Helmets

Discussion in 'The Tiger's Den' started by GasMan, Aug 20, 2003.

  1. GasMan

    GasMan Founding Member

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    How many helmets does a player have for a season? I think it's just one, they practice all week and then clean and polish and re-decal them for the game. I ask because they are selling last year's helmets at the stadium gift shop. I got Devery Henderson's helmet, I'm wondering if it's the Bluegrass Miracle helmet. That would be pretty cool.
     
  2. BayouBengal

    BayouBengal Founding Member

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    I looked at Devery's helmet on Monday afternoon at the Giftcenter. $175 is too rich for me though. Would be cool to have.
     
  3. LSUBud

    LSUBud Founding Member

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    I remember watching a Nick Saban show about 2 years ago. They did a little piece on the equipment manager. They said that after EVERY GAME the helmets are washed completely down and re-decaled. From watching that snipit, it appeared that it's basically like a lottery system - i.e., no player really gets the same helmet every week (only the same size). If he does get the same helmet, it's just a fluke. Therefore, it's doubtful that the helmet you got is the one Devery made the catch in. Odds are it's just the helmet he wore in the last game he suited up. Sorry!
     
  4. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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    I've been told that a player has a practice helmet (no decals) and a game helmet (full treatment).

    I believe that the game helmets are replaced each season. I know I've seen them for sale every year in the Tiger Gift Center. I have a friend who bought one of the Gerry Dinardo white LSU helmets. Now there's a conversation piece for your billiard room.

    You may have the one, GasMan.
     
  5. TigersWin!22

    TigersWin!22 Founding Member

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    I've got a game helmet in my office that Arnold Miller wore as a freshman. I also purchased it from the gift center at the stadium. I talked to Arnold about it at fan day when he was a junior(1997 I think) and he told me that they pretty much wore the same helmet all year and changed only if they 'outgrew' it or at the end of every year. The helmet I have has his # 98 on the back it of course and also his name & # on an ID tag inside the helmet. Maybe the rotation of helmets has changed since then, but that is what he told me. If that is still the way the equipment mgrs still rotate helmets & equipment, then it could possibly be THE helmet. Maybe.?.?.
     
  6. TomyDingo

    TomyDingo Founding Member

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    my dad has one of the white helmets also, it was Thomas Dunson's helmet.
     
  7. LSUBud

    LSUBud Founding Member

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    Story about the White Helmets....

    I called the Stadium Gift Center the Monday after the Indy Bowl game to inquire as to if and when they were putting the white helmets on sale. Contrary to popular opinion, I LIKED the white helmets.

    The manager told me the date. Up until the date of the sale, I didn't hear another word about the white helmets going on sale. I called some friends and told them I was going up. Three of them asked me if I would pick them up a helmet.

    I got up there about 20 minutes before they opened. I was expecting some others to be there. But, there was NO ONE there. I went up to the door and saw ONE sign stating that the white helmets were going on sale that day at 8:00.

    The lights were on and the manager saw me. He came and let me in early. His assistant was on the phone and I heard her say, "Yes, You want #88 - we got that." And, then proceeded to take his VISA number. I just missed out on Abram Booty's helmet (remember, at the time, Abram was All-World at LSU). In any event, the helmets were laid out on tables stretching the length of the store.

    I started looking for the helmets I wanted. Most of the "better" players were no where to be found (e.g., Faulk, Mealy, Tyler). Everyone who asked me to pick up one wanted one with either a quarterback or wide receiver face mask. In the end, I was able to get Rohan's for my godchild/nephew (he was 4 months old), Craig Nall's for myself (I figured Nall or Davey would make it), and Kyle Kipps for a friend. I don't remember the names of the other two players I got (one of them went on to do well, as I recall). Most of the "bigger" name players who were left (e.g., Wiley) had helmets that were in BAD shape. So I stuck with "cleaner" helmets with the quarterback-style face masks.

    After I purchased the helmets, I spoke with the manager for a while. As I recall, he sold the helmets for $200 each. I asked him why he didn't advertise the sale more than he did (I thought he might have been able to get a little more than $200 given their novelty status). He said that he didn't want 5,000Shreveport yocal coming down to the stadium and camping out for three days in the hopes of getting Abram's helmet.

    I then asked him where were all the "better" players helmets (e.g., Faulk, Mealy, etc.). He said that the players got the right to buy their helmets FIRST. Then, he said that some people within the Athletic Department got first shot (that's why Faulk's helmet wasn't out there). He didn't say who, but I knew who he was referring to by his smile.

    The next year, I brought my helmet and my nephew's helmet out to Fan Day. I had Nall and Davey sign their respective helmets on the left side of the "LSU" with one of those purple "paint" pens (supposedly, they're good for life). I had Dinardo sign both of them on the right side of the "LSU". When I told Davey that this was his helmet, he looked at it, tried it on, and said, "Damn, it sure is - how did you get it?" He was super nice about it. I got a picture of him signing it, but I don't know what I did with the disk.

    My Nall helmet is sitting in my living room on top of my armoir (television cabinet) in prominent view. My friend has his Kyle Kipps helmet sitting prominently displayed on him mantle (see pic below).

    While I really like the White helmets, I hope they never wear them again. It's nice having a piece of LSU history that may never be repeated.

    [​IMG]
     
  8. LSUstudent

    LSUstudent Founding Member

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    i like the white helmets too...but only by themselves...the uniform as a whole isn't probably my least favorite of the 3...i would love to have one of those sitting on display at my house
     
  9. TigersWin!22

    TigersWin!22 Founding Member

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    I like the white helmets also...I could never make it to the stadium while they were on sale to get one to go with my yellow one.:(
     
  10. DValley

    DValley Founding Member

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    Looking at pictures, the practice helmits look like they are more yellow than the one I have. Maybe its just because they don't have decals on them.
     

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