Jerome Bettis -GU Steelers Helmet?

[beantown]

A seller is offering this as a Steelers Jerome Bettis Game Used Helmet from his final season...aneas01...can you share your insightful thoughts on this? Thanks...Chris

[mvandor]

I know you didn't ask me but I couldn't resist a quick Getty check on this. I can tell you the chinstrap cup doesn't match up, and that seems like an odd place to number a helmet inside as the pads are easily removable. Rear flag decal is off compared to Bettis' lid in the last AFC Championship game and earlier that season.

It's also a sadly easy helmet to replicate. I'd love to hear seller's story on provenance.

[beantown]

I know you didn't ask me but I couldn't resist a quick Getty check on this. I can tell you the chinstrap cup doesn't match up, and that seems like an odd place to number a helmet inside as the pads are easily removable. Rear flag decal is off compared to Bettis' lid in the last AFC Championship game and earlier that season.

It's also a sadly easy helmet to replicate. I'd love to hear seller's story on provenance.

mvandor....appreciate your input...I am awaiting the sellers response on any written provenance that may accompany the helmet...thanks...

[NegleyPirate]

I was wondering if you heard anything from the seller about the Bettis helmet. To me the helmet looks to clean.
Thanks,
Mike

[shoremen44]

Mike,

and what does the helmet look to clean?


sorry... couldn't help myself

[NegleyPirate]

Hi Bert,
To me the inside padding looks to clean. I would thing the inside padding would be more sweat/dirt looking. I would think the outside of the helmet would show more battle wear. That's just my take. I'm no expert.
Thanks,
Mike

[shoremen44]

Mike... I was making a joke of "to" and "too"

It wasn't a good joke... but it made me chuckle

[aeneas01]

i asked the seller to email some additional photos and the date code of the helmet - he got back to me with the code and said photos will follow. the date code indicates that the helmet was manufactured in early 2000, is a size large and is a pro model.

the seller describes the helmet as jb's 2005 lid, his lid from his final year. if this is the case then it would seem to imply that it was his super bowl helmet. yet there is no super bowl decal on the back of the lid nor are the present rear decals spaced in such a way to have possibly allowed for the super bowl decal.

the pictures included in the ad aren't much help and the shot of the back of the lid is out of focus. even so, there seems to be a problem with the warning label and the american flag appears to be too large. and, oddly, the rear padding (sizer) of the helmet has been installed upside down.

and, of course, mvandor is correct about the chinstrap - it's not consistent with what jb wore. there's nothing about this helmet that would lead me to believe that it ever belonged to bettis or that it ever saw the inside of the steelers' locker room.


...

[helmets]

I agree Robert. When I look at the "6" on the front of the helmet - in the close-up, it looks like a "6" that we have used in the past when customizing these helmets. The blade that cut the numbers out, stopped short on the 6's and there is always a bit of the number that tears in that same spot when removing the numbers from the backing. I have not seen that "flaw" in close ups of Steeler photos - Bettis or Hines Ward.

[beantown]

Thanks to Aneas01 and the rest of the individual swho contributed...looks like I'll pass on this one! Here is the link to the helmet on Ebay...

http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-JEROME-BETTIS-GAME-USED-HELMET-PITTSBURGH-STEELERS_W0QQitemZ310060216355QQihZ021QQcategoryZ8 6828QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksid Zp1638Q2em118Q2el1247