Admittedly, it took me a while to sort through this latest “bombshell,” if you can call it that, from LSU.

And I’m still not sure what it’s all about. Or rather, I guess, what the big deal is all about.

But in today’s explosive college football landscape, you ignore new developments at your own risk.

So let’s dive in. No telling what we’re going to find.

The email’s headline, straight from LSU, suggested that the school “made history Friday” as the “first college team to achieve near unanimous team participation” in …

Wait for it.

“Customizable Nike jerseys.”

Certainly don’t like the sound of that.

We’ve all seen the havoc Nike, Inc., can create with jerseys for its own show pony, whenever the University of Oregon removes any design, color and taste restraints from the manufacturer and lets it run amuck.

And if an LSU team full of 18-21-year-old know-it-alls is doing the “customizing,” no telling what new degree of ugly and tacky they might untap when they can all design their own jerseys.

Just, please, try to keep them away from the fingerpaint and …

Oh, but wait.

Sorry. No, that’s not it. Fortunately.

I’ve gone all through the literature on this thing and apparently whatever customizing is involved will be up to the fan, the buyer of the jersey.

And just go ahead and honk now if you already figured out that if LSU was involved something was going to be for sale for you to buy.

The details are still a little sketchy. LSU is promising to get back at you with more particulars.

This “customized” jersey will be the standard-issue LSU attire you see on the field on Saturday nights.

The hook?

You can get it with your favorite player’s number and name on the back.

Yes, this is what is being called “ground-breaking” and “historic” by LSU.

Society still seems torn as to whether it’s proper for full-grown adults to wear jerseys of kids half their age. Did the Supreme Court make a ruling or something?

And maybe I missed something. When did this become a novelty?

You see it all the time.

In 2019, for instance, there were (and still are) always a good 10,000 Joe Burrow jerseys running around the Tiger Stadium parking lot, maybe another 5,000 or so Joe Burreauxs.

As I understand it, in those customizable cases it was up to the buyer to put a player’s name on the jersey. I’d guess it can sometimes take a good 10-15 minutes.

But they’ve always been everywhere.

So what’s so historic about it?

Well, with name, image and likeness now legal, and with the help of an outfit called OneTeam Partners and its “co-branded” jerseys, it can be available with a player’s name already on it right off the shelf.

And — historic moment alert! — the player gets to keep a monetary share of the sale if they get in on the program.

There has to be a third-party involved — a buffer, senator, yeah, a buffer — because schools still can’t be paying players directly.

So it was up to One Team Partners to announce “What a moment for LSU!” when — what do you know? — the Tigers’ football team was “near unanimous in opting in” for the program.

Not sure why it wouldn’t be “full-on unanimous,” seeing how it’s free money for a college student.

But LSU was the first of One Team Partner’s several client schools to reach that threshold, needing less than 24 hours.

“There have been a lot of headlines in the last seven months,” a One Team Partner spokesperson said. “But this one is truly worth noting.”

Well, anyway, it’s worth noting and good to see that the Tigers opting “in” on something for a change. And you might wonder if the bowl jerseys edition will be available in players’ names who still opt out of those festivities.

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Scooter Hobbs covers LSU athletics. Email him at

scooter.hobbs@americanpress.com