Seahawks helmets

[WSU151]

I just remember when OU switched to the metallic paint - I thought it was the coolest helmet ever.

I don't really like the O for some reason, but the color is pretty cool. Too bad the rest of their various uniforms are so up.

Gosh, sorry leopard, actually I was talking about Oklahoma when I used the "OU" - I completely spaced out that my post dealt with two schools that could be abbreviated UO or OU. Definitely my fault and I apologize - Although reading your post and my post over again, I wouldn't change a thing of what I said. Oregon's metallic paint is great indeed, except part of me misses the old UO on Oregon's helmets.

Anyway, I was actually trying to say that Oklahoma was the first school I noticed that really used the metallic paint well - especially for a school that went from a flat paint to a more fancy coat, and didn't change any other element of the helmet, logo wise. When I realized what had happened to the Sooners' helmets, I thought it was the coolest thing ever, especially in the year 2000.

[PackerBadger]

This seems to be an argument against helmets being the same color as jerseys -- because of the impossibility of matching the two. The Rams' helmets were famous for being much lighter than their royal blue jerseys. It isn't such an issue for, say, the Packers, with gold helmets over either green or white jerseys.

[TruColor]

The Rams' helmets were famous for being much lighter than their royal blue jerseys.

It was the other way around - the helmets were darker. In fact, for a while, the Rams listed TWO different Pantone colors to represent their Royal Blue:

[hawk36]

Why the darker blue for helmets? I remember the Chargers were the same way. Is there some sort of reason why the helmets needed to be darker?

[FiddySicks]

The Rams' helmets were famous for being much lighter than their royal blue jerseys.

It was the other way around - the helmets were darker. In fact, for a while, the Rams listed TWO different Pantone colors to represent their Royal Blue:

Now this looks horrible

[Puckguy14]

All the blue helmet teams (the exception of Denver) at the time prior to the metallic paints being used seemed to have that dark almost navy bluish helmet. I remember the New York (football) Giants had the same thing until their logo change in 2000.

[leopard88]

I just remember when OU switched to the metallic paint - I thought it was the coolest helmet ever.

I don't really like the O for some reason, but the color is pretty cool. Too bad the rest of their various uniforms are so up.

Gosh, sorry leopard, actually I was talking about Oklahoma when I used the "OU" - I completely spaced out that my post dealt with two schools that could be abbreviated UO or OU. Definitely my fault and I apologize - Although reading your post and my post over again, I wouldn't change a thing of what I said. Oregon's metallic paint is great indeed, except part of me misses the old UO on Oregon's helmets.

Anyway, I was actually trying to say that Oklahoma was the first school I noticed that really used the metallic paint well - especially for a school that went from a flat paint to a more fancy coat, and didn't change any other element of the helmet, logo wise. When I realized what had happened to the Sooners' helmets, I thought it was the coolest thing ever, especially in the year 2000.

No apology necessary. The Sooners also have cool helmets (paint AND logo).

[John in KY]

Why the darker blue for helmets? I remember the Chargers were the same way. Is there some sort of reason why the helmets needed to be darker?

A little helmet history - up until about 1970, all helmets except white were painted (and even the white Riddell helmets were painted gray on the inside to supposedly deaden the sound). In 1970 Riddell and other manufacturers started molding the shells in colors ("impregnating"), but the technology of the day only allowed for a handful of colors.

During the 1970s a lot of teams like the Rams, Chargers and Giants stopped painting the shells and just used the "standard" molded color, even if it was darker than their other colors. As time wore on, of course, Riddell and the others offered more color choices, like the lighter blue the Broncos used in the 1980s and 1990s.

Of course, everything goes in cycles; now it's fashionable to use the painted pearl and chrome finishes.

[hawk36]

Now this looks horrible

Interesting how in this pic the numbers and helmet actually seem to match but the sleeve blue doesn't. Lighting or reality?

[Cianfrocco]

You can see the difference quite a bit better with the blue jerseys. The Giants, for comparison, didn't look quite as bad. The jerseys were much darker and closer to the helmet.

