California Eagles

The ABA is bringing basketball to my new hometown. The California Eagles announced yesterday that they will be playing somewhere in Ventura County, most likely Ventura, this season but haven't found a home court to play on yet.

Long time readers of the Sports Logo Pundit know that I really don't think too highly of the ABA (read this and this). Why people continue to purchase teams in this league is beyond me. Has there even been one success story as far as ABA teams go? I guess the Arkansas RimRockers moving into the NBDL could be considered a success, but that's one franchise out of 80 that has done well. Other than that most of these teams have been a complete fiasco.

But what about this logo you may be asking. Well, for an ABA logo I find it to be pretty good, but thats not saying much. I don't understand why ABA teams never get involved in the community when choosing a name. Just about every other minor league team when moving to an area run name-the-team contests and promotions. I have yet to see the ABA hold one of these contests. Thus you end up with generic names and logos such as the California Eagles.

I actually know the reason. I shouldn't play stupid. It is so that if this team doesn't get off the ground or has problems mid-season they can move it somewhere else and not have to change a thing about their logo or name or anything. If Ventura doesn't work out then they can move it to Oxnard without changing anything. Then to Santa Barbara if that doesn't work. Then to Rancho Cucamonga if that doesn't work, then to Eureka if that doesn't work and so on and so forth.

But I will be keeping an eye on this team. I most likely will fall victim to one of their games at some point later this year. I'll just have to find the high school gymnasium that they will be playing in.

Kinston Indians

Today's random review is of the Kinston Indians of the Carolina League. Apparently political correctness hasn't affected life in Kinston too much. Actually, maybe it's common sense that hasn't affected life in Kinston. The Kinston Indians logo, in my opinion, comes in a close second for "worst example of racism toward Native Americans in sports" barely missing out on the top spot to the Washington Redskins use of the word "Redskin". But at least the Redskin's logo is pretty innocuous.

Now I really am not that big of PC guy. I like to be respectful and mindful of the feelings and issues that surround these kind of topics but I also feel that there are some people who are too sensitive for their own good. I would actually defend the use of words such as Indians, Illini, Braves, Seminoles, Warriors or whatever as team names. Usually the intent is not to degrade or harm these groups with these simple names. To have teams named for your group or tradition should be considered an honor if it is handled right.

What I mainly oppose is the use of images, like the Kinston Indian logo, that portray any racial group in such a stereotypical fashion. I also oppose the bastardization of traditions and symbols by teams. What I'm talking about here is something like the dance that the "Chief" at Fightin' Illini does at games. It's an insult to the area's Native population because it is supposed to emulate a dance that is very sacred to these people. Or the stupid tomahawk chop and chant that the you hear at Atlanta Braves games. Besides being really lame, it's also very degrading and insulting.

There are some logos that are well crafted that honor rather than degrade and I have no problem with these. Like the Florida State Seminoles for example. The Seminole Tribe has routinely backed the University and given them their blessing to use the name and their traditions and both parties seem to understand and respect each other.

But it's logos like the Kinston Indians that continue to cause problems and attempt to bring down harmonious relationships like FSU and the Seminole Tribe. This is a logo that has to go regardless of it's intent or history. It's a relic of a much more close-minded time gone by and should be retired right now. Or is that much more close-minded time still alive and kicking in Kinston?

Southern Minnesota Express

Way back in January I lamented the demise of the Tri-City Diesel and their cool old-style train coming out of the "D" logo. I didn't think that less than half a year later I'd see it reborn for a hockey team and featuring a much more modern train.

Brought to Owatonna, Minnesota by LA Kings Head Coach Andy Murray and NHLer's Rob Blake, Glen Murray and Nelson Emerson, the Southern Minnesota Express will begin play this season in the Junior-A North American Hockey League. However, their logo spent the last few seasons as a football team in Kearney, Nebraska.

Ok, Ok...so they aren't exactly the same. But they are very similar. It's hard to imagine that the designer of the Express logo had never seen the Diesel logo. It's practically a copy updated to suit the needs of the Express.

