What Not to Wear: Fashion or Football?

Well folks, It was only a matter of time until the fashion police (oops... I meant the suits of the NFL) stepped in and start putting a stop to players customized facemasks. And who is the frontrunner of these talks? No other than the pioneer of the custom facemask Justin Tuck. Which in a interview said his "wasn't a fashion statement" and is for medical reasons only, he suffered a eye injury in the past (..Rrright). Then why not wear a 3 bar facemask with a visor so a lineman's hand wouldn't be able to fit through if that was the case. I really don't see what the big deal the NFL is making about them but don't try and play it off as something medical because when it comes down to it, I think  players are just tried of getting grabbed and pulled by their facemask and are just trying to find ways to cut that down or eliminate completely. I love the ideal of wiping out the facemask penalty on top of the way they look. Its just another way for the football suits trying to suck the life out of the game as well as how players express themselves.


Check out this article from The New York Times
The New York Times

Did we win or Lose? Yokota Beats Kubasaki for Div 1 Championship

As you may or my not know, Team Sports Planet has a uniform and equipment contract with The Department of Defense Education Activity Pacific Schools. In the video above, we've out fitted both team with their awesome football uniforms and helmets!

Here's an excerpt from Stars and Stripes:
“They were phenomenal,” said Tim Pujol, who got his 108th win in 13 seasons as Panthers coach. “We had some design on using them extensively, obviously, and they came through big time. They’ve been on fire these last couple of games.”

You can read the full article here at Stars and Stripes

Football Uniforms and Lingerie

I feel obliged to note the upsurge here in Philly concerning the Lingerie Football League (maybe "concerning" isn't the right word..whatever.) News has been rampant regarding the "Philadelphia Passion" joining this one year old league. An all-female football league.

And, yes, you read right, that's LINGERIE Football League. Teams are made up (7-on-a-side) of young women who wear lingerie (actually short-shorts & bikini tops) while playing tackle football. A dose of harmless entertainment for the fellas? Or another sign of the impending apocalypse? You judge. Lest you be judged. Huh?

Say what you will, when the tryouts were held here in town the sports media was out in force. A 3 hr. tryout session has resulted in no fewer than five photos in the two daily newspapers (What are those things again?). I wonder why the enthusiasm? (duh!)

The commissioner of the league, a questionable lad named Mitch Mortaza, makes no bones about the fact that the sole raison d' etre for the whole league (now 10 teams) is...well, for lack of a better term, "true fantasy football"!

The league is an off-shoot of the Lingerie Bowl. This was/is (???) a Super Bowl halftime viewing option in "select markets", for those uninterested in Springsteen, Sting & the like. Apparently last year's event was not fit for TV, as it was apparently held at a nudist colony. And the "locals" felt the need to come as they are...and, well, even basic cable was a little skeeved out by that. (You can't make this kinda crap up!)

There's a real case to be made for why this is an awful development. With Title IX still in the news, with school budget cutbacks and the obvious moral issues that leap out at you. The issues have been debated, defended and debunked for a long, long time.

But it is unusual for these lascivious matters to creep their way into my team sports uniform space. So there you have it.

Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

A-11 Offense: Football Uniform Numbering Rules!

I know that most high school football coaches have by now gotten wind of the A-11 Offense(if not, go here) But for the rest of us, even the semi-literate like me, I have to say, I am amazed.

The skinny on it is this: The National Federation of HS's was trying to be helpful & realistic by letting "non-center" numbered players, long snap in punting situations. (They confuse it a little by referring to punts as "scrimmage kicks" (and I know there's "quick kicks") but I digress. Thoughtfully, the Feds wrote an exception that made sense. Essentially, any kid --wearing any number (i.e., not just 50-59)-- could long snap on punts. That's all it was meant to mean & do.

Unless you watch way too much Arena football and have far, far too much time on your hands as --apparently-- the "Director of Football Operations" at Piedmont HS (a small Bay area school with about 800 total students) does.NOTE: I tried to contact the "Director of Mathematical Operations" at Piedmont HS for a comment about this "numbering" issue and was met with a stony silence, followed by a quizzical "...The Who?"

But as me and my accountant harmonize monthly, "Let's Go to the Numbers!"


As Joseph Heller noted, there's just one catch, "Catch-22." Or, to update, the A-11 Offense. Taking advantage of a loophole in the rules, one (yes you read that right --ONE) high school (the aforementioned Piedmont)in California is using a gimmick offense to somewhat positive results.

The thing for me and cause for this post, is that it's a UNIFORM NUMBERING LOOPHOLE that is the basis for this controversy. (It's been BANNED in 10 states) Great googly-moogly!!!

