monkeypower

12 minutes ago, Carolingian Steamroller said:

Today, however, we have high definition streams and everyone has some unique combination of helmet type, facemask, undershirt, gloves, cleats, wristbands, and jewelry that everyone knows from their fantasy teams. We know so much more about individual players than we probably ever have so rather than saying "53 covering 80" is a mismatch" we can say "There's no way Roquan Smith can cover Justin Jefferson for more than half a second."

It's also not like football is a sport with changes on the fly and non-stop action. Doesn't matter if the player formerly known as 53 is now 4, it'll still be a mismatch that will be seen because the game stops every couple seconds or so to reset for the next action where everybody lines up across from each other where their position are supposed to stand. Then once the play starts, you can see which direction the players are going.
 

I'd argue the players position on the field and formations are way more important to finding mismatches than jersey numbers, if that is the worry. Regardless of if the MLB is 53 or 4, they're still going to stand and look like a MLB before the play and during the play (for the most part) because football is so systematic.

All I'm saying is that if more jersey number rule loosening comes to pass, you will all survive.

23 hours ago, Cujo said:

The NFL will never get to this level of cool -- which I'd be 100% onboard with.

 

(not pictured 'TEABAGGER')

----

I've said this before on the boards, as someone who watches the CFL, I can't imagine why people are so up in arms about the numbering rules. Outside of indicating which players aren't eligible receivers, which is just o-line, the numbering rules really don't matter.

The CFL barely has any uniform rules. Ineligible players must use between 50-69 and then that's it. Any other other position, you can wear whatever you want outside of those numbers. Most players tend to have numbers that "traditionally" and "historically" fit the position they play anyways, but I don't know why people are making such a huge deal. In recent years, the Stampeders have had prominent d-linemen wearing #4, #7 and #39 and I think it's cool.

Hockey fan dinosaurs aren't limited to age.

I don't know how doing Pride Nights (or any sort of minority nights or any sort of non-traditional marketing? I guess?) can be taken as the NHL being "ashamed of its core fanbase". They want to open up hockey to more people and groups that haven't historically been involved in hockey, yeah it's ultimately a business decision, but framing that as a bad thing? I don't know about that.

And maybe it should be ashamed of some of its core fanbase.

On 3/15/2023 at 4:52 PM, monkeypower said:

 

Looking at this photo again, I wish the Stampeders had taken the time to standardize the horse logo to using the primary logo everywhere. The logo on the sleeves and the helmet doesn't match the primary logo (kind of like a Yankees thing).

This Neko Sparks person seems to be a bit of a potential "modern tech person" red flag from some comments I've seen.

He doesn't have much of a presence online, has some connection to cryptocurrency and the metaverse and this is what his company does.

Quote

Based in the heart of Los Angeles, Pixel Lime is a cutting-edge AI and Immersive Technology company. Utilizing state-of-the-art Interactive Metaverse and Web3 tools combined with intuitive AI and Hollywood level production techniques we deliver mobile-based AI driven immersive experiences for clients worldwide. Our steadily growing list of clients range from Fortune 500 companies like Universal Studios, to small businesses.

Quote

At our Pixel Lime Immersive Technology Division we are constantly asking ourselves what’s the next step in the evolution of interactivity between humans and digital interfaces such as computers and mobile devices? How does technology better serve its human counterparts? We believe the answer is to “humanize” the experience in an AI driven, fully immersive environment. Utilizing Deep Machine Learning, NLP, and Computer Vision, our cutting-edge, customized AI interfaces, and suite of  AI powered immersive tools are designed to educate your users on every aspect of your business. And, our behavioral analytics are sure to take your annual growth and staff training to the next level. 

He also links this financial/investment portfolio company website in his Twitter, but everything besides the main page and the contact us is password protected, including the pages where you are supposed to see what companies they have acquired. (In some fairness, this could be a new website for something just created for the Sens bid)

Why is the face of this bid a nearly anonymous tech/crypto guy? I do hope the NHL will be looking into finances with all the bids, but who knows? OITGDNHL.

