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Jack and Meg: Huge College Football Fans

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Coincidences freak me out. Case in point: Reader Ryan Meyer recently got in touch to say that he was watching an old Cowboys/Redskins game and noticed that the football had white stripes, just like in the NCAA. Okay, good observation, something worth investigating.

Then, a day or two later, Kenn Tomasch told me he’d blogged about his visit to the NFL Experience exhibit at this year’s Super Bowl. And the exhibit apparently included this football, which Kenn described thusly: “Notice anything different about this ball? It has the white stripes often used in the 1940s and 1950s for improved visibility under less-than-optimal lighting conditions. This one was from Super Bowl VIII, but by SB IX the stripes were gone.”

A bit of research reveals that ball in Super Bowl VIII was indeed striped — something I’d never noticed before. But it wasn’t striped in Super Bowls I, II, III, IV, V, VI, or VII, or for any subsequent Super Bowls (trust me, I checked), so why did they use a striped ball for that one game?

All this reminded me of one of my most prized possessions: this “NFL Playbook,” which my father got as a promotional giveaway from American Express back around 1972. It’s filled with gorgeous illustrations, and I seemed to recall that at least one of them included a striped ball. Sure enough — look.

I now realize that I’ve never given much thought to the striped ball. I’ve just kinda instinctively thought of it as “one of those college football things,” like only needing one foot in bounds for an official catch, or stopping the clock to move the chains after a first down. But now that I’ve started to think about it, I have a lot of questions regarding this topic. To wit:

Early college footballs were stripe-free. So when were the stripes added to the ball, and why? When did they become a permanent fixture on the college gridiron?

• Why was a striped ball used in Super Bowl VIII?

• To what extent have striped balls been used at the pro level aside from SB VIII? That Cowboys/Redskins game is one example, and the “NFL Playbook” illustration was presumably based on a photo of a Chargers game with a striped ball — are there other examples? Tomasch’s photo caption indicates that striped balls were “often used in the 1940s and 1950s,” but I haven’t yet found any evidence of that. All the old images I’ve looked at in the past few days (admittedly not a huge number) show a stripeless ball.

• Well, almost all of them. In the course of researching, I came across two photos of Bob Waterfield holding a black-striped ball. It also looks like the ball itself may be paler, almost white, but that may be an illusion caused by the contrast of the black stripes. In any case, I’d never seen a black-striped ball before. What’s the story there? Were black-striped balls ever used in games?

• What’s the point of the white stripes anyway? Tomasch’s blog states that the stripes were designed to create “improved visibility under less-than-optimal lighting conditions. But if that’s the case, why would Waterfield be using that black-striped model? Also: I recall reading or hearing at some point that the two white stripes represented the offensive and defensive lines of scrimmage, and that the space in between them was the neutral zone. Where did I hear this? I can’t remember, but it was when I was pretty young. Any truth to it?

I have a feeling several of you out there know the answers to these questions. Let’s have ’em.

Uni Watch News Ticker: “On Sunday Ohio State gave the three seniors on the team commemorative jerseys hung in a frame,” writes Cody Poppaw. “The odd thing is that they gave them the only jerseys that they never wore for a whole season. They were home jerseys that the team wore for the first half of last season before they switched to the Nike SOD unis.” ”¦ Fun piece here about sports-themed lingerie (with thanks to Anthony Atencio). ”¦ Reprinted from yesterday’s comments: Last graf of this story has some interesting info regarding UNC’s number-retirement protocols. ”¦ Also from yesterday: The little patch under the “V” in this photo is dot dot dot dash, which is morse code for V. ”¦ Awesome find by Erkki W. Corpuz, who passed along this photo of Sammy Baugh. Didn’t realize the Redskins had ever worn a Blackhawks-ish jersey design. ”¦ Erkki also sent along this classic UNC photo — uni-numbered stirrups!. ”¦ Authors sometimes buy large quantities of their own books on Amazon, to increase their position on the best-seller lists. Here’s the sports equivalent of that. ”¦ Jake Shaw reports that the Brewers have a minor league shortstop in their system named — wait for it — Brent Brewer. The mind fairly boggles.

 
  
 
Comments (206)

    Are those players in the 1940s and 1950s football pictures wearing Chuck Taylor’s? Certainly looks like it.

    Okay, this is a question that probably has an easy answer, but I’ll ask it anyway: The Hansbrough article says that he’ll be the 8th retired number. The photo with the article has 19 jerseys in it and it doesn’t have a few of the jerseys include like Jordan’s. So, what gives? Why are there 20+ jerseys up there but only 7 (going on 8) retired?

    Re: lingerie (related): Back in the early ’90’s the NY rangers ran a promotion for fans who showed up at games wearing Rangers attire. They refused to allow my entry claiming that my boxer shorts were not attire. They did allow my wrist bands, however.

    [quote comment=”237916″]Okay, this is a question that probably has an easy answer, but I’ll ask it anyway: The Hansbrough article says that he’ll be the 8th retired number. The photo with the article has 19 jerseys in it and it doesn’t have a few of the jerseys include like Jordan’s. So, what gives? Why are there 20+ jerseys up there but only 7 (going on 8) retired?[/quote]

    There are several UNC honored but not retired jerseys. I thought the actual retired numbers had a special banner, but I may be wrong. Someone who actually goes/went to Carolina probably knows.

    I remember seeing old NFL Films footage of Bob Waterfield using a white ball (I don’t remember if there were black stripes on it or not). It appeared that these games were either being played at dusk or in the evening.

    How come this stripes on the football in the “NFL Playbook” are on opposite sides of the ball. Was this another pattern used or just artistic licence?

    link

    “On Sunday Ohio State gave the three seniors on the team commemorative jerseys hung in a frame,” writes Cody Poppaw. “The odd thing is that they gave them the only jerseys that they never wore for a whole season. They were home jerseys that the team wore for the first half of last season before they switched to the Nike SOD unis.”

    Same thing happened at Maryland…they gave the seniors link…sooooooooo much better.

    To pull a quote from the night football link above:

    “The first known official documentation of the use of a white football was recorded in the Providence (R.I.) Journal on November 7, 1929, roughly five years after Msgr. McDermott’s account. Oddly, the game on November 6 at Kinsley Park in Providence gained historical notoriety for another reason at the time — it is credited as the first night game ever in NFL history. Ironically, the Chicago Cardinals were one of the participants that night. Behind the running, passing and kicking of Ernie Nevers, the Cardinals upended the Providence Steam Roller, 16—0. In that game, a white ball was used to help offset bad lighting.”

    In the Detroit picture with the V on the sleeve. How come the player being assisted has the V on his right sleeve and everyone else visible has it on the left?

    I don’t know if this has been mentioned, but CNBC is having a minor league basball logo tournament.

    link

    anyone else have trouble reaching the ‘comments section’ yesterday? I could barely reach the site..and comments, not at all. slow today, too.

    [quote comment=”237938″]I don’t know if this has been mentioned, but CNBC is having a minor league basball logo tournament.

    link

    Yes. 2-3 times…..

    From UNC’s athletic site

    Honored Jerseys
    Rising high above the Smith Center floor are the names and uniform numbers of 40 Tar Heel players who performed with great distinction. Seven of the jersey numbers are retired and 33 of them are honored and may be worn by future Tar Heels. A player qualifies to have his number honored if he meets any of the following criteria: ACC Player of the Year; selected by the coaches as MVP of a NCAA championship team; member of a gold medal Olympic team; or a first- or second-team All-America selection.

    link has an article about Oxford (England) University being the second-oldest organized hockey team and their rivalry with Cambridge University. There’s a great shot of the team’s uniform with Toronto Maple Leafs socks.

    Stripes make the ball easier to see, especially when it is in the air. This probably came about with the advent of the passing game and is prevalent in college and high school. Not sure why it isn’t the same as in the pros, probably b/c they play in better, more well lit stadiums.

    According to the Arena Football League website regarding their striped ball: The Spalding AFL Game Ball is specifically designed for higher visibility in the passing game and is made from the finest materials for superior pro-level feel and grip. Recommended for competitive indoor and outdoor play. Horween “Tanned-in-Tack” Leather provides exceptional grip. link

    Now, when the league started, they used a regular NFL type ball:link

    Now in contrast, I thought the National Indoor Football League had been using white footballs, but on their website, they show this link one instead. Not sure if that is a promo thing or not. I also see their jerseys are rather…link

    Duke has a similar policy on retiring the number of a player who wins a national player of the year award – but there’s a catch, you must have graduated. That’s why Elton Brand’s #42 isn’t retired, yet. Maybe he’ll finish his degree when his NBA career is over.

