Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Revisiting the Under Armour white stripe helmet

Brad Bates has a lot on his plate. As much as I like giving him unsolicited advice on the big issues, I want to use his second day on the job to address a trivial matter. We need to get rid of the white stripe/stained glass helmet! Firing Spaz may have to wait, but the helmet is something that can be rectified before the season is over.

The helmet may look cool. Who am I to judge taste and style? My idea of cool are BC whale pants. It may be a hit with players. If these gimmicks didn't work, Oregon wouldn't unveil a new helmet every week. Under Armour may like it because it reinforces our stained-glass motif. All of that doesn't matter. What matters is that we will forever associate that helmet and this look with Spaz's losing seasons. Since its debut BC has been in a tailspin. BCI dubbed the 49er knockoff the "Mendoza helmet" because our winning percentage with it on was less than .200. And we keep losing. Helmets don't win games but they do project an image. This helmet screams: "Spaz football."

I like the idea of uniform gimmicks. Do things like the Wounded Warrior Project. Try a Pro Combat look once a season. But week in and week out we need our guys wearing this.


This helmet may be plain. It is not the one Flutie wore, but it is distinct, it is ours. This says: "BC Football."

27 comments:

SAM said...

go back to solid gold helmets

El Suape said...

I don't care what the uniforms or helmets look like just as long as the players like it.

Tim said...

The "stained glass" motif is silly. You can't even see it except up close, and even then it looks nothing like stained glass.

JBQ said...

The helmet that was "solid gold" was the helmet that Flutie wore. I agree with "SAM".

mod34b said...

I don't see the helmet as distinct. I see it as incredibly dull

Put "BC" or some logo on the helmet.

Query: is there a single NFL team that has no name/logo/artwork on the helmet?

prisbyal said...

Cleveland... and half of Pittsburgh.

Eagle 1 said...

The helmet is boring. Let's get some wings or a BC logo on it.

chicagofire1871 said...

100% agree with Bill. Gold helmet. Maroon stripe. BC football.

Big Jack Krack said...

These are my preferences:

1. Gold helmet, maroon stripe.
2. Gold helmet
3. If we jazz it up, I agree with Eagle 1 - add some eagle wings.

I am not a fan of Under Armour, but that might be a generational thing.

Let's go BC - get this thing figured out. Square away the uniforms and helmets; get back to strong competitive football; get back in the winning column.

We look as though we don't even belong on the same field with our opponents when our defense is on the field. What a shameful dropoff under Spaziani - just shameful.

NEDofSavinHill said...

Many think that the three best QBs in the NFL are Brady, Brees and P. Manning. That trio has combined for nine wins in 2012. Tom O'Brien's pupils ( Hasslebeck, Wilson amd Ryan) have twelve wins. Not bad for a coach who was not the best coach at BC in 15 years.

Jeff said...

@NEDofSavinHill:

Yeah, except Matty Ice never really was allowed to fully bloom until TOB was gone and Jagz came to town.

Likewise, Russell Wilson hit his college peak playing for Wisconsin, not TOB.

What's that have to do with helmets anyway?

Unknown said...

No matter what, the cheap plastic gold needs to go. If we go gold, need real color like ND. The stripe or some wing/hologram is fine with me otherwise. Our tacky cheap gold colors drive me nuts.

Unknown said...

No matter what, the cheap plastic gold needs to go. If we go gold, need real color like ND. The stripe or some wing/hologram is fine with me otherwise. Our tacky cheap gold colors drive me nuts.

EL MIZ said...

the stripe must go, and so much Spaz. Mentioned in ESPN's "hot seat" article as a coach who will surely be fired:

2. Frank Spaziani, Boston College Eagles
The Eagles have no wins against FBS programs -- and that includes a loss to otherwise winless Army. That'll do it for a coach who has seemed well in over his head.



Where does it turn?



BC's new AD came from Miami of Ohio, so he probably has a good feel for the up-and-comers in that league. [Northern Illinois coach Dave] Doeren, whom I mentioned earlier, fits. Toledo coach Matt Campbell, 8-1 in his first season as a head coach and who is just 32, could make a real splash in a league that could use some spice.

EL MIZ said...

i am giddy that the Toledo HC Campbell was mentioned. this guy would be a HUGE get -- offensive guru and great recruiter who is the youngest HC in the country:

Campbell, 32, is now the youngest head football coach in Division I (FBS). He served three seasons as the Rockets' offensive coordinator, and also was responsible for coaching the offensive line. The Rockets currently rank eighth in the nation in total offense (493.2) and scoring offense (42.3) this season, as well as third in fewest turnovers (12). The Rockets' offense gained the national spotlight when it scored more than 60 points in consecutive games for the first time in school history: 60 points vs. Northern Illinois on Nov. 1 and 66 vs. Western Michigan on Nov. 8.

Campbell played a big role in Toledo's resurgence in 2010, a season that saw the Rockets go 8-5 and make their first bowl appearance in five years. Under Campbell, the Rockets ranked third in the Mid-American Conference in both scoring and total offense. Page was third in the MAC in receptions with 99, and earned numerous All-America honors as a kickoff returner. Running back Adonis Thomas rushed for 1,098 yards and led the conference with 6.3 yards per carry. Campbell also led a very effective offensive line, including junior tackle Mike VanDerMeulen, a third-team All-MAC selection.

