San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins logo theory

[Sykotyk]

Pittsburgh has three rivers, the downtown area is locked into a 'triangle' between the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers and the hill district to the east. Whether I've heard them specifically call it 'the golden triangle' for the whole downtown, I'm not sure I recall. However, the Point has been called the triangle before (the I-279/I-376 bridges go over the point park now, though part is still visible.

The three rivers make the most sense for the using the triangle. Represents three major areas of the fan support: Ohio (North and West), Monongahela (South), and Allegheny (East/North).

As for San Jose, I always thought the argument was the three major cities of the Bay Area (SF, Oakland, & San Jose), considering at the time of San Jose's expansion, nobody nationally really knew much about San Jose (except the way to there). Not realizing that it's actually now the biggest city in the area.

[Still MIGHTY]

As for San Jose, I always thought the argument was the three major cities of the Bay Area (SF, Oakland, & San Jose), considering at the time of San Jose's expansion, nobody nationally really knew much about San Jose (except the way to there). Not realizing that it's actually now the biggest city in the area.

No.

For the last time, it's for the Red Triangle:

"The area has a very large population of marine mammals, such as elephant seals, harbor seals, sea otters, and sea lions, which are favored meals of great white sharks. Around thirty-eight percent of recorded great white shark attacks on humans in the United States have occurred within the Red Triangle — eleven percent of the worldwide total."

[zpqmaowl]

[Mingjai]

The Penguins won the Stanley Cup the year the Sharks entered the league so to emphasis how tough the new team was, the designers of the lower had the logo look like they had eaten the previous year champion.

So this is less of a theory and more just canon, what happened.

The Pens beat the North Stars in the Stanley Cup Finals to finish the 90-91 season. During that offseason, the North Stars basically split in two teams--the Stars and the Sharks--with both teams then participating the subsequent expansion draft (see http://www.wikiwand.com/en/1991_NHL_Dispersal_and_Expansion_Drafts). Since the Sharks in a sense are a North Stars spin off, the theory of the shark eating the penguin seems plausible because now shark has a more direct motive.

[Sport]

That also inspired the Steelers' 1967 uniforms, which had golden triangles on the shoulders.

The Steelers should wear these as throwbacks instead of those bumblebee fauxbacks. Wouldn't affect the single helmet color rule either.

[BigBubba]

Everyone's stealing my bit.

Get over yourself.

[IceCap]

As for San Jose, I always thought the argument was the three major cities of the Bay Area (SF, Oakland, & San Jose), considering at the time of San Jose's expansion, nobody nationally really knew much about San Jose (except the way to there). Not realizing that it's actually now the biggest city in the area.

No.

For the last time, it's for the Red Triangle:

"The area has a very large population of marine mammals, such as elephant seals, harbor seals, sea otters, and sea lions, which are favored meals of great white sharks. Around thirty-eight percent of recorded great white shark attacks on humans in the United States have occurred within the Red Triangle eleven percent of the worldwide total."

The lack of red in the triangle has always bugged me.

[Xist2inspire]

As for San Jose, I always thought the argument was the three major cities of the Bay Area (SF, Oakland, & San Jose), considering at the time of San Jose's expansion, nobody nationally really knew much about San Jose (except the way to there). Not realizing that it's actually now the biggest city in the area.

No.

For the last time, it's for the Red Triangle:

"The area has a very large population of marine mammals, such as elephant seals, harbor seals, sea otters, and sea lions, which are favored meals of great white sharks. Around thirty-eight percent of recorded great white shark attacks on humans in the United States have occurred within the Red Triangle eleven percent of the worldwide total."

The lack of red in the triangle has always bugged me.

I wonder if red would've been a better color to add instead of orange. At least there would be some justification for it.

[The_Admiral]

Don't know what the rationale for the Penguins triangle was, but the Sharks was a direct reference to the "Red Triangle" off the coast of the Bay Area that is a notorious hotbed of shark activity. Or at least that's how it was sold to us 20 years ago.

Just a side note, the map above would have had nothing to do with it. 237 wasn't a freeway when the Sharks started play. It wasn't upgraded to a freeway until several years later.

What the map of San Jose really ends up demonstrating is that it's barely on the water if at all.

Everyone's stealing my bit.

Get over yourself.

jokiiiiiinnnng

[Buster]

Don't know what the rationale for the Penguins triangle was, but the Sharks was a direct reference to the "Red Triangle" off the coast of the Bay Area that is a notorious hotbed of shark activity. Or at least that's how it was sold to us 20 years ago.

Just a side note, the map above would have had nothing to do with it. 237 wasn't a freeway when the Sharks started play. It wasn't upgraded to a freeway until several years later.

Look up.

[Gold Pinstripes]

The Penguins won the Stanley Cup the year the Sharks entered the league so to emphasis how tough the new team was, the designers of the lower had the logo look like they had eaten the previous year champion.

So this is less of a theory and more just canon, what happened.

The Pens beat the North Stars in the Stanley Cup Finals to finish the 90-91 season. During that offseason, the North Stars basically split in two teams--the Stars and the Sharks--with both teams then participating the subsequent expansion draft (see http://www.wikiwand.com/en/1991_NHL_Dispersal_and_Expansion_Drafts). Since the Sharks in a sense are a North Stars spin off, the theory of the shark eating the penguin seems plausible because now shark has a more direct motive.