    When the AFL and NFL merged in 1970, the NFL ruled striped balls were legal for night games, and most games in the early MNF days used striped balls. What may have happened was the Oilers supplied the NFL with striped balls for the Super Bowl, since in those days, a special commemorative football was not produced specifically for the Super Bowl.

    The rules changed in the late 1970s to outlaw the use of striped balls, and since then, all games have used the stripeless NFL ball.

    I seem to recall the stripes being taken off the ball because receivers complained about glare on them – especially in night games. yes, that seems crazy but I recall something about that when the stripes disappeared.

    When researching out that Arena stuff I found out the link are playing again, this time at the Arena 2 level…..as much as I hate to say it…I like their helmets…not the jerseys though.

    I’m sorry, but those UNC basketball uniforms are about a million times better than the crap they are wearing these days. Ditch the argyle and get back to the stirrups!

    [quote comment=”237942″]anyone else have trouble reaching the ‘comments section’ yesterday? I could barely reach the site..and comments, not at all. slow today, too.[/quote]

    this site is consistently the slowest site i visit…and i visit daily. and i just got a new computer…still the site is slow as molasses in january.

    [quote comment=”237920″][quote comment=”237916″]Okay, this is a question that probably has an easy answer, but I’ll ask it anyway: The Hansbrough article says that he’ll be the 8th retired number. The photo with the article has 19 jerseys in it and it doesn’t have a few of the jerseys include like Jordan’s. So, what gives? Why are there 20+ jerseys up there but only 7 (going on 8) retired?[/quote]

    There are several UNC honored but not retired jerseys. I thought the actual retired numbers had a special banner, but I may be wrong. Someone who actually goes/went to Carolina probably knows.[/quote]

    i posted this yesterday which is basically verbatim from the carolina website:

    [quote comment=”237754″]Re: UNC Jersey Retirement Criteria

    North Carolina has a strict criteria for how any player will be honored within the Smith Center.
    When a given criteria is achieved, the players number and jersey will either be retired or honored.

    A player qualifies to have his number honored if he meets any of the following criteria: ACC Player of the Year; selected by the coaches as MVP of a NCAA championship team; member of a gold medal Olympic team; or a first- or second-team All-America selection.

    A player must be the consensus National Player of the Year to have his jersey retired.

    This was mentioned in the article.

    That is policy established by the University’s Athletics Council.[/quote]

    the photo listed was an old photo. back then, there was no discrimination between retired and honored jerseys other than that the retired jerseys were on the top row.
    link

    last season, its 21st season, the smith center had a facelift replacing all of the seats and having all of the banners re-done.
    this included the jerseys. only this time, the retired jerseys, although still on the top row, are distinguished as such.
    link

    [quote comment=”237960″]Erkki also sent along link– uni-numbered stirrups!. …
    [/quote]

    on the left, catasauqua pa.’s larry miller.
    dean smith’s first major recruit, and one of carolina’s all time greats.

    Now, if only the Astros could have Houston pitch to Brewer in Milwaukie…you would have the Houston/Houston jersey vs. Brewers/Brewer jersey!

    Brent Brewer plays for the Brewers

    personally, I always liked Carl Birdsong, punter for the St. Louis Cardinals as the best last name/team combo

    When I first played high school football, in 1984, we used footballs (mostly Wilson TD) with white stripes that went all the way around the ball, similar to those pics of the NFL’s white “night ball.” By my soph or junior year, though, the stripes went only halfway round; the top half, specifically (both Wilson TD and Spalding J5-V models), as the NCAA still uses today.

    My initial thought at the time was that the full-circle stripe was standard for high school, half-circle stripe for college, no stripe for pro. I doubt this was ever truly the case, but the half-circle stripe seems to have been used almost universally in high school and college since then.

    [quote comment=”237926″]The football was indeed white. It was a link.[/quote]

    My dad gave me a white football with black stripes on it that he had when he was a kid in the early 50s. I lost it in the woods behind my house – that might have been pretty valuable.

    [quote comment=”237959″][quote comment=”237942″]anyone else have trouble reaching the ‘comments section’ yesterday? I could barely reach the site..and comments, not at all. slow today, too.[/quote]

    this site is consistently the slowest site i visit…and i visit daily. and i just got a new computer…still the site is slow as molasses in january.[/quote]
    This site is always disgustingly slow for me, i have a brand new dell computer too, running on Time Warner high speed internet.

    [quote comment=”237952″]When the AFL and NFL merged in 1970, the NFL ruled striped balls were legal for night games, and most games in the early MNF days used striped balls. What may have happened was the Oilers supplied the NFL with striped balls for the Super Bowl, since in those days, a special commemorative football was not produced specifically for the Super Bowl.

    The rules changed in the late 1970s to outlaw the use of striped balls, and since then, all games have used the stripeless NFL ball.[/quote]

    I agree about the Oilers angle to the story. Remember, the Oilers played home games indoors, thus they may(?) have used the striped ball all the time due to the each game being played indoors and under the lights.

    I looked at the striped ball issue some time ago and found no evidence (game footage/photo) after 1975.

    For what it’s worth, those link link pictures are from their All-America Football Conference days… the AAFC didn’t follow the NFL’s rules about numbering, so Otto Graham wore #60 and Marion Motley #76. The NFL used the numbers 50-79 to designate interior offensive linemen, so link to accommodate the NFL when the Browns switched leagues.

    I know we go back and forth a lot about sock/stirrup styles in baseball, and the high/low whites and striped socks in football. But are any other soccer fans here annoyed by the terrible high sock look some guys are wearing? Here’s link last night, looking terrible. link sporting the high socks during his Arsenal days. Admittedly, the link is link to grow on me. Why not just stick with the link? Wondering if anyone cares.

    Paul Ranger unfortunately plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Miro Satan plays for the Isles and not the Devils. Mike Eagles once played for the Capitals when they had an eagle on their chest.

    [quote comment=”237976″]I know we go back and forth a lot about sock/stirrup styles in baseball, and the high/low whites and striped socks in football. But are any other soccer fans here annoyed by the terrible high sock look some guys are wearing? Here’s link last night, looking terrible. link sporting the high socks during his Arsenal days. Admittedly, the link is link to grow on me. Why not just stick with the link? Wondering if anyone cares.[/quote]
    I care….I still roll the socks down and tape them right above the shin guard.

    [quote comment=”237964″][quote comment=”237960″]Erkki also sent along link– uni-numbered stirrups!. …
    [/quote]

    on the left, catasauqua pa.’s larry miller.
    dean smith’s first major recruit, and one of carolina’s all time greats.[/quote]

    todd–you’re not from catasauqua by any chance, are you?

    [quote comment=”237977″]Paul Ranger unfortunately plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Miro Satan plays for the Isles and not the Devils. Mike Eagles once played for the Capitals when they had an eagle on their chest.[/quote]

    Jeff F-eagles played in Philadelphia.

    [quote comment=”237920″][quote comment=”237916″]Okay, this is a question that probably has an easy answer, but I’ll ask it anyway: The Hansbrough article says that he’ll be the 8th retired number. The photo with the article has 19 jerseys in it and it doesn’t have a few of the jerseys include like Jordan’s. So, what gives? Why are there 20+ jerseys up there but only 7 (going on 8) retired?[/quote]

    There are several UNC honored but not retired jerseys. I thought the actual retired numbers had a special banner, but I may be wrong. Someone who actually goes/went to Carolina probably knows.[/quote]
    [quote comment=”237929″]“On Sunday Ohio State gave the three seniors on the team commemorative jerseys hung in a frame,” writes Cody Poppaw. “The odd thing is that they gave them the only jerseys that they never wore for a whole season. They were home jerseys that the team wore for the first half of last season before they switched to the Nike SOD unis.”

    Same thing happened at Maryland…they gave the seniors link…sooooooooo much better.[/quote]

    1. I disagree…I LOVE their new SOD gear.

    2. How on Earth did you link to that pic? I can never sucessfully do that?

    Your posted address was: link

    However, the properties states this as the URL:
    link;

    Please Help!

    How gorgeous are the Vikings and Dolphins uniforms in that Super Bowl picture?

    Korea is still rocking the wide, but abbreviated, pants stripe (and they really look like pants on this guy):
    link

    Germany looking very bush-league:
    link

    Mexico’s numbers look a little low with NNOB:
    link

    Slight mixup in the Eircom League (Irish Soccer) last week, the unis for the teams clashed, so the opposing team had to wear the Home teams road unis
    read linkfor details, sorry, couldn’t find any pics, but the league is not that popular here and does not have a load of media coverage. The funny thing is, this is the 2nd time in a week this has happened (different teams), you think that they would have a schedule available for all.

