CFL uniforms: an observation

[garydavison]

I also really like the old Ottawa Rough Rider's uniforms from way back. It's weird, if you look up their history they claim to have been always red and black. Yet these old uniforms and helmet are clearly a dark brown and orange???

[MJWalker45]

Yup, again not using the plaid helmet

according to a RB fan who posts on other cfl forums they cant get the plaid right..

personally i think it looks much better as is.. and this should be there primary uni

sans.. the huge logo replaced with numbers

How can't they get it right? They did for the unveiling.

I just don't get it.

Something tells me what they can't get right is getting the players to buy into wearing it.

[Sport]

I also really like the old Ottawa Rough Rider's uniforms from way back. It's weird, if you look up their history they claim to have been always red and black. Yet these old uniforms and helmet are clearly a dark brown and orange???

I like their uniforms from when Andre Ware played in Ottawa.

[WSU151]

I also really like the old Ottawa Rough Rider's uniforms from way back. It's weird, if you look up their history they claim to have been always red and black. Yet these old uniforms and helmet are clearly a dark brown and orange???

Look black and red to me. In old pictures like that, you have to consider photo quality and lighting.

[Stampman]

I also really like the old Ottawa Rough Rider's uniforms from way back. It's weird, if you look up their history they claim to have been always red and black. Yet these old uniforms and helmet are clearly a dark brown and orange???

Look black and red to me. In old pictures like that, you have to consider photo quality and lighting.

Look black & red to me as well.

[bleuet]

Those old Riders were black and red.

[Chewbacca]

It's nice to see some activity in this thread. I know I'm a little late to say this but I'm not surprised that the RedBlacks opted not to use their plaid helmet. They look hideous, but, I must say, I was hoping to see them use that helmet. They took the time to make it and I've never heard of a plaid helmet until they brought one out. I think it is a little disappointing that they didn't use it. Hopefully next season. On that note, I honestly think that what they are saying about not getting the helmets right is a total load of crap. I think it is a case of what I call 49ers Syndrome, where they come up with a new helmet and the fans as well as the general public absolutely hate it to the point where the team's higher-ups just say screw it and scrap the helmet. The RedBlacks' black helmet on their third jersey makes it look a lot better. Their third jersey is okay, but it does look a little too much like the Stampeders, especially after that one game where it looked like a Red vs. White Stampeders Practice. The shade of red they use is really nice and the plaid stripes on the arms are pretty neat and with it being a third jersey, it's cool to see something a little different but their logo on the front ruins it for me. If it was switched for numbers, it would make a decent home jersey, but the thing is that Calgary is already red and black and as I said, it looks a little too much like Calgary. In this case, I prefer the RedBlacks in black.

[Gold Pinstripes]

I also really like the old Ottawa Rough Rider's uniforms from way back. It's weird, if you look up their history they claim to have been always red and black. Yet these old uniforms and helmet are clearly a dark brown and orange???

Look black and red to me. In old pictures like that, you have to consider photo quality and lighting.

Look black & red to me as well.

The Rough Riders of that era also had an interesting road uniform. You're showing the home set, but on the road, Ottawa wore a white jersey, and red pants with a wide white stripe. No black on the pants, and the white stripe was roughly as wide as what the Steelers have been wearing since 1960s. If there are any CFL experts reading this, I would like to know if Ottawa ever teamed the home black jersey with the red pants during this 1970s-1980s time period. That would have made for a sharp look, but may have never happened. I do believe Ottawa phased out the red pants later in favor of white.

[Chewbacca]

What are the overall thoughts on Hamilton's Grey Jersey? To me, they look like a ripoff of the Lions' Gun-Metal Jersey. They remind of my friend's BMX outfits he used to wear. They are okay but not my favorite.

[AvroArrow]

Honestly, my favourite uniforms in CFL history are as follows (I can't yet post images):

BC Lions - Silver helmet with black home jersey. Think Doug Flutie.

Calgary Stampeders - Red on red. Again, think Doug Flutie.

Edmonton Eskimos - Yellow helmet with green jerseys. Think Ricky Ray.

Saskatchewan Roughriders - Green helmet with extended silver logo on side. Think Tom Burgess

Winnipeg Blue Bombers - Classic circa 1990 gold helmet, big W, royal blue jerseys. Again, think Tom Burgess.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats - I prefer the newer logo but I prefer the Danny McManus-style jerseys with the logos and stripes on the sleeves with no "curved collarbone stripe".

Toronto Argonauts - Bring back the sailing ball. Think early Pinball Clemons years, just before that stupid Argos word on the helmet.

Ottawa Rough Riders - Classic black on black with the lone R on the helmet, before that ridiculous "Flaming R's" and idiotic "Wicked Witch of the West Soldier"-looking thing.

Montreal Alouettes - They had it perfect in 1976, royal blue helmets with side logos and royal blue jerseys with red sleeves and logos. Think Peter Dalla Riva and Sonny Wade.

I think that all of those are solid football uniforms without the stupid cartoony foolishness that came later like the Toronto "Argonaut with an elbow" and the dumb Montreal cartoon Alouette "Blitz" mascot they have had since their return. Helmets that MUST go include Calgary black, Edmonton green and Saskatchewan white. They look so... un-natural.

