NFL 2010-2011

[Harmening]

If we're going to use that as the criteria, then the Colts, Steelers, Browns, Bears and Packers are all "detriment(s) to the overall aesthetic of the NFL". They all have sleeve stripes which are in some way truncated by the contemporary uniform templates (not to mention the new one next year, which will make the problem much, much worse).

I agree somewhat, but none of those teams look nearly as sloppy as this:

Yes, they do.

[Gothamite]

We'll have to agree to disagree, then. This is equally offensive to my eye:

Especially considering it's the Papa Bear tribute that's being cut off there. Offensive visually, and disrespectful to the founder as well.

But those are teams with excellent design, if sometimes poor execution. If we're seriously considering "detriment(s) to the overall aesthetic of the NFL", then there are a few with legitimately awful aesthetics:

[The_Admiral]

If the NFL cared as much about its uniforms being uniform as it does about standardizing the mini-camp logo, we'd be set.

[Gothamite]

In fairness, the NFL is better about this than some other leagues we could mention. At least they crack down on morons who try to personalize their uniforms.

That's why they're introducing a new template - the league is trying to eliminate the three or four different templates that teammates may teams wear, in favor of one that fits all 53 men. The NFL is trying to make its uniforms more uniform.

[Quillz]

In fairness, the NFL is better about this than some other leagues we could mention.

That's why they're introducing a new template - the league is trying to eliminate the three or four different templates that teammates may teams wear, in favor of one that fits all 53 men.

When you say one template, does that mean one home uniform, one road uniform and one alternate? 

[Gothamite]

No, I mean the physical construction of the jersey.

I can't speak for all teams, but I know that the Packers currently have three different jersey templates - one for linemen, with ultra-short cap sleeves and more elastic through the body, one for QBs and special teams, with flowing open-ended sleeves, and the standard with regular body and elastic cuffs.

That's being phased out, as all players will adopt the

The Giants have been at the forefront of the testing - compare Eli Manning's jersey from a couple seasons ago with the one he wore last year:

[Harmening]

No, I mean the physical construction of the jersey.

I can't speak for all teams, but I know that the Packers currently have three different jersey templates - one for linemen, with ultra-short cap sleeves and more elastic through the body, one for QBs and special teams, with flowing open-ended sleeves, and the standard with regular body and elastic cuffs.

That's being phased out, as all players will adopt the

The Giants have been at the forefront of the testing - compare Eli Manning's jersey from a couple seasons ago with the one he wore last year:

I never noticed that they got rid of the red triangle on the collar.

[Gothamite]

Yep, the old collar construction is gone. Packers, unfortunately, are keeping the Gregg neck stripes.

Just saw my typo above: that should be "That's being phased out, as all players will adopt the same jersey cut."

[TheOldRoman]

We'll have to agree to disagree, then. This is equally offensive to my eye:

Especially considering it's the Papa Bear tribute that's being cut off there. Offensive visually, and disrespectful to the founder as well.

I disagree. The Bears' sleeves look like they could be somewhat natural. For one, when the players aren't in action shots with their arms up you can usually see two stripes at least. You can see all three stripes on the linemen. Players are moving their arms, sleeves ride up, so you maybe wouldn't be able to see every stripe at any time. If you take a shot of a player from the 80s getting tackled and with his sleeves pulled on, it might look at least somewhat like that (in terms of not seeing every stripe, obviously the sleeves and stripes were bigger). No natrual action could ever represent the mess the Jets' uni does. Unless a player was getting tackled from behind, with one hand on each shoulder, pulling the jersey up and outward. For one, even if they did just a white-green stripe, it would look better. Hell, eliminate that fabric and sew one single green stripe from armpit to armpit and it would be perfect. I think the Bears uniform fails in appliation, whearas if I were to wear a Devin Hester gamer, you would be able to see all the sleeve stripes. The Jets uniform fails by design. In no way would that ever look acceptable. Now, I think the Bears could do something to address this, I just don't think it is nearly as egregious as the Jets.

In fairness, the NFL is better about this than some other leagues we could mention. At least they crack down on morons who try to personalize their uniforms.

I don't think they do. For all the "no fun league" stuff, they don't enforce their own rules on sleeves and socks. We know the attrocity that is Chris Hovan. Some players wear socks pulled high with almost no color showing, some players wear them low with little to no white. Some players just wear full length UnderArmour posing as socks. An arguement can be made for the bastardization of sleeves. No arguement can be made for why players need to wear their socks like that. The only recent examples I can think of is Santonio Holmes and a player on the Bucs last year being told to put on actual socks after playing an entire half in plain white socks. They need to address all of it.

[Gothamite]

At least the players get fined for their sock nonsense. Much as I love Selig as a Commish, I'm not aware of him ever fining a player who walks on his pant cuffs.

[TheOldRoman]

At least the players get fined for their sock nonsense. Much as I love Selig as a Commish, I'm not aware of him ever fining a player who walks on his pant cuffs.

See my above example. I hadn't heard that the NFL even fined those guys, just forced them to put on actual game socks. Maybe they fined them, also. Either way, the NFL won't care unless they wear plain crew socks or do something stupid like Clinton Portis did.

I never even heard of Hester getting fined (and I am in Chicago) for wearing his socks like this several times:

They should fine every player who doesn't show the proper amount of team color, too much or too little.

[Gothamite]

Woodson's been repeatedly fined for his socks.

As for the Jets, the design was plenty good back when players had sleeves:

[tBBP]

That's why they're introducing a new template - the league is trying to eliminate the three or four different templates that teammates may teams wear, in favor of one that fits all 53 men. The NFL is trying to make its uniforms more uniform.

