The New Blue Jays Logo

A horribly kept secret of the last couple years has finally been leaked and the Blue Jays new/old logo has come to light. We all knew it was coming; it was just a matter of when. The design is just new enough to look different, and just traditional enough to invoke the nostalgia of the glory years. In my opinion the Blue Jays have "hit a home run" (zing!) with this design. It essentially is the old logo that everyone loves, but touched up just enough to make it look like it wasn't designed 40 years ago. For comparioson's sake, here are the two logos side by side (courtesy uni watch).

The new bird kinda looks like the old bird went on a diet.

The Blue Jays can expect merchandise sales to go through the roof if this really is the new logo. One, because it is great, and two, because suckers like me will get nostalgic for the current logo that nobody even likes and start buying the current merchandise.

Now the question is; what will the new uniforms look like? Standard white and greys obviously, but I am really hoping they make a royal blue alternate (or whatever shade of blue that new logo is set upon).

http://www.uni-watch.com/

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The end of Tim and Sid: Uncut

Well, after an all too brief run, my favourite podcast on the internet (and thus, my favourite radio show) has come to an end. Tim and Sid: Uncut is no more, and it kind of sucks.

I almost felt it was coming though, so on Friday, when I saw that it was the last podcast, I wasn't that shocked. I think with the end of The Score on Sirius the writing was on the wall. The show had been stripped down in its return, and it was pretty clear something was up.

Also, on the second to last show, Tim and Sid were hinting at a big announcement, only to claim the big announcement was a short show due to Tim having to do an NFL show. I thought it seemed fishy, and it really sounded like there was something afoot, much bigger than a short show.

I saw a tweet on Friday afternoon from, what I think was a trustworthy source, but in searching for the tweet again, I can't find it anymore. So either I was seeing things, or somebody said something they weren't supposed to. What I recall it saying was that Tim and Sid would be gone until December, at which point they would return to radio, this time on The Fan 590 in Toronto.

Now, Tim and Sid coming back is obviously what the masses demand, but them coming back on standard, terrestrial radio will obviously mean some changes. Principally, Sid won't be able to use such flowery language to make his points (censorship fuck), but if anybody were actually listening because of the cursing, they're an idiot.

Tim and Sid coming to The Fan 590 does make alot of sense. The Fan has been shuffling it's lineup for a couple years now, looking to adapt to the new sports media market, and Tim and Sid do easily what the establishment has been trying to do for years now. Namely, connect with young people, and integrate social media into radio and television.

While the Fan's most pressing need is in the morning (Brady and Lang are like radio cancer) I think Tim and Sid's style (especially the twitter interaction) works best in the afternoon. People aren't tweeting funny one-liners at 7 in the morning. A Tim and Sid show leading into Bob McCown's PTS would be huge for The Fan.

Of course, should Tim and Sid go to TSN Radio, they should have their pick of the litter for time slots. There is NOBODY as established, but more importantly as GOOD, as Tim and Sid on TSN Radio. They could put up a much better fight against PTS than the incredibly cheesily titled "Cybulski and Co.".

Tim and Sid have the kind of on-air chemistry that is incredibly rare to find, and whatever network they take their talents to will come out a huge winner. And whenever they come back on the air, us listeners will be winners.

Thankfully the Tony Kornheiser show is back on regular programming to fill this void left in my iPod.


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Hockey pre-season, NHL 12 and Uniform Talk

 The Leafs looked good in their first pre-season game. Plan the parade!

Now that the obligatory, sarcastic Leaf comment is out of the way, the team did look good. I am not going to make any more analysis than that, but it was still just nice to have hockey back.

NHL 12 has arrived, and as I usually do, I caved in and bought it. Yes, its basically the exact same game as the past 3 or 4 years, but I just couldn't resist the novelty of buying the first NHL game with the Winnipeg Jets since NHL 95.

One thing that really bothers me about the franchise, and always has, is alot of the simple cosmetic touches. Pre-game intros have looked the exact same for several years now. Post game victory celebrations still look the same. Changing canned animations like goals and wins seems like a no-brainer, and a really easy way to make a game seem more updated. Yet EA refuses (or is simply just too lazy) to come up with new ones.

I am really getting into the "Be a Pro" mode this year though. The ability to sim to your next shift is huge for making the mode more playable. Nobody likes sitting on the bench in real life, never mind in a videogame, so taking that out of the game is huge.