2 hours ago, habsfan1 said:

I doubt the NHL would rig the lottery, knowing there's a representative of each team present when they spin the balls. But Gary Bettman is desperate to keep the Yotes in AZ for whatever reason. He purposely set the Draft before the election, so that even if they don't get Bedard, they could use any elite prospect to try to convince voters to approve the deal.

 

It's not completely out of the realm of possibility that he could rig the lottery. But realistically, I believe it's unlikely that he would do that.

INT.   TEMPE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS - NIGHT

Gary Bettman enters the Tempe Council Chambers  

GARY BETTMAN

(nervous excitement, almost as if trying to convince himself as well)

"Just you wait Tempe, Leo Carlsson is going to suit up for the Coyotes next year!"

TEMPE CITY COUNCILOR #1

(perplexed)

"Uhhh, who?" 

Tempe City Councilor #1 votes no to arena deal.

SCENE

11 minutes ago, TalktoChuck said:

EY has survived much worse scandals than rigging the draft of a sports league most people outside of Canada don't care about. Their reputation is far from spotless.

Sure, yeah. But I just don't think they're going to let the NHL draft Lottery be one of those things. Maybe they are so egotistical and money hungry that they would turn an blind eye and shred the ping pong balls, but I think they wouldn't care enough/not enough money to want to take that chance for something like the NHL lottery and the Arizona Coyotes to be the Enron. It would be funny though for the rigging of the NHL draft lottery be the one scandal that Ernst & Young can't weather.

Plus, there's too many people involved in the lottery process for nothing to have leaked out if it actually has been rigged in the past.

52 minutes ago, spartacat_12 said:

I know most of the "Bettman is going to gift Bedard to the Coyotes" narrative is tongue-in-cheek, but it's pretty sad that there are people who actually believe it. If the league had the ability to rig the lottery, McDavid would be playing in Toronto & Matthews would already be in Arizona.

It's also the fact people thinking that Ernst & Young would be okay with the NHL rigging the lottery and then auditing/certifying the rigging and not considering what that might bring for E&Y's reputation if it was ever revealed.

Ernst & Young sure ain't going let Gary Bettman and the Arizona Coyotes become their Enron.

4 hours ago, Jer15 said:

I don't understand why the claw mark thing is there on Valour's secondary

The article on the mothership says

Quote

 These claw marks are a reference to the lion depicted on the Victoria Cross, which is the highest military honor awarded in Canada.

10 hours ago, Chromatic said:

I was under the impression that Lethbridge was called that because they were a manufacturing city for the Hawker "Hurricane", which is why they have used logos like this.

 

 

To be fair, they haven't really leaned into the aircraft branding. But that doesn't mean the name is ill-fitting either.

That was kind of a retcon to an extent. This logo comes from a fan contest to design an alternate jersey for the 2012-13 season. The guy who came up with the logo used the history of the Hurricane plane being used by an old squadron based out of Lethbridge.

From what I recall and from what I am looking at now, that plane logo was only worn for the single season. The team hadn't used anything related to the plane before nor has after, everything has been weather based. Heck this logo was used in the last season of the HurrJcanes before Washington told them to change and they went back to the weather logos after.

6 hours ago, Sport said:

 

Would you be upset at the WBC or that it occurred at all? I think you can be unhappy the injury happened, but it's silly to blame the tournament that is simply replacing their spring training games. It's not like they wouldn't be playing right now if the WBC wasn't happening.

 

 

 

But dumb sports fan monkey brains can justify, rightly or wrongly, a player getting injured while playing with the team in a Spring Training game.

Again, I'm not saying I agree with the Mets fans but I am explaining why I think some people are reacting they way they are.

42 minutes ago, Sport said:

Injuries happen and that’s always a risk in international tournaments, but lots of players have been injured playing in pointless spring training games already this year. How’s this any different? 

