The NEW New Orleans Saints

[BlueSky]

They can roll it out tommorrow...but we can't lose thje gold helmet....

Just curious...why is the gold helmet sacred to you?

As for the golds not matching, that's another problem and not really germane.

The &%*$# Germans got nothin' to do with it!

(If you've seen Smokey and the Bandit that'll mean something to you...)

Gothamite, you should do a concept using your color ideas. Personally I disagree that it would work well but I'd sure like to see it. The helmet might look something like this painting from the mid-60's, before the details of the Saints' uni and logo were finalized:

I have the poster version of this framed in my home. It's part of what my wife half-jokingly calls my "Saints shrine."

[CAVALIER]

I just think that to me, the Gold helmet representd the history and of the franchise, and elegantly displays the FDL....I would rather a white helmet than hte accursed "black so we look thuggish" helmet.....

[BlueSky]

Your point is valid about the gold helmet, and if the Saints had a "normal" history, I'd consider it sacred too. Fact is, the Saints overall have a horrid history and the more we can break from it, the better, IMO of course. Thus the white helmet in the concept.

Thanks for explaining your point of view.

[BlueSky]

A board member named MG Helmets made this at my request. Wow!

Here's MG Helmet's website. Have a look, he has some great stuff on there.

[CAVALIER]

I don't know if you're local in NOLA but the Saints gm was on and said that the LA patch may be back permanently next season...they haven't decided....he also said there would be slight changes to the uni...

[gerry mcnamara]

simply awesome.....i could honestly see them change to these.

[knightranger]

First of all, I agree that the Saints need a complete departure from what they have. A fresh start. I really like the white helmets and for the most part, all of the concepts. Like others have mentioned, when I first saw the uniforms I immediately thought "Rams"

[CAVALIER]

Well when I saw the rams new unis with the gold, I thougt...Saints...

[BRYWHIT]

A big fat No thank you. they need new unis but I'd keep the old ones for a thousand more years before these.... YUCK!

[CAVALIER]

A big fat No thank you. they need new unis but I'd keep the old ones for a thousand more years before these.... YUCK!

That is a bit mean, don't you think? Considering you're obviously a Saints fan as well. Do you think Tulane should go back to the white helmets?

[BlueSky]

A big fat No thank you. they need new unis but I'd keep the old ones for a thousand more years before these.... YUCK!

Hey, thanks for that insightful feedback.

Can you be more specific about exactly why you despise them?

[BRYWHIT]

A big fat No thank you. they need new unis but I'd keep the old ones for a thousand more years before these.... YUCK!

Hey, thanks for that insightful feedback.

Can you be more specific about exactly why you despise them?

Sorry if that was over the top but I dont like them. Here's why:

Helmets... The gold helmet doesn't need any modification other than something possibly done to the stripping. Would you give the Bears orange helmets or the Packers green helmets? The Saints PRIMARY colors are BLACK and GOLD. Maybe a black helmet has some precedents but definitely not white. sorry thats my opinion.

The overall uniform looks too fussy... too much happening. I perfer the old school sholder stripping from the 60's-70's. Again this is just my preference.

Those number fonts are like the Ravens, no? I hate curvy sarif fonts. Plain block font is tried and true.

That being said I encourage anyone to keep doing concepts. I enjoy looking at them. Maybe because Im so close to this team is why I disliked your concept so. Isn't America great?

[BRYWHIT]

A big fat No thank you. they need new unis but I'd keep the old ones for a thousand more years before these.... YUCK!

That is a bit mean, don't you think? Considering you're obviously a Saints fan as well. Do you think Tulane should go back to the white helmets?

No. I think Tulane's unis are perfect now... except for the strange pelican sholder patch.

[tBBP]

Say Russ...I guess we can't win them all, huh bruh???

Well...after having gone back through all the C&C left here, I think Russ is probably churning up some ideas for revisions at this moment. Keep in mind, all, this is HIS concept idea--I'm just the one who executed it--well, with a few ideas/suggestions thrown in. But--for the most part, this really is HIS concept idea--and a very good one, I believe. Just wanted to clarify that. And, for the record, I think a white Saints dome--hell, featuring white in this scheme period--is a drastic move that could very well work! (I especially think so now that I see skyAA1'a new sig image.)

Stay tuned, peoples--updates forthcoming.

[BlueSky]

Thanks for elaborating. To be as candid as you were, you sound like quite the traditionalist.

My thinking for white helmets was 1) a change is needed from the tired gold and 2) black is way overdone all over the league. As stated in the intro, seeing Georgia Tech's throwbacks on the field really sold me on how sharp the white helmet could look.

Old-school shoulder and sleeve striping simply doesn't work with today's jersey cuts. There are no sleeves on most jerseys. For example, Ben's sleeve looks great here but the lineman? Not so much:

...and if they can't make the damn stripe go all the way around, forget it. The Colts just look ridiculous IMO:

As for plain block numbers, that's a change I'd be fine with. I can't speak for Bucco_B but I don't feel married to that font and my guess is he doesn't either.

Last but not least, I've been a Saints fan since 1969 and everything I've ever seen lists their colors as Old Gold, Black, and White. That "primary" designation only exists in people's heads. If you can show something official saying otherwise, bring it on and I'll be happy to eat my words. With some Cajun seasoning and a side of dirty rice of course.

