BOISE, Idaho (Sept. 23) - Less than a month into the football season, the Idaho Vandals are undergoing another makeover after spectators complained that cheerleaders' uniforms were flashing a little more than school spirit. After the football team dumped the school logo from the buttocks of their new pants, the university in Moscow got complaints that new two-piece cheerleader uniforms were too skimpy.
"A number of fans were concerned that the uniforms were inappropriate,'' said Bruce Pitman, dean of students. "To be fair, there were a number of fans who liked them.''
The outfits that drew controversy, halter tops and short black skirts with white trim, were similar to what an NFL cheerleader might wear, Pitman said. "I'm not quite sure what will happen to them,'' he said.
The cheerleaders coach ordered the uniforms and paid for them with $4,200 from a spirit squad fund, part of which is drawn from student fees, Pitman said. The squad has ordered new uniforms with $2,200 in private money, he added.
The new uniform is black and silver with a less revealing halter-style top and a skirt about six inches longer than the ones that cheerleaders debuted earlier this season, said Shelly Robson, an adviser to the spirit squad and a fundraiser for the athletics department.
The previous uniforms didn't flatter every member of the team, and some girls said their outfits were uncomfortable, Robson said. "Girls are just bigger these days, not everybody's a size zero,'' Robson said. "We're not being a bunch of prudes.''
For Idaho's most recent game, the cheerleaders ditched the skimpier uniforms in favor of black volleyball shorts and football jerseys. The new uniforms are expected to arrive by Oct. 4, when the Vandals host Nevada.
It's the second uniform adjustment for the school this fall.
Earlier this month the football team removed the UI logo sewn onto the seat of the pants after fans complained. Athletic Director Rob Spears says nobody realized earlier how the logo would look.
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