The NFL opener is a week away, MLB’s playoff race is just ramping up, and the NHL opener is still 40 days. This is known as the dark days of sports. If you’re not a seamhead, then these days are incredibly boring. I even caught Ken watching the MTV VMA’s. Luckily, college football continues Thursday giving us something to wet our beak.
My theory is during slow, summer days with barely any sports news of substance, the public overreacts to small news. Like the way outsiders are losing their minds on NameGate 2016. Trademarked names are creating a major stir on Twitter, TSN, and Reddit. If it were mid-September, October, or November most people wouldn’t give a damn. Rumored names would be a quick blurb in most people’s feed, but with a light sports menu of August 30th, the lack of a name is now #Trending.
In Las Vegas the climate is much different. Fans get excited every day when they click on SinBin.vegas and read about a new rumored name. It’s a fun, daily conversation Las Vegans are having online, at the gym, or at the Golden Steer. Whatever name The Creator selects will be widely popular in Las Vegas, eventually. But no matter which name is picked, once the logo is designed, colors are picked, and jerseys are stitched, they won’t be able to keep the apparel on the shelves.
So my friends in Las Vegas ignore the dickhead Deadspin columns. We have a team now. Its name and logo will be revealed sooner rather than later. Local fans will embrace The Creator’s final choice, but outside the 702 it’ll be mocked. Get used to it, they’ll have 400 days to get onboard. Whether it’s Knights, Nights, Hawks, Tigers, Whales, Turtles, or unknowns, we’re just happy we’ve got hockey.
Rob
Well said brah!. Although, I’m still not sure it will be any of these trade marks that have been revealed over the past week. I feel like foley has a surprise up his sleeve.
Chris Neill
I agree I don’t think its anything Knights or Hawks I think he wants everybody to think its going to be some kind of Knights or Hawks I think he has a surpise of his sleave.
Jason
Glad you guys agree. It’s about the team, the sport, the entertainment. Frankly, I still hope they choose to be the Las Vegas Neon. But I doubt that happens.
Michael
Everyone will indeed adjust, and if they knock the logo and colors out of the park for Desert Knights or Silver Knights, it will still be iconic.
I do think Foley is going with a form of Knights. I don’t just say that because of the trademarks, but because of he quote where he said he had a whole culture worked out around Black Knights that he wishes the people of Vegas could have seen, and I think he is just going to switch that same ‘grand idea’ to whichever other form of Knights he uses.
I wish he had gone with a fan vote, but seeing how many thousands of names have been suggested at this point, from Polar Bears to Nightjars to Owls to Strippers to Lights to Nights to Neon, maybe he just figures he can’t please everyone (though he could, if he had talked the National Hypocrisy League into Aces).
Michael
Further to the above, I think that Foley’s West Point tribute is not just about the name, but clearly about the values he had instilled there, and my guess is that he sees a knight as a personification of those values – not just the nickname of the school – as a knight is a warrior (like those in the army) who is also expected to manifest a certain kind of nobility, in theory.
I think he was telling the basic truth (give or take the number of Knight names if Sand Knights is for real) a few weeks ago, when he said something along the lines of:
“Knight will be in there somewhere (ie, Desert, Silver, or Golden) but we have a bird we could go with too (Night/Red/Desert Hawk).
Michael
Put another way, Foley absolutely would have called this franchise the Black Knights if there had been no push back from West Point. The name and the colors were at one point pretty much ‘non-negotiable’. I just don’t see how he gives up on Knights that easily, UNLESS Adidas and NHL basically veto it, which I doubt.
Rob
Fans want Scorpions or Outlaws. Should look into it Mr.Foley sir, I think the fans have something there.
Has for knights I can understand why he wants it. But just does not go.
Think it’s Sand, Desert, Silver, Golden and Neon Knights register and back up name being the Night hawks is that right?
A Fan
I’ve mentioned for some time on here that I think Mr. Foley is going to surprise us with the name, and all of these ‘leaks’ were just to throw us all off. I think he is owed a $500M surprise. And personally I’m not a fan of any of the Knights/Nights names, I’d like it to be Mustangs or maybe Scorpions or Aces. Peregrins is unique, but don’t think it will make it. And before others chime in that the Scorpions & Aces are out, remember, I’m saying I think it will be a surprise name so nothings really out, except hopefully the Black Knights. We’ll all find out in about a month.
James
@Michael
‘Further to the above, I think that Foley’s West Point tribute is not just about the name, but clearly about the values he had instilled there, and my guess is that he sees a knight as a personification of those values – not just the nickname of the school – as a knight is a warrior (like those in the army) who is also expected to manifest a certain kind of nobility, in theory.’
You just made a very valid point. My counter-argument would be: The length of name. Army Black Knights works better than Las Vegas Black Knights. facebook is more aesthetically pleasing than thefacebook
Dare I suggest that Mr. Foley is out of touch with the millennial generation regarding this matter. The millennials will be buying the most merchandise. His heart seems in right place, but what’s more important good old fashioned values or merchandise sales? Scorpions may not have good old fashioned values like Knights, but might sell more. I get the impression that Mr. Foley is leaving money on the table.
Michael
@James,
I agree with you for sure – my point was just that I doubt Foley is playing the old bait and switch, but that he really is going to name it Something-Knights. I wish he would have a bit more imagination, and I hope I am wrong, but I think he is in love with the name.
James
@A Fan
I think that’s wishful thinking. Time is running out to trademark names and produce merchandising before Frozen Fury. I would be shocked if it’s not Desert, Silver or Golden Knights. Sand has an outside chance if trademarked
Todd Little
Any of those names are fine (although like a lot of you guys really hoping Foley has a surprise up his sleeve and these are all just red herrings) – fans/press etc. are going to shortened it to Knights when talking or writing about the team anyways so whether it’s Desert, Silver or Golden it’s not that big of a deal.
Todd Little
good take on things Jason. Whatever the name is, if people don’t like it at first it will grow on them later. When I first heard the names Wild and Blue Jackets I thought they were awful. I still don’t think they are that good but I’ve grown accustomed to them and they don’t bother me (or most other people) anymore.
Annoyed Hockey Fan
Are you serious? Or just jealous you keep getting scooped?
Is it all speculation from everyone? Absolutely.
Does that mean they have nothing better to do? Absolutely not.
Are you trying to alienate everyone else in the hockey world before you even have a roster?
Grow up and do your job instead of shitting on other people who love hockey enough to care about more than their own team(s).