'M' teams get blue- and-white apparel

If Michigan swimmer Andy Potts had wanted to wear blue and white, he would have gone to Penn State.

But despite being a Wolverine, he's wearing the Nittany Lions' colors.

Potts' team is one of more than seven Michigan teams whose members have been wearing blue-and-white warm-ups since September, when problems in the production and shipping pipeline caused Nike to misplace the appropriate maize and blue warm-ups.

"Obviously, our colors are maize and blue," said Potts, an LSA junior. "When Nike gives us blue-and-white uniforms, it's our Big Ten foe Penn State's uniform. Obviously, we don't want to be confused with our rival."

In accordance with its University contract, Nike provides footwear and athletic apparel for all varsity athletic teams.

JOHN KRAFT/Daily Members of the men's swimming team, LSA junior Andy Potts, LSA junior Dave Stephens and Engineering junior John Reich, stand in Canham Natatorium, sporting the blue-and-white warm-ups they received from Nike in September.

While Nike pulled warm-ups from retail store accounts to outfit teams such as men's football and basketball in Wolverine colors, many other teams were only left with the option of choosing plain blue warm-ups or blue-and-white warm-ups.

The mistake so incensed Michigan athletes that all varsity athletic teams, including those that didn't receive the blue-and-white warm-ups, sent letters to Nike expressing their dissatisfaction with the mistake, Potts said.

Fritz Seyferth, senior associate athletic director, said he was disappointed with the mistake.

"We don't want our sports ordering blue and white," Seyferth said. "We want them wearing maize and blue."

But Kit Morris, director of college sports and marketing for Nike, said the shortage of maize-and-blue warm-ups left his company few options.

"We know what navy and maize is and it's important for us to get it right, but we had an extraordinary situation with that product," Morris said. "When we recognized this problem, we immediately offered substitute product ... and immediately began reproductions of the navy-and-maize warm-ups."

Although the new warm-ups will be shipped to Ann Arbor next week, they may not arrive in time to satisfy Michigan men's swim coach Jon Urbanchek.

"If they can't give us maize and blue, then we'll go with someone else," Urbanchek said. "There's other companies who would have them to us tomorrow. We shouldn't be begging."

LSA junior David Stephens, a member of the men's swim team, said the damage of the blue-and-white warm-ups has already been done.

"Everyone thought it was pretty lame because our pictures in the media guide are white and blue," Stephens said.

Michigan women's swim coach Jim Richardson said his team got the blue-and-white warm-ups because they aren't as visible as other varsity teams.

"We know where we sit on the totem pole," Richardson said. "Nike wants football and basketball because they're on TV. Swimming is not on TV."

LSA senior Dwayne Fuqua, president of the Student Athletic Advisory Council, said Michigan athletes deserve to be outfitted in maize and blue.

"It's not just a color to us - it's a lifestyle," Fuqua said. "I think Nike disrespected us. I think they just undermined the amount of respect that's deserved by the maize and blue."

But Morris said Nike takes great pride in its association with Michigan athletics.

"We recognize that many sports teams at the University of Michigan have a very rich tradition," Morris said. "We respect that tradition and hope to continue by providing the very best in footwear and apparel for Michigan teams."

Urbanchek said Nike promised to outfit the men's swim team in maize and blue after it sent the team blue-and- white warm-ups four years ago.

"We didn't even specify the color, we assumed it would be maize and blue like they told us," Urbanchek said. "We thought it was a mistake for sure."

Seyferth said that despite the mistake, the University is working to develop its relationship with Nike.

"It's evolving, it's growing," Seyferth said. "We're not where we want to be, and they're not where they want to be."

Until Nike sends the teams the new warm-ups, the athletes, coaches and fans will continue to be thrown off by the blue-and-white warm-ups.

Potts said the warm-ups will confuse fans when swimmers stand on blocks to receive awards. "People in the stands would think 'Oh look, Penn State swept one, two and three," Potts said.

"Michigan is a distinct color to anyone, except for Nike," Urbanchek said. "They must be colorblind."

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