No Creamsicle!

One of the real treats when teams haul out those throwback uniforms for games is to once again see those snappy Tampa Bay Buccaneers creamsicle uniforms. I miss those things. The Buccaneers had planned to break out those classics for their September 29th game against the Arizona Cardinals. A new league policy has apparently put those plans on ice.

The NFL has a new helmet policy that strongly urges players to wear the same helmet all year long. They are doing this in the name of safety. This was news to me. I always thought that the league endorsed, even encouraged, teams showing up for games in uniforms from the past. If I understand this stupid new policy correctly, the teams with helmets that require an actual change in helmets and more than a simple decal change can't use those different helmets. So, they can no longer wear throwback uniforms because they would have to have a second helmet. The Buccaneer logo on a white helmet is too different from the current pewter helmet. The New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, and buffalo Bills have all changed the color of the helmet over the years. I guess that those teams can't go back either. Does the league really believe that these throwback uniforms actually use the helmet form those long ago days. I've yet to see a team pull out leather helmets. Some players go through a few helmets in a season. I don't get it.

The NFL often makes or encourages pretty stupid changes to the game. Even if I don't agree with those changes or proposed changes I can usually understand the reasoning behind those stupid changes. The proposed 18-game season quickly comes to mind. It's money. The league says that it's for the fans but it's clear that it's to increase revenue. The league is using safety, which is quite honorable, as the reason for tossing the throwback uniforms for several teams. It strikes me as a move that is all show. A current helmet with an old school look isn't less safe than a current helmet with a current look. Safety-wise, it's the same helmet! I've always enjoyed the throwback uniforms. I hate that the NFL deems it necessary to stick a fork in something fun.