"Thank You to the Best Fans in the NFL"

Got this image in an email this morning from the Packers Pro Shop:

Their graphic design game continues to be strong. And it's a great example of how the team's signature Braisher Stripes can be an effective shorthand for the club.

It All Hinges on This....

What an amazing game down in Dallas. The first half was all Green Bay, but the Cowboys staged a monumental comeback to tie it before the Packers sealed the win in the closing seconds.

I spent the entire fourth quarter trying to focus my nervous energy on something, anything other than Dallas's ongoing comeback. One of the things that I settled on was the Packers' helmets. Specifically one of the newer models.

Green Bay Packers strong safety Micah Hyde (33) celebrates after intercepting a pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

The helmet Hyde is wearing is the Riddell SpeedFlex. And yes, I kind of hate that I know the focus group-tested names of these helmet models. Almost as bad as keeping track of Nike's silly template names, but that's a subject for another post.

In any case, the SpeedFlex is easily identifiable by the hinged panel front and center. That hinge is supposedly part of the technology that will make the game safer (which is abject bullpucky, but whatever). Uni Watch did a piece on these helmets a couple years ago, and explains the purpose behind the hinge:

(T)he SpeedFlex's defining visual feature is a cutout on the crown, which creates a flexible panel designed to disperse the force of an impact. How flexible is it? Judging from a sample helmet that Riddell provided at Uni Watch's request, the panel definitely has some give -- if you push on it, it bends a bit(.)

Aside from its functionality(,) the flex panel also makes the SpeedFlex instantly recognizable, even from a distance, which no doubt pleases Riddell's marketing department (although the visual impact is diminished a bit if the helmet has center striping, because the stripe tape obscures the lower part of the cutout).

At least, it sometimes obscures the lower part of the cutout. The Packers' equipment managers interrupt the team's Braisher stripes.

Let's take a closer look at that helmet Hyde is wearing:

You can also see it in the background, on Jake Ryan (#47):

The Packers' trademark stripes are cut at the hinge, creating a visible break that's identifiable even at a distance. Identifiable even in the blurry background of a photo.

At some angles, the gold shell under the stripes is clearly visible, emphasizing that break even more.

Green Bay Packers strong safety Micah Hyde (33) celebrates after intercepting a pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Riddell's marketing department must be so proud.

But let's take a look at the other sideline; the Cowboys also prominently use Braisher stripes on their helmets. Here's how Dallas treats the hinge:

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) carries the ball during an NFL football NFC divisional playoff game, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (Ryan Kang/NFL)

The Cowboys run their stripes clear over the hinge without a break:

This diminishes the look of the hinge, putting the team's look above the helmet manufacturer's.

I don't often say this, but I vastly prefer the Cowboys' approach.

Color Rush Tweaked?

The Packers just tweeted out this look at Thursday's match:

WHITE 🔥🔥🔥!#Packers to debut #ColorRush uniforms Thursday night 📸: https://t.co/OSXgIWm6IA#CHIvsGB #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/9jxE930uVE

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) October 17, 2016

The pants have been tweaked since they were unveiled last month. Check out the stripes on Clay's pants in this promotional photo:

But as you can see, the white stripes in between the green and gold have been removed from the pants.

It's even more clear in the gallery posted on Packers.com:

Photo: Duke Bobber, packers.com

This is the same as the concept I posted, where the Packers could have created a uniform closer to Vince Lombardi's original white jersey:

Could we maybe see Vince's original vision restored some day? A boy can dream....

Looking Better!

The Packers were underdogs in Washington last night, but came out victorious. And, incidentally, looking pretty good. Except for a few niggling details.

Aaron Rodgers scrambles with the ball under pressure from Washington Redskins defensive end Chris Baker (92) during the first half of an NFL wild card playoff football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

This photo perfectly encapsulates the three things I hate about the Packers' current uniforms.

I hate those silly Captain patches. Utterly pointless, cluttering up a classic uniform. Fortunately, the Packers only drag them out for the playoffs, but that's when they should be wearing their best uniforms, not adding extra geegaws.

I hate the contrasting compression shirts. Matching the jersey color would clean up the look tremendously, especially with the home greens.

And I hate the cheap-looking silkscreened sleeve stripes. Nike manages to weave proper stripes right into the fabric of the Steelers' jerseys, why do we get stuck with the low-rent alternative?

As a bonus, I also hate the striping pattern on the road jerseys, a bastardized form of the classic Braisher stripes that just doesn't work when you break the basic rules and put white directly next to gold.

Washington looked pretty good, too, at least they dressed pretty well. In recent years they've gone back to their Lombardi-era pants and socks, giving them a classic-Packers feel.

