CFL Facemask Colours Post

[johnnysama 744]

(Yes, even though I am from the U.S., I used the Canadian spelling for this post.)

 

Here's something interesting that has been scarcely reported until now: Two years after the Kansas City Chiefs and the then-San Diego Chargers in the NFL introduced coloured facemasks to their helmets (white and yellow, respectively, replacing the then-standard grey), the B.C. Lions introduced the first coloured facemask to the CFL in 1976, with an orange one. That same year, the Montreal Alouettes unveiled a white facemask, both replaced the then-standard grey.
 

Over the next eight years, the CFL would see coloured facemasks become the norm; in 1977, the Calgary Stampeders would wear red facemasks (they switched to white in 1979, then black in 1982, which they've worn since), 1979 saw the both the Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders use white facemasks (the later team wore black from 1995 to 2007), 1980 saw both the Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers switch to white and blue masks, respectively, with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats switching to black masks in 1983, and finally, the then-Ottawa Rough Riders being the last to switch, using white ones in 1984.

By 1984, not a single CFL team wore a grey facemask. Pretty cool info, huh?

 

[Wade Heidt 366]

Roughriders did make changes to their helmet for 2008.  The wraparound helmet logo eliminated in favour of just the shield logo on the sides, but the black mask stayed around for 2008 and 2009.  Riders switched to white masks in 2010, same year they dropped the silver home pants for white home pants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mr.negative15 810]

On 11/4/2019 at 6:46 PM, Wade Heidt said:

Roughriders did make changes to their helmet for 2008.  The wraparound helmet logo eliminated in favour of just the shield logo on the sides, but the black mask stayed around for 2008 and 2009.  Riders switched to white masks in 2010, same year they dropped the silver home pants for white home pants.

I really hate that they did that. I feel like they really lost any unique-ness (I know that's not a word) when they did. Now they are just a template team. 

[johnnysama 744]

The Edmonton Eskimos have worn green facemasks since their uniform and logo refresh in 1996 on their yellow helmets.

[Wade Heidt 366]

11 hours ago, mr.negative15 said:

I really hate that they did that. I feel like they really lost any unique-ness (I know that's not a word) when they did. Now they are just a template team. 

 

I saw some old highlights on a CFL broadcast recently with that old helmet (showing S.J. Green's first catch which was against Saskatchewan).  Realized I miss that helmet when seeing it.

 

The logo design for Saskatchewan was based on the idea of having the wraparound logo on the helmet.  When that helmet was revealed before the 1985 season with the new uniforms, I thought it was such a cool look.  I remember seeing some early training camp footage in 2008 and thinking something did not look right, like part of the decal fell of the helmet.  Then realized the Riders had made the change upon closer look and the wraparound logo had been retired.

 

I get that the Riders are sticking with just the green and white uniforms and their current look.  I think bringing in a 3rd uniform based on the 1985-89 look would be a way to go.  At least let us see the wraparound logo with some silver and black trim again maybe a couple times a year.

[johnnysama 744]

22 hours ago, Wade Heidt said:

 

I saw some old highlights on a CFL broadcast recently with that old helmet (showing S.J. Green's first catch which was against Saskatchewan).  Realized I miss that helmet when seeing it.

 

The logo design for Saskatchewan was based on the idea of having the wraparound logo on the helmet.  When that helmet was revealed before the 1985 season with the new uniforms, I thought it was such a cool look.  I remember seeing some early training camp footage in 2008 and thinking something did not look right, like part of the decal fell of the helmet.  Then realized the Riders had made the change upon closer look and the wraparound logo had been retired.

 

I get that the Riders are sticking with just the green and white uniforms and their current look.  I think bringing in a 3rd uniform based on the 1985-89 look would be a way to go.  At least let us see the wraparound logo with some silver and black trim again maybe a couple times a year.

Wade: Re: The 1985 Saskatchewan Roughrider logo/uniform change:

I present to you a news article from the Ottawa Citizen. They introduced them on April 23, 1985.

[mkg74 222]

https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/2-edmonton-eskimos-football-john-mandarich-1985-terry-elniski.jpgI love the 85-89 Riders uniforms they borrowed from the USFL!

 

 

https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/2-edmonton-eskimos-football-john-mandarich-1985-terry-elniski.jpg

[Wade Heidt 366]

19 hours ago, johnnysama said:

Wade: Re: The 1985 Saskatchewan Roughrider logo/uniform change

I present to you a news article from the Ottawa Citizen. They introduced them on April 23, 1985.

 

Good stuff Johnny!  Thanks for sharing it.

 

I remember first seeing the uniforms in 1985 watching CBC's TV show Switchback, the Regina edition. 

