By Puddin

September 12, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this

DP, The helmets look awesome. However, I have a question. What’s up with other teams using the same “star” logo like Waltons? I see that on a lot of helmets? Do these schools have no imagination? Peachtree Ridge had a cool mascot on their helmets last year. Now they have that star. What’s up with that! Puddin GO DAWGS!

By Jim

September 12, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this

Hart County’s new logo looks great on their helmet. It was designed by two students.

By Jeff Haws

September 12, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this

I agree, Puddin. In looking through these helmets, I couldn’t believe how many were knockoffs of somebody else’s design, either a perfect re-creation or with only the colors changed. It seems like it gives your team a distinctive look to have your own logo on your helmet, something designed by your school. But hey, what do I know?

By Mr Shiloh

September 12, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this

What about parkview’s helmet? Traditional, Classic and Orange!

By The Murf

September 12, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this

Those look like the ten worst helmets…

By odbbull

September 12, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this

Atleast the ‘Smashers do well at something! My old Alma Mater could never produce a winning foot ball team, atleast we have a great mascot!

Go Johnson!

By Clair

September 12, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this

Twiggs County’s helmet is the best one.

By Andrew

September 12, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this

What’s so Traditional about the Parkview helmet? They stole it from Clemson

By Raider Happy

September 12, 2007 11:27 AM | Link to this

I love your picks and I find myself completely enamored with the creatively original Raider helmet topping the list!

By Whatever

September 12, 2007 11:31 AM | Link to this

You have got to be kidding. Rome Wolves.. with the tiny tiny little furry thing. Looks more like a rat. NE MaconRaiders.. looks more live a Redneck Viking Brunswick Pirates…ooohhh so intimading.. NOT!

Thumbs up to the Cobras, Spartans, Paladins.. and very original Atomsmashers (Biohazard sounds betters to me)

By Wayne

September 12, 2007 11:32 AM | Link to this

What about the Dublin Fighting Irish?

By tiger

September 12, 2007 11:46 AM | Link to this

Temple and Troup Co’s are the best!! I love the Bengal stripes…

By J

September 12, 2007 11:54 AM | Link to this

I haven’t seen Marist play for a couple of years, but the last time I did they had really cool helmets.

The helmets were blue with no logo or insignia at all. Instead each player was awarded gold stars for their headhunter plays every week and each player made his own design on his own helmet.

So the helmets were all uniform to a degree, but were all individualized like Indian Braves’ warpaint or mercenaries’ trophies.

It had a cool effect when viewing them together in the huddle or such.

By Jason

September 12, 2007 12:07 PM | Link to this

You mention that teams are graded on originallity….I would say the fact that Twiggs County swiped their logo from the Carolina Cobras of the Arena Football League would disqualify them based on your parameters. But then again what do I know?

By Elizabeth

September 12, 2007 12:20 PM | Link to this

GAC’s helmet is awesome….. anyone else who is a spartan or trojan has that old school guy on their helmets… but GAC’s is awesome!

By Jeff Haws

September 12, 2007 12:34 PM | Link to this

Jason-

If Twiggs swiped it from an Arena League team, a league which I admittedly know nothing about, I’ll at least give them points for being creative about who they swiped it from. If anybody stole from an XFL team, I’ll put them at No. 1 on sheer principle.

By Kyle

September 12, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this

Someone should take a look at Seminole County’s helmets. Green with a Southern Cal SC intertwined with a spear cutting through the middle of them. Much more intimidating than some on this list.

By Bebop

September 12, 2007 12:40 PM | Link to this

I love the Twiggs County helmet … looks awesome. And of course I admire the South Paulding Spartans one since my son will be there next year!!

By Go Vikings!!

September 12, 2007 12:40 PM | Link to this

My favorite is the Treutlen High School Vikings, but then again that’s my alma mater. It was nice to see that you picked schools outside of the metro Atlanta area. There is more to GA than Atlanta which a lot of people don’t see to realize.

