A funny thing happened this week. The single greatest Twitter account right now is @Super70sSports — and if you don’t believe me, follow it for two days and I guarantee you’ll be a believer — posted a picture of the Ken O’Brien/Freeman McNeil-era Jets helmet.
You know the one: dark green background, “JETS” on the side, with a supersonic plane attached to the “J” and speeding over the “ETS.” Super70s declared: “My favorite Jets helmet. I know it’s an unpopular opinion but some of you agree. Step out of the shadows, my brothers!”
At first I thought that heresy, but, you know, the Jets did have some fun teams in those unis. Add that to the fact it was also revealed this week the Jets will be opting into new uniforms for next year, it got me thinking about our local teams and their distinctive uniform/logo schemes through the years. We have had some iconic looks (and some that were better left to the incinerator).
Let’s take a quick tour …
Yankees: Obviously, the interlocking “NY” — permanently borrowed from an old NYPD logo — is probably the most iconic sporting logo in the world, a nose ahead of the Dallas Cowboys’ star. The pinstripes are, too, and the lack of surnames on the back of uniforms (why anyone would buy a replica jersey with “Ruth” or “DiMaggio” or “Jeter” on it is beyond me). Eternal credit to Marty Appel, the team’s former PR man, who years ago talked Gabe Paul out of a new road uniform that essentially would’ve been the home uni in an X-ray: black, with white pinstripes and a white “NY.” It was the ’70s, sure, but still …
Giants: Right behind the Yankees’ all-caps “NY,” the Giants’ lowercase “ny” tells you in an instant what team you’re talking about, but the incongruity is that two of the team’s most beloved incarnations, the Super Bowl-winners of 1986 and 1990, wore the unis with the underlined “GIANTS” on the helmet. Which wasn’t so bad, either.
Mets: They’ve gone to some frustrating extremes with the uniform schemes — does anyone miss the black jerseys and helmets? — but the main logo — “Mets” in script with the city skyline in back — is one of the truly transcendent and recognizable insignias in all of sports. Even the Wilpons haven’t screwed that one up. Yet.
Nets: No, not the current minimalist black-and-whites. But the classic Dr. J-era outfit — the stars-and-stripes piping down the left side of the uni, seamlessly streamed from jersey to shorts — is one of the greats ever. The Nets have brought it back occasionally; why it isn’t permanent is one of life’s frustrating mysteries.
Rangers: They’ve done some unfortunate tinkering through the years, notably that intrusive Lady Liberty logo, but the Broadway Blueshirts’ eternal sweater — “RANGERS” cascading diagonally from upper left to lower right — and the logo — the shield with the surprising triangle of red in the upper right — is one hell of a 1-2 punch.
Knicks: With one unfortunate exception in the early ’80s, when they put the uniform number on top of the jersey and “KNICKS” underneath, the general look of the uniform remains unchanged from the dusty glory days. The classic version of the logo — “KNICKS” with ’70s yearbook-like shadowing to the letters on top of a basketball — is also one of the very best anywhere.
Jets: Sorry, Super70s — for a lot of us, the only uni that matters is the one Joe Willie wore in Miami in 1969. Bill Parcells did a lot of positive things in his short time with the team; reinstituting that look was high on the list.
Islanders: Here’s the problem: The original Islanders logo was so perfect — the “Y” in “NY” actually a hockey stick, superimposed over an orange map of Long Island — that major points are forever going to be deducted for the absurdist departure in the mid-’90s to the Gorton’s Fisherman look, the dumbest rebranding since New Coke.
Devils: As usual, the Devils are often overlooked around here, partly because it seems their color scheme changes every couple of months. But there’s no denying the coolness quotient of the original and primary logo — the red “NJ” with the “J” sprouting horns at the top and a demon’s tail at the bottom.
Vac’s Whacks
Through Friday, the Orioles are 9-7 against New York’s baseball teams and 27-79 against everyone else, and though that may not be full civic payback for Baltimore for the calendar year 1969, it’s a start, right?
If I’m coaching the Jets, Teddy Bridgewater doesn’t only have to look better than Sam Darnold to start on opening night, he has to be about 50 percent better. Based on that formula, I still go with the kid.
As much as I love music, only a handful of songs have ever given me legit chills every time I hear them — and Aretha Franklin sang three or four of them. Godspeed to the Queen.
I’m a guy who generally juggles a couple of different reading projects at once, but when the mailman delivers an early copy of “Football for a Buck,” Jeff Pearlman’s ode to the USFL, then I am officially a one-book guy for as long as it takes to get to from introduction to index.
Whack Back at Vac
Jim Pelella: Haven’t seen this anywhere, but since 1938, the Yankees have won the World Series every 20 years in years ending in “8”: 1938, ’58, ’78 and ’98. And, of course, before that was the last Red Sox title before the big choke of ’04 (1918).
Vac: Also: Kennedy’s secretary was named Lincoln and Lincoln’s secretary was named Kennedy …
Richard Siegelman: If the 1951 mid-August Giants could come back from 13 ½ games behind the Dodgers, the Yankees can still overtake the Red Sox.
Vac: If the Yankees have a 16-game winning streak in them, as the Giants did from Aug. 12-27 that year (in which they sliced eight games off the lead), then we can talk.
@duncandonuts12: The Yankees should’ve made a trade for a bat to ignite this offense, which has been overrated. Too many guys hitting for low averages coupled with bad starting pitching. Not very optimistic. Cash hasn’t done great this season.
@MikeVacc: I keep thinking about the fact the key move of last year’s season — the Astros getting Justin Verlander — didn’t happen until Aug. 31. There is still time.
Doug Giardini: I am disappointed in Keith Hernandez endorsing the beaning of Ronald Acuna Jr. He obviously forgot about Roger Clemens beaning Mike Piazza because Mike was lighting him up.
Vac: I just think it’s important to distinguish between a brushback pitch — an absolutely effective tool in a pitcher’s arsenal — and a 98 mph fastball aimed at someone’s ribs, which is assault and battery.
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