Brewers to have "Milwaukee" on roads?

[Gothamite]

I either forgot, or just noticed last night watching Brewers-Astros highlights, that Milwaukee is on the road sleeve. Of course, I think the front would be better, so it was nice to come here and see this today. Certainly more prominent and not as likely to slip my mind.

True.

Plus, it would free up the sleeve for the Beer Barrel Man.

[The_Admiral]

Sorry, but Grays would be the worst team name in North American sports if they used it. That's the most boring color in the world. It connotes bland, indecisive, old age, depression. I don't care what a Negro League team from Pittsburgh called itself. You can't sell "the Grays."

[BallWonk]

Sorry, but Grays would be the worst team name in North American sports if they used it. That's the most boring color in the world. It connotes bland, indecisive, old age, depression. I don't care what a Negro League team from Pittsburgh called itself. You can't sell "the Grays."

And yet the Twins and Mets continue to sell merchandise. Both of those names are as milquetoast as Grays when considered in the abstract. Fortunately, teams don't exist in the abstract; they exist in the particular, and so you absolutely could sell Grays as a team name.

[cappital92]

If Grays is a depressing and indecisive name, it only seems like the perfect name to the Nats right about now.

[The_Admiral]

Sorry, but Grays would be the worst team name in North American sports if they used it. That's the most boring color in the world. It connotes bland, indecisive, old age, depression. I don't care what a Negro League team from Pittsburgh called itself. You can't sell "the Grays."

And yet the Twins and Mets continue to sell merchandise. Both of those names are as milquetoast as Grays when considered in the abstract. Fortunately, teams don't exist in the abstract; they exist in the particular, and so you absolutely could sell Grays as a team name.

You're almost always right, but I refuse to go along with you on this one. Twins and Mets are abstract, yes, but at least have some connection to their respective cities. Not so for the Grays. I don't get why everyone is fawning over this idea of "the Washington Grays" because a Negro League team from Pittsburgh played some home games in Washington. It has little significant historical value and no intrinsic marketing value. Nobody cares about the Homestead Grays, so it would just be a celebration of the faded and dismal (insert Washington Nationals futility jokes here, there, everywhere). I sure wouldn't want to be from the "home of the Grays." I can't imagine it fitting Washington especially well, and I can't imagine it fitting anywhere well. Try to stick it in a rousing baseball fight song: "Meet the Grays! Meet the Grays. Step right up and greet the Grays!" It's like getting excited about oatmeal.

[Gothamite]

Some home games in Washington? More than "some."

I think you're missing the tremendous marketing and historical value of the Negro Leagues. Oh, to be that standard-bearer.

Besides, "Nationals" is hardly a rallying cry on its best day. About the least-inspiring patriotic-themed nickname out there.

[Jigga]

Sorry, but Grays would be the worst team name in North American sports if they used it. That's the most boring color in the world. It connotes bland, indecisive, old age, depression. I don't care what a Negro League team from Pittsburgh called itself. You can't sell "the Grays."

And yet the Twins and Mets continue to sell merchandise. Both of those names are as milquetoast as Grays when considered in the abstract. Fortunately, teams don't exist in the abstract; they exist in the particular, and so you absolutely could sell Grays as a team name.

You're almost always right, but I refuse to go along with you on this one. Twins and Mets are abstract, yes, but at least have some connection to their respective cities. Not so for the Grays. I don't get why everyone is fawning over this idea of "the Washington Grays" because a Negro League team from Pittsburgh played some home games in Washington. It has little significant historical value and no intrinsic marketing value. Nobody cares about the Homestead Grays, so it would just be a celebration of the faded and dismal (insert Washington Nationals futility jokes here, there, everywhere). I sure wouldn't want to be from the "home of the Grays." I can't imagine it fitting Washington especially well, and I can't imagine it fitting anywhere well. Try to stick it in a rousing baseball fight song: "Meet the Grays! Meet the Grays. Step right up and greet the Grays!" It's like getting excited about oatmeal.

O'er the laaand of the freeeeeeeeee, and the home...of the...Greyyyyyyyys!"

Who needs a silly baseball fight song? They'd have the motherfurking national anthem!

ASIDE: Seriously, "Meet the Mets" is the best you can do? That's not really living up to the TCR standard I've come to know and respect.

[The_Admiral]

Some home games in Washington? More than "some."

I think you're missing the tremendous marketing and historical value of the Negro Leagues. Oh, to be that standard-bearer.