Washington Redskins linebacker Preston Smith (94) celebrates after a safety on the Green Bay Packers offense with teammates during an NFL wild card playoff football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016. (Perry Knotts/NFL)

It was a treat to see the Packers regain their momentum, and the spirit of Lombardi must have been looking down with a smile.

Green Bay Packers running back James Starks (44) carries the ball into the end zone for a touchdown as Washington Redskins cornerback Will Blackmon (41) watches during the second half of an NFL wild card playoff football game in Landover, Md., Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Even an ugly win, or a win in their ugliest uniforms, is a beautiful thing.

Now it's on to Arizona, where they'll face a team with a somewhat less-classic æsthetic sense.

Green Bay Packers tight end Richard Rodgers (82) celebrates with quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) after wide receiver Davante Adams caught a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Washington Redskins in Landover, Md., Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally)

Snow Day!

Ah, football in the snow. The best the game ever looks.

Green Bay Packers' Jarrett Bush (24) celebrates with Datone Jones (95) after Bush intercepted a pass during the final seconds of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 22-21. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

I am looking forward to a Super Bowl played in real elements, not an antiseptic, air-conditioned tropical dome. And with by squeaking out a win against the Falcons, the Packers kept alive our hopes that they could be the ones to play in it next February.

Green Bay Packers' Eddie Lacy runs during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Tom Lynn)

You can see that Eddie Lacy had an issue with his Braisher stripes. I don't know if the cold made the decals more brittle, or if he just took a hard hit across his helmet, but he lost a chunk of a green stripe (and picked up a large wad of Tundra as well):

That's an issue we often see with the Bears' logo decals, but it's not one the Packers frequently have to deal with.

The photo at top also gives us another look at the various jersey templates the Packers employ. Check out the different chest seams on Datone Jones (l) and cornerback Sam Shields (r):

Once again, we see the minor variations behind the uniform sense of the uniforms.

Have a Coke (or a Smoke) and a Smile [UPDATED]

This photo has been making the rounds a lot lately.

Press-Gazette Archives

And no wonder - it's a beauty.

Vince Lombardi enjoying a Coke in the locker room, surrounded by Jim Taylor, Paul Hornung and Bart Starr. Taylor, like his coach, is enjoying a Coke. Hornung has a cigarette and Starr a rather uncomfortable facial expression.

I don't know when it was taken. Speculation has been that it was after a championship game, and Lombardi's expression certainly leans in that direction.

The uniforms can help narrow our timeframe; the green/white/gold pant stripes were only used through 1962. In 1963 the Packers adopted the green/white/green Braisher stripe pattern they still wear today.

Similarly, that jewelry on Lombardi's finger looks like a men's fashion ring than the Packers' 1961 World Championship ring. That could help us narrow it down even further - perhaps even to that 1961 Championship Game itself.

If we could see more of Hornung's number font, maybe we could know for sure.

---

UPDATE 9/26:  We have confirmation - Tom Farley recognized the locker room as County Stadium. Jeff Ash from the Green Bay Press-Gazette recognized the photo as one of theirs, and was able to supply us with this caption:

In the locker room at County Stadium after clinching Western Division championship with a 20-17 victory over the New York Giants on Dec. 3, 1961.

Jeff comes through again! I have added a photo credit to the image above.

I'm glad that our little detective work had us on the right track. I had the year right, and it was a victory party of sorts, just not the one I thought it might be. This was Week 12 out of a 14-game season, when the Packers clinched their conference.

Looking at the Milwaukee Journal's coverage of the game, we get a couple good shots of the game itself, including a photo of the Packers wearing the blue-and-gold sideline capes left over from previous years:

And there, along the right margin, is a photo of Jim Taylor. Note the distinctive cuts on his nose, matching our original post-game photo (although it does appear that his dentist was given new work to do between the two).

Taylor looks pretty pleased with himself, and rightly so; his 186-yard rushing performance against the New York Giants that day was a Packers team record, and remained his career best.

The only thing I love more than a good mystery is a good mystery solved.

A Team By Any Other Name Would Play as Sweet

The Washington Redskins came into Lambeau Field last night, bringing along their Vince Lombardi-inspired uniforms.

It was a great-looking game, from the scoreline to the uniform matchup.

Two uniform-related notes. First, running back Eddie Lacy was knocked out of the game in the first series with a concussion after a helmet-to-helmet hit from Brandon Meriweather (who later suffered his own concussion when he tried the same trick on Lacy's replacement James Starks). This means we're going to hear all about concussions, and how to prevent concussions, and which helmets protect best against concussions. Which will allow the press, players and league to keep sweeping the real issue under the table; namely, that concussions aren't the real problem.

The other note relates to the visitors. A group of about two dozen Native Americans, most from the Oneida Nation, gathered outside Lambeau Field to protest the use of the "Redskins" name.

