Top 10 Sports Movies

10. Remember the Titans (2000) - Football
I know this would be a lot higher on most others' list. It's a good movie, as much so for the civil rights and segregation aspect as the football. My dad actually went to grad school with the real Ronnie "Sunshine" Bass, who basically said that the embellishments for the sake of the movie were over the top. Art imitates life, but sometimes, it doesn't. This one is a look at T.C. Williams High School, struggling for a title in the midst of integration. It stars Denzel Washington, Ryan Hurst (Sons of Anarchy, The Walking Dead), and Ryan Gosling before he was Ryan Gosling.

9. Above the Rim (1994) - Basketball
I saw this in the theater in high school, as I was in love with the game of basketball and rap music - two things this movie offers plenty of. Kyle Lee Watson is a talented young point guard, in the midst of being recruited by Georgetown in the John Thompson era. But Kyle has a hot head, he thinks he's invincible, and he's caught in the throes of right and wrong when he's introduced to Birdie (Tupac Shakur), a talent scout who moonlights as a street savvy drug dealer. Only Birdie's brother, Thomas "Shep" Sheppard, can help save Kyle from himself, and from the iron talons of Birdie.

8. Youngblood (1986) - Hockey
This was a childhood favorite in one of Patrick Swayze's best roles. It stars Rob Lowe as Dean Youngblood, a minor league hockey player with a serious nose for the goal. He signs on with the Hamilton Mustangs to confront the guy whose roster spot he took, bearded goon Carl Racki. I've never really been into hockey, mainly because I have such a hard time following the puck, but this is a great movie. Lowe is good, Swayze is better, and it even features a young Keanu Reeves before he was Keanu Reeves.

7. Heaven is a Playground (1991) - Basketball
This was my summer theme movie in '93, as I'd watch it, then go play ball literally all day with my friends. The music is cheesy, as is some of the acting, but man, what a great story. Despite the bad music, the score is good, played underneath all the right moments of the movie. Zack is a former college basketball player from upstate Illinois who comes to Cabrini Green in inner city Chicago for some play. He sticks out like a sore thumb until he befriends Byron, a local talent scout with an altruistic edge, and a crew of misfits in need of a coach. This one has good basketball action, featuring NBA talent Hakeem Olajuwan and Bo Kimble, and has a good message of redemption and brotherhood.

6. Any Given Sunday (1999) - Football
This is likely the most eye-opening look into the life of an NFL player - exaggerated slightly of course, as it is an Oliver Stone movie. Be that as it may, Stone creates interesting player-characters in quarterback Willie Beamen (Jamie Foxx), running back Julian Washington (LL Cool J), and linebacker Luther Lavay (Lawrence Taylor). This is a gritty movie that shows the ins and outs of what it's like to be an aging quarterback, a third-string overnight sensation, and a team that encounters quite a bit of infighting over their own egos. League teams are created for the movie, featuring the Miami Sharks, the San Francisco Knights, the Wisconsin Icemen, and the Oregon Pioneers.

5. White Men Can't Jump (1992) - Basketball
This was a favorite of mine in high school for a several reasons. The lead character's name was Billy Hoyle (Woody Harrelson), which is basically my name, William Hoyle. Billy and frenemy Sidney Deane (Wesley Snipes) have a relationship that nearly mirrors the dynamic between me and my childhood friend, Lawrence. Third, it's about basketball, which was life to me at the time this came out. The acting is stellar is this flick, as funny as it is exciting.

4. Over the Top (1987) - Arm Wrestling
I loved this one as a kid too. I just recently watched it again to find that it had aged exceptionally well. Arm wrestling is not a traditional sport like some of the others on the list, but there does exist some major tournaments with boatloads of prize money. Over the Top is not just about arm wrestling. It's also about the bonds between estranged father and son, the true meaning of happiness, and ultimate forgiveness.

3. Rocky III (1982) - Boxing
Rocky III is my favorite of the franchise. In it, we get to see Rocky have it all, lose it, forget everything he's ever learned, and rewire himself completely for a finale to remember. In this one, we also get to see Rocky Balboa take on a little more swagger than he boasts in the other movies, likely because he's trained by his greatest nemesis, the always flashy Apollo Creed. Rocky takes on Hulk Hogan as professional wrestler Thunderlips, Mr. T as the baddie with an attitude, Clubber Lang, and himself when loses all the confidence he's ever had only to rediscover it again.






