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I still like the New Orleans Corsairs. Corsairs both have a Spanish and French influence and they are along the same lines as Pirates. The name to me sounds tough and has good possibilities for it's total branding. Just my opinion. If Cleveland Ohio can have Cavaliers than New Orleans Louisiana can have Corsairs.
Last edited by BobCatsFanInTx; 05-30-2012 at 10:17 PM.
Your spinning your wheels.Originally Posted by Hornetnojersey
Is there still any support for the New Orleans Domino (not dominos)?
To me, this is the greatest name. Coupled with a classic logo and font, the way the Brooklyn Nets rebranded, and this would be an easily marketable team.
It will be the pelicans.
Sent from my iPad
Anthony Davis would look great in a jersey that says Knights!
Old fan. Tired fan. I want to believe.
Hope you're right. These bizarre names like Legionairres, Legion, Domino(s), and Krewe are so out in left field that there's no way they'd even be considered. Hopefully Tom Benson will make the smart and financially sound (he already owns the rights to the name for goodness sake) and go with the Pelicans!
I once had some of the worst grits and drippings in the Queen City
How about instead of "hurricanes" we can do "surge"? here's a simple design i just made
Pilots
We had quite a few interesting conversations as we pondered and navigated the nightly canopy.
I hadn't even thought of that. It really isn't bad despite being a weather-based name, which I usually hate.How about instead of "hurricanes" we can do "surge"? here's a simple design i just made
Now that the draft is over, this has moved to the forefront of my mind. I really want to know Benson's plans. I'm down with anything except Derpbirds. It would seem logical that with interest in Davis jerseys ready to swell, the team would want to get the ball rolling on the colors/name.
I'm going to give a strong vote against change here-
Two points here: the current New Orleans colours are distinctive and have historical importance. Teal and gold is a perfect colour combination for New Orleans, and it is also unique within the NBA. Why change? If it ain't broke, don't...
Second point: some of the nicknames being suggested here are very modern- they remind me of the WNBA nicknames (not good!). Anything to do with weather or natural forces usually sounds and feels rather clunky. There is no substance in these types of nicknames.
Some of the more New Orleans-specific name suggestions are better than others. If you're going to go with an animal, go with a 'Gator over a Pelican. Nobody will get goosebumps thinking about playing for 'The New Orleans Pelicans'. It sounds comical. I'm not sold on 'Gators however.
Suggestions like 'the Pirates' have some historical cache, but they're a bit too vague and abstract. It sounds cartoon-ish. New Orleans needs a name that it can be proud of, and sounds like it stands for something.
I've seen 'the Blue Knights' and 'the Blue Angels' suggested- getting warmer I think, but they're too long- a nickname needs to roll of the tongue easily. My favourite, if the name is to change, is simply 'The Blues'. It rolls off the tongue, has a connection to New Orleans heritage, and can mesh well with the current New Orleans colours. It sounds cool, without sounding gimmicky or cartoon-ish.
And yes, the mascot for 'the Blues' would be a problem, but.. mascot shmasgot. Phoenix has a gorilla for crying out loud!
First time poster from Australia here, so bear with me..
I’ve been a Hornets fan for 20 years, since I was 12 years old- that is, I followed the team from Charlotte to New Orleans. Why the Hornets? Two reasons.. ‘Zo was the first. Loved his attitude, his defensive prowess, and the fact he was the ‘anti-Shaq’.
The second reason was simple- the colours. Red, blue, black and whites abounded in the NBA, but there was no confusing the team in teal. Unlike some other relatively new teams (Orlando (ugh!) and Minnesota), the Hornets NAILED their colours. They were distinctive, different, cool.
Maybe this is just personal opinion, but for a short period in the 90s the Hornets were the ‘buzz’ (no pun intended) team in the NBA. Part of this was due to the fact that they were young, talented and winning. The other factor, in my humble opinion, was the colours. They were eye-catching to the casual observer.
Through everything, I stuck with my team. Through the ‘Zo trade, through the re-location to New Orleans, they were still my team. I loved the fact that New Orleans was a unique, distinctive city within the US. The team and its colours somehow seemed a good fit.
Why do I bring all this up? I’m really concerned that the ‘re-branding‘ of the Hornets seems to be a fait accompli. I’ll mention right here that I understand the desire of New Orleans fans to claim full ownership of their team. New Orleans and its entire people deserve the Hornets. They’ve fought so hard to keep the team when things looked bad. Like all Hornets fans, I’m stoked with the new ownership, the No. 1 Draft pick, and the future of basketball in New Orleans.
However, while I understand the desire to make a ‘new start’ and re-name the team, given everything that’s happened in the past few years, I feel that a lot of people are overlooking some things. What things? History, authenticity.. not to mention the bad track records of gimmicky re-branding exercises in the sports world.
