Sports Design Blog

Retro Bengals

Yesterday on Uni-Watch, there was a link provided by one of their contributors to a piece of footage from a game between the Bengals and the Browns from 1970. As you know, I have not hidden my fondness for the Bengals original uniforms. This footage provides a great look back at two teams who had the basic uniform set nailed down. You probably can't find two teams with a more simple look than the old school Bengals and Browns. (though the Browns sleeve stripes are a bit more ornate than their current version).

Seeing this great old video got me searching for some more examples of the old school Bengals look to satisfy my need to see it. In this classic clip that I found, not only do you get a look at the classic Bengals look, but you have snow and a shot of the New York Giants with a stripe over the top of their helmets. This is an absolutely outstanding trip back in time.

You can never get enough good looks at the old school Bengals and these videos provide a great look back at one of my favorite uni combos of all-time!

Old School Design: Cincinnati Bengals Art Prints 1981

As I continue to try to go back in time to find some of those classic sports design items from my youth, I continue to surprise myself with what I come up with. As a lifelong Bengals fan, I have a good memory of some really classic Bengals stuff. Back in 1981, the Shell Oil Company put out a great set of illustrations of the Super Bowl Bengals team.

The set included six different hand illustrated prints featuring some of the Bengals biggest stars. Each week you were able to visit your local Shell gas station to try and get your hands on the next edition in the set. The art prints were one of the first pieces of memorabilia to collect featuring the new striped helmets and uniforms.

The set featured my favorite NFL player, quarterback Ken Anderson. Anderson was at the prime of his career at the time of the release of these prints. Another print featured NFL Hall of Famer and Bengals offensive lineman Anthony Munoz protecting his quarterback. The rest of the set included images of running back Archie Griffin, punter Pat McInally, defensive star Ross Browner and fan favorite, linebacker Reggie Williams.

These classic prints bring back some great memories of the quest each week to get your hands on the next piece of the set and the satisfaction that came with completing it. They are a great reminder of a special time for Bengals fans and commemorate some of the best players in team history. These little known prints also provide a really great look back at the early days of the famous striped uniforms and helmets.

Old School Design: Sears Catalog NFL Action Figures

As we approach the Christmas season, it is always good to remember all of those great presents you got as a kid. Being a crazy sports fan as a kid, I was always looking through the old Sears catalog to see what the newest sports gifts were for that Christmas. I've written before about the classic Sears catalog and all of the great stuff it had in it each season.

As I was searching through some old things I came across something that was one of my all-time favorite Christmas gifts. I got these classic NFL action figures for Christmas in probably 1979 or 1980. The figures were from my two favorite teams at the time, the Bengals and the Vikings. Each figure came with a set of stick-on numbers so you could personalize them with your favorite NFL player's number. The Vikings figure wears the number of my favorite Viking of all-time, Fran Tarkenton. The Bengals figure currently has the #80 on it. Originally I had decorated the figure with the number 14, of Ken Anderson fame. I remember switching the numbers over to 80 during the Bengals Super Bowl season to celebrate Cris Collinsworth. Obviously I wasn't a real uniform detail junkie back then, because Collinsworth never wore the Bengals' simple classic uniform and helmet set.

I also remember another great Sears catalog gift I got at the same time. That Christmas I also received a set of NFL player figures of the Vikings, Bears, Packers and Saints to go along with my Bengals/Browns set for my old electric football game. Ahhh, good times. There is nothing better than looking back on some of those great sports gifts from Christmases past!

Jon over at the Fleer Sticker Project passed along this image of these classic pieces of NFL childhood gold that shows them as they appeared in the Sears catalog. There is a great article over there about the Sears catalog and all of the great things that were available. Check it out here.

Bengals-Did I really see that?

On Sunday, I was doing what I always do, settling in to watch my hometown Bengals take on their latest challenger. This season has been a great one for Bengals fans as the team has made a miraculous turnaround and the team is winning like crazy. This Sunday I made my way to the recliner, wearing my classic Ken Anderson throwback jersey and began to watch the game.

This week it seemed like I wasn't watching the game like I normally do. Most of the time I'm watching the action closely, hoping the Bengals make all of the right plays to win. I guess the fact that the Bengals were playing the Lions caused me to be more casual in my viewing. Rather than focusing in on every play, I found myself looking at uniform details and other design things I normally do when watching other teams. Early in the first quarter of the game, I saw something that shocked me. On a special teams play I thought for sure that I had seen something I never thought I would see. I don't know if I haven't been paying attention all year but this was the first time this detail had entered my mind. The Bengals had done something that is completely inexcusable on their uniforms.

 A few plays later as the Bengals were playing offense, my suspicions were confirmed, there was a player on the field in a Bengals uniform wearing the  number 14! At first I couldn't believe my eyes, could it really be true that the number 14 adorns the jersey of a Bengals player again? Sure enough, wide receiver Maurice Purify was lined up on offense wearing that number. Yes, the number of the greatest quarterback in Bengals history was being used in the game on Sunday. Mr. Purify could have been wearing this number all season, but yesterday was the first time I'd noticed it.

In my opinion, there is no circumstance that would justify the Bengals issuing the number 14 to any player, ever. There are two numbers that have no business ever seeing action again the Paul Brown Stadium field, the number 78 and the number 14. My issue is not with Maurice Purify. Though I really don't know much about him, I'm glad he's a Bengal and pull for him because he is a member of the home team. The number he is wearing, I have a huge problem with.

The Bengals have shown a great disrespect to their "should be in the Hall of Fame" quarterback. Though the number 14 was originally the number of Sam Wyche when he played for the Bengals from 1968-1970, Ken Anderson is the player who made the number famous with the Bengals. Anderson had a stellar career as the leader of the Bengals from 1971-1986 and led the team to their first Super Bowl appearance in 1981. According to the all-time numbers page on Bengals.com, no player since Ken Anderson has worn the #14 on the field. That tradition (or coincidence) should have continued on forever. Why in the world would the team give such a legendary number to a player I haven't even noticed until game 12 of the 2009 season?

So there's my rant for the day. I am glad the Bengals won again, but I spent the entire day bothered by what I had seen. I know I am probably making too much of this, but to me, the number 14 for the Bengals is sacred, and should not be seen on the field again in honor of the player who made it famous. What are the Bengals thinking on this one?

The gameday good luck jersey

Do you have a jersey or a certain piece of apparel that you must wear each week when your favorite team plays? Is there some ritual you have to go through to insure your team's success on any given weekend? I have one that has put me in a strange position this season.

As you know if you've been around SDB for long, I grew up a Bengals fan and remain one to this day. This season has been a great surprise and really has Bengals fans feeling great. Shortly before the season started, I got my hands on an outstanding Ken Anderson 1970's Bengals throwback jersey. You know, the one that used to be paired up with the simple Bengals arched helmets that I have been so openly fond of. I couldn't wait for the season to start so that I could wear this classic on Sundays while the team went to war on the field. Opening weekend, I got my spot on the couch in my Ken Anderson classic and am settled in for a great start to a new season against the Broncos. As a Bengals fan, there is never a better time to be optimistic than right before the start of the season's first game.

It was looking like the good mojo from my new throwback jersey was going to lead the Bengals to victory that day. As we all know, the game ended on a freak play and the Broncos stole the mojo from my newly acquired treasure. In disgust, I took off the jersey and felt like it was now tainted with bad mojo! When the second week of the season rolled around, I almost went back to the throwback to allow it to regain its magic, but instead went back to the closet and took out the current version of the Bengals jersey to wear. The Bengals went on to victory that day and put me in a tough spot. Not wanting to mess with the good vibes, I had to return to the current jersey for game three against the Steelers. Again, the Bengals pull off a great win, making the jersey even more lucky. Ditto for week four. So, today I had to have the same jersey on again and the Bengals came away with another victory. This has made my current version jersey the go-to piece of good luck apparel for next week's game.

All of this Bengals success has caused my classic Ken Anderson jersey to continue to hang in the dark in my closet. I want to wear the classic jersey each Sunday but I'm afraid to mess with the good luck that the current jersey is bringing the team. So, the jersey I so longed for will continue to gather dust as long as my #99 current version continues to lead to team success. I just know that the jersey I wear each Sunday impacts the team's success, so no matter how much I want to wear the classic, the current will be my gameday jersey of choice. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I'm sure you all have similar obsessions!

Sunday's retro classic review:

Sunday's NFL games offered up some great AFL looks and a return to a classic look for the St. Louis Rams. The Rams took to the field in their original royal blue and gold colors from their days in Los Angeles. I didn't really remember how much I missed this classic look until I saw it on the field again. The old school look was a welcome sight, that caught me off guard when I saw it.

