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What the hell is the deal with football pads these days. Kids look like they playing in bermuda shorts below the waist. At the shoulder level, I think women have more going on.
What do you think? I assume pads are pads and manufacturers dont make the supersize, extra bulky version anymore but I might be wrong. I loved my thigh pads with the well-defined triple ridges on them. Always got some good grass stains on them. This is what a well-armored football team should look like IMHO. With the triple ridges on thigh pads, of course. Those dudes not afraid to hit anything.
Is it just Western, or does this seem to be the way most teams are suited up? I guess it would make a difference to me if it's just the school, or if equipment companies are utilizing different, more compact materials to accomplish what used to be done by bulkier material.
rocki wrote: Fri Oct 27, 2023 3:13 pm
Is it just Western, or does this seem to be the way most teams are suited up? I guess it would make a difference to me if it's just the school, or if equipment companies are utilizing different, more compact materials to accomplish what used to be done by bulkier material.
It's everwhere in college. Not sure what Pop Warner is doing.
Though the transformation between the helmets of yesteryear and those of the modern era are no doubt striking, the change in shoulder pads over the last couple of decades represents what may be the biggest recent equipment evolution.At least visually.Bulky shoulder pads that made a player look cumbersome and hulking as recently as the 1990s have made way for more efficient padding that gives competitor’s a sleeker more athletic look in today’s game.But the improvements are more than skin deep, as the advancements also mean better ventilation, enhanced mobility, increased comfort and better protection.
Source: The Evolution of Football Equipment
So, improved technology for smaller pads that allow for better mobility and speed, without sacrificing protection/safety.
Scott Lawson - Board Admin
Western Illinois University Alum/Fan/Employee
Member of the Marching Leathernecks - 1996-2000
You have not played real football until you had to lace up a pair of these for a game or practice on a muddy field. As if the weight of the shoes was not bad enough, those cleats were a magnet for an inch or two of mud to plod around with. Cleats were replaceable and came in short and long versions to match playing conditions. I always loved practices in the rain. Probably because it was a nice break from the usual heat and humidity of a regular practice session. Oh, the good ole days of yesteryear.
Scott Lawson - Board Admin