The gold and paint on the Notre Dame helmets has been a topic of debate on all of the Notre Dame forums for the last several years. Apparently the Notre Dame athletic department took notice and today they introduced new helmets that the Irish will wear for the first time this weekend.
Here are some features of the new helmets from the Athletic Department’s Facebook page. Speaking of which – make sure to “like” their page as they are trying to reach 80,795 fans by 2012 and need quite a few more.
– We have created a new “Gold Standard” for football helmets with the Notre Dame reflective gold particle helmet
– This new shade of gold makes these helmets closer in color to the Golden Dome than any helmets we have worn at Notre Dame
– Tradition of having 23.9 karat gold flake in the paint on the helmet continues
– Gives us a more consistent look from helmet to helmet and week to week
– After exhausting many options we ultimately were forced to decide between continuing the tradition of managers painting helmets and have a subpar helmet or alter the painting process and get a superior helmet. We felt it was more important to get the color right.
– The new paint process is not in the skill set/capabilities of student managers.
For years now, the Notre Dame helmets have not been what they once were. The color always seemed off and the gold paint would chip off after one solid hit each game. To solve this problem, the athletic department had to sacrifice one of Notre Dame’s unique traditions – student managers painting the helmets each week.
While it’s sad to see that tradition go away, the new helmets look fantastic and should look really, really sharp under the lights of Notre Dame stadium this weekend when the Irish wear them for the first time.
What does everyone think of the new helmets? Personally, I think they are pretty, pretty awesome.
Here is what I think… ROLL TIDE!
The football is funny-shaped. If it were global-shaped, we might expect some better fortune. But it’s not. And we must not expect any “fairnes” of breaks. The ball is just not bouncing ur way this year.
I really feel like we should have beat USC but again we handed the game to them. I honestly feel like we will be alot better NEXT year when Hendrix is at the helm with a couple years under his belt. Reees is pretty bad, we’ve all said it here a million times and he just didnt move the offense or use his weapons (Floyd) like he should have. Like cousinnap said above, what are the chances we fumble and it gets returned for a TD, let alone inside the 5 and by a 5th year SENIOR. Michigan did the same thing against us this year however it rolled right to “shoelaces” and he ran it in for a TD. We arent getting the bounces this year. I really dont know how much to blame BK for all this. With another QB i think we win back at least 2 of our losses thus far
You’re assuming Hendrix will be at the helm next year. I’m not sure of that based upon how the head coach is calling things, especially from the QB aspect. What can you say about last night? Not once, but twice, fumbles inside the 5 yard line are returned for TD’s in the same season at a critical juncture of a game. A defense that got its ass whipped and an offense that was dominated by a much better defense. No BCS to play for (or conference championship), a boatload of potential recruits watching the debacle take place & how that will affect their own playing outlook for which team they will want to play for, a gift of a wild prime time showcase with a loud & raunchy crowd that did their part, an offensive scheme that can’t be run because we aren’t tooling it with the right parts, a defense that seems to not being guided & coached consistently to be the best, a head coach who appears to be shying away from his responsibility, and for a long time fan, another disappointing letdown with high expectations prior to the game. I’ve got to listen to a bunch of my friends re-iterate the crow I have to eat again (I can live with that since I’ve been getting used to it the last 15 or so years). I’m past the point of being upset. It’s a feeling of complacency or just numb. Not going to shy away being a fan, but, dammit, why can’t we get a team that is coached well and puts in the best position to win in a consistent manner, to be competitive? Is that asking or expecting too much? Maybe it is. Maybe we should just join the fricking MAC Conference-probably have a better chance to win. Ok, Ok, I don’t mean that. I wish things would get “fixed” for the team. Record this year, Navy, Wake, & Stanford definitely can beat this ND squad if things don’t change.
Go irish
Why the big dal about the HELMETS – hey are helmets – the Irish looked really flat the first quarter and a half – after the SC’s first three drives – yes 17 pts. the defense didn’t do a bad job – the offense really tanked – the running game was abandoned – yes down but with time – How many teams fumble on the one and have the ballreturned for a TD TWICE in the smae year – that play was the game what a killer. I think that that extra week off may have actually worked against the team -too much time no action and they came out flat. Let’s see what they come ou like against Navy and do leading up to Stanford – looks like a regular eason of 8-4 most likely – not the BCS but a step forward from last year – finish 8-4 – win the bowl game a move forward – theis seaon really show how turnovers can kill – not good enough yt to overcome them – why not leave Hendrix in
Kelly is a lunatic, he got beat by a bigger lunatic, and his athletes quit on him. He makes bad decisions, the players don’t execute those bad decisions and then he goes balistic on them. Yeah bye, bye recruits that were there. Another unfortunate and sad day for ND Football.
