Maryland Week, Volume 1 (Let's Not Call it Combat edition) ...

So the big story of the day was – and we seem to be saying this a lot lately – not so much about this weekend’s opponent. It was about ... Nike. About crazy new uniforms ... which turned out not to be so crazy after all.

I attended the big “unveiling” along with a few hundred other folks (mostly students) on campus today. Nike’s folks tried – really, they did – to make this thing a big deal.

And Virginia Tech did its part, getting Bruce Smith and Antonio Freeman to show up for the affair. Their appearance drew the loudest reaction from the crowd.

And let me be the first to say this: I don’t fault the Hokies one bit for playing along with whatever gimmick Nike wants them to. If that company wants to turn Tech into Oregon-East (which might be the case, considering the Hokies have already worn five different jersey combinations this year) ... Frank Beamer and company will let them.

Nike is, after all, handing over almost $10 million in cash and prizes to Tech over an eight-year contract. So, kudos to athletic director Jim Weaver and whoever else worked out that sweet deal.

My only issue today was with the way, way, WAY over-the-top nature of Nike’s promotion. Here’s how everything unfolded ...

* They had a big stage set up in the middle of campus. The back-drop featured this slogan: “Good Guys Wear White.” Nike flacks were handing out literature that said the same. They were selling T-shirts with the slogan for $24. The literature added: “It says good vs. evil. It says let’s play Beamerball. Speed is our calling card. Offense, defense and special teams – everyone gets in on the act. It says UT Prosim. It says stay in your shell, tortoises, it’s time for combat. It says the good guys always win.” Um ... maybe that last part was a little much. No?

* Both the VT cheerleaders and the dance team were there and each performed several dances/cheers while the crowd awaited for the big unveiling. At a certain point, all of us standing there watching the girls shake it became a little awkward. The radio voice of the Hokies, Bill Roth,  was the MC presiding over the festivities and he did his best to inject a little energy into it. But I couldn’t stop staring at the  huge black military vehicle parked by the stage that said in stenciled letters on the side: PREPARE FOR COMBAT.

* The day’s special guests – Beamer, Smith and Freeman – were driven from the football complex over to the site of this big production in a motorcade of SUVs. All this for jerseys? Really?

* The Nike rep, Loren Hoppes, took the mic and said that there was great debate last year over which 10 teams Nike would use to roll out this new product line. One wasn’t ever a question, though. “It had to be Virginia Tech,” he said. OK, so that’s cool for the Hokies. And that’s very good for recruiting. Like it or not, the kids these days love them some crazy-looking uniforms.

* Finally, Beamer arrived and rolled onto the stage wearing a slick black leather jacket and a white turtleneck. He told the crowd, “Nike has treated Virginia Tech very, very well.” (They’re in Year 3 of an eight-year, $9.7 million deal with Nike that includes cash and free merchandise.)

* Freeman came onto the stage chucking footballs into the crowd. This was as excited as anyone got. Freeman is now doing analyst work for Comcast covering the Redskins. Roth said to him, “Well, we’re glad you can be here with  a team that actually wins some games.” Talking about this year’s Hokies, Freeman noted, “We have an exciting young running back in Ryan Williams,” which drew big cheers.

* Then Smith hit the stage in dark shades and a slick sport coat, also slinging footballs into the crowd. “Home, sweet home,” he said. “It’s a special feeling when you come back to Blacksburg this time of year.” And on the topic of Nike: “They even made me my own shoe (back in the day) and I was appreciative of that.” On the Hokies’ partnership with Nike: “You’ve got to look good to play good.”

* And finally, after about half an hour of hoopla, Beamer walked over to a full-sized football locker that was on the stage. When he opened it, Cody Grimm and Tyrod Taylor walked out wearing the new jerseys (which you can see online at Nike’s site). “Enter Sandman” played as they walked out. There was only a smattering of cheering and a whole lot of awkward silence.