They're just opinions, but they're mine, and therefore only necessarily valid to me.

[Chewbacca]

Honestly, my favourite uniforms in CFL history are as follows (I can't yet post images):

BC Lions - Silver helmet with black home jersey. Think Doug Flutie.

Calgary Stampeders - Red on red. Again, think Doug Flutie.

Edmonton Eskimos - Yellow helmet with green jerseys. Think Ricky Ray.

Saskatchewan Roughriders - Green helmet with extended silver logo on side. Think Tom Burgess

Winnipeg Blue Bombers - Classic circa 1990 gold helmet, big W, royal blue jerseys. Again, think Tom Burgess.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats - I prefer the newer logo but I prefer the Danny McManus-style jerseys with the logos and stripes on the sleeves with no "curved collarbone stripe".

Toronto Argonauts - Bring back the sailing ball. Think early Pinball Clemons years, just before that stupid Argos word on the helmet.

Ottawa Rough Riders - Classic black on black with the lone R on the helmet, before that ridiculous "Flaming R's" and idiotic "Wicked Witch of the West Soldier"-looking thing.

Montreal Alouettes - They had it perfect in 1976, royal blue helmets with side logos and royal blue jerseys with red sleeves and logos. Think Peter Dalla Riva and Sonny Wade.

I think that all of those are solid football uniforms without the stupid cartoony foolishness that came later like the Toronto "Argonaut with an elbow" and the dumb Montreal cartoon Alouette "Blitz" mascot they have had since their return. Helmets that MUST go include Calgary black, Edmonton green and Saskatchewan white. They look so... un-natural.

They're just opinions, but they're mine, and therefore only necessarily valid to me.

That sailing football logo is one of the best logos in all of Football in my opinion. I can't believe that they prefer the A in the circle over that. The Football Ship is a brilliant logo and it absolutely should be on the helmets again. Also, I noticed the Bombers sported their awesome Throwback jersey last night. If I remember correctly, the Blues Bombers have only worn their new ugly third jersey once. Did they replace the second date they were going to wear it with the Throwback instead? Does anyone know?

[Watchman]

This can compete as the worst helmet in football:

Looked bad on the field. Really bad.

[Chewbacca]

For the third time this season, there's a colour vs. colour game in the CFL and this time, it is a red vs. blue Ottawa/Toronto game. For the third time this season, the RedBlacks are wearing their red Signature Jersey and for the third time this season, there's no Plaid Helmet... once again. I guess this is a case of good things come in threes. XD I notice the RedBlacks are using their third jersey for a third time when I thought the rule was that all the teams would wear their Signature Jerseys twice a season for this year and the next. I'm pretty sure the Bombers bent that rule too and opted for their awesome Throwback a second time instead of that Signature Load of Crap Argonot Jersey (Argonot as in Argonaut ripoff jersey for those of you wondering). I don't mind the odd colour vs. colour game. The game tonight is very colorful and in a good way. I think Ottawa's red jersey is pretty brutal but the overall uniform itself with that really nice shade of red looks really nice from a distance and the Plaid on the pants is an awesome touch.

[HailGoldPants]

Sometimes color on color games can be a thing of beauty. I hope that the CFL keeps them comng, but only on an occasional basis. I think there is the threat of "too much of a good thing".

[hawk36]

This can compete as the worst helmet in football:

Looked bad on the field. Really bad.

I'll have to reserve judgement until they finish painting the helmets.

[JayMac]

This can compete as the worst helmet in football:

Looked bad on the field. Really bad.

I'll have to reserve judgement until they finish painting the helmets.

Just like I am with the Jaguars helmet, I'm still waiting too.

[Magnus]

Sometimes color on color games can be a thing of beauty. I hope that the CFL keeps them comng, but only on an occasional basis. I think there is the threat of "too much of a good thing".

I think that colour-on-colour games could easily happen all the time, personally. We have a small enough number of teams in the league to differentiate them all properly. I even added a tenth team to the Maritimes - The Atlantic Snappers (get it?). Take a look.

BC is orange, Calgary is red, Edmonton is dark green, Saskatchewan is light green, and Winnipeg is mustard and navy. Toronto would embrace Cambridge blue instead of Oxford blue as their primary under this scheme, to differentiate them from Winnipeg. Hamilton wears golden yellow. Ottawa (which I absolutely had to rename to the Jacks) can then be the black team in the league. Montreal would ditch red in their colour scheme and simplify to the days when they were the Stallions - silver, with blue. Finally, the Atlantic Snappers round out the colour palette with a chestnut brown and gold uniform.

I think that having all the teams have a primary colour that is exclusive to them alone would make things like Grey Cup festivals a lot more colourful, and the fans of one team or another more easily distinguishable.

As well, having only one uniform to launder might save the teams some money, which they could put to better use. CFL salaries on the low end are pitiful.

[Stampman]

This can compete as the worst helmet in football:

Looked bad on the field. Really bad.

I like them--I prefer their red helmets--but they looked good today kicking Eskimo butt.