Virginia Tech Football: Breaking Down Hokies' New White Helmets
November 17, 2012
The Virginia Tech football team will rock some, uh, unique-looking helmets on Saturday in Chestnut Hill when they take on the Boston College Eagles.
At first glance, the all-white headgear looks like a flagrant attempt to copy Alabama's traditional helmet look, with the player's number on the side. But it doesn't take long to find the helmet's main attraction.
On the left side of each helmet sits the Virginia Tech mascot, the HokieBird, which apparently evolved from a turkey according to HokieSports.com. The bird looks menacing and has its fists clamped together.
As disappointing as Virginia Tech's season has been, these special edition helmets are even more atrocious. From a distance it just looks like someone threw mud at the side of a white helmet.
Unless you're watching the game in high-definition at home, you won't even recognize the mascot on the helmet.
The only good news for Hokies fans on Saturday is that their team is playing Boston College, who's by far the worst team in the ACC and arguably the worst in FBS college football this fall. At 2-8, the Eagles have beaten Maryland, Maine and that's it. But I digress.
Credit Virginia Tech for spicing things up for its fans and players late in the season, especially considering Frank Beamer's men will have to win out in order to become bowl eligible. The creativity earns an A, but the result is hardly spectacular.
These helmets are eye-catching for all the wrong reasons. One side is subtle, while the other is completely outrageous.
If you're a cartoon fan, you're likely a huge supporter of this week's Hokie head protection. Otherwise, you're as confused as I am. Sure, these helmets aren't as terrible as the ones the Tech players wore on September 8 against Austin Peay, but they fall into the same never again category.
Kudos to Virginia Tech for taking a risk and showing some creativity, but that's where the good ends with these cartoonish helmets.
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