Bears Orange Pants and Other "Surprises" in Madden 13

[Lights Out]

Not every team needs to be "bright" and "out there." Some teams look best in subdued shades.

Modernists like to play the "it's ok to have a few teams with out there designs" card, yet kind of forget that there's another side to that.

Switching the primary colors on the Bears' usual template isn't exactly out there, or modern for that manner.

[IceCap]

Suggesting that a team ditch their primary colour scheme that they've had for half a century seems like an out-there idea.

What's next? That the New York Rangers switch to red at home?

[LourdOfTheFly]

I'm thinking about changing my position on these.

The Bears wore orange pants in 1949, 1938, and 1937 - so there is a precedent.

To me, the Bears are honoring tradition AND trying to rake in cash by utilizing orange. The way they have done it thus far is an acceptable modernization of the historical uniforms by staying within the template.

Czech it:

http://www.gridironuniforms.com/bears.html

[IceCap]

I don't see how the Bears could increase revenue with orange pants. Orange jerseys sure. Orange pants though? They don't sell pants.

[LourdOfTheFly]

I don't see how the Bears could increase revenue with orange pants. Orange jerseys sure. Orange pants though? They don't sell pants.

I'm just patronizing the Lukasian Nike Resistance Front.

Another interesting item is that before reintroducing the blue pants in 1984, orange pants were the last colored trousers used by the Bears (1949).

[CS85]

Those horrible brown broncos throwbacks with the vertical stripes on the socks appealed to tradition too, but that didn't stop them from looking like total crap.

The orange pants would be perfect for the Browns, but for the Bears it looks ludicrous.

[IceCap]

I don't see how the Bears could increase revenue with orange pants. Orange jerseys sure. Orange pants though? They don't sell pants.

I'm just patronizing the Lukasian Nike Resistance Front.

By painting anyone less then thrilled with Nike's first uniform offerings like this you really do a disservice to actually, you know, discussing the unveiling.

[LourdOfTheFly]

Those horrible brown broncos throwbacks with the vertical stripes on the socks appealed to tradition too, but that didn't stop them from looking like total crap.

The orange pants would be perfect for the Browns, but for the Bears it looks ludicrous.

Things look ludicrous because we have a presupposition of what things should look like.

Why do college kids like the Under Armour and Nike approach? Because they grew up with the "Xtreme" looks of the late 1990's and early 2000's.

They think a plain jersey with shoulder stripes looks ludicrous in respect to all of the options at our fingertips.

Did the Bears look stupid when they wore it before? Would black/camo/Zubaz be preferable to an update on a previously worn look?

[BBTV]

I really like the orange pants on the Bears white set. I've always liked it when a team wears the lighter of their two colors (assuming they have two colors) as pants and the darker on the helmet when they're wearing their white jersey. I was thrilled in high school for the 1994 season we brand new NFL quality uniforms (replacing our wide-mesh '80s-esque college set) and we got yellow pants instead of white, so our road set was royal helmet, white jersey, yellow pants.

It can also work the other way too, but something about the darker lid just makes it look better to me.

My one and only problem with the Bears using the orange pants is that if the Broncos do it too, then you'll have two teams wearing an otherwise unique combo, which while I know is common these days, should be avoided when it's easy to avoid, and in this case, it's easy to avoid.

Also - this may be the only time ever that I agree with Lights Out, but I really like the orange jersey on the Bears. I certainly wouldn't advocate them switching permanently, but I do think it's a great look for them and wish they'd use the navy pants with it.

[IceCap]

Did the Bears look stupid when they wore it before? Would black/camo/Zubaz be preferable to an update on a previously worn look?

The Montreal Canadiens used to wear red, white, and blue barber pole sweaters. By your logic they should bring it back just because it's something they used to wear, even though it looks hideous.

The Bears may have worn orange pants before, but they haven't in over 60 years. In that time the Bears' look has crystallized. Sorry, orange pants just wouldn't work for them.

[nash61]

I'm thinking about changing my position on these.

The Bears wore orange pants in 1949, 1938, and 1937 - so there is a precedent.

To me, the Bears are honoring tradition AND trying to rake in cash by utilizing orange. The way they have done it thus far is an acceptable modernization of the historical uniforms by staying within the template.

Czech it:

http://www.gridironuniforms.com/bears.html

ORANGE MONO, BABY!

[texfischer]

Good Lord what will they do next?

[LourdOfTheFly]

Did the Bears look stupid when they wore it before? Would black/camo/Zubaz be preferable to an update on a previously worn look?

The Montreal Canadiens used to wear red, white, and blue barber pole sweaters. By your logic they should bring it back just because it's something they used to wear, even though it looks hideous.

The Bears may have worn orange pants before, but they haven't in over 60 years. In that time the Bears' look has crystallized. Sorry, orange pants just wouldn't work for them.

