great1
Registered User
The fans didn't really do anything. Vinik just suddenly announced we were going to change our logo, our jersey, our arena... EVERYTHING and we had no choice in the matter. It looked like the love child of the Red Wings and Maple Leafs and fans overwhelmingly rejected it. It was the most dull, boring, uninspired design ever laid eyes on in Tampa sports history. Vinik and co was more than delighted to tell us "Hey man that's our new look now. Deal with it." It was OVERWHELMINGLY rejected by fans and media.
Father Lightning himself Phil Esposito (who was the hero that forced management's hand) hated it so much that went to the highest law in the Lightning land and got us to change the uniform by adding black trim around the numbers and adding the lightning bolt on the pants. Needless to say the trim was a subtle but necessary improvement and the lightning bolt on the pants finally made the design bearable. The only improvement Phil didn't get his way on was the victory stripes under the armpit.
All I can say is unless you guys have a very influential insider I think the fans may be screwed with whatever the brass thinks looks good despite fan opinion. Because if it weren't for Phil we'd have plain white numbers and a plain white stripe on our pants.
It was fun being black and silver. I ****ing HATE being blue because "it's a classic look." Classic is so goddamn boring and uninspired. The one thing I've learned to tolerate out of our whole new design is the gatorade logo because it looks so sharp against the color black.
If nothing else works just riot like Vancouver does.
I saw a Tampa Bay concept on icethetics a few days ago based on the old BOLTS jersey that I thought was perfect.