Good morning, everyone. Now that we have seen all of the Houston Texans’ new uniforms in action, I thought today was a good day to hand out some grades for the different combos they’ve worn. While I’m at it, I’m going to eat a little bit of proverbial crow…but only a couple of bites.

As you may recall, our Editor Emeritus Paul Lukas had very little regard for these unis. Many readers thought he was way too harsh in his criticism, which led to a follow-up post, which got me involved in a bit of a… discussion. Without rehashing all the details, Paul was insistent that this new set wouldn’t make it past the mandatory five-year mark. I put all my Monopoly money on the Texans keeping these past that point. Well, as we approach the home stretch of the season, I’m hedging my bet. Slightly.

Let’s get into the different combos, beginning with the first one the Texans wore: the regular blue helmets with white jerseys over blue pants.

Grade: A-

Points off for no TV numbers, and half a point off for switching to NY Yankees/Chicago Bears darker-than-dark blue. Otherwise, I really really like this combo. The number font is functional as well as unique, the shoulder horns are an improvement over the old shoulder stripes, and the truncated pants stripes with the Texans logo are pleasing to me. Almost a modern classic.

Then there’s the regular helmets with white over white.

Grade: A-

Ditto what I said about the previous combo. Same as the aforementioned Bears, I like the blue/white/blue and blue/white/white combos equally.

Next is the regular blue/blue/white combo.

Grade: B+

What do you get when you cross-breed a Bear and a Falcon? This. Many readers drew comparisons between this set and Atlanta. Rightfully so. But that’s Bears Blue instead of Falcons Black. In spite of that, and in spite of the same logo on the sleeves that’s on the helmet (we need more cowbell…I mean, more bull horns!), that’s a fine-looking combo. And there are TV numbers!

Next is the “H-Town” BFBS uni.

Grade: H…for Have to see it again

Yes, I saw it in action. Well, I didn’t see the game on TV, but I watched the highlights last night on my computer. Paul thought the red was as bright as a safety vest and “just too much.” I thought, a red that bright *finally* might be the first red bright enough to go with a mono-black uni. Ian Eagle called the game, and I respect him enough to think that if there was a legibility problem, he’d say so. I didn’t hear anything in the highlights, and I didn’t have problems while watching. Let’s pull back a bit anyway.

That’s about how I saw it on the video. Buffalo’s numbers clearly are more visible, but I don’t have any problems with either team. I’d still like to see this combo again before I enter a final grade. I will say that whatever grade I give, it won’t be an A+, because the “H-Town Blue” was drowned out in that sea of BFBS.

Next we have the Texans in mono-dark blue.

Grade: B+

I have WAY more problems with what the White Bay Packers wore. This is a good mono-dark uni I’m seeing here.

Finally*, there’s the mono-red combo.

Grade: F

Up close it looks fabulous… from the neck down. Remember last bowl season when I said Oregon State‘s orange helmets looked like Tootsie Pops? These helmets look even more like cherry Tootsie Pops.

And that is NOT a compliment. I barely could see the horns that I wanted to see on what I thought was an awesome helmet.

As for the numbers, they look great *up close.* Pull back a bit, though…

…and you can see why my new hero Mike Tirico was justified in calling out this combo.

“From where we are in the press box, with these uniforms, we’ve had a terrible time this first half here. We’ve been trying to guess at some of the numbers and look at body types here.” – Mike Tirico on the Houston Texans’ all-red uniforms 🏈🎙️ #SNF #NFL pic.twitter.com/WjrmWxyc2b

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 11, 2024

According to SI.com,

“Tirico deserves credit for doing something broadcasters rarely do: He admitted he was having trouble identifying Texans players because of the uniforms they wore last night. Viewers always appreciate honesty from people calling the games, so props to Tirico for giving us the truth after he had incorrectly named players a few times.”

THANK YOU, Mr. Tirico, for saying what I’ve been saying for years on Sunday Morning Uni Watch. It’s nice to have someone with actual influence on a national stage complaining about the same thing this schlub has been pointing out with even worse uniforms.

