When in Rome… Or in Sheboygan Falls…

I spent the last three days in the fair state of Wisconsin, where I was privileged to watch yesterday’s Packers/Bills game at the excellent Falls Tap, a nice joint with a friendly crowd, some interesting upholstery, and a nice bonus that’s handed out to all patrons with every Packers score. A swell place to watch a football game.

And of course I wore something special for the occasion. No, not my Packers-patterened socks — I mean, I did wear those, but that wasn’t the special part. See that crew-collared undershirt peeking out from beneath my flannel shirt? As some of you have probably figured out already, that’s actually the excellent Packers dickey that Jeff Fedenko generously gave me earlier this year. First time I’ve worn it outside the house, and I don’t mind saying I felt pretty damn cool knowing I was the only person in an entire bar of Packers freaks wearing such a unique item. Probably.

Double-brat-sized thanks to Robert Marshall, the best Midwestern road trip partner a fella could ever hope for. Next round’s on me, buddy.

I didn’t have wifi access for most of the weekend and didn’t get back to Uni Watch HQ until nearly midnight. Did my best to plow through all the e-mails that piled up, and Phil forwarded me a few items that came his way, but it was late, I was tired, blah-blah-blah. So if your submission isn’t listed today, or if it’s listed but isn’t properly credited, my apologies — I had to cut a few corners.

With that proviso in mind, let’s address some uni-notable items from the weekend’s gridiron action:

• Vikes wore their throwbacks yesterday. All together now: They should just go with this look every week (although it would be nice if they helmet and jersey colors matched up).

• The ’Skins once again wore their gold pants and striped socks. All together now: They should just go with this look every week (or at least whenever they wear the burgundy jerseys).

• Speaking of the ’Skins, you don’t often see NFL players wearing Adams helmets anymore, but reader Dan Herr spotted LaRon Landry wearing one (plus he’s got the Clinton Portis thing going on with the leg warmers and the no-show socks).

• Texans DB Kareem Jackson’s NOB had a backwards K yesterday.

• See that little “99” decal on the back of the Bears’ helmets? That’s a memorial decal for Gaines Adams. It was announced way back in May and was also worn last week, and I think in the preseason too, but I didn’t notice it until just yesterday and I haven’t seen any mention of it anyplace else. Pretty amazing that an NFL uni adjustment slipped by all of us like that.

• You know how the new Reebok fabric often makes jersey sleeve stripes look all warped and distorted? They must be using a new fabric for the pants now too, at least judging by Terrell Thomas’s pants striping. Phil says, “Actually, it’s not a bad look,” but I beg to differ.

•  As you’ve probably heard by now, a certain piece of Brandon Jacobs’s uniform had a little adventure last night.

• Chad Henne’s earholes were covered up yesterday, presumably so he wouldn’t be distracted by the Metrodome noise. Back in Week 1, his earholes were open.

• The Broncos still have the old AFC logo on their stadium railing/wall/etc. (what do you call that anyway?). I’m told that same logo is still being used in the Indy endzones too, but no photo on that one.

• The Revo Speed helmets are apparently messing with equipment managers’ heads. Look at the helmet logo on one of the UMass players on Saturday. Seems like it would’ve fit normally, no?

• Here’s the highest roman numeral I’ve ever seen on an NOB. That’s Will Henry of Nebraska.

• Wyoming wore “special” (read: really sucky) uniforms on Saturday. Additional photos here, and more info here).

• We’ve talked before about the idea of putting stripes on football undersleeves, since the jerseys don’t really have sleeves anymore. And if you’re gonna put the stripes and other graphics on the undersleeves, why not put the TV numbers there too>? That’s Bucknell defensive lineman Robert De La Rosa, in a photo taken over the weekend by Tris Wykes. Intriguing, no?

Oh, and after all those rumors, Auburn didn’t wear blue pants or blue helmets. Meanwhile, let’s hear it for their drum majorettes’ logo-emblazoned boots.

Uni Watch News Ticker: As you may have heard, NYC is practically hip-deep in bedbugs these days, and I must say the little critters couldn’t have chosen a nicer shop to infest. Now could someone please direct them to the Wilpons’ private box? ”¦ Jeff Moulden notes that the space between the wings on the Eagles’ throwback helmets was different in Week 1 than it was when the throwbacks were unveiled. “Prior to I think 1986, the wings were closer together, like what they wore on the field in Week 1,” he says. “But the team moved them farther apart around 1987. I am unaware how they were in 1960.” ”¦ Here’s the Rangers’ 85th-anniversary logo, which will be used as a patch and also at center ice (with thanks to Chris Hernandez). ”¦ David Weber sent a long a photo of this great 1938 Waukesha High School letterman’s sweater. ”¦ Lots of new goalie masks on display here (with thanks to Scott Lederer). ”¦ Vernona Elms notes that the Nats’ mug shot for Yunesky Maya shows him rather formally attired. “One would assume that it’s the photo from his signing announcement press conference, but I prefer to believe that he’s just a really sharp dresser who always wears a dress shirt and tie, no matter what the situation,” she says. ”¦ John Freeman spotted an interesting logo on Koji Uehara’s glove. ”¦ New third kit for Everton FC (with thanks to Kent Green). ”¦ A Utah engineer has created the smallest logo ever (thanks, Brinke). ”¦ Never seen a contemporary football team with a chest logo like the one being worn by Jasper High in Texas (nice find by Chris Mycoskie). ”¦ Lots of great old 1940s Penn State hockey photos at the bottom of this page (with thanks to Dustin Allgeier). ”¦ Fun story about the teenager who designed Niklas Backstrom’s mask (with thanks to Joubn Muir). ”¦ Also from John: Check out the Sabres’ mascot wearing the new third jersey. ”¦ Here’s something I’d missed back in August: The Blue Jays stenciled Dave Stieb’s number onto the mound, in a period-appropriate font, to mark the 20th anniversary of his no-hitter (thanks, Brinke). ”¦ New ball in the works for Japanese baseball (with thanks to Jeremy Brahm). ”¦ You know how some NHL teams have added front-jersey uni numbers in recent years, like the numbers on the Buffaslug jerseys? I don’t like them, but Devils P.A. announcer Kevin Clark does: “I sit ice-side right at the red line between the penalty boxes, along with the off-ice officials, and being able to see the number as the player skates towards us into the penalty box is a HUGE help! We have just a few seconds to write the penalty info down before play resumes. I am also asked to make the announcement as soon as the puck is dropped, so being able to identify the player quickly helps everyone. I am going to request that all teams have the numbers on front!” ”¦ Twins call-up Ben Revere has been wearing a face-guard on his batting helmet (as noted by Brandon Davis). ”¦ One of the photographers at yesterday’s Yanks/O’s game was wearing an NFL Films tee — and with the outdated NFL logo to boot. ”¦ Here’s Michael Orr‘s latest round of Premier League kit assessments. ”¦ You know how some folks think NOBs put too much emphasis on the individual, instead of the team? People were saying the same thing a century ago about uni numbers. Check out this 1910 article about numbers being added to Michigan’s jerseys (awesome find by Greg Dooley). ”¦ The U.S. Ryder Cup team is gonna be looking my-t-suave this year (thanks, Brinke). … One last bit of goalie news from John Muir: “Rick DiPietro is breaking in some camouflage-accented pads. It’s well known (to Isles fans) that DP’s dad served in Vietnam and that this, paired with playing in Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, it has inspired the patriotic/military themes of his last few mask designs, but he’s gone another step with the camo trim.”