* The Nike guy explained that the stripe on the shoulders and down the side of the pants will be called the “Beamerball Speed Stripe.” The word “Beamerball” is inside the back collar of the jerseys. “UT Prosim” – a Latin phrase meaning “That I May Serve,” which goes way back at Tech – is on the back waistband of the pants. That was a classy move by Nike, which is more often gaudy. The players are also wearing the super-light, 10-ounce Vapor Jet cleats, which won’t be sold to the public until next year. (Another bonus for recruiting when your program’s players are getting all the latest and greatest gear first.)

* The Nike fellow, Hoppes, said that they learned Maryland (whose apparel deal is with Under Armour) would be having “a blackout” this weekend. “So we wanted the good guys to wear white,” he said. (Note: Maryland is actually wearing black and tan camouflage uniforms this weekend in honor of military veterans and to promote the Wounded Warrior Project. Makes Nike’s “combat” campaign seem slightly callous, no?)

* Seeing the jerseys, Freeman said, “I’d sure like to wear it. Those guys look sweet. Sweet in a good way.” Said Tyrod: “Different, but I like them.” And Beamer, ever the good corporate partner told the crowd: “Buy their products, because I think they’re the very best. I think it would be neat if everybody was in their white against Maryland’s black.”

So that’s what went down today. I was a little put off by it – by the Nike folks, not the Hokies – but maybe I’m just overly sensitive to excessive war references in relation to sports ... the consequences of which are nothing like war.

Anyway, here are a couple of quick-hit interviews with folks involved in the big show today. Then I promise to return you to the real football stuff tomorrow ...

LOREN HOPPES, NIKE REPRESENTATIVE

ON TECH ONLY WEARING THESE JERSEYS FOR THIS ONE GAME AND THEN WEARING THEIR NORMAL JERSEYS – WITH THE NEW MATERIAL – NEXT YEAR: “Just wanted to make it special for the team and to tell the story of the innovation for Nike. We sat with Coach Beamer this summer and that was the one they chose to wear for this game.”

ON WHETHER BREAKING IT OUT FOR THIS GAME WAS AN AGGRESSIVE MOVE TOWARD COMPETITOR UNDER ARMOUR, WHO PROVIDES MARYLAND’S APPAREL: “No, no. Here’s what we did: When we could, it was Nike vs. a non-Nike school. It’s a little weird when you do it Nike vs. Nike.”

QB TYROD TAYLOR

ON THE NEW UNIS: “I think this is going to do good for the team. It’s a new look, but we still have to go out there and play the game.”

ON WHETHER THIS KIND OF PARTNERSHIP WITH NIKE IS GOOD FOR RECRUITING: “I think so. I think everyone wants to look good while they’re playing. Nike does a good job of putting us in great uniforms.”

ON WHETHER TECH IS BECOMING EAST-COAST OREGON: “Nah. I think Oregon has us by a lot more uniforms.”

ON THE JERSEYS FITTING MORE SNUG: “Everything feels like it’s on you, skin tight, and that helps you move better. Especially in the pants. I don’t think anybody can grab my pants and tackle me by my pants. I’ve been tackled by my pants before.”

ON WHETHER THESE 37-PERCENT LIGHTER JERSEYS FEEL LIKE IT: “This does feel lighter. I wouldn’t say the old stuff felt really heavy. You can still play in it. You can just tell this is a new jersey.”

ON GETTING THE NEW THREADS: “It’s very cool. We just feel honored for them to give us these jerseys.”

ON WHAT COMBO HE LIKES: “I like the orange and maroon we wore against North Carolina and I like the old-school maroon we wore against Georgia Tech.”

LB CODY GRIMM

ON THE WHOLE EVENT: “It’s fun to do stuff like that. It felt a little awkward ... but it was fun.”

ON IT BEING BIG FOR RECRUITING: “It’s definitely a privilege any time Nike chooses you to do something like this. No one even wore these cleats yet. They come out next year and they’re incredibly comfortable. It’s definitely an honor.”

ON THE RECRUITING EDGE: “I definitely think it will help. I don’t think it’ll be the kid’s deciding factor by any means, but it’s a definite advantage.”

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