USA National Team - World Cup of American Football

[Patriot54]

The roster for the US National team is due to be announced today, so it's a good time to post this. The helmet logo is not original - I got it from a Google search, and colored in a b&w picture I found.

[neo_prankster]

Very patriotic. However, this uniform could use a little more red and white.

[Hat Boy]

Although it is nice, I think the logo on the helemt is a little too intricate.

I love the red/white collar with the star in front.

[budbowl77]

I wish our national teams would get more patriotic logos like that..i like it..very retro and modern at the same time

[BallWonk]

I love the balance here between red and blue. I think you've just perfectly nailed it, and I also really like the particular shade of blue you're using. Love the collar, too.

I'm a complete maniac for flag etiquette, though, and the U.S. Flag Code specifically prohibits the wearing of the flag on an athletic uniform. Get those flags off the shoulders. You can honor the American flag, or you can put it on a football player's uniform, but you can't do both.

The eagle logo on the helmet is so awesome, though, that I'll overlook the flags in the logo.

I just wonder, though: As beautiful as that helmet logo is, this is American football, right? So the United States is going to win the tournament now and for the foreseeable future. And not sort of squeak by, but pretty much dominate every second of every game the U.S. team plays. Given that, I think that a simpler helmet would be appropriate. Simpler, more elegant uniforms are more appropriate for confident, dominating teams. If the U.S. team puts a plain white star on a blue helmet, the star would immediately come to stand for total American domination of the sport. Nobody else could ever use a star pretty much anywhere on their uniforms. But the eagle logo is so complex that Albania and Russia and Germany and whoever else would have no problem putting their national-symbol eagles on their helmets. With this logo, the U.S. wouldn't own the concept of eagle-on-the-helmet. And I think the U.S. national football team needs a helmet design that it can completely own.

I still love the eagle logo, though. Maybe try a simpler and more distinctive helmet and put the eagles on the shoulders.

[xxjdm66]

The logo on the helmet is a little too Official/Governmental (SP?). Doesn't look right for a sports taem.

[Perfect Zero]

First, the uniform is great. I like the style, and it would complete it if you made a road uni. The only problem is the helmet, as the logo is great, but is too much.

[patsox]

Good concept. But a big improvement would be if you simplified the helmet logo.

[fkaKrock5cent]

The roster for the US National team is due to be announced today, so it's a good time to post this. The helmet logo is not original - I got it from a Google search, and colored in a b&w picture I found.

Awwww man, I was workin on this so ya kinda stole my thunder

Anyway, I like this. Its a good balance of colors and a nice design. (other than the helmate logo)

[mjrbaseball]

I'm a complete maniac for flag etiquette, though, and the U.S. Flag Code specifically prohibits the wearing of the flag on an athletic uniform. Get those flags off the shoulders. You can honor the American flag, or you can put it on a football player's uniform, but you can't do both.

And if you insist on flags on the shoulders, the flag on the right shoulder should be facing the other way, with the blue toward the front, as in this photo:

According to U.S. military protocol: The full-color U.S. flag cloth replica is worn so that the star field faces forward, or to the flag?s own right. When worn in this manner, the flag is facing to the observer?s right, and gives the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward. The rule dates back to the Army's early history, when both mounted cavalry and infantry units would designate a standard bearer, who carried the Colors into battle. As he charged, his forward momentum caused the flag to stream back. Since the Stars and Stripes are mounted with the canton closest to the pole, that section stayed to the right, while the stripes flew to the left.

[Patriot54]

Thanks for the input everyone - I'll change the flags so they face the other way and I tried a different helmet like BallWonk's suggestion.

Krock - I'm interested to see your version of the USA uni - let me know when you post it.

[kewp80]

I think the star is a little simple, I would try and use something more original, but I like everything else.

[mjrbaseball]

Flags on the shoulders should go like this:

[BallWonk]

I'm with kewp. The star is a good start, but it needs a little bit more character.

Flags on the shoulders should go like this:

This is false. It cannot be emphasized enough: There is no correct way to display the flag on the right shoulder of an athletic uniform. The U.S. Flag Code specifically states that the U.S. flag must never be affixed to an athletic uniform. To put the U.S. flag on the shoulders of this uniform is to disprespect the flag.

A football player's uniform regularly gets smeared in dirt, grass, and mud, manhandled, ripped, and thrown to the ground. So any flag affixed to that uniform will be soiled much of the time, ripped some of the time, and thrown to the ground every couple of plays. I'm willing to grant that people who deliberately violate the traditional rules of flag etiquette established in the U.S. Flag Code may nonetheless respect the flag. But smearing the Old Glory in mud, ripping it apart, and then displaying it is flag desecration.

[kewp80]

Wait, but don't soldiers in combat get smeared in dirt, grass, and mud, and are sometimes manhandled, ripped, and thrown to the ground. Not trying be disrespectful or anything, just saying.

