1997 Steelers' Nike Prototypes

[Gothamite]

I dunno, how many NBA players wear compression cuffs or shorts under their uniform?

[BBTV]

Not sure, but do you see many players with compression gear that covers what would normally be exposed skin?

[Gothamite]

A fair amount, but I've largely given up on the NBA and don't watch much anymore. Maybe this kind of thing is rare, but haven't these been fads? 

[BBTV]

Hmmm... well Kobe just looks ridiculous. Not sure what's going on there. Lebron's thing looks like it could be one of those compression things that people wear when they have tendinitis (just longer than most of them.) Not sure about that either. I had given up on the NBA as well, until I started dating my current GF who is a huge fan. Went to my first game in around 5 years on Saturday (the Elton Brand ripped-jersey game that was on UW today.) Didn't notice any ridiculousness going on, but either way, I'm not sure that it means anything.

[Gothamite]

I think both look ridiculous, but the tights and shooting sleeves seem to have been full-blown fads:

[keynote]

Dwight's compression arm sleeves are unique (at least as far as I've noticed), in that they have a silver design on them. Everyone else seems to only wear solid color sleeves.

I wonder if Dwight (an Adidas endorser) and Adidas received special permission from the NBA to wear those unique sleeves.

[pcgd]

Its interesting to me that everyone that's actually played football with shorter sleeves and posts here prefers them that way for comfort, range of motion, less ability to be held, etc. Myself included. Played with sleeves to my elbows, 80's style open hole mesh, and a more modern cut and prefered the modern cut hands down without question. It felt better having everything tight to my body.

Also those sleeves that Dwight is wearing are "Tech Fit" sleeves which kinda offer a spring effect. I haven't worn the sleeves but i've worn the shorts and a SS shirt with that in it and you can tell it kinda does what it advertises.

[oldschoolvikings]

OK, I have a simple question about the lack of sleeves and its effect on holding. I'm really not trying to be a jackass here... its a real question.

Since the D-linemen began going with the super-tight, sleeveless jersey, has there been a noticeable drop in the amount of holding calls? Because if that's what the no-sleeve jersey does, holding calls should have dropped significantly. As a matter of fact, to go along with that, in the 80's IIRC the rules on what actually constitutes holding were also changed... making it possible for O-linemen to use their hands in different ways.

So, add it up. First, the rules were changed, so that less actions are actually illegal, then the D-Line starts wearing the amazing anti-holding sleeveless jersey, making it harder for the O-line to grab. Shouldn't, then, the in-game holding call be nearly non-existant?

Like I say, I don't know for sure, but it seems to me the average game has pretty much the same amount of holding calls now as it ever has. And if that's true, then obviously those sleeveless jerseys are NOT doing their job. (Unless their job is mostly to look badass.)

Except that there's holding that's called, and "holding" that isn't called. Loose material allows an O-lineman to give a quick tug and then let go. You're unlikely to get caught, but you've accomplished your goal of re-directing the D-lineman. Holding calls won't necessarily change due to the jersey changes.

OK, how about this then: if the no-sleeves, super-tight jerseys make it harder for O-linemen to hold, but holding calls stay the same because... I dunno, refs are just like that (?)... then shouldn't Quarterback sacks have gone way up? Think about it... these jerseys are, supposedly, an advantage to the pass rusher; less to grab on to, able to move better... they should be getting to the QB much more often, right? And I really don't know, maybe the stats bear that out... if so, tell me. (Deacon Jones might disagree, though.)

My point is, if these amazing anti-holding sleeveless jersey work so well, shouldn't there be some kind of quantifiable, tangeable outcome? Holding calls down, sacks up... something? I'd really like to know... its entirely possible someone can point out something specific. That would be great to know.

Hey, I just had a great thought... the NFL is constantly trying out new measures to protect the Quarterback, right? Sometimes, its seems like all they talk about... keeping the QBs off the IR. How about, just make pass rushers wear sleeves again? This will obviously be such a hardship that we might never see another Quarterback hit the ground again.

[Cujo]

Black NOB...

How long did that last in Pittsburgh?

[TheOldRoman]

The black names lasted only the first season of the revamp.