As a third? Or in a sport that lets you wear multiple throwbacks/alts? Sure. My logic is spot on here, and it heralded by most on this board and in our little segment of society.

[IceCap]

Did the Bears look stupid when they wore it before? Would black/camo/Zubaz be preferable to an update on a previously worn look?

The Montreal Canadiens used to wear red, white, and blue barber pole sweaters. By your logic they should bring it back just because it's something they used to wear, even though it looks hideous.

The Bears may have worn orange pants before, but they haven't in over 60 years. In that time the Bears' look has crystallized. Sorry, orange pants just wouldn't work for them.

As a third? Or in a sport that lets you wear multiple throwbacks/alts? Sure.

They wore it as an alternate for their 100th anniversary celebration and it was rightfully ridiculed.

My logic is spot on here, and it heralded by most on this board and in our little segment of society.

Now you're just trolling.

[Cujo]

Forgive me, but I kinda dig the orange trousers.

/ducks

[LourdOfTheFly]

Did the Bears look stupid when they wore it before? Would black/camo/Zubaz be preferable to an update on a previously worn look?

The Montreal Canadiens used to wear red, white, and blue barber pole sweaters. By your logic they should bring it back just because it's something they used to wear, even though it looks hideous.

The Bears may have worn orange pants before, but they haven't in over 60 years. In that time the Bears' look has crystallized. Sorry, orange pants just wouldn't work for them.

As a third? Or in a sport that lets you wear multiple throwbacks/alts? Sure.

They wore it as an alternate for their 100th anniversary celebration and it was rightfully ridiculed.

My logic is spot on here, and it heralded by most on this board and in our little segment of society.

Now you're just trolling.

So what is the standard by which a nod to history is appropriate?

Trolling? Please. If espousing an opinion based upon encouraging consistent design elements while being mindful of tradition is trolling, I'm not sure what appropriate CCSLC etiquette is.

[illwauk]

Green pants wouldn't look so bad on the road for the Packers, IMO.

Ignore my fantasy logo, but this is the Packers unis w/ me adding green pants

The Packers have a look that shouldn't be messed with.

Green/white jerseys, yellow pants, done.

Game action gives a better perspective.

Those pants would look much better if they had some thin green "stems" to break up the yellow and white like the Packers do with their sleeve stripes.

[IceCap]

So what is the standard by which a nod to history is appropriate?

You're asking for a set of standards in a very fluid and subjective topic. What works somewhere may not work somewhere else. I'll do my best.

The Giants' red alternate could be seen as a tribute to the days when the team wore red jerseys. It was still panned for the most part though, because despite the historical precedent of the Giants in red the team had been wearing blue for so long that a red jersey seemed to go against the team's identity. The Giants' identity as a blue team crystallized at a certain point. Homage to the past or no, red as a primary jersey colour just doesn't work for them.

Same thing with the Bears in orange pants. They haven't worn them in 63 years. In that time the idea of what the Bears "should" look like has taken hold, so that historical nod or no it just looks odd.

I'd consider myself a traditionalist when it comes to what designs I tend to prefer, but there are some cases when a look has been ingrained for so long that even past designs that may be historically appropriate would no longer work outside of an occasional one-off throwback. The Montreal Canadiens in barber pole or blue and white, the Philadelphia Eagles in powder blue and gold, the New York Giants in red, or the Chicago Bears in orange pants are examples of that.

Trolling? Please. If espousing an opinion based upon encouraging consistent design elements while being mindful of tradition is trolling, I'm not sure what appropriate CCSLC etiquette is.

You missed the point. It's not your opinion that's the problem. I don't care what you like or why. It's the way that you present that comes off as trolling. Namely the "my logic is flawless and all will see the light" line of yours.

The fact that you've been a member since 2005 but have less then 50 posts, and have only become active in the last while to ridicule those who aren't ecstatic about Nike's offerings thus far kind of adds to that perception.

[LourdOfTheFly]

All I'm saying is that if the organization wants to diversify their look, I am just happy that there are historical roots behind the move. You see a lot of "the Bears should never wear all white" when that was their road look for 33 straight years. If there was an uproar over the blue trousers coming back in '84, it blew over long ago.

Remember, "just doesn't work" is subjective until the organizations decide to stop putting their players in certain uniforms. (99% of folks on this board would agree that the Cowboys' blue/silver situation "just doesn't work." Jerry Jones and most of the world would disagree/not care.) Until that decision is made, the look sits on the fence between the trash heap and becoming iconic. A few will always be upset, regardless.

This is all theoretical, anyway. My money is on this being an in-game Madden option only.

Come on buddy, 14 thousand posts and I am getting under your skin? I've been observing for years and then decided to chime in because Nikepocalypse is such an interesting time for uniphiles. No hard feelings.

[Pizzaman7294]

I think its part of a throwback uniform and the "player" chose to put those pants with the current away jersey, since in Madden, you can mix and match