If you think he and I are overreacting, check out the crowd in the last photo. See the fans on the lower left wearing the new red jerseys? Their numbers are a LOT harder to read than the fans on the right…and harder to read than the guy about ten rows back in the dark number 51 jersey. The discrepancy you see there is pretty much what Tirico and Collinsworth (and the statisticians and PA announcer) were seeing in the press box. As I’ve said many times, sell or wear anything you want, but the only jerseys that should be worn on the field are ones with optimal contrast from any distance.

*I said “finally,” but there is another possible combo. Paul shared this photo of the red jersey paired with white pants.

Doesn’t matter, because the red jersey is an automatic fail. Please, please, PLEASE bring back the previous red uni after the five-year period has lapsed. Or sooner if possible, Mr. Commissioner.

So, I have to agree with Paul on one thing: if the red helmet and jersey are gone in five years, it’ll be no surprise to us.

New Balls For The New Tourney

Reader John Sabol, who is a news and sports reporter for WJW TV, was at the Cleveland Cavaliers game last night. Being a Friday in November, it was an NBA Cup night. Not sure what that is? Here’s an explanation. Anyway, John noticed there were new balls being used.

New NBA Cup Basketballs for the in-season tournament.

Gotta say this basketball is more slippery than the normal basketball balls.#LetEmKnow @fox8news @AmicoHoops pic.twitter.com/ELKtJDNFk3

— John Sabol (@John_Sabol) November 15, 2024

(Click here to enlarge)

Nice little bracket pattern at the top. And I’m guessing the balls are slippery because they’re brand new. That may not make them as bad as the synthetic balls the NBA tried to introduce back in 2006, but there are complaints about the new ones. New Lakers coach JJ Redick is one of those doing the complaining.

“I’m going to send in a request for the league tomorrow that we can play with worn-in basketballs,” Redick said Tuesday. “I’m not sure why we’re playing in real games. I’m being dead serious. I’m not sure why we’re playing in real games with brand-new basketballs. Anybody’s ever touched an NBA ball brand new, it’s a different feel and touch than a worn-in basketball.”

Maybe they should dribble the balls in the parking lot for a while to rough them up a bit. Anyway, it’ll be interesting to see if the new balls last for the whole tournament, or if the NBA will give in and go back to the regular balls.

Interesting CFL In The USA Photo

Reader Chris Hickey sent me an email along with the following picture:

Came across this pic of (I assume) the press conference announcing San Antonio’s entry into the CFL- check out the concept helmet and generic jerseys!

Looks like an outline of the Alamo at the bottom of the helmet logo…

…much simpler color scheme than what they finally decided upon.  Maybe Wade will know more (hopefully).

Sure enough, when I got in touch with Wade Heidt, he knew.

Yeah. Owner Mr. Benson and what was supposed to be the original San Antonio Texans helmet in 1993 before the team bailed. Of course, the expansion cousin Sacramento Gold Miners went it alone as the only U.S. team in 1993. Gold Miners ended up relocating and becoming the San Antonio Texans themselves in 1995. Looking a lot different than the 1993 team would have looked.

Mr. Benson was Larry Benson, owner of the WLAF’s San Antonio Riders (I have one of their jerseys), and brother of the late Tom Benson, who owned the New Orleans Saints. The Riders and the Sacramento Surge petitioned to join the CFL after the WLAF folded. Larry ran out of money and had to bail, but the Surge became the Sacramento Gold Miners, then became the San Antonio Texans. And yes, they looked a LOT different than that initial concept.

I’m glad they did. I always enjoyed those Texans unis…even better than anything the Houston Texans have worn!

That’s All For Today

We’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning with Sunday Morning Uni Watch. Which games will make it to the 5&1 list? I have no idea, because if all goes as planned there will be a guest picker. I thought it was time to shake things up a bit, so stay tuned for that. Take care, everyone, and have a great Saturday.