Seahawks Uniforms Get New Neon Glow: Bold or Hideous? (VIDEO)
Nike has secured the most recent contract with the NFL to become the official uniform maker of the league. Looks aside, the company has put a focus on functionality, albeit a few new changes which include some neon threads.
While most of the new uniforms released by Nike for the 2012 NFL season look similar to the previous, the company has declared that looks can be deceiving and practicality is what counts.
"Our overall approach in just about anything we make is 'How can we make this lighter? How can we make it perform better?'" Nike Creative Director for Football Todd Van Horne told CBSSports.com on Tuesday.
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Making the uniforms lighter might mean less padding in some places, but according to Van Horne, that doesn't mean less protection. His first example was the shoulder pads of the uniform.
"Some of those materials that were two-layered -- like the existing over-the-shoulder panels were two layers and were non-stretch," Van Horne said. "So we thought if we could make it stretch material and make it a single layer and still have the same strength, why wouldn't we want to do that?"
Nike even added padding in some places, including the inner thigh and derriere, although it shouldn't take away from their lightweight motto.
"It's just a level of slight protection so it's still flexible where you get the heel clips and/or from opposing players from their studs that can slow you," Van Horne said. "Nothing to slow you down."
The one uniform that may have a slight visual differentiation is the Seattle Seahawks uniform. Changes to the Seahawk uniform included a retouched logo that depicts a slightly angrier looking bird. The deep blue uniforms were also splashed with a bit of neon yellow, with added embellishments developed to represent feathers. However some fans were not fond of the new neon highlights.
"The neon green has to GO! It is simply ugly. Makes one want to puke," DFairburn said on the L.A. Times Sports blog.
Of course the neon argument isn't a new one. Adidas seems to have a thing for neon as well. For the college NCAA tournament, the sports apparel company donned Baylor Universities in an all neon uniform.
"What the heck? Did they paint those things with the glowing stuff out of fireflies? And matching socks? What were they thinking? Those are hideous," DK Hipkins commented on the USA Today sports blog.
Is neon on the new black?