The game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos presented the good and the bad about throwback looks in the same game. The Patriots classic uniforms and old school helmets are a classic style that is great to see on the field again. Unfotunately, the uniforms that the Broncos had on were not so good to the eyes. The Patriots and Broncos played the first ever AFL game against each other, so these uniforms have great historical significance. Unfortunatley, they just didn't look so hot. I was especially entertained by the striped socks worn by the Broncos. This game proved that not all throwback is good throwback.

The other throwback game of the day brought the original Dallas Texans, now the Kansas City Chiefs, to take on the Cowboys. Though the Cowboys were not one of the original eight AFL teams, they donned the retro look against the AFL team that once called their city home. This matchup created a nice, clean throwback look that was enjoyable to watch.

So far, the AFL 50th Anniversary throwback program has been great for the NFL. I can't wait to see more of these combinations on the field as the season progresses.

Old School Design: Classic Bengals Apparel

I want to thank my friends at For All To Envy for today's old school design images. I wrote a few weeks ago about the website and their store that is full of classic licensed products. Kirk has the greatest collection of classic sports licensed products that you will find anywhere on the planet. Seeing all of these classic items at & Still brings back so many memories from my days in the sports retailing business back then.

Today's old school design features some classic Bengals gear that you would have been able to buy back when the Bengals were fresh off of their second Super Bowl appearance. The image above is a Chalk Line Graphic Jacket.  Chalk Line created this innovative line of jackets that utilized die sublimated graphics all over the garment to create a really loud and visually exciting look. You could get your Chalk Line Graphic Jackets with team related themes or player related themes. This is a great example of the player version, featuring Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason. There was nothing like the Graphic Jacket at the time and there has been nothing quite like it since. A true sports products business classic!

Another classic item that Kirk sent my way was this classic caricature t-shirt from Salem Sportswear. The caricature shirt was one of the most popular sports licensed products ever created. Thanks to the popularity of players like Michael Jordan, the caricature shirt dominated the market in the 1980's and early 1990's. The oversized caricature head and catchy phrases were staples in this classic t-shirt line.

Pair this classic Salem caricature Boomer Esiason shirt with your Boomer Graphic Jacket and you would have achieved the status of super fan. Both of these are great examples of one of the best eras in sports design and bring back many good memories about an outstanding time to be in the sports products business. Thanks again to For All To Envy for these great images.

Bengals History: Super Bowl XVI

The only way that I could deal with the way the Bengals lost to the Broncos yesterday was to do something about the team's past that makes me feel good today. Only the Bengals could let a game get away in such an unexplainable way. The game on Sunday was like a complete Bengals franchise history wrapped up in a clean three hour package. To quote Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer: "I've never seen anything like that. I've played football since I was 7 or 8, and I've not seen that."

So, today I wanted to look back at the glory days of Bengals football by taking a look back at 1982. The date was January 24, 1982 and the Cincinnati Bengals were ready to play in their first Super Bowl. Super Bowl XVI was played in Detroit at the Pontiac Silverdome. The Bengals had just completed the greatest season in team history and had the entire city in a frenzy as they headed to Detroit to take on the 49ers in the Super Bowl. 

The Bengals had just introduced their revolutionary striped helmets and new uniform sets, replacing the more conservative look the team had used since its inception in 1968. Bengals merchandise was flying off the shelves at Cincinnati area fan shops. Quarterback Ken Anderson led a Bengals team loaded with talent like Isaac Curtis, Anthony Munoz, Pete Johnson and unexpected sensation Cris Collinsworth to win after win. The trip to Super Bowl XVI was sealed with a win over the San Diego Chargers in the famous Freezer Bowl at Riverfront Stadium. The game ended in a trademark disappointing Bengals loss, but hope for the future of the Bengals was high at the time.

It was a great time to be a Bengals fan, and the team cemented me as a lifelong fan with that great success. When the team returned to the Super Bowl in 1989, Bengals fans once again celebrated the present and looked at their team that seemed to have such a bright future ahead of them. Unfortunately, the next 21 years have left the Bengals fans with the same feeling they had on Sunday many more times than they ever should. A Bengals fan is a loyal fan, and Sunday's game is just another bump along the road of Bengal fandom, though much more creative than other past losses. Looking back at Super Bowl XVI at least gives me some therapy today, so there you have it.

