sushinsky4tsar
Registered User
Here's the thing, sports is supposed to be fun. There's nothing fun about this team right now. There really hasn't been since the year three playoff run. They had a chance to build off of that and establish an identity we could be proud of. The Ravens were able to accomplish this in Baltimore, the Sharks in San Jose. Our management failed. Haven't been bad. Just collectively, 'Meh', for about ten seasons running. I really hope this team rallies and goes on a magical playoff run, but it probably isn't happening. And if this team fails to make the playoffs, I can't think of a better time to hit the reset button.
Step away from the product. Step away from the identity of a team that's neither fast, physical, durable, mentally tough, protects its teammates, or skilled around the net. Step away from a history of injuries or anything DR ever did. The name is SO hard to get past.
I would venture that the name is almost certainly a product of late 90's public relations "group think" by people with zero ties to Minnesota or an understanding of the sport. We're the uprooted child that just wants to fit in at school, but our damned Hippie parents named us 'Sycamore'. Anyone remember the KMSP 9 poll where fans voted on the six finalist team names? It's the only such public poll that I can recall from that time. Certainly, the team didn't leave it up to the fans (outside of the original name submissions). I don't remember the exact results, but I believe 'Wild' came in dead last or at least bottom two. I believe 'Northern Lights' was the winner, and you can be certain that the North Stars would have smoked the Lights if it was on there. In no way, did this state choose the name. It was thrown at us.
The green jerseys are our best look, by far. Why? It's simple. Classy. Miraculously, a relatively unique color scheme in a 30-team league. But most of all, it allows us to forget that we're NHL team #29.5. It's the look of an original six expansion team that we deserve. However, the 'Minnesota' text logo is not a real logo. It does not belong on the crest of an NHL uniform. But that's what they had to use. For all of the ambiguity and vast marketing options that some agency decided the 'Wild' name would give, it apparently doesn't lend itself to a simple, concise, meaningful emblem. Hey Iowa, we know we have a stupid name that's even more stupid when applied to your state, so here's a bright shiny line of text with a swirl underneath it. Pretty awe-inspiring, huh?
Players come, players go. New coaches and management shuffle in and out. At the end of the day, professional sports fans are ultimately left with nothing more than a name and some laundry. Why can't we have good looking laundry? Why can't we reclaim a great name that defines this state to its core? We have always been the North Star State. Look at a map of the US. The only state sitting high, center, with any kind of a shape to it, extending past the 49th parallel. We are the North Star State. Wildlife? The Canadian Rockies and western U.S. makes our wildlife look like a petting zoo. That IS an identity that our hockey team has embraced.
I don't care about the history or record books. It would be nice, but it is what it is. The Wild brand? I actually do like the logo, as busy as it is. But I'm past the point of holding a candle for a team that was swept out of the conference finals more than a decade ago. The history of this franchise has been non-descript. In the grand scope of it, it means nothing more to the game than the history of the Atlanta Thrashers. 2000-2013 will still be on the record books, for whatever that's worth.
I couldn't give two craps about there being another 'Stars' name out there in the league. Don't like it, you should have been more creative branding your new hockey team. We won't touch the 92-93 logo or jerseys. We should try to take advantage of their financial situation and strike a deal to get the retired numbers in the rafters where they belong. That's something that should happen regardless of our name.
Sports is supposed to be fun. Yeo or some other defensive minded coach brings this team out for the 2014-2015 team that underachieved the year before, collective yawn in the Twin Cities. Replacing Heatley with a bright shiny free agent? Can only help. Did two prized free agents and a bluechip rookie make us leaps and bounds better in the standings last year?
If that same team comes out opening night, unannounced, wearing kelly green and the N-Star on their sweater, the whole state is buzzing. I want a team that we can be proud of regardless of what's happening on the ice on any given season.
Step away from the product. Step away from the identity of a team that's neither fast, physical, durable, mentally tough, protects its teammates, or skilled around the net. Step away from a history of injuries or anything DR ever did. The name is SO hard to get past.
I would venture that the name is almost certainly a product of late 90's public relations "group think" by people with zero ties to Minnesota or an understanding of the sport. We're the uprooted child that just wants to fit in at school, but our damned Hippie parents named us 'Sycamore'. Anyone remember the KMSP 9 poll where fans voted on the six finalist team names? It's the only such public poll that I can recall from that time. Certainly, the team didn't leave it up to the fans (outside of the original name submissions). I don't remember the exact results, but I believe 'Wild' came in dead last or at least bottom two. I believe 'Northern Lights' was the winner, and you can be certain that the North Stars would have smoked the Lights if it was on there. In no way, did this state choose the name. It was thrown at us.
The green jerseys are our best look, by far. Why? It's simple. Classy. Miraculously, a relatively unique color scheme in a 30-team league. But most of all, it allows us to forget that we're NHL team #29.5. It's the look of an original six expansion team that we deserve. However, the 'Minnesota' text logo is not a real logo. It does not belong on the crest of an NHL uniform. But that's what they had to use. For all of the ambiguity and vast marketing options that some agency decided the 'Wild' name would give, it apparently doesn't lend itself to a simple, concise, meaningful emblem. Hey Iowa, we know we have a stupid name that's even more stupid when applied to your state, so here's a bright shiny line of text with a swirl underneath it. Pretty awe-inspiring, huh?
Players come, players go. New coaches and management shuffle in and out. At the end of the day, professional sports fans are ultimately left with nothing more than a name and some laundry. Why can't we have good looking laundry? Why can't we reclaim a great name that defines this state to its core? We have always been the North Star State. Look at a map of the US. The only state sitting high, center, with any kind of a shape to it, extending past the 49th parallel. We are the North Star State. Wildlife? The Canadian Rockies and western U.S. makes our wildlife look like a petting zoo. That IS an identity that our hockey team has embraced.
I don't care about the history or record books. It would be nice, but it is what it is. The Wild brand? I actually do like the logo, as busy as it is. But I'm past the point of holding a candle for a team that was swept out of the conference finals more than a decade ago. The history of this franchise has been non-descript. In the grand scope of it, it means nothing more to the game than the history of the Atlanta Thrashers. 2000-2013 will still be on the record books, for whatever that's worth.
I couldn't give two craps about there being another 'Stars' name out there in the league. Don't like it, you should have been more creative branding your new hockey team. We won't touch the 92-93 logo or jerseys. We should try to take advantage of their financial situation and strike a deal to get the retired numbers in the rafters where they belong. That's something that should happen regardless of our name.
Sports is supposed to be fun. Yeo or some other defensive minded coach brings this team out for the 2014-2015 team that underachieved the year before, collective yawn in the Twin Cities. Replacing Heatley with a bright shiny free agent? Can only help. Did two prized free agents and a bluechip rookie make us leaps and bounds better in the standings last year?
If that same team comes out opening night, unannounced, wearing kelly green and the N-Star on their sweater, the whole state is buzzing. I want a team that we can be proud of regardless of what's happening on the ice on any given season.
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