Notre Dame helmet for game vs Maryland

[KCScout76]

Notre Dame's helmets are very cool. I like them, Maryland needs to go back to the drawing board - they need a classic look, not something from 2103.

[ESTONES6]

Disagree. Childish stereotypes of masculinity aside, gray facemasks look almost universally awful in this day and age. If a team absolutely insists on a neutral, non-school color facemask, they should use white facemasks instead.

You couldn't be more wrong. Gray facemasks almost always look better except for a few exceptions. The gray facemask looks GREAT with traditional, old school style uniforms i.e. Notre Dame, Browns, Colts, etc. The gray facemask look absolutely wonderful and fit great. Teams like the patriots who have a different colored facemask look like .

[TruColor]

I think grey and gold look great together (schools like Colorado and Idaho wouldn't choose their colors to be Silver and Gold if those colors didn't work together). Grey is a perfect facemask color. It's neutral. It doesn't clash with any colors, and it doesn't draw attention away from anything else on the uniform because is the most subdued, unassuming, non-noticeable color there is. It recedes as a piece of equipment should. If the fact that it's front and center means that it should be team colored, then the same holds true for the chinstrap, but the NFL mandates that those all be a neutral color (white).

So why wouldn't White be better then?

I completely disagree that Gray is neutral and "non-noticable". It's a color. In fact, the NFL specifies helmet facemasks to be PANTONE 429 C, which is made up of Black + Reflex Blue + Transparent White:

To me - and I'm guessing to others that feel as I do - the Gray overpowers and distracts from the other colors.

My issue with Gray masks with Gold helmets has more to do with the flat Gray against the metallic Gold. Flat Gray <> Metallic Silver as well.

Oh - and the U. of Colorado's colors aren't Silver and Gold anymore...they recently changed to this:

Which is essentially Beige, Black and two shades of Gray.

[powersurge]

wait....is this an argument/discussion about whether or not face masks are a true part of the overall identity? or is it a discussion of HOW they fit in an identity?

IMHO, there is no way in hell you can't include the face mask in the identity. Its much more than an equipment piece. If we are talking about chin straps or mouth pieces then thats one thing, but in terms of a face mask it is totally a part of the overall identity and should be totally considered in the the final design. There are more than enough examples of how face masks influence the overall look of a uniform set. Just look at the NE Patriots....change their face mask color and you totally change the entire look. change the chin strap or mouth piece and nobody notices.

[TruColor]

wait....is this an argument/discussion about whether or not face masks are a true part of the overall identity? or is it a discussion of HOW they fit in an identity?

IMHO, there is no way in hell you can't include the face mask in the identity. Its much more than an equipment piece. If we are talking about chin straps or mouth pieces then thats one thing, but in terms of a face mask it is totally a part of the overall identity and should be totally considered in the the final design. There are more than enough examples of how face masks influence the overall look of a uniform set. Just look at the NE Patriots....change their face mask color and you totally change the entire look. change the chin strap or mouth piece and nobody notices.

Now there's a good point. One that I was trying to convey, but wasn't doing very well.

[rtrich11]

Gold/goldish colored face masks would complete the whole 'Golden Dome' theme. It looks ok. Really.

[Lights Out]

In addition, white does not work with every team's color scheme

...so then, they can use team colors (which could include grey, depending on the team).

and it has no roots in the early history of the facemask. Grey works for every team because at one time, every facemask was grey (or brownish-grey) and it was accepted that that's how it was.

But that's not how it is anymore. Nowadays, colored facemasks are more common. So, by your logic, the holdouts need to fall in line because colored facemasks are now the trend.

Can you picture Jim Brown running around in a clean, bright white mask? No. Can you picture Dick Butkus drilling people in a sleek, dark blue mask? No.

Yes, I can... mainly because I've watched Ladainian Tomlinson run around in a navy mask (and now a green mask), and Ray Lewis drill people in a black mask.

it looks stunning when you pair it with a uniform like Alabama's, which would look funny with a white mask, given the attitude of that program, their history and their brand in general.

I could think of plenty of adjectives to describe the combination of gray and crimson, but "stunning" would not be one of them... unless you mean stunningly ugly.

[Somppi]

They're baaaaack!.... just in time for Notre Dame. https://twitter.com/#!/RandyEdsall/status/134405337963958272

Yessssss, I actually really like the asymmetry of this football design and how it actually ties in school colors and the flag.

[DCDuck]

They're baaaaack!.... just in time for Notre Dame. https://twitter.com/#!/RandyEdsall/status/134405337963958272

If they beat ND, I don't think they'll ever wear anything but those uniforms as long as Edsall is coaching them.

[The Golden One]

They're baaaaack!.... just in time for Notre Dame. https://twitter.com/#!/RandyEdsall/status/134405337963958272

There is one really good thing about these uniforms, no grey face mask! As a Niner fan, the grey face mask really is a major mark against their uni's. I don't care if Montana wore it like that, looked like then too. This day and age there's no excuse for not being able to change it.

Colored facemasks are for girls. Grey says, "Welcome to the fooking gridiron. You can take your colored fashion accessories to the ballroom while I go play football."

Saying grey face masks being manly and being the mark of being a pro. I thought it was the honor of wearing pink for a month?