Have a look around the NBA. We all know the most storied teams- the Celtics, the Lakers, the Bulls, the Knicks. What do all these teams have in common? They DON’T change their colours and style every few years (and yes I know they do a little, but they always return to the authentic, old-school style). The colours are fixed, these teams have an identity. Don’t ever underestimate the value of an authentic (as opposed to a contrived) historical and cultural identity.
Apologies to those who have mentioned they liked 90s style jerseys, but.. I think most people would agree that that phase of NBA ‘fashion’ was horrendous. Terrible colour combinations, gimmicky-cartoonish jerseys and logos- for examples, see the Pistons, Sixers, Raptors, Grizzlies, etc. It was amateur marketing and corporate ignorance run rampant.
Recently, Philly has received a lot of kudos for attempting to re-connect with their fans. How have they done this? They’ve placed an emphasis on history and continuity. Note that in recent seasons that they’ve gone back to their old-school colours and jerseys. This was a very smart move.
Ditto the Pistons- they’ve gone back to the Thomas-Dumars era Detroit colours and style. While the Pistons still have a lot of problems, it’s not an accident that teams like Philly and Detroit have reverted to their old school colours. After the anarchy of the 90s, a lot of smarter NBA execs have woken up to the fact that cultural and historical continuity is important. Identity matters. Fans need to know they’re supporting THEIR team, and not just a gimmicky ‘franchise’.
Now, I’m aware that this is, in some part, the reason WHY the name change discussion has come up for New Orleans and the Hornets. The ‘Hornets’ moniker doesn’t have anything to do with New Orleans, and the fans are wary about becoming attached to a team that has the stigma of an up-rooted franchise. The people of New Orleans want to OWN their team, they want their team to represent the culture of New Orleans.
Furthermore, I can understand that it is exciting to dream up new nicknames, new colour schemes and new jersey styles. It’s a blank canvas, the possibilities are endless. I get that.
HOWEVER, I’m really alarmed by the willingness of fans to forsake the historical identity of Hornets though. Yes, it has been a troubled, fractured, well-travelled identity. But it IS just that- an identity. It’s real, and it’s authentic. It is something that no amount of creative marketing can ever accomplish.
Yes, the Hornets originated in Charlotte, but they’ve been in New Orleans for 10 years. Now, seemingly, they’re here to stay (at least for the foreseeable future). They have a history too. Chris Paul and David West are a part of that history, sure. But the biggest part of that history lies in the team’s identity and colours. Look at the Hornets website, or the ‘I’m In’ campaigns over the last year. Can anyone think about these things without associating the iconic teal and gold colour combination?
Some of the nicknames I’ve seen proposed scare me. Some fall into the category of ‘Appealing to Eight-Year-Old-Boys-Imaginations’. These include Pirates, Gators etc.. they’re not bad, but they sound childish the more you think about it. A FAR worse group is the ‘Natural Force’ group- anything along the lines of ‘The Spirit’, or ‘The Force’, etc. Without wanting to offend anyone, these are SO lame. So very, very lame. They sound like a nickname for a WNBA franchise.
The only nickname I’ve seen that sounded and felt appropriate and authentic (and not contrived) is ‘The Blues’. It has an obvious cultural attachment, without sounding convoluted. It also has that old-school feel to it. Best of all- by adopting it, you can think about RETAINING THE CURRENT NEW ORLEANS COLOURS.
The colours matter. Why? Because they represent an established identity, a link to the past that is meaningful. They look good, they’re unique and distinctive within the league, and most importantly, they’re appropriate for New Orleans. It’s an accident of fate that New Orleans inherited a basketball teams with colours (teal, gold and purple) that were perfect for it. Distinctive, colourful.. they could belong only to New Orleans.
I implore all New Orleans fans with any influence to think about this. The Hornets are at a crucial juncture in their history- once you disown your history and your heritage, it’s extremely difficult to ever get it back. A new start is enticing, this is an exciting time for New Orleans basketball. But please, please take a moment to think about what you may lose if you opt to re-christen everything..
When I think Celtics, I think green. When I think Lakers, I think purple and gold. When I think Bulls, I think red. When I think Knicks, I think navy blue and orange.
When I think New Orleans (whether it be the Hornets or something else.. if the name is to change, by far the best suggestion I’ve seen is Blues).. I think teal, gold and purple, the colour (and colours) that could only be New Orleans. If you had to mix in a little navy blue (instead of purple) to justify being the New Orleans Blues, so be it.