[Pandaguy87]

I just wonder, though: As beautiful as that helmet logo is, this is American football, right? So the United States is going to win the tournament now and for the foreseeable future. And not sort of squeak by, but pretty much dominate every second of every game the U.S. team plays. Given that, I think that a simpler helmet would be appropriate. Simpler, more elegant uniforms are more appropriate for confident, dominating teams.

Now they might dominate, they might not. It's not really a competition full of professionals, so most of the American team are made up of college players, and a lot of them not in Division I. Basically it should be a fair game.

This is false. It cannot be emphasized enough: There is no correct way to display the flag on the right shoulder of an athletic uniform. The U.S. Flag Code specifically states that the U.S. flag must never be affixed to an athletic uniform. To put the U.S. flag on the shoulders of this uniform is to disprespect the flag.

A football player's uniform regularly gets smeared in dirt, grass, and mud, manhandled, ripped, and thrown to the ground. So any flag affixed to that uniform will be soiled much of the time, ripped some of the time, and thrown to the ground every couple of plays. I'm willing to grant that people who deliberately violate the traditional rules of flag etiquette established in the U.S. Flag Code may nonetheless respect the flag. But smearing the Old Glory in mud, ripping it apart, and then displaying it is flag desecration.

The US national baseball team had the flag on their jersey, and with the blue facing toward the front, and I don't think anyone did anything about it. The code says though it can be worn as a uniform, but does that really mean they can't use it at all? And can't they loophole and say they're a patriotic organization? I mean they are representing our country on an international level, that's rather patriotic.

[IronChefShark]

ok, this is for anyone out there who designs national team uniforms:

it should take more effort than just slapping a coat of arms or flag image of a certain country onto a uniform displaying those country's colors.

study up on the countries, its national symbols (animals, plants, celestial objects, etc..), and even its colors (there are quite a few national teams that wear different colors than thier national flag you know), and come up with your own original interpretation or even a cleaned up sports-oriented adaptation of said symbol.

once you guys start doing this, you will see how much you improve.

[Patriot54]

I don't see why they can't have flags on their sleeves, like US soldiers do, if they're officially representing our country. I do respect the flag etiquette, but I think some of those rules may be outdated. NFL players have the flag on the back of the helmet, and I think that's acceptable and doesn't show any disrespect to the flag. Also, don't they wear flag patches all the time in the Olympics?

If the flag gets ripped or dirty during the game, it should be seen as a tribute to our country and a reminder of the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that the players went through to represent the USA. Much like the tattered Civil War flags you might see displayed in a museum - they are torn to rags but it's not considered a sign of disrespect to save and display them. Not saying that a football game is comparable to war, but it's just about pride and patriotism.

Other possibilities for a logo could be something similar to the Ohio Glory logo, or you could have red and white stripes trailing off the star on the helmet. Or just go old school and have nothing on the side of the helmet, or players' numbers on there.

[Patriot54]

ok, this is for anyone out there who designs national team uniforms:

it should take more effort than just slapping a coat of arms or flag image of a certain country onto a uniform displaying those country's colors.

study up on the countries, its national symbols (animals, plants, celestial objects, etc..), and even its colors (there are quite a few national teams that wear different colors than thier national flag you know), and come up with your own original interpretation or even a cleaned up sports-oriented adaptation of said symbol.

once you guys start doing this, you will see how much you improve.

I agree, but I'm not too good at drawing logos. I did do plenty of research however. The eagle holding the flags was just an example for a possible logo. I don't think anything represents the US as much as an eagle - the coat of arms style isn't quite right, but I also wouldn't want it to be too modern because it would look cheap and corporate. I'm also picturing a cross between the Philly Eagles and Ohio Glory logos, but more dignified. Maybe incorporate red white and blue into the eagle's head somewhat like the Patriots logo.

For colors, I looked up the official RGB values for the US flag and I stayed strictly with those 3 colors. Gold and sometimes silver are used as an accent or outline, but I didn't want it to look like the Patriots by using silver. I also looked up old versions of US flags to get ideas for stripe patterns and stuff. Another thing to consider would be the number of stars and stripes displayed on the uniform. It's not accurately displayed in this concept, but I would try to get 50 stars and 13 stripes total (7 red stripes).

Would someone like to help come up with a good helmet logo?

[DJR118]

I'm with kewp. The star is a good start, but it needs a little bit more character.

Flags on the shoulders should go like this:

This is false. It cannot be emphasized enough: There is no correct way to display the flag on the right shoulder of an athletic uniform. The U.S. Flag Code specifically states that the U.S. flag must never be affixed to an athletic uniform. To put the U.S. flag on the shoulders of this uniform is to disprespect the flag.

A football player's uniform regularly gets smeared in dirt, grass, and mud, manhandled, ripped, and thrown to the ground. So any flag affixed to that uniform will be soiled much of the time, ripped some of the time, and thrown to the ground every couple of plays. I'm willing to grant that people who deliberately violate the traditional rules of flag etiquette established in the U.S. Flag Code may nonetheless respect the flag. But smearing the Old Glory in mud, ripping it apart, and then displaying it is flag desecration.

not saying you're wrong, but: