By Phil Hecken
OK, kids — now the true moment you’ve been waiting for — the voting on the three finalists in the Cleveland Baseball redesign/relogo contest. After a week of voting, in which almost 8,000 votes were cast, we have narrowed it down to our final three contestants. But before that, I wanted to give you an idea just how close it was. The clear leader, Nate Schimelpfenig topped all the finalists with 1,139 votes, followed by Justin Myslinski (with 970). The vote for the third and final spot was extremely close, but “THE” Jeff Provo eked it out with 844 votes. Our next three contestants had 815, 784 and 763 votes apiece. You can view the totals and percents here. Even those who scored in the bottom half of the fan voting still did very well, which goes to show you what a very strong set of contenders we had. Congrats to the top three, and also to everyone who made it to the semi-finals. But only three can move on, and only one can win.
So, one last time, I’ll give you the top three vote getters (in the order of vote percentage) and then you’ll be asked to cast your final ballot, which will decide the winner of this contest. Here are your top three — the poll follows, with thanks again to James T. Huening (after the jump):
Nate Schimelpfenig:
Submission Description
Justin Myslinsky:
Submission Description
Jeff Provo:
Submission Description
And now, the final poll (VOTE FOR ONE):
Good luck to the finalists. I’ll have the winner to announce next weekend.
Benchies
by Rick Pearson
Never jump to conclusions…
Click to enlarge
Uni Tweaks Concepts
We have another new set of tweaks, er…concepts today. After discussion with a number of readers, it’s probably more apropos to call most of the reader submissions “concepts” rather than tweaks. So that’s that.
So if you’ve concept for any sport, or just a tweak or wholesale revision, send them my way.
Please do try to keep your descriptions to ~50 words (give or take) per image — if you have three uniform concepts in one image, then obviously, you can go a little over, but no novels, OK? OK!. You guys have usually been good with keeping the descriptions pretty short, and I thank you for that.
And so, lets begin:
We start with Brock Lusty, with an idea for a baseball team in the Big Easy:
Hey,
I have always wondered what it would be like to have a baseball team in New Orleans, so I decided to design a uniform. I only made the HOME version but if I have time to make a road jersey I will send it your way.
—
Brock Lusky
Next up is Ryan Miller, with some Broncos ideas:
Hey,
I designed some new uniforms for my Broncos a few years ago, that I’d like to pass along. I’m not great with computers so I drew my uniforms by hand. The logo I used can be seen clearly here.
It was designed by one of the members of the Broncos message boards named “White Dragon”.
Here is a link to a thread with pictures and brief explanations of my uniforms. Of the two sets I designed, I like the second ones a lot better. The first set didn’t really turn out how I wanted.
If I was designing them today, instead of the blue alternate, I’d go with these beauties as the alternate.
Ryan Miller
Finally today we have Neal Dorfman who has an Astros concept:
Glad to finally be writing to you; long time lurker, first time emailer.
After being pressed by my peers over at the SportsLogos.net design board, I present to you my concept for a new logo and uniform design for the Houston Astros.
I wanted to take the classic look of the original Astros team and bring it into the 21st century. The highlight of the concept is the H/A/star/orbit logo that I can proudly say is one of my best pieces of work yet.
I have a whole portfolio of work over at behance.net/ndwas should anyone be interested. Thanks!
– Neal Dorfman
Thanks to all the concepters. That’s all for today. Back next weekend with more.
Why Phil Mushnick won’t be allowed in the “Rename the Nets” contest…
I realize many of you don’t read the New York Post (with good reason), even if you’re a New Yorker. I don’t either, but on Friday, UW reader and my buddy Ed(die Atari) Westfield, tipped me wise to this article by Phil Mushnick, which appeared in Friday’s Post. The first few grafs of the article talk about he Rangers and Knicks playoff games from the days before, but then segues into the following, at the section subheded “Nets on Jay-Z track.” Here’s what he had to say about the colors of the Brooklyn Nets:
As long as the Nets are allowing Jay-Z to call their marketing shots ”” what a shock that he chose black and white as the new team colors to stress, as the Nets explained, their new “urban” home ”” why not have him apply the full Jay-Z treatment?
Why the Brooklyn Nets when they can be the New York N——s? The cheerleaders could be the Brooklyn B—-hes or Hoes. Team logo? A 9 mm with hollow-tip shell casings strewn beneath. Wanna be Jay-Z hip? Then go all the way!
Wait…WHAT?
Did I just read what I thought I did? Are you fucking kidding me? At least he didn’t use code and suggest renaming them “Thugs.”
Eddie Atari included with his tip this article from The Huff Post, which was apparently the first to react to Mushnick’s racist diatribe. The response from around the globe, and the Twittersphere, predictably was swift and harsh.
After the shitstorm, instead of issuing an apology, Mushnick defended himself against the criticism and said it was Jay-Z who was really racist.
Such obvious, wishful and ignorant mischaracterizations of what I write are common. I don’t call Black men the N-word; I don’t regard young women as bitches and whores; I don’t glorify the use of assault weapons and drugs. Jay-Z, on the other hand…Is he the only NBA owner allowed to call Black men N””ers? Jay-Z profits from the worst and most sustaining self-enslaving stereotypes of Black-American culture and I’M the racist? Some truths, I guess, are just hard to read, let alone think about.
All this because he doesn’t like the new colors chosen for the Nets? But of course, it’s not about the colors, even when it is about the uni/logo colors. And if you don’t “call Black men the N-word; … don’t regard young women as bitches and whores; … don’t glorify the use of assault weapons and drugs,” Mr. Mushnick, then why did you say those things in your Friday column? If you don’t like the colors, just say so, and leave it at that.
Is this 2012 or 1912? The least he could have done is wait until the uniforms are unveiled before going all Archie Bunker on us.
And finally…
Remember this?
• Last evening, the Royals held what just may have been the coolest promotion ever, the “George Brett Mini Pine Tar Bat Night.” Awesome. And they won the game too, so it was doubly good.
• Reprinted from yesterday’s comments (posted by Douglas King), a very cool infographic. He states:
As part of the Orioles 20 year celebration of Oriole Park at Camden Yards they have posted a collection of all the Homeruns that have landed on Eutaw Street and beyond. They mark where each HR that lands out there hits and now you can see that online. The cool part is that by clicking on each spot you can see the video of the home run. No one has hit the Warehouse in a regular game but Ken Griffey Jr. managed to do so in the 1993 All-Star game.
In addition to it being an awesome feature we get to see some interesting uniforms. Including some throwbacks, and a peek at some of the unis in the league in the 90s, like the first edition of the Mariners’ teal jerseys.
• A day after wearing their greatest uniform set ever, the Astros went all Cinco de Mayo on us, breaking out the Los Astros jerseys. If you really want to look, there are more pictures here.
• Hopping on the MoVi bandwagon: If you haven’t noticed, everyone’s favorite uniform critic, Jim Vilk has been on a crusade to get the Marlins to wear their orange caps, which they have not yet done this season. In the comments, he’s been keeping a daily count of the “orange hats caps held hostage” and last evening was the 27th game in which they’ve sported the black caps (and the seldom-seen gray tops too). He’s on a mission, and has a plea:
If you’re like me, and you think the Marlins need to free the orange caps, SEND THEM AN E-MAIL and tell them.
I’d love to see the orange caps too, even if they must be paired with the black tops — because, if they did wear those with orange sleeves and stirrups, that’s not a completely horrible look.
OK — that’s it for today. Make sure to vote for your favorite Cleveland Baseball team redux. I’ll announce the winner next weekend. Everyone have a great Sunday and a good week.
As dumb as moving the Astros to the AL is, it’s even dumber to force interplague on fans all year long. — Scott Merzbach
Phil,
With regard to the New Orleans baseball design, there IS a team in NOLA called the Zephyrs (Triple-A) and calling the team the New Orleans Hurricanes seems a little insensitive to me. Definitely too soon.
It’s been seven years. Come on, people. I think when New Orleans won the Super Bowl, Katrina ended up being a distant memory. Let the concept be called the hurricanes.
Agreed. New Orleans (and the rest of the Gulf Coast) gets hit with hurricanes on a fairly regular basis. The idea of the “New Orleans Hurricanes” is surely no worse than the Miami Hurricanes or the Carolina Hurricanes. It would have been a perfectly valid name in 2000, I don’t see why it shouldn’t still be one now. If a Katrina level event were to hit southern Florida, should the University of Miami change their name? I say No.
The Miami Hurricanes’ nickname commemorates the great hurricane of 1926, the year after the school opened. I have no idea where the Whalers ownership got “Carolina Hurricanes” from.
Just meant because of the devastation and the fact that they’re still recovering. Aaaaanyway, there IS a team there so no need for hypothetical “If NOLA had a baseball team…”
there IS a team there so no need for hypothetical “If NOLA had a baseball team…”
Let’s not pretend that minor league baseball, even Triple A, is equivalent to MLB. There’s a pretty big difference in fan support between the Toledo Mud Hens and the Detroit Tigers. People *care* about the Tigers. People go to Mud Hens games because catching an occasional game is fun. If the Mud Hens actually start kicking ass and taking names, their top players end up in Detroit.
Then type “MLB” before “baseball”. Laziness or ignorance is no excuse for lack of accuracy.
Frankly, Carolina Hurricanes is in poor taste, too, but has never really been examined with much depth. Bertha and Fran tagged the state in the ’96-’97 range and did significant damage. Nobody spoke up as the Whalers moved a year or so later and were renamed, just kind of got brushed under the rug. Might be a different story in today’s era of instantaneous opinion.
Carolina Hurricanes comes from the fact that until very recently, we had been hit with more Hurricanes than any other state. Florida took it not too long ago, I think ’05, when they had several within a few weeks.
I don’t find it in poor taste. Granted, I’m from the Piedmont (central part of the state) rather than from the coast, but it’s a natural disaster common to the area, and a big powerful force. It’s no more offensive to me than the Colorado Avalanche or the Tampa Bay Lightning.
I’m gonna put in my two cents on this one. As someone not originally from Nola, but who has lived there since ’09, I can tell you that the majority of people are definitely not over it, nor should they be. Katrina did things to that city and its people more than most can imagine. If you haven’t been to Nola, go down, see how terribly affected the whole city still is, then decide. And no, a trip to The Quarter doesn’t count. That place is trash for many other reasons.
Just because a team/city wins a Super Bowl, it doesn’t mean it magically erases what Katrina did. Come on. That’s completely absurd. Not everybody gives a damn about the Super Bowl or the NFL.
Does that make the San Jose Earthquakes insensitive too? Or the Chicago Fire? Pretty soon we’re going to say that Georgia is insensitive for being the Dawgs, because someone got bit once.
And also, Phil didn’t design it, he just put it up, like he does for anyone else that submits a Tweak.
This is a joke, right? A hurricane nearly wipes a city off the Earth and calling a team the Hurricanes (with an absolutely pathetic attempt at making a uniform) in that area should just be deemed okay because Chicago had teams named the Fire over 100 years after the Great Chicago Fire. You seriously can’t see the difference?
If we’re talking about Georgia, the old Atlanta Flames would be a better example. Go North!
I can’t wait for the article in a Miami paper in a few weeks…
Crazed Man Caught Breaking into Marlins Locker Room
A man who refused to give his name to police was found in the Miami Marlins locker room yesterday, attempting to destroy the team’s black hats. When confronted, he broke down sobbing and endlessly repeating “why won’t they wear orange caps?”. The man was placed under arrest and is now under observation in a mental ward. No charges have been filed.
/what?
I can’t wait for the article in a
MiamiCleveland paper in a few weeks…Crazed Man Caught Breaking into
MarlinsBrowns Locker RoomA man who refused to give his name to police was found in the
Miami MarlinsCleveland Browns locker room yesterday, attempting todestroy the team’s black hatspaint logos on the helmets. When confronted, he broke down sobbing and endlessly repeating “why won’t they wearorange capsa logo?”. The man was placed under arrest and is now under observation in a mental ward. No charges have been filed.(fixed)
;)
That’s just not right, man. :(
I mean, really. No one paints helmet logos anymore, I’d totally have a stack of stylized “CB” decals.
Fair point. My first mental image was you in the locker room scribbling away on the helmets with a sharpie marker, but I could see you making a bunch of stickers.
Actually, if I did break in, I’d just hide the black caps. They can still wear them, but if you’re going to bother with an orange cap, don’t tease people with it and then never (or hardly ever) wear it.
that would never happen. Browns fans love the basic helmet
Not a fan foamy of the three finalists….not even sure ican make myself vote for one that is the lesser of three evils.
Mushnick’s piece was a cheap shot, but it wasn’t racist in the way most people are implying. He has never understood hip-hop and has long targeted many aspects of it, including hip-hop’s casual use of terms like “nigga,” “ho,” etc. Now, a complete inability to comprehend the pre-eminent form of African American cultural expression may be racist, or it may not be (I hope the latter, since I don’t care for hip-hop myself), but don’t think for a second that he’s advocating for the casual use of those terms. On the contrary, he’s advocating against them.
I’m no Mushnick fan, and I think he chose an extremely poor way to make his point on this one. But a lot of the criticism currently being hurled his way is based on seriously flawed logic.
Best analysis of his current dust-up that I’ve seen can be found here:
link
I’ve never read the guy, but I think I agree with how you put it. I didn’t take it that he actually wanted the teams named that.
I agree – the treatment of women in a lot of hip-hop/rap music (I don’t know which is which, but then I quit listening to music shortly after John Lennon died) is terrible (remember, Jay-Z, those “bitches” are half of your prospective season ticket holders). Mushnick seems to have taken the persona of “grumpy old white guy” created by Dana Carvey as his writing style, and that turns a lot of people off. But I wonder if, say, the now-retired George Vecsey had done a carefully-considered piece in the Times about the irony of all this whether all the people up in arms would instead be nodding quietly in agreement.
BINGO!
It seems to be the standard defense of those employed by similarly-aligned media outlets as the NY Post when someone points out the racist undertones (intended or otherwise) of what they say and write publicly: I’m not racist, whoever I made the racist remarks about is the real racist, and anyone who thinks my remarks were racist, is the real racist.
It’s getting to the point where the word “racist” has no meaning at all anymore; it seems to mean “anyone who mentions race and is aligned/associated with whichever political cohort I am not aligned/associated with.”
I personally thought Mushnick’s comments were merely stupid and pointless; how he got from Point A to Point B I have no idea. I get that he doesn’t care for those elements of hip-hop, of “African-American cultural expression,” or of Jay-Z’s work in particular, but what could possibly be the point of suggesting that they should be part of the Nets’ brand identity just because Jay-Z (or any hip-hop artist, for that matter) is involved in the design, when no reasonable person believes that would or could actually happen?
In other words, what exactly is he complaining about? Is he upset at the choice of colors, or is he upset that a hip-hop artist (or Jay-Z in particular) is involved in designing the team’s brand? And if it’s the latter, why?
In other words, what exactly is he complaining about? Is he upset at the choice of colors, or is he upset that a hip-hop artist (or Jay-Z in particular) is involved in designing the team’s brand? And if it’s the latter, why?
Well put. That’s what I meant when I said his piece was “a cheap shot” — he was just reflexively going after Jay-Z because it’s what he does. His piece was ostensibly about the logo but in reality was not about the logo at all.
“His piece was ostensibly about the logo but in reality was not about the logo at all.”
~~~
exactly. isn’t that kinda what i said when i said, “But of course, it’s not about the colors, even when it is about the uni/logo colors.”
do i really think mushnick seriously wants (or thinks) the nets should be called the “N—ers”? of course not, but his swiftian shot a jay-z was a very poorly worded and executed piece
i’d like to think his point (but again, i can’t quite get exactly what it is that he is saying) is sorta that “if it’s OK for a black businessowner/rapper to call blacks the n-word, or bitch/ho, then it’s ok for me to do it as well” or conversely, “it’s NOT OK for jay-z to refer to blacks as n—ers and hos, but as long as he’s doing it, why not call the team and cheerleaders that as well.”
is he saying that jay-z is a racist? maybe, but then SAY he’s a racist (although that’s debatable)…
he’s perilously close, imho, of tacitly saying something analagous to “well, if american indians call each other redskin, then it’s ok for me to say it too”
if mushnick’s point is that jay-z shouldn’t use terms like “n—er” “bitch” or “ho”, then he really should just SAY that…but that’s not what he said
I have to disagree. Phil Mushnick’s use of the word in that context, censored or otherwise, was racist or at the very least was ignorantly bigoted. The stigma assocociated with that word when used personally and/or derisively by a non-black/non-latino person still runs deep. Let’s face it: America’s still a wee-bit racists, and there are things that guys like Mushmouth just should not say.
He could have easily got the same point he was trying to convey across by writing that the team should be called the “Brooklyn Roc-a-Fellas” or the “New York Rappers” without causing the same dustup, but that would have required some perspective and depth, and this is after all the New York Post… Besides, deep down I think this was just a stunt so Phil can get some facetime on Hannity, O’Reilly and Imus to defend his rant. No such thing as bad publicity…
PS: Phil (Hecken), I’m not the retired Bruin, but thanks for the shout-out.
Phil Mushnick’s statements seemed like an obvious reference to Jay-Z’s song lyrics to me.
Granted, I’m really not sure how lyrics and uniform designs are related to each other.
Agreed. It’s amazing how this column went over the heads of people (read: scribes with a bad case of white liberal guilt) who love to scream “raaaacism!” at every turn. Mushnik has long railed against teams cynically switching to black in order to appeal to the stylistic tastes of gang culture, so this is nothing new. Why Jay-Z gets a pass while Rush Limbaugh continues to be blackballed is a double standard for another day. In any event, Mushnik is a lot closer to Norman Lear (who satirized the ignorance of casual and overt racism) than neanderthalish Archie Bunker. BTW, is it me, or has this “uniform” blog drifted steadily leftward in recent months? From the race-based obsession with the Cleveland Indians and Washington Redskins, to the snarky putdown of the conservative NY Post (while Huffpo is not labeled at all), the partisan trend is hard not to notice. Let’s keep politics (and naked PC) out of this, shall we?
It’s you.
Also add the snarky comments about Chic-Fil-A sponsoring a college football bowl game.
Under no circumstances would I have used the wording he did (for the reasons you mentioned in your first paragraph), but I don’t agree that the same point would have been made by suggesting the team be named “Roc-a-Felas” or “Rappers.” To say you don’t want someone owning/having a big influence in a team simply because they are a rapper, well, that would be baseless and quite likely racist. But if I’m interpreting him correctly, that is not what he’s saying; he’s saying he doesn’t want someone owning/having a big influence on a team who calls black men the n-word, women bitches and hoes, raps about street violence and the drug trade, has used the word faggot, etc. etc., and has basically never been called out for it in any significant way as he’s moved into very high profile business ventures like the Nets. I think there’s a legitimate point to be made there, though of course as has been said before, the Nets’ colors and uniforms are totally irrelevant to it.
Exactly. To suggest that Mushnick was calling black people “n—-” or women “bitches” and “hoes” is quite plainly wrong. He was upset that Jay-Z, who peddles such language, controls the identity of the Nets.
Let’s mock the guy for being a curmudgeon. He most definitely is, and he’s so out of touch that he probably should refrain from writing on contemporary culture. But let’s not jump on him for being a racist, which is cheap and kinda low.
if I’m interpreting him correctly, that is not what he’s saying; he’s saying he doesn’t want someone owning/having a big influence on a team who calls black men the n-word, women bitches and hoes, raps about street violence and the drug trade, has used the word faggot, etc. etc.
Or maybe he just doesn’t like said person incorporating those elements into the branding and redesign.
Where was the outrage when the Heat introduced that God-awful alt jersey last year? Isn’t it more offensive for a non-hip hop/thuggish team owner to introduce a hip-hopish style to curry favor with the hip hop community and a hip-hoppish one? Say what you will about Jay-Z at least he is part of the thug community so it could be argued he has “license” to use thuggish stuff, whereas I’m sure this guy doesn’t:
link
Besides that, Jay-Z owns the Nets? I though it was that tall Russian dude they profiled on 60 Minutes.
What exactly is a “thug community”?
“PS: Phil (Hecken), I’m not the retired Bruin, but thanks for the shout-out.”
~~~
D’OH. sorry eddie, now fixed…westfield not westfall
thanks Phil. all good in the hood…
Final thought on Mushnick. I go to a barber shop off Flatbush Ave, where I’m one of the few white customers. If the Post’s grand wordsmith can walk into there on a busy friday afternoon and give a spoken word performance of that piece without catching stank-eye (let alone black eye), I’ll concede that it’s racist. Just sayin…
“The stigma assocociated with that word when used personally and/or derisively by a non-black/non-latino person still runs deep. Let’s face it: America’s still a wee-bit racists, and there are things that guys like Mushmouth just should not say.”
Personally I think langauge should be universal. It is disgusting and silly to think that there is one dictionary for one race of people and one for another. If you are half black/half white, then do you only get to use the black dictionary on even days of the month?
I also think the country is a lot less racist than the dialog is. There is much less racism in America than say nationalism between different Euro peoples. imho.
Now, a complete inability to comprehend the pre-eminent form of African American cultural expression may be racist, or it may not be (I hope the latter, since I don’t care for hip-hop myself), but don’t think for a second that he’s advocating for the casual use of those terms. On the contrary, he’s advocating against them.
Agreed, Paul.
This isn’t a racial issue. It’s a cultural issue for sure, and may also be a generational issue. But that’s it. “Racism” has been used so much it’s losing its meaning. You can be the most non-racist person in the world and still dislike hip-hop music. To imply otherwise is to assume that an entire race of people likes it, which certainly isn’t true.
Bill Cosby made pretty much the same point as Mushnick several years ago and was crucified for it. But nobody called Bill Cosby a racist. That card is being used to vilify Mushnick because he’s a crotchety old white guy, and crotchety old white guys shouldn’t comment on black culture. Maybe that’s fair, but it seems wrong.
Sorry for posting twice in a row, but I just want to make myself clear: I’m all for haranguing Mushnick for being totally out of touch and for putting his ignorance in print. I just think that the racism angle obfuscates the problem, and makes the discussion into something that it really shouldn’t be.
The Nets are definitely pushing the Jay-Z association way too hard, but Mushnick went about his criticism of that in completely the wrong manor. Jay-Z has absolutely no authority as a designer, so to say he designed the logo is silly and untrue.
I guess Mushnick was trying to make joke that was in poor taste, but as Paul noted, it just revealed his complete ignorance and incomprehension of Hip Hop and Mr. Carter.
The real problem is that this joke in poor taste had no basis, but for the black and white color scheme. There’s the T-shirt with the sneakers hanging from the wordmark a la powerlines (which has gang implications if you believe that urban myth), and the headphones T-shirt, but otherwise there’s little implications of gang violence, drug pushing or the vulgarity of Jay-Z’s music, Mushnick believes, he is extending to make a point. It appears that it’s merely the Nets association with Jay-Z and the black and white color scheme, which Mushnick finds vulgar. So although the use of vulgar words is not racist, because they are not meant to be his own, but an extension of what Jay-Z represents, it is racist to imply that the branding is vulgar merely because of its use of a black and white color scheme and an association with a black rapper.
“Jay-Z has absolutely no authority as a designer, so to say he designed the logo is silly and untrue.”
That’s not what Yahoo says.
link
Nope: link
Just to play it safe, keep Mushnick away from the Redskins rebrand.
Would this whole controversy have been avoided if there would have been 3 colors in the logo, black white & just a hint of red, blue, green, yellow, grey, et al, instead of just two?
As much as I don’t like the potential black monochrome uniform (in all sports), weren’t the Nets just taking a marketing tip from the Miami Heat? I haven’t done the research, but I bet their monochrome black jerseys are top sellers.
Racial and cultural differences aside, with Jay-Z’s lyrics and songs, isn’t he just telling a story? My point is what if an actor such as Tom Cruise, Christian Bale or Woody Harrelson (all who have played psychopathic killers, and again, just telling a story), owned professional sports teams, would there be this kind of outcry?
No.
I wonder how many weirdos, egomaniacs, drunkards, hooligans, idiots, racists, misogynists, freaks, insensitive bullies, hedonists, arrogant babies, manipulataters, swindlers, liars, and pricks have owned–and own–sports franchises and influenced, overtly or behind closed doors, the marketing of his/her franchise?
Jay-Z (whom I have no opinion on) if you are among them, get in line.
I love Mr. Dorfman’s concept but I must be doing something wrong. When I open it I see it for a second and then it slowly creeps off the bottom of the screen. It reminds me of a mummy movie where the mummy slowly descends into the sand. From what I could see I really love the logo.
That’s…weird. It’s just a PDF file, once you’re logged into Google. Try a different browser?
That Astros concept is awesome!! Someone please forward this to Mr. Crane and make it happen.
The only thing that would make it better is to add an orange hat into the mix
YES, Robert!
Well done, Neal.
I was surprised at how good those Astros outfits came out. I really like the logo.
I’ll add my name to this chorus. Excellent concept. I still like the original Astros set, but this would be a strong No. 2.
I wonder if it bugs Phil that so many of us like this set of designs for the Astros after the stumping he did yesterday for the late 60’s Stros jerseys.
doesn’t bug me at all — i kinda like that tweak, and if they don’t go back to the shooting star, i could get behind this
difference being — this is a reader submitted concept, not something that’s actually been worn on the field, and the astros already have a 40+ thousand in-person focus group, plus all who saw the game on the television and interwebs who can give immediate feedback
so while i’d still prefer the shooting star, i could get behind this concept, but given reality, i’d say the shooting star has the only real chance of becoming the uniform for 2013 and beyond
i love it if they went back to that just as they wore it friday night but if it were given a slight modernization (a la the blue jays), i could get behind that as well
For the sake of historical accuracy, Griffey Jr. hit the Warehouse in the 1993 home run derby, not the actual all-star game.
And history should also note that many of those guys were seriously juiced up.
IIHF Worlds: Finland have broken out an alternate today against Slovakia that may well be a fauxback. Pretty cool, too.
I was right, 1987 fauxback. This is the style they’re fauxing back to: link
Most obvious difference is that they’re wearing their modern number font.
…uh-oh it looks like Vilk has inspired a research page on the Diamond Uniform Database.
link
And speaking of research, I’ve found that on the MLB.com shop, there is only ONE orange cap available. Only the on-field. There’s no orange caps listed under the replica section (all black ones), or in any other category.
You’re awesome, Rob.
Spread the word! Free the orange caps!
If I had an ounce of Pete Rose in me, I’d be all over betting on when the Marlins wear the orange cap. I think it will take a long losing streak for it to happen, tho.
**wonders if Jim’s basement walls are decorated with large orange construction signs**
What happens first? Marlins wear the orange hat or Pujols hits his first home run. I’d go with Pujols.
Over-under on how many times they wear the orange hat this year? I’d set it at 1.5, but I’d take the under.
When I started this, I kept saying it would only be 1-5 times this season. But as each game progresses, that might be too high of a guess.
Actually, orange isn’t even my favorite color. I like it, but I like
yellowathletic gold better. But orange is such a woefully underused color in baseball that I want to see more of it.The only orange on my basement walls are pictures of link and link
Well I guess I jinxed the Pujols thing.
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Longtime reader, first time commenter: Good God are those Astros concepts gorgeous!
Is it just me, or is Nate Schimelpfenig’s Spiders concept a little too similar to the Richmond Spiders? They both have the same nickname and colors, and even have a similar spider logo.
Now, I actually voted for Nate last week and this week because I think his concept looks like something an MLB team could definitely wear, but you can’t deny the similarities between his concept and Richmond.
Here, see for yourself:
Here is Nate’s Spiders concept:
link
Here is the Richmond Spiders’ logo:
link
Here is the Richmond Spiders baseball team uniforms:
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And here is a Richmond Spiders hat:
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I have a feeling if Nate’s Spiders concept became a reality there would be a giant backlash from the University of Richmond community. Despite this I still voted for his concept because it looks very professional.
There’s only so many ways to draw a silhouette of a spider. I think his concept is different enough to be OK from that perspective. My problem with it is that it’s too close to the Indians actual alternate uniforms – it’s basically the same hat. There’s also too much filled in space around the capital S in the wordmark.
You should have voted for me. ;)
Jeff, I did vote for yours, and here’s why.
I understand the association of Spiders to Cleveland link, but I also understand the association to Cleveland. link In addition, Spiders conjures up a minor league image, so I scratched it. (The uniforms, though, are nice.
I was tempted to go for Municipals, but we have the Nationals, so nah.
Nobody would go with a bulldog nickname these days, it’s ubiquitous, that’s why it’s perfect in this incarnation. The logo makes it unique. Besides, Cleveland is the Browns and the Browns are Cleveland – that’s why the franchise relocation rules have been modified. Finally, it’s a good uniform set.
