Call it the black backlash.
An overwhelming majority of those who have posted comments about the new Kansas University marching band uniforms on the Journal World’s Web site had a similar sentiment — get rid of the black hats, shoes, pants and gloves.
Some, at least, had a sense of humor.
“I think this disaster can be salvaged,” wrote Rod Oelschlager, of Lawrence. “Simply change the name from the Marching Jayhawks to either the Funeral Flock or the Marching Mortuary.”
From the time the Journal-World unveiled the new uniform prototype in Thursday’s edition to Friday afternoon, 69 people had posted comments about the design.
The tally: Thirteen were positive toward the uniforms, 56 were critical. Nearly all of the negative comments concerned the black components.
Steve Hedden, dean of the school of fine arts, said he wasn’t surprised by the controversy. But he said there were no plans to change the uniform design, which was picked by a committee from the school.
“Certainly I recognize there are persons concerned about change,” he said.
Several of those expressing concerns about the uniform’s black elements said it was because they were a departure from the tradition of the current uniform design, which has been in place since the late 1960s. But Hedden noted every KU uniform before that was almost entirely black.
“All four years I was in the Marching Jayhawks (in the early 1960s) they were predominantly black,” Hedden said. “All those persons who are saying, ‘That’s not the tradition’ missed something in terms of the information that’s coming out.”
The uniforms will be purchased using more than $150,000 garnered in the Feather the Flock campaign, an effort of the Journal-World in cooperation with the school of fine arts, Topeka Jayhawk Club, KU athletic department and KU Endowment Association.
“It’s amazing how much money the Feather the Flock campaign was able to gain, yet it is a shame all this newfound money is going to one giant fashion faux pas,” said Elizabeth Baddeley, a KU senior from Overland Park. “Blue and black? Seriously, what are they, the marching bruises?”
Some other comments from the message board:
l “I think the black color is disgusting!” wrote Ken Nelson, a KU fan from Wichita. “The traditional uniforms represent the university in a much more positive manner. I know I will not make an effort to see them come marching down the hill anymore before football games.”
l “I can truthfully say that these uniforms just contribute to the destruction of the tradition that was the KU Marching Band,” wrote Scott McClure, of Kansas City, Mo., who marched in the band from 1976 to 1980. “I hope they cashed all the checks, because if not, there would be a lot of people putting stop payments on their contributions.”
Several others said the black uniform reminded them of uniforms from the universities of Missouri and Colorado.
But the uniform also had a few supporters:
l “The coats are very striking,” said Tim Swindoll, a senior from McPherson. “The black is just a base color and does not catch your eye at all. The colors you notice are the blue and crimson.”
l Kay Lynn Konda, a senior from Spearville who plays tenor saxophone in the band, said she had reservations about the black at first. But now she’s a supporter of the uniform.
“They are a great improvement from the old uniforms,” she said. “And yes, black is not the normal color everyone is used to seeing the Jayhawks in. However, it is a change that needs to be made.”
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