Methodist University Monarchs

A big thank you goes out to Jamie for suggesting that I review Methodist University's new athletic logos and for his very kind compliments. I think that this suggestion gives me a good opportunity to share with you the process that I use to determine whether or not I like a logo.

I first saw the Methodist University Monarchs logo on the Sportslogos.net forums a couple of months ago. There it was being picked apart piece by piece (as is nearly every new logo released) by the professional designers and largely amateur sports logo nerds (I say that in the most loving way possible) that populate that board. Some of them took issue with some of the technical aspects of the design, particularly with how the crown sits on top of the head.

While I don't have any kind of background in art or graphic design, I can see some of these flaws, the crown does seem a little awkward. But this isn't how I determine what I like and don't like for The Sports Logo Pundit. My process consists of two or three simple questions:

"Would I buy a t-shirt or hat with that logo on it?"

"If I were a fan of this team or an alum of this school, would I be proud of this logo?"

And, if the logo is an update or upgrade from an old logo:

"Is the new logo an improvement?"

From there I examine the circumstances of the logo more closely and ask some more questions, but usually my opinion comes down to those first three questions.

So, let's use this criteria for the Monarchs logos. Put any of these logos (click here to see the whole package) on a green t-shirt or hoodie and I would most definitely buy one. And if I went to Methodist, I would be very proud of this logo especially since it is a major upgrade from the numerous and seemingly random Methodist logos of the past. It's an interesting and striking new identity for an institution that made a major transition going from Methodist College to Methodist University earlier this year.

Sure it's got a couple of technical issues that graphic designers and sports logo nerds will find issue with, but for the average fan (myself included) it's a solid effort from a school that we probably wouldn't have even noticed otherwise.

Team: Methodist University Monarchs
League: USA South Athletic Conference
Location: Fayetteville, North Carolina
Facilities: I love it when schools post pictures of their facilities

Fort Wayne Fusion - UPDATE!

From my February 12th review of the Fort Wayne Fusion's logo - "I keep thinking that this is a temporary logo and the real thing is on it's way"

I'm so happy to announce that the feeling that I had in the pit of my stomach when I saw the awful, disgusting Fusion "eyeball" logo was correct. Earlier this week the team released a new logo and identity that is much more pleasing to the eye.

I really like the lettering used on the script. It gives it both a retro and modern look all at the same time. And the "FW" logo that is featured on the helmets is one of the most creative two letter combinations that I have seen in a long time. It would make an interesting cap logo for a baseball team.

However, I don't like the dot on the "I", it looks more like a snowflake than anything. Part of the problem with the name in general is that the concept of fusion is hard to visualize and so far they haven't figured out a way to successfully present fusion graphically.

I also don't like how burnt the burnt orange is. It makes the purple look muted, almost more like it's a navy blue. As much as I didn't like the old logo, I feel like they should have found a way to split the difference between the orange in that logo and the burnt orange featured here. Instead of jumping off the page the way that it should with a brighter orange, it just kind of lazily lays there, despite the improvements.

I'm hoping that my power is so great that within the next few days the Fusion will re-release this logo with an improved color scheme. Why not? It worked last time.

San Antonio Steers

Bad news from the fantasy land that is the National Indoor Football League's league office: The San Antonio Player Haters are no more.

The single greatest nickname and logo in the history of indoor football has sadly been replaced by the San Antonio Castrated Cows. I'm sorry, I mean the San Antonio Steers - although the San Antonio Castrated Cows does have a nice ring to it and means the same exact thing (thanks for the tip John!).

The Steers logo just doesn't have the same appeal as the old Player Haters logo did despite their attempts to confuse us with the current green logo that is now featured on the NIFL website (above), an earlier identical logo but in blue, and a totally different blue logo currently featured on the team's website. All of this unprofessional confusion is good, but it still doesn't take away the sting of losing that beautiful horse logo.

The good news is that not all is lost, It appears that the testicle challenged bovines will still be calling the San Antanio Rose Palace Eq. Center in San Antonio home. I thought that maybe when they ditched that player hating horse, they would move from their Equestrian Center home field into a county fair barn. But the league is still selling tickets to games at the Equestrian Center against teams like the Fort Worth Sixers, Beaumont Drillers and a mythical Pasadena team and it appears that they have retained the Player Haters logo for the home turf.

And the good news continues, the NIFL is still selling the sweet Player Hater fuschia jerseys for the low, low price of $79.00. Get yours soon because these promise to be one of the most sought after collectibles of all time.