Yeah, definitely not bitter.
It reminds me more of the Spider Insignia on Ultimate Spider-Man’s Chest, and depending on the artist, regular Spidey’s chest logo than Richmond’s logo.
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In fact there are some significant differences between the concept and Richmond’s. Saying they are the same is like saying the Panthers and the Bengals logos are the same. Reality is there are only so many ways to draw a big cat, and the same goes double for spiders.
Really like the Astros concept as well – clean, simple, contemporary without being overdone. Like the orange alt too. Well done.
Those Astros uniforms are beautiful and should be the direction they move in. They’re a nod to the past while still feeling fresh and not outdated.
I agree, but I’m not sure the “orbit” around the star-H doesn’t look more like a halo. Especially with the Astros going to join the Angels in the AL, that might not work well. Otherwise, they are very representative of modern design and wouldn’t embarrass the Astros at all, although that shade of orange should only be worn during hunting season.
Actually, the halo/orbit makes me think of the Rockets logo.
Whew…..thank god the “re-naming the Indians even though it will never happen” is almost over. It will be nice to go back to reading uni-watch without people trying to make the Cleveland Indians look like a minor league franchise.
Indeed. Then we’ll have a few weeks of people trying to make the Washington Redskins look like an Arena Football team.
Idiot.
This just made my day!
Will we be breaking out the Zubaz for the occasion?
How’s Barney Miller doing?
Interesting side note about Jay-Z: since the birth of his daughter he has stated that he will not use the word bitch in his music. Apparently he realized that the women he was referring to are actual daughters, sisters, and mothers.
And it took becoming a dad for him to realise that? I’m sure his wife is thrilled to bits to know that. *facepalm*
A worthy set of finalists today.
Now if The would have stated, “The orange hats must be worn, at the very least, 33% of the time,” that would have swayed my vote. Instead…well, he’s still in the running. It is a secret ballot, after all…
I’d wear them all. And now it’s time to vote.
If it means anything, the orange cap was the first one I drew.
This Miami orange-hat debacle is reminding me heavily of the Blue Jays’ gray hats from around 2003 after they dropped the T-bird and went to black. The primary hat;
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was supposed to be gray, but it basically never saw the field as they were wearing the black hats from day one.
(The only reason I know/care about this was because I love the gray hat, and still wear it today, 10 years later! Yes, it’s disgusting.)
So I definitely emphatize with crazy Marlins orange hat guy.
2004… also, what the heck is with adding a jump to the main page?
Paul is trying to cut down on the front page load. I find it semi-annoying but we always had to click again to see the comments anyway. I suppose if you don’t comment in general, it could be very annoying.
What (slightly) bugs me more is when the comments get long, the green side graphic runs out. I think I remember this being addressed before but it’s been awhile.
I love it. Makes it much easier to skim through post titles on the front page if you’re looking for a particular one.
I thought the Blue Joys wore the dark gray hats on the field at home for the first season of those unis (or at least part of that season). Remember watching games on TV. Black hats were for the road that year, or that was the original concept, anyway.
I have one of the dark gray ones, too. Loved it cuz it was a unique, if not truly great, idea.
Yes, the Jays wore the grey hats for all of 2004 (the first year of that uni set). They may have even worn them into the next season as well. I agree with the other commenters. As a huge Jays fan I really didn’t like that uni set, but appreciated the uniqueness of the grey hat. I think it might actually be an interesting look for a team that uses lots of black, like the Chisox.
So I definitely emphatize with crazy Marlins orange hat guy.
I like that name. Too bad it wouldn’t fit on the back of a jersey…
I’m not sure if this had been noted in the comments over the last few days here, but the Mets did something pretty simple and cool to honor the memory of Adam Yauch (MCA):
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Suddenly I don’t hate the Mets.
Super duper idea.
It’s by no means my favorite Beastie Boy song, but I would have to walk up to “To All the Girls.”
In regards to the George Brett Mini Pine Tar Bat Night, somewhere the Veecks are smiling.
In the Brett video, at 0:05-0:07 mark, George is using a #21 batting helmet with no KC logo on it.
Ryan Miller’s link to the Broncos message board requires a log-in.
I’m not a modern languages expert or anything, but if the Hispanolic jerseys says, “Los Angeles” then shouldn’t the English ones say “the Astros”?
… I meant “Los Astros” of course. I guess I’m just too used to typing Angeles after Los.
Damn. That killed the joke.
MoVi, I just want you to know I did my part for the cause. Emailed the Marlins and told ’em what’s up ;)
Good man, Coleman…good man. Glad to have you on board.
No joke, the first thought that went through my head when I saw the orange Marlins hat at Lids was “I’d wear that!”. It was a wonderfully Vilkian moment!
The Royals have gotten quite a bit of promotion mileage out of George Brett’s pine tar bat. I remember “George Brett Pine Tar T-shirt Day” a few years back. ‘Twas a powder blue shirsey with brown “tar” splotches screened right on as a part of the design. Then the Reds did something similar with Ryan Freel Dirty Shirseys.
Orange
HatsCaps Held Hostage: Game 28link
The movement may be gaining momentum, but the battle has just begun. Stay strong.
Free the orange caps!
What an ugly looking matchup. Padres in camo, Marlins in black.
I do like those Padres lids, but…
Free the Taco Bell unis!
Marlins visit the Astros on Monday. Say it with me together, now…
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I didn’t care a whole lot for Talladega Nights, I can do without NASCAR, and I know I don’t like Kurt Busch, but, damnit, today was one of the best one-off paint jobs in NASCAR:
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Whoever took Pujols over orange caps was smart…
Congratulations to all of the finalists. Nice job everyone!
I have a feeling you won’t need to wait ’til next weekend to announce the winner. Looks like Nate’s running away with it so far. ;-)
I’ve been going crazy over the past few hours trying to figure out what font is being used for the Spiders’ and Municipals’ script. Can anybody help a brother out?
Jean, if you haven’t found it yet, it’s called Blessed Day by Billy Argel. Download it here: link
In looking at the three entries, I’d vote for the Myslinsky template first, it’s nice and narrow and would fit on my new Diamond Uniform Database framework the best, the Provo template is great and classic looking, but I don’t like the way the back of the jersey covers up the shirt-tail bottom of the fronts. And the Schimelfennig template is a little too 3-D for my tastes. (It’s not quite something you’d see Strasburg in, but still..)
Oh, we are voting on the concepts, not the templates? I’d say they are in a three-way tie; they all offend Native American sensibilities equally — they all completely remove and eradicate any existence of the ‘Indians’ nickname and all its history just like the white European-Americans have attempted to do to Native Americans themselves over the recent centuries.
I’d would’ve voted for an entry that still celebrated Native Americans in a respectful way while removing the insensitive and allegedly offensive Chief Wahoo-type cariactures.
Yesterday, when the Giants were playing the Brewers, the Giants had their “Gigantes” jerseys on. The Brew Crew and the Giants always play on Cinco de Mayo, and this is the first time in a while where the Brewers didn’t wear their “Cerveceros” jerseys. Anybody know what was up with that?
Wasn’t there something about the Brewers going to be wearing a German or Italian or Polish jersey this year? Maybe there is a limit of one “honoring other ethnicities” jersey per season.
Anyone else notice that during the original voting the votes were extremely close between top 3- Nate Schimelpfenig with 1,139 votes, Justin Myslinsky with 970 votes, and Jeff Provo with 844. They still are between 2 and 3 but #1 has an astounding lead…hmmmmmmm….if you ask me something stinks and it’s not just the copycat Spider uniforms! Good luck to Justin Myslinsky and Jeff Provo who seem to be running a fair campaign in my opinion!
Lololol why are you so mad? He won the preliminary round, it stands to reason that he might just go ahead and win the final round, too.
He may win but there’s a HUGE difference between preliminary round and final round voting totals for him. Tell me you don’t see the difference between prelims and final round! There’s no way there’s that big of a difference in the voting! Same people who voted in prelims are voting in the finals. #2 and #3 are neck and neck just as they were in previous round, but their votes combined don’t equal the #1′s current total. This is the same #1 who in the previous round won by 169 votes but is suddenly annihilating the contest hmmmmm odd isn’t it. But congrats to Nate #1 I see the University of Richmond has already picked up his design! Google it!
Again, he won the preliminary round, so it’s not shocking that he is winning this round. What is shocking is that you are accusing someone of stuffing the ballot box in a contest that is strictly for fun (not even sure why I’m responding again).
Regarding the Richmond Spiders unis/Nate’s design, it is easy to see why 1. a team with the “Spiders” nickname has a spider logo (the actual logos appear to be different, but I’m no arachnologist), 2. a baseball team may utilize some sort of script font (which Nate used on just one of the four jerseys), and 3. a team that has historically used red and blue may use the same colors in a redesign. To say that he straight-up copied them is lame, IMO.
I agree there is quite a difference between rounds. But you just have to vote and continue to support your favorite! Did I mention mine is Justin Myslinsky LOL sorry shameless promotion of my little brother! VOTE JUSTIN MYSLINSKY WOOHOOO!!!!
He may win but there’s a HUGE difference between preliminary round and final round voting totals for him. Tell me you don’t see the difference between prelims and final round! There’s no way there’s that big of a difference in the voting! Same people who voted in prelims are voting in the finals. #2 and #3 are neck and neck just as they were in previous round, but their votes combined don’t equal the #1’s current total. This is the same #1 who in the previous round won by 169 votes but is suddenly annihilating the contest hmmmmm odd isn’t it. But congrats to Nate #1 I see the University of Richmond has already picked up his design! Google it!
Justin Myslinsky is my brother, his submission is the Cleveland Municipals. We are very proud of him and will continue voting til the end! Thanks to all who have voted for him! Good luck Just!