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[FinsUp1214]

Speaking of the Salt Palace (re: conversation earlier), this is a really great picture of the entrance:

 

 

Just an awesome, vintage feel to it. It got me looking for other pictures of the entrance as well.

 

This one is more or less to show context of where the first picture is taken, but I also hadn't realized the entrance featured the old Golden Eagles logo as well. The two teams were a tandem tenant even up to the Delta Center's opening until the Golden Eagles were sold and moved to Detroit in 1994. I was born in 1992 and the Salt Palace I know now is a (very nicely) renovated convention center, so I'd never seen this entrance before.

 

The next picture has something really neat to it:

 

 

This is Pre-Jazz, as evidenced by the Stars logo at the left side of the entrance instead. Look closely underneath the Salt Palace logo also, and you'll see that Johnny Cash was coming to town that Wednesday.

 

 

 

 

 

[KittSmith_95]

When the Jazz moved to Utah, why didn't they just use the Stars name again? 

[kimball]

1 hour ago, KittSmith_95 said:

When the Jazz moved to Utah, why didn't they just use the Stars name again? 

 

I ask that question all the time. Especially considering how popular they were in the city. 

[kimball]

10 hours ago, FinsUp1214 said:

Speaking of the Salt Palace (re: conversation earlier), this is a really great picture of the entrance:

 

 

Just an awesome, vintage feel to it. It got me looking for other pictures of the entrance as well.

 

This one is more or less to show context of where the first picture is taken, but I also hadn't realized the entrance featured the old Golden Eagles logo as well. The two teams were a tandem tenant even up to the Delta Center's opening until the Golden Eagles were sold and moved to Detroit in 1994. I was born in 1992 and the Salt Palace I know now is a (very nicely) renovated convention center, so I'd never seen this entrance before.

 

The next picture has something really neat to it:

 

 

This is Pre-Jazz, as evidenced by the Stars logo at the left side of the entrance instead. Look closely underneath the Salt Palace logo also, and you'll see that Johnny Cash was coming to town that Wednesday.

 

I never watched a Jazz game in the arena, only a Golden Eagles game and bunch of circuses and Ice Capades. I did however attend the Jam Session and All-Star practice back in 1993 when the All-Star Game was in SLC. It was a small building, but it had character which is something that's been lost in today's venues.

[Old School Fool]

That 3D Jazz sign on the Salt Palace is pretty amazing. It reminds me of WWE's gigantic Wrestlemania signs.

[ChicagoOakland]

11 hours ago, FinsUp1214 said:

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but does that marquee say Team USA Hockey is playing the Calgary Flames in Utah for some reason...?

[Discogod]

6 hours ago, KittSmith_95 said:

When the Jazz moved to Utah, why didn't they just use the Stars name again? 

 

Money. The Jazz were on the verge of going under by the time they moved to Utah and there just wasn't the funds to rebrand. Plus, the move wasn't approved until fairly late in the offseason (late June, I believe), leaving very little turnaround time to come up with new logos, uniforms etc.

[leopard88]

On 3/11/2017 at 8:28 PM, Shumway said:

To be honest, I haven't visited these places often either (I went to the Hustler for a bachelor party once), but I drive down Baltimore Street every time I leave the city to get back on to route 83.

 

Sometimes it's quicker to drive up Charles Street to hit I-83 by Penn Station because Baltimore Street always seem to crawl . . . but your route is much more colorful.

 

My one and only trip to the fine establishments of The Block (which was about 3-4 blocks long in its heyday) was some time in the mid 80s, when I was probably 18 or 19.  I don't feel like I've been missing out.

[kimball]

7 hours ago, Discogod said:

 

Money. The Jazz were on the verge of going under by the time they moved to Utah and there just wasn't the funds to rebrand. Plus, the move wasn't approved until fairly late in the offseason (late June, I believe), leaving very little turnaround time to come up with new logos, uniforms etc.

 

Yep. It's kind of fun to read some of the old Deseret News articles about the move. There was an op-ed piece (I'll have to hunt for again) mentioning there was a "Name the Team" contest held. I think the winner was actually "Scouts"? 

 

Either way, there was very little turnaround to even do marketing or a season ticket drive. It really is a miracle that the Jazz are still in SLC. If it wasn't for Larry H. Miller they'd be long gone -- Minneapolis, Miami, Las Vegas, Charlotte, merged with Denver or some other fate. 

[kimball]

Oh, and I think it should be noted that even up until the 1996 rebrand there was still chatter of renaming the team. Miller was supposedly open to selling the team name when the T'Wolves were planning their move to New Orleans in 1994.

 

But, after the run to the Finals I think it really cemented the nickname to the area since Miller wasn't open to giving up the name when the Hornets moved to New Orleans or when Benson bought the team in 2013. 

[B-Rich]

On 3/8/2017 at 10:35 AM, kimball said:

The caption notes that this is Doug Moe playing for the Carolina Cougars. Not sure why he's wearing a blank jersey -- or if it's the lighting? Doesn't look like a lighting washout to me.

