“Can’t Imagine” Creamsicles Returning
July 20th, 2019
Whenever Joe looks at the eyerake of the current Bucs uniforms, Joe is frustrated because it would have been so easy for the Bucs (read: Nike) to be cool and hip with the 2014 uniform change.
Instead, the Bucs decided to get constant buzz about the uniforms for making them hideous. Hey, people keep talking about them so it works, right? Yippee for Nike shareholders!
The Bucs easily could have chosen to bring back the Creamsicles. But they did not. And unless the Bucs decide to permanently wear the Creamsicles as their full-time uniforms, don’t expect the Bucs to wear them again for a throwback game.
That’s the word from Albert Breer of theMMQB.com. Breer fielded a question from a fan that believes the Belicheats and the Bucs are jammed by the NFL’s rule that players cannot wear a secondary helmet during the season.
From Anil Adyanthaya (@AnilAdyanthaya): Has the NFL given any thought to relaxing its one helmet rule for the 100th anniversary season? We’re missing out on seeing some great throwbacks this season if not (Patriots, Buccaneers).
We’ll finish with a fun question here from Anil. To my knowledge, the league has not considered that, and I can’t imagine they will. I do get questions from time to time on why some throwbacks have vanished. The owners were advised six years ago, in the midst of the concussion litigation, that players switching helmets in-season increased risk of head injuries. So the NFL decided to mandate that teams only use one set.
And as much as I’d love to see Bucco Bruce and Pat Patriot back in action, I’m fine with the NFL having this rule in place. If it even makes the game .00001 percent safer, from a head-injury standpoint, it’s worth it.
Yes, you can thank the paranoia of litigation for the reason the NFL may have put Bucco Bruce to rest for good.
Folks always point to the Cowboys and the Bears for wearing different helmets in their throwbacks. From what Joe can gather, those are decal issues. It’s not big deal to change a decal on a helmet. But to change the molding would require a helmet change.
More than a couple of times Joe has asked Bucs media relations representatives for a clarification of this NFL helmet rule, and each request is met with scoffing, laughter, ridicule or scorn, but never an answer. So clearly this subject is taboo within the walls of One Buc Palace.
July 20th, 2019 at 12:44 am
Use same helmet, wear creamsicks, profit
July 20th, 2019 at 1:52 am
“If it even makes the game .00001 percent safer, from a head-injury standpoint, it’s worth it.”
That’s terrible logic, you know what would make the game safer? If no one played it.
I can’t believe a grown man typed that sentence out and published it.
July 20th, 2019 at 2:12 am
[That’s not cool. — Joe] and decided that if it cost them $.00001 that it was a bad idea to use throwback uniforms.
July 20th, 2019 at 3:04 am
Like the team can’t afford to duplicate the helmet. A second helmet could be made identical to first enhanced helmet. May be more costlier but not like these millionaires can’t afford it.
July 20th, 2019 at 3:36 am
You are missing the point. Second helmets/alternative helmets are banned by the NFL.
July 20th, 2019 at 4:03 am
Why cant you put the old designs on the new style helmets? How in the heck would a second helmet change your chances of a head injury if it’s designed exactly the same as the the one you would use during the season?
July 20th, 2019 at 4:09 am
Just a paint thing. Too much to paint from pewter to white and back again, so they have to get a different base helmet? Dunno but that seems to be the issue. And aren’t the rumors the Glazers (like the Browns) switching to a different uni in a year or two, because like the Jaguars, everybody knows Nike went too far with all 3 teams.
July 20th, 2019 at 4:34 am
First it’s a we need to be looking like we are doing something rule. What evidence shows a lack of injury occurs by wearing the same helmet? What evidence shows injuries are more likely to occur with a different helmet?
If Tom Brady’s helmet was broken during the game (during the Super Bowl) is he out of the game permanently? Ridiculous.
Last year before the Gator/LSU game the Gators equipment truck burned up and all the teams helmets and shoulder pads were damaged. They wore new ones. No major injuries occured.
The Creamsickles were and are still one of the most unique designs and colors in the NFL.
The current uniforms are what a bunch of rich soccer kids who inherited the team would have selected.
And while we are at it the Jaguars, SeaHawks and Browns should go back as well, parts of their uni’s suck too…
July 20th, 2019 at 4:49 am
Uniforms are the least important part of the game IMO. Changing back to the Creamsickles isn’t gonna make the Bucs play better. Not gonna make them win more. Not even gonna lessen the chance of injury.
