Ryan the Hockey Guy from the Rink Rats Podcast sits in for Jason with Ken to talk about the trademark denial, how to react, and what might eventually come of it all. Hosted by Ken Boehlke and Ryan the Hockey Guy.
- Introducing our fill in host.
- Ken believe human babies are the most useless being on the planet.
- Talking about owl pellets.
- Trademark talk!
- Ryan’s impassioned speech asking for fans to start watching hockey now.
- Ken jumps up on the soap box to tell people to stop being so mean to The Creator.
And much more…
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PhiSig150
Like usual solid podcast (took a little long to get the trademark) and look at that one of my comments was even discussed. Awesome. Even though I was ripped a new one by the guest host for my ignorance of the sport, although I do understand icing and offsides (who in their mid 30s didn’t play NHL 94 on SEGA). I still think you guys are missing the point. Foley hired rock stars for a front office (I’ll take your word for it) but why not for the marketing side? You’ve even bitched that it was grossly ignored. If this team is truly for (Las) Vegas why not let the locals decide how we refer to our (adopted for me) home town? Recent transplants seem indifferent while long time residents seem to hate simply “Vegas”. Let the city participate in the naming even if it’s force feeding us names Foley likes? Summer outside of baseball (Viva Los Doyers!) is sloooowwww for sports. The naming, if it was rolled out right, should have dominated sports talk, at least in this town (the supposed target market). Huge missed opportunity. People begrudge the Knight name to Foley (we know he deserves it) but could he have at least ponied up the money needed to drop the adjective or at the very least let us decide between Silver, Desert, and trademark pending? Can the NHL get their act together and let Foley vet some of the names he liked well ahead of time? Would any other league (has it happened?) let a name be announced and then weeks later have a trademark challenge? Is this why NHL games are on the Outdoor Network or whatever the hell it”s called? BOOOOO Bettman (see I’m learning). I think Foley needed a homerun with the name and ended up with a double (thanks to the logo otherwise it would have been a foul tip).
That being said I still respect Foley for his positions on public funding. I just think he could have put more money and effort into the name and branding. Maybe he doesn’t understand how our natural rivals are the Kings so Knights fails on so many levels (Side note can we get a Anti-Kings SinBin shirt soon). I don’t think you have to be an apologist for the man or constantly run to his defense. We get it. I’m grateful but he’s not beyond reproach or criticism. Name was bungled (logos not so much) time to (hopefully) move on. Not Jason did have one good idea. Can you give us some names for us newcomers to start scouting on other teams for the expansion draft? I did watch some Penguins to check out Fleury (then read it might have been a waste of time after all). Also hockey snobs (cough cough Ryan cough) embrace us newcomers and try not to be condescending and push us away. I was perfectly content obsessing over the Dodgers, Lakers, Broncos, and MMA. It’s your job (and Foley’s people) to sell me on why I should take divert my attention away from the those sports and spend some time with hockey and not my job (solely) to eradicate my hockey ignorance.
Ken Boehlke
You know we love you! I’ll answer everything in your two posts tomorrow. I promise.
PhiSig150
I know I ramble but I enjoy your site so indulge me. There’s a segment of the fanbase that are die hard hockey fans and say the “Name is inconsequential, we’re just happy to have hockey.” and will sign up no matter what. Then there is another segment of the fanbase that says “We’re just happy (Las) Vegas has a pro team and this is huge step for our city so I’ll support the team regardless of the name.” (I’m almost in this camp). To that I say “You sit on a throne of lies!!!” The name does matter. It’s our identity damn it. Don’t be so cavalier. AND I can prove the name does indeed matter. Imagine if Foley and the NHL got an offer from a sponsor that was soon lucrative (name your hypothetical amount) that it was impossible to turn down. Now imagine that sponsor was Tampax. Now go a step further and picture that as a condition for this ungodly sum of money they would make rain on the league and (Las) Vegas franchise that the name had to be the (Las) Vegas Tampons. Still not matter as long as we have pro sports/ we can see live hockey? Is Foley still a deity that can do no wrong? You ok with (heavy) red colors?
My point, although admittedly dumb and extreme, is there is some point, just based on the name/branding alone, exist a limit that even the most ardent hockey fan will not be on board with based solely on the name. So let’s not maybe be too quick (Ken) to completely chastise those of us who put so much emphasis on the importance of the name. Remember until we get real life players and there is actual hockey occurring on an ice surface (over a year from now) the name, colors, etc. are of the utmost importance and shouldn’t be so easily dismissed.
Ken Boehlke
Where to start? (Love your passion)
There is one thing I cannot agree with you more on, and that’s the fact that the hardcore hockey fans must be accepting of the new fans who want to be a part of the new organization. This needs to be an accepting fan base by all, there’s absolutely no excuse to push someone away for not liking the name or not getting the sport or whatever. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and they are entitled to enjoy the sport however little or lot they see fit for themselves.
Where my contention comes in and why I sound like such a Foley dick-rider (sorry, it’s the best way to describe it) is because to me it’s unacceptable to make things personal against him. You can hate the name, you can disagree with the marketing, but you have no right to attack the guy for loving the Army. Plus, people jumping all over the TM issue are likely ignorant. I’ve tried very hard to not be ignorant on the issue, and I’m still not there. I know a thousand times more than I did Wednesday, but there is no way in hell I can say I know how it’s going to turn out or that I know who is at fault for all this. Let’s wait and see the outcome before we crucify anyone over it.
Marketing has been a bit rough. Like I said in the podcast I have some understanding as to why, but it’s still not an excuse. I get that it’s an identity, but in the end it will all become insignificant if they have success. If the players are great on and off the ice, I think we would actually even come to accept the name tampons and I’d support that heavy red color with pride. (So gross, but I love the reference.)
All in all, I want to continue to make one thing as clear as I can. I am so grateful that every single person who visits this website does so and I never EVER intend on disrespecting anyone. If anything I’ve written or said should be apologized for I truly apologize. In the end, this is sports. It’s meant to be fun, and that’s all I’m trying to do here.
Viva Golden Knights
PhiSig150
I get what your saying to a point. Yes at some point harping on the name that’s not going to change becomes beating a dead horse. But we also need some time and a venue to vent. You’ve given us all that. I also respect the fact that you’ve changed your position on the matter slightly. I’m ready to move on.
For the most part from what I’ve read and listened to Foley has done a pretty good job outside of the naming and deserves the benefit of the doubt. He seems like a pretty solid guy. I haven’t read any comment on this site that was particularly out of line with regards to criticizing Foley (certainly not by myself). I’m not on twitter so it may be much worse over there. I don’t know. You could benefit from dialing down your cultish devotion to “the Creator” a few notches. He hasn’t gotten to Dr. Jerry Buss god status quite yet. Give him time he may one day. I’m officially ceasing my rants against the name. Luckily I can buy hats, shirts, sweatshirts, and eventually jerseys with a logo I enjoy and I’m free to refer to them as the Las Vegas Knights if I please. I’m now ready for hockey.
What might be helpful for new comers to get better acquainted with the game and prepped for the upcoming season are the following suggestions:
– Breakdown of the players on the other teams that the Knights have realistic shot of being able to select in the expansion draft with a quick blurb of the significant players’ pros and cons.
-A position by position ranking (5?, 10?) of players that might be drafted by the Knights with explanations on how each player might fit into the long term vision of the franchise.
– A primer for the entry draft with breakdowns of players that the Knights might draft.
-A weekly What to Watch podcast segment or article with games for us to tune into that highlights players all hockey fans should know, players to scout for the expansion draft, or a specific facet of the game that a particular team excels at.
-An article or podcast segment on important hockey lingo.
-A regular podcast devoted to hockey newcomers
-A weekly mailbag article we can submit questions to.
-Identifying our initial rival ( Kings? Ducks?) and make a Sin Bin shirt slamming team.
Just some ideas. Love the site almost as much as you love Foley ( I’m not sure if I love even my own children as much as you love Foley). Also when is Jason coming back to the podcast? He’s the perfect counterpoint to you. Not Jason is kind of a jerk.
JMO
Ok I listened.
I agree where the name goes anyone knows.
Why is the media big on bad press and low key on good (new hires), easy we all love gossip.
Why however is the name change a big topic quite frankly that is all on Foley, he went with what he wanted (fine fine) most people did not like that and now he is paying for it. If he Announced Desert Knights that night there would still be the odd hater from other teams but his own fan base attacking their name so much, very bad.
Good pod, keep up the good work and btw Mary Clarke(sp?) from sbnation wrote that article about 1 hr after a dude tweeted the decision and she visited the uspto and grabbed the document, easy to do and wrote an article in 30 minutes. She then seemingly took all the credit for breaking the story, what else is new in journalism lol
Ken Boehlke
Really?!? Can you find me that tweet?
berri
Ken, I noticed Mary at sbnation seemed to take credit when she wasn’t the first to discover it too. Look at @amazonmotoring Dec 7th that account tweets @gogoldemknights at 5:12 the news the tm was rejected about 35 minutes later Mary Clarke tweets out that dudes tweet he sent the school and says ” that’s so NHL” . About 40 minutes after that she published the story including the info that dudes link at USPTO lead to. So Mary Clarke should have been clear how she found out maybe but is that a big deal even?
JMO
Berri is right on, not a copy and paste expert but here is the time line basically in three tweets. The second tweet Mary did not retweet @amazonmotoring, rather she tweeted but quoted him so this is her just finding out about it roughly 35 minutes after it was tweeted to the school by AmazonMotoring. The third tweet is her “breaking” the story on sbnation, time stamped 34 minutes after her initial tweet of the news AmazonMotoring broke. Now I am not sure what protocol is but this lady soaked up the attention big time for breaking that story. Even tweeted am I accepted in Hockey news now and will I get a parody account. All the power to her but maybe you can comment on that Ken, not my field.
AmazonMotoring
@AmazonMotoring
@sports8 @YahooSports @TSN_Sports @USArmy @armygk @gogoldenknights
http://tsdr.uspto.gov/documentviewer?caseId=sn87147239&docId=OOA20161207114432#docIndex=0&page=1 … USPTO rejects VegasGoldenKNights TM application
Retweets
7
Likes
3
5:12 PM – 7 Dec 2016
Mary Clarke
@marycclarke
Mary Clarke Retweeted AmazonMotoring
This is… so NHL
Mary Clarke added,
AmazonMotoring @AmazonMotoring
@sports8 @YahooSports @TSN_Sports @USArmy @armygk @gogoldenknights
http://tsdr.uspto.gov/documentviewer?caseId=sn87147239&docId=OOA20161207114432#docIndex=0&page=1 … USPTO rejects VegasGoldenKNights TM application
Likes
3
5:47 PM – 7 Dec 2016
Mary Clarke
@marycclarke
How the NHL didn’t get this settled BEFORE the reveal is bonkers
http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2016/12/7/13879416/vegas-golden-knights-trademark-application-denied-bill-foley-nhl-expansion?utm_campaign=marycclarke&utm_content=chorus&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Retweets
22
Likes
19
6:21 PM – 7 Dec 2016