Because Mets fans can view someone getting hurt in a pointless Spring Training game as something that happens while doing a team activity in attempting to win a World Series (or whatever the Athletics are attempting to do *rimshot*).  This was a non-Mets baseball game, playing for a country the vast majority of Mets fans are not from, that now has a potentially negative impact in the Mets attempting to win a World Series. I'm not saying I totally agree with the mentality, but I'm saying why it's different than a Spring Training game and why I think it's kind of weird that people aren't being able to understand why there would be a difference. If Trout tore up his knee or Shohei threw out his arm in the WBC, I wouldn't be pretty happy about it as an Angels fan.

It's funny though seeing baseball fans now going through the same exact panic as hockey fans with the Olympics. The same refrain of "Growing the Game" vs "Meaningless Exhibition". It's not a perfect comparison between the WBC and Olympic hockey, but it's close enough. I've gathered most NHL fans are now on the side of the NHL (or at least understand of the NHL's view/predicament for not going) as opposed to the Olympics, but we'll see where baseball fans fall.

"Is Edwin Diaz the New John Tavares? (and How Does This Impact the Leafs Legacy?)" - Sportsnet.

5 hours ago, monkeypower said:

I don't have access to desktop Twitter right now, but the Stamps posted James Vaughters' free agent signing introduction photos and he's holding the retro jersey, but it's got the current Stamps logo on the sleeves. The anniversary jersey, which they kept for last season, had the retro Stampeders logo on it.

 

Probably a sign of what's to come.

I don't have access to desktop Twitter right now, but the Stamps posted James Vaughters' free agent signing introduction photos and he's holding the retro jersey, but it's got the current Stamps logo on the sleeves. The anniversary jersey, which they kept for last season, had the retro Stampeders logo on it.

Probably a sign of what's to come.

On 3/9/2023 at 1:48 PM, spartacat_12 said:

I mean North Carolina gets hit with more hurricanes than almost any other state, so the name does fit the region. It isn't like Lethbridge of the WHL. 

Lethbridge is a pretty windy city, one of the windiest in Canada, so the name does apply in a sense. I remember seeing or hearing somewhere that the name Hurricanes was chosen kind of tongue in cheek, but I can't find it now and it could be apocryphal.

49 minutes ago, Sport said:

Appreciation post for what I thought was a tremendous looking hockey game last night between the Sharks and Blue Jackets. 

I'm a sucker for negative space striping, so I really like the Sharks jerseys a lot. 

What's the deal with the Jackets pants? Is there any indication either way about the continuation of the home and away pants?

On 3/13/2023 at 2:55 PM, AgentColon2 said:

Curious to see how illegible the Jets one will be lol

When I first saw the leak, I was thinking it was a pretty cool hat design and maybe I'll look at a Jets one if the have fitted versions too because I don't have a Jets hat. I never considered how bad it'll probably be.

NEW YORK

JE (NEW YORK) TS

(JETS)

(football)

Unless they use the NY alternate to avoid that.

Here's the thing, the NHL (officially/publically) isn't already talking about expanding again. All this started with some anonymous Twitter account followed by a Buccigross tweet then followed by Kevin Weekes with the eyes emoji.

Friedman said last week that he believes Houston will be an NHL city someday but thinks Atlanta is a tougher sell and that the league may not want to expand in case they need a backup plan if the Coyotes don't get Tempe*. He also said he doesn't know how far away any expansion teams are and the league is trying to throw cold water on the rumors, but he does also think there are some very serious ownership groups that will be interested if Houston and/or Atlanta come up.

*Could this also be like when Katz took a trip to Seattle during the twilight years of Rexall Place and the NHL sending out feelers amidst the Tempe vote? Though I don't know if it would work because Tempe might be, "Take my wife team, please."

Saskatoon is a no-go. There's just not enough people.