2. Best of the Best (1989) - Martial Arts
This has plenty of cheese in it, but it's also a great story, and it's kind of a tear-jerker. It brings in a ragtag crew of martial artists onto the US National Karate team for competition against South Korea, which includes a Korean-American martial arts instructor, a retired widower raising a son by himself, a cowboy, a Buddhist, and an Italian-American street tough. Oh yeah, and Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) is their coach. The competition at the end is excellent, but it couldn't have happened without the tragic intricacies leading up to it.

1. Friday Night Lights (2004) - Football
As far as football movies go, Friday Night Lights really set the bar high. Shot documentary style, it follows the Permian Panthers' 1988 season. Based on a book with characters that were actual players on the team, the movie chronicles the ups and downs of the season, from poverty to bitter relationships to career-ending injuries on their way to the Texas state high school playoffs. Friday Night Lights is true-to-life and guttural, heartfelt and brutal on the way to being the best sports movie ever made in my opinion.

Ranking the Best New Uniforms of the 2020 NFL Season

The Falcons needed an update pretty badly, the Rams update every few years it seems, as do the Chargers, and as do the Browns. The Patriots needed a new look, and the Bucs made just a minor change to their red and pewter. Here, I rank one through six in who did it best.

6. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons needed their uniform update worse than any of these other teams, that's for sure. The black helmet and jersey with the white pants, their new home uni, is the best look, but I would like to see the team revert back to the glory years of their red helmets. The all white with the black helmet is decent too, but after all this time wearing the same thing, I expected something a little more creative.





5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs organization got rid of the best part of their uniform. No, I don't mean the alarm clock digit numbers. I mean the sporadic slivers of orange, the only snippets resembling their old school orange and white look - a look the team never should have reverted from. The home outfit is the best here, whereas the other two are just kind of meh. The loss of the alarm clock digits is a good change though.





4. New England Patriots
The Pats used something similar to the new home look every once and awhile last season. It looked so good, the organization decided to go with it for good it seems. The stripes on the shoulders are subtle, but I like them. This is their best look since they got rid of the old school Patriot hiking a football logo on the side of the helmet. Sans Brady, the Pats needed a new design to define a new era, and this seems to be it.




3. Los Angeles Chargers
There are a lot of variations in this uni, which is a good thing, and bad thing. I like the look of the second from the left. The white helmet, powder blue jersey, and yellow pants look really good, reminding me a lot of the Wyoming home uni (sans brown jersey). The one next to it should be the away, and I think that's it. The other ones are too much like older kits and don't have very much flash. The numbers on the sides of the helmet are a nice new touch too.




2. Cleveland Browns
The Browns are basically reverting to the days of Peyton Hillis here. They've experimented a little too much in recent years, coming to the conclusion that they had it right the first time. There was a nice look in there with an orange helmet, brown jersey, and orange pants, but the originals are better. The orange helmet with the all white is simple, but it's a good look. Less is more, Browns, less is more.




1. Los Angeles Rams
The new Rams uni looks like old school Wolverine had a baby with the Swedish flag - a look I really like, actually. Like the Browns, the Rams have experimented a little too much in recent years, in flux between the past and the present. Here's to a bright, new future with these eye-popping duds. The all blue and the all white are good looks, as is the blue jersey with yellow pants. Of the six new uniforms on display, I do think the Rams got it the most right.

Way-To-Early 2020 Fantasy Mock Draft

Far too early, I'm already trying to get a glimpse of my 2020-2021 Fantasy Football team. Last season, I won it all, my first in 13 years playing with a highly-competitive group of guys. I'll be coming into 2020 without a 2nd round pick (for Derrick Henry last season) or a 4th round pick (for Evan Engram last season), thanks to a couple of trades that saw me win the whole deal. In the mock, I drafted my own rookie keeper Miles Sanders in the 2nd round to account for that pick I won't have, and Raheem Mostert in the 4th to account for the roster spot of my keeper (either Derrick Henry or Alvin Kamara). 

Round 1: Kenny Golladay, WR - Detroit Lions

Coming in with two running backs already, I needed to go WR with the first pick. Chris Godwin was available right before Golladay, but I felt better with Kenny this season. Godwin was a revelation for me in 2019, but the new look Bucs with an aging Tom Brady may limit his upside. Plus, Mike Evans still lurks at the other receiver position, and the addition of Gronk at tight end will limit Godwin's looks. Golladay feels like a safer bet altogether, as it's really just he, Marvin Jones Jr., and T.J. Hockenson in the Lions passing game.

