New Vikings Uniforms

[BlueSky]

Wow...the same facemask debate that's been going on here for the last however many years, plus people giving a thumbs up or down based on mockups based on teasers through which we've seen about 20 square inches (if that) of the new uniforms.

Good grief.

[Gothamite]

I just think all of the grey facemask hate is a bit silly (and often comes down to a "my opinion is more valid than yours!" type of argument).

Coupled with dismissive insults like "pretending".

[tBBP]

The two most divisive topics around here: Oregon...and grey facemasks. Y'all a hot mess sometimes.

[AgentColon]

Let's just go back to leather helmets so we can end this facemask debate.

[Gothamite]

Let's just go back to leather helmets so we can end this facemask debate.

What you say in jest I've been saying in earnest for years...

[BlueSky]

Let's just go back to leather helmets so we can end this facemask debate.

But is the leather a natural color or dyed? Because traditional uniforms need a natural leather helmet. Otherwise...

Yeah.

[IceCap]

Let's just go back to leather helmets so we can end this facemask debate.

But is the leather a natural color or dyed? Because traditional uniforms need a natural leather helmet. Otherwise...

Yeah.

Well played

I just think all of the grey facemask hate is a bit silly (and often comes down to a "my opinion is more valid than yours!" type of argument).

Coupled with dismissive insults like "pretending".

Indeed. That was poor form all around.

[TruColor]

Let's just go back to leather helmets so we can end this facemask debate.

But is the leather a natural color or dyed? Because traditional uniforms need a natural leather helmet. Otherwise...

Yeah.

[IceCap]

Here's the main issue with the "facemasks are just a part of equipment" defense: it's just pretending.

Facemasks aren't just a random piece of equipment. There a part of the uniform design, and we all know it. They are colored intentionally. There is no going back on that.

Poor choice of words aside, why is there no going back on that? I'm sure a lot of people would have said "there's no going back to standard grey road uniforms/buttoned jerseys and belted pants for every team" when baseball hoped in the pullover and elastic waist band trend. In fact judging from a quick survey of NFL uniform history most teams that started off with grey facemasks switched to coloured facemasks in the 70s and 80s, the same time the pullover trend started in baseball.

It could be argued that the coloured facemask trend was a trend in the same vein as that failed experiment. Designers getting overly excited with a new trend/technology. Only this one has yet to be fully curtailed.

Not saying I believe that exactly, but it's not as clear cut as "facemasks are coloured now so there."

[BrandMooreArt]

a lot of times what is "well designed" is different between designers and the general public. designers see the details and understand the decision making behind design choices basing their opinions on design principles and theory. to the public (who we design for) "well designed" just means "i like it".

so getting away from the aesthetic debate a bit, i'll expand on what Andrew said the page before; communication. when you see a grey mask on a helmet (Colts, Browns), does it look old? does it look dated? wel, that's the point. that's brand. that's design communicating a message to you. a team in traditional uniform elements wouldnt be complete without the black shoes and grey mask. those are things that are classic, a part of the visual language of football. and like Andrew, i just like the look of it as well. with a lot of vintage stuff, it's the oddities that make it charming.

there is also the "but that was then and we need to progress forward with design" way of thinking, and no one gets more excited about new ideas and wants to move things forward more than I. but not every team has to do it. like the Bills, the Vikings will be caught in the middle of 2 design eras, this modern-retro thing. i'm a big fan of it myself, and when it comes to selecting mask color there is no wrong answer (either purple or grey) with who they want to be and what they want their design to say about them.

now i'm just hoping they come out with a silver helmet and purple mask just to see this place blow up

[STL FANATIC]

I'm sorry if the term rubs you wrong, but "pretending" is the exact term I intended and still intend to use. I don't think it's a poor choice of words, and I certainly don't see how it's insulting or dismissive. That seems like quite a leap. I still think it's more or less pretending.

