This from 1983 vs Southern Miss at Legion Field
This from 1983 vs Southern Miss at Legion Field

By Hunter Ford

It’s that time of summer when football season seems tantalizingly close, but yet so far away.  After Independence Day weekend we still have to suffer the dog days of July and August before the fall air drifts in.

The NFL will begin playing pre-season games sometime in late July.  I usually watch a few to catch up on former Alabama and other SEC players, and see if they can make a big-league roster.

However, if you want to watch “real” games, our neighbors to the north are playing their own wacky brand of football.  I caught a glimpse of a Canadian League Football game on TV last weekend.  It reminded me of days long ago when the NFL had a strike and a fledgling ESPN broadcast CFL games to fill the void.

I also remember the CFL’s failed attempt to expand to the USA.  The Birmingham Barracudas were the CFL’s gift to the Magic City’s legacy of failed pro football teams.

Here is a list (from 2012) of SEC players in the CFL.

http://www.secrant.com/rant/p/38589429/Former-prominent-SEC-players-in-the-CFL.aspx

And here is a current college fan’s guide to watching the CFL.

http://www.si.com/college-football/2014/06/26/college-football-fan-cfl-viewing-guide

The CFL has some interesting uniforms, which makes me wonder how many college teams will suit up this year in eye-popping, garish, ridiculous clown suits.  Oregon is the king.  It won’t surprise me if the Mighty Ducks roll out in capes and top hats this fall.

I hate it when teams with historically attractive uniforms, like Georgia, put on the clown suits.  I love that Alabama has never gone with the full-blown Pro Combat travesties.  The Tide did wear a uni a couple of years ago with houndstooth patterns imprinted in the helmet stripe and jersey numbers.  The pattern was so light you could hardly tell.

One deviance I would support would be to have the Tide wear white helmets in select games.

Here’s a link to the Tide’s uniform history.

http://www.rolltide.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/060706aaa.html

This is a list of best and worst uniforms of 2013.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/09/the-best-and-worst-college-football-uniforms-of-2013

4 thoughts on “Oh, Canada has football with Alabama and Auburn players. Plus: White helmets for Tide?”

  2. Happy Independence Day. My Fave day. It is not just another day! It is Independence Day! Be happy and Independent!

    1. I would also like to see Alabama do something with the color “gray” in there uniforms for an alternate uni. It emphasizes elephants– which emphasizes the tradition of Alabama athletics. Here’s an idea: 1. what about a gray or silver uni with white numbers and a slight crimson trim around the numbers. 2. Helmet would also be silver or gray with white numbers and a slight crimson trim around the numbers. Helmet stripe would be candy-caned with crimson and white. 3. Pants would be white with big single crimson outlines coming down leg to indicate tusks. They need an alternate uni that emphasizes elephant and wear it in the SEC champ. game.

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