At first I wasn’t crazy about the change myself. I liked the nostalgic look of the “old” helment and of course the tradition of it’s painting.
I will say the new helment has grown on me. Plus I’m sure that we haven’t seen the last of the old helment. It will resurface once…twice a year for a throwback jersey game.
This could be seen as a double positive. These young kids seem to like the idea of jersey changes, the start of a new tradition, and the ability to throw our unique heritage into a game at times.
I’m now all for it!
Man, you want to get fired up, go see the Tim Brown interview with Jack Nolan on ND’s site! Tim Brown is a class-act and a joy to listen to!
Go……………………………………………………Irish!
now can we fix the crappy arm ND?
With the new helmets installed, coming out of the tunnel is one thing, showing them to all is another, it still comes down to the principle of this being a game of rivalry. Hopefully the team is wearing the green jersey and that still applies to this one game in perticular to all players on the team and the coaches as well. GO IRISH!!!
I didnt realize this problem with the gold, or lack thereof had been going on for years now, but I know that last year the helmets looked horrific. The gold coloring was so pale/dim that they almost looked WHITE in color. Its baffling that some people dont seem to care about that fact. Well anyway, its all good now!
Anyone hear how practice went this week?
Whats up with UConn womens b-ball coach Gino Auriemma bashing the Catholic Church because ND didnt join the big east in football and is now “responsible” for its downfall? Hey shut your pie hole and stick to hoops ass-hat.
http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7127918/connecticut-huskies-geno-auriemma-blames-notre-dame-fighting-irish-big-east-football-issue
Yeah, I read some of the articles about his lambasting of ND and its role in the Big East “issues.” My response to Gino, “Shut up and worry about how the Irish ladies will wipe your Huskiettes. Keep your nose out of FOOTBALL GINO.”
Remember all those people that said ND was no longer “Relevant” in Football?
Folks in the Big East sure don’t think so!
Isn’t Gino out there with his brass knuckles, cracking skulls to repo cars for “The Family”? He really looks like he belongs on an episode of the Sopranos.
Yeah, I laugh at ND being told we aren’t relevant and then being told we single handledly are bringing down a conference.
I said somewhere that I guess President Obama will be coming to my door in 2012 in the event he loses the election.
Maybe Gino can’t square the tough guy look with the sport he coaches. Seriously dude, even Rocky had Adrian. It’s OK. I like women’s basketball.
Shaz:
My neighbors are Buckeye Fans and they told me in August that the Irish were no longer relevant adn that OSU aka the North High Street Institution was THE biggest city outside of L.A. to recruit and THIS was the place to be. LOL. How is that working for him and them?
New Helmets??? Oh yeah–kill USC and win with no apologies.
It will be good to see how the look under the lights. I’m encouraged so far. And hopefully the color is unique.
But all those who said, Just Win Baby! YES!!!!!! Winning makes any uniform look great. ( well almost, Oregon )
As far as traditions, paining the helmets is one that can go away.
I say bring back Clashmore Mike the Irish Terrior, ( should be the Irish WolfHound ). Have the dog go take a dump behind where Kiffin is standing on the sidelines Saturday night and let him slip in it. That’ll raise a few eyebrows.
Anyone notice Lame Kiffen’s lackluster interviews about coming to South Bend? Just another game? Well, I think Mr. Lame now realizes he was only a desperation hire to stand in for Petey Boy. Maybe Bob Davie should have taken the USC job? Two Lames don’t make it right? Hahahahahahaha!
Hey Chris, what say you?
“Just another game”?
I’m not buying it.
Based just on the infuence this game will have on on recruiting makes it more than just another game.
Tyler listed as a game time decision because of a seperated shoulder?
Not buying that one either.
A true seperated shoulder will keep a player out(especially a running back) at least 4 weeks.
Perhaps what they meant to say was “bruised” shoulder.
I believe LK is trying to playing some mind games.
Doesn’t he realize he is only fooling himself!
Yeah, not sure why he thinks playing games around Tyler or any other running backs is going to affect the game. We will neutralize the run.
Being ready for the pass attack is the worry for Diaco and the defense.
I think Kiffin realizes they may have a true matchup problem and gamesmanship is his only hope. Pete Carroll would have just handed out “unofficial voluntary workouts” to be practiced during class hours.
