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Who's idea was it to go to the navy blue colour in the first place?

IC Khari
in Blue Bomber Discussion

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Posted
comment_196353

Now that we've returned to our iconic royal blue and gold uniform colours, I've been wondering, why the switch to navy in the first place? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy and don't want to dig up bad memories, which the team had a lot of in navy blue. I am trying to recall for my own clarity I guess, the reasoning for the change. I vaguely recall it being mentioned in the 94 season (in which a goal post caused us to miss out on a Grey Cup win IMO :angry:), and don't remember much complaining from fans about it. I know the league had American teams in 95 when we switched, and teams had more freedom to alter uniforms then (no big company and league mandated change like now) but who decided we should switch, and why? Cal Murphy was GM and coach at the time so it's safe to assume he had input, but he seems like a guy that could have cared less about uniform colour, design save for the fact that he was strong on Bomber heritage/tradition. Anyone who was around at that time like myself recall why we changed? Sorry if this topic stirs up bad nightmares ;).

Edited by IC Khari

  • Author
comment_196364
Quote

In an attempt to rebrand the team’s image for the start of the 1995 season, the Bombers decided to scrap the royal blue for navy blue and change the logo, then an iconic W, to a football with a lightning bolt through it.

"It never felt the same. You almost felt like you were on a different team," said Walby. "You got to stay with what it is. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it."

That's the only thing mentioned as to why but no real details (although Walby's comments about feeling like a different team are telling). The 90's was a bad time overall in the CFL IMO, expansion to the US, Ottawa folding etc. The person(s) who decided to change from royal to navy and change the classic W logo were probably the same ones who thought it was a good idea to fire Cal Murphy after a few down years, let Matt Dunigan walk in FA, and hire Jeff Reinenbold. :) It all degenerated from there ...

Edited by IC Khari

comment_196370

I have a vague recollection that, at the time, they said the dye used for the royal blue jersey was no longer available, so they had to change. Three possibilities with this:
1. My memory could be completely wrong and this never happened (highly possible);
2. It's true that the dye was no longer available and they had to change;
3. The Bomber's said that, but it was just a made up excuse to change colour and blame it on someone else, i.e. "don't blame us - it's out of our control".

  • Author
comment_196375
20 minutes ago, Pete Catan's Ghost said:

I seem to recall that the "lightning logo" was the winning entry of a fan competition.

Personally, I think we should have gone full changeover and renamed the team the Winnipeg Blue McBoatfaces

 

So Alan Perun, Bud Harden, and Jayson Dzikowicz are to blame then? ;) Thank God Murphy at least tried to fight against the move, restores my idolic view of him :) They must have made threats against his family for him to consent ... ;)

Edited by IC Khari

comment_196402

For our generation, royal blue is "tradition", but in 1995, going navy was the traditional colour of the Bombers (dropping the gold was dumb, but it didn't last very long).

It's funny that in 1995, going navy was considered "hip" and "modern", where as today royal blue (bright colours in general) is more modern.

The styles change each decade. But hopefully we keep the royal blue forever and ever!

    comment_196608
    On ‎5‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 2:24 PM, bb.king said:

    I have a vague recollection that, at the time, they said the dye used for the royal blue jersey was no longer available, so they had to change. Three possibilities with this:
    1. My memory could be completely wrong and this never happened (highly possible);
    2. It's true that the dye was no longer available and they had to change;
    3. The Bomber's said that, but it was just a made up excuse to change colour and blame it on someone else, i.e. "don't blame us - it's out of our control".

    I think #3 is the right answer. As I recall this was Cal Murphy's idea going into his final season as GM with the Bombers. No one wanted or were calling for the change to navy blue with a different logo. I think it was The Big Lie. Someone prove me wrong...

    comment_196609
    On ‎5‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 0:12 AM, Jacquie said:

    The article I posted said in 1961 and 1962.

    1961. The Bombers had the lightning bolt in the Grey Cup that year. In 1962 they had the first rendition of the iconic letter W. it was white on a blue helmet. To me, the blue helmet didn't quite look navy blue. Just a darker rendition of the Royal Blue.

    • Author
    comment_196629
    6 hours ago, iso_55 said:

    I think #3 is the right answer. As I recall this was Cal Murphy's idea going into his final season as GM with the Bombers. No one wanted or were calling for the change to navy blue with a different logo. I think it was The Big Lie. Someone prove me wrong...

    If this was Cal's idea it truly was the Cal Murphy curse (21 years of crappy navy uniforms and no Grey Cup championships) and until we win another Cup it still exists ;). Let's hope it ends with the return to Royal Blue! 

    comment_196631
    On 2016-05-15 at 3:24 PM, bb.king said:


    2. It's true that the dye was no longer available and they had to change;
     

    My recollection was that it was the gold for the helmets could not be made anymore. I remember the scuffs on Walby's helmet and they have never had the exact same gold since.

    I remember the logo contest. I seem to recall one was a cartoon Captain Blue with a smaller lightening bolt. 

    comment_196919
    On 17/05/2016 at 6:21 PM, iso_55 said:

    I think #3 is the right answer. As I recall this was Cal Murphy's idea going into his final season as GM with the Bombers. No one wanted or were calling for the change to navy blue with a different logo. I think it was The Big Lie. Someone prove me wrong...

     

    On 17/05/2016 at 6:25 PM, iso_55 said:

    1961. The Bombers had the lightning bolt in the Grey Cup that year. In 1962 they had the first rendition of the iconic letter W. it was white on a blue helmet. To me, the blue helmet didn't quite look navy blue. Just a darker rendition of the Royal Blue.

    I recall that the navy blue change was favoured by most. It was happening all over North America with many teams going darker shades and often mixing in a black alternate. Now we are seeing many teams transitioning back to "retro".  At the time, the eagerness to go darker is comparable to the clamour to go to royal now.

    There is a display case in the Bomber store of all the helmets through the years. The lightning bolt helmet from the 1960's is a very deep navy and so is its predecessor.

    • Author
    comment_196940
    1 hour ago, Noeller said:

    I'm curious if a day will come that people long for the "retro" unis of the Blink/Stegall/DB97 days of 2001-ish..........

    I actually thought 2001 was the best of the bad lot of Navy uniforms of the past 21 years.

    Jones.Khari-Wpg6_small.jpg

    I liked the white numbers and absolutely hated that we went to gold numbers in 2005 ...

    Edited by IC Khari

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