The Black Knights of the Hudson: Army football

[Discrim]

A couple years back, I posted a few dual Notre Dame vs Army concepts to commemorate their game at Yankee Stadium, and for two of the three sets I'd used the old Army mule, as it fit the baseballish style I was going for better than the knight/A. I recall someone suggesting I base a concept off of the mule's blanket, though til now I hadn't gotten around to running with it. Anyways, the alt was done, figured I'd make a home/away set, so here goes...

Helmet is old gold, rather than the light khaki-ish pale gold they wore for all but Army-Navy this year. I like the numbers they use right now, so I used the closest equivalent I have on me. The design is basically the late 60s Broncos style, though instead of sleeve numbers I opted for one of West Point's lesser-used logos (the knight helm side-view). And of course, this wouldn't be complete without unit insignias (10th Mountain and 1st Cavalry, respectively). Pants have a small A, kinda like the Saints (unintentional, I just really like that particular A). The roads are either a flat, pale gold or beige, take your pick. I was aiming for the former. Sue me, I get sick of white sometimes.

And now the third...

West Point on the front, with the old mule in between the T and P. Gray body and sleeves, gold lettering with black shadow (people find UCLA's jesreys legible most of the time, so why the hell not). Black yoke with two gold stripes just off the seams, mimicking the mule's blanket,complete with block A on each shoulder. Pants have the Athena helmet near the top of the stripes. Basically, one I largely made cus I wanted to see what it might look like.

Rusted Lincolns accepted in this post.

[St Louis Cardinals]

I think the alt would look really cool as all black instead of a blue body

[thespleenenator]

Not really feeling the regular set but those alts are INCREDIBLE. Seriously nice job on those!

[Discrim]

Cardinals: The alt's body is gray, not blue. Granted, the gray's somewhat blueish, but it's gray. A nod to the Long Gray Line. Bluntly, I feel the Cadets' teams should emphasize gray more to separate themselves visually from all the black/gold teams out there. And yes, I'm old enough to remember when people called em the Cadets. Wasn't that long ago, but hey.

spleenenator: like I said, most of the thinking had gone into the alt, the home/away was something that I figured would work as a main set, but they were a comparative afterthought, to be honest. Sucks to say it, but why lie? Coulda been better, coulda been worse.

[illwauk]

If I were you, I'd do a home and away set based on your alt... it's THAT good.

[tBBP]

I'll be that guy, since I have a personal attachment to this: "West Point" severely perturbs me. And it ain't just this concept; it's also Nike's insistence on using the same, and the academy for allowing it. The place is officially called "The United States Military Academy". It's located in West Point, NY—big difference.

Now that I've aired out that grievance...

...I know many people are in love with the split number thing for Army's [football] uniforms. I personally have never cared for it—I've always seen it as way too "gimmicky". For as time-honored and traditional the Academy AND the Army has been, it perplexes me that they've lately submitted to so many gimmicks (thankfully, though, the service is starting to reverse a lot of that stuff—but that's another discussion for another thread at another time). All that being said, the numbers here are also a little too close to Navy's RPC sets, too (and I'm sure you can understand my issue with that ). There is something I like about the silver/gray trim on the homes, though I'd like to see the extra black outline on the numbers taken out, and I personally would prefer the gray/silver sleeves swapped out for black on the aways. As for those thirds....after sitting and looking at those for a good little bit, I think I'd be very curious to see them in live action. The mule blanket yokes seem like a genius idea, not to mention playing the black and gold off a gray/silver base like that. That it'd be bookended (that ain't a word; just stay with me here) by gold helmets and pants would only further enhance that look, I think.

Oh, and one more thing: if you're wanting to use a script for the jersey, go with one I've not yet seen in concept or in real life (that I can recall): USMA. That might particularly look good on that third.

Oh and—what up with them "rusted lincolns", though?

[Gfonk04]

I'll be that guy, since I have a personal attachment to this: "West Point" severely perturbs me. And it ain't just this concept; it's also Nike's insistence on using the same, and the academy for allowing it. The place is officially called "The United States Military Academy". It's located in West Point, NY—big difference.

...All that being said, the numbers here are also a little too close to Navy's RPC sets, too (and I'm sure you can understand my issue with that ).

Buc, to be fair, the place has been informally called "West Point" since forever. I think it's made a more visible comeback in recent years, but think back to high school history, you always heard "U.S. Grant graduated from West Point," or "Edgar Allen Poe got kicked out of West Point." For that reason, I think it works. The Naval Academy even has a derogatory name for Cadets based on the initials "WP," they call them "Woops."

