallest of ways, I'm all for it. But this really isn't about just uniforms, its about a broader effort to modernize Notre Dame's brand to appeal to the next generation of Heisman winners and future NFL stars. The key is to do that tastefully and protect the most sacred and important traditions and ideals that are associated with Notre Dame football.