[andrewharrington]

In addition, white does not work with every team's color scheme

...so then, they can use team colors (which could include grey, depending on the team).

and it has no roots in the early history of the facemask. Grey works for every team because at one time, every facemask was grey (or brownish-grey) and it was accepted that that's how it was.

But that's not how it is anymore. Nowadays, colored facemasks are more common. So, by your logic, the holdouts need to fall in line because colored facemasks are now the trend.

Can you picture Jim Brown running around in a clean, bright white mask? No. Can you picture Dick Butkus drilling people in a sleek, dark blue mask? No.

Yes, I can... mainly because I've watched Ladainian Tomlinson run around in a navy mask (and now a green mask), and Ray Lewis drill people in a black mask.

it looks stunning when you pair it with a uniform like Alabama's, which would look funny with a white mask, given the attitude of that program, their history and their brand in general.

I could think of plenty of adjectives to describe the combination of gray and crimson, but "stunning" would not be one of them... unless you mean stunningly ugly.

1. The point is that they don't need to use team colors, and grey is a better option than white. I simply don't agree with ColorWerx that grey is overpowering in any way. We have grey training shirts for every team, grey road uniforms in baseball, we had grey gloves in college football for about a decade.

2. It's not about being trendy. That doesn't follow my logic at all. I'm showing how grey has a history with the game, which is why it works universally as long as the brand is in line with the aesthetic, and represents more than just the idea of matching the rest of the uniform.

3. I wasn't making any point about modern players. I was talking about people who played in the eras of yore. The people you can learn about when you go to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Someday that will be Ray Lewis and LT, but right now, the history of football and its great players is mostly grey facemasks.

4. I can't refute your opinions, no matter how much I don't agree with them.

[andrewharrington]

wait....is this an argument/discussion about whether or not face masks are a true part of the overall identity? or is it a discussion of HOW they fit in an identity?

IMHO, there is no way in hell you can't include the face mask in the identity. Its much more than an equipment piece. If we are talking about chin straps or mouth pieces then thats one thing, but in terms of a face mask it is totally a part of the overall identity and should be totally considered in the the final design. There are more than enough examples of how face masks influence the overall look of a uniform set. Just look at the NE Patriots....change their face mask color and you totally change the entire look. change the chin strap or mouth piece and nobody notices.

That's exactly what I'm saying. The popular opinion is that a grey facemask means a team wasn't trying, or phoned it in, or just wanted to look retro when they redesigned. But the facemask color plays a huge part in how the brand and attitude of the team is perceived. My point is that grey works for anyone, but it changes the fabric of your brand to the point that the rest of your uniform needs to follow suit with that classic, true football aesthetic. The only point I've been trying to make is that there's nothing inherently wrong or sinful about a grey mask, and I've provided plentiful examples to reinforce that thinking from both sides of the fence. It's like a grey road uniform in baseball. It's part of history, it's neutral and it works with everyone's color scheme. Some teams like a more modern, colorful look, but grey still works if your brand supports it. The same is true for a facemask.

[lahaye7]

if Maryland is wearing white, is Notre Dame wearing green? To match the facemasks??

[BrandMooreArt]

if Maryland is wearing white, is Notre Dame wearing green? To match the facemasks??

yes i do believe they are in green jerseys

[Mings]

Those Maryland uniforms are awesome. I don't care what you all say.

Also, I'm pretty sure Touchdown Jesus paid for the gold leaf.

[mbannon92]

if Maryland is wearing white, is Notre Dame wearing green? To match the facemasks??

yes i do believe they are in green jerseys

Yes, we are definitely wearing the green jerseys, the same ones we wore against Army last year. Technically this is a home game for us, which explains the white for Maryland and green for ND.

[Cuse2000]

@darrenrovell

darren rovell Adidas just sent me a limited edition box (only 11 made) with Notre Dame's uniforms this weekend

Looks like a bit of a different jersey, with solid white numerals on the greeen jersey, instead of gold numbers outlined in white as they've been wearing since the Bush Push game.

[gdu]

@darrenrovell

darren rovell Adidas just sent me a limited edition box (only 11 made) with Notre Dame's uniforms this weekend

Looks like a bit of a different jersey, with solid white numerals on the greeen jersey, instead of gold numbers outlined in white as they've been wearing since the Bush Push game.

Look harder. Those are the same gold numbers outlined in white. The flash overexposed them.

That helmet still looks awful, but no one will notice bc of what Maryland is wearing.

[BrandMooreArt]

my god that wooden trunk is beautiful!

how much for one of those? fvck it, take all my money!!

[andrewharrington]

@darrenrovell

darren rovell Adidas just sent me a limited edition box (only 11 made) with Notre Dame's uniforms this weekend

Looks like a bit of a different jersey, with solid white numerals on the greeen jersey, instead of gold numbers outlined in white as they've been wearing since the Bush Push game.

Look harder. Those are the same gold numbers outlined in white. The flash overexposed them.

That helmet still looks awful, but no one will notice bc of what Maryland is wearing.

Maryland and UA already made their statement. Their statement was desperate and overdone, and now they're in 'oh s#!t' mode because Notre Dame and adidas are about to out-do them with a classy, bold, original and hand-done statement. Thus, they are recycling their 'pride' uniforms that they said they were only going to wear once.