Seattle NHL Brand Discussion

[Cujo]

7 hours ago, selgy said:

Don't forget Avalanche, Rockies

 

As far as nicknames go, Avalanche and Rockies aren't the best, but definitely not an instant WTFLMFAO like Wild or Mighty Ducks. The Seattle KrAkEn would easily fall into that same category.

[JTernup]

I don’t hate Kraken as much as many of you or as much as I feel I should. However Sockeyes is so obviously the best choice that it hurts. Sockeyes sounds like it could’ve been an Original 6 name, Kraken sounds like it was the name of a hockey team from a moderately successful Disney movie, not that the NHL would do something so ridiculous.

[officeglenn]

2 minutes ago, JTernup said:

Kraken sounds like it was the name of a hockey team from a moderately successful Disney movie

 

"There's nothing in the rule book that says a sea monster can't play hockey!"

[nash61]

6 minutes ago, officeglenn said:

 

"There's nothing in the rule book that says a sea monster can't play hockey!"

 

[DC in Da House w/o a Doubt]

6 minutes ago, officeglenn said:

 

"There's nothing in the rule book that says a sea monster can't play hockey!"

 

Right here... Rule 1.

[tBBP]

So the administration can schedule future locks for these threads now? Cool!

 

As for whatever this identity turns out to be...i think it'd be cool to see an identity based around a squid, or octopus, since currently none in major pro sports currently does. That said, I saw what just happened with Charlotte FC's unveiling, so I'm pretty well balanced now.

 

Oh and...in before the lock. 

[Thaumatrope]

Okay...so I need to get something off my chest about the whole name debate and it's going to get really nerdy...so bear with me.

 

First off, I will confess that in a vacuum Kraken isn't as bad of a name as some people seem to think. Yes, it's untraditional, but I think mythological creatures are surprisingly underrepresented in sports...especially at the pro level. I also appreciate the nod to Scandinavian folklore and culture (even if Seattle isn't the first place people think of when it comes to that heritage). 

 

However the name doesn't exist in a vacuum...and that's the problem.

 

The fact that the name is even in being discussed can be traced back to the 2010 remake of Clash of the Titans, and the climactic delivery of "Release the Kraken" from one Liam Neeson. It's worth noting that part of the cultural resonance of this line stems from the fact that it featured prominently in the trailer, which in turn appeared in heavy rotation on TV and in theaters. As a result the line took on a life of it's own and became ingrained in internet meme culture...making the Seattle Krakens akin to the Seattle (You're the man now) Dogs. This is disqualifier number one. 

 

Even if we were to ignore the origins of the name's popularity in meme culture, there's still the fact that Kraken is deeply associated with the 2010 remake of Clash of the Titans. By just about every metric, Clash of the Titans (2010), was not a good movie. What's more, it was a remake of a slightly better, but still mediocre movie. (As an aside, the original Clash of the Titans came out in 1981...the same year as Raiders fo the Lost Ark...let that sink in for a minute.) While the original is noteworthy for being the last film to feature the stop-motion animation work of FX legend Ray Harryhausen, the remake lacks all of the goofy heart and kitschy aesthetic of the original. Basing any kind of athletic branding on a movie is a very risky proposition (the Durham Bulls maybe being the exception that proves the rule), but basing your branding on a poorly received remake of a mediocre cult movie is a terrible idea. This is disqualifier number two.

 

Last but not least, let's talk about the fact that the Kraken appears in Clash of the Titans in the first place. As others have noted, the Kraken is a mythical giant squid/octopus from Scandinavian folklore. But anyone who has actually watched Clash of the Titans knows that it is a retelling of the myth of Perseus. For the most part the major plot beats in the films are the same as in the Greek myth: the hero, Perseus, slays Medusa and then uses her severed head to rescue the princess Andromeda. However in the original Greek myth the monster that is threatening Andromeda (and that is ultimately driven off/killed by Perseus) is the serpent Cetus. So for reasons that are beyond me, the writers of Clash of the Titans decided to replace the actual Greek monster, Cetus, with the completely unrelated and (in Greek mythology) unknown monster, the Kraken. What's even more baffling is that while the writers decided to completely replace Cetus...the design for the monster bears no resemblance to the mythical Kraken. As best I can tell the writers simply picked the name because they liked the sound of it, most likely puling it out of some list of sea monster names without any real thought as to it's origin or existing lore. Point being...the Kraken that everyone is so excited to be releasing should never have been in the movies to begin with. That's disqualifier number three.

 

tl;dr - The name Kraken is derived from an internet meme based on a movie trailer for a poor remake of a mediocre film that had no business using the name Kraken in the first place.

[GhostOfNormMacdonald]

Seattle Hypersonics

[tBBP]

3 minutes ago, Maroon&Gold said:

Seattle Hypersonics

 

[1908_Cubs]

11 minutes ago, Thaumatrope said:

Okay...so I need to get something off my chest about the whole name debate and it's going to get really nerdy...so bear with me.

