Holy Cross Crusaders (1999-2002)

Yup, I know it's been a while. Let's try to fix that.

As I think I've pointed out a few times, the 1990s are almost bereft of nostalgia. The '50s through the '80s have all had their nostalgia waves, but for some reason the '90s/early '00s was passed over like a day-old half-off danish. As someone whose high school AND college years were in the 90s, I know from whence I speak. All my Facebook friends from that decade moved on and had kids -- trust me, no one's reminiscing about the Sega Genesis or the Spin Doctors. 

Maybe it's because the football uniforms didn't age well. Take the duds Holy Cross wore at the tail end of this forgotten decade. I'm not as anti-purple as some of the interwebs, but there's far less margin for error than with other colors. Let's count the errors of this one: Drop-shadow numbers? Check. Weird sleeve/neck pattern? Check. Heavily detailed, hard-to-see logo (for '99)? Check. It adds up to a less-than-memorable design. The helmet inconsistency doesn't help, either, with numbered helmets (previously an HC staple) returning in 2000-01, followed by blank lids in '02.

The 2000 Holy Cross media guide shows off the 1999 uniform in all its garish glory.

The 2001 media guide is designed to resemble a webpage,
back when the internet was still a new-fangled world.

The 2002 media guide shows off the road uniform.

In all fairness, the current design is one of the best the Cross has ever churned out, especially the "HC" helmet logo, and will certainly age well 20 years from now ... unlike what they had nearly 20 years ago. Purple can work; it just takes a little more, er, work to make it work.

For more pictures than you could possibly hope for, the folks at Gameface have 'em for  you right here, here and here.

Want more from Holy Cross? Look here: 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2004-08, 1992, 1986-91,  1981-85, 1976-80, 1973-74, 1972, 1971, 1967-70, 1963-65, 1956-59, 1951-55. Rivalry Week: Boston College-Holy Cross.