Team: San Antonio Steers
League: National Indoor Football Leauge
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Arena: San Antanio Rose Palace Eq. Center
Online Store: Player Haters Jersey!!!!

Webster University Gorloks

A big Sports Logo Pundit thank you goes out to graphic designer Benjamin Shown (check out his website, he's done some pretty fine work himself) for alerting me to the new athletics logo for his Webster University Gorloks. I guess I should also thank him for alerting me to the existence of Webster University in general. Somehow I had never heard this school.

"What's a Gorlok?" you ask. Don't worry, I had no idea either. According to the Webster University website a Gorlok is " reported to have the paws of a speeding cheetah, the horns of a fierce buffalo and the face of a dependable Saint Bernard. The myth of the Gorlok embodies the highest standards of speed, agility and stamina in an atmosphere of fairness and good conduct." The name was derived from two intersecting streets in Webster and was first used as their nickname in 1984.

The new Gorlok athletic logo (above) debuted in October after years of using a goofy, seemingly hand drawn Gorlok (right). Because of the old logo's amateur but accessible and unique quality, I think was a tough task for the designer and for the school to come up with something acceptable to all. How do you take a logo that has it's own homegrown, goofy, beloved spirit and give it a sleek modern look without losing what makes it unique?

The new logo does lose a little bit of that spirit, but I think that it does a better job of fulfilling the description of what the Gorlok is. It definitely "embodies the highest standards of speed, agility and stamina" better than the old logo who, to me, looks more like John Belushi in Animal House than a dependable Saint Bernard.

But in case you don't like the sleek new logo and prefer the old Gorlock, fear not. Both logos are still in use throughout Webster University today.

Team: Webster University Gorloks
League: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (Division III)
Location: Webster Groves, Missouri
Facilities: Facilities include GCS Stadium, home to the Gateway Grizzlies

Fort Wayne Fusion

Whoa. This seriously is the logo of the af2's Fort Wayne Fusion. I don't even know where to begin. I keep thinking that this is a temporary logo and the real thing is on it's way, but given that the season starts in six weeks, that might just be wishful thinking.

That's it, this review is done. I can't take it anymore....my head hurts just looking at it.

Team: Fort Wayne Fusion
League: af2
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana
Arena: Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

King County Royals

All things considered, the ABA's King County Royals logo isn't too bad. Sure it's cheap and the lettering is awful, but after reading this incredible article by Steve Kelley in the Seattle Times earlier this week, I'm amazed that they have made it this far to even have a logo anymore.

The article focuses mainly on former broadcaster turned professional basketball coach Jim Turner, a fascinating story on its own. But it also chronicles the life of a seemingly typical ABA basketball team.

On this particular day, the Royals were forced to move a game against the Big Valley Shockwave away from their normal home court at North Seattle Community College to Green River Community College where they played in front of a crowd of four. Yes, four individuals showed up including the two year-old son of one of the players. I understand it was a rescheduled game away from home, but from what I hear the home games haven't drawn much better.

Let me put it to you this way: I play pickup basketball every Wednesday night with a bunch of guys. None of us are any good and given that half of us have to skin up each game game, it gets pretty ugly in there. But we usually draw four to six fans. At my Mormon basketball game on Thursday nights, the gym is usually packed with 20-30 spectators. I love the fact that I play in front of more people than this "professional" basketball team normally does.

Sadly, the Royals are not alone in their struggles, this after all, is the ABA. To be fair, the league has had some success this season (see the Vermont Frost Heaves) but if you surf the league news just from this week, you can see that it's the same old, same old in the league office (click here and here).

My advice to the Royals: get out while you still can and take your game to the Mormon leagues.

Team: King County Royals
League: American Basketball Association
Location: Seattle, Washington
Arena: North Seattle Community College Wellness Center

Loyola Marymount vs. Gonzaga - Scenes From An Upset

Last night was Big Monday on the campus of Loyola Marymount University when the Lions took on the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Welcome to Gersten Pavilion, also lovingly referred to as Hank's House after LMU superstar Hank Gathers who sadly passed away on this court in 1990.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a happy trip to LMU since the Zags continued to confuse with their odd lapses in awesomeness, dropping the game 67-61. It was a huge win for the Lions who played one of their best games and now appear to have figured out how to play together without the injured Brandon Worthy. They are going to be a really tough out in the WCC tourney.

Oh well, it was a fun game even if Gonzaga blew it. Here are some scenes from an upset, straight from the depressed side of the arena. Note: I just got a new camera that's very complicated and I haven't totally figured it out yet, hence all these blurry photos that actually look kind of cool anyway.

