Nordiques or Expos?

[IceCap]

This is taking a weird political turn. Back to sports, please.

The politics of Quebec directly tie into whether or not the Expos are coming back.

[Soarindude]

This is taking a weird political turn. Back to sports, please.

The politics of Quebec directly tie into whether or not the Expos are coming back.

American politics is what I am assuming he was talking about.

[Gothamite]

True, but Mock shut that down three days ago. What's the point of bumping a thread just to repeat what a moderator already said?

[Soarindude]

True, but Mock shut that down three days ago. What's the point of bumping a thread just to repeat what a moderator already said?

Not really bumping a thread if I was responding to a post from a post posted one hour before mine...

[wonderbread]

He's talking about tigers

[Lee.]

It's even less classic than the ball in glove.

I am no lover of the ball in glove, but at least that logo achieves what it sets out to do.

It's an "m" combined with a "b" in the shape of a baseball glove. The letters are clear and unmistakeable. You can say it's overly cute, you can say it's a relic of its time, but you can't say that it's confusing. It reads precisely as intended. Some people don't see the letters right away in favor of the glove, but once pointed out nobody can help but see them every time.

The Expos logo, on the other hand, is a bloody mess. It's supposed to look like an "M", but doesn't. The muddy silhouette, moreover, is clearly comprised of a distinctive and unmistakeable "e", "l", and "b". Which was not the intended effect.

So no, I don't think the two can really be compared, except in as much as I'm not a fan of either. But one is clear in its design and successful in its execution, and the other one is the Expos logo.

You have successfully convinced me to go out this weekend and find an Expos cap in 7 3/8 ASAFP.

[GraysonColtsBoy]

Expos. All the way. 1994:Best team in baseball. Did you know that Randy Johnson started his career with Les Expos?

[CubsFanBudMan]

Les was a great catcher. For a while, Randy would only throw to him. Then there was an unfortunate fungo accident, and Les' career was over. Around the same time, a group trying to bring a major league team to Canada heard about Les' dream cut short, and decided if they got that baseball team they'd name it in his honor. Randy never forgot that. The rest is history.

[Tigers6884]

Expos. All the way. 1994:Best team in baseball. Did you know that Randy Johnson started his career with Les Expos?

He's one of my favorite all time players. Too bad Nolan Ryan didn't straighten out the Big Unit's pitching mechanics until he had already been traded to Seattle.

[NJTank]

Why does everyone lump Randy Johnson into big stars the Expos traded? When he was dealt he was the prospect and they thought Mark Langston was a final piece for a championship. They faiuled to re-sign Langston and the 1989 Expos did not go anywhere, but when the deal was made they were in a penant race and Langston was the vet witha pedigree.

[FiddySicks]

The thing that I find most interesting about this debate is that it kinda shows that Major League Baseball is the only one of the four major sports that is essentially tapped out when it comes to where they can put teams. The NFL obviously has Los Angeles, the NHL has Quebec, and the NBA has Seattle. There really isn't a single city in North America (That I can think of, anyway) that would be better for any team than where they currently are. Sure Oakland has problems, but a move to San Jose would essentially be within the same market (Hell, Sacramento wouldn't be too huge of a stretch either for that matter), and Tampa's problems mainly stem from playing all the way out in a basketball dome in St. Pete.

I'd love to see a two team expansion in baseball because expansion is always exciting. But realistically where is there a market that would work better, or even just as well, as what they currently have?

[The_Admiral]

You're right. Baseball demands the most of any sport: the most ticket sales, the largest satellite fanbases, the most minor-league affiliates, the most financial independence. You also need to build a venue that, unlike a multi-purpose arena, has to sit vacant for about 280 days a year. The small schedule, national TV, and revenue sharing allow the NFL to have 32 teams in cities that could never hack it in the other leagues. Canadian cities can punch well above their weight with the NHL. But I try to imagine big-league baseball in New Orleans, Jacksonville, Buffalo, or Salt Lake City and I see unmitigated disasters. Even San Antonio and Portland, my two picks, feel dicey to me. Austin is enticing, but even that feels doomed by the long shadow of UT.

And then you're Johnny Baseballseed planting AAA, AA, High-A, A, Short Season A, Rookie League teams everywhere for the two franchises. Then where do you go? We are tapped.

[rams80]

You're right. Baseball demands the most of any sport: the most ticket sales, the largest satellite fanbases, the most minor-league affiliates, the most financial independence. You also need to build a venue that, unlike a multi-purpose arena, has to sit vacant for about 280 days a year. The small schedule, national TV, and revenue sharing allow the NFL to have 32 teams in cities that could never hack it in the other leagues. Canadian cities can punch well above their weight with the NHL. But I try to imagine big-league baseball in New Orleans, Jacksonville, Buffalo, or Salt Lake City and I see unmitigated disasters. Even San Antonio and Portland, my two picks, feel dicey to me. Austin is enticing, but even that feels doomed by the long shadow of UT.

And then you're Johnny Baseballseed planting AAA, AA, High-A, A, Short Season A, Rookie League teams everywhere for the two franchises. Then where do you go? We are tapped.

You'd have to raid Indy League markets by the end, but there is space for two more farm systems.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Speaking of, Indianapolis could support a baseball team, yeah? All those 4H convention attendees could use a fun, family-friendly diversion.

[The_Admiral]

I think they tried, and the Cubs, Sox, Cardinals, and Reds all made it known Indianapolis wasn't welcome. Of course, the city has grown since then, but still. It's nothing that enthuses me, I know that much.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

For sure. Indianapolis seems like the khaki pants of American big cities.

[The_Admiral]

Indianapolis seems like a Republican's idea of a good big city.

[Tigers6884]

Indianapolis seems like a Republican's idea of a good big city.

Or somewhere in Alabama.

[Gothamite]

He said "big city".

Tourists and visitors aren't any better a fanbase than a transient population. "Lots of people come to town for events" doesn't mean it's a good place to put a team.