Identities you wish were your team's

[DeFrank]

Are there any sports team (not including those you root for) that you admire from afar? Maybe even wish your team looked that good?

 

Here's an example:

 

I'm a Washington Nationals fan, okay? I was never an Orioles fan growing up in the pre-Nats era. The only baseball gear I own is Nationals gear. I proudly wear a curly W hat around D.C. #Natitude, etc.

 

 

But... I really admire the Orioles identity. I think it would be so fun to root for a team with those colors, that bird logo (ornithological, obviously), and the aesthetics of that park. Growing up in a sports town, I don't relate to those out there who actually did choose their favorite team in part based on colors they liked as a kid, but I do sometimes think about how cool it would be.

 

Maybe part of this is about being from D.C. Our team's identities are always so tied up with what our city is most famous for (either that... or a horribly offensive [REDACTED]). I feel like it would be cool to grow up in a place where your favorite team's name, logos, or colors are, sure, maybe related to the location, but aren't necessarily the most obvious connection.

 

What are some teams that you don't personally root for, but maybe sometimes wish you could adopt the identity of as your own?

[-Akronite-]

Here's my highly improbable fantasy:

 

1) Oakland Athletics move to a new city. I'm not actually rooting for this because franchises moving is the most BS part of American sports, but anyway...

2) The franchise decides they want a fresh start/brand and come up with something city specific.

3) The Cleveland Indians, in need of a new identity that both doesn't suck (see: various Spider concepts, no offense to those that have tried!) and isn't controversial, buys the rights to the Athletics brand and continues the multi-city legacy of the fairly generic ID while sporting that gorgeous green and gold.

 

All ya gotta do is swap the "Oak" for "Cleve" on the roads and blammo. The Indians have a fine set of jerseys, but the colors are generic and the name will never shed its stigma. I am so jealous of how good the A's look while being unique in the MLB. So that's my answer. AND STICK WITH THE DARK GREEN PLEASE. Throwbacks are great, but keep em as throwbacks.

 

[FightingGoldenDevil]

I want the Northstars back

[ARTnSocal]

50 minutes ago, FightingGoldenDevil said:

I want the Northstars back

 

Loved the North Stars logo and uni's . . and getting to see Gump as the last goalie to go without a mask.

 

I would like to see Minnesota get the North Stars name, logo, colors, and history returned.  I just don't see that they've ever really reached an identity with the name 'WILD' ..

 

Also I miss when the home team wore white at home and each game you'd see different colors. They changed it in 2003 and it was initially supposed to only be for that one season, and here it is over 15+ years later and still .. 

 

I remember going to a Sabres home game in 1974, and the Los Angeles Kings came to town to play the Sabres at the Aud. LA looked so awesome with those purple mono uniforms and that bright yellow trim and crown logo.  Miss the Kings old look alot. 

 

 

 

[VancouverFan69]

3 hours ago, ARTnSocal said:

 

Loved the North Stars logo and uni's . . and getting to see Gump as the last goalie to go without a mask.

 

I would like to see Minnesota get the North Stars name, logo, colors, and history returned.  I just don't see that they've ever really reached an identity with the name 'WILD' ..

 

Also I miss when the home team wore white at home and each game you'd see different colors. They changed it in 2003 and it was initially supposed to only be for that one season, and here it is over 15+ years later and still .. 

 

I remember going to a Sabres home game in 1974, and the Los Angeles Kings came to town to play the Sabres at the Aud. LA looked so awesome with those purple mono uniforms and that bright yellow trim and crown logo.  Miss the Kings old look alot. 

 

 

 

 

I totally echo your sentiments. When the Kings ditched their royalty colours when Gretzky joined them in '88, they cost the NHL their one and only purple team. Purple and yellow-gold go as well together as the Sabres' original royal blue and yellow-gold  The Kings should wear their their classic purples as a full-time third, at least.

 

As for the Wild, the only thing they have going is their clever logo. That's it. The Wild is the worst name in the four major sports leagues. The Avalanche are the Avs. The Lightning are the Bolts. What are the Wild?? Because that franchise started in Minnesota, they should get the entire North Stars brand and history - '67-'93 - back. If MLB can have both the Red Sox and the White Sox, there should be no problem with both the Stars and North Stars. I would keep the Wild's current forest green and use the '81 template. Green and yellow-gold are a natural.

[Chawls]

Something something Jazz. Something something New Orleans. 

[El Scorcho]

I picked the Dolphins in 1994 because Dan Marino was in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and he was such a great player.

 

And while I have no real problems with the way the Dolphins choose to brand themselves in 2019, sometimes i'd love to support a team that wears something other than Aqua. I love the Bears identity and I think Bears are a cool animal.

[ColeJ]

"I mean, the Wild aren't my team... But I sure wish they were the Stars. That counts for this thread, right?"

[The_Admiral]

29 minutes ago, ColeJ said:

"I mean, the Wild aren't my team... But I sure wish they were the Stars. That counts for this thread, right?"

 

[SFGiants58]

3 hours ago, ColeJ said:

"I mean, the Wild aren't my team... But I sure wish they were the Stars. That counts for this thread, right?"

 

Just post this picture:

 

 

This is how your silence North Stars circlejerks. Speaking of which, I wished the Sharks looked this good:

 

 

This is how you balance a unique color with tasteful accenting shades.

 

Now, it’s vivesection time!

 

18 hours ago, VancouverFan69 said:

As for the Wild, the only thing they have going is their clever logo. That's it. The Wild is the worst name in the four major sports leagues. The Avalanche are the Avs. The Lightning are the Bolts. What are the Wild??

 

Well, they also have a fantastic color scheme and some top-notch uniform templates (even if they don’t match). Also, there are worse names, such as Heat, Jazz, Expos, Florida Panthers/Texas Rangers, Rays, and MOD EDIT for the Washington football and Cleveland baseball teams.

 

They’d be “Wildmen,” like how the Jazz are “Jazzmen” and the Magic are “Magicians.” It’s not amazing, but it works.

 

Heck, I can make an argument that Canucks is a worse name, because how they’ve had problems representing it. With Johnny it’d be OK, but even Johnny has had many non-lumberjack variations. Heck, I like Vancouver Orcas a lot!

 

Quote

Because that franchise started in Minnesota, they should get the entire North Stars brand and history - '67-'93 - back.

 

Aside from two Stanley Cup appearances nearly a decade apart, what “history” is there to celebrate? It’s not like the pre-Super Bowl Cleveland Browns.

 

Quote

If MLB can have both the Red Sox and the White Sox, there should be no problem with both the Stars and North Stars.

 

There’s a big grandfather clause on Red Sox/White Sox. Modern branding should avoid it at all cost. 

 

Quote

I would keep the Wild's current forest green and use the '81 template. Green and yellow-gold are a natural.

 

The 1981 template was garbage. White yokes always look terrible, and the bold striping did them no favors. There was literally one good North Stars uniform set, and even it pales in comparison to the Wild’s inaugural and modern uniforms:

 

 

In short, WILD FOREVER, NEO-NORTH STARS NEVER!

 

I like being a party pooper on North Stars circlejerks.

 

[Bruins]

I wish the New England Patriots looked like the Boston Patriots. Or the Chiefs.

[FightingGoldenDevil]

@SFGiants58Hope the Giants move and then butcher their look

[SFGiants58]

8 minutes ago, FightingGoldenDevil said:

@SFGiants58Hope the Giants move and then butcher their look

 

[FightingGoldenDevil]

1 minute ago, SFGiants58 said:

 

Maybe don't call Minnesotans wanting our old identity back a circle jerk

[SFGiants58]

Just now, FightingGoldenDevil said:

Maybe don't call Minnesotans wanting our old identity back a circle jerk

 

It’s not even Minnesotans I was complaining about. I get that y’all would want it back, especially if you were alive for and could remember their existence. I’m talking about the people from afar wanting it back. 

 

It’s important to look at nostalgia through a critical lense and ascertain if it truly holds up or if it’s propped up through rose-colored glasses or secondhand experience.

[FightingGoldenDevil]

That's fair. There's no reason a non-minnesotan would want it other than aesthetics which is mostly nostalgia.

 

Getting back to the topic.

 

I wish the Twins had the royals scheme. I've always liked how they look. Royal blue and powder is perfect for Minnesota.

[fizz]

As a native Ohioan and Buckeyes fan, it pains me to say but I secretly enjoy TTUN's all-white away uniforms. The combination of the dark helmet, balance of maize and blue, and white jerseys and pants together make this a good look. I'm jealous of the fact that the Buckeyes wouldn't pull off that same look nearly as well.

 

 

 

 

[AndrewMLind]

Nice photo! 

[sky1324]

While Charlotte doesn't have an MLB team, if we did, I hope it's the Royals (though without a move). The name and even colors (just switch the Royals blue to Process Blue) work perfectly for the Queen City, and I've always hoped we'd get a team that really ties into the Queen City nickname Charlotte has.

[infernoqueso]

As much as I want the Rays to stay in Tampa, part of me secretly wants them to move to Montreal so I can rock some Expos gear.