Why The Kansas City Chiefs Should Change Their Uniforms

Okay, so I am guessing that  there is already a resounding dissent brooding in your gut from reading just the title of this post.  As an historic AFL franchise the Chiefs have changed their uniforms minimally since they were the Dallas Texans, and that is something that many of us Chiefs fans and especially the Addicts take pride in.

It is no secret that people are resistant to change.  Most of the status quo who continually speak about what they would love to have or what they would like to do with their lives continue down the same paths simply because they fear change.  Changing the uniforms of our beloved Chiefs threatens to break certain continuities that help connect us as adults back to our childhood, and it threatens to create a fissure in the Chiefs timeline.

If this is such a controversial call why should we do it?  Find out after the jump.

Okay, so I’m sure that you all guessed that one of my top reasons would be that several teams have won championships right after changing their uniforms.  A couple of examples are the Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, and the St. Louis Rams.  Now, please do not think that I am so dense as to think that changing the uniforms of those teams magically made them better.  Yet, I think psychologically there is something about a fresh new look that puts you on top of your game.  When you get a new haircut, a new suit, or even new shoes it’s not that you aren’t the same person, but you feel better.  As Jim Rome said on his show once, “Look good feel good, feel good play good.”  He was referencing players wearing jewelry underneath their helmets, but the principle is the same.  A little swagger can take a team just that much farther.  It is obviously short lived, but when our team is looking primed to make playoff runs for the next few years, as crazy as it sounds it might actually be helpful.

The next argument I have for the Chiefs changing up their uniforms is that it would usher in a new era for our team.  As much as we fear that fissure in the team’s continuity going all the way back to the AFL/NFL merger I think it would be nice to close out the past 40 years of futility to start fresh.  The Chiefs have the second longest active streak between Super Bowl victories, and have the longest stretch of consecutive post season losses in NFL history (also still active).  Now that we appear to be making a turn and starting what looks to be a new era for the team in not only players, but staff and team philosophy, I think it may be time to close the door on the past and start fresh while looking towards the future.  Also there are always throwback games for those of us that still would like to see the current Red and Gold take the field, and personally I don’t like our only throwback option having the state of Texas* on the helmet…

No offense to the state of Texas, but it kinda sucks rooting for a Missouri team that has another state slathered big as shit across their helmet.  I respect the history of the team, but still would like to have another option for throwback games.

My last thought towards why the Chiefs should look at revamping their uniforms is that as much as it would be controversial, and as much as it would hurt to see the current uni’s retired, it would be pretty damn exciting to see what ideas people could come up with.  I remember last season when fake NFL versions of Nike’s “Pro-Combat” uniforms were going through the web, and although there was a lot of negative feedback on the Chiefs versions of these it was exciting to think about changing things up.  Whenever change does happen, there is as much excitement as there is fear to the upcoming unknown.  A universe of possibilities would be open for that brief period to leave us to wonder just what the changes would be and what they would look like.  I think that would be fun.

So, we all know the arguments against changing the Chiefs traditional uniforms, and personally if there is change we need to keep the same colors because I think they are the best combination in the league.  Yet there are some reasons for change as much as it might perturb us to think about.  If I didn’t win you over to thinking there should be change, I hope at a bare minimum you can understand why it might be beneficial to hang up the old and start something new.

So Addicts, what do you think?  Would you like to see designs for a new Chiefs uniform?  Do you think they should ever change?