Round 2: Miles Sanders, RB - Philadelphia Eagles

I reached for Miles in the 2019 draft. I knew he had to earn his keep in Philly and I held onto him all season. By the end, he was the guy in the Eagles backfield and helped propel me towards a title. This season, I think his ADP is far too high, but he is the lead back for the Eagles with only Boston Scott behind him. I ended up with three rookies on my roster at the end of last season, but Miles will undoubtedly be the guy I keep, seeing me strong at the RB position coming in. 

Round 3: Cam Akers, RB - Los Angeles Rams

I jumped from my round 3 draft position of 40 all the way up to 59 to grab Akers. I will do the same in my actual draft, as I don't want anyone else to get him. The Rams didn't waste their 2nd round pick to sit him, and he will gradually ease into the feature role with only Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown behind him on the depth chart. I played College Fantasy last year. Akers was a key member of my team, so I am fully aware of his three-down back skill set. He'll be my first rookie taken in the draft, and will likely be the one I keep going into next season. This is as much an investment pick as it is a 3rd rounder.  

Round 4: Raheem Mostert, RB - San Francisco 49ers

Mostert would be replaced in my regular line-up by Derrick Henry or Alvin Kamara, two much better options with even more upside. 

Round 5: Josh Allen, QB - Buffalo Bills

Round 5 is the earliest I've ever drafted a quarterback. I had to reach by a few picks to get Josh, but he was the best option at that point in the draft. He comes from my alma mater of Wyoming, so I have no qualms about taking this upstate NY hero on the rise. He has a gargantuan arm, he is highly mobile, and he is mentally tough with great leadership qualities. His teammates love him, and so do I. He may not put up Mahomes-type numbers at the position, but Allen will likely average a couple of passing TDs, a rushing TD, and at least 250 combined yards per contest in 2020.

Round 6: Tyler Higbee, TE - Los Angeles Rams

I picked up Rams tight end Gerald Everett at about the midway point of the season last year, and he had a few solid games for me. When he went down with injury, I picked up his backup, Tyler Higbee, who will no longer be his backup. For about four or five games toward the end of 2019, Higbee went off, and he was one of the reasons I finally brought home the gold. He's worth owning this season as well, and hopefully he can repeat some of the same magic that put his name up in lights.

Round 7: Darius Slayton, WR - New York Giants

I picked up Slayton toward the end of last season, as I try to stock up on rookies to sell for picks the following year's draft. As I'll be keeping Miles Sanders, I'd rather toss Slayton back into the pool to try and redraft him. If he's not considered so already, he'll soon be the number one guy in New York next to tight end Evan Engram. He is the best pick in the 7th round, adding depth, and probably flex appeal, to my team. 

Round 8: Marvin Jones Jr., WR - Detroit Lions

I know I'd already have Golladay as a Lion's pass catcher, but I believe Jones is the best WR2 in Fantasy Football. I owned Golladay last year too, and on those weeks that he struggled, Jones was a major beneficiary. He has major multi-touchdown appeal on my bench. 

Round 9: Latavius Murray, RB - New Orleans Saints

I know I'm trying to roster a lot of the same guys I had last season, and Murray is no exception. He stayed on my bench all year as Alvin Kamara's backup, and by the end, he was deemed the best and most important handcuff in all of Fantasy Football. He exploded for two or three games when Kamara sat, so I'll be looking for the same sort of production again this season if the number one RB in New Orleans has to miss any time.

Round 10: Ryan Tannehill, QB - Tennessee Titans

I owned Tannehill for a short time last season. He really came on for the Titans, which was why in the off-season, he saw a massive payday. Tannehill makes pass-catchers AJ Brown, Corey Davis, and Jonnu Smith, as well as Derrick Henry, Fantasy relevant, building the Titans early leads so Henry could ram the ball down their throat. 

Round 11: Duke Johnson, RB - Houston Texans

If Latavius Murray was the league's most valuable handcuff, Duke has to be the second. He's not a feature three-down back, but since the Browns traded him to the Texans last season, Duke has been solid. And better than that, he will be the immediate backup to David Johnson, who has proven to be nothing short of injury-prone.

Round 12: Philadelphia Eagles Defense

Key Players:

DE - Derek Barnett

DE - Brandon Graham

DT - Fletcher Cox

FS - Rodney McLeod

CB - Darius Slay

Round 13: Hunter Renfrow, WR - Las Vegas Raiders

There are worse players to grab in round 13 when I need depth at receiver. Renfrow could possibly be Derek Carr's WR1 this season, and the Raiders will likely throw a lot as defenses stack the box on Josh Jacobs. Renfrow was a rookie last year, and I found it very surprising that none of the guys in my league rostered him to be their rookie keeper. 

Round 14: AJ Dillon, RB - Green Bay Packers

On my College Fantasy team last year, I also owned AJ Dillon, who was an absolute three-down terror at Boston College. He had some massive games for the Eagles, which makes me confident in taking him with my second to last pick. Aaron Jones is in the starting role in Green Bay, but the Packers wouldn't have drafted Dillon just to sit him. He will get some run, and if Jones goes down to injury, the backfield will belong to AJ. 

Round 15: Jake Elliot, K - Philadelphia Eagles

Another scenario I'm facing is the very possible trade of Derrick Henry, who is as of right now my keeper. Some might think it foolish to trade him, but I've already weighed all my options. Keeping him would mean I come into 2020 with he and Miles Sanders as keeper running backs, meaning I'd go for a receiver in the 1st round (Golladay). The problem is, with no 2nd round pick, I miss out another top tier receiver. I have to go with RB Cam Akers in the 3rd or else I likely don't get him. I have no 4th round pick, and I likely don't get Josh Allen if I don't get him in the 5th. That leaves me to get my WR2 in the 6th or 7th round, which is a less than ideal scenario. 

If I trade Henry and keep Alvin Kamara, I get the first overall pick in the draft, as well as my regular number 1 pick at the end of the round. With everyone's keepers and rookie keepers figured, that would make Davante Adams my number 1 overall pick, and Golladay my other 1st round pick at the end of the round. That means I start out my draft with Adams and Golladay at receiver, and Kamara and Miles Sanders at running back. Just having those four players rostered that early in the draft puts me in just as good a position as anyone else in the league for the season - and I won it all last year and have the last pick in every round! The mock draft results will likely mirror real life, as I will aim for these same particular players. With the Adams pick, the one change would be that I wouldn't draft Dillon in round 14, that Hunter Renfrow would be my last skill player taken before my last pick kicker (it's a cardinal rule in Fantasy to not take a kicker until the very last round). 

Five-Star Fantasy Season Recap

For the first time in thirteen years, I finally won my Fantasy Football league last season. With quarantine in full effect, at least in my house, I've gotten an itch for some football in recent weeks. I'm watching Last Chance U on Netflix, I'm playing through a season with the Browns on Madden Mobile, and I'm already making plans for this year's Fantasy season, whenever play actually starts. I'm in a league with a highly competitive group. Many are active on the waiver wire and the message boards all season long. Trash talk is a daily routine, as is the homework that goes into preparing for each week.

Clever team names sometimes rule the day. Last season, I went in as Five-Star Man - a nod to Dennis Reynolds on the irreverent hit comedy, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I had previously gone under the moniker Liam McPoyle, another Sunny character, but I knew I needed to change my mojo if I was ever going to win it all. Like many coaches at the college and professional level, I'm a pretty superstitious guy. Maybe it's the Irish in me. I didn't drive to South Carolina for our 2019-2020 draft, but drafting remotely actually made for a better experience on my end.

Round 2: Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys

 Every year, we get to keep one player, as well as a rookie that we either drafted the previous season or picked up before the conclusion of the season. The year before, running back Alvin Kamara was my keeper, and I drafted Kerryon Johnson as a rookie. I also picked up Baker Mayfield before the end of the season, so I kept him for 2019-2020, trading Kerryon for the last pick of the second round - essentially giving me two second round picks. I had no round 1 pick, as I had traded it away the year before for AJ Green - who got hurt a game later. I had a feeling about Amari Cooper in the middle part of round 2, so I went with him here. It turned out to be a great choice, as he was one of the key players who pushed me toward my first championship. 

Round 2: Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
Set with a studly running back (Kamara), a sophomore quarterback (Mayfield), and a marquee receiver (Cooper), I went running back again in my second second with Aaron Jones. He ended up having the best season of his career with the Packers. He had some forgettable games, some key fumbles, but usually played in the most number one role behind Aaron Rodgers. His 28-point effort in the Fantasy championship game gave me the title I was looking for. Never before had I used my gut in drafting as I did in 2019, and the strategy paid off. 

