People can hate the name, people can hate the missing Las in calling the team Vegas, people can even hate the design of the logo, but one recurring comment that needs to stop is people saying the logo is not a Knight helmet.
The @GoldenKnights logo is a Spartan helmet, not a knight’s helmet.
— Matt Shaffer (@mshaffer) November 23, 2016
Anyone else notice that the #vegasgoldenknights logo is a Spartan helmet and not a Knight helmet. Someone failed hard #Fail
— JoK3R HaZE (@JessDonovan8) November 23, 2016
I’m pretty sure this is a Spartan helmet…not a Knight helmet pic.twitter.com/Rt0w9nfbwl
— Anthony Contillo (@AContillo_90) November 23, 2016
And it goes on and on and on. Here’s a fact for each and every one of them, it is a Knight helmet.
The style of helmet is called a “barbute”and it was commonly worn by knights in the 15th century, usually near Italy. Most of these helmets had either a T or a Y shape for the knights nose and eyes. With the Vegas Golden Knights, it’s a V for obvious reasons.
Most barbute helmets have a arch shape that goes over the center of the helmet just like the one in the Golden Knights logo. The design was meant to strengthen the helmet without adding much extra weight.
It’s a variation of a much more commonly seen helmet known as a sallet. The difference is the barbute does not have a visor.
Why am I telling you all of this? Because we have this thing called the Internet, and it has the ability to keep you from looking like a jackass. Just because you watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail, played Assassin’s Creed, or found yourself participating in LARP with your other nerdy friends, it does not mean you know the difference between a Corinthian style Spartan helmet and a barbute Knight helmet.
Yes, the Golden Knights logo does look like the one King Leonidas wore in the movie 300. Yes, it looks like the one Boba Fett wore in Star Wars. And yes, it does resemble the Michigan State Spartans. But don’t Orioles and Cardinals and Blue Jays and Hawks and Eagles and Ravens all kind of look the same to the untrained eye?
End this madness! This is Vegas! And this is a damn Knight helmet!
Tom
You forgot Magneto. It looks like his helmet too. All jokes aside, I wouldn’t know a Spartan helmet from a Knights helmet and what does it matter anyways? Neither have anything to do with our city or our state for that matter, so it’s not like we need to shoot for authenticity. We got what we got. It is what it is. We’ve all got our gripes but it’s time to embrace what is ours and get over it, myself included.
James
On further reflection. It’s not the best but it’s not the worst logo. The thing that seems a bit weird to me is that red isn’t on the primary logo, but will be on the uniform. I like the secondary logo in its own right.
Not sure what to make of Vegas instead of Las Vegas. I championed Golden Knights for superficial reasons. You can loosely connect golden to Las Vegas.
sparky chewbarky
Technically, you’re right Ken, but I guess that most of us, when we imagine the classical, chivalrous, noble Knight, think of the visored, plumed helmet.
I just don’t get why, with all of the various shield shapes out there, they went with the L.A. Kings’ shield (almost exactly).
James
@Ken Boehlke
I can see where people are coming from. If you didn’t know the team name, would you guess Spartans or Knights? The barbute resembles classical Greek helmets. A “barbute” isn’t the first helmet that comes to mind when you hear ‘knight’
Ancient Greeks used bronze, while most barbutes were constructed of steel. I think it would look more like a knight’s helmet if it was steel grey instead of steel grey and gold.
Ken Boehlke
There’s only one way to change pop culture. Hopefully the children of Las Vegas will think of the barbute helmet when they hear the word Knight.
I agree on the coloring of it. But I see why they did what they did.
A Fan
Looks like there used to be a soccer team here called the Las Vegas Knights. Here is a link to their Twitter account which hasn’t been used in 2 years, so I’m assuming they no longer exist? https://twitter.com/lvknights
A Fan
Same thing with their Facebook, hasn’t been updated since Dec 2014 and their website is no longer up.
https://www.facebook.com/lvknights
http://lvksoccer.com
RJ
The logos are fine. I am so incredibly furious over the name I don’t even care about the logos.
Billy Lewis
For those of you commenting on the coloring, it has to do with the owner’s Alma Mater. William Foley graduated from West Point in 1967. West Point cadet colors are black / gray / and gold and the mascot is the Black Knight. Also, the Academy crest contains Athena’s helmet. I would surmise, just as the colors are a tip to his days at the Academy, the logo itself is also a nod.
Joe Knight
Not a Knight helmet ! Thats magnetos helmet !!!