[tBBP]

Speaking of those number fonts...you are absolutely right, Russ--I am in no way married or resigned to regular block. In fact, I don't think any of my concepts since my USPS set even used block numbers. I'm one for originality, and to me, a number font is just as much a token of such as is overall uniform design--hell, to me, it's one of the more important elements, which is why I spend so much time poring over number options for the concepts I do make.

As far as my overall mindframe when doing designs...it's a concept I developed during my studies in my degree program...complexity within the confines of simplicity. (So, yes, to a SLIGHT degree, yes, Russ--I am a lil' bit of a traditionalist, in a sense. I see it more as "controlled craziness"--the degree of craziness depending on the team, more dependent on the nickname.)

Anyway...getting back to this concept thread, and your most previous post, I agree completely about your remarks about today's sleeve cuts and those dog-awful shoulder stripes of the Colts. It IS possible for those things to go all the way around...all the Colts need to do is adapt a different jersey cut and style. If the Panthers, Patriots, Rams, and Vikings can get their shoulder striping to wrap under the armpit, so can the Colts--and, if they ever were to choose to do so, the Saints...

And oh, by the way...if it somehow does come to pass, Russ, that someone does make you eat your words--with a side of cajun spice and dirty rice--could you get a big bowl of creole-boiled crawfish on the side and express-ship them thangs on up this way, please???

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

i know alot of people mentioned the rams, but maybe i'm the only one that thought old broncos not rams. overall it is flawlessly executed.

some issues though.

a) white helmet. I'm not a big fan of white helmets unless the team has a history of wearing them. ie bills, patriots, titans/oilers, jets, colts etc. Theres already a wee bit too many teams wearing white helmets. When i think saints, i think gold helmet. again thats probably me being accustomed to seeing the saints with something other than a gold helmet. Though i do understand the desire to break from that.

no gold pants. again being accustomed to seeing them with gold pants, it's a bit wierd not seeing them in anything other than gold pants. I personally think the gold pants gives a nice contrast to the uniform. Though going with gold pants i think renders the concept moot since the motive is to break from their current history with out overhauling the look.

C)numbers. not an issue with me but with other people that have responded. I personally like the numbers since it gives them a new type of feel instead of going block. the saints don't really have much of a history of winning of anything significant to warrent the imposition of block numbers. I kinda think a curvy type of number fits the curvyness of the logo better than block numbers. but thats me.

D)color scheme. again not an issue with me but was mentioned by others. i don't know if i like the idea of adding purple, green, blue, sky blue etc to the color scheme. i agree the uniforms they wear could be updated but i don't think the color scheme needs an overhaul. It kinda gives them a distinctive feel. going with old jazz, hornets etc makes it seem like they are just another NO team. Its pretty recognizable and makes them stand out.

I don't know if i want to see them wear this on the field, but it really looks nice from a concept POV. its really not inconcievable that they wouldn't trot something like this out as it does have that new uniform feel that you get when you see a team change for the first time.

[Discrim]

The gold helmet doesn't need any modification other than something possibly done to the stripping. Would you give the Bears orange helmets or the Packers green helmets?

just speaking for me, in order-a very small possibly and hell no. cus for the Bears, any orange helmet I'd envision would have to use a bear head, my mind's eye pictures an orange helmet with blue C and it aint pretty. and for the Pack, you'd have to modify a few things before a green helmet would look half decent...you'd either have to use a green G on gold oval, or do away with the oval entirely; also, you'd have to alter the helmet stripes for obvious reasons. Don't even get me started on the pants. Bluntly, I'd be far more open to the Pack adopting white helmets and pants...either as an inverse of the regular coloration or do it LSU style, with thin gold striping between the green and white.

Back on topic, I'm a fan of the helmet, and I prefer the primarily gold set out of the three of em.

[Mings]

A big fat No thank you. they need new unis but I'd keep the old ones for a thousand more years before these.... YUCK!

That is a bit mean, don't you think? Considering you're obviously a Saints fan as well. Do you think Tulane should go back to the white helmets?

No. I think Tulane's unis are perfect now... except for the strange pelican sholder patch.

You are from New Orleans and don't know what the patch stands for? Come on man.

As far as the white helmets go...hell no to Tulane going back to them and no thanks on this one. I don't like the Saints, but the gold helmet should stay. I also think the set in general looks too collegiate. I would try pushing the envelope without going Nike on it. Try something very sophisticated and simple, yet something we haven't seen before.

[BlueSky]

A big fat No thank you. they need new unis but I'd keep the old ones for a thousand more years before these.... YUCK!

That is a bit mean, don't you think? Considering you're obviously a Saints fan as well. Do you think Tulane should go back to the white helmets?

No. I think Tulane's unis are perfect now... except for the strange pelican sholder patch.

You are from New Orleans and don't know what the patch stands for? Come on man.

As far as the white helmets go...hell no to Tulane going back to them and no thanks on this one. I don't like the Saints, but the gold helmet should stay. I also think the set in general looks too collegiate. I would try pushing the envelope without going Nike on it. Try something very sophisticated and simple, yet something we haven't seen before.

Sure, no problem! We'll get right on that.

But seriously, one of the things I picked up from Bucco_B was being open minded about criticism and taking the time to understand what's behind someone's point of view. So what's "collegiate" about this set in your view and why do you think the gold helmet should stay?