Design A Cap Contest

In honor of international talk like a pirate day, I present link

Carolina’s helmet stripes are terrible.
I also hate that they have no silver on their whites. They have a silver helmet, a rather large portion (and rather important) of the uniform, and it isn’t represented anywhere.

I prefer stripe consistency throughout.
I think that helmets and pants should sync most of the time (sleeves with the socks). If not, helmet to sock, sleeve to pants.

I wouldn’t change a thing about the Patriots’ current uniforms. Those are the uniforms of champions.

[quote comment=”348868″]I wouldn’t change a thing about the Patriots’ current uniforms. Those are the uniforms of champions.[/quote]
They may be champions, but they don’t look it. They have mega uniform problems, especially on the road.
Like the Panthers absence of silver, how do you have the color of your helmet only represented on a little collar piping?

[quote comment=”348868″]I wouldn’t change a thing about the Patriots’ current uniforms. Those are the uniforms of champions.[/quote]

My initial impression when I first saw New England’s current uniform (it was a H of F game – I believe), I thought “that’s a uniform that won’t last” – i.e it was a weak attempt – and that New England was becoming the equivalent of the San Diego Padres in the 1970’s & 1980’s i.e. changing their uniforms every few years. Unfortunately they did one unforeseen thing with those uni’s, they started to win. Much tougher to get rid of an uninspired uni with that overhang.

Phil:

I’m tempted to say I wouldn’t care if the Browns wore tutus as long as they win…

If Mangenius insists on the brown pants why not replicate the striping on the helmet? One white stripe between two brown stripes with two orange stripes outside of that?

If it was my call I’d just go back to what Ozzie is wearing on that SI cover – the whole kit. Looking forward to Ricko’s tweaks tomorrow.

Sartell Sabres, huh? Well I’ve got just the logo. might seem a bit dated, though.

link

The Patriots could make a world of difference with what they have in stock now by simply wearing the silver pants with the white jersey. There are very few instances of any NFL uniform looking good with pants of any color than white, silver, or gold (or fake gold like the Steelers).

The only exceptions are mainly historical (Chiefs red, Browns orange) and if you notice in all of these cases the helmets match the pants.

In the Patriots case (I am a fan and hate the new uniforms, BTW), the stripes on the silver pants even work with the silly side panel on the white jersey, so just ditch the navy pants please!

[quote comment=”348868″]I wouldn’t change a thing about the Patriots’ current uniforms. Those are the uniforms of champions.[/quote]

You mean they look like this now? link ;)

I like the tweaks, but here’s an idea – the throwbacks look more like the British Redcoats to some of you? How about the old design with the new colors?

One other change I would make to the Saints’ uniform is to take the fleur-de-lis off the pants. Having it on the helmet, sleeves, and pants is overkill in my opinion.

Add the Panthers to my comment too.

Phil, great stuff! Up until the Titans, that is. I like the shoulder yoke, but I don’t like the number font. If you keep the yoke, give them regular block numbers and a double helmet stripe that doesn’t fade, now there’s a winner.

I agree with your comments about the color combos. I could see the navy over navy or mix and match only with a powder helmet, but my first suggestion would be better, IMO.

I prefer the old Rams, but the new ones are a close second. Didn’t think I’d like the white pants, but last week was my first time I got to see them for more than a few highlights.

And, as much as it pains this Steelers fan to say it, that 80s Browns white on white link is a classic beauty.

[quote comment=”348874″]The Patriots could make a world of difference with what they have in stock now by simply wearing the silver pants with the white jersey. There are very few instances of any NFL uniform looking good with pants of any color than white, silver, or gold (or fake gold like the Steelers).

The only exceptions are mainly historical (Chiefs red, Browns orange) and if you notice in all of these cases the helmets match the pants.

In the Patriots case (I am a fan and hate the new uniforms, BTW), the stripes on the silver pants even work with the silly side panel on the white jersey, so just ditch the navy pants please![/quote]I agree with you that the Pats’ blue pants need to go, but not because I think the colors you mentioned are the only acceptable ones to go with white jerseys. If the Pats’ helmets were blue, I think blue pants could work, but silver would not.

When wearing a white jersey, the pants should either be white or the same color as the helmet. That’s one of the reasons I love/hate the Steelers’ unis. I like their yellow pants with the black jerseys, but I really don’t like the way those pants look with the white jerseys. I think black pants would look a hell of a lot better with them.

I’ve never been a fan of color/white/different color (e.g. link).

Color/different color/white (e.g. link) is OK, though

I might be the only one, but I liked the first patriots “flying elvis” look, the one they wore in the 1997 Super Bowl. Royal blue looked much richer, the right colour pants with a better stripe, elvis on the shoulders, and most of all the subtle stripes on the jerseys. That was (IMO) a great look for them.

[quote comment=”348876″]One other change I would make to the Saints’ uniform is to take the fleur-de-lis off the pants. Having it on the helmet, sleeves, and pants is overkill in my opinion.[/quote]

I don’t know, I kinda like it. I also liked this fleur-de-lis treatment, link that might be a bit much for a football jersey…

I liked the old state logo link they had in the 80s.

If the Pats helmets were blue, blue pants would look better than silver – but it would look like a college team!

Helmets should always match pants – other than white pants.

That’s why the Chiefs look bad in all white. They look too top-heavy with the red helmet (especially without a helmet stripe).

The only exception I am almost willing to grant is the Dolphins’ aqua pants, which actually look ok even though the helmet is white. Of course, the Dolphins look a lot better in all white.

The Steelers are tough since they chose such a crappy color for their pants. That is why I lump them in with gold since they don’t look terrible with the current uniform set, but you can see how much better they would look with white pants when they wear their throwbacks.

I think the Browns need to ditch the brown pants entirely. Better with stripes than without, but they’re still ugly. They also need to ditch the white ones. Orange pants all the way, and go back to the white facemask.

As for the Panthers… the only way I’d want to see them change anything is if they were allowed to get rid of the white uniform entirely. I’d stick them in all-silver instead of white. The Patriots have used silver in place of white as an alternate jersey, why not let a team do it full time? Of course I’d love to go a step further and see the whole NFL play color vs color with the only white jerseys being used as alternates by teams like the Colts… but I’m probably in the minority there.

…and leave the Titans alone.

I think I actually agree with the rest of the fixes today.

[quote comment=”348879″]

I’ve never been a fan of color/white/different color (e.g. link).

Color/different color/white (e.g. link) is OK, though[/quote]

You still have to give the Lions a point for wearing *gray* socks instead of just using their regular blue ones.

[quote comment=”348879″][quote comment=”348874″]When wearing a white jersey, the pants should either be white or the same color as the helmet. That’s one of the reasons I love/hate the Steelers’ unis. I like their yellow pants with the black jerseys, but I really don’t like the way those pants look with the white jerseys. I think black pants would look a hell of a lot better with them.[/quote]

I’d rather see a yellow helmet than black pants. I know they’ve won all their Super Bowls in black helmets, but this is one fan who would rather see the old ones.

One more comment….

for the Saints, why didn’t you just say you wanted this:
link

with a single matching shade of gold. Much quicker…

Phil, the problem with all your NFL uniform suggestions is that there’s no room for uniqueness. Not everybody should have a plain jersey top and the same width pants stripes. Classic looks look good partly because modern uniforms exist to contrast them with; unobtrusive details like the Patriots’ unique pant stripe or the Titans’ yoke are the details that set those uniforms apart.

[quote comment=”348886″]One more comment….

for the Saints, why didn’t you just say you wanted this:
link

with a single matching shade of gold. Much quicker…[/quote]

My anti-spam word says it best – FINE.

Maybe a fleur-de-lis on the stripes, though? Either way, it’s mighty fine.

Phil,

Nice choice of teams to tweak, but I think you’re focusing on the wrong aspects of most of the teams.

Here are some very simple tweaks that would improve each team’s overall look.

Saints:
Matching gold on the jersey is a great idea.

Lose the black pants entirely. If they must have an alternate set of trousers, go with white.

For the gold pants, I like the idea of the white stripe down the middle of that huge black stripe, but get rid of the fleur de lis on the hip. It’s already on the sleeves and helmet.

Panthers:
Take the logos off the sleeves and hips and move the TV numbers from the shoulders to the sleeves.

Either remove the helmet stripes entirely or make them go all the way to the back of the helmet.

Rams:
I hated the redesign when I first saw it, but it only took a couple weeks for it to grow on me. I still prefer the previous version, but I actually like the current set. I think by far, it’s the best redesign of the last 20 years.

Anyway, there’s one thing I would change. Take the logo off the sleeves and bring back the horns with the TV numbers inside. I think this could look especially sharp on the white jerseys.

Browns:
No brown pants. Ever. Like the Saints, if they must have a second set, bring back the orange, but only wear them with the white jerseys.

Patriots:
I like the tweaks, but take Elvis off the sleeves and move the TV numbers there. Also, no blue pants at all, white only if they insist on a second set.

Ravens:
I agree with these tweaks, but I think this is a team that needs more than just tweaking. I think their colors are fine, but their number font is terrible, the helmet logo is also bad and although I like the crest on the sleeves, it really gives the unis the OMBS look.

Titans:
Stick with powder or white pants. The navy don’t look good with any combination they wear. Lose them.

Change the helmet completely, starting with the logo. Like the Panthers, they need to pick a lane with the stripes: either full ones or none at all. Maybe they should take note of the AFL throwbacks they’re wearing this year and go with powder blue instead of white.

Also, they should remove the sleeve logo and put the TV numbers there. The yoke can stay.

Agree with a number of posts, the number one thing I’d change with Pats would be minimize use of the navy pants.

And the original flying Elvis with royal jerseys indeed was a far better looking uni than people give it credit for being. We often gripe here about tems switching to navy from royal, yet somehow the Pats always get a pass when in fact they were among the first NFL teams to do it.

Speaking of royal blue, don’t forget there’s college football on Versus, too. First game today is Duke at Kansas (noon ET). Can’t remember last Duke was “on the teevee”. And Kansas, with their odd number font and all, is one of those uni that shouldn’t look good, but somehow it does. Maybe cuz it’s a look that, whatever it is, is theirs alone.

Don’t know about “this should always match that” theory. As soon as you say something like that you look up and see three teams that break the rule and look pretty good. Really is a team by team thing.

re: Lions getting points for gray socks with those stupid blue pants. Oh, I suppose. But if they put that much thought into it, you’d like to think they’d have realized the look just didn’t work.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”348887″]Phil, the problem with all your NFL uniform suggestions is that there’s no room for uniqueness. Not everybody should have a plain jersey top and the same width pants stripes. Classic looks look good partly because modern uniforms exist to contrast them with; unobtrusive details like the Patriots’ unique pant stripe or the Titans’ yoke are the details that set those uniforms apart.[/quote]

I see where you’re coming from with this. Yeah, I love the 50s Giants look, but I wouldn’t want every team to look like that. I’d like to see some teams go classic, some go a little crazy (I’m talkin’ lime green and dark blue Seahawks or the Las Vegas Locomotives) and the rest do something in between.

I just want to add an atta boy. The fact that a coach views this great site as a means to designing a cap is the ultimate compliment for you. UVA crossed sabers, rocking the V is an excellent logo, and the curve of an S would work well, even w/one sword under it. The main problem will be choosing the best, because the guys who do it here are amazing. That school is about to luck out big time ;-)

[quote comment=”348889″]Phil,