This has bubbled under the surface for the last few decades, but really gained national prominence in recent weeks. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has backed down from his previously strong defense of the nickname; four months ago it was "a unifying force that stands for strength, courage, pride and respect", and today "If we are offending one person, we need to be listening and making sure that we're doing the right things to try to address that."

Closer to home, Packers CEO Mark Murphy (who played for Washington from 1977-1984) has made recent statements expressing a degree of support for the protestors' position. Everyone agrees that the decision to keep or change the nickname ultimately belongs with Washington owner Dan Snyder, but his defenders are becoming quieter as his opponents gain strength.

This issue shows no sign of going away. From the Atlanta Braves and their tomahawk chop to the Cleveland Indians' "Chief Wahoo" logo, the appropriation of native names and iconography by sports teams continues to be problematic at least.

I'm reminded that one of the original names considered for our Packers, way back in 1919, was the "Indians". That would be after "Indian Packing Company", Curly Lambeau's employer and sponsor of that first team.

Lambeau convinced his bosses to put up money for uniforms, and in return (whether part of the agreement or not) he named his team after the company.

Fortunately for us, Curly chose the second word in the company's name over the first. Of course, "Indians" might have been short-lived, as the meat packing plant was and purchased by the Acme Packing Company in 1920.

But who knows? If things had turned out just a little differently, we would be facing the same issue Snyder is today.

Now, "Redskins" is a pretty extreme example of the native-nickname controversy in sports, so the "Green Bay Indians" wouldn't be exactly the same. Still, I'm glad that we can honestly say our nickname really is a unifying force that stands for strength, courage, pride and respect.

Another Look at the Steroid Stripes

Over on the Chris Creamer boards, a user named "slats7" posted a new look at the enlarged Braisher stripes worn by the Packers last weekend in San Francisco.

Although we've seen that some players were wearing the older (narrower) stripes, from this screencap it sure seems as though most of the team is wearing the enlarged version.

You can really see the contrast with the 49ers' Braisher stripes in this shot of Clay Matthews:

I have to say that I really prefer their version to ours. Theirs are in better proportion with the helmet stripes, which is what makes Braisher stripes so aesthetically pleasing. That's ironic, since the current 49ers is a throwback to the Montana-era uniform, which was notable for engorged pant stripes:

Personally, I hope the Packers revert to a more classic look:

Small details make all the difference.

Braisher Stripes on Steriods

Several readers emailed me to mention that the Packers' Braisher pant stripes were looking a little larger this pre-season.

After yesterday's game, it sure looks that way.

It's especially noticable when you compare the Packers' stripes with those of the 49ers, as in this photo of Clay Matthews sacking Colin Kaepernick:

What's especially interesting to me is that there seems to be some inconsistency between players.

In some shots, it almost looks like the stripes are overwhelming the pants.

Take a closer look at that last photo - are we seeing last year's pants versus this year's?

I did think that the stripes started looking a bit wider last season, presumably due to the elastic fabric the Packers were using, but not like this. We'll need to keep an eye on it.

Braisher Stripes in the Super Bowl

The San Francisco 49ers are on their way to the Super Bowl.

If I don't have a rooting interest in any given game, I always pull for the team with traditional uniforms. That the 49ers also wear Braisher stripes is a bonus. A little bit of the Packers' legacy lives on in the postseason.

Divisional Round - End of the Line

Well, that was fun while it lasted.

Yesterday, the Packers were eliminated by the 49ers in a blowout win at Candlestick Park. Not much in the way of uniform news from the game, other than the Packers wore the Sandy Hook Elementary memorial decal for the fourth and final time.

Interestingly, head coach Mike McCarthy wasn't wearing his S.H.E.S. pin.

The big uniform news for next season (so far) is the new rule requiring thigh and knee pads, meaning more players will look like Aaron Rodgers did yesterday:

I guess if I have to root for anybody left standing, it would have to be the 49ers. Not only is there somewhat less shame in losing to the eventual champion, but if Packers can't go all the way to New Orleans, at least the Braisher stripes can still be represented.

A Little Bit of Braisher

The Packers destroyed the Titans today at Lambeau Field, 55-7. An amazing game to watch, unless you're this guy:

It got me thinking, though, about the Titans' pants.

On the whole, I'm not a huge fan of the Titans' logos or uniforms. They're too self-conscious, too obviously a product of the 1990s. With the exception of the pants.

Simple, classic. Best of all, Braisher stripes.

It got me thinking about other teams that have used Braisher stripes on their pants but not helmets. To the Titans we can add Washington.

In past seasons, The Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams have worn Braisher stripes on their pants:

These make an appearance a couple times a season as part of their throwback uniform.

So much better than their regular look.

Between the Titans wearing Braisher stripes, the 49ers having brought theirs back a couple years ago, the Redskins making them a permanent fixture and the Rams showing them off for selected games, "Dad" Braisher's legacy is alive and well.