Pepperdine vs. Gonzaga

I currently live in Ventura, California but my heart belongs to the Pacific Northwest. I am a humongous college basketball fan and despite being a Washington Huskies first and foremost, I also love the Gonzaga Bulldogs. One of the best things about living down here as opposed to Seattle is that I have had more of a chance to see the Zags play. The latest came this weekend when the Zags traveled to Pepperdine, the closest Division I school to my home.

Going to Pepperdine is always a treat, even if you hate Malibu as much as I do. It is arguably the most beautiful setting for a college anywhere in the country. Getting to the campus is a treat in itself because you have your choice of the PCH down the coast or you can cut through the mountains from the 101. Either way, the views are incredible and worth the drive with or without a college basketball game to attend.

Once you get to campus and to Firestone Fieldhouse, it's almost hard to go indoors, especially on a beautiful February day like Saturday was. Look at that view from just outside, the doors of Firestone. Now imagine a cool sea breeze blowing in...

Then turn around and look at this, the entrance to Firestone Fieldhouse. And you wanted to go to a basketball game?

The first thing that you notice when you walk into Firestone is just how small this arena (gymnasium) is. When you stand courtside, it feels small, but you can't get the full claustrophobic feeling unless you are unlucky enough to have to climb the stairs to the second sets of seats...

There you are treated with a low ceiling, a ton of stuff hanging from the ceiling, and almost absolute darkness. It's like watching a basketball game from the back of a cave. The scoreboard on the far side is just barely visible and if I had to go up to the top, two more rows up, I wouldn't be able to see the baskets.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all about small, cozy gyms. They can be used to the advantage of most college basketball teams. However, Pepperdine is so lukewarm about basketball that it doesn't make much of a difference. The student section was very quiet, even when the game was close, and from what I can tell they don't have any traditions to speak of. I find it strange that a small, close knit school whose main sport is basketball and has been relatively successful over the years doesn't have any student traditions, unique cheers or a pep band (last year they had this strange old guy, classic rock band playing at games). It surprises me that they have even bothered with cheerleaders and a mascot (this is the first time I've seen him). They do have a fight song, but it's really weird and sounds like circus music and nobody seems to care one bit about it.

Luckily, I'm a Zags fan and they did not disappoint. Pepperdine played out of their minds in the first half and kept the score close but the Zags pummeled them in the second half behind Josh Heytvelt's 27 points and 22 rebounds en route to an 82-57 victory. You know it's bad when the student section doesn't bother to stand back up after a timeout.

Soon enough it was time to crawl out of my cave and back into the glorious Southern California sunshine. Before heading back up the hill to my car I took another look around and saw this beautiful tree just outside of Firestone's doors. We might play better basketball up in the Northwest, but you can't sit under a tree like that and enjoy that view anywhere other than Pepperdine. Personally, I'll take the basketball, but it's a tough call.

While walking back to my car I was serenaded by a "GONZAGA SUCKS D**K" from a passing luxury vehicle, to which I gave the big thumbs up to and replied "STAY CLASSY PEPPERDINE, STAY CLASSY!" It's easy to be seduced by Pepperdine, but then one of the students opens their mouth and you remember why you would prefer basketball over the view any day.

Brazos Valley Bombers

Oh Texas, why do you force yourself into the background of almost every single one of your state's sports team logos (that isn't true, I just review all the ones that do)? It's too bad, because quite often, the logos themselves are just fine.

The Brazos Valley Bombers logo is a great example of this. I like the script, I like the bomber and I really like the baseball bombs, but the outline of Texas in the background doesn't work for me.

Maybe it's because I don't like the way that they made the outline fit around the script instead of just letting it overlap. Or maybe it's because I think that it is unnecessary for a team that plays in a league composed totally of other teams from Texas to use the state's outline as a geographic signifier. Or maybe it's because I spent the worst summer of my life in Texas and I have a very negative reaction to that state in general.

No matter what the reason is, and it's probably a whole bunch of all the above, the State of Texas needs to stop making me dislike otherwise decent logos. Or at least be willing to go over the top with it like my favorite Texas logo and one of my favorite logos of all time, the San Angelo Saints. Now that's the way to use the State of Texas in a logo.

Team: Brazos Valley Bombers
League: Texas Collegiate Baseball League
Location: Bryan, Texas
Stadium: Travis Field
Cheerleaders: The Bombshells (I think they are supposed to be cheerleaders)
Mascot: Kaboom
Online Store: The Bombshelter - T-shirts with Texas, hats without.