The train is tapered in the same way and comes out of a tunnel. In the Diesel logo it comes out of the "D". In the Express it comes out of a hockey puck. The lettering does the same kind of wrap around the train in both logos. Even the light haze around the lettering is the same.

I really liked the Diesel logo. It's very animated and the classic design of the train is great. The same goes for the Express logo despite the fact that they made it more modern. I only wish I could just enjoy the logo without having to think about the possible plagiarism involved.

Harrisburg City Islanders

This is arguably one of the most effective names in all of professional sports. It's not terribly creative or exciting or anything like that, but those aspects are not that important. What makes this name great is that it tells you exactly where the USL's second division Harrisburg City Islanders play...City Island.

City Island sits right smack dab in the middle of the Susquehanna River and is home to both the City Islanders and the Harrisburg Senators baseball team. If you live in Harrisburg or in the surrounding areas, I'd have to imagine you know how to get to City Island. It's a major destination.

So imagine yourself sitting around at home reading the sports page and you notice that the City Islanders are playing tonight. What the hell, you might as well go and check it out, but you've never been to one of their games. No problem, just head onto City Island to the soccer stadium. Pretty simple. No research, no mapquesting, no big deal. People are lazy and some won't take the time to look up directions. This name takes away a major barrier to people coming to see your games. They should know where they are going without any hassle.

I'm not that fond of the logo, although if they are trying to be funny by putting a palm tree and a sun in the logo then I'm fine with it. Otherwise it doesn't really make any sense. But the logo isn't nearly as important or interesting as the choice of name. Kudos to the City Islanders!

Arkansas ArchAngels

There is yet another entry into the already crowded minor league basketball arena. Currently located in the deep south the WBA started play in the 2003 season and now has 12 teams spread from Elizabethtown, Kentucky to Biloxi Mississippi and has plans to expand to the Upper Midwest and the West Coast in the next two years (like every other minor league basketball leagues).

The WBA's Little Rock based Arkansas ArchAngels have one of the weirdest logos I have ever seen. At least it's an original concept, I guess. I can't think of any other team that has a comic book character-esque figure as their logo other than that weird dude on the Golden State Warriors logo a couple of years ago.

But I need some help from my readers. I've been searching online to see if this logo is a rip off of a real comic book character or if it is actually original artwork. It looks to me like the basketball and the lettering are photoshopped into someone else's artwork. The body of the ArchAngel is very detailed and animated but the lettering and the basketball are really sloppy and flat. They just don't go together.

So if there are any comic book nerds in the audience, please stand up and let your voice be heard. Is this "ArchAngel" an imposter or is he the real deal?

The only thing I know is that ArchAngel's camel toe sure is real. Yuck!

Back From Cali

Good morning everybody! It's 12:30 AM and I just got back from finding a place to live in Ventura, California. Thankfully it was a successful trip and we will have an apartment when we move later this month. It's a nice place only a mile from the hospital Death? will be working at, two blocks from the mall (it doesn't have air conditioning so if it gets to hot I can just wander to the mall and cool off) and only three or so miles to the beach. This was my first trip to Ventura and I love it. It's going to be a great place to live for at least the next three years.

But the real reason I'm posting so late is to report a celebrity sighting. This is kind of a quasi-celebrity for most of you, but for me it's a humongous deal. Standing directly behind me in line waiting to check in at LAX was none other than the Seattle Seahawks biggest first round bust (or maybe that was Rick Mirer or Dan McGwire or...) and Bo Jackson's personal tackling dummy. The star of big Hollywood blockbusters like Stone Cold and One Tough Bastard. None other than #55 himself, The Boz, Brian Bosworth!

How exciting! One day in LA and I'm already rubbing shoulders with the elite. He was having a very heated discussion with somebody on his cell phone that seemed to be about a botched real estate deal. He kept saying something about a 2 bedroom house that was worth $9.25 million. That must be some damn fine property! Anyway, he sounded very pissed off and I wasn't one hundred percent sure it was him so I pussed out and didn't get a picture or an autograph or anything. Oh well.