Round 3: Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
With a quarterback, two running backs, and a receiver, I went with another second pass-catcher, most specifically highly-ranked Tampa Bay WR2 Chris Godwin. He really came on toward the end of the previous season, and there was a lot of buzz about him coming into 2019. I took a chance here, and his big numbers throughout the year helped me win it all. He and Mike Evans traded off from week to week who would fill the WR1 role in Tampa, and more weeks than not, Jameis Winston looked Godwin's way first.

Round 4: Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions

I knew Cooper was a legit WR1, but didn't know for sure how Godwin's outlook would be, as he still was, on paper, a WR2. Knowing this, I went Kenny Golladay in round 4. He was the guy in Detroit, and he still had Matt Stafford throwing him the football every week. I didn't know much about Golladay going in, but I decided to take a chance. He ended up having his best year as a pro, and continued it after Stafford went down for the season. 

Round 5: Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
I really reached for Miles Sanders, but I knew that he was an exciting young rookie out of Penn State, and that Jordan Howard wouldn't pay the bills forever in Philadelphia. It was always sunny for the Five-Star Man when Sanders eventually took over backfield duties for the Eagles, proving that he was their back of the future, and that I had my rookie keeper for the 2020 season. Sanders had some big games down the stretch, which helped set up my title run. 

Round 6: Robby Anderson, WR, New York Jets

Round 7: Latavius Murray, RB, New Orleans Saints

Round 8: David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns

Round 9: Darrell Henderson Jr., RB, Los Angeles Rams

Round 10: Matt Breida, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Round 11: Anthony Miller, WR, Chicago Bears

Round 12: Mitchell Trubisky, QB, Chicago Bears

Round 13: Houston Texans, DEF

None of those guys in the later rounds made a difference in the end except for Matt Breida, and Latavius Murray, who stepped in for an injured Alvin Kamara toward the middle of season for two or three massive games. Going into Week 1, I saw that the Broncos were playing an Antonio Brown-less Raiders team, so I dropped Houston's defense to pick up Denver. That basically lost me the week, as the Raiders steamrolled the Broncos, who put up a wholly unimpressive 0 points. Going into Week 2, I picked up the Patriots Defense from the waiver wire, and I kept them all season long. They had a historic campaign on the defensive side of the ball, and were another major contributor to my championship. 

Toward the end of the season, I was rolling with Rams tight end Gerald Everett, who was putting up solid numbers every week. When he went down, I picked up his backup, Tyler Higbee, who ended up going off for me. I had never even heard of Higbee, but he proved he was the Rams tight end to own in the end. Higbee was a big part of my title run, and will definitely be on my radar for the 2020 season.

The biggest decision of my 2019-2020 season came in a trade. Toward the middle of the year, my buddy Tony was biting the dust and offered me running back Derrick Henry for my second-round pick in the 2020 draft. Agreeing to this was the best decision I could make. There was no one more responsible for my title than Henry. Before picking up Higbee, I also traded my fourth-round pick for Giants tight end Evan Engram, who went down for the season almost as fast as I'd traded for him. It didn't matter when Henry rolled into the Five-Star Man organization.

You don't have to have an incredible Fantasy Football season to win it all. My team went 7-6, but I still managed to push through to the end. Though I'll be without both my second-round pick and my fourth in the 2020 draft, I go in set at running back with keepers Derrick Henry and Miles Sanders. I'll definitely be looking for receivers and pass-catching tight ends early and often, and already have my eye one particular quarterback who's not exceptional, but puts up solid numbers every week. 

NFL Uniforms Ranked Worst to Best

Even though there will be seven new changes and alterations to either uniforms or logos this coming season, I thought I would take us through the current garb blessing and cursing NFL fields these days. Some are more traditional, some are trying too hard, and some managed to get the formula just right. The opinions of this blog post are purely subjective, but I hope the make at least a little sense.

32. Chicago Bears (pictured: Kyle Fuller, CB)
The Bears uniforms aren't terrible. They're just a little bland. From time to time, they don an orange jersey or dark blue pants to go with the dark jersey and helmet, but even those could use a fresh update. One of the teams in the NFL to stick to their traditions, the Bears need something to boost its players, and to boost its overall look - two circumstances that are may be a direct effect of the other.





