Around the OAA.

This is a blog that is devoted to the OAA. We cover 23 schools from Oakland County to Wayne County. From Oxford to Harper Woods. This blog will give insight and projections around the OAA.

Friday, August 5, 2022

2022 Football Uniform Grades.

By Sammy Taormina

Written Friday August 5th at 8:30 PM

Here are my grades on the 2022 OAA Football uniforms heading into the season. Enjoy.

Red

Clarkston (Uniform Provider-Nike): I really like the Wolves uniforms. The road uniforms are all white with blue numbering to go along with white pants with blue stripes on the sides. The blue Michigan helmet makes this look one of the best around the league. The home uniforms are solid as well with the all blue look even though I’m not a huge fan of the white trim on them. The all white look looks very good, wish they would bring back the name plates. GRADE A.

Lake Orion (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Dragons are going back old school with the football uniforms. The all green and all white with the green V-Neck look is classic Lake Orion. There are no stripes or no LO V-neck collar, just a simple classic look with names on the back. The only down side is the road uniforms say DRAGONS as well and not LAKE ORION. The pants have the classic stripes on the sides with the Dragons logo and the green helmet makes it a perfect uniform. Finally a jersey that Coach Chris Bell got right and it’s me approved. GRADE A.

Adams (Uniform Provider-Adidas): The Highlanders have a yellow helmet with the Adams A on one side and the player number on the other side. There was talk about putting the script Adams which I questioned why they would do that. The home yellow is okay but not great, it is an upgrade over the brown jerseys and white pants look and or the brown and yellow look. The road whites are different with the brown and yellow stripes on the elbows. They look very similar to the North Farmington jerseys. Adams completely changed the design. I’m not a fan of these jerseys, not at all. GRADE D.

West Bloomfield (Uniform Provider-Home/Road-Nike, Third Jersey-Russell Athletic): The Lakers haven’t changed much with their uniforms. The white pants are classic along with the green and white uniforms. The third uniforms are solid as well. The helmet needs work, great design but needs a paint job. Green helmet would be much better and smoother. GRADE A-

Stoney Creek (Uniform Provider- Home/Road-Under Armor, Third Jersey-Zenith): I really like the Cougars uniforms. They have name plates on the back and they can wear any pants whether gold, blue, or white. The helmet needs a redesign a little bit. I’m a fan of the gold helmet but not the design with the SC on one side and the player number on the other side. The Armor Up on the V-Neck looks very good. The traditions are great. I didn’t mention their military uniforms but they look very good as well. The third jersey is the all gold, I really like that jersey as well. Overall great uniform designs. GRADE A.

Oxford (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Wildcats have a classic simple uniform whether it’s the home blue or road white uniforms. They went with a yellow helmet which is different from past tradition when they wore blue helmets. The design needs some work with the O on one side and the player number on the other side. The simple plain uniform looks very nice especially with yellow or blue pants. Oxford should NEVER wear white pants under any circumstance. White pants have been bad luck in the past. GRADE A.

 

White

Harper Woods (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Pioneers have an interesting uniform combination. They have three helmets and a very good uniform design. I like the black and maroon helmet much better than their white helmets. The uniform top looks great whether if it’s maroon, black, or white jerseys and pants. The black or maroon helmets make the uniform look very strong but the white helmet, not so much. GRADE B.

Harper Woods Twitter. https://twitter.com/HW__Football/status/1553813051580846081

Southfield Arts and Tech (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Warriors finally got out of the Adidas looks and went to Nike. They look so much better in the Nike uniforms but the helmet needs to go back to blue or something, white is not a good look for the helmet. Great uniform and pants but the helmet needs a paint job and quick. GRADE B.

Oak Park (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Knights changed uniforms last season. I really like the home red uniforms with the name OAK PARK on the crest with white pants with the Knights logo. The all white look looks great with the black helmets however the rumor on the street is that the Knights are going to white helmets. Overall I like the uniform design looks good but if they change to white helmets that’s a bit of a concern. GRADE B.

Groves (Uniform Provider-Nike, Third Jersey-Zenith): The Falcons have a great home uniform but a subpar road uniform. The green helmet is great with the old classic Atlanta Falcons bird on both sides of the helmet. The home green, gold, and black look is a great look for the Falcons. The road white uniforms are too plain. It’s not like two years ago with that look, now that was a great look, the current look not so much. The alternate uniforms look good, the yellow jerseys look solid with the Falcons wings on the top of the jerseys. Great design to say the least. GRADE B.

