Favorite AFL Images

Beautiful uniforms both SD and KC – much better than what the teams wear today, my opine (nod my inner Brando’s ‘contenda’, “I coulda been a designer.”)

Thence, KC sported the original large size helmet arrowhead compared the dinky one they use now – which if anything one would think should be emphasized more than afterthought. Vintage grey facemasks too, no sleeve stripe/piping & black cleated shoes. My approval as well them trashing the horrendous red road pants (they actually started wearing in 1968) and also returning to the original red road socks they once sported in lieu the modern white. The all-white road unis they once wore/still should was a better look too. Alas, seems they prefer the opposite; 2013 one game they subjected viewers an all-red home outfit – jersey AND pants – a giant nosebleed afield.

SD? 50 years after that picture was taken, still the most artistic sporting outfits ever designed my opine. As the case vintage cars many that same era, the Charger uniforms almost give the illusion of movement taking place even while they’re standing still (must be those lightning bolts.) That SD never thence to my knowledge added little circular lightning bolts to their socks both surprises and pleases my ‘old school cool’ sentiment. Obviously, their creators ‘knew when to say when’, as it were.

Case the uniforms both teams, a nice clean look sans over-zealous splattering of logos everywhere (NFL shield, manufacturer names, etc.) My opine, uniforms today look too busy, and more so garish, walking billboards some cases. Speak softly and say, all that’s missing are $igns indicate what the modern age has relegated a once quaint game of another time.

Love how vibrant the colors were back then…fantastic slides!

AFL officials wore the red striped shirts through 1967. In 1968, they took on the familiar NFL zebra stripes.

Crotchety old man alert – rant begins in 3, 2, 1… hey, ‘wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick’? I’d settle for an Edsel if it meant being able to drive to an game of football as it was played yesteryear, the sights the sounds the players and the ambiance. Give me the networks NBC & CBS too, football theme songs that opened their broadcasts back in the 1960’s; growing up is hell 🙂

Am reminded of the new car salesman who kept trying to get me to buy a ‘modern’ Dodge Challenger & to dispense with my 1970 model due to better/more efficient safety, comfort, gas mileage, cooler design (so says he, whippersnapper) yadda, yadda, yadda. I replied, “when they build a Challenger that sounds like, looks like as well makes me feel like the vintage one I’m now driving does, get back to me.” Ditto uniforms, music and [insert other old school laments herein]

‘They’ owner$hip, league$, advertiser$ etc. cater to their audience course, & today’s skews younger. Still, if ‘modern’ matched up with old school cool, I would embrace said & so too would others of another era, I am certain. They don’t, so I do not either. Beauty being a matter eye the beholder of course, modern fare makes my eyes bleed, football/uniforms at minimum.

No doubt younger folks embrace current styling – a poll was taken resulting in the modern Chargers uniform being preferable according those polled. The adage “no accounting for taste” can be applied anyone’s preferences, but having seen /compared then & now up close, ‘Calgon, take me away!’ (and back.)

Though I wasn’t yet born, also prefer the auto designs the 1930’s & 40’s better than today’s, 1950’s too it should go without saying. Ditto vintage advertising artwork which blows away modern fare which I find too perfect its photoshopped, airbrushed world of make believe.

According to aphorist EM Cioran “progress is the injustice that each generation commits with regard to its predecessors.”

One nod to ‘progress’ as some call it: the computer/keyboard. Least far as one can use it type letters, send (e)mail and store information, sans the previous need file cabinet(s), stamped envelope and typewriter; all well & good. As for the ergonomic consequences involved however, repetitive stress & carpal tunnel, eye strain & all the rest, something (health this case) is necessarily lost in the exchange, or at least compromised in the name of progress… football too.

The AFL, I think worked out all of the bad designs in helmets and uniforms after the 1961 season.Starting in 1962,through 1970 the leagues last year,the designs on helmets and uniforms were far superior than today.Also,those colored referee shirts were better looking than todays version.

Hi Todd. I don’t remember the game but I do remember Frank and the whole Charger team. Looks like I got into his body. So called blocking as they do In todays game sure has changed. In my day you blew into a man and drove him out of the way. Today it mostly screening and you can grab the defensive player. The game looks a lot like fast break basketball. Maybe we should have had those rules then maybe we would not have to had our shoulders and hips replaced. I saw young Ernie Wrights post and I do remember his days at Kansas. His fathers college team mate, Jim Tyrer was my room mate for ten years.