31. Las Vegas Raiders (pictured: Rico Gafford, WR)
The Raiders are now hauling themselves into Sin City, so hopefully a new location will lift their spirits with having such a bland look. Black and silver look good together, but they really only use two variations, with only two primary colors. Pictured is Rico Gafford, a former Wyoming Cowboy, who is fighting for a regular roster spot. His 40+ yard touchdown reception from Derek Carr toward the end of last season may help his cause. Not bad for a former cornerback converted to wide receiver.


30. Arizona Cardinals (pictured: Kyler Murray, QB)
I didn't know Cardinals were so prominent in Arizona. Judging from the weather, the team should be called the Suns, or the Horizons, or the Face Melters. I don't have as much of a problem with the team name as I do with the uniform, and the lazy design of the logo, slapped onto the side of an all-white helmet, sans any stripes or flare whatsoever. The Cards should implement a new uni, as well as introduce a new color to the red and white scheme.




29. New York Jets (pictured: LeVeon Bell, RB)
While the Jets did make strides to update their outdated uniforms last season, they still boast only a two-color scheme. The helmets are much nicer, as are the jerseys, but 2019 would have been a great time to incorporate a black, or a grey, and an anything other than forest green and stark white. LeVeon Bell brought a little flavor back to the team, as did slot receiver Jamison Crowder.






28. Atlanta Falcons (pictured: Brian Hill, RB/KR)
Black, red, and white are not bad. One of my high school teams, the Stratford Knights, wore these colors proudly. But the Falcons have donned these colors and these same uniforms for a long, long time. I'd like to see more use of the red helmet, maybe red pants, some black pants, and not just on Color Rush games. Pictured is former Wyoming Poke Brian Hill, who is currently number three on the Falcons running back depth chart, but is their number kicker returner for the coming season.


27. Kansas City Chiefs (picured: Tyreek Hill, WR)
Tyreek Hill often looks like The Flash, dashing this way and that in his red and yellow getup. The Chiefs are at their best in their all red, but seemingly don't suit up this way often enough. Another team bent on tradition, I get it. I mean, the Chiefs won the last Super Bowl, so they must be doing something right. The white face mask is a nice accent against the red helmet, though the arrowhead emblem can probably go. The logo is not as bad as the Redskins, but it's close enough to fall under the scrutiny of Native-American preservation groups.


26. Carolina Panthers (pictured: Christian McCaffrey, RB)
This is probably the Panthers' best look - white on white with a silver helmet and powder blue accents. When the organization was established, they stuck to their Tar Heel roots, keeping the blue, which I can appreciate. My biggest complaint with the look here is the lazy Panther sticker slapped onto the side of the helmet. I can probably deal a little better now that the Panthers are waxing on ousting Cam Newton, and that Christian McCaffrey will continue to be one of the best running backs in the game, no matter who is behind center.


25. Philadelphia Eagles (pictured: Miles Sanders, RB)
The Eagles have a pretty clean look, and the helmets are some of the best in the league. My only issue is the shade of green, which comes off a bit too heavy at times. I get this is why the Eagles usually don the white pants with the green jersey, and even usher in the black from time to time, but still. A lighter green might be a nice change to the traditional uniform. Pictured is Miles Sanders, a rookie running back who helped me win my Fantasy league.



24. Indianapolis Colts (pictured: Jack Doyle, TE)

The Colts unis are pretty standard, remaining unchanged for as long as I can remember. I have to admit that the royal blue and white look good together - so good that the Duke football program based its look on the it. Honestly, I'm not sure the team really need an update. The Colts are certainly a case of sometimes, less is more.







23. Los Angeles Chargers (pictured: Austin Ekeler, RB)
The Chargers have some pretty good uniforms in all their iterations and combinations. The white helmets are nice, the lightning bolt is cool, and the dark blue, as well as the powder blue, look good against the white. I've never really been a Chargers fan, likely because I've hardly ever seen any of their games. Austin Ekeler is one that I do like though, as his views on societal issues nearly match mine.




22. Jacksonville Jaguars (pictured: Leonard Fournette, RB)
The uniform set pictured here are pretty nice. The teal and gold look great set against the black, and the two-tone helmet redesign was a nice change from the previous lazy old slap-on-a-sticker-and-call-it-a-day look. I'm just not a fan of when the Jags revert back to the uniforms of Maurice Jones-Drew yesteryear. Those were likely the worst the league had to offer, so the change they made a few years ago was definitely for the better.