It is also really disappointing to see that the new Winnipeg Jets jerseys still aren't in the game. I had NHL 11, and by the time the first jersey update was released, I had long since gotten bored of the game. I fear this update might take just as long. I usually get bored of the NHL games by the time the regular season gets going for real. It would be nice to get some games in with the Jets wearing something other than their hideous 1980's era uniform. I can't understand why EA included those unis and not the much better looking 1990's era sweater. That sweater would fit right in in today's NHL, and be one of the best looking ones to.

On to a pair of recently leaked third sweaters. The Senators and Maple Leafs both had their unveilings ruined by the Sabres arena store, and it confirms what most people have known for a while now. The Senators will be wearing a "throw back" looking uniform with thick black and red hoops, while the Maple Leafs will be wearing a 1967 inspired blue sweater.

As a Maple Leaf fan, I am a bit jealous here. The Senators jersey looks amazing, but I am quite underwhelmed by the Leafs sweater. The Sens sweater is something they have been sorely missing for over a decade. Namely, a GOOD sweater. Ever since Ottawa introduced their '3D' head logo, with the red and black, wavy stripe jersey, they have consistently been one of the ugliest teams in the league, so it is great that somebody in Ottawa has gotten a clue and made a jersey that looks distinctive and classic.

The Leafs jersey, while directly taken from the Leafs once glorious past (and it may still grow on me, particularly once I see it in action), is very boring looking. Though I think my reaction may have a bit to do with the fact that this sweater will be replacing one of, if not the best sweater in the entire league. The white, 36-point Maple Leaf sweater that Toronto has worn for about the last decade was hockey personified. I dont think there was a person on this earth who didn't agree that it was one of the best sweaters in the league. So, considering that, this sweater has a lot to live up to. I am happy to see the Leafs embracing the 67 era logo though. One thing about the Leafs I really like is the unique fact that they have, essentially, three different logos that are all immediately recognizable as symbols of the Maple Leafs organization (to hockey fans anyway).



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Jets Finally Unveil New Sweaters

They finally did it. The Winnipeg Jets have finally unveiled their jerseys sweaters for their NHL return, and predictably, the fan response is luke warm. The first complaint I see a lot is that they're too plain. They look too much like a million other sweaters around the league (CBJ, FLA, PIT, NSH, STL). Basically, if a team already wears a dark blue uniform with a round logo, people seem, to feel the Jets are ripping them off.

Why did RBK have to ruin you?!

I think there are a couple reasons for the chilly reception. One, the complainers are correct about the sweater being plain. It is very plain. Especially the "polar night blue" sweater. It looks exactly like a hockey sweater is supposed to look. The logo on the front, some stripes on the arm and waist, and that is it. Hockey sweaters are not supposed to be ground breaking aesthetically. And the ones that do manage to introduce something new that people actually like are few and far between. The pre RBK Edge-ified Stars and Avalanche uniforms spring to mind as 'modern' designs that were universally beloved. But most "modern" redesigns end up being replaced within a decade like Buffalo, Edmonton, and Boston. The Jets kept it simple, and that was the right decision.

Second reason I think people are hating on this uniform, the team is becoming real. They're no longer the fictitious Winnipeg Jets that everybody can have a soft sport for. This is the jersey that a player will be wearing when he scores a game winning goal against your team. Not that there is anything wrong with getting some recreational hating in before the real games start.

 Could probably use more abstract lines

As for my commentary on the sweaters. Since my initial reaction this morning of a big hearty "meh", I have actually really grown to like this design. Other than the plainness of it, people's only real complaint seems to be the striping on the road whites. I do see what people mean, the two horizontal shoulder stripes do clash with the vertical, full length shoulder yoke. This was one of the first things I noticed, and I initially didn't like it, but the look has grown on me, and I would have to say I really like the decision. I think the arm stripes really stand out on the sweaters and I love the "aviator blue" accents. Also, I have a theory for the two prominent arm stripes. I haven't seen it mentioned in any news piece, but I wonder if the idea behind the two stripes is supposed to be symbolic of the fact that this is the second version of the Jets. Two stripes for Jets 2.0.

The only part of the uniform I dont like is the number and lettering. I am really not a fan of that "modern" style. I really don't take much issue with it though as these jerseys are almost guaranteed to undergo a few tweaks in the next couple years anyways. Sweaters these days never seem to go more than a couple years with out some kind of tinkering.

And even if you absolutely hate these, Chipman has strongly suggested (if not flat out said explicitly), the Jets will be bringing back the old uniform as an alternate as early as next season. Its really starting to feel like the Jets are back.




