2013 Sports Unlimited Football Equipment Draft – Top 10 Picks

Let's Get Started!Welcome to the 2013 Sports Unlimited Football Equipment Draft. With all of our minds on the upcoming NFL Draft, we decided to present our own style of draft that features the best of the best football equipment that you can find at SportsUnlimited.com because we want to equip you with what you need to make 2013 the most memorable season of your life.

We have randomly generated a draft order for some of our expert compatriots at SU and I will be documenting the draft so that you can stay informed with the top-of-the-line, most advanced products in the industry.  Here are the top ten picks!

1.  Schutt Titanium Big Grill 2.0 Super Pro XL Football FacemaskTitaniumBG2.0XL

With the luck of the draw, the coveted first overall pick in our draft goes to Andre from the Customer Service department. With every product still on the board, Andre selects the Schutt Titanium Big Grill 2.0 Football Facemask. Lighter and stronger than steel, this facemask brings the performance of a No.1 pick.  Peak performance with the most intimidating and wicked design on the market make the Titanium Big Grill 2.0 one fearsome mask only available at Sports Unlimited.

Quarterback and Wide Receiver Shoulder Pads

2.  Schutt AiR Maxx Flex Adult Football Shoulder Pads – QB / WR

With so many incredible products remaining, Jason felt the pressure when he was on the clock and let it get down to 00:01 before deciding that the Schutt AiR Maxx Flex Adult Football Shoulder Pads – QB / WR were worthy of the 2nd pick. I have to agree with him because the Quarterback to Wide Receiver connection can put six points on the board on any given play. Ultimate protection with strategically placed TPU and superb range of motion give these pads the best draft rating in the biz. Drafting performance and protection for some of the most important positions on the field is always an excellent choice.

3.  Cutters X40 C-Tack Revolution Adult Football Receiver GlovesBest Football Gloves on the market!

In an early shock, Steve from our Web Team is going deep with the Cutters X40 C-Tack Revolution Adult Football Receiver Gloves. Equipped with a self-restoring C-Tack grip and available in an array of colors, these gloves make plays. Steve knows that fumbles and drops can cost dearly on the gridiron and he wasn’t afraid to snag an elite pair of ‘hands’ this high in the draft. Great pick!

Mean looking helmet with superb protection with Dual Compression TPU lining4.  Schutt Vengeance DCT Adult Football Helmet

The fourth pick belongs to our wise leader and President, Don who makes the most popular pick of the draft with the Schutt Vengeance DCT Adult and Youth Helmets. Don goes with the numbers here because he knows this popular helmet lives up to the hype and “has been our number one selling helmet this year”! The TPU in the DCT is the same material used in United States Armed Forces fighter pilot and paratrooper helmets. Combined with a re-imagined shell design, I wouldn’t have been surprised to see this go first overall!

5.  Riddell 360 Adult Football HelmetThis may be the best football helmet in the world!

Having had head and jaw injuries in the past, I knew from the start that I needed to draft a great helmet. With Don having taken the Schutt Vengeance DCT off the board, my decision became a lot easier because my internal argument was between the former and the Riddell 360 Adult Football Helmet. With Concussion Reduction Technology, Flex Face Guard, and Riddell’s Hexagonal Liner System, I may have just picked up the best helmet in the world.

Vision on the field6.  Oakley Football Eyeshield

Web Team is here with another pick, and Steph, with an understanding of how important vision is on the field, dashes to our imaginary podium to select the Oakley Football Eyeshield. Steph trusts the Plutonite construction and HDO (High Definition Optics) technology from Oakley because wherever you are on the field, your decision-making relies on vision. The value here is playing smart and Steph’s team is going to be built on great vision and smart decisions.

7.  Schutt Vengeance DCT Hybrid+ Youth Football HelmetDual Compression TPU Padding

At the seventh pick, Doug, the feared Web Team Manager, picks up the product at the top of his draft board, the Schutt Vengeance DCT Hybrid+ Youth Football Helmet. “I like the combination of all the latest protection technologies and the value you get versus the Youth Vengeance DCT.” The innovative combination of Dual Compression TPU and traditional vinyl nitrile padding makes this youth helmet high in protection and low in price. This could be the steal of the draft!

New Balance Men's Football Lacrosse Cleats8.  New Balance 993 Mid Mens Lacrosse / Football Cleats

Michele, one of our Customer Service Supervisors, has the football knowledge and competitive spirit to know that winning on the gridiron takes great footwork and her strategy is speed, speed, speed.  She’s getting some traction with the New Balance 993 Mid Mens Lacrosse / Football Cleats.  These cleats were designed to have the versatility, durability, and lightness to make a player dangerous.  Speed with stability can go a long way.