Seems that Piedmont is sending out a how slew of players with RECEIVER eligible numbers. But they ain't, mind ya! They just look that way! (Rules for the # of eligible receivers on any given play have NOT changed in ANY way.)

There little chance of this "FAD" offense gaining any ground at the collegiate level and ZERO chance of it getting to the NFL. Frankly, even at the HS level, it'll probably go the way of the leather helmet before it reaches anything close to common usage.

Don't get me wrong, I applaud out of the box thinking and credit the coaches at Piedmont for strategically countermanding a competitive disadvantage.

And, I love the scene in the original "Raiders of the Lost Ark" wherein Indiana Jones is confronted by a master of the whip or sword throwing (I forget which) and then calmly pulls out a pistol and just shoots the guy.

I just don't think football was meant to be played certain ways. (note: I have yet to be able to watch more than 10 minutes of Arena football)

Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

Football Uniforms - Stop the Throwbacks Already!

Maybe I'm not as nostalgic as most. Guilty. But I really thought the NFL's decision to introduce the throwback uniforms was a one year aberration. It was kitschy. Put some extra moolah in the, er, cash-strapped NFL's coffers.

But enough already. Just stop trotting out self-respecting, modern football teams in these sideshow travesties of uniforms. Now. Before I hurl.

Watching Brett Favre play in the old New York Titans uniforms on Sunday was torture. It's confusing. It distracts from the game. It is arguably belittling to the players & fans alike. As a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan, I should not have to live in mortal fear of seeing my beloved team in their positively Horrific throwback jersey any time again in my lifetime. That goes for MLB, NBA & NHL, too!

Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

If "6" turned out to be "9"?

Kind of a stupid Jimi Hendrix reference...but "HEY! I'm trying to generate traffic!

My point is actually this: NUMBERING sports team uniforms can be ridiculously complicated. For example, were you aware that it is perfectly legal for two players on the same college football team to have the same exact number? Truth is... YES!

It is perfectly legal. The players (normally an offensive and defensive player) just can't be on the field at the same time. How's this so? Well, it's in the numbers!

College football teams can carry in upwards of 120 players on their "roster". They ain't gonna play them all mind you; but they can keep them all throughout the year. Pro teams have a 53 man roster with 6-8 players on the development squad.

This is just one of ---pun intended--INNUMERABLE examples of NUMBERING problems in team sports uniforms...

Let me hear your numbering horror stories....


Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

Football Uniforms - Heat is the Enemy

Looking for Under Armour Football Uniforms? Click Here!

I remember the Under Armour ad campaign "Cotton is the Enemy". Well, since they've recently come out with a new product line that "Feels like Cotton, Works like Performance Fabric" (or something like that) they've kinda backed off that contentious campaign. By the way these cotton-esque Under Armour products are the BOMB.
I love performance wear and UA is still hands down the best, even if EVERY manufacturer has some version of it these days. That said, I love the feel of cotton, too. It's buttery softness. And, no matter how good most performance wear is, it can still feel a little polyester-like (Uh...because that's what it is...in large measure.) So this new fabric blend from Under Armour is awesome. Go to my company's site, give us a call, we'll get you out some samples....But I digress. (Sorry I am an entrepreneur/small business owner.)

Football training camps are staring us in the face. It's great. And it sucks, too. My personal recollections, even 20 + plus removed are ones of abject misery. Exhaustion. Sweat. Pain. Sweat. More pain. Much more exhaustion. And, yes, gallons upon gallons more of sweat.

Football training camps at any level are many things. Pretty ain't one of them.

From a coach's point of view, the experience is, however, invaluable. The concentration level, the singularity of focus, the bonding, the....well, you get the idea.

But with the advancements in fabric technology in the past few years (along with proper hydration) , football players in training camps need not be candidates for heat related illness or injury. The thinking man's football coach looks at addressing the potential problems from the inside out.

Start with the body --again-- keep your athletes hydrated. No exceptions. Next, utilize quality performance wear underneath shoulder pads. Here's a link to a study that proves this point beyond a doubt.

Risk of Heat Illness in Football Players...
(Thanks, "Mom's")

Then, strongly consider upgrading to performance (i.e., moisture-wicking) uniforms. Jerseys in particular. I know, me being who I am, that this may sound self-serving. But the simple fact of the matter is that heat stroke is serious and can even be life-threatening.

Football uniforms as a whole are designed for performance. Their purpose is functionality in an intentially violent enviroment. You wouldn't think of going without a helmet, shoulder pads and other protective aspects. Performance fabric in your team's uniforms should be added to that list.


Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com

History of Football Uniforms

I'm not a nostalgic kinda guy, but I did find this site, which is devoted to the history of football uniforms to be kinda cool.
History of Football Uniforms



Sports Uniform Guy
TeamSportsPlanet.com