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Friendly International Ice

Friday's Prime Time Sports roundtable was spent largely discussing the game of hockey and ways to improve it at both the junior and professional level. Standard fare, but Gord Stellick brought up a point that I have been harping on for years and I wanted to expound on it. The NHL needs to begin grandfathering in larger, but proportional ice surfaces in new buildings.

There are a multitude of reasons someone might advoacate this concept, not the least of which, and as was disucussed on the PTS roundtable, potential safety benefits. The obvious logic being "more space = less collisions = less injuries". That reason seems all well and good, but it is pretty self explanatory, so it would be pointless to continue harping on it.

Example now irrelevant

I want to see the league implement a new ice surface standard that might allow for some creativity and character throughout the league. The recent spate of new arenas really has one defining characteristic; that none of them really have any defining characteristics. There are a few anomalies (the now NHL-less Phillips Arena with its strange wall of box suites), but generally, every arena looks like the last. Admittedly, total ice surface wont necessarily change the now industry standard layout of seats, but it might inspire new builders to get creative, and craft an identity for a team around it's arena. Much like in soccer, teams often have different sized playing surfaces, and in some cases, that playing surface is manipulated to highlight a team's strength. It is far fethched, but I imagine an NHL in which, for example, the Montreal Canadiens are playing on a large Intl size ice surface to compliment a free flowing, offensive game, whereas the Boston Bruins might be playing on a smaller, modern sized arena, designed to slow the game down, and up the physicality.

Stellick said the NHL missed their chance to implement this. Though they did miss a very good chance with all the recent new buildings, there is always time to change. All these new arenas will be old one day as well.

The NHL needs to be pushing this stuff!

Another big change I have long thought could only be a success, if the NHL insists on doing the "All Star" thing, than to make it interesting, borrow a page from the most successful, most popular game on the planet, and play an 'international friendly' or two. This could take advantage of the NHL's international flavour (something the other 3 North American sports leagues would love to have) and possibly create a mild level of competition in the game. For example, this season's ASG in Ottawa, you could have the skills comp one night with all the Stars, and then a Canada vs. USA or Canada vs. Sweden friendly the next day. Or I would even suggest have a second friendly in place of the skills comp.

And if the game is in the states, I think a USA vs. Russia All Star Game would sell alot better than East vs. West, or Western Hemisphere vs. Eastern Hemisphere, or Team Joe vs. Team Bob.





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2011 NHL R&D Camp

So the NHL has been tinkering again, and thankfully the ideas seem to have only gotten better since the first R&D camp. While there are still some absolutely terrible ideas, there are some (and one in particular) that I absolutely love. I'll run through some of the bigger experiments and sound off on them one by one.

• No-touch icing - Not sold on it, though I am not dead-set against it. As a defenseman, I hate that forwards are essentially given leeway nowadays to run defenders into the end boards and it is justified with the bogus cliche of "finishing your check"'

• No line change for team committing an offside - This is the type of rule that I really, really hate. This is such a trivial idea, and all it would lead to is coaches, goalies, trainers and players working to find a way to hold up the impending faceoff in order to buy their guys some time to catch their breath. Changes need to make things less complicated, not more.

• No icing permitted while shorthanded - I dont like this idea. Why shouldn't penalty killers have the release valve of throwing the puck down the ice?

• Verification line (additional line behind the goal line) - It will do nothing to affect gameplay, so I dont care, but I think Bob McCown's point was well made in saying, "why have the first line then?".

• Overtime variation (four minutes of 4-on-4 followed by three minutes of 3-on-3) - This is by far my favourite idea and one that really needs to be implemented. Only adjustment I would make is make it 5 minutes 4 on 4, and then 5 minutes of 3 on 3 (hell, I would be in favour of eliminating 4 on 4 and going right to 3 on 3). Goals will be scored 3 on 3. It is impossible to implement a defensive system while playing 3 on 3, so the entire OT period will just be endless odd-man rushes. And just to be clear, I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate the shootout.

• Shootout variation (5-man shootout precedes sudden-death format) - Just ditch the horrible shootout! Please NHL! It is terrible. The only thing worse than the shoot-out is the 5 minutes it takes to zamboni the ice before it begins (the last shoot-out I saw in person the zamboni broke down, so there was about a 10 minute break between OT and the SO). The excuse that "nobody leaves during the SO" is such a load of crap. Of course nobody leaves! If you have stayed for the whole game, then staying for OT, youre pretty dam invested in the game, there is no point in leaving then. People stay for the SO because they figure "Fuck it, I have already waited this long, may as well stick it out". I look forward to the days when we all look back at the shoot-out in the same way we look back on the glowing puck.

