This store has some great helmets available. It also affords a little comparison of the helmets and their colors.

This helmet is a replica of the Pitt helmet from 73-80.

Now you can compare it to the 1996 model.

Something even the helmet project missed.The colors got noticeably darker shortly before Pitt went to the navy and gold tones of today. The thing is, I don’t think the road jerseys at that time were that dark a shade of blue. At least the one I have from circa 1995-96 isn’t. I knew the yellow had gotten darker, but not the blue.

There’s also a great throwback.

This is a 1963 replica with Paul Martha’s number. Martha, for those who need a history refresher, was a 1st team All-American RB for Pitt in 1963 and the #1 pick by the Steelers in ’64.

As a little additional digression, Martha is still practicing law in San Diego and consults for another former Pitt player turned lawyer/uber-agent Ralph Cindrich. Okay, the digression is really just an excuse to link to Mr. Cindich’s daughter’s website. She just happens to be a model and aspiring actress, and has a bunch of tasteful photos. And really, that’s all I’m going to say since I suspect Mr. Cindrich could beat the crap out of me and even if he eschews direct violence has the means to either have someone else do it for him or completely ruin my life with a few well-connected phone calls.