By Helmet_Guy

September 12, 2007 12:48 PM | Link to this

Cherokee Warriors Marietta Buue Devils

By oh well

September 12, 2007 12:50 PM | Link to this

Amazing how the “Christian” Schools use Raiders and not have a pic of Jesus running the football. the LC Helmet sounds cool as well as the Cobra one. The Atom Smashers’ helomet sounds psychodelic. P’tree HS had a good one similar to the old NE PAT’s helmet. I am still waiting for the Dunwoody Baptist Muslim Converters to come out with their new helmet.

By SAV'H RAIDER

September 12, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this

GO RAIDERS, CLASS OF 80 WORE THAT HELMET PROUD, WATCH OUT FOR THE RAIDERS IN CLASS AA THIS YEAR

By Jeff Haws

September 12, 2007 1:14 PM | Link to this

oh well-

“Dunwoody Baptist Muslim Converters” … just awesome.

By GaSouthAlum

September 12, 2007 1:19 PM | Link to this

Also being a Savannah Christian alum (class of 1990), I wore that helmet with a lot of pride as well. About a decade ago, a new headmaster came in and questioned the use of Raider at a Christian school and the alumni had a stroke. He backed off quickly. It has more to do with the school being a coastal school and the connotations of Savannah’s pirate past than anything to do with scurvy dogs. It is certainly more original than the cast of thousand Crusaders that you see on a lot of private schools.

By JACUUP

September 12, 2007 1:43 PM | Link to this

Troup County just got the brand new first year helmets that have the tiger’s stripes in yellow with a dark blue background. Much better than the old Michigan Wolverine helmets they used to wear.

By Jeff Haws

September 12, 2007 2:05 PM | Link to this

JACUUP-

Good for Troup. I think distinctive helmet designs like that help give high school football personality and make it fun. I’d love to see more schools follow Troup’s example.

By RidgeDaddy

September 12, 2007 2:26 PM | Link to this

Yes, Puddin, you’re right - Peachtree Ridge now has the stylized Furman diamond logo on their helmet, just like Walton. Most PR fans don’t care much for it or the other uniform changes made by their new head coach, Bill Ballard. I understand he’s a fine coach, but to come in as a brand new coach at a reigning state champion team, and immediately change the uniform and the helmet is pretty audacious if you ask me.

We used to have one of the best looking helmets in the state. Our lion head logo was designed specifically for us, and really looked cool! The uniforms looked great also. Now our uniforms are plain and boring, and our helmets look like Furman. Yecch! We’re just hoping the team is able to perform like they did last year in the playoffs, even though they won’t look like they did last year!

By Matthew

September 12, 2007 2:28 PM | Link to this

We had a unique mascot in my high school. There was a big chemical company headquartered in town (Dow Chemical) so we were the “Chemics” and used an atom as our logo.

By P

September 12, 2007 2:47 PM | Link to this

Gotta love the Hillgrove helmet….Michigan winged helmets in Crimson and White…..classic….

http://www.ajc.com/cobb/content/sports/highschool/teams/cobb/hillgrove.html

By bill

September 12, 2007 2:47 PM | Link to this

I don’t like Notre Dame, but Dublin needs to step it up get their own version of their uniform. A metallic gold helmet with green jersey and metallic gold pants would look great. Dublin’s gold is almost yellow.

By Take Ten@ajc.com

September 12, 2007 2:50 PM | Link to this

Keep telling us what OTHER Ga. HS helmets are YOUR faves and we’ll try to post a graphic showing as many of them as we can, y’all. Some of us at Take Ten HQ totally agree about Dublin’s helmet and the Druid Hills logo. They rock, we think. And no - we DIDN’T go to either of those schools, just so you know.

Our Take Ten HQ Design Department is noticing that the South Ga. schools’ helmet logos are generally more unique than metro ATL schools’. C’mon, ATL. Be creative.

By Puddin

September 12, 2007 2:56 PM | Link to this

No one has answered my question. Why do a lot of teams have the some four sided star as a logo? And I’m not buying “its the star of Jesus”. GO DAWGS!

By the barn sux

September 12, 2007 3:08 PM | Link to this

Mr. Shiloh, Orange has got to be the ugliest color ever!

By HSFan

September 12, 2007 3:13 PM | Link to this

Any thoughts on Coffee’s? It has a unique logo.

By Chris

September 12, 2007 3:19 PM | Link to this

Puddin,

Walton’s logo is a copy of the Furman University logo. There was an article about it a few years ago. Its just a simple, classic design.

By Puddin

September 12, 2007 3:31 PM | Link to this

Chris, Why is that so popular? Inquiring minds want to know. :~) GO DAWGS!

By Stevie

September 12, 2007 3:44 PM | Link to this

actually, nc state had the four star look before furman if im not mistaken.

By Stevie

September 12, 2007 3:44 PM | Link to this

actually, nc state had the four star look before furman if im not mistaken.

By A Davis

September 12, 2007 4:12 PM | Link to this

This is a great honor for our small Christian school in Savannah. I am a former player for our legendary Coach Bubba Atwood he placed this logo on our helmets. Thanks for the vote of confidence since we (players and alumni) had to fight to keep our logo just a few years ago. We have since just placed it onto the middler schoolers helmets and they are STOKED!! OH WHEN THOSE RAIDERS GO MARCHIN’ IN…. OHHH, WHEN THOSE RAIDERS GO MARCHIN’ IN … OHH, HOW I WANT TO BE IN THAT NUMBER WHEN THOSE RAIDERS GO MARCHIN IN!!!!!!!!

By jim

September 12, 2007 4:35 PM | Link to this

Providence Christian’s team does not wear helmuts, and they have not lost a game since the inception of the school. Oh, they don’t have a football team, sorry

By Boomer

September 12, 2007 4:38 PM | Link to this

Could not say it any Better A Davis!I too am a Raider of the Past that played for Bubba Attwood I believe he is smiling from above at this article. That small Christian School in Savannah has had an pretty good run in the years. I foundly recall our first State Championship … Go Raiders

By ChrisN

September 12, 2007 6:04 PM | Link to this

Furman had the diamond logo before NC State… Dick Sheridan instituted it at State when he went there from Furman.

By Sea Hag

September 12, 2007 6:07 PM | Link to this

I think it’s a shame that so many schools go with such boring helmets or resort to ripping off NFL teams when I’m sure that there are a lot of talented students who could come up with something much better.

But what’s an even bigger shame are the schools that have cool mascots and squandered the opportunity to have awesome helmets. For instance, the Cairo Syrupmakers’ helmets are red with “CHS” on them when they clearly should have gone with a pancake theme. And for a Christian school: Jesus doing the Heisman Trophy pose.

By Jeff Haws

September 12, 2007 6:30 PM | Link to this

Sea Hag makes a good point.

Schools, especially ones with excellent nicknames that would play well graphically, simply slap an NFL logo on their helmets and call it a day when they could almost certainly either commission a student or even have a contest among the students to put together a logo that would be distinctive to their school.

By Kevin

September 12, 2007 7:36 PM | Link to this

Cool list! Did not care much for Rome’s design, but the rest were cool!

By Ernest

September 12, 2007 8:53 PM | Link to this

I’m with you Odbbull, seeing the Atomsmasher helmet brought back some good memories. Don’t forget, we had Atom Ant as our mascot also. Wonder where he is now….

By Jason

September 12, 2007 9:19 PM | Link to this

sequoyah chiefs enough said

By Not Buying

September 12, 2007 10:03 PM | Link to this

These are not cool in any sense of the word. These have to be some of the worst helmets I have ever seen. If anything, this list is a list of what a football helmet should not look like.

By Rick

September 12, 2007 10:08 PM | Link to this

Go ROME WOLVES…Thanks for the acknowledgement. And you are right anyone can duplicate a college/pro team logo however, originality is where it is at. 2007=15-0!!!

By ROTFLMAO

September 12, 2007 10:14 PM | Link to this

I agree with Sea Hag on the rip off thing. UGA needs to cease the use of the Green Bay Packers logo!!! What a rip off for a (former) major college. Surely one of their snuff chewin girls could design a better design and let the Packers have sole use the logo they made famous.

Lets start a contest to design a new logo for UGA.

Rule #1 - Must have an UGA LEE dog in it somewhere Rule #2 - Must show the associated fleas Rule #3 - Must have a chicken with a visor looking superior to the dog since that is how it is and how it will be from now on.

By Brandon

September 12, 2007 10:26 PM | Link to this

Has anyone noticed Fitzgerald’s logo? Gosh, I mean all “HURRICANE” teams struggle for a design that can indicate the storm! Fitzgerald has a trademarked logo that is about as unique and creative as any. We call it the “F SWIRL” and I personally think it’s very COOL!

By randy

September 12, 2007 10:31 PM | Link to this

This won’t be the last time you see the South Paulding Spartans Helmets! This program is on it’s way up!!! SPARTANS/300

By YAD

September 12, 2007 11:19 PM | Link to this

This thread is useless without pics!

By BC TIGER

September 12, 2007 11:22 PM | Link to this

JH… You know I gotta throw my two cents in.. I like most of the picks, but I agree the Rome helments does not do much for me.. Here are a few of my favs.. Stephenson-has a unique Jaguar (Although it looks like a cougar) GAC has a unique log.. SWD-Looks like the Pittsburg Panthers Kell has a nice one also

By Jeff Haws

September 12, 2007 11:33 PM | Link to this

BC TIGER-

Stephenson was one of my finalists, actually, but it just barely missed the cut.

I liked Rome because it was different from just about any other helmet. It looked like it hearkened back to an earlier time. It looked like a really old helmet, and I think it’s cool that they’ve stuck with it.

Thanks for offering your thoughts.

By jimmy

September 12, 2007 11:48 PM | Link to this

Thank you AJC sports for ignoring your distribution rules and picking some teams from Coastal Georgia in your Top 10. I am an avid reader of the AJC and used to love it when you covered the Dixie like Dew. I have the privilege of watching Long County, Savannah Christian, Johnson and Brunswick take the football field and could not agree with your picks more. I am about to go to the helmet page so I can see what the others look like. Again, thanks AJC.

By joeybagodoghnuts

September 13, 2007 1:28 AM | Link to this

My favorite helmet is the Emanuel County Chicken Hawks. Their Uniforms are confederate grey and they have got Foghorn Leghorn on their helmets. “I say, I say, hey boy, them helmets look real nice”….

By ATL BOI

September 13, 2007 2:27 AM | Link to this

I will admit Troup has helmets like the Bengals and I love them!!! Way to go Tigers……….

By Terry

September 13, 2007 6:28 AM | Link to this

Has anyone check out Seabreeze High School in Daytona? Home of the Fighting Sand Crabs! But they have a boring “S” on their helmets.

By Southside

September 13, 2007 8:03 AM | Link to this

Feldwood, M.D. Collins, Lakeshore, College Park, Woodland, and Russell High had to the best Uniforms. CP.

By Chris

September 13, 2007 8:06 AM | Link to this

How could you miss out on Thomas County Central’s helmet?! What about Cairo and Valdosta??

By jabster

September 13, 2007 9:25 AM | Link to this

Long County’s helmet is a ripoff of Tulane’s (look it up).

Maybe they need to change their logo and mascot to a cop with a radar gun, being in Ludowici and all…The Long County Highwaymen….

By Bendert

September 13, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this

I don’t think that Long County Blue Tide should be included in the list as their logo is just a replica of Tulane’s with an L substituted for the T. At least the other helmet designs are original.

By David

September 13, 2007 10:28 AM | Link to this

Puddin - A couple of people have addressed it, but I’ll break it down a little bit, and others can correct me if I’m off on the details:

Furman’s coach from years ago instituted that design, and being a smaller school not too far from the metro area, some of his “disciples” from the coaching ranks began appearing in Atlanta high schools. Many of them brought that design with them. I think people like that it’s a simple design that still allows for a lot of variation.

By Puddin

September 13, 2007 11:14 AM | Link to this

RidgeDaddy, Why didnt the boosters step in? The Lion head was definately better and the darker blue. Powder Blue? WTH? In the end it really doesnt matter if you win state again.

By Dion

September 13, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this

It gotta be those Grayson Rams. THe helmet are just cool with the hunter green and gold.

By No Dawgs Here

September 13, 2007 12:13 PM | Link to this

South Paulding does have a cool helmet. However; the foorball team is not quite as good. Oh well, looks aren’t everything.

By Car Ramrod

September 13, 2007 12:55 PM | Link to this

This is sumb to put this up for discussion. Everyone just says their own schools is the coolest helmet of course. Heres my unbiased top 10. 10. St. Pius 9. Baldwin 8. Griffin 7. Creekside 6. Grayson 5. Newton 4. Troupe County 3. Northside 2. Parkview 1. Marist

By Car Ramrod

September 13, 2007 12:55 PM | Link to this

This is dumb to put this up for discussion. Everyone just says their own schools is the coolest helmet of course. Heres my unbiased top 10. 10. St. Pius 9. Baldwin 8. Griffin 7. Creekside 6. Grayson 5. Newton 4. Troupe County 3. Northside 2. Parkview 1. Marist

By Car Ramrod

September 13, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this

This is dumb to put this up for discussion. Everyone just says their own schools is the coolest helmet of course. Heres my unbiased top 10. 10. St. Pius 9. Baldwin 8. Griffin 7. Creekside 6. Grayson 5. Newton 4. Troupe County 3. Northside 2. Parkview 1. Marist

By Sandra Hart

September 13, 2007 1:45 PM | Link to this

My husband and I are Savannah Christian alumni (class of 1980). I now have children going to school there. We love the skull and cross bones. The original thought behind it was a skull and crossbone was a danger symbol. We adopted it many years ago. Our current headmaster, Roger Yancey, tried to get rid of the bones when he arrived at SCPS. The alumni came out in droves to protest. We even have bumper stickers that say, “I support these old bones.” Mr. Yancey finally conceded defeat. My daughter made me proud by having it put on her class ring. Thanks for your vote.

By Wildcat

September 13, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this

Valdosta’s old helmets (gold with black and white stripes down the middle) were the best. Newer ones are OK but not as good.

By Bob H

September 13, 2007 3:49 PM | Link to this

UGA established in 1798 was around long before the Green Bay Packers or Pro Football was even dreamed of! Go Dawgs! Go big G

By Ben

September 13, 2007 4:22 PM | Link to this

I would say the Toombs County Bulldogs have a sweet helmet as well. Red Helmet white facemask with the Flying “T” on the side…. Tough looking

By Tradition

September 13, 2007 6:08 PM | Link to this

Here’s the link to the Georgia High School Helmet Project website

By terrysimm

September 14, 2007 9:23 AM | Link to this

So proud to see Johnson make the list. I am a Johnson alumni, remeber taking a lot of ribbing becuase of our unusual mascot name, glad to see this great school is being recognized for it’s originality and spirit.

By Terry

September 14, 2007 9:29 AM | Link to this

Very proud to see that Johnson High in Savannah is recognized here! I am an Johnson Alumni, class of ‘84…we took a lot of jokiing and taunting from other schools over our unusual team mascot, so I am happy to see SCJ recognized in this ranking at #4 for the state. It is good to see this great school be recognized for it’s unique style, team colors, and mascot. GO SMASHERS!!!

By randolph

September 15, 2007 10:13 PM | Link to this

you suck blue tide.

By randolph

September 15, 2007 10:14 PM | Link to this

you suck blue tide.

By randolph

September 15, 2007 10:14 PM | Link to this

you suck blue tide.

By Allen

September 16, 2007 9:15 PM | Link to this

take a look at the Hiram Hornets logo, it’s unique and original. Also, the old North Hall logo was cool too, because of the same reasons. Now, the head coach they have now changed it and it looks just like the Michigan State logo.