As for sleeves, Sophomore year in high school we got the idea to put shoelaces in the cuffs of our jerseys so we could tie them tighter to our arms. The varisty team had jerseys with elastic cuffs, and we wanted to be like them. At the time, I liked the feel of the shoelace-cuffed sleeves better, but I think it was mental, as it made me feel more like a NFL player (I was also the only dork on the soph team who wore prostyle socks). Anyway, thinking back, I don't think the shorter sleeves necessarily felt better or helped me play better, they just felt special because they were closer to the "cutting edge" stuff better players were wearing. I played G and DT, by the way.

I still say the best solution is to make all jerseys with attached spandex sleeves which go mid-bicep (not an optional undershirt), then make strict rules that players couldn't alter sleeves. As long everybody is wearing the same cut, no team would have a theoretical advantage of being unholdable.

[andrewharrington]

I still say the best solution is to make all jerseys with attached spandex sleeves which go mid-bicep (not an optional undershirt), then make strict rules that players couldn't alter sleeves. As long everybody is wearing the same cut, no team would have a theoretical advantage of being unholdable.

Boom. Keeps everything tight to the body and modern-looking, keeps the sleeved aesthetic, and eliminates those arm-holes in the sleeveless cut. How can those make it harder to grab people? You can hook your hand right in there to grab the chest plates of the shoulder pad all day. I think it needs to be a snug fit. We're not looking at the billowy sleeves they wore in the 80s. More like compression-fit versions of the ones they wore in the 60s.

[BBTV]

I just don't see the need to put that time and effort into re-engineering something for the sole reason of putting stripes on someone's arm. I think the aesthetic has to evolve with the uniform, and, contrary to a fad or trend, I think the sleeves are gone for good. Besides, these sleeves aren't going to look good on teams who don't have any type of sleeve striping,

[TheOldRoman]

I just don't see the need to put that time and effort into re-engineering something for the sole reason of putting stripes on someone's arm. I think the aesthetic has to evolve with the uniform, and, contrary to a fad or trend, I think the sleeves are gone for good. Besides, these sleeves aren't going to look good on teams who don't have any type of sleeve striping,

Aesthetics is a good reason to do it. Just like the barely enforced regulations about socks, the NFL should try to put out a uniform look for all players. All players should look the same (even if players started shortening sleeves 30 years ago), so it's either have every player in the cut Chris Hovan wore or give them the attached sleeves. While linemen rarely wear long sleeves even in the cold, QBs and other skill position players often wear elbow length compression shirts under their cap-sleeved jerseys. The new jerseys could eliminate that look. Furthermore, this cut of jersey would look better on, say, the Broncos than the armpit show the current jerseys give us.

[BBTV]

I just don't see the need to put that time and effort into re-engineering something for the sole reason of putting stripes on someone's arm. I think the aesthetic has to evolve with the uniform, and, contrary to a fad or trend, I think the sleeves are gone for good. Besides, these sleeves aren't going to look good on teams who don't have any type of sleeve striping,

Aesthetics is a good reason to do it. Just like the barely enforced regulations about socks, the NFL should try to put out a uniform look for all players. All players should look the same (even if players started shortening sleeves 30 years ago), so it's either have every player in the cut Chris Hovan wore or give them the attached sleeves. While linemen rarely wear long sleeves even in the cold, QBs and other skill position players often wear elbow length compression shirts under their cap-sleeved jerseys. The new jerseys could eliminate that look. Furthermore, this cut of jersey would look better on, say, the Broncos than the armpit show the current jerseys give us.

I agree with the bolded part. The Chris Hovan style sleeve shouldn't be a part of the game any more than the Mean Joe Green style sleeve. With the Hovan and some Giants players as exceptions (and I'm sure a few others), I think the majority of the jerseys are uniform - or close enough (exceptions granted for the few QBs who go with the loose sleeves.)

Baseball has rules about sleeves, which is why (I think) Deion Sanders was in trouble back with the Reds, when he had his made much shorter than his teammates. However, players are not all mandated to wear undersleeves. If they choose to, they need to be the same color. I think the NFL could work the same way. I wouldn't want to see a few players wearing striped undersleeves and most other players being bare, but having undersleeves that match the last piece of fabric of the jersey would be fine (i.e. the Eagles have black cuffs, so their undersleeves should extend that.)