I love the look of the new helmet, and it simply shows the color of the golden dome much better. Change is good and it shows that ND is keeping up with the standards their committed to. Come Saturday night lets play for the golden dome and win ND!!! GO IRISH
Love the helmets. But gotta admit I will miss the huge chunks of gold paint coming off the old helmets with each T’eo hit.
GO IRISH. Beat SC.
New helmets look good. The decision to change was made for the right reasons. Tradition is only good if nothing can improve on it.
I do not think new helmets can have the same motivational effect as the green jerseys, because the other team would probably not even notice the change.
Go Irish
LS-Oh they will notice when Manti and Lynch come calling!!! Plus Michael Floyd will look like a gold rush going on the post route. Look for Tyler Eifert to really damage the Trojan secondary as well. Some of the crones don’t care for the color, but as I told my Grandma last year, some of the crones still think the forward pass should be illegal still…
Time is ticking down. Go Irish!!!
Shaz-No comment on the new helmet color?
Warrior,
Not surprised by the change when one considers the currect price of Gold on the market!
Will have to reserve further comment until I see them in action.
Seeing them under the lights is one thing, seeing them coming out of the tunnel on a sunny South Bend afternoon will be the real test.
It would be interesting to hear the views of opposing players.
Many of them who played agianst the Irish would leave after the game with a good bit of ND gold on their own helmets!
One other thing about the helmets…
Take a closer look at the padding on the inside.
That should convince any fan!
At today’s prices maybe we are going the wrong way. You might claim a conspiracy where opponents purposefully let our guys lambaste them just to collect some gold leaf.
What’s commodity pricing on Gold again?
The helmet on the right looks about 20 years old. I thought they changed padding from that style in the 90’s.
I just hope they don’t pimp the old helmets. Can you imagine the price? Oyveh!
If you look carefully at the old helmet you will see some of that black eye smear on the padding.
This helmet had to have belonged to former QB Ron Powlus.
He spent his whole playing career looking out his ear hole!
Shazamrock! I am laughing. I hate to say because he’s probably a good guy. But I kind of like that image. He was kind of a leader of the keystone cobs version of an Irish offense.
Make that square please! We are having trouble controlling our excitement for the game to begin over here.
The color of the helmet will mean little once the slugging commences. However two points jump out.
One:That special little psyche pump with the new helmet is another edge for ND. The Trojans will be taking notice. I would have kept the color change a secret though. Ala The Green Jersy trick and the Trojan Horse.
Two:Lack of change hurt us badly over the last twenty years. So all these changes may seem subtle but when taken in entirety it’s not your old man’s car anymore
This game can be the real springboard to greater things. Go Irish! Hooah!
Patrick hit it sqaure on the head-“Awaken Zombies! We command you,awaken!”
Wow, I love the new look and can’t way to see the sun reflecting from them on Saturdays and the lights on Saturday night against usc. GO IRISH!
-DY
Wow, I love the new look and can’t way to see the sun reflecting from them on Saturdays and the lights on Saturday night against usc. GO IRISH!
-DY
The new helmets are perfect. They really nailed it and I think the nay saying Irish fans will agree once they see them during game time Saturday night. It’s sad to see the tradition go away, but the idea of getting the colors and texture to match the dome are more important IMHO. Hopefully it helps the team get fired up that much more and give USC a thrashing like they haven’t had in over a decade from any program. Go Irish, beat the crap out of the condoms!!!
I love them! the helmets are supposed to resemble the dome. take a look at the two in the picture and tell me which one looks more like the dome, and which looks more like cheese that has went really bad.
Man, those POP! Sometimes it is ok to break from tradition. I’m so happy to see ND ignoring the old alumni zombies and doing what is best for the team now, not what was great fifty years ago. I’m pumped to see them glow while destroying dusty looking USC.
They do look technologically superior and appear they will blind the competition in the process. Hahahahahahahahahahah! JK they look great!
Go Irish!
Right JC! “Missed tackles due to blinding helmets cost USC game in South Bend”, the headlines will read ! bwahahaha !
Well, Keith Marshall seemed to like it!!! That’s always good
Not to bad of a slightly changed look in color. Certainly won’t lose sleep over the change. Like East Texas Irish said, I want to see a win, you betcha!
Go Notre Dame
I don’t care if they wear leather helmets I just want to see the Irish win baby.
GO IRISH!!!
Me too, I could care less if their helmets were pink – as long as they win.
A HELMET IS NOT WHAT MAKES IRISH THE IRISH IT A WAY OF LIFE IT WHO YOU ARE,GO IRISH
helmets look stellar! it’s about time they made this move. with advancements in technology, some traditions lose their place (e.g., video replay and jumbotron)