• Shallow-back nets - This seems like as close to a no-brainer as any move could be. Hopefully this makes wraparounds a little easier (not that guys like Dougie ever needed the space to make a beauty play).

• Delayed penalty variation (offending team must exit zone in possession of puck to stop play) - Of all the proposed changes to how penalties are called/served, I actually like this idea. I am not sure how well it would work in practice, but in theory, I really like it.

• Changes only permitted on-the-fly (except after goals and upon manpower changes) - Whoever came up with this idea should be fired.

• Strict enforcement of goaltenders covering puck outside crease (Rule 63.2) - Ummmmm......why is this rule not strictly enforced already?

• Remove trapezoid - I think the trapezoid is stupid, but I don't feel very strongly about its removal.

• All penalties to be served in their entirety - I dont like this idea. And as was opined on Prime Time Sports recently, this would probably just lead to fewer penalties being called.

• Bear-hug rule - I like this idea, but maybe thats just because I like bear hugs so much.

• On-ice officials communication -- ref-to-ref wireless - I dont see why this would be a bad thing. Communication = good

• Curved glass -- protection options at players bench areas - Another no brainer.


So there is my recap of the more important rule changes (because I know people have been dying to hear my take).

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http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=585925

A Tale of Two Stadia

Were it not for five years of inept management and unending greed from Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Toronto FC might still be seeing crowds at BMO Field more akin to what we saw last night at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland. Of course the same warning will be issued about buying into the hype and support of a first year team. New York and Chicago fans were quick to dismiss TFC's year one box office success and electrifying atmosphere as a result of simply being the "flavour of the week", especially among today's super trendy, faux-wordly, young Torontonian. TFC fans scoffed at the suggestion. "This is a soccer city" they would say. "We just needed the team and the stadium".

Well, five years on, the team has gone nowhere on the field, has steadily declined as a box-office draw, and lost of all it's trendy "footy" cache; only to become soccer's version of the Maple Leafs, a big city laughing stock.

TFC Celebrates in front of a packed BMO Field

There are however significant distinctions to be made when comparing the cases of Toronto FC and the Portland Timbers (or Portlands Timbers FC, or whatever they are, to me, they're the Timbers). While the new toy sheen eventually wears on in every market, there is little reason to believe the Timbers will become the next TFC.

Chief among them, the Timbers are not owned by an organization as unscrupulous, and and as tone deaf as MLSE. MLSE's justification for continued ticket price increases in spite of the team's terrible performances was that they weren't pricing by Major League Soccer standards, they were charging by Toronto standards (of course, MLSE sets this "standard" with their two other pro sports properties, but alas). This is probably the biggest example of the selfish arogance displayed by MLSE with regards to TFC pricing. The product on the field was terrible. So terrible that any reasonable owner (Like Seattle's Drew Carey who apologized for and refunded fans after a 4-0 home defeat of his Sounders) would feel guilty about taking money for such trash. TFC was fielding a deplorable line-up, playing in a third tier football league, and charging as if they were Manchester United.

That kind of greed and that lack of forethought has, is, and will cost TFC in the long term. Their growth, never  mind as a team, but their growth as an organization and as a brand has taken a huge hit. The kind of grass roots support that created the first year scenes that MLSE then used as marketing for the next several years, the grass roots support that makes Jeld-Wen Field in Portland look like a manic green cauldron, that has been seriously damaged, maybe irreparably.

I know this seems like a crazy concept to the marketing geniuses at MLSE, but maybe charging to the hilt on absolutely everything you can isn't such a great long term plan. Maybe ensuring that your customers won't expect to be ripped off at every corner might help you retain customers. If Paul Beirne and Tom Anselmi were watching TV late Wednesday night, they got a good glimpse at two vastly different scenes; and two scenes that are both plausible outcomes in Toronto. While Seattle played to a rabid crowd of long time supporters (of course the Timbers, like the Whitecaps are an old USL team), FC Dallas played in front of friends and family (and I think alot of them skipped out after half time) for their Champions League tie.

If MLSE keeps trying to charge Toronto Maple Leaf hockey prices for, what is essentially,Toronto Maple Leaf inter-county baseball caliber competition, they're going to find their golden goose dead, burnt and worthless pretty quickly. Toronto fans will pay (the Leafs and Raps obviously still draw), but if they think you are trying to rip them off (cough...Bills in Toronto...) they will turn their back on you. The reason MLSE thinks they can charge so much for TFC, that Toronto is an expensive city with alot to do, is the exact same reason that it will be quite easy for potential long time TFC fans and supporters to shrug their shoulders and move onto something else.









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