Baker Mayfield outfitted in the creamsicle uniform (Photo courtesy of Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
Something truly changed the complexion of the game when Tampa Bay played against the Lions on October 15th. What was that something? It starts with cream and ends with sicle.
The creamsicle uniform that Tampa Bay rocked on Sunday did them no favors, performance-wise or appearance-wise.
Creamsicle Memory (Nightmare) Lane
The mixture of orange, red, and white looked alarmingly like the Jell-O Marshmallow Salad concoction your great-aunt brings to Christmas dinner when she whips out her WWII ration card recipes.
You remember the carpet your grandmother inexplicably has in her bathroom when you look at the muted, almost pastel shade of orange mixed with the bright red that is reminiscent of those canned cherries your aunt has to put in and on every recipe.
Creamsicle Fueled Performance
What’s worse than losing 20-6 against the Lions? Actually, the Detroit Lions are doing incredible things this season, so it’s hardly an embarrassing thing. But still, what’s worse than just losing? Doing it when you look like a walking Nutcracker recital.
If the team was as committed to winning as they were to dressing themselves and their stadium like European jam tarts, they would have had half a chance. The willingness to come out on the gridiron like the tooth fairy from Hades was commendable, though.
The Buccaneers media put out some great promotional videos that almost made the creamsicle look cool. Obviously, that didn’t work. However, the history behind the look is incredibly interesting.
It’s the 1970’s, Y’all!
Thankfully, someone who was alive at the time weighed in on the orange, red, and white look. People thought it looked rough back then, too. An average Millennial wouldn’t necessarily know that.
People in the 70’s bathed in glitter, wore bell bottom pants, maxi dresses that moonlighted as parachutes, boho dresses, and huge sleeves that could help someone take flight.
Excuse a younger generation if they were not aware that the creamsicle uniform was just too far fashion-wise in a decade characterized by serial killers, people who thought it was still okay to hitchhike, and psychedelics of the highest proportions.
I’m glad we are all on the same page, though.
It’s Creamsicle Time!
The creamsicle look was actually the first uniform and team color of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The franchise was created in 1976, and the team rocked orange from that year until 1996, when they switched to their current colors.
There were some adjustments over the year, but frankly, it was just bad choice city until they went to the look we know and love today.
Originally, the uniform was supposed to be orange, green, and white, but it resembled other teams a little too closely, so they opted for red trim instead.
We would be remiss without mentioning the suave-looking pirate on the helmet we saw on the gentleman. Let us introduce you to Bucco Bruce, a pirate donning a red plumed hat, who is winking and has a dagger in his mouth.
The weapon created the look that former Bucs owner Hugh Culverhouse was aiming for. A swashbuckling character was the goal, not a snaggle-toothed pirate. We can’t see a single tooth, so Culverhouse nailed it.
Creaming the Look Today
Tampa Bay hasn’t brought out the creamsicle look since 2012. The Buccaneers actually rocked the retro look four seasons in a row: 2009-2012.
What is the key difference between the uniforms of yesteryear and today? It’s made from 85% recycled material in 2023. It’s safe to assume that the creamsicle look in the 1970s and 1990s wasn’t. Recycling was a newish concept around that time, and it’s transformed quite a bit in the last 50 years.
Want to read about another NFL player from the 1970s who rocked his retro look? Read more about him here!
