So our first reaction to those retro 1933 uniforms was "Really? They wore colors that Miami-bright back during the Depression?"
Our second: "Did Donovan, Brian and Co. get a job at Ikea after Monday's debacle?"
They're seriously silly in Sweden's national colors. What does Sweden have to do with American football? The ensembles look like the latest offering from Lilly Pulitzer.
Oh, and then we thought, right, Lurie and Banner will do anything to make money with a losing team, even marketing surreal new "vintage" jerseys in jockey colors more suitable for the Preakness.
And, yes, we do know these are the city's colors but that doesn't make them right for football. Also, if we're talking history, why not do something Quakerly and make the players wear somber, plain wool jerseys, but we digress.
Then the guys start to play.
It was the most glorious Sunday in weeks, in every way possible.
So it's not the most butch combination possible, but the jerseys are working.
The truth is we were never fond of that Eagles more-teal-than-hunter green.
Comments (7)
Um, nothing to do with football, but definitely with the city - have you looked at the city's colors/flag lately? Swedish colors. They were here before the English.
Posted by Eric | September 24, 2007 12:35 PM
Posted on September 24, 2007 12:35
seriously, people act like these were just picked out of a hat. news flash: this city actually has its own flag! amazing, right? and it actually uses these colors. embrace them.
also, the Swedish flag (and Ikea) blue is considerably darker than the sky blue in Philly's flag.
Posted by Mr Tips | September 24, 2007 2:07 PM
Posted on September 24, 2007 14:07
This is what gets me. We had the commentators trashing the uniforms, we had the news stating that it was based on Sweden's flag confusing people yet no one gave any background information.
Philadelphia's city colors are based on Sweden's flag, therefore the city flag reflects these colors. The colors were used by Philadelphia's first NFL team, the Frankford Yellow Jackets. The Yellow Jackets used the colors because they were the city's official colors.
The Yellow Jackets folded in 1931 due to the depression and the NFL would not award Philadelphia another team until the debts of the Yellow Jackets were paid off. That is where Bert Bell stepped in, paid the $2500 and was awarded a new franchise in 1933. He adopted the same city colors in 1933 and made the switch to green in 1934.
What is getting me is that no background information is being given on WHY those colors were used and how it relates to Philadelphia.
Posted by Brian H Harris | September 24, 2007 3:35 PM
Posted on September 24, 2007 15:35
I personally likes the colors, thought the flashy blue was not the best choice. I like the history behind them. I like the fact that they did them right, all the way down to the socks. I liked the helmets. Tey are no eagles Green, but for something that shows that the Eagles have a proud history and traditions, I think this was a really great choice.
Posted by Ryan Bricklemyer | September 24, 2007 3:46 PM
Posted on September 24, 2007 15:46
Enough said by the men who got here before me and already posted. Those "awful" colors are the city's colors, adopted by the old Yellow Jackets. Sorry, Ms. Heller, but you failed to do your homework here, and you sound silly. A quick check with the DN (or Inky) sports desk might have saved you some grief!
But I do agree with you: the Iggs need to go back to the Kelly Green.
Posted by Matt Edmond | September 24, 2007 9:31 PM
Posted on September 24, 2007 21:31
Historically accurate, yes.
Totally FUG, also yes. This also applies to the blue-and-yellow suit/tie combo McNabb rocked after the game. He looked like Johnnie Cochran threw up on him.
Posted by Citizen Mom | September 25, 2007 6:59 AM
Posted on September 25, 2007 06:59
"The jerseys are working" - what an interesting concept.
Is it the 'clothes make the man' concept or simple superstition?
Or maybe the Lions aren't very good. What do you think will happen if they wear those uniforms when they play the Patriots or Colts?
Posted by Anthony | September 26, 2007 11:57 AM
Posted on September 26, 2007 11:57