    [quote comment=”237967″]Brent Brewer plays for the Brewers

    personally, I always liked Carl Birdsong, punter for the St. Louis Cardinals as the best last name/team combo[/quote]

    I’m sure the Cleveland Browns have had a number of players named Brown; Jim and Courtney being the most obvious.

    I always thought Jeff Feagles when he played for Philadelphia Eagles was a good one.

    And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    [quote comment=”237976″]I know we go back and forth a lot about sock/stirrup styles in baseball, and the high/low whites and striped socks in football. But are any other soccer fans here annoyed by the terrible high sock look some guys are wearing? Here’s link last night, looking terrible. link sporting the high socks during his Arsenal days. Admittedly, the link is link to grow on me. Why not just stick with the link? Wondering if anyone cares.[/quote]
    The absolute worst offender of the awful high socks is that wanker John Terry! The short socks look always reminds me of the Dutch National Teams in the 70’s, or maybe just the 70’s in general. I am def a fan of the classic look

    And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD

    [quote comment=”237974″][quote comment=”237952″]When the AFL and NFL merged in 1970, the NFL ruled striped balls were legal for night games, and most games in the early MNF days used striped balls. What may have happened was the Oilers supplied the NFL with striped balls for the Super Bowl, since in those days, a special commemorative football was not produced specifically for the Super Bowl.

    The rules changed in the late 1970s to outlaw the use of striped balls, and since then, all games have used the stripeless NFL ball.[/quote]

    I agree about the Oilers angle to the story. Remember, the Oilers played home games indoors, thus they may(?) have used the striped ball all the time due to the each game being played indoors and under the lights.

    I looked at the striped ball issue some time ago and found no evidence (game footage/photo) after 1975.[/quote]
    Maybe the striped ball was a Texas thing. They were obviously used by the Cowboys in Texas Stadium too. That stadium is almost totally enclosed, so maybe it did have something to do with domes and lighting.

    1. A href=”http://www.mmbolding.com/BSR/AAFC1950.jpg”>A photo of the white ball in use in the 1950 Eagles-Browns season opener

    2. The reason some of the NFL balls had only partial striping was that quarterbacks complained that their thumb would have been on the stripe and slipped slightly when the ball got wet, so the NFL went to partially-striped balls – even had right- and left- handed models. I think the NFL went to the stripes because of Monday Night Football, and then dropped them because of complaints and “because all stadiums now have enough lighting that the stripes aren’t needed.” Quite a few stadiums (stadia?) had fairly bad lighting or lighting designed for baseball; Monday Night Football didn’t play in Lambeau Field until better lights were installed in 1979.

    My guess for the reason striped balls were used in Super Bowl VIII is simply that it was a dingy overcast day and the lights were on for the entire game…perhaps the policy at that time dictated that anytime stadium lights were needed, a striped football was to be used.

    [quote comment=”237962″][quote comment=”237920″][quote comment=”237916″]Okay, this is a question that probably has an easy answer, but I’ll ask it anyway: The Hansbrough article says that he’ll be the 8th retired number. The photo with the article has 19 jerseys in it and it doesn’t have a few of the jerseys include like Jordan’s. So, what gives? Why are there 20+ jerseys up there but only 7 (going on 8) retired?[/quote]

    There are several UNC honored but not retired jerseys. I thought the actual retired numbers had a special banner, but I may be wrong. Someone who actually goes/went to Carolina probably knows.[/quote]

    i posted this yesterday which is basically verbatim from the carolina website:

    [quote comment=”237754″]Re: UNC Jersey Retirement Criteria

    North Carolina has a strict criteria for how any player will be honored within the Smith Center.
    When a given criteria is achieved, the players number and jersey will either be retired or honored.

    A player qualifies to have his number honored if he meets any of the following criteria: ACC Player of the Year; selected by the coaches as MVP of a NCAA championship team; member of a gold medal Olympic team; or a first- or second-team All-America selection.

    A player must be the consensus National Player of the Year to have his jersey retired.

    This was mentioned in the article.

    That is policy established by the University’s Athletics Council.[/quote]

    the photo listed was an old photo. back then, there was no discrimination between retired and honored jerseys other than that the retired jerseys were on the top row.
    link

    last season, its 21st season, the smith center had a facelift replacing all of the seats and having all of the banners re-done.
    this included the jerseys. only this time, the retired jerseys, although still on the top row, are distinguished as such.
    link

    My sister worked in the Duke Athletic Department last year, on the third floor of Cameron, and she went over to a few games at the “Dean Dome”. She is no Heel-Hater but has mentioned on numerous occasions that there is virtually no surface left uncovered by Carolina Blue paint including speakers and the like!

    Wow, lots of love for me.

    I remembered that when the Eagles and Browns played in the first game of the 1950 season after the merger with the AAFC (on a Saturday night), they used a white ball with black stripes, and link.

    Stadium lighting wasn’t as good then as it is now, and the white ball (or light, if it wasn’t white) had higher visibility.

    link, of Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch, again with the white football.

    It’s very possible that I was mistaken (God knows I was mistaken about enough stuff in that NFL Experience post, as many of you were kind enough to point out) and the NFL didn’t use a brown ball with white stripes as often as I thought. I know that some college teams and many high school teams, with even less-optimal lighting (even today) have used the ball with white stripes. Whether it’s now traditional, and it’s used link despite it having no real function in terms of visibility, I don’t know.

    Sports Illustrated didn’t start until 1953, but checking some covers from that era, I can’t find any shots of guys toting a striped football (though it is a link of uni-type stuff that would be a great resource for someone who, say, did a blog about sports uniforms.

    Ah….but Dr. Bear’s comment above led me to this:

    link in 1970. Brown ball. White stripes.

    However, good Doctor, I have found a Monday Night game played at Green Bay prior to 1979:

    November 9, 1970: Baltimore 13, Green Bay 10
    (Perhaps the lighting was an issue, because the next two times the Pack was on Monday night at home, the games were in Milwaukee, and they didn’t go back to Lambeau on a Monday night until 1979).

    Damn, beat me to it. The NFL used a 3/4-striped ball, then went to half stripe for left-handed qbs. Correctly grip a football that is striped and notice, the thumb is on the stripe. Slick in rain, and my guess is that the striped ball was used for that particular Super Bowl b/c it was raining and very overcast. Why college and high school don’t use a non-striped ball has to be b/c of poor lighting.

    Hey am I the only one that thinks the Nationals’ mascot Screech needs a DC hat to go with the DC jersey? Or am I the only loser who notices that?

    link

    And BTW how dope are those hard hats?

    Meanwhile, Daryle Lamonica, in the Raiders’ first MNF game in 1970 – link. Which makes sense, because the game would have kicked off at 6pm on the West Coast, and I think they would have still been in Daylight time at the time. A shot that appears to be from later in that same game features link, and I can’t tell if there are stripes on that ball or not – the image is too small.

    So it’s obvious that the NFL did use a brown ball with white stripes as late as 1970 (and the Super Bowl in Houston). I think it’s a safe bet that they did use a similar ball back in the day (in addition to the white ball with black stripes) and we just haven’t found more photographic evidence of it being used in the 1940s and 1950s. My guess is that there weren’t a lot of night games back then, but I’d have to check that out.

    And another thing, he doesn’t even have the DC jersey that the teams wears. link

    This is all beyond mindblowing to me. I think we can all agree this is lead story worthy tomorrow. Screech wears a fake me out Nats jersey and a Curly W hat with a DC jersey… what has the world come to?

    One of the explanations I had heard for stripes on the football was for measurements. When the measurement was made – the ball would be marked and the stripe would line up with the link on the chain when it was placed on the hashmark.

    just a couple of random notes that aren’t related to one another…

    (1) i’m surprised that link hasn’t been mentioned

    (2) the first thing i thought of when i saw the link was, “so unc was an adidas school back in the day huh?” (in reference to the three blue stripes along the side of the jersey)

    [quote comment=”237982″]How gorgeous are the Vikings and Dolphins uniforms in that Super Bowl picture?[/quote]

    The picture has the Dolphins aqua looking too much like blue and the Vikings purple looks too much like blue also.

    [quote comment=”238004″]Hey am I the only one that thinks the Nationals’ mascot Screech needs a DC hat to go with the DC jersey? Or am I the only loser who notices that?

    link

    And BTW how dope are those hard hats?[/quote]

    The 1st and 3rd base coaches should wear those!