And as far as ‘heritage’ goes, the Bucs were 100-223-1 (31% winning percentage) in the Bucs’ 22 seasons before Tony Dungy’s second year in 1997 when we switched away from the Creamsickles. After the Bucs switched to pewter & red that year, until 2014 when we switched to our latest uniform, Bucs went 133-139 (49% winning percentage). Since 2014 when we ‘updated’ our uniforms to usher in the Lovie Smith era (whoopee), we’re 27-53 (34% winning percentage) … back to what we were in our first 22 years.
This appears to be one case where the ‘clothes make the man’ saying doesn’t seem to ring true. And yet, looked at in another way, it’s obvious that from a purely statistical standpoint Bucs need to go back to the original pewter & red uniforms we first wore in 1997 if we expect to win more. To some, the uniforms were much more important than the quality coaching we saw in the Dungy & Gruden eras.
July 20th, 2019 at 5:42 am
They should be able to wrap them with vinyl (sticker like). They can wrap a Volkswagen Beetle and motorcycle gas tanks, they can wrap up a Buccaneers helmet.
July 20th, 2019 at 5:42 am
As Mark Twain once said, “Clothes make a man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”
Seems like the Bucs have been playing naked for quite awhile …
Defense–kind of you to breakdown the uniforms by the numbers. I’m sure you’ll get a crazy comment or two saying that your breakdown is “proof” that the Bucs need to return to the 1997 version. I could care less what they wear as long as they win.
Moreover, it’s nice to read an article that doesn’t bait the froth-mouthed Jameis haters. The same-old, same-old of these rants have ceased to be entertaining.
Let’s get this season going!
July 20th, 2019 at 6:18 am
Plasti dip problem solved linemen would need a touch up at half though
July 20th, 2019 at 6:36 am
6 days…….
July 20th, 2019 at 6:48 am
If they are going to make any kind of changer it should be back to our glory years of winning football culminating with a Super Bowl win! Not with those God awful laughable embarrassing creamsicle colors!
July 20th, 2019 at 6:59 am
The scoreboard is generally the only noticeable eye sore for Buc fans
July 20th, 2019 at 7:11 am
What about a custom wrap?
They do them on boats and cars.
Sure they won’t last long but it’s just for one game right?
July 20th, 2019 at 7:43 am
Creamsicles – Bruce Logo
The Glazers could make it happen…
July 20th, 2019 at 8:00 am
Sorry Joe but the REAL reason that the Bucs won’t have a Bucco Bruce is because Nike spokesperson – Kolin Kapernick – thinks that Bucco Bruce is a racist. Don’t you remember how those pirates used black slaves?
“Helmet safety? Nope those Creamsicle uniforms promoted hatred to gays and the pirates were racists”. – Kolin
July 20th, 2019 at 8:22 am
@Mr. Lucky
So wrong…on so many levels. Pirates actually fully incorporated into their crews (sorry “krewes”) many former slaves or slaves captured from ships the pirates attacked. That’s just a little history lesson (since I’m a history teacher by profession). And then there’s the curious case of you somehow making a discussion about uniforms into a tirade against a guy who isn’t even an NFL player anymore and who lost all relevance years ago.
Again, so wrong…on so many levels.
July 20th, 2019 at 8:25 am
We have the worst unis in the NFL. Bring Back the creamcicles full time!!!!!!!!
Plan B would be to go back to 1996-2014.
July 20th, 2019 at 8:46 am
Use the same helmet an change the look. Do it before or after the bye week so they have time. Problem solved or just change the dam unis there horrible not only has the team bin bad but we look even worse with these uniforms. Maybe they will look better if we are winning but prob not
July 20th, 2019 at 8:55 am
So wrong on so many levels …..but his ignorance is his bliss, no need to worry i got a card for him.
July 20th, 2019 at 8:57 am
Personally I care about the uniforms that much.
I just want my team to be tough badasses on gameday and win a LOT of games.
No lets go get a damn snack. . .
July 20th, 2019 at 9:22 am
Haha Joe. I knew you would filter it out. It was funny though. My bad.
July 20th, 2019 at 9:22 am
You can wrap a freakin boat in vinyl, surely you can do that to a football helmet!!
July 20th, 2019 at 9:38 am
Remember when Joe dismissed even the existence of this helmet rule as hearsay? Way to finally come around!