Speaking of Navy, I think, after over a decade of gridiron dominance, Army should probably take as many learning points from USNA as they can. Including in the uniform department. BAZING!!!

Discrim, as always, I love your work. Two minor suggestions, maybe take some of the blue out of the gray, since the Cadets' dress uniforms are closer to a straight-up gray, and second, maybe add some sort of feather or plume or something to the knight's helmet. I think it would convey movement or action a little better than a static profile shot. I think their current logo includes something like that that you could probably adapt.

I really like the subtle use of the USMA crest (the Greek helmet and sword) throughout the set. I think you could sub it on the primary pants in the same place you used it on the alt and ditch the "A" logo altogether. I would also maybe ad a thins strip of black on the shoulder sleeves of the home jersey to match up with the numbers. You could do the same with the away jersey as well.

That may be a personal preference of my own, however. I like it when my striping patterns on numbers, letters and sleeves all match or at least maintain the same color pattern.

Also, I think the white jersey could stand to use a little gold. But not too much, since gold is the color of winners. OH SNAP!!! Suck it, Army (except you, Buc, you're awesome).

[illwauk]

I'll be that guy, since I have a personal attachment to this: "West Point" severely perturbs me. And it ain't just this concept; it's also Nike's insistence on using the same, and the academy for allowing it. The place is officially called "The United States Military Academy". It's located in West Point, NY—big difference.

I get your point... Army trotting out a jersey with WEST POINT would be like Cal rockin' a jersey that said BERKELEY. But unlike the latter, it's not like West Point being on a jersey is completely without precedent.

[Discrim]

You know...far as basing a home/away on the alt: I'd considered it for a minute, but my own preference for the home/away and third to look as little like each other as possible won out. To this set's detriment, it seems. So I think, with a few slight alterations, I'll do it. (Most notably, people keep mistaking the gray for blue, so I'll save that shade for a Cowboys set and use a more normal gray)

On a related note, I bet the guy who shot that photo's been laughing about his "prediction" of greatness for years...heh, somebody said I'd predicted last year's AFL Grand Final matchup by concept, may as well turn it around.

[Discrim]

Here goes the revision...first, the third, which is basically the same, save for a gray that won't be mistaken for blue

Now, I figure I'll count this one as my birthday concept (to quote Mike Gundy, I'M A MAN!!! I'M THIRTY!!!), the home and away

A few differences from the alt:

• The current A graces the shoulders rather than the block A
  
• Same style of block numbers are used, but I chose to save the shadow for the grays. Home has gold torso #s, gray sleeve #s (I liked it on the old Va Tech sets, felt it'd work here). Away has black #s trimmed in gold and gray (I'd tried gray sleeve #s, but hated how it looked on white in this case)
  
• Difference from the first away: pure white instead of pale beige
  
• Athena helmet is now on pants stripes
  
• For you, Buc....USMA on the back
  

[tBBP]

I'd kinda like to see what a white (phantom) yoke would look like on the white jerseys. And considering the current "A" is italicized, I think it'd have been better to keep the old block "A" on the shoulders—although considering Army's current branding, the current A certainly makes sense here.

Aside from all that, though...LOVE the updates. In fact, I'd like to see these in live action.

[illwauk]

I have to agree that the old block A is what really makes this work. Not only is it more true to the inspiration for this concept, but the modern A makes this look unbalanced.

[Discrim]

The phantom yoke idea sounds interesting, and I can see your point on the merits of the A's. I'm a fan of the knight/A, I'll admit, but I can see you guys' shared point: this set was basically made for the mule. See ya in the afternoon with mark III.

[Discrim]

Home and Away, mark III

Figured a change in unit insignia was in order, so on the black, we have the 3rd Infantry, and the 1st Infantry aka Big Red One is on the whites. Modified the white's yoke per Buc's suggestion, and replaced the modern A's with the block A. Also replaced the ARMY lettering on the front with the mule, and changed the home's sleeve numbers to gold with gray trim.

Alternate, mark III

A small tweak: moved WEST POINT to the back, seeing as the 101st Airborne patch in the first version was in a rather awkward spot. Replaced Airborne insignia with that of the 1st Armored Division, aka Old Ironsides.

[tBBP]

Rock of the Marne, Big Red One, no Screaming Eagles , the addition of the Old Ironsides...this whole thing has become one giant win for ya, 'Scrim.

Hooah!!!