This is my problem with the NFL--or any sports league, for that matter--giving one outfitter an exclusive contract to produce its on-field/court/ice uniforms. I could be completely wrong about this, but it seems to me that could also mean that one company (we'll just say RbK in this specific instance) wouldn't care so much about quality as it would quantity. And I have noticed over the years, even with RbK's replica and authentic fan apparel jerseys, that the quality just doesn't seem to be up to par with what it used to be when multiple teams were using multiple suppliers. The other thing about that (at least with fan merch anyway) is they've continuously jacked up prices even while the overall quality seems to have declined (speaking specifically of replics NFL jerseys, which can now be easily $80-something). Flipping this back over to the on-field uniforms, I often wonder if they would look better (to us) if, say, team w's jerseys were made by Company X vs team Y whose uniforms were produced by company Z (in this case, RbK). RbK has no competition in the NFL right now+, so they can design whatever template or "cut" they want, irregardless of adaptability to certain designs or sizes of players (we saw what happened when Edge was introduced to the NHL), and...well, we all see how they look now.

That's just my two cents on the matter...feel free to tear it to shreds.

[TheOldRoman]

I didn't know Woodson had been fined. I hadn't heard of anyone fined recently. If it is the case that he and others shrug off the fine, they need to double it every game until their entire checks go to charity. This isn't "wear your jeans to work day".

[rentz]

You know, there are certain angles at which the Viking's jersey looks pretty good-- for example Tavaris Jackson in the picture earlier on this page. I think the shoulder stripe looks pretty nice, especially as an allusion to the horn on the helmet. But then I notice the stupid side panels, the dumb number font, and the stupid segmented-pants stripe illusion that doesn't work half the time when they go mono white and the other half it just looks terribly unbalanced.

That reminds me of something else-- I really hate side panels. I don't think I've ever seen a football jersey that side panels added to the design.

[Gothamite]

That's why they're introducing a new template - the league is trying to eliminate the three or four different templates that teammates may teams wear, in favor of one that fits all 53 men. The NFL is trying to make its uniforms more uniform.

This is my problem with the NFL--or any sports league, for that matter--giving one outfitter an exclusive contract to produce its on-field/court/ice uniforms. I could be completely wrong about this, but it seems to me that could also mean that one company (we'll just say RbK in this specific instance) wouldn't care so much about quality as it would quantity. And I have noticed over the years, even with RbK's replica and authentic fan apparel jerseys, that the quality just doesn't seem to be up to par with what it used to be when multiple teams were using multiple suppliers. The other thing about that (at least with fan merch anyway) is they've continuously jacked up prices even while the overall quality seems to have declined (speaking specifically of replics NFL jerseys, which can now be easily $80-something). Flipping this back over to the on-field uniforms, I often wonder if they would look better (to us) if, say, team w's jerseys were made by Company X vs team Y whose uniforms were produced by company Z (in this case, RbK). RbK has no competition in the NFL right now+, so they can design whatever template or "cut" they want, irregardless of adaptability to certain designs or sizes of players (we saw what happened when Edge was introduced to the NHL), and...well, we all see how they look now.

That's just my two cents on the matter...feel free to tear it to shreds.

One intial thought - much as I hate the RBK EDGE, don't necessarily blame Reebok or the template for homoginizing the league - the Avalanche were told they could keep their distinctive mountain-range hem in the new template, but chose not to.

Second, I think you're confusing two separate issues. The first is having only one on-field supplier for all teams, and the second is having only one supplier of replica jerseys. I'm personally opposed to both, but the rise of prices and decline in quality has nothing to do with the on-field jerseys.

[tBBP]

That's why they're introducing a new template - the league is trying to eliminate the three or four different templates that teammates may teams wear, in favor of one that fits all 53 men. The NFL is trying to make its uniforms more uniform.

This is my problem with the NFL--or any sports league, for that matter--giving one outfitter an exclusive contract to produce its on-field/court/ice uniforms. I could be completely wrong about this, but it seems to me that could also mean that one company (we'll just say RbK in this specific instance) wouldn't care so much about quality as it would quantity. And I have noticed over the years, even with RbK's replica and authentic fan apparel jerseys, that the quality just doesn't seem to be up to par with what it used to be when multiple teams were using multiple suppliers. The other thing about that (at least with fan merch anyway) is they've continuously jacked up prices even while the overall quality seems to have declined (speaking specifically of replics NFL jerseys, which can now be easily $80-something). Flipping this back over to the on-field uniforms, I often wonder if they would look better (to us) if, say, team w's jerseys were made by Company X vs team Y whose uniforms were produced by company Z (in this case, RbK). RbK has no competition in the NFL right now+, so they can design whatever template or "cut" they want, irregardless of adaptability to certain designs or sizes of players (we saw what happened when Edge was introduced to the NHL), and...well, we all see how they look now.

That's just my two cents on the matter...feel free to tear it to shreds.

One intial thought - much as I hate the RBK EDGE, don't necessarily blame Reebok or the template for homoginizing the league - the Avalanche were told they could keep their distinctive mountain-range hem in the new template, but chose not to.

Second, I think you're confusing two separate issues. The first is having only one on-field supplier for all teams, and the second is having only one supplier of replica jerseys. I'm personally opposed to both, but the rise of prices and decline in quality has nothing to do with the on-field jerseys.

I meant it as such--two separate issues--but I can see I didn't articulate that clearly enough. Sorry about the confusion.

I guess my point is that I really wish the NFL would allow teams to choose their own suppliers, rather than giving the exclusive contract to RbK.

[Gothamite]

Me, too.

I think the NFL is about to lose the American Needle suit, which just may open the issue back up.

[tBBP]

I'm hinging my hopes on that myself.

[Panthers]

For the Jets, how about: