Call me a diehard old traditionalist if you wish (be nice, Old Dee  ) but one thing I am looking forward to for the Port game is that it is a "red ball" game, ie one played around the traditional starting time of 2.00, and completed without lights. My introducton to the Dees was going to games as a kid with my Dad, which back in those days was always on a Saturday afternoon. So for mine, there is no sight in footy quite like the MCG on a sunny winter afternoon with a bright red Sherrin being kicked around. I notice that for some reason all the rest of our home-and-away games are red ball ones (with the possible exception of the floating Round 23 game against the filth), so it a red ball festival for the next few weeks.

When reflecting on this, it came to me that I really don't like the yellow balls used in twilight or night games. I can't put a rational reason on it (well, we are Demons supporters, so rhyme and reason ain't the prime thing ), but somehow the yellow ball just doesn't look right. I understand that the lights mean the red ball probably isn't practical, but there must be a better colour than yellow. Bright pink? (like in one of the Pink Lady games). Glow-in-the-dark green? (not the tennis ball colour, more like the 1970s game Green Ghost). Orange? Even gold? (think the snitch in Harry Potter). I don't have a clear idea of what works best, but just about anything works better than yellow for me.

Perhaps it is not beyond the bounds of technology to have a ball that lights up when kicked -- imagine that with Hunt's torp the other night!

If the cricketers can make Test cricket work at night with a pinkish ball rather than a white one, then surely so can footy.

I don't suppose we can ever hope to use a red and blue ball in our home games, but a man can dream ...

In the previous decade I would have prayed for a camouflage footy. Now we are coming good let's stick to match appropriate red or yellow.

9 hours ago, Red and Bluebeard said:

like the 1970s game Green Ghost).

I thought I was the only one who remembered Green Ghost!

First McDonalds had to change 140 years of a plain red ball by putting a big logo on it.

Then they just made the whole ball McDonalds yellow and rammed ads into the whole game.

While we're at it, I prefer black boots, too.

I don't take any notice of skin colour.

25 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

While we're at it, I prefer black boots, too.

So racist 

Soon the Grand Final will be played with the Yellow Pill

 

Sad

i too love a new Red Sherrin...

31 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

While we're at it, I prefer black boots, too.

it is a bit odd that short sleeves are verbotten (but you can wear long sleeves rolled up) and every part of the uniform must be.... errrr uniform except players can wear (and do) any colour combination of boots including fluoro

i'm not saying black necessarily but at least matching team colours

7 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Soon the Grand Final will be played with the Yellow Pill

 

wyl, the correct colour name is "mcdonald's yellow" as biffo pointed out

I liked it back when the ball would get water logged and turn maroon.

30 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

it is a bit odd that short sleeves are verbotten (but you can wear long sleeves rolled up) and every part of the uniform must be.... errrr uniform except players can wear (and do) any colour combination of boots including fluoro

i'm not saying black necessarily but at least matching team colours

As a matter of interest, what happens in other competitions? Do players of NRL, NFL, EPL etc all wear consistently coloured boots as part of their official uniform.

11 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

As a matter of interest, what happens in other competitions? Do players of NRL, NFL, EPL etc all wear consistently coloured boots as part of their official uniform.

Up until last year NFL players had to wear uniformed cleats. Each team has to nominate a base colour (black or white) with shoe laces that matched the dominant colour. 

As from this season players can now wear custom cleats. 

Yellow balls have been used since the introduction of night matches in the 80s. What's the problem?

Anyway, yes, love the 2:10pm start. Not too early, not too late. And home just in time to watch the replay highlights before the news!

45 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

wyl, the correct colour name is "mcdonald's yellow" as biffo pointed out

Hahaha "Sorry Sir"

Off topic, but why did Carlton wear orange socks on the weekend?

3 hours ago, Demonised said:

I thought I was the only one who remembered Green Ghost!

Obviously not!

7 minutes ago, SFebey said:

Off topic, but why did Carlton wear orange socks on the weekend?

http://m.carltonfc.com.au/news/2017-07-14/wear-orange-at-the-g

(Don't ask me what Gary Lyon is doing in the video)

1 hour ago, praha said:

Yellow balls have been used since the introduction of night matches in the 80s. What's the problem?

Anyway, yes, love the 2:10pm start. Not too early, not too late. And home just in time to watch the replay highlights before the news!

Somehow the yellow just doesn't work for me. Hardly the most momentous of issues, I know. The 2.10 does seem the perfect time to me too!

On the start time I have begun to like the 1:15(?) starts simply because the game is played in the winter sunshine and in good light. Very pleasant sitting in the AFL members in the winter sun. Even better if we are winning.

Both 1:15 and 2:10 are great.  Hate 3:20 start it's just a blah time.

4 hours ago, Red and Bluebeard said:

Somehow the yellow just doesn't work for me. Hardly the most momentous of issues, I know. The 2.10 does seem the perfect time to me too!

maybe yellow balls is linked to the afl's desire to promote the game in china?

4 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

maybe yellow balls is linked to the afl's desire to promote the game in china?

Why?

8 hours ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

While we're at it, I prefer black boots, too.

...with leather stops hammered in with sharp nails?

6 hours ago, SFebey said:

Off topic, but why did Carlton wear orange socks on the weekend?

No fashion sense?

I don't care much about ball colour but I am warming to the regular Sunday afternoon games. Keeps the anticipation up all weekend and I don't have to be in a sour mood for the whole weekend after a loss. Win or lose on a Sunday afternoon and I don't dwell on it much as I have to start thinking about putting the rubbish out and dealing with the inevitable work dramas during the week.