July 20th, 2019 at 9:43 am
wrap the helmet like a car…put on the orange face bar…and then rap the other team in the mouth with a warren sapp backhand…
easy enough…
the real issue is the orange jock straps and cups they’d be tip toeing thru the locker room in 🙂
July 20th, 2019 at 9:49 am
I prefer the Dungy era Blood Red & Pewter.
I hate these Charcoal & Red uniforms. I have not bought any Bucs merchandise since they started using them.
July 20th, 2019 at 9:51 am
I don’t mind flashbacks to the orange though. Here’s a thought:
The players cannot currently wear them…but the coaches can. Have all of the staff wear them as an ‘up yours’ to the NFL.
July 20th, 2019 at 10:16 am
Our current uniform set wouldn’t be as bad as long as we had an alternate jersey to wear like most other NFL teams. Keep the current pattern that the home reds and road whites have, but just swap the color schemes to creamsicle and boom! Best uniform in the NFL!
That is a serious problem that I have with our current uniform set. Our uniforms can easily appear stale because we just wear basic white jersey/pewter pants for like 12 games out of the year. Other teams, in addition to a road white and home solid color, have an alternate color to complement the set. However, besides our color rush, all we have is white and red! Too much white and red! Get the creamsicle in there, and the opinions will most certainly change!
July 20th, 2019 at 11:17 am
If it’s the exact same model of helmet with a different paint job or sticker and in the correct size for the player’s, then why would switching the helmet out for a game or two make it less safe? This is pure malarkey.
July 20th, 2019 at 1:01 pm
actually a great pic of freebird and schiano…………smh…lol
July 20th, 2019 at 2:17 pm
It is still unclear as Joe pointed out in the story.
July 20th, 2019 at 2:47 pm
Wrap same helmet. Duh. Do it do it. Im all for bringing them back permanently. I still bleed orange. Some of us will always want the orange. Dang Glazers
July 20th, 2019 at 3:05 pm
@joe,
“The NFL imposed a new rule for the 2013 season prohibiting the use of alternate colored helmets, eliminating many of the historically accurate throwback uniforms that had been in use up to that point. Teams are still allowed to use alternate decals (or no decals at all) for their throwbacks, but they must use them on the regular helmets.”
I think this adds some clarity to thensure situation.
July 20th, 2019 at 3:26 pm
Unpopular opinion: nothing says losers like those orange uniforms.
While in ny when I saw those jerseys I thought Richard Simmons, Ru Paul, Ricky Martin and Elton John played on the Bucs. Lol. Honestly their record couldn’t convince you otherwise.
If we just go back to the pewter and red that would be great. personally I love the black jerseys we wore that 1 mnf game but wtfdik
July 20th, 2019 at 3:29 pm
I agree basically because of who owns the team. Seems every decision they make fails, coaching and gm hires and that uniform is 100% on them and I can easily see them sticking with it for the hell of it
July 20th, 2019 at 4:15 pm
I’m not an equipment manager, but can’t they “wrap” the new helmets white (like a car or a boat) and then apply Bucco Bruce decals?
July 20th, 2019 at 4:26 pm
So your telling me that there is no way they can wrap the helmets with the old fashioned colors and designs for one game out of the year? They wouldn’t have to re paint them. It’s just laying a layer of vinyl or decals on the helmets. People wrap their cars in a different color all the time without having to get a new paint job. Just seems like cheap and lazy business by the owners. Unless that would be considered as a helmet modification but then that wouldn’t explain why the bears and cowboys are allowed to do so.
July 20th, 2019 at 5:50 pm
Our jerseys look awesome, just fix the number font, and maybe get new pants. Also whoever picks the uni combo for game day should be shot, should be wearing pewter pants with red socks always.
July 20th, 2019 at 5:55 pm
@ Don – It’s not Mr Lucky’s fault. He relies on Fox News and Trump’s twitter feed for his news and is offended that his hero has been called out. It has him so hot and bothered he is throwing it out there to make dumb and unrelated comments on a sports blog.
July 20th, 2019 at 6:48 pm
Buccaneer Bonzi: GREAT IDEA
July 21st, 2019 at 12:32 am
Booooo NFL Boooooooooooo!!!!
Bring back the creamsicles!
July 21st, 2019 at 3:14 pm
Just to clear anyone’s confusion: the rule is in place because the original helmet that a player starts a season with begins to form-fit specifically to that players head. The impression on the padding inside of it becomes accustomed to that players head shape – in other words. When you give them a brand new helmet in the middle of a season for things like throwback games, they no longer have the security of this and that’s what increases the risk of head injury.
It has absolutely nothing to do with money, or paint….