 

For some reason, the "Cougars" name was removed from the original for this Getty shot.  I remembered that same shot being in the ABA history "Loose Balls", and also found it online-- original  looked like this:

 

 

1 hour ago, kimball said:

Oh, and I think it should be noted that even up until the 1996 rebrand there was still chatter of renaming the team. Miller was supposedly open to selling the team name when the T'Wolves were planning their move to New Orleans in 1994.

 

But, after the run to the Finals I think it really cemented the nickname to the area since Miller wasn't open to giving up the name when the Hornets moved to New Orleans or when Benson bought the team in 2013. 

 

I have it from a very good source (former legal counsel for the Superdome Commission and former Hornets team executive) that around the time of the team's return post-Katrina, just before the Hornets re-branded with the "creole blue" instead of teal, and when they introduced the "fleur-de-bee",  that the former executive had in fact worked out a deal with Larry Miller to get the Jazz name back-- but the price (which he knew was reasonable) was considered to be far too high by cheapskate then-owner George Shinn, who wouldn't agree to it.  Damn, if only THAT would have happened.

[kimball]

1 hour ago, B-Rich said:

I have it from a very good source (former legal counsel for the Superdome Commission and former Hornets team executive) that around the time of the team's return post-Katrina, just before the Hornets re-branded with the "creole blue" instead of teal, and when they introduced the "fleur-de-bee",  that the former executive had in fact worked out a deal with Larry Miller to get the Jazz name back-- but the price (which he knew was reasonable) was considered to be far too high by cheapskate then-owner George Shinn, who wouldn't agree to it.  Damn, if only THAT would have happened.

 

Well, if Facebook had "Bring Back The Buzz" and "Bring Back The LA Rams" ... we should just get a "Bring Back the Jazz" movement for New Orleans.

 

As much as Pelicans "fits" New Orleans, it's a clunky nickname. Sure the colors are the state flag, etc., etc., etc. But, they're dull. Mardi Gras colors work so much better. A better nickname would work better. Especially, Jazz.

[Old School Fool]

As much as I like how Jazz is a suitable name for New Orleans, I wouldn't want it to end up that way again. As someone who got into the NBA during the Jazz/Bulls rivalry in the late 90's, I'm just too familiar with the team being in Utah. The name doesn't make sense but it just feels right.

 

Here's some photos of the Jazz playing on their classic Delta Center court in the 96-97 season. From what I recall, a hockey rink messed up the then-new court so they had to go back to the old one for a few games. Also, these pictures make me realize how the color sucked on that court as it's basically maroon.

 

 

[kimball]

4 hours ago, Old School Fool said:

As much as I like how Jazz is a suitable name for New Orleans, I wouldn't want it to end up that way again. As someone who got into the NBA during the Jazz/Bulls rivalry in the late 90's, I'm just too familiar with the team being in Utah. The name doesn't make sense but it just feels right.

 

As much as I would love a return to the Stars to Utah or Jazz to NOLA ... you're right. It doesn't make "SENSE" but it "FEELS" right to have the Utah Jazz. The history of the two Finals run on top of the Stockton and Malone era (which was over 18 years) kinda cemented that. 

 

But, if we had to right some wrongs at least we got the Hornets back in Charlotte and Rams back in LA. 

[schlim]

The original unused Charlotte Bobcats' cheerleaders outfits just leaked.

 

[BBTV]

That'll never get old.

[The_Admiral]

Any running gag about Tom O'Grady cracks me up. Dude actually accomplished a fair bit in his field but conducted himself like such an ill-mannered 14-year-old that no one even respected the work he did.

[leopard88]

I vaguely remember something about this, but it's mostly escaping me.

[BBTV]

find the thread for the bobcats unveiling back in 04 or 05.  It's in there.

 

I'd help you out, but the search function on the site is trash.

[kimball]

I never realized this ... about the Sonics.

 

Back in the late '70s the Washington Bullets and Seattle Sonics met in back-to-back Finals. The Bullets won in 1978 and the Sonics in 1979. What I never noticed was the Sonics' uniforms between the two Finals. 

 

I knew the Sonics' jerseys in 1978 were the Bill Russell Celtic-inspired jerseys, but those were apparently just for the road! They wore the familiar arched "Sonics" jerseys at home. 

 

Here is a shot from Game 6 in 1978.

 

 

And, here is a picture of Game 7 in 1978.

 

 

The following year the Sonics added a matching road jersey. As evidenced by the this picture from the 1979 Finals ...

 

 

This really kind of blew my mind, because I just always assumed that the Sonics wore the same template jersey for both home and road. I know the Sonics wore similar home jerseys to the 1978 road jerseys as seen here (at least the year before -- with NY Nets jersey) ...

 

 

Does anyone have any information on that timeline? I'm going to dig a bit deeper, but I thought I'd put this out there to see if there is anything someone else knows more readily.