Besides, "Nationals" is hardly a rallying cry on its best day. About the least-inspiring patriotic-themed nickname out there.

I like "Nats," though. Nats is good.

How many home games did the Homestead Grays play in Washington, then? I'm certainly not averse to a section of their park being dedicated to that chapter of Washington baseball, but to name the whole team for the Grays wouldn't work.

[Gothamite]

The Grays played half their home schedule in DC in the 1930s and 1940s. They belong to DC as much as they did to Pittsburgh.

[BallWonk]

The Grays played half their home schedule in DC in the 1930s and 1940s. They belong to DC as much as they did to Pittsburgh.

Exactly. Look, I like the name "Nationals" a lot. I like it a lot better than "Senators", actually. But the Grays are well known locally and form an increasingly beloved aspect of Washington's baseball heritage. The Grays won more pennants, and sent more players to the Hall of Fame, than the Senators. The Grays are a source of local pride.

Honestly, considered in the abstract, "Browns" is an even worse team name than "Grays". Yet I don't recall anyone arguing against giving the obviously and literally crap name "Browns" to the new NFL franchise in Cleveland. And for good reason: A name works or doesn't work because of the team and the community of fans, not because of the abstract qualities of the word itself.

[tBBP]

So how long 'til we see a Washington Grays concept pop up in the Concepts forum??????????????????

[grmuckrakers]

Sorry, but Grays would be the worst team name in North American sports if they used it. That's the most boring color in the world. It connotes bland, indecisive, old age, depression. I don't care what a Negro League team from Pittsburgh called itself. You can't sell "the Grays."

And yet the Twins and Mets continue to sell merchandise. Both of those names are as milquetoast as Grays when considered in the abstract. Fortunately, teams don't exist in the abstract; they exist in the particular, and so you absolutely could sell Grays as a team name.

You're kidding me, right? Mets is a great name! Twins, too! Now, Yankees, that's a dumbass name.

The debate reminds me of an article in Baseball Digest when I was a kid. The author rated all the team names. In a nutshell, if you were named after an animal -- especailly a bird -- he liked it! Everybody else, not so much.

I do think Mets is a great name. It would never get picked today for a new team, given the degree that merchandise is considered.

[jws008]

You're kidding me, right? Mets is a great name! Twins, too! Now, Yankees, that's a dumbass name.

You know I hate it when people resort to using language like that on this board!

[Of course, I'm referring to the team name mentioned after Twins, not "dumbass"]

[Jamikel]

Honestly, considered in the abstract, "Browns" is an even worse team name than "Grays". Yet I don't recall anyone arguing against giving the obviously and literally crap name "Browns" to the new NFL franchise in Cleveland. And for good reason: A name works or doesn't work because of the team and the community of fans, not because of the abstract qualities of the word itself.

Very true. As a kid, I never even though of the literal definition of abstract team names. A Met was someone who played baseball in New York and a Brown was someone who played football in Cleveland. And I still remember that lightbulb moment when I realized that the Lakers actually had something to do with lakes, instead of just being a name for basketball players who wore purple and gold.

And as for the original purpose of the thread, a switch to Milwaukee on the roads would make the Brewers' uniforms damn near perfect. I already love the uniform template and the beer font for the wordmarks. And the ball-in-glove makes a perfect alternate: It looks good (but not better than the current set, otherwise I would advocate a full-time switch.) It mixes up the look, but still has a familial resemblance with the blue and gold, and it just makes the team's identity a little more fun.

[The_Admiral]

That's what I like about ball-in-glove. It looks fun. Baseball should be fun.

[cappital92]

So how long 'til we see a Washington Grays concept pop up in the Concepts forum??????????????????

Well, I'm trying to work on a Washington Padres concept, but there's something I'm going to try now.

[Avalancho]

I'm in favor of it. But if they are to make tweaks (and not the complete overhaul I want), they shouldn't stop there:

Now THAT is a beauty... I remember in spring training I'm watching a Brewers game and they're wearing their batting practice jersey (navy with gold side panels) with their gray pants and I'm thinking how weird that combination looks and how cool they'd look with light blue pants (and light blue road jeresys, for that matter...)

I know many people around here don't agree, but I still believe that gray just don´t work for some teams... especially those with warm color schemes (i.e. some kind of yellow/gold) or different shades of blue (Royals, Rays, Blue Jays before the graphite era).