- Michigan
Introducing the Michigan Helmet Challenge, to crown the program with the best football helmet in the state
Over the years, we’ve debated — ad nauseam, sometimes — who’s got the best football program in Michigan, using all the criteria: most wins, most titles, most college recruits, etc.
This contest we’re about to tell you about is something different, though.
Who’s got the best lids?
That’s right. We’re going to run a fan voting contest to see who in Michigan has the best helmets.
Of course, they run the gamut, from classic — how many different iterations of the winged helmet do we have in Michigan, with different color schemes? — to modern, with all the bells and whistles. Monochromatic. Matte finish. Gold glitter paint. Original logos. Knock-off logos of college and pro teams.
All of them can go into the hopper, to see who we all agree is the best.
We’re joining up with a number of other states to run the Michigan Helmet Challenge, in conjunction with the National HS Football Helmet Tournament.
It’s something that’s been done in Illinois, where Glenview Glenbrook South football coach Travis Myers undertook the effort, after seeing Dehli Maquoketa Valley coach Trevor Arnold do something similar in Iowa. Aaron Ferguson of the Times of Northwest Indiana saw the Illinois tournament, and brought the idea across the border to his current region.
Champions have already been crowned in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Georgia, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Pennsylvania.
New tournaments are underway in Indiana, Minnesota and Ohio, and most of the Midwest, as well as Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Louisiana, Montana, Idaho, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and New York.
As of Thursday, it’s something that’s happening in 24 states. Eventually, there will be a national tournament to decide the best helmet in the U.S.
How do you get in on it?
Well, you tell us you want in, and send two pictures of your helmets by direct message on Twitter or Facebook or email (to myself at [email protected]), along with the Twitter handle for your team.
Once we’ve collected enough entrants, we’ll throw all the team names in a hopper, and generate (at random) an NCAA tournament-style bracket. Each individual match-up will get a Twitter poll, with pictures of the two helmets, and fans can vote for the span of 24-48 hours (we’ll decide the duration, based on how many match-ups we have). The winner moves on to the next round, and a match-up with a new team, until we’ve crowned a winner for the best helmet in Michigan.
So grab your lid, take a pic, send it to us, and let’s get the contest underway.
Not much else to do at the moment, is there?
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[UPDATE] As of Tuesday afternoon, I have 22 helmets submitted for the contest. If sent me something online, and your school is not on this list, I may have overlooked it. Just remind me, and I’ll go find it. If your name isn’t on the list, and you want in, send me two pictures (they can be cell-phone pics) of your helmet at [email protected], and I’ll get it in.
Received to date (4:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 12):
Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard
Birmingham Brother Rice
Brooklyn Columbia Central
Clawson
Dowagiac
Escanaba
Flint Kearsley
Grosse Pointe North
Ithaca
Lake Linden Hubbell
Lake Odessa Lakewood
Lake Orion
Marine City
Madison Heights Bishop Foley
Mt. Clemens Chippewa Valley
North Farmington
Olivet
Ottawa Lake Whiteford
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep
St. Clair Shores Lakeview
Sterling Heights Parkway Christian
Warren Woods Tower
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[UPDATE II] Through midday Thursday, I have 37 programs. If we can get it to 64, we can make out a bracket, and get started first thing next week. Send this to your rivals, conference mates and let’s get it revved up.
Added (prior to noon, Thursday, May 14)
Brighton
Canton
Fowlerville
Novi Detroit Catholic Central
Romulus Summit Academy
Roseville
Saline
South Lyon East
Troy
Warren De La Salle
Wayne Memorial
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[UPDATE III] Through noon on Friday, May 15, we’ve got 48 helmets. Just 16 more to go, and we can have a full field of 64 teams, and get the contest started on Monday.
Added (after noon, Thursday, May 14)
Detroit Cass Tech
Fruitport
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central
Hamilton
Mason
Montague
Mt. Clemens
Muskegon Mona Shores
Pewamo-Westphalia
St. Johns
Williamston