Interesting theory, but I wonder why we didn't hear about it during the 90s, or even more recently. I never had the sense there was ever a strong connection between the Sharks and North Stars, especially from the San Jose perspective. I don't those fans really cared about Minnesota hockey, just hoping a few of those players could help the Sharks early on. Since San Jose knew it would take time to be contender, I'm not sure why they would design a logo with some kind of intent on another team regarding a Cup Final in another city. I think the more plausible answer has been brought up before, and the Sharks merely borrowed a design element.

[bosrs1]

Don't know what the rationale for the Penguins triangle was, but the Sharks was a direct reference to the "Red Triangle" off the coast of the Bay Area that is a notorious hotbed of shark activity. Or at least that's how it was sold to us 20 years ago.

Just a side note, the map above would have had nothing to do with it. 237 wasn't a freeway when the Sharks started play. It wasn't upgraded to a freeway until several years later.

What the map of San Jose really ends up demonstrating is that it's barely on the water if at all.

San Jose is on the water. The former port of Alviso is on the water and was absorbed by San Jose in 1968.

[The_Admiral]

That appears to be a slough. Talk about getting off on a technicality.

[jgiff17]

Hahahahahaha that's exactly what I was thinking about when all the triangle stuff came up. Definitely have to dig deep into the roots of both cities to see if there is a connection to some secret society.

[Morgan33]

As for San Jose, I always thought the argument was the three major cities of the Bay Area (SF, Oakland, & San Jose), considering at the time of San Jose's expansion, nobody nationally really knew much about San Jose (except the way to there). Not realizing that it's actually now the biggest city in the area.

No.

For the last time, it's for the Red Triangle:

"The area has a very large population of marine mammals, such as elephant seals, harbor seals, sea otters, and sea lions, which are favored meals of great white sharks. Around thirty-eight percent of recorded great white shark attacks on humans in the United States have occurred within the Red Triangle eleven percent of the worldwide total."

The lack of red in the triangle has always bugged me.

I wonder if red would've been a better color to add instead of orange. At least there would be some justification for it.

In the preliminary stages of the edge redesign, I'd heard they were planning on adding red but just to the eye. That would be a good move but I don't know about adding it to the triangle... It makes sense in theory but I think it would throw off the balance of the design, unless it was a small outline.

[SFGiants58]

I'm not sure whether or not this should go here on the "sportslogos.net bad comment aggregator" thread, but:

This is clearly wrong. Doesn't he know that the Penguin would never touch a hockey stick that was that poorly rendered?

[IceCap]

As for San Jose, I always thought the argument was the three major cities of the Bay Area (SF, Oakland, & San Jose), considering at the time of San Jose's expansion, nobody nationally really knew much about San Jose (except the way to there). Not realizing that it's actually now the biggest city in the area.

No.

For the last time, it's for the Red Triangle:

"The area has a very large population of marine mammals, such as elephant seals, harbor seals, sea otters, and sea lions, which are favored meals of great white sharks. Around thirty-eight percent of recorded great white shark attacks on humans in the United States have occurred within the Red Triangle eleven percent of the worldwide total."

The lack of red in the triangle has always bugged me.

I wonder if red would've been a better color to add instead of orange. At least there would be some justification for it.

In the preliminary stages of the edge redesign, I'd heard they were planning on adding red but just to the eye. That would be a good move but I don't know about adding it to the triangle... It makes sense in theory but I think it would throw off the balance of the design, unless it was a small outline.

I'm not saying they should make red a huge part of their brand. Just add a red stripe to the triangle. Just a little thing, like the red eye in the Sabres' logo.

EDIT- Like this...

[Gothamite]

Another color? Yikes.

[IceCap]

Yes and no. I don't want to see red expanded onto the uniforms. Just as a logo detail. Think the beak of the Arizona Cardinals logo, or Blackhawks' logo.

[DaRadniz29]

As for San Jose, I always thought the argument was the three major cities of the Bay Area (SF, Oakland, & San Jose), considering at the time of San Jose's expansion, nobody nationally really knew much about San Jose (except the way to there). Not realizing that it's actually now the biggest city in the area.

No.

For the last time, it's for the Red Triangle:

"The area has a very large population of marine mammals, such as elephant seals, harbor seals, sea otters, and sea lions, which are favored meals of great white sharks. Around thirty-eight percent of recorded great white shark attacks on humans in the United States have occurred within the Red Triangle — eleven percent of the worldwide total."

Still Mighty - Yeah I also thought it was primarily for the Red Triangle is for the great white sharks in that area. But I guess that's referencing the team name Sharks, not necessarily the triangle of the logo.

Matt Levine (for those that don't know - he helped with the choosing the name, colors and location of the what are now the San Jose Sharks) notes the triangle was for the three major cities in the Bay Area:

What's the story behind the Sharks logo?

We created depth with the Shark coming out of the triangle, which demonstrates Bay Area geography with San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. It was the first multidimensional logo.

We also did some research with the California Academy of Science and Monterey Bay Aquarium. We didn’t want a realistic shark to scare children. All sharks have five gills and our shark had three gills. We were thinking about having blood in the logo, but had it breaking the stick with its teeth instead. Source

I am also kind of curious to see what a Sharks logo with blood in the logo would have looked like. Most people know my feelings about the orange in the logo, so I won't harp on that, but yes original Pacific Teal-Blue, Black and Gray with the Sharks wearing something similar to their original uniforms. Maybe they'll wear their originals next season during some games for the 25th anniversary season.

I'd also say that maybe the Sharks AHL team can bring back the Seals name and combine it with the old sharks colors I listed above. A gray or black seal, depending how much like the Sharks identity they want the AHL team to have. I see the Seals were Pacific Teal or Blue, Gold and white their last season or two before moving to Cleveland. Unless fans are really aching for the Green-Teal and Gold true originals.