Mile High Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Linky Thomas is the only player to lead the NFL in total yards from scrimmage four years in a row. He led Buffalo to four consecutive Super Bowls. He ranks seventh all time in total yards with 16,532. But people will always remember him for what he couldn't do before Super Bowl XXVI in 1992. He couldn't find his helmet. Thomas, the league MVP, set the thing down, and somebody moved it without telling him. ESPN's Chris Berman remembers it well. He and cohort Tom Jackson watched the game from the Minneapolis Metrodome stands as Buffalo took the field. Jackson nudged Berman and said, "Look at these tricky Bills. Kenneth Davis is going to get the ball on the first play!" When the Bills finally located Thomas' helmet, Davis had run two plays. Thomas never got in sync, rushing for 13 yards on 10 carries, as Washington won 37-24. "I'd hate to think of 'Where's the Helmet?' being my lasting impression of Thurman Thomas," Berman says. "I'd like to think of the (190 total yards) he had against the Giants in Super Bowl XXV, even though the Bills only had the ball for 19½ minutes." Thurman was a great player.But he didn't show me the proper love. He didn't understand, you gotta hold on to me like a winning lottery ticket. But there is a Bills player who gets it. Buffalo cornerback Troy Vincent could never misplace his helmet. He's too busy kissing it. "Before the national anthem, when we're in the locker room, I cradle that helmet like it's my newborn baby," he says. "I say my prayer and kiss her. Hey, it's about the two of us today, and I pray that God keeps us healthy. My helmet is almost like a being." Vincent won't let many people touch his helmet — the Bills' equipment manager, and that's about it. And even then, Vincent cleans it himself. "Oh yeah," he says. "Every other day I alcohol her down, peroxide her down. Make sure she's disinfected. She's protecting my entire face, my head, my skull. I won't even lean on it for support. I'll take a knee." Vincent can't stand to see teammates — gasp! — actually sit on their helmets. "You should never, ever do that," he says. "That's disrespectful. I mean, my helmet has kept me around for 14 years!" But even loved ones have spats, and one time Vincent's emotions got the best of him. "It was after one of the championship losses in Philadelphia," he says. "After the game I was totally disgusted. I tossed my helmet into my locker." A reporter asks Vincent if that was akin to Jimi Hendrix burning his guitar in the film Monterey Pop. With an air of great solemnity, he nods. A silence hangs in the air as this idea sinks in. "Hendrix would never do that, would he?" Vincent says, suddenly. "Maybe somebody else's guitar, but not his own!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyDingo Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 cut vincent and get thurman a genny cream ale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Wow, our current helmet is considered the 7th worst in the leauge, currently, and 5th worst of all time? Pretty harsh! Maybe I am just sleepy, but does that even make any sense? "Voters" are saying that in 2005 there were 6 uglier helmets than the Bills, but in the history of the NFL, there are only 4 uglier? "Does not compute...illogical..." If we were talking uniforms, I could see, but our helmet is not that bad, is it? I prefer the current logo, on the white helmet, but the red is not too bad...and the friggin' current Bengals helmet is considered amongst the best? I guess winning changes everythig! That is still one ugly helmet. To me the all-time worst are: 1- Old school Bucs 2- current Bengals 3- current Broncos (one of my secondary "favorite" teams! I curse them for their hideous uniform change...they started that nasty trend of stripes down the side of the jersey, as well as the pants! And the logo is just terrible!) 4- Dolpins (any era, happy dolphin, or angry dolphin!) 5- Old school yellow & blue Rams (amazingly, I love their new helmets, with the gold, one of the few recent uniform changes I think was an improvement) 6- 60's70's era Eagles (white helmet with green "feathers" just awful!) 7- Tennessee Titans (WTF!) 8- Houston Texans (that logo looks like a red, white & blue porterhouse steak from a distance) 9- Minnesota Vikings (Purple just doesn't work for me, for a football helmet!) 10- Clevland Browns (team I might consider adopting if the unthinkable happens) All time favorites: 1- current Redskins (I always thought they had the sharpest unis' in football...PC or not, the American indian thing works well in football!) 2- Bills (1974-84- the early 80's, Knox era Bills will always be my favorites, despite Fred Smerlas!) 