 

Have tried to find footage of that show on YouTube or other articles and not much out there.

[Wade Heidt 366]

19 hours ago, mkg74 said:

I love the 85-89 Riders uniforms they borrowed from the USFL!

 

 

https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/2-edmonton-eskimos-football-john-mandarich-1985-terry-elniski.jpg

 

Of course it was the Seahawks and USFL Jacksonville Bulls as the other pro teams that already had similar wraparound helmet logos as the Roughriders when they introduced theirs in 1985.

 

I give a nod to the 1985-89 as a fave because of the sleeve stripes.  The sleeve stripes were removed in 1990, which was becoming a trend at the time.  Then in 1991, the Riders brought in green pants in favour of silver pants to acknowledge the 25th anniversary of their first Grey Cup win.  Wearing mono-green (like the 1966 team) at home just for that 1991 season and being a definite downgrade compared to 1985-89.  Silver pants were at least back for the home uniforms in 1992.

 

 

And now we are stuck with the Riders wearing mono-green at home today.  Really hoping the Riders go with green over white at home for their next uniform redesign.

[johnnysama 744]

Pictures of the Calgary Stampeders in red facemasks are hard to come by, but this action shot of John Hufnagel circa 1977ish shows the red masks.

[Wade Heidt 366]

56 minutes ago, johnnysama said:

Pictures of the Calgary Stampeders in red facemasks are hard to come by, but this action shot of John Hufnagel circa 1977ish shows the red masks.

 

We did get to see some Calgary Stampeders games in the red masks again when they wore those throwback alternates in 2010.

 

 

[mr.negative15 810]

On 11/9/2019 at 11:34 PM, Wade Heidt said:

 

We did get to see some Calgary Stampeders games in the red masks again when they wore those throwback alternates in 2010.

 

 

I really hope the Stamps go to this look soon. This is so superior to the monochrome mess they wore this weekend. 

[Wade Heidt 366]

Yep, this Stampeders look of red with silver trim was nice.  

 

Some other CFL uniform observations. 

 

-Since we are speaking about silver pants, lets mention the abandonment of them by the league's clubs.  Currently no CFL team wears silver or grey pants.  Only 15 years ago (2004), as many as a 3rd of the teams regularly wore silver pants, at least at home (Lions, Roughriders, and Alouettes).

 

-By 1985, only a few season after teams started to do this, each team wore their logo on the sleeve or shoulders of their jerseys.  A 3rd of the teams these days do not. 

[johnnysama 744]

I have been able to glean more info about the B.C. Lions. The team introduced its 1978-89 logo (which is still used despite some minor changes to the colour arrangement and small design tweaks along the way) on December 15, 1977. I found this off an ebay listing.

[Stampman 82]

On 11/9/2019 at 9:34 PM, Wade Heidt said:

 

We did get to see some Calgary Stampeders games in the red masks again when they wore those throwback alternates in 2010.

 

 

I love that look, I wish they would do something along those lines again.

[nash61 1,218]

34 minutes ago, Stampman said:

I love that look, I wish they would do something along those lines again.

Though I think it should be grey face masks, oddly enough.

[Wade Heidt 366]

Thinking that there likely was only ever one 2-colour facemask in CFL history?  From the infamous Signature Series alternate uniforms.  The Saskatchewan Roughriders helmet.

 

 

[Wade Heidt 366]

Can't think of any teams that permanently changed their facemask colour for their regular uniforms in mid-season, except for one.  The Roughriders started wearing their white road helmets in 2012.  It had a green mask initially.  They wore the green mask on the helmet during a lot of the 2013 season.

 

 

By playoff time during the 2013 season, they started wearing the white mask on the white helmets.  This was a permanent switch.  Continued to wear the white mask until the white road helmets were discarded of after the 2015 season.

 

[nash61 1,218]

The Toronto Argonauts should always have contrasting facemasks.

 

 

 

 

[mkg74 222]

On 11/11/2019 at 4:15 PM, Wade Heidt said:

Yep, this Stampeders look of red with silver trim was nice.  

 

Some other CFL uniform observations. 

 

-Since we are speaking about silver pants, lets mention the abandonment of them by the league's clubs.  Currently no CFL team wears silver or grey pants.  Only 15 years ago (2004), as many as a 3rd of the teams regularly wore silver pants, at least at home (Lions, Roughriders, and Alouettes).

 

-By 1985, only a few season after teams started to do this, each team wore their logo on the sleeve or shoulders of their jerseys.  A 3rd of the teams these days do not. 

The CFL started that trend(logos on sleeves) i'd ;like to think then the USFL then the NFL finally caught on.