The Canadian Football League has released within the past month or so, new alternate jerseys for every single team in the league. They titled them the Signature Uniforms, made by Reebok, are unique in the world of pro football overall, un=traditional and somewhat futuristic, they’ve received mixed reviews. Here at LWOS, we love sports, it’s in our name, but we also have a sweet spot in the eye for noticing beautiful jerseys. No, we won’t call it fashion, but every sports fan could notice a nice design when they seen one. The following is the list of the best uniforms released by the CFL.
Ranking the Best CFL Signature Uniforms
9) Ottawa Redblacks – The team went all-out Canadian with these ones, and maybe went too Canadian. A plaid helmet with “lumberjack plaid” shoulders defines Canadian stereotypical dressing. The saw logo right on the chest with the player’s number above the heart resembles a hockey jersey. The helmet is what sinks this uniform to the bottom of the list, as it is worse than some college football helmets, and there are some pretty bad ones (see Oregon Ducks).
8) Winnipeg Blue Bombers – The Argona- urghhh, Blue Bombers released this uniform with a lot of scepticism and negativity by fans and non-fans alike. Many of them were saying it is too much like the Double-Blue of Toronto. Known for their blue and gold, there is an absence of gold, absolutely none. Another hockey-inspired front looks a bitter better than Ottawa’s, although the big W reminds us of something the team hasn’t being doing recently: winning. The designers completely Bombed on this one.
7) Toronto Argonauts – It’s a boy! The Argonauts released their jersey with baby-blue colours, officially “Cambridge blue”, a change from their “Oxford blue”. Too many light colours make the uniform hard to watch on TV, especially in mid-day sun. Their jerseys honestly look like a charity game uniform, something quickly designed and with slightly mismatched colours. The rarely seen white helmet with their logo on the side and dark and light blue stripes down the middle is different, but is the only thing good about the set up.
6) Edmonton Eskimos – The team wanted to keep it simple and classic for this Signature Uniform and they certainly did. Nothing fancy, nothing ugly about them. Despite not having any particularly bad ideas for the jerseys themselves, the creators lacked creativity when putting this together. Some dark green with gold numbers slapped onto some fabric makes it look like a practice jersey. Fans aren’t complaining too loudly about the jersey but I don’t think many of them will be out there spending $130 on it.
5) Hamilton Tiger-Cats – Ticats fans are used to all black or mainly black jerseys, so this one is nothing new. It’s always looked good for the team and this one is nothing different. The helmet takes on a unique style with their logo on the right side and numbers on the left, mixing modern and vintages styles. The two-tone black jerseys look good with their gold numbers across the chest. Simplicity and tradition in the uniform puts the design in the middle of the list.
4) Calgary Stampeders – More dark colours from these new CFL jerseys as the Stampeders go all black, but the helmet steals the show. Black transitions to red from front to back, making it one of the most compelling football helmets out there. The logo seems a bit out of place on it, though, not standing out enough for the average fan to notice. The all-black jersey has a red accent on the tip of the sleeves, adding a bit of interest compared to other jerseys. There’s been a bit of controversy with the pistol patches on the shoulders, but eh, they’re called the Stampeders, let them have a cowboy touch.
3) Montreal Alouettes – The reason behind the design puts Montreal’s Signature Uniform high up the list. The jerseys are designed to honour Squadron 425, the first French-Canadian unit in the Royal Canadian Air Force. The wings on the shoulders and a two-tone front draws the eye. The colour fade on the helmet is similar to Calgary’s, but MTL is written across the side, the only helmet without the team’s logo. The jerseys looked great on TV on Sunday against Hamilton and Chad Ochocinco loved it, so if he does, who won’t? Not the best design, but who they honour in these jerseys – the men and women who have died for our country – is the reason it’s slotted at number three.
2) B.C. Lions – Released last season, the Lions’ all-black jersey, including the numbers, drew a lot of praise around the league and set the bar for all the other teams. They have shown lots of swagger with their black unis, and they’ve been a huge hit with fans. The black numbers outlined in orange are tough to see for play-by-play commentators, but that’s the only criticism. Their chrome black helmet is one of the nicest in all of pro football. They’ve worn these uniforms so much, it’s almost become a home jersey; it should be, as it will never get old.
1) Saskatchewan Roughriders – The Roughriders’ “blitz green” uniforms are the best in Canada. The multiple shades of green represents the fans, who have worn many versions of the colour throughout the years. When they debuted the jersey against Montreal, the stadiums was covered in green, just like the players. Even though Lance said it would look better white, that more obvious choice would have taken the uniforms further down the list. A helmet that resembles a watermelon – mimicking their hardcore fans’ favourite headgear. Best on the uniform chart, and now they aim to be the best in the league in November.
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