[Chazberg]

You can see the difference quite a bit better with the blue jerseys. The Giants, for comparison, didn't look quite as bad. The jerseys were much darker and closer to the helmet.

Seeing these pics only confirms to me that the Rams need to bring back the horns-on-the-sleeves look, that rocked. Even if they keep the current color scheme.

[sourbelly]

I think the Moody Blues put it best:

Cold hearted orb

which rules the night

removes the colours from our sight

red is gray

and yellow, white

but we decide which is right

and which is an illusion.

Dang, that's deep!

[nwtrailtrekker]

The Rams' helmets were famous for being much lighter than their royal blue jerseys.

It was the other way around - the helmets were darker. In fact, for a while, the Rams listed TWO different Pantone colors to represent their Royal Blue:

Now this looks horrible

It doesnt look horrible to the average observer. only to us logo/jersey geeks here.

[tulanebc]

No I mean this is a vast difference.  Example is for instance, the Steelers helmets look just as black indoors as out.  White helmets look the same, Packers helmets look the same.  The Seahawks are very light blue metellic  indoors but turn much darker, non-metellic outside.

That is because the Seahawks use a metallic paint/shell, unlike the other teams/examples you cited (who might use pearl, but not metallic). Metallic finishes change dramatically in different conditions.

Just to add, the Steelers are still "old school" and use helmets molded from black plastic, so their shade doesn't change at all. It used to be very apparent when Jacksonville was in the same division and they played twice per year - the Steelers helmets were "plain" while the Jaguars were "pearl".

Not all white helmets look the same; for example the Dolphins helmet has the "pearl" finish; the Colts used to be pearl but I think they went back to plain white plastic shells when they brought back the darker royal blue and gray facemasks for the 2004 season.

Bob Ross sez........

"Happy helmets.....with a little ochre....this'll be happy....."

[sacker12]

I just remember when OU switched to the metallic paint - I thought it was the coolest helmet ever.

I don't really like the O for some reason, but the color is pretty cool. Too bad the rest of their various uniforms are so up.

Gosh, sorry leopard, actually I was talking about Oklahoma when I used the "OU" - I completely spaced out that my post dealt with two schools that could be abbreviated UO or OU. Definitely my fault and I apologize - Although reading your post and my post over again, I wouldn't change a thing of what I said. Oregon's metallic paint is great indeed, except part of me misses the old UO on Oregon's helmets.

Anyway, I was actually trying to say that Oklahoma was the first school I noticed that really used the metallic paint well - especially for a school that went from a flat paint to a more fancy coat, and didn't change any other element of the helmet, logo wise. When I realized what had happened to the Sooners' helmets, I thought it was the coolest thing ever, especially in the year 2000.

No apology necessary. The Sooners also have cool helmets (paint AND logo).

Actually, the official name for OU's helmet color is "Sooner Crimson Pearl". My high school football team started using that shade my junior year, so I already heard that term used a lot for the color of our helmets.

[awuestenfeld]

I just wish I could find the paint code for OU's helmet... anyone have that?

[lilgump]

Ahh the ram on the sleeve, only problem is you need sleeves to be able to do it.

Anyone else think its funny on the rams helmet, how the horns dont go all the way down they stop on the tag of the helmet, now that looks cheesy.

[TruColor]

I just wish I could find the paint code for OU's helmet... anyone have that?

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About the University of Oklahoma's Pantone Colors, But Were Afraid To Ask:

[leopard88]

Anyone else think its funny on the rams helmet, how the horns dont go all the way down they stop on the tag of the helmet, now that looks cheesy.

That is no longer the case since the redesign (see below), but I agree that it looked extremely cheesy before the problem was corrected.

[John in KY]

Anyone else think its funny on the rams helmet, how the horns dont go all the way down they stop on the tag of the helmet, now that looks cheesy.

That is no longer the case since the redesign (see below), but I agree that it looked extremely cheesy before the problem was corrected.

I think that was an artifact of the Rams switching from painted-on horns to decals sometime back in the 80s/90s. I was glad they returned to going all the way down to the edge of the helmet with the redsign.