New Orleans has a team with a distinctive history, and distinctive colours. Unique within the NBA. Please, please think carefully about all this if and when you get the chance to have your say on the future of your colourful team from NOLA..
To those who bothered to read through all this- I both apologise for the length and thank you for your time. I welcome all feedback
Good, quality post, even though I would not mind a rebrand. At this point, I'm happy our team has a great future. I'm losing all my interest in a rebrand. No one can find an acceptable name anyways....
Formally known as WhoDatMan504
lawd, there have been plenty names better than hornets. It's going to happen.
Contributor
I wouldn't say I've lost interest, but I'm tired of talking about it.
I agree with some points, but it's gonna happen. Benson already said it and I honestly couldnt see him changing his mind.
Contributor
Teal is garbage and has no more 'historical significance' than the television series 'Miami Vice.'
"Hornets means nothing." - Tom Benson
It has historical significance it terms of the fact that it has been the colour of the team for 25 years!! If you were to change colours, then what would the new colours be? It's pretty hard to come up with a colour combination that doesn't duplicate one of the other 29 teams in the league. The Charlotte Bobcats tried, and look where that got them, bless 'em.
Teal has no direct link to New Orleans, but combine it with gold and purple and the combination is lot more colourful (dare I say Mardi Gras like?) than say the Spurs colours for example, or the Clippers. A lot of teams go with red (Bulls, Clippers, Sixers, Hawks), blue (Knicks, Pistons, Nuggets, Warriors, Wolves, Mavs) or black (Spurs, Blazers, Heat, soon to be Nets).. others go with green (Celtics, Bucks, erstwhile Sonics), some go with purple (Kings, Jazz, Suns).. it's slim pickings if you want to be original.
Teams in the 90s experimented with their colours- Pistons, Rockets.. never really worked out too well. The teal and gold is established in NOLA, distinctive, and (in my humble opinion) looks good- why change? And what to?
Teal is a TERRIBLE color. The name Hornets has nothing to do with New Orleans and the new owner already said it will be changed. I'm hoping for New Orleans Voodoo.
Last edited by Metairie Hornet; 06-01-2012 at 01:01 PM.
Why are you so focused on the color teal and not the name Hornets? Did you paint your entire house teal?
+1
Contributor
That's all that needed to be said. I know you're an international fan that's in love with the old name and colors but, take heart, you can follow Charlotte after they get the Hornets name back.
I've surmised by the sentiment from among NO fans that Benson has his mind set on change- what I haven't gauged is how much change has he set his mind on? Or to what extent? Does he just want to change the nickname and logo, or is this a complete makeover?
As I discussed above, there is a good argument for maintaining the colours while changing the nickname- is that considered plausible amongst fans? A tweaking, while retaining a link to the past?
Or, is this to be a compete spring cleaning, lock stock and barrel? If so.. does New Orleans maintain any historical links with the Hornets (either in Charlotte or NOLA incarnations)? Or does that all revert back to the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets? Would Muggsy Bogues or Alonzo Mourning qualify to have their jerseys retired at either New Orleans or Charlotte? Or both? If he hadn't fled to Golden State, what about Baron Davis?
Some of the proposed new colour combinations sound a bit awful- and there's already so many black, red, gold, navy blue and green colours in the jerseys of the other 29 NBA teams presently. Any thoughts?
In the introductory press conference they had in New Orleans, Benson essentially said "I'm gonna need your help with naming the team. The Hornets mean nothing (to New Orleans)."
So yea I'd say it's gonna be a complete overhaul.
LMAO, nah I haven't painted my house teal, tho maybe I should! I'm just curious- what do New Orleans Voodoo/Pelicans/Angels/Gators/Pirates/Magical-Mystery-Force fans have in mind for a new colour scheme? Because a lot of new teams start up with REALLY lame colours and uniforms. See- Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, Vancouver Grizzlies, OKC, Charlotte Bobcats (is it any wonder their fans want their old colours back?)..
For what its worth, I'm not attatched the to the Hornets nickname, and realise it has no significance for NOLA- my preference is 'the Blues'. 'The Voodoo' is better than some I've come across, but it's hard to imagine fans and/or players saying "We're the Voodoo!" without breaking out into fits of giggles! Maybe that's just me..
LMAO again- yes I could definitely do that. There are two slight problems however- are they essentially the Charlotte Bobcats, re-branded? How much history (if any) is shared between New Orleans and Charlotte? Who did Chris Paul represent? It's confusing!
The Hornets nickname I'm 'meh' about- fine with Benson changing it, so long as it's not something lame, like 'the Pride'
Second problem with following the Bobcats-turned-Hornets: they suck bigtime! And will do for the foreseeable future.. Bismack Biyombo anyone? Oh, and they have Michael Jordan running things..
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