Friday, December 08, 2006

FBO: 'Contemplates NFL Helmets'

WHAT PRICE WOULD YOU BESEAK FAILURE?
In the last 15 years we've seen a few things where unforgiveable acts have led to success from previously failed franchises of the National Football League. Consider this:

* Denver Broncos changed from mostly orange uniforms to 'more macho' navy blue with Nike stripe swoops on pants (won Super Bowl twice)
* Baltimore Ravens sold out historic Cleveland Browns and swapped orange helmet for 'macho' black raven helmet (won Super Bowl)
* Atlanta Falcons sold out franchise-long red helmet for 'macho' black helmet (appeared in first Super Bowl)
* Tennessee Titans sold out Houston Oillers, macho-ed up uniform (appeared in first Super Bowl)
* New England Patriots took off ball-snapping patriot from helmet for USFL slick helmet (won three Super Bowls)
* Tampa Bay cut the sissy peach uniform pattern for the most aggressive macho-ized uniform (won Super Bowl)

(The Seattle Seahawks uniform change -- slightly changed color -- got them into last year's Super Bowl, but the color change was a wise call.)

And note teams that haven't sold out their uniforms and apparently will never wreak any sort of success:

* Arizona Cardinals (did sell out St Louis)
* Detroit Lions
* Cleveland Browns II (re-instated best helmet in the NFL, a striped nothing of orange)

Some of you wonder, is failure synonymous with status quo, or maintaining of tradition? Not necessarily. But change must be justified, and never a calculated move to 'aim down' to perceptions that fans can't stomach riskier uniform decisions. Even if that means you won't have success.

The FBO endorses these uniform changes -- all retro decisions:

* New York Giants --> return from ugly blue 'Giants' helmet to the old softer-blue 'ny' helmet
* New York Jets --> scrapped inexcusable ugly-green 'jets-->' theme for retro Namath uniforms
* San Diego Chargers --> when they wear the old retro white helmet, gold bolt with number uniforms
* Buffalo Bills --> when they wear the retro OJ-era, all-red buffalo helmet

Consider cheering for these teams, and never root for those on the easy-way-out-to-Super-Bowl list above...


FBO Admin
Mobile/Semi-Permanent HQ -- Brooklyn, NY

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