3- pre- SB winning Broncos 4- Chicago Bears (cool, simple) 5- Green Bay (just the image reaks football) 6- Steelers (how cool that they have never succumbed, and put the logo on both sides of the helmet...anyone know the history behind that?) 7- Colts (I love the old-school logos) 8- Chiefs (the arrowhead is cool!) 9- Cardinals (this team, I think, has had one winning season in my lifetime, but again, I like the simple, traditional logos that haven't changed much over the years, even though the teams suck, and have moved to different cities! Plus, when I was a kid, I had a St Louis Cardnals baseball cap, an irregular from Dektabrans...along with a Virgina Squires winter jacket, and a Minnesota Stars hoody...all irregulars! Dad was always trying to save a buck!) 10-Clevland Browns (so ugly, they are cool! Hey, the whole poll in USA TODAY doesn't make sense! Based on that, I reserve the right to name this my 10th least favorite, and my 10th favorite!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Something isn't right... What vexes me is the Raiders helmet (virturally unchanged through the years) gets voted as being one of the best current (9%) and then it gets voted for being one of the WORST all time (4%)... What gives with the poll? Obviously: Editor's note: USA TODAY conducted a survey to determine your favorite and least favorite NFL helmets, past and present. After one round of voting, we pared the current field of NFL helmets from 32 down to 8. Below are your choices as the best and worst. We also asked for readers' opinions for the best and worst helmets of all time from a field determined by the ssur.org staff and USA TODAY. We want to thank you for your participation and the 90,000+ responses. The two groups voting are WAY off each other. Buffalo's being in the worst for both... I say this poll is CRAP!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 All this poll tells me is that people who vote in internet polls are clueless. It has nothing to do with where Buffalo is ranked. The Browns helmet is a classic -- timeless. To call it the worst of all time is a joke. Same goes for the Jets current (retro) helmet. I'm reminded of Carrie Fisher's line in "When Harry Met Sally" -- "Everybody thinks they have good taste, but everybody can't possibly have good taste." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 The Steelers weren't sure they were going to like their new logo so they put it on only side of the helmet. The first team to where it went 9-5, which was the franchise's best record ever. Putting the logo on only one side created a buzz, so they left it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=42178 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cåblelady Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=42178 664260[/snapback] They must have been hibernating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=42178 664260[/snapback] To be fair, your topic title did not give a clue to a best/worst helmet ratings poll. I don't read every topic in here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
granitestatebillsbackers Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 You want to know the best and worst all time helmets? Instead of asking knuckleheads to hold forth in YAIP (Yet Another Internet Poll), take a look at merchandise sales. In the end, that's all that matters. It's not about the aesthetics of white feathers on green helmets (ugh!) or purple. For every one of us that can't stand the green and white, there are 50 Eagles fans pounding the bar yapping about bringing back the retro unis. All USA Today had to do was put up the top 10 helmets/logos in terms of merch sales, and there's your answer. The good ones transcend city/franchise borders. And guess what? Start winning Super Bowls or going deep into the playoffs every year, and your helmet starts getting popular, too. Amazing! Related note: this is what astounds me about the eternal debate on TBD about the Bills uniform. You might hate the red stripe, and I might love it. You might have your living room painted Desert Mesa, and I might think it looks like crap. It all comes down to $$$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshmallow Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Best now... Packers Steelers Bears Broncos Colts Worst Now... Ravens Panthers Cardinals Dolphins Patriots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mile High Posted April 18, 2006 Author Share Posted April 18, 2006 http://www.stadiumwall.com/index.php?showtopic=42178 664260[/snapback] My bad.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 ok, how come the abomination that the titans wear on their heads now isnt included as worst now, and of all time. that thing is just plain ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 i have to ask how is the pasties old helmet, the second best? it looks like Paul revere taking a dump. That being said, i don'tget the gripe on the Ravers helmet that said, how is the current bills the 5th worst all time, but 7th worst current? that sez that there is some inconsitency in the voting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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