Old, new, borrowed, blue: On Lions uniforms for 2008

By Os Davis  |   Thursday, May 22, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Detroit Lions
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Sometimes the best decisions are sartorial ones: Detroit Lions Football Inc. announced a couple of innovations to be applied the Motor City’s colors and outfitting this season, showing that while some of those in the front office may lack class, the team still has style.

First up was the presentation of the 75th anniversary logo for the team. In 1934, Detroit radio executive George A. Richards purchased the NFL franchise known as the Portsmouth Spartans for $8,000, took them out of Ohio, changed the team name, and installed them in Detroit. Detroit had been home to three pro football franchises since 1920, but the Lions managed to stick around.

(Incidentally, if you’re wondering about the math on that “75,” here’s Detroit Lions VP/COO Tom “I will come after you” Lewand: “The Portsmouth Spartans moved to Detroit in 1934, making this our 75th season. So 2008 will be our 75th season and obviously we’re very proud of our rich tradition.”)

The 75 logo, sad to say, is a bit underwhelming. Slightly busy (they’re overlapping a diamond shape with a rectangle, a pennant and the logo?), here’s to hoping that this thing is kept to a minimum. It appears, however, that it will be huge, patched on over the heart area on the home and away jerseys.

Meanwhile, great news for retro uniform junkies such as yours truly: The Lions will be breaking out those sweet minimalist blue-and-white uniforms twice this season. Nov. 9 will see the team don the threads for a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at which “the highlight of [the] game will be the introduction of our [75th anniversary all-time Lions team].” (Already hedging your bets on a loss, eh, Mr. Lewand?) And Thanksgiving will see the Lions in the old-school gear for the traditional Turkey Bowl game; one can only hope the opposing Tennessee Titans will break out some variation on the old Houston Oilers stuff.

Not overly superstitious, this writer nonetheless believes in the uniform mojo; maybe to play great, you've got to look great. Not that the steadfast uniforms aren’t OK, but if there’s anything Detroit football could use right now, it’s a little mojo. The basic design has barely changed since 1972 and neither have the Lions’ losing ways. Back in the fantastic ‘50s that had Detroit dominating NFL ball, Bobby Layne and Doak Walker were wearing something a lot closer to stripped down Honolulu blue and silver and a lot less like a bulletin board.

(Recent history footnote stats: The Lions are now just 1-6 in the traditional game since 2001. Since 1991, the Lions have won on Thanksgiving eight times; in six of those seasons, the team posted a winning record. In the eight seasons in which they lost, seven ended in losing records.)

Unfortunately, nothing was said about those sadly ignored black variations on the uni first broken out in 2005 – ignored except at the memorabilia shops, that is. Why are these not used more often? Now, this is the gear of a mean Lion. Grrrrrr....

Remember, you could add a couple of wins if y’all just know you look good out there.

Suiting up meticulously throughout the year at RealFootball365.com
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's ...
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