In 2009, Campbell helped guide UT to the 16th-ranked offense in the country (437.9 yards per game), despite losing senior quarterback Aaron Opelt to injury midway through the season. The Rockets also ranked No. 1 in fourth-down conversions (80.0 percent) and No. 18 in passing yards (278.1). Four Rockets earned All-MAC honors, while Page led the nation in receptions by a freshman and was named first-team Freshman All-America by Phil Steele and the College Football News.

Campbell has earned national attention for his recruiting, as well. Rivals.com named him a "top recruiter" in 2011. Campbell was one of nine coaches from non-automatic qualifying schools in the BCS to make the list, and the only one from the Mid-American Conference. Toledo's 2011 recruiting class was ranked No. 1 in the MAC by both Scout.com and Rivals.com.

Campbell, a 2002 graduate of Mount Union, was a member of five national championship teams as a coach and player for the Purple Raiders. He was a two-time first-team All-American and was voted as the Ohio Athletic Conference's Best Defensive Lineman in 2001 and 2002. He was a vital member of three MUC teams which won national titles in 2000, 2001 and 2002. During his career at Mount Union, he had 207 tackles, 49 tackles for loss and 22 sacks. Campbell also excelled in the classroom, earning CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. In his final two years of his stay at Mount Union, Campbell was the offensive coordinator on a team that won back-to-back national titles.

mod34b said...

Off point, but hilarious.

UNC football player caught plagiarizing FROM AN 11 YEAR OLD. click here

And you though BC had problem.

UNC might be flirting with The NCAA death penalty for its widespread academic fraud on behalf of athletes


Luv to see it.

Knucklehead said...

EL MIZ is VEEERRRRRY excited about coach campbell.

Knucklehead said...

Boston College needs a big name coach if it wants to get out of the hole that it is in. The program is in SHAMBLES. It will take a good no-name coach 5 years to build up recruiting and get us back to where were THREE years ago.

Someone like Dennis Green - Stanford, Vikings - may give us a try. I think he was basically blacklisted from the NFL after freaking out during a press conference.

Another name is Eric Mangini. He is coaching freak, discipline guy with some pro-ties.


I have been promoting this guy here for years . . . Tim Murphy from Harvard. Wins at a school that suppossedly has academic standards - BC's are probably as stringent and has put players in the NFL.

RJ said...

When Tom Coghlin came in the winter of '95 he said he was changing the helmet by adding a maroon stripe because he didn't want BC "to be just another gold helmet out there", a la Army, Navy, Notre Dame, etc. It was a simple addition, but it was distinct. He also took the names off the backs of jerseys because in his words, "If you play good enough people will learn your name." I miss those helmets, and those nameless uniforms, but most of all I miss having a coach that desired to make BC football different and great through even the most subtle of tools.

EL MIZ said...

when Coughlin came he was 44 y.o. and it was after he had been a positional coach in the NFL for years and, before that, positional coach in college.

since the Campbell thing was essentially a throw-away line in an article about coaches on the Hot Seat, i will wait until #firespaz is a reality (which will be a truly great day) before i start advocating for campbell or anyone else (the other obvious idea would be Pete Carmichael Jr, the OC for the Saints who went to BC).

i will say that Campbell/Carmichael fit the mold of the guy i think BC should ultimately go after -- younger guy who has been the HC of a college program before (or coordinator in NFL) and will sign a 5 year deal and stay for 5 years and build something.

Dennis Green? that guy is 63 years old and coaching in the UFL. please no more 60 year olds, we need someone young and with energy and enthusiasm that is going to approach the job (and being successful at the job) as a make or break point in his career.

Tim Murphy? 56 yrs old who has had success in the Ivys. ugh. i would not be excited about that hire. BC's academic standards are not as stringent as harvard, and while his success there is impressive, i mean, look at their schedule every year. the hardest game is holy cross who he usually loses to. please no.

Mangini would be a great get; my first worry would be his lack of college experience (played at Wesleyan, no college coaching experience) -- does he really get the recruiting? the second biggest would be he'd coach with one foot out the door.

John said...

Interesting point, RJ - except Coughlin came in 91.

eagleboston said...

El Miz,

I think you hire the best person for the job, regardless of age. Do you think fans of Kansas State are bitching about Bill Snyder's age?

I posted a couple weeks ago my list which includes Butch Jones, Bobby Diaco, Mark Stoops, Bill O'Brien, Josh McDaniels and a couple others. I did not include Campbell, but I like what I have read about him.

Flutie era helmets were no question the best.

RJ said...

John, your absolutely right! I'll blame that one on me also watching the WS :-)

Knucklehead said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Knucklehead said...

The age comment is garbage.

I am looking at this realistically. BC could get but will NOT spend for McDaniels, Stoops etc.

The Saints are the dirtiest program in all of football College or Pro. Carmichael IS NOT a good fit for Boston College.

The Coach from Navy is another good, qualified and CLEAN candidate.

Darius said...

Bill, you're right. I thought what you said was a stretch, a bit over-the-top or even cocky, at first. But I've sat on the thought all week, and you've nailed something here. The helmet matters. The image a team projects is everything. And that helmet is it.

Darius said...

Bill, you're right. I thought what you said was a stretch, a bit over-the-top or even cocky, at first. But I've sat on the thought all week, and you've nailed something here. The helmet matters. The image a team projects is everything. And that helmet is it.