You might like the way grey masks look because they're neutral and unobtrusive. (I think they stick out like sore thumbs and are a missed opportunity.) But you don't really believe it's just a piece of equipment they received and put on the helmet without making an intentional design decision about do you?

I think the only way to believe that is to pretend. Liking them is valid, but I don't believe that line of reasoning is.

Waistband/belts and pullovers and sleeve stripes and such is an apples to oranges comparison. Teams changed the way they design those elements, they haven't changed that they design then.

The one part that is a fair comparison is the base color of a road uniform. All I can tell you there is that the logic isn't perfectly consistent, but it's accepted because nobody wants a team dressed in bright red from head-to-toe.

But even then, it's an intentional design decision to go grey, not just the way the uniforms were shipped. (See the Padres of just a few years ago for proof teams consider their options.)

I get that some people like grey aesthetically, but other than BMA's assertion that they can intentionally remind fans of history, I don't see much of a reason for them. And I've always thought history for the sake of history was a bad reason, anyways, so thus my opinion.

[BlueSky]

Let's just go back to leather helmets so we can end this facemask debate.

But is the leather a natural color or dyed? Because traditional uniforms need a natural leather helmet. Otherwise...

Yeah.

Clearly needs a gray mask.

[oldschoolvikings]

EDIT: While I still don't think the term "pretending" is insulting or dismissive, what follows is a line of logic that I made sound WAY too personal. Please excuse that. I already spent too much time writing it to go back and revise it. Try to follow the points I made and not the tone I made them in. Thanks!

I'm sorry if the term rubs you wrong, but "pretending" is the exact term I intended and still intend to use. I don't think it's a poor choice of words, and I certainly don't see how it's insulting or dismissive. That seems like quite a leap.

I stick by that word...

--------whole buncha words----------------

...again, tell me you like they way they look and you think it's okay to use a neutral color. That's a perfectly valid opinion that I am in complete disagreement with.

But don't tell me grey masks are okay because that's just the way they came and nobody thought about.

Good lord.

[STL FANATIC]

I know, man. I know.

[TornadoGTS]

Getting back to the uniforms, what are the chances they go with purple sleeves on the white jersey to keep the yellow and white stripes consistent?

[aawagner011]

@Tornado- I was wondering about that. I don't think the yellow stripe will show very well on the white.

[OnWis97]

Getting back to the uniforms, what are the chances they go with purple sleeves on the white jersey to keep the yellow and white stripes consistent?

I think it's possible. I'd say we're in line for something less than 100% mirroring the purple jersey because the yellow stripe on the white sleeve would not look great. I think your thought is a possibility. Another is putting purple outlines above, below and between the stripes (i.e., filling in the area between the yellow and white stripes)

Let's just go back to leather helmets so we can end this facemask debate.

But is the leather a natural color or dyed? Because traditional uniforms need a natural leather helmet. Otherwise...

Yeah.

Clearly needs a gray mask.

Needs no mask. Or maybe clear!

[IceCap]

STL FANATIC....

Sorry, it's not exactly easy to separate one's finer points from a larger tone of a post

Anyway I think it's safe to say there's a fundamental disagreement here.

[kryptik11]

Possible facemask colors:

Yellow: Not going to happen, would be a joke.

White: Hate white facemasks unless most of the shell is white as well usually, its out.

Purple: Would be down obviously.

Grey: Would not mind it at all.

People on the grey facemask crusade need to lay off the haterade. Not every team that does it pulls it off, and I'm going to withhold judgement on any potential grey facemask to the Vikings uniforms until I see them.

Grey facemasks in of themselves are not bad, it all comes down to execution.

As long as they don't do any ridiculous bull chainmail sublimnated pattern on the helmet I'm going into this with an open mind.

[Twinberwolvikings]

Seems like we have abandoned all of the black facemask speculation in the midst of the great grey facemask debate. Anyone still think this is a possibility? I (unfortunately) do.