21. Miami Dolphins (pictured: Preston Williams, WR)
The old Dolphins uniforms of the Shula-Marino era were absolutely horrifying, as was the silly Flipper logo on the side of the helmet. In more recent years, the Fins lightened the aqua, and made the Dolphin on the helmet more slick and a little more fierce to match an overall slicker, cleaner look. Like the Jags, this was one of the better updates to float around the league. The aqua, orange, and white look great together. I had a pair of Nike Flights in middle school that was this exact color combination.


20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (pictured: Chris Godwin, WR)
Chris Godwin may not be catching passes from Jameis Winston anymore, but he still wears a pretty sweet uniform. Not as sweet as the older one, the one soaked in orange and white. This was not a bad change though, holding onto the orange, but making it more of an accent against red and pewter. The Bucs are supposed to be altering their look this coming season, and I have to say I would love to see a return to the old school creamsicle flavor.






19. Washington Redskins (pictured: Dwayne Haskins, QB)
I love the Redskins uniform. I've been rooting for them since the days of Art Monk, John Riggins, and Joe Theisman, but I understand a lot more about the world now than I did back then. While the team still has the same look, boasting a great color scheme, their team name and logo really do them no favors. This seems to be one of the perks of American exceptionalism, but I know a lot of people would feel differently who don't have the same understanding I do. Great franchise with a lot of tradition, but change the name, please.


18. New England Patriots (pictured: Sony Michel, RB)
This is the best look the Pats have to offer, and from what I understand, they are getting a few new alternations in a new Brady-less era. I like the team name and history behind it, but the Brady-Belichik combination has kept me from the rooting on the Pats. Hopefully, the team will stick to this particular look in the future.







17. Pittsburgh Steelers (pictured: John Connor, RB)
I know this one is a favorite among commentators and analysts, and I have to admit, it is pretty nice. The black and yellow look good together, and the emblem on the side of the helmet is traditional and unique. Like the next team on the list, the team name honors the steel workers who basically created the city, which alludes to a blue-collar history for a blue-collar team. The emblem on only one side of the helmet is a nice touch that should never change.


16. Green Bay Packers (pictured: Aaron Jones, RB)
This is the guy who won me my Fantasy league this past year. Doesn't he look great? I digress. I like the tradition of the Green Bay uni. The green and yellow look good together, the emblem on the helmet is simple but effective, and the team name alludes to a long culture of working-class heroes in the meat packing industry. The Packers should keep things just as they are in this case.







15. Denver Broncos (pictured: Courtland Sutton, WR)
The best part about Denver's uniform is the Bronco on the side of the helmet. The design is a fantastic upgrade from the Elway-era capital D, and the dark blue works much better with the orange than the light blue ever did. The look pictured is the best one the Broncs have to offer.







14. San Francisco 49ers (pictured: Deebo Samuel, WR)
I used to not care for this uniform at all, but the majesty of the red and gold has grown on me in recent years. The 49er suit could use an update though, even if it's a simple tweak here or there. Gold helmet with a white jersey and red pants would be kind of sweet for away games, and a gold helmet with a red jersey and white pants would be a nice alternate at times.






13. Detroit Lions (pictured: Kenny Golladay, WR)
The Lions have a pretty sleek look here. They haven't done much upgrading from the Barry Sanders era, but they haven't really needed to. The few changes they have made have been subtle, just a little bit over time, making their uniform upgrades the standard for how the rest of the league should proceed as far that progression goes. Kenny Golladay was an integral part of my Fantasy team last season.





12. New York Giants (pictured: Daniel Jones, QB)
I used to love the Giants uniform when I loved Eli, Plaxico Burress, Jeremy Shockey, and Hakeem Nicks. That love has faded over time, but I still think this is a pretty good look for the G-Men, both home and away. They've made a change over the last few years with white pants, though I think the grey is better, and the lowercase NY on the side of the helmet is certainly better than the LT-Phil Sims era GIANTS script.






11. Baltimore Ravens (pictured: Lamar Jackson, QB)
The Ravens have a pretty heavy look with the purple and black, but have enough variations to not make the uniform so ominous. Sports teams really love the state of Maryland, as the Terrapins plaster to state flag onto the helmet, and the Ravens wear it literally on their sleeves. This is a cool feature, and though the Ravens colors couldn't conflict any more with the Maryland flag colors, it still finds a way to work in subtle homage.