 

First off, I will confess that in a vacuum Kraken isn't as bad of a name as some people seem to think. Yes, it's untraditional, but I think mythological creatures are surprisingly underrepresented in sports...especially at the pro level. I also appreciate the nod to Scandinavian folklore and culture (even if Seattle isn't the first place people think of when it comes to that heritage). 

 

However the name doesn't exist in a vacuum...and that's the problem.

 

The fact that the name is even in being discussed can be traced back to the 2010 remake of Clash of the Titans, and the climactic delivery of "Release the Kraken" from one Liam Neeson. It's worth noting that part of the cultural resonance of this line stems from the fact that it featured prominently in the trailer, which in turn appeared in heavy rotation on TV and in theaters. As a result the line took on a life of it's own and became ingrained in internet meme culture...making the Seattle Krakens akin to the Seattle (You're the man now) Dogs. This is disqualifier number one. 

 

Even if we were to ignore the origins of the name's popularity in meme culture, there's still the fact that Kraken is deeply associated with the 2010 remake of Clash of the Titans. By just about every metric, Clash of the Titans (2010), was not a good movie. What's more, it was a remake of a slightly better, but still mediocre movie. (As an aside, the original Clash of the Titans came out in 1981...the same year as Raiders fo the Lost Ark...let that sink in for a minute.) While the original is noteworthy for being the last film to feature the stop-motion animation work of FX legend Ray Harryhausen, the remake lacks all of the goofy heart and kitschy aesthetic of the original. Basing any kind of athletic branding on a movie is a very risky proposition (the Durham Bulls maybe being the exception that proves the rule), but basing your branding on a poorly received remake of a mediocre cult movie is a terrible idea. This is disqualifier number two.

 

Last but not least, let's talk about the fact that the Kraken appears in Clash of the Titans in the first place. As others have noted, the Kraken is a mythical giant squid/octopus from Scandinavian folklore. But anyone who has actually watched Clash of the Titans knows that it is a retelling of the myth of Perseus. For the most part the major plot beats in the films are the same as in the Greek myth: the hero, Perseus, slays Medusa and then uses her severed head to rescue the princess Andromeda. However in the original Greek myth the monster that is threatening Andromeda (and that is ultimately driven off/killed by Perseus) is the serpent Cetus. So for reasons that are beyond me, the writers of Clash of the Titans decided to replace the actual Greek monster, Cetus, with the completely unrelated and (in Greek mythology) unknown monster, the Kraken. What's even more baffling is that while the writers decided to completely replace Cetus...the design for the monster bears no resemblance to the mythical Kraken. As best I can tell the writers simply picked the name because they liked the sound of it, most likely puling it out of some list of sea monster names without any real thought as to it's origin or existing lore. Point being...the Kraken that everyone is so excited to be releasing should never have been in the movies to begin with. That's disqualifier number three.

 

tl;dr - The name Kraken is derived from an internet meme based on a movie trailer for a poor remake of a mediocre film that had no business using the name Kraken in the first place.

Absolutely.  The name "Kraken" has a ton of issues surrounding it.  In theory, there's a sports team out there where I think it fits.  That said, for the wonderful explanation you've given (I can't even come close to justifying enough information on it to expand a letter more), we start to see how terrible of a name Kraken would be for Seattle.  The name isn't being chosen but for "Well, they said 'Release the Kraken' and that sounded cool, so we could...like...say that too!"  It's a merch opportunity hoping the bros on twitter will fire-emoji it and say they're "def buying a hat".  Cool, and in 2 years, when that wears off?  Now what?  They're the Brandoise NHL franchise no more popular than the Sod Poodles nationally because of a meme-y name.

 

I think the name Kraken, as I've stated, also leads to garish uniforms.  It feels ripe for squid tentacle stripes, and a big ****ing thing on the front of the uniform.  Bigger then most chest crests.  Green on green on green, but not in the good way.  In a league undergoing "retro-fication" where teams are reverting back to older looks (in the last decade we've seen Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, for example, jump back to 70's era looks, teams like the Islanders brighten colors, and Phoneix and Ottawa are set to revert back to 90's era looks.  There are more, just using these guys as an example).  Does a garish Kraken looking team fit in with the league aesthetics?  

 

Just pass on that name.  Let the meme die.  Don't base an entire team on a meme.  

[ebod39]

20 minutes ago, Thaumatrope said:

Basing any kind of athletic branding on a movie is a very risky proposition (the Durham Bulls maybe being the exception that proves the rule),

 

You are aware the Durham Bulls were semi-pro team long before the movie right?

 

[BrySmalls]

I hope the name and colors are iconic and unique.

 

In before the lock.