9.  Wilson TDS Leather High School Football Approved for High School Play

We have back to back Customer Service Supervisor picks and this one belongs to Jamie.  One of the friendliest people around, he cares about our products and our customers, which is why he is going with the Wilson TDS Leather High School Football.  Without a ball, you can’t play and this beauty is approved by NFHS for high school play.  Practice your skills with the ball or play some catch out back because a tight spiral just looks better with an official ball. You can see and feel the quality with 899 full-grain leather.

All Purpose for any player on the field!10.  Schutt Y Flex All Purpose Youth Football Shoulder Pads

Ryan received the tenth and last pick in the draft, but with the expertise he has as a Buyer and Customer Service Manager, he can draft in any position and come out with a winner. He calls the Schutt Y Flex All Purpose Youth Football Shoulder Pads, “great youth shoulder pads that our customers love for all positions. Value is excellent.” Ryan picks for strength and versatility with these youth shoulder pads that feature Air Flex tech and vapor holes to maintain protection with great comfort. Safety is paramount whether you are developing football skills or playing at an elite level.

There you have it, our inaugural Sports Unlimited Football Equipment Draft is complete. I’d like to thank the participants for lending their expertise. I’ll declare the draft a success due to my personal happiness with my pick and I know you all were rooting for me. This draft could have gone any which way because the top ten draft picks were only a tiny sample of what SportsUnlimited.com has to offer!

Good luck this season folks!

By Isaac Clark
Isaac is a writer at Sports Unlimited.

Top 10 Reasons to Cherish a Shortened Season

Ten reasons why we should love shortened seasons in sports.

Crowd CheeringOnce we get through the disappointment of the season not starting at its customary time of year, we have to admit that there are a few aspects of a shortened season that are intriguing and exciting.  Here are our top ten reasons to love shortened seasons in professional sports…

10.  So much to watch, so little time!  The frequency of the games has to be one of the greatest aspects of a shortened season.  Although there are fewer games than a full season, leagues pack in the games so that when the season does start, there is always something to watch.

9.  Fire, fire!  With fewer games on the schedule, those games naturally turn into fiery, spirited contests because every game is that much more important in the fight for playoff spots.  The fans can feel it, the players can feel it. There always seems to be an intensity rare to regular season games that shows up consistently in a shortened season.

8.  It’s all leveled out.  The playing field is leveled in a shortened season. This allows small stretches of good play to carry any team into the playoffs, even last year’s losers.  Great teams are not safe with every game being so important; lost points here and there can cost even the best teams a coveted playoff spot.  Conversely, more teams have a chance to surprise and don’t have to stay hot for as long as they would in a standard length season.

7.  In it until the end!  Opposed to a long season in which usually only a few teams are left in the fight for un-clinched playoff spots late, short seasons provide great drama with many teams remaining in the playoff hunt until the very end.  Most playoff teams will not know who they are destined to play in the first round of playoffs because nothing is settled until the frantic finish.

Hockey Fights6.  Hostile territories.  With short seasons, every game against ‘that other team’ not only has the usual ferocity of a rivalry, but gains even more significance because every loss you can give to your opponent, and every win your team earns counts all the more.  When neither team can afford to lose the game, rivalries are intensified, and this desperation can easily generate new rivalries too!

5.  The Gauntlet.  Watching players in the ‘gauntlet’, testing their athleticism, durability, and mental toughness is something that can bring fans closer to the players.  To see the determination and character of your favorite team in a shortened season brings new perspective and respect for professional athletes that dedicate themselves to the sport.

Sports Hug

4.  BFF’s.  No matter the sport, shortened seasons with games squeezed into a smaller timeframe force teammates to become close.  As teams play more often and go on the road together, we can see the evidence on the playing surface.  Have you ever noticed the camaraderie that shortened seasons bring?

3.  Cold Hard Cash Money. Fewer games means money saved on tickets not bought. Although we all love getting to the arena, spending less on tickets and getting to see more intense games when we do is definitely an oft forgotten benefit of short seasons.  Also, TV and streaming subscription services cost less than their standard prices in shortened seasons, putting money right back in your pocket.

2.  Running on empty?  Having played fewer games all year, the players have a lot left in the tank come playoff-time.  You want your team playing its best and most energetic games in the playoffs and not having to push through a grueling regular season can help teams accomplish just that.  Energy is abundant in the playoffs, which makes your glorious, anxiety-inducing run to the championship that much more exciting.

1.  Silver Lining.  Short seasons are a whole lot better than not having a season at all!  Blame who you want for issues preventing a full season on a particular year, but don’t we all sigh in relief once the announcement comes that there will at least be a shortened season?

As fans, we view the successes and failures of our teams emotionally and shortened seasons have the ability to heighten the intensity we feel during those successes and failures.  In the disappointment of a good team missing the mark or the shock of a mediocre team making a run, we might yell a little bit louder during a shortened season because of the reasons we love sports in the first place.

By Isaac Clark.

Isaac is a writer at Sports Unlimited.