North American Football Association (NAFA) - Team #2: California Quails

[eagle98]

I have been following these boards for a couple years now, and I have come across some pretty amazing fictional football leagues. I am posting my own league, the North American Football Association (NAFA). My design skills have improved since I created the first logos for the league, but I am still an amateur and appreciate any feedback to help improve my skills. My tools for creating logos were Paint and MS Word. The teams are as follows:

Boston Breakers (Boston, MA)

California Quails (San Francisco, CA)

Colorado Centennials (Denver, CO)

DC Eagles (Washington, DC)

Florida Storm (Jacksonville, FL)

Mexico City Aztecs (Mexico City, Mexico)

Montreal Snowies (Montreal, QC)

Omaha Locomotives (Omaha, NE)

Texas Thunderbirds (Austin, TX)

Vancouver Tigers (Vancouver, BC)

Winnipeg Loons (Winnipeg, MB)

Wisconsin Robins (Milwaukee, WI)

I will post the logos and uniforms in roughly alphabetical order. Be forewarned, however; there are some rather nontraditional designs to follow.

Again, C & C much appreciated.

[eagle98]

Team #1: Boston Breakers

History: The Boston Breakers were founded as the Oklahoma Sharks and began play in the NAFA's inaugural season. After two years, they moved east, where they played as the Maryland Bears for two more years. They again relocated, this time to Boston, where they played one season as the Boston Minutemen before rebranding as the Breakers. They have had very limited success, with their only winning season coming in 2009, when they finished 4-3 before losing in the first round of the playoffs.

The Breakers name was taken from the short-lived USFL team of the 80's. However, the logos were designed by me. The colors are aqua and indigo. Aqua is for the water (Massachusetts is the Bay State), and I believe the indigo is the same shade used on the United States flag.

Primary logo:

Wordmark:

Home uniform:

Away uniform:

Helmet:

C & C is much appreciated.

[jaxon#08]

You need to get a way better template

[DS729]

These have promise, but lack the "flair" you normally see out of most designers on this forum. I haven't followed these threads that long, but compared to leagues like the MLF or GP's NFL 40 series, these simply don't stand out and look flat out boring. I'm not trying to shoot your dreams down and I see where you are going. But there are lots of ways you can improve these.

You need to get a way better template

Agreed.

[oaklandhusker]

Working from Paint as you say you were, these are very good. Everything is nice and uniform.

[hugevolsfan]

Really good work in paint I think you have a good start just keep working &see if maybe you can get another template with some different views.

[generalshepherd141]

The jersey is ugly. Make it not with giant waves on it and then you might get my approval.

[KCScout76]

eagle98 -

Holy Cow, people are brutal. But that's ok, I like your concept. The template is fine, I've used it before. When you start using some of the better graphic programs, then you can use the better templates, however you have a fine start - don't let anyone discourage you. You will get positive and lots of negative feedback, just go with your gut and listen to suggestions.

I like the Boston concept, I know you are using an Old USFL team name, but isn't the purpose to use your "original" ideas? Carry on young man - I like the direction your going.

[KCScout76]

Montreal Snowies (Montreal, QC)

Omaha Locomotives (Omaha, NE)

Texas Thunderbirds (Austin, TX)

Very cool names, I am looking forward to the Snowies logo and concept. Locomotive, very original - love it!

Texas Thunderbirds - friggin' cool name, I lived in Austin, so I am excited about this one!

[Joke Insurance]

I would have thought that the Colorado Centennials play in Centennial Colorado. The Vancouver Tigers sounds pretty generic. Other than those two, the rest of the nicknames are very good!

[Joester09]

The BostonBreakers are a Womens Soccer Team

[eagle98]

Boston Breakers Update #1

Thank you to all who responded. By popular request, I transferred the uniforms to a new template. I also slightly tweaked the wordmark.

The jersey is ugly. Make it not with giant waves on it and then you might get my approval.

I realize that the jersey is very nontraditional. However, taking the waves off would result in a fairly bland uniform. My goal with these concepts is to think outside the box of normal football uniforms.

Logos:

Home uniform (Click here for full resolution):

Away uniform (Click here for full resolution):

The next team will be the California Quails. Below is my first sketch of the package. Should I try to refine the logo or go in a different direction?

C & C much appreciated.

[jaxon#08]

No love the logo for the quails. Great update for the Breakers.

[JoHyphenE]

The template update is a major upgrade. The jersey looks good, but the NOB is a little small. Also, the jersey is missing a manufacturer, not sure if that was intended or not, but all in all the set looks nice.

The Quails' logo is a good start, I'd keep it and just clean it up around the edges.

[HighNoon23]

Cool concepts keep it up.

[eagle98]

The template update is a major upgrade. The jersey looks good, but the NOB is a little small. Also, the jersey is missing a manufacturer, not sure if that was intended or not, but all in all the set looks nice.

Thanks. I will make the NOB's larger in future concepts. Also, good eye about the manufacturer's mark. That omission was intentional.

[DS729]

Great job with the template adjustment, not quite feeling the quails but I probably can warm up to it

[eagle98]

Team #2: California Quails

History: The California Quails were founded by Griffin Hartigan as one of the league's original teams. They were originally slated to play in Tulsa, OK as the Oklahoma Scissor-Tails. However, when the owner of the California Sharks franchise left San Francisco for nearby Oklahoma City shortly before the beginning of the season, a new home had to be found for the Scissor-Tails. Hartigan moved his team to San Francisco and rechristened them the California Buntings. They finished 6-1 in their first season but went on to lose to the Washington Cardinals in the first round of the playoffs. They compiled a 3-4 record in 2008 but made the playoffs, losing to the Washington Cardinals again. In 2009 and 2010, they missed the playoffs at 2-5 and 1-6 respectively. They were rebranded as the California Quails in 2011, during which they made the playoffs with a 5-3 record before losing in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual NAFA champion DC Eagles team. 2012 saw a disappointing 3-8 record and a 3rd place finish in the Pacific division. Much of their staff is new for the 2013, including veteran coach Martin Walsh and quarterback Valentin Leyser, who is in his 16th year playing football.

The California Quail is the state bird or California, so the name is a double entendre, like the Baltimore Orioles . The uniforms feature the iconic Golden Gate Bridge on the sleeves and pants, which was partly inspired by an old SF 49ers concept by theSpungo. The colors of blue-gray and gold are both featured in the quail's plumage.

Logos:

Home uniform (Click here for full resolution):

Away uniform (Click here for full resolution):

C&C is much appreciated.

[kevsim1]

I`d darken both colors a tad, but maybe that`s just me.

[DS729]

Ahh my eyes! Your blue-gray is way too bright, if you clean that up it's good.