Old School Design: Hu-Dey Beer

While visiting a relative over the weekend for a family get together, I came across a really great piece of old school design history. I have written before about Hu-Dey beer, which was created to celebrate the run to Super Bowl 16 for the Cincinnati Bengals in 1981. Hu-Dey beer featured some Bengals-style graphics and played off of the team's rally cry, "Who-Dey". The beer was not technically "Officially Licensed", but there was no doubt what the intent was.

The item I found at the event was an original display piece that would have been used on top of a pole on a Hu-Dey Beer display in your local grocery or convenience store. You can see the hole at the bottom that would have been used to mount this on the display. The display piece features the same tiger and striped graphics that you found on the cans, along with  the cheer of "Who Dey think gonna beat them Bengals". Great grammar, I know.

It is very unusual to find a piece of sports display graphics this old and unusual. The cans have been seen many times over the years, but this display piece is a rare look back at this classic product. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was a good subject for SDB. A great find that takes us back in time to the glory days of Bengals Football!

What If? Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have had one of the most unique helmets in the history of the NFL. The overall tiger stripe design was a revolutionary look when it was introduced and is still one of the most innovative around. However, the striped helmet has now been around for nearly 30 years! What if, the Cincinnati Bengals were to change the look of these helmets? What directions could the team go to give them a fresh new look to replace the 30 year old striped dome? First, it is very unlikely to ever see this happening, because the current helmet is embossed into the seatbacks at Paul Brown Stadium, but it would be fun to take a look at possible options to give the Bengals a new look.

First, it would be interesting to see what the team would look like with a primarily black helmet. One option that would be easy to implement would be to create a new version of the current one, but change the base color to black and only have the hint of black striping over the top. This would give the helmet a meaner look, but would keep the striped design in place, thus eliminating the need to replace seats at Paul Brown Stadium.

Another way to go would be to make the Bengals' helmets look more like those of traditional NFL teams. This could be achieved by placing the team's "B" logo on the side of a solid black helmet. The "B" would make a nice helmet logo and give the team a completely new look, with some tiger stripes thrown in for good measure. Of course, this look would also work with an orange background as well.

Since the team is known for their helmet design being outside the mainstream, what if you were to take the team's jumping tiger mascot and put it on each side of the helmet in a unique position. Placing the tiger on this way and this large would give the team another out of the ordinary look like no other team.

Another option for a black Bengals helmet would be to use the tiger face as a main logo on the side of a solid black helmet. Again, this would be much more similar to the traditional NFL type design.

Any of these new helmet designs could easily be paired up with the team's current uniforms, providing the Bengals with a new, but familiar look. 

As I have written before about the Bengals, I am a huge fan of their old school simple look from the 1960's and 70's. What if you could bring back some of that old school flair with a modern twist? Start with the helmet. By taking the team's more modern logo font and giving it a bit of an arch, you create a modern retro version of the old style Bengals helmet. This design utilizes the team's current font, but brings back all of the greatness of the team's original helmet.

To go along with the helmets, you could give the team's jerseys a bit of a back to the future feel as well. How about you simplify the jersey down to the way they were back in the 1970's, but update the sleeve stripes in a way that pays tribute to the way they were in the past. You could give the stripes some modern flair that also incorporates some of the more recent striped look of today? Put the two together and you have a modern looking return to the past for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Cincinnati Bengals History

Today I came across a great archive of classic Cincinnati Bengals historical photos. For those of you who love the old school Bengals look, this gallery is a gold mine. The gallery includes some great historical imagery, including this bus pass to a Cincinnati Bengals game vs. the Boston Shamrocks in 1938. The Bengals team existed in the late 1930's and early 1940's, and was different than the current Bengals that were an AFL expansion team in the late 1960's.

The gallery includes many more Bengals treasures. Here you can see another great image from those early Bengals teams. This image is a patch from the late 1960's that features the Bengals' original jumping tiger mascot. Don't really know how to explain this. Nice hat. This image features the original Bengals helmet in a Hudepohl Beer sign. This is a great magazine cover featuring one of my all-time favorite players, Ken Anderson. This media guide cover is from 1980, the last year the team used the classic uniform look. This ad features a great classic look at Johnny Bench of the Reds and Paul Robinson of the Bengals. Here is a look at the 1971 Bengals team. A classic ticket stub from a 1976 Bengals game. Not sure about the title of this booklet.

This gallery is loaded with Bengals history goodness and gives a really great look at the team's design history. I hope you don't lose too much productivity today checking out these outstanding images. For anyone who is a fan of the Bengals and their classic original look, this gallery is a must-see.