    [quote comment=”238007″]One of the explanations I had heard for stripes on the football was for measurements. When the measurement was made – the ball would be marked and the stripe would line up with the link on the chain when it was placed on the hashmark.[/quote]

    I’m a football official, and have been a linesman, responsible for measurements. We’ve never ever, to my knowledge, used a stripe on a football for any point of reference.

    In other news, link a football player from 1964 toting a striped ball, and link one from 1965. The first one wasn’t much of a player, but her brother could really score, I’m told. link Namath from 1966 (note there’s no helmet logo) with a striped ball.

    (Completely unrelated to the football itself, link and the link and their multicolored combos.)

    Continued from yesterday:
    [quote comment=”237780″][quote comment=”237763″][quote comment=”237716″][quote comment=”237647″]Awesome striped action from the link[/quote]
    —-

    There is something else quite awsome about that photo…[/quote]

    I noticed the same thing, the second thing I noticed after the socks…awesome.[/quote]

    Didn’t even cross my mind until I read this. but I guess that’s a good thing, huh.[/quote]
    I posted the original link yesterday and I have no idea what you are talking about. Why will none of you say, “hey not only are the stripes awesome, but check out the *blanks*!”? What’s up with the mystery? Am I missing something obvious?

    link.

    link.

    link.

    I gotta tell ya – I know SI.com has all of their covers, but this site is better and easier to navigate. It’s amazing. You could use it for so much source material, it’s unreal.

    This blog post has a “needless analysis” of the distribution of Red Sox uniform numbers over time, in graphical form.

    link

    I’ve heard before that the term “gridiron” comes from back in the day when the field was actually painted as a grid (see link), but had never seen a picture of it until link.

    [quote comment=”237994″]My guess for the reason striped balls were used in Super Bowl VIII is simply that it was a dingy overcast day and the lights were on for the entire game…perhaps the policy at that time dictated that anytime stadium lights were needed, a striped football was to be used.[/quote]

    Valid theory, except Super Bowl IX was played in equally if not worse visibility and no stripes were used.

    [quote comment=”238019″]link.

    link.

    link.

    I gotta tell ya – I know SI.com has all of their covers, but this site is better and easier to navigate. It’s amazing. You could use it for so much source material, it’s unreal.[/quote]
    I never knew OJ wore number 36 in the preseason with the Bills. Good find!

    [quote comment=”238014″]Continued from yesterday:
    [quote comment=”237780″][quote comment=”237763″][quote comment=”237716″][quote comment=”237647″]Awesome striped action from the link[/quote]
    —-

    There is something else quite awsome about that photo…[/quote]

    I noticed the same thing, the second thing I noticed after the socks…awesome.[/quote]

    Didn’t even cross my mind until I read this. but I guess that’s a good thing, huh.[/quote]
    I posted the original link yesterday and I have no idea what you are talking about. Why will none of you say, “hey not only are the stripes awesome, but check out the *blanks*!”? What’s up with the mystery? Am I missing something obvious?[/quote]

    Black and White guys on the team in 1901. Granted it’s not a Major League team, but this was during the days when guys like Cap Anson said they’d rather quit then play with blacks. So to see that picture was pretty cool.

    [quote comment=”238007″]One of the explanations I had heard for stripes on the football was for measurements. When the measurement was made – the ball would be marked and the stripe would line up with the link on the chain when it was placed on the hashmark.[/quote]

    Perhaps at one time, but in the last day of its use in the NFL it was only used presumably for visibility.

    [quote comment=”238014″]Continued from yesterday:
    [quote comment=”237780″][quote comment=”237763″][quote comment=”237716″][quote comment=”237647″]Awesome striped action from the link[/quote]
    —-

    There is something else quite awsome about that photo…[/quote]

    I noticed the same thing, the second thing I noticed after the socks…awesome.[/quote]

    Didn’t even cross my mind until I read this. but I guess that’s a good thing, huh.[/quote]
    I posted the original link yesterday and I have no idea what you are talking about. Why will none of you say, “hey not only are the stripes awesome, but check out the *blanks*!”? What’s up with the mystery? Am I missing something obvious?[/quote]
    I think it was the racially integrated team in 1901. But I’m not sure. That’s why it’s cool that you haven’t noticed it yet.

    [quote comment=”238024″][quote comment=”237994″]My guess for the reason striped balls were used in Super Bowl VIII is simply that it was a dingy overcast day and the lights were on for the entire game…perhaps the policy at that time dictated that anytime stadium lights were needed, a striped football was to be used.[/quote]

    Valid theory, except Super Bowl IX was played in equally if not worse visibility and no stripes were used.[/quote]

    It was, but since Super Bowl IX was played after Super Bowl VIII, and since I haven’t found any evidence of an NFL player toting a striped football after Super Bowl VIII (yet), it may be that they never used them again, regardless of conditions.

    [quote comment=”238031″]I think it was the racially integrated team in 1901. But I’m not sure. That’s why it’s cool that you haven’t noticed it yet.[/quote]

    here’s an easy one…who was the first black player to play in the major leagues?

    [quote comment=”238034″][quote comment=”238031″]I think it was the racially integrated team in 1901. But I’m not sure. That’s why it’s cool that you haven’t noticed it yet.[/quote]

    here’s an easy one…who was the first black player to play in the major leagues?[/quote]

    Moses Fleetwood Walker, of course!

    link

    [quote comment=”237996″]
    My sister worked in the Duke Athletic Department last year, on the third floor of Cameron, and she went over to a few games at the “Dean Dome”. She is no Heel-Hater but has mentioned on numerous occasions that there is virtually no surface left uncovered by Carolina Blue paint including speakers and the like![/quote]

    she’s right. the smith center is one of the most beautiful places in the country.

    [quote comment=”238034″][quote comment=”238031″]I think it was the racially integrated team in 1901. But I’m not sure. That’s why it’s cool that you haven’t noticed it yet.[/quote]

    here’s an easy one…who was the first black player to play in the major leagues?[/quote]

    Nice Little Big League reference. But, I believe it’s actually William Edward White, 1879.

    [quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)

    [quote comment=”238033″][quote comment=”238024″][quote comment=”237994″]My guess for the reason striped balls were used in Super Bowl VIII is simply that it was a dingy overcast day and the lights were on for the entire game…perhaps the policy at that time dictated that anytime stadium lights were needed, a striped football was to be used.[/quote]

    Valid theory, except Super Bowl IX was played in equally if not worse visibility and no stripes were used.[/quote]

    It was, but since Super Bowl IX was played after Super Bowl VIII, and since I haven’t found any evidence of an NFL player toting a striped football after Super Bowl VIII (yet), it may be that they never used them again, regardless of conditions.[/quote]

    Super Bowl IX was the 1974 season. I have seen numerous usages in ’74 and ’75 as well. All of the visuals I’ve seen are from the NFL Films box set “Super Bowl I-XL”. This is a tremendous resource as in addition to the highlight film from each Super Bowl, the accompanying regular season recap highlight film is included, many shots from obscure contests appear. Highly recommended.

    [quote comment=”238013″][quote comment=”238007″]link[/quote]

    Does anyone remember a Dolphins uniform from their first two years with ridiculously fat numbers? The holes in the 4’s and 9’s were particularly tiny.

    [quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]

    none taken…it’s a shithole

    [quote comment=”238015″]arena football uses a striped football, too:

    link

    So I noticed in comment #19. Dude, read a little before posting.

    Paul said:
    [quote]
    Also: I recall reading or hearing at some point that the two white stripes represented the offensive and defensive lines of scrimmage, and that the space in between them was the neutral zone. Where did I hear this? I can’t remember, but it was when I was pretty young. Any truth to it?[/quote]

    Football official here again: the two lines of scrimmage (you are correct, there’s one for offense, one for defense) are demarcated by the forward and rear points of the football, not the stripes. The Neutral Zone is the space between (i.e., the length of the football).

    The Kansas City T-Bones (from the minor league poll) got me thinking about something I never understood.

    Is Kansas City one physical city link? Is it actually one city/municipality? Or is it like two half-circles governed separately that just happen to match up on the state line?

    It reminds me a little of Washington DC. link+link form a perfect diamond together. The reason is that DC was originally carved out of MD and VA as a diamond. But the VA part ended up going back to VA.

    [quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]
    Never been to link, I take it? Now link link.
    FYI, I live there :-|

    I think it’s fair to say that striped footballs were used for night games and games in domes or nearly enclosed stadiums (e.g. Dallas). Then it was done away with in the mid-70’s when stadium lighting improved.

    [quote comment=”238031″][quote comment=”238014″]Continued from yesterday:
    [quote comment=”237780″][quote comment=”237763″][quote comment=”237716″][quote comment=”237647″]Awesome striped action from the link[/quote]
    —-

    There is something else quite awsome about that photo…[/quote]

    I noticed the same thing, the second thing I noticed after the socks…awesome.[/quote]

    Didn’t even cross my mind until I read this. but I guess that’s a good thing, huh.[/quote]
    I posted the original link yesterday and I have no idea what you are talking about. Why will none of you say, “hey not only are the stripes awesome, but check out the *blanks*!”? What’s up with the mystery? Am I missing something obvious?[/quote]
    I think it was the racially integrated team in 1901. But I’m not sure. That’s why it’s cool that you haven’t noticed it yet.[/quote]
    Oh right. That is pretty cool and its cool that I didn’t even notice.

    [quote comment=”238038″][quote comment=”238034″][quote comment=”238031″]I think it was the racially integrated team in 1901. But I’m not sure. That’s why it’s cool that you haven’t noticed it yet.[/quote]

    here’s an easy one…who was the first black player to play in the major leagues?[/quote]

    Nice Little Big League reference. But, I believe it’s actually William Edward White, 1879.[/quote]

    you want me to say jackie robinson, but I won’t…fleet walker for toledo…i believe the year was 1884

    [quote comment=”238051″]Paul said:
    [quote]
    Also: I recall reading or hearing at some point that the two white stripes represented the offensive and defensive lines of scrimmage, and that the space in between them was the neutral zone. Where did I hear this? I can’t remember, but it was when I was pretty young. Any truth to it?[/quote]

    Football official here again: the two lines of scrimmage (you are correct, there’s one for offense, one for defense) are demarcated by the forward and rear points of the football, not the stripes. The Neutral Zone is the space between (i.e., the length of the football).[/quote]
    Hey KT, I have been interested in becoming a football official. Can you tell me a little bit about how to get into it and/or any tips? You can get my email address from Paul. Thanks.

    [quote comment=”237973″][quote comment=”237959″][quote comment=”237942″]anyone else have trouble reaching the ‘comments section’ yesterday? I could barely reach the site..and comments, not at all. slow today, too.[/quote]

    this site is consistently the slowest site i visit…and i visit daily. and i just got a new computer…still the site is slow as molasses in january.[/quote]
    This site is always disgustingly slow for me, i have a brand new dell computer too, running on Time Warner high speed internet.[/quote]

    I am not really sure what the problem is. This site is basically all small photos and text. I can’t imagine it takes so long to load these things and I have never had a problem. Its not like you are trying to watch a streaming 2-hour movie through the site

    Usually for senior day you frame up a jersey you are not going to use again….that’s what we’ve always done here at Idaho State.

    Frank

    [quote comment=”238045″][quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]

    none taken…it’s a shithole[/quote]

    Damn lighten up. You guys are cruel. I’ve never lived on the island, nor am a big fan of it. Ocassionally I will make the trip up to see my beloved Devils beat the Icelanders at the Nassau Mausoleum but other than that I try to avoid it all costs.

    Brent Brewer plays for the Brewers

    personally, I always liked Carl Birdsong, punter for the St. Louis Cardinals as the best last name/team combo

    my favorite was when Randall Gay played for the Patriots…

    [quote comment=”238054″][quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]
    Never been to link, I take it? Now link link.
    FYI, I live there :-|[/quote]

    I did (well, Lisle), until last year. You’re right. I would add “pretentiousness.”

    [quote comment=”238069″][quote comment=”238054″][quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]
    Never been to link, I take it? Now link link.
    FYI, I live there :-|[/quote]

    I did (well, Lisle), until last year. You’re right. I would add “pretentiousness.”[/quote]
    Indeed

    [quote comment=”238069″][quote comment=”238054″][quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]
    Never been to link, I take it? Now link link.
    FYI, I live there :-|[/quote]

    I did (well, Lisle), until last year. You’re right. I would add “pretentiousness.”[/quote]
    link

    [quote comment=”238013″][quote comment=”238007″]One of the explanations I had heard for stripes on the football was for measurements. When the measurement was made – the ball would be marked and the stripe would line up with the link on the chain when it was placed on the hashmark.[/quote]

    I’m a football official, and have been a linesman, responsible for measurements. We’ve never ever, to my knowledge, used a stripe on a football for any point of reference.

    [/quote]

    Maybe it’s a Canadian thing – IIRC, that comment was coming from a CFL broadcast

    [quote comment=”238008″]And another thing, he doesn’t even have the DC jersey that the teams wears. link

    This is all beyond mindblowing to me. I think we can all agree this is lead story worthy tomorrow. Screech wears a fake me out Nats jersey and a Curly W hat with a DC jersey… what has the world come to?[/quote]

    Maybe Screech is wearing his link with an old link?

    Images from the new link marketing campaign, with new logos for each (that have been beaten to a pulp in past discussions).

    [quote comment=”238065″][quote comment=”238045″][quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]

    none taken…it’s a shithole[/quote]

    Damn lighten up. You guys are cruel. I’ve never lived on the island, nor am a big fan of it. Ocassionally I will make the trip up to see my beloved Devils beat the Icelanders at the Nassau Mausoleum but other than that I try to avoid it all costs.[/quote]

    Is Steve Somers here?

    [quote comment=”238065″][quote comment=”238045″][quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]

    none taken…it’s a shithole[/quote]

    Damn lighten up. You guys are cruel. I’ve never lived on the island, nor am a big fan of it. Ocassionally I will make the trip up to see my beloved Devils beat the Icelanders at the Nassau Mausoleum but other than that I try to avoid it all costs.[/quote]

    you related to link marty?

    [quote comment=”238076″][quote comment=”237986″]Is Ichiro the ONLY player in the bigs who wears Asics cleats?

    link

    linkdoes/did[/quote]
    Ahhh…..back in the day, I used to wrestle in link (cue “Glory Days” by Springsteen) when I was much younger.
    And lighter ;-)

    [quote comment=”238077″][quote comment=”238013″][quote comment=”238007″]One of the explanations I had heard for stripes on the football was for measurements. When the measurement was made – the ball would be marked and the stripe would line up with the link on the chain when it was placed on the hashmark.[/quote]

    I’m a football official, and have been a linesman, responsible for measurements. We’ve never ever, to my knowledge, used a stripe on a football for any point of reference.

    [/quote]

    Maybe it’s a Canadian thing – IIRC, that comment was coming from a CFL broadcast[/quote]

    They’re loonies. :)

    [quote comment=”238066″]Brent Brewer plays for the Brewers

    personally, I always liked Carl Birdsong, punter for the St. Louis Cardinals as the best last name/team combo

    my favorite was when Randall Gay played for the Patriots…[/quote]

    Randall Gay is actually on the link now, but it’s just as appropriate!

    [quote comment=”238080″]Images from the new link marketing campaign, with new logos for each (that have been beaten to a pulp in past discussions).[/quote]

    Believe in now? Believe in now? WTF?

    I didn’t think it could be worse than “Who Wants it More?” But they’ve done it.

    “Believe in now while you watch 48 hours of past Super Bowl highlights, right here on NFL Network.”

    Lots of good old college basketball photos in link as part of the conference’s 75th anniversary celebration. I’ve spotted several short-sleeve jerseys and quite a few short shorts with belts.

    [quote comment=”238082″][quote comment=”238065″][quote comment=”238045″][quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]

    none taken…it’s a shithole[/quote]

    Damn lighten up. You guys are cruel. I’ve never lived on the island, nor am a big fan of it. Ocassionally I will make the trip up to see my beloved Devils beat the Icelanders at the Nassau Mausoleum but other than that I try to avoid it all costs.[/quote]

    you related to link marty?[/quote]

    Nope, just hate the Islanders too. (although not as much as I hate the Rangers.)

    [quote comment=”238087″][quote comment=”238066″]Brent Brewer plays for the Brewers

    personally, I always liked Carl Birdsong, punter for the St. Louis Cardinals as the best last name/team combo

    my favorite was when Randall Gay played for the Patriots…[/quote]

    Randall Gay is actually on the link now, but it’s just as appropriate![/quote]

    Guys… gay jokes? Are we serious? Grow up.

    [quote comment=”238066″]Brent Brewer plays for the Brewers

    personally, I always liked Carl Birdsong, punter for the St. Louis Cardinals as the best last name/team combo

    my favorite was when Randall Gay played for the Patriots…[/quote]
    Ben Gay was involved in the running back turnstile with the Browns when they rejoined the league in ’99. Talk about a potential for name brand partnership!

    [quote comment=”238001″]Ah….but Dr. Bear’s comment above led me to this:

    link in 1970. Brown ball. White stripes.

    However, good Doctor, I have found a Monday Night game played at Green Bay prior to 1979:

    November 9, 1970: Baltimore 13, Green Bay 10
    (Perhaps the lighting was an issue, because the next two times the Pack was on Monday night at home, the games were in Milwaukee, and they didn’t go back to Lambeau on a Monday night until 1979).[/quote]
    KT – That game was played in Milwaukee, according to link

    [quote comment=”238098″]KT – That game was played in Milwaukee, according to link[/quote]

    Okay, then. shrpsports.com, which is normally reliable, didn’t have a notation for Milwaukee. Thanks.

    [quote comment=”238103″]Are you kidding me…………link[/quote]

    I hate to quote myself, but I would have thought that he would have at least gone with high socks or something other than link since he is so into Yankees history

    [quote comment=”237973″][quote comment=”237959″][quote comment=”237942″]anyone else have trouble reaching the ‘comments section’ yesterday? I could barely reach the site..and comments, not at all. slow today, too.[/quote]

    this site is consistently the slowest site i visit…and i visit daily. and i just got a new computer…still the site is slow as molasses in january.[/quote]
    This site is always disgustingly slow for me, i have a brand new dell computer too, running on Time Warner high speed internet.[/quote]

    Not sure I can agree, I’m runing a dell no time warner at work with no problems, and a mac at home on time warner with no problems.

    [quote comment=”238105″][quote comment=”237973″][quote comment=”237959″][quote comment=”237942″]anyone else have trouble reaching the ‘comments section’ yesterday? I could barely reach the site..and comments, not at all. slow today, too.[/quote]

    this site is consistently the slowest site i visit…and i visit daily. and i just got a new computer…still the site is slow as molasses in january.[/quote]
    This site is always disgustingly slow for me, i have a brand new dell computer too, running on Time Warner high speed internet.[/quote]

    Not sure I can agree, I’m runing a dell no time warner at work with no problems, and a mac at home on time warner with no problems.[/quote]

    I’m with the “too slow” group (easily said by someone like myself who’s a devoted reader and poster but can’t find the $20 for a membership to support upgrades) … but that said, I usually find myself clicking to “start up” the site, then (get this) doing WORK while I wait for it to load up. Do you realize how much this messes with my work day????

    [quote comment=”237975″]For what it’s worth, those link link pictures are from their All-America Football Conference days… the AAFC didn’t follow the NFL’s rules about numbering, so Otto Graham wore #60 and Marion Motley #76. The NFL used the numbers 50-79 to designate interior offensive linemen, so link to accommodate the NFL when the Browns switched leagues.[/quote]

    The Graham Pic is one of my all-time favorite football pics – look at the poor guy in back getting his eyes gouged out!
    It’s also not an AAFC game – I’m pretty sure it’s the 1950 NFL title game (look at the Rams’ helmets). I’ve seen this picture advertised as that before. The Browns abandoned their unique numbering system in 1952.

    Speaking of player names and teams I think the best combo was when Larry Playfair played in the NHL. Also, let’s not forget the current Buffalo coach, Lindy Ruff. (who also played with Playfair in Buffalo) So in the early 80s the Sabers could “Play”fair and Ruff at the same time.

    [quote comment=”238104″][quote comment=”238103″]Are you kidding me…………link[/quote]

    I hate to quote myself, but I would have thought that he would have at least gone with high socks or something other than link since he is so into Yankees history[/quote]
    I’m hoping he wasn’t involved in link skirmish – Oy!

    [quote comment=”238115″][quote comment=”238104″][quote comment=”238103″]Are you kidding me…………link[/quote]

    I hate to quote myself, but I would have thought that he would have at least gone with high socks or something other than link since he is so into Yankees history[/quote]
    I’m hoping he wasn’t involved in link skirmish – Oy![/quote]
    My bad – he’s “playing” against the Pirates tomorrow. But with a “swing” like link, I don’t see him getting much action

    [quote comment=”238048″][quote comment=”238015″]arena football uses a striped football, too:

    link

    So I noticed in comment #19. Dude, read a little before posting.[/quote]

    What are you, the message board police?

    [quote]Jake Shaw reports that the Brewers have a minor league shortstop in their system named – wait for it – Brent Brewer.[/quote]

    Bernie’s kid?

    He’s one of those rare guys who can play for the name on the back of the jersey as well as the one on the front.

    [quote comment=”238065″][quote comment=”238045″][quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]

    none taken…it’s a shithole[/quote]

    Damn lighten up. You guys are cruel. I’ve never lived on the island, nor am a big fan of it. Ocassionally I will make the trip up to see my beloved Devils beat the Icelanders at the Nassau Mausoleum but other than that I try to avoid it all costs.[/quote]

    Hey now, born and raised on the Island that is Long. Sure it has its bad parts (like suffolk minus hamptons) but what place doesnt? I’d argue our big population of hot girls and smart kids (along with some of the best schools in the nation) make it much, MUCH better than Jersey, or westchester for that matter. 516 in the housssssssssssse

    [quote comment=”238119″][quote comment=”238048″][quote comment=”238015″]arena football uses a striped football, too:

    link

    So I noticed in comment #19. Dude, read a little before posting.[/quote]

    What are you, the message board police?[/quote]

    Yup

    [quote comment=”238114″][quote comment=”238112″]The newest Met:

    link

    Get out. Seriously? Nothing about it on the web[/quote]

    eddie coleman of the FAN was reporting this as a rumor earlier today, but apparently theo hasn’t heard about it

    /hopefully, it’s NOT true…i don’t want coco and i’d rather hold onto angel

    [quote comment=”238113″]Speaking of player names and teams I think the best combo was when Larry Playfair played in the NHL. Also, let’s not forget the current Buffalo coach, Lindy Ruff. (who also played with Playfair in Buffalo) So in the early 80s the Sabers could “Play”fair and Ruff at the same time.[/quote]

    SABRES

    [quote comment=”238066″]Brent Brewer plays for the Brewers

    personally, I always liked Carl Birdsong, punter for the St. Louis Cardinals as the best last name/team combo

    my favorite was when Randall Gay played for the Patriots…[/quote]
    hahahahahahahahaha

    [quote comment=”238125″][quote comment=”238114″][quote comment=”238112″]The newest Met:

    link

    Get out. Seriously? Nothing about it on the web[/quote]

    eddie coleman of the FAN was reporting this as a rumor earlier today, but apparently theo hasn’t heard about it

    /hopefully, it’s NOT true…i don’t want coco and i’d rather hold onto angel[/quote]
    Sounds kinda personal there, Phil
    NTTAWWT

    I was the one who started the connectivity issue but to add, I have a new HP m8200n Media Center PC with AT&T Yahoo! Deluxe DSL (or whatever they call it) so I have a pretty fast line, and sometimes the site j u s t t a k e s f o r e v e r to come up…….if at all.

    The Caps’ recently trade-deadline deal brought Cristobal Huet. He recently got a new mask made up for the Caps. Pics are here:

    link

    I expect to see this in the ticker tomorrow, Paul! ;-)

    Thanks,
    Steven
    Arlington, VA

    [quote comment=”238133″]The Caps’ recently trade-deadline deal brought Cristobal Huet. He recently got a new mask made up for the Caps. Pics are here:

    link

    [/quote]

    MUCH better than before!

    [quote comment=”238133″]The Caps’ recently trade-deadline deal brought Cristobal Huet. He recently got a new mask made up for the Caps. Pics are here:

    link

    I expect to see this in the ticker tomorrow, Paul! ;-)

    Thanks,
    Steven
    Arlington, VA[/quote]

    Damn beat me to it… I thought I was so cool, had the inside scoop and what not but I guess not. Well done Steven. Hey Paul if you do use that tomorrow when you mention its from Steven can you say he beat out C-Dublin to it? That would be pretty dope.

    oh and Lets GO CAPS

    [quote comment=”238121″][quote comment=”238065″][quote comment=”238045″][quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]

    none taken…it’s a shithole[/quote]

    Damn lighten up. You guys are cruel. I’ve never lived on the island, nor am a big fan of it. Ocassionally I will make the trip up to see my beloved Devils beat the Icelanders at the Nassau Mausoleum but other than that I try to avoid it all costs.[/quote]

    Hey now, born and raised on the Island that is Long. Sure it has its bad parts (like suffolk minus hamptons) but what place doesnt? I’d argue our big population of hot girls and smart kids (along with some of the best schools in the nation) make it much, MUCH better than Jersey, or westchester for that matter. 516 in the housssssssssssse[/quote]

    you didn’t just say “516 in the houssssssssse”

    /wait…you did
    //silently wonders HOW long island gets it’s bad rap

    [quote comment=”238136″][quote comment=”238121″][quote comment=”238065″][quote comment=”238045″][quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]

    none taken…it’s a shithole[/quote]

    Damn lighten up. You guys are cruel. I’ve never lived on the island, nor am a big fan of it. Ocassionally I will make the trip up to see my beloved Devils beat the Icelanders at the Nassau Mausoleum but other than that I try to avoid it all costs.[/quote]

    Hey now, born and raised on the Island that is Long. Sure it has its bad parts (like suffolk minus hamptons) but what place doesnt? I’d argue our big population of hot girls and smart kids (along with some of the best schools in the nation) make it much, MUCH better than Jersey, or westchester for that matter. 516 in the housssssssssssse[/quote]

    you didn’t just say “516 in the houssssssssse”

    /wait…you did
    //silently wonders HOW long island gets it’s bad rap[/quote]
    Gee…I link link link
    And I’m a native (born in Hollis)

    [quote comment=”238137″][quote comment=”238136″][quote comment=”238121″]Hey now, born and raised on the Island that is Long. Sure it has its bad parts (like suffolk minus hamptons) but what place doesnt? I’d argue our big population of hot girls and smart kids (along with some of the best schools in the nation) make it much, MUCH better than Jersey, or westchester for that matter. 516 in the housssssssssssse[/quote]

    you didn’t just say “516 in the houssssssssse”

    /wait…you did
    //silently wonders HOW long island gets it’s bad rap[/quote]
    Gee…I link link link
    And I’m a native (born in Hollis)[/quote]

    you forgot howard and alec baldwin

    I think this picture has been on the list before:

    link

    It shows a couple of balls with stripes at the bottom — most without. Although each quarterback has a ball in his hand, it is impossible to see stripes at this size.

    I have the poster in my office at home and will look at it tonight and see if any of the balls have stripes.

    Kent

    [quote comment=”238137″][quote comment=”238136″][quote comment=”238121″][quote comment=”238065″][quote comment=”238045″][quote comment=”238039″][quote comment=”237991″]And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…

    Isn’t Long Island basically hell anyways? Satan fits in perfectly.xD[/quote]

    Oh, most definitely. The Narcisssism Capital of the World.

    (No offense to LI Phil, et al.) ;-)[/quote]

    none taken…it’s a shithole[/quote]

    Damn lighten up. You guys are cruel. I’ve never lived on the island, nor am a big fan of it. Ocassionally I will make the trip up to see my beloved Devils beat the Icelanders at the Nassau Mausoleum but other than that I try to avoid it all costs.[/quote]

    Hey now, born and raised on the Island that is Long. Sure it has its bad parts (like suffolk minus hamptons) but what place doesnt? I’d argue our big population of hot girls and smart kids (along with some of the best schools in the nation) make it much, MUCH better than Jersey, or westchester for that matter. 516 in the housssssssssssse[/quote]

    you didn’t just say “516 in the houssssssssse”

    /wait…you did
    //silently wonders HOW long island gets it’s bad rap[/quote]
    Gee…I link link link
    And I’m a native (born in Hollis)[/quote]
    Sorry – forgot the ‘sarcasm’ tag

    [quote comment=”238138″][quote comment=”238137″][quote comment=”238136″][quote comment=”238121″]Hey now, born and raised on the Island that is Long. Sure it has its bad parts (like suffolk minus hamptons) but what place doesnt? I’d argue our big population of hot girls and smart kids (along with some of the best schools in the nation) make it much, MUCH better than Jersey, or westchester for that matter. 516 in the housssssssssssse[/quote]

    you didn’t just say “516 in the houssssssssse”

    /wait…you did
    //silently wonders HOW long island gets it’s bad rap[/quote]
    Gee…I link link link
    And I’m a native (born in Hollis)[/quote]

    you forgot howard and alec baldwin[/quote]
    link
    Only linkI could find

    [quote comment=”238125″][quote comment=”238114″][quote comment=”238112″]The newest Met:

    link

    Get out. Seriously? Nothing about it on the web[/quote]

    eddie coleman of the FAN was reporting this as a rumor earlier today, but apparently theo hasn’t heard about it

    /hopefully, it’s NOT true…i don’t want coco and i’d rather hold onto angel[/quote]
    “Why no Coco”?!?
    C. Kramer

    [quote comment=”238142″][quote comment=”238125″][quote comment=”238114″][quote comment=”238112″]The newest Met:

    link

    Get out. Seriously? Nothing about it on the web[/quote]

    eddie coleman of the FAN was reporting this as a rumor earlier today, but apparently theo hasn’t heard about it

    /hopefully, it’s NOT true…i don’t want coco and i’d rather hold onto angel[/quote]
    “Why no Coco”?!?
    C. Kramer[/quote]
    No Coco.
    link

    [quote comment=”238145″][quote comment=”238142″][quote comment=”238125″][quote comment=”238114″][quote comment=”238112″]The newest Met:

    link

    Get out. Seriously? Nothing about it on the web[/quote]

    eddie coleman of the FAN was reporting this as a rumor earlier today, but apparently theo hasn’t heard about it

    /hopefully, it’s NOT true…i don’t want coco and i’d rather hold onto angel[/quote]
    “Why no Coco”?!?
    C. Kramer[/quote]
    No Coco.
    link

    Good. I’d rather have the Angel!

    Re.Striped footballs.

    1)The NFL adopted the brown football with white stripes in 1956,for night games. Before 1956,various colored balls were used for night games,the most common was a white ball with black stripes. The NFL outlawed the striped ball after the 1975 season because many quarterbacks complained about slippage on their grip with the
    painted white stripes.

    2)I believe that the reason why the ball in Super Bowl VIII had stripes on it was because the league
    used balls from the Houston Oilers’ supply. Since
    the Oilers played in the Astrodome,the Oilers used
    a stiped ball for all thier home games from 1971 to 1975. Before the league took over every facet
    of the Super Bowl,the home site team usually supplied all the field and game equipment for the game.

    [quote comment=”237920″][quote comment=”237916″]Okay, this is a question that probably has an easy answer, but I’ll ask it anyway: The Hansbrough article says that he’ll be the 8th retired number. The photo with the article has 19 jerseys in it and it doesn’t have a few of the jerseys include like Jordan’s. So, what gives? Why are there 20+ jerseys up there but only 7 (going on 8) retired?[/quote]

    There are several UNC honored but not retired jerseys. I thought the actual retired numbers had a special banner, but I may be wrong. Someone who actually goes/went to Carolina probably knows.[/quote]

    There’s an even better reason that there aren’t a whole lot of retired numbers out there, and that is because of the scarcity of numbers. In College ball, no number using a digit higher than 5 can be used in a game, which means that only 36 numbers are actually available to be used(0-5, 10-15, 20-25, 30-35, 40-45, 50-55). If UNC had retured all 19 numbers, they would barely have enough numbers to outfit their team! That’s part of why a lot of colleges make it so difficult to even have the number retired to begin with. Saves them the trouble of a hew and cry for a very good player that doesn’t meet their requirements.

    [quote comment=”237975″]For what it’s worth, those link link pictures are from their All-America Football Conference days… the AAFC didn’t follow the NFL’s rules about numbering, so Otto Graham wore #60 and Marion Motley #76. The NFL used the numbers 50-79 to designate interior offensive linemen, so link to accommodate the NFL when the Browns switched leagues.[/quote]

    Eventually, those numbering rules changed, but not in 1950. Case in point, one of your linked photos which shows Graham wearing No. 60 against the Rams. I don’t think the NFL actually standardized the numbering rules until 1953 or ’54.

    Anyone know what number Lou Groza wore before the rules change (Or was he in the NFL prior to it)? Motlely wore 76 before the change and Groza wore 76 after it.

    Well, Texas State U. sucks. Trust me, it was a photo of Dan Pastorini. If I can get it to come up again, I’ll host it somewhere else.

    [quote comment=”238155″]Eventually, those numbering rules changed, but not in 1950. Case in point, one of your linked photos which shows Graham wearing No. 60 against the Rams. I don’t think the NFL actually standardized the numbering rules until 1953 or ’54.[/quote]

    Actually it was in 1973:

    [b]A jersey numbering system was adopted, April 5: 1-19 for quarterbacks and specialists, 20-49 for running backs and defensive backs, 50-59 for centers and linebackers, 60-79 for defensive linemen and interior offensive linemen other than centers, and 80-89 for wide receivers and tight ends. Players who had been in the NFL in 1972 could continue to use old numbers.[/b]

    From the NFL Record & Fact Book’s chronology.

    [quote comment=”238155″]Eventually, those numbering rules changed, but not in 1950. Case in point, one of your linked photos which shows Graham wearing No. 60 against the Rams. I don’t think the NFL actually standardized the numbering rules until 1953 or ’54.[/quote]

    Actually it was in 1973:

    A jersey numbering system was adopted, April 5: 1-19 for quarterbacks and specialists, 20-49 for running backs and defensive backs, 50-59 for centers and linebackers, 60-79 for defensive linemen and interior offensive linemen other than centers, and 80-89 for wide receivers and tight ends. Players who had been in the NFL in 1972 could continue to use old numbers.

    From the NFL Record & Fact Book’s chronology.

    [quote comment=”238145″][quote comment=”238142″]”Why no Coco”?!?
    C. Kramer[/quote]
    No Coco.
    link

    hey, what was the name of that monkey that could read sign language?

    [quote comment=”237988″][quote comment=”237967″]Brent Brewer plays for the Brewers

    personally, I always liked Carl Birdsong, punter for the St. Louis Cardinals as the best last name/team combo[/quote]

    I’m sure the Cleveland Browns have had a number of players named Brown; Jim and Courtney being the most obvious.

    I always thought Jeff Feagles when he played for Philadelphia Eagles was a good one.

    And of course, everyone wants Miroslav Satan (Sabres, Oilers, Islanders) to play for the Devils…[/quote]

    In the eighties, my favorite Redskins player was Jlink , No 25 running back.

    This was in reference to post #161:

    Nope, you need to look more carefully at the Pastorini photo. Remember a good portion of the ball did not have stripes. Look at the outside edge on either end of the ball, I see white on both sides.

    [quote comment=”238177″]link[/quote]

    And the area with no stripes is away from his throwing hand/laces just like the other photo.

    [quote comment=”238178″][quote comment=”238177″]link[/quote]

    And the area with no stripes is away from his throwing hand/laces just like the other photo.[/quote]

    yeah…that’s what i was goin for…i didn’t want to keep quoting the post without the tags closed…you subsequently fixed it, but i posted before it saw that…

    i guess what i meant to say was “good catch”

    Wow, it took me WAY too long to decipher the cryptic title.
    /Jack and Meg = The White Stripes.
    //I should listen to music other than jazz.

    [quote comment=”238182″]link…i think i see white stripes[/quote]

    I believe you are correct! BTW, thanks in advance for wasting my next five hours, this site is incredible.

    [quote comment=”238182″]link…i think i see white stripes[/quote]

    If I may ask, is there any special criteria for registering here?

    [quote comment=”238182″]link…i think i see white stripes[/quote]
    John Matuszak and Lynn Dickey on the Oilers? My head is spinning.

    [quote comment=”238183″][quote comment=”238182″]link…i think i see white stripes[/quote]

    I believe you are correct! BTW, thanks in advance for wasting my next five hours, this site is incredible.[/quote]

    i never posted from there before??? thought i had…enjoy! great resource eh? ;)

    /btw…i never even tried to register, so i don’t know if there are any criteria….i think you only need to register to see full size pics

    [quote comment=”237954″]When researching out that Arena stuff I found out the link are playing again, this time at the Arena 2 level…..as much as I hate to say it…I like their helmets…not the jerseys though.[/quote]
    Then I’m guessing that you would’ve hated the link I love that we’re bringing back the goggle helmets, but I wish we would’ve kept the winged shoulders. They we’re just so unique.

    [quote comment=”237976″]I know we go back and forth a lot about sock/stirrup styles in baseball, and the high/low whites and striped socks in football. But are any other soccer fans here annoyed by the terrible high sock look some guys are wearing? Here’s link last night, looking terrible. link sporting the high socks during his Arsenal days. Admittedly, the link is link to grow on me. Why not just stick with the link? Wondering if anyone cares.[/quote]

    The only “plus” I can give this as a former player is that it helps keep your knees (and shins and calves) from getting beaten up when slide tackling. I did it on occasion when the grass was rough and just ate up your skin. Aesthetically it’s gross, but it saves you from what is effectively rug burn.

    [quote comment=”237915″]Are those players in the 1940s and 1950s football pictures wearing Chuck Taylor’s? Certainly looks like it.[/quote]
    if i’m not mistaken, this was a game at cleveland municipal stadium wherein the turf had frozen and both teams were having trouble with traction. the browns sent someone out to pick up some sneaks for the second half giving the browns a definite edge and, i believe, the win.

    [quote comment=”238077″][quote comment=”238013″][quote comment=”238007″]One of the explanations I had heard for stripes on the football was for measurements. When the measurement was made – the ball would be marked and the stripe would line up with the link on the chain when it was placed on the hashmark.[/quote]

    I’m a football official, and have been a linesman, responsible for measurements. We’ve never ever, to my knowledge, used a stripe on a football for any point of reference.

    [/quote]

    Maybe it’s a Canadian thing – IIRC, that comment was coming from a CFL broadcast[/quote]

    When it comes to officials. there isn’t a broadcaster that has anything resembling a clue..and officials laugh about it too!

    If you are bored during baseball season, you should check out some of the comments occasionally made about TV commentators rules knowledge by very high level college/amateur umpires at forums like
    link

    makes for entertaining reading sometimes…their number 1 target? Joe Morgan, of course….

    In the “v” hockey photo, the player in question looks like he is holding his shin pads on with elastic bands although it looks as if one of his teammates is using tape. Anyone know if elastic bands were the standard back in the day??? Macgyver would be proud!

    I know this had been covered, but why is the initials “AL” on the chest of Marquette bball unis?

    [quote comment=”238176″]Billy Crystal: Nike, Reebok, or Other:

    And the winner is………

    link

    I wonder if their his or he’s borrowing a another player’s spikes? The Yankees coaching staff is usually outfitted by Adidas, so I guess he passed on the 3 stripes.

    [quote comment=”238199″]I know this had been covered, but why is the initials “AL” on the chest of Marquette bball unis?[/quote]

    you know what pressure is? it’s when the cheerleaders are jumping and you don’t notice their breasts

    They are for former coach Al McGuire. McGuire coached the Marquette University men’s basketball team from 1964 to 1977. He compiled impressive numbers throughout his coaching career, resulting in his induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992, and was also well known for his colorful personality. Marquette plays in the “Al McGuire Center”. It was named that in 2004. He passed away in 2001.

    [quote comment=”238209″]Is it going to be like that every year or just this year?[/quote]

    Other multiple-season memorial gestures include Marquette’s “AL” for Al McGuire (ongoing since 2001)

    link

    [quote comment=”238226″]San Diego Padres have a guy in their farm system named Trevor Huffman.[/quote]

    Any relation to link?

    I stand corrected on the Pastorini thing, and bow to the greatness of the NFL Photo library.

    [quote comment=”238209″]Is it going to be like that every year or just this year?[/quote]

    I believe since 2004 or 2003, the Marquette team has had “AL” on their uni’s. I know D-Wade had it on his jersey for sure. I would assume it is on their for the long haul.

    [quote comment=”238231″]I stand corrected on the Pastorini thing, and bow to the greatness of the NFL Photo library.[/quote]

    What about this?
    #158 by Luther Mahoney on 03.12.08 5:17 pm

    Re.Striped footballs.

    1)The NFL adopted the brown football with white stripes in 1956,for night games. Before 1956,various colored balls were used for night games,the most common was a white ball with black stripes. The NFL outlawed the striped ball after the 1975 season because many quarterbacks complained about slippage on their grip with the
    painted white stripes.

    2)I believe that the reason why the ball in Super Bowl VIII had stripes on it was because the league
    used balls from the Houston Oilers’ supply. Since
    the Oilers played in the Astrodome,the Oilers used
    a stiped ball for all thier home games from 1971 to 1975. Before the league took over every facet
    of the Super Bowl,the home site team usually supplied all the field and game equipment for the game.

    What about it? The Oilers apparently were the last team to use the striped ball. Great info from Luther.

    [quote comment=”238239″]What about it? The Oilers apparently were the last team to use the striped ball. Great info from Luther.[/quote]

    If that is all you’ve today, I’m sorry.

    [quote comment=”238240″][quote comment=”238239″]What about it? The Oilers apparently were the last team to use the striped ball. Great info from Luther.[/quote]

    If that is all you’ve today, I’m sorry.[/quote]

    Key word missing is “learned”

    the stripes on the ball also help with the grip in poor weather conditions. They are usually a different material that remains dryer and has a better grip to it

    I know it was touched on in a previous Uni Watch entry…The new $5 bill, featuring the color purple, goes into circulation today.

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