10. Seattle Seahawks (pictured: Jacob Hollister, TE)
The Seahawks uni is a little heavy as well, but changes in the past decade have ushered in snippets of neon green to the jersey and pants, which gives the dark blue a clean, spry accompaniment. The Seahawk emblem on the helmet is legendary, and the newer checker design on it where most teams boast a stripe is a nice stroke of creativity. Jacob Hollister is former Wyoming Cowboy I'm always keeping an eye on.



9.  Cleveland Browns (pictured: Odell Beckham Jr., WR)
There's something I just love about the colors brown and orange together. My college team, the Wyoming Cowboys, boast brown jerseys at home, and one of my home state teams, the Clemson Tigers, roll with orange. Put the two together and you have an awkward combination of subjective magic. I really like the combination pictured here the best, and I think the completely blank helmet is pretty unique in a league filled with elaborate designs. Sometimes, less is more.















8. Los Angeles Rams (pictured: Tyler Higbee, TE)
Occasionally, the Rams don the old duds they wore back in the Dickerson days, which are nice, but their newest iteration is even nicer. The horns on the helmet are great, and even when the team was in St. Louis, they made the horn white, leaving the gold look, which I thought was a simple but solid move. Higbee was another huge part of my Fantasy victory when I picked him up off the waiver wire.





7.  Minnesota Vikings (pictured: Dalvin Cook, RB)
No, real Vikings never wore horns on the side of their battle helmets. The concept was made popular by a Wagner play and his character, singing fat lady Brunhilda. But, that didn't stop Minnesota from cashing in on the idea. That's fine really. Despite the fact that they the organization is prolonging a misconception, they still own some of the sweetest helmets in the league. The purple and yellow look great together too.


6. Houston Texans (pictured: Will Fuller Jr., WR)
I think the Houston Texans team and helmet designs are both cool concepts. The dark blue and red look good together, and I think the steer on the side of the helmet, incorporating the concept of the Lone Star State, was a nice touch. The uniforms are nice with the white pants, with a full blue look. Now that DeAndre Hopkins has moved on to Arizona, Will Fuller should be the main guy for QB Deshaun Watson.










5. Cincinnati Bengals (pictured: Joe Mixon, RB)
Speaking of great helmets, look no further than Cincy. They do, and always have, sported Bengal tiger stripes for probably the most creatively unique helmets the league has to offer. The stripes on the sides of the pant are nice too, and I like the wide orange collar on the black jersey. The Bengals are in the process of rebuilding their team this coming season, so 2020 should be interesting, running back Joe Mixon being the backbone.



4. Buffalo Bills (pictured: Josh Allen, QB)
The Bills have never really had a bad uniform, even in the days of a darker blue uni and a red helmet. While that one was not bad at all, the newer one pictured here was broken out by the league in the early 2010s, which give the team a cleaner, slicker look altogether. I became a Bills fan when they had Stevie Johnson was running routes for them, became an even bigger fan when the team drafted CJ Spiller out of Clemson, and became an even bigger fan when the team drafted quarterback Josh Allen from my alma mater of Wyoming. Go Pokes!





3. Dallas Cowboys (pictured: Amari Cooper, WR)
This look is and will always be one of the best. Even though the silver helmets don't quite match the pants, it still makes for a good look, and one that might be even better than if it actually did. I'm not a fan of Jerry Jones by any stretch, but I like where he's at on the team's traditional look. I don't even mind that he sports the away look pictured for nearly every single season game. It's a simple color combination, but it really works.




2. New Orleans Saints (pictured: Alvin Kamara, RB)
I really don't like gimmick uniform looks of the league (i.e. Color Rush). However, if the Saints ever deviated from their traditional gold and black, I'd love to see what the organization could do with the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold. I know that Mardi Gras wasn't even created in New Orleans (Mobile, AL), but they are the city most known for the celebration, so it would be kind of cool to see. Be that as it may, the Saints still have one of the better color combinations in the league, and I love the nod to the French ancestry of the city with the fleur de lis logos on the side of the helmet.


1. Tennessee Titans (pictured: Derrick Henry, RB)
I've been a Titans fan since the days of Chris Johnson. They wore white helmets then, with usually a powder blue jersey and dark blue pants. However, the newer uniforms the team released two years ago took the cake. The dark blue helmets look great, as do the dark blue jersey and pants. But what really makes the newer uni work are the subtle accents of powder blue and red. Those color combinations are excellent, and the picture shows the team's best look. It's also shows their best player, Derrick Henry, who led my Fantasy team to its first championship.