There were questions surrounding Jets 2.0 because of Winnipeg's population size with them being a distant last in NHL metro population and Saskatoon has about 500,000 less people than Winnipeg. The Roughriders (in Regina) work because they play nine games a season on the weekends mostly when the weather is still good and are able to draw from all over the province. A Saskatoon NHL team would not have that luxury.

You aren't going to get Gord and Barb to drive up from Yorkton for a Wednesday night December game against the Coyotes, especially when they have to get back to work the next day at Nutrien and the Co-op, respectively.

9 minutes ago, maz said:

I'm with those who aren't sure a new ballpark would help attendance if a team is still irrelevant. The Pirates are irrelevant and play in a widely-lauded downtown ballpark. Nobody still comes to games. Hell, if PNC wasn't part of a package deal with Heinz back in the late 90's, they'd likely have gone to DC years before the Expos did. And after that first year when the "new ballpark" novelty wore off... right back to crappy attendance.

 

A good stadium doesn't necessarily draw crowds when your team is irrelevant, it just keeps the team around a while longer, whether people care or not.

Semi-related, I was in Pittsburgh in October for the Jets game and went to two Pirates games that same trip. PNC is so great. Everything that people say about it is correct.

It made me realize the Pirates situation sucks. They got a great set-up and a great brand and a great history and they should be good. I was looking around there and realized I could be a Pirates fan if the Angels weren't around, but the org stinks.

1 hour ago, Wackyriderfan14 said:

Probably could turn this into a 2023 thread

 

Looks like Calgary is going white face masks. It’s a good look. Hoping the bumpers and chinstrap are also changed by May however 

 

 

If they're going white masks, I hope everything else would change too. But if it's not there now, I would assume no...

31 minutes ago, BuckDancer said:

To be fair, both the Panthers did their big rebrand and the Penguins went back to their dynasty era set in 2016-17 right before the switch to Adidas. And the Ducks themselves did their rebrand in 2006-07 right before Reebok took over.

29 minutes ago, TBGKon said:

I also think the Buffaslug rebrand happened in the 06-07 season.

Ah, I forgot about those.

However, I still think it would lean more towards not doing it for next season but waiting instead, especially with the other factors.

19 minutes ago, WSU151 said:

This one probably means nothing in particular; Fanatics is also now selling navy Whalers jerseys and other classics too.  Perhaps having the eggplant jersey without shoulder patches in the "Team Classics" collection is a sign it isn't coming to the ice in the short-term. 

Yeah, it's just part of a new wider collection is all.

I personally don't see the Ducks changing for next season and if any change will happen, I think it'll be more likely for the 24-25 season.

• The 30th anniversary logo for next season still uses the webbed D logo. Not that that can't be changed later and I don't know if that anniversary logo exists in physical form yet, but seems like a lot to include the webbed D logo just as a red herring of sorts.
• 30th anniversary should bring anniversary and throwback merch. Get people to buy anniversary and throwback merch next season and then make them buy "new brand" stuff again the following season instead of splitting the 30th anniversary and "new brand" merch money pot between one season.
• The first part of the big renos to the Honda Center area are scheduled, as of now, to open in 2024. New renovations, new brand?
• 24-25 is when the new jersey manufacturer comes in. Next season is the last with Adidas, so why spend all this time making changes with Adidas just to have to do it again the following season?

15 hours ago, riccirulesall said:

anyone see the matte finish on zack kassian's alternate helmet? thought it was maybe because of a special helmet model but he wears the super prevalent bauer 4500. interesting to see, don't know if i've ever seen such a finish on a hockey helmet. [snipped pics for space]

Maybe it's one of the helmets he used with the Oilers that had to be painted over? There have been two, that I know of at least, instances this year where a player has used old gloves that were painted over/recoloured to match what the team was wearing and Teemu for years used the same JOFA helmets once they went out of business. So maybe Kassian really liked his old helmet and it's just how the repainting turned out?

WHL unveiled a new playoff logo.

I don't like the overly detailed trophy.