Rochester (Uniform Provider-Under Armor): The Falcons went back to tradition and no gimmicks. Rochester has an all blue uniform with a blue helmet and a road white look with a blue helmet. They have an alternate black look for a game if it’s a big one. I like that they finally figured out the uniform design and not go all Oregon like they did a few years ago which was the definition of fashion disaster. GRADE A.

Bloomfield Hills (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Blackhawks went back to black helmets which made the most sense and brought a black uniform with purple lettering. I like this uniform a lot. The white uniforms look solid as well for Coach Dan Loria with the helmet. I like the uniforms as mentioned. GRADE A.

Blue

North Farmington (Uniform Provider-Home/Road-Nike, Third Jersey-Zenith): The Raiders went with three jerseys last season. The all black uniforms look very good. I also liked their home and road uniforms. They have the right design on the helmet but need to repaint the helmet. I think a gold or brown would make most sense with their jerseys. The uniforms look very good but they need to repaint the helmets. GRADE B.

Seaholm (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Maples went back to Maple helmets and went with an all Maple look at home and all white on the road. I think its ok but it’s not like the uniforms from two years ago. I wished the Maple helmet were with the old uniforms of the past. It’s an ok look but the jerseys are too plain. GRADE B.

Troy (Uniform Provider-Home-Nike, Road-Adidas): The Colts home uniforms look very good with the all black with the names on the back of the uniforms. The road whites are a complete disaster. The Adidas logo shows front and center with the TROY name and numbering in black font with the Colts logo on the elbows. It’s not a good look. If there is a team that really needs to change their road uniforms, this is it. GRADE C.

Troy Athens (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Red Hawks classic uniform design I really like with the gold helmet, red jersey, and gold pants. It’s the traditional look. They will wear red pants at times as well. The all white on the road looks very strong as well. I would like for Coach Tom Cook to at least put a Red Hawk bird on the helmet and not an A. The names on the back of the uniforms are perfect. I love the Nike uniforms they wear. GRADE A.

Farmington (Uniform Provider-Nike): This is not the best design when it comes to uniforms. I don’t like the helmet being white but the Falcon wings make up for it. The all blue look looks very good but the helmet doesn’t click. If there is a team that could go back to a classic look like they did with the Penn State look then Farmington might have a great shot to do so. GRADE B.

 

Gold

Berkley (Uniform Provider-Nike): This is one of the best uniform combos. I really like the all maroon look with maroon pants and blue helmets. The road uniform looks sharp as well. Both have name plates on the back. The helmet fits really nicely. Great uniform, yes indeed. GRADE A.

Royal Oak (Uniform Provider-???): The Ravens went with new uniforms on media day. The new jerseys have the Ravens name in white with blue numbering. The elbows are much better with the blue, white, blue stripes. The road ones are the same design. They have a black helmet to go with it. I forgot the designer they told me. This is a much better look and they made a video about the new uniforms. GRADE A.

Royal Oak Twitter.  https://twitter.com/ROHSFootball/status/1555634102019280897

Ferndale (Uniform Provider-Nike): The Eagles changed uniforms last season going to an all brown look. They still have an all yellow look and an all white look as well. The helmet is dark brown which I really like a lot. This is a great uniform that can make the colors work to their advantage. GRADE A.

Pontiac (Uniform Provider-Home-Russell Athletic, Third Jersey-Zenith, Road-Nike): The Phoenix have a solid color scheme. Pontiac has their traditional home purple uniforms with black pants. They wore a new black uniform with purple wings on them during Media Day, I really like them a ton. The road is white with all white uniforms looks very solid. I like the purple helmet, it matches all three uniforms very well. Pontiac does have three different uniform providers but I’ll live with it. GRADE A.

Avondale (Uniform Provider-Home/Third Jersey-Nike, Road-Adidas): The Yellow Jackets changed their home uniforms last season. I really like their home purple uniforms with the yellow pants. It’s very classic. I am not a fan of their road uniforms. I think the AVONDALE name is too small with the Adidas logo front and center along with the white pants. The all black third jerseys looks sharp. I want them to change the road uniforms, they are in need of an upgrade. GRADE B-